AUTHOR'S NOTE: Not much to say, just hope you like it and leave a review if you feel so led.

"Hey, uh, Buffy?" Dawn peeked her head in Buffy's room. She was awake, luckily, and folding her clothes.

"Oh, yeah?" She picked up another pair of jeans. "Did you need something?" She said after a long pause on Dawn's part.

"Well, this might sound really selfish, but…" She had to be very careful in how she put this, she knew. She needed to be very picky in which words she chose, just in case she said no. "I need a dress for the formal dance at school." She blurted. Well, at least it was out there.

"There's enough people here to go to a dance?" Dawn nodded. "Huh." She picked up another pair of pants and began to fold them.

"Well, uh, would it be alright if I borrowed one from you?"

"From me? I'm not sure it'd fit, but you could try, I guess."

"What if it doesn't, then? Cause you are really tiny."

"Hey! Well, it could be taken as a good thing, I guess. I don't know. I promise you you'll have a dress, though, by…um…"

"This Friday?"

"That's when the dance is. Ok, Friday. Only four days away. We'll think of something."

"Thanks." She turned around and began to walk out the door.

"So who's your date?" Buffy called after her. Such a simple question, such an odd answer in store. Should she respond? Should she roll her eyes? Should she be huffy? "Dawn?"

"Um…Andrew." She mumbled and walked very fast in the direction of her room.

"Wait, what?" She grabbed Dawn's shoulder and turned her to face her. "You mean Jonathan-killing Andrew? Dorky, Trekkie Andrew?"

"Um…do I have to answer that?"

"Oh my god…he's been harassing you, right? Or maybe he's paying you so people will think he's straight."

"No, uh…neither one."

"How long has this been going on?"

"Oh, just a few, you know…" She stared hard at the carpet. "Months."

"Months? Why does no one tell me anything?" Dawn shrugged. "I guess I should have known, you know. All the rides and looks and…hand touches…"

"It's not serious, Buffy. It's just…"

"Just what? A fling? Please say this is a fling…"

"I mean, it's not love yet, but…"

Buffy's face grew very serious. "Oh my god. You slept together! My sixteen year old sister, already-,"

"No! No, no, no! We haven't-,"

"I was a bad example. That thing with Spike was sure to influence you somehow…I'm a terrible legal guardian! I shouldn't have-,"

"Buffy!" She shook her sister's shoulders. "It's ok! You're a great legal guardian. You did nothing wrong. I haven't…I'm still…you know. It's not serious. We've kissed, and that's all."

"Ew!" She stuck her tongue out. "You kissed him? Ew!" At that moment Spike emerged into the hall.

"What's so 'ew'?" He asked, looking at each of them.

"She's dating Andrew! Did you know this?"

"Yeah." He said slowly. He tilted his head to the side. "Didn't you?"

"No!"

"Well, everyone else does. I figured at least Marissa would have told you. She's a chatty one, that bird. Can't keep a secret worth her life."

"Since when are you chummy with the Potentials?"

"Since you've been too busy to talk with me. You too, Bit."

"Sorry." Dawn said. "Hug?"

"Sure!" They hugged and Buffy rolled her eyes.

"Is everyone here very stoned?" She mumbled.

"So what did I hear about a dress?" He asked.

"You heard that?" Dawn asked. He tapped his ear. "Oh, yeah. Vampire. Well, there's this formal dance at school, and I sort of need something to wear. Something not…outdated."

"That rules out Red, then." Spike snorted.

"How do you know that Willow's formal dresses are outdated?" Buffy asked suspiciously.

"Oh, you know. I was once an aspiring fashion columnist." She raised her eyebrows. "Anyways, Dawnie, I think I might have something for you. Don't think you'll make me feel bad by saying no, alright?" Dawn nodded. "C'mere." He took her hand and led her downstairs. Buffy stared after them, then decided to go into her room and finish her laundry folding.

*******************

Spike dragged out a trunk from beneath his cot. He opened it up to reveal some of the very dusty contents, which included a collection of blonde-haired, blue-eyed dolls and magazines from the fifties. At the very bottom, underneath some leather-bound books and photo albums was a burgundy dress. He pulled it out and offered it to her. She held it up to her shoulders and looked at it. The arms were made of sheer fabric, the same burgundy color, and came out to about the end of her shoulder. On the chest of the dress was some delicate lace sewn into the rest.

"Go ahead and try it on if you like it." He tried to sound cool, but he couldn't keep his emotion of his voice. It was a feeling of his little girl being all grown up. A tear came to his eye.

"Alright. Uh, turn around." She said. After a few minutes, she gave him the ok. "D'you think you could help me with the back?" He came over to her and tied the strings in the back tightly, but so she could still breathe. "Wow. This is perfect…"

"One of Dru's old dresses. I was waiting for an opportunity to give it away."

"Thanks!" She wrapped her arms around him. "You're the coolest, Spike." He smiled and wiped away a tear. Damn those fluffy emotions. She pulled away and looked back down at her new dress. "Do you think he'll like it?"

"Who? You mean Andrew?" He snorted. "He'd better. Otherwise, you know I'll come after him. He knows that too." He winked. "How about this…ANDREW!" He hollered.

"Spike! Sssh!" Dawn whispered.

"HEY! I THINK OBI-WAN'S DOWN HERE!" He yelled, laughing at Dawn's response. Andrew came racing down into the basement.

"What? What's going on?" He saw Dawn and stopped dead in his tracks. His jaw dropped slightly and his eyes widened. "O-oh…" He muttered. "Wow." He said louder. "You look…what's this…how come…I…I…what're you…is this some kind of….wow…um…"

"You want to go to the formal dance with me at my school?" She rushed out. "Because if you don't, there's no point in me taking this-,"

"Well, gee…"

"Oh." Her face fell. Spike glared at Andrew, dragging his finger across his neck menacingly.

"No, no. I mean, do you really want me, this old Trekkie guy coming to a dance with you in front of all your…peers? I dance like a wounded giraffe. I mean, what if I go on one of my Lord of the Rings rambling spells, or if I compare some guy to the special guest star on episode 76 of Babylon 5 because there are a lot of guys that look like him-,"

"What the hell are you going on about?" Spike cut in.

"Sorry." He reddened a little. "Anyways, what I was trying to say is are you positive you want me to come?"

"Hell yeah." She said.

"Little Bit! I told you not to say that! What if Buffy-,"

"Hey, Spike? Wanna leave us alone for a while?" Andrew interrupted.

"This is my room, you know."

"Yeah, we know."

"Just checking." He jogged up the stairs. "I wonder if Brittany and Michelle would want to watch Charmed with me tonight. They really look up that Paige, you know…" His voice faded the farther he went away. Andrew took the remaining steps towards Dawn and cupped her chin in his hand.

"But, what will I wear?"

Dawn giggled. "We'll think of something."