Title: Party Like It's 1989

Author: Autumn

Email: autumnleaves@autumnpenguins.com

Rating: PG-13

Cat: Humor

Summary: Spike gives Dawn a present that she remembers having from her childhood, but never actually did since the memories weren't real. 

Archives: API, others please ask.

Disclaimer: Joss Whedon owns everything, damnit.

Author's Notes:

Written in response to 'The Key and the Champion' yahoo group challenge.

Link:

Requirements: Spike helps Dawn celebrate her birthday.
He gives her some obscure artifact that she 'remembers' from her
childhood, but never actually had, since the memories aren't real.


5 out of 10 of the following must be mentioned:
The country Belarus
Herbal Essence shampoo
Riley Finn's death
Spike says something NICE about Angel
The game 'Go Fish' is mentioned.
Blood soup
someone wears a shower cap.
The movie 'bambi' makes an appearance.
Spike sings a song, very badly.
Spike writes a poem, very, very badly.


Required lines: At least two need to be used.
"Yeah, cause that's always a giant ball of fun."
"They make an SPF 3,000 now you know, cause of all the pollution."
"Screw you, and the horse you rode in on!"
"Tiddlywinks and gummy worms."
"Go to your crypt!"
"Sorry, evil pulse less things aren't included."

Post: Crush 

************************* 

            "Thought you weren't supposed to be here.  Big sis'll get all pissy and I'll never hear the end of it."  Spike drawled as Dawn entered his crypt.

"Yeah well I don't care what Buffy says.  I'll come over here whenever I want too."  

            "Shouldn't you be in school during the day part of the day?" 

            "The thing about suspension is that they punish you for being bad or whatever by giving you a three day vacation." Dawn answered brightly.

            "You don't sound too broken up about it.

            "Well, mom's feeling better, Buffy finally stopped mooning over Riley and I don't have to be in school on my birthday.  There is no bad here." 

            "Today's your birthday?" 

            "No, it's on Wednesday, but I'll still be suspended then." 

            "So what are the big birthday plans?" Spike asked with genuine interest.

            "Just the usual, sleep over with friends, movies, popcorn, massive amounts of chocolate. All tiddlywinks and gummy wormy kinda things" Dawn's tone became increasingly sad as the sentence progressed.

            "This is actually only my first real birthday.  All the other ones never really happened." 

            "Well what do you remember as your best birthday present?" 

            "When I turned 10, Buffy gave me her old Nintendo.  Like the original one with the actually fun games like Super Mario Brothers and Tetris." 

            "No one likes Tetris!" Spike exclaimed. 

            "I do. Or I did. I lost the game when we moved. But before that Buffy and I used to have Tetris marathons to see who could get to the highest level, I always beat her."

            "Yeah?"

            "Before she became the slayer, her hand-to-eye coordination was so bad!  She was the total stereotype of a cheerleader who couldn't walk and talk at the same time. I figured out there was something different about her when I became the klutz in the family."

            Spike chuckled.  "Angel met Buffy before you guys moved here.  He saw her called."

            "How do you know?" Dawn asked, surprised. 

            "Peaches told me.  After he and the Slayer had their shagfest, well guess it was just a shag since he went all evil afterwards. Anyway, he said that he met Buffy back when you guys lived in LA." 

            Dawn had a shocked look on her face. "Angel lost his soul from having um, sex with Buffy?" 

            "You didn't know that?" 

            "No.  Mom and Buffy don't tell me anything.  Buffy thinks I still believe that whole story about the stork." 

            Spike debated for just a few seconds, but decided to share anyway.  "Angel's only bearable when he's evil.  Otherwise, he was almost as boring as Captain Cardboard.  But yeah, he and Big sis has a roll in the hay, and presto change, Angelus was back." 

            "You are so much cooler than anyone else!" Dawn said, happy to have finally confirmed how Angel turned evil. 

            Spike found himself pleased that the nearly 16year old approved.  She's always been one of his favorites out of the Scooby gang, and not just because he found most of them annoying.  Buffy had the whole strength thing and the Herbal Essence shampoo commercial hair, and the…okay he liked her.  But Willow had gotten far too bossy in recent years.  Xander, he just wanted to ship off to Belarus and send Anya with him about half the time. Tara he had no problem with, despite her shy bambi-like behavior.  Giles, well there just weren't words enough to describe how he felt about the Watcher.

            Dawn he genuinely liked.  She was funny and cute, and she was damn good at painting his fingernails for him. He'd spent enough time with her to realize how much the 'monk's made up memories' still bothered her, though most of the people around her treated her like she'd bounced back from it, forgetting how long teenagers moped over the smallest things, let alone life altering ones.                                        

            "Let's flip on the telly love.  Might as well partake in the classic teenage hooky-playing antics right?" 

            "All that's on during the day are soap operas." Dawn wrinkled her nose.

            "There happen to be intricate plot lines with realistic characters!" 

            "Yeah, sounds like a big ball of fun." Dawn snorted. 

            "We could try to find some porn." Spike said, wondering what her reaction would be.

            "Gross! Okay." Dawn answered after a beat, curious to see something outside of her biology book.

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

            A few hours later, Buffy came storming into Spike's crypt.  "Spike have you seen Da-" she started, but stopped when she saw the girl on the couch. 

            "I wasn't lost Buffy.  But if I was, sure took you awhile to find me." Dawn sassed.

            "You are so grounded!"

            "Funny, I don't remember you being my mother." 

            "Dawn we're going.  Get off the couch, or I'll drag you off of it."  Buffy threatened. 

            "Fine.  Can Spike come?"

            "Sorry, evil soulless things aren't invited." Buffy said coolly. 

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

            On Wednesday night, Janice, Valerie, Buffy, Joyce, the Scoobies and Spike were arranged in the Summer living room.  Dawn had insisted that Spike be included for the cake and ice cream portion of her birthday, and had gotten her wish.  She'd been surprised when Spike had handed a nicely wrapped gift to her, but had decided to put it away to open last. 

            "Thanks Anya" Dawn said as she peeled the paper away from the 'Life' board game.

            "Now, when Xander and I come over to baby-sit you, we'll be able to have hours and hours of fun!"

            "That's sweet.  But I'm 16 now, and I really, really think that I'm beyond the whole babysitting thing."  Dawn said, embarrassed at Anya's statement in front of her friends. 

            "Here, let's open another present."  Buffy said, bringing the focus away from Anya. 

            Dawn opened the rectangular box and found a vintage Game Boy Nintendo system.  "Buffy, this is awesome!" 

            "Well, since your old one was sacrificed to the moving vans, I thought I'd try and replace it." 

            After admiring Buffy's gift, Dawn turned to the small, square present from Spike.  It turned out to be a much beloved copy of 'Tetris' 

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

            "So, was that whole thing in Spike's an act?" 

            "Yeah.  I had a hunch you'd tell him what you wanted for your birthday.  And surprise, surprise you did." Buffy answered, smiling. 

            "Thank you." Dawn said, and hugged her sister. 

              "Much as I hate to admit it, I have to give Spike some of the credit.  But don't you dare tell anyone that."

            "I'm gonna get home a little late from school." Dawn called before she ducked out of the door and into the car to go to school. 

            "You ready to get your ass kicked?"  Dawn asked the blonde vampire as she pulled the Game Boy out. 

            "By all means.  But I'll have you know I ate loads of video game nuts in my day."

            "Please, like that's supposed to scare me."  Dawn laughed as she settled down into the first round of what promised to be a fierce tournament.