Chapter one

Saturday, October 23, 1989

Midday

Buffy leaned over her math homework. Today was her little sister's first birthday, and so her mother was having a gigantic birthday party, even though her father protested it. Buffy could still hear the huge argument the two of them had had earlier in the day. And to think it had all started because she had math homework to do.

"Buffy, honey, you need to finish your math homework now. Don't forget that Dawn's birthday party is later. You have to do it now." Joyce said to Buffy. "Oh, and you have to remember, now that Dawn's gonna be one, you can't act so immature. You have to be a good role model for her." Usually, Buffy would have argued that she couldn't stop being a kid. That she was still little too. That she was only in the second grade. But she didn't. Instead, Buffy merely nodded her head. Joyce smiled at her, and Buffy sat down at the kitchen table.

"Joyce, I thought we decided against the big birthday party...we don't have the time." Hank asked.

"Oh, but Hank, it's her first birthday. I want my baby to have the best!" Joyce everything but begged her husband.

"We didn't do it for Buffy; we shouldn't do it for Dawn." He replied gruffly.

"You don't have to come, but I am going to have this party. I deserve to do something for my youngest daughter. Remember how I said I would let you teach Buffy baseball with Rupert's son?" she continued.

"Don't you use that against me, Joyce." Hank replied. Hank made his way over to Joyce, arm raised...

"Hey there, kid!" Buffy jumped as Spike came up behind her. Glad for the distraction from the sound of her father slapping her mother permanently branded into her memory, she turned to Spike and gave him an unhappy smile.

"You should really stop calling me kid, Spike. Dawn's gonna be one now. I'm no longer the 'kid' in the house." She said miserably. He just shrugged.

"Nope. Not gonna happen, Buffy. You're gonna be 'kid' forever. Even when we're in our 70's and married, I'll still call you kid." He grinned at her.

"But Dawn..."

"Will have a different nickname." He interjected. "She can be...little bit, or something. You, Buffy, are kid. Deal. With. It." He grinned at her. Her smile becoming a genuine one, she got up from her chair and put her arms around his neck. He returned the hug.

"What would I do without you, Spike?"

"You'd be alone and in the dumps and bullied at school." Even though he couldn't see it, her smile widened.

"Good to know what you think of me." She laughed out. Pulling back from the hug, she linked arms with him. "So, you're gonna come support me at Dawn's big birthday, right? I mean, if you don't, I'm going into my room, hiding, and crying my eyes out." She stated innocently.

"Of course. And later tonight, I have a surprise for you. It's gonna become one of those Buffy-and-Spike traditions that we do every year. Except it's gonna take place last night instead of tonight. Make sure your bedroom window is slightly open." She wrinkled her forehead.

"Why?"

"You'll see. You're gonna looove it." He sing-songed. "Go, do your math. I'll see you later, ok?" she nodded her head, and went back to the table. Sitting down, she leaned over the math homework again.