When Spike came through the door to pick up his two damsels he found them engrossed in singing, and dancing, to “Frosty the Snowman” which was playing over the mall sound system. Dawn was giggling while Buffy making a show of wiggling around in Frosty’s place.
When Spike’s low laugh rumbled through the room, Buffy’s face took on a distinctive pink sheen.
“Very good luv, ‘m glad to see you keepin’ with the spirit of the season,” he thought she was being bloody adorable.
“Yeah, well Dawn needed cheering up after such a-a traumatic experience!” Buffy said recovering from her embarrassment. Spike looked every inch the bad boy when he entered; dressed in black, save the seasonal red silk shirt he wore, though Buffy was sure it had nothing to do with Christmas.
“No I didn’t! You like dancing to Frosty! You can’t lie or you’ll get something bad from Santa!” Dawn’s comment made Buffy’s flush an even deeper red.
“Tha’s right nibblet. If your sister’s not careful she’ll get herself a lump of coal,” Spike’s eyes twinkled with mischief at Buffy before turning to Dawn. “What say you we get you some ice cream? Sunnyhell’s the only place where it’s hot ‘nough to have ice cream at Christmas.”
“Sunnyhell? Apt description I’m sure, but try to watch your language please,” Buffy scolded him with the same twinkle of mischief he’d turned on her earlier.
“Right, sorry,” Spike made a mental note to watch his tongue in the future. Turning his attention back to Dawn he asked, “So where does the little princess fancy getting ice cream from?”
“Baskin Robbins!” Dawn’s excited screech had the two other occupants covering their ears.
“Got a set o’ lungs on her doesn’t she?” Spike smiled at Buffy and led the two out of the security office.
~*~
If at all possible, the throng of Christmas shoppers had grown in the time they had spent in the security office and it wasn’t long before the crush of people made Buffy scared to loose Dawn for a second time that day. Before she could stop to pick up her little sister, Spike leaned over to her and asked if it would be alright for him to.
“I think you’d better ask her,” she replied smiling at his thoughtfulness. Dawn, of course, simply smiled and said that it was about time, she was getting stepped on.
“Dawn!” Buffy exclaimed horrified.
“Well I was. ‘Sides I see better up here,” she turned her gap toothed smile to Spike and added in a syrupy sweet tone, “Thank you.”
“Startin’ with the eyes and sweet smiles already are ya? You’re gonna be a handful for your da when you grow up.” Buffy started at the comment but left it alone, no need in bringing down the happy atmosphere.
~*~
Once at the ice cream shop Dawn had insisted she get two scoops, with sprinkles and chocolate syrup. When Buffy tried to talk her out of it, trying the ‘you’ll spoil your dinner routine’ that moms were always so successful at, all she got was a glare.
“Your dinners aren’t as good as mommy’s anyways. And I’m tired of pizza!” Dawn had exclaimed. At Spike’s raised questioning eyebrow, Buffy had again opted to not make a scene and allowed her sister to get what she wanted.
“So what’ll you be havin’ luv? Fancy a sugar high yourself?” Spike asked her with a smirk.
Smiling Buffy replied, “No, I think I’ll just settle for a mint chocolate chip in a cup please.” She smiled at the young boy manning the counter.
“Right, well I’ll have two scoops of the Ribbons then,” winking at Dawn he continued, “but none o’ that other junk the little one put on ‘ers.”
Spike insisted on paying, and money being tight enough as it was, Buffy didn’t have it in her to do more than weakly object. They settled down at one of the many sticky booths and Dawn immediately dug into her sugar filled snack.
“She’ll be bouncing off the walls as soon as we get home,” Buffy smiled at Spike. “Thanks for this, you really didn’t need to. Dawn just likes to make a fuss when she can.”
“’s not a problem. Don’t fancy bravin’ the crowds here yet.” Spike watched as Buffy took a large pink spoonful of her ice cream. He was so fixated on watching her lips as she ate that he missed Dawn’s question.
“Sorry bit, whadya say?”
“I asked you why your hair’s so bright.” Dawn looked up at him with her patented wide-eyed innocence, chocolate already smeared around her lips.
“My hair? ‘S not so bright is it?” He ran a hair over his gelled locks in an unconscious display of self-consciousness.
“Yeah it is!” She exclaimed giggling. Buffy couldn’t help but smile for what seemed the hundredth time that afternoon.
“Well, I like it this way,” Spike shot a look at Buffy who was currently trying to stifle her own giggles.
“Oh I do too. It’s just bright. What are you doing for Christmas?” Dawn forged on with her question and answer session with her savior.
“Well that’s good nibblet,” he continued, “I’m probly just gonna spend it with my da.”
“Oh,” Dawn visibly quieted at that and Spike shot a worried glance at Buffy who had also sobered at the comment. “What are you two doing for Christmas? ‘Sides terrorizing your folks?”
Dawn’s tears was the last thing he expected at the question he posed, but sure enough he saw an echo of the ones swimming in her eyes earlier that day. Dawn looked up to Buffy who was sitting beside her, and she opened her arms in invitation, allowing Dawn to crawl onto her lap once more.
“Spike, I really don’t mean to make you uncomfortable when I tell you this, but our parents have both passed away. Dad died in a car accident a couple of years ago, and mom had an aneurism after an operation to remove a brain tumor just after Thanksgiving.” The pain was still raw after loosing her mother, so Buffy had to look down at her sister in order to hide her own glassy eyes.
“Oh, I’m so sorry Buffy. I had no idea. I’m a right git,” Spike was horrified at the thought of these two girls having lost so much, in such a short time, and right before the biggest family holiday of the year no less.
“It’s ok. You didn’t know,” Buffy glanced up and saw only deep compassion in his gaze rather than the pity she was so accustomed to. “But we’re still going to have a special Christmas aren’t we Dawnie. Just like mom planned for us.”
Dawn peeked out from her burrow on Buffy’s shoulder, and watched Spike from across the table. She didn’t say anything, just sat there watching him.
“Know what it’s like luv, I lost my own mum a few years ago,” Spike knew what the girls were in for. Christmas had never been the same at the Giles’ after Anne had passed away. He smiled at Dawn who still sat watching him with wide eyes, “I don’t want to intrude on any of your plans, so feel free to say no, but if you like you two can come by my place one day if you want some company. ‘m sure da would love it as much as I. He’s become a bit of a hermit since mum died.”
“Really?” Dawn glanced up at Buffy, “can we?”
“I don’t know, we really don’t want to impose, and we’re spending Christmas Eve with my friends.” Buffy was flattered by the offer, but Spike was essentially still a stranger to them.
“Sure you can. Always welcome,” seeing Buffy’s hesitation and guessing where it stemmed from he added, “I know you don’t know me that well, and you’ve never met me da, but I know what it’s like. All the pity calls before people go home to their own happy families. Just if you need a break and an ear to bend, I understand, tha’s all.” He ducked his head to hide his embarrassment.
“Yeah, it is a bit much,” Buffy acknowledged. To lighten the mood she teased, “So the Billy Idol-look, is it to get all the girls? Or are you just a hard core fan?”
Spike laughed, that glorious low rumble, “nah, jus’ like is that’s all.”
Dawn started fussing to get off Buffy’s lap, so she allowed her to slip down beside her again to finish off her rapidly melting treat. The conversation took on a pleasant tone after the initial awkwardness faded, and Buffy found she was truly enjoying his company. She hadn’t felt her age for more than a year, her mother’s illness having taken a lot out of her and given her adult responsibilities. Spike was attentive to Dawn’s scattered questions, after she also had taken her time to warm up after the revelation. By the time their ice creams were finished Dawn had slipped under the table to sit beside Spike and was currently explaining what she had learned at Kindergarten before school break.
“So we had a Ranger come in an’ he told us what to do in the woods an’ he even brought a baby bird to show us!” Dawn was animated and smiling as she told her story, “He told us that you couldn’t feed him worms cuz his mom would chew them up firs’ and if you don’ chew them firs’ the baby bird may not eat them, an’ I’m not gonna chew on worms!” She screwed up her nose at the thought.
“Why not? Have you ever eaten a worm before? Might be tasty,” Spike winked at Buffy when Dawn’s adamant “ewww gross!” rang through the shop.
“Alright Dawnie, that’s enough worm talk for one day. And didn’t he teach you what to do when you get lost in the woods? You couldn’t remember that?” Buffy asked her little sister.
“Yah, he did. Stay in one spot. Someone will find you,” Dawn rattled off, having remembered the instructions while retelling her story.
“Well’s good you remember now innit?” Spike winked at Dawn, “but try not to run off on your sis again.”
Buffy’s jaw nearly dropped when Dawn mumbled an ok. Dawn had never been one to listen; sometimes Buffy swore she’d started talking just to talk back. But here she was quietly and, dare she say, humbly agreeing with Spike. Not one to pass up an opportunity, Buffy thought it may be time to finish up at the mall and head home.
“Well we should finish our shopping so we can head home before all the things that go bump come out to harass us,” Buffy smiled and made her way out of the booth. Gathering up her things, she shot a pointed glance at Dawn when it looked like she was getting ready to object. On impulse, she grabbed a pen out of her purse, and jotted down her phone number on a clean napkin and passed it to Spike.
“For you, if you know, you want to stop by an um say hi or something.”
Blushing, she made a fuss over helping Dawn out of the booth to hide her embarrassment.
“Sure thing beautiful,” Spike slipped the napkin into the breast pocket of his shirt. “You won’t have to wait long,” he continued, flashing her one of the smiles he knew had girls weak at the knees.
“I’ll hold you to that. And thanks. For all of this,” Buffy couldn’t control the rapid beating of her heart at the sight of those lips arranged in such a drool-worthy smile. “It was very nice of you.”
“Not a problem pet. If you need me, you know where to find me.”
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Alright so I hope this chapter is a little easier to rea. And thank you all so much for all your wonderful reviews! I was blown away and am writing like mad to try to get some chapters out to you all.