Double Date
In ‘Brotherly Advice’, Dawn tried to convince Spike that she should go out with Jonathan. This is the sequel.
They stood in the back of the ticket line, trying to look inconspicuous. “Turn around. She’s looking our way.”
Spike turned. “Did she see us?”
“No,” Buffy replied. “I don’t think so. She smiled up at him. “You look cute in that baseball cap.”
“Right.” He fiddled with the brim. “I’m sure I look like a sad git.”
“No, you don’t.” She bent his head and kissed him. “And you still have enough blond in your hair to stand out in a crowd. It’s a fine disguise.”
“With that hood over your head, you look ready to hit a convenience store. Can’t run my fingers through your goldie locks when they’re all covered up.”
“We aren’t here to have fun. We’re here to keep a eye on my little sister. I don’t know why you ever convinced me to let her go out with Jonathan.”
“Me?” he shrugged. “Like anyone has a chance when Little Bit makes her mind up. Though what she sees in the little wanker...”
“Look,” she exclaimed. “They’ve gone inside. Now we just have to find them in the dark.”
“You haven’t thought this through, have you, Slayer? What if they’re sitting at the back? She’s gonna notice us if we’re farther forward than they are.”
“But the only reason they’d sit at the back is if they wanted to...” Buffy’s eyes narrowed. “She damn well better not be sitting at the back.”
They slipped into the darkening cinema just before the trailers. Spike scanned the room. “There they are,” he whispered. “In the middle. There’s two seats about six rows back.” He took her hand and led her down the aisle.
In the flickering light from the screen, Buffy could make out the young couple. “What’s he doing?” she whispered. “Is he putting his hand in her lap? I ought to...”
“Calm down, Buffy. She has a bucket of popcorn.”
“Oh.” She leaned back as Spike put his arm around her shoulder. She leaned towards him. “This movie sucks.”
The woman in the seat in front of them turned around. “Shhh.” she shushed.
“Hey,” Spike said. “He’s trying the old stretching trick. That little...”
“And she’s letting him. Didn’t I teach her anything?” She barely noticed Spike’s hand resting on her breast.
“That little wanker better not cop a feel. If he does...” He watched Dawn rest her head on Jonathan’s shoulder. The young man’s hand rested safely on her upper arm. “Oh. Good then. Don’t think he could reach anyway.”
The woman in front was becoming agitated. “Shhhhh!” she shushed louder.
“Shhh yourself,” Spike shushed back. “The movie stinks.”
“Young man,” she hissed, “be quiet or I’ll call an usher.”
Spike stood up and pulled Buffy to her feet. “This is a waste a time,” he whispered into her ear. “He’s too shy to try anything here. Let’s wait outside for ‘em and follow ‘em home.”
They sat in the parkette across the street from the theatre. “The movie runs another hour and a half. What do you want to do in the meantime?”
“Oh, Buffy. You have to ask?” He leaned towards her on the park bench. The street was reasonably deserted. They almost didn’t notice the crowd leaving the movie.
Buffy watched her sister and the shorter man head off down the street, then took Spike’s hand and followed at a distance. “They’re going into the Expresso Pump. And I told her to go right home.”
“Yeah, well, if you can’t trust your own sister...” He winced as Buffy jabbed him with her elbow. “We can duck into this alley, and follow them when they get out.”
“Wait. I want to look at them through the window.”
“They’ll see you. Besides, what trouble can they get into in a coffee shop?” He pulled her into the alley. “Wonder how long they’ll be? Oh, Slayer, kind a you to wear a skirt.”
Twenty minutes later, she heard her sister’s voice. “They’re leaving,” she whispered. “Spike,” she giggled, “I said they’re leaving. Come on.”
The dishevelled pair followed them back towards Revello Drive. “He’s holding her hand.” Buffy was distraught. “Their first date, and he’s holding her hand.”
“I see. If I didn’t have this chip...”
“Well I don’t have a chip. What was that I said about only staking vampires and demons?” She watched as they climbed the front steps. “If he tries anything...” She saw Dawn bend her head and kiss him chastely on the cheek. “Oh, that’s sweet.”
“Um, Buffy?”
“Uh huh?”
“Isn’t she going to expect you home? Didn’t you say you’d wait for her?”
“Shit!” Buffy raced up the driveway, keeping to the shadows, Spike close behind. They vaulted over the back fence into the yard, Spike’s cap flying, ran up the porch steps and into the kitchen, sprinted into the living room and were sitting on the couch before Dawn entered the room.
“Hi guys,” Dawn smiled. “Did you have a nice evening? What’s that you’re reading, Spike? Teen Beat?”
“What? Oh.” He dropped the magazine on the floor. “Yeah. Quiet evening.”
“I guess you two didn’t like the movie.”
“What movie?” Buffy asked.
“Oh, please. Like we didn’t know you were following us the whole time. I wouldn’t go planning to work for Angel’s detective agency anytime soon.”
“Where do you think you’re going?”
Dawn turned the handle to the front door. “Out to say a proper good night. To my ‘boyfriend’. Deal with it.”
Buffy curled up next to Spike on the couch. “They grow up so fast.”
“That they do, pet. That they do.”