Rating: G
Summary: Romance W/S
Disclaimer: All characters and aspects of the fictional environment are property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, Fox, et al. There is no intent, or remote possibility, of anyone profiting from this. Song lyrics, Herman Hupfeld (1931)
Distribution: If you'd like it ask and I'll let you take it.
Feedback: Please
Dedication: This was inspired by the romance in Angel's 'Growing'.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Dawn put down the untouched cup of coffee and thought about the reason she'd come to see Willow. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
"Willow, I need a really big favor, "Dawn said with the saddest face she could muster.
"What? I'm sorry sweetie. I guess I was somewhere else, "Willow said apologetically.
The somewhere was a coffee shop and the time was six months ago. That was her first 'date' with Spike. He'd been so shy, afraid she might say no. She loved that about him. The others never bothered to try to see the little boy in the man.
"Favor, I'm not sure that I like the sound of this, "Willow said.
Dawn put on her best puppy dog eyes and continued.
"You know the school formal is Saturday, right?"
"Gee let me think, I seem to remember something about a ten hour shopping trip two weeks ago to get you a dress, "Willow said sarcastically.
"Yeah, so you remember. Well we need a chaperone and.."
"Hold on, you waited this long to arrange for.."
"No, we had them all picked a long time ago, but we lost one. Janie's Mom wasn't due for two weeks, and then this morning, meet your little brother. I'm on the chaperone committee and I need to find one right away."
Dawn took a breath, "and it's either you or Buffy."
"You could ask Anya."
Dawn just looked at her, "ask Anya to chaperone a bunch of hormone crazed teenagers?"
"OOkay, I see your point, well why not Buffy?"
"I just can't ask her, "Dawn said.
"I'm sure she'd agree to do it, "Willow replied.
Dawn frowned, "I know, that's why I don't want to ask her."
Wallow looked puzzled.
"It's because she always over reacts when it comes to me. Like today she made a big deal over Sam and me right there in the hall at school."
"What happened?" Willow asked.
Dawn's eyes slid away from the red head's, "you see Sam couldn't find his earth science book. So we thought that maybe the janitor might have picked it up. So we, ah, went into the janitor's closet to look for it. We couldn't find the light switch so we were feeling around for it. We held onto each other because it was safer to stick together, it was so dark. Then, Buffy gets the wrong idea when she opens the door."
Willow fought to hold back a smile as she stared at the girl.
Dawn dropped her eyes again.
"Making out in the janitor's closet," Willow said and it wasn't a question.
Dawn nodded as red circles appeared on her cheeks, "it's not like no one else ever did it before."
Willow couldn't hold her smile back any more, "Xander used to be in there so often with Cordelia that I thought he was using ammonia for after shave."
"You see how she is, "Dawn pleaded, "she'll be all over us at the dance."
Willow sighed, "ok, but I'd need a dress and I'd need to get my hair done and it's already Thursday."
Dawn smiled, "no problem, some of the local shops agreed to supply the stuff for the chaperones as an advertising gimmick."
"Wait a minute, I don't have to wear a Wal-Mart sign across my rear or anything do I?"
"No, some of the nicest shops volunteered, your outfit would be from Du Village over on Third Street."
Willow whistled softly, "that's a really fancy place, I'm not so sure about this anymore. I could wear the bridesmaid's dress from my cousin's wedding."
"You mean the one you said was 'Gone With The Wind' meets The Cookie Monster?"
"Well, ok, but Du Village, that's kinda scary. Anyway, "she said hopefully glancing at her watch, "it's already past five, they're probably closed."
Dawn smiled, "I called them this afternoon, they promised to stay open if we get there by six."
"You called them before you even asked?" Willow said with a frown.
Dawn leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek, "I knew you'd never let me down. Now come on and get dressed."
Willow looked through her bedroom closet and picked out a plain shift dress. It would make trying stuff on easier.
As she changed, her mind drifted back to Spike and that first 'date'. After the coffee shop, they started going out to Spike's favorite retro movie house. He liked the black and white film noir pictures from the forties. She kidded him that it was just because it was the only place in Sunnydale you could see people smoke. She really thought it was because he identified with the redemption of anti-heroes like Bogart and Mitchum, tough guys who despite the mistakes they made in their lives in the end always did the right thing.
Why did he have to go to LA, she thought pulling on the dress? Damn I miss him.
"Willow, we're gonna be late." Dawn called from the bottom of the stairs.
Willow picked up her purse and hurried out.
~~~*~~~
Dawn knocked on the door and a young woman unlatched it and let them into the shop. The walls were light gray with a few well lit paintings the only splashes of color. The carpet was thick and a slightly darker shade. There were dark leather chairs and sofas. No clothes were visible. It could have been an upscale art gallery.
"This way please, "the girl said ushering them through a set of pale gray curtains.
"Good evening, my name is Marie, "a slim middle aged woman said as they entered the large dressing room.
She looked very elegant in a cool and distant way. Her hair was jet black and pulled back into a severe bun. She wore a simple gray dress that Willow thought probably cost more than her car.
The room was circular with a little platform to one side surrounded by mirrors. Curtains covered several additional doorways.
The woman motioned to the girl and she brought a wooden hanger to Willow.
"Please Ms. Rosenberg your dress."
Willow looked around for a changing room and then realized there wasn't one.
She awkwardly removed her dress and handed it to the girl who put it on the hanger and hung it on a brass knob on the far wall.
"Please, "the woman said gesturing to the platform.
An embarrassed Willow climbed up. It took all her self control not to roll up in a ball and try to cover herself with her arms.
"Straighten please, "the woman said.
Willow realized she was standing hunched over with her hands in front of her. She took a deep breath and raised her head and squared her shoulders.
She was immediately greeted by multiple images of herself in cotton briefs with yellow butterflies and what looked for all the world like a white cotton training bra.
She looked away and saw Dawn seated on a small leather chair trying her best to keep a straight face. Willow gave her a 'wait until I get you alone' look, with no result.
The woman walked slowly around the platform checking every inch of her form.
Willow was sure that her butt dropped an inch and her chest two cup sizes under her steely gaze.
Then she took a small tape measure and efficiently measured every conceivable dimension on Willow's body.
She wrote nothing down, but made little noises under her breath as she read each measurement from the tape.
The woman stepped back and considered for a moment.
"Well, "a nervous Willow offered, "are we ready to try the dresses on?"
The woman shook her head, "not dresses, dress. There is only one that is for you."
She said something to her young assistant who then hurried through one of the curtains.
"Now, let me see, "she said mounting the platform.
Using only her fingers and a few large clips form a hidden pocket, she swept Willow's medium length hair into a fashionable tousled pile.
"You have a lovely neck, you must show it."
Willow stammered a thank you to this unexpected compliment.
The girl came back through the curtains carrying a dress and several boxes.
To call it a dress was like calling a Jaguar convertible a car or the Hope diamond a necklace.
It was silver and dark green with thin silver straps; it was the most beautiful dress Willow had ever seen.
They helped her into it being careful not to muss her hair. Willow turned to look at herself in the mirrors, but the woman objected.
"Not until we are finished."
The girl took a pair of shoes form one of the boxes. They consisted of a sole, very high heel and thin silver straps with tiny green catches perfectly matching the dress. Willow didn't even want to think of how much these wisps of Italian leather cost.
The woman opened a velvet box and removed a pair of silver and green earrings and put them in her ears. Then she took a silver and green stone necklace from the same box and put it around her neck.
"Now you can look."
Willow turned. For a moment she didn't recognize the tall glamorous woman looking back at her, and then she smiled.
"Willow, you look beautiful, "Dawn said in an awestruck tone.
As she continued to study herself, the woman placed a matching wrap around her bare shoulders and handed her a tiny silver evening bag with a clasp made from the same green stone as the necklace.
"I..ah..I don't know what to say, it's all so beautiful."
"You complement one another, two beautiful things that deserve each other," and the woman smiled for the first time.
After she'd changed, the woman told her that the dress would be ready the next day and Dawn volunteered to pick it up.
Back on the sidewalk, Dawn stopped and looked at Willow.
"What is it?" she asked.
"You were so beautiful."
"It was the outfit, "Willow said.
Dawn smiled and shook her head.
~~~*~~~
Willow and Dawn spent most of Saturday getting ready, hair, make up, and nails the whole deal. The assistant at the dress shop had taken Polaroid's of Willow in the outfit for the benefit of the hair and makeup people.
Willow dropped Dawn off at the Summer's house.
"Don't forget, the students are meeting at the school before the dance. When everyone's there then they'll take us to the club we rented. They don't want any drinking and driving so this way they'll know that no one's taking alcohol or cars with them. The chaperones will get picked up and taken in first so they can get acquainted."
Willow waved and drove off.
Laying out the boxes Dawn had picked up with the dress; Willow saw one she didn't recognize. It was marked with the shop's name and was tied with a red ribbon.
She opened it and saw a note:
'Ms. Rosenberg,
A small gift for a beautiful gown and a beautiful woman.
Marie '
Folding back the tissue paper, she found a delicate ivory lace set of underwear.
Willow was just adjusting the drape of her wrap when the doorbell rang. She opened it and a man in a black suit and matching cap asked if she were ready.
He led her down the path to a shiny black car.
As they drove off, she was thinking that she could get used to this kind of life very easily.
They pulled up outside a darkened building and the car door was opened by a man in a tuxedo.
"Ms. Rosenberg, if you'll please come this way, "he said offering his arm.
They crossed through a small lobby and then into the club. There were small round tables covered in crisp white cloth surrounding a polished wood dance floor. She was escorted to a table set for two. A silver cooler with a bottle of champagne stood next to it.
As she sat, she noticed a small platform across the dance floor with a trio of bass, drums and piano. She was surprised that the kids organizing the dance would have hired such a traditional group. Just then the three tuxedoed men began to play.
She thought she recognized the beginning of the tune, it reminded her of Spike and she couldn't think why.
"Of all the gin joints in all the world, she had to walk into mine."
She recognized the voice immediately.
"Spike, what are you doing here?" she asked as she turned.
He was standing a few steps behind her in a black silk evening suit with an open necked white silk shirt.
He stepped to the table, "may I, "he asked nodding to the dance floor.
She nodded and rose.
They walked onto the dance floor.
"You look so beautiful tonight, "he said.
"It's the dress, "she said modestly.
"It's the girl in the dress, "he said taking her hand.
She looked around at the deserted room, "no formal?"
"Well not here at least, "he said sheepishly.
"You did all this for me?" she asked in disbelief.
"How could I forget our six month anniversary?"
They were at the center of the floor now.
He turned toward the band stand, "you played it for her, you can play it for me. Play it."
The tune started again as he held her and they began to dance.
He put his lips next to her ear.
"You must remember this
A kiss is still a kiss; a sigh is just a sigh
The fundamental things apply
As time goes by
And when two lovers woo
They still say, "I love you"
[She looked up and he nodded].
On that you can rely
No matter what the future brings
As time goes by
Moonlight and love songs
Never out of date
Hearts full of passion
Jealousy and hate
Woman needs man
And man must have his mate
That no one can deny
Well, it's still the same old story
A fight for love and glory
A case of do or die
The world will always welcome lovers
As time goes by
Oh yes, the world….. will….. always…. welcome…. lovers…..
As….…. time……… goes…………. by
END