Let Me See You Smile

A Buffy the Vampire Slayer Fanfiction Story

Author: Jason W Thompson <jwt6577[at]quik.com>

Episode of "Working Class Hero"

February 3, 2001

Disclaimer: Once upon a time there was a guy he wrote a story with characters and settings he didn't own, but he put a disclaimer on his story and that made it a little less illegal. BTVS and Angel are owned by Joss, Fox, Mutant Enemy, and the WB. I don't own anything except the situation characters are in. "Dear Prudence" Was written by John Lennon, performed by the Beatles and is property of Apple Records under Capitol EMI.

Category: AU Jenny/Xander/"Prudence" friendship.

Spoilers: Some minor for Season 5. And BBB

Warnings:

Summary: Jenny's daughter, Prudence has had a bad first day of school and Xander's offered to help her.

Rating: Rated PG

Distribution: Ask First.

Notes: This is set three years after season 5. Also, I counted and this is my 70th posted Buffy story.

Dedication: Dedicated to Bri, Mary, Duchess, Dale, Nate, Stone Cold, Aslan, Vega, Jen Zimmer, Louise, Sairs, and Queen Angel who have allowed me to bounce my ideas off them, and Krac, cause she has the evil bunny slippers. All stories in this series are dedicated to the memory of the true "Working Class Hero" John Winston Ono Lennon (1940-1980) because he's imagined a world I want to live in.


Xander sat with Giles going over the blueprints of the new layout Giles wanted, "I think I could do this. We'll have to close the store for a couple of weeks though. Do you think we could work that out?"

Giles shrugged and nodded, "I'm sure we could."

Xander smiled, "Cool. As usual, I'm only going to charge you for materials." He rolled up the plans and put them into a cardboard tube. "It means a lot that you trust me enough to let me renovate your store."

Giles nodded, "Well, you came highly recommended by both Willow and Jenny."

Xander nodded, "Well, building Willow that gazebo was easy. Jenny's roof was a little tougher."

Giles nodded, he was about to say something else when the phone on the counter rang. "The Magic Box. We serve all your magic needs. How may I help you?" He turned to Xander, "Of course, I'll put him on."

He handed the phone to Xander, Xander then said. "Hello?"

<Xander. Thank God!>

Xander raised an eyebrow at the frustrated sound of Jenny's voice, "What's wrong?"

<It's Pru.>

Xander's eyes widened, "Is she okay? Is she sick?"

<No, she's not sick. She started Pre-K today and a boy made fun of her and pulled her hair. She's locked herself in her room. I just thought, I mean. you know how much she loves you. that...>

Xander smiled, "I'll be right over to get your daughter out of her self-imposed exile. I'll see you in a bit."

<Thank you Xander, you're my hero.>

Xander laughed, "If I had a nickel for every time I heard that..."

<You'd have five cents Xander.>

Xander smiled, "Okay, enough being mean to me. I'll see you in a bit. Byebye."

Jenny chuckled a little longer before saying, <Byebye.> Then she hung up. Xander hung up afterwards.

*****

Xander opened Jenny's front door announcing himself as he did. "Hello?"

Jenny walked over to the top of the stairs, "I'm up here Xand." Xander climbed the steps they walked over to the closed door adorned with drawings and a poster of Pokemon. Jenny knocked on the door, "Pru honey. Come on out, please?"

A teary voice called from beyond the door, "No! That boy was mean, he called me a stupid-head! I'm never coming out again. Never! Never! Never!"

Xander sat down by the door, "Pru. It's me, your buddy, your pal, your Xand-man. Come on out sweetie."

"NO!"

Xander sighed, "Pru, if you don't come out... Well, I'll be forced to sing your song 'til you do." Prudence had no reply. Xander looked at Jenny, seeing her smile expectantly. "You think this is funny?"

Jenny sat down on the floor next to him, "I just think it's cute when you sing it."

Xander rolled his eyes, he turned to the door and cleared his throat.

"Dear Prudence, won't you come out to play. Dear Prudence, greet the brand new day. The sun is up, the sky is blue. It's beautiful and so are you. Dear Prudence won't you come out and play."

The door was still closed, he cast a glance at Jenny who was resting her chin on her hand and smiling widely.

"Dear Prudence open up your eyes. Dear Prudence see the sunny skies. The wind is low the birds will sing, that you are part of everything. Dear Prudence won't you open up your eyes?"

He felt a grin tug at the corners of his mouth, he was getting into the song at this point.

"Look around round. Look around round round. Look around."

He turned to Jenny and mouthed, 'Big Finish.' He turned back to the door.

"Dear Prudence let me see you smile. Dear Prudence like a little child. The clouds will be a daisy chain, so let me see you smile again. Dear Prudence won't you let me see you smile?"

Jenny and Xander waited patiently when they heard the bed squeak, then they heard her fumble with the lock and the door come open. They smiled at the dark haired little girl and she wrapped her arms around Xander's neck.

Xander held her out at arm's length and smiled. He wiped her tears away and squeezed her nose making a honking noise with his lips. This earned a giggle from the child, "There, there sweetie. That boy didn't know what he was talking about. I'll tell you what, why don't we go out and play?"

Prudence smiled and nodded, "Okay."

Xander smiled, "Go get your shoes and we'll play." Prudence smiled and ran into her room. She brought her shoes out to Xander and he put them on then watched as Prudence trotted to the stairs and maneuvered them as fast as her small legs could.

Xander stood up and helped Jenny to her feet, Jenny smiled at him, and he could see the laughter in her dark eyes, "You know that's why she loves you so much."

Xander grinned lop-sidedly, "That and I feed her junk food when Mommy's not looking. She looks just like you Jenny." He pretended to dust off her shoulder.

Jenny picked at an imaginary piece of lint on Xander's shirt. "Really? Cause I always thought she looked like her father."

Xander smirked, "Nah, I know her father, he's a dorky, loser who couldn't get a date in high school."

Jenny smiled, "Xander, I seem to remember her father landing his computer teacher in high school."

Xander shrugged as she wrapped her arms around his neck while he put his hand on her hips. "It took a love spell gone wrong to do it though."

Jenny nodded in agreement, "But you still managed to charm me without magic a couple of months later."

"Okay, yeah I did."

Jenny smiled, "After we get Pru to bed tonight, I think you and I should have a lil' playtime of our own."

Xander grinned impishly, "Be careful Mrs. Harris, I'm someone's father."

Jenny smiled and placed a kiss on Xander's lips. "That's fine, I'm someone's mother."

Xander smirked, "You certainly are a MILF."

Jenny slapped him on the chest, "Pervert!"

Xander rubbed his chest, "Ow. The truth does hurt!"

"Daddy!"

Xander turned towards the stairs, "Coming Pru." He turned back to Jenny, "Sorry, the Queen of the house calls. I'll make dinner after we play. 'Kay?"

Jenny smiled and kissed him again, "You spoil me Xander."

Xander shrugged, "I know." Xander let her go and ran down the stairs, scooping up their daughter on the way.

After a while Jenny called out and ran down the stairs after them, "Wait for me! I want to play!"

--End--

End Notes:

Thus endeth "Working Class Hero" I thought it best, like the Beatles themselves, to end with a whisper rather than a bang. For all those who have read this and the other stories, thank you very much.