Title: Snapshots
Chapter Title: Following Orders
Author: KourtTears
Pairings/Characters: Spike, Mike Hammersmith (Spike's Dad), various others in the background
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Little Giants is not mine. I'm going to borrow it for a bit though.
Story Summary: A series of moments in the lives of the Little Giants characters. Each chapter is a one-shot and they aren't necessarily in chronological order.
Chapter Summary: That was the first thing he ever learned, to please his father Spike just had to follow orders.

Author's Note: I love Spike. I especially like how he clapped for the Little Giants when they won. And how he told his dad to calm down after they lost. It did seem a bit abrupt though so here's my take on Spike's transformation. Hope you enjoy it!

Spike's first memory is of his dad…and a football. His dad had put the football on the floor and said, "Push the ball Spike." Spike did because it was easy and he wanted to please his father. That was the first thing he ever learned, to please his father Spike just had to follow orders.

A few years later Spike started his 'real' training. Meaning he ran and did pushups and pull-ups and sit-ups. And while he didn't really enjoy the actual exercise he did enjoy spending time with his dad. Spike especially enjoyed it when his dad was proud of him. It was easy, almost as easy as all the 'training'. And when he won the race when he was younger than every other participant he decided if following orders meant he would win and winning meant his dad would be happy then he could do that.

A few years after his first win Spike's mom passed away. It was also the first time he had ever seen his dad cry. He had been walking by his parents' bedroom when he looked in and saw his dad sitting on the bed holding a picture of his mother. At first Spike thought his dad was just sitting there and then he saw his dad's shoulders shake. He wasn't sure what to do so he went into the room and sat down on the bed by his dad. But before he could do anything else his dad noticed him. "Spike, start packing, we're moving. I want to be out of here by next week."

Spike didn't know what to think at first. He really didn't want to move. This was his home. He had friends here. And this house was where he had all his memories of his mom. He didn't want to leave her behind. He started to tell all of this to dad when he realized that he didn't want to see his dad cry anymore either. So to make the one person he had left (and loved most) in the world the only thing he said was, "Yes sir." Spike left his dad sitting on his bed staring at his wife and made his way back to his own room. If this is what it took to make his father stop crying then he would follow orders. He was good at that.

Soon Spike was in his new house in his new town, Urbania. Not the most original of names but it was where the great Kevin O'Shea had come from and where the great Kevin O'Shea had come back to. And the great Kevin O'Shea was coaching a peewee football team which was all his father could talk about. Correction, it was all his father would talk about. So Spike followed the unspoken order, no mentioning Mom or home or anything that wasn't football related. Unspoken orders were as easy to follow as all the other orders. Spike just had to look at his dad and he knew what to do.

And then there was the next order. The 'go with this man who looks nothing like the great Kevin O'Shea and play football' order. Spike would have argued but this was the first time his dad looked really excited and not just faking it. So Spike got his gear and went with the small Kevin O'Shea.

The next order was one Spike was happy to follow. There was no way he wanted to play football with those losers. Peewee hell didn't even begin to cover it. Spike got in the car with his dad and the REAL Kevin O'Shea and sighed. Finally, an order he would gladly follow. As they drove away he ignored the voice in the back of his head saying that it would have been fun to play against the Ice Box. Just to put her in her place of course.

Next was the order Spike was ashamed to say he followed. "Take Junior Floyd out of the game." How he wished he had ignored that order. He knew it wasn't right but an order was an order and he had been following orders since he could remember. So Spike did what he was ordered and ignored the sick feeling in his stomach.

And then the game was over and he was standing in shock with his teammates. They had lost. They. Had. Lost. How did it happen? How was it even possible? Spike looked over at the Little Giants yelling and cheering, and just for a second wished he had stayed with them. But no, he had followed his dad's orders. Even the ones he didn't agree with and it had led him to this. To being beaten by a bunch of scrawny little losers.

He had to admit it though; the Giants had played a good game. They hadn't given up even after that horrible first half. Maybe they deserve the win. So he clapped and urged his teammates to clap too. And when his dad shook his head to tell him to stop Spike didn't follow the unspoken order. He kept clapping and decided that blindly following orders wasn't what he wanted anymore.

And when the next order was "Stay away from that Ice box, cheerleader girl", Spike ignored him. Really, how was he going to show her that girls shouldn't play football if he stayed away from her?

Author's Note: That was fun. I love making up back stories for characters. Hope you enjoyed it!