FIC: Halloween

["Pat Kelly" <bandits@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hey.

This is based after my previous fic, "Taking a Risk" and is a Buffy-Willow-ized version of the ep in the second season, "Halloween". I'm not really building towards anything, just one shot pieces. I like writing smaller stories and trying to fit their relationship into the second season. It's relaxing. Well...enough from me :-) Enjoy.

HALLOWEEN

The three friends sat in the school lounge. Principal Snyder had just told them they were volunteering to take kids trick-or-treating on Halloween. They were not very happy about it. Especially the redhead and the blonde, who had planned on a quiet night vegging at home. In a together way.

It had been a few weeks since things were brought out in the open between them. They loved each other. Without reservation, without worry.it was nice, and new territory. Meaning, this was the first time they both had been loved by somebody completely. It was real, and it blew them both away. They were going slowly, but there was kissing. They liked that little bonus.

And when Buffy found out her mom was cool with it, she was elated. She and her mom were actually in agreement about something. That had also been a starting point for mother and daughter to actually start talking to one another about their lives. It was a welcome change.

Willow and the deal with her parents was simply, if they happened to inquire into her life, she would tell them. She wasn't going to force it. She wanted to establish a dialogue with her parents. She had tried many times, but they were always too busy, or out, well she decided it would be up to them to talk to her.

But, Buffy's mom she considered a second mother. She could talk to an adult, parental figure who talked back. Oh, she loved her parents, but she really getting to like Joyce too. She felt like she was in a family. Another benefit to her and Buffy's involvement.

Xander had not yet picked up on the new dynamic in their relationship, and they weren't about to tell him. They wanted to see if he could figure it out for himself, and then they could deal with any fireworks that happened to go off.

"Jolly rancher?" Willow asked her friends.

"Anything to cope with the sentence of Halloween duty." Buffy said, accepting the sucking candy from her position beside Willow.

Xander accepted one as well. "These things are amazing. Non-fat, long lasting fruit flavor.no other candy has accomplished such a feat. Miracle of creation, this is."

"What about, real fruit?" Willow asked.

He shook his head. "Yes, but real fruit is healthy. You don't get that unwanted side-effect."

"Doesn't the fact that it is has no fat mean it's healthy?" Buffy wondered.

"Not really. It doesn't add to your body's health factor. It's kind of neutral."

"We're forgetting the 'rotting the teeth' factor." Willow pointed out.

"No big loss. I'm looking forward to sucking food through a straw." He showed them his colored tongue and teeth for emphasis. "So, after the kid-candy hoopla, what do two chickadees have planned?"

"Spending the rest of the night with an angel." Buffy said, looking at Willow, who blushed.

"I'm sure he has better things to do. Like stealing candy." Xander said, misinterpreting Buffy's words.

Willow also wondered if Buffy meant what she thought. She was a little worried, until she felt the Slayer's hand on her arm. She smiled in relief.

"I'm sure he does too, Xand."

He was puzzled, and knew he was missing something, but couldn't quite put his finger on it. He shook his head. "What about you, Will?"

"Pretty much the sam." Buffy nudged her. "Nothing. What about you?"

"What I do every Halloween."

"And what's that?" Buffy asked.

He thought a second. "Something. You can be sure of that. I really need to start developing more traditions."

***


They split up, and Willow went with Buffy to the library. Buffy had training in the circular book-holding room. It seemed to be minus a tweed-wearing librarian at the moment. They looked around, and then Willow approached her friend.

"An angel, huh?"

"Absa-posa-tively."

"Nice word."

"I'm thinking of writing my own dictionary."

"All by yourself?"

"Could always use help."

"I'm willing. Never been called an angel before."

"I find that hard to believe."

They backed up and hit the table, and started to kiss. Lightly, lovingly. That's when they heard movement upstairs, and stopped suddenly. Giles came down the steps, books in hand.

"Buffy!"

"Giles! Hey!"

"Hello, Willow." She waved to him. "Are you two all right?"

"That's silly.question.ask.silly.really.nonsense." Willow babbled.

"Is that a yes?"

"Yes, that was a definite affirmative yes." Buffy clarified.

"Excellent. I just wanted to talk to you about tomorrow night. As it should be, uh, calm, you might work on some new battle techniques."

"You're beginning to scare me, Giles. You need to have some fun."

"Fun is good. Fun is healthy. Fun is happy. Fun is fun." Willow agreed.

"You know, there's this place you can go, right, and you sit in the dark, and there are these moving pictures, right, and the pictures tell a story." Buffy told him.

"Yes, yes, ha, ha, very droll." He said in his best 'be sarcastic without sounding it' voice.

"Droll? Is that a British word? I mean is that where it came from? Well, duh, of course it is, that's where we all go back to. British ancestors and.they wore red coats.and.but you should go do.something." Willow continued to babble.

"I'll have you know that I have very, uh, many relaxing hobbies."

"Such as?" Buffy asked.

"Well, um...I enjoy cross-referencing."

"You know what you should do? See how long it takes you to fall asleep doing that. You could problem win some sort of award." Willow offered.

"Do you stuff your own shirts, or do you send them out?" Buffy asked.

"Why do you two suddenly feel the need to inquire about how I spend my personal time?"

'Cause we were almost caught making out and we can't stop talking.' Willow thought.

"We're just interested and want to see you happy." She said instead.

"I appreciate the interest, but -"

"Ms. Calendar said you were a babe." Buffy said quickly.

Willow shot Buffy a look, but then Giles looked to her for confirmation, and she nodded her head repeatedly.

"She said what?"

"Well, she said that you were a... h-hunk of burning...something or other. So, whadaya think of that?" The Slayer kept piling it on.

"Uh, I...I don't, um, uh... A burning hunk of what?"

"Look. You know how disgusting it is for us to even contemplate you grownups having smoochies."

"Very disgusting." Willow added in.

"But we think you should go for it."

"Again, I appreciate -"

"But we've overstepped. It's none of our business, you know. What were we thinking? My God! Shame."

"Shame." Willow said.

"We gotta go.uh costume shopping. You don't mind if I skip training, do you? It being an off night and all? Good. Bye."

The two of them hurried from the library. When they reached a safe distance in the hallway, Willow spoke.

"What was that?"

"I panicked!"

Back in the library, Giles hardly noticed they left.

"A babe? I can live with that." He smiled to himself.

***


Buffy was in her bedroom putting on her costume. She and Willow had gotten them from a new place called Ethan's. Willow bought a ghost costume and Buffy a stunning eighteenth century dress and wig. After they left there, Buffy had made Willow go to another place and got her an outfit a little more daring.

"Here after we're done, right? Mom's gonna be out." Buffy called to her friend who was changing in the bathroom.

"Yeah." She said slowly.

"Come on, Will. Get in here."

"I don't know about this."

Willow cautiously walked in the room. She was wearing boots, a short, black leather skirt and a burgundy, long-sleeved, V-necked, midriff-baring top. Buffy gasped, and the nervous redhead tried to grab her ghost costume off the bed. She was intercepted.

"Wow. You're gorgeous."

"No."

"Yes." Buffy put her hand on Willow's cheek. "I wouldn't lie to you." She then proceeded to kiss her.

"But it isn't me."

"That's the point of Halloween. Besides, I like it."

"I look like a slut."

"Are you?"

"No!"

"Then what's the problem? You have no reason to be ashamed of your body. In fact you fit that thing really well."

Willow blushed and smiled. "Thanks. But I think I'll stick to the ghost."

Buffy began taking off her dress and reaching for the ghost sheet.

"Nope. I'm wearing the ghost. It's for your own good."

"You really think I can wear this?"

"My eyes tell me yes. Besides, picturing you in that while I'm leading all those little people will help me get through it."

Buffy put on a shirt and jeans, and slipped the sheet on over top. Willow sighed and decided she'd just have to deal. If Buffy thought it was fine then it made it easier. And she could use the outfit as leverage later.

"I can't believe Xander got that soldier costume." Willow said.

"It's that whole macho thing. It's just a phase."

"Guess we better get going." Willow went ahead of her, and tried a little seductive sway. "Coming?"

"Oh.you torturer. Maybe this was a bad idea."

***


In the back store room, the proprietor of Ethan's Costume Shop, one Ethan Rayne, was praying to a statue of the Chaos Goddess Janus. He was about feed his sick sense of humor. He loved Halloween.

"Janus, evoco vestram animam. Exaudi meam causam. Carpe noctem pro consilio vestro. Veni, appare et nobis monstra quod est infinita potestas.

"Persona se corpum et sanguium commutandum est. Vestra sancta praesentia concrescet viscera. Janus! Sume noctem!"

He finished, and grinned. "Showtime."

***


Buffy's troupe was coming back from a house.

"What did Mrs. Davis give you?" They all showed her toothbrushes. "She must be stopped. Let's hit one more house. We still have a few more minutes before I need to get you back."

A couple blocks away Willow followed her group to a porch.

"C'mon, guys."

One of the kids was wearing a green monster mask on his head and he was the one who rang the bell. An old woman answered the door.

"Trick-or-treat!" The kids echoed.

"Oh, my goodness, aren't you adorable!" She gave out all the candy she had, and then realized her bucket was empty. "Oh, dear! Am I all out? I could've sworn I had more candy."

A kid that had on a red rubber cap with horns transformed into a horned, red-skinned monster.

"I'm sorry, mister monster. Maybe I..."

The green masked child also transformed, grabbed the woman by the neck, and started to choke her. The other kids were still normal, this they screamed and ran away.

"No! Let her go!" Willow yelled. The two 'monsterized' children forgot the woman, and began to attack each other. The woman responsibly shut her door. "Stop! What're you doing?"

She knew something very, very wrong. And that meant she had to find Buffy, Xander, and after that, Giles. To figure out what was going on.

***


Buffy got up from the ground, only to find herself standing over her own body, still wrapped in a ghost sheet. She had no idea why it happened, but she knew what happened. Sighing - she realized she was an actual ghost.

"Death is becoming a yearly thing for me." She saw Xander out in the street, his military fatigues on. She ran up to him. "You okay?"

He whipped around, and pointed an M-16 at her chest. "Who are you?"

"Whoa! Where'd you get that thing?"

"Standard military weapon. I'll ask again. Who are you?"

"Buffy." He didn't show any reaction. "Buffy your friend. Don't you know me?"

"All I know is, you're a civilian, and there's an unstable situation out here. You should get to safety."

She shook her head. "Military or not, you're still Xander. Come on, we have to find Willow."

"I don't know who that is, but -"

"You're military, right? Well think of me as your commanding officer. Willow's another friend. A civilian. I have to know she's okay. So, soldier boy, let's go."

She tried to walk past him, but instead, she passed right through him. He pointed the gun again. "What are you?"

"Isn't it obvious? Ghost. And your gun's not going to work on me. So move it!"

He followed her immediately.

***


Willow spotted Buffy with Xander in tow, a few blocks over. She smiled in relief, and went to meet them. She saw Buffy smile back.

"I'd hug you. But there'd be the problem of me passing through you." Buffy said.

Willow was puzzled for a second, and then understood. "Oh.so let me guess, he's a soldier?"

"Bingo."

"We should get inside." Xander said looking around at the destruction, and then he glanced at Willow. "And excuse me miss, but are you sure you should be wearing that?"

Willow was about to comment, when they saw a rather large demon heading in their general direction. They ran, and turned off the street.

"My house." Buffy stated.

"Is she a ghost too?" Xander asked Willow.

"No. We have to hurry."

***


They pretty much made it to the Summers' home without incident, except that Xander kept disobeying orders and shooting at the kids/demons. Standing by the front door, they were all trying to figure out what to do next.

"I still say we should have eliminated some of the threats. Our situation's not improving." Xander said.

"How many times do we have to tell you?" Willow asked, frustrated.

"They're still kids under all that demonic flesh, and they don't know what they're doing. You'd be killing innocents." Buffy said.

"This is verging on insanity. They don't look innocent to me, and this all seems very illogical."

"Now we have Spock on our hands."

"What do we do?" Willow asked.

"I go get Giles. You keep G.I. Joe in line."

"But -"

"There's no risk if I go, Will. If the three of us, I'm the one who can't be hurt."

"Or touched."
"Don't remind me."

"Hey! What if you possessed me and -"

"Will."

"Okay, okay."

"I'm counting on you to -"

They heard very insistent banging, and Xander was instantly at ready. Willow cautiously reached for the knob, and opened the door. Xander's M-16 pointed directly at Cordelia. Who was wearing a cat costume.

"Thank God!" She said, frantic.

"Friend or foe?" Xander asked.

"I'm above you. Don't you know that by now?" He looked at Buffy and Willow, and they reluctantly gave the okay. "What the hell is going on?"

"I'm going to find that out." Buffy said. "Hold down the fort, Will?"

"You got it." They watched Buffy disappear through the wall, and Cordelia promptly fainted. "Oh brother."

***


In the library, Giles was going through the contents of the card catalog. He didn't have any idea what was going on outside, and then a few sections later, he heard sirens. Before he got the chance to investigate, Buffy entered through the wall, and he let all the cards go flying all over the place.

"Cross-referencing, huh?"

"Uh...um.yes. And what exactly are you -"

"Practicing my haunting skills. There's something weird going on, Giles."

"Obviously. And what exactly is that?"


***

"Good. You're all okay." Angel said, walking in from the kitchen.

Willow jumped. "Oh. Angel! Great! I can use all the help I can get."

"I think the best thing to do is to.where's Buffy?"

"Playing Casper." Cordelia said, awake.

"She went to get Giles." Willow explained. "And she's kind of a ghost too."

"And him?" Angel asked, looking at a tense Xander.

"Private Harris. 33rd. U.S.Army."

The vampire went up to Willow, had the common sense not to mention her outfit, and spoke quietly. "What do you need me to do?"

"Huh?"

"You seem like the only one still together, and I'm assuming Buffy put you in charge."

"Oh. Right. I guess she did." She thought about that. 'Buffy put me in charge.'

"Then, what do you want me to do? It's your call."

She looked over his shoulder. "Staking him's a good start."

Angel immediately turned around, and allowed his demonic face to surface. He rushed to engage the other vampire whose clothes were somewhat strange. Willow realized what it was.

"He's not a real vampire! He's a person! Don't stake him!"

"What?"

"Just knock him out or something! I don't know!"

***

She and Giles were trying to look through books to try and find a cause for what was happening. They weren't having much luck. They didn't voice it out loud, but they both had the feeling that it was all someone's sick joke.

"Let's review. So everybody became whatever they were masquerading as?"

"Yep. Well."

"What?"

"Willow and Cordelia didn't."

"And their costumes were.?"

"Cordelia's wearing a cat get-up, and Willow.she really.hers isn't.exactly a costume."

"I don't understand."

"It's."

"Buffy any clue might help." She described it to him. "Why would she wear that?"

"I.kinda made her. I just wanted her to realize that she has nothing to be self-conscious about, and she looks really beaut."

"I see." He looked at her for a second, and it dawned on him. "Oh."

"What, oh?"

"Ah.nothing. Nothing." He smiled slightly. "So.neither Willow or Cordelia are any different."

"Right."

"Can you think of any reason why?"

Buffy smacked herself on the head. "They got their costumes somewhere else."

"Now we're getting somewhere. You, and everyone who changed, where did they acquire their costumes?"

"Some new place. Ethan's. And the guy was British. You know him?" Giles' face became hard, and his eyes focused. "Giles?"

"Go back to everyone, and stay there."

"What's going on?"

"It will all be over soon."

***

Angel ended up holding the vampire from behind its back, and Xander hurriedly knocked it out by hitting it in the head with the butt of his gun. Angel let go, and the unconscious body dropped to the floor. Willow walked up to them.

"We can't stay here, can we?"

"It's probably a bad idea." Angel agreed.

"I'd have to give an affirmative. We're better off if we stay on the move. Ma'am."

Cordelia decided to add her two cents. "I'm not going back out there."

Willow looked the May Queen directly in the eye. "You wanna stay alive? You listen to me. You don't wanna listen, fine. We'll leave you," She pointed to the body on the floor, "and it, here. Good luck when it wakes up."

The other girl thought about it. "This is revenge, isn't it?"

Willow grinned. "Yes. And it feels pretty damn good."

"I'll go with you." Cordelia said, sighing.

"Good. Angel, Xander, grab him. We can't leave him here."

The two men picked him up, and they headed for the back door.

***


Giles entered the costume shop, looking around for its owner. He moved past the covered bare mannequins towards the back door. The place seemed empty. When he was just about to check out the back, when he heard a familiar voice, behind him. He turned to face the speaker.

"Hello, Ethan."

"Hello, Ripper." Neither of them moved. "What? No hug? Aren't you pleased to see your old mate, Rupert?"

"I'm just surprised I didn't guess it was you. This Halloween stunt stinks of Ethan Rayne."

"Yes, it does, doesn't it? Don't wish to blow my own trumpet, but it's genius. The very embodiment of 'be careful what you wish for'."

"It's sick, brutal, and it harms the innocent."

"Oh, and we all know that you are the champion of innocents and all things pure and good, Rupert. It's quite a little act you've got going here, old man."

"It's no act. It's who I am."

"Who you are? The Watcher, sniveling, tweed-clad guardian of the Slayer and her kin? I think not. I know who you are, Rupert, and I know what you're capable of. But they don't, do they? They have no idea where you come from."

"Break the spell, Ethan. Then leave this place and never come back."

"Why should I? What's in the bargain for me?"

They approached each other carefully.

"You get to live."

"Oh, Rupert, you're scaring me.

Giles then proceeded to punch him in the gut with a left, making him double over, and followed with a right to the face.

***

The group, led by Willow, moved through the streets quickly. Angel grinned at Xander who was obviously straining under the weight of the body they were carrying.

"Tired?"

"No, sir." Xander dug into his energy reserves, and propped his end up more.

"Relish this. It's probably the last time he'll call you sir." Willow said.

"I intend to."

Up ahead, Willow saw Buffy waving them over. The blonde was standing on a porch, where her body was currently laying. Despite the eerie chill that went through her body Willow led the group that direction. That's when Buffy yelled.

"Cordelia look out!"

They all turned and saw the miniature red demon that was part of Willow's group before his change, about to sink his jaws into Cordelia's leg. She screamed. Xander dropped the body, and aimed his gun at it.

"No!" Willow yelled.

"Yes!" Cordelia yelled.

"Let him concentrate." Angel said to Willow.

And concentrate he did. He fired a bullet just in front of the demon kid's feet, and it fled. Cordelia turned to him in shock. And surprising everybody, she hugged him.

"Thank you."

"Just doing my job, lady."

After the amazement wore off, they continued over to Buffy.

"Pretty accurate." She said to Xander.

"Have to be."

She smiled at Angel, and then turned to Willow. "I went to the house and you weren't there."

"We're all right."

"I knew you would be. So I figured I wait and keep my body company. Make sure it wasn't eaten."

"It wasn't, was it?"

"No. Just a little dead."

"What did Giles say?"

"That he would take care of it."

"How?" Willow was puzzled.

"I don't know."

"That doesn't sound like him." Angel said.

"Tell me about it."

***


Giles had thoroughly beat Ethan, and now the man was at his feet in the back room of the store.

"And you said the Ripper was long gone."

"Tell me how to stop the spell."

"Say 'pretty please'."

Giles kicked him hard in the stomach, and Ethan screamed.

"Now, tell me how to stop the spell."

"Janus. Break its statue."

He quickly grabbed the statue, lifted it over his head, and wasted no time throwing it and smashing it on the ground.

***


Back at the gang, Xander stumbled back, and the vampire they had laid on the ground started to shake, its face becoming human, and color returned to the body. Buffy vanished, and in another second, her body began to move as well.

Angel helped the teenage ex-vampire up, and for a fleeting second, wished it could be that easy for him. The kid walked off. Willow went over and helped Buffy, yanking the sheet off her. She hugged her tightly.

"I like my body. I like being able to feel. I'll never it for granted again."

"Thanks."

"What for?"

"For making me see that my body's not so bad either. And the trusting me to take charge thing."

Buffy forgot where she was. She had to kiss her. And she did. "I knew you had it in you."

Behind them, Xander cleared his throat, and Cordelia just sat there.

"Um, huh?" That was about all he could come up with.

"I know I should be shocked, maybe even repulsed, but I'm not. And the fact that you saved my life.well, I'll let this slide."

"How gracious of you." Buffy said, a twinge of sarcasm in her tone.

"Isn't it?"

Xander was still speechless, so Angel directed him away.

"It's late." Angel said. "You should go home."

"Yeah, good idea." Xander started towards his house.

"Oh my god! If I don't go to sleep soon, I'll get permanent bags!" Cordelia ran off.

Buffy smirked. "Well that was interesting."

"What do you think he'll do now?" Willow asked.

"He'll come around. I think the fact they he has feelings for Buffy, and now you've -" Angel started.

"Stolen me." Buffy said, embracing her redheaded friend by the waist.

"He'll be fine."

He vanished with those last words.

"He will?" Willow asked.

"He will."

She smiled. "Come on. Let's go to back to your house."

"To do what?" Buffy grinned.

"Sleep. I'm tired, but I don't want to let you go yet."

"I have no problem with that. Just one question. You gonna wear that to bed?"

"I'll freeze."

"Don't worry. I'll keep you warm."

***


Giles hadn't said a word to them, and in the morning went back to Ethan's. It really was empty this time. Then, he spotted a note on the front counter. He went and picked it up.

It had three words on it: 'Be Seeing You.'


"I have misplaced my pants." (Homer J. Simpson)

"You know what the secret of life is?"
"Your finger?"
"One thing. Just one thing."
"That's great, but what's the one thing?"
"That's what you gotta figure out."
(Jack Palance, Billy Crystal, City Slickers)

"I heard your heartbeat." (Buffy Summers, to Angel, ANGEL)