Disclaimer: I do not own Darker than Black or any of its characters

Ah, the Police's Halloween Party. Honestly, Misaki Kirihara doesn't know why they celebrate it. It's pointless and she's certain that coming in the headquarters wearing toilet paper while claiming that he/she is a mummy is just silly. Unlike her, Kouno and Saitou seem excited about this party. She overheard them talking.

"So, Kouno, what are you going to wear?" asked Saitou.

"I am gonna be a knight." Kouno replied, "That fits my personality. Being a ladies' man."

Misaki rolled her eyes.

'He thinks he's a ladies' man ei?' she thought, 'but yet, she has to pay girls in the bar.'

She heard Saitou's laughter. 'Well, he seems happy.'

"How about you Saitou," asked Kouno "What are you going to wear?"

"I am gonna be a mummy!!!" Said Saitou.

Misaki looked away from the two.

'So he's the one who's going to come to the office dressed in toilet paper while claiming that he is a mummy.' She thought. 'Well, that's really his thing.'

Her thoughts got interrupted when Kouno and Saitou turned to her and said in unison,

"How 'bout you, boss, what are you going to wear at the party later?"

Misaki turned to face the two silly men.

"I am going to go as a police officer."

Kouno raised an eyebrow while Saitou gave her a blank look.

"Um… chief…" said Kouno

"You know that you are a police officer… right?" continued Saitou.

"Yes." Replied Misaki, "I am aware that I am a police officer."

"But the point of a costume party is to wear a costume." Said Kouno.

Misaki just ignored this and went back to doing her work.

'Well, I don't exactly like the idea of dressing up as Frankenstein.' She thought.

That night:

Misaki went inside the headquarters. She saw Saitou, Kouno and Matsumoto. True enough, Kouno is dressed as a knight and Saitou is dressed as a mummy. She saw Matsumoto dressed as Hourai.

'Well,' Misaki thought, 'Matsumoto does look creepy.'

The three men waved at her.

"HEY BOSS!" they all yelled.

Misaki waved at them.

"So you were serious." Said Kouno, "you are going to be a police officer."

"Yes."

Everybody is having their little fun. Misaki is still looking at Matsumoto.

'Why the hell is he dressed as Hourai?' she thought.

She can't help it. She decided to ask the man.

"Matsumoto," she started, "Why are you dressed as Hourai?"

"Well, so that I could scare someone." He answered.

"Like?"

"Particularly you, boss."

Misaki just gave him a blank stare.

'Whatever,' she thought, 'at least he is getting into the spirit of Halloween.' unlike her. But judging on the face of her officers, they still seem afraid of her. Well, at least she has the essence of Halloween. Even though she doesn't mean it. Then, she spotted Kanami who is dressed as a flirty angel.

"And what are you supposed to be?" Misaki asked.

"I am an angel." Kanami replied.

Misaki smiled. "Isn't that a little too revealing for an angel?"

"Well, I am a naughty angel." Kanami said.

The two laughed.

"How about you," Kanami said, "Why are you dressed in your everyday clothing?"

"This is my costume." Misaki replied.

"You know, it wouldn't hurt to celebrate the holiday, Misaki."

Misaki smiled, "I'm celebrating."

Suddenly, Kouno interrupted.

"So," said Kouno, "Pretty angel, would you like to share a dance with me?"

Kanami looked at Kouno.

"Kouno," she said, "That's really creepy. But hell, why not?"

They started dancing while Misaki stood there, drinking punch. Saitou walked towards her.

"Hey boss." He said.

"Bored already, Saitou?" Misaki asked.

"No." replied Saitou but it's hard to walk around this place while I'm wrapped in toilet paper.

Misaki stared at him. She saw that coming. Saitou will have a hard time dressed as a mummy.

"Why didn't you dress up as a zombie instead?" she asked, "that looks better. After all, you're pretty big."

Saitou grinned.

"I haven't thought of that, boss."

The two were just standing there when a tall blond man wearing white with a mask showed up.

"May I have this dance?" he asked Misaki.

"And what are you supposed to be?" Misaki said, rather stoically.

"I'm the ghost of autumn." The man said.

Before Misaki could agree to dance with the man, he already grabbed her and took her to the dance floor.

"I never accepted your offer." Misaki said in an irritated manner.

"I know," the man said, "but I want you to enjoy the night."

"Who are you?"

"I already told you. I'm the ghost of autumn."

Misaki really hated it when her questions aren't answered. She is irritated, very irritated. She can't speak though. In the back of her mind, the man is familiar. She wants to know his name, she wants to take off his mask and see who the hell he is but he won't tell and her hands are full.

"Let me try this again," she said, "who are you?"

"I already told you, didn't I?"

"Tell me your name."

"I am Jack Simon."

Misaki stared at him in shock. He's dead and she knows it.

"November 11." Was the only thing that she could say.

"Surprising, isn't it, Misaki?" November said, "Well, I only dropped by to see if you're doing fine."

"He's dead." She said, "It's Halloween. Nice work on dressing up as him, but who are you?"

"I really am November 11, Misaki."

He took off his mask.

"Try to remove my face and you will only fail."

'He might be a contractor,' Misaki thought, 'but how can I prove that he is a contractor?'

"What were your last words to me then?" Misaki asked.

November 11 drew his mouth close to Misaki's ear and told her the answer.

"I guess that you are him." Misaki said.

"I already told you, didn't I?" November replied.

"How did you get here?"

"I have my ways."

"Still prefer to act mysterious?"

"Maybe."

Misaki chuckled. "tell me."

"I'm dead, it's Halloween. Nothing strange about it."

"That's your only explanation?"

"Yes." November said, "Oh yeah, I have to leave soon."

Misaki walked away from November. There, she saw Saitou standing. He is still thinking of the person behind the mask. She headed towards him but the lights and the music were turned off and Misaki felt a hand around her waist. Soon, she felt herself swinging with a stranger. When the lights and music got back on, Misaki is already gone.

On the rooftop of the Police headquarters is Misaki and Hei.

"Li." Misaki said.

Li didn't say anything. He was just looking afar.

"You people picked the same day for a visit." Misaki said.

"People?" Hei asked.

"Yes," Misaki said, "Even November showed up tonight."

Hei frowned. "He's dead, isn't he?"

"Yes," Misaki answered, "that's what made his visit strange."

Hei continued to look afar. Misaki decided to ask the question she's been dying to ask him.

"So, did we really choose the same path?"

"What path?"

"The path of living together in this world."

"Why did you ask?"

"I want to hear it from you."

Back in the headquarters, Saitou is worried sick. He went straight to Matsumoto.

"Hey, Matsumoto," he said, "Have you seen boss?"

"No, why?" asked Matsumoto.

"She was there a minute ago but after the lights went off, she disappeared, just like that!"

"I don't know where she is." Said Matsumoto, "Maybe she went to the bathroom."

Saitou didn't believe that reasoning and started to look for her.

Back with Misaki and Hei, he told her his answer.

"Yes." Hei said, "I do believe that humans and contractors can live together. Does that answer your question?"

"Yes."

"I got to go."

Then with a swing, Hei left. When he's out of sight, Saitou came in. He saw Misaki there.

"Chief!" Saitou yelled.

"Saitou," Misaki said, "what are you doing here?"

"Nothing," said Saitou, "I just thought that something happened to you, boss."

"What makes you say that?" asked Misaki.

"Well, I was just worried because after the lights went out you vanished as well."

Misaki walked towards the door that will lead them inside.

"It does seem like you walked a lot," Misaki said, "Your toilet paper costume is not covering any part of your body anymore."

Saitou looked at his body. She's right. He was only wearing a white shirt and his shorts.

"Well, this isn't part of my Halloween costume plan." He said to himself. He followed Misaki inside the headquarters. He saw Kouno drinking punch.

"Hey, Kouno!" Saitou greeted.

Kouno looked at him.

"You never told me that you'll change your costume into a…what exactly is that?"

"The toilet paper fell apart, okay?"

Kouno nodded. Saitou poured some punch into his glass and drank as well.

"So, you danced with anybody yet, Saitou?" asked Kouno.

"No," replied Saitou, "and in this condition, no one will."

"True. But you should've asked someone before your costume fell apart."

Saitou grinned.

"I would have but someone asked her first and on my second attempt, she vanished."

Kouno laughed. "You are really bad with the ladies!" he said, "Who were you going to ask anyway?"

"None of your business." Replied Saitou.

"You should still ask her," tell her that what you are wearing is a costume."

Saitou just laughed. "She won't buy that," he said, "but maybe I should ask her."

Saitou walked towards Misaki. Kouno just stared with mouth gapped open.

"Um… boss…" Saitou started.

"What?"

"You mind if I dance with you?"

Misaki rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Why not?"

Saitou grinned and took her hand.

On the dance floor, Saitou spoke.

"Boss," he said, "Thanks for accepting the offer."

Misaki just rolled her eyes.

'Well,' she thought, 'this is the cherry on top of a strange day… a strange dance partner.'

She went home after that. Tired and wasted. She still thinks that the Police's Halloween Party is pointless but at least it's not as boring as before. A lot of interesting things had happened.