Greetings! This is another one of my Castles in the Sand stories which follows the relationship between Harrison Wells and Tess Morgan. I'm posting it on its own because it is set six months into their relationship and I haven't gotten that far with the Castles in the Sand stories I've posted under the title. So, I thought I'd post it alone. I only own the original characters and I make no monies from this. Questions, comments, concerns, let me know! Happy Halloween! - CT

First Halloween

Autumn at the beach was perfection. At least, in the opinion of Harrison Wells, it was perfection. Grinning as he turned his face into the breeze, Harrison closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Letting the air out, he sighed and dropped his backpack onto the steps leading down to the beach. Following his bag, he sat on the top step, gazing out at the sand and waves. Leaning back he rested his weight on his hands, watching the kids tear down his latest sand castle creation. The roar of the waves played beautifully in his ears and the sun setting was better than any painting.

"I might have known I'd find you here," Tess Morgan said as she came up behind Harrison. Looking up and over his shoulder at her, Harrison smiled happily. Carefully, Tess dropped a white paper bag down next to Harrison's backpack.

"My day off," Harrison mused. Sitting up, he draped an arm around Tess's shoulders as she sat next to him, leaning into him against the chill brought by the breeze. "Nowhere else I'd rather be than here… 'cept maybe with you." It earned him a smile and they shared a kiss.

"You are a total romantic," Tess accused as they broke apart.

"Guilty. So, what's in the bag?"

"My Halloween costume," Tess declared. Arching an eyebrow, Harrison pulled the bag closer, peaking in at the black dress contained within.

"Oh, sexy," Harrison hummed. He waggled his eyebrows at her. It earned him a laugh from Tess. She leaned back, brushing his hair out of his face.

"You sure you want to do this?" It was a question Tess had been wanting to ask for a week now. She knew Harrison and she didn't want to mess up their relationship.

"Woman, don't you know by now that there's not much I'm not willing to do for you?" Harrison smiled boyishly, running a hand through his hair. "Sides, it sounds like fun." The wind picked up, blowing his hair and Tess's.

"Come on," Tess said, standing and offering him her hand. Smirking, Harrison took the hand and stood, dusting at sand on his legs. Stooping, he scooped up both his battered backpack and Tess's bag. "Why don't you replace that bag?" Tess asked as their fingers intertwined. He shrugged but remained silent. Slowly they strolled towards Harrison's apartment.

Much later Harrison steered his battered Toyota through the familiar parking lot. In the passenger seat next to him, Tess sighed and stretched. Seeing where they were, she smiled, reaching out and running a hand through Harrison's hair. After parking, Harrison got out and stretched. Leaning against the roof of the car, Harrison glanced over at Tess, hoping that no bad memories would encroach on the weekend.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Harrison asked, emphasizing "you."

"Yeah," Tess said. "Come on. Let's check in and get ready for the party." Patting Harrison on the back, Tess grabbed one bag and handed her boyfriend his. Wrapping his arm around her shoulder, Harrison pulled Tess close and they strolled towards the entrance together.

They ended up getting the same room they had the last time they had stayed at the hotel. "Now, this is weird," Harrison said as he carried their bags inside. "What time do we have to be there?" Tossing the bags on the dresser, Harrison bounced on the bed. After a moment, he sprawled, stretching his long frame to its full length. Sighing, he lifted just his head and watched Tess wander around the room.

"In about an hour," Tess informed him. "This is so weird." Stretching her arms out, she allowed herself to fall forwards onto the bed, bouncing up and down next to Harrison. Their heads touched and Harrison turned his so he could face Tess. There was sadness in her eyes and he frowned, guessing what was going through her mind. Rolling onto his side, he reached out and cupped her cheek gently in his hand.

"Hey," he told her. "Beautiful, do we need to get a different room?"

"No," Tess said. "Come on. We need to get ready." Smiling, Tess stood and pulled Harrison to his feet. "I can't wait to see you in your outfit."

"And I can't wait to see you in that dress," Harrison countered. Chuckling, he chased her into the bathroom.

Half an hour later, they left the hotel. As they arrived at the house, Harrison offered his arm to Tess. "You look gorgeous, ravishing, you unhinge me," he told her as they mounted the steps and Tess rang the doorbell.

"Why my love, you are so romantic," Tess said with a coy smile. The door opened and Mrs. Sharon Morgan squealed in delight upon seeing her daughter.

"Tess! I'm so glad you made it!" Mrs. Morgan gave her daughter an exuberant hug. Pulling away from Tess, Mrs. Morgan looked her daughter up and down and then looked to the man next to her. "Oh, you brought a friend and you're matching!" Indeed they were matching. Dressed in a long black dress and black wig, Tess looked perfect on Harrison's arm, the dress curving in all the right places. In his chalk-stripe suit he looked handsome and dapper, his mustache carefully groomed and his hair meticulously brushed. They were a perfect Morticia and Gomez Addams.

Jessica Morgan, Tess's sister, stepped up behind Mrs. Morgan. "Oh, Tess. So good to see you," Jessica said, her voice filled with false sincerity. "Dr. Wells, nice to see you again. Cute costumes." Looking the couple up and down, Jessica sneered a little. "I almost didn't recognize you without your glasses and hat and with that mustache."

"Hello Ms. Morgan, Mrs. Morgan," Harrison said, bowing a little. "So lovely to see you under better circumstances." The first time Harrison had met Tess's family had been at the hospital the night Tess's father had died. It had also happened to be Harrison and Tess's first date. Much to Tess's amusement her mother and sister had decided that Harrison was gay.

"Yes, it is," Mrs. Morgan agreed. "I was sorry to hear your proposal didn't go well," she continued. At that moment another group was climbing the steps behind Harrison and Tess. A heavy hand fell on Harrison's shoulder and a man dressed as Prince Charming forced himself between the couple on the steps.

"Awe, did Tess tell you 'no'? She's always breaking hearts," the stranger said.

"Trent," Mrs. Morgan gushed. "No, no. Harrison didn't propose to Tess. He proposed to Hogan, his boyfriend."

"Oh." Prince Charming, or Trent, rapidly removed his arm from Harrison's shoulder and stepped away.

"Yeah. Hogan claims he's not the marrying type," Harrison said with a bright smile. Only Tess could tell that he wasn't pleased. Offering his hand to the stranger, he introduced himself, "Dr. Harrison Wells. I'm a friend of Tess's."

Looking at the hand, Trent didn't take it. "Trent Hills. Tess's high school sweetheart."

"Well, no questions why that didn't last," Harrison said, wrapping his arm around Tess and quickly guiding her inside. "Come along Morticia." The two vanished through the door, Tess giggling a little as Harrison whisked her away.

"I'm sorry about that," Tess said as Harrison dragged her over to a table of food.

"Don't worry about it," Harrison said. He turned to Tess. "I don't care if people think I'm gay. I'm not going to let it stop me from kissing and dancing with the most beautiful woman here. Querida." Grinning, he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her.

Harrison Wells knew how to kiss. Tess always felt like the world had fallen away and it was just her and Harrison floating on a cloud when Harrison kissed her. She'd never told him this. At least, not in the six months they'd been dating. Now his kiss was helping reassure her that he was indeed happy to be there with her. As he dipped her to deepen the kiss Tess noticed a flash of light and a moment later someone was speaking. Returning Tess to her feet, Harrison broke the kiss thus returning them to the world. No longer hidden behind his glasses his bright blue eyes sparkled as he looked her up and down before turning his attention to the speaker.

"Goodness, you two certainly are staying in character," a small mousy woman was saying. She looked to be about their age with wild red hair and blue-gray eyes. She was dressed as a period accurate witch.

"Forgive us," Harrison replied. Instead of speaking, Tess gave a little shout and launched herself at the witch. The two hugged tightly laughing and speaking what Harrison would later describe as "best friend speak."

"Harrison," Tess began when the two finally broke apart, "Chloe. She's my best friend. Chloe, my boyfriend Dr. Harrison Wells."

"Only people I don't like call me Dr. Wells," Harrison declared offering his hand. Instead of taking it, Chloe took him in a surprisingly strong hug. When she let him go she was grinning widely, which lit her face up.

"I don't shake hands with people who make Tess as happy as you do," Chloe explained. An embarrassed blush coloured Harrison's face. "I've heard nothing about you but any idiot can see how good you two are together."

"Chloe and I were best friends all through high school," Tess explained.

"Sorry I missed your dad's funeral. I only got back about a week ago," Chloe informed Tess.

"I understand," Tess said with a shrug.

"So, is this a town Halloween party or a high school reunion?" Harrison asked. "And why did your mother answer the door?"

"Little bit of both," Chloe supplied. "And Mrs. Morgan has always answered the door. Story goes it started twenty years ago when Mr. Morgan was late getting here."

"Mom didn't stop answering the door until Dad arrived halfway through the party," Tess supplied.

"And whose house is this?" Harrison waved a hand at the massive home.

"It originally belonged to the town founder but now it belongs to the town," Chloe answered. She had an old fashioned broom and waved it about as she spoke. "So, really you don't have to knock, but people always do for some reason."

"The joys of growing up in a small town," Tess complained.

"So, silly question," Chloe piped up. "Why was your mother blathering on about Harrison's boyfriend when you two are together?" They had started wondering through the crowd.

"Because my mother is an idiot," Tess provided. "So is my sister." The couple had been holding hands the whole time. Several people were gawking at them. "Seems word has indeed gotten around," Tess observed. "I only came back because mother asked."

"She was probably hoping you'd bring somebody," Chloe guessed.

"I did." Tess gave Harrison's hand a little tug.

"I am certain that I am not who she was hoping for since she thinks Hogan and I are a couple," Harrison informed his girlfriend. "Honestly, I'm much happier dating you though." He grinned and leaned in for another kiss. Somebody ran into Harrison's shoulder, hard, pushing him away from Tess.

"Oh, so sorry," Trent said. He patted Harrison roughly on the back. "You should be careful. You two keep necking like you really are Morticia and Gomez and people will think you two are together."

"Not a concern of mine," Harrison said with a shrug. "Tess is pretty enough to turn any man's eyes."

"Come on Trent," a man dressed as Athos of the Three Musketeers, said. "Leave them alone." Another Musketeer stood behind the speaker. As the trio wandered off, Harrison shook his head.

"What is that guy's issue?" Harrison inquired. "Cause I think he just bruised my shoulder." Grumbling, he rolled his arm and rubbed at the spot where Trent had smashed into him.

"I dumped him right before prom," Tess said calmly.

"He didn't take it well," Chloe agreed. "Him and his two goons were total dicks to us for the rest of the school year."

"Thank goodness we didn't have much time left in the year," Tess agreed. "Anyhow, he never really got over it."

"Ah, he deserved it," Chloe shrugged. "So, how long are you two in town?"

"Tonight only," Tess said.

"We have to get back tomorrow cause we work Monday," Harrison informed her.

"Yeah, what is your doctorate for?"

"Which one?" Chloe didn't answer, instead staring at Harrison. Her eyes flicked to Tess as if asking her best friend if the man was serious.

"He's serious. Harrison has like ten different degrees," Tess said. Instead of speaking up, the man decided to get drinks for himself and Tess.

"Drink?" He handed a cup to Tess and one to Chloe as well. Picking one up for himself he sniffed at the cider before taking a sip. His behaviour just amused Tess. That was Harrison Wells, less interested in talking about himself and more interested in exploring the world.

The trio scanned the crowd while they sipped their drinks. There were all sorts of activities, including bobbing for apples, dancing, making caramel apples, and plenty of photo ops. Everyone in the crowd was decked out in some sort of costume. Harrison and Tess received several compliments on their costumes and even posed for pictures with some people. Eventually they were cornered by Tess's mother.

"Harrison, dear, where's Hogan tonight?" Sharon Morgan seemed to be stuck in one gear, which was to interfere with Harrison's night. Sighing, Harrison watched Tess escape her mother by running off to talk to an old friend. He wasn't angry at her for leaving him. At least she was getting away.

"Not sure. Maybe playing guardian over Lani. She's working at the bar tonight so…" Harrison shrugged his shoulders. Mrs. Morgan was getting ready to respond when a tango started to play. Arching an eyebrow, Harrison stepped past her as Tess whirled to face him.

"Excuse me Mrs. Morgan. I must dance." With a gleeful smile, Harrison stalked towards Tess and soon the two embraced with a flourish worthy of Gomez and Morticia Addams. They happily danced through the song, quickly becoming the center of attention on the dance floor. When the song ended they were both breathing heavily and couldn't help but kiss. As they broke apart and stood nearly everyone applauded.

"Tess, that was amazing," Chloe said as Harrison and Tess exited the dance floor. "You two make a handsome couple."

"Thank you," Tess smiled at her best friend.

"Hey, I'm going to go get some air," Harrison said, loosening his tie a little.

"Okay. I'll be here with Chloe," Tess said. She reached out and gave Harrison's hand a squeeze before letting him slip out the doors.