Disclaimer: Not mine, only the kids are.
Summary: Andros is trying to survive yet another Halloween outing with his children.
Halloween special
Clear laughter rang through the night. Andros sighed as he strolled after his children, all of which were running eagerly about, rattling buckets clutched in their hands. His sons were making an awful lot of ruckus and his daughters were well on the way of outdoing them. These were the moments he dreaded having two sets of twins and this strange Terran holiday.
He thought about his wife sitting at home only having to answer the door when another group of kids rang the bell, chanting that odd phrase. Every year again he considered staying at home and letting her walk with the kids and every year she offered, yet for some reason he always turned her down (maybe it was because he dreaded having to hear 'trick-or-treat over and over…).
"Daddy, daddy, daddy!" His youngest chanted, running back to him, interrupting his thoughtful thoughts.
"What's up, Sweetpea?" He asked the girl, scooping her up in his arms.
The girl's long hair was pulled into two pigtails hanging over her shoulders to the front of her pink and gold fairy dress. A string of flowers rested on her head like a crown and a toy wand with a star on top and silver tendrils hanging down from the point where the star and wand joined was held firmly in her hand. Every time the girl waved the wand in the air, the star would glow brightly.
"Can we go to uncle TJ's house too?" The girl asked brightly.
"Of course, why don't we go right now?"
"Yay!" All four of his children exclaimed.
He took a moment to look at them. His other daughter was dressed in a long and rich yellow and gold dress. Her long dual-toned hair hung loosely over her shoulders and a small golden crown embedded with red and yellow gems rested on her head.
His youngest son was completely hidden in his Red Astro Ranger costume, but his older twin was all the more recognizable. Dressed up as a stripy-haired Harry Potter in black robes, a cloak around his shoulders and a toy wand in his hand, a thin brown line in the shape of a lightning bolt ran over his forehead, made with his mother's eyeliner pencil.
All four of his children were carrying a Jack O'Lantern bucket almost filled to the brim with candy.
"I think after visiting uncle TJ and then aunt Cassie, you'll have enough candy to last until next year." He told them, glad to be heading back home.
The children pouted a little, but ran off in the direction of TJ's house all the same after he put his youngest down. By the time he spotted TJ's front door, light was already pouring out onto the lawn from the door opening and the four forms hurtled around in front of a crouched TJ could easily be recognized as his little devils.
"Hey Andros." TJ shouted a greeting when he spotted him making his way to join the kids. "Great costumes."
"I'll relay the message." Andros grinned. "Shouldn't you be out chaperoning?"
"I just returned. Tessa is trying to put them to bed while I handle the door." TJ grinned.
"Tell her I wish her all the luck in the world with that one. I know the trouble." Andros replied, shooting a covered mock-glare at his children and TJ laughed.
After a short talk and two hands full candy for each kid, they were on their way to Cassie's house. When they reached it, Cassie was already waiting in the door opening for them.
"I was wondering when you'd be coming." She smiled when she spotted them, then addressing the kids. "Wow, your mom's really outdone herself this year!"
"You say that every year!" The mini-Red Astro Ranger laughed.
"So I do." Cassie agreed. "So I do, very well observed, Corid. Want to know a secret?"
The boy nodded violently and his siblings leaned closer to hear too.
"It's because she keeps outdoing herself." Cassie whispered secretively, winking at Andros.
Andros did nothing to suppress his smile and winked back.
"Where's Uncle Saryn?" The little fairy girl demanded, looking up at her aunt with hopeful eyes.
"Still out with Kedo and Zelita, but I'm sure they'll be home long before you will. Why, Jenny?"
"I wanted to show him my costume." Jenny pouted.
"Wait, I got an idea." Cassie said, disappearing into the house and returning with a photo camera. "Now if you four go stand next to each other, I'll make a picture and show Uncle Saryn. How about that?"
The four cheered again and went to stand pressed against each other's sides. The photo camera flashed and the kids blinked.
"Lovely." Cassie told them, before crouching down and beckoning them. "Come here, I need to lose this before Kedo and Zelita see I've got candy left."
The four quickly scrambled to their favourite aunt. Jenny quickly conquered the big chocolate bar lying on top, and began to giggle happily as her brothers pretended to attack her for the bar of candy.
"Have you been to Carlos's?" Cassie whispered when the kids were distracted with the candy.
"No - you know as well as I do, he'd slam the door in our faces. I know when I'm not wanted somewhere." Andros whispered back, his voice depressed and little angry.
"I wish he would just get over himself. She more than obviously choose you, deal with it, get a life, and move on, I say."
Andros smiled faintly and eyed his kids.
"Let him, if he wants to sulk instead of moving on, that's his problem. Anyway, we'd better be going home, they do have school tomorrow."
"Yeah, you're right, I'll see you all later."
"Bye Aunt Cassie." The four exclaimed together.
"Thanks for the candy!" Jenny added, waving her chocolate bar in the air, her brothers having long ago given up on their futile attempt to pry it from her hands.
"Bye Cass, take care." Andros smiled, giving her a friendly peek on the cheek.
"Bye Andros; tell your wife she's obligated to come and have coffee very soon - I haven't seen her all last week!"
Andros laughed in reply and waved as he escorted his children back to the street. Very soon they approached the familiar house he called his home. Like every year the kids ran ahead, leaving him behind and rang the doorbell.
"Trick or treat!" Four voices rang through the night's air when the door opened.
"Trick." An intoxicating laugh replied.
He watched the candy bowl levitated in the air for a brief moment before the children were ushered inside.
"That's old!" He heard his eldest daughter complain.
"And you got enough candy from others. You won't be getting any from me for a while, Amei!"
"Hey, had fun?" He greeted, wrapping his arms around his wife's waist and placing a kiss on her lips.
"Hmm… probably not as much as you." His wife smiled, leaning into his embrace. "Met anyone fun?"
"Cassie forces you to come drink coffee this week, since you didn't visit this week."
"Now why would that be?" She grinned, her and brushing her flat abdomen for a moment. "Come on, let's get the kids off to bed and save them from candy-nightmares. You know how Coalan gets if he eats too much candy."
"Save us you mean." He grinned, letting one arm go, but leaving the other wrapped securely around her waist.
Two hours later
She nuzzled close in his embrace the moment Andros wrapped his arms around her. Though she loved her children dearly, they could be tiring sometimes… especially now.
"Andros?"
"Yeah?" Came a dozed reply.
"When should we tell them?"
"Tomorrow after school?" Andros suggested.
"Sounds good to me. You know, wouldn't it be fun we found out we were expecting again on Halloween and for the baby to be born on Easter?"
"Our holiday baby." Andros chuckled softly.
She smiled and nuzzled even deeper into Andros's embrace.
"I love you, Andros." She yawned, starting to drift off to sleep.
"I love you too, Ashley." Andros replied, placing a kiss on the top of her head before drifting off to sleep too.
A/N: Happy Halloween everyone! We hoped you enjoyed the story. It's the first of a new tradition: Holiday Specials! Please do review!
Have fun trick or treating!
JAP (Jenny, AH/AY and Phantom Rogue)