Disclaimer: I don't own The 39 Clues.
Hey, everybody! I'm here, and if you read my other story where I said my computer crashed and I couldn't post, I meant specifically that story. I typed this on my mom's computer really fast. And now it's here!
This will be a series of holidays. The idea is cliche, I know, but I have to do it. The theme starts with halloween, then when Thanksgiving comes around, I'll do another one-shot for that, until every holiday has it's own story. The series ends next Independence Day, with the grand finale! If this doesn't make sense, leave a review saying that, and I'll try to explain, but I think you get it. Guess what? It's Halloween Time!
It's Halloween Time!
"Dan! What's with all these spider webs?" Amy yelled.
Amy's thirteen-year-old brother ran down the stairs and into the living room. "Oh, these?" he asked innocently, smiling. "That's for something special I have planned for when our relatives get here."
She sighed. "Does it involve any dangerous stunts or the destruction of Natalie's hair?"
Dan thought for a second, then muttered, "Well, now it doesn't..."
"Then I guess you can leave them up, but if I end up cleaning the mess, I am so burning your video games," she replied.
Dan's eyes widened and he ran to her, dropping to his knees in front of her, his hands clasped together. "PLEASE not Black Ops! Anything but Black Ops!" he begged.
Amy smirked. "Especially Black Ops."
As she walked away, she heard him yell "NOOO!" but she was already on her way to the kitchen where Nellie was cooking dinner. The au pair looked up from her phone.
"Oh, hey, kiddo. Just got a text from Hamilton. Everybody is at the airport and will be here in about twenty minutes. Is everything cleaned and organized and stuff?" she asked.
"Yep. Everything is nailed to the floor and completely cousin-proof," was Amy's reply.
"Awesome. Fiske also wanted me to tell you that Evan was caught snooping around the gate again," Nellie said.
"Seriously? Why can't he just leave me alone?" Amy groaned.
Nellie shrugged. She picked her phone up when it vibrated a second later. She gasped. "Scratch that. They're here."
"Already?" Amy said. The doorbell confirmed the question and she dashed to the door. She turned the doorknob and was instantly lifted off the ground in a bear hug that almost crushed her.
"What's up, Ames? Long time no see!" Hamilton shouted. He set her down.
"Yeah," she said after she caught her breath. "Dan!"
"Coming!" he yelled from somewhere in the mansion. Footsteps were heard and Dan nearly ran into his buff cousin as he turned a corner. "Ham!"
"Dan-o!"
The two clasped hands and gave each other a man-hug. Hamilton draped his arm over Dan's shoulder and they walked away, talking animatedly.
Amy turned back to the other awaiting relatives. One by one, they walked in, some giving simple greetings, others jumping up and down with excitement. The last ones inside were the Kabras. Natalie was fussing over her hair in the reflection of a tiny handheld mirror, her brother Ian behind her rolling his eyes. Then his eyes landed on his favorite jade-eyed cousin. "Hello, love," he said with a smile.
"I'm not even going to bother telling you not to call me that," Amy said as they hugged.
"How have you been?" he asked.
"How great can life get when you live with Dan and his infamous chaotic nature?" Amy joked.
Ian laughed. "You do have a point. I feel sorry for you."
They stood in comfortable silence as they watched their relatives talk and laugh. It was unusual, Amy reflected. This looked like the start of their most civil reunion yet, but it could easily get very bad, very fast.
"Dinner time!" came Nellie's call from the kitchen. The stampede was inevitable, as no one could resist the temptations of Nellie's cooking.
As the twelve cousins were inhaling their food, Fiske entered the dining room.
"Hello, everyone. How was your flight?" he asked with a smile.
"Long," Reagan said.
"Boring," Jonah added.
"Deafening," Ian said. "I could barely watch my mission videos with Jonah's rap music playing so loudly through his headphones."
"Hey," Jonah defended. "Don't diss the rap."
"And I see you are all very hungry, so don't hesitate to eat as much as you want," Fiske interrupted. He gave one last head nod and exited the room.
Dan stood up and tapped his glass with a butter knife. "Attention, attention!"
Everyone stared at him. He cleared his throat.
"Does anyone know what day this is?" he asked.
No one replied. He scowled.
"You all sicken me," he said. "It's Halloween, bozos!"
A chorus of oh's echoed around the room.
Dan looked at his watch. "Okay, it's 5:30 right now. We have one hour before trick-or-treating. And yes, you ALL have to go."
Natalie looked angry. "I refuse to dress up in silly clothes and beg strangers for candy. This is such a stupid holiday."
"Yeah, Dan, I don't think anyone actually wants to go," Sinead agreed. "We're all just a little too old, don't you think?"
Dan looked stung. "How can you be too old to trick-or-treat?! I can't believe you! All of you!"
"Normally, I would agree with Dan," said Reagan. "But this year, with the reunion and all..."
"Aw, who cares?" Madison stood up. "I'm joining Dan. All hail the Halloween Gods!"
"Haha, yeah! I'm not alone!" Dan slapped her a high five. "Anyone else?"
"Eh, what the heck." Reagan stood up. "I won't abandon my twin, especially on our favorite day of the year."
"Whoo! Twin power!" Madison yelled.
Dan grinned. He waved his hand at the table in a beckoning way. "Join us," he said in a menacing voice.
"Holts rule! Let's do this!" Hamilton shouted.
"You're going trick-or-treating when you're seventeen?" Sinead asked.
"Absolutely," Hamilton said. He looked at like she was crazy for thinking otherwise.
Fiske walked in again. "I couldn't help but overhear your conversation. I think it's a great idea, Dan. It could be a great team-building opportunity for you all. Therefore, you are all going."
"What?!" was the answer from the rest of the table.
"But, Uncle Fiske – " Amy began.
He held up his hand. "My word is final." And with that he walked out of the room.
Dan looked around the table eagerly. "Everyone's finished eating? Excellent." He drummed his fingertips together. "Let every neighborhood kid scream in terror as the Cahill Scare Team goes down every street. At dusk, beware, little children. Beware."
Everyone stared at the insane kid they called their cousin.
Dan blinked. "Well, what are you all waiting for? It's Halloween time!"
~Monster Mash~
"I can't believe you forced me to do this," Natalie complained. "I look absolutely hideous!" She gestured at her blood-stained dress and frizzy hair.
"That's the point, drama queen," Dan retorted.
"Mario! Yes!" Madison said.
"Luigi! Sweet!" Reagan exclaimed.
"Why am I the blue shell?" Hamilton asked. "Just wondering."
"Dan, you're such a dweeb," Amy said. Her and Ian's arms were linked. Sinead giggled at the 'dead bride and groom'.
"I think it's cute," Sinead said. "It definitely fits you two."
Amy glared and was about to fire back when Ian nudged her. "I don't think it's so bad."
Amy rolled her eyes, but turned her head so he wouldn't catch her pink cheeks.
"I don't feel any different. Just a little more gangsta than usual," Jonah said. You could barely see his face with the huge sunglasses, flat-billed cap and many gold chains. His letter-jacket was way too big for him and he kept having to pull up his pants so they wouldn't fall to his ankles.
"We feel wonderful," Ned and Ted said sarcastically. Dan grinned at his handiwork. The computer geeks actually looked like computer geeks now.
"You know, I kind of feel left out," Sinead said. "I don't match my fellow triplets."
"But it does kind of match you," Jonah pointed out. "I heard you singing in your room. I think you could pull it off."
She gestured at her 80's rock star outfit. "You're kidding, right?"
"What are you going to be, Dan?" Nellie asked from the opposite wall. "You're the only one not changed."
"Isn't it obvious?" he asked. "What's the one thing I talk about the most?"
"Ninjas," everyone collectively said.
Dan laughed. "That was cool."
~The Pumpkin Song~
"Dude, look how much candy I got!" Dan shouted as they all walked through the front door. "That was EPIC!"
"Dan, you only got that much because you stole that poor kid's bag," Sinead pointed out.
"I felt so bad for him," Amy added. "You scared the crap out of him."
"It was so fun!" Dan said.
"Whatever," Amy said. "I'm going to go change."
"Wait!" Dan shouted. Everyone waited.
"There's one more thing I have planned," he explained. He held his hand out to Natalie. "Cobra, would you please follow me?" he asked.
"My name is Natalie," she answered. "And you're not going to dye me again, are you?"
Dan laughed. "No, but that was pretty funny. Just stand right here."
He led her to the middle of the living room, where she stood warily. "What are you doing?" she asked when he walked to a rope by the wall.
Dan pointed at the ceiling. "You see the webs?"
Natalie nodded.
"Those have something to do with it." And he pulled the rope.
Natalie screamed as a hundred different types of live spiders rained down from above. She ran out of the room, shaking them out of her hair and screaming, "I WILL KILL YOU, DANIEL CAHILL!"
Dan was rolling on the floor, laughing. "Happy Halloween, everybody!" he shouted between laughs.
"DAN!" Everybody yelled.
So there you have it! :) As the wise Dan Cahill once said, I happily repeat: Happy Halloween, everybody! :D
(Just do me a favor, and don't steal candy from little kids. It's just mean.)
~Callie~