Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners, Joss Whedon and affiliates. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

CHAPTER 1

"What'd you get?" Buffy asked Willow as she approached her in the new Halloween store that had opened for the season.

"A time-honored classic!" Willow excitedly held up her costume of choice for her best friend to see. A person covered in a white sheet with the word 'Boo!' written across the chest- the most cartoonish of ghost depictions- marred the front of the package that held her disguise for the upcoming holiday.

Buffy inwardly cringed. "Ok, well, can I give you a little friendly advice?"

Willow looked concerned. "Its not spooky enough?"

"Its just… you're never gonna get noticed if you keep hiding. You're missing the whole point of Halloween."

Willow's face brightened a bit as she replied. "Free candy?" It was a question.

Buffy rolled her eyes playfully. "Its 'come as you aren't' night. It's the perfect chance for a girl to get sexy and wild with no repercussions."

"Oh I don't get wild. Wild on me equals 'spaz'."

Buffy watched as her friendly slowly regressed into herself as she so often did and felt the need to encourage her. "Don't underestimate yourself. You got it in you."

Xander approached them just as Buffy finished speaking. Grateful for the interruption, Willow turned her attention to her other best friend.

"Hey, Xander. What'd you get?" Xander pulled a black toy machine gun with a red tip from his bag and held it proudly.

"That's not a costume", Buffy said.

Xander shot an annoyed look at her; still upset over the way she defended him from a bully earlier that day in their school cafeteria, thus, putting his 'manly reputation' at stake. Just as quickly as he looked at her, he turned his attention back to Willow.

"I got fatigues from an army surplus at home. Call me the $2 costume king, baby."

Buffy still felt really bad about unintentionally embarrassing her friend and she wanted to make it better. "Hey look, Xander. I'm really sorry about this morning. "

Xander abruptly turned to look at Buffy, pointing his toy gun in her face.

"Do you mind, Buffy? I'm trying to repress." He turned away from her again and she slowly approached him before resting her chin on his shoulder and speaking in the sweetest voice she could muster.

"Okay. Then I promise from now on I'll let you get pummeled."

One look at her big doe eyes and Xander caved but his response to Buffy fell on deaf ears as her attention was stolen by the gorgeous dress across the store that looked like it belonged in the 18th century.

Buffy slowly approached the dress as she took in its intricate details. It was a gorgeous velvet dress, magenta in color, with three-quarter inch sleeves that were trimmed in white lace with a white-lace trimmed collar to match. Three small pink ribbons tied into bows adorned the collar as well, just under the lace trimming, while a larger gold bow was placed just at the center junction of the fitted bodice and large fanned-out skirt. A lighter pink satin ran down the center of the dress framed in a golden trim and provided a beautiful contrast to the darker pink velvet fabric.

It was perfect- just like the dress her and Willow had seen in Giles' old watcher diary earlier that day. If this didn't grab Angel's attention, she didn't know what would.

"Hello. That was our touching reconciliation moment there", said a slightly annoyed Xander.

"I'm sorry. Its just… look at this."

Willow mirrored the awe in Buffy's voice. "Its amazing."

"Too bulky. I prefer my women in spandex".

A man then came into the room and approached the three friends from what looked like a back room.

"Please. Let me." He unzipped the dress and removed it from the cage-wire mannequin.

"Oh its-"

"Magnificent. Yes, I know. There."

Holding it up against Buffy as he stood behind her in the mirror, he spoke again.

"My! Meet the hidden princess. But have we really found a match?"

Buffy let her eyes leave her reflection to meet those of the man who seemed to be the shop-keeper. It was almost as though he could read her mind.

Yea, Buffy wanted nothing more than to have Angel's attention riveted on her, but did she have to go as far as dressing as something she wasn't to get it?

Ok, so she had just told Willow that Halloween was "come as you aren't" night, but if she was honest with herself, this was just a little too "aren't" for her taste. Buffy didn't want to be labeled as just a pretty little miss priss who couldn't fend for herself. She was the slayer and even if it was Halloween, she wanted a costume that made her feel beautiful AND strong.

Sensing her hesitation, the man began to put the dress back on the mannequin.

"No, I would think not. But I may have just the thing. This way." He began to lead them to the back of the store and just as they turned the corner, Buffy caught a glimpse of another steel-wire mannequin that was empty, but the one next to it? Wow… now THAT was a costume.

A stunning white toga hung from the second mannequin. The shoulder straps were made of three thin strips of leather-like material that were the color of gold and fashioned into braids. They extended down to outline the triangular cups that would cover her breasts and then combined halfway down the waist. The braids seemed to multiply at this junction and wrapped around the width of the dress. A slit cut through the length of the long flowing skirt through which another thinner layer of fabric could be seen. A crown made of gold vines, green leaves and flowers adorned the head of the mannequin- the fabulous icing on the cake.

Suddenly, Buffy realized she'd stopped breathing and had to compensate for the lack of oxygen by gasping for breath. The man chuckled and again began removing the dress from the mannequin to hold against Buffy. The three observers looked on with awed expressions.

"Yes… now this- THIS is a dress befitting not a princess, but a goddess. Now we've truly found a match."

Buffy let the man's words sink in as she brought up one of her hands hold the dress to her body while the other ran the length of the skirt to hold it out to the side. As she admired her reflection, she thought of how perfect this dress was. 'No, not dress-,costume. Its just a costume, Buffy'.

"Oh, uh… I'm sorry. There's no way I could ever afford this".

"Oh, nonsense", the man replied. "I feel quite moved to make you a deal you can't refuse."

-The previous night-

Ethan had opened his store about one week prior and the number of people that had come to buy from his selection of costumes was extravagant. 'This would be the most interesting Halloween of them all', he snidely thought to himself. As he approached the main entrance of the shop to lock the door, a pale, dark haired woman dressed in a long white gown strolled in. She looked lost and unsure of herself. She kept looking down toward the ground and then abruptly up at the variety of items covering the walls.

Drusilla drabbled on through the Halloween shop searching for the prettiest costume for her William. She wanted to dress him up like one of her dollies, just like she knew she always would. Ethan remained behind his counter as he watched the young woman with, undoubtedly, a perplexed look on his face. All of the lights had already been turned off in preparation for his nightly departure, but she seemed to be un-phased by the darkness in the shop.

"Pretty dollies cry tears of sunshine and fire. All wound up and turn to ash. Nothing left for the rest. The flowers take them all. Flowers can be deceiving."

This woman was clearly insane. "Yes, miss. I'm sorry but you'll have to come back tomorrow, the shop is closed.

At this, Drusilla looked up at the man and through the darkness, he could see her dark eyes burning into him. His heart rate increased so suddenly and pounded so strongly it felt as though it would burst from his chest. He struggled to keep calm as the realization that this was no woman sank in. He'd seen enough of these creatures in his lifetime to know exactly what she was. The being before him was none other than a vampire.

"The stars, they whisper. Lightning and fire and dirt and rain. Rain that flows and carries. It carries gold. Why do they hide?"

Her body seemed to glide over to him slowly and every bone in his body screamed at him to run, but he was frozen to the spot. It was as though he'd been put under a trance and could not tear his sight away from her eyes. But even through the nonsense that she spoke, it was almost like he could understand her. As though reading his mind, she slowly turned her head to glance at the curtain covering a doorway at the back of the shop.

She walked toward the door with the man following close behind her. Why was he so close? He certainly didn't intend to be, but it was like he was being pulled along against his will.

They made their way through the curtains and as they turned the corner at the back of the room, two beautiful garments came into view. A gorgeous white Grecian dress hung from one and from the other hung a makeshift suit of armor, a long staff by its side.

Drusilla clapped her hands together and bounced up and down on her toes.

"Oooooooooo, I can hear them. Hear them all. But I can't see them. They can't see."

"What can't you see?"

"They're too far to see. Too far to see what they can't see."

"What can you hear?" Ethan asked. He was terrified, but he could not help but let curiosity take hold of him. To his understanding, these costumes were not to be sold, but there was no way in hell he'd deny them to a vampire. He valued his life far too much to do something as foolish.

Her response chilled him to the bone.

"Their screams."