SwordStitcher-I'm doomed. I don't wanna be a lab rat! And I know, I want to give him a hug, too. But it's not worth the risk.
eva (Guest)-And doing quite well. Yeah, between Alice and Edgar Allan Poe, angst ahoy!
Dragonknight4000-That's what fanfiction is for, to provide hugs and food without personal injury.
Fallenangel9005-Shivering, you say? Shivering with fear? Might want to watch what you say...
Voodoo-Mutant-Child-Yeah, well, it's all screams and candy until someone brings a razor blade.
AN: *snickers* I had far too much fun inflicting unwanted attention on him. I'm a bad, bad person. OH! The murder Scarecrow mentions is dealt with in the 'College Days' collection, if anyone's curious.
Doctor Jonathan Crane sits in his office, listening to the horrible noise downstairs.
He really should be down there with his coworkers, feigning laughter and drinking a bit too much of the garishly orange punch. But god, he hates them all.
Why'd you take the job, then?
To help people, you idiot.
Philanthropist.
He rests his head on his desk, wishing he could go home. He's tired and feeling very overworked indeed. Mr. Snow needs a medication change, he can't forget that…and Miss Daisy has an appointment tomorrow at six…ugh. He needs to go home and sleep.
There's a knock on his door and his secretary calls, "Doctor Crane?"
Oh, no.
He really needs to fire this girl. She likes him a bit too much for his liking and besides, she spends all her time on the phone instead of working. Problem is, he can't call her into his office without her giving him the eyes and simpering, "You rang, Doctor?"
God, couldn't he have been cursed with warts or something? He doesn't want all this female attention! It's the eyes, he knows it. Damn.
"Come in, Minnie."
He doesn't believe for one second that her given name is Minnie, but that's all she'll answer to.
Sure enough, she flounces in, looking a little tipsy. Her shirt is unbuttoned far too much for his comfort and he fixes his gaze to his desk.
"What do you want?"
"Aren't you gonna come down for the party?"
"I have a lot of things to finish up here."
"Want help?"
"No, thank you."
"Are you sure? You work too much, Doctor."
Let me at her, just five minutes!
No. The last time I let you have free reign, you killed someone. Again.
Oh, he was asking for it. Let me see her.
No. Now shut up.
"No, thank you. Go and…and enjoy the party. And send Miss Richardson up here, please." Maybe he can convince her to leave early, appearances be damned.
To his utter shock and horror, she plants a wet kiss on his cheek before flouncing out. That does it. Tomorrow, whether she's hungover or not, she's got to go.
He's attacking the lipstick mark with hand sanitizer when Kitty comes in, looking very worn indeed. At least she's sober.
"We have to go."
"You're the director! Why aren't you down there?"
"I was nearly assaulted by my secretary!" he hisses, waving the sanitizer-soaked tissue. "I am not going down there and having a halo stuck on my head."
"You've come down with the flu." she tells him. "Come along. Look pathetic."
Oh, good. Now he can soak his face in hot water.
"I'll drive you home, Doctor." Kitty says loudly. "You look terrible."
She needn't sound so gleeful.
Once they're safely at home, he turns out the lights to keep any late trick-or-treaters away and hurries to the shower.
It'll be different next year, Jonny.
You're not coming out again.
We'll see.
THE END
