A "Happy Halloween" sign stood on the side of the sidewalk in Hyperion Heights. Costumed children ran around laughing and screaming playfully.
Detective Weaver held a paper bag as he walked toward a young blonde woman who was sitting on a bench. She was wearing a rabbit mask and playing with a Rubik's cube. He sat down and greeted, "Hey, Tilly."
Tilly pulled the mask up on her head before she spoke, "Ah, Detective. What brings you to my humble bench today?"
"Well, the deli mixed up my order again. They gave me orange marmalade instead of my Reuben," Weaver explained. He then produced a sandwich from the bag and handed it to Tilly as he told her, "Orange marmalade – your favorite."
Tilly tilted her head as she asked, "But how do I know it's my favorite?"
"Well, there's only one way to find out. Take a bite. Then maybe we can talk business," Weaver responded.
Tilly scoffed before she stated, "This "business" It have anything to do with Victoria Belfry? God, she's a wicked woman. Had an ex-girlfriend who worked for her once. Said Belfry'd rather scoop out her own eyes than do something nice for another human." Her voice slightly softened and she smiled a bit as she continued, "She's not like you. Why do you work for her?"
Weaver was beginning to get agitated as he pointed out, "I don't. And by the way, I'm the detective here. I ask the questions."
Tilly only laughed before the detective told her, "Take off the mask. You look ridiculous."
"But we're all wearing masks!" Tilly jovially began, receiving an odd look from Weaver before she spoke, "It's Halloween."
"Oh, is that why you're playing with that toy?" Weaver rhetorically asked her. He then took the Rubik's cube and exasperatedly continued, "Damn thing's broken. What's the point of an unsolvable puzzle?"
Tilly's reply was a cryptic one: "What's the point of a solvable one? Things are changing here, Detective. I've started noticing things. Bet you didn't know you're wearing a mask, too. But I'm not quite sure I like this one. Think I'd much rather see the man behind it."
The detective's patience had worn thin as he remarked, "Sandwich time is over. We're done." He then got up and walked off.
With a knowing smile, Tilly watched him leave before she replaced the mask and continued playing with her puzzle.
Just then, Alena walked by on her back from completing an errand for Belfry. A piece of paper then flew out from one of the folders that she was holding.
Tilly saw the paper and picked it up once it hit the ground. She then jogged up to Alena and told her, "You dropped this. I'm guessing it's pretty important."
"Oh! It is. Thank you," Alena replied with a smile when she had turned around.
Tilly planted her hands on her hips and tilted her head as she looked at the blonde in front of her. She then lifted the rabbit mask and stated, "You're familiar. We know each other, don't we?"
Alena's blue eyes widened before she furrowed her eyebrows. Was Alice awake? She wasn't entirely sure, but it couldn't hurt to see.
She then replied, "Yeah, we do know each other. We were good friends before…"
Tilly cut her off: "Before everyone started wearing masks." Alena tilted her head in confusion before Tilly continued, "You need yours, though. You have to protect everyone else."
Alena had never quite thought about that way, but Alice had a fair point. She then took a breath and determinedly spoke, "If I have anything to do with it, no one will be wearing their masks for long."
Tilly smiled as she told her, "I like you - I see why we were good friends." Her smile then faltered, and she said, "Your name's a bit fuzzy. It's like I'm missing a piece of a puzzle."
"Don't worry about it," Alena assured.
She then told her, "My name's Alena." "Tilly," she responded with a smile.
Alena smiled back before she said, "I've got to get back to work. It was nice to meet… uh, see you… Tilly."
Tilly laughed before she spoke, "It's always nice to see people who know who the real you."
"Yeah, it is," Alena agreed. She then said, "I'll see you around, Tilly." She simply nodded in response before she went back to the Rubik's cube.
Alena then turned and resumed walking toward Belfry Towers.
At the Towers, the elevator bell dinged as Jacinda, who was carrying Lucy's costume and pumpkin bucket, stepped out onto the main floor.
She saw her stepsister and immediately tried to exit, but the elevator had already left.
Ivy glanced over and saw Jacinda; she then picked up the phone and matter-of-factly spoke, "Security, we have a trash situation upstairs. Thank you."
Jacinda made her way over to the brunette's desk before she explained, "Look, Ivy. I know I'm not supposed to be anywhere near Lucy. I just came by to drop off her costume."
"After that little "Occupy Garden" stunt you pulled, you're lucky Mother didn't exile you to Canada," Ivy snidely remarked, never taking her eyes from her phone.
After she took a breath, Jacinda spoke, "I don't expect you to understand why I did what I did, but what's with the hostility? I thought you'd be happy to see me punished."
With clear annoyance and frustration, Ivy said, "Because who do you think has to take the little monster trick-or-treating now? Me."
"Ivy, if you don't want to take her, let me do it," Jacinda suggested, and she couldn't help the slight hope bubbling in her voice.
That hope was quickly squashed as Ivy threw back, "And risk Mother finding out I did something to make you happy? I'd rather eat carbs." She then finally put down her phone before she grabbed the costume and bucket from on top of the desk.
Jacinda's look of dejection was perfectly matched as she walked away and waited for the elevator.
When she reached the lobby, she met Alena as she was coming in. The blonde instantly noticed that something was wrong, and she asked, "Are you okay?"
Jacinda sighed before she answered, "It's Lucy. I brought her costume here and found out that Ivy's taking her trick-or-treating. I tried to convince her to let me take her, but you can imagine how that went."
"Indeed I can. Saying that Ivy is difficult is an understatement - just be glad you don't work with her," Alena matter-of-factly spoke.
She then took a breath and sympathetically continued, "I really am sorry about Lucy. I understand how difficult it must be - I don't even know what I'd do if I was separated from Emma and Lily."
"Thanks, Alena. I appreciate it," Jacinda replied with a small smile. She then admitted, "It's hard, but I have to believe I'll get her back. It's the only thing keeping me sane."
"Well, I know you'll find a way," Alena optimistically offered.
Jacinda smiled in response before she spoke, "I should let you get back to work. I'll see you later, Alena."
"See you later," Alena replied before she and Jacinda went their separate ways.
When the blonde arrived on the main floor, she headed toward Belfry's office. It was empty, so Alena simply left the folders on her boss's desk.
As she ducked out to return to her own office, Ivy's voice stopped her: "Alena, I have the insurance cards for you and your twins," placing the items on top of her desk.
"Thank you," Alena cordially replied before walking the short distance and grabbing the cards. She then commented, "I have to admit that I'm a bit surprised that they came this soon. It took a few weeks longer at my previous job."
Ivy scoffed before she snidely remarked, "Clearly, they had trouble understanding the meaning of being efficient and prompt."
Alena rolled her eyes before she simply turned around and headed to her office. She was not in the mood for an argument.
As she sat down, she took a deep breath. As insufferable as Ivy was, even she couldn't dampen the blonde's mood.
Tonight, she was taking Emma and Lily trick-or-treating, and they were absolutely ecstatic. Alena couldn't help but feel the same way. Knowing that her sister-in-law and niece couldn't be together made Alena that much more appreciative of the family outing.
As she turned on her computer and began sorting through the files on her desk, she couldn't help but smile as she thought about how adorable her girls would look in their costumes.
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That evening, as Alena, Emma, and Lily were walking into the apartment, the girls were excitedly talking about trick-or-treating.
Alena quickly went into her room and put away everything from work. When she turned around to leave, she realized the twins had followed her.
Lily then asked, "Where costumes, Mommy?" "We ready for candy," Emma added.
Alena couldn't help but shake her head. She then bent down on the girls' level and explained, "I know you two are excited, but we all have to eat dinner first, okay?"
"Do we got to?" Emma asked.
"Yes, we do," Alena told them. She then spoke, "But Mommy is fixing one of you two's favorites: spaghetti," with a smile.
Emma and Lily smiled back before they both shouted, "Sghetti!" They then skipped into the kitchen.
Alena smiled once more before following her girls. She then pulled up two chairs to the kitchen counter and asked, "Ready to help me make the spaghetti?"
"Yay!" the girls exclaimed before they both climbed up in the chairs.
Alena then grabbed 3 bowls from the cabinet. She placed the two smaller ones in front of Emma and Lily while keeping the big one for herself. She then opened the spaghetti pack and split up the dry noodles.
As the girls were breaking the spaghetti, they began humming two different Disney songs. Alena recognized them from Cinderella and Snow White, and she couldn't help but giggle despite herself.
As if her girls didn't already adore princesses and fairy tales, they were even more ecstatic over them now that they knew it was all real - and that their great-grandparents were Snow White and the Prince themselves.
Alena watched her girls with a bright smile for a couple minutes before she went back to the task at hand.
About fifteen minutes later, Lily had finished with her noodles, and she triumphantly declared, "I done, Mommy!"
"Thank you, sweetie," Alena replied as she ran her fingers through her daughter's blonde locks. She then spoke, "Why don't you help make the table pretty?"
Lily excitedly nodded before she began to climb down. She stopped, however, when she saw that her sister was still breaking spaghetti.
Lily then grabbed a couple noodles and was going to break them when Emma snatched them back.
"Me do it!" the little girl protested. Her protest was met by her twin taking back the spaghetti and arguing, "I try help!"
"No!" Emma stated. Before Lily could refute, Alena stepped in.
She stopped working and told them, "Emma, your sister was only to help you finish the spaghetti. And Lily, it wasn't nice of you to snatch the noodle. And it wasn't nice of either of you to argue with each other."
The girls looked down for a moment before they looked up and apologized, "Sorry, Mommy."
Alena nodded before she assured, "It's okay." She then told them, "Say sorry to each other, too."
"I sorry for snatching, Emma," Lily began. "I sorry I mean," Emma finished. The girls then hugged each other.
Alena smiled at the twins before grabbing some plates from the cabinet. She then spoke, "Okay, Lily, why don't you go ahead and set up these plates for Mommy."
The little girl nodded before she asked, "Make table pretty?"
"Yes, you can," the blonde answered with a smile. She then continued, "And Emma, you finish breaking the noodles. You can then go help your sister."
Emma nodded as well before she turned her attention back to the spaghetti. Alena then handed Lily the plates, and the three-year-old headed toward the table.
A couple minutes later, Emma announced, "I done!" She then climbed down and sprinted to join her sister.
Alena then deposited Emma and Lily's bowls into her own before pouring it into a pot on the stove.
When Emma had reached the table, she gasped before she spoke, "Pretty pumpkins!" Lily had taken the various plastic pumpkins that Alena used as Halloween decorations and placed them on the table.
Lily smiled widely before she agreed, "Very pretty." She then told her sister, "Leave pumpkins for you." The little girl then pointed to the coffee table.
Emma smiled before she ran into the living room and grabbed the decorations. When she had placed them on the table, she then gasped and spoke, "Have to get Mommy's picture!"
Lily nodded before the two of them ran hand in hand to their room. They found the picture on their dresser before they sprinted back and placed it on the table.
Alena then filed into the dining area with cups of apple juice for her girls and a glass of lemonade for herself.
She then explained, "It'll be a few minutes on dinner, but I thought you two would want some juice," as sat down at the table.
"Tank you, Mommy," the girls simultaneously spoke before taking a sip of apple juice. Lily then asked, "Like table, Mommy?"
Alena then surveyed the table. She smiled as she answered, "It's very pretty - you did such a good job."
She then ruffled both of the girls' hair, and they smiled brightly in response.
Emma then grabbed the picture and handed it to her mother. The blonde little girl then announced, "Present from me and Lily."
Alena then looked over the piece of paper. It was a picture of the three of them drawn in marker and colored pencil with a rainbow up above them. A variety of glitter stickers filled in the empty spaces.
She smiled as she looked back at her girls. She then told them, "Thank you both so much. The picture is very pretty - I love it."
"Yay!" the girls cheered before wrapping Alena in a hug. She hugged them back before she kissed them on the head.
When they pulled away, Alena spoke, "I think the spaghetti is probably ready." She then got up and headed to the kitchen.
When she had returned, she prepared the girls' food and her own. The three of them then started eating.
A little while later, Alena and the girls had just finished the dishes.
Emma then exclaimed, "Time to trick treat!" "Go get costumes!" Lily excitedly added.
Alena smiled at her girls as she told them, "Let's go get you two ready to get some candy." The girls' response was running into their mom's room, with Alena right behind them.
The blonde then pulled out a large clear tote and placed it on her bed. It contained a variety of costumes that the girls liked to play dress up in sometimes.
As Alena was digging to find what the girls would be wearing tonight, a picture fell from the tote. Lily picked it up, and she and Emma looked at it curiously.
Lily then asked, "Mommy, who little girl as Punzel?" before holding up the picture to her mother.
Alena took it and looked over the photo. She then thought, "How did this get in here?" She then bent down on her girls' level and explained, "This is me when I was a little girl - I went as Rapunzel for trick-or-treating."
"Mommy little?" Emma confusedly questioned.
Alena smiled as she explained, "Yes, I was little at one time - just like you and Lily," before she ran her fingers through both her girls' hair.
The girls nodded in understanding before Lily asked, "Me and Emma get big?" "Yeah, you will," Alena wistfully answered.
She then dug a bit more and found the girls' costumes. She held them up to the girls, and they eagerly grabbed them before they ran to their room. Alena shook her head before she followed them.
Once Alena had helped the girls into their costumes, she stood back and looked them over. Lily was going as Tinker Bell from Peter Pan while Emma was going as Alice from Alice in Wonderland.
*insert pic on Wattpad and Quotev
"You two look so very pretty," Alena complimented, receiving a bright smile from her girls in response.
Emma then asked, "Go get candy, now?"
Alena nodded before she told them, "Why don't you two grab your pumpkins so that we can go."
The girls did as told before each of them grabbed one of their mother's hands and headed out of the room. Alena grabbed her phone, keys, and wallet before the three of them headed to the bug.
About ten minutes later, Alena parked close to the neighborhood that Natalie had recommended for trick-or-treating. She then got out and unbuckled the girls from their booster seats.
As soon as both girls were out of the car, they were jumping up and down in excitement. Emma then exclaimed, "Go, Mommy!" "Get candy!" Lily added.
Alena couldn't help but chuckle before she told them, "Let's go." She then took them by the hand and led them toward one of the houses.
Emma and Lily then knocked on the door. When it had been opened, they yelled, "Trick or treat!" with bright smiles.
"Well, aren't you two cute," the middle-aged woman told them. She then placed a few of the little M&M bags in the twins' buckets.
The girls looked as though they were going to turn around when Alena reminded them, "What do you say?"
"Oh!" Lily gasped. She and Emma then said, "Tank you for candy."
"You're welcome," the woman told them with a smile. She then closed the door, and Alena and the girls made their way to the next house.
This time, the twins were met with a familiar face. "Ms. Natalie!" they both exclaimed before wrapping her in a hug. She happily returned it.
When they pulled back, Alena commented, "I didn't know you lived here."
"How do you think I knew it was a good spot for trick-or-treating?" Natalie replied with a smile. Alena smiled back in response.
Natalie then turned her attention back to the girls and told them, "I have some good candy for you two." She then reached into the bowl and pulled a handful of bite-size chocolate candy bars.
She placed some in each of the girls' buckets, and they happily told her, "Tank you, Ms. Natalie!"
"You two are most welcome," she responded with a smile. She then addressed Alena, "They're excited, aren't they."
"You have no idea," Alena conceded with a chuckle. Before she could say anything further, Emma and Lily were dragging her to the next house.
Natalie couldn't help but chuckle as well before she yelled a quick goodbye to Alena and the girls.
Emma and Lily let go of their mother's hands and ran up the elderly couple sitting on their front lawn. They had a bucket of candy sitting between their lawn chairs.
"Trick or treat!" the girls exclaimed as Alena came up behind them.
"You two are precious," the woman told them. As her husband took out some candy, she continued, "And what are you two dressed as?"
The girls exclaimed their answers at the same time, to which Alena grinned and told them, "Why don't you tell her at different times."
They both nodded before Lily started, "I Tinker Bell," followed by Emma, "I Alice." The couple smiled at them in response.
The gray-haired man then placed some lollipops and jolly ranchers into the twins' pumpkins. The girls jovially yelled, "Tank you!"
"You're welcome," the man responded. The woman then added, "I hope you girls enjoy the candy."
"Candy good," Lily spoke, and Emma added, "Very good." The couple smiled once more in response before bidding a goodbye to the little family.
The twins and Alena then headed down the sidewalk for more trick-or-treating. Down the street, Ivy and Lucy were tackling some trick-or-treating of their own.
The two of them had stopped walking, and Lucy put a paper bag with a face drawn on it over her head.
Ivy was busy on her phone as Lucy complained, "I can't believe you couldn't just paint my face. Can we at least go to the south end of the street? They have an amazing haunted house there, and this block is so boring."
The short-haired brunette looked up as she quipped, "You think you're miserable? I'm missing out on the annual masquerade ball because Mother wanted to be sure her precious Lucy had a good time."
"Well, I'm not. And you're not missing anything. You didn't get invited to the ball this year," Lucy argued. Ivy looked one part confused and one part affronted before Lucy admitted, "I heard you complaining about it."
Ivy narrowed her eyes before she smugly commented, "You know, I think you should make that bag a year-round look." Lucy took off the bag and leveled Ivy with an annoyed look.
The dark-haired girl's annoyance temporarily subsided when she caught sight of a certain blonde. "Alena!" she then called out before waving.
Alena turned her head and waved back before she led the girls over to Ivy and Lucy. "Just what I need," the short-haired brunette murmured with a roll of her eyes.
Emma and Lily immediately wrapped Lucy in a tight hug. When the three of them pulled away, Lucy spoke, "You guys are cute. Have you two had fun trick-or-treating?"
In response, the twins showed Lucy their candy buckets. Emma then exclaimed, "Very good candy and very fun!"
Lucy smiled at them before she stood back up. She then muttered, "At least someone is having fun," before casting another annoyed look toward her step-aunt.
Ivy had turned her attention back to her phone and was too busy to notice. Alena, however, did notice.
She then bent down slightly to be on her niece's eye level and suggested, "Just try to have a good time, okay?"
Lucy nodded in response. She then waved and bid goodbye to her cousins and aunt before she headed off to the last house.
Emma and Lily then tugged on Ivy's skirt. "What?" she barked. She then looked down and plastered on a fake smile and continued, "Yes?"
"Friend of Mommy?" Emma asked.
Ivy couldn't help the slight chuckle that came out before she turned to Alena and spoke, "That's rich, isn't it?"
Alena rolled her eyes before she explained, "Well, girls, Ivy works with Mommy at her job."
The brunette then added, "And we've become great friends," with sarcasm dripping from her tone.
Emma and Lily clapped as Ivy went back to her phone. Alena then addressed the girls, "Why don't you two go sit on the grass and look at all your candy. Mommy's going to talk to Ivy for a minute."
The girls nodded before the skipped to the section of grass a couple feet away.
Alena then turned to Ivy and demanded, "Next time you want to play your little game, leave my daughters out of it."
"You can't boss me around like one of your spawns. I get enough of that from my mother," Ivy challenged.
The blonde took a calming breath before she requested, "I'm just asking you to be more mindful next time. Emma and Lily are only 3 and are still very impressionable."
Ivy rolled her eyes before she resigned, "If it gets you off my back, then fine." Alena knew that was the best she could hope for, so she simply nodded in response.
She then called, "Emma, Tili! Come on, I think we have a bit more trick-or-treating to do!" with a bright smile. The twins cheered before they got up and ran over to their mother.
At the house, Lucy was making her way off the porch. She sighed as she looked down at the box of candy in her hand, wishing it was an Apollo Bar.
As she came across the next trick-or-treater, who was a girl around her age dressed as Elsa, an idea struck.
Lucy then asked, "Hey, kid, you like Milk Duds?"
Ivy was still on her phone when her step-niece returned. As they began to walk, she agitatedly commented, "Took you long enough. Are you done begging for candy? Can we go home? I stepped in pumpkin vomit, and these shoes are worth more than your life."
"Okay," the girl in the Elsa costume responded while wearing Lucy's bag over her head.
Ivy stopped at the unfamiliar voice and questioned, "What?" She then took the bag off of the girl's head and demanded, "Who the hell are you?"
The girl simply laughed before she ran off.
Ivy then began calling, "Lucy? Lucy!" She then frantically continued, "Damn it, Lucy, where are you? Oh, Mother's gonna kill me." She then began quickly making her way down the street.