"ELMA! COuld you stop eating the candy? The trick r treaters will be here soon."

Elma gives me a wide chocolate-stained grin as she holds little Yuka,

It's our babies' first Halloween and we wanted to do something so we had decorated the apartment with skeletons, skulls and pumpkins.I asked Elma what she wanted me to dress up as and she said a police officer because they are upholders of law and order. I found a nice costume online. Elma changed her scales to a witch costume. She has on a long black gown and black pointed hat.

Meanwhile Ryou begins to cry. She puts Yuka down and she picks Ryou up from the crib while I get everything ready Haru is watching an anime Halloween special episode on television.

Ryou begins to cry even louder as Elma holds him which is unusual as he would have calmed down by now.

"Hue hue hue Ryou-chan, I'm the wicked witch and I will put a spell on you to stop crying" she says in a raspy voice. The toddler begins to cry even louder. He is wearing a star outfit while Yuka has on a dragon fought and cried a lot when we tried to get him in a costume.

"I think it's your costume he's afraid of" I tell her. She looks down at the costume.

"Hm?...Maybe you're right. I'm dressed strangely and poor thing is scared."

"Are you scared Ryou-kun? Mm? You look so cute! I'll change my outfit right away if you're scared."

The doorbell rings.

"I'll answer it."

"Trick or treat!" Three little kids around ge 6 or 7 all have bags in their hand with lots of candy.

I give them each a handful of candy and chocolates.

"I like your costumes" I say to them.

They thank me and leave. When I close the door and turn around I see Elma has transformed her witch's outfit into an angel's. She has on a long white robe, and a halo. She even has wings but the most memorable detail is her long dark violet hair which seems to glow. I have never seen her with such long hair before but her mother did mention she used to have long hair back in the other world. I'm mesmerized by her appearance. She's still holding Ryou. "There there. Is this better now Ryou-chan? I chose an outfit you will not be scared of this time. I'm sorry I frightened you." I like the way she speaks to her children, like they could understand her. She's so close to them. Ryou just gazes at her and ceases crying.

I stand there silently watching mother and child bond. It's something spectacular to say the least.

What makes me come back is when I catch Haru on the table with an empty pan of cookies in his hands.

"HARU! Those were for Tohru and Kanna. Didn't I give you some earlier?" I ask him.

Everyone turns their attention to Haru and I.

"You naughty boy. You're not getting anymore candy for the rest of the night" I tell him, clearly annoyed at what he has done.

His lips begin to quiver and he starts crying. "Mommy Nai. I'm sowwy. When I ate one cookie, I just wanted to eat all. They're so tasty." he says between wails.

I begin to feel a little guilty at my outburst. "But-but you should have more self-control, Haru. I'm sorry I yelled."

I feel Elma's hand touch my shoulder. "It's ok Nai. We'll make more cookies and Haru will help. What do you think Haru?"

He puts his little hands in the air and smiles. "YAY!"

"Just like his mother" I mutter.

…

"Elma! Don't do that! Don't put your hands in the cookie batter before it's baked."

She grins again.

"We would have finished earlier if someone didn't eat half of the ingredients. I thought angels were supposed to do the right things." I comment.

"And I thought police officers were supposed to keep things in order" she retorts.

"Um by the way, it's the first time I have seen you with that gorgeous long hair. I mean, you look beautiful with either long or short hair but-but you know what I me-"

"Trick or treat, Nai" she says as we lock lips in an unexpected kiss.

I felt a hand behind my head only to notice Haru from the corner of my eye, standing on the counter-top holding our heads in each of his hands and pressing our heads even closer to each both chuckle at the fact we forgot Haru was with us for just a little moment.. Elma takes Haru and kisses him all over.

"You're a sneaky little fellow aren't you Haru?"

"Elma, you're really good at decorating the cookies with skulls."

"Well that's because balance is my key speciality Nai. Every cookie must have the right amount of icing on for it be delicious and look good as well."

"Mommy is a good bake-ow" Haru says with a smile, making Elma blush a bit.

"You sure know how to sweet talk huh? I see I have thought you well" she comments as Haru shapes the cookies with the cookie cutter.

After just ten minutes of baking the cookies, Elma and Haru stand in front of the oven, drooling.

"It's nice we all get to spend time like this for All Hallow's Eve" Elma says as we all are in the living room watching Halloween anime specials.

"Back in the other world, things slike trolls, orcs and goblins exist so they're not anything unusual for me though" she says.

When the kids are asleep, I handcuff Elma with her hands in front.

"I'm sorry but I'll have to put you under arrest."

She lightly blushes. "What's my offence this time, officer?" she asks.

"You've been a bad girlr. Looks like I'll have to teach you a lesson."

"Oh my" she says as I lead her to our bedroom.