Chapter Eighteen

Author's note: This portion takes place about six months after the last chapter. Trust me, things will come together! Also, this chapter takes place during what would be season three, however, Faith is not in this but Dawn is.

"I think I'm going as a witch, get it?" Willow told Buffy while they were having lunch at Buffy's house. It was almost a week before Halloween and they were discussing the holiday.

"I think I am all done with dressing up and stuff. Do you remember last year? Oh, hold that thought," Buffy told Willow as she ran to get the phone. She picked it up after the second ring.

"Hello?" She paused for a minute. "Hello?" She said for a second time. She finally gave up and hung up the phone.

"Was that another hang up?"

"Yea, I wish they would stop, it's kind of annoying. Oh well, someone is just having fun around Halloween time, oh well. So anyway, where are you and Oz going on Halloween?"

"Well, the Bronze is having this big costume party. Oz is playing a set with his band. Plus I figured that if we turned into our costumes this year I'd be all set as a witch. Xander and Cordy are going too. Oh, you and Scott could come with us. We could triple date. "

Buffy smiled at her friend's comment. The Halloween the year before was a nightmare and Buffy really wanted to be through with the whole dressing up thing. Willow did sound like she was going to have fun with the rest of their friends, and they all liked Scott. Buffy started dating Scott right before the school year started in August. They ran into each other at the mall and just talked. They began talking to each other on the phone as well as going for walks and eating ice cream together. They had been dating for three months. Buffy was very honest with Scott about a lot of things in her life but he didn't know she was a slayer.

"I would love too but can't. Dawn is coming to visit from LA that weekend. Mom is making me take her out. Scott is coming with us. Maybe we could meet you later on that night. I'll talk to Scott about it and see what he says. Maybe, we'll see. I'm not dressing up though. I can't believe the phone is ringing again." Buffy said as she answered the phone. "Hello? Hello? Listen, quit calling! This is incredibly annoying! Stop calling!" Buffy told the caller as she slammed down the phone.

"I guess you told them!" Willow said as she offered a smile.

Buffy and Willow sat down on the stools in the kitchen and continued to discuss their plans.

"So I'll pick you up around eight tomorrow night, right?" Scott had asked Buffy on the phone the night before Halloween.

"Yeah, I think so, yeah. We are going to have some Halloweeny-oh wait, I can't."

"Why can't you?" Scott and Buffy had wanted to watch some scary movies together on Halloween night but Buffy couldn't. Her sister Dawn's appearance went from visiting for the weekend to her moving in. Dawn had moved into her bedroom next to Buffy in the beginning of the week. Hank Summers had finally decided he wanted nothing to do with his former family life. He was moving to Spain with his much younger secretary. Unfortunately Dawn wasn't in his plans. Joyce had to work at the gallery and that left Buffy to take Dawn trick-or treating on the big scary night.

"I have to take Dawn out trick or treating. I completely forgot. Maybe we could do it this weekend?"

"No, that doesn't work for me. We are going to visit my family."

"How about you go trick or treating with Dawnie and I? We could still watch all of those movies after she goes to sleep. Okay, we may have time for just one movie before your curfew."

"I like the way you think Buffy Summers," Scott smiled on the other end of the phone. "Alright, What time do you want me over your house?"

"Um. What about fiveish? Dawn and I were going to order pizza and you can join us before we take her out. Oh wait a minute, Willow wanted us to go to the Bronze with her and Oz and Willow and Cordy. What should we do?"

"Well, what time is your mom coming home from work?"

"I think around seven, why?"

"Well, we could check out the Bronze and then go back to your house for the movie after your mom gets back. That way we get to do both things. How does that sound?"

Buffy smiled. "I like that idea."

Dawn struggled as she tried to do her own hair. She was dressing as a ballerina and wanted her hair up in a bun but she was having a hard time with it staying up.

"Need some help?" Buffy asked.

"Yea. I guess." Nine-year-old Dawn Summers told her sister. "Thank you for taking me out tonight. I thought I'd have to miss Halloween too." Dawn said as she hinted towards wanting to talk about their parents' divorce.

"Dawn, you know that what dad did has nothing to do with you. He left all of us." Buffy explained as she began to wrap Dawn's long chestnut hair into a bun to place on her head.

"I know but how can he do that? How can he just decide that he doesn't love us any more?"

Buffy clipped Dawn's hair on top of her head. She then placed a wreath of baby's breath above her bun. "I don't know but I am really glad you're here." She said, offering a smile to her sister.

"You are?"

"Yes, of course. We're family, you're my sister and I love you, no matter what happens with mom or dad or anything else. I will always love you"

With those words being said, Dawn turned around and gave Buffy a hug. " I love you too. Thank you and your boyfriend for taking me out tonight."

"It's our pleasure." Buffy was about to say something else but the phone rang. She ran into her room to get it, expecting another hang up call. "Hello?"

"Hi Buffy, it's me."

"Hey Scott, hi, what's going on? You missed pizza"

"I know and I am sorry. My mom really wanted me to stay home for dinner so I am going to miss the trick or treating part but I can meet you later to go to the Bronze and to watch the movie. I hope you're not too mad."

"I understand, and I'm not mad."

"Good, I don't want you to be mad at me. Tell Dawn that I'm sorry and that I'll bring her more candy from my house."

"She'll like that. So what time should you be over here?"

"Around eightish, is that all right?"

"That sounds great, I'll see you then. Bye." Buffy hung up the phone. She looked outside for a few minutes. It was almost sunset. The sky was radiant with bright pink, orange and purple colors floating around. She looked down at the kids who had started trick or treating. She was in a daze when Dawn came into the room.

"Is everything all right?"

"What? Oh yea, yea things are fine. Scott can't go with us but he's going to stop over later with some extra candy for you."

"Candy just for me?"

"Yea, he felt bad he couldn't come with us."

"Go me! More candy! Are you ready to go?"

"Yea, let's have some fun!"

"Who cares about fun, this candy should last me until at least Valentine's Day!"

The two sisters left and began Dawn's journey for candy. They were gone for only forty-five minutes when they had to return home. Dawn received so much candy that her bag almost broke. The entire way Buffy felt strange. She looked all around her. She knew Halloween was pretty quiet. Giles had told her for the last two years that vampires and demons hung low during the holiday but something still felt weird.

"Buffy, what's wrong?" Dawn asked noticing her sister acting extra cautious.

"Nothing, I feel like someone is following us."

"There is no one following us."

"I know, it's just a weird feeling."

"And you said I was too young to watch the horror movies and you Scott are going to watch tonight."

"Yes you are."

"At least I'm not the one who is paranoid about people following me and looking over my shoulder all the time." Dawn laughed as they walked up to their block. As they got closer to their house Buffy saw a person sitting on their porch.

"Buffy, what's that?"

"I'm not sure. And you were making fun of who again?"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

"Buffy, hi," Scott said stepping off the porch. "I came a little early. What's wrong? You look as if you saw a ghost."

Buffy explained she felt as if someone as following her around that night and then she saw a person on her porch and couldn't make out who it was.

As they walked into the house, Scott handed over a Zip Lock freezer bad full of candy. "I hope you like these. I felt really bad about not coming with you tonight. I think it would have been fun."

Dawn took the bag and smiled. "This is awesome! These are the full size bars! I love peanut butter cups! Thanks Scott, you are so cool!"

Dawn made her way upstairs to change as Joyce walked through the back door. She talked to the kids for a little while before Buffy and Scott left for the Bronze. Both Buffy and Scott had chose not to dress up. Scott thought he was too old to dress up for Halloween. Buffy just didn't want a repeat of last year to happen.

They joined Willow, Xander and Cordelia at a table while Oz was on stage.

Willow and Buffy chatted for a bit while Xander and Cordelia danced. Scott saw guys he knew from school and talked to them until he and Buffy danced for a little bit. After about an hour and a half, Scott and Buffy walked back to Buffy's house to watch the horror movie, A Nightmare on Elm Street. Of course Buffy wasn't scared. After all she had seen in her years as a slayer, she wasn't scared of some middle-aged man in lots of make and in need of a good manicure.

"This is what I like about you." Scott said as they cuddled with each other on the couch.

"What?"

"I like that you're girly but not too girly. You're so cool to be around. You're very normal."

If you only knew the half of it, Buffy thought silently to herself. She just smiled and rested her head back on Scott's neck until the end of the movie. Right after the movie Buffy walked Scott out to his car. They shared a quick kiss before he got into his car and drove home.

Buffy walked back into her house and closed and locked the front door. She was on her way to make sure the back door was locked too when the doorbell rang. What did Scott forget? I don't see anything, Buffy thought to herself as she walked towards the front door. She unlocked the door and turned the doorknob. "What did you forg-." She stopped midway of her sentence. She could not believe what was happening.

"Hi Buffy," said the man at the door.

"Is that really you?" She asked unable to say his name.

"It's me." He answered simply.

Buffy walked slowly over to the man standing in her doorway. She placed her hand on his soft cheek. Tears filled her eyes. "Angel?" She finally managed to say in a disbelieving tone.

"It's me, in the flesh." Angel answered with tears in his eyes too.

Buffy walked towards Angel and just stared at him before he hugged her. Tears ran down his from his eyes and danced off his cheek as their embrace was broken.

"How? I mean? Angel, your warm." Buffy told him as she closed the front door and sat on the porch.

Angel stared at Buffy. The one true love of his entire human and vampire life was standing in front of him once again. He swallowed hard as he pushed back her blonde hair from her face. He matter a factly looked into her cloudy green eyes and said calmly said, "I'm human."