Author's Note, 11/21: Happy Holidays, everyone! It's way past the Halloween deadline but "Trick or Threat" is finally done! After this I have another fanfic in mind but I probably won't work on it until December when my college finals are over. I may have some time during my Christmas break but I doubt it since I'll be visiting relatives. At the latest expect to see a new story by me sometime in January.

Also, there's talk of a "My Life as a Teenage Robot" Christmas special coming up, which means season two can't be far behind. Let's hope the folks at Nick and Frederator come through for us soon!

Chapter Ten: Picking Up the Pieces

As soon as Grimalda vanished so did the magical screen blocking the door allowing several of the guests to dismiss themselves. They were in the minority, however, as many of the kids wished to celebrate the witch's defeat. Jenny and Brad were applauded and congratulated for their heroism and the Crust cousins were left huddled together on the floor with compacts trying to salvage the dripping remnants of their make-up. They would have made for the exits if they'd had the chance, but a furious Sam wanted to teach them a lesson about trying to kill her friends in her house. Now Brit and Tiff knelt on the white living room carpet scouring away at a soggy red blot of punch with toothbrushes. Sam was in full military mode standing perfectly straight with her arms behind her back and wearing a look on her face that said she would tolerate no further shenanigans. "Keep scrubbing, ladies!" she barked aggressively. "You two made this mess so you're gonna clean it up!"

Tiff narrowed her smudged black eyelids and glared up at Sam defiantly. "You ain't got no right to treat us like this, woman! This here's forced labor an' it ain't fair!" She was answered by a spurt of water to her face from the beak of a bright yellow rubber ducky.

"Don't talk to me about fair, you back-stabbing little turncoat!" Sam bellowed angrily. The drill sergeant lingo she'd picked up from life on army bases was making itself strongly apparent now. "As long as you prissy little pansies are on my turf, your pampered backsides are mine!!"

"This is an outrage!" Brit screeched waving her toothbrush wildly over her head. "We're elite members of high society, not maids who toil away on our hands and knees!"

"I don't care if you two are the queens of Sheba!" Sam shouted back, punishing the girl with a spurt of water from the rubber ducky. "A couple of rotten traitors is what you are! Now get back to scrubbing before Mr. Quackers gets mad!!"

The Crusts' dripping faces reddened with rage. Their expensive costumes and make-up were ruined and everyone in the room was pointing and laughing at them. Both of them were seriously considering pouncing on Sam and clawing her eyes out until Jenny came in from the laundry room. The robotic teen was now fully recovered from her dousing and wore the angel costume she had when she first arrived. She smirked at the two devil girls condescendingly, amused by the ironic propriety of their costumes and pleased to see them so duly chagrined.

"Hi, girls!" she chirped cheerfully. "How's clean up duty coming along?" They replied with a vicious glare and growls of sheer loathing. Shaming from Jenny was far worse then shaming from Sam, but they both knew they stood no chance against her in this situation. So they hunched over the carpet again and worked away at the punch stain, thinking of nasty ways to exact vengeance on the metal menace and her newest accomplice.

"These snooty little brats could use some major discipline." Sam said, toning the drill sergeant act down a few notches as she spoke to her friend. "If I could I'd send them to boot camp. But maybe after this they'll think twice before dumping punch on you again!"

Jenny's self-made halo bounced up and down as she nodded her head. "I should think twice, too, before inviting them to any more parties. After all the things they've done to me in the past I should've realized there's no trusting the Crusts."

"Hey, before I forget," Sam added quickly. "Thanks for getting rid of that witch so fast! I was afraid you guys would blow my house up in your fight!"

Jenny smiled graciously. "Aw, it was nothing. I had a little help from Brad, too. I'm sure we haven't seen the last of her, though. She said she'd come back again someday."

"Don't worry, I'm sure you can handle her." Sam raised the yellow rubber ducky in her hands and grinned. "But if you have any problems Mr. Quackers would be happy to help you out again!"

"He was a big help!" Jenny giggled and patted the toy's little head playfully. "Thanks for letting me use him! Oh, and for letting me use your old Grim Reaper costume, too."

"Sure, no problem!" Sam replied. "I'm just sorry it didn't make Sheldon leave you alone like it was supposed to!"

"It's okay, it wasn't your fault. Mostly. But after all the teasing I've been giving you about Brad I think I deserved it!" Her lavender painted pigtails twitched upward slightly at the mention of her other friend. "You know, I think he's in the kitchen making more punch. Why don?t you go talk to him?"

"T-talk to him?" Sam looked down as her hands fumbled around with the toy, and her cheeks turned a little pink with embarrassment. "But . . . but how can I? After what he did, and those things I said to-"

Jenny gripped her hands firmly and looked her straight in the eye. "At least try, Sam. He needs to know what you're thinking." She smiled and lifted the bath toy from her friend's hands. "Don't worry, it's gonna be fine." Still looking troubled Sam nodded and went to the kitchen. As she left Jenny pointed the rubber ducky's beak at the toiling devils and grinned. "Keep it up, girls! You're doing great! Another half hour of elbow grease oughta do it!"

Tiff snarled and scrubbed at the carpet even harder. "I'd like to tell 'er what she can do with her elbow grease." she said to her cousin in a hushed growl. "First thing Monday mornin' let's put gum on her chair!"

"That won't be strong enough." Brit grumbled back. "We should try using tar or asphalt instead. Or better yet quick-drying cement."

Brad was filling the punch bowl with cold water from the sink. His brown leather jacket was tied around his waist and his sleeves were rolled up past his elbows. He?d found his fedora lying on the floor and had returned it to its place on top of his scruffy red head. Once the water level was high enough he turned off the faucet and carefully placed the bowl on the counter. He was about to add the Kool-Aid powder to it when he heard the sound of light footsteps behind him. He turned his head and felt his guts tie themselves into knots.

Standing a few feet away was Sam with her hands behind her back and one foot tucked behind the other. She still looked adorable in her Alice costume but her body language exuded insecurity. A mixture of dread and terror came over him. Was she still angry with him? Had she come to throw him out?

Her hands twisted the hem of her pinafore as she searched for the words she needed to say. At last she decided to muster up her courage with small talk. "Brad, I, uh, saw what you did . . . It was really cool how you stood up to Grimalda. And when you drenched Brit and Tiff." She looked up and smiled at him shyly. "That was pretty funny. I'm surprised they didn't melt."

A weak smile formed on Brad's face bearing a tiny trace of mischief. It quickly faded into guilt as he bowed his head and rubbed the back of it in embarrassment. "Sam, I . . . if you want me to leave now, I will." He lifted the fedora from his head and clutched it to his chest with both hands. "I'll . . . I'll understand if you're still mad about . . . what I did before. It was crazy and stupid, and . . . well, I'm sorry."

Sam felt a twinge of pity at the dark bruises and the shame on his boyish face. She had never seen Brad this miserable since she had met him, nor had he ever sounded as sincere. Gingerly she lifted one hand and brushed her fingers against the downy stubble on his cheek. The touch caused his heart to skip a beat and when he looked at her the insecurity he had sensed was gone. "You're right. What you did was crazy and stupid. But you know what?" She moved her hand to his shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I'm glad you apologized, because I really don't want to send you away. Will you promise not to pull any more crazy stunts tonight?"

Brad blinked at her as if he were waking up from a dream. Then his face broke out into a genuine full-fledged grin. She was offering him another chance and there was no way he would let it pass him by. "You bet! I'll be on my best behavior the rest of the night! Scout's honor!"

Sam giggled at how quickly his upbeat attitude was restored. Brad was never one to stay gloomy or serious for too long. Maybe that was why she liked him so much. "Thanks, I appreciate that. Would you put your weapons away, too?"

He pouted and folded his arms in mock protest. "Aww, come on! You gotta admit it was cool when I used them! Besides, what's Ohio Jones without his trusty whip?"

Sam folded her arms and eyed him sternly, refusing to fall victim to his playful charm. "I'm serious, Brad! No more of that! You promised!"

"Relax, I'm kidding! I'll put them away!" He flashed a dashing grin and flipped his fedora back on his head. "I can still keep the hat, though, right? Ohio Jones is nothing without his hat!"

It was impossible for Sam not to giggle foolishly with him grinning at her like that. Encouraged by her positive response Brad winked at her, causing her cheeks to burst into flames. "Hey!" she exclaimed, slapping her hands over her burning face. "You jerk! Stop teasing me!"

Brad's grin became sly as he slid his hands into his pockets. "Who said I was teasing?" He was thoroughly enjoying himself as he watched her trying to hold back even more giggles. He had Sam exactly where he wanted her and without anyone around to throw him off his groove.

But of course Murphy's Universal Law of Irony would not allow this. Suddenly a familiar looking knight stepped into the kitchen and caught sight of the pair. "Am I interrupting anything?" he asked in a smooth voice.

To Brad's dismay Sam's eyes lit up and she shook her head. "Oh, no! Not at all, Don! Come in!"

Brad narrowed his eyes at Don dangerously and almost growled out loud. Not him again, not when everything was going so well. Don took no notice of him as he approached the girl with his reddish-blonde hair meticulously combed and gelled into place and gave her a smile as bright as a thousand suns. "Hey, there, babe. Sorry I disappeared on you earlier. I've just been in the bathroom fixing my hair. You can't rush perfection, you know."

Sam tucked her hands behind her back and beamed at the other boy adoringly. Brad felt his stomach twisting itself into knots again, growing almost nauseous as he watched. "I think it paid off." she said with a coquettish smile. "How are you feeling? Do you need any more aspirin for your bruises?"

Don shook his head and his muscled chest swelled up with even more pride as he slipped into his knight role once again. "No thanks, milady. 'Tis but a scratch. Plus, Brad's punches were pretty wimpy." Brad clenched his fists and struggled to keep his temper under control. He desperately wanted to pound Don's face in but he couldn't afford to break his promise. Even if Sam was totally ignoring himhe had to prove she could trust him. "Anyway," Don continued. "I was wondering if you'd like to come to the TV room with me. Some guys are putting on 'The Thing from Another Planet.'"

Sam had totally forgotten about Brad at this point and didn't so much as glance at him as she took Don's arm. Brad simply stared at the two with his mouth open in shock as they walked out of the kitchen together. Once they were gone he threw his hat on the ground and pulled his hair in frustration. "Arrrgh!!" he screamed. "Why did that slimy sleazeball have to come in and ruin everything?! That's it!!"

He thrust his arm in the air as he made one of the most important decisions of his life. "I officially declare war against you, Don Prima! You wait and see! Someday Sam will be my girlfriend and you'll be the one she's ignoring!" He folded his arms, calming down as his mind went to work. "Now I've just gotta think of a way to do it. What was it I did wrong tonight?" He rubbed his chin with his hand thoughtfully when suddenly it dawned on him. "Shoot! It was the stubble!! I knew it would turn her off!!"

The red punch stain was growing smaller and smaller as the Crusts continued working away at it. Jenny had been far too happy to use the squirt toy on them and giggled maliciously any time she got the chance to. The cousins quickly learned not to whisper plans against her while she was listening to them with her supersonic hearing tuned. Jenny was content to sit back on the couch and watch them for now, satisfied with the way the night had ended. Grimalda was gone, Sam and Brad were friends again, the Crusts were getting what they deserved, and Sheldon was nowhere to be seen. Life, for once, was looking pretty good.

Suddenly she heard a squeaky nasal voice screeching her name. Jenny sat straight up and looked over to see a living parade float come scrambling up to her. "Jenny, what're you doing here?!" Sheldon cried. "Don't you realize you're in danger?! Enchantra's come back from the dead and she's after you! Run for your life!!"

Jenny remembered that the boy had fainted at Grimalda's arrival and apparently he had still been unconscious until right now. "Whoa, Sheldon, chill! Everything's fine! It wasn't Enchantra, it was her twin and I already took care of her!"

"Oh, you did?? I mean, of course you did! You can do anything!" He gazed at her adoringly as he flopped down on the couch next to her, unintentionally shoving her aside with his bulging balloon shoulders. "Are you all right? She didn't do any serious damage to you, did she?"

Jenny scooted away from his enlarged body and shook her head from side to side. Just great; now she was stuck with him. "Nope, no damage! All systems are cool!"

"Whew!" He sighed with relief and grinned toothily at her. "I'm so glad you could make it back here, Jenny! Did I mention that you look fantastic in that costume?"

"Yeah, you did." she replied without much enthusiasm. She could hear the Crusts snickering behind her as she answered him. She was beginning to see why Sheldon had never been invited to any other parties before. "Thanks, though, I'm glad you like it."

"You're welcome! What do you think of mine?" He lifted his arms and flexed his huge air-filled biceps proudly. "Pretty authentic, isn't it? I'm thinking of wearing it to the next comic book convention that comes to town! All the other Captain Crush fans will love it! Hey, now that you're here you can meet my new friend! Have you ever met this guy named Jeffrey?"

Jenny groaned. First thing Monday morning she was putting gum on Sam's chair.

The End