AN: Just gonna make something very clear. The Buffy/Spike relationship is still going to happen because I think it is a vital part of the story! Any you know what? Buger it. I'm answering my reviewers!

Allen Pit Ok I never thought about Anya knowing all the languages and now I feel a bit silly. Lol! Maybe that could be a joke later where Tuscany says something she doesn't want any one to hear but Anya talks back! I was sorta leading towards an Anya/Tuscany friendship because they are outsiders. The trio has noticed Tuscany but they have no idea she is the slayer. I don't think they can hear… only watch with their cameras.

Philyra I'm glad I got that realism of the Buffy/Tuscany/Dawn relationship! I tried to imagine what it would be like.

ZELINIA See above AN. Tuscany is developing a crush on Spike very much like Dawn liked him. Spike is still very much in love with Buffy. I loved the whole Spike/Buffy affair in the show as well! I'm also so glad I met some one else who wants Dawn to die! I hated her!

Scorpian I'm so glad you liked it! Makes me happy. Here's another update!

Disclaimer: Stephen S. DeKnight is the writer of this episode. Everything belongs to Joss Whedon expect my own dialogue and my own characters! On with the story!

ALL THE WAY

The Magic Box was packed. Tuscany had no idea that so many people were interested in magic. Must be because it was Halloween. Anya was ecstatic. She had an enormous grin on her face and was skating in between customers.

"Everything on this table is half off. Including the table," She called to one customer before turning to another and tell him, "Buy one eyeball, get the second one free."

She skated up to Tuscany who was hiding behind the stairs with a can of coke. She was watching Xander as he did a lame impression of a pirate in front of an unimpressed little boy.

"I had no idea Halloween was so big," Tuscany informed Anya a little shop.

"It's good! More money for me. Don't Australians celebrate Halloween?" Anya asked. Tuscany shook her head. At that point Dawn walked across the store, also out of costume. She saw Tuscany next to Anya and looked like she wanted to turn away but she didn't. Tuscany was surprised. She didn't stay that way for long. Dawn may have come over but she was determined to ignore Tuscany.

"So what are you supposed to be?" She casually asked Anya. Tuscany began sipping from her can of coke.

"An angel," Anya chirped. Tuscany paused with the can to her lips to shoot Anya and incredulous look.

"Oh no. This is a special type of angel called a Charlie. We don't have wings, we just skate around with perfect hair and fight crimes."

Tuscany snorted just as Anya thrust a box into Tuscany's arms and commanded, "follow!"

Anya turned to Dawn and said as she began skating back into the din of people, "Where's your costume."

The sisters followed Anya, avoiding looking at each other.

"Like I'm six years old? Halloween's so lame."

Anya seized the box from Tuscany who appeared resentful at being used as a packhorse. She went back to drinking her coke.

"But, you get to dress up, and play games. Xander's gonna teach me a new one after work called 'shiver me timbers.' Ever play?"

Tuscany coughed and spat her Coke everywhere. Tara appeared magically and intervened quickly.

"Uh Dawn. Willow could use some help in magic texts."

"I'm all over it," Dawn replied with a knowing smile.

"Tuscany, Giles could use help packing."

"what? I'm eighteen." Tuscany protested.

"Now," Tara said with a grin, using some force in her voice. The slayer grumbled and walked towards the counter where Giles was busily distributing goods to paying costumers. She caught the last bit of Anya's conversation as she left.

"How bout you? You ever play shiver me timbers?"

"I'm not really much for the timber."

Tuscany stood next to Giles and started bagging. Giles gave her a thankful smile.

"Tuscany can you grab that bottle of rosemary behind you," Giles asked. Tuscany turned and bumped straight into Buffy. The pair looked awkward. Tuscany swiftly grabbed the bottle of rosemary and turned back to Giles.

"Er zijn zo vele mensen!" There are so many people!

Giles beamed at Tuscany, "That was excellence."

"Really? It didn't feel right."

"Some of the intonations were a bit off but over all your Dutch is outstanding."

Buffy looked at her sister confused, "You speak Dutch?"

"Well Giles is teaching me," Tuscany informed her smiling at Giles.

Buffy felt a strange unpleasant stirring in her stomach. Tuscany was calling Giles Giles. Tara called him Mr. Giles for a whole year before she settled with Giles.

"You never taught me Dutch," Buffy accused looking downcast. Tuscany looked anxious

"You weren't interested. Tuscany likes languages," Giles didn't even look at Buffy as he answered. He didn't pick up on the shift of mood. Buffy shrugged it off and bent to pick up a box off the ground.

"You didn't tell her you were teaching me Dutch?" Tuscany demanded.

"Ik dacht niet het een probleem zou zijn!" I didn't think it would be a problem.

""Erklären Sie mir, den Sie nicht dummes das sind!" Tell me you are not that stupid!

"Hey you switched to German. You're suppose to be focusing on Dutch," Giles, flustered, looked away from the customers for the first time.

"I couldn't say that in Dutch," Tuscany sulked. Giles sighed. That pout was distinctly Summers.

"We out of quartz," Giles told her.

"I'll get some," Tuscany ducked quickly around the counter towards the storage basement. She walked down muttering something about possessive slayers and oblivious watchers. She descended the stairs. She was startled to see Buffy and Spike talking.

"Patrolling? Hello?"

"Oh… Um, not tonight," Buffy stuttered. The pair noticed her then.

"What about you then, Convict. Up for a night on the town?"

"But I didn't bring my dancing shoes," Tuscany answered with mock sweetness.

"Who said any thing about dancing," Spike joked. Buffy watched the interlude and felt her eyes narrowing before mentally slapping herself. They were just being friendly. What did she care if they were more than friendly any way? She wasn't jealous. Buffy hoped she wasn't. She just didn't think it was appropriate for her little sister spending time with Spike. She didn't like it when Dawn did it. Yes that must be it.

"Yeah ok. Anything to get away from them upstairs," Tuscany accepted the offer. Buffy wished she could join them. Not to keep an eye on them but to escape from the terrifying world of retail. Well that's what she told herself.

Buffy watched as the pair disappeared and tried to push away the gnawing feeling in the pit of her belly.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"So Buffy tried to fight this demon. And she was awful right. But he was pretty bad too. Then there was a puff of smoke and he was gone," Spike recounted the events of his and Buffy's drinking evening.

"And it was the SAME black van?"

"The very same according to Buffy."

"That's strange," Tuscany muttered to herself.

"Could be coincidence," Spike suggested hopefully.

"In this world… nothing is coincidence!" Tuscany disagreed. They walked through the graveyard in companionable silence.

"Heard you got yourself a job," Spike leant against a tombstone.

"Yeah, at a dojo. Teaching the little kids."

"Fun," Spikes voice oozed with saracasm.

"Well I taught the senior class for a trial and they were good. So I suppose the little tackers can't be that much worse."

"You'd be surprised," Spike did nothing to comfort Tuscany.

"Is it always this dead on Halloween?" Tuscany was bored waiting for some action.

"Yeah. Normally the big bads take a break. But there are a few rebels."

"Like you?"

"Yeah like me," Spike smirked.

A vamp came out of nowhere and tackled Tuscany. Tuscany kicked him in the face.

She leapt to her feet but the vamp was ready. He latched his fingers around Tuscany's throat.

"Like this guy too?" Tuscany hissed out.

"No. This guy is just a wannabe," Spike told her as he pulled the vamp off Tuscany. The vampire started swinging punches at Spike. Tuscany rubbed her neck and winced when another vamp came out of the gloom and tackled Tuscany.

"What is with the tackling tonight?"

"Ready to die little girl?" The vampire asked licking his lips. Tuscany grinned. The vampire had no idea what she was.

"Nope," And she sent the vampire flying with a well-aimed shove to the face. Tuscany and the vamp squared off. She had a wolfish grin on her face. Here was a perfect opportunity to vent some of her frustration! She snap kicked the vamp in the head and sound to chop it in the side. Tuscany was satisfied to hear two ribs crack. The vamp was looking confused! Guess he wasn't used to getting his ass kicked by a girl.

Tuscany was getting over this vampire. He was boring and predictable. She plunged a hand into her pocked and pulled out a stake. The vampire ran at her without seeing the stake. She plunged it deep into his heart. He looked stunned as he dusted. She turned to watch Spike fight the other vamp. Spike had just sent the vampire flying into a gravestone.

"So it was a stake in your pocket. You weren't just happy to see me?" Spike gestured to the sharp wood.

"Lame," Tuscany dismissed his dirty joke, "impressive though," referring to his previous throw.

"Thanks," He replied before turning to fight with the vampire. Fight was a bad word. Spike was just playing with him. Tuscany could see how good a fighter he was. Spike was getting bored like she did.

He seized the vamp by the throat and lifted him off the ground. He held out one hand to Tuscany and asked, "Do you mind?"

She chucked the stake to him. He caught it and stamped it into the vampire's heart. His eyes barely widened before he dusted.

"Feel like a drink?" Spike asked as he wiped the dust from his hands.

"Why not." Tuscany shrugged.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

They had just finished their second drink when Giles burst in.

"Dawn's missing," He was breathing fast.

"Again?" Spike demanded.

"This happens regularly?" Tuscany asked. Giles didn't bother answering.

"Spike can you give a swoop of the tunnels. Tuscany, you take the woods. I'll check the graveyard and look for Buffy."

The pair in front of him nodded and Giles was glad for their cooperation.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Buffy burst into the crypt. There was vamps mucking up and she wanted to take them out. When she entered and saw his crypt empty she assumed he was still out with Tuscany. Her heart gave a painful thump as she noticed two glasses next to a bottle of alcohol.

"Spike?"

"You know in civilized conversations, that's called trespassing."

Buffy jumped. She regained composure to face the vamp, "Good thing you're uncivilized. We got trouble."

"Giles found you?"

Buffy frowned, "Giles was looking for me?

"Yeah it's Dawn," Spike hated being the one to tell Buffy about her sisters misdemeanors.

Buffy was alarmed, "Dawn? What happened?"

"No, It's ok, Giles was be earlier looking for you. Dawn and her friend pulled a Houdini. Up to a bit of candy corn mischief, I suspect," Spike said casually.

"Wait, she's out there running around by her self?"

"Yeah, kids these days, eh?"

Buffy walked towards a large chest.

"I did a sweep of the tunnels. Tuscany's scooping out the woods and Giles is poking around the cemetery."

"We have to find her," Buffy flung open the chest.

Spike eyed the chest, "I don't think she's in there."

Buffy tossed him a crossbow.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Tuscany heard voices and she began running. Vampires surrounded Dawn and Giles. There was one particular one facing Giles in the centre.

"What were my choices again?" The vampire asked with a large smile. The other vampires laughed.

Tuscany ran and jumped over one vamp until she too was in the circle.

"Well behind door number one you have death and behind door number two there is also death. So really not much choice there," Tuscany placed her hands on her hips and eyed the vampire.

"Two little girls and an old man," The vampire mocked, "I'm terrified."

"Is this a private party or can anyone join?" Spike's cool voice cracked through the air. Buffy was next to him. She ran up to Dawn with a scared look on her face.

"Dawn are you…" Buffy paused and took in the scene, "Were you parking? With a vamp?"

"I didn't know he was dead," Dawn spluttered in her defense.

"Living-dead," The vamp corrected.

"Shut up," Dawn snapped.

"How could you not know," Buffy couldn't believe it.

"I just met him," Dawn said slowly. Tuscany winced. Definitely not for making better.

"Oh! Oh so you were parking in the woods with a guy you'd just met?" Buffy was outraged.

"We've seen each other at parties," Vamp jumped in again.

"Shut up," Buffy instructed him, "I don't believe you," She nearly shouted at Dawn.

"Oh like you've never fallen for a vamp?" Dawn attacked her sister now.

"That was different," Buffy defended herself.

"It always is when it's you!"

"You fell for a vamp," The vampire addressed Buffy.

"Shut up," Tuscany told the stupid vampire before saying quietly to herself, "I miss Australia."

"Uh excuse me. Are we gonna fight now?" A vampire from the outskirts asked.

"Hey, didn't anyone come here to just make out?" Buffy looked around at everyone. A shy couple raised their hands, "Aw that's sweet. You run! And you scream."

The scene burst into action. Tuscany staked two vampires right after another.

"Do they make vampires weak here in the US?" She asked no one in particular. Right then she was engaged in battle with another vamp that was nowhere near the push over the other two were.

"Guess not," Tuscany answered her own previous question. Spike was talking and fighting angrily with a vampire and Buffy slammed one's head in a door. They were both fine. Two female vampires however had just tackled Giles. Tuscany ran over to help him. She pulled one of him.

"Hey skank. Rumble with me," Tuscany twirled the stake in her hand. The vampire looked confused.

"Slayer?"

"One of three," Tuscany started tossing the stake in the air, "Are we going to do this?"

The vampire rushed her. Tuscany ducked behind to come up behind her and kick her squarely in the back. The vamp stumbled forward before spinning around to race at Tuscany. Tuscany shook her head as if to say, 'they never learn.'

Tuscany cracked the vamp repeatedly over the head with her elbow. She finished the process with a sharp head butt.

The vamp landed on the ground, Tuscany pounced and buried the stake deep in the vamps chest. Tuscany stood, pleased with her handiwork. She heard a familiar scream.

"Dawn?" she raced of in the direction of the shout. She rounded into a clear in time to see the guy lean in and try and bite Dawn. Tuscany was about to leap forward and get the bastard when he burst into dust. Dawn was lying there crying, holding a sharp twig. Tuscany walked forward and helped Dawn up. Dawn was devastated. Tuscany knew how she felt. Dawn had thought the guy really liked her and perhaps he did but not for her personality.

"I know how you feel," Tuscany tried comforting Dawn placing one hand on her shoulder.

"How could you know how I feel," Dawn shrugged Tuscany's hand off and ran back to where Buffy was.

Tuscany sighed and followed.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Tuscany sat on the couch and watched as people filed out the door.

"Sorry about the party," Buffy was apologizing to Xander and Anya as they left.

Xander waved it away with, "Don't worry about it."

"It gave me more time to plan the bridal shower. Where do we order obscenely muscular male strippers?" Anya asked brightly.

"Anya," Xander said warningly.

"I was just kidding, Geez." Anya and Xander left but Anya mouthed 'we'll talk.'

Tuscany laughed and moved to stand near Buffy. Buffy did a surprisingly thing and placed and arm on Tuscany's shoulder. A sign of affection. They didn't look at each other but Tuscany was smiling. Buffy was too. She had seen Tuscany fight those vamps and she was good. She had also run off after Dawn when she needed help. Tuscany was proving more and more that they were sisters.

"Well guess I should bugger off. Something about big bads not venturing far from their crypts on Halloween," Spike told the pair.

"Good fight!" Buffy let him know. He nodded as he left, coat billowing behind him as he followed Anya and Xander.

"So uh, big monster mashing? Sorry we missed it." Willow said.

"It's cool. We had 'em easy," Tuscany waved her hand in the air. She winced as a muscle cramped in her shoulder, "well maybe not that easy."

"As long as Dawn's ok," Tara had and anxious look.

"Yeah, that's what…" Willow began.

"I, I think I'm gonna turn in. Good night." Tara interrupted. Tuscany and Buffy's brow furrowed in identical expressions of bewilderment. As Tara ran up the stairs and Willow followed calling her name.

"So glad I'm single," Tuscany watched them go.

Giles appeared then, holding and ice pack to his mouth.

"How's your face?" Buffy gestured to the small injury.

"Still ruggedly handsome," He answered putting the ice pack behind his back. Buffy and Tuscany exchanged looks as Giles mumbled, "'Grandpa,' indeed."

Dawn was sitting on a chair in the dining room, lost in her own world of misery.

"She's taking it pretty hard," Buffy said wearily.

"It's a hard thing to take," Tuscany said leaning on the stair rail.

"Yes, it's not surprising. Still, we can't ignore this kind of behavior. Something needs to be done before it spins out of control."

"Oh so not gonna be there for that. Taking a shower than going to bed," Tuscany said beginning up the stairs, "Night!"

Tuscany walked past Willow and Tara's room and heard squabbling. Sounded like it was a night for arguments. Tuscany stepped into the empty bathroom. Reflecting on her first experience of Halloween and deciding it was ok she locked the door.

AN: nothing to say really except Buffy is the fighter and Tuscany is good at languages. And I'm tired and sick so sorry if this chappy isn't up to scratch.

MD666