"Karen and Ted invited us to their Halloween party tomorrow night." Joyce casually dropped the news as she was folding laundry. "And you're off tomorrow..."

He sighed and crossed his feet on the coffee table, absorbed in rerun of Wonder Woman. "Joyce honey, you know I hate the holidays."

"But you know how fun drunk Karen is!" She protested, remembering all the times her closest girl friend had gotten plastered. Drunk Karen is a giggly, over sharing mess. "We don't have to stay all night. Just get dressed up and pop in for a little while-"

"I'm not dressing up."

"Please! For me!" She protested. "It'll be fun. Please."

He sighed heavily again and gestured towards the tv, a cigarette hanging between his fingers. "I'll only dress up if you wear that."

"Like Wonder Woman?" She asked, slightly flustered.

"Be my Wonder Woman and I'll dress up."

"You find the costume and I'll wear it." She bargained, confident that he wouldn't be able to find it on such short notice.

.

The next day was a blur. Joyce painted the lightning bolt across Jonathan's face and help spray dye his hair orange. Her own personal David Bowie. She finished the last few stitches of Will's wizard robes. Both boys planned on heading to the Wheeler's early to spend time with Nancy and Mike.

"Are you dressing up, Mom?" Will asked quizzically and she shook her head.

"Probably not." She chuckled as she kissed his forehead. He looked absolutely adorable in his oversized robe.

No sooner had the boys left for the Wheeler's, Jim stepped through the backdoor after work with Cujo hot on his heels. He paused to scratch the dog behind his ears and presented Joyce with one of the paper sacks he carried. Inside was a Wonder Woman costume.

"Jim!"

He smiled slyly, reaching in the fridge for a beer. She didn't have to know that Ted had extended the invitation to him a week before. Nor that he'd seen the costume in the store before their little deal happened. He had been beyond happy when she gave him a reason to buy it.

"A deal's a deal, Joyce. A costume for my Wonder Woman." He added with a kiss to her forehead.

.

"C'mon Joyce, let me see. I dressed up for you!" He said through the bedroom door where she had locked him out. He fidgeted with the cape around his shoulders, already annoyed with it. God he hated dressing up.

"I can't go in this, Jim! It's too revealing!"

"Let me be the judge of that!" He mumbled around the ill fitting plastic fangs in his mouth. Angrily he slipped them out and tucked them into his pocket. "C'mon, lemme see."

When the door finally opened he could barely keep his hands to himself. The costume hugged her just right in all the right places. The low cut bodice, the high cut shorts. He grabbed her by the wrist cuffs and brought her closer.

"Hotter than Lynda Carter, I dare say."

"You're a liar, Hop." He pulled her to his chest and let his hands roam.

"I'm serious Joyce. You look fantastic."

"That cape looks pretty hot on you, Jim."

He arched an eyebrow at her and offered her his arm.

.

She wore his oversized work coat at first, self conscious and cold. He held her hand tightly as they stood on the Wheeler's doorstep.

"Joyce! Hopper!" Karen greeted warmly, clearly already tipsy. Jim passed over the giant bag of candy they'd brought. "I would have never dreamed you'd dress up, Hopper!" Karen jeered as she lead them in.

"Yeah well-"

Karen was dressed as a witch and she stopped to give Joyce a once over.

"What are you dressed as, Joyce? Give me your coat, I'll hang it up."

"I um-" She moved to protest but Jim moved in to unzip the jacket, smiling slyly as if he were unwrapping a present.

"This is my Wonder Woman."

"Woah! Joyce!" Karen exclaimed and Joyce crossed her arms over her chest. Karen made a tut-tut noise and moved her hands away. "You look hot!" A blush spread over Joyce's cheeks. "If it weren't for Hop and my Ted, I would take you home myself!" Karen winked at her before turning and heading for the living room.

"Ted! Hop and Joyce are here!" A blush spread across Joyce's face, turning her as red as her earrings. Jim stopped her in the hall and kissed it away.

.

Ted sat at a folding table in the living room, engrossed in a game of cards with several of the neighborhood men.

"Hop come join us!" He called without looking up from his hand.

When the table grew quiet he looked up and realized all eyes were on Joyce. Jim shot Joyce a look and before she could really protest he sat at the table, pulling her down into his lap. He wanted to show her off. "C'mon baby, you're my good luck charm."

Karen brought Hopper a beer and a mixed drink for Joyce. "You can have her for now Hopper, but I want a dance later!"

She disappeared into the crowd, mingling with the rest of the adults. Ted passed Hopper a cigar and he gladly tucked away the plastic fangs again.

"Wh-where are the kids?" Joyce stammered, finally gathering enough courage to speak.

"Having their own party in the basement. You know, they're too cool for us old folks." Ted deadpanned, laying down his hand.

.

Joyce grew less self conscious with every mixed drink that Karen passed her. Hopper won several hands and he snaked his arm around her waist. "See, you are my good luck charm!"

Joyce unwrapped a sucker and placed it in her mouth, garnering all of Hopper's attention. Karen reached for her.

"Let's go check on the kids before I drink anymore." She winked.

Downstairs the kids were all bobbing for apples. A far more innocent activity than what some of the adults were up to upstairs.

"Mom!" Will pushed through his friends to make his way to Joyce. "You look just like Wonder Woman!"

With enough alcohol in her system Joyce was able to accept the compliment without blushing. Nancy, dressed as a cheerleader, shot her a dirty look from where she sat next to Jonathan on the couch. "You guys have fun! We're going to dance!" Karen said before she pulled Joyce back upstairs.

The women danced together for a few songs before Joyce threw in the towel and made her way back to Jim's lap.

"Still winning?"

"Not since you left." He replied, removing his cigar from his mouth so he could reach over and plant a kiss on her bare shoulder.

"I'm all danced out. Karen is a dancing machine!"

He leaned in close to whisper in her ear. "I think we should head home. I'm ready to take that costume off. With my teeth." He succeeded in making her blush again and he smiled broadly, the cigar clenched between his teeth.

"I'm all out of money boys, time for me to head home!" He announced, laying his cards down.

"Treat my Wonder Woman right, Hopper!" Karen warned as they headed for the door. He pulled her closer and reached for his coat, wrapping it around her shoulders.

"Oh, I will." He winked at Karen, his hand slipping down to cup Joyce's ass briefly before he reached for the door.

.

Outside he outed his cigar, saving the remained of it for later. He stole the sucker from Joyce's mouth to kiss her in the Blazer. Home was just around the corner, but he was already squirming in the driver's seat. Her hand was warm on his thigh and as he drove she moved it slowly upwards.

"God, Joyce." She slid closer to him in the seat, her breath hot against his ear. He noticed he was breaking the speed limit, but as far as he was concerned this was official police business. He had to get home, as soon as humanly possible. She stole the sucker from his mouth and treated him to a show from the corner of this eye as he watched the road.

"You're killing me, here."

"Trick or treat, Chief Hopper." She asked as she passed the sucker back to him and her hand traveled across his lap.

"Treat me, please." He nearly drove off the road as she leaned into his lap. His knuckles were white on the steering wheel as she worked her magic. He groaned and tangled his hand in her hair, one hand on the wheel.

"Oh my god, Joyce."

.

Before they could get the front door open his mouth was all over her neck, leaving marks that would last for days. She untied his cape and let it fall to the floor in the living room. He picked her up and carried her through the house, laying her on the bed and covering her body with his own. He moved between her legs, causing friction between them.

"I think that Halloween-" he paused to grab her hips and bring her closer. "is my favorite holiday."