Chapter 6

One nice thing about living in Southern California was that it rarely got too chilly to enjoy a lunch on the lawn.

"So are we still having the party?" Cordelia wanted to know. Because if not she had other things she could do tonight. "'Cause if not I've got other things I can do tonight."

"Yes." Buffy said determinedly. "Yes we are. With candy, and pizza and soda and scary movies and music."

"And scary stories." Willow added enthusiastically.

Cordelia glowered at her. "Is that just a euphemism for researching monsters?"

Willow looked cowed. "Maybe."

"So aside from the extra snacks, and movies, this is gonna be just a typical night for us isn't it." the Queen of Sunnydale sighed. "I miss being blissfully ignorant."

"Hey look on the bright side." Xander said. "We get to listen to Buffy nitpick about Vampire movies."

"It's a good show." Oz nodded.

"I don't nitpick." Buffy huffed. "Do I nitpick?" she asked Willow.

"Yes but it's half the fun sweetie."

When Molly opened her locker to get her books for her afternoon classes, she found a surprise waiting for her. A bouquet of flowers, and a folded piece of notebook paper.

It was the kind of thing that could be either very sweet, or very creepy, depending on who left them. She thought it sweet, as she was pretty sure it was John who had left them. He knew the combination of her locker after all.

When she unfolded the paper she smiled, recognizing his handwriting. It turned out to be a map of the school, leading, of all places, to a storage room in the basement.

Basements in general tended to have a somewhat spooky atmosphere. And as Molly went deeper into the maze of hallways she began to feel more and more on edge. Just what was John-

Suddenly someone jumped from the shadows, grabbing her by the shoulders. She barely had time to scream in surprise and fear before she recognized the feel of those hands.

John shushed her, stifling a laugh. He couldn't help going for the jump scare, but he didn't want to spoil the real surprise.

He flipped on the light, revealing a room decorated for a small, intimate Halloween party.

"So it occurred to me that I'd never actually celebrated Halloween before." John told her.

Molly had noticed. In the four years she'd known him, he'd made himself somewhat scarce on Halloween.

"How come?" she asked.

"Well I've got a psychotic killer in my family who likes to cut people up on Halloween. It always just seemed kind of bad taste to celebrate it."

Oh. Wow. Okay. "So what's changed?"

"Well there comes a point in life when you need to focus on what's right about it."

Molly smiled. She liked where this was going.

"And you, are a shining example of what's right. And tonight, you're getting my full attention."

Tonight was going to be wonderful. Molly could feel it.

The class was discussing Frankenstein. Xander had watched the movie. But he felt he was ahead of the curve slacker-wise as he'd watched the Kenneth Branagh version. That was pretty close to the book right? Still, he hoped he wouldn't be called upon to join in the discussion. Just in case. Plus it was always hard to focus during the last class of the day.

For her part, Buffy had just been stuck on the whole reanimating the dead thing. She'd confronted people who'd done that in real life. So she'd balked at reading the book, or seeing the movie. But she liked what Molly said, about Ol' Doc Frankie needing to confront his creation. She'd tried doing the running away thing and it only caused problems.

Distracted, she glanced out the window. And the hairs on her arm stood on end. The view from their class room looked out on the street. And there, across the road, stood a shape that one might think was innocuous. It was a guy wearing a mask on Halloween. No biggie. But, the way he was just standing there, staring at the school. It creeped her out. Her Slayer sense was tingling.

Suddenly the bell rang, startling her.

"Okay everyone," Keri said, dismissing the class, "Have a good time."

Buffy retrieved her bag from under her seat, and glanced out the window. The figure was gone.

"John," Keri called to her son. Reluctantly, he went to her desk to see what she wanted.

Buffy dashed across the street to where she'd seen the masked figure. Nothing was supposed to happen on Halloween. Those were the rules. It meant that Buffy was allowed to take a night off. But the sight at the window coupled with what Faith had found had her on edge.

"Please just be a regular old creeper." she muttered. She could find him, take him out, and party.

"What?"

This was one of the hardest things she'd ever had to do. Retrieving the permission slip from her desk gave her an excuse to have her back to him. That allowed her a moment to compose herself. Steel herself against the terror of letting her only son out of her sight.

Finally, she turned, and held it out to him.

"It's a permission slip." she said, as he took it suspiciously. "Bus leaves in an hour. Better pack quick." He had time, they lived within a block of the school.

There was no sign of the man she'd seen from the window, but Buffy was, among other things, a hunter. She had instincts. And being the Slayer, though she and Giles didn't get into it much, gave her a little extra something besides.

She took a right, angling away from the school. And sure enough, peering around a corner, she spotted a blue jumpsuit disappear around a hedge.

John could hardly believe it. He was excited, and proud, and...now he felt guilty. "Mom, I don't have to go."

"Go." Keri said firmly. The firmness was as much for herself as for him. She needed to convince them both that this was okay.

"Are you sure?" he smiled.

"Yes, it's fine. It's good for you. It's good for me."

There was no one behind the hedge. Buffy didn't recognize the house she now found herself facing. But there were no Halloween decorations up. She always found that somewhat creepy.

"Just call." Keri smiled. "And call, and call." She was teasing him, but at the same time... "And when you feel like you've called too many times? Call one more time."

John smiled, and hugged her. "Thanks Mom."

Whoever she had seen duck behind the hedge must be around here somewhere. Buffy had just about made up her mind to go check the back yard of this house when a hand closed on her shoulder.

She spun, hands balling into fists, rearing back to strike, only to freeze in shock and humiliation.

John Tate stood behind her, having nimbly leaped out of striking range. "Woah! Hey calm down Buffy, it's just me."

"Jeeze, John, I'm so sorry. I'm just, uh, a little jumpy I guess." She debated whether or not to mention the creeper she'd spotted, and decided against it.

"Sokay." he smirked. "It's Halloween. I guess we're all entitled to one good scare right?"

to be continued...