Then: October 31, 1994
5:30 pm
"Trick treat! Trick treat!" Clarke sang as she skipped around the kitchen in her costume. She was dressed in a Little Red Riding Hood outfit, which had become her newest favorite bedtime story. She skipped over to the baby sitting in the high chair as she twirled around in her cape. "Tavia we get to get candy!"
The brown eyed little girl squealed in delight. She attempted to grab onto Clarke's cape but Clarke spun away tapping the lady bug antenna on the head of the little girl's costume.
"I want to get…LOLLIPOPS!" Clarke said excitedly continuing her prance through the kitchen. She stole a cheerio off of Octavia's high chair. "Sorry Tavia you can't haf lollys yet."
"Mine" Octavia squealed reaching towards Clarke's hand where the cheerio had just been.
"Daddy when we gonna go?" Clarke asked moving away from Octavia and towards her father.
"Soon sweetheart" Jake said bending down next to his little girl. "Aurora is just helping Bellamy put his costume on then she's going to go to work and then the four of us will go trick or treating."
"BEWAMY!" Clarke shouted impatiently. "HURRY!"
Within seconds the four year old came rushing into the kitchen. "Don't leave I'm ready!" He said eagerly. He was decked out in a pirate costume and Aurora followed closely behind.
"Okay Bellamy I want you to behave for Jake tonight. No running off and help take care of your sister." Aurora told him firmly as she adjusted the hat over his brown curls.
"Yes Mommy," he muttered with a slight roll of the eyes. "Come on Cark we gotta get all the candy!" He grabbed her hand and dragged her into the other room.
"Are you sure you don't mind taking them tonight? Three can be a handful…" Aurora asked reaching for her purse. This was the first Halloween since she had children that she had to work and she couldn't help but feel guilty about missing out but she needed the money. Plus they had offered her time and a half to work the holiday and she was really in no financial position to turn that down.
"No don't worry about it. Abby will be home later tonight and help me get them to bed. You head off to your shift."
She nodded in relief. She knew Abby's job was hectic in itself and her friend would be able to relate to the guilt she was feeling for missing out on taking the kids trick or treating.
"Oh wait," she reached for the inside of her purse and pulled out a disposable camera. "Would you mind taking a few shots?"
"If they can stay still long enough." Jake joked as he took the camera from her.
Aurora nodded in understanding before turning towards the living room, "Bellamy! I'm leaving be good for Jake and Abby!"
"Yes Mommy!" She heard him yell back and she took that as her leave and after giving Jake a brief nod goodbye, and Octavia a kiss she headed off.
Jake picked up the baby ladybug and headed into the living room where Clarke and Bellamy were. Bellamy was showing Clarke his eye patch and talking about the candy he hoped to get. Clarke was twirling around in her cape again.
Jake went over and sat on the edge of the couch so he could be at the kids level."Okay kiddos I have your bags here but let's go over some ground rules. There's no running ahead, you have to stay with me. Remember to thank everyone that gives you candy and don't eat any of the candy until we get back because I have to check it all. Got it?"
"Got it" the two repeated in union going back to their costume accessories.
Once Jake got Octavia into Clarke's old stroller the four headed out to trick or treat. Jake and Abby lived in a relatively large neighborhood and the sidewalks had filled with families and their children on their own candy excursions.
Jake, himself, had never taken the kids out trick or treating before. In previous years Aurora and Abby would while he stayed behind handing out candy but Abby had gotten a promotion and was working more hours and Aurora, now that she had two children, had to pick up every shift she could get so that left him with the job.
"I wish I wived here" Bellamy said to Clarke from in front of Jake. "The lady in that house gave me a big candy last year".
"Well Mrs. Jenkins is a very nice lady," Jake told him feeling a slight pain in his heart at the boy's words. One of the reasons Bellamy had started going trick or treating with them years ago was because the Blakes didn't live in the best area.
The boy in front was oblivious of the harsh relaties of his word thought and Jake smiled as the two children skipped up to the first house. Their neighbor ,Mrs. Higgens, answered the door with a bright smile.
"Well don't you two just look adorable! What do we have here? A pirate and red riding hood. And oh looky over here a little ladybug aren't you all precious." She clapped her hands together happily cooing over the children.
"We'd like some candy!" Clarke shouted.
"What do you say Clarke?" Jake asked her with a look.
"Trick or treat?"
"I'm thinking manners." He added with a small laugh.
"Oh please!" The blonde girl said with a wide smile holding up a bag to the old woman.
"Of course dear. Here you go. And some for you too." She handed both the children their candy who thanked them again and hopped back down the steps towards the neighborhood sidewalk.
"I got M&Ms Cark!" Bellamy exclaimed excitedly shoving the bag into Clarke's face for her to see.
"Cool! I got…I don't know what I got."
They continued down the neighborhood sidewalk traveling to each house as it got later into the night. Octavia eventually fell asleep in the stroller but Bellamy and Clarke kept insisting that there were more houses to go to.
Their bags filled up quickly but the two kept at it insisting that they hadn't got enough of their favorites yet. Clarke counted only two skittles and claimed that wasn't enough. Jake being a sucker for his little girl let them keep going even though he knew Abby would have words for him later about keeping them out so late.
Eventually they reached the Rodney's house which was on a slight hill and Jake told them he'd wait at the bottom of the stairs since Octavia was in her stroller and it was only a few feet away.
The two walked up the steps and reached the door like they had every other time and used their manners when a woman answered the door to them and excitedly received their candy. They were heading back down towards Jake when Clarke tripped over one of the steps and came tumbling down with her candy bag and all.
"Cark!" Bellamy yelled rushing down the steps to the little girl who was now crying.
Jake rushed over to her with Octavia by his side and helped her up. "It's okay hunny let's see. Oh you have a few scratches but you're gonna be all right."
Clarke sniffed. "My candy all fell."
Jake looked around and sighed as the bag had spilt everywhere. Most of the candy would be fine in its packages but it was dark and hard to even see where some of it fell.
"Here!" Bellamy said grabbing her bag and starting to pick up some of the candy. Jake and Clarke helped but in the end she ended up with a lot less than they had started with.
They made that their last house and headed back to the Griffin's. Abby, home from her hospital shift, answered the door and started fretting immediately after seeing Clarke scratched up. She pulled her into the house and immediately started tending to her and putting bandages over the bloody areas.
Jake brought Octavia and Bellamy into the living room. He dropped Clarke's bag on the ground and Bellamy put his in front of the man to inspect. After Jake looked through it Bellamy dumped it out on a section of the rug and started sorting it into two piles.
Clarke came back in with Abby and looked at her salvaged bag of candy. "It's mostly gone." She said sadly.
"I went through it and there's still a lot of good stuff in there." Jake told her trying to cheer her up.
She shrugged and slumped down onto the ground picking at what was left. She looked over and saw Bellamy scooping up a pile of candy and carrying it over to her. He dumped it on top of her pile.
"Now you have more!" He exclaimed with a smile.
Clarke looked up at him. "But that's yours."
"I share with you since you lost some." He said and turned back to his own pile to grab a piece to eat.
"Bellamy that's very nice of you." Abby said with a smile. "What do you say Clarke?"
"Tank you" she said getting up and giving Bellamy a hug. "You like my prince. Next year I be a princess and you be a prince."
"But princes aren't scary" Bellamy said scrunching his nose.
"But if I'm a princess I need a prince." Clarke told him.
Bellamy shrugged. "I guess."
"Well I think it's time for bed." Abby clapped her hands together. "You guys have had a hectic night. Look Octavia's already asleep. Let's wash up." She led the two upstairs and helped Bellamy into the guest room and then helped Clarke into her own bed.
"Did you have fun trick or treating?" She asked after her little girl was tucked in.
"Yeah until I fall. But Bellamy gave me candy. I'm gonna marry him." She said sleepily closing her eyes.
Abby smiled. "Okay sweetie." And kissed her on the head goodnight.