I'm sorry for the long gap between chapters everyone. Honestly, I just didn't feel like writing. My dog died rather unexpectedly and there's been some other personal crap and I simply didn't want to. Sorry to leave you hanging like that, updates will be more frequent again. This one isn't very long, but I've got the next one partially outlined and hopefully I'll have it up near the end of the week. Everyone have a happy Halloween! Hope you enjoy:) Let me know what you think!
Myka raised her eyebrows and stifled a smile at Claudia. The younger detective was sitting across from Myka's desk with full on zombie face makeup, and ripped clothes to boot. Captain Neilsen was currently standing over her, yelling about unprofessionalism. This went on every year. Claudia always nodded and promised not to dress up the coming year, then proceeded to do so anyway. The only time it had actually intimidated Claudia had been when she first came to the 12th as a rookie. Captain, had yelled, she cowered, then Pete and Myka explained that yelling was simply how Captain Neilsen communicated. Claudia had put her cat costume back on and grinned through the second lecture. Now, she barely batted an eye when he stamped out of his office and started his rants.
Claudia wasn't the only one that dressed up, but she was the one person in the precinct who went full out. Pete always wore something, usually relatively minimal and to do with superheroes, and Leena almost always painted on some cat whiskers and popped on a headband with ears; many of the other detectives did so as well. Myka, remained one of the only detectives who refused to wear anything. She had wasn't a fan of Halloween. She had loved it as a kid, her mother would take her trick or treating early and let her stay out as long as they wanted. Joanna would go all out with costumes, she had always been fantastic at creating them out of almost nothing. When they got home, she and her father would watch old horror movies as they went through her candy. Once Myka got old enough to go out with her friends, she still had her mother help her with costumes. Myka grew to hate the holiday after Joanna's death. She never wanted to dress up, her father would just leave a bowl out on the porch and hole himself up inside watching movies by himself. Myka tended to offer herself up for shifts or do the same.
"Man, that guy needs a girlfriend." Claudia joked as Captain Neilsen finally stalked back to his office. Myka smiled and flicked a rubber band at her.
"That is quite an impressive costume Claud."
"Why thank you Myka, would you like me to help you with yours?"
"I'm good thanks."
"You say that every year."
"Yes I do."
"Ugh, Myka, can I pleeeease take you to a party with me tonight? I'll dress you up as a slutty cat or nurse or something and we'll get you laid."
"Oh sounds delightful!" HG exclaimed as she sauntered up to Myka's desk. Myka refrained herself from groaning.
"HG, do you like Halloween?" Claudia asked.
"Of course! Christina and I are heading out to trick or treat after dinner. This year she is going as Peter Pan and I will be Wendy." HG leaned over Claudia and swiped at her zombie makeup. "This is appalling darling, bravo."
Claudia beamed.
Pete came running up to them decked out with a red cape flowing behind him and Myka couldn't help resisting the urge to reach up and yank on it. Pete squealed and jerked back, practically falling onto Myka's lap. The curly haired woman cracked up laughing. "Rude Myks, that was rude! You can't yank Superman!"
"That's who you are?" Myka asked, raising her eyebrows. Pete made a face, as if Myka should be perfectly aware of who he was by one stupid cape. He shifted himself off of her and lifted up his button down shirt, revealing a Superman logo on an old t-shirt. "Well, sorry. I couldn't exactly have seen that now could I?"
HG laughed and perched herself up on top of Myka's desk, casually playing with one of Myka's little elephants. She resisted the urge to snatch it back, instead, sitting on her hands. "What are you planning on being Myka?" HG asked casually.
"Myka doesn't do Halloween." Claudia answered for her.
Myka glared at the young redhead and stood up, heading down to talk to Leena about her last case. She hoped HG would hang back and continue her Halloween talk with Claudia and Pete, but no such luck. "How does one 'not do Halloween'?" HG asked, putting air quotes around her words. "Dressing up, candy, ghost stories, macabre, it's the greatest holiday there is!"
Myka scoffed. "Really, the greatest holiday?"
"Well...perhaps tied with Christmas, but it is a fantastic holiday."
"I don't eat sugar, so I don't care about candy, I don't like scary movies, and I don't like dressing up so why would I like Halloween?"
"Oh, now I don't believe that at all."
"Why would I lie?"
HG studied her and Myka picked at the edge of her jacket nervously under her gaze. "I haven't decided yet."
Myka ignored her and walked in to talk to Leena. She had been hoping for a murder, that way she wouldn't have to go home alone. She'd probably call her father, make sure he didn't go off the wagon, either watch whatever scary movie was on tv, or avoid it all and crash early. She was keeping her fingers crossed for a murder. Idiots did ridiculous things on Halloween, it wasn't exactly a long shot.
Myka instantly felt horrible about wishing for a murder and kicked the examination table in frustration. Both HG and Leena noticed. Myka shrugged. "Saw a bug." She said. From the looks on their faces, it didn't look like either women believed her. She only shrugged again.
Leena practically shooed the women out so she could finish her work and get to a Halloween party on time. Myka grumbled like a petulant teenager. As the night wore on, everyone became more restless to get out and enjoy themselves. Claudia bolted for her party the second the clock hit six and Pete hung around to try – like he did every year – to get Myka to come hang out with him. Per usual, she told him to enjoy himself and go have fun. HG had watched them interacting curiously but bid everyone a good night before six and headed home to make dinner for her daughter before heading out for the night. Myka stayed at the precinct until 7:30 and then Captain Neilsen ordered her to go home.
Begrudgingly, Myka packed up her things, hailed a cab and called her father on the way. He didn't sound inebriated, Myka had gotten pretty good at detecting even the slightest hint of a slur in his voice. He was watching the silent version of The Phantom of the Opera. He and Myka spoke only a few minutes, but it was enough to convince Myka that he seemed okay. She said goodnight and dug around her kitchen looking for something to eat. It would take forever to order takeout tonight, Myka didn't feel like cooking and she really didn't have much in her apartment anyway. Thankfully, there was bread, peanut butter, and jelly; Myka made herself a sandwich and plopped in front of the tv. She flicked through the channels until she found the movie her father had been watching. As she ate, she shucked out of her work clothes and pulled on some sweatpants and an old t-shirt. Laying back onto the couch, she sighed tiredly.
After about twenty minutes of the movie, Myka heard a knock on her door. Her apartment building only had a few kids, Myka had brought home a bag of mixed candy the night before to be prepared. She jumped up and dumped the mini twix, milky way, snickers and various others into a large bowl and opened the door.
"Trick or treat!" HG and Christina said simultaneously. Myka couldn't have been more shocked at the sight in front of her if she tried. Christina looked absolutely adorable decked out in her Peter Pan costume. HG had really gone all out, it looked almost exactly like the costume worn in the musical. Myka looked down, some of the leaves even looked like they were real. HG in turn, also looked wonderful; some grown women would look ridiculous trying to dress up like a twelve year old girl, but of course not Helena G Wells.
"Hi." Myka said softly. Christina eagerly held out a large pillowcase and Myka dumped half of the bowl into it.
"Good lord Myka, save some for the other children." HG scolded.
"There are only three kids in this building, I don't think they ever actually go around to apartments here. I usually just get it in case." Myka explained.
"Well, good thing we showed up then!" HG smiled.
"Umm, yeah. How's it been so far? Have you gotten a lot of candy?" Myka asked Christina awkwardly. Luckily, the little girl was polite and sweet; she grinned and stuck out her bag for Myka to see.
"We're almost done. My bag's practically full already." She stated proudly.
"When did you guys start?"
"Right after I left work. Got home, got into costumes while we ate and headed out. We take our trick or treating seriously in this family." HG ruffled the hair falling out of Christina's cap.
"Well, I'm glad you had a good evening." Myka smiled.
"We're not quite done, would you like to join us?" HG asked.
Myka was about to refuse when Christina jumped up and down excitedly. "If you be Tinkerbell we'll be almost the whole story! Gram is Captain Hook, but she's at a party."
"That's a nice offer but really I don't..."
"Can't be torn away from your couch and the Phantom?" HG smirked as she nodded towards the television.
"I don't want to impose, plus, I really don't have a costume." Myka desperately wished HG would just let her be, but the look of determination on the author's face wasn't promising.
"I'm sure we could whip something up."
"No, really, I'm pretty beat. Thanks for the offer though I hope you guys have a great night." Myka felt a little shitty as she watched HG's grin falter. Christina looked upset, but bounced back with a shrug and a wave as she pulled her mother along.
"Thanks for the candy Detective Bering!" She yelled happily.
"Have a good night." Myka repeated to HG.
HG sighed and nodded, holding herself in place as Christina tried to pull her down the hall. "Have sweet dreams detective."
Myka nodded and closed the door once Christina successfully managed to yank HG from her hallway. She groaned and banged her head against the door behind her. She probably couldn't have looked more pathetic if she had tried. Myka clicked her tv off, shut out the lights and climbed into bed before 8:30 for the first time in years.