For notes and disclaimer, please see part one.

Here's a couple things you might need to know or maybe you just forgot: Ellie's decorating the courtyard for Halloween, and there's a party. And at that party, all guests must be in costume, no matter how much Casey wishes he could avoid that little detail.

Trick or Treat

He looked at himself in the full-length mirror in his bedroom. He couldn't believe he'd been talked into this. When he'd gone to the costume shop, they were picked through. The sale had started two weeks prior and had cleaned out what would've been his first, second, third, even fourth and fifth choices. Given his size and stature, there wasn't much left.

He was somewhat certain he could've lived with the pinstriped zoot suit, or even Count Dracula's cape and fangs. But this? This was too much.

For Ellie, though, he'd move heaven and earth. For Ellie, he'd do anything, so wearing the costume seemed doable.

He'd had other options, after all. Clown. Convict. Even monk. None of those seemed dignified enough. Although, looking at the tights (yes, tights) on his legs, he wasn't so sure he should've discounted the dark brown monk's robe and rosary so quickly after all.

The alarm clock next to his bed said it was already ten after seven. While all he had to do was emerge into the courtyard, which had been a flurry of activity up until an hour ago, he didn't want to be late.

She adjusted her headband, looking at her reflection. Not too bad. Certainly not as uncomfortable as the infamous Adam and Eve year had been. While she'd gotten complements on the glorified bikini covered in fig leaves, it had been precarious to walk in, to wear in public.

This year, however, was different. Even after having just broken up with her husband, ending her seemingly perfect marriage, she felt surprisingly at ease in her own skin in her chosen costume.

Plus, it was fitting, given one of the newest members of her family. "Downy?"

The calico lifted her head, causing her special Halloween collar to sparkle, catching the light from the nearby lamp. She'd been perched in the window, watching the courtyard for signs of movement from her rat friend.

Ellie shook her head slightly. "Let's go greet people, hmm? It'll be... purrrrfect," she said in her best Julie Newmar impression as she scooped Downy up in her arms.

As she expected, those in the apartment were the first to arrive. While she'd hoped Casey would be first, she couldn't help but smile at Morgan as he emerged from his door.

For the first time, he was without that awful sandworm or earthworm or... whatever-worm costume. She understood the ears and the cape, but the hairy feet threw her for a loop. "Morgan?"

"Shh!"

"Wh... what?" she asked in a whisper.

"I'm keeping it secret, keeping it safe..."

She shook her head as he wandered off, heading toward her punchbowl steaming with dry-ice.

Chuck and Sarah weren't far behind Morgan, in matching light-up Tron costumes. Ellie realized what her brother had with his girlfriend was absolutely true love.

Before she knew it, the courtyard was nearly packed with vampires and werewolves, angels and devils, even a scarecrow and a pumpkin. When the Buy More employees began to crash her party, however, she became nervous. What were they doing there? And how could she get them to leave?

She didn't mind Bunny so much, in her tight Wonder Woman costume. At first, she thought Bunny's date, Skip, was Frankenstein, but there was a distinctive lack of bolts and scars. The beanpole of a nerd had dressed as the Hulk, she decided finally. Hardly convincing, but she wasn't about to dash his Halloween fun.

For a moment, she didn't recognize Sonny, in a hairy pair of pants and a buckskin vest, complete with fringe and Cher, in a minidress and platforms. At least, not until Lester looked at her, whipping the hair of his long, black wig over his shoulder.

Her eyes were burning, she just knew it. And if her eyes were burning, she couldn't imagine what was happening to poor Downy. Trying not to wince, she covered the cat's eyes, quickly disappearing back into the center of her party.

After seeing everything in the world she could think she never wanted to see, it made her realize all the more that there was something she did want to see that she hadn't been able to see yet. Where was he? Her hero? Her knight in shining...

Her jaw dropped when his front door opened and all six feet, four inches of him emerged from the darkness within. She was rendered completely and totally speechless, taking in the tights and boots, the... utility belt, the familiar crest across his chest, complete with cape and cowl.

While they hadn't coordinated their costumes, they couldn't have done better in their selections if they'd tried.

It was Chuck, however, who managed to give voice to her shock. "Holy costuming, Batman."

The first person he saw was Alex, who had just flit into the center of his view, a vision of black lace in sparkling, gossamer wings. While he wasn't exactly thrilled with the way Morgan was looking at his daughter, he did appreciate the smile she gave him.

He didn't appreciate, however, when Morgan's gaping turned on him. Or when Jeff and Lester openly laughed at him.

At least he wasn't wearing a dress.

And then the entire rest of the crowd vanished. All that remained was her. He swallowed hard, recognizing her get-up instantly. After all, he'd grown up with Adam West boffing and whamo-ing bad guys in Gotham City.

While he'd never admit that to the nerds in his life, he did have some knowledge of geeky things. Like, he knew enough to know that Batman had a thing for Catwoman.

And did he ever.

He slowly crossed to her. "Citizen..."

Her shock melted into happiness-no, into giddiness. "I think we're way past that, aren't we?"

He smiled, nodding. He was silent for a moment, a long moment, before he finally said: "Happy Halloween, Ellie."

"Best one ever, John," she returned.

Downy wasn't so sure that was her other owner. She eyed Casey critically for a moment but, when she heard an all-too-familiar contented grunt, she eased, resting peacefully in Ellie's arms.

Stay tuned...