Happy Halloween! i know I've only just updated but I wanted to upload this chapter on Halloween to stick with the theme x who's doing anything nice? x I love Halloween personally xx R&R xx

Disclaimer: I do not own Morganville Vampires x Thats all down to Rachael Caine xx

Eve's POV

"Shane can to pass me the check list?" Claire asked.

"What's the magic word?" He replied in his I'm-older-than-you voice.

Claire sighed dramatically. "Please." She said with extra empathise.

"Well, it was actually sex but I let you off because I love you." Shane chuckled, passing the piece of paper to his fiancee, who when receiving it whacked him in the arm. Shane moaned like a little girl which made me laugh, earning me a death stare.

We were all stood around the dinning table staring at the bits and bobs that lay in front of us. And trust me, there were a lot of bits and bobs.

Of course, it was my idea to do something of our own for Halloween this year. Anything to see Michael all dressed up and looking adorable. In previous years, we've either ignored Halloween, or we've gone to some frat kid's party and nearly gotten killed or raped. Or both.

This is year I thought 'why not buy some decorations and funky food and throw a party where just us four are invited?' Anyway, I think fun is what all of us need right now.

Claire was reading out the list and ticking things off when someone shouted "Check!"

Once she had finished reading out the list she turned to me and frowned. "Are you sure we need all this stuff Eve? It seems like a lot for just one night."

"Of course we do!" I exclaimed cheerfully. "Come on guys, when was the last time we did something fun all together? Just the four of us?"

"Monday evening." Michael said without hesitation. "We went to the cinema to see Romeo and Juliet remember?"

"Honey you call that fun?" I asked seriously. "Claire fell asleep because she was tired, you fell asleep because you were bored and tough-boy Shane here got in a fight with a dude who was eating his popcorn too loudly. That is not how I would define fun."

The truth was not only did I want to create a fun night for all of us, I was trying to keep busy as well. I found that the best way to deal with all the bad things happening was to make lots and lots of distractions for myself, meaning that I didn't have time to ponder all my thoughts. And right now, I had a lot of thoughts to ponder.

"Well I'm thinking that seeing as we have all this stuff we may as well put at least some of it up." Shane said with a shrug. I smiled.

"See, that's the spirit!" I exclaimed. "Now there is just one more thing I want to get straight, we are going trick or treating tomorrow. No ifs and no buts." When I saw them start to complain I cut back in. "Hey, we are going to need sweets for the movie tomorrow night, so why not just get them free and dress up at the same time?"

"Because we are all eighteen and older?" Shane asked, spreading out his hands to all of us as is if it were obvious.

"Which is great because it means we can watch a movie that has an 18+ certificate!" My friends all groaned. Honestly they really do not know how to have fun do they!

"Come on guys." Claire said finally. "We never do anything good for Halloween. Maybe Eve's idea isn't so bad." Claire, who was stood next to me, turned and smiled at me as if to say 'I've got your back.'

I wrapped my arm around her shoulders. "Thank you Claire." I said smugly. Then I thought for a second. This was evil but all well. To my best friend I said, "I guess it's just you and me tomorrow CB. Shame, I was looking forward to showing Michael my sexy witch's outfit. All well ." Winked at Claire, willing her to play along.

Thankfully she did. "Yeah I know what you mean. I've got this cute cat costume upstairs. It's leather too, real tight actually." Claire's facial expression changed from fake disappointment to fake horror. "But who is going to protect us when we get scared watching the movie?"

I pretended to think for a second, completely enjoying the look on the boys' faces when I said. "Well, there's those two college boys that live across the street . . ."

"Alright alright!" Shane cut in.

"Yeah we'll obey your orders babe." Michael said. "Just don't invite the college boys."

"Yeah, I owe one of them some money, but I don't think he remembers. And I'd like to keep it that way." Shane replied, a blank expression on his face. I don't even want to know what the money was for.

"That settle's it then." I said, clapping my hands. "We'll start off the evening at half six by going trick or treating - all wearing costumes." I added when I saw two raised hands. "Then we will come back and play some games. Then I'm thinking we watch a scary movie at half nine." I looked at Claire. "Will you be okay with that?"

She nodded and gave a small smile, though looked slightly sad. "I have radiotherapy at 11 o'clock like always. But I'm sure I can muster up the energy to stay up after eight for just one night."

I rubbed Claire's arm comfortingly. She was trying to act happy to make us all feel better, which I appreciated. But she doesn't realise that we understand that this is hard for her. As much as we like to see her happy and smiling, we wouldn't make a fuss if now and again she left her guard down and acted the way she was truly feeling. Thinking about it she I haven't seen her get upset since the roller disco. And that was two weeks ago.

"We will lay off the alcohol." I promised her in a joking way. I cleared my throat. "Okay people, its -" I looked at my watch. "7pm. Lets get these decorations up!"

oxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Claire's POV

I walk hand in hand with Shane out of the hospital. I didn't feel too bad at the moment but the effects always come a little later. I hope I'll be okay for tonight. I'd just been told that I'd be having radiotherapy sessions for another 2 weeks and then they would do a biopsy to see if it has helped at all. The truth is, I'm scared that it hasn't. I mean, don't feel any better, I feel worse. But the doctor said that would be natural because of the treatments. I knew what the next step would be if it hadn't worked. An operation. I really really didn't want to go down that road. I don't know why but I just don't trust the doctors enough to let them drill away at my skull.

I thought we were heading toward the car, but at the last minute Shane changed direction. "Where are wwe going?" I asked. I looked back over my shoulder, watching as we walked further away from the car.

"I'm taking you out for lunch." He said, as if I should have expected it or something.

"Um, is it our anniversary or something? Your birthday?" Oh God I hope I haven't forgotten something important. I wouldn't be surprised if I had, with the damn headaches I get its surprising that I remember anything at all.

"Can't I just take you out for lunch without it being a special occasion?"" Shane asked, smiling down at me.

"Um, no offence babe, but you aren't that romantic." I replied honestly, smiling back.

"Fine we'll just go home." He teased, turning us around and walking back towards the car park. I laughed and pulled him back in the direction we were going.

"No no, its okay." I giggled. "You can take me out for lunch."

Shane pretened to wipe sweat off his face. "Good 'cause I booked a table for two. And I'd really rather not cancel because the guy there can get very moody. . . "

oxoxoxoxo

5 minutes later we arrived at the place. It wasn't a posh restaurant, but it wasn't a cheap cafe either. Hmm, it was a posh cafe. The sun was shining today so Shane had booked us a table outside on the decking, overlooking the park where Shane had proposed to me.

The cafe wasn't that far from the hospital, which is why we had walked. But it was far enough away that i could relax. I really didn't like that place.

"Thank you." Shane said politely to the waitress who had just taken our order. We weren't getting much, just a large potion of cheesy chips between us. I had ordered lemonade because apparently sipping a fizzy drink through a straw slowly can help with the nausea felling. I didn't complain, I like lemonade.

"So," Shane began, looking at me. "How are you?"

I giggled kind of nervously. "You asked me that when I woke up this morning, and again twice at the hospital. The answer still hasn't changed."

Shane shook his head, not laughing. "I mean how are you really?" I frowned, not understanding what he meant. Shane continued. "Eve talked to me."

I tensed.

"What did she say?" I asked quickly. Eve had promise not to say anything. Why would she do that?

"She just said that you were really upset, and that I should talk to you." He shrugged. "She wouldn't tell me why you were upset. She told me it was up to you to tell me."

"She had no right to say anything at all." I mumbled, though Shane heard.

"Don't get angry at her, she told me because she was worried about." Shane took my small hands in his larger one. I looked him in the eyes. "We all are Claire."

"That's the problem." I sighed. I wasn't angry. I was just tired of hearing that sentence so many times. "Everyone is worried about me, and they shouldn't be. I keep telling you all, I'm fine."

"Are you?" Shane asked not missing a beat, leaning forward to look at me closely. "because I don't think you are."

I didn't answer straight away, I just stared at him, hoping he would just back down and let me enjoy a nice lunch with him. When he didn't I asked. "Haven't we had this conversation before?"

"Not with me you haven't." He replied. "We've haven't talked about how you are feeling properly since you got diagnosed. So I want you to talk to me. Now."

I shook my head. "Theres nothing to talk about!" I exclaimed. A couple of heads turned my way, and i lowered my voice and continued. "I have a brain tumour, I have treatments that make me feel like crap, I have to deal with it." I said simply. I really didn't want to talk about this now.

"Not on your own you don't." Shane said so quietly I barely heard him.

"Oh how ironic." I muttered, thinking back to a couple of weeks ago when I had said the exact same thing to Aria. "Look Shane if I start talking about how I really feel, you will get sad, and I don't want that to happen okay?" It was the truth. The last thing I wanted to do was upset Shane when we had a full night of fun later.

But when Shane replied, his answer shocked me. "Claire, do you not think that I am already upset? You being ill makes me really really sad. So sad I can't put words to it."

"You shouldn't be sad." I said lamely.

"I think I have the right to be sad!" Shane exploded, not caring if people looked. "Damn it Claire, I love you, I proposed to you, do you not think it hurts me to see you like this? I've been strong for you Claire, but I don't know how much longer I can keep on going like this, knowing that you can't even talk to me."

Was he going to cry? I can't remember the last time I saw Shane cry.

"Hey. Hey Shane, its okay." I told him, taking his hands in mine once more. I squeezed them and smiled at him. "Don't get upset alright? I'm fine."

But Shane wasn't listening. "You're not." I felt some anger begin to build up inside me. I tried to suppress it and not get angry with him.

"Why do you keep saying that?" I asked.

"Because you're just kidding yourself! You can't really believe that everything is fine can you? What if its not. What then?"

i just stared at him. I didn't know what to say. Luckily Shane continued. "Do you think this is easy for me huh? Watching you look so miserable when you think no one is looking? Do you think it is easy for me to see you throwing up in the bathroom at ridiculous hours of the morning? Because its not Claire. I get so scared sometimes. I get scared that . . ." Shane trailed off looking down, trying to compose himself. "I'm - I'm scared that I could lose you."

I began to say "I'm not going anywhere Shane, I'm not -"

"You can't know that for sure." He said sadly.

I felt awful. I've never really thought about how Shane has been dealing with this lately. Sure, I knew that it must be hard for him, but I've never stopped to ask him if he's okay, how he's holding up. What kind of a girlfriend was I?

I sighed and stood up, moving to Shane's side of the table. I opened up my arms and he opened his up too, allowing me to sit on his lap. My head rested against his chest and he buried his face in my hair. He didn't cry, but I know that being able to hold me was making him feel better.

I played with Shane's hair absent mindedly as I spoke to him softly. "I know I can't promise that I won't die, but I can promise that I am not going to go down without a fight. I would never choose to leave you Shane. I love you so much and I could never do that to you. The truth is, I was upset because I feel like I'm making you all hurt - which I am - and I thought that if I wasn't here anymore, it would release so much pressure off you all."

Shane's head snapped up and he stared at me, dumb-founded by what I had just said. "Claire, no."

I smiled sadly and kissed his nose. "I know, it was a stupid idea, Eve made sure I understood that." I stroked his cheek gently. "I want you to know that being with you, it makes me happy. Its makes going through all of this bearable."

Shane pulled my hand away from his face and kissed it. "Just come and talk to me next time okay? I mean, its great that you talked to Eve, but I hate not knowing how you really are."

I nodded, understanding this. "I'll talk to you more often from now on. Can we cuddle tonight?"

Shane knew what I meant by that. When I first got diagnosed, Shane would come into my bedroom and cuddle me until I went to sleep. But lately I've been too tired and ill to want to. I have literally been getting into bed and falling asleep.

Shane smirked and kissed me on the lips. "I'd never say no to a cuddle. Especially from you."

I laughed and we were so absorbed in each other's eyes that we hardly notice the waitress come with our food. Not that she wanted to stop and chat. I guess some people don't understand what true love is.

oxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

i stood in front of my bedroom mirror examining my costume. It was a cat women type costume, full leather jumpsuit with fur around the neck. I would have never have thought of wearing anything that clung to my body like this, but Eve had insisted. I had pulled my hair back into a pony tail, leaving two strands of my hair down in loose curls either side of my face. I finished the costumed off with a cat ears head band.

I wasn't really wearing make up. I put on a little mascara and using face paint I had drawn three whiskers on my cheeks.

"Knock, knock." Came a girl's voice from the other side of my bedroom door. Eve obviously, unless Shane had decided to dress up as a transvestite, and was trying out his woman's voice.

I opened the door and looked at Eve who was smiling on the other side.

"You know you could just knock right?" I asked. My best friend wasn't kidding when she said she had a sexy witch's outfit earlier. She wore a black long dress that fitted her tightly. It almost looked rubber. It shimmered, showing that there were sparkles all over like a kids artwork at pre-school. The dress pressed tightly against her bust, showing off how big her boobs were. The neckline came down low as well and I knew that Michael was going to love it. Eve's hair was messy, but in a good sexy way. Lots of hairspray had been used make Eve black hair puff up. Add a deep smokey eye and black lipstick to the package and you had one dangerous looking witch.

"I thought it would be more fun to say it." Eve shrugged, still grinning. She really did look like a kid on christmas. Then again I'm not surprised, she is a goth after all. "You ready kitty cat?"

"Yep." I said. I was feeling very tired already, but i was excited enough to stay awake. I hadn't been trick or treating since I was about twelve. "What do the guys look like?"

"I dunno, they havent come out of their rooms yet." She giggled. "But I can't wait to see. "

As she spoke I heard one door open, and then another. Rushing out into the hallway Eve and I looked to see the boys leaving their rooms, heads down in shame.

Shane had dressed up as zombie. He wore a ripped up shirt, showing of parts of his body which was fine by me, zombie make up and he gelled his hair so it was spikey. He looked drop dead gorgeous.

Michael was . . . a vampire. Big surprise. He had gone all out with fake fangs, fake blood, a cape and a wicked tight costume.

"Seriously dude?" Shane asked. "A vampire?"

"I'm embrasing the cliche." Michael replied. "You look like you've walked out of one of your video games."

"I always said they would be inspirational one day. " Shane replied. Then the boys seemed to notice us.

"Bloody hell . . ." Shane and Michael said together.

"You like Mikey?" Eve asked, giving him a twirl.

Michael couldn't take his eyes away. "Mikey likes. " He said.

Then Eve grabbed my shoulders and pushed me to Shane. "What do you think Shane?" Eve asked in a flirty tone. "Our CB looks hot right?"

Shane shaked himself out of his trance. "Definitely." He replied, kissing me full on in the lips.

Eve clapped her hands together excitedly. "Lets go get sweets!"

Oxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Trick or treating was so fun! We all went around lots of houses together. Shane and Michael thought it would be hilarious to run on ahead, hide in a bush and then jump out and scare us.

There was a scary guy who kept appearing every now and again wearing a clown mask. I'm not scared of clowns, but i was scared of this one.

We got 4 bucket fulls of sweets and returned home, emptying them out onto the table. Eve thought it would be fun to play sharades, so we played that too. It was so funny. I though i was a bad actress, but Shane was even worse. I never ever want to see his impression of a chicken again.

Like planned, we all sat down and watched a scary movie at half nine. Eve and Michael chose it because me and Shane didn't really care. We snuggled up on the sofa, a blanket spread over both of us.

We ended up watching Paranormal Activity, which I really didn't like. No doubt I will have nightmares tonight. All well, at least I'll have Shane to protect me.

There were a lot of screaming and nervous jumps from all of us tonight. I hid my face in Shane shouoder for a lot of the film. But even though i was scared, I was enjoying every minute of it. I got to hold my fiancee tight, giggle with my best friend when somebody died in a dramatic way and laugh at Michael when he almost pee-ed himself.

Unfortunatley the evening went very quickly. By 11 o'clock I was actually ready to drop. Eve had put on another film which was grusome. So grusome that I turned to Shane and said "I have to go to the bathroom."

He nodded, understanding. "Do you need help?"

I felt so embarrassed and weak, but I had to say yes. I didn't feel strong enough to get to the bathroom in time. The last thing I wanted to do was clean up puke at this time of the night.

Giving a weak smile at Eve and Michael before leaving, Shane helped me to get up the stairs and to the bathroom. I slowly got down on my knees and threw up. I tried not to be noisy because I was very aware of Shane watching me. After a couple of minutes I seemed to have finished. Shane got down on his knees next to me and rubbed my shoulder gently and kissed my cheek.

"How about we go to bed?" Shane asked.

"Yes please." I whispered, not wanting to throw up again.

Shane helped me to my feet and led me to my room, which was fortunately close to the bathroom.

He tucked me into bed like a child and lay down next to me, smoothig my hair in a comforting pattern. He began to sing softly to me.

"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are grey. You'll never know dear, how much I love you. So please don't take my sunshine away."

I smiled in my dream state. It didn't take me that long to get to sleep after that. And when I did, I was happy.

This had been the best Halloween ever.