"Hi honey I'm home! Six o'clock on the dot, as promised." exclaimed Marissa as she strode into the kitchen.

Bianca gave her a wide smile, but she was currently on the phone.

The kids however, who had been busy doing crafts at the kitchen dining table, all tore up for a welcome home hug.

"…I shall let them know… no, thank you for the invite… Marissa has just got back so I need to serve dinner… Okay, I love you… Bye, Kendall."

Bianca hung up the phone and took her turn welcoming Marissa home with a kiss.

"What did Kendall want?" Marissa asked.

"Oh, Kendall has invited us all to a Halloween Party!"

"Cool!" exclaimed AJ.

"Right kids clear the table… dinner time!" said Bianca shuffling back to the cooker.

Miranda and AJ quickly got to work putting away the craft stuff while Gabby followed Marissa to the counter to get the cutlery to lay the table.

Bianca continued to talk about the party plans as she spooned out the stew and dumplings.

"The party was Spikes idea. He asked if AJ could come and then Kendall suggested it might be nice to invite all his cousins and friends! The only stipulation is you have to come as a monster."

Gabby suddenly pulled a face.

"But I want to be a princess!" she exclaimed.

"We'll think of something!" said Bianca.

Marissa carried the hot bowls to the table and they all sat down to eat.

"Can I be Ghostfreak… no… no a werewolf!" exclaimed AJ.

"Which is it?" asked Marissa with a laugh.

"A werewolf." He decided and then gave out a wolf howl to prove his point.

"What about you Miranda, who do you want to be?"

"I wanted to be a doctor this year." she said with a frown.

"Mmm." said Bianca, with a thought. "You still can. You can be a mad doctor and I can be you monster-like creation, like Dr Frankenstein and his monster. I can be your kissy monster" With that she reached over and grabbed her daughter planting lots of kisses on her cheek.

Miranda laughed and pushed her away.

"Not at the table!" scolded Marissa with a laugh. "What kind of behaviour is that to show the kids?"

"Sorry." said Bianca suitably admonished, but happy to see the smile return to her daughter's face.

"I still want to be a princess." said Gabby still pouting.

"Well," said Marissa giving the youngest Montgomery a grin. "I know a certain beautiful, funny, kick-ass princess who is also a monster."

"Who?" said Gabby.

It was Miranda whose eyes went wide when she worked out what Marissa was talking about.

"Princess Fiona! You can be Princess Fiona from Shrek!"

Gabby joined her sister with a wide-eyed grin.

"Princess Fiona." she said with a thoughtful nod.

"Mom, what are you going to be?" AJ asked with a mouthful of dumpling.

"I don't know." said Marissa. "I shall have to think about it!"

…

That night as they got ready for bed Bianca gave Marissa a teasing grin.

"So have you had any more ideas about what monster you want to be? A zombie; a mommy; a vampire; a one eyed, one horned flying purple people eater?"

Marissa wrapped her arms around Bianca's waist and leaned in close.

"I don't know. I'd quite like to be vampire…" she said seductively. "Then I could dress sexy and have the excuse never to leave your neck alone!" She planted a lingering kiss on Bianca's collar bone before peppering kisses along the side of her neck.

"Well I already have the scars." said Bianca with a moan as Marissa lips pulled at particularly sensitive spot. "… but I'm not sure how suitable that is for a children's party."

"We could have our own party." Marissa said quietly, with a waggle of her eyebrows.

"Hmmm." agreed Bianca, leaning in for a long sensual kiss; that deepened subtly.

Their moment was interrupted however by a knock on the bedroom door.

A sleepy looking Miranda pushed the door open.

"Mommy, I can't sleep!"

…