It's almost time for my favorite Holiday!

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The Very Best Candy

As the doors of HQ swung open, Steve's gaze fell on Catherine, who was walking in behind Angie and DJ. His eyes softened at the sight of his family, and he couldn't help cracking a small smile.

"Hey, good day?" He asked, adjusting DJ's Cubs cap with a playful little tug.

Angie's curls bounced as she nodded eagerly. "It was very very good, Daddy! In school we talked about Halloween costumes from way back in the day." She hugged him and stepped to the side for DJ to do the same. "You know, like when you and Mommy were little."

Danny entered the bullpen from his office with a grin and hugged the kids as Steve and Catherine exchanged an amused look at their daughter's 'way back in the day' comment.

"Can you tell us about your Halloween costumes when you were kids?" DJ asked, looking between his parents and Uncle Danny. "You were a sailor a couple of times, right, Mommy?"

Catherine chuckled. "I see Grandpa shared a few stories." She turned to Steve. "Since they're looking to hear what we dressed up as when we were their age…" She led, happy at the fact he seemed amused and not even the tiniest shadow passed over his face at the thought of the years when there were no Halloweens for him. Exactly the opposite, actually, he was grinning as he said, "Okay, buckle up for a trip down memory lane. So, let's see...when I was your age, baby girl, I dressed as a soldier."

Angie's eyes sparkled. "And you were the bravest soldier, right, Daddy?"

He bent to kiss her head, recalling his younger self. "I thought so. I had camo gear, face paint and everything. I was ready to take on the entire neighborhood, one trick-or-treat at a time."

DJ chuckled. "I can totally see you as a kid soldier, Daddy. What about you, Mommy? What did you dress up as when you were Angie's age?"

Catherine joined the conversation, her expression reminiscent. "I was definitely a sailor a few times. I wanted to be just like Grandpa. One year we were at Grandma Ang's and so were my aunt, uncle and cousins. I even saved them from walking the plank - Gram's living room couch." She giggled at the memory. "Grandma has pictures."

Steve shook his head and pecked her cheek. "Looks like our futures were destined. And you know what? I never dressed up in tights or wigs, and I was definitely never a criminal."

Angie leaned forward, a mischievous glimmer in her eyes. "Just like now! No tights, no wigs, no bad guys." She chanted and turned to her Godfather. "What about you, Uncle Danno?

"Me?" Danny pointed to his badge. "I dressed as a cop."

"When you were Angie's age?" DJ smiled.

"At every age," the detective barked a laugh. "From the time I was old enough to choose a costume, which I think was when I was about three. My father got me a firefighter outfit and as Nonna tells it, I looked surprised and said, "But I'm a policeman, Daddy."

"You did?"

Danny nodded. "I did. A cop was all I ever wanted to be."

"He was probably giving out tickets to bad trick-or-treaters," Steve teased.

"I was more preoccupied with making sure everyone had a safe and enjoyable Halloween. Plus, I had a trusty plastic badge and handcuffs. The whole shebang." He waved a hand, punctuating what was clearly a good memory.

"And now you're an awesome detective for real," DJ noted. "That's so cool."

"It's very, very cool," Angie echoed with a smile.

"It's also really sweet. I remember Nonna telling that story," Catherine said. "When your uncle got his last promotion, Grace used the picture of Danny in that costume on the invitations."

"Grace has the best ideas," DJ said, sincerely. "She told us about her Halloween party when she was in middle school. She dressed like Mommy."

"It was a perfect choice," Steve said at the memory of Grace in Catherine's old summer whites, tailored to her size.

Catherine gave Steve and Danny an amused look, thinking back to Grace's first boy-girl party and their overprotectiveness. "She looked beautiful."

"And so grown up," Danny reminisced before looking at his best friend. "Weren't you a football player like ten times?"

Steve raised an eyebrow, "Absolutely. I draw the line at tights, wigs and criminals, but a football player? That I could handle."

"Because you actually played football," Danny shook his head. "You were basically going as yourself."

"I went as a Washington team member, I didn't wear my regular jersey," he retorted.

"So you wore everything else and changed your shirt. How you still get away with that stuff is beyond me..."

"Remember when Uncle Danny told us how Daddy never really cared about Halloween until Grace, and then the Allens, got him into it?" DJ said.

Catherine grinned knowingly. "I definitely remember those days. Your daddy's inner child found its way out thanks to all that Halloween spirit from your cousins."

Steve shrugged. "What can I say? Being Uncle Steve changed me. And becoming your dad changed me even more." He smiled at the kids. "So now if I need to get decked out in a costume, it's all good. As long as it's not…"

"A bad guy, a wig or tights," Angie repeated and roared with laughter when he lifted her into an upside down hug.

"Exactly, baby girl." He kissed her cheek and placed her on her feet just as everyone's heads turned to see Chin and Kono enter the bullpen, saying, "Hey you guys," and "Look who's here."

As soon as Kono and Chin received hugs and kisses, the kids asked about their tales of past Halloweens.

Chin thought back, a smile gracing his lips. "Back when I was in middle school, I remember dressing up as a cowboy in a cowboy hat, sheriff's badge, and boots. I was protecting the island from candy bandits."

Danny chuckled. "That's quite the image. Did you have a trusty sidekick?"

Kono replied with a glimmer in her eyes, "He didn't have a sidekick like Batman, but I was his partner in crime-fighting. I thought I was so grown up getting to trick or treat after school with my big cousin before he went with his friends after dinner. We went through my neighborhood, making sure all trick-or-treaters were safe from desperados and accounted for."

Catherine smiled. "So, you two were the old west law and order duo of Halloween night? That's adorable."

Chin's voice filled with pride. "We were. I couldn't say no to my baby cuz, even then, so we were protecting the neighborhood from horse thieves and bandits. She kept trying to spin the six gun and dropping it on her feet. She actually mastered it by the end of the night." He turned to Kono as Steve fist bumped her. "There's video of that somewhere."

DJ, always enthusiastic to hear more stories, asked, "What did you dress as when you were older, Auntie Kono?"

She crossed her arms, her smile widening. "One of my favorite costumes was a ninja. I had a black outfit, mask, and my mom even bought me nunchucks. I was stealthy and ready for any tricks that came my way."

Angie's eyes widened in awe. "Did you do cool moves?"

Kono chuckled. "I was flipping, twirling, and sneakily pouncing on unsuspecting friends. I was the Halloween ninja master."

Steve leaned forward. "No wonder you had combat skills before you joined the team."

"I can't wait to see your costumes this year." Angie said. "You always do fun ones."

"I'm gonna miss seeing Dylan's awesome costumes." DJ's turned to his parents. "Do they dress up at the academy?"

"Not at the academy, but some midshipmen go to parties. I'm sure if Dylan does, he'll send pictures." She ran a hand over her son's hair.

Chin nodded, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "I loved helping him with every costume and I don't think he'll mind if I give a little hint. He's volunteering at a halloween party for local kids, so there's a costume in the works."

"Yay!" Angie cheered as DJ beamed at the idea of his cousin coming up with another outstanding costume.

"That's the fun of Halloween," Chin said. "Sharing the holiday with family and friends, old and new, right?"

As the kids agreed, Catherine jingled the key fob. "It's about time we got home and started dinner," she said as Danny addressed the cousins.

"His truck took a swim for a change so it's getting checked out."

"We came with Mommy to pick Daddy up and we're making Nonna's pasta e fagioli with salad for dinner," Angie informed them.

"Sounds good," Kono said while accepting another hug from the six year old. "Have a great dinner, we'll see you at the Tutor Time party."

"We'll try and guess your costumes before the party," Angie said while hugging Chin.

"You're a pretty good detective," he replied with another easy smile. "I won't be surprised if you do."

As they bid everyone goodbye, the kids were even more excited about the upcoming holiday.


Later that night, the family settled around the kitchen table, ready to dig into their dinner when Angie asked, "Was trick or treating the same when you were little kids?"

Steve laughed, shaking his head. "Back when dinosaurs were walking down Piikoi? We trick or treated the same, pretty much. There wasn't a curfew then, so we'd go out right from school, especially when we were a little older."

Angie's face lit up. "With Aunt Mary?"

"Until I was about Jacob's age. Then I went with my friends and she did, too, although one of our parents was with her. Once we got home, she'd beg me for peanut butter cups," he chuckled. "And I always gave her mine."

"'Cause you're a very very good big brother, like DJ." Angie beamed at her own brother.

"Thanks." DJ returned her smile. "I'll always give you my twizzlers, 'cause I know you love 'em." He turned to Catherine. "What about you, Mommy? What was trick or treating like for you?"

Catherine thought for a moment as memories of Halloween in various duty stations came flooding back. "We didn't always live somewhere warm, so sometimes it was freezing on Halloween and we'd have to wear coats over our costumes. I remember hating that."

"Like in Chicago?"

"Like when we were stationed at Great lakes, yes. And in Groton, Connecticut."

Angie's nose wrinkled. "But then nobody can see your costume."

"Right, so a lot of times there'd be a costume parade in the gym at school," Catherine said.

"That's so good, everyone got to see you," Angie said, relieved her mother got to show off her costume. "Mommy, after you met Daddy, did you share all your candy with each other?"

She smiled, shaking her head. "We were too old for trick or treating when we met. We were at the academy, remember?"

"But whenever Mommy got treats she always shared," Steve said while looking at his wife. "Grandma and Grandma Ang always sent her cookies and candy for Halloween."

"And Daddy helped me eat it, making sure I didn't have too much sugar." She winked.

DJ leaned back in his chair, a thoughtful expression on his face. "It's funny how some stuff doesn't change and some stuff does. Daddy, once you grew up you never cared about costumes until you met Grace and now you've got me and Angie and you like Halloween and you and Mommy still share everything."

Steve nodded, a warm smile dancing across his lips. "You're right, buddy. Becoming your dad changed my perspective on a lot of things, including Halloween."

Catherine agreed. "And Daddy and I will always share with each other and now we have you two to share with."

"You love each other very very much so you even share your best candy," Angie said with a giggle, making both parents laugh.

Catherine reached over to squeeze Steve's hand and they held each other's eyes. Speaking without words as usual, they communicated silently. 'Two kids, a dog, a cat, a goat and a 'probably' foster cat and here we are, Still us.'

"That's right, baby girl, everything," she said. "Even the very best candy."

# End thanks for reading


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