Author's Note: We're back to doing one chapter for BTVS then one chapter for Charmed, back and forth. I wanted to get the season 5 finale (and their corresponding season 6 opener) story arcs completed before I started back and forth again.

Chapter 142: All the Way

At the Magic Box a banner is tacked to the front counter that reads "Halloween Bonanza!'! The place is packed with customers (some in costume) clamoring for goodies and decorations. Giles, Dawn, Willow, Tara, and Xander are helping Anya with the crowd. Anya, adorned in short shorts, a tee, excessively feathered hair and roller skates, zips around like General Retail on wheels.

"Everything on this table's half off! Including the table!" Anya said. "Buy one eyeball, get the second one free!"

Xander is in full pirate regalia, including an eye patch. He is currently explaining a jar of fire to a group of kids. "Arhhh! Careful, me mateys! These be fire flies spat from a volcano off the coast of Katmandu. Arhhh!"

"You're not a real pirate. Real pirates live on boats and don't look stupid."

"Arhhh! A salty swab, eh? Maybe you be fishin' for a taste... of me hook!" Xander thrusts his hand up at the kids. Sure enough, he's wearing a fake pirate's hook. The kids squeal, including Chunky.

"Hello! Ahab! A little help?" Giles said.

"And help ye shall have! Arhhh!" Xander moves over to assist Giles at the swamped register.

Giles is decked out in his opening day wizard robe, sans hat. Xander, Giles, and Anya are the only one in costume. Anya skates past with Dawn following alongside.

"So what are you supposed to be?" Dawn asked.

"An angel." Anya said.

Dawn shook her head, "Shouldn't you have wings?"

"This is a special kind of angel, called a "Charlie". We don't have wings. We just skate around with perfect hair, fighting crime. Where's your costume?" Anya asked.

"I haven't dressed up for Halloween since that guy Ethan Rayne turned everyone into their costumes my first Halloween in San Francisco. Buffy, Piper and Phoebe haven't dressed up since our second Halloween here." Dawn said.

"But you get to dress up and play games! Xander's gonna teach me a new one after work called Shiver Me Timbers. You ever play?" Anya said.

Dawn rolled her eyes. She knows very likely what the 'game' entails. The talk about sex doesn't phase her much anymore. She remembers the first time Prue talked about having sex with Andy.

"Dawn, Willow could use some help in magical texts." Tara said.

Dawn looks at Tara as if to say thank you. "I'm all over it."

Willow is arguing with a woman dressed as a classic ugly witch. She punctuates her words with a Remedial Witchcraft book. "All I'm saying is you might want to rethink the stereotype before someone turns you into a toad." Witch Woman snatches the book out of her hand and huffs off. "While you're at it, try pulling that broomstick out of your - Dawn!"

"Don't stop the invective on account of me." Dawn said.

Willow nodded, "If I see one more idiot that thinks witches are all hairy moles and rotten teeth..."

"You do know how the stereotype got started right?" Dawn asked.

Willow shook her head, "No."

Dawn laughed, "I would have thought Buffy would have told you it was all Phoebe's fault. You do know about the trip where Buffy help deliver Melinda Warren, right?" Willow nodded. "Well they were trying to escape some witch hunters and Phoebe embraced the stereotype. Actually flew on a broom and cackled. Scared them right off."

Willow laughed. "I wonder why Buffy never told me that part of the story."

A little girl walks up in a witchy-poo outfit, wearing a mask adorned with hairy moles and a grin crammed with rotten teeth. "Do you have candy corn?"

Willow instantly bursts into a huge smile as does Dawn. "Aw, look at you! Aren't you just the cutest little thing! Come on. Let's fill that tummy up with sugary nibblets!" She leads her off.

Just then Anya zips past heading for Buffy. "Buffy, we're running low on Mandrake root. Check the basement!"

Buffy is just coming out of the back room carrying a box brimming with Magic Box oddities. She frowns sourly at the basement door as she remembers the last time she went into the basement. It had been a strange day, some demon supposedly had been testing her. "Okay, but don't blame me if we have this same conversation over and..." She heads down into the basement. "... over and over and –" She hits the landing, turns - and nearly runs into Spike. She gasps, glares. "Bell. Neck. Look into it." She moves over to the shelves as Spike follows her.

"Come with a nice leather collar, does it?" Spike asked.

"What are you doing lurking down here?" Buffy asked.

"Why does everyone always think I'm lurking about?" Spike asked.

Buffy shook her head, "I don't know. Could it have something to do with the lurking?"

Spike holds up a handful of vile looking weeds. "Came through the tunnels. Running low on Burba weed. Stir it in with the blood, makes it all hot and spicy." Buffy stares at him, a mixture of disgust and disinterest. "What, I was gonna pay for it. I mean, no, I was gonna nick it. 'Cause that's what I do. I go where I please and take what I want and what's your excuse anyway? Thought you had it to the brim with customer disservice."

"One time deal to help out. And I mean straight time - no loop de loop mummy hand repeato vision. Where's the Mandrake root?" Buffy said.

Spike takes a bottle of misshapen, almost human looking mandrake root from a top shelf, hands it to her. They're close to each other, the air suddenly charged between them. "Three to a jar. They tend to go a bit wonky if you cram 'em too close."

Buffy smiled, "Thanks."

"Feel like a bit of the rough and tumble?" Spike asked.

"What?" Buffy asked, surprised.

"Me. You. Patrolling? Hello?" Spike said.

Buffy lets out a sigh of relief, "Oh, uh... I should stay. These Mandrake roots aren't gonna get up the stairs themselves."

Spike laughed, "Might if you let them out."

"Maybe tomorrow night, okay?" Buffy said.

"Not like I don't already have plans. Great Pumpkin's on in twenty." Spike said as he head back towards the tunnels.

Buffy sighs as she heads up the stairs. "So much easier to talk to when he just wanted to kill me."

The noise of the crowd assaults Buffy as she re-enters the main portion of the shop. She grimaces, overwhelmed.

Anya skates past, snatching the bottle of Mandrake root from her. "Go help Giles!"

Giles is hip deep in customers at the cash register.

"What happened to Xander?" Buffy asked.

"He kept poking me with his hook. I sent him over to charmed objects. With any luck he'll poke the wrong one and end up in a parallel dimension inhabited by a fifty-foot Giles who squashes annoying, teeny pirates." Giles said. "We've got a ton of bagging here. If you could start over here and –"

"Actually, Spike had this really good idea about patrolling –" Buffy said.

Giles shook his head, "Buffy, you've been out patrolling every night this week. Besides, it's Halloween. The one time a year supernatural threats give it a well-deserved rest. As should you."

Buffy shook her head, "But what about costumes taking over your personality or wee little Irish fear demony thingies? Or demons that go back in time to turn my whole family line evil."

"Yes, well, if anything calamitous is going to happen tonight, history suggests it will happen to us." Giles said.

"So maybe I should patrol to avoid trouble and –" Buffy said. "I'm bagging." She snaps open a bag and wades into the job.

Later Dawn ushers the last customer out. "Come again..." She flips the CLOSED sign and sags against the door. "In a zillion years."

The store looks like the aftermath of a battle. The gang's sprawled on chairs and draped over counters.

"Store go boom." Xander said. "Arh."

"That was... that was the most incredible thing I have ever experienced." Anya said as Xander frowns at her. The most incredible? "Except for that. What you all did for me tonight, the astounding heaps of money you helped me –" Giles clears his throat. "You helped us acquire. All I can say is... I hope we make as much tomorrow!"

"Tomorrow?" Buffy asked.

Anya nodded, "Post holiday clearance! The cornerstone of retail!"

The gang groans. Giles wearily rises. "Brooms all around, then?"

"Or I could whip up a jaunty self-cleaning incantation. It'll be just like Fantasia." Willow said.

"And can we say personal gain, Will." Buffy said.

Willow sighed and nodded as Giles hands her a broom and dust pan, moves off. "Two little personal gain spells and I…"

Buffy wearily straightens up the war table with Xander. "You know if you had a real peg leg, you wouldn't just have a lame costume. You'd actually be lame, which is a whole other—" She turns to Xander, but his attention's focused on Anya. She's behind the cash register with wads of cash in each hand, doing the shimmy and shake with Dawn.

Dawn dances and giggles. "You do this every night?"

Anya nodded, "After I close out the register. The dance of capitalist superiority!"

Xander raises his eye patch so he can take Anya in with two good peepers. He's totally, completely smitten. "I'm gonna marry that girl."

"Xander! She's fifteen! And my sister, so don't even –" Buffy said before she finally gets that he means Anya. "Oh."

"Hey, everybody! Can I, uh, there's something Anya and I want to tell you." Xander said.

"Now?" Anya asked, shocked.

Xander nodded, "Now." He takes a deep breath. "We're getting married."

"Oh my Goddess!" Dawn exclaimed.

Tara smiled, "Congratulations!"

"That's - that's... wow." Willow said.

Xander takes Anya in, mesmerized. "Big wow."

"I thought you were waiting for the right moment?" Anya asked as tears start to fall.

"I did." Xander sweeps Anya into his arms and plants a serious Clark Gable on her. It takes her breath away.

"Here, have some money." Anya hands Dawn the cash in her hand, then goes back to the deep kissing.

Buffy whispers to Giles. "Did you know about this?"

"No. Unless I blocked it from my memory, much as I will Xander's vigorous use of his tongue." Giles takes off his glasses, cleans them.

"Is that why you're always cleaning your glasses? So you don't have to see what we're doing?" Buffy said.

Giles nodded, "Reveal my secret to no one."

Buffy stares in disbelief at the lip-locked couple. "Giles, this is - We have to do something..."

Later back at the Manor music blares. An impromptu engagement party is in full swing. Anya and Xander are still in their costumes.

"...and he said he couldn't imagine the rest of his life without me and then he gave me this!" Anya proudly displays her engagement ring on her finger.

"Which I'll be paying for the rest of my life with her." Xander said.

"Can I try it on?" Dawn asked.

"Oh, absolutely not!" Anya said.

Piper, Buffy and Giles appear from the kitchen with drinks.

"Where I come from this sort of thing requires much in the way of libation." Giles said.

Xander takes a glass from Piper. "God save the Queen!"

"Sorry we couldn't do the big fancy. You kind of caught us with our parties down." Buffy said. "And not everyone is here to help celebrate. Paige and Phoebe are at Payson's P5 tonight so that Piper could take Wyatt and Celia trick or treating. Of course she didn't think that Dawn is likely the one that will eat most of the candy."

Dawn smiled, "True."

"That's all right. This is just the first premarital celebration. We'll have lots more. With gifts!" Anya said. "Phoebe and Paige can come to ones of those."

Tara laughed. "Sure. Maybe we'll even have time to decorate for the next one."

"Why wait?" Willow asked. "Karzaritate tamae."

The Manor is suddenly decorated with Japanese ribbons and paper lanterns.

Anya beams. "This is so much better than the way it usually looks. Thank you!" She hugs Willow.

Tara catches Piper, Buffy and Giles' look of concern.

Moments later Tara is helping Willow refill the chip bowl in the kitchen.

"The grocery store's still open. We could have bought decorations." Tara said.

"Why bother? These are perfect – and extra biodegradeably. In a couple of hours – poof!" Willow said.

"No, they're - they're great." Tara said. "It's just... why use magic when you can do something naturally? Plus isn't that personal gain?"

Willow laughs Tara's concern off. "You can also fight monsters "naturally" with sticks and stones. Don't really recommend it, though. And no it wasn't personal gain because it wasn't done for my benefit it was done for Xander and Anya."

"Fighting monsters, that's different." Tara said.

"How?" Willow asked.

"Because - because you're protecting people. Keeping them from being hurt." Tara said.

Willow nodded, "Which makes them happy. Like pretty decorations made Anya happy."

"That's not the point, Will." Tara said.

"Why are you being like this?" Willow said, exasperated.

"This isn't about me." Tara said.

Willow nodded, "This is so about you. You're always coming down on me for doing magic that couldn't hurt a fly. What's your problem?"

"Willow, I j-just want you to stop and think about what you're –" Tara spots Dawn standing in the doorway, stops. She's obviously heard what they're arguing about.

"Sorry. Just checking on the chips." Dawn said.

"It's okay. We're done." Willow takes the chip bowl and exits.

Tara sags. Yep, that went well. Dawn sighed and walks over to Tara. "I'll mention it to Piper and Buffy."

Tara nodded, "Thanks sweetie."

In the living room Buffy has Xander in a big Slayer-powered hug. "You're getting married. You."

Xander grimaces. "Me. Choking."

"Seems like just yesterday you couldn't pay a girl to date you." Buffy said.

"Like I'd ever pay - Define 'date'." Xander said.

Mixed emotions swirl across Buffy's face. "I'm out of commission for three months and you... How many other things have changed since I've been away?"

Willow enters shortly followed by Dawn.

"I got a tattoo." Dawn said.

Buffy spun and looked at Piper, "What?!"

Piper shook her head, "She's messing with you Buffy."

Dawn smiled and nodded, "Yeah just a joke, Buffy. You know I have to tease my sister every once in awhile."

Buffy lets out a sigh of relief. "Good."

Dawn kisses Xander on the cheek. "Congratulations." She looks to Anya. "You're so lucky, finding a guy like him."

"Almost as lucky as me." Xander gives Anya a soft kiss.

Buffy can't help but feel a little envious of their happiness as Dawn grabs her sweater.

"See you guys tomorrow." Dawn said.

"Tomorrow?" Buffy asked.

Dawn nodded, "Yeah. I'm spending the night at Janice's, remember?"

"Wait - that's tonight?" Buffy asked looking at Piper who nodded.

"No, it's on the other Halloween. Come on, you said I could." Dawn said.

"Yeah, okay, I know, but now with Xander's party –" Buffy said.

Xander smiled, "We're good. But you'll have to cough up extra gifts at the reception."

Anya nodded, "Yes, please!"

"I don't know. Piper, Giles. . .?" Buffy said.

"It's really not up to me." Giles said.

Piper nodded, "Your Dawn's legal guardian, Buffy. It's your call."

"Come on. It's four blocks. I'll shimmer straight over there." Dawn said.

Later Dawn traipses merrily down an alley, but her smile drops as she hears a disembodied MOAN further down. She peers into the gloom as she powers up an energy ball. "Hello?"

She inches forward. The MOAN sounds again. It's coming from behind some stacked barrels concealed in the shadows. She inches up around the barrels - and gasps quickly extinguishing the energy ball. Two costumed teens are necking heavy.

"Hey!"

"Perv!"

Dawn backs away, "Sorry! I thought, uh –"

WHAM! Something grabs Dawn from behind. She yelps, whirls around. It's Janice.

"Hey, Summers. Get an eyeful of the grope-fest? Maybe you are a perv." Janice said.

"If I were…" Dawn started.

"Bite me!"

"You get over the wall okay." Janice asked.

Dawn nodded, "Yeah. My sisters thinks I'm staying at your house."

"The Mominator thinks I'm at yours. Can't believe they fell for that one. Like, own a TV?" Janice said.

Dawn laughed. "So where are we meeting?"

"The park." Janice said. "That's where all the monsters gather on Halloween..."

At the park thrash music blares from a boom box. Zack is standing on a swing, hooting as he arcs higher and higher. "Hoo hoo hoo! To infinity and –" WHACK! An empty soda can bonks him in the head. "Ow!"

"Oops." Justin said.

"Nice shot."

Zack spots Janice and Dawn walking up. He leaps off the swing and grabs Janice into a big hug. "Hey, baby! What took ya?"

"Had to stop for crimes and misdemeanors." Janice kisses the spot where the soda can hit his forehead. "Zack, this is my friend Dawn I was telling you about."

Zack gives Dawn the roving eye. Yowza! "Hell-o!" Janice slugs him in the shoulder. "Ow!"

Justin sidles up. "Hey. Justin." He shakes her hand with a shy grin.

"I know. I've seen you around at a couple of parties." Dawn said, nervous.

Justin takes Dawn in with a warm, shy smile. "I've seen you too."

Dawn practically blushes to death. Justin and Zack's friends yell over as they move off.

"Hey, catch you guys later!"

"Alone at last." Zach said.

"So what do you want to do?" Janice asked.

Justin and Zack look at each other, break out into huge grins. They know just the thing...

Moments later… Smash! An egg splatters the face of a witch cutout adorning a front porch. Zack is hucking eggs at the house. Janice stands next to him, looking bored. "Yeah! Three-points! Whoo!"

Justin is letting the air out of the tires of an SUV parked out front. Dawn stands nervously keeping lookout.

"Witches don't really look like that." Dawn said.

Justin laughed. "Got a lot of witch friends?"

Dawn's eyes go wide and tries to think of a way to cover up her almost slipup. "No, I mean, from what I've read and stuff. Some of them are supposed to be really pretty, and boy you don't want to get them mad, 'cause –"

Zack zips past. "New target! Come on!"

Justin takes off after Zack. Janice and Dawn follow.

"So?" Janice asked.

"He's okay." Dawn said.

"'Ho hum' okay or 'oh-my-god-I'm-gonna-pee-my-pants' okay?" Janice asked.

"Pee!" Dawn said as they burst out into giggles.

Justin and Zack are walking up ahead. Zack kicks over a mailbox as they go. "So what's the verdict, cap'n? Is wittle Justin in love?"

Justin gives Zack a playful shove "I don't know. She's cute."

"Congratulations for having eyeballs. But what about, you know - going all the way? You think –" Zach said as Janice and Dawn come up behind them. Zack instantly switches gears. "— that the moon and the stars look lovely tonight?"

"We done with the juvie crap yet? 'Cause, hey! Bored!" Janice said.

Zack stops, his eyes focusing off screen. He grins deviously. "Just one more."

Dawn and Janice look over. It's Kaltenbach's rundown house, which looks a thousands times more forboding at night. A twisted Jack-o'-lantern sits on the front stoop, a candle inside giving it flickering life. Schmuck bait, anyone?

Back at the Manor Giles is refreshing Xander's drink.

"Anya's a wonderful former vengeance demon. I'm sure you'll enjoy many years of non-hell dimensional bliss." Giles hands him his drink. "So, is she moving in with you?"

"Uh ..." Xander said.

Giles nodded, "You know with your combined incomes you may want to look into a down payment on a house."

"The kind you live in?" Xander is starting to feel the pressure.

"No rush. I'm sure you have enough to think about, what with the wedding arrangements and such. You have the rest of your lives to plan the rest of your lives." Giles said.

Xander nodded, "Yeah, yeah. Rest of our lives..."

"Well. If you need any help sorting through it all..." Giles clasps Xander's shoulder warmly, clinks glasses, moves off. Xander quickly downs the rest of his drink, the pressure reaching critical.

Piper and Buffy look at each other shaking their heads.

In front of Kaltenbach's house Dawn, Janice, Zack and Justin stand on the sidewalk.

"No way! You know who lives here?" Janice said.

Justin nodded, "Old Man Kaltenbach."

"Crusty old bastard." Zach said.

"Isn't he supposed to be, like, mental?" Dawn asked.

"Total looney tunes." Zach said. "Pumpkins. Very dangerous. You go first."

"Screw that." Janice said taking a step back.

"Come on, show us how brave you are. Let's see those cute little girly guts!" Zach said.

Justin shook his head, "Lay off, man. If she doesn't want –"

"I'll do it." Dawn said as they stare at her. She forces up a shaky smile for Justin, wanting to impress him.

"Go, Dawn!" Zach said.

"Look, you don't have to –" Justin said.

"It's okay. I want to." Dawn eyes the house, swallows hard. She creeps up the shadowy walk, all nerves but trying hard not to show it. She carefully climbs the first step to the porch. Second step... Third step - CREAK! The step groans loudly. She freezes for a beat, relaxes. No signs of life from inside the house.

She continues up onto the porch. Janice, Zack and Justin watch tensely from the sidewalk. Justin is particularly mesmerized by Dawn's audacity.

Dawn creeps silently over to the Jack-o'-lantern near the front door. She reaches down, picks it up, hoists it over her head. She turns to the group with a triumphant smile as she prepares to give it the big smash.

Justin gives her a thousand-watt grin - then suddenly his eyes go wide.

WHAM! A hand suddenly latches onto Dawn's wrist. Kaltenbach's appeared in the doorway behind her. Dawn yelps, pulls away. The Jack-o'-lantern tumbles to the ground, smashes. Dawn stumbles, falls.

Kaltenbach looms over her. "Shouldn't oughta mess with those. Sometimes they bite."

Janice, Zack, and Justin race up.

"Get away from her!" Justin said.

"Don't make me go kung-fu on you, man!" Zack throws up his hands in a substandard Bruce Lee.

Kaltenbach stares for a beat, then breaks into a toothy grin. "Come on in, kids. Got something special for you." He ambles back inside his house, leaving the door open. They stare at each other in disbelief.

Zack chuckles merrily, sensing an opportunity for some creepy guy laughs. "Cool!"

"We are so not going in there. Dawn, tell them." Janice said.

Dawn looks to Justin. Justin grins, a mischievous twinkle in his eye. Dawn returns it. For this guy, anything. Moments later Dawn, Janice, Zack, and Justin are seated in Kaltenbach's extra creepy living room. Kaltenbach stands motionless, half in the shadows. Everyone's on edge - except Zack, who's loving Evary creepy second.

Zach eyes Kaltenbach's collection of dusty toys, picks up an old robot monster action figure. "Dude, where'd you get the cool toys?"

"Used to design 'em, back in fifty-eight. Nothin' I loved more than to see a child's face light up when he opened one of mine on a Christmas or a birthday. I was good. Jeepers, I was the best." Kaltenbach takes the robot monster from Zack. "Until that thing happened. One little mistake, and they took it all away from me. They... they took my toys. Time for the treats! Who wants to help daddy in the kitchen?" He looks to Dawn. "How 'bout you, Sally?"

Dawn tenses. Justin springs up.

"Uh - Sally's not much for the cookin'. Why don't I give you a hand?" Justin said.

"Hands are good. Always use more hands." Kaltenbach ambles into the kitchen. Justin grins at Dawn, gives her a reassuring wink as he follows.

"Okay, can we get the funk out of here before Satan Claus stuffs us down a chimney?" Janice asked.

Zack picks up a dusty old Jack-in-the-box, absently cranks the handle. The box croaks out 'Pop Goes the Weasel' over the following. "What, and miss the big treat? That'd break the old guy's wittle heart. Assuming it's still beating."

"She's right. We should just get Justin and go." Dawn said.

Zach shook his head, "Come on, the dude's a thousand years old. What's he gonna do? Drown us in his drool cup?"

POP! Jack shoots out of his box - minus his head, which has been viciously hacked off. Dawn eyes it apprehensively. "Hey. Where's its head?"

Dawn and Janice jump at the sound of the tray hitting the floor in the kitchen. Zack is all cool.

"What the hell was that?" Janice asked.

Dawn gets up, creeps over to the kitchen door. "Justin? Justin –" She reaches a hand out to swing the door open. BAM! Justin comes barreling out, his face normal.

"Let's go!" Justin said.

"What happened?" Dawn asked.

Justin holds up a tattered old wallet. "I swiped his wallet when he wasn't looking! Come on!"

Moments later Janice and Dawn are bolting down the street, laughing, their hearts pounding.

"Oh my goddess… oh my goddess… oh my goddess..." Dawn said.

Justin and Zach are bringing up the rear, hanging back. Justin grimaces at the taste in his mouth. "Dude, that guy was rank!"

"Bet a spritz of Dawn'll wash that right out. So what do you think? Lunchables... or do we go all the way and turn 'em?" Zack grins, his eyes sparkling.

Yep you guessed it Zach and Justin are vampires.

At the Manor Anya is laying out her future with Xander to the gang. "... I thought maybe a June wedding, but then I remembered they always prompted the largest percentage of calls for vengeance, so now I'm leaning towards as soon as damn possible. Mortal life being so short, we gotta cram in as much marital bliss as we can before we wither and die. There's just so much to consider. The wedding, new cars, a house, and babies! You have to plan for babies or they'll just run roughshod over your entire existence."

Xander tries desperately not to hyperventilate. "Yeah, gotta decide what to call 'em before they hit college."

"'Rupert' is an exceptionally strong name." Giles said.

Anya nodded, "Yes. If we want our progeny to eat paste and have their lunch money stolen."

"The important thing is you're happy. Everything else is thick gravy goodness." Buffy said.

Anya takes Xander's hand, totally in love. "I know. I'm the luckiest ex-demon in the world. To be able to find the one person in all dimensions that I was meant to be with... and have everything work out just the way I dreamed. How often does the universe allow that to happen?" She hugs Xander close, not seeing how her words have hit Buffy right in the Angel parallel. Buffy and Xander eye each other, both feeling the need to escape.

Xander and Buffy slip out onto the front stoop. Xander sucks in a huge lungful of air. "Air! Sweet mother oxygen!"

"You okay?" Buffy asked.

"Yeah, I just..." Xander sits on the top step, freaking. "I just didn't think it'd be so... much."

"But it's a good thing, right? This is love and celebration and moving forward. Anya's right. This is the way life's supposed to work out." Buffy musters up a weak smile. Everything she just desbassineted is exactly what her life isn't.

"Right. Deep pools of ooey delight. I'm wallowing. Not drowning." Xander said.

Buffy nodded, "Definite wallow action."

Xander takes a deep breath, rises. "Okay. Once more into the breach?"

"My breaches are wearing a little thin. Think maybe I'll swing by Spike's, take him up on that patrol. Gotta be something out there trolling for a smackdown." Buffy said.

Somewhere Dawn and Justin are walking by themselves. Justin rummages through Kaltenbach's wallet. Dawn is flush with excitement. "So, you're like what, a sophomore?"

"I wish." Dawn said.

"Ouhh! Freshman!" Justin said in moch pain.

"Yep. Way down there at the bottom of the rung. Actually kinda down under those little rubber feet that keep the ladder steady." Dawn said.

"Those are important." Justin takes the cash out of the wallet, offers Dawn half. "Here. Spoils of war. You earned it."

"I did?" Dawn asked.

"Yeah. For keeping me steady." Justin smiles shyly. Dawn returns the smile, takes the cash. "And so begins her life of crime."

"You're a little late. I steal all the time." Dawn said.

"Really?" Justin asked.

Dawn nodded, "Totally. I haven't paid for a lipstick since forever."

"Be still my heart. Cute and bad?" Justin smiled.

Dawn shivers, "Bad to the bone."

"More like frozen. Here..." Justin stops, takes off his leather jacket, drapes it around her shoulders.

Dawn loves the feel of it - and the fact it's his. "Thanks."

Justin gently moves a stray strand of hair from her face. "My pleasure, Miss Summers.

It's a perfect moment - broken by Janice popping up sipping a Slurpy. "Hey. Where's Zack?"

"He went to get the car." Justin said.

"You guys got a car?" Dawn said surprised.

Somewhere else Buffy watches the Trick or Treaters and costumed partiers as she drifts down the street. So much laughter, so many happy faces. She spots a couple sharing a kiss. Time slows and the sound of the crowd fades as she eyes them with longing. She absently steps out into the street and WHAM! A speeding ambulance almost clips her, siren blaring. Buffy watches it go, her eyes narrowing.

Moment later Buffy comes up on a small crowd. Paramedics are loading a woman onto a gurney.

"I'm losing her pulse!"

"Get her in! Go!"

Buffy spots the puncture wounds on her neck as they lift the gurney into the ambulance. Her face darkens. Vamps!

Back at the Manor the phone is ringing. Music blares in the background. Piper picks up the phone, all celebratory smiles. "Halliwell residence, Piper speaking… Oh, yes, Mrs. Penshaw, how –" She tenses up. "No, Dawn told us she was spending the night at your house. Yes. Yes, I realize that now, but I don't believe you called to check either. All right - yes, let's just - If I hear anything, I'll let you know." She hangs up, fuming.

In the living room Xander, Anya and Willow are doing the bump and grind. Giles and Tara watches from the couch, Tara still feels the sting of her earlier disagreement with Willow. Piper enters, turns off the music.

"Hey, we were just gettin' our funk on." Willow said.

"That was Janice's mother. Apparently Janice told her she was spending the night here." Piper said

"Dipping into the classics. Gotta respect that." Xander said.

"Is Buffy still outside?" Giles said as he stood up.

Xander shook his head, "No, she was feeling antsy, went to grab Spike for a patrol."

"Xander, Anya - stay here in case Mrs. Penshaw calls and to watch Celia and Wyatt." Piper said. "Willow, Tara, check downtown. Giles and I'll swing by Spike's and see if we can catch Buffy." She and Giles walk into the Foyer as Piper picks up her keys and heads out the door.

Elsewhere in town Zach, Janice, Dawn and Just sit in Zach's car in a clearing near the woods over looking the cemetery. The back door pops open and Zack and Janice tumble out, kissing and laughing.

"Don't do nothin' I would, dude." Zach said.

Janice kisses him hard. "You're it." She giggles, dashes off with Zach chasing after her.

"So." Dawn said.

"Yeah." Justin smiles warmly.

Dawn blushes, blows in her hands to warm them. "It's cold. You okay? You want this back."

"Nah. Cold doesn't really bother me." Justin said.

"What are you, Superman?" Dawn asked.

Justin laughed, "No. But I do have a few special powers..." He leans in for a kiss.

Dawn chickens out at the last second. "Hey, does this work?" She turns on the radio. Nothing.

"You gotta turn the ignition." Justin turns the key in the ignition, activating the electrical system. The radio flares to life. Something achingly romantic plays, like Johnny and Santo's "Sleep Walk".

"I love this one." Dawn said.

"Another thing we have in common." Justin gently strokes her hair, traces his fingers down her neck. Dawn shivers at his touch. "You're shaking."

"It's... cold." Dawn said.

"Do you want to go?" Justin said as he moved closer.

"No, I just... you know, what do you expect –" Dawn said.

"Shhh." Justin puts a finger to her lips, gently traces them. "I just... want to taste you..." He leans in and kisses her softly. It's an electric moment. Dawn sighs, melting into him as the tender kiss goes on and on...

Dawn draws back from the tender kiss, breathless. "Shiver me timbers."

"What?" Justin asked.

"Uh, nothing, just... wow." Dawn said.

"Oh my God. That was your first." Justin said, surprised.

"Wha -no!" Dawn said.

Justin smiled. "It was! That was your first kiss."

"I've been kissed before. I kiss all the time. Not that I'm a kiss slut, but, you know, I'm just saying with the lips and the pressing together and stuff - hey, expert here." Dawn said as Justin stares at her with a wry grin. Dawn cracks. "Okay, it was my first kiss, all right! I know, I suck! My lips are dry and my tongue's all horrible and sticky and I'm pretty sure I drooled so just tell me how awful it was and –"

Justin kisses her softly, cutting her off . "It was perfect."

Dawn melts under his lips. Kissage, round two. They star making out heavy. All teenage tongues and teeth. The genie has definitely left the bottle.

"Mmm... you taste so good. . ." Justin nibbles her lip a bit too hard.

"Ow." Dawn said.

"Sorry." Justin said.

Dawn nodded, "It's okay. Long as it's not bleeding." Things quickly heat up again. Justin's hands begin to migrate toward second base. Dawn catches his hand, eases it back down. More kissing, more hand creepage. "Justin, can we just. . ."

"Sorry. It's just. . . God, you are so beautiful . . ." Justin said.

Dawn is stunned - and totally swept away. She kisses him softly, but quickly gives in to teen desire. Justin's breath comes in ragged gasps as the kissing and touching heats to volcanic levels. His face vamps.

Dawn, her eyes closed as they continue kissing, doesn't notice. But as the make out session continues, her hand roams up to his face - and freeze as it encounters that unmistakable bulge. Her eyes snap open.

At Spike's crypt… BOOM! Spike's door crashes open. Buffy strides in.

"Get your gear together, we need to –" Buffy stops, glances around. An old black and white horror movie is on the TV. There's a bowl of half eaten popcorn on Spike's chair, but no Spike. The television casts eerie, dancing shadows across the dim crypt. "Spike?" Spike appears next to her. "Ahhh!"

"Ahhh!" Spike frowns, ambles out. "You know in civilized cultures that's called trespassing."

"Good thing you're uncivilized. We've got trouble." Buffy said.

"Piper and Giles found you?" Spike asked.

"Piper? Giles? No, are they looking for me?" Buffy asked.

Spike nodded, "Yeah. It's Dawn –"

"What happened? Is she all right?" Buffy said, freaking out.

"No, it's okay. They came by earlier looking for you. Dawn and her little friend pulled a Houdini. Up to a bit of candy corn mischief, I suspect." Spike said.

"Wait, Dawn's running around out there somewhere?" Buffy asked

Spike nodded, "Kid's these days, eh? I just did a sweep of the tunnels. Giles is poking about the cemetery –"

"We have to find her." Buffy strides over to Spike's weapons chest, kicks it open.

"Don't think she's in there." Spike said.

Buffy roughly tosses him a pistol crossbow.

Back in the woods the passenger door to Zach's car bursts open. Dawn struggles out, kicking at Justin as she tumbles to the ground. "Get off of me!" She scampers to her feet, but Justin is right there next to her.

"Dawn, wait! Wait!" Justin grabs her. "I thought we could, you know, hang out or something."

"Hang out?" Dawn asked.

Justin nodded, "Yeah, I mean, you're not like the other girls. They're boring and stupid and you're. . . you're different. There's something special about you. I knew it the first time I saw you." Dawn can't help but melt a little. "I just want to be close to you, that's all." He brushes a strand of hair from her face. She flinches. "Shh ... It's okay." He nuzzles in close, inhaling her scent. "It'll only hurt for a second. . ." He bares his teeth for the bite.

"Bet you say that to all the girls."

Justin whips his head around. Giles is coming out of the woods, his eyes flashing angrily.

Dawn snaps out of it as she powers a energy ball. "Remember you asking about witches you just met one."

Justin growls, clamps his hand around her throat forcing her to extinguish the energy ball.

Giles continues advancing, ready to introduce some serious pain. "I'll give you a choice, son. We can do this the easy way, or we can do it the –"

Headlights click on. Giles freezes, blinded. Another set flare to life, quickly followed by half a dozen more. Eight other cars are parked further back in the clearing.

Doors pop open. Half a dozen vamps get out, along with Christy, Marla, and Glenn, also vamped. Fresh blood drips from their mouths. It's Make Out Lane, vamp style. Giles is surrounded.

Justin grins. "What were my choices again?"

The vamps start to move in. Giles tenses, trying to keep an eye on all of them at the same time. WHAM! A hand clamps down on his shoulder. Fortunately, it's connected to Spike. The vamps freeze.

"This a private game, or can anyone have a go?" Spike said.

Buffy comes around Giles' other side.

"Dawn! Are you –" Buffy freezes, eyeing the jacket she's wearing, the boy she's with, and the car she's standing next to. "Were you parking? With a vamp?!"

Dawn shakes the confused Justin off. "I didn't know he was dead!"

"Living dead." Zach said.

"Shut up." Dawn said powering up an energy ball again.

"How could you not know?" Buffy asked.

"I just met him." Dawn said.

"So you were parked in the woods with a boy you just met?" Buffy asked.

"We've seen each other at parties—" Justin said.

"Shut up." Buffy said as she powers up a fireball. She looks at Dawn. "I can't believe you."

"Oh like you've never fallen for a vampire." Dawn said.

"That was different." Buffy said.

Dawn nodded, "It always is when it's you."

Carl, the older vamp leader, meekly interjects. "Uh ... can we fight now?"

Buffy takes in the bloody vamps with disgust. "Didn't any of you come here just to make out?" A young man standing with his girl raises a shaky hand. They're both human, and scared out of their wits. "Aw, now that's sweet. You, run." The couple takes off. "You, scream."

Buffy explodes into action, connecting a vicious kick to Carl's face. He screams in pain. All kinds of Halloween hell breaks loose as Giles, Dawn and Spike join in.

"Die, Slayer!" Carl said.

WHAM! Buffy stakes him. Dusty dust. "Been there, done that."

Justin grabs Dawn, his eyes lighting up. "Your sister's the Slayer? I totally get that. I knew there was something special about you."

BAM! Dawn knees him in the crotch as she bounces the energy ball. "This won't kill you but I'm sure it will hurt." She takes a step back and throws the energy ball at him and he screams in pain.

Giles is getting tag teamed by Christy and Marla.

"Giles!" Buffy tosses him a stake. WHAM WHAM! He dusts the two girls, then gets tackled by Glenn. They fly over a car hood and tumble out of view.

"Dawn!" Buffy calls out and throws another stake at her sister. She then chases after another vamp. They end up around a bend, separated from the rest of the fight.

The vamp reaches his car, but Buffy catches up to him before he can leap in. They trade blows. He blocks a punch, scoops her up and body slams her on the hood of the car. He rears back and fires a fist at her head. She rolls out of the way at the last second. BAM! His fist punches a hole through the hood.

Buffy rips his car antennae off, whips him into a bloody mess. He knocks the antennae away, sending Buffy slamming into the side of the car. He swings his fist, but Buffy throws open the car door, using it as a shield. His fist crashes through the window. He howls in pain.

Buffy and the vamp trade blows around the car door. Much Jackie Chan-age. Buffy fires a vicious kick through the busted window. CRACK! The vamp goes down, his head smacking the inside of the car. Buffy whip-kicks the door closed, decapitating him. Dust.

Dawn back in the clearing turns to Justin and holds up the stake as Justin stops screaming. "The time it takes you to dust you will find out your problem was messing with a Charmed One." She plunges the stake into his heart and he dusts.

Later back at the Manor, Xander and Anya are on their way out as Phoebe and Paige walk in through the front door.

"Sorry about the party." Buffy said.

Xander shook his head, "Don't worry about it."

"It gave me time to plan the bridal shower. Where do we order obscenely muscular male strippers?" Anya asked.

"Ahn." Xander said.

"Kidding. Jeez." Anya said before she mouthed to Buffy. "We'll talk." They exit out the front door.

Spike is close behind them. "Guess I should bugger off. Something about Big Bad's not venturing far from their crypts on Halloween?"

Buffy nodded, "Good fight."

They bump their fists together as Spike exits.

"So, big monster mashing. Sorry we missed it." Willow said.

"As long as Dawn's all right." Tara said curtly.

"What happened?" Phoebe asked.

Willow nodded, "Yeah, I mean that's –"

"I think I'm gonna head out. Good night." Tara heads out the door.

"Looks like something bad. I wonder how come we weren't called." Paige said.

Willow smiles weakly at Buffy, follows Tara. "Tara . . ."

Buffy turns her attention to Giles. He's got an ice pack pressed to his bruised check. "How's the face?"

"Still ruggedly handsome." Giles said.

Buffy glances over into the dining room. Dawn is sitting in a chair, staring out the window. Justin's jacket is on her lap, her fingers absently feeling the leather. She really had fallen for the guy. "She's taking it pretty hard."

Phoebe and Paige follow Buffy's gaze and sigh as they make their way towards her and Piper.

"Not surprising. Still, we can't ignore this kind of behavior. Something has to be done before it spins out of control." Giles said.

"You're right." Buffy said. "I'm glad Piper is here to sort it out." She turns and heads up the stairs.

Giles frowns as he watches her go, not happy with the big avoiding of responsibility.

In the dining room Piper is talking to Dawn as her sisters walk in. She quickly fills them in on the nights activities.

"We need to have a conversation." Piper said.

"This the part where you tell me you're not angry, just disappointed?" Dawn asked.

"Pretty much. Except for the bit about not being angry." Piper said.