Thanks to monkeybaby, decadenceofmysoul, and the guest, Scott for your reviews and thanks to everyone else for continuing to read.

Contains references to 3x7.

Over the next couple of days, Danny was surprisingly home when they got home from school. He was still there when Anna got home from work on the two days she had to work as well. One thing that was different, was when Danny went to bed he'd stop in Anna's doorway and watch her for a while and they were both pleasantly surprised to find Anna didn't have any nightmares. The talk with her parents and the psychologist really seemed to help even if she didn't want to admit it. She wasn't completely free of her problems, but she felt a bit better about the car and the college situation.

Wednesday, the school was abuzz with talk of Derrek's make-up Halloween party. He was supposed to have had it on Halloween, but with Sandy and the mayor canceling trick or treat, he had canceled his party. With trick or treat back on in Manhattan and the two of the other boroughs that hadn't had it on Friday or Saturday night, everyone would be back in the Halloween spirit and he could throw his party. His parents were okay with it even if they didn't understand why he hadn't done it the same night as Staten Island's trick or treat. "So, you coming?" Derrek asked the baseball team at lunch. Almost everyone agreed.

"I don't know, man, I'm supposed to take my nieces trick or treating," Jim said.

"You can't not show. You always have the best costumes," Dave protested.

"Like those superhero costumes or characters from movies, or that year you showed up with peanuts all over your suit claiming to be the Nutty Professor," Todd added.

"Come on, Jim. Take your nieces out for an hour, put them to bed, then get your butt to my house and win costume of the year again," Derrek told him.

"Alright, alright, I'll talk to my sister, see what she says." Jim finally agreed.

The team cheered and Derrek turned his attention and eyes to Anna who was calmly making her way through her chicken salad sandwich, seemingly oblivious to what was going on around her. He knew she was listening though and just trying not to draw their attention to the fact she hadn't said if she was coming. "And you little Ms. Thang?" Derrek asked, cocking his head to look at her. She smartly avoided his eyes though. "What are you coming as? Will it be in your standard orange, "this is my costume" t-shirt or will you actually stop being a fun sucker and join the party?" Derrek asked.

"I'll be dressed as the invisible girl," Anna smiled.

"That would be cool," Dave said.

"Come on, Anna, you have to be there," Derrek whined.

"I promised my brothers that I'd take them trick or treating since I was in Pittsburg for Staten Island's and they're not like Jim's nieces who will be satisfied with an hour in Manhattan. My brothers are 9 and 12, they're going to want to be out the whole night and then go to my grandfather's to steal what's left of his candy supply."

"Can't your parents take them?" Derrek asked.

"On trick or treat night? They have to work."

"Just ask them okay? You need some fun in your life," Jim told her.

"Fine," Anna agreed. She spent the rest of the afternoon and throughout her shift at the diner thinking about how to get her mom to say yes and keep her brothers from being angry at her. After she got off and got home, she found her mom in the dining room. "Mama, you remember how Doc Charlie said that once a week I should put down the responsibility and just have fun?"

"Of course."

"So I was thinking, Derrek always throws a costume party on Halloween. It's the party of the year. This year he had to cancel it because of the hurricane but he rescheduled it so I was wondering if I could go."

"That sounds fine. When is it?"

"Friday night," Anna said sheepishly. Linda looked up at her.

"As in the night you're supposed to take your brothers trick or treating in Manhattan and Brooklyn?"

"Yeah. Nicky's going with us so she can just take them."

"It's New York City. If it was just Bay Ridge or Staten Island that would be fine but you're also supposed to be going through Park Slope and Manhattan. I will not let them go through Manhattan with just Nicky. They're only 12 and 9."

"What if I convince Aunt Erin to go with them?"

"Okay, but you tell your brothers."

"Would it be okay if I took them to school for the next week? I've been driving for eight months. You trust me, don't you?"

"Of course I trust you but I know you're only asking so they won't be so angry."

"Can you blame me?"

"No, I've been there before too. We'll see how it goes on Monday then maybe."

"Thank you, Mom," Anna answered then rushed upstairs to find her brothers. They were in their room. "Hey, guys." She stood in the doorway watching them race cars around a track. It was a slot car track they had found in their grandpa's garage that had once been Danny's. A little TLC and it was good as new.

"Sup?" Jack asked. He and Sean looked up from the track.

"Would you hate me if I didn't take you trick or treating Friday night?"

"Hate is a strong word," Sean said, "and Mom says we're not supposed to use it."

"But you would, wouldn't you?" Anna said.

"Not hate, just strongly dislike for a few days," Jack told her.

"Even if I could make it up to you by taking you to school for the next week?" Anna asked.

"They'd let you do that?" Sean asked, his eyes going wide.

"Mom said yes, at least for Monday."

Jack and Sean looked at each other then nodded. "Okay, you don't have to take us."

"To school or trick or treating?" Jack gave her a look and she knew he meant the latter. "Okay, let me call Aunt Erin see if she's cool."

"Cool?" Sean asked.

"According to Mom, she has to agree or all you're hitting is Bay Ridge."

"Not fair."

"Don't worry, she always says yes to me." It took a bit of wrangling and fast talking but like predicted, Erin agreed to take the boys out. Nicky wasn't happy about it but understood Anna's want to be at the party and didn't blame her.

"Wait, you're ditching us for a party?" Sean asked. She had forgotten they were still in the room while she had talked to Nicky. "Not cool."

"I ... uh ... sorry?" Anna asked. Jack and Sean glared at her. "I'm going to go now." Anna slipped out of the room and into her own.

"How are you doing?" Danny asked from the doorway.

"Cheese, man," Anna gasped as she looked up at him from her homework. "Scare a girl, why don't you?" She rested her hand over her heart.

Danny rolled his eyes at her antics. "You alright?" He asked lightly.

"Aside from the mini heart attack? Yeah, I'm fine."

"You sure?" They both knew he wasn't asking about him startling her.

"Yeah, I'm good, really Dad."

"So what's this about a party?"

"Derrek's throwing a party to make up for missing Halloween and I want to go. Mom said it was okay."

"Who's going to be there?"

"A bunch of friends. Boys and girls. And his parents."

"When?"

"Friday night at his house, it starts at eight."

"Costume party?"

"Yeah, not that I'm dressing up or anything."

"That sounds like it could be fun."

"Says the man who hasn't dressed as anything other than a police detective or a father on Halloween since I was four." She glared at him then glanced back at her phone.

"Not my fault I've had to work every Halloween."

"Did I mention that Derrek's parents are going to be there?" Anna asked, typing the same words into her phone and sending them.

"You did, who ya texting?" Danny asked. He didn't fail to notice she had been glancing between him and the phone often.

"Uncle Jamie."

"Telling him about the party?"

"Last time I didn't he seemed upset."

"He was just teasing." Danny smirked.

"I know, but I would have told Uncle Joe. He's currently trying to convince me to dress up."

"So it is a costume party?" Danny asked, leaning against the doorframe.

"I'm sure I said that. Anyway, Jim usually wins the costume contest. Couple of superheroes, movie characters, and once," Anna laughed remembering, "one time he even showed up as a ceiling fan."

"A ceiling fan?" Danny asked clearly not as amused as Anna.

"He painted 'Go, Ceiling, Go' on a t-shirt, got a foam finger, the whole nine yards."

Danny smirked. "What about you?"

"I usually throw on an orange t-shirt that says 'this is my costume' and call it done."

"That's unoriginal."

"It's not my favorite holiday." Danny nodded and it went silent for a moment. "Can you check on the boys? They're kinda mad at me."

"Because you're going to a party instead of taking them trick or treating?" He wasn't completely out of the loop when it came to his family.

Anna looked up at him nervously. She didn't want him to tell her she couldn't go. "They seemed okay with that at first, until they found out it was a party."

"They feel like you're ditching them and they're not cool anymore."

"That your brilliant deduction, Detective?" Anna asked sarcastically.

"Anna," Danny warned.

"You've been there, right?"

"They'll get over it. Don't stay up too late, school tomorrow." Danny crossed the room and kissed the top of his daughter's head.

"Are you still mad at me?" Anna asked when he pulled back.

"Why would I be mad at you?" Danny asked.

"Because of Sunday. I kinda blew up at you and ran off."

"I'm not mad. I'm disappointed you took off but you didn't blow up, you stopped yourself and I'm proud of that. Everything your mom said Monday night is true. I am not mad, okay?"

"Thanks, Dad."

"Now, get some sleep and I'll check on your brothers." Danny kissed her forehead again then left the room.

"So, you coming tonight?" Derrek asked as they sat down for lunch on Friday.

"Derrek," Anna rolled her eyes.

"Peas?" Derrek pouted, giving her his best puppy dog pout.

"Okay, fine," Anna agreed.

"Yea!" Derrek cheered. Anna and Jim both smiled at his antics. "So what are you coming as?"

"I—It's a surprise." Anna said.

"Come on, can't you tell us? Just a little hint?" Todd asked.

"Uh, no." Anna shook her head. Though not happy with it, they conceded and didn't push.

Jim walked her to class later that afternoon. "You don't know what you're going as, do you?"

"Not for a second," Anna answered then huffed. "You really think I should dress up for this?"

"If you feel like it, Anna. You could go as that silly little bear and no one would say anything."

"You sure about that?" Anna completely disagreed. If she went as Pooh Bear, there were a lot of people who would be talking about it and saying things about how childish and immature she was though really it just showed how immature they were.

"You shouldn't care if they do. People talk, but only those who really matter should bother you."

"I swear, Jim, if you quote the Park Bench Statesman to me, I'll slap you silly."

"I wasn't going to, I promise." Jim answered. They walked in silence for a bit and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "You would tell me if you weren't okay, wouldn't you?"

"I did last time, didn't I?"

"Have you talked to someone?"

"I did. And I do feel better about it. I'm fine, really," Anna told him. Jim smiled and they went to class.

That night Anna parked in front of Derrek's house and nervously looked up at it. She had spent the entire afternoon on video chat with Sofie putting together an outfit. Sofie had heartily approved saying she looked great; so had Nicky when Anna sent her a picture, but now, sitting in front of Derrek's house watching people in what looked like great custom-made costumes, she felt a bit self-conscious about her own. She was certain Jim, Derrek, Becky, and Beth wouldn't feel that way, they'd all say it was great but she couldn't believe them. They were her closest friends and would lie to keep her happy. She had just about convinced herself to go back home and forget about the party when there was a knock on the window. The door opened and Drew crouched next to the car. "You coming inside?" Drew asked.

"I—"

"You look great, come on. I'll knock out anyone who says you look terrible."

"I—"

"Please? For me? For Derrek?" he asked, offering her his hand. Anna bit her lip. She took a deep breath and took his hand. "Don't be nervous, I'm right here." He stood and helped her out of the car getting his first full look at her costume. "I think you look great." He shut the door to her car then spun her around to get the full effect. "You really do."

"Says the man dressed in a bed sheet."

"It's a toga and it's freezing out here. Let's go." Anna stared at him hesitantly but he still had a grip on her hand so he used that to pull her towards the house. She dragged her feet, but was unable to stop him from getting to the door where he knocked. Derrek pulled open the door dressed as Fred Flintstone.

"Well, hello, kitten," Derrek said.

"Tiger," Anna answered. "Ti-ger, not kitten."

"What's the difference?"

"About three years and the size, of course."

"I'm glad you are here. Drew," Derrek said.

"Derrek," Drew said.

"Is this a thing?" Derrek asked, looking at their joined hands.

"No, just had to convince her to come," Drew said. Derrek threw an arm around Anna's shoulders and lead her and Drew to the kitchen. Drew dropped Anna's hand now that Derrek had her and she couldn't run. "Most of the party is down those stairs, drinks and snacks are up here. Have fun, no sex, and no going up to the bedrooms." Derrek informed them. Drew nodded. "Oh, and no fights."

Drew grabbed a soda and went to the basement while Anna stood with Derrek. "Ms. Anna, how are you tonight?" Derrek's mom asked from near the stove.

"I'm fine, Mrs. Jones. A little nervous people won't like my costume, but fine."

"And the family?"

"Good, busy but good."

"Your costume is great. Anyone insults you, just take it as a compliment. It just means they aren't confident enough to pull it off themselves." Anna looked down at her black sweatshirt and loose pants that she had sewn orange stripes to. It was far from the popular tiger costume but she felt comfortable in it. She looked back up at Mrs. Jones. "Really."

"Thank you, Mrs. Jones."

"Say hi to your family for me. Derrek, get the door."

"Yes, ma'am," they both answered.

"Just have fun," Derrek told her before going to get the door. Anna grabbed a bottle of soda and went down to the party.