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Chapter 22 Halloween (Part 1 of 3)

"Look out!" Buffy yelled as she threw a stake at the vampire coming up behind Robin.

Robin ducked and the stake hit it's mark, dusting the vampire instantly. Buffy, Spike, and Robin all looked around the crypt to see if that was the last of the vampires who had been nesting there.

Spike had not been happy about brining Robin along on this expedition, but Buffy had reasoned that if he was fighting some vampires, maybe it would keep him from doing something stupid and charging in after Angelus. The truth be told, Robin had a lot more business fighting vampires than Xander or Willow did. He was a good fighter. Buffy had to give him that.

"I just don't get why vampires choose to live in places like this," Buffy said, looking around at the cobwebs and the sarcophagi.

"I don't know, a few candles, clean up the mess a bit, maybe bring in a tele, wouldn't be so bad," Spike said admiring one of the gargoyles.

"You're kidding, right?" Buffy asked.

"What I don't get is how that little tomb up top opens up into this big a space. And I'd swear I didn't see those windows outside," commented Robin. "Speaking of. . ." Robin nodded toward a trap door that led to a lower level.

The three of them gathered around it. Spike opened it, and Buffy swept her flashlight around the dim space below. Not seeing an immediate ambush, she carefully started down the stairs. Spike and Robin followed close behind. They spread out and searched the lower cavern.

"See, here you go," said Spike. "Bet you anything this leads to the sewers. Handy that." He stood at the mouth of a tunnel.

"I so hope you're not thinking of moving," was all Buffy could say.

It looked like all the vampires had been in the upper level. The crypt was now deserted.

"No worries, pet. I've paid my rent through the rest of the year. A place like this. It'll have new tenants before long."

Buffy wasn't sure if Spike was teasing her, or if he really did think the crypt was a nice place to live. Vampires were, after all, just strange.

"Why would you want to chain your prisoners to the bed? Doesn't that make it hard to sleep?" Buffy asked as she looked at the large bed with thick chains dangling from the headboard.

The two men exchanged a look. Spike came over to her and put his arm around her.

He whispered in her ear, "The chains aren't for prisoners, luv."

Buffy could feel her face turning scarlet.

"And on that note, I think I'll be going. We seem to have cleaned this place out," said an equally embarrassed Robin who quickly made his exit.

"God, you must think I'm so. . ." Buffy couldn't seem to find a word that described her.

"Cute?" suggested Spike. "Look, luv, don't be embarrassed. I think it's. . . endearing." He paused to take her face in his hands and tilt it up so that she was looking him in the eye. "I love you. It wouldn't matter to me if you were more experienced, but since you're not. . ." He smiled at her. "Well, luv. The thing about experience is, you can always get it. And I thought you always liked our. . . training sessions."

"Well, you are a good teacher," she said, kissing him lightly. "Not to um, ruin the mood, but can I ask you something?"

"Of course you can, pet."

"It's just, I mean I'm pretty sure, but I don't know. That is. . . Robin's not really your son is he?"

"No, vampires can't have children. Fact is, his mom was already a couple months along when I first met her. His real father, well he was never interested, never around. Robin always called me dad, and when Nikki died, well. . . he was, he is my son. You know?"

Buffy smiled and nodded.

"Anything else you want to know?" he asked.

"Actually, yes. See, it's going to be Halloween in a few days and-"

"No worries, pet. All the demons and vampires stay in that night."

"I know, Giles told me. That's why I was wondering. . . Since I don't have to be the Slayer that night. . . maybe we could, you know. . ." She took a deep breath then quickly finished, "Go on a date?"

"I'd love to," he said.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Buffy looked over a shelf of plastic pumpkins in the costume shop. Suddenly the pumpkin lit up and made a screaming sound. Quickly she put it back down as Willow approached her holding a bag.

"What'd you get?" Buffy asked her.

"A time-honored classic," said Willow as she held up a ghost costume.

"Okay, Will, can I give you a little friendly advice?"

"It's not spooky enough?"

"It's just... you're never gonna get noticed if you keep hiding. You're missing the whole point of Halloween."

Willow smiled. "Free candy?"

"It's come as you aren't night. The perfect chance for a girl to get sexy and wild with no repercussions."

"Oh, I don't get wild," said a nervous Willow. "Wild on me equals spaz."

"Don't underestimate yourself. You've got it in you."

"Hey, Xander," Willow eagerly greeted her other friend, glad to get away from the topic of her being wild and sexy. "What'd you get?"

He pulled a toy military rifle out of his bag and held it up for Willow to see.

"That's not a costume," Buffy pointed out.

Xander gave Buffy a look, then turned to Willow. "I got fatigues from an Army surplus at home. Call me the Two-Dollar Costume King, baby!"

He smiled at Willow. She smiled back.

Buffy, however, had completely forgotten about her two friends, distracted by a costume. Slowly she walked over to it. It was a long blue dress with a hoop skirt. Over the top of the dress was a white apron. On top of the mannequin rested a straw bonnet that tied under the chin with a big blue satin ribbon. Next to it was a shepherd's crook, which also had a blue ribbon tied around it.

The shepherdess costume was beautiful, and charming, with a low enough neckline to keep it from being childish.

She reached out to touch the frilly lace on the apron. "Look at this."

"It's amazing," agreed Willow.

"Too bulky. I prefer my women in spandex," Xander commented.

The shop owner noticed them looking and came over to them.

"Please, let me," he said in a British accent, taking the dress off of the dressmaker's mannequin.

"Oh, i-it's..." Buffy didn't know how to describe it.

"Magnificent," the shopkeeper finished. "Yes, I know. There." He held it up in front of Buffy so she could see herself in the mirror. "What a pastoral dream you make. I think we found a match. Don't you?"

Buffy looked apologetically at the shopkeeper. "Oh, uh, I-I'm sorry. There's no way I could ever afford this."

"Oh, nonsense," he said. "I feel quite moved to make you a deal you can't refuse."

She looked back into the mirror, took the dress, smiled dreamily as she held it up to her chin, and wondered what Spike would think when he saw her.





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