Into every generation, there are Chosen Ones. A Slayer will stand against the vampires, the demons, and the forces of darkness. With each Slayer comes a Guardian. They are protectors of the innocent.

Day One

Night - Pop's Pumpkin Patch

The camera panned down from the sign over the stand past another one counting off the days until Halloween to a pumpkin on the ground aglow with a candle. Buffy landed flat on her back on top of the pumpkin, smashing it, looking up at a couple vampires.

Brooke used her Guardian energy to grab the vampire, throwing him to the ground. Brady grabbed a squash and pumpkin to throw at the vampire, hitting him in the forehead, making him back away. Buffy flipped up to her feet, pulling a stake out of her jacket, launching at the vampire. The vampire grabbed the scarecrow, pulling it over in front of him so the stake impaled it instead, shoving the scarecrow aside, coming at her with a roundhouse kick.

As the Summers siblings continued to fight the vampire, the camera focused on them through a camcorder. The record light was on. Another vampire was taping the fight, getting closer for a better view. The battery low indicator started flashing. A moment later, the view became snowy, and the vampire took the camcorder away from his eye, jostling it, so it started working again. The second vampire raised the camcorder back to his eye to continue recording.

The fight went on. Buffy and Brady got a quite a few good hits and kicks in against the first vampire. The vampire knocked Brady into the hay wagon. Brady held onto the side of the wagon, kicking the vampire to the ground, turning around with his back to the wagon, grabbing the railing as the vampire got back up, raising his legs and grabbed the vampire's head in a scissor hold, twisting his body to flip him over sideways onto the ground.

Brooke used her Guardian red energy to twist the vampire through the air, making him fall to the ground in front of her. The vampire made a grab for her legs. Brooke used the red energy to levitate herself above him, somersaulting through the air. Buffy pulled the countdown sign out of the ground, swinging it at the vampire's legs as he came for her, knocking him down. Brady jammed his stake into the vampire's heart, making him burst into ashes.

Buffy, Brooke and Brady looked at each other, smiling in congratulations to each other, not bothering with saying anything because they knew what they would say, congratulations, you're getting better, etc. They walked away, leaving the pumpkin patch.

The second vampire lowered the camcorder, slowly backing away as he watched the Summers siblings go.

∞ Slayers and Guardians ∞

The Bronze

(Song:) Shy - Epperley

A waitress picked up a tray of cappuccino and cupcakes. The camera followed her as she headed to her table and turned to her right, but the camera continued through the crowd over to Angel sitting alone at a table, looking very bored. A huge spider web and other Halloween decorations adorned the staircase behind him.

Carmen arrived, walking up to Angel. "I know. Is the Bronze so not happening or what?"

Angel smiled slightly in relief. "Oh. Hi."

"Hi," Carmen told him. "Sorry to keep you waiting."

"It's okay," Angel told her. "I know you were helping Buffy, Brooke, Brady, Zoey, Alice and Wyatt with patrolling."

"Yeah, we split up to do the job," Carmen answered. "Rough day at the office."

Angel reached up to her hair to pull out a piece of straw. "So I see."

Carmen shrugged. "Hey, it's a look. A seasonal look."

"You look fine," Angel told her.

Carmen smiled. "You're sweet, a terrible liar, but sweet."

Angel chuckled. "For a first real date, it's not bad, is it?"

Carmen smiled, shaking her head. They smiled, drinking coffee.

"Do you dance?" Carmen asked. Angel looked at her curiously in amusement. "Come on, one dance. That wouldn't be breaking any laws, would it?"

Angel chuckled. "No. It wouldn't. I'd love to dance with you, Carmen."

Carmen smiled. They stood, going to dance for several moments, looking each other in the eyes. After a long moment of dancing and looking at each other, they finally kissed slowly and passionately, pulling away, smiling. Carmen smiled, leaning her head on his shoulder as they continued to dance.

(Song Ends)

∞

Day Two

Morning - Sunnydale High School - Hallway

Sign-ups were being taken for the volunteer safety program for Halloween. Snyder took one of the clipboards and looked around the hall. He grabbed the next girl that walked by and pulled her aside.

"Hey!" the girl complained.

"You're volunteering," Snyder told her, holding out the clipboard and pen to her.

The Scoobies walked down the hallway, seeing this.

"But I have to get to class," the girl told him.

Snyder just shrugged. The Scoobies walked past him.

"Snyder must be in charge of the volunteer safety program for Halloween this year," Willow told them.

"Note his interesting take on the volunteer concept," Zoey told them.

"What's the deal?" Buffy asked.

They had reached Willow's locker, and she worked the combination.

"Oh, a bunch of little kids need people to take them trick-or-treating," Xander explained. "Sign up and get your own pack of sugar-hyped little runts for the night."

"Yikes," Alice told them. "I'll stick to vampires."

Snyder put his hand on her shoulder. Alice turned to face him.

"Miss Giles," Snyder told her. "Just the librarian's daughter I've been looking for, along with your juvenile delinquent friends here."

"Principal Snyder," Brooke told him.

"Halloween must be a big night for you," Snyder told them. "Tossing eggs, keying cars, bobbing for apples, one pathetic cry for help after another. Well." He led them to the sign-up table. "Not this year."

"God, we'd love to sign up," Brady told him sarcastically. "But we recently developed carpal tunnel syndrome and can tragically no longer hold a flashlight."

Snyder held up the clipboard and pen. "The program starts at four, the children have to be back at six."

Buffy reluctantly grabbed the pen and clipboard and signed herself up. Xander smiled. Willow looked concerned. Snyder held pens out to the rest of them. They all looked at him, begging not to be put through this, but they had to sign up.

∞

Another Hall

The Scoobies walked together.

"I can't believe this," Eric told them. "We have to get dressed up and the whole deal?"

"Snyder said costumes were mandatory," Willow told them.

"Great," Buffy told them. "I was gonna stay in and veg. The one night a year things are supposed to be quiet for me."

"Halloween quiet?" Zoey asked. "Oh, I figured it'd be a big old vamp scare-apalooza."

"Oh, no," Alice answered. "I swear that tomorrow night is like dead for the undead. They stay in."

Brooke smiled sarcastically. "Those wacky vampires. That's why I love 'em. They just keep you guessing."

Xander put his satchel down on the table and walked over to the soda vending machine. He put in his coins and hit a button. Nothing. He hit another one. Still nothing. He hit the machine in the front and on the side.

Larry came up to Brady, Xander and Eric and put his hands on their shoulders. "Summers! Rosenberg! Harris!"

"Hey, Lar," Xander told him. "You're looking Cro-Mag as usual. What can we do you for?"

"You and those girls over there, you're just friends, right?" Larry asked. "Buffy, Brooke, Zoey, Alice, Carmen and Willow, I mean. Francis, Giles and Chase are hot too, so..."

"Me and Buffy, it's less of a friendship and more of a solid foundation for future bliss," Eric answered.

"So she's your girlfriend?" Larry asked.

"Alas, yes," Eric answered. "So don't ask me about Buffy. Or Zoey, Brooke, Alice and Carmen for that matter. Zoey's single, but Brooke, Alice and Carmen have things with Wyatt, Brady and a guy named Angel. And Willow's off limits to you. Leave my sister alone."

"All right, fine, Eric," Larry agreed. "What about the other girls?"

"Carmen's taken by Angel," Brady answered. "Buffy and Brooke are dating Eric and Wyatt. Alice is kinda... complicated. Zoey and Willow are the only ones single. Stay away from them."

"Chill, Brady," Larry told him. "You think they'd go out with me?"

"Well, Lar, that's a tough question to..." Xander trailed off. "No. Not a chance. Besides the fact that Buffy, Brooke and Carmen are taken by Eric, Wyatt and Angel, Alice has a complicated thing with Brady, and Zoey and Willow are not your type."

"Why not?" Larry asked. "I heard some guys say all the girls were fast."

"I hope you mean like the wind," Brady told him, protective.

"Yeah, you know what I mean," Larry told them.

"Those are our friends that you're talking about," Eric told him.

"Oh, yeah?" Larry asked. "Well, what're you gonna do about it?"

"I'm gonna do what any man would do about it," Eric told him, grabbing Larry by the shirt. "Something damn manly."

Larry smiled and laughed. He knocked Eric's hands away and grabbed Brady's by the shirt with his right hand. He balled his left hand into a fist and drew back for a punch.

Brady caught his wrist, pulling it behind his back, slamming his head into the vending machine, making a Diet Dr. Pepper roll into the slot. "Get gone."

Brady pulled Larry back from the machine, pushing him away.

"Do you know what you just did?" Xander asked.

"Saved you a dollar?" Brady suggested.

"Stood up to Larry, the biggest guy in school," Xander answered.

"Well, he was talking about Brady's sisters and soulmate, so he had it coming," Eric told him.

Zoey, Carmen, Brooke, Buffy, Alice and Willow were watching from the couch, smirking in amusement.

"I think Brady, Eric and Xander just defended our honor," Willow told them. "So sweet."

"Poor guys," Zoey told them. "Boys think we're so fragile when we're not."

Buffy looked at Carmen. "Speaking of, how was your date last night?"

"I was late due to slayage, showed up looking trashed," Carmen answered.

"Was he mad?" Brooke asked.

"Actually he was pretty unmad, and we had a pretty good date after," Carmen answered.

"Oh, Carmen, that's great," Willow told her.

Brooke was thinking. "You know, I wonder how girls acted and dressed like back in Angel's time. Or Wyatt's time before he cast the forever young spell on himself."

"We've known them less than a year," Buffy told them. "And if you haven't noticed, they're not exactly ones to over share."

"True," Alice agreed. "It's too bad we can't sneak a look at the Watcher diaries and read up on Wyatt and Angel. I'm sure it's full of fun facts to know and tell."

Zoey smiled, her voice sounding the opposite of what she was saying. "Yeah. It's too bad. that stuff is private."

Willow played along. "Also Giles keeps them in his office. In his personal files."

Brooke played along. "Most importantly, it would be wrong."

The girls looked at each other, smiling.

∞

Library

The girls looked in through the round door window. They didn't see Wyatt and Giles, exchanging a look. Carmen and Brooke quietly opened the door, walking in, looking back at Buffy, Zoey, Alice and Willow, who nodded. The door closed and they looked through the glass. Carmen and Brooke quietly made their way up to the counter, looking around again. Satisfied that no one was there, they walked for the office.

Wyatt and Giles walked out of the cage.

"Brooke," Wyatt told her. They jumped, turning to face them. "Carmen. Hi."

Buffy, Zoey and Alice walked in to help cover.

"Nothing," Buffy told them. "Hi."

"Buffy," Wyatt told her. "Zoey. Alice. It's good that you're here, too. Hoping that Brady would be here too. But we can fill him in later."

Layla made her way inside.

"Layla, glad you could make it," Giles told her.

"I don't have to be at work for a little while," Layla told them. "And I know you wanted to tell us something important. About Halloween. The business of it. Or the un-business of it."

"Yes, we just wanted to talk to you about tomorrow night," Giles told them. "As it should be, uh, calm, you might work on some new battle techniques."

"You and Wyatt are beginning to scare me, Giles," Zoey told him. "You both need to have some fun."

Zoey waved to Willow to come in as Layla, Wyatt and Giles were distracted elsewhere.

Willow shook her head, mouthing 'no'.

When Layla, Wyatt and Giles looked at the girls, Zoey put her hand back, pretending she was scratching her head.

"You know, there's this place you can go, right?" Brooke asked. "And you sit in the dark and there are these moving pictures, right? And the pictures tell a story."

"Hilarious, Brooke," Wyatt told her sarcastically. "I've been to the movies before."

"Yes, yes, ha, ha, I'm very droll," Giles told them. Willow quietly walked in. "I'll have you know that I have very, uh, many relaxing hobbies."

"Such as?" Layla asked.

"Well, um..." Giles trailed off. "I enjoy cross-referencing."

"Do you stuff your own shirts, or do you send them out?" Layla asked, grabbing a book from the stack he was about to take to his office, walking around him. "So. How come Halloween is such a big yawner? I mean, do the demons just hate how commercial it's become?"

Layla leaved through the book. The girls were relieved that Layla was distracting them, when Layla not knowing she was helping them.

Giles put his books down. "Um, it's interesting, actually, not, I suspect, to you."

Wyatt looked at the girls. "What is it you're after?"

Willow had made it to the office door.

"Of course it's interesting to me, Rupert," Layla told him. "I'm curious to know these things."

Giles smiled lightly. Layla smiled in return. Willow opened the office door, starting in. Wyatt turned to the office. Brooke stepped in his way of seeing Willow.

"It is good that we're all here, though," Alice told them. "Except that Brady's not here."

"Brady should really be here," Buffy told them.

"I can go get Brady," Layla told them, leaving the library.

Giles turned toward his office, but couldn't see Willow since she was already inside. "I really don't have time for these games."

Zoey made sure that Layla was gone, saying something off the top of her head to distract Giles. "My mom said you were a babe."

Wyatt turned toward them in surprise and amusement, arching an eyebrow. The girls hid smiles.

"She said what?" Giles asked.

"Well, Layla said that you were a h--hunk of burning..." Buffy trailed off. "Something or other."

Alice exhaled nervously. "So. What do you think of that?"

"Uh, I..." Wyatt trailed off in amusement, chuckling. "A burning hunk of what?"

Inside the office, Willow found the diary, grabbing it.

"Look, you know how disgusting it is for me and Alice to even contemplate her dad and my mom having smoochies," Zoey told them.

Willow walked out of the office with the book.

"But we think you should go for it," Brooke told him.

"Girls, I appreciate your interest, but..." Giles trailed off.

Willow snuck past the counter.

"But we've overstepped our bounds," Alice told them.

"It's none of our business, you know?" Carmen asked.

Buffy stammered. "What were we thinking?"

"My God, shame," Brooke told them.

Willow walked out of the door.

"Shame," Carmen repeated with a nod.

"We gotta go," Zoey told them.

Buffy, Brooke, Zoey, Alice and Carmen followed Willow out of the library quickly.

Wyatt was amused and confused as to what the girls had said, looking at Giles in amusement, crossing his arms. "A babe."

Giles was not sure what to make of it, smirking. "I can live with that."

∞

Girls' Restroom

The girls were sitting on the sinks, looking at a drawing of a noble woman with a tiny waist wearing a billowy gown.

"Man, look at her," Willow told them. "Who is she?"

"It doesn't say, but the entry's dated 1775," Alice told them.

Buffy showed them another picture. "This is one's dated 1854."

"Angel was 18 in 1775," Carmen told them.

"Wyatt was 18 in 1854," Brooke told them.

"Both were still human," Zoey told them.

"Well, Wyatt is still human," Willow told them. "I mean, technically. He may be an immortal witch. But that's because of a spell. He's still human."

"So those are the kind of girls they hung around?" Buffy asked.

"They're pretty coiffed," Zoey told them.

"They look like noble women," Alice told them. "Which means being beautiful is sort of their job."

"And clearly these girls were a workaholic," Brooke told them.

"We'll never be like this," Carmen told them.

"Come on," Zoey told them. "They're not that pretty."

"I mean, look at her," Willow told them. "They're got funny waists. Look how tiny those are."

"Thank you," Brooke told her sarcastically. "Now I feel better."

"No, they're like freaks," Carmen told them. "A circus freak."

"The point is, Wyatt and Angel like Brooke and Carmen for the way they are," Alice told them. "Not for the girls of that time."

Buffy looked at the pictures longingly. "Must have been wonderful. Put on some fantabulous gown and go to a ball like a princess and have horses and servants. And yet more gowns."

Brooke smiled slightly. 'Yeah."

"Still, I think I prefer being able to vote," Willow told them.

"Or you will when you can," Alice told her.

They smiled.

Cordelia walked in, walking to the mirror. "So, Carmen. How was your date with Angel last night?"

"It was good," Carmen answered.

Cordelia pulled out her blush. "So, what's his story anyway? I mean, I never see him around."

Cordelia brushed some onto her cheeks

"Not during the day, anyway," Brooke told her.

"Oh, please," Cordelia told them. "Don't tell me he still lives at home. Like, he has to wait for his dad to get back before he can take the car?"

Cordelia put the blush away.

"Cordelia, I think his parents have been dead for a couple of hundred years," Carmen told her.

Cordelia touched up her lip gloss. "Oh, good. I mean..." She looked at them. "What?"

"Angel's a vampire," Carmen told her. "I thought you knew."

Cordelia turned back to the mirror. "Oh, he's a vampire." She put away the lip gloss. "Of course. But the cuddly kind. Like a Carebear with fangs?"

"It's true," Buffy told her.

Cordelia walked closer. "You know what I think?" She crossed her arms over her chest. "I just think you're trying to scare me off 'cause you're afraid of the competition. Look, Buffy, Brooke, Zoey, Alice, Carmen, Brady and Wyatt may be hot stuff when it comes to demonology or whatever, but when it comes to dating, I'm the Slayer."

Cordelia walked out. They watched her go.

∞

Ethan's Costume Shop

The store was full of mothers with their kids looking for Halloween costumes. The Scoobies were shopping for their mandatory costumes for that night.

Zoey was handling a plastic pumpkin when it suddenly lit up and screamed. She quickly put it back on the counter. The girls met up with the boys.

"What'd you guys get?" Brady asked. "I got Mad Hatter."

"Well, that's fitting," Xander told him.

"Especially since it appears Alice got Alice in Wonderland," Eric agreed.

Brady and Alice were surprised, looking at each other, impressed. The others smirked in amusement.

Zoey smiled, holding up a black outfit with a mask and toy sword.

Brady smiled. "Ninja?"

"Super hot assassin, actually," Zoey answered.

They smiled.

"Let's see," Eric told them. "Let's see. Carmen said that she wasn't gonna get a costume here. So she'd get one out. With Cordelia."

"Buffy and Brooke haven't decided yet," Brady told them. "Zoey's going as ninja." Zoey went to correct him, but Brady corrected himself. "Sorry. Assassin."

"Brady's Mad Hatter," Xander told them. "Alice's Alice in Wonderland. Eric's thinking about secret agent fighting guy. I'm thinking about full blown military. I got fatigues from an Army surplus at home. Call me the Two-Dollar Costume King, baby."

"I bet my sword could beat your gun," Zoey told him, raising the toy sword.

Xander raised the toy gun, shooting. "Doubt that, Super Ninja Zoey."

They both smiled.

"No, Carmen said she wanted to go as Morgan Le Fay," Brady told them. "But this shop doesn't have that costume. So she's going shopping with Cordelia to get that costume."

"Will?" Eric asked. "What about you?"

"A time-honored classic," Willow told them, holding up a ghost sheet costume.

"Okay, Will?" Brady asked. "Can I give you a little friendly advice?"

"It's not spooky enough?" Willow asked.

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

Xander smiled. "Free candy?"

"It's come as you aren't night," Brady told them.

Buffy nodded in agreement. "The perfect chance for a girl to get sexy and wild with no repercussions."

"Oh, I don't get wild," Willow told them. "Wild on me equals spaz."

"Don't underestimate yourself," Brooke told her. "You've got it in you."

Buffy was distracted by a costume, slowly walking over to it.

"Buffy?" Eric asked. They followed. "What's up?"

Buffy looked at a frilly red, billow 18th century gown. "I'm sorry, it's just... look a this."

"It's amazing," Alice told her, in awe.

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

Ethan Rayne walked toward the group, seeing that Brooke was looking at a Xena costume, steering her over to another costume like the one that Buffy was looking at, except the second dress was emerald green and from the 19th century. "Please, let me."

Ethan took the dresses off of its dressmaker's mannequins.

"Oh, they're..." Brooke trailed off.

"Magnificent," Ethan finished. "Yes, I know. There." He held the dresses up to Brooke and Buffy in a mirror. "My. Meet the hidden princesses. I think we found a match. Don't you?"

Brooke looked at him. "Oh, uh, I--I'm sorry. There's no way we could ever afford this."

"Oh, nonsense," Ethan told them. "I feel quite moved to make you a deal you can't refuse."

Buffy looked back into the mirror, taking the red dress from Ethan, smiling dreamily as she held it up to her chin. Brooke took the green dress, impressed.

∞

Spike's Warehouse

Spike was watching the video that the vampire took of the Summers siblings fighting the vampire. "Here it comes. Rewind that. Let's see that again." The vampire that had recorded the video rewound the tape. Spike strolled around to another monitor, chuckling. "They're tricky. Brooke likes to play. Just like Wyatt. You see that? The way they taught Brady to stake him with that thing? That's what's called resourceful. Play the video you took of Wyatt." The vampire did as told, showing another video where Wyatt was killing many vampires with magic. "Little brother Wyatt is a most resourceful part of that team, and yet he's never brought himself to kill me. That's why brotherhood is a bitch to him."

Drusilla walked in. "Miss Edith needs her tea."

Spike held out his hand toward Drusilla. "Come here, poodle."

Drusilla took his hand. "Do you love my insides? The parts you can't see?"

Spike smirked. "Eyeballs to entrails, my sweet. That's why I've got to study Wyatt and his Guardian. Once I know their moves, I can stop Wyatt's fighting to make him watch as I kill Brooke. And once I kill her, Wyatt can break down. And we can have our run of Sunnydale. Get you strong again."

"Don't worry," Drusilla told him. "Everything's switching. Outside to inside." She breathed at their neck. "It makes them weak."

"Really?" Spike asked. "Did my pet have a vision?"

"Do you know what I miss?" Drusilla asked. "Leeches."

"Come on, talk to Daddy," Spike told her. "This thing that makes them all weak? When is it?"

"Tomorrow," Drusilla answered.

"Tomorrow's Halloween," Spike pointed out. "Nothing happens on Halloween."

Drusilla smiled. "Someone's come to change it all. Someone new."

∞

Night - Ethan's Costume Shop - Backroom

Ethan walked through the curtain, kneeling before his statue of Janus. He pressed his hands together, wincing in pain. When he pulled them apart, there were wounds in his palms, and blood flowed freely from them. "The world that denies thee, thou inhabit." He dabbed the blood from his left hand, with his right middle finger, smearing it over his right eyelid. "The peace that ignores thee." He dabbed the blood from his right hand with his left middle finger, smearing it over his left eyelid. "Thou corrupt." He dabbed the blood from his left hand with his right middle finger, smearing a cross onto his forehead. "Chaos. I remain, as ever, thy faithful, degenerate son."

The camera panned over the top of the statue from the woman's face on one side to the man's face on the other.

∞∞

Day Three

Day - Chase Mansion - Carmen's Room

The girls were dressed up in their costumes.

As the assassin, Zoey's sleek black bodysuit hugged her athletic frame, its high-tech fabric both flexible and protective. Intricate patterns of dark gray embroidery snaked across the suit. A utility belt hung low on her hips, its many pouches concealing an array of prop weapons, including a collapsible bo staff, while her sword rested on a sheath on her back. Over the bodysuit, she wore a cropped leather jacket, its collar lined with soft fur that tickled her neck. She wore knee-high leather boots and a black cloth mask to conceal her face to complete the look.

As the noblewoman from the 19th century, Brooke's gown was a voluminous, silk taffeta gown in a rich shade of emerald green. The corset was made of deep blue silk with delicate floral embroidery in silver thread. Delicate lace trimmed the neckline and sleeves, which puffed slightly at the shoulders before tapering down to her wrists. Her skirt was a masterpiece of mid-19th century fashion. The rich, emerald green taffeta rustled softly with every movement, its voluminous shape supported by several petticoats and a wire cage crinoline underneath. The skirt was adorned with intricate ruching and delicate silk rosettes, cascading down in elegant tiers. A matching emerald green silk sash cinched her waist, tied in an elaborate bow at the back.

Brooke's hair was styled in an elegant updo, with soft curls framing her face. A delicate tiara of silver filigree and tiny pearls rested atop her head, completing the regal look. As she gazed at her reflection, she couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and trepidation.

Buffy's dress was similar yet in the red color from an earlier timeframe, and she wore a brunette wig instead of a tiara.

Alice was used to blending into the shadows, but tonight, she chose to embrace the whimsy of her namesake, Alice from Wonderland. The classic blue dress fell just above her knees, its fabric shimmering subtly in the light. The bodice was fitted, with delicate white lace trimming the sweetheart neckline and cap sleeves. A white pinafore overlay added authenticity to the look. Around her waist, a wide silver ribbon cinched the dress, tied in a perfect bow at the back. Her dark hair was styled in loose waves, held back by a silver velvet headband adorned with tiny, twinkling pearls.

Carmen's costume from the other store she went with Cordelia to, Morgan Le Fay, looked amazing. 

Carmen stood in a long, flowing gown that was a deep midnight blue, shimmering with subtle silver threads that caught the light like stars in a night sky. The fabric seemed to move with a life of its own, rippling and swirling around her legs as if caught in an otherworldly breeze. The bodice was intricately embroidered with Celtic knots and mystical symbols in silver and gold thread, each design holding a hidden meaning known only to those versed in ancient magic. A high collar framed her face, adorned with delicate silver filigree that resembled intertwining vines and leaves. Wide, dramatic sleeves hung from her arms, their edges trimmed with soft white fur that contrasted beautifully with the dark fabric. From her shoulders hung a cape of deep purple velvet, lined with a fabric that sparkled like a starry night sky.

Willow was in the bathroom changing.

"Where're you meeting Angel and Wyatt?" Zoey asked.

"I'm meeting Angel here after trick or treating," Carmen answered. "Everyone's gonna be out."

"Wyatt and I were gonna meet at the Bronze," Brooke answered.

"Does he know about your costume?" Zoey asked.

"No, Brooke hasn't told him," Buffy answered.

"Call it a blast from his past," Alice told them. "Brooke can show Wyatt she can coif with the best of them."

Zoey turned to the bathroom door. "Okay, Willow, come out. You can't hide in there all night."

"O--okay, but promise you guys won't laugh?" Willow asked.

The girls spoke together. "We promise."

Willow opened the door and came out wearing boots, a short, black leather skirt and a burgundy, long-sleeved, V-necked, midriff-baring top. She was uncomfortable, and quickly stepped over to her ghost sheet and picked it up.

Buffy smiled. "Wow. You're a dish." Willow tried to hide herself with the sheet. Zoey took it from her and tossed it aside. "I mean, really."

Willow was very uncomfortable and tried to cover herself with her arms. "But this just isn't me."

"And that's the point," Carmen told her, walking around Willow to show her the mirror. "Look, Halloween is the night that not you is you, but not you, you know?"

The doorbell rang.

"Oh, that's Brady, Eric and Xander," Brooke told them. "Are you guys okay?"

Willow was nervous. "Yeah. O--o--okay."

"Cool," Zoey told her. "I can't wait for the boys to go non-verbal when they see you."

∞

Foyer

Buffy, Brooke, Zoey, Alice and Carmen walked downstairs, opening the door for Brady, Eric and Xander, letting them in.

Brady's Mad Hatter costume was a riot of colors and patterns, each piece carefully chosen to embody the chaotic charm of Wonderland's most eccentric character. His blazer was a patchwork masterpiece, its panels a kaleidoscope of jewel tones - emerald green velvet, sapphire blue satin, and rich purple brocade. Golden buttons, each a different shape and size, marched down the front in a haphazard line. The lapels were adorned with an assortment of whimsical pins: a miniature teacup, a ticking pocket watch, and a grinning Cheshire cat. Beneath the jacket, Brady wore a waistcoat of sunshine yellow silk, embroidered with intricate swirls and dotted with tiny, glimmering sequins. His shirt was a crisp white, its collar exaggerated and slightly askew, giving him that perfectly messy look that was both charming and slightly chaotic. A giant, floppy bow tie, patterned with swirling reds and yellows, clashed spectacularly yet somehow harmonized with the rest of his ensemble. He completed the look with high-waisted trousers in a deep burgundy, cinched at the waist with a wide belt featuring an oversized, ornate buckle shaped like a playing card.

Eric had decided to go as a secret agent/commando hybrid, a choice that perfectly blended his analytical mind with his newfound role in the supernatural battles of Sunnydale. The base of his costume was a sleek, black tactical jumpsuit that hugged his lanky frame. It was made of a high-tech fabric that Eric had researched extensively, boasting both breathability and durability. Over this, he wore a utilitarian black vest adorned with numerous pockets and compartments. Each one was filled with an assortment of gadgets and tools - some props, others real devices he had cobbled together in his spare time. Around his waist was a heavy-duty belt, complete with a replica pistol holster on one side and a set of pouches on the other. The pouches contained a mix of fake spy gadgets and other prop weapons, completed with black combat boots.

Xander saluted with his toy rifle. "Private Harris, Mad Hatter Brady and Secret Agent Commando Guy Eric reporting for..."

Eric saw them in their costumes. "Brooke and Buffy. Ladies of Buffdom. Duchess of Brookonia."

Brady smiled. "Zoey. Killer of men in Zodom. Assassin of Zonia. Alice of course is perfect for Alice in Wonderland."

"And Carmen is killing is as Morgan Le Fay," Xander agreed. "I am in awe. I completely renounce spandex."

Alice smiled. "Thank you, kind sirs."

Zoey pointed the sword at Brady, Eric and Xander teasingly. "Show your ladies some respect."

The boys smiled, bowing.

Alice smiled. "But wait till you see..."

They turned to look up the stairs at Willow. She had put on the ghost sheet. It said 'BOO!' on the front in large bold letters. "Hi."

"Hey, Casper," Xander told her.

"Hey, Will," Eric told her. "That's a fine boo you got there."

The girls were disappointed.

Brady acted as the Mad Hatter. "Guys, we're terribly late, you know. Naughty, naughty."

They smiled in amusement.

∞

Sunnydale High School - Hallways

Children were arriving in costume to be taken trick or treating. Buffy was standing there holding a clipboard, waiting for her charges.

Snyder brought them to her. "This is your group, Summers. No need to speak to them. The last think they need is your influence. Just bring them back in one piece and I won't expel you."

Buffy looked at the kids. "Hi."

Snyder gave her a look. "Ah ah."

Buffy rolled her eyes.

Larry walked by Xander, dressed as a pirate. "Where's your friends, Harris? Beating up other guys, too busy to help you out?"

Larry jumped at Xander, making him flinch, laughing in his face, walking away. Xander aimed his rifle at him, but then dismissed him.

∞

Elsewhere

Oz was checking his guitar at his locker.

Cordelia walked up to him, wearing a tight fitting catsuit and cat ears. "Oz. Oz."

Oz looked up. "Hey, Cordelia. Jeez, you're like a great big cat."

"It's my costume," Cordelia told him. "Are you guys playing tonight?"

"Yeah, at the Shelter Club," Oz answered.

"Is Mr. I'm the lead singer, I'm so great I don't have to show up for my date or even call gonna be there?" Cordelia asked.

"Yeah, you know, he's just going by Devon now," Oz told her.

"Well, you can tell him that I don't care, and that I didn't even mention it," Cordelia told him. "And that I didn't even see you. So that's just fine."

Oz frowned. "So, what do I tell him?"

Cordelia gave him a look. "Nothing. Jeez, get with the program."

Cordelia walked off in a huff.

Oz nodded sarcastically. "Why can't I meet a nice girl like that?" Zoey walked down the hall, wearing her assassin mask. Oz turned around, bumping right into her. "Oh, I'm sorry."

Zoey chuckled apologetically. "Sorry."

"I'm sorry," Oz told her.

"Sorry," Zoey repeated.

Oz nodded in agreement. "Sorry."

They continued down the hall on their separate ways.

∞

Elsewhere

Eric was leading his group of kids. "Okay, on sleazing extra candy. Tears are key. Tears will normally get you the double-bagger. You can also try the old 'you missed me' routine, but it's risky. Only go there for chocolate. Understood?" They all nodded. "Okay, guys." Eric turned to face the hall. The kids followed his lead. "Let's move out."

∞

Night - Streets

A student dressed a vampire was escorting a group of kids. They walked by Brooke's group coming back from a house.

Brooke knelt down to see what they got. "What did Mrs. Davis give you?" The kids all pulled out toothbrushes. "She must be stopped. Let's hit one more house." Brooke stood. "We still have a few more minutes before I need to get you back."

∞

Ethan's Costume Shop - Backroom

Ethan was chanting a spell in Latin. "Janus, evoco vestram animam. Exaudi meam causam. Carpe noctem pro consilio vestro. Veni, appare et nobis monstra quod est infinita potestas."

Translation: Janus, I invoke your spirit. Hear my plea. Seize the night for your own reason. Come, appear and show to us that which is infinite power.

∞

Street

Willow was leading her kids along. "Come on, guys."

At a house, one of the kids wearing a green monster mask on his head rang the bell, stepping back. An old lady answered the door.

The kids spoke together. "Trick or treat."

"Oh, my goodness," the lady told them. "Aren't you adorable?"

∞

Ethan's Costume Shop - Backroom

Ethan continued his spell. "Persona se corpum et sanguium commutandum est. Vestra sancta praesentia concrescet viscera. Janus! Sume noctem!" Translation: The mask transforms itself into flesh and blood. Your holy presence curdles the heart. Janus! Take the night! Ethan raised his head. "Showtime."

∞

Street

Alice was leading her kids along. A wind began to blow. Alice sensed that something wasn't right.

∞

House - Outside

Willow's group was still getting candy with the lady.

The lady looked into her empty candy bucket. "Oh, dear. Am I all out? I could've sworn I had more candy." A kid wearing a red rubber camp with horns morphed into a horned, red skinned monster. "I'm sorry, mister monster. Maybe I--"

The kid with the green mask had changed into a monster also, grabbing the lady by the neck, beginning to choke her. The other kids screamed, running away.

Willow tried to stop the monster kids. "No, let her go." The red monster attacked the green one, making him let go of the lady, as the two monsters fought, at each other's throat. "Stop! What are you doing?"

The lady ran into the house, slamming the door shut. The two monsters kept fighting. Willow suddenly started to feel weak.

∞

Street

Xander was standing there, watching all the parents and children running around him. Things were being thrown, windows being broken. Xander jerked back like he had just been hit by something, looking down, lowering his toy gun, slowly looking up, looking around, raising his gun, which was very real now.

∞

House - Outside

Willow staggered a bit as the two monsters kept fighting, collapsing to the porch floor. "Oh, my God. I can't breathe. Please. Help me."

∞

Street

Eric was walking along. He jerked back like he had just been hit by something, looking down, lowering his toy weapons. He slowly straightened back up, surveying the scene around him, raising his weapons, which were now very real. He looked around for a target, not immediately finding one, holding his gun ready, ready to use his other weapons if he had to.

∞

House - Outside

Willow stood up out of her body, looking down at it, wearing only her sexy outfit now without the sheet. "Oh, my God, I'm a real ghost."

∞

Street

Zoey looked around at all the chaotic behavior around her, hidden by her mask, holding her sword ready. She heard machine gun firing, turning around, raising her sword threateningly, seeing Xander and Eric aiming their guns at her.

The three of them spoke together. "Who are you?"

"Get out of my way before I'm forced to hurt you," Zoey told them.

"Ninjas have a source of pride?" Xander asked.

"I'm an assassin," Zoey told them.

"Ninja, assassin, I don't care," Xander told her. "Didn't anyone tell you not to bring a sword to a gun fight?"

Zoey swung her sword toward both their guns, making them drop them. As they leaned down to pick the guns up, Zoey placed the tip of the sword to the ground, spinning to kick them both in the face, making them fall. Eric reached for a grenade from his suit of weapons. Zoey raised her sword to kill them.

Carmen and Willow ran toward them.

"Zoey, don't!" Carmen told her. "That's Xander and Eric." Zoey spun around, pointing her sword at them. Eric and Xander stood, aiming their guns. "It's us, Carmen and Willow."

"I don't know any Carmen or Willow," Xander told them.

"Xander, quit messing around," Carmen told him. "This is no time for jokes."

"What the hell's going on here?" Xander asked.

"You don't know us?" Carmen asked.

Eric lowered his weapons. "Ladies, I suggest you find cover."

Willow stood in front of her brother. "Eric, wait."

Eric walked right through her. They were all surprised by the experience. Zoey raised her katana over her head to point at Willow. Xander and Eric turned to point their weapons at Willow.

"What are you?" Xander asked.

Carmen stopped them from using their weapons against Willow. "Zoey, Xander, Eric, listen to me, we're on your side, I swear. Something crazy is happening. Willow was dressed as a ghost for Halloween, and now she is a ghost, and Xander was supposed to be a solider, and now I guess you're a real soldier."

Willow nodded in agreement. "And Eric was a secret agent commando guy, and now he really is, and Zoey was supposed to be a ninja, and now you're a real ninja."

"Assassin," Zoey corrected.

"Whatever," Carmen told her.

"You expect us to believe that?" Xander asked.

A monster appeared across the street, growling. Zoey slashed toward it. It ran away.

Willow jumped in front of Zoey. "No, no guns. No swords. That's still a little kid in there."

"Step out of the way," Xander told her.

"No guns!" Carmen told them. "No swords! That's an order!"

They lowered their weapons.

"We just need to find..." Willow trailed off. Alice and Brady were walking toward them from one direction, while Buffy and Brooke were walking closer from another. "Them."

Carmen and Willow ran toward them. Zoey, Eric and Xander exchanged a look, following.

"Buffy, Brooke," Carmen told them. "Brady, Alice, are you okay?"

Brady saw Alice, really being the Mad Hatter this time, smiling. "It's you. It's absolutely Alice. You're absolutely Alice. I'd know you anywhere. I'd know her anywhere."

"I'm not doing that again," Alice told him. "You're the Mad Hatter from my dreams. This is another... curious dream." The monster was back with a friend, and they both roared as they approached. Alice was terrified. "It's only a dream. Nothing can hurt me. Can't hurt me. Can't hurt me..."

Eric raised his weapons, taking aim. "This could be a situation."

Xander and Zoey raised their weapons.

"And what situation it is," Brady told them. "Some would say to survive it, you would have to be mad as a hatter. What luck, I am."

Buffy and Brooke fainted, falling to the ground.

∞∞

Xander and Eric fired off a couple dozen rounds at the approaching monsters. Eric threw grenades and other weapons to get them to run away before they could be killed by explosions. Zoey, Xander and Eric lowered their weapons.

Willow and Carmen knelt beside Buffy and Brooke, laying them up against a tree.

"Buffy, Brooke, are you all right?" Carmen asked.

"What?" Buffy asked.

"Are you hurt?" Xander asked.

"Buffy, Brooke, are you hurt?" Willow asked.

Buffy and Brooke sat up. "Buffy? Brooke?"

Willow sighed. "They're not Buffy and Brooke, just like that's not Zoey, Eric, Xander, Alice and Brady."

Buffy, Brooke, Zoey, Alice, Brady, Eric and Xander spoke together, asking who was Zoey, Buffy, Brooke, Alice, Eric, Xander and Brady.

Brady laughed manically. "Oh, this is fun. We should go for a run. Ooh, I've just made a rhyme." He stroked Alice's hair. "I would very much like to hat your head. I used to hat the white queen, you know, but there wasn't very much for me to work with. Poor dear, her head is so small. But the red queen, her head is terribly large head, and I've hatted for her as well."

"What year is this?" Alice asked.

Xander and Eric helped Brooke and Buffy stand.

"1775, I believe," Buffy told them, confused, hyperventilating. "I--I don't understand. Who are you?"

"We're friends," Carmen told them.

"Friends of whom?" Brooke asked. "Y--your dress... Everything is strange! How did I come to be here?"

"Breathe, okay, breathe," Xander told them. "You're gonna faint again."

Willow looked at Carmen. "How are we supposed to get through this without Gypsy Zoey, the Slayer and Guardians?"

"I'm not a gypsy," Zoey told them. "And what's a Slayer? Or Guardian?"

A monster walked around the tree behind them, roaring, fangs bared and claws raised to attack. Buffy, Brooke and Alice screamed, backing away.

Zoey jumped in to kick the monster across the face into a utility pole, grabbing the pole, flipping up, letting herself fall onto the monster, knocking it down and out.

"I suggest we get inside before we come across anything--" Eric started.

Buffy screamed. "A demon! A demon!" She hid behind Eric. "A demon!"

A sport utility vehicle came driving down the street with its headlights on.

"That's not a demon," Carmen told her. "It's a car."

"What does it want?" Brooke asked.

"Are these women insane?" Zoey asked.

Brady laughed hysterically. "Well, I am."

"They've never seen a car," Willow told them.

"They've never seen a car?" Xander repeated.

"Buffy, Brooke and Alice are from the past, Brady's from another world," Carmen explained.

Eric looked at Willow. "You're a ghost." He looked at Carmen. "Witch." He looked at Zoey. "Ninja."

"Assassin," Zoey corrected.

A teenage boy was yelling for help. They looked toward the noise, seeing a fully grown man with his face scrunched and having fangs approach Oz, his face hidden by the case. "Help!"

"Can I kill him?" Zoey asked.

"Yes, that's a vampire," Willow answered. "A real vampire." Xander and Eric raised their guns. Willow stopped them. "Guns won't work."

∞

Alley

(Song:) How She Died - Treble Charger

The song was playing from inside the building the alley was behind. Running toward him, Zoey slashed toward the vampire. He tilted back to make her miss. Zoey swung again, spinning through the air, slashing down the middle of his skull, taking it out and slashing into his neck, spinning as she did so to add strength, decapitating him. The vampire turned into ash.

Oz looked toward her, but hadn't seen anything. "Who are you?" Zoey pulled the mask off forcefully, looking at him. Oz recognized her. Zoey turned around, walking out of the alley. Oz watched her go, stunned and confused, looking around for his attacker, but hadn't known that Zoey had killed him or that he was a vampire. Oz looked toward the direction Zoey went. "Who is that girl?"

(Song Ends)

∞

Street

Zoey walked toward the other Scoobies.

"Now let's get inside," Carmen told them.

"I just want you to know that I'm taking a lot on faith here," Xander told them. "Where do we go?"

Carmen had to think. "Where's the closest... We can go to my house."

∞

Chase Mansion - Living Room

The Scoobies arrived, walking in.

Eric scanned the room. "All clear."

Willow called out. "Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Chase?" There was no response. "Good, they're gone."

Xander closed the door.

"Where are we?" Alice asked.

"My place," Carmen answered. "Now we just need to..."

There was a banging at the front door. They went to investigate.

"Don't open it," Alice told them fearfully.

"Could be a civilian," Xander told her.

"Or a mini demon," Alice told them. "No, this can't--can't be real. I'm still dreaming. If this is some sort of prank, I am not amused."

"Have you any idea why a raven is like a writing desk?" Brady asked.

"What?" Alice asked. "I give up on your riddles."

Brady smiled. "I haven't the slightest idea."

Alice was slightly amused. "I'll miss you when I wake up."

Eric pointed at Brady. "Is this guy insane?"

"Very," Brady answered, laughing maniacally.

"Stop that," Zoey told him.

Brady stopped laughing, looking sheepish, shamed but amused, obviously wanting to laugh again.

Buffy noticed a picture on a table and walked over to look. She picked it up, and sees it was of the Scoobies. She turned around. "This... this could be us."

"It is you," Carmen told them.

"Guys, can't you remember at all?" Willow asked.

"No," Brooke answered. "I don't understand any of this. Uh, uh, this... these are other people."

Buffy put the picture back. "We would never wear this. That low apparel. I don't like this place. I don't like you."

"I just want to go home," Brooke told them.

"Brooke couldn't have gone with the Xena costume that she was looking at?" Willow asked.

Xander and Eric scanned the outside through one of the small windows in the door. They moved away just as a monster punched through the glass and reached for them. It pulled its hand back as Xander and Eric raised their guns.

"Not a civilian," Zoey told them.

Xander and Eric started to fire. "Affirmative."

Brady spoke in a fake deep voice. "To hell with this creatures."

Brady started to laugh again.

Eric and Xander let loose a volley of bullets, looking at Brady, annoyed by his laugh. "Shut up!"

Carmen and Willow winced at the noise. Buffy, Brooke and Alice bowed their heads, covering their ears.

Zoey rolled away from the door, banging the sword against the frame of the house, looking at the others. "Big noise scare monster, remember?"

"Got it," Brady told them.

They heard Cordelia screaming outside.

Xander looked out again. "Damn it!"

Carmen knew her sister was in danger again, running out of the house, pulling the door closed behind her. "Cordelia!"

"Surely she will not desert us?" Buffy asked.

Zoey shook her head. "Whatever."

Willow rolled her eyes and headed into the living room. Zoey ran outside.

∞

Outside

Carmen ran outside.

Cordelia was running from a Sasquatch, screaming. "Somebody help me!" She looked back at the monster chasing her, screaming, turning back, running into Zoey and Carmen. "Zoey! Carmen! Help me!"

"Get inside," Zoey told them.

The Sasquatch roared, slashing toward them. Zoey landed on the ground in front of them, having a pair of nunchucks, swinging them expertly to block every move he did. Carmen used her power to throw the monster away, freezing him on the ground with her power so that she could grab Zoey and Cordelia by their arms, pulling them inside at a run.

∞

Inside - Living Room

They ran inside. Eric closed the door.

"Cordelia," Carmen told her.

"Wait a..." Cordelia trailed off. "What's going on?"

"Okay, your name is Cordelia, you're not a cat, you're in high school, Carmen's your sister, and we're your friends," Willow told her. "Well, sort of."

"That's nice, Willow," Cordelia told her. "And you went mental when?"

"You know us?" Carmen asked.

"Yeah," Cordelia answered. "Lucky me. What's with the name game?"

"A lot is going on," Alice told them.

"No kidding," Cordelia told them. "I was just attacked by Jo-Jo, the Dog-Faced Boy. Look at my costume!" She showed the torn sleeve. "Do you really think that Partytown's gonna give me my deposit back? Not on the likely."

Xander had taken his shirt off and put it around her shoulders. "Here."

"Thanks," Cordelia told him.

"Okay, you guys stay here while Will and I get some help," Carmen told them. "If something tries to get in, just fight it off."

Brady nodded in agreement. "Come, come, we simply must commence with the slaying and such." He took out his frozen pocketwatch. "Therefore, it is high time for time to forgive and forget. Or forget and forgive, whichever comes first. Or in any case, most convenient. I'm waiting."

"I'm not slaying anything," Alice told him. "I don't slay, so put it out of your mind."

Brady mimicked her. "Mm, mind. You 'don't slay'."

"I couldn't if I wanted to," Alice told him.

"Alice, don't get me started on the irony of you saying that you couldn't slay anything if you wanted to," Carmen told her.

Cordelia was getting more confused by the second.

"Well, Alice is right," Brooke told them.

"It's not our place to fight," Buffy told them. "Uh, surely some men will protect us."

"What's that riff?" Cordelia asked.

"I--it's like amnesia, okay?" Willow asked. "They don't know who they are. Just sit tight."

Willow and Carmen walked away.

"Who died and made them the boss?" Cordelia asked.

Willow walked through the wall behind Cordelia. Carmen left via magic. Alice, Brooke, Buffy stared in wide-eyed amazement.

"That is impossible," Alice told them.

Brady smiled. "Only if you believe it is."

"You're mad," Alice told him.

Brady laughed hysterically, dragging himself back from the edge of hysteria. "I'm fine. Really, I'm fine."

∞

Street

Several monsters were chasing people down in the street past Spike.

Spike smiled. "Well, this is just... neat."

∞

Chase Mansion - Living Room

Xander, Eric and Zoey were leading the others, protecting them.

Eric looked at Cordelia. "You. Check upstairs. Make sure everything's locked up."

Xander positioned a chair to help hold the table they had upended against the window in place. Cordelia walked upstairs.

"Surely there's somewhere we can go," Buffy told them. "A safe haven."

"Ladies said stay put," Eric told her.

"You would take orders from two women?" Brooke asked. "A--are you feeble in some way?"

"Ma'ams, in the army, we have a saying," Xander told them. "Sit down and shut the..." He trailed off when he saw a picture on the floor. "Whoa."

They picked the picture up, looking at the picture of the Scoobies.

"They must be right," Zoey told them. "We must have some kind of amnesia."

"I don't know what that is, but I'm certain I don't have it," Brooke told them. "I bathe quite often."

"How do you explain this?" Eric asked.

"I don't!" Buffy told them. "I was brought up a proper lady. I--I wasn't meant to understand things. I'm just meant to look pretty, and then someone nice will marry me. Possibly a Baron."

Zoey looked at Brady, Buffy and Brooke. "This ain't no tea party." Brady was a little offended by that because the Mad Hatter loved tea parties. Zoey looked at Alice. "This isn't a dream, either. Sooner or later, you're gonna have to fight."

"Fight these low creatures?" Brooke asked, snotty. "I'd sooner die."

Brooke crossed her arms over her chest.

"Then you'll die," Xander told her.

Brady was overwhelmed with all of this because of the thought that he wasn't living his real life, having amnesia. "My life isn't real. How could I not be real?"

Brady used scissors to furiously rip up his hat. Suddenly enraged, Brady slammed both hands on the table. Everything went falling off. Brady cursed in Outlandish, cursing faster and faster. Everyone watched in surprise and concern.

Alice took the scissors from him to stop him, turning his head to look at her, seeing the fear in his eyes, looking at him sympathetically. "Hatter."

Brady was truly fearful. "Have I gone mad?"

Alice tried to comfort him. "I'm afraid so. You're mad. Entirely bonkers. Off your head. But I'll tell you a secret. All the best people are."

The others were impressed, moved by that.

Angel walked in from the kitchen. "Oh, good. You guys are all right. It's total chaos out there."

Zoey, Buffy, Brooke, Brady, Alice, Eric and Xander looked at him. "Who are you?"

∞

Sunnydale High School - Library

Giles, Wyatt and Layla were going through research, hearing yelling and sirens outside, looking up.

"What's going on out there?" Layla asked. They saw Willow come through the wall and Carmen walk in through the door, jumping in complete surprise, letting their research fly all over the place. "Jeez!"

"Hi," Carmen told them.

They calmed down. "Uh... ah... huh."

∞

Chase Mansion - Living Room

Angel looked at everyone. "Okay, somebody wanna fill me in?"

"Do you live here?" Xander asked.

"No," Angel answered. "And you know that. Guys, I'm lost here. You..." He noticed that Buffy was wearing a brunette wig and Brady was wearing a red one for their costumes, but while they were turned into their costumes, the wigs were very real. "What's up with your hair?"

Cordelia walked in. "They don't know who they are, everyone's turned into a monster, it's a whole big thing." She smiled. "How are you?"

The lights went out. Buffy grabbed Eric in fright.

"Do you mind?" Eric asked.

Buffy let go of Eric.

Zoey looked at Angel. "You take the princesses, Alice and Hatter. Secure the kitchen. Catwoman. Military man. Special agent guy. You're with me."

"Hey," Xander told her. "Since when do assassins do anything except for follow orders?"

"They only follow orders when they're paid," Eric told him. "Every other time? They give them."

∞

Kitchen

Buffy, Brooke, Brady, Alice and Angel walked into the kitchen.

"But I don't wanna go with you," Brooke told him.

"I like the special agent man with the many weapons," Buffy told him.

"Come on," Angel told them.

"Do you have weapons?" Brooke asked.

Angel saw that the kitchen door was open. "I didn't leave that open."

Angel quietly made way toward the door, looking around for an intruder, closing the door.

The basement door behind Buffy opened. A vampire attacked her. Buffy tried to push the door closed on him.

Brooke, Alice and Brady turned to help.

Angel grabbed the vampire, wrestling him to the floor. It was the student escort in a vampire costume.

"A stake!" Angel called.

"A what?" Brooke asked.

"Get me a stake!" Angel told them. They looked around, grabbing knives they saw on the counter. "Hurry up!"

Angel turned to look what was keeping them, shifted in his vampire visage.

Alice and Brady backed away in surprise.

Buffy and Brooke screamed, running for the door.

Angel called after them futilely. "Buffy! Brooke, no! Alice, Brady, stop them!"

Alice and Brady ran after them to try to stop them, but they were already well way ahead of them.

∞

Sunnydale High School - Library

Carmen and Willow were explaining to Wyatt, Giles and Layla. They were researching.

"I don't even know what we're looking for," Willow told them.

"Plus you can't turn the page," Wyatt told her. "Okay. All right. Let's... let's review. Um, so everybody became whatever they were dressed up as. Buffy was a 18th century girl. Brooke is a 19th century girl, too. Zoey's an assassin. And she keeps correction you guys whenever you call her a ninja. Alice is Alice from Wonderland. Brady is Mad Hatter. Eric is an elite special agent commando man. Xander is a soldier. Carmen's dressed up as Morgan Le Fay. But she's herself. And Willow, you... Willow's a ghost. Do I have everything covered?" They nodded. "Yeah. Okay. Um... Willow? Ghost of what? Exactly?"

Willow covered her midriff with her arms.

"Well, that's nothing," Layla told them. "Carmen said Cordelia is worse. A unitard with cat things. Like ears. And stuff. Good Lord. Uh, she became an actual cat?"

Wyatt frowned. "No. They said she was the same old Cordelia. Just in a cat costume. She didn't change. Carmen didn't either."

"No," Layla agreed. "They didn't. Which begs the question. Why didn't they change?"

"Hold on," Wyatt told them. "Carmen, didn't you say that you and Cordelia went to another place? Different from the others?"

"Partytown," Carmen answered. "We got our costumes from Partytown."

Wyatt nodded. "And everyone who changed? You guys got your costumes where?"

"We all got ours at a new place," Willow answered. "Ethan's."

∞

Alley

Buffy and Brooke ran between all the trash that was piled up.

∞

Another Alley

Brady and Alice were searching for Buffy and Brooke.

"The entire world is falling to ruin," Brady told her.

"We'll all lose our heads," Alice fretted.

"I've already lost mine," Brady told her, laughing crazily.

Alice sighed worriedly. "Oh, I wish I'd wake up."

"You still think this is a dream?" Brady asked.

"Well, it can't possibly be real," Alice told him. "This has all come from my own mind."

"Which would mean that I'm not real?" Brady asked in amusement.

Alice shook her head. "No, I'm sorry to say. You're just a figment of my imagination I would dream up someone who's half-mad."

"But you'd have to be half-mad to dream me up," Brady replied.

Alice managed a small smile. "I must be, then."

They took each other by the hand, looking at each other, smiling slightly, secure in the comfort of their own mutual madness. Brady burst into an enthusiastic dance, pulling Alice into the wild, joyous dance, and when it was done, he kissed her passionately at last. Alice was surprised but returned the kiss. They pulled away, looking at each other, smiling. Alice laughed lightly. They walked along, continuing to search for Buffy and Brooke.

∞

Street

The others were searching for Brady, Alice, Buffy and Brooke. Zoey, Eric and Xander had their weapons raised and ready.

"Are you sure they came this way?" Xander asked.

"No," Angel answered.

"They'll be okay," Eric told them.

"Alice, Brady, Buffy and Brooke would be okay," Angel corrected. "Whoever they are now? They're helpless. Come on."

The camera panned away behind a tree where Spike was hiding and overhearing their conversation, turning to the child monsters Willow had been chaperoning. "Do you hear that, my friends? Somewhere out there is the tenderest meat you've ever tasted, and all we have to do is find them first."

∞

Alley

Buffy and Brooke had stopped running, leaning against each other for support, looking around in fear.

∞∞

Buffy and Brooke looked around, trying to decide what to do, lifting their skirts a bit, starting to walk, turning around to look behind them, taking a few steps backward, turning back around, seeing Larry the pirate in front of them, startled.

Larry smiled widely, showing rotten teeth. "Pretty, pretty!"

Buffy and Brooke turned to run away. Larry gave chase.

∞

Ethan's Costume Shop

Willow, Carmen, Wyatt, Layla and Giles arrived, looking around.

"Hello?" Layla called. "Anyone home?" She saw the curtain to the back room partially open. "Rupert. Willow. Carmen. Wyatt.."

They slowly walked in, seeing the statue of Janus there. Its eyes glowed green.

"Janus," Giles explained. "Roman mythical god."

"We have to go out there," Wyatt told them worriedly. "With everyone out there not knowing who they are, they're all in danger."

"Zoey, Xander and Eric have protected them pretty well, Wyatt," Layla told him. "But you're right. We should get out there." She realized what Wyatt was worried about. "Brooke doesn't know she's a Guardian. And with Spike still out there. After you two. You're worried Spike's gonna go after Brooke. To get to you."

"Yeah," Wyatt answered. "So can we get out there now?"

Layla stood, grabbing her jacket. "We'll be fine out there, Rupert. Do you think that you can handle Ethan yourself? I could go with you. I mean... if you need any help."

"That's not necessary, Layla," Giles told her. "I'll handle Ethan myself."

Layla gestured to the statue. "But what does this mean?"

"Primarily the division of self," Giles answered. "Male and female. Light and dark."

Ethan walked in. "Chunky and creamy. Oh, no, sorry, that's peanut butter."

Giles looked at Ethan as if he had seen a ghost. "Willow. Carmen. Wyatt. Layla. Get out of here. Now."

"Rupert..." Layla trailed off.

"Now," Giles told them. "Help the others. They need your help more than I." Willow, Carmen, Wyatt and Layla nodded, leaving. "Hello, Ethan."

Ethan smirked. "Hello, Ripper."

∞

Alley

Larry was still chasing Brooke and Buffy, making them trip and fall, their gowns billow out around them, grabbing Buffy, pushing her against a crate, pushing her hair away from her frightened face, moving in to kiss her.

Eric came running, tackling Larry away from Buffy down to the pavement, standing, pulling Larry up, into a metal warehouse door, punching him in the face and gut. Larry pushed Eric off, into the opposite alley wall, punching him in the gut. Eric grabbed his arm, pulling it behind his back, forcing him to bend over, kneeing him in the stomach.

Zoey, Alice, Brady, Xander, Angel and Cordelia ran toward Buffy and Brooke, helping them up.

"Buffy?" Angel asked. "Brooke? Are you okay?"

Buffy and Brooke saw Angel, yelping, cowering behind a box.

"What's your deal?" Cordelia asked. "Take a pill!"

Larry attacked Xander with his pirate's sword.

Xander ducked. "Ninja with the sword would be helpful right about now."

Larry raised his sword toward Xander. Zoey spun, kicking into Larry's back. Larry turned to Zoey, slashing forward. Zoey sidestepped, maneuvering her sword, twisting his to make him drop it. Larry ran toward her. Lowering to the ground, Zoey spun, her leg kicking his out from underneath him, standing, raising the sword, about to stab him in the skull.

Xander raised his voice to stop her from killing him. "Enough!"

"Zoey!" Angel told her. "Enough!"

Zoey stopped, the blade merely an inch from Larry's forehead.

Buffy looked at Angel. "He's--he's a vampire."

Cordelia looked at Angel. "They've got this thing where they think..." She grew exasperated. "Uh, forget it." She looked at Buffy and Brooke. "It's okay. Angel is a good vampire. He would never hurt you."

Brooke slowly stood. "Really?"

"Absolutely," Cordelia answered. "He's our friend."

Buffy stood.

Angel walked over to where Xander and Eric were fighting Larry.

Xander punched Larry, sending him into the pile of trash and a stack of boxes. Several boxes fell off of the top and onto him. He was unconscious.

"It's strange," Eric told them. "But beating up that pirate gave me a weird sense of closure."

Willow, Carmen, Wyatt and Layla came running down the alley from the other end. "Guys!"

Angel sighed in relief. "Carmen." Carmen stopped next to him. "Willow. Wyatt. Layla."

"Guys, we gotta get inside," Carmen told them.

They followed their gaze to see a monster gang coming, led by Spike.

"We need a triage," Zoey told them.

Angel pointed the other way. "This way! Find an open warehouse."

Xander turned and picked up his rifle. "Ladies, we're on the move!"

They quickly walked down the alley. When Eric noticed that Buffy was hurt because of Larry, he lifted her up, carrying her away, following the others. The monsters and Spike walked after them at a quick, deliberate pace.

∞

Ethan's Costume Store - Backroom

Ethan paced around the room. "What? No hug? Aren't you pleased to see your old mate, Rupert?"

"I'm just surprised I didn't guess it was you," Giles admitted. "This Halloween stunt stinks of Ethan Rayne."

"Yes, it does, doesn't it?" Ethan asked. "Don't wish to blow my own trumpet, but it's genius. The very embodiment of 'be careful what you wish for'."

Giles glared at him. "It's sick. Brutal. And it harms the innocent."

"Oh, and we all know that you are the champion of innocents and all things pure and good, Rupert," Ethan replied. "It's quite a little act you've got going here, old man."

Giles shook his head. "It's no act. It's who I am."

"Who you are?" Ethan repeated. "The Watcher, sniveling, tweed-clad, father of the Guardian of the Slayer and their kin? I think not. I know who you are, Rupert, and I know what you're capable of. But they don't, do they? They have no idea where you come from. Not even your little daughter Alice. Not even your little friend Layla. I mean, it was so long ago, long before Alice was born. So of course your daughter wouldn't know, or anyone else for that matter."

"Break the spell, Ethan," Giles told him angrily. "Then leave this place and never come back."

"Why should I?" Ethan asked. "What's in the bargain for me?"

"You get to live," Giles answered.

Ethan looked at him mockingly. "Oh, Rupert, you're scaring me."

Giles punched Ethan in the stomach with his left hand, making him double over, following up with a right punch to the face.

∞

Alley

Angel had gotten ahead of the others, finding an opened warehouse. "Over here!"

∞

Warehouse

Everyone hurried inside.

Xander closed the door. "Check if there are any other ways in!"

Eric set Buffy back down on her feet next to Brooke. "Just stay here."

The monsters arrived and started pounding on the door from outside. Layla used her powers to try to defend the warehouse as much as she could.

Brooke pointed at Wyatt and Layla. "What are they? More witches?"

"Wyatt's a witch, yes," Carmen answered. "Layla's a gypsy. Zoey's mother."

Zoey looked at Layla in surprise, not sure to believe that or not. She had a sword in own hand, the nunchucks in the other.

"Zoey, you can't kill them," Willow told her.

"I have to protect all of you," Zoey replied.

Buffy was holding on tightly to Cordelia.

"Oh, faboo, more clinging," Cordelia said sarcastically.

The monsters started to break through the magical barrier.

"Go!" Layla told the others. "Run!"

They all started running again. The grates fell to the floor as two monsters came in and pushed the barrels aside. Spike followed them in and looked around. He led the monsters off after the others.

∞

Ethan's Costume Shop - Backroom

Ethan was on the floor, severely beaten up. "And you said the Ripper was long gone."

Giles used a cloth to clean his hands. "Tell me how to stop the spell."

"Say pretty please," Ethan replied.

Giles kicked Ethan hard in the kidney, making him yell out in pain.

∞

Warehouse

The monsters had caught up to the Scoobies, having them restrained. Monsters were making sure that Wyatt, Carmen and Layla couldn't use their powers by holding their arms behind their backs, since their powers mostly came from their hands.

Spike slowly closed in on Brooke, who backed away trembling. "Are you watching this, Wyatt? Look at your girl. Shaking. Terrified. Alone. Lost little lamb." Brooke had backed up against a crate, not able to go any further. Spike slapped her across the face with the back of his hand. "I love it."

Wyatt struggled to get free. "Spike, don't! Brooke!"

Spike smirked, taking his time to taunt his brother, putting his left hand around Brooke's throat, pushing her backward onto the crate, stroking his forehead with his right hand to infuriate Wyatt, grabbing Brooke's hair, closing in for the bite.

∞

Ethan's Costume Shop - Backroom

Giles kicked Ethan in the side. "Now, tell me how to stop the spell."

"Janus," Ethan answered. "Break its statue."

Giles grabbed the statue, lifting it over his head to smash it.

∞

Warehouse

Wyatt magically broke free from the real vampires holding him, holding his hands toward them, using orange magical waves to set them ablaze, making them fall to ashes.

Layla and Carmen broke free from the monsters holding them, but couldn't kill the others because they weren't monsters, just kids and teenagers and adults changed by Ethan's spell.

Zoey turned to the side toward a machine, walking along up the, flipping out of the grasp of the monsters and punched one in the face, the other in the gut, pushing the second monster into the first.

Spike closed in on Brooke.

Wyatt turned his attention to Spike. "Now I can kill you."

Wyatt used his power to cause Spike great pain before he could bite and kill Brooke, causing him to double over in pain. Zoey grabbed her sword, throwing it like a disk toward Spike's neck to decapitate him.

∞

Ethan's Costume Shop - Backroom

Giles threw the statue hard to the floor, smashing it into tiny pieces.

∞

Warehouse

The sword turned into a toy sword and hit the back of Spike's neck, falling to the floor. Spike turned to give Zoey a 'seriously' look.

Zoey frowned. "What the..."

The monsters had all turned back into children and student escorts. The kids were frightened, and began to cry and complain.

"I'm scared!" a kid cried. "I want my mommy!"

Everyone remembered who they were and what they could do.

Buffy, in Eric's arms, stood straight, pulling her wig off, tossing it down, looking at Eric, smiling, winking. "Hi, honey. I'm home."

Wyatt pulled Spike away from Brooke, punching him in the gut, twice in the face, kicking him in the chest. Brooke spun closer, using her red Guardian energy to send Spike flying away from her and Wyatt, making him stagger back into a set of mobile stairs.

Brady took off his Mad Hatter hat, throwing it into a vampire that ran toward him, taking off the red wig. The vampire swung a pipe toward Brady. Brady caught it, pulling him around into a crate, using the pipe like a quarterstaff, swinging it into his jaw, jabbing him in the stomach. Alice used her red Guardian energy to levitate herself up onto the crate above the vampire, using her energy to grind him into dust within seconds.

"You know what?" Brooke asked. "It's good to be back."

Buffy picked up a pipe, spinning around to slam it into another vampire's chin from underneath, making him fly back into a crate and slid to the floor, breaking off a piece of the wooden crate, flipping it through the air, throwing it into the vampire's heart to kill him, dusting him.

Zoey took off her necklace that blocked her powers, glowing with purple powers that she sent out to the rest of the vampires surrounding them, sending them flying back into Layla and Carmen, who both helped Zoey kill the vampires with waves of power.

∞

Ethan's Costume Shop - Backroom

Giles looked behind him, seeing that Ethan was gone.

∞

Warehouse

No that the only vampire left was Spike, he stood, growling at Brooke and Wyatt, making a hasty retreat. Buffy dropped the pipe, turning to the others. Everyone walked closer.

"Hey, guys," Alice told them. "Welcome back."

"Yeah," Brady agreed. "You guys, too."

"You guys remember what happened?" Layla asked.

"It was way creepy," Zoey told them. "It's like I was there, but I couldn't get out."

"Yeah, I know the feeling," Cordelia told them. "This outfit's totally skintight."

Wyatt walked up to Brooke. "You okay?"

"Yeah," Brooke answered. "You? After another run in with your brother after he tried to kill me to try to get you to go dark side?"

"Dealing," Wyatt answered. "I'm not the one that he tried to kill. Just making sure he won't have another chance."

Wyatt put his arm around Brooke's shoulders. They walked away.

Carmen walked up to Angel.

"You did good out there," Angel told her.

"You didn't do too bad yourself," Carmen replied.

Angel chuckled. "Come on. Let's get out of here."

They smiled slightly, walking away, hand in hand.

Eric looked at Buffy. "Really glad you're back."

"You, too," Buffy told him. "And glad to be back."

Eric smirked. "Me too."

"You were pretty badass when I couldn't be," Buffy told him. "You saved me, Eric. You took care of me."

"Yeah, well, you've saved me more times I can count," Eric told her. "I had some catching up to do."

Buffy and Eric smiled, walking away together, arms around each other, looking at each other, slowly and passionately kissing, pulling away as they left together.

"Hello?" Cordelia asked. "It felt like I was talking, my lips were moving and..."

Xander shook his head. "Give it up, Cordy. You're never gonna get between those couples. Believe me. I know."

Layla gestured to the kids. "Well, I guess you better get them back to their parents."

Zoey looked around. "Yeah, everybody seems to... Where's Willow?"

∞

House - Outside

Outside the house where Willow had collapsed, the camera panned up from the pumpkin over to her. Willow woke up, getting up, pulling the ghost sheet off. She was out of breath, realizing how she was dressed, starting to put the sheet back on, but thought better of it, throwing it into a trashcan as she walked off the porch, leaving.

∞

Street

Alice was walking down the street.

Brady walked after her. "Alice, hey."

Alice turned to face him, smiling slightly. "Which Brady am I talking to? Mad Hatter or sane hunter?"

"Just regular Brady," Brady answered. "We all remember what happened. The way things went."

"Yeah," Alice answered. "We were pretty close, considering I was Alice from Wonderland and you were Mad Hatter."

Brady nodded in agreement. "Very close. I just didn't want anything to be weird after..."

"After we kissed?" Alice finished.

"Yeah," Brady answered. "I mean, it wasn't us. I get it if you feel weird about it."

"I don't feel weird about it," Alice answered.

"Really?" Brady asked. "Then how do you feel about it?"

Alice looked at Brady for a moment, stepping closer. They looked at each other, smiling slightly. Alice leaned closer to kiss him slowly but passionately. They continued to kiss for a long moment, in each other's arms.

∞

Summers House - Brooke's Room

Wyatt was lounging on the bed.

Brooke opened the door, walking in, wearing pajamas. "Tada. Just little old 20th century me."

"Sure you're okay?" Wyatt asked.

"I'll live," Brooke answered, walking over to him.

Wyatt sat up. "Brooke, tell me something. Did you think I'd like you better dressed that way?"

"No," Brooke answered. "No, I was gonna go with a Xena costume, but Ethan convinced me to get a costume like Buffy's."

Wyatt nodded in understanding. "So the guy behind all this could make sure that the Guardian couldn't be able to defend herself."

"Yeah," Brooke answered. "But I had to admit, I was curious about being a real girl, the kind of fancy girl you liked when you were my age." Wyatt laughed at something ironic. "What?"

"I hated the girls back then," Wyatt answered. "Especially the noble women."

Brooke was surprised, amused. "You did?"

Wyatt nodded. "They were just incredibly dull, simpering morons. I always wished I could meet someone exiting." He met her gaze. "Interesting."

Brooke smiled slightly. "Really? Interesting how?"

"You know how," Wyatt replied.

"Still, I had a really hard day," Brooke told him. "You should probably tell me."

Wyatt smiled, drawing nearer. "You're right. I should."

Brooke leaned closer. "Definitely."

They kissed gently yet passionately. Brooke cradled his face in her hands.

∞

Day Four

Morning - Ethan's Costume Store

The place had been emptied.

Giles walked in, toward the main counter, looking around, seeing a note propped up on another counter, going over to it, picking it up to read.

Be seeing you...