𝐓𝐄𝐍 — halloween

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* 　　 *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

October 1984

𝐁𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐀 woke up to the ringing of her usual six-thirty a.m. alarm. turning over on her side, she reached over and turned off the alarm. after running a hand through her beautiful brunette hair, she sat up in the bed, stretched and yawned.

after getting out of bed, she turned on her radio, made her bed, and hummed along to the music, as she headed to the closet and pulled her outfit for the day, which consisted of a light blue sweater, blue jeans, and converse. after she was dressed for the day, she spritzed on a little bit of perfume, then grabbed her backpack and walked down the stairs.

"good morning." bella smiled as she walked into the kitchen and served herself a glass of orange juice.

"morning sweetheart." janet smiled as she sipped her coffee. "want some breakfast?"

"no thanks mom." bella smiled as she joined her parents at the table.

john sipped his coffee, and closed the newspaper. "you and dutch going out again tonight?"

bella nodded as she set her orange juice glass down. "yes, we have the halloween dance. i'm helping ali set up for it. i won't be home right away." she glanced to her brothers who were seated across from her. "you two have a halloween party right?"

wyatt nodded as he set his coffee cup down. "yeah, it's up in encino. you and the girls coming?"

bella shook her head as she set her orange juice glass down. "susan and barbara will probably go. ali for a fact won't go, as she's never been a party person."

"have you decided what you're dressing up as?" janet asked

"probably a princess." bella said. "ali and i went shopping for costumes yesterday after school."

john set the newspaper down, then leaned back in the chair, and held the coffee mug with one hand. "i've been meaning to ask, how's dutch treating you? does he still walk on water and all that?"

"i can assure you daddy, dutch treats me like a princess and treats me better than any of the cowboys i've rodeoed with could have ever treated me." bella smiled. "i really want to thank you for giving him a chance. it means a lot. especially since you didn't approve at first."

"bella, it's not that I don't approve. it's just when i look at that delinquent, i had a fear he was going to hurt you the way jess did. but this is your life, and i'm not going to get involved unless i have to." john said. "but your mother and i trust you're going to make the right decisions."

"thanks daddy." bella smiled, then looked at the clock. "well, i guess i better be going. i'll see you guys after school."

"all right honey." janet smiled. "love you, have the best day."

"love you sweetheart." john smiled

"love you sis." wyatt and deacon smiled

･ ⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･

after school, bella and ali met susan and barbara in the gym. while susan and barbara were up hanging streamers, bella and ali were blowing up balloons and tying them to the helium machine.

"so i heard from alexander who heard it from curtis that there's an after party up in the hills." susan said as she and barbara joined bella and ali at the helium machine to help blow up balloons. "you two going?"

"not tonight susie." bella said as ali gave her the balloon and she tied the ribbon to the balloon and tied it to the helium machine. "besides, i don't want to see my brothers making out with random chicks."

"but it's halloween." susan said

"i'll go susie." barbara said. "as long as you can drive me home, you know i can't hold my liquor that well."

"well, while you two figure it out i'm going to find more ribbon." bella smiled

ali went back to blowing up the balloons, susan and barbara were talking about the after party, and bella searched for more ribbon when she felt a pair of lips on her neck and a pair of arms around her waist. "hey beautiful. i've missed you today." dutch smiled

bella smiled brightly as she turned around in his embrace. "hey you. i've missed you, even though you saw me at lunch."

"yeah, but that was so long ago." dutch said

nella rolled her eyes and rested her forehead against his. "you're such an idiot." she laughed

"i'm your idiot though." dutch said

"you are." bella smiled

the couple shared a kiss, and he rested his forehead against her's, both of them smiling happily. be took her by the hand and led her over to the skeleton table.

tommy smiled as he waved at bella with the skeleton's hand. "hey bella. how's it going?"

bella laughed, then replied. "hey tommy. i'm fine."

"there's a party in the hills after the dance, are you going?" jimmy asked as he painted a skeleton

bella shook her head then replied, "no, my brothers will be there, and the last thing i want to see is those two dimwits getting drunk and hooking up with some random chick."

"c'mon bella, you have to go." johnny said. "it's the one time you get to see tommy so shitfaced he pukes in the pool. it happens all the time."

tommy rolled his eyes and rudely retorted, "fuck you man. i did not."

"yes you did. i counted, but it was three times he puked." dutch said

rolling his eyes, and flipping the bleach blonde off, tommy rudely remarked, "first of all, you were drunk out of your ass, so how would you know? second of all, i didn't even know you knew how to count."

bella laughed, then turned to tommy, who stood next to her. "well, did you puke or not?"

"once, only once." tommy defended

bella patted his shoulder, and reassured, "don't worry, i can't hold my liquor either. i'm as lightweight as they come. just ask my brothers. so i guess we are twins in that department."

"is that why you never go to any of the parties?" tommy asked as he painted a skeleton's leg

"no. i was always busy with rodeoing, and was never home when they had the parties." bella said.

"you still rodeo?" jimmy asked

"no, not so much anymore." bella said as she painted a skeleton's arm. "i'm kind of taking a break from it all."

"well, you should think about coming to the parties with us, especially since susan and barbara will be there." bobby said.

"that's something i'd strongly have to think about, but yes, i'll probably go." bella said

jimmy smiled as he continued painting a skeleton's leg, then replied, "that's good enough for us. so what are you dressing up as?"

bella smiled as she continued painting the skeleton's arms. "a princess and you guys are dressing up as, what?"

"skeletons."

"so, do I even want to know?" bella asked

"just wait and see, bella. it's going to be badass." johnny said

"yeah, this i can't wait to see."

･ ⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･

"bye ali, i'll see you tonight." bella smiled as she embraced her best friend.

"bye." ali smiled as she embraced her best friend. "do you need a ride to the dance, or are you driving?"

"i'm driving, but thanks for the offer anyway." bella smiled as the two walked towards the parking lot.

"of course." ali smiled. "i'll see you tonight."

"okay, bye!" bella smiled

"bye!" ali smiled

"hey beautiful." dutch smiled as bella reached his motorcycle

"hey you." bella smiled as she wrapped her arms around him and kissed his lips. "now, tell me how this skeleton costume is supposed to look?"

dutch laughed as he rested his forehead against her's. "you'll just have to wait and see. you need me to pick you up?"

bella shook her head, then gently replied, "i'll meet you there. be careful going home, okay?"

"i always am." dutch smirked

bella smiled as she rested her forehead against his, then the couple shared a passionate kiss. after pulling away, he rested his forehead against her's. caressing the back of his neck, bella gently spoke. "i'll see you at the dance tonight."

"i'll see you bella." dutch smiled

･ ⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･

bella stood in front of her mirror, smoothing out the wrinkles in her burgundy dress. her makeup was kept natural, all that was left to do was her hair. as she walked to the vanity to turn on her curling iron, she heard a knock at the door.

"come in." bella said

the door opened to reveal janet, her brunette hair swept away from her kind face. "you look beautiful honey." she said as she closed the door behind her.

bella smiled warmly at her mother. "thanks mom."

"would you like me to help you with your hair?" janet asked as she walked further into bella's room

"i would love that, mom." bella smiled

as janet helped her daughter with her hair, bella told her mother about dutch. all their late night escapades such as going to the beach, to the encino look out, or simply for a drive out on the town. janet giggled as she curled bella's hair. "oh my goodness, it sounds like you two have fun."

bella smiled fondly as she glanced at the photo strip on her vanity mirror. "giving him a chance was the best decision i ever made. it's so strange, he's this macho tough guy around his friends, but around me, he's this tender, sweet, and gentle hearted guy." she said, as her mother added another curl into her long brunette hair

"believe it or not your father was the same way. personally, i think it's a guy thing." janet said as she fluffed her daughter's brunette hair, then added hair spray. "just remember, it's not the feelings of your heart it should be based upon but rather the thoughts of your heart that you need to hear."

"what do you mean mom?" bella asked

"it's that inner voice that tells you, this man will care for you no matter what, that he will still want to kiss you when you're old and gray, tend to you when you're sick, honor you." janet said

"if the thoughts of my heart say yes, he is the one?" bella asked

"you need to trust your instincts and pledge your heart to him, because a man like that is as rare as a diamond in the rough." janet said as she turned off the curling iron and put the lid on the hair spray

"like daddy." bella smiled

"yes." janet smiled. "just like your father."

･ ⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･

bella arrived at the gym and began to look for ali, susan, and barbar, who stood by the dance floor and waved her over. "hi girls!" the beautiful brunette greeted

"hi!" ali, susan, and barbara smiled happily as they embraced their best friend. "you look beautiful." ali smiled

"thank you!" bella smiled. "you all look beautiful."

as the girls were chatting, ali saw daniel enter the gym, dressed as a shower. "hey there's daniel!" she smiled happily

susan began looking around with a scowl on her face. "where?" she asked

"the shower." ali laughed

"how do you know?" susan asked

ali smiled brightly. "i just know." she replied as she grabbed a flower from barbara's jacket. "may i?" the blonde left to go dance with daniel while her friends stood and watched

"i don't know what she sees in him." barbara said

"she must be in to fungus." susan said, and bella rolled her eyes at the statement

turning her head, bella saw the cobra kais enter the gym, who were dressed as skeletons. "excuse me." the brunette smiled

nella walked up to the group of boys, and happily embraced her boyfriend, who gave her a kiss on the cheek. "hey boys."

"hey bella!" the boys smiled.

"you look great!" tommy said

"thank you! you guys look great too!" bella smiled. "excuse us." she smiled happily as she led her boyfriend away

the two walked to the dance floor, and she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and he had his arms around her waist. she moved her arms and wrapped them around his back so she could put her chin on his shoulder. they were swaying away happily, until he broke the silence.

"you look beautiful tonight, bella." dutch smiled as he held her body close to his.

bella smiled as she rested her forehead against his. "thank you." she pulled away, as she looked at his costume then questioned, "so this was your big idea of a skeleton costume? i mean, it's a nice costume, but you look like a toddler in footie pajamas."

"her, you know i look like a badass." dutch laughed

"whatever you say." bella laughed

dutch pressed his lips against her's and they shared the sweetest kiss, then rested their foreheads against one another's. "you wanna go outside?" bella smiled

dutch smiled at her, and rested his forehead against her's. "you've talked me into it."

just as the two were about to walk away, they heard tommy call his name, and he cursed under his breath. "fuck, those idiots ruin everything." dutch groaned in annoyance. he turned his head, to find tommy and jimmy waving him over.

bella laughed and kissed his lips. "go ahead, i'll dance with ali."

"but i reallt wanted to go outside with you." dutch said

"don't worry, we can later." bella reassured

dutch placed a kiss on her lips and walked to the men's restroom, where the cobra kais stood. turning her head, she saw ali leaving daniel's shower curtain, a bright smile on her face.

"bella!" ali smiled as she ran up to her best friend

bella smiled as she embraced the blonde. "i was wondering where you and lover boy ran off to. so what happened with the two of you? please tell me it was something exciting."

ali blushed a bright red. "well, we were about to go outside, when some guy dressed in a chicken suit and using real eggs threw an egg on daniel's head. but i saw you dancing with dutch. anything exciting happen?"

bella blushed a bright red. "well, like you and daniel, we were about to go outside, but we were interrupted by the cobras." she laughed

a loud crash came from the men's bathroom. the girls turned to their sides and saw daniel running out of the boy's bathroom. "get out of my way! get out of my way! look out!" he shouted, and made his way over to bella and ali

"daniel, what's wrong?" ali asked in concern

"are you all right?" bella asked in concern as she stood next to ali

"it's comin' around!" daniel smiled at the two of them as he handed ali his shower head from his costume and fled the gym

bella furrowed her brows and gave ali a look of confusion. "what's coming around?"

"get him!" johnny yelled

bella turned her head and saw johnny running out of the bathroom. his hair was drenched and he was beyond pissed. ali used daniel's shower head from his costume to trip johnny, and the others fell down with him too.

"get up!" johnny screamed at the cobras in anger, in which they stood up and fled the gym

"what the fuck happened now?" susan asked as she and bella walked to the entrance of the gym

"johnny ran out of the bathroom beyond pissed with his hair drenched chasing daniel. ali used daniel's shower head to trip him." bella said. "dutch promised me they would leave me alone."

"hey you okay?" susan asked

"yeah, i'm gonna go home." bella said. "i'll call you tomorrow."

the two friends bid each other goodbye as bella got into her truck and headed home. she had a sinking feeling in her stomach, she couldn't explain why.

meanwhile, in the field that led to daniel's apartment, the cobras were pulling daniel down from the fence that led to his apartment complex.

"he ain't going over!" johnny said

"what's the matter sweetheart?" dutch mocked. you shouldn't be doing this dutch. bella will dump your ass, and go back to jess.

"we got him now." johnny said

"you little wimp!" tommy spat as he kicked daniel in the stomach and then shoved him into johnny.

"you couldn't leave well enough alone, could you little twerp? nah, you just had to push it! well now you're gonna pay!" johnny yelled as he gripped daniel by his collar, then punched him in the gut, making him fall to the ground.

"where you going, sweetheart?" dutch mocked. go ahead, she's gonna hate you. keep on getting those punches in. show her the kind of monster you really are.

johnny delivered a roundhouse kick to daniel's face making him stumble. "what's the matter? trying to kick johnny?" jimmy said

johnny kicked daniel in the face, punched him and daniel flew into the fence, then fell to the ground. "get him up!" johnny spat angrily

dutcg picked up a barely conscious daniel and held him up.  "hey, leave him alone man, he's had enough." bobby said

"shut up, bobby!" dutch said. there's the dutch everybody knows and hates. bella will too eventually.

"look at him dutch. he can't even stand up!" bobby said as he yelled at dutch

"so what?!" tommy screamed

"that don't mean squat." dutch said angrily. c'mon man, keep it up

bobby then walked up to johnny, hoping to make him understand. "johnny, leave him alone man, he's had enough!!"

"i'll decide when he's had enough man!" johnny said

"what is wrong with you johnny?!" bobby angrily spat

"an enemy deserves no mercy, right?!" johnny yelled

"right!" dutch yelled. way to keep your promise dutch. bella's gonna dump your ass just like ali dumped johnny.

"right!" tommy yelled

"you're crazy man!" bobby yelled

johnny went to kick daniel, but he missed. mr. miyagi  jumped over the fence and pushed daniel out of the way and waited for the cobra kais to attack him

"tommy!" bobby yelled

"bobby get him!" tommy yelled

aftee mr. miyagi fought the cobra kais, he turned his head to find a barely conscious daniel. after placing daniel over his shoulder, he carried him back to the apartment complex.

dutch on the other hand, came to the realization of what he had just done. he promised bella that he and the cobras would leave daniel alone, and he couldn't even keep that promise. he couldn't go home like this, as his mother hated when he got into fights, and would kill him if she saw him this way. he just hoped bella would have an open mind.

･ ⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･

bella woke up to the ringing of the doorbell. john and janet had to fly out to cheyenne to fill in for another stock contractor who had the flu, and wyatt and deacon were at a party in the hills, and wouldn't be back until in the morning, so she wasn't expecting anyone. getting out of bed, she walked down the hall and looked through the peep hole to find dutch.

bella opened the door and rubbed her eyes. "dutch, what's going on? are you okay?"

"no. not even close. i messed up bella, and i messed up bad." dutch said. "i'm afraid you're going to dump me."

bella sighed as she grabbed his hand and gently pulled him inside. "dutch, whatever's going on, you need to tell me what happened." she said as she led him to the couch.

"well, johnny was in the bathroom rolling a joint, and larusso doused him with the hose." dutch said. "so johnny went after him and we beat the shit out of him."

nella was silent as she tried to process what she just heard. "just because daniel sprayed water on johnny, you honestly believe that's a reason to beat someone to the ground until they can't stand? sweetheart, i know you guys are taught to strike first, but that's something that could get someone killed." bella said. "now, i also know daniel started it, but johnny's not innocent either. he hasn't left daniel alone since he got here.

"i know." dutch said. "i'm really sorry."

"you don't have to apologize to me." bella said as she took his hand in her own. "just promise me you won't do something like that again."

"i promise." dutch said. "i hate to ask this, but do you mind if I stay? my mom doesn't exactly like it when i get into fights and i can't go home like this."

"no, not at all, just be sure you give her a call so she's not worried about you." bella smiled as she kissed his cheek. "while you give her a call, i'll see if wyatt has an extra pair of sweat pants, since your both the same height."

after calling his mother, and bella giving him a pair of her older brother's pajama pants, dutch went into bella's ensuite bathroom and washed the skeleton makeup off his face, then the couple settled into her bedroom for the night. laying down in the bed, dutch hugged her body close to his.

"good night, bella." dutch said as he kissed her forehead.

"good night." bella said as she laid her head on his pillow and felt herself drift back off to sleep.

"bella?" dutch said, and she looked up at him, through her long lashes. "i love you."

bella rested her forehead against his, and pressed a gentle kiss against his lips. "i love you too, dutch."

"good night." dutch said as he held her body close to his

"good night, hon."