13 Days of Halloween 2014 #7
Oct. 24th, 2014 07:37 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
katleeptFor tonight's spooky event, we have another crossover fic when a special character drops into Storybrooke as one of our favorite couples takes Henry trick or treating . . .
"So," Killian asks with a sly smile and a twitch of his mustache, "perfectly good children dress up in masks and costumes to make themselves look like frightful beasts and then run from door to door demanding candy."
Emma has to smile at the disbelief in his tone. "That's how it used to work, at least. Some towns have people set up on areas called squares -- they're like the center of the town -- and pass out candy, and some churches give candy out from the trunks of their cars. They call it trunk or treating instead."
Killian eyes her suspiciously. "You Americans have strange customs."
Emma's grin increases. "You don't know the half of it, but kids love Halloween. At least, the kids who are able to go trick or treating do."
"Not all of them do?"
"No. Orphans don't really get a chance to go, because nobody cares if they celebrate Halloween or any other holiday." Her eyes darken with remembrance. He reaches for her, but she steps away, closer to Henry just before he darts down another driveway, and continues talking, "And like I already told you, some people do the trunk or treating thing instead."
"Why? If some of the children are going to act crazy, why not let them all?"
"Because it's gotten dangerous."
"How can going from door to door in search of candy be dangerous? Do they sometimes get mistaken for actually being the monster they're representing?"
"No. No, of course not. You forget. Modern people don't believe in magic."
Her grin returns as she watches his dark eyes roll and hears him mutter something about idiots needing a walk off of a plank.
"So how is it dangerous?"
She sighs, her face once more falling. She's glad Henry's got a whole bunch of houses on this lane with their lights on and residents waiting to pass out candy. She knows he's safe here. No one in Storybrooke would dare hurt him. If any one doesn't care enough about her family for their respect to keep them from harming him, their fear of his other mother will surely keep them in line.
Her hands shove into the pockets of her red, leather jacket as she turns to face Hook. "Swan?" he asks, frowning. He moves closer. This time, she doesn't move away, not because she wants him closer, not because she trusts herself with him being closer to her, but simply because she doesn't want any one else overhearing their conversation and the truths she must now tell him.
"There are always people out there waiting for a chance to hurt other people, Killian."
"Well, aye, I know that, but . . . Kids? On a holiday that's clearly come to belong to them?"
Emma smirks at that comment. "All holidays belong to kids. It's all about what presents or candy they want and getting it to them. Welcome to the 21st century way of holidays. But," she continues, growing serious again, "there are people who have used trick or treating to hurt children."
"How?"
"Razor blades in apples was one of their first tricks."
"Ouch." Killian rubs his stubbled chin. "And here I thought poisoned apples was bad."
"That's another thing they use. Rat poison's been found in trick or treat candy more than once."
"And these bastards give this stuff out to the kids?"
"Yeah. They also snatch them if they're not watched over well enough."
Hook's gaze follows hers to Henry. "I can see why you watch him so carefully, but nothing's going to happen to him here, Swan."
"I know." She smiles, watching not just her son but the other children as well laughing and giggling as they build their sweet loads.
"Don't forget to take him to the ice cream parlor. They're passing out free cones."
"I heard, but . . . " She glances over at him, a shyness now to her smile. "You can come with us if you want."
"What man passes up free ice cream?" He grins boldly at her.
She laughs. "I don't know if they're giving it to the adults."
"It's a shame the kids get to have all the fun," he remarks, dropping closer to her. This time, she doesn't move away even as his mouth angles for hers. "We could have a little fun of our own, luv. You know we still haven't had that third date."
"Only you would count fighting a snow monster as a date," she counters and is about to say more when screams cut her off. She whirls toward the sound, her eyes instinctively searching for Henry as her hand goes for the gun she's never without.
Children rush pass them, but Henry stands perfectly still, intently watching the creature that's made the other kids run away. Hook grabs a couple of dropped bags of candy while Emma slowly approaches. Her grip relaxes on her gun for she knows the weapon will do her no good against this transparent monster.
"My name's Henry," her child tells the thing. "What's your name?"
"C-Casper," comes the reply that makes Emma's jaw drop open. The little ghost wrings his pale hands behind his back. "Y-You mean y-you-you're not afraid of me?"
Henry grins. "Nah. I've seen worse things than you. I've got another friend who's a Werewolf."
Emma stops and just watches the two youngsters for a moment. Quickly, the little boys start to laugh as they talk, becoming fast friends. "I'll be damned," she whispers in shock.
Hook looks up from where he's been collecting a small horde of candies. "Not on my watch, luv." He tilts his head in the direction of the ghost. "He's a friendly chap, isn't he?"
"Yeah," she replies, almost breathless. "He's Casper. Casper, the Friendly Ghost."
"Aye." Hook eyes her warily.
A short, partial laugh barks from her throat as she smirks at herself. "I know you don't know him."
"I've seen him around. He's always looking for a friend. Looks like he's found one in that boy of yours."
"He is always looking for a friend. He's not a fairy tale really, but he is a character from a very well known children's storybook series."
"Looks like he's more'n that, luv."
She smiles. "I shouldn't be surprised," she admits, lifting her shoulders in a shrug. "It seems like every character is real here."
His arms are full of bags of candy as he steps up behind her. "What else is on your mind, Swan?"
"I just . . . " Her eyes shine with unshed moisture. "I'm glad Henry gets to trick or treat here. I'm glad he's getting to grow up in Storybrooke, where there's magic and friendly ghosts and . . . " She laughs.
"And hope, luv?"
"Yeah. Yeah, I guess so," she says, turning back to Hook. Her grin widens at the sight of the Pirate loaded down with candy.
He grins at her, and she suddenly realizes he's at his most charming. "Halloween is supposed to be a magical night."
"Every night here is magical," she responds, "but yeah, yeah, maybe Halloween is still a little more magical than the rest." With that said, she leans forward over his haul of candy and kisses him. It's a swift, chaste kiss she places upon his lips, but it still sparks the fire that's always building between them. "Now how about that ice cream, Captain Hook?"
And tonight, suddenly, she no longer cares that it's a Pirate from a fairy tale story who's trying to win her hand and make her happy every day he's with her. She doesn't care that she is supposed to be a Princess and a Savior, and that her parents are Prince Charming and Snow White. Although she cares that her son has a new friend, she doesn't care that he's a ghost. After all, she reflects as she slides closer to Killian and they continue down the street, now laughing and talking in earnest, Halloween is a magical night, and there's no more magical place on Earth than her home right here in Storybrooke.
The End
"So," Killian asks with a sly smile and a twitch of his mustache, "perfectly good children dress up in masks and costumes to make themselves look like frightful beasts and then run from door to door demanding candy."
Emma has to smile at the disbelief in his tone. "That's how it used to work, at least. Some towns have people set up on areas called squares -- they're like the center of the town -- and pass out candy, and some churches give candy out from the trunks of their cars. They call it trunk or treating instead."
Killian eyes her suspiciously. "You Americans have strange customs."
Emma's grin increases. "You don't know the half of it, but kids love Halloween. At least, the kids who are able to go trick or treating do."
"Not all of them do?"
"No. Orphans don't really get a chance to go, because nobody cares if they celebrate Halloween or any other holiday." Her eyes darken with remembrance. He reaches for her, but she steps away, closer to Henry just before he darts down another driveway, and continues talking, "And like I already told you, some people do the trunk or treating thing instead."
"Why? If some of the children are going to act crazy, why not let them all?"
"Because it's gotten dangerous."
"How can going from door to door in search of candy be dangerous? Do they sometimes get mistaken for actually being the monster they're representing?"
"No. No, of course not. You forget. Modern people don't believe in magic."
Her grin returns as she watches his dark eyes roll and hears him mutter something about idiots needing a walk off of a plank.
"So how is it dangerous?"
She sighs, her face once more falling. She's glad Henry's got a whole bunch of houses on this lane with their lights on and residents waiting to pass out candy. She knows he's safe here. No one in Storybrooke would dare hurt him. If any one doesn't care enough about her family for their respect to keep them from harming him, their fear of his other mother will surely keep them in line.
Her hands shove into the pockets of her red, leather jacket as she turns to face Hook. "Swan?" he asks, frowning. He moves closer. This time, she doesn't move away, not because she wants him closer, not because she trusts herself with him being closer to her, but simply because she doesn't want any one else overhearing their conversation and the truths she must now tell him.
"There are always people out there waiting for a chance to hurt other people, Killian."
"Well, aye, I know that, but . . . Kids? On a holiday that's clearly come to belong to them?"
Emma smirks at that comment. "All holidays belong to kids. It's all about what presents or candy they want and getting it to them. Welcome to the 21st century way of holidays. But," she continues, growing serious again, "there are people who have used trick or treating to hurt children."
"How?"
"Razor blades in apples was one of their first tricks."
"Ouch." Killian rubs his stubbled chin. "And here I thought poisoned apples was bad."
"That's another thing they use. Rat poison's been found in trick or treat candy more than once."
"And these bastards give this stuff out to the kids?"
"Yeah. They also snatch them if they're not watched over well enough."
Hook's gaze follows hers to Henry. "I can see why you watch him so carefully, but nothing's going to happen to him here, Swan."
"I know." She smiles, watching not just her son but the other children as well laughing and giggling as they build their sweet loads.
"Don't forget to take him to the ice cream parlor. They're passing out free cones."
"I heard, but . . . " She glances over at him, a shyness now to her smile. "You can come with us if you want."
"What man passes up free ice cream?" He grins boldly at her.
She laughs. "I don't know if they're giving it to the adults."
"It's a shame the kids get to have all the fun," he remarks, dropping closer to her. This time, she doesn't move away even as his mouth angles for hers. "We could have a little fun of our own, luv. You know we still haven't had that third date."
"Only you would count fighting a snow monster as a date," she counters and is about to say more when screams cut her off. She whirls toward the sound, her eyes instinctively searching for Henry as her hand goes for the gun she's never without.
Children rush pass them, but Henry stands perfectly still, intently watching the creature that's made the other kids run away. Hook grabs a couple of dropped bags of candy while Emma slowly approaches. Her grip relaxes on her gun for she knows the weapon will do her no good against this transparent monster.
"My name's Henry," her child tells the thing. "What's your name?"
"C-Casper," comes the reply that makes Emma's jaw drop open. The little ghost wrings his pale hands behind his back. "Y-You mean y-you-you're not afraid of me?"
Henry grins. "Nah. I've seen worse things than you. I've got another friend who's a Werewolf."
Emma stops and just watches the two youngsters for a moment. Quickly, the little boys start to laugh as they talk, becoming fast friends. "I'll be damned," she whispers in shock.
Hook looks up from where he's been collecting a small horde of candies. "Not on my watch, luv." He tilts his head in the direction of the ghost. "He's a friendly chap, isn't he?"
"Yeah," she replies, almost breathless. "He's Casper. Casper, the Friendly Ghost."
"Aye." Hook eyes her warily.
A short, partial laugh barks from her throat as she smirks at herself. "I know you don't know him."
"I've seen him around. He's always looking for a friend. Looks like he's found one in that boy of yours."
"He is always looking for a friend. He's not a fairy tale really, but he is a character from a very well known children's storybook series."
"Looks like he's more'n that, luv."
She smiles. "I shouldn't be surprised," she admits, lifting her shoulders in a shrug. "It seems like every character is real here."
His arms are full of bags of candy as he steps up behind her. "What else is on your mind, Swan?"
"I just . . . " Her eyes shine with unshed moisture. "I'm glad Henry gets to trick or treat here. I'm glad he's getting to grow up in Storybrooke, where there's magic and friendly ghosts and . . . " She laughs.
"And hope, luv?"
"Yeah. Yeah, I guess so," she says, turning back to Hook. Her grin widens at the sight of the Pirate loaded down with candy.
He grins at her, and she suddenly realizes he's at his most charming. "Halloween is supposed to be a magical night."
"Every night here is magical," she responds, "but yeah, yeah, maybe Halloween is still a little more magical than the rest." With that said, she leans forward over his haul of candy and kisses him. It's a swift, chaste kiss she places upon his lips, but it still sparks the fire that's always building between them. "Now how about that ice cream, Captain Hook?"
And tonight, suddenly, she no longer cares that it's a Pirate from a fairy tale story who's trying to win her hand and make her happy every day he's with her. She doesn't care that she is supposed to be a Princess and a Savior, and that her parents are Prince Charming and Snow White. Although she cares that her son has a new friend, she doesn't care that he's a ghost. After all, she reflects as she slides closer to Killian and they continue down the street, now laughing and talking in earnest, Halloween is a magical night, and there's no more magical place on Earth than her home right here in Storybrooke.
The End
