Halloween

Buffy and Libby had made it all the way to Pop's Pumpkin Patch before running into a vampire. He jumped them from out of nowhere and threw Buffy down on a jack-a-lantern. As he was heading for her, Libby threw him into Pop's pumpkin stand with one swing of her arm.

"I'm getting good at this!" the protector exclaimed.

Buffy swung her legs to leap up from her back and threw a pumpkin in the vampire's face as it was trying to stand up.

"You are!" the slayer agreed with a smile. "That was a great -"

The vampire then began to circle back around in order to charge them, so Buffy stopped talking in order to throw a stake through its heart. Unfortunately, the vamp blocked the wooden weapon with a scarecrow. Tossing it aside, the demon came at Buffy feet first but she blocked his advances and landed many blows of her own. The vampire wasn't having any luck with fighting her until she kicked him in a hay mound of pumpkins. That pissed him off so much that new fire ran through him and he began to strike her more and more.

Meanwhile, Libby was standing by waiting to help and watching Buffy fight in order to take mental notes. She then saw the vampire with the video camera step out of the trees a little too far. Knowing it was Spike's cameraman she walked right in front of the lens. The vampire looked up in fear but was confused when all she did was lean closer with a big snarky smile on her face.

"Hiya Spike!" Libby greeted. "Wanna see something cool?"

Libby turned around to see Buffy getting slammed into a wagon with the other vampire running towards her. The protector took initiative and telekinetically tripped him before he reached Buffy. He spun around on all fours like an animal and pounced. Libby didn't even flinch, but immediately ducked which caused the vamp to tackle the one with the camera. Ignoring that fact, the attacker vamp went for the protector again but every time he tried to hit her, Libby maneuvered out of the way faster than a slayer.

"Libby!" Buffy called from the destroyed pumpkin stand.

Automatically stopping to look over at her slayer, Libby let her guard down for one second and the vampire took advantage. He tackled her in an instant, but the protector was able to throw him off of her right after they hit the ground.

"Over here!" Buffy yelled again.

With a flick of her hand, Libby sent him tumbling over to Buffy who stabbed him with the pumpkin patch sign without skipping a beat. Libby walked over to Buffy as she brushed off hay and grass from her clothes and once they were close enough they high-fived.

"We are getting fantabulous at this," Buffy exclaimed. "I can't remember a time when slaying was that easy."

"Right? I was almost wishing more would show up so I'd have more to do," Libby agreed with a surprised laugh. "The adrenaline was still a good high though."

"Yeah, that is a fun part," Buffy laughed with her. "Oh and sorry about getting you tackled."

"No worries," Libby replied as they began to walk off. "I'm the one who lost my focus."

"Still, we make the best team! Vampires of Sunnydale beware!"

Libby turned just enough to briefly look at the camera and said, "Beware indeed."

"Seriously, I remember a time when I would have been captured by that giant reptile god and had to fight my way out. Thanks to you we saved two girls, got a bunch of prep guys arrested, and literally bombed a demon lizard in one night."

Libby slowed and seriously said, "I can't do that every time you know and honestly, I won't do that every time."

Buffy twirled one of Libby's brown ringlets as she hooked arms with her sister. "I know and I'm good with that. I promise. I'm just so glad you're here, period."

Heaving a collective sigh, Libby admitted, "Me too."

As they walked to they separation point, the girls' bracelets clinked together. Buffy glanced down at her bright pearls of coral and rose on golden string interlocking with Libby's swirls of purple, blue, and gray on emerald string. They got them on one of the carts at the mall the weekend she arrived in order to hide their tattoos, but over the last few weeks it became just as joining as the symbols themselves.

"We'll be roomies one day, right?" Buffy asked as they readied to go their separate ways for the night.

Libby frowned and answered, "Someday, probably. Like in our future college dorm room. Why?"

"Like I said." They smiled, bumped bracelets, and said goodnight.

The next day at school the gang met up and walked down the halls together as usual. Only this time they saw Snyder harassing people into volunteering for something. Technically that wasn't too unusual, but it put everyone on edge because no one wanted to be pulled in.

"Snyder must be in charge of the volunteer safety program for Halloween this year," Willow observed as they all headed to their lockers.

"Note his interesting take on the volunteer concept," Xander sarcastically added in disapproval.

"No kidding," Libby chuckled at Xander's comment.

"What's the deal?" Buffy asked once they reached their lockers.

Xander leaned up against the slender doors as Willow went to open hers as she periodically did. "Little kids need people to take them trick-or-treating," the man of the group informed. "Sign up and get your own pack of sugar-hyped little runts for the night."

"Yikes. I'll stick to vampires," Buffy said with a smirk.

"Really?" Libby responded. "I think that would be fun."

"Fun? Fun!" Xander nearly shouted. "How can you think babysitting a bunch of sugar-filled, sticky, whiney, rug-rats for a night is fun?"

"Because I'm a kid magnet," Libby answered simply with a tight-lipped grin. "I don't know why, but kids just love me. That's how my babysitting gig turned into a summer job at my local preschool."

"Huh!" Xander mocked gasped with the ever popular, overdramatic hand covering his mouth. "No, no, it's okay. I can love you in spite of that."

Libby giggled and fake punched a smiling Xander in the arm. "You better."

Unfortunately, Snyder had picked up on this conversation and decided to interrupt. He put a ratty hand on Buffy's shoulder to get her attention and made sure he made eye contact with Libby while doing so.

"Miss Summers," the principal began as he stared Buffy down. "Just the juvenile delinquent I've been looking for."

"Principal Snyder," she greeted him uncomfortably.

"Halloween must be a big night for you. Tossing eggs, keying cars, bobbing for apples. One pathetic cry for help after another," he put a short arm around Buffy's shoulders and led her over to the volunteer stand as he finished, "Well, not this year, missy."

As Buffy saw him about to hand her the clipboard and wanting to go to the Bronze costume party instead, she panicked and said, "Gosh, I'd love to sign up, but I've recently developed carpal tunnel syndrome and can tragically no longer hold a flashlight."

Mentally rolling his eyes, Snyder replied strictly, "The program starts at four, the children have to be back at six."

He handed Buffy the dreaded pen and she took it all the while letting her expression tell him how much she disliked him. However, that made him - what was that annoying word he always used? Oh yeah - tingly.

Xander, Willow and Libby all shared sad looks as Buffy signed her name, but as Libby picked up a pen on her own free will, Snyder handed two more pens to the last two standing. Unhappy looks plastered on three out of four faces, the Scoobies all signed their names and continued to walk down the hall.

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

"Snyder said costumes were mandatory," Willow answered rather solemnly.

"Great," Buffy moaned. "I was gonna stay in and veg before Libby and I went to the Bronze in real - not kid approved - costumes. The one night a year things are supposed to be quiet for me and now I can't even show Libby a good time."

"I think it'll be a good time," Libby tried to cheer Buffy up, but only got a smirk in return.

"Halloween quiet?" Xander asked, not able to wrap his mind around it. "I figured it would be a big old vamp scare-a-palooza."

"Not according to Giles," Buffy explained. "He swears tomorrow night's like dead for the undead. They stay in." She then shot a look at Libby. "Right?"

"Pretty much," Libby answered as they all sat down at a table in the lounge.

"Those wacky vampires. That's why I love 'em. They just keep you guessin'." Xander said before he left to get a soda.

Xander put the coins in the slot on the vending machine and hit the Dr. Pepper sign. Nothing happened. Annoyed he hit Coke. When nothing still happened he began to hit the vending machine itself, but was interrupted when Larry grabbed his shoulder.

"Harris."

"Hey Larry," Xander replied half-heartedly. "You're looking Cro-Mag as usual. What can I do ya for?"

"You and Buffy. You're just friends right?" Larry asked looking over at the girls.

"I like to think of it less of a friendship and more as a solid foundation for future bliss," Xander answered honestly.

"So she's not your girlfriend?" Larry asked again, not understand what Xander had said.

"Alas, no."

"And what about the hot new chic?"

Now Xander was getting angry. Did Larry think he could take whomever he wanted from his group? "Her name's Libby."

"Yeah, whatever, do you think they'd go out with me?"

"Well Larry, that's a tough question to…No. Not a chance."

"Why not? I heard some guy say Buffy was fast and that Libby was desperate," Larry smugly stated. "It's perfect, so if Buffy for some reason said no then Libby would probably say yes."

"First off, I hope you mean fast…like the wind!" Xander began to yell. "Second, Libby is your left-over choice if you can't use Buffy? And for the record, Libby is far from desperate!"

"Whatever, Harris, and you know what I mean."

Xander immediately stood up straight and his body went rigid with rage. "Those are my friends you're talkin' about!"

"Oh yeah?" Larry challenged. "What are you gonna do about it?"

"I'm gonna do what any man would do about it," Xander retorted as he grabbed two fist fulls of Larry's shirt. "Somethin' damn manly."

Buffy turned just in time to see that Xander was about to get beaten up, but when she got up to save him, Libby stopped her. "Don't! You'll break the guy code and Xander will be mad at you."

"Then what are we supposed to do?" Buffy asked as she saw Larry's fist about to collide with Xander's face.

Libby thought fast and walked away from Buffy and suddenly fake tripped and slammed face first on the ground. It was perfect. There was an empty can on the ground, she made sure her flip-flop came off in the process, and she didn't even try to ease her fall. In fact, it didn't even look embarrassing, just painful.

Libby's distraction was exactly what was needed. Larry was sidetracked from pummeling Xander and Xander was seriously concerned for his friend. He shoved Larry off and ran to her side where Buffy and Willow already were.

"Are you okay?" he asked as he helped her to sit up.

"I don't know," Libby whimpered. "I might have twisted my ankle."

"Okay, don't move! I'll go and get the nurse," Xander said in a rush.

"Oh, Xander you're the best," Libby smiled up at him gratefully as she subtly placed her hand on his neck.

"I'll be right back," Xander smiled as he got up and ran to the nurse's office.

A crowd had gathered at that point and all were silently awe-ing for Xander so Larry decided to stroll over and see to it that he could play a hero too. "You need help to the table? I could scoop ya up real easy since you're nice 'n skinny."

"No, I'm good," Libby scoffed. "Besides, Buffy's stronger than you anyway. What I need is already on his way to get the nurse."

With that Buffy and Willow turned her around and headed back to the table while the crowd dissipated with everyone snickering at Larry. Once they had sat down again, Buffy said in amazement, "I can't believe you just did that!"

"You saved Xander from getting beaten and helped his rep," Willow chirped in thanks.

"Well, it was kind of our only option," Libby shrugged. "Which reminds me, I'm not hurt so someone needs to tell Xander I'm fine."

"I'll go!" Willow jumped up with a big grin. "I want to see his face when he finds out."

"You're really nice to do that for him," Buffy said as she placed a hand over her sister's. "Both of them, I mean did you see how happy Willow was?"

"Yeah, she's got new tricks to use now," Libby smiled. "Speaking of tricks, how was your date with Angel?"

"Misfire," Buffy answered with a frown. "I was late due to pumpkin patch guy. Showed up looking trashed."

"I was afraid of that. Was he ticked?"

"Actually he wasn't ticked or tocked. Which probably had something to do with the fact that Cordelia was drooling in his cappuccino."

"Buffy, I promise you that Angel will never fall for her. Not when he's already fallen in love with you."

"Are you sure? I mean, I've known him less than a year and if you haven't noticed he's not exactly one to over-share."

Sighing, Libby leaned in and discretely asked, "Okay, you want the full scoop on Angel's type and whatnot?"

Buffy leaned in with wide eyes and proclaimed, "Yes! I can't believe it's taken you this long to catch the hint!"

Laughing Libby replied, "Oh honey, I picked up on that hint a while ago. It's just waiting until now made more sense." Buffy rolled her eyes but was prepared to listen anyway. "You know how back in the 1700's the women wore those absolutely gorgeous dresses and looked perfect all the time because their only job in life was to impress men?"

"Yes…" Buffy groaned.

"Well, Angel hated those girls. He hated all the girls back then and always wished he could meet someone exciting and interesting."

Buffy perked up. "Really? What kind of exciting and interesting?"

"Your kind!" Libby laughed as she shoved Buffy. "You could dress in a fairy tale 1700's costume with the whole shebang to match and Angel wouldn't be moved. You where a cute outfit for a date and he'll lose his footing he's moved so much."

"Okay, now you're messing with me."

"I'm not. I'm right about this, I promise."

Buffy leaned down to rest her chin on her arms as she began to daydream. "Still, it must have been wonderful to put on some fantabulous gown and go to a ball like a princess, and have horses and servants and yet more gowns."

"I'd go back in time to experience that in a second, but for the record, Angel wouldn't."

"I get it," Buffy chuckled. "And thanks."

Suddenly, Xander came up behind Libby and gave her a big hug happily stating, "You are the best! Thank you, thank you!"

"Ha, ha! Any time, Xand," Libby choked as she hugged him back.

"So what'd we miss?" Willow asked.

The Scoobies went to a new place called Ethan's and decided to split up in order to find their costumes quicker. Buffy was having no luck, but Libby set off because she had been planning Halloween for days. As Buffy was aimlessly wandering, Willow found her with a big smile on her face and arms behind her back.

"What'd you get?" Buffy asked.

"A time-honored classic!" Willow announced as she presented her best friend with her ghost costume.

Seeing that this was not going to help Willow come out of her shell and that by itself it was kinda lame, Buffy responded, "Okay, Will, can I give you a little friendly advice?"

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

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

"Free candy?"

Tilting her head, Buffy corrected, "It's 'come as you aren't' night. The perfect chance to get sexy and wild with no repercussions."

"Oh, I don't get wild," Willow stated as she began to feel extremely self-conscious. "Wild on me equals spaz."

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

"That she does," Libby agreed totally pumped as she joined them.

"Wow," Buffy admired when she saw all of the costumes Libby held. "Whatcha got there?"

"A costume for each of us."

"Oooo like what?" Buffy bobbed her body in excitement.

"Willow first," Libby said with a proud yet conniving smirk.

She handed the redhead a plastic stake. Willow studied it and her first reaction was panic because she was afraid to ask but then confusion followed. "I'm a…?"

"Slayer!" Libby declared in excitement. "This is a perfectly fake stake as to not draw too much attention to yourself and it will go perfectly with one of Buffy's hotter outfits."

"That's awesome," Buffy complimented on her protector's find.

Seeing Willow freaking out, Libby said, "This is perfect, Willow. It won't be too showy and it will give you the confidence you need. Please, promise you'll be a vampire slayer?"

Willow contemplated for what felt like an hour until she shakily put the ghost costume back and nodded. "Okay, I'll be a slayer."

"Yay!" Libby screamed for joy as she hugged a now smiling Willow.

"All right. What'd you get for me?" Buffy asked with peaked curiosity.

"Another time-honored classic that I'm sure will one-up Cordelia."

"Gimme!" Buffy squealed in a baby tone as she grabbed the bagged costume out of Libby's hand. It was titled, 'Forest Fairy' and it was beautiful. Buffy loved how it was sweet and sexy at the same time, but she frowned

"Are you sure I shouldn't be an 18th century girl? This might be -"

"Trust me, being a fairy is perfect for you," Libby interrupted. "You want to be a real girl for once and have Angel notice you and do something about it, right?" Buffy slowly nodded and looked at the plastic picture. "Then embrace your magical and mischievous side, just with glittery wings. Besides, he's Irish and the Irish love their Fae lore."

Buffy raised an eyebrow. "Really? How do you know that?"

"I'm Irish."

They all laughed and Buffy agreed to wear the costume. Calming down, Willow looked at Libby's bag and asked, "So what's your costume?"

"The Black Widow," Libby answered as she displayed the costume.

"What?" Willow jumped back, but then saw the picture. "Oh."

"What, oh?" Buffy asked and then looked at the costume herself. "Nice," she wriggled her eyebrows noting the even more 'sexy and wild' revealed on the cover.

As the girls were heading to pay for their costumes, Xander caught up with them.

"Hey, what'd you get?" Willow asked.

Like it was a magic trick, Xander pulled a toy gun out from a paper bag.

"That's not a costume," Buffy said.

"I got fatigues from an army surplus at home. Call me the two dollar costume king, baby," Xander smirked proudly as he put the gun back in the bag. "What'd you guys get?"

"It's a surprise," Libby smiled at Buffy and Willow, who went along with it and left Xander for the check out line.

Spike stared up at all of the TV's playing the recording of Buffy and Libby fighting. He wouldn't be surprised if the tape ripped or the VCR broke because of how many times he's played and rewound it. It didn't matter though. He had to study the slayer and her…whatever she was if he was to ever kill them and execute his master plan.

"Rewind that," Spike ordered. "Let's see that again."

He began to circle the tower of televisions as his lackey rewound it faster than before, but as he did he began to have thoughts. Chuckling, Spike mused, "She's tricky. Baby likes to pla-"

"Hiya Spike! Wanna see something cool?"

"Bloody hell!" Spike roared. "She knew you were there? How?"

The vampire shrugged in terror of being killed at Spike's hand.

"God! That one is the thorn in my side, she is. Oh! And look at that! She's getting stronger! She flung him about like it was nothing and she's bloody quick too! And the slayer of course, you see that? When she stakes him with that thing? That's what you call resourceful," Spike ranted. He was getting a bit discouraged by his irritation. "Rewind it again."

"Miss Edith needs her tea," Drusilla hummed to her doll as she weakly walked out of her room.

"Come here, poodle," Spike said as he offered her his hand while never taking his eyes off the screen.

"Do you love my insides?" Drusilla sweetly asked him. "The parts you can't see?"

"Eyeballs to entrails, my sweet," Spike answered. "That's why I've got to study this slayer and her unfortunately powerful sidekick. Once I know them, I can kill them. And once I kill them, you can have your run of Sunnyhell and get strong again."

"Don't worry. Everything's switching. Outside to inside," Drusilla cooed and then hissed, "It makes her weak."

"Really?" Spike asked intrigued as he turned around to face his paramour. "Did my pet have a vision?"

"Do you know what I miss? Leeches."

"Come on. Talk to daddy," Spike urged. "This thing…that makes the slayer weak. When is it?"

"Tomorrow."

"Tomorrow's Halloween. Nothing happens on Halloween."

"Someone's coming to change it all. Someone new."

"All right, well, does it make the other one weak too? And who is the other one? Do you know yet, love?"

"No, she knows. She has plans."

Spike frowned and leaned closer to her. "What do you mean?"

"The Slayer's…" Dru whispered to Edith.

"I know who the slayer is, love, who's the -"

"Protector. The Slayer's Protector," Dru growled with a smile.

"The slayer has a protector?" Spike was aghast. "That's impossible. That doesn't exist."

"Hmmm, but she does. And she's special."

"Special?"

Drusilla placed a hand on his heart and said with a whimper, "Yes, you will see. She will change us all."

Buffy, Libby and Willow were upstairs getting their costumes on and ready together. Libby and Buffy were in their rooms while Willow was in the bathroom. They had agreed to see the costumes on each other only when they were done.

"Where are you meeting Angel?" Willow asked Buffy through the bathroom door.

"Here, after trick-or-treating. Mom is gonna be out."

"Does he know about your costume?"

"Nope," Buffy smiled to herself as she perfected her hair. "I'm expecting some gawking though."

Buffy took a few steps back and admired the outfit Libby had picked out for her. It was pretty sexy and pretty perfect. She couldn't wait for Angel's reaction.

"Okay, Willow!" the slayer called. "Come out. You can't hide in there all night."

"Okay…" Willow gave in. "But promise you won't laugh?"

"I promise."

When Willow emerged from the doorway, Buffy couldn't believe her eyes. The shy redhead was wearing a leather skirt that had a hidden belt for the stake with fishnet stockings and black boots that went up to her knees to match. Her red plum top had nice long sleeves, but also v-neck-ed down to show cleavage and was cropped at the stomach. It showed off how much of a bust Willow really had, the curvy torso and waist she always hid, and the firm but slender lower half Willow never let anyone see. Her hair was also in an up/down hairstyle, which flattered her face and make-up. Willow looked 100% sexy-fied.

"Wow," Buffy was beyond impressed. "You're a dish. I mean, really."

"But…this just isn't me," Willow said as folded her arms over her chest.

"And that's the point," Buffy comforted as she pushed Will in front of the mirror. "Look, Halloween is the night that not you is you, but not you. You know?"

The doorbell rang.

"Oh! That's Xander," Buffy noted. "Are you ready?"

"Yeah…o-okay."

"Cool. I can't wait for the boys to go nonverbal when they see you."

Buffy rushed down the stairs as fast as she could and smoothly opened the door for him.

Xander walked through the door with his gun in salute saying, "Private Harris reporting for…"

The man of many words, phrases, comments, quips, and the like lost all sense of language when he laid eyes on Buffy. She wore a rose pink dress that ended in perfectly cut strips above her knees with a sparkling, sheer hot pink over layer from the waist down. The torso of the dress was earthy brown with green and magenta vines sewn vertically down the middle, purposefully accenting her curves with the illusion of being tightly wrapped around her. Buffy's bosom was securely held within its low cut and the velvety rose pink straps had the sheer hot pink fabric fluffing out from both shoulders. The wings were placed on her upper back and were a light, forest green with swirls of glittering magenta to match the torso. Buffy's blonde hair was softly curled and put into a loose bun in order to hold the lovely flower crown in place and her make-up made her skin glow. Not to forget her adorable gold strapped heels and beaded bracelet so she could fully become the definition of magical beauty.

"Buffy…" Xander practically moaned. "Fairy of Buffdom, Princess of Buffonia, I am in awe! I completely renounce spandex."

"Thank you, mortal," Buffy giggled. "But wait till you see Willow and Libby. Come on."

They ran up the stairs to find Willow pacing back and forth in Buffy's room. When Xander saw her, his breath caught in his throat. "Wow, Will, you look - " Xander tried to flatter in his state of astonishment.

"Ridiculous? Stupid? Is it too late to go get the ghost costume?" Willow gulped.

"Amazing," Xander corrected with a charming smile.

"Really?"

"Absolutely."

"I told you," Buffy mouthed to Willow. "Ugh! Where's Libby? I'm dying to see her outfit."

"As you wish," Libby giggled.

They turned around and jaws dropped one after the other. Libby wore a form fitting leather suit that accented every part of her body. It was a metallic black with a zipper from the low scoop neck to the iconic belt and the long sleeves ended in fingerless gloves. Her wrists had two thick 'bracelets' ove her beaded one to contain secret gadgets the two thigh holsters held the guns. Libby also had knee-high leather boots to match the suit and her smokey eye make-up made her look fiercely sexy. However, it was the temporary auburn dye that brought the costume together and the color looked perfect on her long, curly hair. In the Black Widow costume, it was now obvious how toned and hour-glass shaped Libby was…and how busty.

"You look incredible," Buffy gasped.

"You really do," Willow agreed with a smile.

"Thanks, you guys look fantastic too. And Xander, I love the soldier outfit! You look really good in uniform."

"Haszu," Xander replied as he looked her over and then Buffy and then Willow and then back again. These were his friends?!

"That means 'thank you,'" Buffy translated.

"Uhsth abfesma," Xander said again as he checked Libby out first and then made his rounds with Buffy and Willow again.

"That means you look amazing too," Buffy giggled.

They successfully made it to the school and were assigned their groups of children. Buffy was given the third degree by Snyder when she was given her group of four. Libby was given a group of six, Willow a group of five and Xander a group of four. They all hit it off with their assigned kids and each of them got a good amount of candy. Everyone was having fun and starting to head back when a cold wind picked up. Buffy stopped dead in her tracks when a chill shot down her spine, but when nothing seemed out of the ordinary she kept her group moving. When Libby felt the wind she smiled to herself; the fun was about to begin.

Willow was at her last house with her kids when the wind blew in. However, she didn't notice anything until one of her kids started choking the lady because she was out of candy.

"No! Let her go! Stop!" Willow scolded but it made no difference. "What are you doing?" The two former children started to fight each other once the old lady managed to lock herself in her house so Willow screamed, "Stop! Hey!"

Suddenly, she felt different, and it bulldozed her into the wall. She felt stronger in more ways than one, like her body was housing a great power, as though the safety of the world depended on her. It was weird and overpowering and very unsettling, but Willow somehow knew she could handle it. "What's going on?" Willow asked the now empty porch. She then felt her stake and realized that it was now real wood and that her hair had a blonde hint to it. How does that work? "Oh my God," Willow gasped in realization. "I'm a real vampire slayer!"

Meanwhile, Xander had lost his group and was witnessing the chaos. As he was trying to get a grip on what to do, something washed over him. When he looked up he wasn't Xander anymore. He was Private Harris. The soldier held his gun at the ready and aimed it at whatever might attack. When he fired his machine gun, Willow heard and went running to him.

"Xander!" she called out. "It's me, Willow!"

Xander turned to face the attractive stranger in front of him and kept his gun pointed at her. "I don't know any Willow."

"Xander, quit messing around! This is no time for jokes."

"What the hell's going on here?"

"You don't know me?" Willow asked, a little hurt as well as frightened.

Xander put his gun away when he realized she wasn't a threat and said, "Lady, I suggest you find cover."

"No, wait!" Willow said as she grabbed him so he wouldn't walk away. However, when she did so, she accidentally threw him on the ground with her strength. "Oh! I'm sorry!"

Xander jolted back up and aimed the gun at her again. "What are you? No woman your size is that strong."

"Xander, listen to me," Willow ordered. "I'm on your side, I swear. Something crazy is happening. Everyone is turning into their costumes for Halloween, but I can help make things right. I'm a vampire slayer. Or I was for Halloween. See you were supposed to be a soldier and now you are a soldier."

"You expect me to believe that?"

Suddenly, a costume-turned-monster growled and began to run towards them, so Xander aimed to shoot.

"No! No guns!" Willow walked in front of his gun as the monster ran away. "That's still a little kid in there."

"Step out of the way!"

"No guns! That's an order!" Willow shouted as she took the gun from him with one swift movement. "Look, I'm now chosen to help fix and defeat things like this so you have to trust me." Willow said as she leveled her head and gave Xander his gun back. "Now we need to find Libby and…Buffy!" Willow called when she saw Buffy walking across the street.

Buffy's appearance had remained more or less the same, but the fabric seemed more natural, as though it were made from scratch. Definitely not cotton or velvet. Buffy's hair had fallen out of its bun and grew so that it rippled down both sides of her neck. The flower crown was broken up into pieces down her hair and she was now barefoot. And, of course, the wings were real. Translucent and fluttering like a butterfly, they caught the light and shimmered like her flawless skin. Buffy was a real woodland fairy.

"Buffy, are you okay?" Willow asked as she ran impossibly fast up to her.

Buffy looked at her with confusion and when snarling sounded from behind them, they all turned to see more monsters.

"This could be a situation," Xander said as he cocked his gun.

"Xander, fire in the air so you only scare them!" Willow ordered and Xander obeyed immediately.

"Who are you both?" Fae Buffy asked as she hovered above the ground, raising an eyebrow at them.

"You don't know us either?" Willow cried.

"Why would I? You are not of my people."

Rubbing her forehead, Willow grumbled, "She's not Buffy."

"Who's Buffy?" Xander asked.

"Oh, this is fun," Willow rolled her eyes and then turned back to the former slayer. "Where are you?"

"I was home, where the fireflies dance and mate for life. I was to soon go out and protect those from demons and ghosts with magical charms, but suddenly I got big for no reason."

"Okay, at least you still protect people. That's good so we need to stay together," Willow interjected with confidence.

"I am not supposed to interact with humans without permission."

"We have more pressing issues than that right now," Willow rebutted, " And I'm the vampire slayer so if you're really supposed to protect humans than you need to be on my team. Understood?"

Buffy stared at Willow and fluttered over to inquire, "You are a vampire slayer?"

"Yes."

"Hmmmm," Buffy tapped her nails on the tree. "I suppose you could be an exception to that rule."

"Great, so –"

"But I must know your name."

"What? Right, 'cause you don't remember it," Willow sighed. "Willow."

Buffy brightened. "Like the gentle tree."

"Sure."

Buffy brought herself back to the ground and folded her wings. "I am Ember Silverglitter."

Willow gaped and tried to smile. "Of course it is."

"Now that we have that settled, I suggest we get inside before we come across…" Xander began but was interrupted when a car drove by and Buffy growled, "The rolling creature of death!"

"Is this woman insane?" Xander asked.

"What is insane is how many of my kind those beasts kill," Buffy angrily replied.

"Cars collect a lot of bugs on the windshield?" Willow tentatively explained.

"So she's a bug?"

"She's a forest fairy."

"And you're a vampire slayer?" Xander continued to be baffled.

"Yes, now we need to move to a safe location to figure out our next move."

"I just want you to know that I'm taking a lot on faith here."

"We need to get out of here now and go to a friend's. Come on!" Willow ordered as she ran off to Buffy's house.

Along the way, they heard gunfire and ended up finding Libby fighting a real vampire. Her combat skills were unmatched and her techniques were precise. It was as if she were dancing her moves were so fluid. Within minutes of catching up to see her fighting, the vampire was electrocuted with a small device from her wrist and then decapitated with a knife from her boot, turning to dust. Tucking her hair back, she stood strong and solid. Libby's outfit was the least changed but it was definitely real leather, more detailed and much more defined. She wasn't as stunning as Buffy, but she was a beauty to fear.

Seeing them staring at her, Libby put her weapons away and strode over to the group.

"Hi," Willow tried to greet.

"Who are you?" Libby demanded.

"I'm Willow and that's Buffy - I mean Ember - and Xander. We're friends and we're trying to fix all of the crazy that's happening all over town."

"Right, and what is happening exactly?"

"Somehow, people are changing into their costumes for Halloween."

"That's a new one," Libby pondered. "Any idea on how to stop it?"

"Right now we need to get inside and then contact Giles," Seeing that Libby was about to inquire further, Willow added, "We don't have time, we need to move now!"

"You're in charge?" Libby wondered, seeing the soldier behind her.

"Yes, because I'm the vampire slayer. The Chosen One. It is my destiny to fight the forces of evil and to make things right and that is why I am in charge," Willow took a breath and soothed her voice finishing with, "Look, we are all friends you just can't remember right now, but I swear you can trust me. All of us."

Libby glanced at all of them. Both hands gripped the guns on her thighs. Her sneer made Willow want to gulp until the former protector took one step to the side and said, "Lead the way."

With a sigh, Willow replied, "Thanks, Libby."

"Libby? My name's Natalia."

"Ugh, whatever," Will huffed.

The entire journey over to Buffy's house, Willow was in the lead with Libby right behind her. It was an empowering feeling for the nerd-turned-slayer, especially when she convinced an expert combat and weapons fighter Libby to back her up. Once they reached the Summers' residence, the new personalities of the old gang went in through the back door. Xander went in first to make sure that it was safe and then Willow entered to make certain that Mrs. Summers wasn't home. As soon as they were clear, everyone gathered inside and began to build a safe house.

"Where are we?" Buffy asked as she examined the kitchen.

"You're place," Willow answered. "Now we just need to-"

A banging began to sound on the front door and Libby was there in a second. Willow followed trying to convince her not to open the door, but Libby paid no attention. The Black Widow flung the door open and before the demon had time to attack, she sprayed mace in his eyes and kicked him so hard he flew off the porch. This caused the other demons around the house to scatter.

"Well done," Xander complimented.

"That was nothing, believe me."

"Okay now that we've established that our group is full of very capable hands, we need to contact Giles," Willow urged in a serious tone.

"How do you plan on doing that?" Libby inquired.

"AHHHHHH!" A woman's scream echoed from outside.

"Civilian," Xander stated.

"You get the girl and I'll fight off the monsters," Libby ordered as she exited in a swift manner with Xander on her six.

Willow watched them leave and decided to try and call Giles, but as she put her hands on her hips she felt something tucked into her belt. She pulled out a folded piece of paper and when she opened it, Willow discovered that it was from Libby. It read: Everything is going to be fine. I promise you that no one dies and no one gets hurt. You still need to go to Giles and tell him about Ethan's. He will understand. Remember, you're a sexy slayer tonight so have fun!

"Gotta love how Libby helps in her non-helpfulness that somehow works," Willow smirked and crumpled the note.

Buffy, ignoring Willow's comment, turned her attention to a photo resting on a desk against the wall. It was of her true self, blonde and in normal clothes, and the fire fairy couldn't believe it.

"This…" Buffy whispered in astonishment. "This could be me."

"It is you," Willow insisted. "Buffy, can't you remember at all?"

"No, I don't understand any of this," Ember began in befuddlement. "I am of the firefly clan and we protect humans from those whom thrive in the darkness. Humans are only meant to see me in the light of a shooting star and nothing but my own will should make me big! I wasn't the best fairy, but being mischievous is in my nature. I don't like this place. I want to return home."

"Look, I get it's a lot to take in, but for the record, you are home," Willow responded. Turning back to the door, she huffed, "And any time you want to use fairy dust would be great."

Without warning, spotted kitty Cordelia burst through the door with Xander and Libby right behind her and she screamed, "Willow, what's going on?"

"Okay, you're name is Cordelia, you're not a cat, you're in high school and we're your friends…sort of."

"That's nice, Willow, and you went mental when?" Cordelia snapped.

"You know us?" Willow smiled, thankful that someone she knew wasn't under the costume influence.

"Yeah, lucky me. What's with the name game?"

"A lot's going on," Willow prepared to explain, but never got the chance.

"No kidding! I was attacked by Jo-Jo the dog-faced boy," Cordy complained. "Look at my costume! Do you really think Party Town will give me my money deposit back? Not on the likely!"

Xander took off his jacket and placed it around Cordy's shoulders. She was taken aback by his gracious action, but something inside of her warmed and she couldn't help but smile when she said thank you.

"Okay!" Willow shouted to get everyone's attention. "You guys stay here while I go get Giles. If something tries to get in, just fight it off."

"I can take what's outside. It shouldn't be a problem to neutralize the situation," Natalia offered nonchalantly.

"No, there will be no neutralizing!" Willow replied. "They may be monsters now, but in reality they're kids."

"I didn't mean kill them, I meant contain them."

"Oh, well if it comes to that than sure."

"What's that riff?" Cordelia insulted.

"It's like amnesia, okay?" Willow explained. "They don't know who they are. Just…sit tight." With that, the new slayer left the house and ran at her new speed to the library.

"Who died and made her the boss?" Cat Cordelia rolled her eyes at being told what to do.

"If you don't limit your talking to a minimum, I will tie you to a chair and gag you in ten seconds," Libby threatened.

Xander started to board up the house and sent orders out to everyone. Buffy was sent upstairs to make sure everything was safe, Libby was sent to check the perimeter and Cordelia was to help Xander find things to blockade the windows. Everything was going well, until soldier Xander looked down and saw a picture of the four of them.

"Whoa!" he exclaimed as he picked the frame up and got a closer look.

"What?" Libby asked as she came back around the corner with Buffy behind her. "The perimeter is secure."

As the three of them looked at themselves in the picture, it was becoming clear that maybe they weren't who they thought they were.

"She must be right," Xander mused. "We must have some kind of amnesia."

"Impossible," Libby breathed as she touched the glass covering her face in the frame.

"How do you explain this?" Xander countered.

"I can't. The evidence that we are completely other people wearing the costumes of the people we think we are is becoming overwhelmingly evident, but I still can't believe it."

"I have seen many things in the fae and human world, but this is the strangest of all," Buffy stated.

Just then, Angel walked in from the back and sighed in relief, "Oh, good. You guys are all right. It's total chaos out there."

The three looked at each other in confusion and then back at Angel with the same misunderstanding stare. "Who are you?" They all asked at the same time.

Angel was taken aback. "Okay, somebody wanna fill me in?"

"Do you live here?" Xander inquired further.

"No. You know that," he told the soldier, annoyed with how this was progressing. Deciding that he should talk with Buffy about this he took a step to her and continued, "Buffy, I'm lost here. You…you look beautiful."

Ember suddenly felt every part of her shiver and at the same time grow warm. The way he looked at her was a gaze she had never received before. The love and adoration that filled his beautiful blue eyes stole her breath and stopped her heart. A fairy was forbidden to mate with anyone not of her people, but none looked at her the way he did.

Then, Cordelia entered and saved them from the awkward silence by saying, "They don't know who they are, everyone's turned into a monster, it's a whole big thing. How are you?"

Angel and Buffy never broke eye contact until the power went out and banging was heard from all around the house. Deciding to take charge, Xander ordered, "New guy take the fairy and secure the kitchen, Catwoman you're with me, and Natalia watch the front door and windows."

Angel led Buffy by the hand slowly into the kitchen, but Ember wanted to speak with him so she softly hummed, "You know me in this life?"

"Yes," Angel answered in a hushed whisper.

"Are we close?"

Angel stopped for a brief moment to look into her eyes and deeply said, "I think we are…I want us to be."

"Do you?" she questioned before Angel regrettably turned away from her. As he scoured the kitchen, the vampire noticed that the kitchen door was slightly ajar. "I didn't leave that open," Angel confessed.

Before he had time to look around, and vampire jumped out from behind the basement door and grabbed Buffy. However, she was able to send him flying into the dining room with a flash of bittersweet, amber light from her palm.

"How'd you do that?" Angel asked in amazement.

"I'm a Fae from the firefly clan. We all have this power."

"Oh, well -"

Angel never got to finish his sentence because the vampire wasn't turned to dust. He tackled Angel to the ground, but being older and stronger than the vamp, Angel was able to flip him over. Hearing the fight, the Black Widow came rushing to help. She wrapped a sharp cord around the vampire's neck and ordered Angel to pull his legs in the opposite direction. As he did so, Libby yanked on the wire and the vamp's head ripped off and exploded into dust.

Realizing that her skills weren't needed, Buffy re-folded her wings. When Angel turned to her, she saw how disfigured his face was and screamed at the knowledge of him being an evil creature - a vampire. Violently shaking her head, Ember outstretched her wings and flew out the back door.

Willow finally made it to the library. She burst through the doors so unexpectedly that Giles nearly jumped out of his skin.

"Hi," Willow greeted with an innocent smile.

"H-H-" Giles had to clear his throat. "What are you doing here, Willow?"

"We've got a problem," Will explained for what felt like the hundredth time that night. "Libby failed to mention that tonight, everyone turns into their costumes for Halloween."

"Wait, everybody became whatever they were masquerading as?" the watcher asked.

"Exactly. Xander was a soldier, Libby was the Black Widow, and Buffy was a fairy…apparently named Ember Silverglitter."

"And your…your costume?" Giles choked on his words as he tried not to look Willow over as her outfit made him extremely uncomfortable.

"Right, I'm the vampire slayer."

Giles now looked like he was going to fall over. How could sweet and shy Willow think that this is how a slayer is supposed to dress? Buffy. Seeing the watcher's disapproving expression, she defended, "Well, this is nothing! You should see what Cordelia was wearing. A unitard with cat things, like ears and stuff."

"Good heavens, sh-she became an actual feline?"

"No," Willow began to have an epiphany. "She was the same old Cordelia. Just in a cat costume."

"She didn't change?" Giles continued as he thought of all the books that might be able to explain this.

"No, but Libby wanted me to tell you about Ethan's; where we got our costumes from. She said you'd understand."

Giles slowly removed his glasses and huskily replied, "Yes, I rather believe I do."

Libby, Xander, Angel and Cordelia all walked down the street looking for Buffy but she was nowhere to be seen.

"Sure she came this way?" Xander asked.

"No," Angel answered harshly.

"She'll be okay." Cordy tried to ease the tension.

"Buffy would be okay," Angel corrected in angst. "Ember might not be, there's a good chance she won't be able to handle the Hellmouth."

"We'll find her," Natalia reassured as she quickened their pace. "It's my job to find people and I'm one of the best."

"Good, now come on!" Angel finished as he pushed them all to a jog.

Out from behind a tree, Spike knelt down in front of his demon children with a fangy grin on his face. "Do you hear that, my friends?" Spike chuckled. "Somewhere out here is the tenderest meat you've ever tasted. And all we have to do is find her first."

Giles and Willow walked through the door of Ethan's and every fiber inside Giles had its guard up. It was just like Ethan Rayne to pull something like this, but Giles was also smart enough to know that there was more to it than what Ethan would call 'fun' or a 'prank.'

"Hello?" Giles called out, expecting no answer but hoping to catch his enemy off guard. "Anyone home?"

Willow was really honing in on her slayer instinct because she sensed that something was going on in the back and once she reached it she heard a faint chanting in the air.

"Giles."

The watcher came to her side quickly and walked the rest of the way with his temporary slayer. There was a headstone on an alter and the smell of magicks was everywhere. The headstone look ceremonial and its eyes were glowing green. It creeped Willow out immensely.

"Janus. A Roman mythical god," Giles stated.

"What does this mean?" Will asked, getting a bit freaked.

"Primarily, the division of self. Male, female…light and dark."

"Chunky and creamy. Oh, no. Sorry, that's peanut butter," Ethan sarcastically spat as he came out of the shadows.

"Willow get out of here now," Giles ordered.

"But I can -"

"Now!"

Willow decided to not be told a third time and left the bad guy in the capable hands of Giles. She would be more help elsewhere anyway.

"Hello Ethan."

"Hello Ripper."

And so the war between the former friends and old enemies began again...

Buffy walked through a dirty alley with a truck parked in it and turned up her nose. It was places like this that made her stay in the forest of glowing bugs and floating leaves until her clan embarked her on a simple mission. She never had to make herself big and would just fly through the still air and cast her charms. It made perfect sense why the Fae and humans were not meant to mix. Only now there was Angel; a creature worse than humans. He was a demon, the embodiment of darkness. Yet, the way he looked at her… It was blasphemy. The whole idea, preposterous! It had to be her former self, that Buffy, not Ember.

Out of nowhere, a grungy pirate appeared before her muttering, "Pretty, pretty."

She was about to strike him with her firelight, but remembered that this gruesome looking human was in fact an innocent trapped within the dirty scoundrel. She decided to lower her hand and fly out of his reach. As pirate Larry went to grab her Ember floated into the air and the Black Widow jumped off the truck and straight down on Larry's shoulders. He was immediately unconscious and the three others of the group followed shortly.

"Buffy!" Angel called up to her. "Are you all right?"

"Of course. I was in no danger," Ember replied as her feet touched the ground. "Are you in need of my protection?

"Why does she think we're helpless without her?" Natalia asked soldier Xander in a hushed voice.

"No idea."

"Guys!" Willow shouted as she ran up to them. "Guys, we gotta get inside!"

They all looked behind Willow to see Spike and a mini army ready to strike.

"We need a triage," Xander said determined.

"This way. Find an open warehouse," Angel ordered as he held Buffy's hand and ran.

"Everybody move!" Libby commanded she threw a gas grenade into the mob to slow them down.

Thankfully, it didn't take them long to find a warehouse. Xander immediately began to lock themselves in while Libby and Willow ensured that there was only one way in or out. Angel dropped Buffy off with Cordelia in the back, telling them to stay put. It wasn't long before the demons were banging on the door, but with Willow, Libby, Angel and Xander all holding things up against the entrance, it was difficult for them to do more than make dents on the warehouse. Unfortunately, they were outnumbered and the demons were able to crash through.

"Buffy, can you use your lightening palm as they come through?" Angel suggested. "That should slow them down."

"Yes, but it might harm the children."

"Could you set it to stun or something?" Willow pleaded.

"Excuse me?"

"Never mind."

Willow then went back to fighting vampires and staked her third one. It came so naturally that it astounded her to the point of losing focus for that one second. A vampire then knocked the stake out of her head and put her in a headlock. Angel came to her rescue, but was grabbed by two monsters and pulled away. Xander had managed to knock out three child monsters before someone grabbed him. Buffy burned three vampires from a distance, but once she was ambushed and wings clamped together it was over. Cordelia was captured on the spot.

Libby however killed five vampires without breaking a sweat and that distracted Spike from killing Buffy. He was ready to kill the slayer in her perky little fairy outfit, relishing in the fact that his good day had finally come, but then he looked up and saw the best, professional technique in his 117 years as a vampire. Spike just had to dance with that one before he made time with the slayer.

After hitting Buffy one more time, he turned and sniggered, "Well, well, look who thinks she's the big shot now?" Libby looked at him and gave him nothing to work with. "Who are supposed to be anyway?" Spike sneered as he strode closer to her, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

"The Black Widow."

"Oh, isn't that cute."

Libby took advantage of Spike about to speak again and high-kicked him in his face. The vampire swung at her, but she grabbed his fist, twisted it in her arms, jumped over his back, wrapped her legs around his neck, and slammed his body on the ground with her still attached. Spike flailed his legs, but he couldn't get footing. She trapped him and there was no way to get out of it.

"Let us go, or you die."

Naturally, that was when Giles saved the day by breaking the spell. Kids started screaming for their mothers, everyone was back to their normal selves, and Spike realized he could get free. He clutched her ankles with one hand and untwisted the other in order to punch her in the face as he threw Libby off him. Spike jumped up in one quick movement and rammed his foot into her ribs.

Libby was about to toss him across the room when Buffy tapped Spike on the shoulder. "Honey, I'm home."

The slayer hit him in the face and stomach and then the protector flung him into a wall and then into the pipe that Buffy picked up. As he was lying on the floor, the sisters looked at each other and bumped bracelets with a smile. When they looked again, Spike was running away with his goons following his example. Everyone gathered together as the kids aimlessly walked around, all trying to grasp what happened.

"Hey, Buff," Xander said to break the ice. "Libbs. Welcome back."

"Yeah," Buffy smiled. "You too."

"You guys remember what happened?" Cordy asked, genuinely curious.

"Oh yeah," Libby answered with a big grin on her face. "It was weird, but in a good way. I was still there, but I was this whole other person."

"Weird in a good way?" Xander argued. "It was way creepy! It was like I was there, but I couldn't get out."

"Whatever, Xander," Libby pushed, her smile never fading. "You are going to look back on this and love that you get to remember all the soldier stuff and that you were a hero for a night."

"I'm not," Buffy admitted.

"Lies," Libby giggled.

"Truth!" Buffy protested. "It was horrible. Being all magical and shimmery and beautiful without trying and yeah I'm lying." Libby's smile turned triumphant. "But how did you know the costume would do all that?"

"Because I know you and decided to take a shot."

"Did you do that with me?" Willow asked. "Take a shot?"

"Nope, you were without a doubt the central figure of tonight and I knew you would come through."

"And yet you still felt the need to leave me a secret note? And how did you put that in my belt without me knowing?" Willow pried as she playfully punched Libby's arm.

"Telekinesis. And I didn't want to risk anyone freaking out because then no one would've had a fun Halloween."

"I'm starting to think we trust you a little too much," Xander teased.

"Words hurt, you know."

As they were all laughing and reminiscing about the night, Angel came up to Buffy and gently touched her arm.

"You okay?" he lovingly asked.

"Yeah," Buffy replied in the same tone. Without thinking, she kissed him to make up for the cold shoulder Ember tried to give him and they walked away together.

Smiling at each other, Libby and Willow hooked arms and left together, leaving Xander and Cordelia to bring the kids home.

Libby walked on the sidewalk alone back to Giles' apartment and with every confident sway of her hips, the protector couldn't stop herself from living the new skills she acquired. Sure, it might have been more practical to be the Scarlet Witch to have her telekinesis all powered up and flawless, but Libby always wanted to be a fighter and now she could give Spike a run for his money. Everything worked out exactly as she hoped it would. "BEST HALLOWEEN EVER!" Libby shouted up to the night sky right as she knew Willow would be walking in front of Oz's van and Buffy and Angel would be kissing after a long overdue talk. This was by far the best experience she's had in Sunnydale yet.