Finally I get around to my Halloween challenge story. Okay, usual FK disclaimers plus some BTVS disclaimers thrown in for good measure just because I reference it. This isn't a real X-over in the sense that characters from the two show interact (I'll save that one for later <g>) But this does allow for the fact that Tracy and gang catch the occasional Buffy the Vampire Slayer on TV.

Miss Tracy

By: Cousin Mary (only in a costume)

Tracy promised herself she wouldn't do it again, not this year, not after what happened last year…and the year before…and the year before that, and let's not even -talk- about her college years! But as always happened once October rolled around she was again bitten by the Halloween bug. She couldn't help it! It was just such a great holiday!

She went to her local costume shop and began rummaging around. She wanted sinister. She wanted…

Tracy stopped at a trunk and pulled out a flapper dress, then a powdered wig. "No," She sighed, putting them back. She needed something with oomph. Not too weird, but good. This would be her first year going to a precinct party, usually she'd spend her holiday with close friends, people who knew how twisted she could truly be, but this year she'd have to curb her normal Halloween habits. Trouble was, she had a tendency to get just a little too into character when it came to Halloween. She'd never forget the Halloween of her sophomore year, she'd gone to a party as a demon-possessed dominatrix and come within inches of getting kicked out of the honour's society, school, heck, almost the country! "Note to self," She mumbled with a wry grin, "Leave the riding crop at home."

Tracy wandered down the aisles and went straight past the packages of plastic wrapped nonsense. She wanted normal, not boring. "What to be, what to be?" She sang to herself.

She glanced at the makeup kits, eyeing the burn set with glee, visions of alien aductee with probe scars dancing through her head. "No, I suppose that would be a bit too much," She sighed again and trudged reluctantly away, "At least for my first year." She added under her breath.

"This is hard!" She announced to no one in particular, "Being normal is so damn hard!"

"I've always thought so," A voice agreed.

Tracy turned to find a pleasant little woman looking at her with interest, "Oh, hi." The blonde smiled, "I was just looking for something…normal." She said the last word as if it were profane.

"Ah," The grey hared woman nodded sagely, "Company party or first year with the in-laws?"

"First year at a new job," Tracy told her. "I love Halloween, but it I go too far over the top they'll never let me live it down."

"Sad." The woman said.

"Miserable," Tracy nodded, staring at the severed head of Chewbaca with a look of longing. "Star Wars bounty hunter, leather bustier, laser cannon." She whispered costume ideas under her breath.

"Ah, I see you are a creative one," The woman smiled, "Perhaps we can find something for you after all.

Tracy sighed and followed after the woman, hoping she could find something that would be considered 'normal' but still be fun, but her hopes were not high.

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An hour later a huge pile of dresses and costumes lay pooled across the stock room's floor.

"Cleopatra?" The woman, who's name turned out to be Mrs. Bates, offered.

"That's a couple's costume," Tracy, a long veteran of the costume party scene, told her, "And alas I have no Marc Anthony." She sighed dramatically.

Mrs. Bates giggled, "Pretty girl like you?"

Tracy grimaced, Vachon had said he -might- show up, no guarantees though, truth was she was getting a little sick and tired of his 'if-the-mood-strikes-me' attitude, that wasn't what Halloween was about damn it! It was about months of almost obsessive planning, weeks of decorating and costume making, seeing friends and family and scaring the hell out of them! That and the candy of course. "Actually I might meet someone there, but I really don't care if he shows or not, I'm going to have fun regardless." She announced and was pleased to realise she actually meant it.

"Good for you!" The shop owner grinned, she liked this one she did. "How about this? An old classic."

Tracy looked up at the vampire costume. "Hmm." She made a non-committal sound of interest. The party was going to be at the Raven, she shouldn't dress as a vampire. Then why was she moving across the stock room? And why was she holding the dress up to herself? "Hmm." She repeated. "I probably shouldn't…" She reluctantly put the slinky black and red dress down.

"Or maybe this?" Mrs. Bates held up a light aqua coloured gown, it had a high waist, short puff sleeves and looked vaguely familiar to Tracy's tired eyes. "Maybe just a Princess?"

"Princess?" Tracy echoed. Something clicked then, "Princess." She said, a slow smile spreading across from her face. She wandered over to a shelf and picked up a small porcelain doll. "I think that might just work," She looked at the doll, "Isn't that right, Miss Edith?"

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So it was that two weeks later Tracy arrived at the Precinct's Halloween party. She stood at the top of the stairs and looked around, most there were her fellow officers, as well as people from the Coroner's Office and DA, but then again, she also noticed a few people who probably didn't work for the city. Sure the Raven was technically closed for a private party, but she supposed vampires weren't likely to pay much attention to such things now were they?

"Well too late to back out now," She mumbled as Nick and Nat waved her in. Then she smiled a slightly disturbed smile and whispered, "Show time!"

Throwing off her coat she tossed it in the general direction of the cloakroom, apparently unconcerned where it landed. She walked towards her partner lightly, pausing to twirl around and swing her doll approximately at the halfway mark. "Hello Nicky, how are you tonight?" She sang out in an English accent.

"Who are you supposed to be?" Nick looked his partner over, she was in a long light coloured dress, dainty slipper covered her feet, hair extensions helped coax her locks into an old fashioned style. She looked like an 19^th century noble women, except for the slightly unfocused look in her eyes and the small gold cross hanging from her throat…complete with a burn mark under it pressed into her skin. "A vampire?" He guessed, though he eyed the doll strangely.

"Shhh, you mustn't speak so," Tracy pressed one finger against Nick's lips, "The walls have ears…and noses, lips..." She trailed off, letting her fingers dance down his jaw and onto his ace bandage wrapped chest.

"Tracy!" Nick yelped and jumped back when it looked like Tracy was just going to let her fingers keep right on sliding.

"I get it, Drusilla from Buffy right?" Nat spoke up, pushing her Snow White wig out of her eyes.

Tracy grinned and tilted her head to one side, exposing some very lovely fang marks. "You guessed right!" She clapped her hands in glee. "You're much smarter than one would think, being with Nicky and all. Despite what Miss Edith says."

"Miss Edith?" Nick frowned. He knew from many centuries and countless costume balls that people tended to let their dark sides show, no matter what part they were playing, some of it was always them. Especially when it was all improv. And what was with that crack? 'being with Nicky?'

"Miss Edith is the doll," Nat explained.

"Oh," Nick turned back to Tracy but her attention had wandered, and she'd followed it right across the room.

"Hello there," Tracy grinned at Vachon with a look of pure mischief.

Vachon looked at Tracy and blinked, and English accent? "Hi Trace," He glanced at the cross and frowned, "What are you supposed to be?"

Tracy sighed dramatically, "You're such a goose Javier, it's not a hard riddle you know."

Vachon just blinked.

Realising Vachon wasn't going to play with her, Tracy held her doll to her ear, "What's that Miss Edith?" She took the doll away and glared at her slacker friend, who'd evidently decided his leather jacket was enough of a costume, "She says you're a naughty boy…"

Vachon raised an eyebrow at that.

"But not naughty enough for me," Tracy added, then twirled away into the dance floor.

After a few minutes of dancing by herself, or rather with Miss Edith, Tracy was swept into someone's arms and twirled even faster around the floor.

"Weeeee!" She called out merrily, shutting her eyes and letting him twirl her about. When the music stopped and they finally stopped spinning, she opened her eyes and discovered, much to her surprise, that it wasn't Vachon holding her. It was…well, Julius Caesar.

She was momentarily startled, but then thought, 'the hell with it!' and grinned widely. "A General, my my I am moving up aren't I?" She sighed, still in her English accent. (Which was actually quite good, she knew a childhood of watching those Black Adder and Red Dwarf reruns come in handy!)

Caesar smiled down at her, twirling her once more for good measure.

Tracy shut her eyes again and leaned back, trusting him to hold her up. Not something she'd normally do, but hey, it wasn't like he'd actually drop her. "Mmm," She smiled and looked at him when they paused again. "I'm all dizzy now. The room is dancing, I can barely tell which way is up."

Lacroix listened to her singsong voice and shook his head slightly. "Then why am I under the impression that you are -quite- in control here, Ducks?" His voice came now with a pronounced English accent, he'd just figured out who she was supposed to be.

Tracy smiled mysteriously, finally! Someone who'd play with her! "Following but not led, it's a subtle game," She tilted her head back and stared up at the ceiling. "Do you like the moon when it shines down all red?"

"Yes as a matter of fact, I do Pet." Caesar smiled again, grabbing her chin and tilting her eyes back to his.

Just then, Vachon walked up beside them. "Excuse me, Tracy can I talk to you for a second?"

Tracy turned to him and made a face, "I don't want to talk to you, you're mean and won't play."

Caesar beamed, "You're name is Tracy then, luv?"

She nodded, "And you?"

"Lacroix." He bowed his head slightly, making absolutely no move to leave Tracy's side, or even move out of their dancing stance.

"Tracy," Vachon warned, putting his hand on her upper arm.

Tracy smiled prettily, yet somehow gritted her teeth at the same time, "I said no, Miss Edith doesn't like you!" And with that she bopped Vachon on the head with her doll.

Lacroix burst out laughing, a hearty low laugh that curled the toes of more than a few party guests. Lacroix then took Tracy's arm and led her away, "Come this way Pet, I'll show you the world!"

Vachon blinked, then turned on his heels and marched back to Nick and Nat. "What just happened?"

"Hell if I know," Nick shook his head.

"Dru just found Spike," Nat said, then at the men's blank looks added, "It's from a TV show, one that they obviously both watch."

"But, but, but." Vachon stammered.

"Don't worry," Nick patted the Spaniard's arm, "I'm sure neither of them will do anything foolish."

Just then the sound of Lacroix and Tracy's laughter echoed down the hall, then a door slammed.

Vachon blinked.

Nick went pale and started to angst.

And Nat downed the rest of her spiked punch in one long gulp, "Well, Happy Halloween everybody!"

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Just one more reason Vachon should move out of the Church to somewhere with electricity and a TV! Send all comments and caramel apples to anteros@juno.com