Title: HSU, Everyday is Halloween
Author: Dorotea
Rating: SVMS So very Mary Sue
Disclaimer: Not mine, just playing
Author's Notes: Big thanks to Darry for all her help; hugs to Tara for liking the original extremely angsty version with the completely different outcome; thanks and hugs to Laure for letting me read her Halloween fic early -- it kickstarted my reluctant muse to rewrite this yet again. No beta, all mistakes are figmants of your imagination.

~Well, I live with snakes and lizards other things that go bump in the night, but to me everyday is Halloween, I've given up hiding and started to fight, and I started to fight~

*Early Halloween Morning*

Dorotea stood on a chair, hanging a plastic skeleton from the ceiling. Giles walked by carrying a stack of books activating the motion sensor on the skeleton causing it to dance and sing to the tune of 'Monster Mash'. The tweed-clad Watcher startled for a moment and Dorotea chuckled. "Just doing some decorating for Halloween."

Giles furrowed his brow. "Don't you think that will be disruptive to students who are studying?"

Dorotea looked around the Library. Laure was quietly reading "Mediator Monthly" while sipping tea. Emmy was in the 'Dog Obedience' section eating a bag of Skittles she has swiped from the front desk. Lasher sat loyally at her side, drooling. Jen was at the front desk, using crazy glue to stick black cat lights around the desk. On the desk was a big black cauldron of "Halloween Punch" -- orange soda and vodka. Mostly vodka, with a small spell added to make mist rise from it. "Students? You think I'd let students in 'my' Library?"

Giles smiled crookedly. He put down the books and helped the Librarian down from the chair. "I'm rather surprised you allow the dog in," he said.

"We used to have tigers," Dor explained.

"And worse," Jen piped in making a clawing motion with her hand, "Snikt."

Lasher suddenly tore through the stacks and ran to the door, barking urgently and pawing at the door as if he were scared of something. The Dean followed, trying to grab his leash as the door mysteriously opened and he bounded out. "Borrowing some books," the Dean yelled as she ran out, Skittles flying everywhere.

"Hmm..." Giles said, adjusting his glasses. "I wonder what frightened Lasher?"

Dorotea shrugged. "He's a puppy, maybe he just had to go and was smart enough not to go in here," Dorotea looked at the Mediator pointedly and continued. "Or maybe he just sensed an evil presence."

Laure rolled her eyes, standing and returning the magazine to the rack. "Get over it," she said. "I'm outta here. I have a costume to put on and an EA to do. Not necessarily in that order."

Dorotea glared at Laure as the Mediator left the Library. "Say hi to the Lord of the Flies for me."

"Who?"

After the door closed behind Laure, Dorotea asked. "Where did you put those books with the curses?"

"No curses, love."

"A small one, like making her hair go flat and straight? Or maybe turning it green or something?"

Giles shook his head. "Curses are not the answer to differences with your fellow staff members," he said as he handed her several books. "We'll catalog these and then we can put on our costumes."

Dorotea nodded glumly, wondering briefly if Xanatos was still going to wear his Zorro costume. As she walked to the back of the Library she kicked the organ. "I wonder where Pelham is, I need him to do my hair," she muttered, trying to remember the last time she had even seen him.

Dorotea shelved the last of the books as a sudden chill enveloped her. She heard a strange rattling sound, a low moan and footsteps. "Hello? Jen? Giles?"

The moaning grew louder and the heavy footsteps closer. Dorotea pulled a big book off the shelf, 'How To Get In Touch With Your Inner-Brat' and held it up as a weapon, walking toward the direction of the moaning. "Pelham? Xanatos?  If that is you, I'm gonna get a demon conjuring book and --"

Dorotea's threat was interrupted by a loud crash as books begin flying off the shelves. Dorotea let out a startled cry and ducked down to avoid being hit with the flying books.

There was a loud clapping sound and the books fell instantly, pummeling Dorotea.

"Are you okay?" A concerned Giles asked as he rushed to Dorotea.

Dorotea sat up. "I'm fine. Nothing like a bit of bruising to get Halloween off to a good start," Dorotea said, looking sadly down at the broken reading glasses that were hanging from a silver chain around her neck. Maybe it was a sign.

Giles helped her off the floor. "Perhaps we have a poltergiest," he said, trying not to look excited by the prospect, but failing.

Dorotea began picking up books and snorted. "More likely we have a grey-sider playing tricks on us. Did you see or hear anything?"

"All I heard was your scream," Giles said picking up books. "I'll take care of these, love. Why don't you go have a cup of Earl Grey before you get dressed."

Dorotea nodded, absently kissing Giles and walking upstairs fiddling with her broken glasses. "I hate tea," she said to no one in particular. She could have sworn she heard a low, howling laugh, but when she looked around she didn't see anyone.

~Well, anytime, anyplace, anywhere that I go all the people seem to stop and stare~

"Ouch."

"It wouldn't hurt if you would just be still."

"Owwww! Pelham!"

"Would you stop squirming, m'lady."

"It's too tight!" Dorotea yelped.

Pelham tied the Librarian's Wednesday Addams braids. "They have to be tight or they'll come out before midnight."

"Hrumph," the Librarian said standing to look in the huge stone Gargoyle mirror that hung on the wall of the crypt. "How do I look?" She asked turning back to Pelham.

"Spooky and oddly sexy," Pelham answered, pulling one of her braids.

Dorotea straightened the bow-tie on Pelham's Phantom of the Opera costume then kissed his one bare cheek. "You look wonderful, but it is a shame to cover your beautiful face."

Pelham was silent for a long moment, then he spoke quietly, gently stroking Dorotea's cheek, "I've missed you, m'lady."

Dorotea sighed, moving away from Pelham's touch, she slid on top of a coffin, swinging her Mary Jane clad feet as she chewed on her bottom lip. Pelham moved to sit next to her, pulling of his mask. They both sat silently for a few minutes then Dorotea, not taking her eyes off her feet, said softly, "I miss you too. But...It is just, just difficult right now."

"I understand. I just want us to be the way we were before," LP paused for a moment. "With Xanatos."

Dorotea snorted. "I'm not taking him back. I don't think he even misses me.  I doubt he cares who he's doing as long as he's getting some."

Pelham put his arm around Dorotea and she buried her face in his shoulder. "Xanatos does miss you. I think you should give him another chance, m'lady. He cares...as much as he is capable of caring."

"If he cared at all about getting me back he wouldn't still be sleeping in that, that, Mediator's bed."

Pelham looked apologetic. "I know it seems that way --"

"Hello! It is that way!"

Pelham sighed. "If you don't want it to be that way you should tell him."

"I don't want to talk to him."

"You're afraid to talk to him."

"I am not! Why would I be afraid to talk him?"

"Because you know if you talk to him you'll forgive him. You two just play the same game over and over -- One of you does something you shouldn't to get the other's attention, you get angry, you fight, you make-up."

"We do not! And even if we did, this time is different!"

Pelham arched a brow.

"Don't do that brow arching thing. You know I can't resist that. And I think you just implied I was a brat."

"You are most definitely a petulant brat, as is Xanatos."

Dorotea frowned. "You want to live in the clinic and sleep on an exam table?"

"I think not," Pelham answered, arching a brow. "I love your petulant brattiness. You are adorable when you're throwing tantrums and being completely unreasonable."

Dorotea grinned, her hand moving to massage Pelham's thigh. "In that case, on the coffin or in the coffin?"

~They say, "Why are you dressed like it's Halloween? You look so absurd. You look so obscene."~

Giles sat in his King Arthur costume, Excalibur lying on the table in front of him, his nose stuck in an old, musty book.

"Giles, the party is starting," Dorotea said, buttoning the top button on her dress as she walked back into the Library.

"Mmm...I was doing a bit of research on the history of the crypt that the Library is built on top of."

"We have books about the history of the crypt?" Dorotea asked, reading over his shoulder.

"Yes, several in fact. You had them filed under Self-Improvement."

"Well, that explains why no one ever found them."

"I believe that you might have woken spirits with your use of magic," Giles said. "We should investigate further."

Dorotea made a face, closing the book and scooting between Giles' legs. "First, lets go do some drinking, my King," she said. "A few spirits floating around the Library just adds atmosphere. We will have to inform them to treat the books better, though."

"Yes, well, that is a nonchalant attitude and if I hadn't drank so much of your delicious punch I might argue with you, my darling Lolita."

"Oh, you like the costume?"

"Kooky and oddly sexy."

"The party can wait a while..." Dorotea said, pushing the books and Excalibur onto the floor and scooting onto the table.

"Oh, yes, I agree," Giles said, standing and lunging at his fellow Librarian.

"Ouch! Chain mail off, please!"

~Oh, why can't I live a life for me? Why should I take the abuse that's served? Why can't they see they're just like me? It's the same, it's the same in the whole wide world~

Giles and Dorotea walked through the crypt, marveling at the variety of costumes.

They got drinks from Judy and sat down at a table, well Giles sat down and Dorotea sat in his lap, carefully avoiding Excalibur.

Dorothy, her dress buttoned wrong, sat on a pirate's lap, necking passionately. Wonder Woman and Rob Roy were dancing, although you couldn't see Rob Roy's face through Wonder Woman's gravity-defying shellaced hair.

Dorotea sipped her Maker's Mark, discussing the costume choices with Giles until Empress Josephine walked in with Zorro and Dorotea fell instantly silent. Dorotea didn't even notice that neither of them looked particularily happy. She stood abruptly. "I need some fresh air, I'll be back in a few minutes," she told Giles, not taking her eyes off of Xanatos.

"I'll come with you," Giles offered, standing.

Dorotea shook her head at quickly made her way back to her office, frowning at the new hole in the wall. "What is about the Library walls and holes?" She asked herself as she slammed the door and pulled out a weathered spellbook from underneath a tweed blazer.

Dorotea sat down, staring at the unopened book, trying to collect her thoughts long enough to talk herself out of doing something she might regret in the morning. "Or not regret," she muttered to herself.

There was a sudden chill and the book flew open, the pages flipping as a low moan and the rattling of chains filled the small office. Dorotea arched her brow as the pages stilled. The page read, 'An Anti-Love Spell -- Stop the heartache and get on with your life already'.

Dorotea nodded. "That is what I need, isn't it? That way I won't have to hear endless bitching about how conjuring a demon was overkill and dangerous.  This would only effect me."

There was another moan, "Yeeesssssss."

Dorotea unlocked a cabinet and begin assembling the necessary ingredients next to a small cauldron. "You know what really sucks about all of this," Dorotea said to the ghost. "I was finally happy, well, maybe not happy, happy, I just don't have a shiny, happy personality, but satisfied, content. I finally felt like I belonged, like I was the part of something special. I thought Xanatos felt the same way, that we had both finally found what we were looking for. A fling I could have forgiven, but the fact that it was obviously going to be a continuing relationship..." Dorotea sighed and put the mini-cauldron on the bunson burner sitting on her desk. She lit the burner with a spoken spell and started adding the ingredients.

With a heavy sigh she continued. "So, now here I am talking to ghosts, brewing potions while everyone else is partying. It's a good thing the Dean is busy having her own crisis or she'd have me institutionalized."

The ghost moaned sympathetically.

Dorotea poured the hot liquid into a flask and screwed the lid on tightly. Turning off the burner, she said, "I'm glad someone understands," she stared at the flask of orange liquid that would eliminate all those messy feelings once and for and all, that would her set her free to be content and satisfied with Giles. She sighed heavily. "Of course, I could just steal him back and tattoo 'Property of Dorotea' on him."

The ghost howled and moaned again.

"You're welcome to stay in the Library. Just leave the books alone or Giles will banish you back to the netherworld. He doesn't like anyone to mess with his books. If you get bored you can haunt the Dean -- she deserves it for putting that hole in my wall."

She opened the door to her office and started out only to see the General dressed as Neo stalking across the Library, his long, black coat flying out behind him. Dorotea took one look at the tight black pants and t-shirt and said, "Whoa," all thoughts of Xanatos and potions temporarily erased from her mind.

~Well I let their teeny minds think that they're dealing with someone who is over the brink, and I dress this way just to keep them at bay because Halloween is everyday, hey is everyday, hey~

After her rendezvous with the General Dorotea went back to the Crypt to find Giles leading the partygoers with a rousing karaoke version of the 'The Time Warp'.

"It's just a jump to the left," sang Giles.

Dorotea muttered, "Okay, I think I put a bit too much vodka in the punch."

"And then a step to the right," sang the partygoers, including the General, somehow already dressed as Lestat and dancing with Jen and her lizard.

"With your hands on your hips," sang Giles.

The image of King Arthur doing the Time Warp was too much for Dorotea so she grabbed a bottle of wine from the bar and snuck back out of the crypt before Giles or Pelham spotted her.

Dorotea settled down under a large tree in the woods, wishing the moon was full and that it wasn't quite so chilly. She stared at the bottle of wine, realizing she didn't have any way to open it. "Damn," she said, putting it down.

"Need help, pet?" Xanatos' voice whispered in the darkness.

Dorotea startled and picked up the bottle as a weapon waving it threateningly at Xanatos as he sat down next to her. "I didn't hear you! And what are you doing out here?"

"They did teach me some useful things at the Temple; I followed you here. What are you doing out in the woods? You could be watching tweedman make a fool out of himself in the Crypt."

"Don't call him 'tweedman' and he's not making a fool out of himself."

"Whatever," Xanatos said, taking the bottle of wine out of Dorotea's hands and popping the cork with the Force. He took a drink out of the bottle and offered it to her. She took a drink and returned the bottle to him.

"Why aren't you with Laure? Did she get bored with you already?"

Xanatos shook his head, his hand twirling one of Dor's braids. "No, I'd rather be with you. You look precious in your costume," he said, moving closer to her. "I knew you would."

Dorotea swallowed as she felt his warm breath cascade across her cheek. She felt her dress pocket and realized she had left the flask with the anti-love potion in the Library. She decided she didn't need it anyway, after all she had her righteous anger. "Yeah, right. She threw you out, didn't she?" Dorotea sneered, backing away from Xanatos, shivering as a cool breeze rustled the leaves of the tree.

Xanatos put down the wine bottle and took of his cape and slid it over Dor's shoulders. He reached under her chin and tied it, then stroked her cheek gently. "I want to come back to you."

"No," Dorotea said, even though she didn't try to back away when he removed his Zorro hat and leaned in to kiss her.

"Yes," he said firmly.

"No," Dorotea protested, pushing him back, ignoring the message her body was sending. "You can't just do whoever you please and then come back weeks later expecting me to not care."

"You replaced me quickly enough," Xanatos retorted harshly.

"What was I supposed to do? Pine away for you?"

"No, but instead of wasting your time with your wenchy temper tantrums and threats you could've just told Laure that she couldn't have me and taken me back."

"Oh."

"Oh? That's all you have to say for yourself? You are a hypocritical, spoiled, petulant brat with mood swings that give me whiplash."

Dorotea's wench tendencies began to show again as her bottom lip pouted out and chin began to quiver. "I am not," she said voice wavering unconvincingly.

Xanatos lifted her chin, pinching it. "You are -- throwing a tantrum about me spending the night with Laure when you sneak off to that do-gooder."

"Well, um, that's different. Anyway, if I stopped doing the General the Dean would call me an ungrateful Ho."

"She already calls you an ungrateful Ho."

"Well, yeah, that's true."

"So, it's going to stop."

"I really don't care what the Dean calls me."

"No, you're going to stop sleeping with the General."

"I am?"

"You are. And then there is Qui-Gon --"

"Wait a minute -- those were just rumors! I may fawn a bit over him when my moon is in alpha, but I am not boinking him!"

"Call it what you want, but it's over. You're mine."

"I am?"

Xanatos leaned in and kissed her lips softly. "Yes, and I forgive you for your recent behavior."

Dorotea returned the kiss and said, "Thank you, it won't happen again...wait a minute! You forgive me?" She exclaimed, thwacking Xanatos in the chest. "You forgive me?" She stood up and kicked him. "I think what you meant was I forgive YOU!"

Xanatos stood and smiled roguishly at her. "That works as well. Now, come here and let me show you how much I missed you."

Dorotea yelped as Xanatos roughly grabbed her and pinned her against the tree. "Here?"

"Here. I need you now," Xanatos whispered huskily before sinking his teeth into her neck.

"You're Zorro, not a vampire!"

~Oh, why can't I live a life for me? Why should I take the abuse that's served? Why can't they see they're just like me? I'm not the one that's so absurd~

A petite blonde cautiously opened the door to the Library. "Giles?" She called.

The only response was a rattling sound and low moan.

The blonde frowned, and walked into the Library. She could hear music and laughter coming from somewhere and went in the direction of the noise.

"May I help you m'lady?" A cultured voice asked.

The blonde spun around, prepared to fight.

"Lady Julia? Who are you dressed as?" The man asked.

She scrutinized the slender man dressed as the Phantom of the Opera. "My name is Buffy, not Julia. I'm looking for Giles. He needs to return to Sunnydale with me immediately. The fate of the world depends on it.

"Hmmm..." the man said, staring at her hair. "You have beautiful, shiny hair, but this style is not becoming. Let me get a hair brush and a scrunchie and I'll style it for you."

"I don't need my hair done!" Buffy exclaimed. "I need to find Rupert Giles! NOW!"

Pelham shrugged. "It's your hair m'lady, but the only men you are going to attract with that style are ruffians with no taste."

Buffy grabbed the British Lord by his lapels and shook him. "GILES? Do you know where Giles is?"

Pelham pulled away, smoothing his lapels and giving Buffy a scornful look. "He is in the Crypt, singing 'Sweet Transvestite'. Just through that door," he said, pointing to the door leading to the Crypt.

"Thank you," Buffy said as she stalked to the door, as she got closer she could hear Giles singing.

"I'm just a sweet transvestite from Transexual, Translyvania."

"What have they done to him here?" Buffy asked as she rushed to rescue Giles.

On her way down the stairs Buffy almost collided with Tara on her way up the stairs.

"Wow," Tara said to Pelham who was now sitting at the organ. "Julia has a great Buffy costume."

Pelham arched a brow. "That is Lady Buffy, not Lady Julia. And her hairstyle is completely wrong for the shape of her face."

"Wow! Buffy is here. That's so cool. Might not want to sleep in your coffin tonight."

Pelham didn't comment, but began to play, 'Everyday is Halloween' on the organ.

Tara looked through a stack of books halfheartedly. Halloween was usually one of her favorite holidays, but this year she was in a funk. She had picked out costumes with Sharpe, but wasn't sorry he was gone. She was a General's Grrl. Maybe it was all those horrible remedial Ho classes. Maybe the fumes from her classmates massive amounts of hairspray were poisoning her. Tara spotted a crystal flask on the floor and picked it up. It looked like more of the orange Halloween punch Dor had made. Tara opened it and took a swig, if her tastebuds hadn't still been recovering from the extra hot potato chips she had eaten earlier she might have noticed the liquid tasted nothing like the punch, but as it was she finished the entire flask off. She curled up on the sofa, picking up a book to read, 'Torture and Mayhem in 19th Century Estrogen County' and promptly fell asleep.

~Everyday is Halloween~

*Morning after Halloween*

"The Dean is SO going to kick your ass when she finds those 'X's you scratched into her new big truck-like vehicle," Dorotea told Xanatos as he slashed an 'X' into the door of the Clinic.

"Just imagine the look on her face when she sees it though," Xanatos said, putting his arm around Dorotea and kissing her.

"That'll be great. You set up the remote video, right?"

Xanatos nodded as he slashed an 'X' into wall. Dorotea grabbed his arm. "Enough property damage, lets go home."

"At least I don't have to pay for repairs on this place anymore," Xanatos said as they walked into the Library. "Love what you've done with the place," he said spotting the hole in the wall.

"Good morning, m'lady, Xanatos," Pelham said from the top of the steps. "Have a nice All Hallows Eve?" He asked as he walked down the spiral stairway.

Pelham kissed Dor's cheek and noticed that her neck was covered in 'X' shaped love bites. "I see you did," he said. "Decided to forgive and forget?"

"Yes, I decided to forgive Dorotea," Xanatos said smoothly, kissing Pelhams' cheek.

"Ah," Pelham said.

"You mean, I decided to forgive you," Dorotea corrected.

"Whatever," Xanatos shrugged. "Who's the girl on the sofa?"

Dorotea and Pelham looked at the sofa. "Tara. What's she doing here?" Dorotea asked, giving Pelham a suspicious look.

"Hardly my type m'lady," Pelham said haughtily, giving the earth-tone and Birckenstock-clad frosh a disdainful look. "She fell asleep there last night. I tried to wake her up, but was unsuccessful."

"You have to kiss Sleeping Beauty to wake her up," Xanatos said, sliding toward the sofa.

"Don't even think about it," Dorotea said, hitting Xanatos. "She's not Sleeping Beauty and if you kiss her I will tear out your --"

"You're so cute when you're jealous and possessive, pet," Xanatos said backing away from the sofa.

"Where's Giles?" Dorotea asked, suddenly remembering her previous EA.

"A girl came for him last night, um....a Buffy. She said it was a matter of some importance. She dragged him away without even letting me fix her hair."

"He left without even saying good-bye? He's just gone?"

Xanatos wrapped his arms around the Librarian. "And you would care...why?"

"Er, I don't care...I was um, just curious, that's all."

Pelham shook his head and made a disdainful face at both of them and gave Tara a shake. "Good morning, Lady Tara," he said.

Tara groaned and opened her eyes. "Man, what did I drink last night," she moaned, slowly sitting up.

"I don't know, but now that you're up, would you mind leaving?" Dorotea asked. "We still have a lot of making up to do."

Tara stood, nodding and stretching. Then she spotted Xanatos. Her mouth fell open and her eyes turned doe shaped. "Xanatos," she whispered as if she were awestruck.

"Yes, have we met?" Xanatos asked.

Tara swooned. "I love you."

"WHAT?" Dorotea bellowed.

Pelham snickered and Xanatos grinned. "Of course you do. That's fine, but I'm taken."

Tara batted her eyelashes at Xanatos. "You want to take me?"

"No, he doesn't! What is wrong with you Tara? You hate Xanatos!" As soon as she had said it the lightbulb went off in Dor's head. "Damn. Did you drink something out of a flask last night?"

Tara nodded, not taking her eyes of Xanatos.

"What is it, my pet?" Xanatos asked Dorotea, growing uncomfortable at Tara's constant adoring stare.

"I kinda, um, er, made an anti-love potion last night," Dor confessed.

"An anti-love potion? For me?" Xanatos asked, smirking.

"Yeah, for you, but I decided not to take it. But Tara did and since she didn't love you, it apparently backfired and made her fall in love with you," Dor glanced at the fawning, eyelash batting Tara, "And a bit wenchy too."

"You were going to take an anti-love potion to get over me? That is so, so...bizarre, I love it," Xanatos said, enfolding the Librarian in his arms again and kissing her.

Tara grabbed the Zorro cape Dor was wearing and shouted, "Don't touch the man I love."

Dorotea pulled away from Tara and Xanatos turned to her and said, "See how that's done?"

"Shut up," Dorotea said, hitting him again only to see Tara's eyes bug out.

"Don't worry about it! He likes to be hit!" Dorotea said before Tara could attack her again. "Xanatos go to the Crypt or something while I look for a counterspell. You," she said pointing at Tara, "sit. Stay. I'm sure I can fix this."

Xanatos and Pelham exchanged a doubtful look.

Tara suddenly ran off into the crypt.

Dorotea shook her head. "It's always something," she said as she started looking through spellbooks. "And I'm sure I'm going to get blamed for this."

Tara suddenly ran off into the crypt.

"Maybe it will just wear off by itself. How much trouble can she be?" Xanatos asked, sitting down next to Dorotea.

Dor looked up from the books and smacked Xanatos again. "You can't keep her!"

Xanatos feigned innocence. "I wasn't going to try anything with her. I thought maybe she would do my laundry for me. Things like that..."

Dor rolled her eyes as Pelham picked up a book and began paging through it. "I might have to call Giles," Dor said.

"You will not call tweedman --" Xanatos was interrupted by a spray of water soaking his face.

Tara stood in front of him, holding a water bottle, swooning. "Wow, you're incredible when you're wet too."

Xanatos glared at Tara, wiping the water off his face. "Fix this fast Dor." He said through gritted teeth to the Librarian.

THE END