Masquerade

By Jenna.

Fandom: War of the Worlds

Rating: PG

Disclaimer: These characters don't belong to me and I don't intend to make any money with them. There are no intentions to infringe the rights of the legal owners.

Hey there,

Okay, well here's my contribution to the Halloween Challenge.

General disclaimer: The only character I claim ownership of is Geiar. Bret is on loan to me from Marq (thank you, thank you, thank you) Paul and Harrison belong to some high falooting company that didn't know a good thing when they had it.

Background -- well there isn't much of one, I just took them out for a little joyride. Character histories and personalities may not be so accurate but this was just for grins. I think I got all the requirements: Pumpkins (okay, well jack o lanterns), stripper, aliens dancing, jell-o a rabbit's foot and embarassed characters. tee hee. I always welcome suggestions and comments :)

Hope y'all enjoy,

By Jenna.

"Oh come on, it's just an innocent masquerade ball. . ." Bret wasn't getting anywhere fast. Paul was being stubborn about dressing up this year. After two years of getting stuck in drag he had enough. Nope, if he was going as anything, he said, it would be as a United States Army Lieutenant Colonel. "That's no fun, you're that every day!" She curled around the edge of his desk. "Please?"

Paul drew a deep breath, he knew what she was up to. "I don't want to do this, Bret." She was standing close enough for him to smell her perfume. Quietly she lifted herself onto the edge of his desk and crossed her legs raising the hem of her narrow skirt to midthigh. Paul leaned back in his chair unable to turn from the lovely sight just inches away. She leaned in closer and stroked his face.

"Please?" No surrender on the battlefield is easy enough but how am I supposed to combat this? Paul nodded his head in resignation as Bret grinned triumphantly.

"But no drag!" he demanded. Immediately she jumped down from his desk and gave him a peck on the cheek.

"You can be anything you want!" she purred as she breezed out the door of his office. Paul collapsed onto his desk. His hand fell to the spot where she had been sitting. It was still warm. Shaking his head, he vowed this would be the last year he got trapped into attending one of those crazy parties.

A few minutes later, Bret knocked on Geiar's door. Opening it Geiar was met with a wide grin. "He's going?" she asked as Bret nodded excitedly. "Great!"

"How about Harrison? What did he say?"

Geiar grinned, "I didn't give him a chance to say anything."

"That's a change."

"Yeah, I just said 'you're going, think of a costume.'" The two ladies laughed as they began brainstorming. The party was less than a week away and they had work to do.

Downstairs Harrison ambled into the Colonel's office. "So, uh, what are you doing Saturday night?" Paul groaned as Harrison chuckled. "Oh, so then we'll be together."

"Talk about a fright night," Paul mumbled under his breath.

Harrison cleared his throat and shot a look at Paul as if to say I heard that. "So, any ideas for costumes?" Paul shook his head. "Oh, well I'm sure that Mrs. Pennyworth can. . ." the rest of his sentence was cut off by a sharp growl as Harrison's mouth twisted into a crooked smile. "Unless you want to head into town and see what we can scrounge up?"

Paul looked around. The majority of his work was already done for the day and it was looking to be a quiet night. "Might as well go and get it over with," he agreed. Grabbing a jacket they made their way out to the Bronco. "How did Geiar get you anyway?" Paul asked.

"Get me? I never had a chance to say no!" Paul laughed, "She stuck it right between an update on her project and a request for a new routing hub. I agreed to it before I even knew what it was. 'you're going,' was all I remember hearing."

"These women are something else," Paul replied shaking his head as they passed through the gate and headed toward the city.

A while later they returned, garment bags in hand, and headed inside. "You know, we're lucky we went today, or one of us could have gotten stuck with that giant rabbit's foot monstrosity."

Paul laughed. "I know, that was awful. Feel sorry for whoever ends up with that!"

"So what did you get?" Geiar asked as they came into view. Bret raised an eyebrow as the two men walked into the living room and proceeded to drop the plastic garment bags onto an empty chair.

"Looks like you were successful," Bret added. "So?" Harrison walked around to face them, reached for Geiar's hand and pulled her from the sofa with a flourish. He spun her around before the fireplace then ended the little dance with a dip.

"I," he crowed, "will be the phantom of the opera." Geiar giggled as he took a bow.

"How about you, Paul?" Bret pressed, "What are you going to be?" Paul surveyed the area. His dark eyes narrowed and his face took on a serious expression. Slowly he ambled over to Bret and sat down beside her, straddling the arm of the sofa. He pushed an imaginary hat back and leaned toward her.

"See here, little lady," he drawled, "there's a fight, gonna happen at the OK Corral right 'round sunset. I'd be sure to stay away if I were you."

Bret's face lit up, "a gunfighter!"

"Yeah, he just can't get enough of playing cowboys and Indians," Harrison quipped just before the back of Geiar's hand made contact with his stomach.

"I think it's great," Geiar added smiling at the couple on the sofa.

"So how about you two?" Paul asked, "What are you going as?" Geiar and Bret exchanged a look of surprise before answering.

"Don't you know yet?" Harrison asked as Geiar shook her head. "Do you even have an idea?"

"Well I'm sure we'll be able to find something," Bret interjected. "After all we have much larger wardrobes than you do, it should be easy." She spoke lightly, too lightly, Paul thought. Bret was not the kind of person to do things on the fly, she was planning something. She had to be. Geiar smiled and shrugged, silently telling the others sure, why not. Whatever works.

"Listen here, missy," Harrison threatened, "If we're the only ones that show up in costume there'll be hell to pay." He was leaning over Geiar, his finger nearly jabbing into her shoulder. Geiar clasped his face in her hands, leaned forward and placed a kiss on the bridge of his nose, laughing mischievously. She followed Bret out of the room and as the two men watched them leave, Harrison remarked, "God, we're in trouble."

* * *

"Ooooh, Bret, this is gorgeous!" Geiar exclaimed as she pulled a dress from one of several dusty chests.

Bret smiled broadly, "I thought you would like it. It's a personal favorite of mine, too." She walked over and held the dress against the faint light of the naked attic bulbs. "I wore this to Wolfie's concert," she added.

"Excuse me?"

"Oh, sorry. Mozart? His opening night of The Magic Flute in Vienna. It was heavenly." Geiar looked at her friend in awe.

"It's so strange to hear you talk like that. . ." Bret looked over suddenly aware of Geiar's perspective. "I mean, to me you sound like you're talking about something you saw last week, when . . . it definitely wasn't." Bret smiled sheepishly. "I know I'm the youngest around - well, besides Debi - but man I can't even begin to imagine you're life!"

Bret laughed lightly, "It's not really much different from yours, just longer." She walked around to Geiar, held the dress against her fanning the skirt and spreading the lace on the sleeves. "He was the first rock star, you know." Geiar looked at her, doubtful. "No it's true, he had groupies and everything!" Bret looked her in the eye, "not that I was one of them, mind you, but if I ever wanted to have fun I knew who to look up."

Geiar laughed. She held the dress herself now and soon Bret watched as her friend waltzed in time to a dream. "This is so beautiful! You mean you're really gonna let me wear it?" Bret nodded, enjoying the moment. Suddenly, Geiar stopped and put the dress down. "Wait! You haven't seen what I picked out for you!" She ran behind a row of garment racks and soon emerged with what Bret at first thought was a scarf.

"What is that?" she asked reaching out for the dress.

"It's a mini dress - from the 60's I'm guessing?" Bret nodded as her eyes followed the graphic print. "It's fabulous! And look," Geiar shook a sleeve in the air, "You've never worn it - the tag's still on it!" Her excitement was infectious, soon Bret found herself scouring the attic for an old pair of white boots, her blonde wig and the last pair of Jackie O sunglasses she remembers buying. They were giddy with excitement as they pulled their treasures downstairs to get ready.

"I could never pull this off, G, This dress is so short! What happens if I bend over? I'll be showing the world everything!"

"Well it won't be any different with me," Geiar retorted as she struggled with the corset, "if I bend over I'll be topless!" Bret laughed at her friend, "not that I could bend over. This corset is a nightmare, how could you wear this?" Geiar was still struggling with the undergarments when Bret finished dressing.

"Oh yeah, I remember now I always had someone to help me into these things." She took the strings from her friend's hand and told her to hold on to something heavy. Giving a heavy tug, Bret tightened the corset as Geiar grunted. "Are you doing alright?" Bret asked smiling at her friend's reaction.

"Yeah sure," Geiar answered breathlessly, "just seeing if I can make it on one lung of air all night." Slowly, Bret helped Geiar into the many layers of clothing as she continued to finish the details of her own costume.

The annoying ring of a cellular caught their attention as Bret was trying to get Geiar untangled from the inside the dress. Her arm was caught up in something that neither could exactly see, but both were trying to figure out. The phone rang again.

"Hold on I'll get it," Bret offered as she dove into her friend's small bag.

"As though I could," Geiar bellowed.

"Hello? Oh hi, no we're, um," she stopped to look in Geiar's direction, "running late." The trapped woman was walking in circles trying to get her head through the collar of the dress. Instead she found a sleeve. Bret had to stifle a laugh as the voice on the other end continued talking. "Huh? Oh, no . . .look why don't we just meet you there?" The voice agreed. "Geiar, do you remember the address?" Bret asked.

"517 North Chatham" the dress answered as Bret repeated it into the telephone.

"Okay. . .okay, look I have to go or we'll never get there. . . .uh huh, well when you remember leave it with Norton, we'll pick up messages on the way over, okay? Good. Bye!" Bret folded the phone, tossed it on her bed and hurried back to her friend. "Are you doing alright in there?" she asked, climbing on her vanity chair hoping to get a better angle.

"Fine, just afraid I'm going to run out of air. How are you?" Finally, Geiar's head broke through and the dress fell in place. "Well no wonder everyone danced so slow back then! This thing is so heavy you couldn't move!" Bret couldn't help herself anymore. She started laughing.

Eventually, they were both dressed and examining their appearance in the mirror. "You look so different," Geiar exclaimed to her friend. Bret's trademark red hair had been pulled under a wig of long, straight, blond hair. The pop art dress hung just low enough to maintain her modesty while a wide white belt was slung across her hips. A pair of tall, white boots, a headband and large sunglasses completed the outfit.

Beside her stood Geiar, draped in yards of pale blue and silver silk and lace. A powdered wig towered over her head and even her skin was powdered until it looked porcelain. A fan, silk purse and an ornate feathered mask finished her look. "Well," she took in as deep a breath as she could, "I guess this is it."

"We look great!" Bret added happily. "They'll never know what hit them!" Slowly they made their way to Bret's car where Geiar called Norton for any messages.

"Nope, none here," he said "were they supposed to leave something for you?"

"Well they said they would if anything came up. . ." Geiar answered.

"I guess nothing came up." Norton put the phone down and snickered to himself.

* * *

"Do you see them yet?" the cowboy asked the Phantom.

"Nope. Not that they'd be easy to find here - we don't even know who to look for," Phantom answered. The two men sat in near darkness as the party waged around them. Strobes flashed and the music was loud enough to wake the dead. From this vantage point they saw nearly everyone who walked in the door.

"Whoa, look at that one. . ." Harrison motioned to a woman walking in. From what he could tell she was dressed in feathers and not much else.

"Showgirl?" Paul offered looking in another direction.

"I'd say stripper." Paul glared at Harrison. "What?"

Outside, the two made their way down a path lit with Jack o'lanterns. "Hey Marie!" A voice shouted from the darkness, "Marie Antoinette!" Geiar turned around ''How about some cake!" Bret looked at Geiar and they began to laugh.

"This place is weird," Geiar remarked. "It doesn't seem like the kind of party I'd expect from the corporate crowd. . ." Mist from dry ice machines covered the ground in a blanket of fog as strobe lights flashed. Streamers hung from the ceiling and the music thumped loud enough they could feel it to their bones.

"I don't know, when some of those guys let loose," Bret added "you never know what could happen." They walked into the darkened hall and looked around. "It's hard to see in here. Geiar do you see them?" Geiar shook her head. Slowly, they walked around the hall trying to absorb the atmosphere. They didn't say much, they couldn't hear anything anyway so there really wasn't much point in trying.

The two ladies turned a corner and were headed for the dance floor when they nearly walked into a white column of fur. At first they thought it was some kind of decoration until it moved. Turning, they saw a giant gold cap on top and chain hanging down. The white painted face of a stranger glared back at them. Bret's jaw dropped as she leaned into her friend. "Rabbit's foot?" she asked silently. I have no idea, Geiar mouthed back as they tried to disappear into the crowd before he caught them laughing.

"Hey Sundance, heads up" a voice called out as a can came flying in the cowboy's direction. "How about you, Zorro?"

"I'm not Zorro!" Phantom replied to the stranger pitching beer cans. "I don't want any!"

"Suit yourself!" The cowboy looked at the beer and grimaced. He couldn't really drink with his mask on so he put the can on a nearby table and waited.

Phantom checked his watch then motioned to the cowboy who shrugged in reply. He was about to go outside and call when a go go dancer and Marie Antoinette showed up. "You're not having too much fun without us," the dancer shouted over the music as she took a seat next to the cowboy. He shook his head. She took a good look at him. In this darkness, and with his hat drawn low over his face, she couldn't see much. What made it worse was the bandanna, it covered everything else the hat missed. Besides the 10 gallon hat, he wore a long dark duster, boots and even spurs - Bret was delighted that Paul had gotten into the character so much.

Marie Antoinette stood close by. She was afraid to sit down in case she couldn't make it back up again. Well, at least the corset will hold me up, Geiar thought as she smiled at her escort. He did look good, she thought. What is it about a man in formalwear? Even though she could hardly see any of his face, what with the mask and hat, Geiar knew who was beneath it all.

The four of them sat stiffly around the table for a while trying to figure out what to do. It was a lot rowdier than what they were expecting. While they sat, a clown in a rainbow wig and roller skates rolled over. He produced a trash can lid with a tray of jiggly rainbow pyramids. The foursome looked around as he urged them to take one. "It's Jell-O!" the clown shouted. Geiar shrugged as she reached for one, with everyone else following suit. Taking a bite, her face twisted into a grimace as she glared back at the clown.

"They taste funny!"

"Yeah!" he answered, "we ran out of Everclear so we're using vodka!"

"Vodka!" Phantom shouted, "in Jell-O?"

"What else are we supposed to put in Jell-O shots? I told you we ran out of the Everclear!" The clown repeated. He leaned over the cowboy's shoulder and surveyed the group. He smelled heavily of alcohol, "hey, lighten up! Don't lose your head over it!" he shouted to Marie. Laughing, he slapped her on the bottom before rolling away again. Marie yelped in surprise.

"Well there's no sense in just sitting here!" the dancer yelled, "Let's go dance!" Immediately, Cowboy stood up and helped her to her feet but Marie and Phantom stayed seated. Cowboy looked over at them, "I can't dance in this thing!" Marie explained "At least not to that kind of music!" Phantom shrugged, just a little grateful she couldn't. They watched as the other couple made their way to the floor and got lost in the crowd.

Standing, he moved over to Marie and looked at her. She was beautiful, he thought taking her hand and turning her in a smooth circle. Marie smiled back as she curtseyed graciously toward Phantom. Just then a flash went off, blinding the two.

"Oh, My Gawd!" A high voice squeaked, "You two are just sooo cute!" A cheerleader bounced up to the couple, Polaroid in hand and clapped. "No wonder you won!" She giggled as she bounced away again. Marie turned to Phantom and shrugged her shoulders. Nothing could surprise her tonight, not the way this party was going. Phantom smirked as he spun her around again, enjoying the delicate way she moved around him.

On the dance floor, Cowboy and Dancer were lost in the music. It wasn't until Elvis walked up that they were aware they were being watched. "Hey good looking," he sneered to Dancer as she stopped cold on the dance floor. Cowboy stood behind her wondering what Elvis was up to. He produced a Polaroid camera, "You two won the dance contest, mind the picture?" Cowboy glanced down and Dancer and shrugged.

"I didn't know there was a contest. . ."

"Oh, baby don't be cruel! Come on, strike a pose!" Dancer looked at Cowboy and smiled what the hell, she mouthed. He hooked his thumbs through the belt loops on his pants pulling the duster away from his chest and scowled into the camera as she leaned against him holding her hands up as if they were a gun. "Oooh, Gunsmoke meets Charlie's Angels - I like!" Elvis shouted as he took the picture.

"It's good to be the king!" Cowboy shouted into the music as Elvis left the dance floor. Dancer laughed.

It was starting to get late, and soon the music slowed to a more romantic pace. Phantom led Marie to the floor and held her close as they swayed. Not far away were Cowboy and Dancer, also dancing close her head resting near his shoulder. The music soon stopped as partygoers began to grumble their objections.

"Okay, everybody! Everybody, if I could just have your attention for a minute!" Heads turned toward the stage where Elvis and the Cheerleader were standing. "We've got the results for the contests here and I just wanted to announce them." A cheer rose from the audience as the two couples made their way toward each other.

"For best costume in a supporting role. . ." Elvis's voice fell to the background as the four met and discussed further plans for the night.

"Well it's almost midnight anyway," Marie pointed out, "We might as well stay till we unmask then go."

"Besides, they're gonna announce us! We won a contest!" Cowboy added proudly.

Phantom looked over in surprise ,"so did we!" They all turned back around to see the woman in red feathers making her way off the stage with a small box in her hands.

"Okay, best dancers!" The cheerleader yelled into the microphone "Let's here it for Gunsmoke and Charlie's Angel!" Suddenly a spotlight dropped down from the darkness and fell over the couple beside Phantom and Marie. They looked over to see Cowboy and Dancer smiling sheepishly as the Cheerleader called them onstage. Once there, Elvis handed Dancer a jewel encrusted box and Cowboy a dozen roses. They looked at each other, waved at the crowd then walked back off the stage. Phantom and Marie met them at the bottom of the stairs when their own names were called.

"Zorro and Marie Antoinette for cutest couple!"

"Zorro?" Cowboy asked through a laugh.

"I keep telling them. . ." Phantom answered as Marie tugged him up the stairs. Once there they were given their prizes, roses for him, another box for her, then were again ushered off the stage. The music started up again as the two couples met on the dance floor.

"After this song," Elvis shouted over the music, "we're gonna cut the lights for the unmasking!" You mean they had lights on? Phantom asked himself as he pulled Marie into a dance. Beside them Cowboy held Dancer close. Just as the lights went out, he pulled the bandanna from his face and dipped down to kiss her. Dancer jumped, surprised by his sudden advance. In the darkness, Marie reached out to Phantom and pulled him into her. His stiff response confused her and as the lights came back on.

"Oh My God!" Dancer exclaimed standing before her was a once smiling Harrison. His jaw went lax as she pulled the sunglasses from her face revealing a very surprised Bret in his arms. He dropped her immediately and turned toward the second couple. They were still holding each other, looking slack jawed back at Harrison and Bret and afraid to face each other. Slowly, Marie reached up and removed Phantom's mask to reveal a very nervous Paul underneath. Quickly she stepped away from him, blushing so brightly all the face powder in the world could do nothing to hide it. Under the burning gaze of three sets of eyes, Geiar slowly reached up and removed her mask. Smiling sheepishly she shrugged and looked toward Harrison.

"Get over here!" he said, grinning broadly as he reached for her hand. Bret immediately went to Paul as his hand wrapped around her waist.

"Is that you under there?" Paul asked lifting the long blonde hair of Bret's wig.

"What are you doing in his costume?" Bret asked immediately as Geiar repeated the same question to Harrison. "I told you to leave a message if anything happened!"

"We did!" Harrison defended.

"Then why the change? You guys were planning this!" Geiar accused. Paul and Harrison glanced at each other not knowing what to say.

"We did leave a message with Norton - did you ever call in?"

"YES" the two women yelled as other partiers turned their heads in curiosity. Paul began escorting Bret toward the door of the party with Harrison and Geiar close behind. Once outside they calmed down enough to figure out what happened.

"You say you called," Harrison repeated as Geiar nodded her head emphatically.

"Norton said you didn't leave a message. . ."

"Norton said. . " Paul groaned "He's gonna pay for this." They began making their way back to the parking lot when Geiar stopped and looked at Bret.

"What is it?" she asked. Geiar shook her head.

"It's just something funny. I don't know." Turning around she reached into her small purse and produced the invitation. She gasped as her eyes widened then immediately stuffed the invite back into her purse. Unfortunately she wasn't quick enough. Harrison caught her action from the corner of his eye and came over to investigate.

"What is it?"

"Uh. . .nothing, I was just looking."

"In your purse? I saw you put the invitation away." Geiar shook her head adamantly as she held the purse away from him. He reached for it and she jerked it away again. As they struggled, Paul and Bret walked back over to see what the commotion was about.

"What's going on?" Paul asked.

"She's. . .hiding something. . . from. . .us" Harrison answered breathlessly as he continued grabbing for the purse. Eventually, he caught the string and yanked it over her head.

"Don't" Geiar yelled but it was too late. Harrison fled with the invitation followed closely by Geiar, Bret and Paul. He stopped and spun around, looking for something as the other three gathered around. Their heads bent down and read "571 North Chatham."

This is the wrong party? Harrison was about to say something when a strange sound floated across the parking lot. The four scanned the area. Eventually their eyes landed on a nearby station wagon. It was rocking lightly making the glow in the dark, alien dashboard ornament dance. As they watched, a large red feather floated up from the back seat settling near the dancing alien on the dashboard. The noise sounded again and their eyes widened finally recognizing the sound.

"Nobody hears about tonight!" Paul ordered as he pulled Bret toward him, "none of this ever happened!"

"Agreed!" Harrison exclaimed. Quickly, he pushed Geiar toward the Bronco as Bret and Paul made for her car hoping to disappear quickly into the night.

End