Work Text:
Disclaimer: This story is based on Characters copyrighted by Warner Brothers and Shoot the Moon Productions. This story is meant for enjoyment purposes only and cannot be redistributed without permission from the author. I retain the rights to the plot, not the characters. No infringement is intended.
A/N This was my first attempt at fan fiction back in October of 2020. Someone posted a challenge about writing a Halloween story. So I thought I would give it a try! I didn’t post it on the fan fiction site because at the time I didn’t know-how. I had posted it on the True Blue Scarecrow and Mrs. King Facebook page.I was tempted to edit it but I just want to keep it the same and see the differences in my writing in my other stories.
It was a busy morning in the King household. What morning wasn’t? But today there was more activity as last-minute preparations and plans for the day were
being discussed by Amanda and her mother.
“Now mother please make sure that you take my place at the school Halloween Festival...You need to take these cupcakes over by 1 PM. and then Mrs. Fisher said
you should help sell the tickets for the booths.”
“Amanda I know ..but I wish you would slow down a little…you are burning the candle at both ends with IFF..they work you too hard and…”
Amanda bit her lip as she tried not to argue with her mother..it would just take up more time as she put the finishing touches on the cupcakes.
“I have some work to finish up on a film shoot at IFF..but I plan to be home in time to give out candy to the trick or treaters.” Amanda loved Halloween and
always enjoyed dressing up her children when they were little. The boys were older now and considered it babyish to participate in the tradition. They were
planning to go to a friend’s party.
Amanda added more details to her mother
“Now Joe is picking up Phillip and Jamie at 7 and taking the boys to Scott Tanner’s party and he is going to help chaperone it. Please make sure we don’t run out of candy. We are having a party at work but I will make it home in plenty of time to pass out candy”
Dotty rolled her eyes...She had heard that before.
Amanda called up the stairs
“Fellas we need you to get down here or you will be late for the school bus...I don’t want to take you again!”
They called “Coming” and rushed down the stairs in a werewolf mask and an alien mask.
Amanda made a face and tried to not react to their choices.
“Is that what you are wearing to the party tonight too?” she asked
They both cried“yes “ in unison and Jamie added,” With more gore makeup tonight!”
Philip and Jamie kissed their mom and grandmother and ran out slamming the door.
Dotty sighed… “Boys!”
“Ok Mother I’m off…”
Amanda almost ran out the door without her costume and bags that were sitting on the counter. She was looking forward to the office Halloween party.
The Agency had had some bad luck in the last few months losing some vital information to Russian agents and their morale needed a boost. When Amanda arrived at the agency The Bullpen was decorated sparsely in Halloween attire. But Amanda had happily spruced up the Q Beauru with spiderwebs and ghosts
Amanda walked into the Q Beaureu and saw that Lee was already there trying to write his report on the leak. But he was stalling hoping Amanda would arrive
and help him.
His face lit up when she entered. “Hey, you’re here!”
Amanda smiled and greeted her partner with Happy Halloween
Lee muttered something about a stupid holiday and...
Amanda said “None of this! You are going to the office party at the old Peabody house…And I made you a costume because I knew you wouldn’t !”
The agency had decided to use one of their safe houses for the party instead of the agency.It was kinda old and a bit worse for wear.
“A-Man-DA this is a kids holiday...I don’t want to...I never …”
“Now do you mean to tell me you never dressed up for Halloween?” she demanded
“No the Colonel didn’t approve of childish things” Lee replied
“Then all the more reason to do it now! I made you a costume see!?”
Amanda pulled out straggly-looking patchwork clothes from the bag.
“See a scarecrow for Scarecrow” Amanda laughed at her own cleverness.
Lee rolled his eyes “Amanda no!…”
Amanda ignored his protests” Don’t you want to see what my costume is?”
“Surprise me, “ Lee said half hardily.
The rest of the day went uneventfully as they worked on their reports. The time came for the Party and Amanda pushed Lee reluctantly into the vault to dress in
his costume. When he came out sheepishly she said
“Oh and I have something to add”
Out of another bag, she took out hay and stuffed it into his shirt and under his hat .“
“Amanda…” and again Lee sighed” It’s no good…I will be a laughing stock! I can’t do this.”
“Yes, you can it will be fun...Really!.. Let me go change”
Amanda took a while in the Vault and came out as Glinda the Good Witch from the Wizard of Oz. She looked radiant in the blue fairly like gown which made her brown eyes sparkle even more. Lee took one look at her and forgot what he was wearing. Amanda twirled around and said
“What do you think Scarecrow? “
Lee laughed and said “I guess we’re not in Kansas anymore”
His mood had changed and Amanda hoped he would get more into the spirit at the party once they arrived. They took her car since it had more room for her to sit in her costume but Lee drove the short distance to the safe house. The party was in full swing when they got there. Lee spied Francine immediately dressed as a sexy Red Riding Hood. Ephraim was the Big Bad Wolf. Billy came dressed as Sherlock Holmes. It was what everyone needed after a grueling month of disappointments.
There was group dancing to Thiller and some other crazy Halloween activities going on like bobbing for Apples and the spiked punch had dry ice in it making a fog coming out of it. Francine came up and offered some to Amanda and she said “Maye later”
Many of the agents came up and patted Lee on the back for his costume...He didn’t like all the attention so he said
“Come on Amanda Lets go dance to Thriller”.
Lee took Amanda’s hand and led her to the dance floor. Immediately Thiller ended and a slow dance came up on the mixtape. Amanda was happy that she was able to relax in Lee’s Arms as they danced cheek to cheek. His aftershave was strong even with all the hay sticking out of him and it filled her senses..Lee loved having Amanda so close to him. It made him wish they had more times like this together.
The music changed again and Amanda suggested to go bob for apples. They took their turn together and as they both dove after the same apple they bite into it and found the apple between them. Their faces and lips smashed close together. Just as Lee was trying to decide the best way he could get a kiss out of this moment there was a scream in the back hallway. Everyone rushed to where they had heard the noise. One of the new recruits Angela was on the floor and had a gash 2 inches long in her arm. A bloodied knife was laying on the floor beside her. An open window revealed someone running across the street into the cemetery. Lee could see they had a devil costume on and he jumped out the window and ran after the person to try and catch them.
Amanda instinctively followed Lee. He had pulled his gun and was crouching by the gravestones. A shot rang out and hit the stone missing Lee by inches. He shot back and ran to another gravestone. The fog was heavy in the air which helped cover him. By this time Amanda was farther back and she couldn’t see where Lee was. She was trying to decide what was her best observation point when she decided to run behind a small mausoleum. To her surprise, she saw the devil costumed person looking around the corner in front of her pointing his gun straight for Lee. Amanda looked around quickly and found a shovel lying on the ground and with all her might hit the devil over the head. He fell instantly to the ground.
Lee came running up and gave Amanda a hug and said “Good work partner!” Then He pulled the costumed Devil up and pulled off the mask. It was Peabody the new agent! Lee and Amanda brought Peabody back to the party where all the agents cheered as an ambulance arrived to take care of Angela. After taking Peabody back to the agency he confessed to being a Russian mole who had fed the info to the Russians the last month.
Amanda realized it was late and she had promised her mother she would be back early.
”Oh Mr. Melrose I have to get home mother is expecting me…Can I make my report in the morning?.. Lee I have to get home!” They both nodded as Amanda rushed home in her costume. As she came running into the house she called
“Mother “I’m home! “
Dotty came into the kitchen dressed in her pajamas and looked at Amanda’s disheveled appearance.
“Amanda why is your costume ripped?…and your hair is all messed up…it looks as if somebody tackled you!!!…honestly….of all nights you should be careful!! “
“Oh, mother I’m fine…Just a little Halloween excitement at IFF...I told you I would be home in time for passing out candy”
“Amanda it 10:30 at night what children would be out at this time? Halloween is over Missy The boys are in bed too…you missed all the excitement...I’m exhausted!”
Amanda muttered under her breath to herself “I wish I had missed the excitement!”
Dotty had turned around to go upstairs to bed and had missed Amanda’s comment.
She stood disappointed in the middle of the kitchen. She missed passing out candy and seeing the boys. And she and Lee had almost kissed. She stood thinking
about the moment dreamily and then made herself come back to reality. She started to straighten up the kitchen still in her costume when the doorbell rang.
I’ll get it, mother! “Amanda Called.“ Must be some last trick or treaters.” Amanda grabbed some candy and opened the door. A scraggly hand reached out from the dark and pulled her out of the house and the other hand covered her mouth.She tried to scream but she heard a loud whisper in her ear.
“Shhh, it’s me, Lee! “
As she adjusted quickly to the darkness around her she saw that it was Lee and he was still in costume. He gathered her in his arms and said.
“Trick or treat”
Amanda’s eyes gleamed with a hint of mischief.
“Treat” she stated.
Lee smiled and said, “Now let’s finish what we started without that apple!”
Amanda nodded as her eyes closed contently and Lee’s lips tenderly embraced hers. Her arms wrapped around her Scarecrow on that magical night.