Some Enchanted Evening
 

Author: Lídia Cristina Duarte
Pairing:
Rating:
Summary:Angel takes Kate and the gang to a Halloween party at Caritas. I think she used all the criteria, too. Whew!

Disclaimer: Characters and situations specific to "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Angel" are the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, Evil Fox, and other corporate entities. No ownership by the author should be implied.



"You're throwing a Halloween party?", Angel asked. He couldn't help making a funny face at the idea. "Don't you think that's a bit silly?"

"Well, why not? Humans like it. And I think it'll be fun. Now, tell me you're gonna come. Maybe you could bring a date!" The Host smiled mischievously.

"I remember telling you once there are three things I don't do..."

"Yes, you did. But then, dating seems to be the only one left by now." Lorne's expression was dripping with irony.

"Hey, I may have sung in public, but I never tanned!", Angel protested.

"Really? So, what was that all about back in Pylea?"

"Uh... It was just... You know..." He was caught there and had to concede it. "Anyway, I can't date anyone."

"It doesn't have to be a romantic date. You could just ask your lady cop friend. You haven't seen her in a while, have you?"

"She's not a cop anymore." Angel answered quickly, trying to dismiss the idea. But, coming to think of it, Lorne might have a point after all.

"Come on, a party would be a good excuse to call her... You know you want to do that."

"I don't need an excuse to call her. I can call any time I want."

"Then, why don't you do it?"

"I've been... busy." Angel didn't want to go into that, so he cut it short. The Host took his cue and shut up, but kept his ever hanging smile.


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"I can't believe my ears! Angel, are you inviting me to a party? Now, that's new!" Kate was laughing on the other side of the line.

"It's just a Halloween thing..." Angel felt bashful for a moment.

"It's okay. I didn't intend to pick on you..." Kate realized her reaction had made him cringe. "I just... Well, it feels funny to picture you at a party, especially a Halloween party."

"I guess it does. But we haven't met in months and I thought you might like to join us. We hang around this place a lot, you see. And the owner just told me of the party. Of course, if you don't want to..."

Oh, this was such a bad idea!

"No! I do! I want to go with you. I haven't been to a party in ages and I love Halloween. So, all you have to do is tell me where and when."

"I'd better pick you up. You don't know this place. In fact, I should warn you that it may be somewhat scary..." He suddenly became aware that Kate would probably hate the bar and its clientele. But he had already invited her! So, what was he supposed to do?

"That's great! As far as Halloween parties go, the scarier, the better! Look, I have to go now. I'll be waiting for you 'round ten, ok? See you!"

She hung up the phone before he could tell her anything else.


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"You're taking a trick-or-treat bag?" Angel couldn't believe his eyes.

"I can't take a purse with this costume. What else would you suggest?", she said, giggling.

"Ok. Right." He made a pause before asking: "What do have in there anyway?"

"Candy, of course. My documents. Some money..."

"And your gun?" He grinned.

"How did you guess? Oh, there's a stake, too. Just in case..."

"They won't let you in with those."

"Yeah, you're right. Candy can kill."

"I don't know about these, but Cordy's caramel apples certainly can..."

"She made you eat them?"

"No, thank God! Wesley came up with an errand for her. Very urgent business! So she left us saying: 'Don't eat that all tonight. Save some for breakfast!'" His impression of Cordelia made Kate burst into laughter.

"And, of course, you did!"

"Yeah... In the trashcan." He laughed, too. "But, seriously, you must leave your gun."

"Fine. I'll leave it in the car." She rolled her eyes, then changed the subject. "Aren't you going to say anything about my costume? Don't you find it scary?", she asked playfully.

"Scary, indeed. If I had known, I might have worn a tux." He took a moment to admire her bridal attire.

"Oh, no! You look..." Her amusement was so obvious! "...Great!"

"You don't really think so. I can tell. But it's all right. Cordelia laughed at me too." He seemed resigned to the situation.

"Well, you could have found yourself a better Batman suit... I mean, did you really have to settle for a 60's TV series' one? You'd need to put on some pounds to get away with this one!", she said, patting his belly.

"I liked that better than the Michael Keaton version...", he mocked.

"Oh, please! Now, that's a low blow!"

The evening looked promising...


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"Wow! This place is scary!" Kate was startled.

"Err... I was going to tell you about it, but you didn't give me time.", Angel started to apologize.

"A karaoke bar? And you said you use to hang around here?" She was definitely shocked!

He wasn't sure what to answer to that. Luckily enough, Cordelia saw them and waved right then.

"Hey! What took you so long? Were you waiting for the Great Pumpkin to show?"

"The Great Pumpkin?" Angel was puzzled.

"Have you never heard of it? Peanuts!" Cordelia was amazed at his lack of pop culture.

"Pumpkins and peanuts? Urgh! Sometimes I'm glad I'm on a liquid diet...", he grimaced.

"Oh, forget it!", Cordelia sighed. "Anyway, it's a good thing you're here. I don't know what got into Lorne to have a fog machine in here! The guy in the next table is trying to juggle lemons or something - at least, I hope they're lemons! - and he keeps bumping into Gunn. Now, Gunn is about to make him swallow the damn things and I think Wesley could use some help keeping things under control!"

Kate smiled at Angel in sympathy.

"Instant Karma's gonna get you."

"Tell me about it!", he said and hurried to the table.

"So, how're you doing?" Cordelia turned to Kate and tried to make conversation.

"Fine. Not great, but not bad either.", Kate answered while checking the surroundings.

She couldn't see much tough. Cordelia was right. The fog machine was really too much. Someone was on the stage singing 'I Put a Spell on You', which sounded funny under the circumstances. The costumes all seemed very elaborate. She wished she could have a better look at some of them.

"I never thought you'd agree to come here tonight. What did Angel do to convince you?" Cordy was genuinely curious.

"He didn't have to do much. After all, it was either this or a Haunted House fundraiser."

"Fundraiser... Don't mention that in front of Wesley. Did you learn about the tape of us Angel played at a Wolfram and Hart fundraiser? God, what a shame!" Cordelia hid her face in her hands.

"The 'Got Milk' ad one? Yes, I heard about that. Half the police force was there, you know. Maybe you should get him to play a part like that one day. Have something to use against him in case he pulls another crack like that on you.", she said half-jokingly.

"Oh, yes! I can already see it: 'Why can't I find a detergent that keeps my blacks their blackest?'"

They were both still laughing when they arrived at the table.

"Hi, Kate! Long time, no see. Take a seat.", Wesley greeted her.

The trouble at the next table wasn't over yet. Kate watched as Angel scoffed at the juggler: "You see, death is but a doorway. Here... Let me hold that for you."

"Angel, please! You are supposed to ease the situation, not worsen it!" Wesley sounded pretty much irritated.

Fortunately, Lorne intervened and got another table for the guy - a nasty-looking demon who was very drunk indeed. So, Kate didn't actually get to see him up close.

Trouble solved, Kate finally had a chance to talk to everyone.

"Right. Then... How about telling me who are you?"

"I'm Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves.", replied Wes.

"And I'm a mermaid.", said Cordelia.

"Malcom X." Gunn, of course.

"Uh... I meant her." Kate indicated Fred.

"Oh. I'm Fred." The response came shyly.

"Flintstone?" Now, Kate never saw that coming.

"No. Her name is Fred. Winifred. She's dressed as Wednesday Adams." Wesley clarified.

"That's a relief! She looks nothing like Fred Flintstone."

"Thank Heavens! Can you imagine a girl who looked like him?", Cordy tittered.

"Well, actually... Lorne's mom was kinda...", started Gunn.

"Shhh! Don't say that! He may hear you!", she shushed him quickly.

"I don't think so. He's too busy talking about the singer.", he came back at her.

"He's not talking about the singer! He's explaining that the song 'Papa, can you hear me?' is from Yentl - a musical based on a story by Isaac Bashevis Singer!", Wesley almost cried in despair.

"Shhh! Wesley!" Now Cordelia was shushing Wesley.

Angel looked at Kate, wondering again if it was a good idea to invite her to the party. To his surprise, she seemed completely at ease in there.

It went on and on. Soon, Cordelia was telling ghost stories... Dennis' stories!

And their night ended with Kate taking the stage to sing 'Anything Goes'. Angel knew he would never be able to forget her, dressed as a bride, singing: "...So though I'm not a great romancer, I know that I'm bound to answer when you propose: anything goes." No, not even if he stayed around for another couple of centuries...


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"Thank you, Angel. It was a great night. I haven't had this much fun in... Ever!" Kate looked at him, a big smile on her face.

"I'm glad you liked it. And relieved! I thought you'd hate me for taking you to a place full of demons...", he said delighted.

"Demons?" The realization sank into her spirit as a rock. "Oh, God! Angel! Those were all demons? I had the best night of my life in a bar crowded with demons?"

"Uh... You mean, you didn't notice?" Now he wanted to disappear, just disappear from there...

"No..." Her voice was down to a whisper.

"Kate... I'm sorry! I go there so often... And this is my world, you know. So, only after I had already invited you, I..."

"Don't." She said quietly. "Don't apologize, Angel... It's not your world. It's ours. You had told me before that there are 'not evil evil things'. I didn't listen. Now... I guess you were right all along. Maybe I should try and be more open-minded about all this. And what better time to face one's demons than Halloween?"

He took her hands into his and they shared a smile. It wasn't as enthusiastic as it had been up to a few minutes before, but this one had another quality to it... A deep sense of trust being rebuilt.