Set in a far off season...

***

I watched all of them.

Not at the same time, you understand. But they were all there. Everyone was going to end up with someone different that night. No normal couples here.

It's one of the joys of a costume party.

There was a Slayer, a witch, a werewolf, two vampires, a zeppo and a bitch in attendance. Well, a reformed bitch I suppose. Oh, and a lead singer and a former rat.

What fun.

***

Devon walked around, bored as hell. He didn't want to dance; he just wanted to find a warm female body to take into a dark corner. That's all.

He spotted a girl with a black mask and a beautiful black and silver silk robe, tied around the waist with a black silk tie. Her medium length black hair was braided intricately.

Even though he couldn't see who she was, he wanted her. Right then, he knew he had to get close to her.

[I dreamt that I was dreaming, I was wired to a clock,
Tickled by the minute hand tick tock tick tock,
I dream I'm on a train and it is making music,
I don't remember getting on clickity click clickity click,
I dreamt that I was very tall, I was bigger than King Kong,]

Cordelia looked around. First time back in Sunnydale in almost a year and she got dragged to this thing. Not that she minded, but...no one was coming up to her.

She had never felt more alone in her life.

A hand grasped hers. It was encased in a glove, and the soft leather caressed her hand slowly. She smiled, and looked at the man with the mask. He was dressed as a pirate; the perfect compliment to her old fashioned costume.

He looked vaguely familiar, but not enough to send any definite guesses running through her head. He leaned forward and kissed her hand, his hair covered with a hat.

Whoever he was...she wanted to know who he was. That was all.

[I heard the bells the bells a'ringing a'ding dong ding dong,
I dreamt that I was sitting in the devil's company,
He gave a solemn promise fe fi fi fun for me,
I dreamt that I was chasing the monster out of me,
I caught him in the corner ha ha hee hee hee,]

Xander hadn't recognized anyone, and he sat at a table. No one was talking; it added to the allure of what was going on that night.

The song blared, fast paced and eerie, and he felt someone put two hands on his shoulders and run them down his chest. Then lips placed small kisses on his neck. They were warm and made him shudder.

He closed his eyes and let whoevers hands and lips were on him continue their magic.

[I dream I'm in a tunnel between here and now,
Scooby do-be where would you be bow wow wow wow,
I dream I'm at a crossroads no place left to go,
I look in each direction eenie meanie miny mo,
I dream I am an ostrich head deep in the sand,]

Amy was bored senseless. Suddenly, a warm hand grasped hers and pulled her into a dark corner. They had both been wearing masks that left their mouths open, and he kissed her.

She tried to back away, tried to pull out of his embrace, but it was too strong. She gave up fighting and sank into him, deepening the kiss.

She didn't know what to do, but she didn't want it to stop.

[There is a rhythm that's a playing fantastic elastic band,
I dreamt that the bogeyman went down on Mr. Spock
Sugar was a flowing sock it to 'em sock
I dreamt I saw a moo cow jump across the moon
Just a flight of fantasy zoom zoom zoom]

Angel glanced at the girl. It'd been a long time since he'd ever thought he'd have a chance to do something with her. Ever.

She had looked startled, almost frightened. But with an avid curiosity in her eyes.

She knew he was familiar. She just didn't know who he was.

He continued to look at her and smile, and he saw the recognition light up in her eyes. She knew. And she threw herself in his arms.

[I dreamt I met a spaceman he took me to his ship,
You know he cut my hair off snip snip snip
I dreamt that I was sleeping asleep for heaven's sake
The dream that I was dreaming caused me to awake
I dreamt that I was way up I was standing on the top]

Willow couldn't believe what she was doing, but he seemed to enjoy it, so she continued. She'd recognized him the minute he'd walked in and sat down.

She'd known him almost forever. She'd recognize him almost immediately.

She inhaled deeply, smelling his unique scent of soap and aftershave, and she reached up and stroked his cheek, reveling in the soft feel of the skin. Becoming bolder, she closed her eyes and kissed him, pulling herself close.

She wanted him to know who she was, but if this was all she could get, she'd take it.

[With the feeling I was falling bop beep bop
I dreamt that I was jumping in a circus through a hoop,
Someone saw the lights off shoo-be-doop
I dreamt that I was fast I was never shutting up,
I was going in a hurry I was giddy-up giddy-up]

Buffy was...shocked. Someone's warm lips were on hers, someone's tongue trying to get into her mouth. She pulled away and looked right into the eyes of the person kissing her.

She knew who he was. It was someone she'd lusted after quietly after Angel had left. He was taken, and then he wasn't. And she'd wanted to say something but that would break the unspoken rule of boyfriend sharing.

So, with that final thought, she pulled him back in for the sweetest, longest kiss he was ever going to have.

[I dream I'm in the park I'm standing in the nudey,
I was getting what I wanted tootie fruity tootie fruity,
I dreamt that I was dreaming, I was wired to a clock,
Tickled by the minute hand tick tock tick tock,
I dream I'm on a train and it is making music,
I don't remember getting on clickity click clickity click,]

Oz was roaming through the crowd, and he felt his werewolf senses go haywire.

He knew her scent. There was no other woman in the world who could have her possible scent. He strode through as much of the crowd as possible, trying not to push but eager to get to her.

When he got to her, he tapped her on the shoulder. When she whirled around he kissed her with a passion he'd never shown before. Not even to his previous girlfriend.

Call it animal instinct. Call it unrequited love. He wanted her so badly nothing could stop him.

[I dreamt that I was very tall, I was bigger than King Kong,
I heard the bells the bells a'ringing a'ding dong ding dong,
I dream I am an ostrich head deep in the sand,
There is a rhythm that's a playing fantastic elastic band,
Fe fi fi fun for me.]

***

I watched them, each paired off, and decided now was the time to spring the surprise.

The song ended and I went up to the microphone. "All right, mates. Here comes the moment you've been waiting for. Time to remove the masks."

I heard the gasps as soon as the masks were taken off. But Willow and Xander had smiles on their face. Big ones at that.

And so did the Slayer and that werewolf. No hard feelings there, I believe.

Cordelia fainted at the sight of my sire having been the one to kiss her. I suppose she thought it was someone else...

I couldn't see that former rat or the band leader off in the corner but at this point, I could surely hear them. First a few sounds of hitting and then the normal sounds of people kissing.

And only now did I feel...alone.

"I thought you were behind this."

I turn around and see the other Slayer, Faith, standing behind me. She's back to being a Scooby, and the only reason she's alive is because of me. But I've never told her that.

"What gave you that idea, pet?"

"You want people happy so they'll leave you alone," she said, moving closer. Her hair was curled and she was wearing an old Civil War era dress. Dark red with white lace.

"And how do you know that, pet?" I know she was glancing at my costume, an old fashioned tuxedo.

"Because, I know you. Part of your borrowed blood flows through me."

So she knew. I shrug. "I've always thought you were better than Buffy."

"So, Spike...care to dance?" She asked as though it was a demand more than a request but the look in her eyes was a pleading one.