Trick or Treat 2

Tristan Yamada grins as he sees his friend catch up to him at the police station on Halloween night "Hey Mason, did you get your glow thingy?"

Mason Stanley feels in his pockets. "No I don't have it. bet Mabel stole it!

Tristan snorts "The girls are long gone. Mabel had that candy crazy look in her eyes.....there's more in the station. My Uncle gave me this stuff yesterday."

 Mason scoffs. "Yea, she's greedy. Dresses like Hermione Granger... kissin Moms butt." he rolls his eyes. "Your uncle is cool, man!"

Tristan laughs "Ok at least get a bucket. Or do you have a pillowcase? Or stash it in yer boot like a pirate matey!"

Mason Stanley laughs and pulls out a silk pillowcase with creases. "BRAND new! One of the ones my parents got last weekend for their bed."

Tristan gives a thumbs up "Nice! Let's go!"

Mason Stanley follows Tristan away from the cop shop. "Are they giving candy there?" he wonders. "And can we get extra from your uncle?" he reaches blindly into the box and comes out with a can of salmon. "This is NOT starting out well!"

Tristan looks at the can of salmon and cracks up "It's really salmon. I don't even think I'm allowed to eat it from a can. Want mine?"

Mason Stanley laughs. "Sure, give it to me. Maybe I can get a pet that way. You know, use it as a lure."

 Tristan chides "Here kitty kitty..." and starts walking.

Mason shakes his head. "Don't judge. I bet a can mate em and sell the kittens!" he protests as they walk. As the approach the Sushi place, he flattens his hair s best he can and assumes his I am a darling face for Tristan's family.

Tristan gives Mason a funny look and opens the door "Come on, Mom bought Pocky! She's not in there..." as he gets inside he yells "Hi Grandma, Hi Uncle Garrett!" and makes a beeline for the basket.

Mason enters and approaches the counter. "Hello Mr and Mrs Yamada." he smiles the charming smile. "You look very beautiful, Ma'am.

Tristan watches his Grandmother give Mason an aw look and hand him 2 pocky boxes "What a sweet boy." Tristan had already grabbed one and reaches for a second only to get a swat on the hand. Garrett snickers and chops and rolls like a madman. The phone rings and Sakura goes to answer it. Tristan frowns at Mason "Suck up." He laughs after "Let's keep going. they're busy."

Mason continues his angelic smile and gives a nanner nanner nanner shrug to Tristan as they get the candy and leave. "I like Pocky. But Mrs Chen won't sell it." he laughs and moves on.

Tristan nods "She hates kids...even her own sometimes. Hey look!" He points to the sign "Free ice cream!"

Mason snorts then beams. "Well I can't leave THAT till I get home." he sounds triumphant.

Tristan dashes in "Two cones please!"

Mason follows and repeats, sing his smile to the utmost. "Two cones, please."

Tristan gives Mason a wide eyed look he likely can't see through the box head.

Mason can't see through the mask, but can use his darling face to its utmost.

Tristan takes his two cones with a lot of guilt "Thank you...thank you so much." He slips outside quickly and then hands one off to a random kid walking up "Happy Halloween!"

Mason takes his two cones and exits with him. He leans into the random kids and shares his trick, then leaves with Tristan. "Oh come on ... seriously?" he sighs with exasperation.

Tristan laughs "I was ordering for BOTH of us. You're a goof." He starts walking to the nest shop around the corner.

Mason Stanley listens to that lame excuse while wolfing down both ice cream cones. After about thirty seconds of brain freeze he returns with an equally lame. "How was *I*supposed to know?"

Tristan opens the door, holding it for Mason after "Trick or treat!" he calls, going in. The clerk smiles and gestures to the cauldron of Lucky candies "Thank you...oooh the strawberry ones!" Tristan takes one and steps back for Mason.

Mason comes in behind and reaches in, taking one and smiling the charming smile as he drops it in his bag, now smeared with ice cream. "Thank you. These are the best!" he smiles and turns to go to the next stop.

 Tristan follows, across to Chen's, with a look of dread.

Mason crosses the street with a half a frown. Upon arrival he stares. "Crackers ......."

Tristan points to the note "Look at THIS. See? she hates us...."

Mason shakes his head. "That's just wrong. At least we can Do something with the salmon." he sighs deeply and leans into Tristan, lowering his voice to speak into the box. "This one deserves a TRICK." he announces.

Tristan steps back "Don't...she said there's cameras!" He looks around nervously.

 Mason looks around also and bites his lip. "We'll get her .. later."" he grabs some crackers anyway. "Feed birds to lure cats." he decides aloud. "Come on lets go."

Tristan grabs a pack and almost runs out. Ushi  Chen could be anywhere "Poor Rosalee..." he mutters.

Mason keeps shaking his head and thinking. "Well the kids shop should make up for it?" he tries not to sound like his Halloween bubble has been busted.

Tristan nods "Hope so." When they get to the shop, there is a cauldron overfilled with every kind of Harry Potter candy known to humanity "Holy crap man! Jackpot!" He chastely takes his two favourites; Bertie Bott's Beans and a Honeydukes chocolate bar and then steps back "Mabel and Rosalee must have freaked out here."

Mason beams as he takes one of everything, then goes back for one more each of his two favorites. "I know Mabel would have. And .. yea .. Rosalee too." he looks boulstered by the success. "I wonder if they do this to make up for ol Chin Face."

Tristan gasps at how much candy Mason grabs "Dude!" He looks in the window but the store clerk is busy marking down costumes 50% off. Tristan just chuckles. Mason...."I think it's the hotel next."

Mason grins. "We're growing boys." he justifies his actions. "You're not gonna turn me in to your uncle, are ya?" he teases, but heads down the street.

Tristan chases after him, getting pulled into the banter and pretends to grab his arm to cuff it "Citizen's arrest!" He stops at the Mariner's Inn. It's a big fancy place for kids, one of those wide eyed movie magic lobbies. The door opens automatically and he lets go of Mason and steps in. There is a cute but classy looking Halloween cat statue and a basket of chocolate anchors, the symbol of the hotel. Tristan takes one, almost reverently. A older distinguished looking desk clerk smiles over the counter at them "Happy Halloween gentlemen."

Mason plays along and is laughing as he protests. "Police brutality!" but he calms as he goes into the hotel and actually seems to be a but overwhelmed. He looks at the chocolate and takes one, breathing. "Cool ...." he looks over at the old man and then around the lobby. "Us?" he tries to clarify, never having been called a gentleman before.

The older man smiles simply, but in that way that makes people both wonder and take notice "Yes, someday. Have a good night."

Tristan leans back, like he's blown away and drops his chocolate in the bucket "Thank you sir." he says and turns to walk out. Once they're outside and crossing to the bakery he'll say "That guy was like a Jedi Master or something..." the bakery greets them with a fall harvest display and a big tray of fresh pumpkin cupcakes. Tristan takes one and stands, still marveling.

Mason nods, staring with his wide eyes. "Thank you. Happy Halloween .... sir." he leaves with Tristan and nods. "Definitely. Very cool dude." he reaches for a pumpkin cupcake and samples it immediately. "I can't tell which I like better. These or the ones where my Granpa lives or the ones my Granpa bakes." he takes another bite and chews.

Tristan answers with his mouth full "Vere des sour Gampa live?" He slowly starts walking as he eats, in the direction of the mayor's house.

Mason eats another big bite. "Alexandra." he straightens as he walks. "He's the Fire Chief." he brags. "He lives in an apartment on a BOAT."

Tristan thinks this is the coolest thing he's ever heard "That's awesome. Does he have a dalmatian? Don't firemen have those dogs? I love those dogs..." As if on cue, Coco the mayor's dog starts yapping from inside her house.

The mayor, however is sitting on a rocking chair by her treats reading a book. She looks up as she sees the kids coming, knowing everyone in town by name "Mason...and who's under there?"

Tristan lifts up the box "Hi Mayor Douglas. It's me." He takes in the cider and homemade treats. She makes the same every year and they're always the best. Caramel corn and candy apples. Shirley sees him eyeing and smiles at them both "Go ahead dears. Lovely costumes. Dashing pirate Mason! Tristan, who are you supposed to be?" She seems confused by the box head.

He's taking a cup of cider now "Oh it's a character from a video game called Minecraft. His name is Steve. Everyone is Steve until they find or make a new skin."

The mayor nods, politely "I see. That's very nice dear."

Mason shrugs. "Apparently they have a dog, but its a basset hound. My grandad got annoyed cause they named it Henry, which is HIS name." he laughs. and then smiles at the mayor. "Good evening, Mayor Douglas. You look lovely this evening." he smiles. "Thank you. It's store bought. Mom just doesn't have the time with the new baby and everything." he clears his throat and sort of swings his bag.

The mayor chuckles at Mason "Such a charmer. and how is little Robbie doing? Last time I saw him out in the stroller he was a little fussy getting a tooth. So hard to be small. Your mother must have her hands full. I saw Mabel and Rosalee not long ago. They seem to be having a fun night."

Tristan sips his cider and carefully drops a candy apple and a caramel corn into his bucket.

Mason takes some cider and sips at it as he is asked about his brother. "He's pretty loud. Dad says he'll grow out of it, but he got in trouble with mom when he said Robbie was only HALF the work me and Mabel were." he shrugs. "Yea, she beat me out of the house." he pffts and takes the candy apple and a caramel corn.

Tristan finishes his drink and looks at the cup and then the mayor.

"On the left side dear, just set it down." She smiles and then looks at Mason "Well they grow up fast. You boys have a fun night."

Mason sets his cup basically ON Tristan's and smiles, heading off and waving to the mayor. "Good night, ma'am." he waves and goes around the cornet. "The B&B?" he asks Tristan. "Did you hear the gossip? I don't believe it, but did you HEAR it?"

Tristan follows along "What gossip?" He hasn't paid very close attention to gossip with the hushed talk in his family being about his estranged and absent father's death and crimes and his mother's new boyfriend. Town gossip had fallen by the wayside.

Mason moves along. "My mother was telling my father that someone put in the paper that the place was a house of ill repute." he nods, as if he even knows what that is. "But my parents figure if the owner is dating the police chief, it can't be true."

Tristan slows a bit, confused "What do they mean by ill repute? Like booze and stuff?" He shakes his head "Aunt Anna and Tallulah are nice people. That newspaper must be wrong." He stops talking about it as they get closer. Anna wasn't his aunt in blood but one of his mother's very best friends. He'd known her since he was born and she often babysat him.

Anna is on the porch and greets them "Hey you guys....Sweet Pirate costume Mason. And Tris is that you? Minecraft Steve!! Cool beans! Rosey's been teaching me to play. She told me who you guys were dressed as."

Mason shrugs. "I don't know, honestly." he admits. "But it sounds like boose and other bad things." he nods. "See that's the thing I didn't believe, either. Maybe it was a scandal sheet, like my mom talks about. She laughs at the story, but no this one." he also shuts up as they get close to the B&B. He is ore relaxed around Anna. "Avast!" he trues to look touch and fails. He looks at Tristan. "How does everyone know its you without seeing you?" he wonders.

Anna laughs and then gets into a playful banter, putting on a silly voice "I've got mind powers.....and his mom posted pictures on her Facebook an hour ago." Anna holds out the candy bowl which has an assortment of Krackel, lifesavers, York Patties and Mr. Good Bars, old school awesome candy "Take one of each. I know you want to." She looks across the street at the Stanley house "Spooky set up there Mason. Are grown ups allowed to go look too?"

Tristan takes one of each and grins under his box "I think it might scare you Auntie Anna!"

Mason laughs at all of it, especially how they knew Tristan was Tristan. He takes one of each, as instructed and looks across the street. Nodding at Tristans warning, he agrees. "It might." he agrees. "My dad got fish eyes and fish guts ... but maybe they aren't really from the fish ....."

Anna makes a mock horrified face "That sounds positively putrid!" She glances across the street "Am I your last stop boys, or do you still have the whole other side?"

Tristan nods "We're going to double back to the yellow house and end at Mason and Mabel's."

Anna smiles at them both "Betcha Mitch has some good stuff. He's my bud in the yellow house.Wave to me when you're at the Stanley's and I'll see about these fish eyeballs..."

Tristan shoves the rest of his candy in his bucket and heads off "Thanks!"

Mason nods. "Oh, it IS!" he assures her. Looking into his bucket he smiles back up at Anna. "Yea, thanks!" and heads after Tristan.

Tristan clomps up the steps to his aunt in name's buddy Mitch's house. It doesn't look like anyone's home but there's a nice plastic cauldron of chocolate bars beside the door, Crunch, Kitkat and Twix. Tristan sheepishly takes a Crunch and a Kitkat but skips the Twix with a shrug. He smiles, pleased. Chocolate bars are always awesome. He looks out towards the water while he waits for Mason to grab his. The waves lap quietly at the shore as the sun just begins to sink low on the horizon.

Mason takes all three, and considers taking Tristan's Twix, but passes. Candy secured, he follows Tristan. "That's pretty." he confesses. "But don't tell anyone I said that. I'm trusting you."

Tristan snorts under his box Steve head and nods "OK." They head to the house with a flag that has cartoon of a tooth holding a toothbrush on a banner that says Happy Halloween. Tristan hesitates and mutters "I have a bad feeling about this one...." He slowly walks up the steps to a big bowl of pumpkin orange toothbrushes "Aw man....."

Mason follows and looks into the box with a sigh. "This guy is a dentist." he announces. "He came by when we moved in with a bunch of coupons for dental work." he rolls his eyes. "Well .... three of the places sucked. Let's make a note of it, for next year. You know ... toilet paper and shaving cream and rotten eggs."

Tristan looks at Mason through the box, his eyes getting bigger behind the eye holes "We...could just skip em?" He takes a toothbrush anyway to show his mom. She'd probably find it pretty funny AND think it was a cool idea at the same time. "So all that's left is your house now Mas." He turns, ready to follow Mason there.

Mason chuckles. "We COULD, but where would the fun be? Mabel will help, I bet. My parent's KNOW she's evil." he turns towards his house. "Cool ... you can meet my grandfather." he approaches the curtained off porch and peeks around it. "Gran?"

Hank Stanley is leaning against the house wall when his grandson peeks in. "There you are." he proclaims. "How was the haul?" he looks around the curtain at the other boy. His sleeves are rolled up revealing burned hands that remain scarred up past his elbows. There is also a bad looking burn across the right side of his face that looks like it may have come close to blinding him, as his eyelid is also burned. "You must be Tristan Yamada."

Tristan is completely taken aback by the burns, never having actually met someone in person who's had this many. Mason said his Grandpa was a fire chief and Tristan clues in but there's a bit of a pause before he replies. It's probably a good thing his face is hidden by the Minecraft Steve box head "Yes....Sir....Mr...Stanley....I'm Tristan. Happy Halloween." After he takes it in, he looks around the porch "Whoah cool."

Anna had been watching the boys move down the street and casually strolls across. She sees an older man standing and talking to them who had been around all night. She assumed it was a grandfather because he had held the baby at the door when she looked out the window earlier. This would be her fist time meeting him up close though and she does a bit of a double take as his scars and burns become visible to her. Inwardly she feels immediate pity for what he must have gone through to get them but she puts on a kind smile as she first addresses Tristan and Mason "Hey you guys didn't wave."

Mason has dealt with his grandfather all of his life, and has heard the story many times, although usually when they thought he was asleep. It was a sore spot to his father. So he simply backs up to let Tristan in. "Isn't it?" he brags. "My family really does it up for halloween." he points to a bowl with a dark cloth with opening over it. "Reach in THERE." he demands/challenges. Then he sees Anna and, belatedly waves.

Hank watches the boys and chuckles. The woman comes across the street and he steps off of the porch. "Happy Halloween." he offers her his hand to shake. "Hank Stanley. I'm Mason's grandfather."


Anna looks down at the hand and forces herself not to react but her handshake is very gentle, as if she's afraid of hurting his hand, the way it looks "Anna Wright. Good to meet you Hank. I help my mother run the B&B, and I babysit this kid a lot too.." she nudges Tristan as he walks to the bowl, hand out tentatively "His mom's a good friend of mine."

Tristan turns his head away and sticks his hand in "Uuuuaaah.....oh......what IS THIS?"

Mason watches Tristan's reaction. "I TOLD you .. fish eyes and intestines!" he proclaims.

Hank shakes the hand firmly. He's done this many times before. "They're old scars, Anna." he tells her. "Oh you babysit the twins? My condolences." he half glances over his shoulder. "GUMMY eyes and worms." he corrects. Then he looks back at Anna. The fish guts attract too many cats." he tells her, as if that explains everything, but he pulls a baseball cap out of his pocket which has the Alexandra FD logo on it and playfully hits Mason in the back of the head.

Anna laughs and then looks relieved she couldn't hurt Hank's hand, still feeling bad for whatever he's gone through. "No, Tristan. But your grandchildren are highly amusing." She gestures at the boys "They all pal around with my niece Rosalee too, although those girls ran through the trick or treat like a marathon tonight." Anna notices the cap "Oh you're from Alexandra?" She doesn't comment on the fire department part but she now understands the burns. She laughs about the cats comment "Well don't worry, my cats are locked up so they won't escape on Halloween."

Tristan sniffs at his hand and then points at Mason "It IS gummy worms. Good one!" He digs into the candy cauldron now and pulls out a Halloween themed Scaero bar "Yes!"

Mason laughs when his grandfather hits him in the back of the head. "Yea. But it FEELS real, doesn't it?" as if either of them has had their hands in a pail of fish guts.

Hank glances back at the boys. "When you're done getting the crap scared out of you, go on inside. And TRY not to eat all the candy before its time to drive Tristan home." he holds up an index finger. "And no HORROR, Mason." he says particularly. He turns back to Anna. "If by highly amusing you mean Michael Myers and the wicked witch of the West, then I agree with you completely." he says, but in that tone that is reserved for family insults. He is a grandfather, but he knows the twins can get into ... things. "I think the kids all want to make sure all the 'good candy' isn't gone. Mason was late, but I think its more an independence thing." he nods. "Yes. My exulted title is Chief Stanley. But my crew ... funny bunch of kids, actually, call me CAPTAIN Stanley ... if you are even old enough to remember that show. Complete with a basset hound named Henry." he rolls his eyes and looks at Anna. "Yes ... we don't have that worry in Alexandra. Strange place but .. sometimes I don't mind Halloween not being an issue."

Anna listens to the man and walks over trying her hand at the gross bucket. Knowing what it is she just laughs and turns back around "No I don't know that show but does the Alexandra fire department have a basset hound too? They're so cute. Weird about Alexandra and Halloween...hmmm...oh well right.

Tristan follows Mason into the house and whispers "Do you HAVE horror movies?" He's never seen one. The idea is both terrifying and thrilling.

Mason moves into the house and dumps his bag on the house. "We have cable, and if the is any horror on, it would be on tonight." he finds the remote and thinks about it. "Maybe we should go in my parents bedroom...." he thinks. "Gran has good ears, even if one is all burned."

Hank smiles. "Yes, in the TV show Henry just appeared out of nowhere and lived on the couch. And that's what OUR Henry does. And with Hank being short for Henry." he places his hand on his chest. "They named the dog after me." he rolls his eyes. "Well, Halloween is the only time these days I can just be me." he motions to his face.

Anna laughs about the dog "Like Indiana Jones...we named the dog Indiana" she quips in her best Sean Connery imitation. She looks sympathetic about his words and gesturing to his face and then asks the question, surely one he gets all the time "Did it happen through your work?"

Tristan looks out towards the porch and nods "Ok but nothing too bad..." He's ready to follow Mason.

Mason moves up the stairs. "Well .. what's 'bad'?" he wonders. "I know theres one called Halloween that my grandfather says he loves. The original, but being old it probably means nothing good happens in it."

Hank nods. "Exactly, but I know my crew means well. Sometimes thats their problem." he chuckles and smiles as the question comes. "When we lived in Toronto, there was a fire in a school. My son's school, actually. He and a friend of his were trapped, trying to escape onto the roof. Too many movies, I guess. Well, I took a man and a line up there, but there was a flash." he sighs. "My son and I got it the worst, and I got it worse than he did." he licks his lips. "Two months later, when I got out of the hospital and went back to work ... he was furious with me. I took the job in Alexandra as a sort of compromise. Without it, I would have stayed in Toronto ... and I think our relationship would have suffered more than it did. He's STILL pretty sensitive on the subject with me."

Anna looks pained at his story "I'm glad you both lived to tell about it. How horrible. You look like a pretty amazing grandpa to these kids too."

Tristan has no frame of reference for any horror film and just says "Sure...let's try that?"

Meanwhile, Mabel and Rosalee are ducked down behind Mabel's bed as they hear the boys whispering ever so quietly. Mabel is handing Rosalee a Gorilla mask and gloves while she pulls on a creepy clown mask and holds up a finger to wait for her signal.

Hank offers her a smile. "I am too. Being a firefighter meant as much to me as being a father, so I am still glad I chose to try and do both." he beams about his grandkids. "And I think I appreciate life even more with those three." he chuckles.

Mason nods and puts in the DVD of Halloween. It begins slowly with creepy music and a creepy rhyme and creepy breathing. Then it moves on to two teens making out on a couch, wondering where Michael is and then going upstairs. The camera goes around the house and into the kitchen where a little hand grabs a HUGE knife and is almost caught by the boy who comes downstairs, pulling down his shirt and promising to call the girl, then leaving. Mason is already caught up in the suspense and has been ever since he saw the huge butcher knife. The camera pans up the stairs and a clown mask is seen on the floor. A tiny hand reaches for it and puts it on. Now the camera looks like IT'S wearing a mask.

Tristan has taken off his Minecraft Steve box head and is sitting beside Mason as still as a board, eyes wide muttering "She has to get out..."

The girls creep silently into the room, gorilla and clown masks on. the flank the distracted boys with Mabel going for Mason and Rosalee going for Tristan. Mabel gives a nod and they spring on the boys both letting out blood curdling screams. Tristan screams too as he's tackled and starts fighing the gorilla until he sees the Hogwarts Ravenclaw costume and then just gasps for breath "Rosey.." He smacks her hard in the arm and she giggles and then takes off the mask looking at the TV. they had been watching the movie through the door as they snuck up.

Anna gives Hank another warm smile as he talks about his grandchildren, his love for them so apparent. she's about to reply when she hears screams from inside the house and looks suspiciously towards the second floor.

Mason nods his agreement and is about to tell the girl the same when he hears a scream. His attention is completely distracted. By the time all the kids look back at the screen, the mask is not working its way down the stairs. "Wait? What happened?" he demands.

Hank hears the screams and give a "Pardon." as he hurries into the house and up the stairs. It was obviously ALL the kids screaming, but he isn't sure Anna would come with him to help. After a quick glance in the kids room, he hears Mason asking what happened and all FOUR kids watching the opening minutes of John Carpenter's Halloween. If Mason is asking, he missed the first murder. "I thought I said, no horror?" he frowns. The screen now has Michael Myers as an adorable 6 year old breathing hard while his parents stare at him. Hank moved to the DVD Player, stops the movie there, unplugs the machine and wraps the cord around it.

Anna just laughs to herself and steps away. This Grandfather has it under control, or will in a moment. There's a lull in the trick or treaters so she wanders down to the corner and sees Mayor Shirley Douglas reading a book in her rocking chair and sipping in a cup of apple cider. She walks up with a wave and the two neighbours begin to chat.

Tristan is still spooked and sitting now with a guilty expression on his face beside an equally guilty Rosalee. She's holding the mask with her hands neatly folded in her lap.

Mabel just rolls her eyes after punching her brother hard in the arm for undereacting "Grandpa!! We know it's all fake....aw come on...let us watch!"

Mason rubs his arm, but doesn't hit her back under their grandfather's stare. "Yea. It's all ketchup!" he puts on his most charming face. "Pleeeeeassseeeee."

Hank tucks the recorder under his arm. "When your parents give consent, I will even watch it with you." is as close to compromise as he'll come. "Now OUT!" he points to the bedroom door. "I think it's time for me to return Tristan and Rosalee, before you two corrupt them beyond all hope."

Driving the extra kids home, he tells their parental units how good they were, leaving out the last ten minutes of the night. He didn't blame kids for being curious. Then he returns with his grandkids to the house and sits them in front of a parentaly controlled television and The Nightmare Before Christmas. Once that is done, he steps out onto the porch, noticing no one about and decides on a walk. He heads for the cemetery and turns the corner, finding Anna again with an older woman. He nods his head at them. "Ladies." he smiles, wondering at the older woman in the rocker.

Anna smiles as Hank approaches "Hi again Hank. This is Shirley Douglas, our mayor. Shirley this is Hank Stanley, Alexandra's Fire Chief." Anna is now sipping apple cider as well.

Shirley stands up and extends a hand to shake. She notices the burns but doesn't let it show. At 82, she's honed that skill "Well it's a pleasure to meet you Hank. Won't you have a cup with us? Gets a little dull between the ghouls otherwise." she gives him a twinkly eyed smile.

Hank takes the mayors hand and daintily shakes it .. like a gentleman, not like someone that is afraid the grip will break fragile bones. "Mayor Douglas. It's nice to finally meet you." he sits. "I would love some, thank you." he groans just a bit. "If you want dull on Halloween, you should come to Alexandra. Deserted." he sips the cider. "Ahh, a young vintage. Maybe ..." he sips again. "September ..."

Anna laughs at the vintage comment "That must be really strange if you didn't grow up with no Halloween, especially for kids."

Shirley grins "Ah my reputation precedes me." she chuckles, knowing the town's mayor does not view her kindly "Perhaps bringing it back, would actually build community, making it safer. Neighbours talking like this, opening their homes, knowing who the kids are."

Hank leans back and crosses his lanky right leg over his left knee. "I imagine it is, but now and again, someone takes the kids from Alexandra elsewhere. This year John Reinhardt's brother took a van load here to Cedar Point, as a matter of fact." he grins. "THAT happens all through the winter. Mayor Sewid is absolutely crazy about wintertime. So is our police chief, and he was shot a few weeks back. The mayor decorated for the winter early. I have to admit .. it IS beautiful. And nowhere NEAR done, but my crew did their part." he chuckles.

Anna sighs "Yeah we know about Adum. How is he doing?"

Shirley answers this partly "Megan called to say he's awake and getting stronger every day. Those poor kids just got married on Thanksgiving." She explains to Hank "She's my grand niece, his new wife. Goodness, I married them in this very house." She smiles about the winter decorations "Well maybe I'll have to take a trip over and take a look at those.


Hank nods, "Yes. He should be out by Remembrance Day I'm told." he looks at Shirley. "I'd heard a little something about that. Are you related to Tamela Douglas, CPPD? I like her. Very no nonsense, that one." he holds up his hand. "Don't get me wrong. Megan has her moments, what with starting that new store, but she has a soft spot in her heard for felines that may be Adums breaking point. With four new kittens the have NINE cats now." he sounds slightly awestruck.

Shirley laughs "Yes my other grand niece. Spit and fire that one, since she was a girl." She gestures at Anna "And a good friend of Anna's here. I am glad Adum's healing so well. Nine cats you say?"

Anna nods "Yeah Tams told me about the Harry Potter cat house. It's sounds great to me but I'll stick with my two. That's fast for a head wound...thank goodness."

Hank nods. "Yes. And I think they have learned a lesson about just letting them run all over town." he chuckles. "And it seems the bullet took a path close to the skull. A good thing. He is having some memory problems and he may be left handed. But we're glad to see him on the mend for sure."

Anna nods "He so lucky..." She sips some more cider looking at both Shirley and Hank.

Shirley nods "A lovely young man. I've never seen Megan so happy, and if he's willing to put up with her cats...." She laughs "Sometimes you just know two people are meant to be." She hears shouts and laughter on the street over "Sounds like the big kids are out. I'm glad Officer Reinhardt is bringing some kids from Alexandra. Such fun to miss out on and we're happy to share it. I'm trying to convince Morgan to let us offer an event at the lighthouse next year. Anna, perhaps you can persuade him."

Anna smirks "Dad's such a recluse. But if we tell him he can hide in the back and I run it, he might let us make a haunted lighthouse for the kids and tourists." She looks towards the shouts and laughter "I already had two teens, delightful, first thing before the younger ones even. A Ghostbuster, which I'm partial too." she wiggles a brow "since it was my costume too. And a teen boy dressed as Merida from Brave. Cool kids and no shame." she laugh.

Hank smiles and finishes his cup of cider. "I remember Adum before Megan. He was pretty miserable when he came back to Alexandra. Now ... he's a lot happier, I know that much." he nods. "That van was most likely full. A nice big one. And it's sister cities helping each other out." he grins. "I'm glad to be able to come and help my son and daughter in law. Halloween is definitely my favorite holiday now. Let folks think this is just one hell of a make-up job." he is obviously comfortable within himself, but knows many are not.

Shirley frowns about the comment on his burns "Some folks lack understanding and compassion Hank. I'm glad you have your humour about it." she's too polite to ask how he got them, accepting everyone she meets as they are. "I've seen Wendy out with the baby a lot but I haven't gotten much of a chance to get to know Ford. I can see the resemblance though." she smiles at Hank.

Anna smiles kindly at Hank, knowing the story, and nodding along with Shirley. She looks at her empty cup "Did you want me to wash these up?" She glances at Hank's too.

Shirley shakes her head "No Dear, that's what the dishwasher is for. Just put them in the pile to the left and I'll take them in at the end of the night. It was very lovely to chat with you both."

Hank grins. "Well, people are people. Sometimes I get the wide eyes look, which usually settles into polite ignoring of my scars. But kids tend to be more honest, which I actually like." the grin becomes a smile. "Yes, he looks like Dad .. the poor boy.." he sets his cup down when the dishwasher is mentioned. "I should probably get back. The twins are SUPPOSED to be watching the Nightmare Before Christmas, but they might collectively be smart enough to override this fancy parental programming Ford set up."

Anna laughs "THOSE kids, I'd bet on it too. I'll walk with you Hank. Those teens will be in range soon too."

Shirley smiles "Yes they will. I seem to have missed the first batch but I'll make this lot earn their treats with a song or a poem. Can't just put on a costume and earn it on cuteness after a certain age. Goodnight you two."

Anna starts walking "Well now I might have to give them a break and leave the bowl out after you put them through all that. I'm ready to be in for the night anyway. Have a good night Shirley."

Hank stands to shake Shirley's hand. "A pleasure, Madame Mayor." he says and then laughs. "If that were the case, I would be buried in candy at this point." he drops a wink and nods at Anna. "Miss Anna." he says ready for the walk back.