AN: It's that time of year... the witching hour is approaching and Halloween stories are needing to be written... My M/G one in particular for me!... I'm posting now (Two stories at once, which is unheard of for me!) so I can get the majority posted before the big day (No, not my Birthday, which is the 30th, lol)... Happy Halloween and Happy Reading! Love, Kricket

Chapter 1

"Dollface."

"Angel lips."

Derek grinned as he held the phone. Only one woman in the whole wide world answered him so easily with a flirt. "I got two things I am calling about. One is work related, and the other is personal."

"Ooh," Penelope gasped. "Hit me with the personal first."

"Bad girl," he admonished teasingly. "We need to work, and then I can tell you."

He heard her soft sigh. "That's so like you: get me all worked up into a lather and then put the brakes on."

"Hey! I'm concerned about keeping our jobs."

"Yes, but you know what they say," she purred, making his stomach flip excitedly. "All work and no play makes Derek a dull boy..."

He chuckled lightly, with just enough suggestion behind it that she'd know for sure that wasn't true. "Whatever you say, angel girl. Now, I need you to run a list on all the naturally red-haired women between the ages of twenty and thirty who went to UW in the past six months."

"New date?" she quipped.

"Sure...I like killer dates." Earlier that day, they'd found a bunch of black hair, obviously dyed, with bright red-colored roots in the first victim's room at UW. That victim had fought back and unfortunately lost to her red-haired attacker. Testing had concurred that it was a female's hair and that she was in that age range.

"You want one of those, sugar, you should contact me," she answered. He could hear here tapping away at her keyboard, doing her research. She was a marvel who could manage many things at one time—a multitasking extraordinaire.

"That is a perfect way to ease into what I need to say," he said softly.

"What's that, honey?"

"The personal question. I need you to be my date," he replied. "Accompany me to a ball."

He heard her stop typing. "Did you just say a ball?"

That made him giggle. He rarely giggled, but Garcia could make him do it frequently.

"Yes, ma'am, you did," he said. "A spooktacular ball."

"Spooktacular? Like as in Halloween in five days?"

The obvious excitement in her voice made him smile. "Yes, baby."

"With pumpkin carriages and evil witches and brooding, very good-looking teenage vampires that sparkle?"

That made him laugh again. "I don't know about the last part, but maybe."

She paused for a second. "Maybe? Why are you saying maybe?"

He winced. The woman was highly astute; he had to give it to her. "Yeah. It's at the rec center I sponsor, so some of the kids might be dressed that way."

"A ball...at the rec center."

"Yeah."

"In Chicago."

He winced. "Yeah."

"Somehow, I have a feeling this really isn't a date..." Penelope murmured. There was no question to her voice at all.

"Baby Girl—"

"You want me to be a chaperone or something?" she asked.

He closed his eyes and silently huffed to himself, rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand. He was botching this terribly. "Honey, I know I'm asking a lot..."

"Derek!"

"I need someone artistic and creative to help," he said brightly. "Who better to ask than you?"

"Don't butter me up, buttercup."

"Baby...I wouldn't ask," he pleaded, "but Sun, the woman who was doing the decorations for the party, ended up falling off a ladder and breaking her leg."

"Oh, no."

"James called me, and he didn't know what to do, so..." He paused and sighed. "Damn."

"So you need me to decorate. What else, Morgan?" she questioned.

"Maybe chaperone while we're having fun?" he asked helpfully.

"Roger that. Watch after teenaged kiddos. Anything else I should know that I am doing?" she prodded expectantly.

He winced to himself. "Well...we need supplies."

"Shopping. Okay," she drawled in a manner that would have him running. He knew her expression right now was volatile, so he was very glad he was on the phone. "What else, Derek?"

"Sweetheart, I—"

"What. Else?"

"Run the party," he mumbled.

She growled low in her throat. "Derek..."

"Baby, I know it's a lot to ask you on short notice, but you know what the center means to those kids," he said. He didn't want to guilt her into it, but he'd do what it takes. "I'd do it myself, but this is not my area of expertise."

"It's not mine, either, love bug."

He gave a low laugh. "That ain't true. Baby, every little party you ever throw is so put together and fun, you could be an expert."

"Morgan—"

"Sweetness, I am desperate," he said. "I'm begging you; spend your Halloween with me and the kids, and I will make it worth your while."

"How so?"

"Whatever your little heart desires, I will get it for you," he answered. He was dead serious.

"Back rubs every day for the rest of my life worth my while?"

"Sure."

"Diamonds and rubies worth my while?"

"Big fat pigeon's blood rubies okay?" he replied. Having a mother whose July birthstone was ruby paid off once in a while.

"Ooh," she gasped and then paused. "Let me think about it, and I'll tell you."

"Sweetheart, I'm serious," he reiterated. "Whatever you want, I'll do it. Just help me."

"Derek..." she grumbled.

"Penelope, I promised after Buford left that I would be there for them, and I will be. It's all some of those kids have."

She was quiet for a moment and then said, "I got your search. There are twenty-six naturally ginger women on that campus that fit your description, and from pictures, there's a bunch more whose cuffs and collars don't match—but who am I to talk?"

He smirked to himself, despite his worry that she'd reject him. "Thank you, baby."

"Don't thank me yet," she said and then sighed heavily. "Thank me after the dance."

Pumping his fist in the air, he exclaimed, "Yes! You won't regret this, baby."

"I will miss handing out tricks and treats and going to the bar with Em," she said, and he could almost see her pout.

"I love you; you know that, right?"

"Go solve this case," she grumbled and then hung the phone up on him.

AN2: I would also like to extend a sincere thank you to those that nominated me in the Chit Chat On Author's Corner Profiler's Choice Awards. I have been nominated in six categories! I am astounded, humbled, and so very pleased. Check out the ballot and the stories on there (mine, too!) and vote, vote, vote! Maybe you'll find a new favorite? www. Fanfiction topic/74868/73609377/1/2012-Profiler-s-Choice -CM- Awards-FINAL-VOTING-BALLOT-HERE