Saints and Sinners Masquerade....

Annnndddd action!

Spencer stood in the middle of the dance floor and watched several students come in. She had to admit the dance turned out nicer than expected. Then again, when you had parents that were forking out small fortunes for their children's' dance, it's expected that it would be as extravagant as can be.

Sliding up next to the woman in silver and white, he handed Spencer a glass of the punch--thankfully before the inevitable spiking with whatever liqueur was at hand--as he looked around. The place was decked out. Much like his date, who looked gorgeous. "Looks good," he said with a smile that he hid behind the long, hooked nose of the doctor's mask.

"That's what happens when you have a neurotic person planning the dance." Spencer said with a grin as she took the punch. "Haley and the rest of the girls did a nice job. I must say I'm shocked." She looked at him and laughed. "Nice mask."

"I'm shocked too," he admitted. "If only by the opulence." He shook his head with a short bite of laughter. "And now that I've used my dollar word for the week," he said wryly, looking her over, "I'm going to go back to being a testosterone-laden caveman and add that you look fantastic."

Spencer blushed and took another sip of her punch. "Thank you. When are Vanessa and Nate getting here. I trust they didn't run off to Georgia again." She winked at him and smiled.

He frowned beneath the mask and looked out on the masked faces coming in. "If they did, I'm going to find her and drag her ass back to Spain myself," he grumbled. "But they should be here soon." If they didn't get sidetracked by simply being teenagers with hormones. But just to be sure, he pulled out his cell phone and fired off a quick text.

To: Vanessa
+text+
Are you planning on getting here anytime soon?

Vanessa rolled her eyes as she looked at the phone. She quickly typed back as she walked in the door.
-text-
On my way in right now. Calm down.

He read the text and shoved the phone back into his pocket. "They're on their way," he said with a touch of relief to his tone. "Want to go for a spin around the dance floor before they show up and I'm forced to go back to doing my job?"

Spencer nodded and smiled, "Sure. But I hope you're a decent dancer, I was trained in classical ballroom dancing."

He'd look offended if his face weren't covered by the mask. "I didn't step on your toes the last time we went out on the dance floor, did I?" In fact, after he'd gotten her to loosen up a bit, it had seemed like she'd enjoyed herself.

"I'm just making sure you haven't forgotten." Spencer laughed, "You never know what people might do these days." She secretly prayed that the whole ordeal with B was forgotten by everyone.

He nodded as he held out a hand to her. "People are dumb, panicky animals that are prone to being unpredictable."

Spencer shook her head and took his hand, "Always the optimist aren't we?"

Tugging her out onto the dance floor, he gave her a quick spin. "I'm a realist who's job it is to protect people from the worst of humanity," he said neutrally. "Not everyone can be an optimist; nothing would get done."

Spencer nodded, "I wasn't saying that it's a bad thing, I was merely making an observation." She looked around at the other couples. "Who'd of thought that people would go all out for this. Those dresses and tuxes look like they cost more than I make in a year."

He bit back a remark about how it probably wasn't the kids that had paid for their outfits. "It's like a high-end Halloween," he pointed out. "With the added mystery of everyone in a mask, Of course people are going to dive in, headfirst."

She looked up and saw Vanessa and Nate walking in. "Wow. How much did she spend on that dress exactly?" It was odd to see Vanessa in something so expensive. She was usually so down to earth.

He looked over to the princess and tried to repress a shudder at the memory of going dress shopping with her. "More than she should have but she wanted it badly and had her own means to get it," he said with a shrug. "Want to go over and say 'hi'?" He probably should go over and get back to being bodyguard but he wasn't quite done being a normal person.

Spencer nodded, "Sounds like a plan. Thank you for the dance. I usually am a wallflower when I chaperon."

Stepping back, he bowed with a grin that for once, he didn't hide. "My pleasure." He put out a hand as he righted himself and led her over to Vanessa and Nate. "Good evening, Princess."

Vanessa turned around and smiled, "You're not supposed to know who I am. Perhaps who you're dancing with is the real princess." She laughed teasingly, "How are you Miss Hastings? I love your mask and dress."

"The crown was kind of what tipped me off," he said blandly.

Spencer smiled and rolled her eyes, "I'm fantastic. Your dress is beautiful as well. It looks like you really went all out."

"Thanks." Vanessa rolled her eyes and looked at him, "It was my Grandmother's mask and the only one I had. Sue me." She looked down at her dress, "I thought I might as well look the part of a saint." Vanessa laughed and shrugged.