Cowritten with Googlemouth. Character are not ours. They belong to Tess and TNT. We're just borrowing them, but we promise to send them back unharmed. ;-)

Costume parties were something Jane Rizzoli had never really been into, so when the HR department of the precinct decided it would be a great way to do a little inter-department staff bonding and allow the community to feel more comfortable with the police by throwing a block party, she grumbled at what inevitably was going to happen. The Community Halloween Costume Party (or CHCP as everyone had started referring to it) was soon, and the pressure from everyone was starting to pile up.

As an officer, it was pretty clear she was expected to go. It was also clear she was going to have to go in costume, which just made it worse.

"Hey, Jane, did you figure out what you're going to wear to CHCP tomorrow?" Frost handed her a cup of coffee and the sugar canister.

"Yeah, a shirt that says, 'This is my costume'," she shot back as she started pouring the sugar.

"Come on! This could be fun. You can be whatever, or whoever, you want. Don't tell me there's not a single, solitary character anywhere that you've wanted to dress up as. I bet you wanted to be Wonder Woman when you were a kid, didn't you?" He laughed at her horrified face.

"No way! She was always getting caught and having to be saved by that army guy. For a superhero, she kind of sucked. I mean, take away her little rope, and she was pretty much done." She rolled her eyes, put the sugar down, and started stirring. "Meanwhile, I am awesome with or without my gun. I don't need some random prop to make me a badass."

"That so?" Frost raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, that's so. What? You questioning my awesomeness?" She took a test sip, made a face, and started adding more sugar.

"No, no, far be it for me to question how good you are." He chuckled as he watched the sugar pour. "Okay, so who then? There's got to be someone. Come on, Jane, loosen up."

"Who are you going as?" She was stirring again.

"I'm going as the Green Lantern. I found this really great costume a couple of weeks ago, and I think I look pretty good in it. I even have a power ring."

"You're such a nerd."

"Yeah, well, you're a spoilsport. Jane, really? You have to dress up. You know the Brass expects us to anyway." He gave a frustrated sigh. "There's going to be food, drinks, and a lot of dancing. There's a live band and a DJ."

"I know. I got that memo, too." She taste tested again. It was perfect. "Fine. If I pick a costume, will you stop nagging me?"

"Yes."

"Okay, let me think about it for a second." She sipped her coffee as she gave it some genuine thought. "How about a pirate?"

"You mean like Jack Sparrow?" Frost gave her suspicious eyes.

"No, but now that you mention it, maybe. I have a friend who does makeup. You know, he's one of those… what do you call it? Special effects people. I bet he could set me up with a pretty rocking goatee."

"You're serious? A male pirate? Do you really think you could pull off acting like a guy?"

"Yeah, I bet I could." She gave her partner a hard look at his look of amusement. "I could! I could totally pull off being a guy for a night!"

"Yeah, sure," he shook his head.

"Hey, how about we bet on it?"

Frost was suddenly more interested. "What do you have in mind?"

"I'll get with my friend and, if he can help me get a costume together for tomorrow night, the only person I'll let see me before we go is you so you know who I am. In fact, let's plan to carpool. If I can go for the whole party without anyone figuring out who I am, then you have to cover my night shift this weekend."

"And if you fail?"

"Which I won't."

"If you do?"

"What do you want?"

"I want you to give me lead at the next crime scene." Frost looked smug.

"No way! I'm senior detective here. You can't just," at her partner's look of 'thought so', she growled. "Okay, fine. If I lose, which I won't, then you can take lead at the next crime scene after the party."

"Deal. Can't wait to see this!" He chuckled all the way back to his desk.