Chapter 1: Her First Night
Chapter Text
The Skellington manor has only housed 2 residents for most of its existence.
The 3-story mansion equipped with a large observatory has only sheltered Jack Skellington and his ghostly pet, Zero. It comes to no surprise that the house isn't expecting the softer pair of footsteps one fateful afternoon. The moment Sally Finklestein steps into the Pumpkin King's manor, there's an audible groan that sounds from the floor, accompanied by the walls making sudden, sharp creaks. The ragdoll freezes. As her foot lingers longer on the surface, the noises stop and she listens to the silence. She turns to the skeleton watching from the doorway, not knowing how to express the right confusion from such a situation.
"Did I do something wrong?" she asks, her voice quiet and polite as usual. Jack shakes his skull and approaches one of the walls, patting it a couple of times.
"No, of course not. The house needs to....get used to you, is all."
She remembers the time he invited her in for tea, but doesn't recall anything peculiar. "It didn't make those noises last time I was here."
"It understands the difference between a guest and a resident. It won't do any harm to you, I assure."
She relaxes as he picks up the boxes situated by the front door. She's reminded of why she's even here. After years of a long, eventful life living with Doctor Finklestein in his tower, after being created by him....she's moving in with Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King. Her mind scrambles trying to recall everything - when she was first kidnapped by Oogie Boogie, saved by the skeleton himself, getting a tour of Halloween Town, finding Jack in the Graveyard, befriending him, and experiencing a long, blossomed relationship with the man......they grew to something close, then eventually became a couple. Everything about it is simply beautiful to Sally; how she turned from an imprisoned slave into a free spirit with a purpose.
How can she forget the first time she stepped out of that tower, when she saw Jack's smile, and all the times she left everything she had to endure just to see him again...She dreamed of him reciprocating her love, showing how much he means to her, and sharing a domestic life together....she's wanted it badly, and today she was presented with this opportunity. Nothing can make her happier. And how ironic, it seems, that this decision is supported by the Doctor because he has a replacement now. He has no use for Sally anymore, and handed her off to someone else. She's lucky that happened to be Jack. She's fortunate to be with the man who does everything for her.
The skeleton steps around and heads through a doorway. She follows after, carrying a box of her own. "-I decided on a room for you already. I figured the stairs would be too much of a hassle, so I found a bedroom on the ground floor."
She blinks, marveling at the old chandelier hanging from the ceiling and the paintings they pass. "How many floors does this place have?"
"Three, if you include the observatory. But don't worry. I keep all the necessities downstairs. There's bedrooms and guest rooms on the second floor, so you won't have a need to come up often," he stops once they reach a door at the end of the hallway. "-This is it!"
He hesitates to put his bony hand on the doorknob, looking at her uncertainly. "Would you mind waiting here for a minute? I didn't have time to prepare the room. I'm sorry for being so unprepared, but I hadn't expected-"
"No, it's okay. I didn't plan on this either, otherwise I'd be more ready myself," she sets the box down and sighs in relief. "Take your time, Jack. I'll wait out here."
He gives her a grateful smile. "Thank you, Sally...Don't be afraid to look around, get curious about things. Technically, this is your home, too, so I want you to get used to the place."
"I will."
He gives her one last nod before leaving into the room, which she only gets a glance of before he hurriedly shuts the door. She waits a few moments before turning around and admiring the long hallway. There is a red rug on the floor with intricate designs of spiderwebs on it. Her attention moves to the walls, where she notices a collection of framed pictures hanging in neat patterns. She admires them all as she walks carefully, humming in curiosity. Most of them are old photographs of Halloween Town. She catches one of Jack and the Mayor standing in front of the Town Hall shaking hands, and she smiles to herself. She admires him for keeping such history of his town in his own home.
The longer she follows these photos, the more she finds of Jack himself. He's in various ones surrounded by other people, mostly his citizens and coworkers. But then shr will find one of him by himself, or just him and Zero. There are times when his smile is big, and where it wasn't enthusiastic. After knowing him for so long, she's able to recognize it. A troubled frown falls on the ragdoll's face as she stops at one in particular, which is a picture of Jack sitting at his desk, turned around to smile at the one taking the picture. But there is something gloom about his posture, and something sad in his eye sockets. She holds her small hand over the picture and feels her chest grow cold.
'He looks...lonely.'
She doesn't feel as excited to look at the rest of the pictures, so she turns around to look at other things instead. She adores the wallpaper in these hallways - it's of a crimson color with elaborate, yellow lines that break the color. The design reminds her of the fancy castles she used to read about - the exact ones kings and queens would live in. In fact, everything about his mansion reminds her of someplace...elegant and tidy. It makes sense the Pumpkin King would inhabit such a place like this. Nothing like the old tower she lived in before, that was so suffocating, cold, and had leaks everywhere. The walls and the floor are made of metal there, but in here, the ground is warm and the walls feel inviting. Everything in the Skellington Manor looks well-kept.
'It's all so homey', she thinks. 'A gentlewoman would be suited better here than me, that's for sure...'
A voice breaks her thoughts:
"Sally? It's ready now, if you want to see it!"
She hurries over to meet with the skeleton, who happily clasps his hands together once she's in front of him. She notices the door is closed and all of her belongings are brought in already. He clears his throat as he rubs his palms together, looking like a child excited to show a surprise.
"I think you're going to like it! I made a few touches here-and-there, though I'm sure you won't even notice them," he eagerly swoops over next to the door, fingers caressing the doorknob. "Now, close your eyes and wait until I say you can open them..."
She does as she is told, giggling at the idea that the unveiling of her room has to be some sort of grand surprise. She feels his hand gently guiding her forward on her back. She plays his game and takes a few steps in his direction until he stops her, then he closes the door behind them. She can't help feeling giddy in this time, wondering what her new room is going to look like. She already knows it's going to be nothing like her old one, and yet...
"Alright, you can open your eyes!"
She opens them. And as she does, her jaw falls open in shock. Before her is, in her opinion, a room fit for a princess! Due to the high ceiling, there is a beautiful collection of cobwebs that hang above a queen-sized bed. It leaves enough space for a nightstand to rest on its left side, with a beautiful lamp and a small clock. Across the bed is a vanity desk containing a mirror, tall enough she can see herself in, and enough room to work on whatever she desires. Beside that is a large bookshelf filled to the brim with dusty novels. She glances at some of the titles, smiling when most of them are fictional romances. The type he knows she loves to read. There are so many on the shelves...she can be reading for days!
When she turns around, there is a petite desk next to the covered window with her sewing machine on it. Unlike her old one, there is plenty of space for her to set all the materials where they need to go, and there is even a mirror on the wall for her to check her work. She walks over to admire it before bringing her attention over to the window. The curtains are closed, so she opens them to reveal whatever it was concealing. This causes her jaw to drop once more - as she is provided with a beautiful view of Halloween Town. Since the manor is raised, she can see the roofs of the houses and streets from above. She had a similar view from her tower, but this one isn't obscured by bars on the window. She has a perfect view she can see out of anytime. And to think, it's right by her desk, so she can gaze outside while she works!
"Jack, this is so lovely..." she confesses. "I-I don't know what to say."
He starts to tsk. "You haven't seen your new closet yet!"
The skeleton slides open a large door to reveal a spacious closet beside her bed. The dresses she made are already hung inside, handled with great care. There's plenty of space for new ones and even a proper place to put her shoes in. She approaches it and leaves her hand to touch the inside, imagining filling it with all the new creations she's bound to make. She sees a blank canvas laid right before her. Jack seems happy as he taps his finger on the wall, watching her gawk at the room.
"I thought you would appreciate a room that felt like it was for you. You didn't have an awful lot in your last one."
She turns to him and smiles. "The Doctor only gave me what he thought was necessary."
"You mean a bed that looked like it would snap in half, and a closet that could barely fit three days worth of clothes?" he crosses his arms. "I have to disagree."
"I'm not sure if I deserve a big bed like this, or such a view, or....any of this, really. I don't need much, and I don't want to ask for -"
"-Shh sh sh," he lays a bony finger over her lips. "All of this is for you. You have your own space now. Anything you need or want, I will happily get for you. You have as much right to a decent bed and your own hobby like anyone else. I don't want to hear otherwise."
Her eyelashes brush against his finger as he brings it away. "Thank you, Jack..."
"Alright, then." He steps back and grins, opening the door and motioning outside. "I'll show you a bit more around."
She is happy to skip to the door and follow Jack around his mansion. He gives her a little tour of his home and informs her where things are. There is a bathroom just down the hallway she is roomed in, and she isn't far from the kitchen. The living room and den are close from there, while everything else is upstairs. She follows him above as he briefly shows her his own bedroom, which, she finds, has a respectably king-sized bed. There are more stairs after that, and she grows fatigued as she climbs up a spiral one, which ends with her standing in the middle of his study. The same room she used to watch him pace around in for hours when she was back in Finklestein's Tower, watching his silhouette through the windows...
After looking at all the projects he has laying around and admiring the highest view in Halloween Town, Jack helps her down the staircase to show her a few things they missed. She is having a hard time coming to terms that this is the house she'll be staying in from now on: an exquisite, 3-floor mansion filled to the brim with rooms and fancy things...she'll be sharing it with The Pumpkin King, and she'll be seeing these things every day from this day forward. It makes her excited, but under that, she feels a familiar insecurity brewing in the pit of her stomach...
By the time their little tour is finished, Sally collapses on one of his couches, wanting to take a break from all the stairs she endured this hour alone. Jack smiles at his girlfriend, who opens her eyes after she finally has her breath back.
"-And I think that's just about it!" he announces happily. "Do you have any questions, Sal? Before it gets too late?"
Sal. She...likes that little nickname. Could she ever have one like that for him someday?
She glances out of a nearby window and notices that it's dark. There is a lot that happened today, but the time still feels like it flew right by. She lets out an exhausted sigh as she sits forward, trying to think of anything she is curious about. Now isn't the time to pester him with 20 questions. They both need rest after today, and in the morning, they can talk about things further.
For now.....there is one thing that's bothering her.
"Yes, I was just wondering," she brings her gaze up to lock with his. "What are the rules here?"
"Huh..?"
"You know, the rules you have for...staying here," she plays with her fingers. "How often do I need to do the dishes, when your meals should be cooked, what time I'm allowed to get up and go to sleep..?"
The skeleton looks bewildered. She sinks into her shoulders, feeling embarrassed for asking such a thing. It just felt so natural, like she was supposed to ask.
"There...are no rules. None whatsoever," he takes a seat and holds her hand endearingly. "Sally, I'm not the Doctor. I'm not going to give you a million of chores you have to do at the expense of living here. I want you here, and you shouldn't feel obligated to do anything for that."
Her eyes widen. "You mean, you don't want me to cook, or clean, or...or make your clothes?"
He shakes his skull. "Not really. If you'd like to do those things, then I won't stop you, but....you don't have to do them. Those things may have been a little tough for the Doctor to do, but I'm capable of cooking and cleaning like you are."
"I....I wasn't expecting that answer," she confesses.
He leans forward and leaves a kiss on her cheek, making her blush slightly. "You don't owe me anything, and I want you to remember that. As long as you're comfortable, healthy, and happy here, that's all I ask for. It's about time someone took care of you for once, rather than the other way around."
This makes her smile, and her leaves grow tingly. She lets out a content sigh as he pulls back. "You're right. I guess I'm just so...so used to being around the Doctor that...I don't know what it's like to live any other way."
"Well, we're going to change that. From now on, you don't have to worry about any of those things, and I'll be here for you. I'm ready to share my death with you, Sally. I certainly hope you're ready to share it with me?"
"Of course. I couldn't ask for anything better."
Jack Skellington ensures that his partner is more than comfortable in her new abode. He dismisses himself once she's settled in her bed and heads for his own room, where he leaves his door cracked open in case Sally needs him at all during the night. He promised she could call for him, and he was more than prepared to fend for another person after so long. That thought buzzes in his skull as he changes into his sleeping clothes, laying in his bed and staring at the ceiling above him.
Sally is living with him now.
It's almost the same feeling as when Doctor Finklestein first mentioned it to him. After being alone for so long, living only with his dog for years...now they have another person in their home. And it's not a guest or a mere visitor; it's the love of his death sharing the same space as him, and only a floor down. This was the least he could do for her after she got kicked out as soon as it was decided that the Doctor didn't need her anymore.
'This is his loss.' Jack thinks to himself. 'Sally is talented, kind, and sweet...having her around is going to be the best thing for me.'
And what a thought that is...no longer will his mornings feel so empty and cold, and he won't have to come home to a nearly-empty mansion anymore. He's going to have her to listen to, her to see and hold, her at his side when he needs her most. It's felt like ages since he's had something like this to look forward to, and now that things are so much easier...he isn't going to let any moment go to waste.
He's going to cherish this ragdoll, show his love and appreciation for her, and take good care of her on the account that she hasn't had a very good home life before. He's going to do everything for her, and ensure that she is his top priority at all times.
He drifts off to sleep thinking of how better his death is going to be after this night. He looks forward to the morning and wishes it could come sooner - so he can see her beautiful dark eyes again, and hear her soft voice the first thing after the skeletal rooster crows....
Sally Finklestein flutters her eyelashes open when she finds her room engulfed in the pumpkin sun. The air feels slightly musty as she rises from her bed and lets out a small yawn, blinking her eyes several times in an attempt to clear her vision. She recalls sleeping almost perfectly in her new bed, the mattress comfortable and her pillow soft....the blanket was actually big enough to cover her whole body, and not once did she toss and turn in her sleep.
It was quiet this morning. This is new to her, as she would usually hear the Doctor screaming at her for his breakfast by now, and Igor would've surely waken her at such an hour like this.
She tosses the blanket off as she takes a weary step on the floor. She feels so well-rested, it almost makes her dizzy! She trudges on despite this, and gently opens her door. The sound of something sizzling comes down the hallway, and she curiously follows it. The closer she gets to the kitchen, the more she can make out the smell of something sweet - something that makes her tongue water, and her nose curiously inch towards the source of the smell. When she peeks her head through the doorway, she finds a skeleton standing in front of the stove, one hand holding the handle of a pan and the other shoved in his pocket.
She attempts to step in the room without catching his attention, but he happens to turn his skull in her direction. She freezes instantly - a habit thinking she has been caught somewhere she isn't supposed to be. But a large smile spreads on his lips and he lets out a cheerful hum, making her relax.
"Awful morning, Sally. Did you sleep terrible?"
"Just horrible, thank you," she blinks curiously as she comes to his side, peeking at what was in the pan. She is surprised to find a couple slices of toast. "What are you making?"
"'Pain perdu'...or, as some call it, 'French Toast'," he reaches over to grab a plate. "I picked up this recipe from the human world. I'm wondering if you'll like it," he turns and gestures to the other room with his skull. "I made you a plate already."
She follows his gaze and heads into the dining room, where she finds a plate of toast sitting on the table. She takes a seat, grabbing the fork and poking curiously at the bread. It smells sweeter now that she's in front of it, and just staring at it is making her mouth water. She eagerly takes a bite and 'mmm's at the taste. It has a little bit of syrup, cinnamon, and sugar coated on top...she begins to eat the rest mindlessly, not noticing how hungry she is.
Jack comes into the room and sits across from her, setting down his own serving. He's already dressed in his pinstriped suit for the day while she's still in her pajamas. She shyly brushes her hair to the side as he sits down, and sets her fork down as she thinks of what to say. This is their first morning they're spending together...and it already feels so much better. She doesn't have to make breakfast, and for what awaits her that day, she has no clue. She's relieved it isn't chores or cleaning!
"Thank you for letting me sleep in," she tells him quietly.
"You needed the rest, with everything you've been through," he wipes his mouth with a napkin. "It is still early, anyway."
"Really? I'm surprised to see you awake and dressed already."
"I'm used to getting up the moment the sun rises. I have to wake early to work with the Mayor every morning."
"Oh," she looks down and plays with her hands under the table. "I'm not taking you away from that right now, am I...?"
"Not at all! I wanted to make you something because I had a feeling you'd wake up famished. Neither of us ate last night," he points to her plate with his fork. "How is it, by the way? Terrible?"
"The worst," she grins. "Thank you, Jack, it's delicious. I'm not used to anyone making breakfast for me."
The memory of Finklestein making a meal for her once surfaces in her mind; the indescribable, awful food on her plate...she winces at the image. She's grateful her boyfriend knows how to cook properly. This won't be something she has to worry about every morning anymore, desperately working over the stove so she doesn't have to worry about her disgruntled creator. The skeleton finishes his toast and sets his plate to the side.
"-Well, you might want to adjust. I enjoy cooking."
She smiles and finishes her food while the skeleton sits there, looking away in thought. It's only after her plate is empty that Sally realizes there is a lot to talk about with him. So much has happened yesterday, and while she feels comfortable in this new environment, there are still other matters to handle. Ones they've neglected for awhile and have been meaning to get around to.
"I wanted to thank you for everything last night, but there are other things on my mind," she brings up slowly. "I think we should tell the town about us already. If we don't, then me living here may look a little suspicious, or raise a lot of questions with our friends and the citizens..."
He brings his attention to her and nods. "-That's exactly what I was thinking! You and I were talking about a meeting, weren't we? Where I called everyone for some Halloween announcement and finally tell them? I still think we should do that."
"If only what happened with the Doctor hadn't gotten in the way," her gaze comes down as she mumbles quietly. "I wish he had taken it much better than he did..."
She finds his bony hand over hers, urging her to look up at him. The skeleton gives her an assuring smile. "What's important is that it's done with. The Doctor knows, and you're living with me now. If anything, that makes this a whole lot easier."
"That's true...he was the first one we wanted to know, anyway, wasn't it?"
"That he was. And now everyone else can! Well, besides the Band." He sits back in his seat and thinks for a moment. "I'll go ahead and schedule one for today. You're going to be there, right?"
She plays with her hair, nodding slowly. "Of course I'll be."
"Great! You'll know when it is; I'll be sure to send the Mayor out to announce it. He'll be going around town soon if things go as planned."
He collects both of their plates before disappearing into the kitchen. Sally frowns and stares at the tablecloth while he's gone. She wonders how the meeting will go, and if her presence will complicate anything. She knows the females will surely be disappointed, especially the admirers of Jack. She quietly fears if any of them will take it out on her - but the better part of her thinks otherwise. Halloween Town is full of kind, generous citizens. They'll be respectful of her and Jack's relationship, won't they?
The skeleton comes back in the room, tugging at his sleeves as he lingers by the doorway. "Well, I'll be heading off, now. I need to catch up with the Mayor and explain my absence. The first thing I'll do is schedule that meeting."
She gets up from her seat and nods. "That sounds like a good idea."
He looks at her and smiles, turning to face her. "I guess I'll be seeing you there?"
"I guess you will."
He stand there idly before walking over to her and leaning forward. She gets the hint and raises her head to kiss him. It is gentle. And every passing second where their lips are interlocked, it assures Sally that things are going to be okay. That she has absolutely nothing to worry about so long as she has this man by her side. Her best friend....her lover. They're going to get through this together, no matter how it turns out. Jack eventually pulls away and gives her one last smile.
"You'll be alright without me here?" she nods. "I'm sure you know where everything is. Help yourself to anything in the meantime. I can't wait to see you again."
He heads for the door and dips his skull before leaving. As the door closes behind him, the ragdoll stares at it for a few minutes. She listens as his footsteps climb down the stairs, then silence ensues after. She clasps her hands together and squeezes them, rocking on her heels gently. Her leaves start to swell anxiously as she sits down, and she spends many minutes staring around the room hoping, quietly, that things will go alright.
Chapter 2: The Big News
Summary:
Jack runs the Town Meeting as planned, and Sally attends despite growing very nervous. The news successfully finds its way to the citizens, and both Jack and Sally are surprised with the reactions. On top of that, Sally finds acceptance and support from her friends.
Notes:
So sorry this took a bit to release! I was gone for around 5 days so I didn't have the means to work on this in that time. I'll try to be more timely with the next chapter - again, I'm not sure what the Update schedule will look like, but hopefully it won't be as bad as the last story was!
Also, a small note on chapter length: I think you've noticed it's not as terribly long as Two Dearest Friends, but it's still there. I hope to have some consistency with the lengths in this one. We'll have to see. Sometimes I get excited and write my heart out.
Hope you guys enjoy, and here's to hoping the next update is soon!
Chapter Text
"I can't wait to see you again."
How true those words ring in his skull....he's only said them a few minutes ago, yet they still hold so much meaning. The Pumpkin King briskly makes his way into Halloween Town after passing through the gates of his home. His stride is confident and he wears his usual, outstretched smile as he passes by his citizens. It's almost second nature for him to greet anyone who addresses him, and execute it all in a chipper manner. That has always been a habit of his, but this time, there is no underlying sadness he is attempting to conceal. The way he presents himself feels...more true, now, to how he's always wanted to be. And he has Sally to thank for that.
He feels particularly happy as he approaches the Town Hall, and opens the doors eagerly to get inside.
It was only a week ago that Jack had been hesitant to do something like this. He recalls spending a long time pacing around his study, wondering how exactly to break this news. He knew the situation was complex from the start - to his people, he's always been seen as a bachelor. That's why he's had so many women around him before, many of whom treated him with the upmost admiration and coquetry. But he always had a 'thing' for his personal space, and never expressed interest in eligibility to those who imposed themselves on him. It gave him a sour taste in his mouth, just thinking about it...
'But things are different now. Oh, so different...'
He knows there will be disappointment. Outrage, maybe. For those who have endlessly asked for him before - all, in which, he declined. But now Jack Skellington knows he's in love, fallen skull-over-heels for the Mad Scientist's creation. Sally is the sweetest, most caring person he has known in a long time. He has great expectations that the town will see the same things in her, and come to appreciate her for them as well. It's because of this self-assurance he is able to stroll backstage with anticipation, scanning the room in search for his coworker so they can get things started.
He finds the politician at his desk, scribbling away mindlessly as he always is. The skeleton clears his throat as he approaches him, hoping his sudden appearance won't end in frantic interrogation. The Mayor jumps at the sound and whips his head towards the source of the noise. His face clicks to the side wearing a grin. He hops down to meet with the man below. The first thing he does is reach out to shake his hands - the usual greeting they shared.
"Jack! I was worried when you didn't report here first thing in this morning. I was hoping you'd come around before I'd have to find you myself!"
"Thank you for that, Mayor. There are a few things I need to tell you..."
The shorter man perks up. "Oh? And what would that be?"
He lets go of the smaller hand and cocks his skull to the side. "You see, I had an epiphany the other day with the Halloween planning! The citizens must know of my ideas as soon as they can. I need to know what they think before I start arranging anything. Would you mind calling for a town meeting immediately?"
"-Immediately!? Why, this must be important! Very important, indeed!"
He runs over to his desk and grabs his megaphone. Jack grins as he watches him rush out of the room, presumably to get to his hearse as soon as he can.
The skeleton tugs at his sleeves as he mentally works through how he will execute this meeting. How he will break the news, and ensure it's in a way that won't put Sally or himself at risk. He may have to actually come up with a genius Halloween idea, but that wasn't difficult. What else the meeting is going to be about, however, will be.
'It WILL be tricky...' he mulls to himself, scratching at his jaw. 'But I know how I can make this work...'
"TOWN MEETING! TOWN MEETING! JACK REQUESTS WE ALL BE THERE AT ONCE!"
Sally jumps when she hears the Mayor's voice from a nearby window. She glances outside to see the citizens emerging from their homes and graves. They are walking towards the Town Hall. She can see them speaking with each other, whispering and laughing. The ragdoll removes herself from the sight as she starts chewing at her nails, preparing herself for what's about to come. Not that she hasn't already been doing that, but she still feels nervous...
After some words of encouragement to herself, Sally holds her breath as she finally pushes through the doors of the Skellington Manor. By this point, nearly everyone is already inside of the Town Hall, so she doesn't attract any attention as she goes down the stairs and through the gates. She hurries to get there so she won't miss any second of it. She heads through the open doors and finds that it's crowded already, much like the last time she had been to a meeting. Her eyes scan through people before she finds a familiar tree sitting in the back.
She approaches him and taps on his bark, smiling in relief when he turns to look at her. The Hanging Tree's sockets widen in surprise. It has been awhile since they've last seen each other - seeing her friends was difficult when the Doctor locked her away from the outside world. This makes her weary as the Hanging Tree observes her, but then he smiles, and his skeletons follow suit. They all look particularly happy to see her.
"Why, Sally, it's been quite some time! We hope you've been alright?" he asks.
"I didn't mean to disappear from you like that. I'm sorry I haven't been seeing you all much around," she plays with her fingers. "I must be an awful friend."
"Not at all! I understand, really. We were just hoping you were okay after not hearing from you for so long!"
She smiles. "I am doing much better, thank you. I didn't think you'd worry about me."
"Nonsense. I'm always worrying about my knitting buddy while she's not around," he motions to a branch atop. "Would you like a seat? I can tell you aren't going to find one in this room!"
"That'd be perfect...thank you, again."
The hanging skeletons help Sally up and she sits herself on his branch. She gets comfortable and sighs in content. She has a loving boyfriend whom she's living with in a spacious home. And her friends still care about her deeply...how can she not feel happy? It lowers her worry as she glances about the room, wincing slightly when she sees all the girls sitting in front. She hopes they won't be too distressed by the news...or that anyone will be, for that matter.
The room eventually shushes down when Jack comes through the door. The whispering and movement cease as he arrives to the podium. The Mayor turns on the spotlight from above, aiming it at the skeleton with careful hands. Everyone is silent as they wait for the Pumpkin King to begin talking - of what wonders he's thought of for Halloween this year, and what might have been so urgent to call them all at once...
"Horrible afternoon, everyone! Thank you for making it here. I'm sorry I had to call this meeting out of the black, but there are some important things I must tell you all."
Sally scans the crowds as Jack talks, blanking out what he's saying. She isn't surprised when she doesn't find Doctor Finklestein anywhere. Not like he would need to be here, anyway. He's well-informed about the situation, and she already knows how he reacted to it. Her eyes to fall to the ground. She notices Jack moving and darts her eyes back to the stage, finding him addressing the crowd with a bright grin, pointing at some of them.
"-Yes, exactly! Black goo would work! Which is why I think with just the right amount, you can really get the effect of..."
She has no clue how long it'll be until he changes subjects, and her nails start digging into the bark as she waits. The longer she has to sit there, the more anxious she grows. She wants to get this over with. Have the black cat out of the bag so they no longer have to hide themselves. So Jack will stop having those women invading his space, and she will be able to hold his hand without worrying about others seeing. This makes the ragdoll smile, and she eagerly listens as Jack carries on with the meeting.
"I digress, folks. While this brainstorming has certainly been enlightening, there are some...other things that this skeleton has been keeping in his closet," he clutches the podium for a moment, smiling as he observes the crowd. "I want you all to know that I am courting a woman."
The crowd gasps in surprise. They look at each other and begin whispering. Sally can hear voices, most sounding confused. She pays no mind as the stitched grin widens on her face. She looks at Jack with adoring eyes, elated that their secret has finally been revealed. He catches her look and returns the smile, the two of them sharing a fond gaze between the unknowing pairs of eyes. Questions call out from the crowd, snapping the two of them out of their daze.
"-But with WHO?" "How long has this been going on?" "Who is it, Jack?" "I'm so happy for you!" "Where is she?"
"Everyone, everyone! I will answer all of your questions in time, but before I do, I want to make it clear that this woman is in this very room, right now."
Sally watches in awe as the skeleton steps down from the stage and starts walking down the aisle. She keeps her stare locked with his. The room grows quiet as the Pumpkin King approaches the Hanging Tree. He moves his skull up so he can properly look at the ragdoll, then offers her his hand. She feels bewildered, but he gives her that assuring smile of his - the one that always sends goosebumps along her skin. She takes it, and he firmly pulls her down so he can lock his lips with hers. Her eyes widen before she calms down and kisses him back.
Neither of them can see the awe-stricken faces of the citizens, nor can they spot the enraged looks from some of the women. All they focus on is each other and what they're sharing right now. She feels almost disappointed when he pulls away, but they stare into their eyes longingly. Sally realizes how far they have come - from the time she first attended a town meeting, to where they are now: sharing a kiss in the same spot she once sat in. It feels like a great weight has finally been taken off of her shoulders.
The room is filled with various noises, some cheers and others snarls. Jack and Sally turn to face everybody, finding most of the citizens clapping and grinning. She notices the glares from the witches and other fans of his. She sinks into her shoulders and waves weakly to them.
She brings her attention to the rest of the people. To the ones crying out their support for the Pumpkin King and his girlfriend; the monsters she has known and seen for a long time, standing by their side. Even the skeletons from below are clapping, and she can see the Hanging Tree grinning widely. She feels a tear escape from her eye, a result of pure bliss.
The voices come back: "See? I TOLD you Jack had a lady friend!" "Good for you both!!" "I can't believe this...!" "Jack, you look so happy!" "She's awful; she's just perfect for you!" "-Jack's in love with the Doctor's girl!?" "Sally! You got a good catch!"
Jack turns around and grabs her from her seat. She lets out a surprised noise as she's gently guided to the ground. She clutches onto his side once she's down. She smiles nervously at everyone around them. She can't believe how much support they're getting! Well, ignoring the hundreds of daggers glared her way from the front row...
The skeleton leads her to the stage, and she makes no move of protest. It only makes sense, seeing as she's the center of attention right now...as much as she thought she would've hated this, it feels almost soothing. To be holding Jack's hand as they're both under a spotlight, with so many cheers being sent their way from the crowd. She stands proudly beside him as they look at the audience. It's now that she's face-to-face with the witches and admirers in the front. They look away from her and scoff. He doesn't notice this as he sneaks his arm around her waist.
"Yes, I am dating Sally Finklestein. I think it's fair to let you know that this isn't something new. We have been romantically involved for quite some time."
They're met with applause again. They find a few claws and hands raised in the audience. Jack nods his skull in the direction of one, and a curious citizen scratches their head.
"Correct me if I am wrong, but..." the ghoul looks between the two uncertainly. "Wasn't Sally the Doctor's wife? There were so many rumors in town about it, and I just don't understand..."
"Oh, yes!" Jack hesitates to answer. "While the Doctor intended on marrying her, it was never official, as their certificate wasn't properly...signed," Sally frowns at this. "So, no, my good man. They were never married."
Another paw shoots up in the air. The Werewolf smooths down his fur. "I'm just wonderin' what made you change your mind, Jack? You said you didn't wanna get into the dating pool, right? Well, now you got a girlfriend, so..."
"I intended for that, yes, but Sally is special to me. It was...simply meant to be," he turns and smiles at her. "She helped me realize a lot of things about myself. One being that I wanted to have love in my death. But I only want to share it with her."
They hold hands. She melts all over again. Some of the crowd coos. They find another hand raised and acknowledge them. This time, it's one of the admirers sat upfront. The Sea Gal raises herself in her seat, eying the two with suspicion. "And how exactly did you two meet?"
The skeleton opens his mouth to reply, but, to his surprise, the ragdoll answers instead. "Jack rescued me when I was taken by that Bug King. He visited the Doctor's to welcome me into town after that."
The citizens start murmuring among themselves, remembering the incident all too well. They find more hands raised in the crowd and answer questions from curious monsters. They are surprised how respectful the inquiries are. Despite the sour looks tossed in her direction, Sally doesn't receive any harsh words. She feels hopeful from their reactions - hearing many words of encouragement, support, and adoration for their relationship. She wonders why they ever waited for this, feeling ridiculous for being fearful of the reactions...
As they continue to answer these questions, she turns and relaxes against him, already knowing this is going to change their relationship for the better.
The meeting eventually ends after the citizens' curiosities are appeased. Sally purposely lingers with Jack as they're waiting for everyone to leave, but stops to say goodbye to the Hanging Tree. She's surprised to find a wide grin stretched on his bark, all of the skeletons holding their hands together adoringly. She steps forward, but she doesn't need to say a word. An unison of congratulations is sent her way, by the skeletons and their tree included.
"I can't believe it, I just can't!" he looks between the two several times. "Hearing the Pumpkin King has a girlfriend, and it's Sally...I don't think anyone saw it coming!"
"Then we did a great job on keeping it a secret," Jack replies. She brushes her blood-colored hair behind her shoulder as she giggles along.
"We are happy for you two. Sally is the sweetest person I know, and so talented, may I add! I hope nothing but for the worst for you both."
"Thank you, it means a lot hearing that from you," she comes forward and holds his hands. "You were one of the first friends I made in town, you know..."
"-And how far you've come! Not everyone gets to say they've won the undead heart of the Pumpkin King."
She glances back at Jack and blushes. The Hanging Tree bids his goodbye as his skeletons wave while they leave the Town Hall. As soon as they're gone, the Pumpkin King glances down and notices the smile stretched on his girlfriend's face. He rests his hand on her shoulder, and she places her palm over his fingers.
It's silent as they take in everything that has happened during the meeting - but for the important part, their secret is out. Everyone knows about them. And for Jack, that is more than a relief. It felt so easy to spill everything he has been holding in - and for it to be received the way it was, he feels grateful for it.
"I think we should start heading home."
"I think so, too. There's...a lot I want to talk about with you."
He smiles. There's a lot he wants to say as well. "Let's start getting back, then."
The two of them leave through the back way, so as to not draw any additional attention. When they're in private, they share another kiss. It feels different doing this out in the open rather than behind closed walls like they used to. Jack slumps against her as every bit of him melts again. As they break away, he trails his hand along her cloth skin.
He opens his mouth to tell her what's on his mind, but finds that it's empty. Peaceful. For once, he is not thinking of Halloween, its planning, or anything else that stresses him out - he feels completely at ease as he stares at Sally's face. She looks just as content, judging by the way her eyes droop and how her hand caresses his palm in thought. Neither of them say anything in this comfortable period of silence, enjoying their existence out in the open for once. They eventually pick up their walk, intending to return to the Skellington Manor as soon as they can.
It's not long before they find three familiar faces leaning against a wall. When the Halloween Town Band find the Pumpkin King heading their way, they prepare to greet him. But then they find the Doctor's creation at his side, and they grow smug smiles instead. The two stop to greet them, figuring this is more than an appropriate time to speak to their friends. James looks more than happy as he shakes Jack's hand, winking at the woman lingering to the side.
"We heard 'bout th' meetin'! Congrats on tellin' the town, you two!"
"We were wonderin' when you'd spill the poisonous beans," John comments. The skeleton chuckles.
"It was all in due time. We had a setback, but now we finally told the town, and things couldn't be better!"
Sally comes forward and hugs the three. They return the embrace and she smiles to herself. How supportive all of her friends are being...it feels almost natural to thank them, figuring they were the only ones keeping the secret. She removes herself and holds her hands together.
"Did you attend the meeting?" she asks. They nod their heads, much to her relief.
"We were in the back. It got so crowded by the time we were there, we couldn't find a seat," Jimmy shakes his head. "You took those questions well. Almost like you rehearsed the whole thing."
"I wish that were possible," Jack smiles weakly. "It was hard to tell what was going to happen. I thought for sure there would've been a few that were upset..."
"'Course they're upset! Dolly stole our beloved King here so easily while they've been tryin' fer years," James teases.
Jimmy leans forward assuringly. "But we know you can handle it. Your love's the strongest we've seen! I'm sure no jealous ghouls are going to ruin that for you."
This relieves the two of them. They speak more with the Band, the conversation consisting of their absences. It's painful for Sally to explain how Dr. Finklestein locked her away from the outside world completely. She recalls how upset she was through the process. She feels guilty for not looking out her window often for the three. They forgive her regardless and share their sympathy.
Jack isn't a fan of how depressed she describes herself in that time. He ensures he is holding onto her side as the two of them finally begin their way home, rubbing her arm softly.
"Are you alright?" he asks. She nods her head but doesn't say a word. "I know how tough that was for you. It was hard on me, too. I can't imagine what talking about it is like..."
"I'll be alright. So many good things have happened today; I can't see anything getting in the way of that."
His chest warms. They've reached the Skellington Manor and he happily offers his beloved his skeletal hand. She giggles as she takes it, allowing him to graciously help her up the set of stairs and to the door. He's open about this as he does it - no longer having the fear of being spotted holding this woman's hand, knowing that they are free to express themselves now. He feels ecstatic as they climb the steps, and feels the anticipation in his bones by the time they reach the front door.
Jack decides to end his work for the day, seeing as the meeting is now done. He returns to the Town Hall so he can answer any of the questions the Mayor has. He finds that the shorter coworker has many, and spends a good hour or two answering them. They are good-natured, to the skeleton's relief. Most of the inquires are about work and if his relationship would affect it at all - to which the answer was a firm 'no'. He did make it clear that Sally is going to be his top priority from now on, and while that news makes the Mayor a little anxious, the Pumpkin King stands firmly by it.
They end their conversation on good terms, as the Mayor wishes the two of them horrible luck and for the worst. Jack thanks him and returns home, wanting to have his beautiful ragdoll by his side again. And he gets that wish when he finds her at the front door waiting to greet him, hugging him tightly as she leaves a trail of kisses on the side of his skull. He relaxes against her and sighs, letting all of the stress out of his bones as he melts onto her.
"I think we should take it easy today," she whispers to him. He nods rhythmically, her words soothing him naturally.
"We should."
He lets out a noise when he feels her soft hands start massaging his sides. The smile grows on his face as he digs his head into her shoulder. God, how badly he has wanted this. Holding her in his arms, hearing her voice, seeing her before him...knowing she's safe, loved, and happy - that's all he ever really wanted. He doesn't know how he can feel any bit upset with her around like this - it's merely been more than a day, and it already feels like she's been here for years...
"You're tense," she comments quietly, digging her fingers further into his bones. He shivers. "When was the last time you relaxed?"
"The last moment we were together," he leans back and holds her hands. "I feel completely at peace, believe me. I've just kept so much stress in these old bones that I haven't even noticed it."
She grins at him coyly. "Well, I think I can take care of that..."
His eye sockets widen in pleasure. He leads her to the couch in their sitting room, setting her gently on the cushion. He decides the best way they can get comfortable is by warming the old mansion. She watches as he kindles a fire. He returns to her side after it's done, sitting as close as possible to her on the couch. She leans forward to nuzzle the tip of her nose against his bone, relaxing as she feels the fire start to warm the room. They begin to close their eyes as they inch closer to one another, their lips inches apart-
"Arf! Arf!"
The sounds of barking interrupt the two, momentarily getting them to jump. But then they see the hollow eye sockets of Jack's dog, Zero. Sally grins widely as he comes flying over to her, and reaches her hands out to pet him. The ghost whines as he rubs his head on her cheek, showing that he greatly missed her. She closes her eyes as she trails her hand on his sheet, feeling the same way for him.
"Oh, Zero! I couldn't find you the other night," she tells him. "Where were you?"
Jack answers for him. "He was most likely in the Graveyard. He'll usually spend his time there if he's not around the house."
He realizes something. The skeleton leans forward and wraps an arm around Sally's shoulder, tugging her closer. Zero watches the two with curious eye sockets. Jack turns to the dog and grins, ruffling his head with his free hand.
"Say, I didn't break the news to you yet, did I, boy?" the ghost shakes his head. "Sally's going to live with us! You're going to see a lot more of her from now on! No more waiting for her by those graves or sneaking into her room."
The pet jumps in alarm and sharply turns his head to the ragdoll. She laughs and nods her head to confirm the news. The dog yaps in excitement as he comes forward to lick her chin. Sally continues to titter in delight as the dog wags his sheet, attempting to nuzzle every part of her. He's eventually ushered down by Jack, who whistles and points by the fire. The two watch as Zero gets comfortable by the hearth, looking at them with a wide smile on his muzzle.
"I think he's happy with it," the skeleton informs her. She nods in agreement.
"I hope so; I couldn't live here knowing if I didn't have Zero's permission!"
The dog barks a final time before resting his head down, leaving the two of them alone again. She turns to Jack and resumes what she had been doing before - carefully massaging her thumbs in circles along his back. The same noise escapes the skeleton's throat as he leans forward, succumbing to the heaven her hands are working on him. She grins as she brings the massage lower, attempting to get all the tension out of his bones. Every time she hears a pop!, there's a sigh of relief she can hear from her skeleton.
His eyes droop as he bows his skull. "Thank you."
"Anything for you, my Pumpkin King."
His phantom heart skips a beat at her words. He looks at her for a moment before laying himself down on the couch, moving her with him so she can rest her head on his chest. He feels her entire body weight shifted on him as she lays down.
The two close their eyes and enjoy the warmth from the fire, listening to the cracks and pops in the silence. Occasionally, it's interrupted by the chiming of a clock - but it doesn't stir them. They lay there, enjoying this new reality that both of them have longed for. Having the love of his death on his chest, laying by a comfortable fire with his good pet at their side...it's like he's only ever dreamed of this moment.
Jack runs his hand through her yarn hair, admiring her face as she rests her eyes. "They love you."
She opens them. "Who?"
"Who do you think?" He chuckles. "The Town. The people. They like you."
She looks away from him, biting her lip shyly. "...Most of them do."
"Well, why wouldn't they? You're beautiful, smart, caring, and sweet...I think anyone can see that just a mile away."
"There were people there I haven't even met that were supportive," she thinks for a moment before laying her head back down. "Jack?"
"Mm?"
"Even if they didn't...would you still feel this happy?"
"Of course I would. The whole point is that I'm with you," he nuzzles her forehead with his nasal bone. "I don't need anyone else's approval for that."
They spend the rest of their afternoon lounging together, refusing to separate from the other. In this time, they speak quietly with each other, mentioning anything that is on their mind. Eventually, their words turn into soft murmurs as the afternoon turns into evening. Jack feels the fatigue hit him, considering this is the most relaxed he's felt in years. He blinks his eyes open several times as he glances down, and finds Sally has fallen asleep on him. He smiles as he brings his arms around her, holding her close and relishing their contact for several minutes more.
"I love you," he whispers into her ear. She stirs slightly, but there's no response.
He doesn't need one.
Chapter 3: Jealousy
Summary:
Sally heads into town to look for some things she needs, but an unfortunate confrontation with the Witches leads her into Jack's arms. After hearing what happened, he decides to pay them a visit to set things right. When he leaves, there is something new on his mind...
Notes:
I'm SO sorry this took awhile to update!! I know I said I'd be good about it in the last chapter, but a lot of unexpected things came up IRL that kept me from this story. A lot has happened, but I intend on working on this story again...it hurts to not update for a month. I hope it won't happen again.
Thank you all for your patience!
Chapter Text
The Pumpkin King is surprised to find that he sleeps in the next morning. He rises from the sheets and stretches, hearing several of his bones popping as he rolls his skull to the side. A blissful sigh emerges from his lips. He wonders why he feels so good until it hits him. That's right. Sally gave him that massage last night, didn't she? That must be why he slept for so long; he's never felt this much tension leave his body before.
Jack climbs out of bed to change, shrugging on a shirt as he heads downstairs. He's in the middle of buttoning it when he finds a figure sitting on the couch. She's brushing her hair and staring out of a nearby window. The smile grows on his face as he hurries along, rushing over to meet with the woman. She glances up when he's a foot away. He notices the dampness of her hair and the few droplets of water trickling along her cloth skin. He leans down and lays a kiss on her head, placing a bony hand on her shoulder.
"Good morning, Sally. You're looking refreshed!"
She smiles as he pulls away. "I used your shower. I've been waiting to dry in the meantime."
He takes a seat beside her. The window is open, allowing the sun to seep through and soak into her cloth skin. He admires the way the light reflects off the few glints of droplets still left on her frame.
"I would be lying if I said I wasn't curious about that," he brushes a strand of her hair behind her ear. Still a little moist. "I was wondering if you'd find any use out of that restroom..."
"I can wash, but not often. It takes forever for me to dry," she wrings her yarn hair to get the rest of the water out. "How did you sleep?"
"Very good, actually. I don't think I've slept that soundly before," he pauses before giving her a smirk. "-And how did you rest, my dear?"
He can see the red tint on her cheeks. "I slept as good as my first night here. But it was more comfortable how I fell asleep..."
His bones tingle in delight. He kisses her, musing to himself how lucky of a man he is to be with this woman. He stands from the couch and makes his way into the kitchen, where he prepares a quick breakfast for the morning. He grabs the ingredients from the cupboard and listens to the humming from the other room. His frame falls at the sound of her voice - reliving the moment where she sang to him, hoping that another day like that will come soon...
He finishes a couple servings of eggs and brings them to his beloved in the den. She compliments his cooking and he thanks her warmly. Everything about the situation feels great.
"Do you have any plans today?" Jack brings up. She thinks for a moment.
"I wanted to go into town and buy some supplies. With all that space, I want to start working on some clothes right away!"
He chuckles at her enthusiasm. "That's great, Sal. Have you found somewhere to get those things?"
"Not exactly," her posture deflates when she sees the frown on his skull. "What's wrong?"
"Halloween Town doesn't have a sewing shop anymore. We used to, years ago, but...there hasn't been one in town since," he places a consoling hand on her back. "I'm sure you'll find some fabrics or sewing needles somewhere! I know the Town Hall has some extra supplies laying around."
"I'll give it a try. It's been awhile since I've been in town by myself," she rubs her arm before dragging her eyes to his. "When can I leave...?"
"What do you mean?"
She squeezes her eyes shut. "Sorry. I'm used to asking the Doctor when I want to go outside."
A troubled look overtakes his skeletal face. He brings his arms around her, holding her in a close embrace. She indulges in the scent of the cologne still lingering on him from the other night. He runs his fingers through the strands of her yarn hair, humming in delight at their contact. They take in this moment of ease. She doesn't think of what she just said or why she even said it. All she knows is that Jack is here, and he's allowing her more freedom than she's ever gotten.
"You've got all this time for yourself now. You can spend it however you want, wherever you want. I'd just like to know where you are so I don't have to worry if you're not here," he presses his lips on her forehead. "And just to let you know, I'll be in the Town Hall if you need me at all today."
She winces. "And interrupt your work?"
"You are much more important to me than that," he pulls back to look her in the eye.
Her chest feels warm and tingly hearing that - as the Doctor never prioritized her over his work, and demanded she never interrupt him. She always came second in everything, until now.
The ragdoll bids goodbye to her Pumpkin King when he leaves. She doesn't depart from the manor right away, making a small list of what she will need for everything she wants to make. Fabrics are her priority right now, but more sewing needles wouldn't hurt, and she lost a thimble a little while ago...She frowns as she writes this all down. Where can she find these things if there is no seamstress in town?
She has her basket in hand and her list in the other. She hopes to carry something in it by the end of the day. She takes her time walking down the Manor's staircase and opens the gates to Halloween Town. She wears a smile as she passes by fellow citizens. They return her greetings, the Corpse Family happily waving to her and some of Jack's previous friends acknowledging her as they pass by. It leaves her feeling confident as she approaches the shops and stands she's seen before. Her eyes lead their way to Witches' Goods, the only one she's visited thus far.
The ragdoll hesitates as she peers around inside. Nothing has changed since her last appearance here. Deciding she is far overdue for a visit, she walks around the shop in search for anything she can use. After minutes of looking, Sally falls short, as she can only find potions, magical items, and a few miscellaneous things she can't identify. She notices the Witches sitting behind the counter up front, who are in the middle of a conversation, giggling to themselves.
She sighs in relief as she approaches them, clutching the basket in one hand and waving with the other. "Hello. Can I have some help?"
Helgamine and Zeldaborne glance at her. Their eyes dart to each other as the smiles fade from their lips. She recalls the sisters being talkative from their previous encounter. Them going quiet upon her presence gives Sally an uneasy feeling.
"Why, sister, look! The source of all the talk in town today!" Helgamine drags her gaze to the shorter witch, who laughs in reply.
"Sure is! I can't say I'm surprised she hasn't changed from those rags she wears all the time," Sally glances down at her patchwork attire. "What do you want, Doll?"
"...I'd prefer it if you called me Sally," she corrects. "I was wondering if you had any cloth to spare? Or any sewing supplies at all?"
The sarcasm is apparent in their reply. "Now, why would we have any of that?"
"If you don't, I would like to know who does. Can you tell me?"
The Witches share a glance at each other again. The taller woman senses this will not end kindly. They remove themselves from their seats with their hands held behind their backs, eying her frame from head to toe. She turns red when they start to laugh. What could be so funny?
"You might want to think of fixing your stitches first! All of them look so ugly...and not in the terrible way! Why, it looks like you'll just fall apart!"
A long hand shoves her to the side, meaning to send her to the floor. Sally regains her balance before stepping back in surprise. She finds Zeldaborne down at her feet, touching the ends of her dress and scoffing. "I don't know why Jack chose you! You dress like you live on the streets! He should be with someone much more proper."
These words sting deeply. She can feel her chest growing cold while her throat grows too hot to form any words. She's never been this badly insulted before. All the friends she made have been so kind and never made any comments on her appearance. Helgamine narrows her eyes, leaning forward too closely for her comfort.
"Why did he pick you, anyway? We've known him longer than YOU have! You've been assembled for...what? A few years now? Why would he be with a woman who looks more like a human instead of a monster?"
One word manages to leave her dry throat. "What...?"
Zeldaborne snickers. "Yeah! You don't look scary at all! I bet you couldn't even frighten a mouse!"
"-Why would she, when she's so ugly that the mouse would just run away?"
"Haha! Good point! Jack's going to get so bored of you when he knows you can't scare. He's the most terrifying man around, and he doesn't need someone like you slowing him down!"
The tears start to sting, threatening to leave her eyes. Her first instinct is to defend herself; assure them that she can be scary and Jack loves her despite everything...but these words will fall on deaf ears. They're too busy laughing to themselves as she stands there, dumbfounded. She quickly decides enough is enough. She darts out of the building biting harshly at her lip, knowing that if she stays still, she'll break down. She can't do that in the middle of town....not when she left such a good impression at that meeting!
Before, she had been surrounded by friendly faces greeting her into Town. But now, all she can focus on are the distasteful looks from some women in the crowds. Have they always been there, looking at her in such a way? The Undersea Gal scoffs as she walks by, making her to sink her head into her shoulders. Some other ghouls give her sour looks and one even bumps into her side as she walks past them. Sally notices the loose seam on her arm from the encounter and stops to tighten the stitch. As she does so, she finds the same group of women smiling in delight at her struggle. A huff leaves her ruby lips as she finishes the job, moving away from the streets.
She doesn't know where she's going. She thinks about what the witches just said and the reactions she got back in town...Her body turns cold. She wants to return home. To hide behind those walls and never come back out...so those women can have what they want - for her to disappear from everyone's deaths. Her leaves feel fragile as she approaches a building and moves her gaze up to see where she has led herself:
The Town Hall.
Sally wonders what brought her here, and then it dawns on her. Jack is here. The man of her screams, the one who told her she can come to him if anything happened....he's only a few steps away. He's the only one who can be a source of comfort to her right now. If she flees to their home and locks herself away, it'll only be the same as when she lived with Finklestein.
She makes her decision.
The tall skeleton is in the middle of his work when he notices the Mayor coming into the room carrying papers with him. He watches as they're set on the corner of his workspace. His coworker grins as he pats the top of it with his small hand, proud of the new paperwork he's leaving for The Pumpkin King.
Such a sight would bring discomfort to the skeleton before - but now that he has someone to come home to after all this is done, he doesn't feel stressed about it one bit. In fact, he finds himself looking forward to what awaits him in that pile. He feels greatly motivated by Halloween again; a spark that left him for years, suddenly ignited again...and all because he's happy, now. He simply couldn't ask for anything else!
"Here they are! The new Halloween ideas, freshly printed! They need your approval and signing, and then we can move on," the Mayor informs him with pride. Jack pushes them aside for now.
"Great. I'll get those done by the end of today."
"Horrible! Thank you," he starts to leave, but stops in his tracks. The skeleton can hear the tell-tale clicking sound of his faces switching. This must not be good. "Oh, and by the way...I could have sworn I heard a woman crying outside! It didn't sound like the pleasant types of cries..."
He takes his attention away from his work. "Someone's crying? I hope they're alright...I'll go check if there's anyone out there."
"I hope whoever it was just had a terrible fright!"
The taller man nods in his direction before getting up and leaving the room. He listens for any source of wailing. He finds nothing out of sorts inside and directs his search outside of the Town Hall. He catches the sounds of muffled sobs when he approaches the back door. He opens it and peers around - soon finding a ragdoll bunched up beside the set of stairs. Sally looks up, surprised to find his concerned face. He approaches her with no hesitation.
"Sally! Are you alright? What happened?" he asks, offering her his hand. She wipes away her tears, taking it and allowing him to help her to her feet.
"Oh, Jack, it was terrible! I went into town to find what I needed, and the worst thing happened...."
He notices her distress and checks to make sure no one else is around. He decides to move this talk elsewhere so they can have some privacy. When she sees the gates of the graveyard, she audibly sighs in relief. Jack leads them over to the spiral hill, where he sits her down first. There is barely any space between them. He ensures they have contact the entire time while consoling her.
"Now, isn't that better?" he brushes her hair aside to get a better look at her face. She sniffles.
"Thank you. I'm sorry I had to come like this. But I..."
More tears emerge from her eyes. Jack frowns and gently guides her into his arms, letting her weep on his chest. Such a thing has happened before, and he doesn't mind feeling her tears wet his suit. He tightens his grip around her to keep her in the embrace. They remain like this until her tears run dry. She leans back to look at him properly, the sorrow apparent on her features.
At her silence, he prods. "Now, what happened to get you so worked up...?"
"I went to the witches' shop to ask if they had anything I needed. What a mistake that was," she looks away, her expression fluctuating between anger and despair. "Instead of helping me, they started saying all of these awful things....li-like I wasn't scary, and that it-it was a mistake for you to be with me..."
"Sally-"
"-I know it's not true, but I...I didn't know what to say, and it hurt to hear coming from them..."
Jack remains quiet, falling deep into thought. Here he was, believing the town took their relationship greatly... but that was far from the truth. All of the jealousy must have culminated at the news, and the witches found an opportune time to take it out on Sally. 'I'm not going to have any of this,' he thinks to himself. 'No one can talk to her like that and get away with it.'
He takes her hand holds it in his. "I am so sorry that happened to you. I'll talk to them and let them know that they can't speak this way to you."
"I'm more upset that I couldn't tell them," she squeezes his hand hard. "I couldn't even stand up for myself..."
"Don't be so hard on yourself. You shouldn't have to deal with this, what with everything else going on. I don't want you burdened with something I can easily fix while you're still adjusting to being here."
He kisses her forehead, and she shuts her eyes. He has a point. This jealousy shouldn't concern her so much. He'll do the right thing and put an end to it. He's protecting her, and she should be grateful for that.
"I'm sorry you have to deal with this. I didn't think-"
He covers her lips quickly with his finger. "-No, no....you don't have to apologize for a thing. I should have known better than to assume EVERYONE would be fine with this. I'm going to get my message across so you won't have to worry about this anymore, Sally."
Before she can rebut, he adds, "Your safety is my responsibility. I don't want you to feel like everyone is upset with you whenever you're in town. You deserve to live a comfortable life, and I'm going to help give that to you."
Just like that, she feels the sadness going away. She lunges forward and holds him tightly, so much so that her seams start to loosen. A tear of relief escapes from her eye. She is grateful to see this skeleton man caring for her. He understands what she's going through and will do anything to ease her pain. Coming to him was a good idea.
Sally feels better enough to return to their home. He makes sure she's feeling alright before they depart again. The Pumpkin King makes it his goal to confront the witches before returning to his duties at the town hall. It isn't a merry trip he makes coming into town, and while he greets anyone he passes by politely, he won't be as kind as soon as he's through those doors. He goes to the extent of closing them once he's in Witches' Goods, and searches for the sisters right away.
They are in the back of the shop, gossiping like they usually are. Jack doesn't mind interrupting them as he clears his throat to get their attention. They're taken by surprise. The moment they see his hollow eye sockets, they start smiling, even cooing at him. The skeleton frowns when they flutter their eyes, acting innocent despite what occurred here less than an hour ago.
"Why, Jack! What a horrendous surprise!" Helgamine giggles. "What can we do you for?"
"I think you have a good idea on why I'm here."
Zeldaborne plays dumb, resting a finger on her chin. "We're always honored when you stop by for a surprise!"
He cuts to the chase. They'll try to distract him otherwise, and he doesn't want to stretch this out longer than it needs to be. "Sally was here today, wasn't she?"
"Who....? OH! You mean the ragdoll!" He arches a socket at that wording. "She came in here asking if we had sewing supplies!"
"Clearly we didn't have any! So, we sent her on her way."
"You said some insulting things to her before she left. I'm wondering what it was you told her..?"
Helgamine playfully pushes his arm. "Come on, Jack! It's not that big of a deal! Maybe she got hurt over some things we said, but we didn't really mean them!"
"They were not just 'some things'. I want to know what you said that could have hurt her so badly."
Zeldaborne rolls her eyes as she finally caves in. "We told her she wasn't scary and that she shouldn't be holding you down like she is! Which is true! You're the most terrifying man out there! And she's....well..."
"-And maybe we mentioned a thing or two about her stitches and the way she dresses....very odd, that is!"
He shut his eyes and grits his teeth. He understands how badly that must've come from them, and how Sally took it...he feels awful for letting this happen. How could his own citizens show such behavior? They are supposed to be the friendliest out there; their whole motto is NOT to be mean or cruel! The Pumpkin King crosses his arms as he lets out a dragged sigh. Even if he's known these women for a long time and they highly respect him, he can't let this slide.
"You know I admire you ghouls-" they fawn over this. "-And since you've known me for quite a long time-" "We sure have, Jack!" "-So you should know that I will not tolerate this behavior, and I'm going to ask you both to give Sally your respect."
They gasp. Helgamine is especially shocked. "What? But she's.....not SCARY! How can we sit here and not say anything while you're with someone who couldn't even-"
He holds a hand up. "I'm stopping you right there. It doesn't matter how she looks or if she can scare. You should be kind to her regardless. She's been through more than you think she has."
"But-"
"-But nothing. Frankly, I don't understand why you're acting this way," they open their mouths to respond, but he already knows what they're going to say. "Sally makes me a happy man, and the least I'm asking is for you to be happy for me. If not, then I will seriously be thinking of excluding you two from this year's Halloween for showing such nasty behavior."
"No! You can't do such a thing! We promise to be good!" They plead.
"Then I better not hear of this happening again. And while you're at it, talk some sense into the others who feel this way, too. I'm sure you've convinced them of such untrue things already."
Feeling his patience running thin, he turns to leave their store. He doesn't feel like listening to their excuses anymore. This entire situation frustrates him. Before he can take a step out of the door, something claws at his leg. He glances down to find Zeldaborne clinging onto him. The look in her eyes is desperate as he pushes her off, with a bit more force than usual.
"Please, Jack, don't be upset with us! We didn't mean to hurt Susa- er, Sally's feelings! We didn't think she'd take such things that way..."
"Yeah!" Helgamine chimes in. "Most people take such things as a compliment! It's like telling the Wolfman his breath smells like the sewer!"
"She understands things a little differently. Be patient with her. That means not saying anything that sounds insulting," he places an exhausted hand on his skull. "I'll give you two the benefit of the doubt, but from now on, don't treat her any differently than you would with me."
"But she's not-"
"Someday, she may be your Queen," they turn silent at this. Even Jack finds himself in a knot as the words leave his tongue. He clears his throat. "Have a horrible evening, ladies."
He leaves the store with no interruptions this time, except something feels different about his rib cage. He chooses to ignore the feeling as he begins his way home.
He finds Zero waiting for him the moment he opens the door to the Skellington Manor. The dog barks happily at his master as he watches him pass by. Jack hangs up his suit and sits on the couch, feeling too exhausted to deal with anything else at that moment. He rests his skull on the cushion until he can sense the presence of someone nearby. He opens his sockets and finds Sally gazing down at him, who leaves a kiss on his forehead.
"Are you hungry?" She asks. The smile grows on his lips, as it always does when she's around him.
"It's been awhile since I ate. Why do you ask?"
"I want to make us some dinner tonight. As a 'thank you' for helping me," her look turns concerned as she rounds the couch to sit by him. "How did it go...?"
"I am sure they won't be doing it again; I hope that's the only time I need to talk with them."
"Did they say apologize at all..?"
Jack feels stupid for not making them say they were sorry for such an ordeal. But it shouldn't have been to him, anyway. It should rightfully be face-to-face with the woman they insulted.
"No, but why don't you come by their store tomorrow? I'm sure they will."
"Hopefully they'll help me with what I need this time..."
"Of course they will."
"I'll try my best to make friends with them."
He closes his eyes and smiles. Sometimes he wonders if she has the heart he's missing. Sally stands from the couch and goes into the kitchen, where she begins preparing their supper. Jack starts a fire in the hearth while she is busy, and watches the flames dance around. Eventually, the sky grows dark outside and the room is illuminated in oranges and yellows. Zero lays by the hearth and begins to nap, leaving Jack alone with his thoughts.
He can't get his mind off of what he said to those witches. Had he meant to say that? Has he even thought of such a thing prior to that moment? Something upset him hearing Helgamine and Zeldaborne speak of Sally like she means nothing...when, really, she means everything to him. They've known each other for a long time, and while they've only moved in together...it felt like he's loved her his whole death.
He brings his gaze to the fire with three words in his mind:
A Pumpkin Queen....
Chapter 4: Loose Ends
Summary:
Jack and Sally share their first dinner together after a long day. But a surprise ingredient is added that takes Jack by surprise...and brings him to another matter that seriously needs to be addressed.
Notes:
SO sorry for the near-month wait for an update!
A lot has happened....what with COVID-19, quarantine and all....it's had my attention elsewhere, and I was gone for about 4-5 days spending some time with my loved one. I have thought a lot about this story in the meantime, and it was hard getting my creativity back with everything happening. But I'm here with an update finally, and I hope to get a feel for the story again soon so I can start getting things really going.
Please remember to take care of yourselves and wash your hands often! Refrain from touching your face with unclean hands, practice social distancing, stay indoors, and follow the other procedures! We'll all get through this. I hope my writing can provide some entertainment in the meantime.
I sincerely hope the next update is soon, and please enjoy the chapter!
Chapter Text
Since the dining room is a short distance from the kitchen, Jack Skellington is able to listen to all the commotion. He hears the clanking of pots and pans and running water while he attempts to finish his work for the night. It isn't the most proper time to work on his Halloween planning (he usually saves his space in the observatory for such things), but he has quite a bit on his mind after speaking with the Witches. While he initially promised the Mayor he'd have everything done by the end of the day, he still has a lot of unsigned papers he has to get to.
It was killing two crows with one stone, as he needed something to pass the time with while waiting on their first dinner together. He taps his feathered pen on the paper a few times as he listens to the sounds of Sally humming. Such a wonderful noise..! He lifts his skull up to peek into the other room, where he finds her blood-colored hair in front of the stove.
"Would you like any help, my dear? I know this is a new kitchen for you."
Her sweet voice replies, "Oh, no, thank you. I found everything I needed."
He leaves it at that and scribbles away at some documents. He has just enough time to finish signing the last paper before the ragdoll enters the room with a couple of plates ready. He pushes the paperwork aside as she sets his serving down, thanking her with a smile and leaving a kiss on her wrist before she can pull away. She blushes and sits across from him, setting down her plate and observing the awaiting meal.
"Spookghetti and eyeballs?" Jack asks as he twirls the pasta in his fork. "A classic!"
"I hope you like it. I never got to make food like this before."
She watches as he takes his first bite, and releases the tension from her shoulders. Unlike the Doctor, he doesn't scrutinize the food while he eats. She catches herself worrying so much that she neglects her own plate in front of her. She takes her first bite, and is surprised at the taste. It is good! And there's just a hint of spice somewhere that makes her mouth water.
"Let me guess, because Finklestein only liked soup all the time?" He asks, biting softly on an eyeball. She nods, chewing quietly.
"He let me cook new things sometimes, but I think he enjoyed soup the most."
The skeleton chuckles. They continue to eat in what she can describe is a comfortable silence. This is new for Sally, as her previous dinners were tense and she spent the majority of them worrying if the meal was good enough. But with Jack - she can tell he enjoys it, and not once does he look at her sideways or distrusting. He's sharing a tender gaze with her, expressing his adoration and appreciation for the dinner. The ragdoll sighs in bliss, taking a drink of juice in one of his glasses.
"Thank you for what you did today. This meal was meant to show that, but...I like sharing food with someone like this."
"Did you and the Doctor ever eat together?"
"I tried not to," she confesses with a frown. "Most of the time, he wanted his soup in his laboratory while he worked. Whenever we had to sit down at the table together, I never ate much in front of him."
"I hope you're not shy with me. The last thing I want is for you to go hungry!"
"Oh, don't worry. Things are better, now," she takes another bite in front of him for effect. "For one, you're not telling me how I could've improved everything..."
"Why improve something that's already so wonderful?" This makes her leaves flutter. "Thank you, Sally. I should be sitting down and eating more like this."
Things go quiet as they finish up their meal. She works at a slow pace while Jack is close to cleaning his plate in comparison. When he's done, he experiences a strange feeling in his head. It causes him to set down his utensils and reach for some water. That doesn't get rid of this sudden dizziness. He looks at his plate and notices the tiny remnants of something dark scattered around. He initially took it for some basil topping his food, but now that he's inspecting it closer....it looks odd.
"Did you add somethin' funnuh...to this mealhh..?"
He blinks several times hearing his words slur. Even she appears surprised.
"What do you mean?"
The room around him starts spinning. Her face turns into blue and red blurs. He holds his skull in an attempt to keep things still. That's when the noises around him become inaudible, his beloved's words becoming nothing more than murmurs. His rib cage feels like it's twisting inside-out, and the last thing he sees is the red tablecloth getting closer to his eye sockets. The blow feels like it numbs his skull - and suddenly, everything goes black.
Seeing the Pumpkin King pass out across from her is not an experience Sally can say she's ever had until now. It shocks her when she hears the loud bang of his skull face planting on the table. She stands up in alarm and reflexively gasps at the sight. She comes to his side immediately and starts tapping his shoulder. No response. The skeleton appears to be completely limp in his chair. She attempts to get him to lift his skull, but finds there is no reaction from him at all.
She begins to worry.
"Jack? Are you okay?"
His figure remains unmoved, and is much too silent for her comfort. Her black eyes dart over to the unfinished meal on her side of the table. She finds nothing out of the usual about it at first, until she leans closer to observe what she had sprinkled on it. She darts into the kitchen to look at the last container she used. When she sees the familiar, small bottle of deadly nightshade sitting on the counter, something she had grabbed last-minute to spice things up, Sally's stomach sinks.
She feels sick.
She poisoned him.
"Oh, no," she places her hands on her face, digging her fingers into her skin. "How could I do that..? Why would I....h-how could...."
Her chest tightens as she feels the moistness overcome her eyes. She rushes back into the dining room and finds her skeleton still unconscious in his chair. The tears begin to uncontrollably roll down her cheeks. She succumbs to the sobs threatening to leave her throat. She throws herself over his thin figure and cries on his back. The minutes pass the longer she stays there, feeling horrible for doing something like this.
She didn't even realize she grabbed that deadly nightshade jar! While she was working in that kitchen, she felt like she was making a meal for the Doctor, being so used to slaving over the stove all the time for him...Her movements became robotic; her habits going unnoticed by her senses. She must've watched herself sprinkle the poison without a second thought! How could it not occur to her when she served it to Jack?
He doesn't deserve this...
Feeling her eyes start to run dry, she sniffles and looks around. She can't leave him like this. It must be terrible on his back, and there's no telling what his head is doing to him right now. Her lip wobbles as she brings her arms over his figure, attempting to lift him by his chest. She succeeds after a few moments of struggling - dragging him out of the chair and into the other room. Her efforts are sloppy, as she can see his long limbs dragging on the floor. She brings him to the couch in his living room. She lays him on the red cushions carefully, moving his legs so he can rest properly. She ensures his skull is supported by one of the pillows.
She sits next to his unconscious form and frowns. He didn't stir while she dragged him and he isn't moving now. She brings her hand over his and holds it firmly, hoping, deep down, that he'll clutch back at any moment.
The tears come back into her eyes. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to do this again. Not to you..."
The words fall on deaf and nonexistent ears. The silence causes her to cry again, moving so she can hide her face on his chest. He still feels warm under her touch. She grabs at his shoulders and buries her face further in his shirt, weeping her soul out on him. What else can she do? She poisoned her love with their first dinner here. How can things get any WORSE? First, those cruel words from the Witches, and now....now this!
Why isn't anything going right? This is all her fault...
She looks up at the figure with teary eyes, finding Jack's skull lolled to the side. She squeezes her eyes tightly as she clings onto him, choosing to stay here as long as she can. If she put it on top of both their dinners, then that means she must have ingested some Deadly Nightshade, too. Any moment this will hit her, too, and the only place she wants to be is with him when she falls unconscious.
. . .
. . .
Are the walls moving?
The skeleton blinks several times as he attempts to opens his eye sockets. The view of the ceiling comes as a surprise to him. His vision feels blurry as he looks around, feeling a little dazed. His head hurts like Hell. He brings a skeletal hand to clutch the side of his skull as he attempts to sit up from wherever he's resting. He's surprised to feel some weight on him before he can, and looks down to find a batch of red hair on his chest. That's when he realizes it's Sally, and exhales to soothe himself.
They're on the couch together. Odd. Weren't they in the dining room?
It dawns on him. He passed out on that table after eating dinner, didn't he? He was just asking Sally if there was something odd about the food.
'Well, I know that, now,' he thinks, combing his fingers through her hair.
The ragdoll stirs on his chest, and he ceases his movements. Sally slowly brings her head up and rubs her eyes. The moment her black pupils make contact with his sockets, they grow as big as the moon. He expects her to smile seeing him awake - but the complete opposite happens. In the matter of seconds, his girlfriend begins to bawl, clutching tightly at his suit and hiding her face with her hair. Jack brings his arms around her figure to hug her soothingly.
"Oh, Sally," he whispers sadly. "You're crying again..."
He's had to hear this twice today. Now she's on his chest, crying like there's no tomorrow. He doesn't want this. He doesn't want to see anymore tears falling from her eyes. He quickly sits himself up, causing her to shift back in his lap. She's surprised at the movement, but it doesn't stop her from grabbing at his lapels and whimpering.
"It's alright, everything is perfectly fine," he tells her, caressing her back. She shakes her head adamantly.
"Jack, I poisoned you. I-I didn't mean to-"
"I understand."
"No. It was horrible! You didn't deserve this. I shouldn't have used the Deadly Nightshade at all," she swallows hard. "I didn't even realize it was there..."
He holds her close and rests his skull on her shoulder, closing his eye sockets. He takes this moment to smell her hair, and he can feel his headache already going away. It hurts him to hear her so frantic, to feel her shaking like this under his fingers. Those last words hit him...she didn't realize it was there. He attempts to picture her mindlessly grabbing that poison - a habit she picked up after living with the Doctor for so long. A simple mistake, yet one she's trembling over and repeatedly apologizing to him for. His bones feel weak.
He pulls back and looks her in the eyes, lifting her chin with his finger. "I'm not upset."
She looks disheartened. "Why..?"
"Because I don't think the love of my death would poison me on purpose," he wipes away a tear on her cheek. "You would've run off by now if you had meant to."
He says this to lighten the situation. It works, as a small smile curves on her lips. She leans into his touch, exhaling sharply. He rubs her face with his thumb, laying back down so she can rest on him. When he feels no more tears falling on his suit, he brushes her yarn hair aside and finds her finally relaxed, eyes closed and resting.
He finds it in him to chuckle. "I haven't seen you this distressed since that time you thought you killed the Doctor."
She recalls the memory. "That was my first time using the deadly nightshade," a few seconds pass before she starts to titter. "It's a little funny thinking back on it..."
"How could I forget?" He attempts to mimic Sally's voice. "'I didn't mean to! How could I have been so cruel?'"
Her giggles escalate into a laugh. Hearing him pitch his voice so high like that...she can't help it! She finds the memory amusing, being so worried about killing the Doctor, even though she used deadly nightshade on him for the next few years. She remembers how kind Jack was to her then. How he sat next to her thinking she could use the company...and how they talked about Halloween afterwards.
She shakes her head. "I was so worried about him."
"I could tell," the skeleton frowns. "I think that was the first time I ever noticed something was wrong."
Sally doesn't say anything, closing her eyes again and breathing softly. His skull fills with concerning thoughts, remembering how he found her crying after that happened. The way she frowned looking at her old home, how she trembled just thinking about it. It feels so long ago, but it troubles him all the same.
How much could she gave gone through behind those walls that he doesn't know about?
After contemplating on it for a little while, he remembers where he is and checks on her. She's sleeping soundly on his rib cage, the tears now long-dried. He holds her steady as he lifts them both off the couch and carries her in his arms. She snuggles closer to his chest as he walks over to her bedroom. He admires her sleeping figure, the small smile drawn on her lips. He sighs as he reaches her door, and pushes it open with his sole of his shoe.
He lays her into bed, lifting the covers and guiding her underneath. As soon as she's in, he pauses to admire the way her hair has fallen on the pillows. Despite sobbing to her heart's content a little less than an hour ago, she still looks beautiful. As if nothing ever happened. Her skin looked so pale when he woke up, but now it's regaining its blue complexion again. He presses a kiss on her cheek, and notes the smile widening as he pulls back. He caresses her face one last time before quietly leaving her room, climbing the stairs so he can head into his own.
When he heads into his bedroom, he finds Zero sleeping in his doggy bed. The pup must've slept through the whole ordeal. Sometimes the ghost comes home exhausted and would nap for hours. He leaves the apparition alone as he finishes buttoning his top. His gaze wanders as he does this, happening to land on one of the windows of the room. His hands freeze as his body momentarily stiffens at a familiar sight:
Finklestein's Tower.
He says nothing as his stare prolongs. Eventually, he moves from his spot and opens the window. He gets a clear view of the tower and studies it a little longer. It feels strange staring at it now. Before, he'd feel warm and content with the sight, as he knew Sally was somewhere in there. But knowing she is here now, and those walls only belong to the Doctor and his new creation....something feels different.
The sight makes his sternum ache, and not in a good way. He's conflicted realizing that, somewhere in there, is a man who got away with treating Sally like she was nothing. After years of neglect and mental abuse, he's still living there, with another woman. After all the harm he has done to Sally - where Jack would find her crying in the graveyard or looking disheveled after spending restless nights there...she has to deal with the aftermath of his harsh decisions. He clenches his fists as he feels his mouth getting hot, but closes his eye sockets to calm himself down.
It's time to make things right.
Sally wakes up the next morning with a slight headache. She slept soundly, but the aftermath of the deadly nightshade is still lingering. She spends several minutes in bed as she waits for this pain to go away, and leaves the room once she feels less groggy.
She's surprised to find a broom and dustpan sitting against the wall beyond her door. She looks around in confusion. Did Jack leave these here for her? As a silent request to clean? She will happy oblige if that is the case - he asks for so little of her. She glances at them before grabbing the broom, sweeping what little dust she can find on the floor in the hallway.
She keeps this up on her way to the living room. She finds a little peace in the repetitive movements, singing quietly to herself as she moves along. The melody that leaves her lips is the song that is sung at her favorite time of the year. One she has been hoping to learn, so she can join along once the time comes again...
"This is Halloween....This is Halloween~"
She doesn't realize she's made a full rotation around the manor until she hears footsteps coming from the stairs. She looks up to find the surprised face of Jack Skellington. She stands up straight and smiles, setting the broom and dustpan to the side. Had he heard her singing? She wasn't trying to be loud.
"Good morning!"
"Sally," he arches an eye socket. "What are you doing?"
"You left these outside my room, so I assumed you wanted me to clean up," she replies easily. "I swept the hallway and inside the kitchen. I was just about to finish your living-"
"-Oh, yes, I was going to sweep that hallway myself, but I forgot something and left that broom there. I was just about to come and grab it so I could get started."
She frowns as her eyes trail back to the cleaning tools. She grabbed them thinking they were meant for her! That's what she gets for having a habit of finding mops and brooms when she lived with Finklestein...With some shame, she offers Jack the items back. He frowns at the sight and gently ushers them back into her hands.
"You seem to be having a good time. Go ahead."
She feels better and pecks his cheek in gratitude. She continues to sweep around the room while humming her favorite part of the song. The taller figure watches her carefully before stepping into the other room. His features are troubled, but he isn't going to let Sally see that. He's not sure what to make of seeing his beloved on a cleaning spree simply because he left a broom outside her door. He wanted to clean up himself so she wouldn't have to worry about these things anymore....
. . .
As he sorts through some papers, he reflects on what's been on his mind that morning. He can hear the sounds of singing in the other room. It would normally make his bones tingle in delight, as he has craved to hear that sound ever since she moved in with him, but there are more important matters he needs to address right now. He heads back into the room and clears his throat to get Sally's attention. She is currently dusting his pictures, pausing her movements to turn to him.
"Oh, am I doing something wrong..?"
"Not at all! Thank you for cleaning. I appreciate it. I just," he clacks his tongue. "I want to talk to you for a second."
She freezes, holding the duster close to her chest. "Is this about last night..? I can't tell you how sorry I am-"
"No, no, this isn't about...that," he grabs the brush from her hands, setting it aside. "I want to talk to you about Doctor Finklestein."
Seeing Sally's reaction, he decides to sit her down and get comfortable before he touches on the subject again. This means getting her mind off of cleaning, and once that is accomplished, she looks anxious. She pulls at her seams as she fidgets in her seat. The Pumpkin King sighs as he sits next to her, resting a hand on her knee in hopes of calming her down. She stops moving, and starts chewing on her lip instead.
"Everything's alright. I'm sorry to bring this up so soon, but after what happened last night, this is something we need to address."
Her gaze falls to the floor and his lips dip into a frown. He leans forward in concern. "I think you should talk to the Doctor again."
"Talk..?" she repeats in surprise. "Why would I do that? I moved in with you to get away from him..."
"Yes, but it's clear he's having an affect on you. I know it's only been a few days, but I don't want to spend another night hearing you crying over what he's done to you."
She hides her face in her hands. "It was an accident..."
"-Because you're used to poisoning him."
"I just wanted to clean-"
"-He forced you to clean."
"..."
"Sally, the first thing you did when you came here was ask me what my rules were and what chores you had. Then I hear you asking when you're allowed to leave. I find you doing the same things you did with him, and it's starting to make me worried."
"...I know, I...."
Her voice grows weak. He gets closer to her, rubbing her back comfortingly with his palm. She sinks further into her hands. "All I'm saying is, you don't have closure right now. I think the best thing is to get that so you don't have to think about him anymore."
She looks up. "But what can I say to him? He's never listened to me before; I've tried so many times..."
Jack hesitates. "Well, how do you feel about him?"
"What do you mean..?"
"Now that you're not living with him. Do you still care about how he's doing?"
She knits her eyebrows together, thinking. None of that has occurred to her until now. "I guess I do."
"Tell him that you still care. That you don't want to leave your relationship broken. And, even then, what kind of relationship do you want to have with him?"
"I always thought of the Doctor as...more of a father, to me...."
"That's perfect! Why don't you tell him that?"
She's quiet for a moment. "What if he doesn't feel the same way? He tried to marry me first thing when I was created...he told me he loved me, and I'm worried if he still feels that way..."
"You know what I think is important?" she looks at him. "It's about how you feel. You need to stop worrying about how he'll react and what he wants. This is about you. If he doesn't want to be your father, then let him believe he lost you. If he wants to have you as his daughter, then maybe the two of you can start over together."
She blinks in surprise. This may be the best advice she's ever been given. She looks down and messes with her hands, musing over what he said. She has never brought the topic up with Finklestein before...Telling a man who tried to marry you that you only see them as a parent is not an easy feat, to say at the least. She wonders if he'll be enraged, or if he'll be willing to form a healthy relationship with her. How can she consider the man who gave her life anything but a father?
"I'll talk with him. Hopefully he'll be okay with all of this..."
"If he intended on making a new wife for himself, then I certainly hope he's moved on from you," his hand slithers its way into hers. "I know you can do this. I think having it over with is the best thing for you right now."
He kisses her on the temple, and she understands this is something necessary to do so she can start getting on with the life she truly deserves; to bury the hatchet with the Doctor once and for all.
Chapter 5: Father and Daughter
Summary:
After working up her confidence, Sally decides to finally talk to the Doctor. Jack comes with her as support, but ends up learning something new in the process.
Notes:
Sorry for the over-a-month wait again! I know I'm not very timely about these updates, but I hope this one's alright...I admit, I haven't gone over this chapter that much, so I hope it suffices well.
Thank you all for being patient, to those still following the story!
Chapter Text
On a Tuesday morning, Sally sits herself by a window to practice her knitting while letting in fresh air. It is a beautiful time to look outside, as the pumpkin sun lightly warms her skin as she listens to the sounds of children playing from below. Every time she glances up from her work, she can see the town and its people in clear daylight. Not such a horrendous day by Halloween Town's standards, but relaxing, nonetheless.
Halfway into her work, the front doors of the manor open. She turns her head and finds Jack coming inside. He promptly sets the papers he's holding aside when he finds her in the room. He smiles and gets closer to see what she is doing. She lets him see the scarf she's working on. It's yellow in color, the only yarn she can find at the moment.
"Prepping for winter already?" He asks. She shrugs.
"Just practicing, for now."
He leans down to kiss the top of her head, moving to sit down in his chair. He starts to work, writing on the papers using the end of a feather dipped in ink. She pays no mind as she tends to her scarf, humming as the movements become easier. The two of them relax in this peaceful moment - working together in close proximity, with nothing interrupting them.
Sally sighs in delight. Everything about this feels right.
Her gaze comes down to the streets of Halloween Town. She finds a batch of blonde hair within the crowds. Her body stiffens when she recognizes the figure. They're making their way to the market, with a basket held in the crook of their arm. Sally's eyes follow the woman as she disappears into one of the shops. She loses focus with her knitting, and sets down her work on the window sill.
Jewel.
It's been over a week since the deadly nightshade incident happened. Things have gone so peacefully since then. She doesn't have any reason to remember it. She is getting more comfortable here - even if that means taking certain precautions, like moving the deadly nightshade jar out of the kitchen and ensuring all the cleaning supplies are left in their rightful closets. This gives her more room to focus on other things, like practicing sewing and knitting again, even taking up a new book in her free time.
But, now, seeing the Doctor's new creation makes Sally remember it all. What exactly happened a week ago, and everything that led to it. No matter how happy she seems now, this will always linger in her memory. Any small thing that reminds her of the Doctor - it will haunt her for hours, and possibly her whole death. She curls her fingers in thought. This part of the manor isn't facing Finklestein's tower, but she doesn't need to see it to think of it. She takes a deep breath to calm herself down, making a bold decision in these few seconds.
She turns to the skeleton man behind her, who glances up from his work. "I think I'm ready."
The walk to Dr. Finklestein's tower feels longer than she remembers.
Jack is confused when Sally initially brings this up, but he is supportive regardless. He asks if she's sure she is ready to make this decision, and after much consideration, she insists she is. The Pumpkin King takes them on the longer route to ensure they won't be appearing too soon. He can tell she needs some time to work up he encouragement. The sight of his tower soon comes into view. When the gates are a few feet away, his girlfriend stops in her tracks. She looks at him and plays with her fingers, eyes fleeting to the ground nervously.
"Jack?" she asks quietly. "Can you give me one of those pep talks? The ones you're good at?"
He grips her shoulder reassuringly. "You don't have to be afraid of him. This is about what you want."
She places her hand over his and holds it for a few seconds, still looking conflicted. "You think I can tell him?"
"You're one of the most assertive people I've met, Sally. I know you have confidence. Don't let him think you don't. You have every right to do what you're doing; asking for what you want. And if all else fails, we'll leave and we won't come back."
"Thank you," her eyes turn teary. "I'm glad you're here. I don't know what I'd do if you weren't."
He cups her cheek and leans forward to kiss her. "I'm always going to be by your side, now and forever."
They go through the gates and he assists her up the stairs. Her gut starts to ache with how familiar this feels. Once they're at the top, Jack rings the doorbell. They wait a few seconds before hearing Finklestein's voice from the other side. It gives her unpleasant chills. The doorknob twists open. They come face-to-face with Jewel, whose gray eyes blink in surprise. There is a small moment of silence - neither of them sure on what to say. Jack opens his mouth to greet her while the ragdoll fiddles with her fingers.
"Good afternoon! I hope you excuse our sudden visit, but we're here to see the Doctor?"
Jewel smiles in glee and holds her hands together, stepping aside and motioning forward. "Oh, please, do come in!"
They help themselves inside. They are brought to a couch in the sitting room, which she finds has more wilted flowers in vases sitting around than usual. The taller figure watches the two of them get comfortable and gives a warm smile.
"I'll let him know you're here! I'm sure he'd love to see the both of you."
Sally holds up a hand. "Actually, I wanted to talk to him."
"Oh! Well, I'll let him know that right away."
Jewel hurries out of the room and towards the laboratory. In this time, the situation starts to settle in. Seeing these familiar walls she had been stuck in not so long ago, and the ramp she's had to sneak down so many times...her hand desperately finds its way to his. He feels her squeezing it tightly once it's in her grasp. He brings a hand through her hair, looking at her in concern.
She's getting worked up.
"Are you sure you're ready? It is quite soon you're talking to him again-"
"I know I am," she gestures around them. "I just don't like seeing all of this again..."
He looks up and realizes she means the tower. He can only imagine all of the unpleasant memories. He truly does sympathize with her - it can't be easy walking into the same home she was practically trapped in, and asking for a new relationship with the one who imprisoned her. He hopes the Doctor is willing to listen and become a little more sensible about this. He seemed decent enough when he asked if she could move in with him...
He goes to console her, but is interrupted by noises coming from the hallway. The familiar sound of a wheelchair makes Sally sit up in her seat right away. A second after, Dr. Finklestein emerges into the room with Jewel by his side. He must have been in the middle of an experiment, judging by the pair of goggles sitting on his head and his unusual pleasant mood. His expression doesn't change when he sees Jack, but the moment his gaze goes to Sally, the smile on his face falls. The same can be seen on hers - a troubled look growing on her features.
Things are silent for a few minutes.
"You really are back," he says in astonishment. She nods slowly.
"I am."
The skeleton offers to help her stand, and she takes his hand before slowly walking to the Doctor. Her movements feel tense. She inhales deeply to steady herself. She can't be afraid of him. She is her own person. Someone he can't control anymore.
"I want to talk with you alone. About some things," she says confidently. She momentarily fears for his reaction, but is surprised when Finklestein takes the goggles off his head and nods.
"Alright, my girl. We can go ahead and do that."
He leads her to the hallway. She takes one last look behind her shoulder to find Jack smiling encouragingly. It's the last thing she sees, and gives her confidence before disappearing behind the frame. This leaves the Pumpkin King alone with the Doctor's new creation - who is standing idly in the room. He opens his mouth to politely break the ice, but she beats him to it.
"Would you like some tea?"
Things are silent during their short walk. She keeps her distance as they sit down at a table, ensuring her chair is as far from him as it respectably can be. It's nerve-wracking to be alone with him like this...without Jack by her side, to speak for her and protect her. 'I'm becoming independent now,' She reminds herself. 'He can't do everything for me. He's already done so much...'
Finklestein breaks the silence by clearing his throat. "Now, what is it that brought you back here..?"
She taps her fingers together. "I've been thinking about some things while living with Jack, and there's something I need to take care of."
"And this involves speaking with me..?"
"It does," she sighs. Time to get answers. "Doctor, I just wanted to know...what is it like, living without me?"
He adjusts his glasses. "Do you want me to be truthful with you, Sally?"
"Yes. That's what I'm here for."
He pauses for a long time. Like he doesn't want to say. "...Frankly, I thought it would be worse than it is. I don't have to constantly worry about Jewel sneaking out or poisoning my meals. She seems happy living here, which is not something I could ever say for you," she looks down at this. "Regardless, I still find myself...missing you, I suppose. Thinking about you from time-to-time."
"But you wanted me out."
"Yes, that is true...which is why I'm baffled to feel this way. You were nothing but trouble. But Jewel can't quite make meals like you could. And she's not as experienced with cleaning as you are."
"Is that why you're thinking about me? Because my chores aren't done the same?"
He goes quiet. Her lips fall into a frown. Of course he would only miss the things she did. She hadn't expected him to change...She reminds herself of Jack's words. She's only here to assert herself and what she wants. She may as well get it out of the way now.
"I'm going to get to the point," she says quickly. "Doctor, you were cruel and I hated it here. All we did was fight and yell at each other. You said some terrible words, and the things you've done...they haunt me, still. And not in a pleasant way," she has to rub her arms to keep her composure. "I was so scared when I lived here. All I wanted to do was get away from you. At times, I thought I hated you..."
"-I deserve that."
She blinks a few times before looking at him. He's hanging his head low, averting his gaze.
"Sally, I'm sorry. For everything I did to you and the things I said. This wouldn't have occurred to me if you hadn't said it countless of times before. But like the stubborn old man I am, I just didn't listen," he shakes his large head. "Living without you has opened my eyes to a few things. Jewel is nothing like you. I thought what I needed was someone who understood me, so I gave a part of myself to her. I've never felt so happy."
The ragdoll remains quiet.
"I already lost you. I knew that could happen again if I repeated the things I did from before," he fidgets with his gloved hands in his lap. "So I've taken good care of Jewel, the best that I can in my state...I've found that by listening to her, she speaks with me more. We have so many conversations. More than I've ever had with you, as of matter of fact. The biggest challenge was letting her go off on her own. I let her visit the town today, hoping that she would return to me...and she did."
Finklestein brings his attention to her. They make eye contact for a second, and he can sense the sorrow in her eyes. He holds his breath. "What I'm trying to say, my girl, is - Jewel is teaching me to be a better man. She may not be aware of it, but...things are different than they were with you. I know this is something I should have done while you were around....and I'm sorry."
Hearing this makes Sally feel conflicted. On one hand, she feels...happy to hear a proper apology, and that he's treating Jewel differently. On the other hand, does he even know all the things he did that were wrong? For these past few years, he always insisted he was in the right...
"I forgive you...but I want you to listen to me. This time, and every other time we speak from now on," he's surprised at the authority she's displaying, but goes along with it anyway. "I want to tell you the things that made me want to leave you. So you don't make the same mistakes with Jewel. I may not know her that well, but I care about her safety."
"If you think that's necessary..."
She takes a deep breath. "You did a lot of things that were cruel and violent. The times you locked me in my room, when you refused to let me go outside at all, never letting me have my own interests, and threatening to 'fix' me by replacing my brain," he looks uncomfortable. "Those are only a few out of everything that's happened."
"Yes, I remember them."
"If you want to be better for Jewel, then allow her to go outside. Let her get interested in Halloween, or whatever things she's going to like. Don't make her think there's something wrong with her that needs to be 'fixed'...because all of those things made me want to leave you."
"I see."
There's another moment of silence as he takes this in. For Sally, she feels cold. Reliving these memories and telling them to the man responsible...but she's forgiven him. Simply because he's telling her that he wants to be better. A part of her feels gullible for believing this. He's never bothered to change even though he's made so many promises to her in the past. But maybe, since he is finally with someone who makes him happy...he can?
"-Was this all you came here for?" his voice interrupts her thoughts. "You pointing out all the terrible things I've done?"
"Well, no," she moves uncomfortably in her seat. She's not sure if this is the right time to ask, but what choice does she have? "I wanted to ask you if...we can ch-change our relationship?"
He looks confused, and she elaborates, "I don't want what we have to be broken, avoiding you all the time. Jack talked with me about it, and I think....I think I want you as a father, to me..."
This time, the silence feels deafening. She can't read his expression past his glasses, but it's obvious he's surprised. She continues on, nervously explaining:
"You created me. You were the first one I saw when I was brought into this world, and I looked up to you. I didn't understand love or marriages, or anything until I met Jack. Before then, I thought you as my guardian and someone who looked after me, and I still feel that way. I want you in my life. But not as someone I love the same way I do with Jack. I...want a father."
He is still speechless. She waits for his response as he looks away, rubbing his chin in thought. After a few minutes, he asks, "You think of me as your father?"
"I know you've moved on with Jewel. And I have with Jack. So I think whatever went on in our past, we can forget about and start again..."
"You were always special to me. I just didn't know in what way. For so long I believed you were a partner for me, because that was my intention when making you...but things clearly didn't happen that way. If only I realized sooner," he chuckles. "I was jealous of Jack taking you away. But it seems that was the best for both of us. I've always looked to him as a son, so the idea of you as my daughter isn't far-fetched..."
Her eyes light up at his words. "You want this, then?"
"It makes perfect sense to me," he pauses before offering her his hand. "I still love you, Sally. But only as my daughter, from now on."
She's shocked at those words. Hearing him say he loved her without any force or implications behind it...it was like she was hearing her own father saying he loved her for the first time. She's overcome with tears of joy, and in a moment of relief, she lunges forward and wraps her arms around Finklestein, giving him their first true embrace after all these years. He actually feels warm this time around.
"I love you, too."
His jaw hangs open. His hands linger in the air for a few seconds before he comes to terms with what is happening. Hearing how happy she sounds, and the tears he feels falling on his neck...he holds her back, closing his eyes and relishing his first true contact with his creation - no, his daughter. The longer they embrace, his eyes become moist. A few tears are falling from behind his glasses, but he doesn't mind them.
"I hope you don't mind poisonberry, it's the only flavor I can find in this kitchen..."
Jewel sets down a cup of tea in front of Jack. He's sitting at the head of the table - the usual spot he's always in whenever he visits. He thanks the ragdoll and gives a polite smile, taking a quick sip of the tea and humming at the familiarity of the flavor. He recalls the last time he drank poisonberry tea when he was over here - how time has flown since then, and Sally is no longer living in the tower....it feels odd not to come around just to see her anymore.
Jewel sits to the side and takes a drink out of her own cup. She smiles before drumming her gloved fingers along the glass. Things are quiet for the first few minutes - neither of them sure how to start conversation. Jack is a natural at conversing, as his Kingly duties are to be sociable with his citizens, but knowing this woman is Sally's replacement makes him feel a little unsettled.
"Do you know what they're talking about?" she asks.
"It's a little personal for Sally. She's wanted to have this talk with him for awhile, I'm sure," he takes another drink and shifts his gaze. She nods along in thought.
"Yes, I bet you're right..."
They're met with silence. He thinks this is far too uncomfortable to pass the time with. He sets down his cup and clasps his skeletal hands together, wanting to talk properly. It can't hurt to get to know the Doctor's new wife.
"So, Jewel, how is it living here? Are you happy?"
"Absolutely awful!" She responds in delight. "Finklestein is kind to me. He lets me decorate around the tower, read all of these books, and cook and clean for him! Just today, he let me go out and buy some rotted apples."
"He isn't forcing you to do these things for him, is he..?"
"Oh, no! It's polite because it's not easy for him to do. I think helping him out like this is my duty more than anything."
The skeleton smiles, but feels a little conflicted, deep down. Hearing such positive things about the Doctor after receiving the opposite from Sally is new. Despite that, he's relieved to hear Jewel is happy. At least he won't have to worry about checking in like he had to before. He assumes the Doctor learned SOMETHING from Sally's departure if he isn't forcing these chores on Jewel.
"...What is Sally like?"
Her voice brings him out of his thoughts. He thinks he's misheard. "Hm?"
"I don't know much about her besides what the Doctor does. A little bit of that, anyway," she explains uncertainly. "He hasn't been too keen on talking about her with me. I know I was made as her replacement. But she seems nice."
"Oh, Sally is. Very much so. She's quite skilled with her talents and passions, too. I think you two could get along well, if you ever sit down and talk with her."
"You think so?"
"Of course! She's a little shy on the surface, but friendly once you get to know her."
Jewel looks happy as her eyes go to the table. She begins fidgeting with her gloves in thought. After a moment, she tells him, "It's a good thing you took her in when you did."
"Is that so?'
"From what I can remember," she sees the confusion on his face. "Since the Doctor gave me half of his brain, I can retain half of his memories. This means I recall a lot about him and Sally. Their relationship, from what I see....seemed rough. And not quite happy."
He shakes his skull. "It wasn't."
"For the first few days, it was hard for me to distinguish the present from the past. I kept getting flashbacks to the Doctor and Sally. I remember their arguments, their fights, and disagreements...none of those are pleasant in the slightest," she frowns. "I have one clear memory of them fighting before she ran off. The Doctor felt so heartbroken, and the things that were said...I can tell there were problems between them I just don't fully understand."
Jack is quiet. He's not sure what to say to this. A response apparently isn't necessary, as she glances up and smiles again. "Deep down, he always cared about her. Maybe a little too much for his own good...and that's why he felt so hurt. And behind everything he did, it's because he didn't know how to live without her."
"..."
"I try to learn things from his memories. I'm gifted with science since I share his knowledge. We get along well. We have the same hobbies, the same interests....but after learning his feelings, I want to help him become a better person. Just the other day, I tried to talk to him about seeing Sally again, and he didn't want to do it. That's why I was so happy to see you two here."
"I had to encourage Sally to come. She didn't want to, either," he folds his hands on the table. "I thought it'd be best for them to sit down and properly talk for once."
"He's getting better. He lets me do things he didn't let her do. I can see why she felt the way she did; I'd be the same way if I ended up in her position," she rubs her wrist. "-What I'm saying is, it's a good thing you're taking over, now. You know how to take care of her. And if you hadn't, I don't know who else would," she ends this with another shrug. "That's what I assume from these memories."
He smiles, and Jewel returns it. This talk hadn't been so bad after all. They start to finish their tea and speak a little more, this time, about Halloween and the town. He finds her curious about the holiday and people like Sally was, and he's more than happy to enlighten another person about it. Jack's opinion has changed after hearing more from her - she's quite enlightening, and seems to be as caring as Sally is.
. . .
The two of them are interrupted by the sound of a wheelchair and footsteps coming from the other room. The moment Sally and Dr. Finklestein appear in the doorway, both Jewel and Jack stand from their seats. The skeleton walks past the table to meet with his ragdoll, giving her a kiss and brushing her hair aside. She doesn't seem upset at all...rather, happy.
"How did it go?" he asks her quietly. She glances over at the Doctor and closes her eyes.
They spoke a little more, about how sorry they equally were with how things went in their relationship. Although he had done most of the cruel actions and decisions, she understood how some of the things she did and said hurt him as well. She was rebellious and went against even his harmless wishes at times. Despite that, the rest of their conversation was enlightening, speaking of how this father-daughter thing will work. She promised she will make future visits, and she's going to put an effort into getting to know him better. As a parental figure rather than a husband.
"Perfectly."
Jewel comes over to pat Finklestein on his shoulder. He puts a hand over hers before turning over to Jack and Sally. He seems to be as happy as she is. He motions to Sally with a gloved hand and a smile.
"We had a wonderful talk, my dear. Thank you for coming today."
"Thank you for listening to me, and wanting to do this," she sounds relieved talking to him for once. "I promise I'll come back someday."
"Please, do! I'd love to have my daughter visit me again," he looks at Jack and bows his head. "You're obviously free to come by, too, m'boy."
The Pumpkin King looks astounded. 'Daughter'? Had things gone according to plan..? He finds her grinning. They say goodbye to the Doctor and Jewel. Jack feels enlightened as he shakes their hands, and Sally feels calm as she hugs the Finklestein goodbye. Their embrace still feels warm this time around. She likes this so much better.
"Take care, you two! Have a horrendous day!" Dr. Finklestein calls as they leave. They wave their hands in return.
When the couple look at each other, they sense something new in their gazes. Sally will have plenty to tell him, and he can't wait to mention the things he's learned in return. He offers his hand, and she doesn't hesitate to take it. Their walk back to the Skellington Manor is quiet, but nothing is needed to be said. They'll be returning to their home together, where they have all the time in the world to talk and hold each other...
They take a few minutes to get situated in the Manor. Sally gets comfortable in one of the chairs while Zero rests peacefully in her lap. She brings her hand to pet the ghost every few seconds, smiling as she listens to the peaceful sounds of the wind outside. Jack comes into the room and joins her, sitting in the chair next to her and listening as his dog snores away. He fishes for something in his pocket and pulls out a piece of paper with numbers scrawled on it. He hands it to her to observe, and she reads it without a word.
"Jewel wanted me to give this to you. It's the number to the Doctor's tower. I have it memorized, but I think it'll be useful for you to have. In case you don't want to go all that way to see him, you two can talk using the telephone."
She stares at it before putting it aside. "I think I'll try that, sometime. I'm not very good with telephones just yet."
"I'll have to teach you how to use mine, then."
She dips her head, coming to terms with everything that's happened. It's nearly been 2 weeks since she's moved in with Jack. It's hard to believe she fixed her and the Doctor's relationship so soon. Slowly, she says, "I have a dad now..."
Her skeleton smiles. "That you do."
"I thought he wouldn't agree. But he did. He told me he loved me again, but it was different this time."
"See? Talking to him wasn't the worst thing in the world. As a matter of fact, things might be better now that you did."
"You're right. And I want to thank you," she leans forward to lay a hand on his arm. "If you hadn't talked me into it, I don't know the next time I'd have spoken to him..."
He lays his hand over hers and squeezes it tightly. He frowns for a moment. "I won't have to see you worrying about what he did to you, will I?"
She shakes her head with a smirk. "He told me he was sorry for it all, and it sounded like he meant it."
"It's a good thing Jewel's around now, isn't it?"
"He told me she was teaching him to be better. I think she's doing a good job."
He mulls over something for a moment. "You know, I got to talk with her while you were in with the Doctor. She told me interesting things. About him, and all. It turns out they share memories and feelings together. She told me that Finklestein has always cared about you, and he just didn't know how to live without you."
She looks down. "I guess that makes sense."
"Jewel is a lot like you. I told her I think the two of you would get along," he hums. "Maybe you can have a relationship with her, too....like what you're going to have with the Doctor?"
"You mean, Jewel as my mother?" Her eyes widen. "I don't know what it's like to have a mom."
"I think she would be a terrific one! Think about it. The both of you want the Doctor to be better, and you two can understand what it's like to live with him. Maybe now that he wants to have you as a daughter, Jewel will feel the same way, too."
She brings her gaze back to Zero in her lap, scratching under his ears. "I'll have to think about that," a thought comes to her and she smiles at him. "You know what the Doctor told me..? That he's always looked to you like his son."
His eye sockets widen in surprise. "Really?"
"I wondered how close he was to you. But now that he sees me as a daughter, he said it wasn't far-fetched."
Jack is quiet for an awfully long time. She doesn't question it and continues to pet Zero in thought. After a few seconds, she leans over to rest her head on his shoulder. Her mind is finally at peace for once. The troubling thoughts of the Doctor are no longer surfacing in her mind. Instead, all she thinks about is the fact that she has a dad now. Jack, meanwhile, is holding the side of his skull in thought. He brings an arm over Sally so she can get comfortable, but his gaze is elsewhere.
He's always been close with the Doctor, ever since he was young. They've had plenty of history together through these years. Jack got his interest in science watching Finklestein work in his lab, and learning about chemistry and experimenting from him. He grew to look at him as a friend and a sort of inspirational figure. He never thought he'd end up falling in love with one of his creations. But knowing that she is his daughter...that brings the possibility of truly becoming Finklestein's son in the future.
His gaze crawls over to her, and finds Sally falling fast asleep. He chuckles and leans forward to kiss her cheek. As her marvels at her beauty, those three words come to mind again. He thought he had enough of them after what happened with the witches, but now the subject has found its way to him again. A Pumpkin Queen. His bones start to tingle again. The longer he stares at her, the more he starts imagining it - witnessing her as his bride, becoming his Queen, and starting a married life with her...It is a peculiar thing for him to fantasize about at a time like this, but he finds the thought strangely enticing...
Chapter 6: Old Photographs
Summary:
Things are getting better for Sally. But the more she wanders around the Manor, there's a serious issue that she brings up to the Bone Man...who explains his troubled past to her, and assures her they'll be making better memories for the future.
A little time passes, and Sally finds a photograph she's curious about. Asking Jack about it leads to a new revelation - for her, and for him.
Notes:
First of all....I am INCREDIBLY sorry for nearly taking *2 MONTHS* to update! I don't think I've been that terribly bad before, but time passed by so quickly, and with everything that's happening...
Well, it always seems like I'm coming up with excuses, aren't I...?
I've been spending more time away from social media to focus on my physical health, and it's dragged me away from writing. There's also the fact that I used deviantART's sta.sh writer to write on, and recently, deviantART upgraded its website to Eclipse and got rid of sta.sh writer entirely! D: This meant I had to adjust to a new writing program, and I'm not quite fond of the one I'm using right now.
On the bright side, I've been spitballing ideas and finally have a sort of timeline completed for this story. This means I'll be making a few filler chapters(if you guys can even tell what ones they are...) like I did in Two Dearest Friends; some things will be coming up later on in the story - as there are incredibly important things that will be mentioned again!
Hopefully with all this planning I've done, the next chapter will come quicker than this one. And I apologize for this being terribly short compared to the wait - this chapter sort of took off on its own while I was writing it. I swear some juicy stuff is going to happen - I want this to be as an in-depth story as the last one was. I hope this chapter enjoyable, nonetheless.
Thank you guys for your patience, as usual!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
There are a lot of things Sally is getting used to, the longer she lives with the Pumpkin King.
But the taste of freedom is her favorite.
Now that she is out of the Doctor's protective clutches, she missed so many opportunities to become her own person. All she used to do is clean and cook every day, with little spare time to read books or sew clothes. It was only after she started escaping and making friends when she realized what she was capable of. She's left with all the time in the world now. With better supplies and circumstances, she can work on sewing as long as she wants, no longer obligated to drop everything to cook for the man she's living with. She's able to finish a book within a couple of weeks instead of a month.
She's embracing the new things in her life. Jack showed her how to use his telephone not long ago. She called the Doctor and spoke with him on the same line for the first time. The conversation was awkward. It was uncomfortably quiet for the most part, Sally feeling too shy to initiate most of the talk. Luckily, Finklestein seemed curious about her new living conditions. She got to speak about Jack's manor and what kind of room she has now, which resulted in silence or a few words from his end.
Their conversations since then have picked up, and sometimes Sally will even speak with Jewel on the phone. She learns more about her as time goes on. She speaks of her experiments she is having with the Doctor in the laboratory. It feels nice to hear how well things are going for them, and in return, she tells Jewel how amazing it is living with Jack.
It already feels like she's talking to a pair of parents who care about how she is doing.
When all is said and done, the ragdoll is left to wander around the Skellington manor. She explores a little in her leisure time, finding everything is bigger than she first thought. The hallways feel longer when she walks down them. She hears the walls creak in displeasure as she steps somewhere new. She lays a hand on the smooth surface and the groans go away. She feels strangely at peace.
At least the house likes her.
Her black eyes travel the walls curiously. Most of the space is taken by pictures arranged in neat patterns. She remembers admiring them the first day she was here. She hadn't gotten the chance to look at them all. She takes her free time to advantage and starts browsing them.
Many are old black-and-white photos. They consist of timeless photographs of Halloween Town and the older citizens. She finds the pictures of Jack again. Seeing him sitting by himself in so many, with only Zero around and forced smiles aimed at the photographer... Her stomach twists unpleasantly at the sight. Something feels wrong seeing him this way, even if it was so long ago. A sudden coldness stirs in her chest. She holds a hand over it in an attempt to warm her leaves again.
She'll talk to him when he gets home.
Jack Skellington sighs in relief when he passes through the doors of his own home. He takes off his jacket and hangs it by the door, feeling hot after a day of moving around. He feels the cool air start to chill his bones, then rolls his sleeves up to his humerus. He loosens his bat bow tie and takes it off, heading upstairs to its rightful drawer in his bedroom. He's curious to hear things so quiet. The skeleton shrugs it off as he kicks his shoes. When he comes out of his bedroom, he notices Sally climbing up the stairs.
"Good evening," he greets with a smile and leans forward to kiss her on the cheek. "I'm terribly sorry I came home late. It was a long day."
"I understand," she feels a longing in her chest when he pulls his hand away from her face. "How are you feeling?"
"A little worked up, but nothing a few minutes with you can't solve," he chuckles. "And how are you, Sally? I know I don't ask that enough."
"I'm good, but-"
"Ruff!"
Zero comes out of thin air and yaps excitedly, unaware that he's interrupted them. The skeleton holds a bony finger to his beloved as he reaches in his shirt and retrieves a rib. He promptly shoves it in the dog's muzzle. The ghost makes a satisfied noise before leaving the two of them be, gnawing at the bone in the den.
Sally fidgets with her hands as she follows him down the stairs. It's hard enough to bring this up, but seeing him like this makes her feel strange. Usually she doesn't get a good look at his bones, but his white t-shirt hugs his rub's curvatures and becomes a little baggy where he lacks a stomach. He uses a pair of suspenders to hold his pants up, which hug his pelvis even tighter. It's a pleasant sight.
He heads into the kitchen and pours himself a glass of water. Her eyes are locked on him, particularly the rolled sleeves that expose his long forearms.
"Would you like some water?"
She's snapped out of her staring when he speaks. She feels parched. "Could you, please?"
He makes her a glass. She takes a hefty gulp. It calms her down right away. "When you have the time, can we please sit down and...talk?" she looks away. "It's something I've wanted to tell you ever since I arrived here..."
"I always have time for you, Sal! Here, let's get comfortable before we do..."
He leads her into the den and sits them on the couch. Zero briefly looks up from the rib, but promptly returns to his work. The ragdoll shifts uncomfortably on the cushion as her beloved sits close.
"What is it you wanted to tell me?"
Her eyes dart away. "While you've been gone, sometimes I look around the house. There's a lot I haven't seen. You have such a big and wonderful home-"
"-Which is yours as well."
"Right. I spend a lot of time looking at the photos on your walls. It feels like I'm looking at a lot of history."
"Yes, I collect them. I pay tribute to my citizens by keeping their pictures in my home."
"That explains all the faces I don't recognize."
"Why do you mention this..?"
She finally looks at him. "They make it look like I'm seeing a different person. Someone who looks sad and lonely. You don't look happy in the ones where it's only you. Just seeing you smile is contagious to me, but the ones in those pictures don't feel as sincere."
Jack's lips fall into a frown. He places a skeletal finger on his chin. He hadn't realized he looked so upset in them. No one said a thing about it before. Then again, it makes sense Sally would notice...she knows him best, after all.
"Most of them were taken in your home, so I just wanted to know...what was it like living here before I came along? It never occurred to me how long you must've stayed here by yourself."
Zero looks up and abruptly barks at them. "Arf!"
She jumps and smiles, quickly correcting herself. "-How long you must've stayed here with Zero, I mean..!"
The dog goes back to chewing the rib in satisfaction. Jack laughs at the sight.
"It's been such a long time that I don't notice the years passing by. I'd say I've been living alone for...at least a decade, if not, more than that."
Jack's smile falls again and he presses his fingers against his jaw. Recalling all these years he's spent alone in these walls, accompanied only by his ghostly pet and the occasional guest...it isn't pleasant to remember.
"I suppose, when you live like that for so long, you get used to it. The Mayor came by for work, and sometimes I'd have guests. But I was left to fend for myself and Zero. He'd keep me company and share my conversations."
The dog nods pridefully in the background. Sally frowns at this information. "I imagine that gets lonely, not having another person around for so long..."
The skeleton pauses. "--I had my citizens to see and talk with every day. But now that you mention it...yes, it was rather lonely when I came home at the end of the day. It's not a thought I dwelled on terribly much."
"You were content just living with Zero?"
His lips form into several lines before settling on a frown.
"I believed I was. But before you came around, the thought of living with someone else never occurred to me. I didn't feel this way with anyone. To me, the Graveyard was my escape from the attention, but my home was my solitude. When things were overwhelming, I'd lock myself in my study and work off the stress. I didn't have anyone to go to - not anyone that would understand."
Her hand crawls its way into his. He holds it tightly for a few seconds, her contact momentarily pulling him away from these troubling thoughts.
She draws her gaze up to him. "Were you sad?"
He lets out an airy chuckle. "Of course I was. I was depressed doing the same thing every year for a responsibility I had no control over. All the attention, praise, and women who forced themselves on me," he holds a bony hand to his mouth. "I suppose being alone made it worse. I had no one to tell these troubles to. No one but Zero."
Hearing these words, the ghostly pup flies over to the couch and gently lays the rib bone on Jack's knee. The skeleton takes it and shakes all the slobber off. The dog whines as he comes to his master's side, hovering his 'paws' over his leg. Sally rubs the side of Jack's arm while he pops the bone back in, feeling nothing but sympathy for him.
"It sounds like you didn't have a pleasant home experience, either," she comments quietly.
She's surprised to see a grin growing on his face. He takes her hands in his own excitedly.
"-And that's exactly it, Sally! You're here now. How I felt in those pictures - how you saw me back then - is nothing compared to who I am now. I have you and Zero by my side. You've already made me such a happy man, and having you here makes it impossible for me to feel lonely again."
She smiles, squeezing his hands back. "I don't feel lonely, either."
His stitched grin grows wider as his gaze travels her face. He leans forward with slight hesitation. She understands right away. She closes her eyes as they kiss. Zero wags his sheet in delight. As they pull away, relief spreads on her face.
"The longer I'm with you, I realize how similar we really are," she confesses. "When I was trapped in my room, it was the loneliest feeling in the world. Especially after I met you."
He lowers his skull and rests his forehead against hers. "The moment I met you, every second away made me restless."
She blushes. He grips her hand tighter and brings them off the couch. He leads her out of the den and into the hallway, to the same place she spotted the pictures in the first place. They stand there in front of the arrangement, looking at the photographs together. When she looks at them, she feels different. Seeing the current Jack beside her, grinning widely, assures her that things are better now.
He points a bony finger to them. "You know what the best part of all this is? We're going to make our own collection. I'll get rid of these old photos and replace them with ones I'll have with you."
He turns to her and winks. "-You'll certainly know I'm going to be happy in those."
She laughs. "I'd like that."
He brings their hands up, clutching her small ones in his own. He didn't think she would care about something as small as this, how upset he looked years ago. It means so much, leaving him to reflect on his death now. He can imagine the walls filled with photos of him and Sally - the smile on his lips as genuine as his feelings for her.
"I love you."
The words leave his mouth as he stares at her in a moment of tenderness. She brushes her hair back and flutters her eyes at him. Beautiful, as she always is.
"I love you, too."
The Pumpkin King drums his fingers along his knee as he watches Sally. She stands across from him holding a dress above her figure. Her eyes uncertainly lock with his sockets as he observes the sight. After a moment, he smiles, brushing some dirt off of one of his lapels.
"You got the blood color perfect, and the droplets look so detailed! You'll look breathtaking."
She gives him a shy smile, returning the dress to its place in her closet. He adores spending this time with her - helping Sally with her little projects, and giving advice on her ideas. He loves her creativity and admires her talents. In this case, she asked him for advice on making a dress that, in her words, "screamed 'Halloween'". This last one did the job, as he liked the vampire look she was going for.
"Thank you, Jack. I thought if anyone knew the most about this, it would be you."
He rests his skull in his hand and eyes her coyly. "Asking the master - a wise decision..!"
"I used to make dresses out of whatever I could before, but with all these fabrics you have, I'm going to make things that'll help me fit in with the town."
"Not that you have to 'fit in' here..."
She smirks. "You know what I mean. "
He hums as she organizes a little in her closet. He sits on the edge of her bed and gazes out her open window. It feels refreshing to spend his breaks at home. Before she was around, he'd kill time by sitting around in the Graveyard or doing paperwork - neither of which was as appealing as being with Sally. His thoughts wander until he finds a blue figure stepping into view. Her hands are currently behind her back. He gives her his full attention as she stands in front of him, hesitating to speak.
"I was hanging some of our pictures the other day, and I came across one that I wanted to ask about."
He arches an eye socket. She brings her hands out and reveals a photo. It is a picture taken on a past Halloween, with him perched on the town fountain while the citizens stand in front. Everyone is smiling or baring their teeth and claws in excitement. He isn't sure what she is curious about. She sits beside him and points to himself sitting on the fountain - grinning proudly as the Pumpkin King.
"This is you, isn't it?"
"Why, yes it is. "
"That's what I thought," she fiddles with her fingers. "I recognized you, but it isn't how you usually look. I've only seen that scarecrow a couple times before, and I always wanted to ask about it."
He sets the photo aside. "What do you want to know?"
"Is it a costume? You only ever look like that on Halloween."
"Sort of?"
She gives him a confused look. He isn't sure how to explain and makes a few gestures with his hands. "It's a special form of mine I save for Halloween, because there's no use for it when I'm not scaring."
"...'Special form'..?"
He doesn't know how to else to make his point across. He decides to simply show her instead of fumbling over his words. He closes his eye sockets and focuses, feeling a hot sensation spread through his body. Where he once felt little weight is now covered in straw, his clothes replaced with a burnt umber jacket torn at the sleeves. He opens his sockets and finds his vision slightly narrowed - the familiar lens he sees through the cut slits of a pumpkin head.
Two fiery pupils dart over to Sally, who looks astonished. She scoots back during his transformation, as the flames startle her. His hands, the bones now replaced with bark and the fingers with sticks, motion to his body.
"-This," he states simply.
The ragdoll isn't sure what to say. In a matter of seconds, Jack completely transformed his body into something....new. A scarecrow instead of a skeleton. She wonders if he's still under there somewhere - his skull hidden behind that pumpkin, or his bones underneath all that straw. She's never seen this being up close. Only the few glimpses on Halloween night, where she watched it dance around the fountain and jump in the water, or when it blew fire in her direction. She was confused the first time it disappeared and Jack came in its place. Now it all makes sense.
It was the same person all along.
Her jaw gapes open in surprise. "I thought it was a costume!"
"Why would the scariest man around need a costume?"
She feels like she's looking and speaking to a different person. If it wasn't for his voice, she wouldn't even know she's talking to the same Jack Skellington. She curiously pokes at the straw, seeing if it's real.
"How is this...possible? I mean, for-for you to change how you look, and-" She pokes at his pumpkin head and he winces. "Are you under there?"
"You can poke around all you'd like, but you're not going to feel bone anytime soon."
She pulls her hand away. Even if he doesn't look like the same skeleton man, she knows it's Jack. She's fascinated with what she's looking at. This scarecrow is as skinny as him, the chest and shoulders being the widest part of its body. While the hands are now practically sticks, they're still long and large. More similarities she finds to the skeleton she's grown to love.
"You're looking at me for an awfully long time," he comments. "Do you...not like it?"
"I'm just curious," she attempts to put a finger through the mouth of the pumpkin. He backs away and motions her hand down.
"I don't want to burn you," he warns.
The dumbfounded look on her face tells him that he's leaving more questions than answers. He sighs, the fire warming the air. It didn't occur to him that he'd have to explain this eventually to Sally - the rest of the Town has simply known his abilities as the Pumpkin King for years. It's partially why he's accredited the way he is.
"When you first asked me what 'The Pumpkin King' meant, I neglected to mention that I am also called that because of...this," he gestures to himself again. "I'm credited for being the scariest, but it's not all because of what I can do as a skeleton. It's this being that I partially am."
"So, really, you're a scarecrow, and a skeleton?"
He hesitates. "In a weird way, yes."
She looks to be thinking for a long time. He doesn't interrupt her, hoping she won't think of him any differently. The time would've inevitably come she'd see him like this...
"This explains why you felt so hot when I met you in the Graveyard after Halloween," she trails a hand along the pumpkin. "It feels cold right now."
"I don't want the flames harming you."
She looks down at her stitched skin. It dawns on her how flammable she truly is, consisting mostly of cloth on her body. Her leaves swell hearing how careful he is. She wraps her arms around him, noting how different their embrace feels when he's like this. It's strange, but nice.
His fingers hesitantly rest on her back. They're no longer as pointy as his phalanges, but the grip is still firm. "I can change out of this if you want. It might be strange not seeing me as a skeleton-"
She interrupts him. "I love you no matter what you look like."
He lets out a surprised noise. He wasn't expecting that answer. He holds her close as those words sink in. He feels ridiculous to think she'd like this appearance any less. Sally pulls back and smiles at him. Without any warning, she leaves a kiss on his pumpkin. The feeling is odd, as he can feel her lips and it leaves delightful tingles, but the fact that he can't return it leaves him feeling unsatisfied.
He cocks his head in disappointment. "That feels much better when I have lips..."
She intertwines their fingers, giggling. "I think so, too."
He wraps his thin arms around her figure, leading them down onto the blankets of her bed. She laughs when his lips are on her neck, leaving a trail of kisses along her stitches. She's relieved to see his face again. Not that she doesn't find the scarecrow enticing in its own ways - he's always going to be an attractive skeleton man in her eyes, but his smile and gentle touch makes her feel safe. His true look is one that is etched into her mind as her protector and lover.
He notices her look. His smile falters. "Does it scare you?"
"What does?"
"That scarecrow. It doesn't frighten you, does it?"
She thinks about the question, gripping the sides of his suit in thought. "It's unsettling knowing it can burn me, but I'll get used to it."
"I won't ever hurt you, Sal."
He says those words with such sincerity that it gives her goosebumps. She caresses his skull. "I know you won't."
He brings his hand into hers and they squeeze simultaneously. He lowers his skull and rests it beside her head. "There are parts of me that I...forget about. The scarecrow is one of them," his grasp becomes tighter. "It's something I can't change. I become this...thing...on Halloween - a different entity - when I scare humans and creatures..."
"How is that bad? The vampires turn into bats, but it doesn't change who they are."
"You weren't even sure it was me."
"But I know it's you. How can I be afraid?"
He thinks of everything he is capable of - breathing fire through the pumpkin, hiding and becoming part of the shadows, losing all stiffness in his bones if he desires. He can bend backwards into disconcerting poses, crawling like a spider while having incredible sight in the dark. Not to mention how fast he moves his limbs, which is unsettling to humans. All of these he has used to scare mortals and alike. To build his reputation being the most horrifying creature known.
But when he looks at Sally, he feels different. He's a gentleman and a kind soul, but his citizens are scary creatures in their nature who have grown used to frightening sights. They find it pleasant. The whole time he's known her, he never had an urge to impose any of his shrieks or moans on Sally. She is someone who does not understand the horror of Halloween. For that reason, she's never seen his true, terrifying self.
And he isn't sure if she ever should.
With her, the only urges he feels are romantic intentions and desire. He craves her company, her words, her kindness and advice - the sound of her voice and the feeling of her soft fingertips on his bones. Her lips pressed against his stitched ones, soothingly telling him she's there and that she loves him. To keep her in his death so he's not lonesome anymore. Nowhere in these urges does he want to frighten her. Although such a thing brings happiness to most creatures in Halloween Town, Jack doesn't want to scare Sally in any way.
He wants to keep her safe. And he'll do that as Jack Skellington.
He digs his nasal bone into her shoulder, inhaling her perfume greedily. "Of course not. No reason to, my love."
She leaves a kiss on the top of his skull. "I mean it. I love you no matter what you look like to me."
He grins, his fingers snaking their way to her sides. "Of course."
Notes:
Yeah, I like to go with the headcanon that Jack is able to form into that Pumpkin King Scarecrow. :P Oogie's Revenge had this as a concept and some people didn't like it - but I think it's interesting for Jack to be both a skeleton AND a scarecrow! It also brings up some juicy points on how different he may act in this certain form...and if Sally may ever see that...
Also, I noticed, despite it being quite a reoccurring thing in the last story, Jack and Sally have rarely said 'I love you' in here. Simply blasphemous! I can't believe no one pointed that out to me. You bet I'm going to change that from now on.
Chapter 7: The Old Seamstress
Summary:
The Mayor and Jack catch up together during work while the Witches lament over Sally. When they see her come into town, they stop her to apologize and inform her of *someone* very important. On her way home, Sally has a brief encounter with an old friend.
Once she's with Jack again, she asks for his permission to explore somewhere abandoned. Jack agrees, but doesn't feel entirely right about it...
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
"Two gallons of ectoplasm, thirty layers of cobwebs and I think that's it!"
The Mayor's joyous voice booms as the final stack of paperwork falls onto the table. The tall skeleton smiles as he sorts them all into their proper bins out of habit. They pause to sigh in relief before getting back to work. Finally, the biggest project of the day, finished! If all goes well, everything else should go by like a breeze and they can head home early.
In these final hours of his work, Jack Skellington thinks about returning to the Manor. To the now-occupied walls of his home, with his ghostly dog and girlfriend waiting for him to step through those doors. Rejoicing with the love of his death, holding her tight as he slides his fingers through her blood-colored hair...They will settle in the night with a lovely supper, and talk about their days together-
"I must say, we've been getting a lot of work done lately!" his coworker's voice snaps him out of his thoughts. "I don't think I've seen you this inspired in years!"
He bows his skull humbly. Back in his prime, he was able to tackle an impressive amount of paperwork in one day. His performance nowadays was nearly identical. He's been excited to work, his enthusiasm being picked up on by those around him. One's high spirits for Halloween tended to be contagious here.
The Mayor notices his silence and grins. "I suppose we have Sally to thank for that, don't we?"
If he had skin, he's sure that the faintest blush would be showing on his cheeks right now. There is a knowing look in the Mayor's swirled eye, despite how oblivious he can be, sometimes.
"It took some time for this old skull to come up with new ideas," he knocks on the side of it. "Once I was in a horrible mood again, the inspiration just came!" He leans back a little in his chair. "-That, and she has wonderful ideas."
"Oh? Like what?"
He sets his feathered pen down and stares at the table in thought. So many words want to slip off his tongue, but the last thing he wants to do is blab on and on about Sally in the middle of work. Although the idea of talking about his sweetheart sounds heavenly to him...
"She's quite talented in making clothes, you see - designing them. She's come to me with all sorts of fabrics and ideas...layering the cobwebs was inspired by her. She did something similar with a dress one time."
"How horrible! I didn't even know that was her idea!"
He smiles. The conversation dies down from there. They work across from each other in silence. The skeleton feels distracted, remembering all the dresses Sally has shown him, the way she twirls around after she tries them on, fluttering her eyes as she asks him what he thinks. It makes his bones swell, and his suit feels a little tight again. He wants to go home already.
The Mayor drops his pencil and hums in thought. His gaze comes back to Jack, and leans on the desk casually. "Maybe we can talk about some things off the record..? It's been awhile since we've caught up!"
He looks at him curiously before setting down his work. Rarely will the man be willing to talk about anything but Halloween. "Why not?"
"How are things going with Sally? I assume she's all settled in, being with you for a little while."
"She's adjusting nicely. She's been plenty curious about things around my home. It's nice having someone around again."
"Right! You've been living with Zero all this time," his tone sounds sympathetic! "If you ask me, it's about time you're finally living with a woman."
"I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world, Mayor," he sounds smitten as he rests his skull in his hand. "It's the most terrible thing that's ever happened to me. I feel like I'm a whole new skeleton!"
He chuckles. "It's nice to see you this excited. You've never talked this much through work. We've had some meetings that came to no luck before."
"There shouldn't be anything like that anymore. Not when I'm this inspired!"
The Mayor doesn't understand the feelings his superior is going through, but he feels happy for him, regardless. Anything that can get the Pumpkin King back on his feet with Halloween is alright with him. And from what he's known of Sally, back in those days where he'd pay visits to the Doctor...she is something special. He never would have guessed she'd become the rotten apple of Jack's eye.
That was the thing about Halloween Town - although it isn't an irregular occurrence for creatures and spirits to become enamored with one another, it isn't their purpose. Everyone understands how to scare and express loyalty to Halloween, but love is an entirely different thing. Many would argue it is a sensation only truly held by mortals and humans.
However, as the Mayor watches Jack in the rest of their time, he notices it all. The smile that remains there even through the toughest of work - the endless inspiration that strikes him after he talks about Sally. How quickly he leaves the Town Hall to return home - coming to work the next day with vigor, ready to start the process all over again, as if he's been refreshed in some way.
He's beginning to understand.
Things settle down in Halloween Town's shopping plaza. Lunch time passes, and somewhere in the next couple of hours, vendors will take small breaks to wait out the time until the sun sets. This includes the witches, Helgamine and Zeldaborne, who temporarily close up shop while they talk by the town fountain. Most of their 'talks' consist of only one thing. Ever since they had that unfortunate confrontation with the Pumpkin King, they're left feeling confused, heartbroken, and most of all, bothered.
"'A Pumpkin Queen'," Zeldaborne mutters to herself.
Helgamine crosses her thin arms as she sits next to her sister, folding a leg over the other and holding her nose high in the air.
"I don't think it'll happen. Jack may be with her now, but it'll take a lot more than that for him to settle down," she turns her head at the silence and crooks an eyebrow. "Don't you think so?"
The shorter witch hangs her head. "He meant it. He was upset when he came to us. What if he really does love her that much?"
The thought makes the tall witch shudder. Countless years of being one of Jack Skellington's admirers - thrown away to a woman who was barely made. They're upset. How can they not be? But they remember his wishes, and do exactly as he asks.
The day after he spoke to them, they felt guilty over the whole ordeal. They talked with the fellow women of their circle and explained how Jack was furious over the way they were speaking about Sally. It is a long discussion filled with heartbreak and tears, but they end in a unanimous agreement to respect what they have. If not, to at least act polite. At the expense of their King finally being happy.
It doesn't mean they aren't still sour about it. Zeldaborne often mopes. Helgamine, on the other hand, seethes quietly on the inside. She debates on doing something unpleasant to Sally. But then she talks herself out of it, realizing Jack would be utterly enraged. And that is the last thing she, or anyone else for that matter, wants.
"Maybe he does," Helgamine confesses quietly.
They sit there listening to the water falling. It takes awhile before either of them speak. It's Zeldaborne, who fidgets with the end of her broomstick. "We disappointed him. He never sounded so upset with us before."
Helgamine adds, "He even threatened to kick us from this year's Halloween..."
"I don't want to hear him that mad again."
They frown. How ugly they acted, and it nearly cost them their good terms with Jack. How can they be so blindsided by jealousy and possessiveness over someone who isn't theirs to begin with? Their guilt overshadows whatever envy they have left, and sit there in contemplation as they wait for time to pass.
"Hey there, Sally!" "How are you doing today?" "Hi, Sally!" "Miss Sally! You look awful today!"
Sally Finklestein smiles modestly and waves at the monsters she passes by. She's heading into town to pick up a few things, but doesn't expect to have such warm greetings sent her way. She carries a basket in her hand as she continues on. She wants to make this as quick as possible so she can return home to catch Jack before it gets too late.
Just when she approaches a small stand she wants to buy from, a couple of voices startle her.
"Sally!"
The ragdoll jumps before turning around. She finds the witches, Helgamine and Zeldaborne, approaching her. She feels a little afraid after what happened last time, and instinctively grabs onto her basket tighter. She notices the smiles on their faces. They're waving at her.
"We didn't expect to see you out," Helgamine begins, clutching her hands behind her back. "How...are you doing?"
The kindness in her voice sounds forced, but the smile seems genuine. She bows her head, "I'm fine. I was going to buy a few things-"
"You picked the right time of day to come," Zeldaborne cuts her off. The three of them are silent.
Sally feels guilty. She wanted to come by their shop and ask for an apology, to see if they can become friends. She must've forgotten about it with how busy she became.
They look at each other before bringing their gaze to the doll. "Would you like to stop by? And have a little chat?"
"Oh," she blinks a few times. This shouldn't take long. "Sure."
The Witches look relieved and guide her back to their place. She feels a little uncomfortable, but appreciates their kindness. They lead her into Witches' Goods and into the back of the store so they can socialize. They pull up a few chairs and offer her a seat across the counter.
They sit there awkwardly at first. Eventually, the silence is broken by Zeldaborne. She looks down and sighs deeply, having a hard time making eye contact. "We know we were cruel the last time we saw you..."
Helgamine mimics her sister's behavior. She adds, "We're sorry it took us this long to tell you but, well, we haven't seen you around and all. We want to-" she audibly sucks at her teeth. "-Apologize. For saying those ugly things, pushing you and all that."
Her eyes widen in surprise. She hadn't expected to receive an apology. The mournful looks on their faces expresses their sincerity about it. The Witches are jealous women who obsessed over Jack for so long. It must've been difficult when she came and won his heart so soon. She can understand that. Still. When they took their frustrations out on her, it gave her bad memories with the Doctor, which she is able to shrug off now. He is willing to change, and from what she sees, the Witches are, too.
"It's alright," she tells them. "You were just jealous. And I can see why," her courage drops as she gazes into her lap. "I didn't mean to take Jack away from you. Or do anything at all, really. With how much time we spent together, it turned into something more."
Hearing this doesn't help the situation. The Witches feel like they're burning in their seats. They have to calm down by sharing a sympathetic look. They're here to apologize like Jack asked them to. It doesn't mean they have to like any part of this, but that's what it means to be polite. Acting nice when you don't really want to.
"Of course! We understand," Helgamine says through gritted teeth.
"And we're happy for you both," her sister adds, also through her teeth.
She looks up and smiles, clasping her hands. "What a relief..! I thought you hated me from the last time we spoke."
"Hate you? No! Why would we?" the tall woman looks at her like she's crazy.
"I just thought, since I'm not scary or rich like he is, that I don't deserve him. And you'd feel awful about me for having him, anyway."
Truly, she hit the nail on the coffin. But they aren't going to tell her that. They can't convince her otherwise, so they shake their heads and act like this is the most ridiculous thing they've ever heard. Her ruby lips smile again in relief.
Zeldaborne pokes at her warts before speaking again, hesitantly. "By the way, when you asked us if we had any sewing supplies...We don't. But we do know about the old seamstress that was around here."
"She was a frightening lady! Talented, too," the other sister chimes in. "We talked a lot before she had to leave town."
"Why did she leave?" Sally leans forward curiously. The Witches look uncomfortable with this question.
"No one likes to talk about it. It's not an unpleasant reason," Helgamine looks uncertain, so Zeldaborne cuts in. Even she looks disturbed.
"She ate children and kept their souls. To survive. None of us knew about it, which was why she was kept here, but when Jack found out, he was upset. She had been his personal tailor for so many years!"
"But being in Halloween Town has its rules. We agree not to be mean and scare only with frightening intentions. Not to harm, or actually kill, anyone...."
The ragdoll isn't sure how to feel. This news makes her stomach twist unpleasantly. Jack only mentioned this woman moving away. Maybe he was sparing her the gruesome details. She almost regrets asking in the first place.
"That sounds awful."
"It was. Jack has little patience for these things. She was banished right away. Haven't seen her since," Helgamine tsks. "I hope she's leaving the children alone. We love to cast spells on the little tricksters. Can't exactly do that with people like her eating them all!"
"Anyway," Zeldaborne glances at her. "Her old place might have some supplies you can use, if you're unlucky. That is, if Jack hasn't spoiled you with enough, already."
The image of her grand room, sewing machine and new desk comes into mind. She feels guilty and rubs her arm with a frown. Quietly, she asks, "Where is this place?"
"It's not here, On the other hill, where our homes are," she must mean the residential area. "If you take a right at the library, it's down the street. When you see an abandoned building - wood probably long rotten by now - that'll be it."
"Abandoned? How come I've never seen it before?"
"You didn't get out a lot, I know that!" Helgamine laughs. "It's out of the way. No one likes to go near it. It reminds us of her, and we'd rather not remember. Not with the little lumplings everywhere now."
"I see..."
"You should stop on by. It's not haunted; the ghosts have no need! They've got their pumpkins back in the Graveyard for that sort of thing."
While the conversation turned darker, it feels like the mood lightened. The Witches don't look like they're harboring any negative feelings about her anymore. It feels refreshing to have a normal conversation with them again. One that isn't obsessing over Jack or humiliating her. Oddly, the Witches seem nice. She hopes they can be friends so she can learn more from them.
"Thank you. I appreciate you inviting me here. I accept your apology."
She gets up from her chair. The sisters look almost disappointed that she's leaving. They stand from their seats and come to her side. They even help her with her basket as she leaves through the door, and stop her before she's about to leave.
"Thank you for listening to us. You seem like a nice girl, despite everything," Zeldaborne shares a hesitant look with the woman next to her.
"If you'd like, we can arrange something together sometime," Helgamine suggests slowly. "We have some ghoulfriends of ours we can introduce you to."
The ragdoll pauses. It takes her completely by surprise. It makes her feel even better about the whole situation. "That sounds lovely. We can do that sometime. I'll let you know when I'm free."
The two look happy that she accepted! They bid their goodbyes and allow Sally to continue on her way. She finishes her business in the market and leaves as the sun is setting. Her smile wavers as she finds the sky a mixture of orange and red Her talk with those Witches took longer than she anticipated...
When she is a few minutes away from the Manor, Sally takes a seat on a nearby bench. There's a lot on her mind she wants to get sorted out before she sees Jack. She thinks of the questions she'll ask about the old seamstress and her abandoned shop. Should she go alone, or ask him to come with? She's perfectly capable of doing these things by herself. She isn't sure if she'll need a key to get there, or if she even should. It's her only chance at getting more sewing supplies, but the situation is unsettling, knowing what might've taken place in those walls....
She bites at her lip and rests her head in her hand. It must've been hard for Jack to banish his old tailor. She wouldn't want to bring up any bad memories talking about it-
"Meow!"
She jumps at a sudden noise. She whips around to find a small black cat approaching the bench. Sally relaxes and sits forward to greet the creature. The feline comes forward and nestles its head under her hand, leading it along its body as it walks between her legs. As her fingers caress the rough hair, her mind goes blank.
"It's you again," she says softly.
When she was locked in Finklestein's tower, she would find a cat in the alleys perched on the walls. During the long nights where she stared at Jack's study, the cat would be around below, mewing and watching her window. She came into contact with it after she began sneaking out to meet with Jack. It took a little time, but it grew used to her, and allowed her to pet it in her lap.
She remembers growing curious with it after she met Zero. It was new for her to interact with any animal. What would it be like to own a pet like Jack does? To have a small companion by your side; a creature to help calm you in times of stress..?
The cat jumps on her lap, and she continues petting it. It purrs from the contact. She giggles as it licks her finger. She's always loved Zero, but she's grown fond of this little one as well. It must've gotten confused not seeing her around the tower anymore.
It eventually decides it's done and jumps down, scurrying off into the shadows. She collects her things and continues on her way home. When she approaches the Skellington Manor, the windows are lit and accompanied with noises from inside.
Sally Finklestein climbs the stairs to the Manor with a little guilt. She was hoping to be home before him, but time dwindled, as it usually does. She opens the doors and feels the warmth engulf her cold figure. She sighs in relief as she steps inside and sets her basket down by the door. Before she can get a good look at what's going on, she is suddenly scooped into the thin arms of Jack Skellington. She finds herself in a loving embrace and relaxes against his chest. Her thoughts from the day empty the longer she is held.
"Welcome home," he greets. She shivers at his voice.
"Thank you. I'm home."
He lets go and stands back with a toothy smile. She brushes her hair aside as she reaches for her basket. Jack takes a curious look and she shows him what's inside. Some groceries with a few extra ingredients from the stands in town. He leans down to kiss her.
"Took a trip to the market?" he asks.
She nods and covers the basket. "I don't know how often you get groceries, but I went ahead and got some. If you want, I can start making dinner-"
"No need! I started cooking the moment I got back," he takes the basket from her hands and walks into the kitchen. "I thought it'd be a nice change of pace with you coming home to a warm meal."
She watches wordlessly as he puts away the food. Her black eyes travel to the rest of the kitchen, finding used bowls and ingredients laying about. The oven is nearly finished cooking, and she can smell a delicious scent in the air. She finds her mouth watering.
"I can't wait to try it."
"That's what I want to hear!"
When the groceries are put away, he gives her the basket and she thanks him. She returns it to her room, where she relaxes for the evening. She kicks off her shoes and spends a few minutes thoughtfully sitting on her bed. The seamstress is still on her mind, as are the Witches and the alley cat...the skeleton soon informs her that their supper is ready. She meets him at the dining table, where their servings are waiting for them. She takes a seat and thanks him for the food before tasting it. When she takes the first bite, she feels like she's in heaven.
"You need to give me this recipe!"
He chuckles. "I have all the cookbooks you can imagine."
She eagerly looks up from her plate. "May I read some? I'd love to make new dishes."
"Of course! I have quite a big library here - I showed you it the first day, didn't I? My cookbooks are organized in their own section. I have so many; I don't think I've read them all!"
She vividly remembers his giant collection of books during his small tour of their home. She was excited at the sight, all the novels and stories he has, stacked together on endless shelves. Even though he provided her with her own collection of romance novels right in her room, she finds herself curious with other things, like cooking recipes. The only thing discouraging her is climbing the sets of stairs to get to it. But for something like this, she'll have to make an exception!
"How did your work go?" she asks, wanting to make conversation. He clears his throat.
"It went splendid. Like any other day, really. How about yours..?"
"Mine? It went well," she plays with her food in thought. "It was interesting."
"Interesting? Do elaborate."
He leans forward, resting his jaw on his knuckles. Her cheeks grow a little red at his eagerness. "The Witches talked to me today. They said they were sorry for how they acted, and we talked a little bit."
"That's wonderful! I was hoping they would come around. They treated you with upmost respect, didn't they?"
"Oh, they did. It felt like they were being too nice," she laughs slightly. "They know where I can get the sewing supplies I wanted."
"Where did they say?"
She pauses, wondering if this is appropriate to bring up. She boldly continues. "They explained to me why the old seamstress left, and told me a little about her. They said her old store is where I might find some fabrics and supplies that I need."
Jack is quiet for a moment. She looks up after hearing nothing and finds him deeply in thought. He catches her stare, then rubs the back of his skull in shame.
"I'm sorry. It's been awhile since anyone has talked about her..."
"No one really likes to," her eyes droop. "You told me she moved away, but now that I know what happened, I can't blame you for banishing her."
He's silent again. She looks at him once more. His gaze is fixated on his plate with narrowed eye sockets. He grabs for his glass of water and brings it to his lips. Without even looking at her, he replies, "We have strict rules here that some tend to neglect..."
He sets down his glass.
"I was looking out for my people. There were innocent children getting harmed with her around! As much as she was needed, I prioritized the safety of my citizens over her services," he looks down and shrugs, his face falling. "Even though we're missing a seamstress, I feel more comfortable without her around."
She drops her fork and gives him an endearing look. "You're a good King."
He looks up and finds her smile. It's contagious like it always is.
"I wish I had found out about it sooner. Before children died under my watch," he crosses his arms and drums his phalanges on his arm. "It's not easy to do these things."
"I understand why you didn't tell me. It wasn't a good story. I was considering taking the Witches' advice and visiting that old store. It's abandoned, from what they told me."
"Truthfully, the Mayor and I forget about it some years. We've wanted to turn it into something, rather than having it sitting there and rot, but we can't think of anything good enough to replace an old sewing shop."
She bites her lip, trying to stop any abrupt ideas from leaving her mouth. "I can go down there and clean things out, in case you think of something to do with it..?"
The skeleton notices her tone. He hums thoughtfully before taking another bite of his dinner. It's something he and the Mayor should discuss soon - what on Halloween's name to do with the abandoned sewing shop...? His eye sockets glance back to Sally, who finishes her serving quietly. Something clicks in his head.
"I don't mind you rummaging through there," he fishes for something in his pocket and pulls out a key. He places it down in front of her. "Use this skeleton key to bring you inside."
She grins in excitement as she twirls the key in her hand. "I think I'll ask the Hanging Tree to come with me. He knows more than I do when it comes to this stuff."
"I hope the two of you can find something worthwhile there. I don't believe she had that much time to clean up."
She clutches the skeleton key close before sliding it in her dress pocket. The figure across the table watches her intently.
"All I ask is that you be careful once you're there. No one has stepped foot in that place for years. And while she may not live there anymore, sometimes the spirit of creatures linger in old places. They may not mean well at times."
"I'm not going alone, if things go right," she assures him. "Thank you for worrying about me."
He feels an unpleasant brewing in his rib cage. Something about this doesn't feel quite right - but what does he have to worry, with how careful she is? Jack watches her before finishing his dinner.
Notes:
Again, I apologize for the long wait. I should leave this for every chapter, heh.
I'm very fatigued right now so this chapter isn't perfect at the moment. I apologize for that! But hopefully things will begin rolling. Right now, there are loose ends being tied and catching up with certain things. But the juicy parts are coming, I assure.
Thank you for your patience, again! I hope everyone is doing great and is safe out there. Hopefully the next chapter will come sooner than these last few have.
Chapter 8: A Planned Surprise
Summary:
Sally leaves with the Hanging Tree to visit this old seamstress' shop. Meanwhile, Jack and the Mayor talk about what to do with it. They soon agree on a brilliant idea - one that Sally will surely agree to.
The weather catches everyone by surprise, and leaves a soaked ragdoll on the Skellington Manor's doorstep.
Notes:
Thank you for your guy's patience, again! I had a lot of distractions and things taking me away from completing this chapter. I'm not even sure if I'm entirely happy with it with how impatient I've been. But I'm looking forward to getting to the juicy parts even sooner.
Also, I happened to notice a similar thing that happened with Two Dearest Friends...please, don't feel afraid to leave any Kudos on this story! It really encourages me and lets me know you guys are enjoying it. Thank you, everyone!
Chapter Text
Sally prepares for an important trip as she slips back into her familiar patchwork dress. She avoids wearing it nowadays, as it reminds her of the old treatment she received back at at the tower. Where she was forced sew together leftover fabrics and scraps to make clothing. Looking at it in her mirror now makes her feel unpleasant. But it's the best thing to wear, if she's going somewhere that can dirty her clothing. She'd rather be in this.
She makes room in her basket that will hopefully be filled by the end of the day. By the time she's ready, Jack is idling around in his den. He looks somewhat anxious, pacing around in a small line in thought. He stops once she comes into the room and relaxes when they meet at the door. She leans on her tiptoes for a kiss. He receives the message and bends down to leave one on her lips.
"Are you leaving now?" he asks.
"Yes, I'm sure it won't take long."
He frowns. "I doubt anything will happen, but-"
"-Jack," her voice stops his thoughts. She rubs his arm soothingly. "It's sweet of you to worry. I promise I'll be fine."
His posture softens. How can he not, after all they've been through? "If you find anything that needs my attention, I'll be right in the Town Hall. You're free to come and get me."
She leans forward one last time to peck his cheek. She leaves the mansion, climbing down the stairs and waving to her beloved as she passes through the gates. He watches her figure disappear into town without a word, then closes the door behind him.
After asking nearby townsfolk for directions, Sally is led to the park on the residential hill. It's a delightful part of town with dead grass and mud puddles, along with small iron maidens, saws, and swings for the children to play with. She finds the Hanging Tree sitting on a bench, enjoying the scenery and tossing some crumbs to nearby crows. When she walks into his line of sight, he looks up in delight.
"Sally!" He exclaims, his sharpened grin widening. "How awful to see you!"
"Hello, Hanging Tree," she ducks to greet the skeletons on his branches. "To you all, as well."
They wave right back at her. He scoots over on the wood to let her sit down. She brushes her hair aside and looks at their surroundings. She's never seen a park before until now. When she used to sneak out of the Doctor's tower, she never got far enough to reach something like this. It's a beautiful day out - clouds currently gathering in the sky above them. The children laugh as they run around, and the sound is like music to her cears.
"I haven't seen you since that meeting," her friend brings up. "Is there any reason you're out today?"
"Would you happen to know where the old sewing shop is?"
"The old shop, you say?" He repeats, placing a finger to his bark in his thought. "I haven't been there in years!"
"I'd like to look for some sewing supplies there. The Witches told me there might be some. I've been in desperate need for some time now..."
"They may be right. No one has checked in there for a long time."
"You know more about sewing than me, so I assume you're familiar with the place..?"
"Of course! Maybe I can find some stuff for myself while I'm there. I've been at a loss of supplies like you have."
The skeletons on his branch have been absorbing their conversation intently. They haven't interfered out of politeness, but when things quiet down, one of the skeletons decides to pry.
"I'm surprised you didn't ask Jack to come with you," they comment. "I'm sure he would have been more than happy to accompany you."
She bites her lopsided lip. "He seems so busy. I didn't want to interrupt his work."
The Hanging Tree laughs. "If I know anything about Jack, I'm sure he's prioritized you plenty already."
Her blue cheeks turn pink at his words. She recalls how concerned Jack sounded last night, coupled with his strange behavior before she left. She'll be more than careful during her time there.
The Tree starts to head in a direction and gestures for her to follow behind him.
"We'll head there now, I wasn't doing anything terribly important. The walk shouldn't be too long - we'll be there before you know it."
She grins brightly, looking forward to their trip together. They pass the time by speaking more with each other, talking about how their knitting and sewing has been going. The skeletons listen to their conversations and join in on a few. Sally can't describe how peaceful it feels to talk with someone like this and enjoys her time with her friend.
"This is it!"
The ragdoll blinks twice as they approach a strange building. It stands out like a sore claw compared to the dark, occupied structures back in town. This one sits completely alone in its place - no neighboring buildings in its proximity. It's built out of wood, most of which is long rotten and looks to be nearly falling apart. The Witches' description was fairly accurate for what she is looking at now.
The Hanging Tree steps forward and she follows him. She notices the details the closer they get. The sign hanging before the entrance is cracked and barely hanging on its hooks. The words that were once printed on it have been stained by the sun and are no longer legible. The windows on the side of the building are currently boarded up, as the glass has been broken. The roof creaks every time a gust of wind passes by, making her wonder if it will cave in at any second.
Her friend stops as they reach the door. Its paint is worn and a sign reading: 'DO NOT ENTER' is nailed in the middle. She reaches for the key in her dress pocket and takes it in her hands. She hasn't noticed there was a small skull on it; one that looks to resemble Jack's.
She observes the building again. It stands firmly where it is. The sign creaks when the wind comes around. "Something about this place makes me afraid..."
"With what went on here, I can't blame you. But that happened such a long time ago. There's nothing to worry about now."
"You're right." Her fingers glide down to the key in her hand. 'And yet....'
The Hanging Tree notices the dark clouds forming overhead. Rain will be coming any second now. He notices Sally still staring at the building. He can't allow the Pumpkin King's woman to get soaked under his watch! He steps behind her and motions forward uneasily, glancing at the clouds that are coming in by the second.
"We'll have to get going before it starts pouring..."
She notices what he's talking about and complies right away. She slips the skeleton key in with ease. The lock unlatches as she turns it. The door slowly creaks open. To her surprise, the inside still has power, as the moment she flicks the lights on, the hanging lanterns inside light up. The floor beneath them groans at their weight and the door hastily shuts behind them. Sally jumps in alarm and bumps into one of the skeletons by accident.
"Are you alright?" They ask, holding her shoulders steady. She nods several times to assure she is.
"Oh, yes, just a little....spooked...."
The tree laughs. "Fantastic!"
The lanterns shine brighter. She takes a good look at their surroundings. Things are deadly quiet, beyond the sound of the wind hitting the sign outside. It's a large room they're in, filled with shelves that hold fabrics. There are several sewing machines placed on the desks that litter around the room, as well as an unlit fireplace sitting in the back. There looks to be some sort of pantry to their far right, though she has yet to see what is in it. All of these things are filled with cobwebs and dust. The fabrics look like they've been untouched for the longest time. The walls themselves are worn down, as the wallpaper is starting to peel. Nearly all of the hanging pictures have several tears or scratches in them. As if someone has deliberately made them.
"Where do you think she kept the bodies?" One of the skeletons asks. They're talking with the others on their branch. Sally eavesdrops on their conversation.
"Why would you ask that? It's such a morbid topic."
"Which is what we love to talk about!"
"Maybe the fabrics are the children..! Their skin, or their-"
"Don't say such things in Sally's presence!" Another skeleton scolds. "You might scare her."
"We're curious!"
Their tree hushes them down, and they grow quiet. He returns to her side and frowns. "Sorry for my skeletons' behavior...they get talkative with new things!"
"It's fine. I'm....wondering the same thing...." She mumbles.
His frown deepens as he looks around. He decides not to touch upon such a subject and wanders around the room. She follows closely behind, rubbing her arms continuously. It's growing colder the longer they're in here, what with the gaps through the exposed windows and all. Since the fireplace is unlit, there's nothing keeping them warm in the meantime.
"The fabrics still seem to be in good condition," He comments, trying not to rip any with his sharp fingers. "The dust will have to be cleaned off..."
"Do you think the sewing machines still work?"
"I wouldn't doubt it."
This springs some hope in Sally. They look into the pantry across the room. This one has many drawers, filled with sewing supplies that must have been kept as spares at one point. The relief on her face is substantial. She takes a look at what is inside and gathers what she needs. The Hanging Tree searches for himself and hums in delight when he finds knitting needles tucked away in one drawer.
After they finish collecting what they desire, a thunderous boom sounds from outside. She yelps in surprise and instinctively reaches for one of the skeletons, who holds her hands to calm her down. Rain starts to pour down from the sky. The two take one glance out of the door as the weather begins to pick up.
"I wanted to return to the Manor before it started raining...." She sighs.
"That's alright; we can stay here until it eases down."
Her breath starts to show in the air. "It's getting c-cold..."
The Hanging Tree says nothing as he glances at the unused fireplace in the back of the room. He walks over to it and notices the stacks of wood and twigs still placed inside, completely untouched. He goes through the trouble of finding some sort of igniter and lighting a small fire. As soon as the flames start and the wood catches, he motions for Sally to sit beside him.
She obeys and rests her basket by her side, watching the wood burn. She fidgets with her hands as they start to warm. They listen to the rain pour from outside. She finds some sort of calmness to it. It would be much better if she was at Jack's side right now, holding his hand as they rest by his hearth - in the safety and comfort of their own home, rather than an abandoned sewing shop...
"It isn't odd watching wood burn for you, is it...?" She asks.
"Not at all. I know not all trees are sentient like I am. Sometimes I burn my own sticks, and it doesn't hurt much."
She clutches her knees closer to her chest. "Hanging Tree, what do you know about this old seamstress..? I assume you've talked with her before, if you've been knitting for a long time."
"Back then, I talked to her whenever I came around to knit or use something of hers. She had quite the business going on back in the day - everyone loved her work! It was special enough to get our King's attention, and have her as his personal tailor. Even I liked what she made."
"Was she kind?"
"We believed she was a nice lady who was incredibly talented in her field. But after learning what she did....that's when she showed who she actually was."
The Hanging Tree leans back and looks at the ceiling, recalling something in bright detail.
"You see, she had a habit of disguising herself. The seamstress we knew was different from how she actually looked like. She was some sort of spider with button eyes...who usually had porcelain skin, but it cracked after awhile. She looked horrifying! We would have kept her around for the scares and chills had she not....well...."
Sally glances at the torn pictures and frames on the wall. "-Do you think she did that?"
"Certainly. She had fingers like needles - sharper than my own!" He laughs. "If you ask me, she reminded me of Jack. He can do things similar to what she did. She never participated in Halloween, but I imagine she would've had quite an impressive competition with him if she did!"
"She sounds.....scary..."
"Yes, but she's been gone for a long time. I doubt she has any intentions on returning here. Jack would be upset if she ever tried. We have nothing to worry about under his protection."
The fire pops and cracks loudly. They stare at it for awhile in silence, the rain still going in the background. She wonders how long this will go on. Talking about Jack makes her miss him more. To be in his arms at this moment, far away from the place where this awful woman resided. She shivers a little and her friend observes her quietly.
"You know, Sally, I think you would do a great job as a seamstress." He says. She blinks at the suggestion.
"Me....a seamstress?" He nods with a sharp smile. "What makes you say that?"
"I've seen what you made and how often you practice. You're talented! Not to mention, we've been needing someone with your expertise for a long time. Everyone I know has either holes or tears in their clothes."
"Wouldn't that be a good thing, for Halloween?"
"Yes, but for every other day of the year, it's quite a hassle! All I'm saying is...I think you would make a good one. You're more kind than she ever was, and I know for a fact that everyone here would support you."
"Where would I even start...?" She shakes her head. "I have nowhere to do such a thing, nor do I have the means to."
"-You have Jack."
She pauses. He continues:
"He can make things easy for you. You should bring it up sometime and ask if it's possible. I'm certain it is." He bows his body forward. "I think you deserve to be paid for your efforts. It'll bring in many opportunities for you."
She smiles and looks at the floor. The idea makes her excited...but she gets shy wondering how to bring it up to Jack. Is she in the position to ask for something so big? She doesn't deserve such a thing....but sewing is such a passion of hers. She imagines herself owning a shop of her own - providing her services to her friends and the rest of Halloween Town...
----
Jack Skellington taps the side of his skull as he searches through the drawers in the Town Hall.
He's been doing this awhile now, in search for something in particular. But what he's looking for is old, and likely organized a long time ago. Something they haven't bothered to touch in years. He hums as he slams another drawer shut with no success. He goes to another filing cabinet, skimming through the papers and folders quickly.
"Have you found it yet?" The Mayor asks from behind, his worried eyes following the skeleton around the room. He pauses to address the question, closing this drawer shut as well.
"No. Which is peculiar..."
"Maybe it got mixed up? Check the propositions."
He follows his colleague's advice and moves to another area entirely, desperately searching through the stacks of paperwork. The shorter man decides to help him and starts looking for himself, going at a slower pace compared to the skeleton's quick movements. They keep this up for awhile until Jack stops in his tracks. He holds one singular paper up with a grin plastered on his skull.
"Found it!" He exclaims.
"Perfect!" The Mayor's face changes and comes to his side. "How old is it?"
"It was filed about 8 years ago. Was this really the last time we talked about the sewing shop?"
"I'm afraid so....it must have slipped our minds, with all the other things we've been doing..."
The skeleton clears off a desk and places the paper on it. He leans over and quietly reads through what has been written down. The Mayor joins him and observes the page intently. There is a moment of silence as they absorb the information. The Mayor is the first to speak.
"What should we do?"
He frowns. "If we want to do anything with it, it's going to need demolished and a complete refurbishment. That wood can't be reliable - its structure is bound to come down anytime."
"Do we have enough funding for that? Last Halloween was a little costly..."
"Check our finances, would you?"
He nods before leaving into another room. Jack continues to look at the paper in his absence. He wants nothing more but to do something with this old building. He can't have it rotting in town while being completely unusable. He's relieved Sally brought this up in the first place...the last thing he wants is for it to come down and someone to get seriously hurt by the mess.
The Mayor returns, holding a few papers in his hands. "We have just enough if we cut down on the blood this year. We can't afford more canisters for the Vampire Brothers if we hope to get something done."
"That's a price I'm willing to pay." Jack briefly looks over what he brought. "What do you suggest?"
"Maybe a new restaurant?"
"I don't think it would do well. The one we have never gets crowded as it is." He taps his jaw in thought. "A blood bank, perhaps?"
"I think the vampires manage that kind of thing well on their own..."
"..."
His faces switch in despair. "I told you, we can NEVER think of a good replacement! Something that won't lose money, and what we really need...."
"Maybe we don't need to change it into something different at all...Maybe, it can still be a sewing shop?"
"But with what tailor? Or seamstress?"
"Well, I've been thinking about it, and...Sally likes to sew. Why not have her run the place?"
"Jack, that's genius! Oh, what a horrible, awful idea!" He claps his hands in excitement. "You're telling me she agreed to it already?"
"Oh, no. I haven't brought it up yet. It's...something I thought about last night." He rubs the back of his skull in shame.
"Well, ask her as soon as possible so the ownership can go under her name! I've heard what she can do, and I have no doubts she'd do a fine job."
The Pumpkin King doesn't respond right away. He's still staring at the paper, holding his hand to his lips in thought. He does this for a long time as his colleague stands there waiting for his confirmation. After awhile, he brings his gaze from the paper over to his friend. He wears a smile on his face.
"Actually, we can go ahead and put it under my name. So we can start with the construction right away...I'll make it a surprise for her."
"Really? But you two haven't talked about it - are you sure she wants to do this?"
"She's been making all sorts of dresses and clothes these past few weeks. She's going to run out of room soon. She needs a better outlet to express this in." He picks up the paper again, thinking further on this. "-I won't make the decision for her, but I think this is something she's always wanted....."
'She once told me she wanted my approval on what she made. What if she had the rest of the Town's, too? I'm certain it would make her happy.'
"Alright. Let's put your name on the project and plan this out. We'll hire the Behemoth...he provides labor without much pay, thank Halloween!"
Jack follows him and glaces outside of a nearby window. He notices the sky filled with dark clouds. He can hear the raindrops hitting the roof and smiles to himself. This type of weather always excites him. He can hear thunder brewing far away and notices a few cracks of lightning in the sky. Then he remembers that Sally is out right now, and momentarily stops in his tracks. He feels worry begin to consume his thoughts.
'...Maybe she noticed the weather and headed home. I'm sure she's being careful.'
----
The Hanging Tree and Sally are having a lovely time talking to each other. They further discuss the idea of her being a seamstress, and she eventually caves in. It's something she's thought of before, and was even close with suggesting it to Jack the other night. She talks about her insecurities that come with the idea - which her friend does a wonderful job with comforting her about.
In the middle of their conversation, they hear another boom come from outside. The wood begins to creak as the wind picks up. They notice the storm coming, and decide to take their leave now in an attempt to get home.
The air is chilly. Sally clutches onto her sides as she moves to the front door. It's a wise decision to leave now. The longer they stay, the building may not hold for very long. She doubts the wood is still sturdy after all this time. She can't ignore how anxious the wind outside makes her, with how violent it's becoming....
"D-do you th-think we'll ma-make it?" She manages through chattering teeth.
Her friend seems hopeful. "As long as we hurry, I'm sure we'll beat the storm in time."
They listen to the loud creaking and groaning of the wood around them. It makes her more worried by the minute. She reaches for her friend as they approach the door. He holds her to try and keep her warm. The contact is assuring, but his bark feels like ice. He gets the message and smiles as an apology, then opens the door and allows them to leave.
His skeletons thrash when the wind hits them, swinging by the ropes on their neck. Sally feels sorry for them. Her hair gets carelessly tossed around. The tree shuts the door and she uses the key to lock it. She's holding tightly onto her basket - not wanting her things to be taken by the wind.
"Here, I'll help you get home." He offers.
He guides Sally back to the Pumpkin King's Manor. Since she didn't wear anything over her dress that morning, the rain soaks her figure the longer they're out there. They arrive as fast as they can, the gates to the mansion opening and closing with the wind. The Hanging Tree bids her goodbye with a smile on his face. She understands the message behind it - remembering what she has to ask from her skeleton man, and it should be done soon.
---
Sally returns home, dripping wet from head-to-toe by the time she walks through the doors of the Skellington Manor. She feels cold as she shuts the door and sets down her basket. She feels guilty for walking in while her entire figure is soaked in rainwater. She hopes Jack isn't home for a second, so he doesn't have to see her like this, getting his floors all wet-
"Sally? Are you home, my dear?"
She freezes in her spot as his voice comes from up the stairs. He's climbing down them eagerly. The moment he sees her, his expression instantly turns to worry. He practically runs over and looks at her drenched figure. His eye sockets widen in disbelief. She holds her head low, an unpleasant feeling now settling in her stomach.
"I'm sorry, I-"
"You're all wet..! Oh, if only I had given you something to cover yourself with - this simply can't do! Here, let's get you in front of the fire."
She's taken by surprise as he leads her into the den towards the hearth. There is a decently-sized fire inside, the flames dancing around as the logs have long caught. He carefully sits her down in front of it and joins her side right away. This one is much warmer compared to the last. The skeleton takes a rag and begins to dab at her face, getting the excess water dripping from her cheeks and hoping to dry whatever he can.
Zero barks in delight when he finds them down there, flying above their heads in excitement. When he notices Sally shivering, completely damp, he whines and floats down to her side. He receives a couple of pats to the head. She scoots closer to Jack, wishing to share whatever body heat he has at that moment. He allows her to rest at his side, ignoring this part of his shirt moistening at the contact.
"I'm s-sorry I didn't come ba-ack sooner. We th-thought the rain wo-uuld pass...That's w-why we were wait-waiting." Her tone carries guilt through the chattering of her teeth. He has a sympathetic look on his face.
"How could you have known? Nothing is your fault at all. I simply need to get you dry..."
He tries to hide how anxious his words are. He returned home right after he and the Mayor finished started their new project. The first thing he did was kindle a fire to warm the cold mansion. He was surprised to find the Skellington Manor completely empty, apart from his ghostly dog. He believed Sally would've been there waiting for him...only to realize that she wasn't.
He was so worried in that moment - that something had happened to her, or the storm must've caught her. He was preparing to leave and search for her until she happened to come in right through his front doors. To find her standing there, shivering, covered entirely in water...it brought immense anxiety to his bones. He's never felt so concerned before.
He sets down the rag and goes through the trouble of wrapping his arms around her from behind. He rests his large hands in her lap. She lays her small ones over his shortly afterwards. They enjoy their contact and continue to sit there, enjoying the warmth from the fire. When he brings his hand over her arm, he finds she's finally starting to dry.
"You had me so worried," He confesses. "I'm sure I overreacted this morning - but to find you here, cold to the touch, drenched-"
"We tried to get here as fast as we could....it was pouring outside, and-"
"It's my fault. I should have seen this coming. Ever since you brought this up to me last night, I...I've been feeling strange..."
"Strange..?"
He massages her hands in thought. "I always get this feeling before a storm...it's this tingling sensation on my spine. I felt it again this morning, before you left. I thought I was just nervous. If only I had read my instincts better...I could've given you my jacket, or an umbrella, or-"
"You can tell when a storm is coming?"
"I think many of us can. It's common around here." He rests his skull atop her head. "We love this weather. But this is the only time I've ever felt an unpleasant prickling. I think it's because I knew you were out there, still."
She nestles in her lover's embrace. She gets butterflies in her stomach hearing him so worried.
"I'm alright; it's nothing to be worried about. I get this wet whenever I take a bath."
"Yes, but....I don't want you catching a cold." He isn't even sure if Sally can fall to any ailments, but he still feels worried. "And knowing I could've prevented this from the start-"
"Oh, Jack...I don't like it when you blame yourself like this. Really. I'm fine. I'm here now, aren't I?"
He sighs deeply. "That you are..."
His grip tightens. Hearing that last sentence fills him with relief. She is here now. Instead of being outside, far too dangerous and cold...she's safely tucked in his arms at this second. He feels his bones stop swelling as he rests his skull on her hair. She's only a little damp at this point. He feels satisfied with this progress.
After a few minutes, he realizes he hasn't asked about her trip yet.
"Did you find anything?"
"We did. There were drawers filled with spare needles, thread, thimbles...everything I could've asked for."
He smiles. She sounds so excited. The trip must have been worth it to make. "-You didn't find anything out of the ordinary, did you?"
Her hands inch their way along his arm as she thinks of a response. "It was a little creepy. I didn't want to stay a minute longer."
"You shouldn't have to. You got what you wanted." He motions to her basket sitting by the front door.
"I'm excited. Really, I am." Her fingers dig into the fabric of his sleeve. "Thank you for letting me go."
"Of course, darling. I would do anything to make you happy."
He moves her yarn hair aside to kiss her forehead. She feels tingly as she sits there. She feels antsy all of a sudden....wanting to blurt out what's on her mind. Ask him for what she wants so dearly, right then and there...but then she gets that twinge of nervousness in her leaves that stops her. She rests in his lap instead and entwines her fingers with his, enjoying their now-dry embrace.
She doesn't notice how fidgety Jack is as well. He repeatedly runs his hand through her hair and twirls the ends of her strands in his fingers. He wants to break the news to her already - of what he plans to accomplish for her; to spoil the surprise early, just to see the bright smile on her face. But he has to ignore these impulses, figuring it will all come in due time.
They hold each other while resting by the fire for the rest of the night, both of them as restless as the other.
Chapter 9: Black Cat
Summary:
Sally is still struggling with asking Jack for her own Sewing Shop. After meeting a familiar creature again, she gets an idea for a proposal she can ask him in the meantime. He soon agrees, and uses this to his advantage for keeping his plans a secret.
After all is well, she is still left with her question...
Notes:
I know this is a little late/early, but Merry Christmas, and happy holidays to my readers! Thank you for being so patient with this chapter. A lot has happened in this time, as usual, and I apologize for the long wait!
I *may* be working on another TNBC fic now. For any of my readers who are 18+, feel free to check out a new Jack Skellington/Sally fanfic I have on my profile! It's called "Vehement". Please only look for it if you are an adult, thank you!
I hope you all are safe, and have a wonderful time with your loved ones! Again, I apologize for the long wait, and hope this chapter suffices! The next one *should* be coming soon, I hope...
Chapter Text
The week that passes by for Sally is both infuriating and nerve-wracking.
She only has herself to blame for not asking Jack already. The night she returned from the abandoned sewing shop would've been the perfect opportunity to ask about becoming the town's new seamstress - secluded in the private walls of her home with her lover, in a comforting embrace where nothing bad would transpire...but her shy nature forced her to fall silent. She was sure she'd feel more confident the next day - to march straight to her skeleton and ask for something she dearly wanted - only to get that nervous swelling in her leaves the moment she even thinks of asking him.
She figured it's because of her not-so-successful past with asking for things from the Doctor. She was either ridiculed or scolded for asking for anything more than she already has. Because of this, she grew the habit of taking things instead of asking for them, or not saying anything at all - neither of which she wants to do with Jack. She doesn’t want to keep her feelings a secret anymore. She's in an honest relationship now - and the last thing she wants is to keep anything from him.
The ragdoll twists her fingers as she contemplates these thoughts. 'Why do I feel so...nervous, and intimidated?'
She spends a few nights restlessly tossing and turning before coming to a conclusion - she’ll have to wait until the right time. Whenever she feels...confident enough to ask for this. Where she can swallow down her shyness and allow herself to actually want something for once. She hopes this time will come soon. It's terrible having to struggle with something like this while Jack’s around. Not saying a single thing about it makes her feel...cold, and lonesome.
She spends more of her time outside than usual. Since she’s felt so nervous lately, she makes trips outside to try and clear her mind, as well as her nerves. Her walks help soothe her, and sometimes she’ll even speak with her friends. It feels easy to talk with them and goes smoother than her conversations have been with Jack as of late. The band does wonders with helping calm her down.
Today, she spends some time on a small walk near the Outskirts and stops to admire a few gardens. When she starts on her way home, she encounters a familiar creature again. The black alley cat greets her with a purr as it steps down from a wall to meet with her below. She smiles and leans down to offer her arm right away. The cat nestles its head under her hand, leading it along its slender body. It rubs against her legs as it walks around her. She giggles, feeling instantly better in its presence.
“Hello there…” She coos to the animal.
It lifts its head to acknowledge her, blinking.
She puts her things down and rests on a nearby bench - the same one she sat in when this cat found her not long ago. It follows her and jumps on as well, joining her side and even sitting in her lap. She pets it as her eyes look at her surroundings in thought. The sound of purring becomes a background noise the longer time passes. She doesn’t realize how much time she spends sitting in thoughtful silence.
"I wonder when I can ask him..." She muses to herself. The cat's ears perk up at her words. "It should be easy for me to ask anything of him, but I feel like he's going to say 'no'..."
The animal flicks its tail and yawns. She gently scratches its head. "When I first met Jack, he told me he thought I'd make a good seamstress. He was the first one to ever say so. So, why do I think he won't let me do this?"
She doesn't expect an answer. But the cat still meows quietly. She looks at it and marvels at its beautiful, yellow eyes - with long, black slits for its pupils. It paws at her hand and she resumes petting it, much to the cat's pleasure. She almost forgets what she had been talking to herself about and sighs in content.
"I haven't asked much from him, have I? He's constantly given me things that I need...a new home and room, and everything we've been through together...I must not be good at asking for things I want..."
"Meow."
"He’ll probably tell me that I can ask for anything. That I shouldn't be scared of something like this...but he's given me so much as it is. Will I ever be able to return all of that? Should I, before I ask for anything more..?"
It stretches on her lap and lays its body down more comfortably. She smiles and continues petting it. She can't believe how much stress she's working through right now. With this animal at her side...she feels relaxed, and comforted by its presence. Even the feeling of its fur under her hand is enough to calm her down. It reminds her of the time she used to spend with Zero - how he would make her feel better by keeping her company at the Graveyard before Jack came around.
"You're right...I should be confident in the things I want. He would want me to feel that way. Even if it's not possible...I would feel better having him know that I want this."
Her stare prolongs on this alley cat. Would it...be possible to have a pet like Zero? She feels so curious. She's seen how much the ghostly dog has done for Jack, aiding him at his side when he needs it the most. Would this cat be there for Sally when she needs it? Just like times like these - where she needs the assurance of another breathing being that can bring her comfort and assurance..?
Her lips twitch in thought. Maybe....this can be her first step with asking for something from Jack. It's not as big of a proposal as a sewing shop will be, and it's something that involves living with him...Sally smiles as she comes to terms with this thought. She'll ask Jack if she can keep this cat around their home. If she can have an animal companion of her own.
"Would you like to be my pet?" She asks the creature, as if it can answer her.
It stares at her for a long time, as if thoughtfully considering the question. The cat soon comes forward and licks her hand, closing its eyes in contentment afterwards. She takes this as a ‘yes’ and is thrilled with the response. She pets it excitedly - thinking how this next conversation will go. She's almost...looking forward to asking for this!
She reaches for the cat to set it off of her lap. It would sometimes sleep in her basket if she left it outside, so she offers it to the feline. It observes it thoroughly for a minute or two. She’s surprised when it takes the invitation and jumps right in. She drapes a small blanket over its body to conceal its figure and keep it warm on their small trip.
She begins her trip home, fingers excitedly drumming the handle of her basket as she walks.
The Pumpkin King is home early today.
He’s spent most of his time in his study - organizing for the work he inevitably has to do. His desk is a mess at this point, with papers scattered around while numerous amounts of books lay open. He’s working passionately this time, feeling inspired with every part of his job. He hums along while he writes and smiles every time he dips his feathered pen.
His session is interrupted by the sound of footsteps climbing up the spiral staircase. He sets down his pen before the person reveals themselves, and turns around expectantly in his chair. He’s delighted when he sees Sally peering up at him from below.
“Good afternoon, my dear!” He greets her joyfully. “I hope those stairs didn’t trouble you?”
Although he does his best to appear happy, he momentarily worries for her reaction. She’s been quiet as of late. Not to imply Sally is the most talkative person he knows - but she's almost always willing to speak with him, and sometimes their conversations last a good hour or so. He notices how little time she spends in the mansion now, always leaving for walks and visits into Town. Not that anything is wrong with it - but it's usually when he's trying to speak with her, or they're in the middle of a conversation.
His bones ache as he observes her figure, looking unsure as her eyes travel everywhere but him.
"I'm getting used to them," She eventually replies and peeks over his shoulder. "What are you doing?"
"Sketching designs of the citizen's suggestions." He motions to the papers sprawled out on his desk. When he sees her look at his work, he abruptly adds, "-You're not interrupting me. You never are, Sally."
She smiles. He relaxes his shoulders. He never wants her to feel like she doesn’t belong in the same room as him while he’s working. It’s the opposite - her presence never fails to make things better for him. She's the most inspirational person he’s had in years.
She seems to be a little nervous, judging by the way she’s playing with her hands. She lowers her head as her gaze shifts. In a small voice, she asks, “Jack...how do you feel about cats?”
“Cats?” He repeats, finding the question peculiar. He doesn’t want to discourage her and answers as best as he can. “They’re wonderful creatures! Especially the ones that bring bad luck.”
“And how...would you feel about, having one...around?”
This is when he pauses in his movements. He’s surprised at the suggestion and lets the expression linger on his skull. This clearly affects her. She starts to say something, but he replies in time. “-Around...here? As in, the Manor?”
“I was thinking that, well, you have Zero around to keep you company. And I love him! Having a dog is nice, and...there’s this cat I used to see when I lived with the Doctor. It was outside of the tower and in the alleys; it would greet me every time it was outside. I think it likes me.”
Jack can’t help but smile during her explanation. She seems to be having a hard time keeping her tone steady. Almost as if she’s...nervous, about what she’s asking? He finds it cute, knowing what the subject is now. He sits back in his seat and holds his hands together in thought, recalling something from the past.
"A cat in the alleys...you know, there was one that kept riling up Zero. He would stick his nose out the window and bark all night if I didn't catch him! I wonder if yours is the same one?"
She appears worried. "Would Zero get along with it? I don't want to bring one in here if it'll cause trouble-"
"--I think having a pet of your own is a great idea! Now, I’m more of a dog person myself, but I don’t mind cats - I rather like them! I think Zero will get used to having one around...he understands what we tell him, at least."
Her features light up at his answer. She looks so excited...he feels something rattling in his rib cage. He doesn’t have any time to wonder what this is. Without any warning, she lunges forward and hugs him tightly. He's surprised with the reaction at first, but returns the embrace and holds her closely. He’s missed this contact after she’s been distant for the past week…
“Oh, thank you! I don’t know how…this means a lot to me, Jack! Re-really..!”
“Of course, my darling...The company should be wonderful for you. I hope you’re never afraid to ask for these things?”
She shakes her head as she pulls away. Somehow, he’s not convinced. It doesn’t matter in the end, because seeing her feel better is all he can ever ask for. He hopes situations like these won’t have to happen in the future - that she'll feel comfortable enough to ask for anything from him. This might be what made her so distant as of late. She wanted something so badly, and somehow convinced herself that he would say ‘no’…
As he goes to tell her this - that she can be entirely honest with him without any fear of repercussions, he's caught off guard when her lips press against his. The hug alone is enough to make him content, but a passionate kiss like this brings icing on the cake! Jack tries not to show how excited he is when he kisses her back. This must not have been on the ragdoll’s mind. She brings herself forward and sits in his lap, grabbing at his suit to deepen their kiss.
There are no comprehensive words in the skeleton’s mind right now.
The two of them get distracted in their moment together. When they pull away, reality sets in. Her blue cloth skin turns a bright pink as she realizes their position - and abruptly goes to remove herself. Jack feels disappointed, and is almost tempted to stop her, but respects her space. He offers her a smile and moves his leg so she can get off. He grabs for her hand afterwards so she doesn’t stray any farther.
“I’m sorry.” She holds a hand over her mouth, feeling embarrassed. “I got excited-”
“Sally…” Her name slips off his tongue dreamily. He has to snap himself out of it. “Please...don’t ever be afraid of this. For asking for things from me.”
She looks away. “-What makes you think that?”
“You’ve been terribly distant as of late. You’re always so happy to speak with me, but not so much lately. I was starting to grow terribly lonely with how often you were leaving.”
Her eyes grow moist before she can control it. “I was nervous. Asking for anything more from you when you’ve already done so much for me...”
He leans forward to wipe the tear falling down her cheek. “There’s nothing wrong with wanting more. You never had much as it is. I want to be the one giving you what I can - no matter the amount.” He sits back and chuckles. “All you asked was to keep your own pet here. That’s not much, in my eyes.”
She feels better at his words, like she always does. She giggles. “When you say it out loud...it doesn’t sound like a lot…”
He stands from his chair and heads towards the staircase. “So, where is this feline of yours?”
“Oh! I brought it over here, actually...I didn’t know what you’d say, so I kept it in my basket just in case…”
They climb down the stairs together and approach the front door. Her basket remains where she last put it. Except the blanket is pulled back, revealing its empty contents. Sally momentarily panics as she drops to her knees. She desperately searches for the cat. She can’t find anything except the witch hazel she picked earlier.
“Is something wrong?” He asks from behind. She starts chewing her lip anxiously.
“Yes! The cat, it’s-”
“RUFF! RUFF!”
They’re interrupted by the loud barking of Zero, coming from the kitchen. They waste no time rushing into the room, only to find the ghost dog glaring at a small figure on the counter. Sally recognizes the alley cat. It attempts to scamper away through the pots and pans laying about. This causes a ruckus - as they noisily fall to the floor while Zero chases after, barking furiously. It attempts to swipe its claws at him - only for its paw to go right through his transparent blanket. The dog is about to give his counterattack before his master’s voice stops him.
“ZERO!” Jack shouts. He pauses entirely in his movements as he ducks his small head, looking to the skeleton with mournful sockets. “-Come here this instant!”
The dog retreats to his owner and whines when he’s at his side. The cat takes this chance to run to the only one it knows at that moment - into Sally’s arms. She holds it close and attempts to soothe it through some comforting pets. It turns its head and hisses in Zero’s direction, who growls angrily back.
“-Zero.” Jack warns again. The dog gives in and turns away. The skeleton makes his displeasure apparent, placing his hand on his hip. Sally worriedly looks around the room before glancing back at the two.
“I’m sorry...I didn’t think they would start fighting-”
“-Don’t worry about it. I know who started this.” He gives Zero a scornful look, who droops his ears. “Well, I think I have my answer. This cat you have is the same one that Zero’s been after for who-knows-how-long!”
She gasps, looking at the creature in her hands. “Is that true?” It folds its ears back and looks away. “I had no idea…”
“One thing’s for certain: I’m not pleased with this behavior.” The skeleton begins to lecture his pet. “Sally brings a new visitor into our home and you go and chase it! Where are your manners?” Zero’s nose dims as he frowns. “--You two are going to have to get along if they’re going to stay here.”
The dog is alarmed at this news, his ears pointing straight in surprise. He looks between the two several times, but doesn’t receive an answer. Jack comes to Sally’s side and looks at the cat curiously, attempting to see under its tail. After a moment, he hums in surprise. “-Who, to my knowledge, is a girl…”
“She’s a girl..? I never knew…I-I don’t even have a name for her, yet…”
As she glides her fingers down its back, the cat appears to have calmed down. She purrs in delight. Jack pets her for himself. The cat nestles its head in his palm. Zero visibly scoffs in the background, choosing to look away from the three. The skeleton rolls his eye sockets before removing his hand and standing up straight.
“You'll have plenty of time to figure that out. In the meantime--” He looks over and snaps his fingers, beckoning Zero to come, who begrudgingly flies over. “-Let’s have them meet properly.”
Sally kneels down and gently sets the cat on the floor, keeping her hands at its sides. Jack gives his dog permission to come forward and greet the fellow animal. They're both hesitant at first - neither of them willing to greet the other. After impatient ‘ahem’s from their masters, they meet in the middle and stare at each other for a straight minute. Their noses accidentally touch, causing them to jump in surprise.
The ragdoll coos. “Aww…”
They’re both visibly curious. Zero goes forward to sniff its head while the cat ducks away from him. She paws at him and watches her arm go straight through. When she manages to touch his sheet, he moves away and she starts following after, meowing at him. Their bystanders chuckle as they start chasing each other - this time, without ill intent.
“It might take awhile, but I’m positive they’ll get along.” Jack tells her. “See? You had nothing to worry about.”
“You’re right…” Her eyes watch the two animals curiously. “It was silly of me to think you’d say ‘no’.”
“From the way you reacted, I don’t think I’ll ever say anything but ‘yes’.” He replies flirtatiously. Her eyes go wide and she hides her face in embarrassment. He laughs before pulling her closer, leaving another peck on the top of her hair.
The Pumpkin King and Mayor of Halloween Town stand together on the Residential Hill, watching the Behemoth push a wheelbarrow full of debris and empty it into a pile. The zombie continues this process mindlessly - shoveling rotten wood and dirt into the container and emptying it soon afterwards. The Mayor grins in delight as he crosses something off of the list he’s holding. The skeleton’s skull turns towards the others at work - who are gathering pieces of wood and stone and setting them aside for the construction that inevitably will come.
“We’re lucky the storm didn’t completely destroy everything,” The shorter man mentions happily. “We’ve scavenged quite a bit from what was left!”
“Any sewing supplies?” He asks. The Mayor nods his head.
“A few machines were destroyed from the roof caving in, but there are a couple that still work. Really, anything that wasn’t crushed was saved - they’re being transported into the Town Hall as we speak.”
“Fantastic.” The grin spreads on his stitched lips. He’s elated at this news. Why shouldn’t he be? That’s more supplies for Sally to have once the place is finished. “-We’re fortunate no one was hurt by the fall. I’m not surprised - that place was going to come down eventually.”
“And it saves us plenty of time, too! We should begin construction in a couple of days. The blueprints you gave me work perfectly! If we’re diligent about this, it should be done in only a month.”
Everything about this has Jack Skellington feeling optimistic. Sally’s shop can be finished even sooner than he thought..! He made those blueprints the moment he could - as he felt so inspired, he wanted it down on paper immediately. He wants her shop to be somewhere she can be comfortable expressing herself, and do what she loves. He can only hope she’ll be satisfied with it once it’s done. He's crossing his bony fingers until then.
“Does Sally know yet?” The Mayor asks, breaking him from his thoughts. He shakes his skull.
“I don’t think she does. She’s been distracted lately - we’ve brought in a new pet, you see. A cat that’s grown a liking to her.”
“-A cat? How awful! Congratulations to you both!”
“It’s doing me a favor, really. I’ve been able to work on the plans since she’s been so busy. I can’t tell you how afraid I was of her stumbling right on my work! This should all be a surprise to her when the time comes.”
He feels overjoyed to see his King feeling so spirited. Everything has been going smoothly with the Halloween plans this year ever since Sally moved in with him. And now they are finally getting something done with the Town - something that’s been needed for so long now! To hear him this excited about it simply because it involves her makes the Mayor thankful for her presence. He’ll have to stop by someday and thank her personally once this is all done.
“Absolutely terrible!” He soon agrees.
She’s dedicated a lot of time with her new pet.
The first day is rocky, learning that her new companion doesn't get along with Jack’s. But she still has hope - after seeing them curious with each other, she's praying for it work out. The cat herself is a quiet, yet eager creature. She spends the first few days looking around the Manor and sniffing various things. She seems to like Sally’s room the most, where she often finds her napping. She has also taken a liking to Jack, sneaking into his observatory and watching him scribble away on various things. Sally once caught her climbing onto the skeleton’s shoulders in the middle of his work. He has to pause in his movements to set her carefully down.
She giggles, finding it endearing and a little humorous.
Her relationship with Zero is another matter. The two still seem to not like each other, but as the days pass by, they tolerate the other’s presence. The dog listens to Sally whenever she asks him to behave, and he won’t initiate any fights. Her cat seems to be another matter - choosing to act however she pleases with him. She admires Zero’s compliance with the situation.
Most of her time is spent attempting to train the cat. There is a small issue with her trying to scratch up Jack’s furniture - which hastily ends after Sally catches her. She scolds her new companion and insists on getting some supplies the day after. She’d been in luck, as the Witches in town happened to own some scratching posts and other cat-related things. A few other Residents are happy to lend her what they can, even offering her advice with this new addition to the family.
The cat has her own bed, scratching post, and litter box. She's more content having these things around. While sewing in her spare time, the cat will jump into her lap and rest there, offering comfort as she pets it while she works. With her new toys, she dedicates some time playing with her. After awhile, she's eventually willing to play with Zero. The relief in Sally’s eyes while she watches them is indescribable.
Nearly a month passes when a name occurs to her. She'd been looking for more space in her closet when it comes to mind. She rushes to Jack when this happens, who’d been retreating to his bedroom. She catches him before he comes inside, visibly eager with her new idea. She shuffles her feet a few times as she stands there.
“I know what to name her!” She announces giddily.
The skeleton looks at her with a crooked skull. “What is it?”
“I want to name my cat...Ophelia.” She drops her gaze. “The name just came to me. I might've read it in a book once-”
“-Hamlet, right?” Jack interrupts with a smile. “I once gave you books from Shakespeare...I remember that being one of the few I had you read.”
“Oh, right..! That feels so long ago…”
“-Ophelia. It’s a lovely name. Congratulations, Sally.”
She smiles and flutters her eyes. She hugs him, finding that she’s missed his presence once again. He returns it and holds her close in this moment. This cat...or, rather, ‘Ophelia’ has been quite an experience for the both of them. While he’s thankful for its distraction to Sally, as it helps with his plans, there's also the fact that it’s gotten into a few of his belongings and even scratched up an old pair of gloves somewhere...Not like it's a big deal to him - but he recalls Sally being afraid and flustered over the ordeal.
He was patient, and helped her when he can. But now things seem to be easing down...he’s even caught Zero napping with her a couple of times. He’s grateful and appreciative for what it’s done for his girlfriend - she certainly seems happier as of late with it around. How lovely she’s looked when he passes by her room...watching as she pets the animal mindlessly while sewing - how content the two of them look together…his bones swell in delight remembering the image.
She lets go and looks away. “Now that I have a pet of my own, I’ve been curious about a few things..”
“-And what is that, my dear?” He asks, politely passing by her to enter his room. She follows him in, looking around with uncertainty. She still hasn't spent much time in here, with how long she's been around...
“How long have you had Zero..? How did you even get him?”
“He was a ghost who I’d found in the Pumpkin Patch, many, many years ago.” He explains as he searches through his closet. “He was rather skittish when I first found him - but after spending a lot of time with me in the patches, he grew quite fond of me. I can say the same for him!”
“Zero was...afraid of you?” She asks curiously.
“A lot of deceased animals come to Halloween Town in their afterlives - whether they wander or wake up here...I assume Zero woke up in that pumpkin patch. Those animals are afraid when this sort of thing happens - as something usually tragic happened for them to die.” He frowns for a moment. “I’m not sure how he’d gotten there - but I’m thankful for Zero, regardless.”
“I see...he’s such a good boy, really. And I’m thankful he’s gotten along with Ophelia, now.”
“I think this company is good for him, too. He’s been with me for as long as I can remember. And while I’m good company, I’m sure, it doesn’t hurt to have another animal around." He chuckles. "I think they can understand each other more than we can with him.”
She sighs in relief.
As he resumes what he's been doing, Sally takes this time to think. She clasps her hands together and stares at the floor. This has been a wonderful experience. Finally taking a pet in and...asking for something of Jack. He’s been supportive through this entire thing - and she's ever so grateful. Now that all is said and done with her new feline companion, there is the...other matter she's been neglecting for so long. After how well this entire thing went, how much can it hurt to simply ask?
“Jack...do you have enough time to...talk?”
“-As I always do, my love.” He stops everything he’s doing to properly face her. “What is it you need?”
“I’d rather sit down for this…”
He takes the cue and leads her over to his bed. She's surprised at this suggestion, but sits down, anyway. He joins her side and looks attentively at her. She appreciates his willingness to listen and takes a breath to start her words. She finds herself fiddling with her hands - her usual habit whenever she does something this nerve-wracking…
“I’m happy that my sewing is better. Ever since I’ve gotten those supplies, it’s been easier on me. But I’m starting to run out of space, and I’m wondering what to do about it. I-I think I have an idea, now.”
The skeleton holds his tongue as she dwells on the matter, looking at him with curious eyes.
“I…...I think I want a sewing shop.”
Chapter 10: Sally's Sewing Shop
Summary:
Jack finally unveils his gift for Sally - and she's more than happy! Sally's Sewing Shop is now open to the public of Halloween Town. She receives familiar visitors that congratulate her. She also gets her first order - from three old friends she's known for years.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
“I want a sewing shop.”
A lot of emotions stir in Jack’s ribcage when he hears those words. At first, he's struck with a strange feeling - thinking Sally's heard of the surprise he’s been keeping from her all this time! But then she tugs on her hair and looks away, frantically spitting out her next sentences:
“I know it’s a big thing to ask, and you have so much on your plate as it is...I - I want to have a shop like the old seamstress did...the Hanging Tree told me I should ask you, and I wouldn’t have if-”
“ -Sally… ” He interrupts quietly. She stops her rambling and stares at him with wide eyes. Her posture is tense and so is his - waiting for whatever will leave his lips. He finds his throat dry as he clears it, desperately trying to think on his feet with how to properly handle this situation.
He’s kept it from her this long, hasn’t he? He can call that a success on its own! The sewing shop is finished now, and is sitting there in all its glory, waiting for its new owner to open the doors….The timing is almost incredible, the more he thinks about it. He didn’t know she had the same idea...how long has she kept this from him?
“Where did you want this new sewing shop to be?” He asks, leaning back and looking at her curiously. She takes some time to think of an answer.
“There is the old one. With a lot of work, I think I can fix the place up..!”
She firmly places her hands on his thighs. He’s surprised at the gesture. She pleadingly gazes into his eye sockets. She looks desperate, tears threatening to leave her eyes while her fingers dig deeper into the fabric of his pants. The look she's giving him makes Jack Skellington weak - he knows he would agree to anything she desires at this moment, with how badly it looks like she wants it.
“Please, if you let me, I’ll work hard to get the shop up again...I know how to clean, to fix things - I can make it usable. I don’t mind if it isn’t perfect, I lived in a tower that leaked all the time...it wouldn’t even be a bother to me-”
“-Sally.”
His tone makes her stop and slowly sink back into her spot. She looks regretful as she sits there and plays with the seams at her wrists. In this silence, he smiles. To hear her willing to work so hard for something she desperately wants...it reminds him of his own determination. He finds it attractive. He feels honored to be the one providing her with something this important to her.
“How about we go to this shop together, and see what we can do from there?” He offers. “I have experience - I could plan and rebuild everything for you.”
She’s elated at his words. “You...you mean that? I-”
“Why, we shouldn’t waste any time at all! How about we go now - before the day is over?”
She doesn’t notice the tears streaming down her cheeks until he wipes them away. The cold feeling in her stomach turns into tingles crawling down her body - in the delightful way, of course. She feels... relieved. Happy. To know she'll get what she wants - and Jack will be there to help her. They will work on something together.
She sits in his lap, laying her head on his chest and enjoying his embrace. He wraps his long arms around her figure as they rest there for several minutes. Not exactly how he planned this would go...but it’ll work! He feels reassured he didn’t even have to say ‘no’ to her.
The ragdoll is giddy as she skips alongside her Pumpkin King, looking up to grin at him every few minutes or so. Their walk into the Residential part of town is one of patience, but she can’t hide how excited she is. She can’t stay still for very long - not when everything has been going so well as of late, and how kind her skeleton man has been to her. She makes sure to show him how grateful she is that they’re going there together, clutching his hand tightly.
The skeleton is especially pleased. To see her this lovely and bright - so excited about something she has yet to see...it’ll be hard to take it in once she actually sees the new shop. He imagines how she’ll look then, and almost melts at the picture. All he ever wanted after meeting Sally was to keep her happy. To give her this is fulfilling his own wish as well.
They’re close, now. Only a few minutes until the shop is within their sight. Jack’s fingertips start to itch - he can’t help it, after hiding this surprise for so long..! He sees the anticipation in her eyes as well. They both are visibly impatient to get there already. They converse in the meantime, just to kill time.
“How long do you think it'll take to get the shop ready?” She asks. He pretends to take this question seriously.
“It depends how much we work on it...I would think less than a month?”
“That soon?” She gasps. “I would assume at least a year… ”
He laughs. “You doubt my craftsmanship, Sally! I can whip up a blueprint in less than a week.”
She looks at the ground as they walk, admiring his polished shoes. This is another part of him that she admires, and didn’t even know about. She's excited to work with someone so talented and has so much experience. She hopes he’ll agree to what she has in mind.
“I have so many ideas...I can’t wait to start! With all the-”
Her words are cut off when the skeleton stops in their tracks. She's about to ask him why until she looks at what he’s staring at. They're standing in front of a humble building - similar to the old seamstress’ shop in size. Except this one is freshly painted, with a new sign and roof built in. It's absolutely beautiful, in her eyes. Its structure blends in with the rest of Halloween Town - as it has the dark colors and sort of odd shape to its form. She turns to her King with a confused look.
“Why are we here? I thought we were going to the old shop.”
“This is the old shop.” He corrects her with a bright smile.
“....What?”
She withdraws her hand from his in surprise. That’s when the realization strikes. Her eyes go wide as her mouth falls agape. This…this is where the old seamstress’ shop was! Except, there’s no sign of any rubble, or indication that an old building used to be here…In awe, the ragdoll comes forward to inspect the building closer. Her phantom heart stops when she finally reads the sign.
‘Sally’s Sewing Shop’.
‘This…this can’t be,’ She thinks to herself. She reads the sign several times in disbelief. She even rubs her eyes and pinches herself to check if she’s dreaming.
The skeleton behind her is having the time of his death. The way she covers her mouth in shock, and the look on her face now, seeing the sign he personally painted to hold her name...it’s a mixture of wonder, confusion, and joy. He steps forward and she reaches for him without ever tearing her eyes off the building. A tear escapes her eye.
“ Jack… ” She says faintly. He leans down to hear her better.
“Yes?”
“What…what is this…”
“My gift to you , darling.” He takes her hand and holds it in his own, her shocked eyes finally meeting with his eye sockets. He curls his fingers around hers and holds it to his chest with a loving smile. “--I’ve noticed how hard you’ve been working - all the creations you’ve made, the sewing you’ve done...I love seeing you so passionate. And I noticed your closet was getting full, so I thought you’d appreciate having somewhere else to work, and show what you’ve made.”
A noise emerges from her throat. She tightly shuts her eyes as a small cry leaves her lips. “ Jack… ”
“A long time ago, you told me you wanted someone to appreciate the things you make, since you were living with someone who didn’t care for it. You were so happy back then, when I complimented your dress. I want you to have that, again. But with the whole town, this time.”
She is crying, now. Tears are streaming down her face, except there is a wide smile fixed on her lips. He continues on:
“--We need someone like you, Sally! The Mayor and I, we’ve been wondering what to do with this place for so long. And then you come along, saying you want supplies and have everything we need…it made perfect sense to me, at the time. For you to be the town’s new seamstress! You have all the skills, the creativity, the passion -”
“...You want me to be your new seamstress?” She asks, fluttering her eyes and wiping the tears away.
“Of course. But only if you want to - this is your choice, I just thought that--”
“-Yes, yes of course! I’ve been wanting this for so long, and never asked because I was so afraid…I’ve always wanted to help others. To help you with Halloween..! But I never knew how… ”
“Oh, Sally. Just being with you has helped me plenty.” He brushes her hair back to kiss her forehead. “You’ve inspired me over the years of simply knowing you...if it weren’t for you, I’d have gotten bored and done something drastic, I’m sure.”
She holds his arms as he pulls away, looking at him dreamily. “I love you…”
“And I love you, my dearest friend.”
They inch closer and lock lips together, tenderly kissing the other for a full minute before pulling away. She holds onto him a second more before directing her attention to her new shop. She's more than ecstatic to come and see what’s inside - wasting no time pulling Jack along with her. He provides her with a key from his pocket, informing her it’s her new one to the shop. She thanks him before sliding it into the lock, opening the door to reveal what’s inside.
If the outside wasn’t beautiful enough, the inside is gorgeous! There is plenty more space this time around, with her own sewing machines sitting in their spots. All the sewing supplies and materials are neatly piled in a large cabinet. The first thing in the room is a small desk, where she can carry her businesses and speak with whoever comes. Around the desk is an assortment of chairs, where her guests sit and chat while they wait.
She moves into the other room while Jack follows from behind, arms clasped behind his back as he watches her. This room is for measurements and fittings, as there is a small stand surrounded by multiple mirrors. There is also a large closet, with plenty of places to hang and store clothes. There are a few chairs placed about, for her guests to idle in and watch her measure her customers.
Beyond those rooms is a storage space for extra materials and fabrics. She finds a fireplace of her own in the back. There is a collection of firewood kept around, so she doesn’t have to worry if things get cold. Sally is awestruck as she continues to gaze around, admiring how lovely the rooms look and how much sunlight the windows let in. The walls are already decorated with pictures of Halloween Town, and paintings…she recognizes a few from the Skellington Manor that were brought in here.
The skeleton feels lovesick as he watches her, his ribs tightening every time she gasps and finds something new that she adores. She stops to sit in a chair and take all of this in. She looks at Jack, who is still staring at her in adoration.
“First the cat, and now my own sewing shop...you’re spoiling me like I'm a Queen...” She comments with a blush.
He grows speechless in that moment, struggling to find the right words to respond. He doesn’t need to, as she steps forward and pulls him down to leave a kiss on his cheek while he stands there dumbstruck. She lets go and resumes her little tour of her new sewing shop - a smile plastered on her lips the entire time.
‘A Queen…’ The Pumpkin King thinks quietly to himself, again.
“This is Halloween, This is Halloween~”
Sally Finklestein sings to herself while she arranges her dresses in the shop’s closet. There are many to sort through and neatly store away. She didn't realize how much she’s crafted over this time…! The Doctor always encouraged her to make clothes, but she rarely had time for such endeavors, as she would be too busy cleaning and cooking. She feels proud of herself as she looks at all her creations, feeling content to properly present them where people can see.
After introducing her to her new shop, Jack helps Sally transfer her things from the Skellington Manor, which takes the course of an entire day. She feels guilty for taking him away from his Halloween duties, but he insists on helping her. She's thankful for his help regardless, and spends the rest of her time organizing her things. It takes a week for her to fill her shelves and prepare everything to open her shop - now's the matter of tidying up…
She grabs a broom and sweeps the dust around, resuming her singing. The longer she’s in Halloween Town, the more she feels the lyrics coming to her. Especially after moving in with Jack; the citizens sometimes sing their song while they move about, and she can hear it from the open windows of the Manor. She hopes that someday, she’ll be able to recite the entire song…
“Hello?”
A voice startles Sally from what she’s doing. She runs into the other room and finds the Hanging Tree standing in front of her desk, with his usual sharp grin on his face. The Hanging Men smile from their positions on his branches, waving at her. She smiles back and meets with them, skipping to the other side.
“I hope you don’t mind me stopping by - I know you’re not open yet. I just wanted to congratulate you! Word's been passing around fast that there’s a new seamstress in town!”
“Oh, thank you, Hanging Tree...I’m so excited to open the new shop! I nearly have everything finished.”
“It looks terrible in here!” He compliments in their Halloween way. “I take it you asked Jack for this? I told you he would agree!”
She modestly bows her head. “I didn’t even ask him. He surprised me with this new shop! I never thought he would’ve done something like this for me.”
“My hanging men were talking about how you and Jack were in town days ago, with boxes and clothes in your hands! We were wondering what you were up to.”
“He filled the shop with supplies already. I have plenty of yarn and knitting needles to go around!” She digs through a drawer to present the items to him. “-If my knitting buddy ever wants, you’re free to come by, and we can work on something together! If it weren’t for you, I would have never wanted to come here…”
His eyes look at her, gleaming in delight. “Of course! It sure has been a long time since we’ve made anything together, hasn’t it?”
She closes her eyes and agrees.
The next couple of days are frivolously spent cleaning her shop and tidying it up. Jack offers his help during this time, but Sally insists getting this done herself. When things are clean, she brings her newly-acquired pet, Ophelia, into her shop. She moves a comfortable bed in there for her, where her companion can rest while her owner works her day away. She allows the cat to become familiar with the new surroundings, sniffing every room and clawing at her reflection in the fitting mirrors.
“I think I’ll need the company while I’m working,” She informs her feline. “Do you think you can do that for me?”
The cat nuzzles her head in her hand, giving an honest answer. Ophelia dismisses herself to resume searching through her shop. The ragdoll deems herself prepared - and opens the front door to allow business to arrive. She’s so excited that she hovers by the door as she works at her desk, continuously peeking up and wondering when her first customer will arrive.
. . .
In the middle of the day, she gets her first customers. Three, actually.
She's surprised when she hears the sound of footsteps approaching, and stands in her seat when they get closer. She finds the Halloween Town Band stepping inside and peering around. They let out impressive whistles as they look at the place. James is the first one to notice Sally standing at her desk. He smiles and comes forward, moving his saxophone out of the way.
“Hey, Dolly!” He greets naturally. The rest of his bandmates join his side and greet her. She beams at the sight of her friends.
“James, John, and Jimmy! What a pleasure to see you again.”
“Word around Town is you’re the new seamstress! We never saw this coming!” Jimmy confesses from behind. “Horrible for you! And we mean it.”
“We’ve seen ya’ sew yourself up before.” John comments. “It only makes sense. Yer’ real talented.”
“Thank you...this is something I’ve wanted. I heard about the town’s last seamstress and wanted to bring a change of pace here.” She answers with a bow of her head. “I hope I’m as resourceful as her.”
“Yer talkin’ ‘bout the spider girl?” James rubs his chin. “She was a scary one, fer sure...I already know you’ll be a million times better. Ya’ don’t eat kids, for one!”
He laughs at his joke while the other two men look at him dully. He quiets down after awhile. Sally goes ahead and pours them some cups of water. They look thankful when she offers it to them and accepts, chugging them down and looking around. She's happy to be in their presence again - they’ve always been such good friends to her!
“So, how’d you get this place?” Jimmy asks. “Looks nothin’ like how it used to. This was a heap of garbage no one liked to go to anymore.”
“Jack had everything fixed up for me...this was a surprise of his.”
“Bone Daddy did all o' this for you? He must really care for ya’! Can’t imagine how much time they spent refurbishin’ the place-'' James is startled when Ophelia suddenly jumps onto the desk. “ -Geez! ”
“Oh, Ophelia. You know not to climb on things.” Sally scolds as she gently sets her down.
She trots towards the band and tilts her head at them, sniffing the end of their shoes. Like she's inspecting them. She gives them a second glance before ignoring them entirely and licking her paw. The Band is understandably confused as they watch her, then move their eyes toward their friend. She smiles at them and waves it off.
“Did I mention I have a cat now? Jack let me have one around the Manor. I picked up the alley cat from the Tower...she’s been such a sweetheart. She’ll stick around with me while I work here, now.”
“You have a pet, too? Gee, how long’s it been since we talked?” John asks weakly, scratching his head. She titters.
“Ever since the meeting, a lot has…happened.” She looks down remembering the situation with the Witches. “But a lot of good things, too. I talked with the Doctor again, and we’re finally on good terms. The Witches are speaking to me; they're the ones who told me about the old seamstress..! And I have a pet cat and my own sewing shop...I couldn’t ask for anything more!”
“Hold on - you and th’ Doctor are...gettin’ along?” James leans forward in interest. “Last I heard, he kicked ya’ out n’ now yer’ with Jack...what made ya’ two see eye-to-eye, finally?”
“I wanted to give him a second chance.” She confesses quietly. “I want him to be a father to me - and he agreed to the idea. He’s more accepting of my relationship with Jack, now. And I’ve gotten to know more about his new creation - her name’s Jewel.”
“Fellas, it feels like we’ve been missin’ out on our doll’s story here.” He dramatically turns to his band members and shakes his head. “We’re real sorry ‘bout not bein’ around much! Yer’ cooped up at Jack’s now. We know yer’ doin’ better, so we don’t wanna’ be a bother.”
“-Not at all! I miss when you three would play your wonderful songs by my window. Please pay us a visit every now and then! I wouldn’t mind listening to you from our windows.”
“Well then, we’ll go ahead and play closer to the Manor, knowing you’re in there.” Jimmy offers with a smile. She returns it to show her appreciation.
“Truth is, we didn’t jus’ come here for a lil’ catch-up, as much as we love talking to ya’.” James gets her attention again. “We’re here for business! Yer’ the new seamstress, right?” She nods. “-Then we’re in need of a lil’... fixin’. I don’t know if you can tell, but our outfits have been through Hell n’ back. They’re torn n’ patched...I think it’s ‘bout time we got ourselves a new set!”
“We’ve been saving our tips, too.” John butts in.
“If you could make us some new outfits, we’d be grateful.” Jimmy dips his head to her. “We got no doubts you’ll do a good job. All we want is something complimenting and snazzy.”
“ -Snazzy ?” She repeats to herself, getting a notebook and pencil out, scribbling furtively. “...I think I can manage! Why don’t I get your measurements today, then I’ll come up with something tomorrow? I’ll let you know as soon as possible, and I can start working on your new outfits.”
“Perfect!” They beam at her suggestion and offer their hands to her. She shakes them one at a time - grinning at their elated looks. “-You’ve no idea how long we’ve been needin’ new clothes..! Livin’ outside is fun n’ all, ‘til you get in a rough patch or two. We can’t tell you how relieved we are now that you’re here.”
She blinks. “Really?”
“‘Course! This Town’s been needin’ someone like you. I know plenty of fellas who need new pants. You won’t believe how fast those come and go here!” John responds.
She’s honored by their words, and brings them in the back so she can get their measurements. They talk more with her during this time, and their conversations are natural and enjoyable. She catches up with them even more, asking what they’ve been up to. Not much has happened their way, although they express how proud they are of her and repeatedly congratulate her. She’s more than humbled. These three have done a lot for her - it only feels right to help them with something like this. They're kind to her during their time there, and before they leave, James goes ahead and provides her their payment in advance.
“We already know we’ll love it, so here ya’ go.” He pours her their collected coins. “‘S about time ya’ got paid for yer’ talents, Dolly.”
She’s speechless as she collects the money. “Thank you three so much...I promise I won’t disappoint!”
“We know ya’ won’t! Have a good time, Sally!”
No one else comes in for her first day, but she is too absorbed in her new order that she doesn’t really mind. She spends the rest of her time pondering on how to design the Band’s new outfits and how she'll go about making them. She's excited with her new project - doing something for her friends, and getting paid for her time as well!
It feels too good to be true...
Jack Skellington has dinner prepared by the time his beloved comes home. She arrives through the front doors of the Manor with Ophelia in her arms. She sets down her cat, who eagerly meets with the ghostly dog by the stairs, pawing at him playfully before joining his side. Sally collapses on the couch and rests her head in her hand. Jack smiles at the sight and greets her by kissing the top of her head. She enjoys his touch and holds his hand as he joins her side.
“How did your first day go?” He asks.
“It went wonderfully…! I had my first customers today.” She grins recollecting her friends’ visit. “The Band came in and told me they needed new outfits - I was happy when they asked * me * to take them!”
“How awful! I’m glad to hear about that, Sal.”
“They paid me, and it was...new. To be appreciated for my work, hearing that other people want to see it. It’s something I’ve never heard from anyone except you.” He tilts his skull at her words. She rests her hands on her chest. “-I wonder if the Doctor would be proud…I’m doing something on my own like this, and other people appreciate it. Something he taught me how to do - I just...I want to believe he’d be very happy for me.”
“I’m sure he will be. You can tell him all about it once you see them again.” He leads them to the kitchen. “-I made a new dinner tonight; I'm hoping you’ll like it!”
She thanks him as he holds the seat out for her. He sits across from her and they dig into the new meal - which is delicious! She has plenty on her mind while she eats, but they’re not troublesome thoughts. She feels content, and excited about what she has to do, now. It feels like she has a new purpose - a role to fulfill for Halloween Town, and finally blend in once and for all!
“Jack?” She asks, setting down her fork. He looks up from his plate.
“Too spicy?”
“No, of course not. I was wondering…” She looks away for a moment. “You don’t have a tailor anymore, do you..?”
“I don't. I’ve been trying to be careful about my suit ever since she left.” He sets down his own silverware. “I ruffled it up a bit when I caught you that one time - when you...jumped out of that window?"
She turns red at the memory and quickly changes the subject. “Since I’m the new seamstress now, could I...be your new tailor? It only makes sense, doesn’t it? I would love to take care of your clothes, maybe even make you a new one…?”
The grin that stretches on his skull is incredibly uplifting. “Of course, Sally! I wouldn’t trust anyone else with such a thing. I’m happy you want to be my personal tailor.”
“I promise I won’t disappoint you..!”
He repeats the same words the Band told her, with a trusting smile. “I know you won’t.”
They resume eating their dinner. They feel content with themselves. Halloween Town has a new seamstress - and now the Pumpkin King has his own personal tailor again. The Mayor will be happy knowing that Sally’s first day was a success, and he’s sure they’ll have more to look forward to as time goes on. He has no doubts the citizens will love what she has to offer. She'll be wonderful help when it comes to Halloween this year. The ideas start to pile in his mind.
'It was a smart investment’, the skeleton thinks to himself. He glances up and notices the bright look on his girlfriend’s face. ‘And so worth it…’
Notes:
Happy early Valentine's Day! I thought this would be an appropriate gift for you all. As always, thank you for your guy's patience with the updates. I know they're getting slower, and the chapters aren't terribly long either...but the story is most definitely picking up, and I'm excited to get to the *jucier* parts! I swear, they're going to happen. :P
As always, kudos and comments are appreciated! I apologize for the wait, as usual, and hopefully the next chapter will come soon!
Chapter 11: Our Town of Halloween
Summary:
Sally's Sewing Shop is getting a lot of attention in town - even from Dr. Finklestein and the Pumpkin King. Jack offers Sally a job to make this year's costumes, and the two team up to get it done. Afterwards, they celebrate their first true Halloween together in the Human World. But something doesn't seem quite right with Sally...
Notes:
Huge apologies for the 3 month wait!! I swear, I have some good excuses for it. I had wisdom teeth extractions done that I've been healing from, was unfortunately bedridden for another week, and recently got my first dose of the vaccination which killed one of my writing arms for a few days. I've been recovering a lot in this time - I have not been neglecting this story. I still apologize!
Things pick up in this chapter, with some points I've wanted to get to for awhile. Thank you for your patience!
Chapter Text
Everyone is surprised when the Band walks through the front gates wearing new suits. They are a similar color to their usual red, but with a little more orange this time around. They fit the members snugly and mimic the design of spiderwebs with their thin pinstripes. Their shoes and instruments are nicely polished as they stroll down the streets. Every monster in town is curious with this new change. They are met with many questions, and the musicians are more than happy to enlighten their customers about Sally’s Sewing Shop - the newest tailor in Halloween Town!
Once word gets out about Sally Finklestein’s new service, almost every Resident lines up to seek her work. She receives many in need of patches and clothes, and she is happy to provide. Even Jack’s previous friends, such as the Harlequin, Wolfman, and Clown, come into her shop seeking assistance and looking at her displays. They compliment her work and she thanks them kindly each time. The Hanging Tree and his Men occasionally stop by, where the two of them knit for an hour or two, politely discussing how their days went.
Over the next few months, it becomes a regular part of Halloween Town. Sally finds herself busy with all of her new orders and services for the town - but she is far from overwhelmed. She’s happy to be doing something she loves without being belittled for it, and she is getting paid for her time! Even the children sometimes come around for a cup of lemonade on the hotter days, playing around her shop while waiting for their grownups.
The best part of her days is when Jack Skellington decides to pay a visit - checking up on her and ensuring she has everything she needs. He stays and talks with her during this time, ranting about Halloween plans while she informs him of what pants need hemmed or what holes to fix. This helps the two of them wind down from their work, and becomes an integral part of her experience entirely!
She's learning more of the townspeople, her home, and their song. She feels grateful being treated just like any other citizen, with respect this time around! The grateful look in her customers’ eyes as she fixes their clothes gives her a sense of belonging, and a purpose .
Sally is in the middle of mending a button when she hears the bell of the front door opening and closing. The ragdoll eagerly jumps out from her seat and meets with this visitor - only for her jaw to drop open in surprise. She’s met with the two figures who look around her shop curiously. They notice the ragdoll’s appearance and approach her without any hesitation. She remains where she is, frozen as a statue behind the counter.
She finds herself inches away from her mother and father figure. She blinks a few times in astonishment. “Doctor? Jewel?”
The tall woman is the one to greet her. “We heard about your new seamstress shop and just had to see it for ourselves!”
Her black eyes drop to Doctor Finklestein right away, who is avoiding eye contact with her. He is observing the sewing machines around the room without a word. He doesn’t look particularly interested, a small frown settled on his lips. Her lips fall before directing her attention back to Jewel, giving her a warm smile and offering her hand.
“It’s been awhile since we’ve seen each other..! I know we’ve called a few times, but-”
“-Don’t worry about it. Calling you has meant a lot to us. Isn’t that right, Doctor..?”
He looks surprised at the sound of his name and finally glances up. He looks between the two fidgetly before nodding and looking away again. “Yes, yes, just fine…”
He looks uneasy in here. She’s never seen him so uncomfortable, beyond the times he was in the presence of the Pumpkin King. He seems to be looking around a lot, examining the shop as much as he can. She starts worrying about what’s going through his head - if the place isn’t up to his standards or if he doesn’t approve of any of this. She scolds herself for even thinking such a thing and attempts to get his attention.
“Is something the matter..?”
He finally snaps out of it and properly addresses her. He fixes his glasses and clears his throat. “I’m surprised you have a business of your own…with a building this great as well...”
“This was the old seamstress’ shop. Jack had it rebuilt for me.” She explains. “Surely you remember her..?”
“The Beldam? Why, yes, a little bit. I never needed her services, so we couldn't properly talk.”
Jewel thinks for a moment before nodding. “I don’t seem to remember her, either.”
The ragdoll realizes their formalities before ducking her head and motioning around. “Please, get uncomfortable! My shop is open to anyone in town...including my... parents…” She mutters the last word quietly. “-Is there anything you two might need..?”
The other woman’s face lights up at the suggestion. “We wanted to know if you could make us something... matching ? Now that we’re married, I’d like to start complimenting with Finky. Anything can work - coats, gloves, or maybe a hat...”
Sally looks over to the Doctor again. He’s quieted down and hangs his head low, staring at his lap without a word. He doesn’t look as excited for the idea as Jewel is. Then again. She rarely sees him worked up about anything except science. She offers her mother figure a patient smile as she reaches for a pencil and paper, scribbling down some ideas right away. The two discuss further on this small project. Jewel eventually agrees with a pair of matching hats, saying they'll compliment their bracelets. She notices the two of them are wearing a set - small, orange beads on a thin string. Knowing the color should make this process easy. She agrees to begin on it right away.
As their business is finished, Dr. Finklestein finally speaks up. “Wait for me outside, my dearest. I have something to talk about with Sally.”
She exchanges goodbyes with her daughter, leaving the two of them alone in the building. The ragdoll is curious with what he wants to say to her alone. They have reconciled, so it can’t be anything hurtful. She sits down so they can properly talk, attempting to appear as comfortable and polite as possible.
“What is it, Doctor?”
“I just wanted to congratulate you. Properly, that is.” He waves his hand. “I...have never seen you this happy before.”
She brushes her hair to the side. “I’ve always loved sewing. I know you taught me so I could make you clothes, but now...I have the freedom to do it the way I want to.”
He hangs his head low. “You know how sorry I am for that…”
“If anything, I should thank you for teaching me how to do it. I never would have found my passion otherwise.”
She gets out of her seat and hugs him again. It’s just as comforting as the first time. His small hands rest on her back as he cherishes this contact. Jewel has given him plenty of affection by now, but this is a different experience entirely. He’s not sure if he’ll ever get used to it - the gesture is still as surprising as it was the first day. When she pulls away, he finds it within himself to smile.
“You must forgive Jewel. She’s been crazy about clothes and colors lately; I just can’t understand it. She wants to try... new things .” He wrings his gloved hands together. “This means a lot to me, girl. Thank you for wanting to make something for us.”
She grins. “Anything for my parents.”
The word feels more natural, this time. There no longer is an anxious swelling in her chest as she says it. Finklestein offers her another smile, and finally departs. When she is alone again, she begins thinking of designs and how she can make Jewel and the Doctor happy. As she brings out her knitting needles, Sally hums to herself and thinks about her creator and his new creation.
----
“Knock knock!”
A lighthearted voice comes from the other side of her opened door. Sally Finklestein grins as she recognizes the sound, her phantom heart leaping when she finds a tall skeleton waiting outside. He could’ve just walked in like the rest of her customers - but something about seeing her face before he ever comes in delights him. She allows him in, and watches as he makes his way around her shop. He kneels down to pet Ophelia and the cat purrs in response. He’s as accustomed to this building as she is, with how often he comes around to check in on her.
“Is there a reason my Pumpkin King has come to visit today?” She asks, moving her needle easily to form stitches. Jack stops and joins her side, pulling up a chair and sitting across from her. Judging by his straight posture, it seems something important is on his mind.
“To check on the love of my death, of course.” He responds coyly. He shifts his legs as he continues his words. “-And I've brought an offer for you.”
She pauses in her movements, looking up from her work curiously. “What is it?”
“What is the date today, Sally?”
Most citizens would know such a thing by heart - how many days until their beloved holiday and the months counting to it. But the seamstress has been busy with her work and her mind is too overwhelmed to remember it. She glances up at the calendar she has sitting on the wall. Her eyes widen realizing what day it is.
“October first.” She sets down the cloth in her hands. “The busiest month of the year…”
“Precisely! I bear the unfortunate news I won’t be around lately…” He tsks sadly under his breath. “-But I have a job to offer you!”
She was looking gloomily at him until his last few words, now perking up in her seat attentively. He leans forward and grins, elaborating on the sudden news. “Since you’re not living with the Doctor anymore, there’s no need for you to have such a small role! The Mayor and I have been talking about it, and we have the perfect job for you to help with this year’s Halloween.”
“Me? Really?”
“How would you like to make some new, horrifying outfits for Halloween? We’ve been in desperate need for something new in the clothing department - and I think you can come up with something terrifying!”
“This year’s costumes?” She feels so numb she believes she’s dreaming for a moment. “You...really want to trust me with that responsibility?”
“We need to replace our old ones; holes, scratches and whatnot. Everyone in town has been talking about you and the work you’ve done for them - I’m sure they’d be excited to hear you’re taking over this year!”
“Jack, I…I love the opportunity, really, but…I’m not sure I can come up with anything scary enough.” She slumps in her seat sadly. “I don’t have the expertise like you.”
“That brings me to my next suggestion.” He leans closer to her, their knees touching. “Why don’t we work on these costumes together ? We can come up with the designs, and you can make them afterwards!”
Her eyes shine in delight at his suggestion. Working together...with her Jack ? She can’t imagine anything better. It relieves the stress of the job, as she’d have been fussing with perfecting it for him otherwise. With this skeleton at her side, he’ll ensure what she’s making is perfect for the town. If anyone knows what the creatures of Halloween Town like - it would be him.
“Of course! With your help, they’re sure to be horrifying.”
“I was hoping you’d agree.” He brings his hands into her own, squeezing them tightly. “I wanted an excuse to work with you this year. I can’t stand being away from you planning all the time…”
He puffs his lip out at that last sentence. She giggles. “-My King will have to come around more often, then!”
His sockets widen in pleasure as he nods insistently to the idea. He pauses to lean in towards her, and she takes the message to return the gesture. Her lips passionately press against his own. When they pull back from their kiss, he holds his other skeletal hand on top of hers and rubs her fingers soothingly.
“I’m positive you’ll do a wonderful job.” He assures her. “I’m confident in you.”
Those words will stay by her forever.
-----
October is spent hastily between Jack Skellington and Sally. The moment she accepts the job, the two of them get to work designing as many Halloween costumes and outfits as they can. They successfully create costumes for the witches, trick-or-treaters, scarers, and other various creatures with jobs. The process is pleasant for Sally, as she never feels ashamed for not knowing what to do. Anytime she falls short of designs, he’s there to suggest several to her. He’s helpful in coming up with ideas, while she’s more than happy to execute them by her own hand. He repeatedly encourages her and compliments her work, and she can’t help admire his own ideas and talents as well.
...
The costumes for the year are finally finished, merely 2 days from Halloween. The two of them are excited bringing them to Town Hall for inspection - collecting what they have and carrying the clothes in their respective boxes. The Mayor of Halloween Town grins in anticipation when he finds them marching into the room. He steps down from his tall desk to inspect what they’ve brought. They happily present their work to the politician, who carefully goes through the piles with a bright grin plastered on his face.
“These are horrible!” He compliments as he admires a robe. “And terrifying, too!”
“I’m happy to hear that, Mr. Mayor…” Sally sheepishly accepts the compliment. Jack gives her a proud smile of his own, patting her back gently.
“You two work marvelous together, I must say! You’ve brought more than enough to last us for years to come!”
The skeleton finds the proud look on his partner's face and relaxes his shoulders. “Yes, Sally is talented with her work! I’m sure we can use her help every year, with the constant demand for more terrifying costumes…”
She squeaks at the idea. “Really?”
“Agreed! She can help out as much as she wants. Thank you again, Sally. And wonderful work, Jack!”
With that, the shorter man takes the boxes and scurries off to organize them right away. She watches him walk away in awe, still comprehending what happened. She’s...finally helped out with Halloween ! Something she’s desperately wanted to do for so long now, to feel like part of the celebrations and help out Jack in any way she can…she holds her hands together and sighs in bliss. A great weight is lifted off her shoulders. She feels excited to see everyone wearing her creations this year.
A skeletal hand comes around her waist, snapping her back into reality. Jack Skellington pulls her in for another kiss, and she’s swept off her feet while she closes her eyes and returns the affection. He removes himself and smiles at her, winking flirtatiously with his next sentence:
“We make a great team, don’t we?”
She blushes before nodding. “We do…”
He stands up straight and motions for her to follow him. She trails behind the tall man as he leads her to his desk, gesturing for her to take a seat. She’s all too happy to sit down and watch while he gets situated, pulling out a few papers and getting his feather and ink ready. Once all is done, he looks at her with a bright smile.
“Now that we’re done with our little project...Would you like to celebrate Halloween with me?”
“With you?” She blinks confusedly. “Don’t I already do that? I watch you perform for the town.”
“Yes, but there’s a celebration we have after our song. On certain years, we visit the Human World and practice our scaring there - on unsuspecting mortals, that is. It’s planned for this Halloween, and I’d like for you to come with me.”
Her jaw drops in surprise. Humans? She hasn’t heard that word in a long time. Back when she was still learning about Halloween Town, the Doctor had books on things like ‘human’ anatomy and ‘human’ skeletons. She's never seen one in person nor really understands what they are, so visiting this…’world’ sounds intriguing to her.
“I’ve…never heard of it before. What is a ‘human’ , Jack?” She asks. He returns his feathered pen with a smile, appreciating her curiosity.
“Humans are people that are still alive - mortals who are not creatures like us. They're not vampires or werewolves, or even a doll like you. They have skin and breathe...they’re the sole purpose of our existence - we create Halloween for them. We bring the screams, the chills, the terror!”
She leans forward curiously, absorbing this knowledge.
“On Halloween, I bring my people to their world so we can observe and scare them. I’m always fascinated by how they celebrate - humans eat candy and wear costumes. They scare others, but it’s nowhere near our professionalism.”
“And you’d like me to...see them? For myself?”
“Of course! You asked me to teach you everything about this holiday. Humans are incredibly important to Halloween.” His smile widens at the curious look in her eyes. “I want to bring you with me so you can watch, and experience what we do. Normally, only scarers are allowed to come - but I’m willing to make an exception for you.”
“Does that mean you’re going to scare?”
He leans back in his seat, rubbing his fingers on his shirt. “I AM the master of fright. It’s only appropriate that I do.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you scare. I’ve heard how horrifying you are every year, but…” Her words race when she gets excited and she quiets down. She admits timidly, “I’d love to see what you can do…”
“Wonderful! You can come with us, then. I can’t wait to bring you - there’s so much I want to show and tell you!” His own excitement rises as he sits up in his seat. “I’m positive you’re going to love it!”
As Sally sits there, she gets a tingly feeling in her chest. A strange sensation that makes her feel odd. Is she excited? Nervous ? She can’t identify these feelings and swallows them down to grin at Jack. The idea sounds nerve-wracking, but as long as she’s by the Pumpkin King’s side - the most terrifying man, who undoubtedly will protect her against anything...what does she have to worry about?
----
When the fateful night comes, she spends her time singing and dancing with the citizens - mostly with the Halloween Town band, who provide the instrumentals and allow Sally to join in. She feels honored to see them wearing their new uniforms. Her jaw drops when she finds the rest of the Town wearing her creations as well. She’s flattered when they compliment how comfortable they are and how scary they look. She has quite the attention this time around, and when the time comes to sing their song, she’s able to chant a few lines. No one even judges her for being quiet throughout most of the song.
This Halloween has to be her favorite, by far!
Eventually, the King of Halloween himself surfaces and joins in on the celebrations, his fiery pumpkin silhouette dancing alongside Sally. Everyone allows them to have a moment to themselves, where she finds herself skipping next to a tall scarecrow man across the town’s plaza. Monsters circle around the King and his girlfriend - screaming in delight when he shrieks and sends flames in their direction.
After some time, Jack stops and jumps into the fountain, cooling his skeleton form as he hops out of the water and grins wickedly. His people cheer and surround him instantly. Sally joins the crowds, no longer caring if other people see her. She feels like she belongs with them. And they embrace her presence - even stepping out of the way when Jack climbs down and meets with her at the bottom, grabbing her sides and letting out a high pitched scream, which is soon joined by fellow creatures.
“Now for the prizes!” The Mayor happily announces, grabbing their attention away from their King.
Everyone patiently waits for this part to be done - the trophies and awards being respectfully handed out to their achievers. The vampires are awarded for how much blood they’ve drained, the werewolf is congratulated for howling at the full moons, and the witches are recognized for their new potions and spells. She doesn’t anticipate hearing her name for the last award handed out.
“And to someone who has helped this Halloween become more frightful than the last- our beloved town seamstress, Sally Finklestein!”
They erupt into applause as she’s singled out in the crowd. Her ruby lips fall open in surprise as she feels claws and hands start pushing her forward. She feels awestruck as she stands there in front of the Mayor, weakly bringing her hand out and grabbing the small trophy. She holds it in her hands as she reads the label, smiling when she sees it’s dedicated to her name. This must be the first time she's been awarded for... anything! She falls silent as she holds the shiny object, trying to think of what to tell them.
“I don’t know what to say.” She feels a lot of things stirring in her at that moment. “Thank you all…”
The Mayor thanks her in return. She returns to Jack and shyly shows him the trophy in her hands. He leans down and brushes the strands of yarn hair from her face, whispering in her ear. “ -Congratulations.”
“Did you have something to do with this?”
“I might have known.” He replies with a wide, stitched smile. “It was everyone else’s idea. You have to be nominated for an award - and you were in popular demand this year!”
“They like what I do that much?” She looks around at their content faces and blushes. “I don’t deserve this, really, all I did was sew some clothes together…”
“I told you we needed you. What more do we have to prove to you?” He takes it from her hands. “This will look lovely in the manor, or perhaps, your shop…”
She hums thoughtfully, wondering where she'll put it. She doesn’t have to fuss over such a thing, as Jack promises to hold onto it while they prepare to leave for the Human World. She feels curious as she watches the citizens loading up in the Mayor’s hearse, who guides them with a finger and reads something off from his long list of papers. She isn't even sure if it can fit everyone - but they manage to shuffle into the close quarters, not phased in the slightest. Eventually, the skeleton returns and leads them to the vehicle - the Mayor is excited to allow them in and tips his hat to Sally as she joins him in the passenger seat. She’s surprised to find Jack holding on from the outside.
He smiles when she looks at him. “I’m too tall to join you inside…”
She gets comfortable beside the Mayor, who grins at her politely. They begin their way to the world of humans. Creatures and monsters are hollering from the back, moving around and hissing in excitement. Her charcoal eyes look at her surroundings while they drive through the graveyard, emerging into a place that looks…different . The sky appears to be lighter despite it still being night, the moon now a white glow instead of Halloween Town’s familiar yellow. She realizes they’re somewhere new - a place that fascinates her as they drive further, arriving at a graveyard that looks nothing like the one she knows.
----
“We’re here! Everyone can get out, now!”
The Mayor announces their presence as he shuts off the hearse. She looks around before hearing the door opening, finding her beloved skeleton on the other side, offering her his hand. She allows him to assist her out, and her jaw falls open at what she sees. This graveyard doesn’t have the same layer of thick fog or a spiral hill - instead, it's filled with graves and fresh grass and dirt. She hears many sounds as they stand there - strange music from the distance, and the sound of bats and birds flying above their heads…
“This is exciting!” She hears Harlequin comment from beside her. “Your first year, huh? You’re going to love it!”
She smiles at his enthusiasm and watches the Mayor get their attention, snapping his fingers. “-Everyone knows the rules, yes? No hurting anyone, no scaring the young children, and no staying past curfew! Got it?”
The creatures nod their heads in reply. Sally attempts to memorize his words as the Mayor dismisses them. Jack Skellington excitedly takes her hand and starts leading them out from the graveyard. She’s surprised to find monsters rushing past them, giggling hysterically as they pour out onto the streets. The surface they’re walking on looks peculiar to her as well - black in color, with strange stripes painted a certain way…Jack keeps to the side as they approach a cul de sac several feet away from them.
The buildings look strange. They are straight in shape and have bright colors, compared to the unique, dark towers in Halloween Town. She is especially confused at the appearances of the figures that walk by - people that almost look like her, except they do not have blue skin or yarn hair. Most of them are wearing poorly-made costumes and are substantially shorter than both her and Jack. She can only see these ‘humans’ from a distance - as the skeleton leads her far away from them as possible.
She notices the smallest ones, presumably children, are approaching the strange houses and ringing a loud bell with the push of a button. The door on the other side soon opens, and they are rewarded with colorful wrappers dropped in the buckets they hold. Sally recognizes this - trick-or-treating . She’s studied all about Halloween before and understands what is happening. But it's a different experience seeing it in person.
“Isn’t it strange for them to see us?” She inquires. “We're not from their world...wouldn’t they be confused?”
“We blend in quite well, considering everything.” He points out. “Only this night of the year would our appearances not be questioned. Everyone dresses up like something - to them, we look like a skeleton and a doll in costume.”
“They don’t know we’re real?”
“It’s best they don’t.” He replies sternly. “The Mayor didn’t mention it, but that’s another rule...we do not disclose what we are or where we’re from. It’s better that way.”
She doesn’t question this, trusting he knows what he’s talking about. A little force is brought on her wrist as he then leads them in the shadows, near the trees as humans cross their paths. They don’t even notice the tall figures as they walk right by. Sally marvels at one up close. A woman looks like one of those princesses she’s seen in her picture books, dressed in such bright colors...The ragdoll stops her staring once she’s out of sight. She tries to bring her attention back to what they’re doing.
“When do you start scaring?” She asks him.
“When I find the right person in the right place, at the right time.” He replies devilishly.
She holds onto his hand tighter. He gives her an assuring squeeze - his gaze locked on something in front of him. She turns her head and finds a young man sitting on a bench alone, staring at a bucket full of bright wrappers that she can only assume is candy. Judging by the look on his skull, this appears to be Jack Skellington’s first victim. She feels his grip tense as they look closer, and conceal themselves behind a nearby hedge.
“Are you ready?” He asks her, adjusting his bow tie eagerly. There’s a childish excitement in his features that she adores. She smiles and nods. With that, the skeleton takes her permission to start advancing on the man from afar, like a hunter approaching its prey…
Her eyes glisten in anticipation.
The silence from the scene is deafening, as he virtually makes no sound moving on the ground. He moves like a spider, quickly and quietly, towards the unsuspecting man. His long limbs remain close to the ground as to not get spotted too early. She holds her breath when he’s only a few inches away, clenching her teeth as Jack slowly sits upwards, still impressively silent. He taps a finger on the armrest of the bench - a notion done to get the man’s attention, who hurriedly whips around. In that second, the skeleton lets out an inhumane shriek, baring his sharp teeth as he hunches over the smaller figure.
A scream follows after as the human flails in his seat. He hastily grabs for his bucket and runs off as fast as he can, not casting a second glance in the demon’s direction. The Pumpkin King lets out a hearty laugh at the sight. Sally takes this time to remove herself from the background and join his side. Her eyes are still wide, amazed at what she's experienced, and how quickly it all went down…what is this feeling? Fear? Excitement?
“-It’s as easy as that!” He triumphantly exclaims, pressing a bony hand against his hip. He returns to his full height now - looking down expectantly at his ragdoll.
“You were scary!” She tells him. “He had no chance to see or hear you...how do you do that?”
“Years of practice. Many, many years…” He mutters to himself as he takes her hand and resumes their search. “That was an easy trick. I have plenty more up my sleeve.”
She holds a small hand to her chest, feeling a hammering sensation from there. She has no heartbeat, yet...there’s a strange exhilaration she’s experiencing. It makes her mind fuzzy as she suddenly feels a little dizzy. Is it disorienting watching him? She doesn’t have a clue what it is, so she carries on with an elated look, excited to see what else he has to show.
She follows him around as they stalk teenagers and young adults, all blissfully unaware of the presence in the shadows. Jack does a fantastic job creeping up and scaring them out of their wits - he does impressive stunts like using the bat from his bow tie to scream and spin his head around while he moves his limbs in an unsettling way. Sometimes his quick movements are what scares them, other times it’s his shrieks or simply his appearance. No matter what it is - he manages to terrify unfortunate souls, each screaming and running away in a frenzy.
The feeling in her leaves worsen the longer she watches Jack do these tricks. Her chest feels cold as a feeling of anxiety has now washes over her. She's expecting to feel thrills and pleasant chills watching the Pumpkin King perform in action, and while she certainly feels it at first, now it’s terribly overwhelming. She doesn’t protest Jack's next scare despite these confusing experiences.
“Would you like to see what I can truly do?” He asks her, his breath shortened.
She feels hesitant to agree, but she does. In that moment, he takes a few seconds to form into the pumpkin scarecrow she saw and danced with earlier in the night. It smiles fiercely at her, the fire burning brightly inside the pumpkin. Her breath hitches in her throat as she finds herself frozen in place. She finds the sight exciting back in Halloween Town, but now it's almost unsettling. He removes himself from her side and begins stalking his target, while Sally watches with uncertainty.
He focuses on his actions. He’s at his target, practically breathing down the human’s neck with how closely he’s following. Yet his steps remain unheard, taken with such careful precision that the older man in front of him thinks nothing is amiss. The Pumpkin King feels pleasure at the false sense of security he’s feeling, and places a wooden hand on the shoulder in front of him. This is when the human stiffens - and slowly turns on his heel to look at the towering being behind him.
The scarecrow lets out a burst of fire, coming close to igniting his hair but missing it by an inch. The man yelps in fear as he trips over his own feet, falling harshly onto the ground. He attempts to back away but is soon encumbered when the being crouches over him. The pumpkin’s mouth opens once more, releasing a gush of hot air accompanied by the sound of a strange screech. Tears have formed in his eyes at this point. He opens his mouth to scream, but a noise beats him to it.
It is a feminine shriek. The scarecrow's frame freezes entirely. The man takes this opportunity to carefully lift himself to his feet and run away. Jack Skellington quickly stands where he is, frantically turning his head towards the noise. He recognized it, as much as he hates that fact. And it's not a pleasant scream he wants to hear.
He finds the area completely desolate, a strange pounding now coming from his rib cage.
“Sally?”
Chapter 12: To Lose Control
Summary:
Jack finds Sally in an unfortunate state after watching him scare on Halloween night. She seems distant and afraid of him - and he realizes why. The two reconcile and talk about difficult parts of his past - before Jack decides to rightfully make it up to her. He gets an idea that will change their future for their better, starting with something that will earn his ragdoll's trust back....
Notes:
*Cue my usual apology of my late updates*
Honestly, though, SO sorry for the 2+ month wait! I went on vacation for most of last month and I've been busy. There's a heatwave where I am at the moment, and my A.C.'s been broken for weeks now. It was a struggle to finish this chapter - it's hard to stay motivated and keep working. But I hope next chapter will be more timely.
Thank you for your patience, as always!!! I especially apologize for leaving you all on that cliffhanger with the last chapter. I hope this long update makes up for it..?
(Pssst, who else is psyched about the sequel novel coming out next year???)
Chapter Text
“Sally?”
The name slips off his tongue as desperation lingers in his tone. His fiery pupils frantically search his proximity for the blue ragdoll, only to find no sight of her. He drops his focus on scaring entirely. The flames and straw on his body vanish within thin air as he returns to his skeletal form. He rushes to the path where he last saw her, turning his skull quickly to search the area in despair. He’s using all of his senses at this point - intently listening for any sign of her.
He's interrupted by the sound of a whimper. Cautiously, he approaches the direction it comes from while concealing himself from nearby humans. He finds a figure hunched behind a tree, cradling themselves in a fetal position while hiding their face. It doesn’t take him long to recognize his dearest friend, from her auburn hair to her blue, stitched skin. She doesn’t notice him. The stitched smile on his lips falls as she continues to cry.
“...Sally?”
She makes a startled noise. He pauses for a second, thinking she's relieved to find him - but that’s far from the truth. At the sight of the skeleton, she starts moving away from him. This gesture pains him. He takes a step closer, only to find her scooting back further. He eventually stops and places a worried hand on his hip, leaning down to meet her eye level. His face is sympathetic.
“What happened!? I heard you scream, and I-”
“P-Pl-ease take me back….”
Her voice cracks as the sobs leave her mouth. He feels an unbearable cold sensation in his ribs. He slowly stands and offers his hand. She's hesitant to take it, and only does so to help her to her feet. She withdraws right away and Jack feels like his phantom heart is split into two. He says nothing as he leads them to the graveyard - worryingly eying his dearest friend as he does so. He wishes he knew what to say at this moment.
“I…” He opens his mouth but falls short. She doesn’t seem to be listening, looking everywhere else but him.
It isn’t long before they return to the Mayor’s unattended hearse. The ragdoll mutters her next words. “I think I need some time alone....”
He doesn’t want to leave her, but has no choice. “....If you say so…”
She lets herself into the passenger seat, concealing her face after rolling the window up. Jack watches her speechlessly, coming to the door to press his skull against it and listen. He can hear the same cries from before. He feels his bones throb the longer it ensues. He thinks of opening up and inviting himself in - wanting to speak with her, asking what's wrong…but he doesn’t want to invade her privacy, as much as it hurts him otherwise. He sighs before removing himself from the door.
He places a stressed hand on his head, pacing in the graveyard. ‘She can’t take long…..I hope she doesn’t...I need to find out what’s going on…’
“Hey, Jack! How’s the scarin’ going?”
The Pumpkin King freezes after hearing a voice. He turns on his heel and finds other monsters approaching him with grins and howls. This is when he does something he’s become rather talented at - he puts up his usual front; the same one he used before, during stressful times like these.
“Just horrible, my fine gentleman!” He replies through a forced smile. “You should have seen how many humans I've frightened tonight..! How is it going for you all?”
“We’re having so much fun! Everyone’s on edge. It’s awful!” The Wolfman replies eagerly, smelling the fresh dirt in the air.
“Say, wasn't Sally with you?” A ghoul inquires as he steps forward, looking around for the ragdoll. “Where is she?”
“Ah -- she’s in the hearse, you see. She got tired from all the walking, so we headed in early. She needs to tighten her stitches, and all that.” He lies.
“Oh. Well, I hope she had a terrible time!” Harlequin comments. “Everyone always has a blast when they get to see the Pumpkin King scare!”
His lips twitch at that statement. They excuse themselves and leave the graveyard, disappearing back on the streets for another round of terror. The skeleton drops his act once they’re out of sight and bites his lip. His mind starts to fill with overwhelming thoughts - ones that bring anxiety to his bones, and an even worse feeling in his spine…he continues pacing in circles around the graves, too disheartened at that moment.
He thinks about their evening. He’s noticed the look on her face every now and then - one of anxiety after scaring his victims. He feels terrible for not recognizing the look then. He should have known something was amiss when she seemed off watching him scare. Could she have been... scared? From watching him perform? He may have gotten carried away during his fun - wanting to show her his full potential; what he truly can do, as the ‘ Master of Fright ’.
Now….he regrets ever doing it.
This is the first time Jack Skellington has ever felt indifferent after terrifying humans on Halloween. He usually feels spirited and alive, in a sense - wishing to sing and dance the night away, celebrating a successful night with his fellow monsters and creatures. He has never known a feeling of regret when it comes to what he does so well. Such a thing only happened because he scared the woman closest to him - someone he wants to keep protected, and far from harm’s way.
Is she afraid of him?
His gaze comes back to the hearse, whose walls she is hiding in at that moment. Away from him . His skeletal hands come and rest on his chest, shutting his eye sockets tightly as he slumps against a grave. He wants to return to Halloween Town. To retreat to the Skellington Manor, where he can properly speak with Sally and comfort her. To apologize for his actions and show her that he isn’t a threat. How could he ever be, to the woman he’s madly in love with..?
He must have been sitting there for a couple hours until his residents arrive back. He puts on his previous demeanor to converse with them - leaving the impression that nothing is wrong. It feels unpleasant having to do this. It takes up so much of his energy, pretending to be happy around others...he isn’t proud to be doing this again. The skeleton sighs in relief when the Mayor finally makes his appearance, smiling proudly at the crowd before him.
“Terrible night, folks! Are we ready to head back, now?”
He’s met with pleased nods and cheers. He assembles everyone back in the hearse, guiding them inside while the Pumpkin King approaches the passenger door. He taps on the window and patiently waits until it’s rolled down. Sally peers outside at him - wincing slightly at his image, which emotionally takes another chunk out of his phantom heart.
“We’re going to return, now.” He whispers. “I hope we can talk once we’re back?”
Her eyes look away from him and to the floor.
They’re interrupted when the Mayor comes in from his side, grinning at the two and starting the vehicle back up. The tall man removes himself and hangs tightly onto its side, a frown settling on his skull. He keeps his head away from the others during their ride back, wishing not to be met with any smiles at that moment. He feels like a heavy burden is back on his shoulders, and he can’t shrug it off no matter how hard he tries…
-----
“Wheeee!” “What an AWFUL Halloween!” “How fun…!” “Can’t wait to do this again, Jack!”
The creatures hop off the car and scurry away to their homes and streets, waving to the politician and skeleton as they go. The Mayor looks proud as he holds onto the side of his hat. The skeleton is wearing a forced smile as he bids farewell, clutching his other hand tightly behind his frame. His friend assumes nothing is amiss when he turns to him and grins. He opena the door for Sally and assists her out.
Jack quickly arrives and offers her his arm. She takes it to help her down, but her eyes are still elsewhere. He can feel her shaking when her body weight shifts onto him - her lip wobbling the longer they share contact. He excuses them from the Mayor, wishing him pleasant nightmares, before retreating to the Skellington Manor for the night. The moment they’re through the doors, he lets out an exhausted sigh.
He takes off his suit and hangs it on the rack. He turns expectantly to find his ragdoll by his side - but he doesn’t get that sight. Instead, he finds her picking up Ophelia from her bed and retreating to her room. He becomes flustered as he attempts to chase after her, and catches her only a second before she’s about to close the door. He stops her by holding it with his hand.
“Sally, please talk to me….it’s tearing me apart not hearing from you…”
She squeezes her eyes and the tears begin falling again. He goes to let himself in - wanting to open the door and sit on her bed, holding her tightly in his arms. But she fights back. This gesture surprises him so much that he lets go, and she takes this opportunity to close it. His jaw drops open as he stands there. He tries the doorknob again. It adds to his unfortunate luck when he finds it locked. He knocks on the door a few times and places his hand on it firmly. He feels anguished and desperate as he attempts to get in, not wanting to be separated from her again.
Not in any circumstance.
“My dearest, please ...I didn't mean to…” He mutters into the wood, shutting his sockets and feeling a stinging sensation in them. “You know I would never scare you…”
He hears her weeping from the other end of the door. Her voice weakly calls from the other side. “I’m sorry, Jack…go-good ni-night...”
He struggles with the doorknob another time until he hears her whimper again. Imposing himself like this must be scaring her even worse…! He unwillingly tears himself away from the door and retreats to his den, where he sits on the cushions in a troubled manner. He hides his face in his hands until he starts to feel a slight moistness. When he pulls back, he finds a few tears have fallen onto his fingers.
He wipes them away, shaking his skull several times. He can’t believe it. He shouldn’t be crying...he hasn’t cried in years! Not after he met Sally. He’s had no reason to be upset….not until now. He made a mistake without realizing it, and now he’s paying the price.
He slumps onto the couch and stares blankly at the unused hearth. His gaze comes to the walls - where he notices the photographs and pictures he has hanging in their frames. A painful memory strikes him. That old photograph Sally once found….when she implored him about his scarecrow form - asking what it was, and wishing to know what it looked like….how he assured her then, that he would not impose any harm or fear to her. How he's have fallen on his word since ….
He clenches his fists. He’s always been weary of this part of him...the demon inside of himself - one granted with the ability of fire and nightmares...he becomes a different person entirely on these nights, when he lets free the monster he turns into. In the past, he’s lost control and shook humans to their core - showing no mercy or hesitation in his screams. It thrives on the experience, the gratification of their fears….but even it couldn’t stop him from hearing Sally’s scream. He didn’t notice how far he went with his actions until they were looking right back at him in the face.
He holds his skull in his hands. No . He wouldn’t scare Sally. He'd never lay a finger on her in any way….but he remembers the look on her face. The scared look in her eyes when she gazed at his pumpkin in its sockets. She’s always been afraid of it, hasn’t she? He unleashed its power right in front of her - and he can’t blame her, running away like that...
“I shouldn’t have let it slip,” He mutters to himself. “I shouldn’t have used it at all… ”
There are many ways he can scare. His skeletal being is terrifying enough to scare humans all night…! He got too cocky, too eager to impress….he swears at himself many times in his head, disbelieving how careless he’s been, and how he'll make this up to her once she’s willing to see him again…
He thinks of the pain; the numbness in his bones and the tears that have fallen...he can’t imagine hurting her. He’d use every ounce of his willpower from stopping such a thing from happening. Her safety is his priority, first and foremost. He has to show her properly...to become the protective man he’s shown for years now.
He glances at the closed door in the hallway and sighs. He drags himself up the stairs to his bedroom, where he meets with the sleeping form of Zero. He doesn’t address the dog as he prepares for the night. He’s sure he won’t get a moment’s worth of sleep, and instead lay there for hours, worrying about the woman of his death…
----
“Jack! What do you mean you’re not coming in? Today is the MOST important day of the year, besides * the * day!”
“I’m aware, Mayor...I need to take a personal day. Just this once. I promise you.”
“But..! How are we going to keep up, if you’re GONE? I’d have to spend my whole day covering your shifts, and-”
“-And I’m asking that as a favor, from my friend. I assure you, just this one time…”
“... Hurm… ”
The line is abruptly dropped. The skeleton winces as he pulls down the receiver and returns it to its proper place. His attention is on the floor, staring at his socks in silence. He has to take a personal day today. He can’t leave Sally by herself, in her catatonic state...He wants to properly comfort her once the time is right. And he's willing to wait as long as it takes.
He glances at the door and finds it still closed from last night. He approaches it quietly and carefully tilts his skull on the surface. The room sounds completely silent. He fidgets with his shirt’s collar as he goes to the den once more, fetching a cup of his morning tea and sitting in his chair by the window. He looks outside and watches the skeletal birds go by and his citizens walking through the plaza below. It feels strange not being out there at this time of day, but he pushes that concern aside as he sits his pelvis down. He'll wait for Sally. As long as it takes…!
Zero flies down the stairs and gives his master a greeting with the wag of his tail. He retreats to the rug in the room and circles on it, shoving his head in his sheet. The dog falls asleep shortly afterwards. Jack's eyelids start to feel heavy. He shakes his skull in an attempt to keep himself awake. He got little sleep last night, what with all the fretting he’d done. Waiting like this makes him feel rather…. fatigued…
His figure loosens in the chair as he slumps back, resting his skull on its soft cushion. His eyes eventually close and his head hangs to the side. He enjoys the peaceful silence of the Manor, instead of the bustling noises of the town hall. Everything will be alright….he's sure of it…
. . .
. . .
. . .
“Jack..?”
“Huh!”
The King jolts himself awake when a voice startles him from his sleep. He’s surprised to see Sally standing before him. He goes to stand - but she motions him back down with a hand on his shoulder. He returns to his prior position and looks at her in concern. Zero floats in the air beside her head, nuzzling the side of his muzzle on her shoulder. She smiles at the creature and lightly kisses his head - a fortunate sign to him, as well.
“Sally..?” He mumbles as he wipes his socket. “You’re awake…”
“I have a lot to apologize to you for…”
She stands there with little emotion, before scrunching up her face. She leaps into his lap - holding him close and dangling her legs over the armrest. He doesn’t pause for a second as he holds her by the waist and shoulders, letting her nestle into the crook of his neck. This moment is quiet, aside from the sounds of her soft cries. He brushes the strands of her hair aside to get a better look at her face.
He sighs in relief. “You have no idea how good it feels to hold you again.”
Her eyes shift downwards. “I missed you…I wanted to be around you last night, but I-I couldn’t…”
“Were you scared?” He asks quietly. It’s the most apparent question he wants out of the way. There is a pause before she nods slightly.
“I was.” She confesses in a whisper. “Seeing you frighten all of those people...it was exciting, but...I’ve had this terrible feeling that entire night. Like I was getting an image of something unpleasant happening.”
“....”
“I used to read Finklestein’s books about premonitions. I never had one so strongly until that night. Just knowing what that scarecrow can do...I felt scared. I shouldn’t have, but-”
“I told you.” He interrupts in defeat. “You said you possibly couldn’t be afraid…”
“Jack, do you think something... bad would have happened..?”
He falls silent at this question. After a few minutes, he hangs his skull low and averts his gaze. “I...didn’t realize it at first. But I was starting to get in my own world - I didn’t realize how much I’d been scaring, or how intense it became. I used that scarecrow without thinking twice about it, and - I was close to harming that man…”
“Would you have?”
“I don't know.” He holds her tighter. Closer. “Thank you, Sally. I….I wouldn’t have hurt you. I’m sure of it.”
“There was a different look about you that... frightened me. It wasn’t the same when you scared those others. I screamed and ran, because that’s what I felt was safest to do…”
Hearing this crushes him to his core. He’s holding onto her so tightly he can feel the pressure he’s applying on her seams. He loosens his grip to run a hand through her hair. He rocks them both. Not only to calm her down, but himself as well…
'"I'm sorry you had to see me like that. Sometimes I can’t control what I’m doing that night, and….it was irresponsible of me to put you in that position...”
She inhales his scent and relaxes her frame. How badly she missed this last night...she’d have asked for his company if she felt safe in time. It was distressing to lock herself in that room, away from her love as he pounded on that door...she cried in her hands for a long time. For separating them like this...she didn’t want to do it at all.
“At least I got to see the master of fright in action,” She tries to lighten the situation. “I wanted to watch you, Jack. Despite what could’ve happened.”
“That was a poor example. I should have never acted that way. Our rules -- we can’t hurt anyone. We’re not mean. And yet…”
“There’s no need.” She holds his skull in her hands, looking at him in the sockets. “We’re safe. You didn’t harm that man. And I feel comfortable right now…”
He sighs once more, his breath warming her scalp. “...I'll never frighten you again. I won’t use that scarecrow for the rest of my death..! I swear by it!”
She rests her head on his shoulder with her eyes closed. He takes this time to rub her arms and brush his fingertips over her face. Her breathing slows after awhile and she slumps in his grip. He rests her properly in his lap and wraps his arms around her waist, leaning back in the chair to get comfortable. She must've not slept much either - as she’d fallen to fatigue quite easily.
Jack relaxes as he rests with his love in his arms again. He feels tired, too.
----
The barks of Zero and mews of Ophelia wake the Skellington Manor residents from their slumber. The pets are playfully chasing each other around, wishing to obtain the ball of yarn they’re fighting over. Sally rubs her eyes as she removes herself from Jack’s lap. He stands to crack his back and the rest of his bones. The animals move their struggle into the other room while the ragdoll and skeleton head to the kitchen. They’re parched and hungry, and decide to settle in for some brunch together, while it's still somewhat early in the day.
Jack prepares their food and sits at the table, relaxing when he feels her small hand on his own. They eat their portion of eggs and drink from their glasses in comfortable silence. There’s plenty on their minds, but they’re not fretting over it anymore. He’d rather move on from the unfortunate night and work on making things better.
Something comes to mind. He stands from his seat and pushes it in, giving her a grin. “There's still something we have to do…!”
“Oh?” She asks.
“We need to find a proper spot for your trophy, my dear..!”
With the same childish excitement, he rushes out of the room to grab her award from the safe spot he’s been keeping it in. He brushes off the dust collected on its rim before presenting it to Sally, who takes it uncertainly from his hands. Truth be told, where to put her trophy is the last thing on her mind….
“Where do you think it should go?” She asks.
“That would depend where you want it…!”
“Hmm.”
She stares at her reflection in the cup and smiles when she reads her name on the placard. She feels proud of an achievement like this. Just knowing it's from her friends and customers in town gives her butterflies in her stomach. She takes this moment to think before it dawns on her.
“It belongs where I earned it.” She tells him. “I’ll present it somewhere in my sewing shop..where everyone can see it.”
“Splendid idea! Let me grab my suit before we head out…”
He dismisses himself from the room to get properly dressed. She holds her trophy proudly in her hands as she waits for him by the door. She thinks holding this from such a terrifying night would give her unsettling memories...but it doesn’t. She feels proud and almost happy, remembering why she earned it. She’s sure everyone else will, too, seeing their gift presented right in her sewing shop…
----
Jack Skellington has a lot on his mind.
Spending an entire day away from Halloween Planning would usually give him the liberty to work on his projects or read some books...but instead, he spends his time with her . He assists Sally to her sewing shop and helps pick a place to present her trophy. Then he spends his time looking at her creations and listening to her future plans and projects, all while supporting her and offering his assistance. She takes her responsible duties as his tailor and finally fixes the ends of his pants - previously torn by the times he’s had to catch her from that window…
When all is said and done, they retreat back to the Skellington Manor, where they spend more time together. Sally insists on looking through their library and helping him organize a bit - picking out books she’d like to read and swapping them for ones she’s already finished. She helps him clean up his study, which takes a substantial amount of time in the afternoon. This part is demanding for the two of them, and by the time they’re done, they’re exhausted as dusk is about to fall on them.
During the day, he dwells over the other night. How she must have felt with what he put her through - and what’s come from that situation. Has he lost even an ounce of her trust after what he did..? She appears calm in his presence again, but he still doubts himself. He wants to prove he can obtain her feelings in a proper way - to make up for his irresponsibly putting her in potential danger. Someplace he can assure she’s safe, where the two of them work on trusting each other…
...
…
After dinner, he knows the answer.
It’s one that gives his body the jitters. It isn’t a new thought; he’s mused about it before, but repeatedly denied such action considering his gentlemanly side. But now he wants nothing more than being closer to Sally. And doing this will most certainly do that, in a way that puts him in a position of closeness and trust. And that’s what he wants to share with her, after scaring her away from him.
She lounges in their den to let their supper digest. He opens a window to let in the cool, nightly air before joining her side. Zero and Ophelia observe the outside with curious eyes, resting on the window sill together. Jack presses his arm on the back of the couch as Sally closes in the space, resting her head on his chest and listening to the crickets and bats from outside. It’s a peaceful night compared to yesterday’s.
He waits several moments before saying anything. He takes this time wondering how to bring this up. Confidently, he calls her name. “Sal…?”
“Yes?”
“I haven’t been the best with your trust lately, considering what I’ve done.” He sighs sadly. “I want to make it up to you in any way I can.”
“But we’ve spent all day together..! You didn’t even work for a minute. Your attention is all I can ask for…”
“Yes, well...I’ve been thinking about it for an awfully long time, and...do you know why I gave you your own room?”
“So I can have my own space to work on the things I want.” She repeats sweetly. He nods along to her words.
“Exactly. But now you’ve got your own sewing shop in town...your dresses are there, your machines - of course there’s a couple here for you to work on, but now you’ve got all that empty space in your closet…”
She lifts her head to listen to him intently. She never thought twice about the space now - she assumes she’ll use it for future things. Regardless - she’s curious with where this is going.
“Since there’s no need for such a big space anymore, why don’t you…” His words grow quiet. He grows frustrated at his own fumbling and has to force it out. “...Why don’t you share one with me?”
“..Share a room with you?” She repeats.
He tugs at his collar, finding himself hot. “I have a big mattress I sleep on every night. There would be plenty of room for you.” She looks surprised at this suggestion. He elaborates. “--It's an opportunity to gain your trust again. I can be there for you every night, and we'll share the space together…”
“...Wouldn't see me in my pajamas?” She blushes. He finds her coquetry adorable.
“I think that’s something we can get past together. You’ll see me in my own. That could even be tonight..!"
She’s growing as red as a cherry at the suggestion of sleeping with Jack...seeing him in clothes that no one else does, reserved in the hours of the night...the idea is appealing to her. She can’t deny how lonely it feels some nights. Even though Ophelia joins her slumber, she always felt like she’s been missing something…or someone. She's enamored with the idea of waking up next to Jack, sharing their 'good mornings ’ and ending the day together. It sounds romantic the more she pictures it.
‘This is the next step for couples, isn’t it?’ She blushes deeper at the thought.
“Y-Yes, Jack...we can do that…even tonight?”
“I don’t see why not. There's not much to move from your room...but we don’t have to do that right now. We can worry about all that tomorrow, and sleep together tonight...”
Even he is struggling. It’s always a difficult feat, being a gentleman and wanting such things. He'll still be chivalrous, of course - she can have the privacy of changing and dressing herself...but he wants to share closeness with her - throughout the entire night, in the arms of one other as they fall asleep…the thought makes him giddy, and treasure her presence even more.
“Okay.” She tells him shyly. He leaves a peck on her cheek, sending delightful tingles on her skin.
“-If you aren’t ready, Sally, let me know...but I think, after all this time apart--”
“Of course I’m ready. I-I know about couples sleeping together...” She pokes her fingers together nervously. “I’ve always wanted to-to do that, with you...”
His eyes widen in delight. “Have you, now?”
She appears embarassed and he chuckles, kissing her again before getting up and putting away their cups. She wonders what it will be like to share a bed with Jack, and how his pajamas will look...if hers will even compare…Will she look ridiculous? Unattractive? Sometimes her hair becomes a mess during the night, and she wakes up rather sluggish...that won’t deter him from his feelings for her, right?
She shakes her head realizing she’s overthinking. He returns to the room after a minute, sitting next to her and wrapping his arm around her shoulders. He brought a book with him, clenched tightly in his other hand. She reads the title and notices it’s a romance. She hums in curiosity, her previous thoughts forgotten from this distraction.
“Why don’t we read a story together..?” He suggests, opening to the first page with his free hand. She sits up in delight - enjoying this suggestion spectacularly.
The man of her screams reads this story to her, about a young woman facing her fears and running away with a man she loves. His voice reads the text soothingly, showing great emphasis and drama when needed. She melts the entire time, closing her eyes and picturing the story in her mind. She can’t ask for anything better but to be read to by her skeleton man, relaxing as the story goes on…
----
“Take your time; I’ll be in the room whenever you’re ready!”
His long hand cradles the side of her face as he leaves a kiss on her soft lips. She closes her eyes tightly and frowns when he pulls away. He gives her an encouraging grin before disappearing into the room - closing the door after him. She looks at the pajamas in her hands and chews on her lip. It’s finally happening…all she has to do is put on her clothes, and follow him into the room…where she will be sleeping with him…
She feels herself shaking. She stops herself. What does she have to be nervous about? He’s doing this to make it up to her - to make sure she feels safe and protected around him. She knows she will be; every time she’s in his embrace, she feels like she’s in a better world. He will always keep her close and loved - and she believes it. It’s not even the memory of the scarecrow that bothers her, but the expectations she’s set in her mind....
Will she take up too much space? Wake too early? Or too late? She’ll have to sleep without too many blankets. She doesn’t want to hog anything! This is his space he's inviting her into, after all…! It sends her mind into a frenzy as she shuffles her feet, begrudgingly heading to the bathroom and dressing herself in there. She gets this done in a hurry, taking off her dress and easily slipping into her clothes.
She observes herself in the mirror. She’s moved on from the patchwork dress she used to wear in Finklestein’s Tower - wearing her new creations instead. But this is the only outfit that reminds her of it. It’s her old nightclothes she used to wear in that tower, sewn from the most comfortable scraps she could find. The different color of browns and beige look almost off-putting on her colorful figure. She plays with her hair nervously, not impressed with the image reflecting back to her.
----
The tall figure shuffles uncomfortably in the bed, eyes locked on the closed door. He doesn't want to miss Sally's appearance, whenever she decides to come in. He's more than patient waiting for her, understanding this is a drastic change from their usual routine, and both of them will have to adjust to it. Even he feels somewhat nervous, unsure of what to expect, finally sleeping with a woman by his side. The thought alone makes his shirt feel tight.
He's in his pajamas, a light beige button-up with long sleeves, and equally long pants. He normally wears a night cap to bed, but decides against it for this night in particular. He drums his phalanges on his knee as he tries to pass the time with his thoughts. He glances over and notices his dog fast asleep in his bed, with Ophelia close by his side. They look comfortable together, after such short time of knowing each other.
'If the two of them can do it, then surely, Sally and I can, too...'
He's interrupted by the doorknob twisting. He sits up attentively as the sight of his beloved comes into view. She modestly steps into the room and closes it behind her, moving her hair behind her shoulders. He's awestruck at the sight. To see her in such clothing, eyes blinking temptingly at his own. She clasps her hands together before shyly advancing forward. He realizes his mouth is agape.
He shuts it and smiles apologetically. "You look lovely."
She turns her head to the side, flushed at his words. "You think so..?"
"Absolutely! I - I have never seen you like this...it's..." He struggles to think of a word. "It feels like a privilege..!"
Her eyes travel down his body and hides her smile with her hand. She notices the empty spot on the mattress and assumes that's where she's wanted. She makes her way around the bed and into the covers, while avoiding Jack's face. When she's properly inside, there's only a few inches between her and the skeleton. This causes her phantom heart to thud rapidly, and a whole bunch of other thoughts come flooding into her mind.
"We'll start moving your things in here tomorrow. I'll clear some space in the morning," He continues casually.
She nods along - unsure of what to say or do. She's never shared a bed with anybody, nor does she know what's supposed to happen after this. Whatever it is, it makes her feel small and hot, bunching her legs together and watching him out of the corner of her eye. He leans forward to leave a kiss on her cheek, calming her slightly.
"Are you comfortable?" He asks. She nods right away.
"Your mattress is soft, and the pillow is too. This blanket is warm and comfortable..."
"I'm glad you like it." He sounds relieved. "You can have as much space as you'd like...I don't take much room, as you can tell..."
She feels embarrassed for forgetting about his thin stature. So there's no way she can hog the bed...That makes her feel better, at least. She tucks her hair out of the way as she looks around his bedroom. She notices how dark it is, only illuminated by a set of candles on his nightstand and moonlight from the only open window in the room. She can make out the silhouettes of a few dressers and closets, but nothing else at that moment.
"...Sorry if I'm... shy ." She finally confesses, tugging at her fingers. "I feel a little insecure about my clothes..."
"Why haven't you made yourself some new ones, then?" He questions. She looks down at her chest and sighs.
"I didn't think I would be sleeping with anyone. I've been wearing these ever since I was created. I never thought I'd be seen in them. But now you have - I feel embarrassed..."
"-No reason to be, my love." He takes her hand and kisses it tenderly. "It doesn't matter what you wear - you're always going to be gorgeous in my eyes. Or lack thereof." He chuckles at that last sentence, and she smiles. "--You look beautiful wearing this..!"
She relaxes her posture. He motions for her to get comfortable and she does, laying on her side of the bed and pulling the blanket over her figure. She watches him blow out the candles, effectively darkening the room beyond the small portion of light coming from the window. He shuffles on the bed - finding the most comfortable position. She feels almost intimidated to move around, but does so slightly, facing his direction.
It isn't long before his arms come around her figure, holding her close to himself. She faces his chest and relaxes at the contact. It feels right..being this close to him. It's the most relaxed she's ever felt. Sally eventually closes her eyes and steadies her breathing - falling fast asleep in the contact of her lover. Jack finds himself succumbing to his slumber as well - relishing this closeness with her, wanting to keep her safe.
Chapter 13: Boogie's Boys
Summary:
Jack and Sally are enjoying their new space together, even realizing each other's habits as they do so. Sally later happens to stumble upon three particular children she hasn't met in a long time...When she speaks with the other women in town, they inform her about Boogie's Boys - and how much trouble they are. Sally doesn't seem to believe them, until she asks Jack about them, who confirms all of her suspicions..
And yet, she just can't help feeling bad for them...
Chapter Text
It's early in the morning when the crowing of a skeletal rooster makes it to Jack’s bedroom. The Pumpkin King throws his pillow over his skull in an attempt to deafen the noise. A few seconds pass before a bright light seeps into the room, the pumpkin sun rising in the sky outside. The skeleton groans when it hits his eye sockets. He mentally swears at himself for forgetting to close the curtains last night, and aggravatingly turns on his other side to avoid the window. His eyes snap open when he finds a face a few inches away from his own.
Sally…
His frame freezes at the sight. His gaze is locked on her closed eyes, her slightly parted lips, and her breathing figure moving and falling by the second. A smile grows on his face. He remembers all about last night. The proposal to move his ragdoll into his room...rightfully sharing his bed together. He moves the fallen strands of hair from her face. This notion catches her attention and her eyes slowly flutter open.
“Good morning.” He greets softly, cradling her face in one of his large hands. She looks surprised before relaxing her shoulders.
“Good morning…”
The air around them is peaceful. She recalls feeling like this on her first morning in the Skellington Manor. Except now she has the pleasure of waking right next to her skeleton man. He leaves a kiss on her lips, brushing her hair to the side before sitting up in bed. She follows his movements and lets out a small yawn. He notices this and tilts his skull.
"You can sleep in, if you'd like."
She shakes her head. "No, it's alright."
Something stirs. Zero shakes his head from his doggy bed before peering around the bedroom. He levitates and meets with the eyes of his master and Sally. The ghost dog joins them and nuzzles their sides excitedly.
Jack chuckles as he pats his small head. "Good morning to you, Zero!"
Some more movement comes from the floor before a black figure jumps onto the edge of the bed. Ophelia tiredly blinks her yellow eyes, running along the blankets to meet with her owner. Sally coos when she jumps into her lap and nestles into her arm.
"Good morning, Ophelia.."
The Pumpkin King leaves the bed and approaches the windows, moving the curtains so the sun completely envelops the room. He moves to his dresser and searches his drawers for his clothes. The others watch him intently. Sally rubs her eyes as she adjusts to the light in the room.
"Did you sleep well, dearest?" The skeleton asks, pulling her from her thoughts.
She nods. "Terrible!"
"I'm glad to hear. I wanted our first night together to be perfectly unpleasant!"
He moves behind the screen to start dressing himself. He hears his beloved leave the bed after a few minutes and passes right through the door. The pitter-patters of her cat follow behind, and he can hear Zero's tag chiming down the stairs. When he's fully dressed, the sound of sizzling comes from the kitchen. She must be making breakfast already!
He grins to himself, elated with everything so far. He'll spend the rest of the morning moving her things and properly making his space into theirs. He’s already cleared time in his schedule to do it. He's more than excited by the time he rushes down the stairs to meet with Sally, kissing her neck once or twice while she stands over the stove cooking food.
The sound of her giggles brings delight to his bones.
. . .
The nights go on, as do the mornings. They've moved past what happened on Halloween night. Jack's favorite parts are waking up next to her. He rises earlier than usual to watch her form next to his - sleeping peacefully, auburn hair messily strewn over her face and the pillows, looking like the most beautiful thing he's ever seen in his death. He listens to her small breaths in this time until she wakes, and he greets her with a kiss.
While she sleeps, she makes the tiniest of snores on some nights, virtually unnoticeable if it wasn't for his keen sense of hearing. In return, she finds the King overworking himself most evenings, cooping himself up in his study while he reads or experiments. She has to drag him to bed every time this happens, sweetly reminding him to get his rest and it's time to go to bed together.
He never resists. He feels like he's in Heaven as his angel leads him to their bedroom with a tight pull on his wrist. He sighs in bliss every time it happens. Things can't be better.
----
It's a quiet afternoon when Sally Finklestein sweeps around her sewing shop. She normally spends this time in the plaza or the Town Hall, where she meets with Jack during his lunch break. The two eat together and catch up, before having to return to their responsibilities for the rest of the day.
She plans to talk over a modest meal she packed this morning. She returns her broom inside and locks the door with a hum. She eagerly turns on her heel until she's interrupted by the sound of laughter. It's a collection of shrieks that sound from across the street. It's accompanied by running feet. She assumes it's the Town children playing together as they usually do around this time, and continues on her way.
The laughter continues until she stumbles upon the source. The sight makes her stop in her tracks. It's coming from three children she's never seen in Town before...she marvels at their bright clothing. They look exactly like the trick-or-treaters she’s seen in the human world - dressed in costume from head-to-toe. There is one young girl and two little boys - the girl dressed as a purple witch, with a tall hat, stringy black hair, and a long green mask. One of the boys resembles a skeleton, who has stubby green hair, a round face, and only three pointy fingers and toes on his hands and feet. He wears a circular mask sporting a wide, toothy grin. The last boy looks to be a devil, with his hair gelled upwards to represent small horns, and a long red mask situated over his tall face, as a pointy tail flickers from his pants.
The three are standing in front of other children, except these are ones Sally recognizes from Town. There's the mummy boy - a child wrapped entirely in paper whom she knows loves to help the Mayor with his duties, a small winged demon with large black wings, and the corpse couple’s kid, Ethan. There is a look of terror on their faces as the trick-or-treaters stand before them, attempting to hide their bags behind their small figures. They’re filled with colorful wrappers, which she assumes is candy.
The small witch steps forward, batting her broom on the ground. “We know you’re hiding it!”
Ethan narrows his stitched eyes. He's one of the few residents that happen to be blind. “Who says we have to give it to you!? Aren’t you supposed to EARN your own candy?”
“Push off!” The devil warns. “You owe us for helping you last Halloween!"
“HELP? You got us in trouble for that trick you played last year!” The mummy boy joins in. “We don’t want anything to do with you bullies!”
“‘Bullies..’?” The skeleton kid snickers from behind.
The trick-or-treaters exchange a glance. Despite the masks concealing their faces, the mischief is clear in their gaze. The other children gulp and back away as the taller figures step forward threateningly. Sally realizes something is about to go badly. The three take their masks off of their faces, revealing identical expressions underneath.
“It seems like we have to remind you who we exactly are..!” The girl giggles menacingly.
The other figures nod in agreement. They advance on the Halloween Town children, cornering them until they have nowhere to go. They arrange themselves in a line, with the devil coming first while the witch and skeleton follow from behind. They momentarily hold the masks over their faces before dramatically lowering them.
“Lock!” “Shock!” “Barrel!”
The last member licks the lollipop in his hand greedily, eying the bags they're concealing from them. He nudges his fellow trick-or-treaters. “Say, I think I know where they’re keeping their candy..!”
“Oh? Where is it, Barrel?” Shock plays along.
“Hey! I see them, too!” Lock points a finger behind them, making the small kids quiver in fear. “You’re hiding it behind your backs! That’s the oldest trick in the book!”
“P...please…” The demon’s red eyes moisten with tears. “This is all we have..! Our parents would get mad if-”
“Psh! This is why we don’t have parents! We work for the boogeyman, and he doesn’t have any of those lame rules..!” She snorts at them. Barrel nods in agreement.
“We take our job in pride...and the boss wants some candy! Which means you will give it to us. Don’t make us ask twice.”
Ethan sobs as they attempt to grab the bags from their hands. “Stop!”
“Or what?” Lock pushes him. His large figure falls onto the floor harshly. “Are you gonna tattle on us?”
Before they push them any further, a yell interrupts them. The kids jump in alarm as a tall woman approaches them with a displeased look on her face.
“You stop picking on those kids right now!”
Lock, Shock, and Barrel freeze in their spots. The bags fall from their small hands as they turn around and find Sally Finklestein standing a few feet away from them. She has her hands clenched and her eyes firmly narrowed - upset at the scene she has witnessed. In this silence, the mummy boy helps Ethan back to his feet and the three hastily collect their candy. Before the trick-or-treaters can do anything, they flee, running as far as they can. Shock lets out a frustrated groan before turning sharply to the older woman, pointing an accusing finger in her direction.
“What’s your problem, lady!?”
“Why are you treating those kids like that?” Sally implores with a frown. “You can’t bully them out of their candy! That's just...despicable!”
The three look at each other before bursting into laughter. ‘Despicable ..?’ They guffaw on the floor, slamming their hands on their stomachs. The ragdoll watches them with a confused look. She steps closer, wanting these mischievous children to understand how unacceptable their actions are. She points in the direction the others left in.
“I want you to go and apologize to them, right now!”
“Who do you think you are? Our mom?” The devil inquires sarcastically.
Shock laughs right with him while Barrel tilts his head. He tugs on his cohort’s sleeve and leans forward to whisper something. The surprised look on Lock’s face stops his laughter and he whispers another thing to Shock. The smile leaves her lips as she takes a step forward.
“Wait..” She looks her up-and-down. “Do we know you?”
“Know me..?” Sally repeats quietly. She thinks if she has ever seen these kids before. Then something clicks...a past memory she's pushed aside for a long time. The same ordeal Jack apologized for when they first properly talked - how she got kidnapped by that wretched Bug King...it's terrifying to remember.
She was newly-created at the time, by the hands of the town’s mad scientist, Dr. Finklestein. She was only alive for a few days before Halloween Town was completely overrun by horrible bugs. She got separated from her creator, and stuffed into a bag by the hands of three small children. She remembered the way they giggled when they threw her in the bathtub, speaking to her as if she was Jack Skellington. Her heart sinks remembering how she didn’t even know him at the time. The way she reacted when she first saw the Boogeyman...the sheer terror when he insisted on keeping her captive...
“That’s it!” Barrel exclaims. “She’s the one we kidnapped for Oogie! Susan!”
“Not ‘Susan’, you idiot!” Lock smacks him upside the head. “It was….erm...uh….”
“ Sally!” Shock slaps her forehead in realization. The other’s eyes widen before they look back at her, then make small ‘ah’ sounds. They look at each other again before laughing once more, slapping their knees this time. The ragdoll is more insulted this time, but it's nothing compared to their next words:
“Oh, man! Didn’t Jack have to come and save you? How helpless are you? You think you can boss us around!?” The witch giggles. “I think the Doctor forgot to give you a brain!”
“What’s that over there?” Barrel points in a direction.
The others follow his finger and notice a newly-constructed building. They read the sign plastered outside proudly - “ Sally’s Sewing Shop ”. The pristine paint, intact windows and doors...it catches their attention. Both Lock and Shock stroke their chins the longer they look at it. Plenty of ideas stir in their mind, wondering how they can vandalize it and make their work look proud. Sally notices the expression on their faces. Panic settles in her leaves.
“No!” She exclaims. “Whatever you’re thinking of...don’t do it!”
“Is that YOUR sewing shop?” Shock teases. “I don’t remember THAT being there.”
“How’d you get it?” Lock asks curiously. At her silence, he gives a knowing look at the other two. “Guys, don’t you remember those rumors in Town? That Jack got a girlfriend ?”
“Ew!” Barrel and Shock stick out their tongues in disgust. They realize his words and grin devilishly. “I mean, yes...we do!”
“I bet he got you that shop! And I know how upset he’d be if something happened to it...because some doll wasn’t watching her mouth around Boogie’s Boys!”
Something snaps in her. She doesn’t appreciate how cocky they sound, nor the coy smile that boy has when he says them. She steps forward and clenches her fists tightly. So tight she can feel the seams weaken….her eyes widen as she comes even closer and the three take a step back. They notice her stiff posture and the smile is promptly wiped off their faces. In a dark tone, Sally Finklestein warns them:
“You will NOT be going anywhere NEAR my shop! Do I make myself clear!?”
They don’t appreciate being talked to like this. But they think twice of it, and decide it’s not worth the trouble. They *can* get in hot water with Jack when he's angry - they’ve learned that lesson in the past. And knowing this is his girlfriend...that will make things worse! They drop it for now and exchange a defeated nod with each other. They stick their tongues out at her before scurrying off in a random direction, glancing back to snicker wickedly. She's left standing there, fuming, as their small figures disappear through a gate. She releases her fists and lets out a sigh, glancing back at her shop and feeling the anxiety raise in her leaves.
‘I should talk with Jack…’
----
Sally's disappointed when the skeleton has to cancel their arrangement that afternoon, as the Mayor is overworking him. He asks if there’s anything urgent - and she decides to bite her tongue. She can spill everything tonight, when they relax after dinner, and work is off his shoulders…
She decides to visit the Witches in their shop. They told her she's free to come by anytime. The women inform her it’s their own lunch break, and insist on bringing her to a small arrangement with the other women in town. They insist on making up for the cruelty they showed in the past. She’s nervous accepting such an invitation, but agrees in the end. She would like to make new friends…!
Sally Finklestein is led to a small table in the Residential part of town, shaded by an umbrella, where the Undersea Gal and Corpse Mom are sitting at, sipping small cups of tea and eating sandwiches. She's surprised how welcome she's received, as there is no trouble making room. She brings her lunch to the table, a small bowl of worm and pea soup, before sitting beside the witches.
“Sally! We’ve been wanting to see you for some time now.” The Corpse Mom adjusts her glasses with a smile. “We want to know what you’re up to..!”
“Your shop must be getting a lot of customers. I would visit you myself, if I had any need for clothes.” The fish butts in. “What I’ve heard from everyone else is terrible!”
“Oh, please..” She bats her eyes at their words. “It’s nothing special. It’s only to help everyone in town.”
“You won that award on Halloween..! I would say it was rightfully deserved!” Helgamine exclaims, almost too passionately. It’s clear she’s making an effort.
“You made my little boy some new clothes. He goes through them quicker than the vampires getting out of the sun.” The large woman sets down her sandwich. “We're thankful for what you do.”
Her ruby lips curve into a smile. This is going so well..! The five of them have an incredibly deep conversation, speaking how things are going in town. She appreciates getting to hear from residents she doesn’t know. They ask her plenty of questions. An hour passes before their food is finished. They're drinking from their cups and enjoying the afternoon.
“You're such a delight, Sally.” The Undersea Gal compliments. "We should get together more often..!”
The witches bow their heads and look away at this suggestion. They agree regardless, and the creation appreciates the gesture. Before further words can be exchanged, they're interrupted by the loud sound of a door slamming. The women snap their heads in the direction, to find an angry shopkeeper disposing of unwanted customers. Sally isn’t surprised when it’s the trick-or-treaters from before.
Lock, Shock, and Barrel rub their backs in pain when they remove themselves from the floor. They throw their hands in the air. “How could you treat your own customers like this?"
“Yeah - rotten little brats, is what you are!” He rebuts angrily, returning to his shop. “Come back when you know how to follow the rules!”
The figures flinch as the door slams shut again, louder this time. The three exchange frowns before reaching into their bag, surfacing rolls of toilet paper and straws. It’s clear what's going to happen - they’re going to play a ‘trick’ on the unfortunate owner. Sally frowns as she sees this, and stands in her chair to stop them. The other women notice and push her back down in her seat, giving her firm shakes of the heads.
“You don’t want to do that, dear.” The mother warns. “Those three are more than you can handle.”
“I scared them off from my shop earlier.” She crosses her arms. “They threatened to vandalize it, but I made it clear they'd be punished for it.”
“You must’ve gotten lucky.” The Undersea Gal rolls her eyes. “They never leave anyone alone before getting candy or playing a trick. They’re the worst trick-or-treaters in town, and I don’t mean that as a compliment..!”
The witches stand from their chairs, shaking their heads and letting out disappointed ‘tsks’ . “Children..! They never learn, do they, sister?” Zeldaborne asks. Helgamine agrees as the two leave the table.
Sally and the others watch curiously as they confront the kids. They're in the middle of throwing paper over the building and preparing some spit wads. They notice their visitors and resort to name-calling, before the two women flick their wrists and chant a spell. A purple glow casts on the trick-or-treaters, freezing them mid-air and forcing them to drop everything in their hands. They struggle in their grip and yell harshly. Helgamine grins in satisfaction.
“Now, are you three going to scram before we turn you into toads again?” She asks. “This time, we’ll make it last for more than 3 days!”
“No! Don’t do that!” Barrel struggles to move his arms. “Not again !”
“Then promise you’ll leave! We don’t want you here. We don’t know how many times we have to say it..!”
“-Not until you learn how to behave!” Zeldaborne adds before turning to one of them. “Shock, you know how disappointed we are..! You could be learning how to be a proper witch instead of this nonsense!”
The little girl laughs bravely. “From who? You hags? Never!”
They move their fingers and the glow grows stronger. The kids groan as the grip is tightened. It doesn’t take long before they plead. “Please, stop! We’ll go!” “Yeah! Far away!” “-Back to our treehouse!”
“Good. Off you go, then.”
They release the spell. The three land on the ground harshly. They throw sour looks in their direction before grabbing their stuff and running off. It’s clear they’re afraid, as they don’t bother looking back. The witches clean their hands off before returning to the table, sitting down casually and acting as if nothing has happened at all. Sally's in awe.
“That really works..?”
“Oh, yes. We’ve had to throw spells on them just to stop their shenanigans.” Helgamine huffs. “It’s expensive, and it seems like every week we have to..! I wish they would stay in that treehouse of theirs.”
“Who exactly are they..?” She inquires. “They kidnapped me once, to give to their ‘boss’ . That was when that Bug King took over the town.”
“Right. That debacle.” The Undersea Gal frowns at the memory. “They're trick-or-treaters, but more like miscreants. Always causing trouble and bringing bad things with them..! None of us want them here.”
“That’s right! They do all these awful, nasty things for that terrible Oogie Boogie...they're never good news. Don’t believe them if they promise anything to you.” The Corpse Mom shivers in her seat. “They’ll wreck your stuff and bully your boys just to get free candy!”
“We believe in the name of trick-or-treating, we truly do! But they take their ‘tricks’ to such levels…” Zeldaborne clenches her hands. “No matter how much candy you give them, they’ll keep coming back and demanding more each time!”
The Undersea Gal comes forward and lays a scaly hand on her shoulder. “Don’t let them into your shop, or even around it for Halloween’s sake! They'll only cause trouble for you. Believe me. It’s happened to all of us.”
She frowns at this information. “How come such children behave this way? How could they work for someone so awful? And what you said, Zeldaborne...that girl doesn’t even want to become a witch like you two. How could that be?”
“ -That Oogie Boogie !” They exclaim, angrily, in unison. She looks around the table in confusion.
“He makes those little ones work for him, and it's so cruel.” Corpse Mom frowns. “He constantly feeds them candy and junk food all day, and lets them do whatever they want! He’s the reason why they cause so much mischief.”
“They live in a treehouse in the Hinterlands forest. Far from town, but not far enough, in my opinion!” Zeldaborne waves her fist in the air. The other creatures nod in agreement.
“Oogie Boogie is terrible news. You don’t want to meet him, which is why you should avoid those trick-or-treaters at all costs. It’s best you don’t catch their attention, otherwise the Boogeyman will know about you, too.” Helgamine warns Sally darkly.
She wants to ask more about this subject, but the ladies insist on changing topics - to something more...cheerful. She slumps in her seat as they discuss business in town. She joins in the conversation when necessary, but her mind feels... troubled. She can’t get those children out of her mind, and finds that somewhere, deep down...she feels a little sad for them.
----
The rest of the day is spent cautiously. She hangs near her door more often, peering around the streets in search of those little ones. She’s quick to close her sewing shop once the time comes. She locks the door and closes the curtains before leaving for the Skellington Manor. Ophelia blinks worriedly at her owner from the basket held in the crook of her arm.
She relaxes once she’s inside. She lets Ophelia onto the floor and discards her wicker basket on the table. The cat happily meets with the ghostly dog. The two retreat to the other end of the room. She watches them run off before two long arms wrap around her figure. She smiles as Jack Skellington hugs her, digging his skull into her shoulder. His pumpkin cologne eases her instantly.
“Welcome home, Sal..!” He greets proudly. She hugs him back tightly.
“Glad to be home, Jack…”
He withdraws after a moment, allowing her to get comfortable. The skeleton joins her side on the couch. The animals are playing on the carpet in front of them, giving an amusing sight to the Manor’s residents. He chuckles when Ophelia paws at Zero’s pumpkin nose, which lights up at the contact. Sally catches this scene and giggles as well.
“Aren’t they adorable together?”
“They certainly are.” He agrees with a knowing tone. Zero catches their words and growls, only to be cut off when the black cat paws at him again.
“He won’t admit it, but I know he’s gotten fond of her.” The tall man informs. “He enjoys the company so much, he waits right by the door for you to return from your shop with Ophelia!”
“Does he, now?” The ragdoll teases and the dog turns away. “I’m glad he loves the new addition to our little family..!”
The apparition decides he’s had enough of their teasing and flies into another room. The cat is confused and runs straight after him. The two figures laugh as they watch them disappear through a doorway. She cuddles with Jack and sighs in relief. She still has to tell him about her day...but she’d rather do that after they’ve eaten…
“Would you like me to cook dinner tonight?” She offers. He thinks about the idea, stroking his finger along hers.
“Why don’t we make something together ..? We haven’t done that yet..!”
“Cooking together?” She blinks in interest. “I’ve never done such a thing...sharing the kitchen with the Doctor was never an option...”
“But it is here.” He picks her up in one smooth movement from the couch. She lets out a surprised noise before hugging his frame tightly. “We should get started right away..!”
He moves his skull down to brush his nasal bone against hers. She enjoys the touch while he brings them into the kitchen. He lets her down and searches through a cookbook. After a few minutes, the two agree on a meal to make together. It’s a new experience entirely to be cooking by the Pumpkin King - she’s always thought sharing a kitchen would feel cramped and bothersome, but it's the opposite! Rarely would they bump elbows or get in the other’s way; it's delightful to help pour the ingredients in bowls and have him reach anything she can’t.
They have a wonderful time cooking a casserole together. By the time it’s finished, they’re eager to try it. They waste no time helping themselves. She feels excited, stabbing her fork through the food and bringing it to her lips, savoring the taste…It doesn’t take long until she comes to a judgement.
“It’s great!” She exclaims. He takes his own bite and soon agrees.
“See? We make such good things together..!”
“That we do...it was delightful, Jack. I hope we do this again.”
“Then we will.” He replies smoothly before taking another bite.
She relaxes as they resume their dinner, finishing it shortly with its tempting flavors. They return to the living room to embrace once more, allowing their supper to be digested. The pets have long moved on in the house, but they don’t mind being alone at that moment. He misses her contact after not making it to their lunch together that day...he feels guilty having to be away, and frowns as he combs his hand through her yarn hair.
“How did your day go, my love? It didn’t trouble you that I couldn’t make it to our arrangement...? The soup you made was good...”
“It's fine. I know you have plenty of work with the Mayor.” She nestles his side sweetly. “I went into town and had lunch with the Witches and a few other women from town.”
“Did that go well?”
“They’ve been wanting to make it up to me for what they said in the past. We had a lovely time together. We talked about my shop and what’s been going on in the town…except…”
He notices her hesitation and leans forward. “Except…?” He inquires, crooking an eye socket.
“I had an unexpected encounter today, with...some children.” She awkwardly begins explaining. “I met the trick-or-treaters today. I found them picking on the Corpse Kid, the Mummy boy, and the winged demon...I had to put a stop to it, so I interrupted them. It didn’t go quite as I planned…”
“You met with Lock, Shock, and Barrel?” The skeleton asks in surprise. She waits before nodding. “Did they give you any trouble?”
“Yes *and* no. They noticed my shop and threatened to do something to it, before I told them not to. They ran off. When I had lunch with those ladies, they were picking on some of the shopkeepers in town. The Witches stepped in and put an end to it, but-”
“-They’re a lot of trouble, Sally.” He interrupts her, waving a skeletal finger. “You need to be wary of them.”
“That’s exactly what they said.” She sighs. “But, Jack, who exactly are they? They told me they're miscreants and trick-or-treaters, but that’s all I really know…”
He hums before removing his arms and sitting upright. She can tell this is a serious subject and allows him to collect his thoughts. After a moment, he replies, “-They’re Halloween Town’s finest trick-or-treaters. And by that, really, they’re good at what they do. They get candy and pull tricks. But they cause more trouble than they’re worth, and often try to give me and the Mayor a hard time…”
She leans forward and listens intently, wanting to know more about these children. “Where did they come from? I heard they don’t have any parents.”
“They don’t.” He frowns. “They came into town a long time ago, recently deceased at the time...they caused a lot of trouble back then, not particularly interested in meeting us, but demanding candy from everyone and pulling pranks and tricks on them. It was overwhelming for me and the Mayor, and we tried our best to put a stop to it, but...we weren’t very successful…”
She blinks at his story.
“We were desperate and out of options, trying to get these kids to behave. I could only scare them so much to put them in line. Not to mention, we had Halloween to worry about, and couldn't babysit them all the time. We eventually brought them to someone whom we thought could correct their behavior...but it hasn’t worked since.”
“You brought them to the boogeyman?”
He flinches at the word and visibly tenses. She's about to implore until he grits his teeth. “--Yes . We brought them to Oogie Boogie thinking he could fix their behavior...but he took advantage of it, and made them his henchmen. They carry all his wrongdoings since he can’t leave his casino.”
“Why can’t he?”
“I banished him. The same day he kidnapped you, and we met for the first time.” He finds it within himself to smile, reaching for her hand. “He had to be punished for what he did, trying to overthrow me. It’s the only way he can get what he wants - by making those children do all his dirty work for him.”
“Don’t you feel bad for them..? They're under his control, and had so much potential to be innocent little children…”
“It’s a difficult situation.” He sighs exasperatedly. “I’ve given them plenty of opportunities to better themselves and get *away* from Oogie Boogie, but they never seem to want to do it. They insist on telling him anything and involving him in everything I’ve asked them to do. He has some influence on them, one way or another.”
He notices her picking her seams nervously (a habit he may scold her for, it worries him that she'll pull herself apart), and brings her gaze back to his. He tells her firmly. “Sally, everything those witches told you is true. They're trouble and don't come with good intentions. Please, avoid them if you can, and let me know if they start bothering you.”
“I will.” She replies, then softens her gaze. “But I still feel so bad for those children…”
“As do I. But, please, it is not your situation to fix. Don’t worry about them. Eventually, I’m sure they’ll overgrow everything and want to move on....” He mutters with his sentence, and snaps himself out of it. “Don’t talk to them or let them inside your shop. Understand?”
She nods again. He drops the subject from there and announces it’s time to get ready for bed. She obliges and follows him into their room together, changing into their pajamas for the night and freshening up before heading into the blankets. They sleep closely, with Jack holding her unusually tight, more so than normal. The entire evening, she thinks of those children and the boogeyman…and her first encounter with them…
Chapter 14: The Boogeyman
Summary:
Lock, Shock, and Barrel return to their treehouse and meet with their boss, Oogie Boogie...who finally learns of Sally, and wishes to know more. He puts them on a special mission that they plan to carry through until the end. Meanwhile, Jack has something new on his mind, and starts on a project he hopes to finish in time...
Notes:
It seems like updates are going to be monthly. I apologize that this has been going on. I've been getting more busy lately, and October is no exception. Thank you guys for your patience. Anyway, happy early Halloween, everyone! I doubt the next update will make it in time, so I hope this suffices!
I've been reading the comic book series, Mirror Moon. I might be inspired to publish a rewrite of it, in the future. I'm still so excited for Long Live the Pumpkin Queen in 2022! :D
Chapter Text
A small breeze passes through the Hinterlands forest on a December afternoon. The thin trees sway easily with the movement, their leaves long lost to the cold weather. A loud rustling sound emits from nature as three small figures move along an implanted dirt path. The sound of twigs snapping underneath their heels interrupts this calm silence. A small hand clutches at a signature witch’s hat as they trudge forward. They’ve been walking for what feels like ages. The children shiver when they feel the chills from a nearby gust of wind blowing right through them. She hears their whimpers and turns her head to scoff at them.
“Oh shut up, you babies! It’s not that bad.”
Lock shoots her an irritated look as he rubs his arms, his breath showing in the air. “Why couldn’t we have taken the bathtub? My feet hurt!”
“Mine too!” Barrel whines.
“We didn’t think we’d need it! Remember ? We were supposed to be back hours ago.” Shock throws her hands in the air and kicks a nearby pebble. “All we had to do was fill this stinkin’ bag.”
She holds up the trick-or-treating bag she’d been carrying. Their frowns deepen at the sight. The amount isn’t anywhere near what they hoped to have. They expected to have an overflowing bucket’s worth of treats…but what they ended up with was half of that. And most of it isn’t favorable - there are less sugary sweets than usual, and a majority is noticeably candy corn. That thought makes them stick their tongues out in disgust, and they dramatically turn their heads away so they won’t have to picture it.
The three avoid each other’s gazes as they continue on. The message is clear. The boss will be upset seeing the results of this week’s candy quota. They tried to collect what they could, but their luck can only go so far within the days after Halloween. Most leftover candy has been given out or already eaten. They're lucky enough to even find kids who still hold onto their stash! It would’ve been enough to fill their bag completely. But then that ragdoll had to come and ruin it…!
They grit their teeth at the memory.
Their luck afterwards hadn’t been the greatest. Their next idea was to steal what they could from the town’s local candy shop - only for that to end in a disaster! The shopkeeper found them stuffing hard candies in their pockets and promptly kicked them out. They planned to pull a trick or two if they couldn’t get their goods. But the Witches made things worse - insisting on making them suffer while they were already kicked down. Their spells were painful and humiliating! The boss had a good laugh seeing them turned into toads from their last encounter. They had to leave town afterwards, losing out on any of the candy they’d been hoping to obtain that day.
The rest of the week was...unfortunate. They scraped together what they could from alleyways and trash cans. The only thing people were willing to give away was their candy corn and popcorn balls. But Oogie Boogie wasn’t a fan. They share his interest in the quality stuff - the chocolates, lollipops, and gummies! But such delicacies are hard to come by. Especially post-Halloween. They hope he’ll understand…
Their fingers twitch anxiously as their treehouse comes into view. They're nearly home now. They imagine how upset he’ll be, and what punishments are inevitably coming their way...they gulp as they climb down the hill and approach the broken bridge leading to their small house. A small elevator awaits them, its movements creaking with the wind while it sways side-to-side. They almost don't want to go in. The three briefly glance down and find the abyss between the ground and their house.
Shock opens the small door without a word. Lock and Barrel pile in before they yank on the rope to be hoisted up. It doesn’t take long before they’re in the warmth of their own treehouse. As warm as it can be, with all the broken windows and holes in the walls. They shuffle nervously as they approach their shrine to Oogie Boogie. It's where they give him their offerings and bring his requests. The masks of past trick-or-treaters are hung on the wall as a morbid reminder to not to disappoint him. A large tube sits expectantly as the bag is brought to its entrance. The three hesitate before they push it inside. The sound of it sliding down into the Boogeyman’s lair is deafening. The children drop to their knees and bow in its direction, muttering apologies and crossing their fingers and toes.
‘Take it, take it, take it…!’ They silently plead.
…
A moment passes. Two, even. They raise their heads and look at each other in disbelief. They’re interrupted by a loud scream:
“KIDS! GET DOWN HERE!”
Lock, Shock, and Barrel jump in alarm. Their heartbeats go a mile a minute in their small chests. They scramble to their feet and rush to the entrance of his lair, wasting no second to hurry to their master. He doesn’t like to be kept waiting; they’ve learned that in the past...they anxiously slide down into his casino and momentarily find themselves engulfed in darkness. They panic for a second before the lights come on. They find themselves standing in the middle of slot machines, caged skeletons, body bags, and roulette wheels.
Oogie’s casino is cold and dark, since the boogeyman resides there. Other times it appears colorful and energetic. That’s when he puts on a show to his unfortunate victims. When he encourages them to gamble their souls away in unfair and rigged games. They’ve never been allowed in during those times - they were told they're too young at their age - but they can see the colors and often hear his singing. Sometimes they sneak down just to get a peek as to what's going on. They usually get a kick out of it…but not when *they’re* the ones down *here*!
They hear something moving in the room. A shadow stares at them from the floor. The trick-or-treaters let out audible gulps.
“Any reason ya’ three brought me... THIS !?”
The bag they previously dropped down is thrown at them. An assortment of candy corn and popcorn balls all drop out at once. Some even hit them in the face. They back away instinctively and begin fidgeting with their hands. They think of an excuse on the spot - one worthy enough that Oogie himself will believe, and forgive them for..!
“S-Sorry, boss!” Barrel is unfortunately the first one to speak. “We did what we could! Everybody was out of candy!”
“I’ve seen you three do better. This is PATHETIC!” The darkness snaps at them.
Its eyes narrow as it advances on them, climbing the floor to their feet and surrounding the walls around them. Their figures shake in fear. It feels like his shadow is swallowing them whole; they can feel his presence everywhere in the air. By the time they open their eyes, everything is nearly pitch black. They hold onto each other tightly as they think of what to say. It's suffocating them. They won't have much time to talk.
“It’s-it’s because of Sally!” Shock spits out. “We were so close to getting that candy we promised you, but she ruined everything!”
The shadow pauses in its movements. He lets go of the children and sinks back into the ground, earning relieved sighs. Its eyes look about them in interest as it crawls onto the walls again. They relax at this sight. They prefer it there than under their own feet. His shadows are unpredictable and downright scary. They hate it.
“...Doll face?” He repeats.
Oogie Boogie goes quiet for a minute, which is an unusual gesture from him. He revolves the dice around in his burlap ‘hand’ as his tongue slithers its way from his mouth. He licks his lips as he watches his bugs devour the sweets. They love candy. Many of his bugs enjoy the sugary sweetness - his ants devouring the delectable goodies before his eyes. Even he can’t help indulging every Halloween. To feed his bugs and what they desire. But they demand more .
‘And we will deliver’, he thinks to himself.
He reaches for the ants when they’re finished and allows them to crawl on his sack and enter through his mouth. He feels complete again. He breathes a sigh of relief as he takes his physical form - manifesting himself in front of his henchman, who stand wearily before him. They’re tiny compared to his 10 foot form - which towers over the small figures. He comes forward and the snake slips from his mouth - hissing at them to keep them on their toes. He's amused with the way they jump.
“I remember her,” He comments, withdrawing away to look at the floor. “She’s the one that got away. That ragdoll…”
It’s been years. He should know since he’s been counting the time. When he attempted to bring Bug Day to the surface and take Halloween Town rightfully as is. He ordered his henchman to fetch Jack Skellington to overthrow him, only to receive a strange ragdoll instead. He remembers her red hair and blue skin. How soft and innocent she was...sounded completely confused and helpless. The finest damsel he’s ever received, if he’d say so himself. She was quite the company at that time - her perfectly shaped legs, and other body parts he had the gratification to feel…she looked the most like a human he’d seen in a long time.
And he loves humans.
“She was the WORST!” Lock butts in, feeling too comfortable at this second. “We tried getting candy from the kids in town, and she acted like she could tell us what to do!”
“She called us ‘despicable’!” Barrel snickers.
“Yeah! She has this shop we plan on destroying!” Shock proudly exclaims to him. “Just you wait, boss! We’re gonna break the windows and steal her stuff and-”
“--Wait, wait! Tell him about her being Jack’s girlfriend!”
Barrel’s words make the other kid’s jaws drop open. He realizes what he said seconds too late and smacks his hands over his mouth in surprise. He regrettably turns in Oogie’s direction and winces at his reaction. It’s exactly as the three of them expect, as Boogie’s expression turns into rage. He advances on his youngest pupil and practically screams into his ear:
“YOU DARE MENTION HIS NAME IN MY LAIR!?”
“I didn’t mean to!” A tear slips from his eye as he covers his face. “I just...I thought-”
“-Thought WHAT? That I’d wanna hear ANYTHING about that bony imposter!?”
Barrel begins to cry, earning concerned looks from Lock and Shock. The larger man glares at him before angrily huffing and turning away. The other two comfort their cohort in his absence and carefully watch the boogeyman’s burlap form as he retreats to another part of the room. He’s observing one of the many skeletons kept in his traps - painfully stuck in them forever, to remain like that until he's bored of them. It notices he's watching and struggles within the locks. At times, they remind him of his arch-nemesis...which is partially why he even keeps them around. Hoping that Jack Skellington will end up in a trap of his someday, forever trapped in an eternal Hell like he is.
After a minute, he mutters to himself. “So, Jack’s finally got a girl..?”
The trick-or-treaters overhear him and nod their heads. Shock is the first one to stand. “It’s been all the town’s talking about.”
He turns to them curiously. “How long’s he had her?”
“We don’t know...” Lock rolls his eyes. “We don’t really care about that mushy stuff, anyway! It makes our stomachs sick.”
“Yeah! Love is gross!” Barrel agrees with him, drying his tears. The other two giggle in agreement and pretend to shove their fingers down their throats.
“Well, ya’ better start warmin’ up to it, because I’ve got a job for you three.”
They perk up at this invitation. He wraps his arms around their figures, bringing them into a small huddle so no one nearby can overhear. They get excited - they’re always eager to hear about Oogie’s plans! They're usually so destructive and terrifying. They’re honored to be the ones executing them for him. Anything he’d like them to do...and they'll do it, no questions asked! He offers the most delicious rewards if they do him good…like his snake & spider stew! The three will do anything for another bowl of that!
“I want you kids to go into town and learn more about this ragdoll. About…Sally .” He corrects devilishly. “Get to know what she’s like. What she does. Where she lives…I want to know all about her.”
“Gee, why is that?” Barrel inquires at the odd request. He pats his green hair innocently.
“Wouldn’t it be fair to get to know my old pal’s girlfriend?! I think it is!” He places a ‘hand’ on his ‘hip’. “You do this for me...and I won’t even eat you, despite how hungry I am right now.”
They gulp at his words and nod weakly. They’re afraid of being eaten by him. That’s why they give him all the candy and food he wants...to keep him full, so he won’t have the appetite for children again. He’s delighted at their compliance and pats them on the back, remarking how much he believes in them. They grin at his approval, already craving for more of it.
----
The Mayor of Halloween Town watches in amazement as the skeleton speedily gets through their work for the day. A smile is stretched on his conical face as he watches the documents get filled out before his eyes. Jack Skellington completes them in only a matter of seconds. It's mesmerizing to watch. It looks like he’s memorized where the signatures go and what to fill out. Like he’s done this hundreds of times before...He’s lucky he’s already finished his part of the job, otherwise he’d be slacking off with how much staring he’s been doing! The politician clears his throat as the Pumpkin King signs the last one, putting it in its rightful pile with a proud look on his skull.
“All done!” He announces.
He eagerly collects them. “The way you work is incredible, Jack! You know how glad I’ve been to get all this stuff done!”
He cracks his knuckles before leaning back in his chair. He deserves the rest from all the wrist movement he’s been doing. “Of course, Mayor. I want to get through this year as easy as possible.”
He files the pile of paperwork into its rightful folder. This past Halloween was the fastest they’d prepared for in a long time. Everything went smoothly in all parts of the process..! This year is just as promising. Sally’s sewing shop has done many successes for the town. The residents are supplied with enough clothing and costumes to last for years to come! It’s been generating enough revenue for Halloween Town as well. He came in one time and thanked her personally for her contributions, especially after she patched some of the holes in his old pants.
“Are things still doing well between you and Sally?” He asks, while she's still on his mind. The skeleton’s expression lights up at the mention of her name.
“Wonderful, Mayor, simply wonderful…she deserved that award, really. She’s been having the best of times working. It’s nice to know our investment paid off.”
“I’ll say! At any rate, we won’t have issues during winter anymore. I remember how many requests we got asking for clothes and scarves...those were a hassle making and reusing....now, we won’t have to worry! We have a lot to thank her for!”
He closes his eyes and thinks of her, his ribs warming at the image. He tries to picture her right now, working over a sewing machine. The way she’d brush her hair behind her shoulders, her determined look while she straightens stitches and irons clothes...he’s always admired watching her work. To chuckle every time she narrows her eyes when she can’t get the thread through the needle at times. He wishes he's there with her right now.
“I know I do, especially. She’s made me such a happy man. I can’t remember the last time I’ve felt like this…”
“With all she does for the town now, you’d think she’d excel at something like the Halloween plans! It would be nice to have some more help around here, wouldn’t it?”
He shoots a confused look at his coworker. “You mean like asking for her help around the Town Hall?”
“Oh! Well, you know...I suppose it isn’t my business to say but…wouldn't she make a delightful Pumpkin Queen?”
Jack stops leaning in his chair. The Mayor notices his upright posture and begins to sweat, nervously correcting himself:
“It’s just a thought, that's all! She was so much help with those Halloween costumes...what if she can do more for the town? I remember there used to be a King and Queen at one time. So much work got done back then!”
The skeleton bites his lip and directs his gaze at the table. The shorter man notes his silence and chuckles uncomfortably. He hopes he hasn’t crossed a line...
“I’ll be going, now. I have to sort through concerns from the last town meeting. Any improvements will be for tomorrow’s work, as I’m sure you haven’t forgotten-”
“-I understand. Good luck with that.”
He tips his tall top hat before leaving the skeleton alone in the room. Jack finds his stare unmoved from the wood. He taps his fingers before reluctantly moving his view around. It’s always quiet when he’s left alone here. He really *should* move a clock on the wall somewhere in here, one that makes that loud ticking noise…it'll stop him from hearing his own thoughts, like he is right now.
‘A Pumpkin Queen…’
Jack Skellington clenches his hands. The thought has not gone away, no matter how much time passes. It finds its way to him again and again. It’s from someone else’s lips that aren’t his own - insisting Sally will make the perfect Queen…yet, the thought originally came from his own tongue. After the witch sisters got jealous over her, his words remind them of his own deep desire, that he hadn't realized he had to begin with…and now everyone else around him is starting to realize it, too.
“Hmm.” He muses.
Halloween Town has gone without a Queen for many, unimaginable years. True, things may have gotten done in a fashionable amount of time back then...and, yes, the town felt more complete with two rightful rulers instead of one . Where both crowns had a head to occupy...Jack only wore his on Halloween nights, ages ago...back when he wanted to be seen as the rightful ruler - the terrifying Pumpkin King...but that lost its spark as time went on, and he grew exhausted with all the expectations. He’s kept his crown in a drawer since, remaining dusty and forgotten throughout these years. It reminds him of the town’s ideal expectations of him. Everyone treats him differently when he wears it.
And he never likes that.
For a moment, he pictures Sally wearing that crown. How natural it looks on her...sitting rightfully on top of her blood-colored hair, the golden colors complimenting her blue, stitched skin...would she be happy wearing it? Or would she be like him, fearing all the expectations? The skeleton wears a troubled frown at that thought, realizing he’d never know the answer until he brings the question to begin with. He hopes for the first scenario -- but even if the worst happens, he can sympathize and help her in that situation…
‘Am I really thinking about this..? Do I want to propose to Sally?’
How can he not? After all this time he’s spent with his dearest friend...the one he’s come to recognize as the love of his death; the beautiful ragdoll creation sculpted by the hands of the town’s mad scientist...he’s loved her ever since she showed him her kindness. Her care, her genuine concern for his well-being...he’s promised to take care of her after taking her in his own hands. After all this time together, growing into something more -- keeping their pets, finding their purpose in town, and even sharing their own bed together...
‘There’s only one more step to take, isn’t there?’
He feels warm at this revelation. He wants to make Sally his Pumpkin Queen. He’s always wanted to...yet, as he reaches for a pen, he finds his hand shaking. In fear of what she might say...if she’ll even accept the offer, or refuse the proposal. He shakes his skull to get rid of these concerns. She’s happy with him, isn’t she? It’s been enough time...there's no way they can rush into this. He’s walked around the idea as much as possible, but now he can’t stand it any longer. This is his desire, to make Sally his wife so they can officially care for Halloween Town together…
He loves her with every fiber of his being. And he wants to prove that.
He finally grabs a pencil and several sheets of blank papers. He furtively sketches on its surface, working the instrument for a solid few minutes before stopping and setting it down. He’s surprised at the image that stares back at him. What his hands naturally worked on, faster than he can come to terms with it...he stares at a sketch idea for an engagement ring. It’s a small ruby surrounded by the legs of a spider, with stones on the side representing its eyes.
He discards it and starts working on another paper. This time, this head is the face of a jack-o-lantern, the orange stone representing a pumpkin. He finds this one almost humorous - a representation of a Pumpkin ruler. It reminds him of the time Sally first asked him if he ruled over pumpkins. He chuckles at the memory. He observes the page for a full minute more before moving it aside and starting on another sketch.
He continues this for a solid hour, getting his thoughts and ideas down on several pieces of paper…the moment his hands start moving, he can’t stop until his head is finally empty of ideas.
-----
“Thank you! Come again!”
Sally bids goodbye to her latest customers, the Corpse mom, Bertha, and her son, Ethan, as they walk down the street. Her request that day is almost an odd one. She's asked to re-stitch the eyes closed on her child. The seamstress is nearly hesitant to complete such a task if he doesn't insist otherwise. She's surprised hearing what he told her:
“It doesn’t hurt at all?” She asks. She tests this theory by puncturing his gray eyelid with the needle. He barely flinches, to her amazement. He shakes his head.
“Not really! I can see a lot better when they’re closed. It’s more comfortable for me, this way. Mommy makes sure I get the stitches tightened every year!”
She works on moving the needle carefully. “You know, it doesn’t hurt when I stitch myself, either.”
“Really!?”
She laughs. “Oh, yes. I don’t feel a thing!”
The rest of their session goes smoothly. Ethan thanks her for saving their candy from Lock, Shock, and Barrel. That’s when she remembers those mischievous trick-or-treaters and apologizes for what they did to him. He insists he's okay since she helped out. Even the mother is impressed with the work, tipping her for her generosity. Bertha makes a comment how she'll return every year to do this, since she trusts her precise hands. She feels honored.
Sally closes the door and cleans up the thread left on the desk. She collects the thimbles, needles, and fabric laying on the tables from throughout the day. So far, it’s been successful, since she’s had customers come in asking for easy tasks from her. In her free time, she sits by the windows and watches the other shops nearby. Things have been hectic for them lately. She’s seen more of those trick-or-treaters since their previous encounter - they’ve been around town, playing pranks on people and constantly demanding candy on their doorsteps.
She’s been uneasy during this time, keeping a close eye and making sure they don’t take a step anywhere near her shop. So far, she’s been left unbothered. It seems they’re heeding her advice. She’s delighted to be left alone and resumes her business as usual. It doesn’t stop her from being on-edge most of the time, worried if they’re going to play one of their tricks or vandalize her shop at any second…
…
Things sound almost too quiet outside. In the middle of the day, she usually hears the town children playing and sees citizens walking around. But it’s nearly desolate outside. She looks confused as she peers around. Everyone must be further downtown and not around this area. She places a hand on her hip in thought, wondering why. As she turns around, she jumps. There, standing before her, are the three children - Lock, Shock, and Barrel.
They take off their masks and grin wickedly. She’s uneasy about this situation, since they aren’t doing anything. She crosses her arms impatiently and glues her eyes to them. She can’t tear her gaze away, lest they do something when they’re not in her line of sight. Things are quiet as she glares at them. They take it upon themselves to start speaking.
“Hello! Um...S…Sarah?” Barrel greets with uncertainty.
“Idiot!” Lock smacks him. “Her name’s Sally!”
“Oh! Right!”
“What are you three doing?” She asks suspiciously. She remembers Jack’s and the Witch’s words not to let her guard down around them. They shrug their shoulders.
“We’re here to watch you, uh…” Shock starts.
“-Watch you work!” Lock finishes. Barrel nods in agreement.
“Yes, to know what you do…”
“What for?” She presses on, leaning towards them and tapping her foot in impatience. As far as she understands, children don’t find much amusement in watching someone sew clothes together or patch holes...that’s why the parents often let their little ghouls and ghosts play outside when they come here. Even the kids let this show on their face, but they correct it as they think of what to say.
“We know everybody in this town! But not you.” Barrel informs.
“-And we would like to know. So, we want to watch you.” Lock finishes.
She doesn’t understand, and she isn’t sure if she ever will. She looks around to see if they’re hiding anything behind their backs. They don’t have any bags or slingshots on them. Not like the ones they've used to terrorize the other shopkeepers...she shudders remembering these incidents. It’s all the more reason to not trust them. They notice the apprehension on her face and glance at each other, thinking how to convince her.
“We promise we won’t get in your way!” Shock pleads.
“Yeah; we’ll even stay outside and watch you through the windows!” Lock adds.
“--Are you sure you only want to watch? You don’t have any tricks up your sleeve, do you?” She continues to eye them from head-to-toe. They make small crosses over their hearts and hold their other hands up.
“Promise! We aren’t hiding anything!”
“...Alright, but I want you to stay seated! You can’t move a muscle until I tell you to.” She tells them firmly. They nod in agreement.
Reluctantly, she allows them to follow her into her shop and directs them to the chairs right by the door. They sit themselves down and look up expectantly at her. They’re clasping their hands in their lap, sitting politely...for a moment, she believes she sees three behaving children. It reminds her of this feeling she’s had before, where she feels a little pity for these ill-mannered children...who are in terrible care…it won’t be the worst thing to give them the benefit of the doubt, right? If they act well today, it proves they're capable of change..!
“Well?” Shock asks rudely. “Aren’t you gonna do something?”
“O-Oh!” She’s snapped back into reality. She heads towards one of her sewing machines and checks the thread in it. She points at them a second after. “Make sure you three don’t move.”
She resumes her business like usual, changing the thread and ensuring everything is working. Once it’s performing to her approval, she starts mending buttons on one of the projects she’s working on. The trick-or-treaters watch her from a distance. She glances up at them every now and again to make sure they’re still in their seats. They remain where they are and even wave. Every time she looks down, the boredom shows on their faces. They rather be anywhere but here.
“So, what do you exactly do?” Lock eventually pries. They're confused with what she’s doing. She sets down the fabric and flattens her dress.
“I’m the seamstress, so I sew clothes, patch holes, mend buttons and the like...anything that involves sewing work…”
They look bored with her answer, but pretend to seem interested when she looks at them. Barrel scratches at the side of his head.
“What are you doing right now..?”
“I’m mending a button.” She holds it up to show them. They tilt their heads but say nothing. She lets it fall back on the table and momentarily resumes her work.
“And uhh…this is your shop, right?” Shock continues to pry, looking around. The other two copy her and take a good look at everything around them. They take note of everything they see, in case anything is interesting enough to tell their boss. She feels nervous with their eyes being on everything and stumbles to answer:
“...Yes. This is where I sew things for others, and keep all my projects. This is also where people tell me what they want and pay me.”
She’s trying to put things as simple as she can, so they can understand. She can’t tell how old they are, but she assumes they’re still young...the three stop looking and continue to observe her work. She feels more relaxed when they have their attention on her. Several minutes pass before she stands and moves to her front desk, which is closest to them. They take this opportunity to talk some more.
“How long have you and Jack been together?” Lock abruptly asks.
Sally slides a drawer shut as she thinks carefully of the question. Why are they asking about her relationship? It must be because they know Jack better than her…they've known him longer, and must want to know since she's involved with him...
“We met after he rescued me from the Bug King. So I would say we got together maybe a year or two after that…”
“That sounds like awhile.” Lock comments. She blushes and smiles.
“I suppose so…”
“Do you live with him?” Barrel quickly asks. The other two glare at him, until they realize they also want to know the answer. The ragdoll hesitates with this one, but finds no harm and eventually caves in.
“Yes, I’ve moved in with him at his Manor.”
“So, if you’re not here , then you’re there..?” Lock pushes. She grows uneasy with these questions and stops what she’s doing. These are starting to make a lot less sense. They can tell she’s growing suspicious and start playing with their hands nervously, acting as casual as they can.
“I'm anywhere I want to be. But, yes, I’d say I mostly spend my time in my shop or at Jack’s home…”
“Cool! Thanks for telling us!”
The three jump out from their seats and run quickly out the door, turning to wave briefly before disappearing down the streets. She finds this gesture odd as she rushes to the door frame and watches them go. She looks around and notices everything is still in its place. There is nothing missing nor is there a mess anywhere…so they followed her instructions and didn't move an inch while they were here. At least she can trust them to listen...Because of this, she shrugs off their peculiar behavior.
There's no harm in telling them more about her...right?
Chapter 15: Bug King
Summary:
Boogie's Boys have a new objective - to get Sally to meet their boss. After playing her like a fiddle, they lead her right to their treehouse...where the boogeymain anxiously awaits to meet Jack Skellington's girlfriend. After a small betting game, Sally leaves with more questions than answers.
Notes:
So sorry that updates are nearly monthly now. My mental health has taken a toll recently, so writing is harder than usual. I hope to complete this story soon, so I can work on a Mirror Moon rewrite. Thank you to my readers for the patience!
Just as a prior warning, this chapter contains some uncomfortable material. Take heed.
Chapter Text
“Hee hee!”
Three trick-or-treaters skip joyfully into the dark streets of Halloween Town. Residents scamper into the shadows upon their sight. Their presence has been abundant lately, and with a poor reputation. They bring terror and vandalism everywhere they go - leaving monsters on edge and officials waiting on uneasy feet. They’ve tormented the Mayor with every opportunity they had, and only received a few scoldings from Jack Skellington’s way. He seems to be exceptionally busy these days, enabling Lock, Shock, and Barrel to bully fellow children and petrify citizens in their wake.
But they aren’t here to do that today. Oh, no. They have other plans. Important ones.
They reported their first findings to their boss, after visiting Sally Finklestein’s sewing shop. Oogie seemed bored until they mentioned her stay in the Skellington Manor. He encourages his henchman to have their fun in Halloween Town, with the promise that they'll learn about and continually visit the ragdoll. So, they're doing their part - spending their free time around her, putting on a small act of childish innocence to gain her trust. It sickens them to do it, but they’d rather bat their eyes at some woman than end up in one of Boogie’s stews.
Today, he asks them if he can meet Sally. But the boogeyman is forbidden to leave his Lair. So they will have to bring * her * to *him*. They are all too excited to put this into action.
Lock is uncertain they can pull this off. “How are we going to do it?”
“It’s easy! She thinks we’re good children, doesn’t she? We just have to act like we care, that’s all!” Shock easily replies, packing their large bag.
“I’m sick of pretending!” Barrel protests in the background. “I want to kick her windows in already! Find her candy stash! Why do we have to act like we’re ‘good’?”
“Oogie knows what he’s doing!” The witch defends with a stomp of her boot. “We’d be stupid not to do this. Do YOU wanna get eaten, Barrel!?”
The message is clear. There is no further argument as the three prepare, feeling slightly regretful as they pack their emergency weapons.
Their bathtub’s legs kick faster as they advance on the sewing shop. They grin wickedly behind their masks. They can taste the delicious snake & spider stew already! They find Sally inside, blissfully unaware as she works on some clothes with one of her machines. They park their tub outside and leave their keepsakes in there. They can’t risk her seeing them. They’re only there if it’s absolutely necessary…lest they receive trouble getting her to come and see the boogeyman himself…!
“ Hello~ !” They greet as they walk through the front door. The bell rings to announce their presence. Such a sound serves a warning to many, but to Halloween Town’s seamstress, the company is welcomed. Sally looks up from the sewing machine and momentarily pauses her movements.
“Oh, hello, children..! Let me finish this up here…”
They wait patiently as she completes the stitching. They wiggle in their seats, antsy to complete their job already. The children glance at each other and giggle under their breaths. They’re imagining what the boogeyman is going to do to her…! They get a kick out of their vivid imaginations. Eventually, the seamstress is finished and sets aside her work to address the three. They clasp their hands together and cross their legs politely, blinking innocently. Despite the figurative halos above their heads, the ragdoll remains uneasy.
“What are you here for today?” She inquires. They’ve been visiting her shop almost regularly now. They pretend to think of an answer to this question.
“We wanted to see your work!” Barrel replies enthusiastically. “Your clothes always look, uh, pretty!”
“Yeah! Maybe you can even make a dress for Shock!” Lock snickers. The witch gives him a glare before grinning back at Sally, her lips twitching at this idea. She speaks through gritted teeth.
“Sure! Or maybe you can make Lock a tutu!”
“WHAT!?” The devil screams as the other two laugh. “That’s going too far!”
He’s about to wrestle with her until he realizes where they are and what they are doing. He forces a smile as he keeps his hands to himself. But she’s already witnessed this small display of teasing between the trick-or-treaters, and can’t help tittering to herself. The kids look confused as she laughs. They get slightly offended. They puff out their chests to get her to stop.
“What are you laughing at?” Shock shoots daggers at her.
“Oh, nothing.” The tall woman waves it off. “It’s nice to see how close you three are. I’ve heard siblings tease and fight all the time.”
“We’re not siblings! We’re Boogie’s Boys; birds of a feather, now and forever!” Lock exclaims with his small arms crossed.
“Uh-huh.” She takes a seat across from them. “You’ve been visiting my shop a lot lately. Is there any reason why? I know you pay a visit to all the shopkeepers, but I’m the only one you haven’t caused trouble with yet.”
They glance at each other wearily. So she’s noticed. How to answer this question without being obvious..? They wave their hands, attempting to make as small of this as they can.
“Like we said-” Shock begins. “-We want to get to know you…” Barrel continues. “So why would we be mean?” Lock finishes with a shrug.
She narrows her eyes for a moment, thinking. “If you want to get to know me…then why don’t I get to know you, in return?”
They look at each other again, clearly uneasy with this suggestion. Oogie never said anything about her getting to know *them*..! They can clearly decline if they want to, right? But this won’t work out in their favor so easily if they withdraw themselves…so they slump in their chairs and nod weakly. Shock gives a quiet message to her cohorts to resume their act, and lie when they can.
“It’s only the polite thing to do,” She resumes, seeing their hesitancy. She hopes this can be a small lesson to them - to act normally around other people. “How old are you three?”
“Dunno’.” Lock replies. Shock and Barrel agree with him. She blinks a few times in surprise. They don’t know their own ages? She senses this will not be an easy exchange. She clears her throat and thinks of something else to ask.
“…Have you ever gone to school? Is there anything you’re interested in learning?”
They scoff at her questions. She’s treating them like they’re little kids..! They can’t express how much they hate this. Regardless, they swallow the heat in their throats and allow Shock to answer this one.
“No, and we don’t need to! We’ve learned how to survive from Oogie. Who needs book smarts when you can just beat people up..!?”
She pumps her gloved fists in the air. Her group cheers her on with this answer, exchanging high fives in agreement. Sally is surprised at this reaction. She remembers they're delinquents. She plays with her hands as different questions come to mind. Maybe she shouldn’t beat around the bush and just address the obvious…
“May I ask why you aren’t good children..?” She asks, hoping she isn’t too forward.
They clearly take offense to this question. But they remember they’re supposed to play nice. She must be looking past their fake exteriors right now, what with the slip-up from earlier. They scold themselves for this and think up an answer on the spot. They allow some honesty to escape from their lips.
“We just wanna’ have fun!” Barrel defends. “And in Halloween Town, ‘fun’ means danger..! Mischief! All the good stuff!”
“So, what is the difference between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ to you..? Because I know some adults and other children who would think your ‘fun’ isn’t necessarily ‘good’...”
“We have no idea! We’re just having fun in our own way.”
She wants to believe them. It makes sense - their fun can be playing tricks and pranks, like how the other Halloween Town children find playing in leaves and decapitating dolls as fun. She insists on finding some good within these trick-or-treaters; surely there must be some wholesome part to them, deep down..? Perhaps they are capable of change, just like Dr. Finklestein is..?
The three notice she’s quiet and decide to pick up the conversation. They whisper something to each other before holding their hands together and batting their eyes once more. “Have we ever told you we’ve never had a mother..?”
She looks at them in surprise. “No, you haven’t.”
“You’re so nice and pretty.” Shock brings up, dragging a finger along her stockings. “If we ever had one, we’d want her to be just like you..!”
She becomes flattered at their words and places a hand on her chest. This gives her hope with what she wants to accomplish for them. “Aw, thank you.”
They continue to give her more compliments, giving good words about her and the clothing she makes. She takes these with a smile, believing them wholeheartedly. When they're certain she's comfortable, they change subjects and get things rolling. Readjusting themselves in their seats, they finally bring up the topic that will change the conversation drastically:
“You know, if you really want to get to know us, you should see our treehouse..!” Barrel suggests, licking his lollipop.
“Yeah! You can see how we live!” Lock adds.
“We never invite grown-ups there! We want you to come because you’re special, and we like you.” Shock smiles at her.
These words touch Sally, but she doesn't let her defense down. She thinks about this and fidgets with her fingers. She remembers what the ladies said during their lunch…not to trust these three, and especially not get the attention of the boogeyman. Even Jack warns her not to trust the trio. She can’t deny how curious she is to know their living conditions…maybe it can give her a better idea with what she’s dealing with. So she can help these children become better..!
“I’ll come and see. But you have to promise me you don’t have any tricks. And you won’t pull anything funny.”
They play coy, hiding a hand behind their backs. “Why would we do that to someone so wonderful…? We promise we won’t do anything nasty! You can take a look and leave whenever you want!”
She informs them she’ll get ready for this small trip. Lock, Shock, and Barrel practically jump out of their seats and prepare their bathtub for the trip. They’re ecstatic their plan actually worked ! For a moment, they were worried getting Sally would be too difficult…but she's a lot more naive than they credit her for! The boss will surely be happy with this outcome…they simply can’t wait for their reward!
The tall ragdoll meets them outside, locking her shop before they leave. She notices the large bathtub with legs that they usually ride into town. They’ve cleared their bags and weapons from it, secluding them in a nearby hiding spot of theirs in town. They gesture for her to get in. She looks reasonably weary at this suggestion. The last time she was in it, they took her to that boogeyman…where she was held captive for what felt like eternity…
“You want me to get in there..?” She points. They nod their heads impatiently. It’ll take forever to get to the hinterlands waiting for her to keep up with them. They want this trip to be speedy.
“So you can take it easy on your feet!” Lock brings up. “You wouldn’t want to fall apart on the way, would you?”
She thinks about this suggestion. It is considerate And she appreciates the means of transportation…she just can’t bring herself to trust it. They roll their eyes at her hesitancy and begin ushering her inside the bathtub. She’s practically pushed in and gives them a pained look, which they ignore as they hop right in with her. The bathtub begins its route back to their home - and they smile in satisfaction the entire way.
—---
They ride in the forest until they reach a clearing. Sally's surprised to see them approaching a treehouse - built on the remnants of a large, dead tree, circled by a strange abyss. The wood is rotting and splintering by this point. So they aren’t lying about where they live…she can’t shake this uneasy feeling as they approach it. As if something evil is residing within those walls. The wind picks up around her, giving her a quiet warning of what’s yet to come.
The children jump out of the bathtub when they’re in front of it. She gets the message to exit along with them. She wants to go back already, but they’ve gone too far. It will take forever to return to Halloween Town on her own. She has the greatest feeling they won’t give her another ride. She holds her breath as she faces the decision she’s made - hoping she will not regret it…
Lock presents their small treehouse proudly. “This is the place!”
It's much too small for her to fit in. The elevator looks like it can only accommodate small children and animals. She feels like she’s been tricked. “How will I ever get inside?”
They pretend to think about this. “…There *is* a way you can, from below..!”
They motion to the dark pit surrounding the tree. She leans over and notices a structure built down around the base of the plant, much larger than the treehouse itself. She attempts to see any reasonable way to get down there. Beyond the elevator, she can’t really find a way…the apprehension shows on her face as she looks at the children. They notice this and point downwards easily.
“There's a chute you can enter through.” Barrel informs her. “The elevator will support you for a little bit…then you crawl inside, and you’ll be in our house!”
Sally feels uncertain. Is their treehouse big enough for something like this? Did they build it themselves? Questions pile in her head as the seconds go by. The children lure her towards the elevator, patting her back and urging her forward. She has no choice but to hang onto the rope as it descends, the image of the trick-or-treaters getting smaller the further she goes. It gets colder as she’s enveloped in the darkness. She can’t hear a sound.
As they promised, a chute awaits her at the bottom. It’s big enough for her to slip through…she lets go of the rope and crawls into the circular opening. She moves for what feels like minutes until she reaches the end. She helps herself down and looks around. This looks nothing like a normal treehouse. It's a large structure consisting of metal and painted walls with bright colors.
There’s no sound of the elevator moving, or any sign that the trick-or-treaters are coming. Sally realizes something is wrong.
. . .
The floor feels hard as she walks forward aimlessly, noticing how dark it is in here. She squints her eyes in an attempt to see. The only sound she can hear are bugs crawling around, but things are silent otherwise. Her hands start to shake as she stands there, feeling vulnerable. It’s so dark she can’t find the way back where she came. She wishes to be anywhere but here right now. She eventually calls out.
“Hello?”
Her voice echos. Something appears to have heard her. Movement comes from the room, though she can’t see where. That’s when the lights flicker on - dimly lighting her surroundings. She gets a better look where she is. There are various torture machines sitting around the room, along with roulette wheels, blades, and cages. It resembles nothing of a treehouse, but rather, a casino. It looks familiar to her. This is when her phantom heart sinks. She’s struck with a numbing realization: She’s been here before.
“Hello, Doll-face.”
She yelps in surprise as a deep voice comes from behind her. She jumps instinctively before whipping around, only to be met with a huge figure that eyes her curiously from above. It's a large burlap sack with empty eye sockets and a hollow mouth. She can hear the bugs squirming inside of him. That's all it takes for her to recognize this creature.
“B-Bug King!” She spits out. Oogie Boogie smiles at the term.
“So you do remember me!” He comments smugly as he circles around her. “I think I’m over that little holiday now. You should call me the ‘King of Halloween ’ instead, hmm?”
“But Jack is-”
“-AH ! Ah, ah, ah.” His tone rises as he advances on her, wiggling one of his ‘hands’ in warning “Watch that name in here, missy! I don’t condone such language.”
She feels confused as he moves around her. She fearfully turns her head in search of the children, but finds herself alone with the boogeyman. Her chest is completely cold, understanding she's made a mistake. This is the man who held her captive and said terrible things to her…who scared her out of her wits with his devices; the first being to touch and feel her body. None of it is pleasant to remember.
She needs to get out of here as soon as she can. Her black eyes attempt to find a visible exit. He notices what she’s doing and blocks her vision. She bites her lip as he gets closer. What can she do now..? Her feet feel glued in place, completely petrified. Boogie thrives off her fear at this moment. It tastes delicious. He feels spoiled with how much she’s giving.
“Looks like you’re all alone here, heh . Well, welcome to my casino, Dolly.” He gestures around them. “I recall you being a previous client. I’ve made some changes since then - a few cutting edge devices here-and-there, ya’ see-”
“What do you want from me!?” She interrupts, shaking in her heels. He notices her tone and chuckles, moving until he’s standing right in front of her. His form towers over her own, casting a cold shadow.
“I’ve been hearing some rumors ‘bout you from my boys, an’ I wanted to see what all the fuss is about!” His burlap hand comes forward and strokes the side of her face. He can’t help admire her stitches. “You haven’t aged a bit… ”
She flinches at his touch and backs away. He finds no offense in this. For now. She thinks of his words and weakly asks, “What have you heard about me..?”
He hums in thought, turning away and rolling some dice in his hand. He despises even saying his name, but he has to talk about his arch-nemesis in order for this conversation to progress. “-They say you’re Jack’s girl now. That true?”
She doesn’t know if being honest is a disadvantage in this situation. Against her better judgment, she nods weakly. “Y-Yes…”
“HAH!” He suddenly laughs. He wipes a fake ‘tear’ away from his socket in amusement. “Why in HELL’S NAME would you want to date HIM !?”
He continues to laugh as she stands there, dumbfounded. She can’t fathom how this is entertaining in the slightest. It makes her feel angry as she clenches her fists and narrows her eyes. How can he laugh at her feelings for Jack Skellington..? He’s the kindest and most selfless person she’s known. The only man who’s made her happy after all this time…
“He’s a wonderful person! Nothing like what YOU are!” She spits, remembering their last encounter all too well. He doesn’t appreciate this tone as his laughter stops. Her eyes widen when he abruptly snaps his head towards her. She fears what he’ll do.
He ends up rolling his ‘eyes’. “You n’ the rest of the town. ‘Jack’s the greatest! Ooo! We love him!’ - PHAW !” His snake tongue spits from his mouth onto the floor. “Thinks he’s the best thing to happen since the electric chair…”
She looks at the burlap man’s back strangely. “Why do you hate him so much?”
“Take a guess, doll-face! You were there.” He snaps. She shrinks down to the floor. “After all we’ve been through, he goes n’ banishes me! I can’t go ANYWHERE! Do you know how BORING it gets here..!?”
She looks around and notices how empty it is in the casino. Beyond the caged skeletons and bats hanging around, there’s no one else down here. It makes her feel both afraid and pitiful. However, she refuses to feel sympathy for the being that captured her and made her time here so scary…she thinks of how she’s ever going to escape. She’s not fast enough to run away. Maybe being kind to him can do it?
“I-I’m sorry…” She nervously manages. “How close were you to him?”
“Me n’ bonehead? Oh, we go WAY back!” He rests an elbow on her shoulder and she feels the pressure on her seams. She doesn’t like being this close to him. “We were old friends. Didn’t stop him from exiling me, apparently. ”
“You two were… friends?”
“Rather not talk ‘bout it.” He retorts quickly.
He brings his attention to the woman and notices the way Sally’s shivering. It’s a pleasant sight - it never takes much effort for the boogeyman to scare his company. His gigantic form and bugs do plenty alone, but he’ll never get tired of seeing people shake and weep under his grasp. It reminds him of his golden days…which he misses the more time goes on. He nostalgically remembers his nightmare-inducing visits to the human world…
“Y’know, ya’ got quite a mouth on you.” He moves his face closer to hers. “I kinda’ like it.”
She whimpers when he reaches for her. “P-Please…”
“Where ARE my manners?” He slaps his head as he plays with his trusted dice. “Would ya’ care to play a game, dolly?”
“A…game?”
“Anythin’ you want! Cards, poker, board games…hell, I’ll even play darts! Always a tradition of mine to offer my company a game or two.”
“I’d better not…”
“You sure ? I’m a bettin’ man…if you win, you can ask for anything you want. No strings attached.”
She pauses. Anything she wants? What she wants more than death itself is to simply get out of here…she can’t think of any other way out. Those trick-or-treaters abandoned her. She feels so stupid for even trusting them! Now she’s left alone. No one even knows she’s down here right now. She didn’t tell Jack where she is…her lips fall as she debates her options. After a moment, she boldly looks into Oogie’s eye sockets.
“If I win a game, I want to leave.”
“Ho-oh! Goin’ straight for the gold! I love that!” He laughs. “But ya’ gotta’ offer somethin’ for me in return. What’ll it be if I win?”
Her eyes widen as she realizes she has nothing to offer. She thinks on the spot and chews her lip. Then she remembers her sewing needle behind her ear, and the thread in her dress’ pocket. The two items she always keeps on her person. She grabs them from their places and presents them to the boogeyman. He leans down and inspects them with a curious hum.
“These are all I have.”
“....”
He says nothing as his smile falls, observing the needle quietly. As much as he hates to admit it…he can get a use out of these things. His burlap sack is always catching on sharp edges and making holes, spreading open. He can’t have more of his bugs escaping. Although the children help sew him when he’s incapable, he would favor having something like this on him at all times. He leans back and grins.
“Deal. Go n’ pick your game.”
He motions upwards and a large board lowers from the top of the room into his hand. On it are symbols and titles of different games. There’s a long list, almost like he has every play from the human world. She barely recognizes any of them. She’s never had the leisure to play anything like this…with anyone, as a matter of fact. The Doctor discouraged these types of entertainment. She tries to think of any she understands how to play. She doesn’t trust Boogie to play something she doesn’t know. This is a betting match…
Oogie grows impatient until she finally picks one. He perks up and follows her finger, only to shrivel in disappointment. “ -Go fish!? Are you kiddin’ me!?”
“It’s the only game I know,” She defends weakly. “You told me to pick one I wanted.”
“Humph.” He exchanges the board for a deck of cards and starts shuffling them in defeat. “This is kiddie crap, y’know.”
A light shines on a table just a few feet away from them. He motions her to go ahead. She approaches it and lowers herself into one of the chairs. She hates that she’s in this situation to begin with…having to bet for her freedom. She doesn’t want to think of what will happen if she loses. If he’ll keep her prisoner again, hiding her down here until someone eventually comes to her rescue…or what he may even do in that time. Touch her? Kill her? She shivers at the thought.
He comes and sets the cards down, taking a seat across from her. He looks disappointed with this game, having no enthusiasm starting or even playing it. Truth be told, he hasn’t come up with a particular cheating scheme yet for go fish…it's a child’s game he never thought he’d gamble on. He only keeps it on the board as an option for Lock, Shock, and Barrel when they want to play with him.
Regardless, he’s surprised at how terrible she does. For a game relying on pure luck, she doesn’t seem to have any of it. The look of fear on her face is substantial when she she loses. She holds her breath in shock. He’s relieved to be done with this situation as is.
“Well, well, well!” He decides to rub the obvious in. “Looks like I won!”
She frowns before reaching for his promised prizes and setting them on the table. She looks at them for only a second before beginning to bawl - weeping into her own hands, hiding her face from him. It doesn’t take long before she’s in a fit of sobs. He looks amused at this reaction.
“Please! I don’t want to be down here!” She begs. “I only wanted to help those children..! They told me they’d show me around their treehouse…not this!”
“You care ‘bout my henchman, do ya’?” He teases as he collects the needle and thread. They must’ve done a good job with her. Something he’ll have to reward them for later. “Poor choice, Dolly. They don’t listen to anyone but me .”
“I realize that now...” She murmurs into the table. A deadly mistake that will cost her.
He observes her form for a full minute before grinning, moving the cards aside. “Y’know, I’ve really enjoyed your company..! In fact, I think I’m willing ta’ let you go! IF you let me do one thing, that is…”
She looks up in interest. A chance to leave..? She’s doubtful, but it’s her only option right now. There’s nothing to do but to accept it. “Wh-what is it..?”
Something changes in his tone. “Let me feel yer’ leg.”
“...What?”
“You heard me.” He reaffirms, not wanting to repeat himself. “It’s been so long since I’ve felt a woman’s touch…n’ I want it. Badly.” He gets out of his seat and closes in on her. “Ya’ want to leave, right? Well, what’s stoppin’ ya? All I want is a little feel…a little tickle…n’ you’ll be on yer’ way.”
Words can’t describe how uncomfortable she is. To promise something like this to him…it makes her feel sick to her stomach. She thinks how Jack would react. It makes her feel dirty. Like she’s about to be used as a ragdoll. Oogie surrounds her by the minute, giving her no choice. Her breath is shaky as she glances down at her legs. It shouldn’t be…too bad, right? All he wants is to feel. Nothing more…she hopes. She shuts her eyes tightly and sticks her right leg out, refusing to watch or enjoy any part of this.
“...F-Fine…” She mutters.
He’s thrilled. He wastes no moment reaching for her beautifully-sculpted leg. Oogie’s jaw hangs open as he fingers over her stitches, trailing from her knee down to her shoe. He easily pops it off from her foot and makes a noise in satisfaction. He can feel her trembling in his grip - still closing her eyes, refusing to watch him. But he’s not worried about indecency. It’s not the most obscene act he’d ever done - he’s committed far worse with human women…
He can’t help marveling at how closely she resembles them. Everything about her body is modeled in its ideal image. He goes forward to tickle her - excited by the way her foot writhes and squirms as he does. But Sally does not laugh. Her lips are pressed into a firm line while he does all of this. He doesn’t mind her lack of reaction while he has his fun. Eventually, he withdraws his grip and stands back, clearly pleased after sharing this contact.
“Alright. Ya’ kept yer’ promise.” He begins to shout in the direction of the ceiling. “BOYS! BRING DOWN THE ELEVATOR!”
There is a collection of disappointed ‘aws’ . It seems like they're listening this entire time. Small voices reply from above. “Yes, boss!”
He looks back at the ragdoll. “Yer’ free ta’ go.”
She finally snaps her eyes open and looks at him. “H-Huh?”
“Take the elevator oughtta’ here. I’m sure this ain’t the last time I’m gonna’ see ya’.” He leans in closely before she can move. “But you should do me a favor, since I’m lettin’ ya go, and all.”
He wants more? She can’t give any more of herself to him. The look on her face makes this obvious. “What do you want..?”
“Ask Jack about me.” He smiles mischievously. “I can guarantee one thing, Dolly: he ain’t telling you everything ‘bout himself. He and I…we have a past I think you’d love to learn about.”
She looks lost, but he wears a knowing smile. He dismisses her with a wave of his ‘hand’ and walks elsewhere in his casino, cleaning up the mess of cards from the table. She makes no hesitation to pick herself up and bolt in the direction of where she came. She slips through the chute and finds the elevator waiting for her at the end. She isn’t surprised when the trio are nowhere to be found, and is left to walk back to Halloween Town by herself.
She clutches at her arm on the way, feeling violated and used after what happened. His words give her unsettling chills. But they bring a new curiosity to her mind. How much does she truly know about Jack’s past? And who this boogeyman exactly is? It hurts her to think he’s concealing more from her than she thinks…she clutches her hand as she walks through the forest.
She'll ask him about this.
Chapter 16: Old Pasts and New Beginnings
Summary:
Sally comes back to the Skellington Manor hanging on by a thread. She tells Jack about what happened in Oogie's casino, and in return, learns about his troubled past with the boogeyman. The next day, they pay a visit to the Doctor and Jewel - where Jack gets two very important matters out of the way.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Sally Finklestein trudges on for what feels like hours. The way back to Halloween Town is much longer than she anticipates. Her legs grow exhausted by the minute. She neglects to notice the fallen tree branch in her way and is sent tumbling to the ground when her feet make contact with it. Her arm detaches upon impact, scattering loose leaves on the fresh dirt. The wind picks them up and carries them off. Sally grabs her arm in a panic and covers the opening with her other hand.
She reaches for her thread and needle, but finds her pocket empty and no sewing needle behind her ear. Then she remembers she gave them to Oogie Boogie after losing their betting game.
“Oh, no..!” She exclaims to herself. “This is bad…I have to get home!”
Grasping onto her appendage tightly, she picks up her pace and continues on the path. It takes several minutes before she sees Halloween Town. She sighs in relief and practically runs to it - only to find herself tripping and stumbling on the way. She slows her pace in caution of losing anymore limbs. By the time she reaches the front gate, she’s so fatigued that she can only mumble to the gatekeeper. The crow looks at her oddly and raises the gate. She thanks him with a nod of her head.
He notices the gaping hole in her arm as she passes by. “Are you okay, miss..?”
She waves him off and continues on her way. She’ll apologize for her curt behavior later - the sky is getting dark, and all she wants to do is to return to the Skellington Manor. Her sanctuary. Far from Oogie Boogie and those naughty children…Where the love of her death and their pets reside, undoubtedly waiting for her return…she feels guilty for keeping them waiting. For where she has gone today.
‘I'll sneak inside,’ She thinks as she approaches the manor. ‘So I can sew my arm back on without anyone noticing…’
She tiptoes up the steps and opens the door as quietly as she can. She makes little noise closing it and rushes inside, past the den and up the staircase. She tries to do this speedily despite struggling the entire way. Her body feels numb by the time she makes it to their bedroom. She starts searching through drawers for a sewing needle and thread. She mutters under her breath before finding the desired items, and grins in satisfaction.
“Sally..?”
Jack Skellington’s concerned face is in the doorway. He's eying the area where her arm should be, before his gaze comes to what she’s holding in her hand. It isn’t shocking to find his beloved without an arm, but it still brings alarm to the skeleton. He steps into the room and notes the empty opening. She’s lost a terrible amount of leaves…the concern grows as he looks to her for an explanation.
She feels flustered to be caught in a situation like this. She smiles at him nervously. “I tripped..?”
“But why didn’t you take care of it earlier?” He lifts her dress' sleeve to observe the hole. “You’ve lost a lot of-”
“--Leaves. I know.” She cuts him off. She sets her arm down and attempts to thread the needle with one hand. He notices her difficulty and offers to do it for her. She gives him the items with a small ‘thank you’.
“I didn’t have the needle and thread on me, at the time…” She confesses. He looks at her doubtfully as he goes to sew her arm back on - sparing her the demanding effort of doing it one-handed.
“But you always have them on you. You should. What if something like this happens? If you were to fall apart, trip somewhere and lose more than this…”
He mutters as he finishes the job, his voice growing worried at the possibilities he’s put into his mind. Sally waits until he’s no longer tense before she speaks again, resting a hand on his shoulder.
“I used them in my sewing shop and forgot they were there, that's all. I tripped on my way back.” She grits her teeth lying like this. She doesn’t feel comfortable doing it anymore. “I’ll make sure I always have them on me, from now on.”
He sighs before removing her hand and bringing it to his lips, to leave a tender kiss on her stitched knuckles. Her heart flutters. He brings it down and holds it in both of his large hands. He can feel how light her arm is now - no doubt causing an imbalance to her. They’ll have to visit the Doctor and collect more leaves when they can.
“I believe you.” He tells her. “But, please, be careful.”
He leads them out of the bedroom and down the stairs, holding onto her tightly the entire time. She appreciates the support - drained from all the running and fretting she’s done. She can use some relaxation. She groans in relief when the weight is taken off her feet.
“Can you kindle a fire, Jack..? It’s cold tonight.”
He obliges and starts a fire in the hearth. While he’s busy, his ghostly dog and her black cat come running in. Ophelia mewls delightfully at the sight of Sally. She jumps into her lap without hesitation while Zero flies forward to lick the side of her face. They both have been worrying about her. She hugs Zero before petting her cat, assuring them that she's alright. The Pumpkin King stands to his full height once the logs catch fire. He enters the kitchen.
“I’ll heat some leftovers for us, and make some warm tea.” His voice informs from the other room. She perks up.
“That sounds good.”
Ophelia joins Zero by the fire while they wait. He returns with trays of food and cups. He sets them down and hands Sally her tea first. She enjoys the liquid warming her stomach. She was freezing, being outside and enduring that harsh wind…the chill that's settled on her spine ever since her encounter with the boogeyman…her gut sinks as she recalls what’s happened, and places her tea down. She tries to clear her thoughts.
“How was your day..?” She asks quietly. She hopes hearing about it will empty her mind. He pauses at her question.
His time was spent finalizing Sally’s engagement ring. He struggled picking just one design out of the several he’d come up with. But he’s happy with his decision, and started on it right away. Sure, he’s a little behind on his paperwork now, but…it's so worth it, in his eyes. It's coming out beautifully. The only part he’s uncertain about is her ring size, which he will have to obtain discreetly…
“The usual planning in the town hall.” He replies nonchalantly.
She dips her head as she finishes her food. Nowhere near the intricate explanation like she’d been hoping to hear…he usually goes into such detail about the Halloween planning and anything unexpected that ever happens…her mind is still swarmed with the events from today. Her chewing slows and she drinks more tea to stop her chest from growing cold. There’s one question that hasn’t been able to leave her mind, no matter how much she pushes it aside.
She decides to appease her curiosity. Swallowing harshly, she asks him, “Jack..? What do you know about Oogie Boogie?”
His reaction is similar to the last time she mentioned him. The moment the name slips off her tongue, he visibly tenses and stiffens his jaw. He sets down his food, gripping his knees tightly. He avoids giving an answer right away. “-Why do you ask..?”
His hesitation confirms her suspicions. She thinks of any possible way to answer him without revealing what happened today - but falls short thinking of any excuses. It already hurt to lie to him once, and it doesn’t feel right to continue doing so. He might think she’s stupid for believing those children, and going to their treehouse so willy-nilly…but it’s brought a heavy weight onto her shoulders. She desperately wants it to go away. Before she can come to terms with herself, the tears begin to fall from her eyes and she gravely looks at the floor.
“Something happened today.” She says in a small voice.
He softens right away. He holds her tightly, resting her on his chest. She presses her weight on him as she closes her eyes and cries. Finally letting out her concealed emotions from what happened - to express how frightened she is, feeling used and violated by a scary man…and not the delightful ‘scary’ like Jack is, but from someone more…threatening.
“I did something stupid.” She spits out regretfully. “I should’ve listened to you. I shouldn’t have ever given them the benefit of the doubt..”
“..What happened, exactly?” He asks. He feels unpleasant hearing her talk this way.
“I let Lock, Shock, and Barrel bring me to their treehouse...and I got trapped in Oogie Boogie’s casino.” He tightens his grip around her. “He offered me a betting game to leave, so we played, and…I-I lost. He let me go…but he...”
Her words drift off as she looks away. She feels anxious telling the rest of the story - afraid of what he will think of her, agreeing to do what she did. If he’d be disgusted. Hurt. Or even...betrayed. She doesn’t know what to expect; she hates keeping something like this to herself. To know she was touched in a way that makes her feel like she's nothing more than a doll…
Jack pulls away to look at her face, combing the strands of her yarn hair behind her ears. Her eyes are red and her cheeks puffy. She’s refusing to look at him. The stitched lines on the ends of her mouth are quivering as she reaches for him. It occurs to him what could have possibly happened in his absence.
“What did he do to you?” He asks coldly. She finally looks at him and whimpers, wiping her tears away with a free hand.
“He wanted to feel my leg and my foot…he-he even tickled me…I didn’t like the way he touched me…he said he wanted to feel a woman’s touch. He kept saying such things..! How I haven’t aged a bit, and-and how he liked how I had a mouth on me…he was stroking my face-”
“That BASTARD..!” The skeleton yells, a small flame escaping his mouth. Sally jumps at his outburst. She grabs him by the shoulders and sits him back down. She clings onto him and sobs some more, wishing to release everything in this moment.
“Please, don’t be mad..! I only did it because he wasn’t going to let me go. It was my only-”
He stops her by holding her tightly. The closest embrace they’ve ever had. She shakes within his grasp - calming down the longer he holds her. He says nothing in these few minutes, letting the sound of the fire crackling soothe them instead. Zero and Ophelia watch them with worried expressions. They decide to keep their distance, seeing their master’s reaction. He eventually withdraws and holds her sides firmly.
“Sally..” He begins. “Do you know what could have happened? What he could have done to you?”
“-I’m sorry!” She exclaims regretfully. “All I wanted was to see how those children lived, so I could help them..! It was wrong to believe them. They trapped me down there. I should have listened to you and the witches-”
“- Shh, sh. Don’t blame yourself for anything…You’re not the first they’ve tricked, nor will you be the last.” He sighs. She snivels into his suit. “Anyone else could’ve done what you did. You’re not stupid. You’re just kind, that's what you are.”
“And it nearly got me…killed, or…or…” She mutters with a soft cry. He kisses her cheek and brushes her hair back again.
“What matters is you’re safe now. We’re fortunate he decided to let you go. I don’t know how I could’ve found you otherwise - I would’ve had no idea where you were…”
“I’m s-”
“Shh.”
They exchange no words as he rocks her gently. They do this for several minutes until she relaxes in his arms. She closes her eyes and steadies her breathing. She’d been so scared of him being angry for what she did. But he isn’t. He's upset with Oogie Boogie instead…she holds her breath as she thinks of what to say.
“He told me to ask you about him. That you two have a past I should know about…” She mutters. He doesn’t respond right away. He becomes strained, so she rubs his back. “-Is that true?”
“I…” He breathes on her hair. “I was a different person back then, Sally. Not one I’m necessarily proud of…”
“Is that why you haven’t told me?” He nods weakly. “What matters is who you are now…the man of my screams. The one who took me out of that tower.” His grip strengthens again. “I love you, and I…I want to know about your past, if you’re willing to tell me.”
He clutches her hands before letting go of them. He looks into the fire for a bit, thinking of where to begin. He hasn’t told anyone about this before. She waits patiently in this time - curious to what happened between him and Oogie Boogie, and what he was like back then…He takes a deep breath, beginning to spill his story:
“Oogie and I were friends a long time ago. We were young and reckless. I just got my crown and began my reputation as the master of fright. I was willing to do anything…try anything. I wanted to be the most feared being alive - or, rather, dead. And Oogie…he liked doing things differently. We both had a passion for scaring people.”
She becomes invested. He struggles to speak and she places her hand on his knee. He smiles softly before continuing, more confidently this time:
“Back then, every Halloween was to the human world. Oogie and I - we had a scare streak that lasted for years..! I was in tough competition. The boogeyman didn’t get his title for nothing. But it was all in good spirit. We kept trying new things, new methods to scare humans with. Some were his ideas, others were mine. We bonded on this sort of thing - learning what humans feared, and how to use that to our advantage.”
He rubs his jaw in thought, his look turning troubled.
“I noticed something different about Boogie. He was spending a lot of time with the humans - even after Halloween, he left town to visit their world. I was bothered, since such a thing was forbidden. He told me it was to visit their dreams and study them - and I believed him. It was his job to do that, after all. But he came back with these strange desires, new ideas I hadn’t heard of….”
“What were they?” She asks curiously. He clicks his tongue.
“He was having all sorts of suggestions that didn’t involve scaring…though he’d convince me otherwise.” Jack murmured. “He wanted to use torture devices. To gamble with them. Play games. He said it was using the fear of threatening their lives - and I…believed him, so I went along with it. I’m ashamed to say we had fun when we started…humans were terrified when their lives were on the line. We enjoyed the terror. But something happened one night that changed everything.”
He pauses. She holds her breath.
“-A human died.” He confesses solemnly. “We placed a bet with one that lost the game. Oogie was using one of his torture machines, and…the man was clearly in pain..! We’d never gone so far as to physically hurt them. Just intimidate them..! It was Boogie’s intention all along; he told me he was testing a new theory of his. So he killed him. And that…was ‘true fear’, he told me…To take their life.”
He looks away, clearly ashamed of his words.
“If I’d have known he was going to kill him, I would’ve stopped him. I wouldn’t have helped him to begin with. I was so furious that we didn't talk for weeks…I didn’t believe in killing anyone. I’ve frightened some into an early grave, yes, but…never intentionally would I physically torture or mutilate them like he did! It was unnecessary, and…it was sickening! We never saw eye-to-eye on this thing, so we didn’t reconcile.
Over the next few years, Oogie became an entirely different person. I knew he was doing these things - taking these innocent humans and gambling on their lives…some he took just to have his ‘fun’ with…and it disgusted me. I tried to put a stop to it, but he always found a way to sneak into the human world and claim his victims. Every Halloween, he became ruthless. It was no longer a friendly competition - he was challenging me with every opportunity he had. And eventually, he got jealous of my crown.”
“Your crown..?” She asks. He nods in confirmation.
“Boogie challenged my throne, claiming the way I scared others wasn’t ‘effective’ . That being nice was my flaw as a King. He wanted my place. So he could turn Halloween Town into the casino he wanted…it was the toughest scaring competition I’d ever been in. But I won. After that, I never spoke to him again. Then he tried to overthrow me with his ‘Bug Day’ nonsense, and - well, you were there for that…”
Sally is quiet as she absorbs this new information. She trembles remembering how close she had been to this man, who committed terrible actions. She feels no sympathy for him whatsoever. And Jack…she’s sad hearing their friendship fell apart, and he was tricked into such an awful thing…she hugs his side without a word. He places his hand over hers. He sounds regretful with his next words.
“I’m not proud of what I’d done back then. I helped him do most of these things, and…some of that blood was on my own hands, that night. I’ve never forgiven myself for it. I should’ve banished him a long time ago. I always regret that I didn’t. There would’ve been less victims, if I had acted in time...”
“It happened so long ago. You know better, now. You wouldn’t let such a thing happen.” She assures him confidently. “I think you’re a great ruler, Jack. You look out for your people. You make sure they’re not mean, just doing their job…imagine how many people would have been taken if Oogie was in your place.”
He sucks at his teeth. “Exactly what I fear, sometimes…that he’s going to try and revolt again…I think you understand why you should stay away from him..? And come and tell me if Lock, Shock, and Barrel try anything with you again?”
“Absolutely.” She agrees without hesitation. “You had a right to worry.”
They rest by the roaring fire, watching the flames dance to pass the time. Both Zero and Ophelia are asleep, cuddling and enjoying the warmth. Sally feels her eyes drooping the longer they remain there, the exhaustion finally catching up with her. It’s been an unimaginably long day, and now that she’s safely protected in Jack’s arms again…she wants to rest. Knowing she’s with a man who is better than the creature she encountered earlier. She nestles his side and hums in delight.
“Thank you.” He tells her quietly. She rests her head on his shoulder. “No one’s asked me about my past like this. They’ve never wanted to really know…and I…I’m glad you still trust me, after hearing it..”
“I was a different person, too.” She mumbles. “Before you, I was never confident or happy…I was willing to be a housewife and nothing more…but now I matter to the town, and I have a place here. I know you’re nothing like what you used to be, either.”
He smiles and leans over to kiss her. She returns it on his stitched lips, holding his skull close as they lock lips. They eventually pull away. She rubs the side of his cheek with her thumb.
“You need to forgive yourself.” She tells him sternly. “What happened wasn’t your fault…you didn’t know. You couldn’t have. He tricked you, like those trick-or-treaters did with me. And like you told me - you shouldn’t blame yourself for being kind.”
He sighs as he runs his hand through her hair. “You’re too good for me, Sally, you know that..?”
She says nothing and presses against him, preparing to rest her eyes. He senses her drowsiness and picks her up from the couch, carrying her over to the stairs. The animals finally stir from their sleep and groggily follow after, yawning as they climb into their bed. Jack gently sets Sally in the blankets and observes her. She’s passed out already. She looks content, finally peaceful after what happened to her…
A familiar fire burns in his throat. He clenches his fists to channel his anger. It doesn’t matter what Oogie did with her - he held her captive once, and had the audacity to touch her again. There is no doubt in his mind that he ordered Lock, Shock, and Barrel to trick her. He's always the mastermind behind their plans. And this time, he won’t be forgiven. He’ll make sure of it.
“I’ll kill him if he touches you again. I swear by it.” He mutters under his breath, cupping his beloved’s face in his hand. He leans forward and kisses her on the forehead. “Sleep well, my dear.”
She snores lightly.
“Jewel! We have someone at the door!”
The tall woman looks up in surprise as the doorbell rings loudly above them. She drops what she’s doing to rush over and pull the handle. She’s delighted to find two familiar faces on the other side. One belongs to the Pumpkin King, and the other to Dr. Finklestein’s daughter, Sally. She lets them in right away, leading them to their usual sitting room as she closes the door behind them.
“Welcome! What a horrible time to visit..!”
The ragdoll is more comfortable speaking to her this time. Their conversations over the phone have helped immensely. She approaches her politely. “We’re here to see the Doctor about something. It’s not really that important, so if he’s-”
“-Doctor!” Jewel exclaims into the other room. “Jack and Sally have come to see you! Are you busy, dear?”
Some bizarre noises come from the currently-ajar laboratory door. No doubt he’s experimenting right now. He sounds out-of-breath as he replies. “I’m afraid so..! Why don’t you take care of it for me? Practice your science?”
“How awful!” She claps her hands together and turns back to Sally. “What is it you need help with? I will try to be of assistance.”
The ragdoll glances with uncertainty towards Jack, who smiles back encouragingly. She’s never had anyone else do this sort of thing before. Only the Doctor has ever worked on her, besides Igor’s occasional help. She undoes the thread on her arm and shows her the somewhat-empty opening.
“…I recently lost some leaves in my arm. I just need some replacement ones.”
“A change of leaves - simple.” She comments confidently. She begins motioning her into another room and waves to the skeleton as they leave. “Wait right there, Mr. Skellington..! She’ll be back in a moment.”
The tall skeleton stays in his place as he watches them go. Once he’s alone, he sits down in one of the chairs. He passes the time by looking around and patiently tapping his digits together. He ends up waiting longer than he expects. Finding he has nothing else to do, he reaches into his pocket and unfolds a piece of paper. He finds the final sketch of the engagement ring on it - marveling at the design as he sometimes does in his free time. He has the unfinished project waiting back in the Skellington Manor - hidden exclusively in a drawer that Sally can’t find.
He is so captivated by the drawing that he doesn’t see a couple of figures emerging from the laboratory. Dr Finklestein notices his regal company and sends his assistant elsewhere. Once they’re alone, he moves his wheelchair forward until he’s close enough to get a glance at what the Pumpkin King is holding. He decides not to be nosy and greets him instead.
“Jack, my boy..! Terrible to see you today!”
He startles the King right out of his seat. He folds the paper in a rush and slips it back into his pocket, smiling sheepishly at his old friend. “-Ah! Hello there, Doctor! I didn’t see you there…”
“It was not my intention to surprise you.” He laughs and rests his hands in his lap. “What is it you’ve come here for today?”
“Sally is getting some of her leaves replaced. She, erm …lost quite a few the other day.” His eyelids lower as he recalls the previous night. He decides to change subjects. “You’re having Jewel practice science now..?”
“She has half of my knowledge on the subject..! I want her to put it to good use. She’s been quite the help lately. We’ve gotten a lot done this time.” He realizes his words and quickly adds, “-You’re still free to come around and help anytime you’d like! I know we don’t experiment anymore like we used to.”
He recalls the last time they worked together on something, and remembers the unpleasant result that came…not from their work, but from their troubled relationship at the time…he shrugs this thought off and grins right back. He can tell the Doctor is a much happier man now - he’s never seen him so inspired before. It reminds him of himself with the Halloween plans, after Sally came into his death.
“It’s alright. I’ve been busy with the planning, anyway.” He decides to pry. “I assume things are going well for you two?”
“Positively perfect ! I finally have the wife I’ve always envisioned having.” He answers with pride. “I’m no longer the lonely, old man I used to be. Every day is worth waking up to, now.”
He understands what he means. It’s been the greatest experience to wake up next to the love of his death now. Finklestein’s words remind him of something and an idea crosses Jack’s skull. He reaches into his pocket and surfaces the paper again, slowly unfolding it with a smile. He ensures no one else is in the room as he does this, wanting to keep this an utmost secret. He presents the paper to him proudly.
“Would you mind helping me with something..?
He looks at him curiously as he takes it in his small hands. His jaw drops open at the detailed drawing he sees. He’s always admired the King’s artistic talent - this being a perfect example as to why. The design that looks back at him is a gorgeous engagement ring, modeled after his initial jack-o-lantern idea, except now it's complimented with red gems and vines stretching to the shoulders just before the shank. It's a beautiful piece of art, to say at the least. He can only imagine how something like this will look like in-person.
“...Is this what I think it is?” He asks quietly.
“Indeed. I just need to know Sally’s ring size; I have a feeling you might know this information..?”
He glances at him knowingly. “You guessed right. I have a few replacements in a box somewhere we can check.”
“I can only do that if I ask one thing.” He takes another look around the room to ensure they're alone. He sits himself back in the chair to look him properly in the eye. “Doctor, will you give me your blessing to marry your daughter?”
He pauses, registering this question. Then a smile spreads on his face. “Of course, my boy. You’re the only one I trust to take care of her. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
He returns the smile, overcome with a feeling of emotion. It means a lot to have the blessing of Finklestein - a long-time friend of his whom he’s come to regard as his own father figure. And if things go as well as he’s hoping…a true one, at that. A wave of relief washes over him as he takes the paper and puts it away. He’s glad to get this part done, and finally receive the last piece of information he needs to finish the ring.
“I assume you’re keeping this a surprise..?” He's met with a nod. “I’ll have Igor retrieve the measurements for you. And I won’t say a word about this. Not even to my Jewel.”
He calls for his hunchbacked assistant, who scampers into the room and traditionally bows to the Pumpkin King. The Doctor whispers something to him and the shorter man agrees eagerly, disappearing out of the room and rushing up the ramps. Jewel and Sally return in his absence. The ragdoll has an easy time walking as she approaches Jack. Nothing looks different about her - but he can tell she's more balanced on her feet this time. Finklestein turns away to address his wife.
“I’m assuming it went well..?”
“Of course, sweetie. I checked the rest of Sally’s leaves and replaced the ones that needed it. A lot of her thread was loose, too, but I fastened them. You should be good for a long time now, hun..!”
“Thank you, again.” She moves to hug her mother figure. “You’re going to make a wonderful scientist.”
“I appreciate that.” She pats her head as the woman lets go and turns to the skeleton. “I hope we didn’t take too long..?”
“--Just the right amount of time.” He replies with a chuckle.
Igor rushes into the room and passes a piece of paper to the Doctor. He doesn't even look at it. Instead, he wastes no time handing this to Jack, who takes it and easily pockets it. Sally watches this movement with confusion. He brings her to the door before she can ask. She forgets this matter completely as she gives her father a parting hug. The Doctor holds onto her while Jack exchanges a polite handshake with Jewel in the background. The moment they withdraw, he gives his daughter and soon-to-be son-in-law a proud look.
“Good luck, you two.”
Notes:
I am proud to say that this story will be finished in about 3-4 (or less) chapters from now. I think it's about time - this story has been going on for awhile, and I know I've lost a lot of readers in this time. I apologize it's taken so long to write this story. A lot of stuff has happened, including COVID. Hopefully the next story I write will go quicker. Thank you for sticking by me, to whoever is still here.
Happy new year to my readers! We are also 1 kudo away from 200 - thank you all so much!
Chapter 17: The Spiral Hill
Summary:
Jack Skellington brings a punishment to Lock, Shock, and Barrel, much to the Mayor's delight. He has an important talk with Oogie Boogie afterwards, warning him not to touch Sally ever again. He decides to have some fun with friends in town to get his mind off of things, and ends up having an important conversation with the Halloween Town band.
Notes:
This is the shortest chapter out of all of them, and I apologize. I actually got sick (likely with COVID, a family member of mine tested positive and my entire household was ill for a week+) since I last wrote for this story. I spent a bit of time recovering, but I feel better now. I apologize for the wait, as usual -- since it's February now, just thought I'd wish ya'll a very-early happy Valentine's Day ;) I...don't think I'll get another chapter out before then, but anything can happen, lol.
Chapter Text
The Mayor feels like he’s suffocating when he reads through the report in his hands. It's the twentieth one in this hour alone. Its contents are similar to the others - the most prominent words being ‘Boogie’s Boys’ , ‘trouble’ and ‘pranks’ . The sweat piles at his forehead and he promptly wipes it away with a dark sleeve. He scribbles at the list he’s had to compile these past few days, to keep track of Lock, Shock, and Barrel’s records with the citizens. It’s grown immensely in this time, expanding to several pages consisting of their pranks and various allegations in Halloween Town.
The door opens, startling him. He relaxes his composure when he finds a tall skeleton shuffling in the room. He sets down some paperwork and sorts it in a nearby bin - addressing the Mayor with only the briefest of a glance. The shorter man huffs as he looks through his writing, the anxiety beginning to swell in his fingertips. He can’t help raising his voice from the ever-growing frustration building in this silence.
“ Jack!” The politician slams his hands on the table. “You’ve got to do something about Boogie’s Boys!”
The Pumpkin King stands to his full height and turns on his heel to face him. The Mayor notices and frantically sorts through the papers, his hand shaking as he offers several to Jack Skellington. The handwriting on most is rushed and clearly written in a panic. His lip wobbles as he attempts to piece his words together.
“They’ve been such a hassle..! We’ve received nothing but complaints about them for weeks now! Every time I try to discipline them, I get pelted with rocks and called these ludicrous names..! I know you’ve been busy, but I just can’t…I can’t…I simply can’t take it anymore ! This is going to take weeks to sort out, and-”
“--Mayor. Please, calm down.”
He stops his words and takes a deep breath. He tries to soothe his nerves but his face refuses to switch to its happy state. Not when he’s got all this stress to deal with..! He taps his pen on the table repeatedly as his tone becomes distressed.
“I know you have a lot on your mind. But you really have to punish them.” He mutters as he sits back in his seat. “I don’t know any other way to get them to listen. They’ve broken nearly every law, every code of conduct - you have to scare them straight. Please. For me?”
He returns the papers to his desk. “-I’ll take care of everything. I’ve been meaning to pay a visit to that treehouse of theirs, anyway…I have several bones to pick with them, to say at the least.”
His posture finally relaxes. He smiles when his face naturally switches and his mood lightens. “...Thank you.”
Jack doesn’t inform him anything more about the situation. He doesn’t want to mention Oogie Boogie - that name is highly frowned upon in Halloween Town, and for good reason. He doesn’t want the Mayor to worry any more than he already has. He’s already turned into a mess from the trio’s trouble as it is. This is something he’ll have to sort out privately with them - especially when it involves a matter so personal. The moment they chose to include Sally in their mischief is the second they chose trouble with Jack Skellington himself.
He turns in the rest of his paperwork and begins his trip into the Outskirt forest of Halloween Town, a frown settling on his skull the entire way.
—-----
When Jack arrives at the treehouse, things are eerily silent. The only noise heard are the leaves rustling in the wind and the swaying of the dead trees. As he approaches the structure, it looks empty - but that’s far from the truth. Those three are hiding in there, purposefully quiet. They must’ve seen him coming. His eye sockets scan the broken windows searching for any sign of the children. A witch’s hat, a devil’s tail… anything to give them away. He does this for a few minutes, nothing breaking the silence. Eventually, he calls out in its direction with a bony hand on his hip:
“I know you’re in there. Come on out and you won’t get in any more trouble.”
Nothing. Not even the slightest movement. He can hear the small elevator of theirs moving with the wind, the emptiness of the abyss giving an unsettling chill. But this doesn’t dissuade him. He impatiently puts a hand on the side of his skull as he waits and listens. They still don’t budge. He sighs. He doesn’t have time to partake in any childish games of theirs. Especially hide-and-seek.
He moves forward and outstretches his hand. Skeletal digits grip the chain on the elevator tightly, and he begins to jangle it. It swings repeatedly with the movement, adding to the bounce and pronouncing the loud noise. He smirks devilishly when he finally hears movement in the treehouse, wooden floorboards creaking as small feet run around inside. No doubt bothered by the noise.
Eventually, a green face shows itself from one of the open windows. She glares angrily at him. “QUIT IT!!”
“Ah-!” He takes his hand away to proudly gesture at them. “So you are home! I thought so.”
Shock’s face deadpans when she realizes what she’s done. He can hear the whispered scoldings from her cohorts as she quickly ducks back in the treehouse to conceal her figure. The frown settles back on his lips as he impatiently steps forward. He doesn’t want to keep playing this game - it's ridiculous they’re even attempting to hide from their consequences. What else can they expect after doing what they did? He can tolerate this for only so long.
“I want you three to come out right now and face your punishment!” He exclaims, pointing at the spot in front of him for emphasis.
“Make us!” Lock spits back.
Their eyes widen when Jack steps forward and grabs a hold of one of the branches. He very well can climb the tree and slip into their house if so desired - his frame is thin enough, and he’s so quick they won’t have a chance to stop him. Then he’ll be able to corner them and they won’t have the possibility of escaping. This fact becomes obvious and they begin to spurt out objections - bringing their hands out of the window to discourage him. His smile twitches as he pulls back and crosses his long arms knowingly.
“You boys are in a lot of trouble.” He threatens darkly. “Not only do you have to make it up to the town for all the pranks you did, but now you have to answer to me.” His stitches stretch wickedly. “You’re going to pay for what you did with Sally. And I’ll make sure your punishment is a nightmare.”
They haven't come out. They’re too scared to leave. It’s obvious he knows what happened with his girlfriend. Of course Sally will tell on them! Why did Oogie have to let her go? Why couldn’t he have eaten her then and there? He refused to tell them why, saying they wouldn’t understand. Their figures shake as the tall skeleton comes closer and wraps his hand around the elevator chain again.
Barrel reaches in his direction. “Please, not again-”
“-I’m going to pay a visit to your boss.” He announces ominously. “We’ll talk about your penalty later.”
He tugs on the chain and it lowers him into the darkness below their tree. They scramble to gather their popcorn and sweets. They can’t pass up the opportunity for this show..! It’s been a long time since Jack talked to the boogeyman. They wouldn’t miss it for the world. What if something bad happens? They need to know! They momentarily forget about their punishment as they eagerly sit themselves around Oogie’s chute, stuffing their faces with snacks in the meantime.
—
…
Jack crawls through easily and drops himself to the floor with little noise. The casino is quiet, as he expects it to be. He walks aimlessly in the dark, staying aware of his surroundings. Eventually, the lights turn on - and he’s presented with an empty room, save for the imprisoned skeletons in their cages and devices. He frowns and directs his attention to the walls, attempting to find any sight of a shadow. He sighs in impatience and clenches his fists at his sides.
“We need to talk.” He announces dryly.
He notices some movement. A large, familiar burlap sack emerges from the floor. There are ultraviolet lights shining from above, lighting the usual-beige boogeyman into a neon shade of green. The skeleton takes a moment to study him - noticing the way his figure falters, grinning at him in a way that is uncanny. It doesn’t take long before he crosses his arm, tapping his elbow in an unimpressed manner.
“It’ll take more than that to fool me. Quit hiding behind your shadow.”
He gives in and sinks back to the floor. Jack waits before the real Oogie Boogie emerges, this time complete in his shape. The bugs within him squirm as he advances on the skeleton. He looks almost pleased that he’s here. It's insulting after knowing what happened in this room. The thought makes him sick.
“Come to pay me a visit, bone-man? You know how lonely it gets down here~” He sticks his lower lip out with a chuckle. The Pumpkin King decides that he’s not in the mood for jokes, and jabs a finger angrily at him.
“Why did you tell them to lure Sally? How could you have the audacity!?”
He’s quick to snap back. “YOU weren’t gonna’ tell me you had a girlfriend, and I had a right ta’ know! In any way I could’a.”
“What business of it is yours..? I told you; I wanted nothing to do with you! We aren’t friends anymore. You had no right to do what you did.”
He scoffs. “Oh? NOW you’re actin’ all high-and-mighty? I don’t care who falls for it. I know better.”
Jack ignores his snide remarks. He’s not here to squabble about their past. He’s here to address what happened with Sally and make sure it won’t happen again. He seethes as he speaks through his teeth. It takes control not to unleash his anger on him right now.
“If you touch her again, Boogie, so help me, I will make sure you’re a double-dead man. Do I make myself clear?”
He smiles. The impudence brings a raging heat into his throat. “You’re here to threaten me? Hah.”
“I’m here to warn you.” He narrows his eye sockets. “If I see what you’ve done…if I even HEAR of it…it’ll be the end of you.”
He laughs. “Alright, ya’ got it. I won’t lay a hand on her.”
Although his henchmen hide their lies by crossing their fingers behind their backs, Oogie doesn’t need to. He misdirects people in other ways. He lowers his head and grins. If anything, this ‘talk’ only encourages him to repeat his actions. He’s been thinking a lot about Sally Finklestein since their last encounter, recalling how pleasant her cloth skin was and how she trembled in his grip...he’s becoming obsessed with the thought of her. Not like he's enamored or anything, but...undoubtedly fascinated.
He likes her bite. The way she barks back at him, how she looks when she narrows her eyes and quivers her lips…it entices him. Most of his victims are far too scared to ever fight back, but she never wastes an opportunity. He imagines having her in his grasp again, to take the final step and consume her…he bets she’ll be delicious. A new taste for his stew.
Jack Skellington gives him a final glare before leaving. Oogie doesn’t stop him. Malicious ideas form in his head, knowing this is all he’s going to think about for days on end…he owes it to the bonehead for giving him such inspiration..! He isn’t intimidated at all. Why should he be, after how soft he's gotten in this time? There’s no way he'll go through with it…he can’t. They both know it.
“Lock! Shock! Barrel! Come on out!”
Boogie listens intently as the skeleton scolds his henchmen from above, giving them a harsh amount of chores to do around the Town Hall. He assigns them to tend to the Mayor and other citizens they’ve wronged, and he has a ‘special’ job for them to make it up to him. He hears their groans and disappointed whines. Their little footsteps climb down into his lair. He smirks as he sits in one of the chairs, expectantly watching the trick-or-treaters land on the floor with a thud . They waste no moment sharing their frustration with him.
“Did you HEAR that!?” Lock vents angrily. “Jack’s making us work in the town hall all MONTH!”
“AND we have to do these stupid house chores for the Mayor!” Barrel complains.
“He’s making ME work with the witches!!” Shock laments. “I hate those hags! How could he do this to us!?”
The three continue to grumble about their misfortunes to their boss. Oogie feels amused hearing this, knowing he got the best deal out of all of them. It's the only upside to being banished from Halloween Town - he doeen't have to deal with them. Eventually, their voices become annoying to him and he shushes them down. He pats their heads individually, giving them a rare affectionate tone. He has to, if he wants their help with his next request. He's sure they'll obey him anyway, but he needs to pacify them in the meantime.
“Not to worry, children.” He stands back with his ‘hands’ on his hips. “We’re gonna’ have our fun soon. All that work won’t be for nothin’. I promise.”
They look delighted with this news.
—--
Jack Skellington finds his mind troubled after his talk with Oogie Boogie and those kids, so he decides to make a rare trip to the local bar in Halloween Town. He doesn’t want to impose any of this on Sally, knowing she’s finally comfortable enough to work in her sewing shop again. He informs her he'll be taking his lunch break elsewhere that day, and she takes the news just fine, understanding he'll be spending some time with his friends. They have always pressured him to join in on their escapades, and in this exception, he accompanies the Harlequin Demon, the Wolfman, the Clown, and the others in their fun.
They spend the first hour or two playing darts and having a few games of pool, effectively calming his nerves. They take turns picking separate records to play on the gramophone and sing along. He settles for a drink or two to get his mind off of what’s happened this past week. His friends excitedly join his side on the stools as they wait for their drinks, tapping their claws on the counter with eager howls and whistles.
“Lookie, Jack! You’re finally having a little fun..!” The werewolf beams.
He forces a smile. “It’s been awhile, hasn’t it?”
“I’ll say." Harlequin peers at him from the side. “Did something bring this up..?”
He drums his fingers on his glass. He wants to avoid this subject as much as possible. “Oh, you know. Things on my mind, is all. Halloween planning, of course.”
He takes a swig of the alcohol and momentarily blanches at the flavor. It’s been longer than he thought since he last drank. They notice his reaction and tease him. He rests his skull in his hand as they go on about various things. He remembers when Sally was last here to meet his friends, and smiles at the memory. They picked up on them far before either of them realized it.
He's nudged to the side by the Clown’s hand. “-Hey, Jack! You haven’t told us how things are going with Sally!”
“Yeah! The two of you sleeping together yet?” The Wolfman grins sharply at him.
“Things are going just fine.” He hangs his head and averts his gaze. He doesn’t want to talk about this sort of thing, noticing the look on their faces. It’s clear they want to pry.
“Sure, but you didn’t answer my question ..!”
Their laughter sounds from around him. Now he remembers why he rarely goes out and does this. Although he enjoys the time with his friends, they tend to be…loud, and overzealous sometimes. He does nothing more but offers a nod and a shrug, which gives them the message they need. They erupt in several ‘ooh’s , all in playful nature. Harlequin pushes his way to move his face closer to Jack’s.
“You're already sharing a bed..? You HAVE to tell me you plan on proposing to her! You guys have always been so perfect for each other..!”
He feels hot. Stuffed. Cramped. “Well, I-”
“Are you kiddin’? OF COURSE he does! I bet he’s got a ring already made n’ everything! Don’t you, Jack?”
“I think–”
“C’mon! Don’t pressure him! You don’t want things to move too fast..! By the time I proposed to Bertha, well, it took–”
“Shut up, Ned! They’re meant for each other! Can’t you see-”
The conversation gets rough, with monsters starting to speak over him (literally and figuratively) . They begin to argue with one another. He takes this opportunity to leave his payment on the counter and slither out from his stool. He shakes off his jitters as he heads for the door. Before he can, he notices a group sitting at one of the poker tables. They glance up and spot him off the bat. He smiles when they motion him over.
“Bone daddy! Come n’ join us!”
He heads over to the Halloween Town band. They're finishing up one of their games, with their instruments sitting beside them. They gesture for him to sit in the empty seat. He obliges. He can still hear the loud exclamations from his friends back at the bar. He shrinks hoping they won’t notice he’s still here. They notice what he’s doing and move their seats to better hide him from view.
“Thank you.” He tells them gratefully. He already feels more calm in their presence.
James shuffles the cards. “Want us to deal ya’ in?”
“Sure.”
He partakes in their next game, enjoying the shift in environment. He makes a note to spend more time with the band, if he’s going to be out-and-about like this. They respect his space more than some of his fervent companions do, and they’ve gotten to know him far better than anyone else has (besides Sally). He’s elated to spend time with them like this, knowing how long it’s been. He feels a little bit guilty for it.
They make small talk to pass the time. “So what’re ya’ in here for today?”
“Getting my mind off things, as I usually do.” He slides a card forward.
“Something happen?” Jimmy raises an eyebrow. Jack hesitates to disclose anything.
“Some…trouble, is all. It’s dealt with, now. I made sure of it.”
A few more rounds pass without a further word. They decide not to pry about this matter. John ends up breaking the silence. “-We couldn’t help hearin’ the bustlin’ over there. Is it true?”
“-Is what true?” Jack perks up.
“That you’re gonna marry Sally?” James asks, as if it’s obvious. “Sorry, but…this is our favorite gossip, ya’ know. We love hearin’ ‘bout our ragdoll.”
“You are the only three I trust to tell.” He sucks at his teeth. “...I’m planning on proposing…soon.”
“Soon?” Jimmy repeats, tapping his finger on his card. “Still waitin’ on the ring?”
“Everything’s ready. I just…” He breathes slowly. “I don’t know when to ask.”
The three band members exchange glances as he folds his hand. There must be a bunch of things they’re thinking right now. He can’t blame them. He feels ashamed at this fact, knowing he’s felt so… uncertain lately. He finished the engagement ring - it turned out exactly as he wanted, ensured to be the right size. He even has Doctor Finklestein’s blessing. All he needs to do now is…propose. But every time he works up the nerve, he loses the confidence. It’s driving him mad.
“What’re ya’ waitin’ for?” John asks.
Jack thinks of this question. The predicament with Oogie and the trick-or-treaters set him back. It brought more anxiety to him, imagining Sally in danger when he’s planning something so important…he had to take the time and ensure her safety, before anything else. Now that it's done, he…still isn’t sure when to ask. He doesn’t understand why his bones swell like this, why he gets a frog in his throat and the sweat that climbs his skull…he becomes a nervous wreck…he's never acted this way before. It baffles him trying to understand.
“It’s not so easy.” He defends. “She hasn’t had a good past with this sort of thing. Doctor Finklestein tried to marry her with a pre-signed certificate, and…she didn’t take that well. What if…” His words trail off.
“-She feels the same way with you?” Jimmy finishes for him incredulously. Jack realizes how ridiculous that sounds and slaps his face in embarrassment.
“Come on. Yer’ not gonna force her into anything that old coot tried to do.” James scoffs. “He tried to make her his housewife. I doubt yer’ gonna pull anythin’ like that.”
“She has bad experiences. The only man she was forced to regard as her husband treated her…not so well. I just worry–”
“-Well, don’t.” John interrupts. The skeleton slumps in his seat. “We’ve seen her. She’s happy with you. I’m positive she’ll want nothin’ else.”
It’s clear the anxiety hasn’t left him. He claws at his skull. “It’s not only that..! There’s the whole…Queen thing. It’s a lot of work. A lot of preparation, learning…what if that’s a problem for her? If she doesn’t want to be the Pumpkin Queen? How am I supposed to take that?”
“Well..” Jimmy sets his cards down to ponder this subject. “I guess she doesn’t have to be, if she doesn’t want to. It’s not like you n’ the Mayor haven’t handled everything for this long. It wouldn’t change anything, I think.”
Jack ducks his head to the table. Does he want change..? Or is that the Mayor’s words getting to him, that things will be more ‘productive’ with a Queen around..? He truly believes Jimmy’s words, and he wouldn’t put any pressure on Sally for anything at all. He'll make sure she's comfortable with every step they take. But this subject makes his bones twist a little unpleasantly, imagining her struggling with what he’s dealt with for all these years…he hopes for the best from this situation.
“It’s like this, Bone Daddy-” James pats his shoulder reassuringly. “She’s head over heels for ya’, n’ we know how you feel ‘bout her. That’s what matters, isn’t it? That you two love each other, more than anythin’ else? Focus on that. Everything else…can come later. And it won’t be the end of th’ world, or even Halloween, if somethin’ does or doesn’t happen.”
He exhales deeply. He nods weakly. “Yes, James, you’re…completely right. You all are. Thank you.”
“-So how're you gonna do it?” He asks giddily. “Propose on horseback? Write her a message in th’ sky? Take her out ta’ dinner? I'm just livin' to know.”
He considers these ideas, but can’t find inspiration from any of them. They feel a little too predictable in his opinion. Then, something sparks in his mind. A familiar place that brought sanctuary to him and Sally when they needed it. The first place they truly connected in, and used as their escape…he remembers it like it was yesterday. When he found a strange ragdoll knocking on his dog’s grave, calling and whistling for Zero like it depended on death itself…the way she looked, so enthralling and adorable…he’d grown smitten ever since then.
“I’m starting to have an idea.” He says happily.
Chapter 18: Kidnap the Seamstress
Summary:
Lock, Shock, and Barrel are finally behaving in Halloween Town - and things couldn't be better! Little do the Residents know a familiar shadow is lurking around town, and stalking a particular ragdoll...
Oogie decides he's had enough waiting and rolls out his plan for his Boys. They're happy to comply.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
The next few months in Halloween Town are… strangely calm. The reign of terror inflicted by the trick-or-treaters comes to a crashing halt after their confrontation with Jack Skellington. Monsters are finally free to roam the streets again. The children are allowed to enjoy their candies and sweets with no disruptions. Even shopkeepers get to relax when the vandalism and harassment stop. The message is clear - things feel like they’re at peace again.
Boogie’s Boys still appear around town. But they are now under the orders of the Mayor. They run his errands and clean up around the Town Hall. Most of their chores are done with scowls, often completed haphazardly - but still completed, nonetheless. Residents are pleased to find the town looking neat and proper again. The witches are glad to have some help around their shop while the town’s seamstress enjoys a hand-or-two offered to her during the day.
Lock, Shock, and Barrel are not thrilled about the situation one bit. Shock is pestered by Helgamine and Zeldaborne with their lessons on witchcraft. Lock receives several lectures from the Mayor and Jack about their previous pranks. Barrel is restricted from eating candy while they’re working. He nearly throws a tantrum when the Mayor takes away his lollipop and confiscates his hidden stash of sweets. It takes a lot of willpower for the three not to snap and cause a ruckus.
In this time, Oogie assures them to wait and endure. To be patient. He promises their reward will be the biggest they’ve ever received. So, they do as they’re told. They imagine piles of candy as high as mountains - or an even bigger pot of his snake & spider stew. Their mouths water at the picture, steam rolling off the lid of their bowls as the smells temptingly linger in the air…
—--
As time goes on, October arrives. Fall comes beautifully, the trees finally shedding their leaves and littering the sidewalks in oranges and yellows. Activity rises in Halloween Town - monsters scurrying down the streets excitedly while the town hall is filled with commotion. Jack Skellington and the Mayor become incredibly busy during this time, cooped up in their offices as they tend to paperwork and businesses for Halloween that year. While the officials remain unseen, the rest of the citizens happily enjoy their activities in town. Spirits are exceptionally high while creatures decorate buildings and wear their festive costumes, whistling their tunes and dancing along.
On this particular day, citizens are banded together in the plaza, watching one of the human horror films projected on the wishing well. Those wanting to watch it are cooped up in front, peering down below while the rest sit nearby and listen. Children shove themselves near the well and watch the screen with wild eyes. Sally Finklestein and the Hanging Tree, along with his Hanging Men, are sitting at a table knitting together while listening to the screams of terror coming from afar. The sounds of someone being stabbed to death, perhaps?
“I think I’ve seen this one,” The tree comments as he pulls his knitting needle through. “The effects were incredible for its time! The blood looks almost real.”
“-The effects were great, sure, but the costumes look terrible.” One of the skeletons shakes his skull. He turns and points at the ragdoll. “I bet Sally could make the clothes waaay better!”
She waves off the compliment. “Everyone gives me too much credit. I’m sure whoever worked on them did an awful job.”
The rest of the hanging men mumble their opinions, some in agreement and others indifferent. She's too focused on her knitting to properly listen. She feels proud with how this personal project is coming along. She’s been working on making a small pair of blankets for Zero and Ophelia. To keep them warm during the night, and sleep in while they’re in their beds. She’s even making them matching designs! So far, everything is going smoothly. Their sessions together have given her such an improvement..!
“I am so glad those kids stopped coming around.” The Hanging Tree sighs. “Have I told you what they would do to me and my Hanging Men? They would jump on my branches, hanging onto them and swing so harshly..! My skeletons would get tangled together. They found it humorous and did it often…”
She frowns at the story. “That’s terrible..!”
“My arms are too short to properly help them sometimes, so I’d have to find somebody to untangle them for me. It was quite embarrassing.”
“They’ve even tried to untie our rope and separate us!” One of the men exclaims. “They’re always trying to get others in trouble like that. It’s hard to fight them when we can’t move.”
She drops her work to give them a sympathetic look. She’s heard plenty of stories from the citizens and fellow shopkeepers. About their victimization to Lock, Shock, and Barrel’s pranks and what harm they’ve caused them. It seems like they have a poor reputation with everybody in town. She hasn’t found a single person out there who has anything positive to say about them. And when she thinks about it…she can’t name a single thing, either.
“I really wanted to help them.” She comments quietly. “I tried to teach them what I could and get those children to behave. But they just didn’t…listen.”
“I’m afraid they don’t listen to anybody. We’re lucky Jack can put them in line as it is.” He rubs a sharp finger on his bark. “Sometimes people are incapable of changing, as much as we’d like to believe otherwise. The Beldam was given a chance to change her ways - but you recall what happened to her…”
‘The old seamstress’, she thinks to herself. It’s been a long time since she has heard about her. Then she remembers what she heard about Oogie Boogie…those two don’t sound different, now that she thinks about it. Killing human beings and eating them…she was told it was how the Beldam survived. Is the boogeyman guilty of something similar? Or does he kill for the pleasure of it? That thought makes her shudder and her skin suddenly pales. She sets down her needles right away.
One of the skeletons notices the look on her face. “Miss, are you alright..?”
“Just f-fine.” She sputters out, rubbing her arms.
“Is the movie too frightening for you?” The tree’s smile falls as he glances back at the well.
The sounds coming from it are indescribable - mostly terrified shrieks, wet noises, and the sound of a chainsaw as well as a few crunches. Such a thing is tame for everyone here - but he understands that Sally is not like most people. She’s more sensitive to these things. The ragdoll shakes her head but stands up anyway, collecting her incomplete blankets and needles. She moves from the table and bows her head at them.
“I’ll be heading back to the shop now. Thank you for joining me. Let me know if anything else goes on..!”
“Of course.” He nods. “Take care of yourself.”
She bids farewell to them, waving to the skeletons, and begins her trip back in town. She’s unaware of the shadow lingering at her feet as she goes. Nor does she notice the two yellow eyes peering at her from below inquisitively. She feels a chill climb up her spine instead. She holds onto the sides of her arms, shivering as she moves along.
‘The weather must be getting chilly.'
—
Oogie knows he shouldn’t be doing this. Technically, he’s not allowed to. It is illegal. He would be banished from Halloween Land itself if he was caught! Maybe that’s what made this entire thing so enticing. He’s never felt this excited before. Not in a long time, anyway. He’s practically chasing the high at this point, giggling feverishly to himself as he goes. He feels like a kid in a candy store!
Oogie Boogie’s shadow creeps along the walls and floors of Halloween Town, looking at its surroundings with curious, glowing eyes. He has to conceal himself every time someone comes walking in his direction. So far, he’s gone unnoticed - doing his best to be as discreet as possible, constantly checking his surroundings. He isn’t here to make a scene. That would be…unwise, despite how fun it sounds.
He’s here to check the situation on the surface.
His henchman can supply only so much to him - they’ve been busy working for the Mayor and other fools in this town. He’s been satisfied with the little snippets they’ve given him, but now he wants to see the full picture. To view things for himself - understand what's going on, after being away from it for a long, long time. And all he can say is, he’s…not really impressed with what he sees.
In fact, it makes him snort in disapproval. (He doesn’t even bother hiding the noise.)
Where are all the scary things!? The sharp instruments, torture devices, fun colors, music, and games? Instead, he finds cobwebs, fake blood, pumpkins, and children running around and laughing. Like this is a carnival instead of a town housing the most terrifying holiday out there. His bottom lip quivers in disgust as he looks at it all. This entire time, his shadow can’t help shaking its head, thinking of what he would put in its place instead - making imaginary improvements to the town as he slithers along.
Jack Skellington is an idiot. A downright fool, in his eyes. What King doesn't use his power to his advantage? You can make others fear you. Obey you. The exact thing the King of Halloween should WANT! He feeds off the fear of humans just as Boogie does. Yet he doesn’t crave it. Instead, he lets the town look like… this! Cute little spiderwebs, witches riding on their brooms, citizens sitting around and watching movies instead of bowing to his feet and feeding him the souls of humans..!
He’s fed up with looking at it all. He wants to go home. Not face the reality of what Halloween Town’s become. But that’s when he sees…. her. Sally Finklestein. Sitting at a table, innocently knitting and talking. She’s with a tree. Not the best protection if something happens, but…he can't exactly do anything. He’d kiss his burlap rear ‘goodbye’ if he so much as makes himself visible.
So, he does the smart thing and remains on the floor, moving quickly so no one stares at the pitch-black shadow for too long. He hides on the underside of the wooden table, listening in on their conversation. He’s amused when it’s about his henchman. The tree is complaining about its skeletons getting stuck on each other. He almost laughs. Sometimes the kids are hilarious ..!
“..The Beldam was given a chance to change her ways - but you recall what happened to her…”
Boogie perks up at this name. One he hasn’t heard in…a century, at least. The Beldam ? Halloween Town’s original seamstress? He remembers her fondly. Back when he wasn’t banished, he’d pay regular visits to her shop, asking her to sew his sack whenever the thread came loose or busted open. And she was happy to work on him, despite how often he came by. Truth be told, sometimes he’d snag on a seam or two just so he’d have an excuse to go see her…
A sort of infatuation, maybe. She was fun. And smart.
He realizes Sally hasn’t spoken for a minute. He moves to the edge of the table to get the quickest of a glance at her…and he notices the look on her face. The fear in her eyes. He can taste it, smell it…it’s radiating off of her like heat. It shouldn’t hurt to have a taste or two, right? Maybe it’s a little risky if she suspects something, but…he hasn’t had the pleasure of exploring someone’s mind in a long, LONG time.
“Miss, are you alright..?”
“Just f-fine…”
Oh, he HAS to.
Normally, the Boogeyman only enters children’s minds to watch their dreams. Induce some nightmares, if he's in the mood. It was his job , back in the day - although he was directed to only do it for the naughty children. Give them visions and messages, to correct their behavior. Induce some fear so that, when they wake up in a cold sweat, they’ll come crying to their mommy and daddy and start sobbing about ‘behaving’ and ‘loving them’. But that got boring after awhile. So he started giving them nightmares for the fun of it.
It’s been a long time since he visited an adult’s mind. The first time he’d ever visit an artificial creation’s one, at that. But he figures it's worth the try. So he does exactly that. He’s surprised at how well it works, like a normal human’s brain. Maybe that’s what she has, after all. He doesn’t know exactly what the Doc did. He doesn’t really care, anyway.
He listens to her thoughts.
‘Oogie Boogie doesn’t sound so different from the Beldam…they kill human beings. She ate them to survive. Is the boogeyman guilty of that, too? Or does he kill for the pleasure of it..?’
He grins wickedly. She’s thinking about him. How cute.
She isn’t too far off, he thinks. The Beldam and him…they had a thing together. An agreement of some sorts. He would visit the human world and find susceptible children through their dreams. Study their home life and whatnot. Then he’d supply them to her, and she’d offer him her services in return. He helped kill a few, of course - only when he had to lure them himself. If he was really, really good…and she was in the mood…she would share some with him. Who was he to deny a polite lady’s dinner?
Oh, he kills for pleasure alright. But humans are delicious. As he’s sure Sally will be, too…he licks his lips as he reluctantly leaves her mind, but stays on her tail. She’s getting up and leaving while he does this. He grins – perfect!
“I’ll be heading back to the shop now…”
Boogie eagerly follows her as she goes, sticking closely to her own shadow so he isn’t seen. He admires the view under her dress from this angle - momentarily forgetting that his eyes are glowing and can give him away. But she doesn’t glance down. She doesn’t even question the coldness his shadow has brought onto her. He still can’t believe she’s this gullible.
‘This should all go down relatively easily,’ he thinks.
—--
He wastes a little time by watching Sally in her shop and listening to nearby conversations. He learns a few valuable things - Jack Skellington and the Mayor are cooped up in the Town Hall, dealing with Halloween preparations. The entire town is currently swept up in their pre-holiday festivities. So, there aren’t a lot of people on the residential hill right now…where the seamstress shop is. In fact, no one's around. Just an innocent little ragdoll by herself, working on her sewing machine and singing quietly.
He can take her right now. No one will even notice. But…he might get caught carrying a ragdoll around. And if he's seen…he can’t have that . He’ll have to confide in his henchman. They better not let him down.
. . .
. . .
Boogie soon returns to his Lair in the Hinterlands, dipping deep into the abyss to relish its coldness. Then he surfaces and returns to the underground casino, completing his burlap’s physical form. Lock, Shock, and Barrel must’ve noticed his return. They come piling down the chute like it’s a slide, giggling before landing on their bottoms harshly. The pain doesn’t even phase them. They get up and look at their boss excitedly, grins plastered on their faces.
“Well! Well !?” Shock asks, jumping up-and-down.
“Yeah! Did you see anything?” Barrel adds.
“What do you think?” Lock finishes.
Oogie clacks his snake tongue. They knew of his plan to ‘visit’ Halloween Town today. But he firmly told them to wait in the treehouse - afraid they’d give his appearance away. They are still children, he reminds himself - and if they know he’s somewhere out there in any way…there isn’t a chance they wouldn’t have made it obvious. He had to be safe and watch his own back. They *are* a little upset they couldn’t come, but…he’ll make that up to them, later.
“I gotta’ say, kiddos…I’m a little disappointed .” He grumbles, placing his ‘hands’ on his hips. “You got my hopes up, tellin’ me all this stuff…but I didn’t see anything exciting.”
The smiles fall from their faces simultaneously. They glance at each other and wring their hands together, anxious hearing his disappointment.
“But..! But ! You saw the catacombs, right?” Barrel tries to point out helpfully. “They’re dusty and have skeletons everywhere..! It’s so cool!”
“Or-Or the candy shop..!” Lock adds nervously. “There’s a lot you can take from there!”
“There were some fresh bodies in the graveyards, too..” Shock’s voice is quiet. “You could’a pick anyone you wanted and we would get it for you.”
He waves a hand dismissively at them. “‘S not your fault, kids. You’re not the one I’m mad at. It’s the bonehead that screwed everything up.”
They lean forward, intrigued to hear more. He notices their attention and decides to humor them, dramatically taking a seat and looking off in the distance. He feels quite a bit of frustration with what he saw…and it really *isn’t* their fault. They don’t have a say in how Halloween Town is run, much to his dismay. But it might work to his advantage if they see things in his perspective…
“You three weren’t ‘round at the time, but…” He grabs his trusted pair of dice and throws them in the air. “Back in my day, Halloween Town was scary! And I mean REAL SCARY! Ya’ had ME around…givin’ everyone nightmares…n’ this was when bone-man wasn’t a snivelin’ coward like he is now!”
He stops to laugh at his own insult.
“No, we had EVERYTHING. Traps, weapons, knives…anythin’ your little heads can think of..!” Their eyes light up at his words. “N’ we were allowed to use ‘em, too. Every year, we went out to the human world n’ scared ‘em out of their wits..! Hell, sometimes we’d bring the humans into OUR town and scare ‘em straight! We’d give ‘em a fun game or two, ‘round the WHOLE place up and have our fun.”
He feels nostalgic remembering these days. It makes the crushing realization of Jack’s betrayal hurt more than usual. He tries not to show it on his face as he turns away from the kids. They look at the back of his form in concern. He glances behind his shoulder. His voice turns serious.
“-But now ? Nothin’. You can’t scare ‘em like you used to. And this town…it ain’t my town. Not anymore. There’s nothin’ to do here. No fun. No games. You see that, right?”
They hesitate to agree. They don’t understand. They have fun playing their pranks, visiting the candy shop, and picking on the Mayor. They love to get on Jack’s nerves when they can. But they end up agreeing, anyway, so as to not upset him.
“But I’d make it fun.” He grins wickedly. “I’d bring all those things back. The traps, the shadows and bugs…you could have everything you’d want here. All the pranks. All the candy. N’ you would never get in trouble. In fact, you’d be in charge, too. People would have ta’ listen to YOU. You could make THEM sweep the floors and do your laundry.”
They grin.
“N’ anyone could scare any way they want to! Be mean, be as cruel as you want! None of that baby crap Jack’s making ‘em do. ‘We’re not mean! No sharp objects! No touching them! No killing -’ PHAW. What a LOSER!”
The kids begin to laugh. He’s delighted with this reaction. It isn’t hard to get them on his side. And he needs that right now. Once they’ve calmed down, he approaches them and lays a hand on a couple of their shoulders, bringing them closer. They look excited - does he have another plan for them? A request? They’ll do anything for their master! They can’t wait for their reward!
“I’m tired of waiting. I think you boys are, too.” They nod enthusiastically. “You’re goin’ to take the ragdoll. Forcefully, if ya’ have to. N’ bring her down to me. This time…I intend on keeping her.”
“What made you wait so long, boss?” Lock asks impatiently, stomping his shoe. Oogie gives him a glare before he cowers down.
“Patience. Remember that, kids? Now that the town’s goin’ crazy over Halloween…they’re all busy preppin’ for it. You can take her no problem. Jack won’t even know. It’ll be our secret.”
“Will we get our reward?” Barrel asks eagerly. The others shoot him daggers for asking. But Boogie doesn’t mind, patting his little green head and chuckling while he does so.
“ Course you will! By the time I’m done, you three are gonna’ have the most delicious bowl of stew in your lives yet.” They bounce on their heels. “Just get me Sally. And you will get your prize.”
It doesn’t take much for them to agree to such a demand. With the promise of their reward, along with their ever-growing frustration of helping around Town and behaving around so many people…taking Sally doesn’t sound so bad. They’ve done it before, so it shouldn’t be hard to do it again..! They’ve always found her a little annoying when she tries to educate and baby them. It’s about time she knows the * true * nature of Boogie’s Boys..!
—---
They waste no moment following Oogie’s orders. Merely an hour after he’s given them his request, they pack their bathtub full of weapons and restraints. They imagine all the methods of kidnapping her and what constraints they’ll use. They even sing about it while they collect their materials, delighting the boogeyman from below. Anything they use won’t measure to what he’s going to do to her. As soon as they’re ready, they ride out into Halloween Town quickly. They don’t want to waste another moment..!
The sun is setting in the sky by the time they reach Sally Finklestein’s seamstress shop. She looks like she’s about to lock up, cleaning inside and gathering the last of her materials. They check around to make sure there aren’t any nearby witnesses. They’re fortunate to find not another soul on the streets. Maybe the town is playing another film or they’re wrapping things up right now. Regardless, it won’t be long before monsters begin returning home, so now they need to make their move.
They jump out of the bathtub and run to the entrance without stopping. They slam the door shut behind them, startling the ragdoll. She was in the middle of packing up her basket when they stormed in. She stands to her full height and notices they’re wearing their masks on their faces. They're holding what she’s dreaded to see before - small knives and slingshots, along with large candy bags. She hears one of the children lock the door as they advance on her, backing Sally against the wall.
Ophelia blinks from the basket and watches the scene. She hunches her back up and begins to hiss at the intruders, who ignore her.
“You should’ve never messed with us!” Shock points at her threateningly. “If you’d let us have that candy, the boss would’ve never been upset!”
Her eyes widen as her phantom heart begins to race. She must be talking about their first encounter with those other children. She knows something bad is about to happen again. She clutches at her chest.
“What is this about? Why are you holding those..things..?”
Lock opens his pocketknife. He points it at her and watches her flinch. “I wonder how long it would take for someone to put you back together after they’ve cut you apart! Thread by thread..”
“Seam by seam..” Barrel joins in eerily.
“Limb by limb.” Shock finishes.
Her eyes dart behind them and she starts to move. But that’s her mistake - the moment she moves a muscle, the three jump her and roughly pull her down to the floor. She struggles in their grasp, gasping when the blade comes closer to her seams. Ophelia leaps from the basket and attaches herself to one of the children, clawing at their neck and any exposed skin. Lock groans in pain and throws the cat off of him. He chuckles in amusement when she lands on the wall.
Sally watches helplessly and whimpers. A blindfold is wrapped around her head and she suddenly can’t see a thing. The children tie her wrists and legs together in a way where she can no longer move. She struggles and fights back. But one is no match against three…Ophelia regains consciousness and launches herself at the children again, only to be thrown once more. The sound of her pained howls makes the ragdoll’s chest grow cold.
“Stupid cat..!” Lock whines, wincing when he touches the scratches on his skin.
“Quick! Take her to the bathtub!” Shock interrupts, pointing for Barrel to unlock the door.
The woman thrashes in their grasp as they carry her and hoist her in. She’s soon covered with a bag. A gag is promptly shoved in her mouth. Tears start to well in her eyes and fall down her cheeks, feeling the movement of the bathtub begin carrying them away. She can’t yell out for help. She can’t even move. All of this done in only a matter of minutes… she had nothing to protect herself. The sobs leave her involuntarily.
These children must have kidnapped others before. Taken people exactly like this, she thinks. The knots are tight and the rope is well-placed. Oogie Boogie must have taught them this. For.. what? To deliver his victims? She attempts to picture all the innocent humans going through this, threatened and shoved into bags…have they followed through their threats and cut others up before? She shivers and realizes she’s in the true clutches of evil.
The mockery from the kids doesn't help the situation.
“Hee hee! Oogie is going to be so proud!” Shock smacks her chest proudly.
“Did you see that? She barely put up a fight!” Barrel comments snidely.
“Ah! Ah! Ow!” Lock is touching the cut marks. “Says you two! You didn’t have a cat on your shoulders the whole time!”
Shock ignores him and motions to the bag. “That stew is going to be soooooo good!”
Their laughter drowns out the sound of her muffled sobs, scared to think her end is coming in near minutes. At that time, she can only think of her beloved skeleton…her phantom heart aches. Her chest feels like ice. The tears add to the coldness.
'Jack…please come and save me…’ She thinks helplessly.
—--
Ophelia wobbles from where she stands, dazed in the unattended seamstress shop. She blinks her golden eyes and worriedly looks around. Some tables and chairs are thrown about. The door is still wide open, letting in the cold gusts of wind from the outside. The cat meows loudly as she searches around desperately for her owner, only to be met with empty rooms. She runs outside and notices the small white tub from afar, retreating up the hill and out of sight. The wind cools her fur as the feline flicks her tail worriedly.
“ Mew… !”
She turns her head in the direction of the Town Square. She races into Halloween Town - anxiously climbing through the crowds and dodging nearby creatures. Her little paws lead her as fast as she can move, determinedly to the tall mansion towering over nearby buildings. The Skellington Manor…her rightful home - and housing the only chance of getting Sally back.
Notes:
A monthly update, as promised..! I'm sorry it is this way. I really want to pump out the last chapters quickly but time just goes by so fast. I finished another story of mine recently, so I hope to work on getting this one done, too. I think I might add another chapter since there's some more things I want to do in here.
I might be going crazy with my characterization for Oogie in here, but...he's a fun villain! He's actually my favorite character besides Jack. I have so many headcanons about him I wanted to share in this story. Entirely guilty. Also I know there's been a lot of drama in recent chaps - I promise we'll get the Jack X Sally fluff soon!
Thank you all for the patience, as usual! This chapter is still quite short, only a bit longer than the last one...I hope the next will be longer.
Chapter 19: Master of Fright
Summary:
Ophelia and Zero disrupt Jack Skellington to lead him to Sally. There, he finally battles his old friend - reminding him of his previous threat, and proving that he is the only Master of Fright.
Notes:
Some warnings in advance for major character death, some uncomfortable situations, slightly-inappropriate content, and whatnot. Take heed while reading. Long chapter ahead!
Chapter Text
Ophelia wastes no time climbing the Skellington Manor’s steps and clawing at the door. Without her owner, there’s no way for the feline to get inside. She meows loudly several times in hopes of being noticed. The noise eventually attracts the attention of someone inside. Zero’s head peers quizzically at the frantic guest scratching at the front door. His sockets widen when he recognizes Sally’s pet. He flies out to meet with her below. The black cat notices his presence and promptly swats at him with her paw.
“Meow!”
He tilts his head. She repeats herself with an even angrier swing. “Meow! Meow!”
Zero gets the message. His jaw hangs open. His master’s woman, being taken by the trick-or-treaters? Even he knows this is not good news. He’s been picked on by the trio before - his spiral tail yanked on by small hands and false promises of sticks that were never thrown. He wastes no time picking Ophelia up in his mouth and flying through the window, dropping the cat down on the floor. The two race to find their master - tripping over several household items as they carry on.
. . .
Jack Skellington hums to himself as he sets the dinner table for tonight. It’s a more romantic scenery than usual - a lit candelabra sitting in the middle as rose petals are littered around empty plates. Clean glasses sit expectantly by the silverware as the skeleton carefully places down his bottle of aged wine. He plans to cook one of Sally’s favorite meals to enjoy with a glass or two. He hesitates as his long fingers linger over her setting. He’s never seen her drink before - surely it won’t hurt to just offer ...?
…!
The skeleton shoots up when he feels a strong chill climb his back. His mind feels fuzzy as his hands grow numb. He looks outside and notes the few clouds littering the setting sky. Nowhere near an amount to cause a storm right now… why is he experiencing this feeling? It’s similar to the unpleasant prickling when Sally first visited the old seamstress’ shop…except this feels worse. He rubs his fingertips together, pondering this strange predicament.
Maybe he’s just nervous. Yes, that's it. He’s been planning this for months…and now the time has come. He wants to propose to his ragdoll tonight. He plans to have a lovely dinner with Sally and then take a romantic walk through the graveyard afterwards. It will eventually lead to sitting on the spiral hill…where they will gaze into the stars…and he finds the perfect moment to bring the ring out and pop the question…
Even thinking about it gives him jitters.
He’s waiting for her return from her shop. He wants everything to be perfect in the meantime. He strolls over to the Manor’s gramophone and ensures his favorite vinyl record is sitting in its place. A nice tune or two to set the scenery…he mentally pats himself on the back. Everything should be prepared. All he has to do is make sure the table is set and start cooking dinner…
He walks into the dining room and admires his work. Careful hours of planning and preparation…and he feels incredibly proud. This feeling is short-lived. Before his eye sockets, a black cat and his ghostly dog come tumbling in - jumping onto the table and knocking over the bottle and glasses. The spiderweb tablecloth is bunched together as rose petals are suddenly thrown to the floor. He can’t do anything except exclaim in protest.
“”OPHELIA! ZERO! ” The two stop once their names are called. He angrily motions to the table they’ve ruined. “Down! Get down this instant!”
He snaps his fingers and points downwards. They obey out of instinct, jumping from the table and landing on the floor. Ophelia realizes the situation and runs over to the skeleton - climbing his leg and mewing at him loudly. The Pumpkin King flinches when he feels her claws dig through his pants and into his femur.
“Meow! Meow!”
He grabs her by the scruff of her neck and places her down, only for the cat to jump on him again. He repeats this gesture in impatience. “What? What is it?”
Zero whines and takes his suit in his mouth, tugging him the other way. He loses his temper - not appreciating how strange his pets are acting, and how they ruined the hard work he put together for tonight. He pushes them away before placing his hands on his hip with a scowl.
“There better be a good reason for this interruption!”
He looks between them both expectantly. But there’s only so much they can do. Zero struggles before barking, flying through the doorway and returning afterwards. The cat copies his actions, meowing and pawing in the direction of the front door. He eventually puts two-and-two together: they want him to follow them.
He’s hesitant to leave the dining room, knowing the mess he has to clean up in such little time…but the desperate looks on their little faces convinces him otherwise. He gives in and leaves the room. Zero does a flip in the air in triumph as Ophelia runs to the door, clawing at it and looking at her other master anxiously.
He gives her a strange look before twisting the knob and opening it. To his surprise, both animals rush outside - climbing down the steps and waiting for him at the fence. He takes his time closing the door and stepping down, only for Zero to tug at his sleeve and impatiently pull him forward. With how quickly they move, he understands he has to run. So that’s what he does - matching their pace as the three race into town. He mutters apologies to the monsters he bumps into and offers a smile to those watching him with confused looks on their faces.
He’d like to know what's going on, too!
Jack Skellington gets his answer when they lead him to the residential hill. Worry settles into his bones. They bring him to the place he's hoping not to be brought to. Sally’s seamstress shop stands with its door wide open - which sways back and forth in the wind. It’s unusually quiet at this hour. He remembers the town hall is starting their movie night right now - that must be where everyone else is. He fidgets with his bat bow tie when the animals bring him to the entrance.
He peeks into the doorway and notices it’s dark inside. “Sally..?”
After hearing no answer, he turns on the lights and finds the room completely empty. He notices the tossed chairs and tables on the floor. A few scratch marks on the wall nearby…as well as Sally’s unattended basket currently laying on its side. He leans down to pick it up and notices it’s been packed with her essentials - but missing the ragdoll herself. Something begins to beat anxiously in his rib cage. He throws the wicker basket down and rushes into the other room - worriedly looking in and calling his girlfriend’s name.
“Sally? Sally! Are you here?”
He’s met with no reply. He rushes into every room and searches each crevice he can find. The fact becomes obvious - she’s not here. Judging by the thrown items by the entrance, there was a struggle, too. The worst comes to his mind as he clutches at his skull in concern. He drops himself to the floor and holds his head in his hands. ‘What could have happened to her? Why wasn't he here to stop it?’
Ophelia disrupts his thoughts when she jumps into his lap. Zero joins her side as they look at him with calm expressions on their faces. Compared to his, at least. The skeleton lights up at their reaction.
“-You know where she is?” He asks hopefully. They nod. He clenches his fists in determination. “Lead me to her..!”
—--
The trio eventually reach their treehouse in the Hinterlands. It's a long and painful ride for Sally, constantly struggling against the rope and attempting to scream for help, all of which are muffled and she is thwacked with a small broom for even trying. She's hushed down to endure the rest of the trip in painful silence - the stream of tears from her eyes never drying. She tries to keep her spirits up by thinking of her beloved skeleton, hoping, deep down, that he's on his way to rescue her…
The trick-or-treaters jump out of the bathtub excitedly and begin prepping their small elevator. She's carried out and tossed around carelessly like a doll. The wind is knocked out of her when Barrel jumps onto the bag, and they’re hoisted upwards into the treehouse. The small boy drags her body out and finally removes her blindfold and gag so she can see where she is now.
The inside of their treehouse is small and quaint. It’s made entirely out of wood and nails, which are long-rotting. There is a small couch, its leather surface ripped to shreds, as well as a few snack machines laying around. She can’t help looking at all the writing on the walls, targets drawn in chalk with unattended axes splintering the wood and various tic-tac-toe games scribbled in many places. The couple of windows in here are left unprotected, welcoming any gust of wind to come inside.
Shock and Lock come following in, leaving the elevator doors and snickering at her body on the floor. She still can’t move. But she wants to express how angry she is. She narrows her eyes and bunches herself up, sneering at them in the most unkind tone she’s ever managed. She’s tried to be patient with them. Express kindness their way. But they’ve taken advantage of her long enough.
“I regret ever trusting you three. You’re liars, and you don’t care about the people you hurt!”
They laugh. “You’re so stupid! Why would we ever want a parent to boss us around?”
These words make her feel foolish. For ever trying to be a parental figure to these delinquents. She hangs her head low thinking of what to refute. Before she can say anything, a wooden bat strikes her in the face roughly. So hard that she's knocked out cold. Darkness engulfs her sight, and all she can hear are the shuffling sounds of the kids moving her. Unbeknownst to Sally, they're stuffing her down the offering pipe leading to Oogie Boogie’s Lair - giggling as they push her further in.
—--
. . .
. . .
When she comes to, a multitude of noises welcomes her ears. The sound of something boiling, several mechanisms working in the background, and the skittering of bats. She blinks her eyes open and looks around - noticing she's in the dark confines of Oogie Boogie’s casino. The rope remains tied around her limbs, limiting her movements completely. She attempts to squirm and loosen any of her stitches - in hopes that she can free a hand or two to help untie the knots. In her unsuccessful attempts, a shadow looms over her in the background.
“You’re awake!”
Sally jumps at the voice. She’s met with the hollow eyes of Boogeyman himself. He looks amused with her situation. He laughs to himself as he circles around her, fidgeting with the red dice in his hand. She’s laying on a dissecting table of some sorts. It looks similar to the one in the Doctor’s laboratory, where he would fasten her stitches and routinely perform check-ups on her. But this will not be used for such things. She notices the sharp instruments and saws laid out beside her. Panic settles in her leaves instantly.
“Wha-what do you want with me now!?” She spits at him, desperately. “Why am I here!?”
He notices her tone and whips around. She shrinks down, regretting being so bold so soon. A smile soon tugs on his burlap lips and he leans in closely to her. She shivers when she hears the bugs squirming in his mouth - how many can be inside of him? Do they control him ? Or does he control the bugs? She fears thinking about either of these things.
“You may have won our lil’ game, Doll-face, but I ain’t finished with my fun yet.”
He grabs a large spoon, stirring something below her. She notices the steam coming from its angle - is he cooking something? He leans over and adds various ingredients to the large bowl, confirming her suspicions. The smell reaches her nostrils. It’s near impossible to describe - like he’s cooking several things at once. In this time, she continues to wiggle around, desperate to get something free from her restraints. He notices her movement and returns to her side, slamming his hand on the table and startling the ragdoll.
“You’re NOT leavin’ me again! ” His gaze moves down her encumbered body. He drags his bag’s surface along her leg, relishing in the way she shudders. “You feel so soft n’ plush…the Doc’ sure had fun making ya’, huh? I bet he had his intentions. Old freak.”
‘Nothing like what YOU are!’ She mentally screams, whimpering when he touches her. She can’t do a single thing to stop him. He’s repeating his movements from last time, feeling her in long, slow strokes. He remains fascinated with her cloth skin and its texture. The tip of his ‘hand’ travels over her small curves with amused hums. Except now, his touch is getting closer to her dress by the second. He lifts up the end and begins crawling his arm up her thigh. She starts to cry out, her screams echoing back to her in the room:
“HELP! PLEASE! JACK!"
“SHUT UP!” He slams the table again. She cowers at his loud tone. “You think THAT bonehead even knows you’re here!?”
He begins to mutter, withdrawing his hand from her dress. She sighs in relief. He notices her comfort and wastes no time invading her space again, moving his head inches from hers. Her lip wobbles as she’s forced to face him. She remembers everything Jack Skellington told her about this creature - how he’s fed on humans, and lures them in here to gamble on their fate…
“Why are you doing this!?” She chokes.
He licks his lips, rubbing his hands together. “I’m hungry. Obviously. Ya’ know how hard it is to find something to eat ‘round here? My henchman have ta’ do all the work, gettin’ food fer’ me…and Dolly, you’re my next course.”
He moves around her, settling his face beside her ear. She can hear him clearly, now. His voice sends unpleasant goosebumps along her skin.
“I wanna’ know what you taste like. Bet yer’ delectable . I have a WIDE appetite, y’know - some of my bugs, they like cloth, n’ some others…they feed on leaves. And you have BOTH! There’s just so much to you - I want a taste of everything.”
“Sh-shouldn’t you offer me a game!? A bet we can place? So any of this will be fair?”
“HAH! One thing you should know ‘bout me Doll-face - I don’t play fair. ‘Sides. We already had our game - n’ you lost , if I remember right.” He smiles smugly. “And I’m getting hungrier by the minute. Even more every time ya’ scream.”
She hushes down, frowning uncomfortably. So he’s…going to eat her? Judging by the way he's eying her figure, he has something more on his mind as well. She cries again - feeling helpless in this situation. She can’t move. How can she possibly escape? He doesn’t even want to play one of his gambling games. Can she appeal to the senses of a monster like him?
Oogie Boogie scoffs, turning to check the temperature of the stew. He starts grumbling again. “Honestly? I’m angry. Have been for a long, long time, now. It ain’t with you , Doll. This entire thing…is to get back at Jack. Thinks he can walk away after banishing the BEST scarer in Halloween Town? The rightful Halloween King? All I had to do was find his weakness. N’ that’s you.”
“Please! I’m sure I can talk with him, to figure something out.” She bites her ruby lip. “Maybe you two can make up-”
“-AHAHAHAHA!” He wipes a ‘tear’ away, guffawing. “No, no. This means more . There ain’t no reconcilin’. I’m not here to be friends. I’m here to take everything he’s got. Because that’s what he did to ME.”
The table lowers with a small hum. When it stops, she sees the pit of stew that’s cooking beneath her. It’s at a rolling boil, filled with other ingredients she can’t recognize. She feels a splash reach the end of her leg and audibly screams . It leaves a nasty burn on her cloth skin. She realizes how painful this entire process will be - and resumes to plead for her life, as the Boogeyman looks at the knives and saws sitting beside her.
He grins. “Time to have some fun .”
—--
Jack Skellington feels his rib cage sink when the animals lead him into the Hinterlands. The feeling worsens the longer they run, filling him with intense anxiety. He’s hoping Sally is lost in the woods somewhere and they’ll find her any minute. But then they’re standing on the hill leading to Lock, Shock, and Barrel’s treehouse. The skeleton stops in his tracks when the sight greets him. His jaw hangs open and his bones twist unpleasantly. He clenches his bony fists tightly.
“Oh, no. No, no , no…”
He rushes down the hill and his long legs bring them to the entrance instantly. Ophelia stops to catch her breath while Zero’s pumpkin nose lights the abyss below. His first instinct is to look into the wooden structure - trying to catch sight of the trick-or-treaters, who are undoubtedly up to no-good again. To his surprise, he finds the windows empty and the place quiet. He notices their elevator is currently lowered - hanging somewhere by the casino.
They hear voices. Zero wastes no time barking at them. “Arf! Arf!”
“Shh!” The skeleton shushes him down. His ears droop while Jack crouches and tries to listen.
“You wait ‘til Jack hears about this! By the time he’s through with YOU, you’ll be lucky you-”
“Oh! But he ISN’T, is he, Doll-Face!? Now be a good girl and hold still-”
“AHH! SOMEONE! HELP!”
The three recognize Sally’s voice. Ophelia hunches her back and hisses at the darkness while Zero emits a low growl. Jack’s eye sockets narrow as he feels the anger bubbling inside of him. He has no doubt the other voice belongs to Oogie Boogie…and he currently has his girlfriend in his clutches, if he’s hearing right. He advances on the small bridge, trying to catch sight of the metal elevator. The rope disappears into the blackness of the abyss.
Against his better judgment, he reaches out and takes a hold of it. Zero and Ophelia look at him in worry. He tests his weight and finds little difference. He’s light enough that he'll be able to move downwards. After that…he isn’t sure what will happen, but none of it will be good, that’s for sure.
“Stay.” He tells the pets firmly. They sit down obediently.
He helps himself down the rope, slowly and carefully…further into the coldness of the chasm. He can no longer see any light except the circular beam of neon colors leaving the pipe from below. There, he finds the top of the elevator accompanied with familiar giggles. There are sounds of someone munching on popcorn. He advances as quietly as he can, not wanting to give his appearance away so soon.
“Hahaha! How long until you think he eats her?” Lock’s voice asks. Barrel’s reply is muffled from a mouth stuffed with candy.
“Mmmyeah! Any moment now!”
“And when he’s done, we’ll get our stew! Oogie promised to share!” Shock exclaims excitedly.
The three rub their hands and resume their show. That is, until they’re interrupted. The elevator around them shakes harshly, tossing them around in the small space and causing the three to lose their balance. Their popcorn and snacks are tossed into the emptiness below. They cling onto the metal bars before looking upwards, meeting with Jack Skellington’s face. His skull is currently distorted, forked tongue flickering out to wiggle at them. Sharp teeth line every corner of his mouth as he shrieks inhumanely loud.
“EEEEK!”
The trick-or-treaters hastily jump and scramble elsewhere. Jack pays them no mind as he helps himself through the pipe - pushing them out of the way and crawling into Oogie Boogie’s casino. He remains quiet for the noise to go unnoticed. It isn’t long before he approaches the other end. Now he can get a look at what's going on. What he sees makes his eye sockets widen in shock.
In the middle of a large platform is Boogie’s pot he reserves for his snake & spider stew. It's currently open and boiling profusely, hot enough to burn an entire human being alive. Just above the liquid is Sally laying on the dissecting table - sobbing with her head turned away as Oogie follows her seams with the sharp tip of a knife. He's catching her leaves and tossing them into the stew, others he crumbles in his grip while he strokes the freeing cloth. From this angle, Jack sees the tears streaming down her face.
The moment Oogie begins ripping her dress and cutting the stitches, the skeleton makes his move. He crawls down while making little noise, eyes constantly scanning the room for a hiding place. He notices an unattended iron maiden and rushes over once his feet meet the ground, never moving his gaze from Oogie & Sally. His bones ache as he listens to her cries, while the rest of him is burning with a seething rage when he looks at his arch-nemesis.
“My, my..! You’re the best thing that Doc’s made by far!” The Boogeyman compliments, clearly amused with the hole he made in her clothing. She shoots him a look.
“Don’t touch me!”
“Wait! I know the perfect thing. Ya’ ever heard of special dice, ragdoll?” She shakes her head with a scared look. “Well, I only save this for humans, but..I think ya’ count plenty.”
He moves from the table to go searching around for a new pair of… dice. Jack wastes no moment rushing to the scene and scooping Sally up. She makes a startled noise that's quickly muffled when he places his hand over her mouth. In a matter of seconds, he runs back to the iron maiden and gently places her inside - ensuring the spikes aren’t poking her too deeply. This should be an ideal hiding spot for her in the meantime. He notices the rope tied on her figure and regrets not grabbing one of the knives in time.
She gasps. “J-”
He covers her mouth again, holding a finger to his lips. She gets the message and keeps quiet. His frame momentarily relaxes seeing her…even though she’s missing patches of her dress and a few of her limbs…Before anything can be done, the sound of Boogie moving catches Jack’s attention. He motions for Sally to stay put as he runs back to the table - laying himself on it and facing his direction. When Oogie returns, he notices the skeleton waiting for him right away.
He drops the dice as his burlap mouth hangs open. Jack grins wickedly. “Hello, Boogie.”
“J-Jack!? But how!?”
He drops himself to the floor in slow motion. Boogie backs away while the skeleton approaches him. A crooked smile uncharacteristically lines the Pumpkin King’s skull. “I warned you.”
The fear on his face is replaced with amusement. He throws his hands in the air playfully. “C’mon, bone-man! We were just havin’ fun. You n’ I used to do this all the time, back in the good ‘ol days!”
“You’re. Dead.” He repeats, gritting his teeth.
He challenges him with a grin of his own, narrowing his ‘eyes’. “You don’t have the guts.”
Jack Skellington charges at him and Oogie yelps. He races to the other side of the platform and hurriedly presses a skull-shaped button. The ground beneath them starts to move, revolving slowly. The skeleton is momentarily caught off-balance before he dodges a nearby knife, which is protruding from one of the large playing cards. Their hands are swinging small daggers in circular motions, moving closer to the King as the seconds go by.
“Well?” His enemy teases from the other side of the room.
He takes the challenge with ease, jumping and easing through the moving daggers like they’re nothing. Boogie watches this with a scoff before pulling a lever. The cards lower back into their previous positions as the sound of something rolling interrupts them. Jack moves his skull to catch several robotic men holding guns pointed at him. Boogie tells them to ‘fire!’, and at the last second, he jumps to juggle himself on their arms, effectively dodging their bullets.
Oogie places his hands on his hips exasperatedly. “You’re not playin’ fair at ALL!”
“-You’re one to talk!” Jack exclaims back, focusing on moving his feet at the right time.
The boogeyman realizes he’s still standing on the moving platform, getting closer to the firing robots by the second. He wails before running in the other direction, jumping and barely managing to press another button. This is when a large saw comes flying in the skeleton’s direction from behind. Sally notices this in time and outstretches her hand.
“Jack! Look out!”
He turns around and sees the sharp blade hurling towards him. He jumps off and dodges it easily. It cuts the arms off of the robots, ceasing their fire. He lands right in front of Oogie with a satisfied smile. Boogie gasps and takes several steps back, shooting him a look as he goes. It’s almost amusing with how slow he moves compared to the tall figure’s long strides.
“You’re barely fighting like a man.” The skeleton comments, slithering right after him. “What’s wrong, Oogie? All this time alone turned you into a coward?”
“You’re just lucky I don’t feel like letting my bugs loose!”
He eyes his several loose threads as he continues on. He doesn’t want to lose any more insects after several have already slipped through the small gaps in his burlack bag. He’s getting lighter by the second, making it harder to move. To breathe. He huffs as he continues running. He stops in his tracks when his opponent lands right in front of him, making Boogie fall to the floor roughly.
He towers over him with a threatening glare. “How dare you touch her so shamefully!”
He smiles right back at him. “Mad cause I got to her first ?”
Something flickers in the back of Jack’s eye sockets. A familiar flame…the anger he’s felt during this exchange is immense. The audacity of his nemesis for kidnapping Sally and treating her this way…having the gall to touch her like he has, and act like this entire thing is nothing more but a game. The way he listened to her cry and scream for help…he’s never seen her this scared before. To hear her voice so desperate, thinking she's going to die any second…
The heat overcomes him and his vision flashes. His body feels heavier. He glances down and notices the stick arms and hands that replace his skeletal ones. His legs are now made of straw, adding to the light feeling on his feet. The heat is more apparent now. His pumpkin is burning with a steady flame as he advances on Boogie, who audibly shouts as he backs away on the floor. He pauses before connecting the dots in his head.
“That’s right.” He comments, his voice changing. It’s almost like a whisper - the sound barely coming through the flames in his mouth. “You’re scared of me.”
Oogie’s lip wobbles as he helps himself up, his knees shaking. He tries to shoot him a glare but cowers down when the flame reaches past his pumpkin. Jack can’t help chuckling loudly. “-You fear the Pumpkin King.”
“I do not.” Oogie spits at him, avoiding looking at his face.
Jack inches closer, filling the space between them. The panic is too much to bear - Boogie sprints away, climbing his traps and hastily jumping off the platform. He needs to make his escape now. The snake & spider stew can wait another time. Where is that evacuation ride the kids installed for him? He tries to remember while shuffling away, unaware of the figure advancing on him as the seconds go by.
“What’s the matter? Can’t handle the heat?” The boogeyman ducks when a flame comes his way. “Maybe you shouldn’t cook your victims alive, then.”
Oogie groans as he watches the scarecrow run and flip around him. Sending small bursts of fire his way as to taunt him. Like a hunter playing with its prey. This is what the master of fright does with his victims - keeping them on edge before delivering the final scare…in this case, the final blow. By the time he finds his escape, Jack’s already caught him in a corner. He faces him head-on as they stare each other down. Boogie gulps when he recognizes the pupils looking at him.
“C’mon, Jack… please! ” He pleads for a moment. “Remember the fun times we had? All the kids we scared? You n’ I had the biggest streak compared to anybody!”
“I warned you not to touch Sally.”
“Is one broad enough for ya’ to kill me?” Jack flinches at his words. “We both know you ain’t gonna-”
He pounces on him and sends the biggest burst of fire he’s ever released. In an instant, Boogie is trapped in the flames - screaming horrifically as he claws at his burlap sack. Various bugs shriek as they dance inside of him, some flying away only to burn to a crisp midair. He makes sure to stomp the escaping insects and light them on fire. Oogie’s voice barely sounds from all the yelling.
“My bugs! My bugs! My bugs!”
He watches with little sympathy as his enemy burns alive before him, eventually turning into hot ash and dust in front of his feet. The sounds of screaming finally stop. There is no more movement of bugs. A shadow slithers from underneath the burnt burlap before disappearing completely from the walls. It leaves the casino entirely - never to be seen again. Jack returns to his skeletal being as he gazes at the pile, feeling a slight ping of pity. It infuriated him to hear Oogie call Sally that word…And now he’s faced with…this.
“...Jack!”
He’s pulled from his thoughts when the ragdoll comes over, tumbling when she meets him. He grabs one of the knives from the table and cuts the rope off. The moment she’s freed, she pulls him in close and lays a passionate kiss on his lips - which he returns. He holds her flush against him as they embrace for several minutes. The tears are now drying from her face. She sighs in relief. She’s safe again.
“Are you alright?” He asks, pulling away to look at her figure. She blushes and tries to cover the missing parts of her dress.
“…I think I am.” Her eyes move to the floor. “…He’s dead now, isn’t he?”
He glances back at the ashes and involuntarily winces at the sight. “...Mostly. His shadow is still out there - but it has nothing to return to.”
She clings onto his arm. Her tone is quiet. “Did you…mean to do that?”
“...No. But I warned him what would happen. He knew what he was doing.”
“Were you-”
“-Let’s not worry about it,” He interrupts, taking her hand. He’ll deal with his regretful thoughts later. Right now, he wants her safe. “Do you know what he did with your arm? The other parts of you?”
She looks at the unattended snake & spider stew, still boiling away. “He threw them all in there. I…think they cooked away.”
“That’s fine. We’ll…we’ll visit the Doctor and see what he can do.” He looks at the burns and cuts on her body. His insides feel like ice. How could he possibly let this happen to her? Guilt fills his nonexistent stomach. “I’m so sorry, Sal.”
"It's alright." She buries her head in his suit. "I...I love you."
"...I love you, too."
He leads her to the exit, offering her his jacket. She uses it to conceal her bare skin - thankful for the covering. It’s dark by the time they get out and meet with the animals waiting for them. Zero yaps in delight at the sight of Sally and excitedly licks her face. Ophelia paws at her knee. She picks the cat up to pet her, soothing the both of them. Jack pats Zero proudly on the head.
“Thank you two for telling me where she was. I would’ve had a hard time otherwise.” He tells them. They bow their heads in return.
“Really? Ophelia you… told him?” She blinks in surprise, meeting with her yellow eyes. The cat meows in return. “...Thank you.”
—---
A cup of warm tea is brought into the ragdoll’s hands as she rests on their couch. Zero and Ophelia are right by her side, enjoying the security of their home. Jack Skellington lowers himself to sit by his beloved, sighing as he rubs his thumb on the top of her hand. There's a storm going on outside that they're listening to - repeated drops of the rain with momentary breaks of thunder and lightning. It's delightful weather for Halloween Town, but right now, it does nothing to soothe him after what happened.
The first thing they did was visit Dr. Finklestein’s tower. He feels guilty for imposing at an hour like this. Jewel and the Doctor are reasonably concerned to see Sally in such a condition on their doorstep. Her missing limbs and burned cloth are promptly taken care of - replacements coming in handy. She's provided with new leaves and a change of clothing. Jewel and Igor take the liberty of comforting her while the Doctor demands a private word with Jack.
The talk was uncomfortable. He didn’t want to speak about what happened, but knowing this is Sally’s concerned father seemed like a good enough reason to. Oogie Boogie was a notorious figure in Halloween Town - spoken mostly in hushed whispers and in long, forgotten rumors. The Doctor remembers him well-enough, when he took his poor ragdoll after creating her, and overrunning the town for his Bug Day. He forgives Jack and thanks him for saving her, shaken to learn that she was close to getting eaten.
He can’t relate more.
He takes the empty cup when she hands it to him and refills it in the kitchen. When he returns, his gaze comes to a nearby window - watching the rain hit the glass surface. Now he understands why he was feeling that sensation earlier…a storm couldn’t be more well-timed. He glances at the mess in the dining room and makes a note to clean that tonight. He’s busy making sure Sally is bathed, fed, and comfortable. Nothing can be more important to him right now.
“Can you tell me what exactly happened?” He asks, sitting close to her. She sets down her cup and frowns, curling her fingers in her lap.
“I came back from watching the movie in the Town Square. I was working in my shop, and…Lock, Shock, and Barrel came. They had knives and all these scary things…they threatened me and locked my door. Then they forced me down and tied me up. Gagged me. I couldn’t move or talk and-”
She reaches out for him. He holds her close and soothes her by holding his large hands on top of her own. She sighs to calm herself down.
“They brought me into their bathtub and led me to their treehouse. They knocked me out and put me in his casino. The rest…you saw.”
He makes a frustrated noise. “Just when those three start behaving, they go and pull that stunt…I should’ve known something was up. They didn’t seem happy doing those chores for the town.”
“It was their punishment. You didn’t do anything wrong.” She assures him.
“Sally…your safety is my responsibility. And what happened tonight-”
She stops him by placing her finger over his lips. His eye sockets widen in surprise. He relaxes as she withdraws, leaving a peck on his cheek. She holds his skull in her hands, looking at him seriously. He notices the moisture in them, like she’s close to crying again…but she stops herself before she can. She nuzzles her nose against his bone.
“You saved me. I didn’t get to tell you ‘thank you’. For rescuing me when I needed it.”
“Just like when we met, huh?” He titters softly, closing his eyes.
She giggles as well. She moves into his lap and rests against his chest. She travels her fingers along his palm, playing with his digits. He melts at the sight and holds her as close as possible, rocking the both of them. They’re together now. And she’s safe. Oogie Boogie perished. There is nothing more to worry about. He rests his jaw on her hair and thinks about the item sitting in his pocket right now.
“...Would you care to have dinner tomorrow? And take a stroll in the graveyard?” He asks quietly. “It’s been awhile since we gazed at the stars together, hasn’t it?”
She perks up at this invitation, much to his surprise. “That sounds lovely..! It’s just what I need, after all of this…”
He sighs into her scalp. He can’t agree more.
Chapter 20: Now and Forever
Summary:
Jack properly treats Sally to a romantic dinner and a stroll through the graveyard...where he finally pops the question. After that, she and Jack discuss where their relationship is going to go.
Chapter Text
Jack Skellington sleeps like Hell that night.
His mind is overwhelmed. He tosses and turns several times, unable to hush his brain. He stops when Sally stirs from all the movement. He lulls her back to sleep by quietly singing in her ear, brushing her hair and stroking her side. He makes sure she’s asleep before he slips out - moving to open a nearby window. It’s still raining outside, with occasional rumbles of thunder in the distance. The smell of moisture fills the room as the raindrops replace the silence.
He rests himself on the window sill, staring outside and sighing to himself.
He killed Oogie Boogie. With no remorse to his actions. It was the most painful way imaginable - burning his old friend to death and stomping the last of his bugs as he cried for mercy. All this done in minutes… bringing an end to the boogeyman like he never existed to begin with. Jack feels relieved…but he's also conflicted from his actions.
He’s moved on from the past. From the violence and unnecessary taunting. He hasn’t killed anyone since - not in the cruel, morbid ways of Oogie’s old routines. Not until…now. He could only see red at that moment, feeling the familiar burning in his bones…killing Boogie felt right. Like it's been coming for a long time. And that’s what perturbs him the most.
He watches his girlfriend sleeping. She's safe. Because he did what he had to. He's always going to be worried. The last thing he wants is to be separated again - he can’t live through it a second time. He wouldn’t know what to do with himself.
He retreats to the bed and spoons his ragdoll closely, nestling his skull in her red hair. He grips her small hands gently, careful not to disturb her sleep. If he’s going to ask her to be his bride…then he’s determined to change. For Sally.
—-
Sally prepares for their evening upstairs, picking out a dress to wear for the night. Jack sets the dining table in the meantime - cleaning up the mess prior and trying to replicate the sight from before. A few plates were shattered as well as a couple of glasses…but they're nothing he can’t replace. He sets the tablecloth and decorates the plates with rose petals while lighting the candelabra. As he’s placing down a bottle of wine, he notices two small figures entering the room with their heads bowed. Zero and Ophelia sit a foot away from him, avoiding eye contact. He notices their sorrowful looks and pats their heads.
“I’m not mad anymore. In fact, I want to thank you two for interrupting me when you did.”
They look relieved. Zero flies forward and bites one of the rose petals off, dropping it gently on the table. The skeleton chuckles when they spread them around, helping in any way they can. He heads to the gramophone and ensures his favorite vinyl record hasn't been damaged. Footsteps sound from the stairs. He sets the needle in place and makes sure everything is ready just in time.
Sally walks in the room and her eyes widen. They settle on her beloved and their pets before moving to the romantic scenery before them. Music is playing in the background, the gentle melody blessing her ears as she steps forward. She’s wearing a black-and-red dress, with subtle details of cobwebs and spiders on its design. He can’t help the affectionate smile on his face, remembering how beautiful she is.
She gasps in delight. “Jack-! What is all this?”
“I thought we could have something special! A nice dinner after everything that’s happened…”
He holds her chair out politely. She sits and bats her eyelashes as she’s pushed in. Zero floats down and drops a napkin into her lap. She thanks him with a pet on his transparent body. Jack heads into the kitchen to fetch their food while she gets situated. Her charcoal eyes can’t help admiring every detail she sees, from how neat the room is set to the small rose petals littered around her serving. Every notion done with care and love by his hands…
She’s always admired how much of a gentleman he is. Gestures like these remind her why.
What she went through yesterday is the most terrifying experience she’s ever had. But she feels better after being rescued, assured that the Boogeyman is no more. She hasn’t seen those trick-or-treaters all day. It feels like something has lifted in the air in Halloween Town - free from the malicious presence that once lingered in the shadows. When Jack arrives, she knows everything is in the past, now.
“Roast lamb..! Something a little different. I hope you don’t mind?”
She watches curiously as he sets the plate down and makes their servings. She’s presented with a beautiful dish, roasted vegetables accompanying the meat. Her mouth waters at the tempting scents reaching her nose. She’s distracted when the skeleton grabs her glass and pours some…'cabernet sauvignon'? Her eyes narrow reading the label. He chuckles at her reaction.
“I didn’t know what you preferred. It pairs well with this dish, from what I hear.”
“Wine..?” She asks timidly. It’s a dark red drink she saw the Doctor indulge in occasionally, but he never let her have any, claiming it's too ‘expensive to waste’ . She grabs the glass and watches it swirl around with attentive eyes.
He sits down and offers a smile. “You don’t have to drink it. I just thought you could try something new-”
Before he can finish his sentence, she’s already taking a sip. The expression on her face is priceless. Her eyes go wide as she stares at the glass, gulping the liquid down harshly. It’s clear the taste is a little strong. She licks her lips. Just as he’s about to say something, she exclaims:
“I like it!”
He watches her down the rest before his very eye sockets, then holds her glass out waiting for more. He grabs the bottle with a nervous titter. He makes sure to pour less this time around. It’s the first time she's ever drank. He isn’t sure how she’s going to handle it…He’s a bit of a lightweight himself, so it’s best to play it safe, he thinks.
“We’ll stick to a couple of glasses tonight.” He moves the bottle aside and gestures to the food. “Let me know what you think!”
She grabs her cutlery, wasting no moment to dig in. Jack’s cooking is always so delectable…she expects nothing less when she takes a bite. It’s different, but she adores it. Back with the Doctor, their diet was a regular consumption of soups and crackers…she can’t express how thankful she is for their meal right now.
“Lamb is a little gamy, so the taste might be…acquired.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She takes another bite. “It's good!”
He looks surprised. “I’m glad you’re liking everything so far. I thought some of this might be a little too much-”
“-Of course not. I always want to try new things with you.”
He watches with an adoring gaze as she eats, enjoying the wine with it. They resume their meal comfortably, listening to the music playing around them. As they finish their dinner, he notices Sally tapping her feet and bobbing her head along. He glances at his gramophone before returning his attention to her. Things click in his skull - and the smile widens on his face. She taps her fingers on the table along to the beat. When she opens her eyes, she notices his stare and blushes.
“This song is lovely,” She compliments.
He wipes his hands with a pleased hum. “It’s one of my favorites to dance to.”
“Dance..?”
Her eyes drift away. She’s read about couples dancing together. She loves music and has an urge to move around whenever she hears it. Sometimes she used to stroll around in her room when the Halloween Town band played, swaying her hips and singing along. Trying to replicate the moves she's read about. But she only ever did that in private…never around another person. The Doctor would’ve discouraged her actions if she ever expressed them.
Her look gets Jack’s attention. He leans forward in interest. “Are you telling me you’ve never danced before?”
“I’ve always wanted to. But I couldn’t try it with the Doctor…and Igor is clumsier than I am.”
He stands up immediately. He approaches her side and rests a hand behind his back, outstretching the other in her direction. He bows his skull politely.
“May I have the pleasure of being your teacher, Miss Sally?”
“Really..? You want to - to teach me?”
“You said you want to try new things, don’t you?”
She finds no reason to decline his invitation. She dusts her dress off before taking his awaiting hand, watching his face light up. He leads her to the other side of the room, which has more space so they can move around. As she stands there, she realizes she has no idea what to even do. How to initiate…any of this…
He notices her confusion and smiles. He holds her hand and looks at her confidently. “How about we try waltzing together? I’ll lead and you can follow.”
“Um…” Her grip tightens with uncertainty. “Alright…”
“You’re going to do the opposite of what I do.” He moves her so she’s standing on his feet. She goes to apologize for dirtying his polished shoes, but he starts moving before she can. “I’ll move forward with my left foot, you move back with your right…I move to the right, you to the left…then we close our feet-”
He waltzes around the room, instructing her as he moves along. Her black eyes are fixated on his feet, memorizing what he's doing. Eventually, she’s brought back to the floor. She practices for herself - confused with her foot placement at first, constantly bumping into the soles of his shoes. She steps on them a few times. She mutters apologies right away, huffing in agitation.
“It’s alright.” His voice soothes from above. “Take your time. We’ll practice all night if we have to.”
She’s determined to get this right. Jack is patient as they move slowly, repeatedly telling her which foot to move and what direction to go. She has a pattern memorized as they move about the room. Zero and Ophelia watch as they waltz around together. The music compliments their movements. As soon as they’re in a smooth pattern, Jack laughs and holds her closer.
“See? You’re a natural!”
“Thank–”
Before she can finish, she trips over her own foot. Jack catches her so she doesn't fall. She offers another apology before they continue. Except she’s stumbling with every other step and having a hard time staying still. He helps her to her feet each time, resuming like nothing happened at all. She appreciates his patience. If only this isn’t so…difficult!
“I’m surprised we’ve never danced together,” He comments, tapping his fingers on her back. “It’s one of my favorite things to do.”
She’s finally getting into an easy pattern. She hasn’t stumbled once in a minute. She sighs pleasantly. “It’s becoming one of mine, too.”
He gazes at her face. They’ve been in such close proximity and he’s enjoyed every second of it. It’s adorable how she scrunches up her nose every time she missteps, biting her lip as she focuses on getting it right…None of this is a bother to him. He enjoys the close contact and wraps his arm further around her waist. She’s pleased to finally get her steps down after so much trial-and-error. He’s happy to teach her something this close and personal…he wonders why they’ve never done it sooner.
“Your dress looks beautiful.” He compliments, trailing his hand along her back. She turns red at his words.
“You think so? I…made it recently.”
“You look like an angel.”
He doesn’t mean to say those last words. But seeing the way she flushes, looking away with a bright pink face as she shakes in his grasp is…alluring. He watches her dress flowing with her movement, in awe at how gorgeous she is. 'Always has been', he reminds himself. An addicting sensation flows through his bones when he dips her - enjoying the laugh she lets out.
—-
The weather feels chilly as they step out into the cold October night. They take a stroll around the Outskirts, listening to the noises of bats flying in the sky and the distant howling from werewolves. They walk with their arms linked together. They pass by the Halloween Town Band, who greet them and discuss how horrible of a night it is. When they depart, Jack notices the look from James’ way.
“Ya’ better do it.” He mouths.
The skeleton turns on his heel and leaves. Sally is confused by his quick pace. They arrive at the Graveyard. He holds the gate open for her and she thanks him, skipping right by. The fog feels welcoming as it engulfs their figures. The Spiral Hill is illuminated by the yellows of the moon sitting brightly in the dark sky. They can hear something skittering away as they approach the tombstones, unsettling groans coming from nearby shadows.
It feels like a second home to them.
They walk around the graves for a bit, exchanging pleasant conversation and reminiscing their time here. How they would find the company of one another in the Graveyard - usually when they were fleeing from something. For Jack, it was the citizens’ overwhelming attention and Halloween itself. For Sally, she remembers the times she’s been suffocated by Finklestein’s harsh grasp, and retreated here for sanctuary. A place where they always met, despite thinking they would be alone.
They sit on the hill, gazing at the stars above. It’s a wonderful sight as it always is. This is their favorite experience together - stargazing through the night. He ducks his head as he fingers the small box in his pocket - wondering when to make his move…
Sally hugs her knees together. “It’s amazing to think this is where it started…”
He nods in agreement. “-Where it all happened.”
“Sometimes I wonder…” She plays with her fingers, looking away. “What would’ve happened if we never met here. If I never snuck out to see Zero…do you think we would’ve known each other? At all?”
He frowns, thinking deeply. “...Maybe. Maybe not. But we would’ve crossed paths again. I have no doubts about that.” He looks at her with a smile. “-I’m glad it did. We kept finding each other. There’s something romantic about it, I think.”
“I’m thankful for it.” She breathes slowly. “If I never got to know you…I would still be trapped with the Doctor. Maybe even…married to him.” She sticks her tongue out in disgust. “I can’t think of anything worse than that.”
Jack takes his hand away from his pocket. He feels his phantom heart racing. His doubts are coming back to his mind - second guessing himself again. The Band’s words repeat in his head, assuring that there’s nothing to be nervous about…Sally loves him for who he is. And he won’t ever do anything like that to her. If only he can muster up the courage-
“Sometimes it’s hard to believe this is real,” She continues under her breath. He perks up. “I have a new home now, with you…a job in town, with so many friends and people who appreciate me…None of this would’ve been possible if it weren’t for you. And I….I always want to thank you for that. Even though I might’ve said it so many times…”
“You think I’m not thankful? Waking up next to you, having no trouble working with Halloween anymore…you’re the reason for that. You’re why I bother even doing this anymore. I’ve never felt so inspired, so happy to keep going…maybe I don’t thank you for that enough .”
She rests against him. “I love you, Jack.”
“I love you, too…and, I…I want to prove that, now.”
He gets down on one knee, finally surfacing the ring box out of his pocket and presenting it in a slow motion. Her eyes are locked on his hands as he opens it, revealing the pumpkin engagement ring he’s held onto for so long now. His mind is working itself into a frenzy, unsure of what to say and how to say it. But he works through as best as he can. She blinks several times as a hand covers her mouth.
“Sally, I…”
He takes a deep breath. He can’t back out now. They’ve waited so long for this.
“It feels like I’ve loved you my entire death. I can’t remember a time where I was without you - and I don’t ever want to, because I was a depressed skeleton man who only knew how to keep everyone else happy. But you showed me what I needed in my death. Someone who cares about me for who I am and not my title. Everything I’ve experienced with you has felt so new, exciting, and wonderful – and I don’t want this feeling to ever end. I want to make you mine, as I am yours. That’s why I’m asking…”
He’s shaking a little. He does his best to hide it. “My dearest friend, my dearest Sally…That’s why I’m asking you to marry me. To make me the happiest skeleton and become my bride. My Pumpkin Queen. My…everything.”
Tears are spilling out of her eyes. She can’t help it. She’s overcome with a wave of emotions, just like when they confessed their feelings to each other. On the same spiral hill, with the skeleton man she’s grown to love…Her? A Queen? She’s only read about marriage in books, fantasizing of what never seemed like a reality to her…to become Jack Skellington’s wife……that could never happen…
When she looks at the pumpkin ring, she understands this is real. He’s gazing into her eyes, telling her how much he loves her and how he wants to be with her. For eternity. She wipes the moisture away as she struggles to find the right words.
“Yes ! Of-of course! I…I wouldn’t want anything else in the world.”
He’s exhilarated. He wastes no time pulling her forward and kissing her passionately, wiping the tears from her eyes. She returns the embrace - feeling bad every time he has to brush the tears away. When they pull back, he removes the ring from its box and slides it onto her finger. It’s a perfect fit. She stares at it wordlessly, in awe at how beautiful it is.
“You have no idea how happy this makes me.” He holds her hands tightly. “I was so worried. I….I almost lost you just a day ago! I don’t know what I would have done.'
“You’ll never have to worry about that again, because…I-” She rubs another tear away. “Because I’m yours. Now and forever.”
His face is overwhelmed with emotion. He rests his forehead against hers, bringing their hands together and stroking her fingers. She closes her eyes and allows the rest of her tears to fall, indulging in what has to be the happiest moment of her death. He brushes her blood hair aside, mesmerized by her beauty(As he’s always been). His dearest friend. His fiancée.
He sits them down to continue what they’ve been doing before, gazing at the stars above them. She’s sitting closely by his side, holding his arm like her death depends on it. Their contact doesn't break. They don’t want it to. Jack Skellington wants to remain here forever - by the side of Sally, sitting together and doing what they’ve always done. Because it's plain to see -
They're simply meant to be.
—--
The next day, they’re in the Town Hall. Sally sits at Jack’s desk, looking at the Halloween blueprints and notes he has scattered around. Jack Skellington sorts them in a filing cabinet - knowing exactly where to put them. He whips out a new sheet of paper and prepares his pen. She watches him scribble with intrigued eyes.
“There’s so much to do now,” He says excitedly. “With planning our wedding and Halloween…there’s less than 15 days until we celebrate! I wonder how much I can get done?”
She frowns at this information. “Is it… too much? If you have Halloween planning to do, it’s more important than-”
He cuts her off. “-Nonsense! I'll get everything finished in a timely fashion, don't you worry.”
He winks at her. She returns the playful look, giggling as he continue to write. She’s not even sure what he’s doing - but it looks important.
She pulls at the seams on her fingers, thinking hard on this subject. “..How exactly do you plan a wedding? What…do we do? I don’t know a single thing about any of this.”
“You can leave it to me. I’ll still ask for your opinion, of course. With your dress, how we’d like the decorations, the catering, who we’re going to invite-”
She already feels overwhelmed. He notices this and drops his pen to take her hands into his. Just seeing his smile makes her forget what they're talking about. He rubs his thumb across her own - admiring the engagement ring sitting on her finger.
“Halloween may have a deadline, but we have all the time in the world to plan our wedding. We can take it as slow as you'd like - little steps!”
A look of apprehension comes as she asks, “...What about becoming the Pumpkin Queen? Is there anything I need to do?”
This is when his figure slumps a little - an uncertain expression taking over his skull. He has a difficult time getting his words out. “Well…you’re going to have a coronation. It’s a ceremony where you’ll be crowned. Only if you want to, of course! If you do…we’ll have to prepare. Then I’ll teach you how to rule Halloween Town.”
Her smile falls. This sounds like a lot of work…with planning a wedding and practicing for…another ceremony? Learning everything about being a Queen, ruling over the town and its people…she chews her bottom lip as the anxiety swells in her leaves. He notices her fidgeting and removes his hands. He leans over and clutches at his knees.
His tone is quiet. “...Sally? Do you want to be the Pumpkin Queen? You don’t have to be if you don’t want to.”
She thinks about this question.
She came into this world as a ragdoll servant, her only purpose to cook and clean for Doctor Finklestein. She’s never known the outside world until Jack came along. Since then, she’s been fascinated with Halloween. Its town. Its people. She’s made many friends who care about her wellbeing. They proved it's a welcoming place for monsters alike. Monsters who accept her for who she is.
After getting to know Jack…she learned it takes a lot to reign the holiday. Something they prepare for all year. On top of that is looking out for the citizens - all of these responsibilities caused an overwhelming amount of stress for Jack Skellington, and ultimately burdened his mental health.
She wants to help him. Alleviate the Halloween preparations so he doesn’t have to suffer anymore. She wants to look out for her people…to lead and guide them…it fills her with a sense of purpose - just like being the seamstress does. Can she fulfill all those roles? Maybe with enough time…she'll become a ruler like Jack. To prove she's worth more than what she was created for.
She’s confident with her decision. “I do. I want to be the Pumpkin Queen.”
He looks relieved at her answer. He rubs her arm soothingly. “-It won’t be that stressful, I promise. Things may feel hectic at first, but…I’ll be there with you. We’ll have each other. Is that alright?”
“It helps me feel better, if I’m honest.” She shifts her gaze. He laughs. “-But I…I think I’m ready to be the next Queen.”
“I have every confidence in you. We’ll focus on the first step for now.” He picks up his pen and speaks while he writes. “Announcing our engagement to the town - step one!”
“We can do a town meeting, like when we told them we were dating.” She offers. He jots this down before looking at her.
“This is a bigger announcement than that. You’re going to be their new Queen. They haven’t seen one in a long time…they’re going to be excited. Might have all kinds of questions for you. Are you ready for that attention, Sal?”
She swallows down her nervousness. She’s been in the spotlight before. It wasn’t too bad. Especially since the town is accepting of her and Jack’s relationship. She reaches for his hand and squeezes it, looking at him with a new confidence.
“I am.”
He smiles.
Chapter 21: Her First Scare
Summary:
Jack and Sally break news of their engagement to the town. Sally starts helping with the Halloween preparations, and manages to scare her first humans on Halloween night. Then, they start to plan their wedding - only to be approached by Lock, Shock, and Barrel, who want to make it up to them.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
The Mayor of Halloween Town grins as he swipes his hand across a page, signing the last document for this afternoon. He moves to address the rest of the paperwork. As he organizes them, a tall man enters the room and catches his attention. He finds Jack Skellington ducking through the doorway, helping someone else through. He tilts his conical head at the sight of Sally Finklestein. He helps himself down to address them both.
He tips his hat politely. “Jack, you weren’t expected until later this afternoon. Is everything alright?”
“Perfectly terrible, Mayor! We’re here to ask you to call for a town meeting?”
“A meeting? What's it for?”
“We have some big news to share with everyone.” He squeezes the ragdoll’s hand. “It’s important they make it, if they can.”
"Big news?” He scrambles to grab his megaphone and collects his hearse keys. “--Expect everyone here in an hour! You can count on me!”
He rushes out of the room with excited steps. As soon as they’re alone, the Pumpkin King turns to his fiancée. She’s looking at the floor, fidgeting with her seams. He brings her attention to his face. He pulls on the loose threads and fastens them while she’s not looking, offering a confident smile on his lips.
“Aren’t you excited?”
She returns his keenness. “I’ve been preparing all morning. I’m ready for their questions.”
“-That’s what I want to hear!” He winks proudly, moving to set the podium. “If you need to step out, just let me know…we’ll need a signal, won’t we? Wink at me two times if you’re getting-”
“I don’t think that’s necessary. If I’m going to be the Pumpkin Queen, then I need to get used to Town Meetings. Right?”
“..Exactly right.”
He sets down a paper with a prepared speech already on it - in case Sally gets off-track. He already memorized it this morning. Sally sits down while he prepares everything. They can hear voices - sounds of claws scraping against the floorboards and footsteps frantically finding seats. In an hour, it’s crowded behind the curtain. The Mayor steps in with a proud look plastered on his light face. He wipes some sweat off from his forehead.
“There’s a full house there! I’ll be handling the spotlight like always, if that’s alright with you?”
“Perfect.” Jack situates himself at the coffin podium before looking at Sally. “-Are you ready?”
She takes a deep breath.
—-
Monsters are piled on the Town Hall’s benches, shoved against one another in close proximity. This may be the fullest the place has ever been - Witches hovering on broomsticks from above, while little creatures and children sit on the floor in front of the stage. The Hanging tree and his Hanging Men are in the back like they usually are. The Halloween Town Band are pressed against the wall - along with Jack’s numerous friends scattered through the seats. They’re murmuring amongst themselves and squirming in impatience, perking up once the curtains are drawn. The Pumpkin King is revealed to their eager eyes.
They’re curious to see Sally Finklestein sitting beside him. She keeps her hands clasped in her lap, avoiding their stares. The room darkens as a spotlight comes on. It’s guided to Jack Skellington’s thin figure by the Mayor’s careful hands, tearing the citizens’ gazes away from the lone ragdoll.
She sighs in relief.
“Horrible afternoon! Thank you all for coming. There’s something important we want to tell you!”
“Is it about Halloween?” A voice asks from the crowd. “There’s only 10 days left!”
“10 days! 10 days!”
Excited cheers sound from around the room. Grotesque monsters pump their hands and claws in the air, howling and screaming in anticipation. Jack holds his arms out to calm them down, ensuring it’s quiet before he continues on:
“-Right you are! But there’s no need to worry. Everything is going smoothly for the celebrations this year. We’ve called this meeting for something else… ”
The eyes in the room become inquisitive. He lets the silence drag on to emphasize the importance, his grin growing wider the longer it carries on. He gestures to Sally, where the spotlight follows and focuses on her. She shields her eyes from the bright light.
“Sally and I are engaged..!” He finishes.
Series of shocked gasps sound around the room. Eyes widen as jaws simultaneously fall agape. The citizens’ attention comes to the woman, who stands from her seat. There’s no sound beyond frantic whispering. She takes this opportunity to reach the podium, where Jack Skellington politely moves out of the way. She taps her fingers a few times before working up the courage to speak:
“Um…hello.” She leans forward. “As you heard, Jack and I are engaged, so…that means I’ll be taking the title of Pumpkin Queen…I-I’m ready for your questions, if you have any?”
The crowd look to be thinking to themselves. Children twiddle their thumbs as monsters murmur to each other, none brave enough to speak up. After a minute of waiting, she grows uncertain and glances at the paper below her. The room is full of hushed whispers and people muttering to themselves. She starts speaking:
“I know it may be… strange…to see someone like me as your ruler. I don't know everything there is, but…I’m prepared to learn. I want to take care of you, as you have welcomed me so kindly. I’ll be someone you can depend on - to believe in what’s right. I may not be the scariest like Jack, but I’ll bring everything I can to our Holiday. To make each one more horrible than the last.”
Her small speech earns admiring smiles. The room erupts into applause. She brightens at this response. Now creatures aren’t afraid to start asking questions - the small children upfront raise their little hands. Their fingers wiggle desperately as her eyes crawl over to them. She’s more than happy to call on a few.
“Will you be a nice leader?” The Mummy Boy asks. She nods her head.
“Yes, I will try to be.”
Ethan raises his hand. “Will you make sure we get lots of candy?”
“Of course.”
Adults raise their hands. Her attention moves to them, nodding in the direction of a ghoul sitting up front. He stands and tips his hat politely, fidgeting with his thin fingers as he peers at Sally.
“How do you plan on ruling the town? What will you contribute to Halloween?”
She thinks hard on her answer. “-I want to be orderly. I know how hectic things get every October, so I’d like to keep us all in one piece. Myself included!” She laughs at her own joke, earning chuckles from the audience. “As for Halloween, I’ll continue with my services as the town’s seamstress. I don’t plan on changing my job.”
The monsters look impressed. She responds to a few more inquiries from the crowd, until no more hands are raised. Everyone is satisfied. She brushes her hair back as the skeleton takes his place, patting Sally on the back.
“Thank you all for your support. I’m happy you’re as satisfied with this decision as I am.” He grins.
The Undersea Gal calls from her seat. “When’s the wedding!?”
He answers with ease. “-We’ll send out invitations when we can, but we’d like to get through this Halloween first! I’ll be teaching Sally about our Town and holiday in the meantime.”
They agree with this decision, promising they’ll be patient. Jack and Sally are sent a multitude of congratulations and horrible wishes their way, which they take with gratitude. Everyone is eventually dismissed. People gossip with each other on their way out. This time, the Witches and other women don’t pass Sally irritated looks as they leave - they give ones of respect. The feeling is mutual, as she beams right back at them.
The Halloween Town Band come to personally congratulate them, teasing the Pumpkin King on ‘what took so long’. The Hanging Tree says he looks forward to the wedding when he speaks with Sally. Once their friends leave, the two are finally alone. He comes to the shorter figure and wraps his arms around her frame, digging his skull into her hair.
“You did wonderfully.” He tells her, moving back to brush the yarn from her eyes. “You’re going to take good care of them.”
She buries her face into his suit. “Thank you.”
—---
Sally observes last-minute preparations for Halloween. Jack and the Mayor work in every spare minute they have, to check their lists and ensure all is ready. She's happy to read and organize things for them. Her fiancé doesn't overwork her right away. He passes small things for her to check, which she is happy to do.
When Halloween comes, she assists the Mayor directing monsters to their places. She tells them where to go as he reads their names off papers. This process goes quicker than it used to. He thanks her for her help, and they get an early start on the celebrations. She joins in with dancing and singing in the Town Square, finally understanding the lyrics to their song.
“Say it once, say it twice! Take a chance and roll the dice!” She sings. The Witches cackle overhead as they continue the song, flying on their broomsticks towards the moon in the night sky:
“-Ride with the moon in the dead of night!”
Jack Skellington jumps into the celebrations, by Sally’s side. They dance, sing, and laugh together - the creatures around them cheer. Spirits are incredibly high by the time the song is finished. They’re jumping in excitement, waiting for the Mayor to hand out the awards and trophies. They sit together on the hearse as they wait. She rests on her scarecrow’s side. This time, there are no women reaching and screaming for him - he’s given his space with the love of his death.
He holds her hand tightly, enjoying this new sense of freedom he’s never felt before.
—--
They have more time than usual to spend in the human world. Jack’s elated to bring Sally with him again. Knowing how things went last time…he wants everything to go right. He watches himself carefully that entire night, ensuring he’s not overdoing anything. He’s relieved to see her excited while he scares, even asking him to do tricks. They go around scaring humans well into the night. They only have an hour left before they have to return to Halloween Town.
Jack Skellington has an idea.
“Sally? Remember when I said you have scaring potential you don’t know about yet?”
She remembers it as bright as day. “-I do. Why?”
“I’ve figured it out!” He takes her arm and looks at the stitches with an interested expression. “We can dismember your limbs!” At her confused look, he elaborates. “-Losing your arm doesn’t mean much to you, but if the same thing happened to a *human*, it’s deadly. They might faint on the spot!”
“So…it’ll scare them?” She asks with a growing smile.
She recalls him taking her on a tour of Halloween Town, years ago. He got excited when she lost her arm. It was the first time she’d ever seen the childish excitement in his eye sockets - the same one he has right now. It brings butterflies to her stomach, in hopes she can impress him and scare others like he believes she can do. He perks up, trailing his thumb over her thread.
“Exactly! I have the perfect plan…if you’re willing to try it?”
She grins.
. . .
Jack’s idea is genius. She never would’ve thought of something like this.
She’s sitting on a pumpkin in a grass field, tending to her stitches and humming a song under her breath. She’s undoing them to loosen the threads, so they'll fall off easily once the time comes. She makes it look like she’s trying to sew herself. She knits her eyebrows together as she pretends to struggle with one stubborn knot in particular, earning some concerned looks from some nearby humans.
One of them is a young girl, dressed as a bumblebee. Sally notices the stitching patterns on the costume, showing that it's homemade. Another is a boy her age dressed as a ghost with a sheet over his figure, while they’re joined by a smaller child wearing a cowboy outfit. They approach the ragdoll and she averts her gaze, focusing on her arm and tugging at the long thread.
“Do you need help?” The girl offers. She looks up, acting like she hasn’t seen them prior to this moment.
“Oh! It’s fine, I’m trying to sew my arm back on. See?”
She presents her sewing needle to them. They look at it with curious eyes. The boy in the ghost sheet tilts his head quizzically when she brings it closer to her arm. It’s inches away from making contact. The skepticism is apparent in his voice.
“What is this? Some kind of gimmick? Lady, we don’t have any cash-”
Without warning, she punctures her skin deeply with the needle. This earns startled gasps from the humans. She feels no pain, but puts on an act and winces - hand shaking as she tries to pull the needle out, failing in her attempts. The kids step back as the bumblebee girl narrows her eyes. She moves forward and rests a hand on her hip, laughing and pointing at Sally.
“Ha! Nice trick, but we know that’s fake! If it was a REAL needle, then-”
She manages to pull it out, and the thread coincidentially falls with it. Her arm completely detaches from its socket and lands on the grass below them. She looks surprised while the children shriek at the sight. There’s no further word as they run off, refusing to look back. The ragdoll sits there in bewilderment as she watches them go.
Jack Skellington surfaces from nearby shadows, laughing at the sight. He picks up her arm and goes through the trouble of stitching it back on. She’s still staring at the spot the humans once were in. Once she comes to terms with the situation, her eyes grow big as an excited grin spreads on her lips. She turns to her Pumpkin King.
“Jack! Did you see that?” She asks giddily. “I scared them!”
“-That you did.” He helps her to her feet. “They didn’t see it coming!"
“That was amazing! It was…fun! I-I feel excited-” She struggles to find the right words. “Is this what it’s like? To…scare people?”
“Quite an experience, isn’t it?”
“My first scare!” She boasts proudly, twirling on her heels. She stumbles for a moment and he catches her on instinct. She grabs his hands. “I want to do it again!”
He makes another plan. Like last time, she lures in the humans - making them curious while she stitches herself. Her appearance beckons them to get a better look. They’re fascinated with her doll-like features, how realistic her stitches appear and the textured yarn hair sitting on her head. By the looks on their faces, they’re doubtful she’s even *real*. He takes their temptations to advantage - jumping out and screaming when they get too close. They run away, howling and scrambling to get away.
He and Sally laugh when they’re gone. She clings onto his figure as she wipes the tears from her eye. She moves to press an intimate kiss on his lips. He’s taken by surprise, but returns the affection - holding his ragdoll close in his lap.
She’s breathless when she pulls away. “Thank you. For showing me what it’s like to scare.” She looks away, her skin now a light purple. “I never thought I could do this.”
“The Doctor may have built you for other things, but you have so many strengths, Sally.” He tightens his grip around her. “I'd like to scare with you every Halloween.”
“This is the most fun I’ve had in my whole life. I don’t want it to ever end.”
They gaze at the night sky above them. They calm down from their exhilaration to enjoy the scenery - listening to the sounds of owls hooting and children running in the distance. The stars twinkle beautifully as they observe them. The screams and scares are a delightful noise. Sally nestles into his embrace as they sit there. He moves his hand gently across her face, melting at the way she leans into his touch.
He sighs. “Neither do I."
—---
When November comes, Sally prepares by properly working out a schedule. On the weekdays, she's in her seamstress shop offering her duties to the town. On the weekends, she joins Jack and the Mayor in the Town hall to assist them and learn how to properly manage Halloween.
“The first few months are the busiest,” Jack informs, stapling papers and handing them to her. She puts them where she’s told. “We have to start over with the planning, so we get the important things out of the way first.”
“-You mean everything?” She sweats. He laughs and pats her head, bringing a wonderful feeling into her stomach.
“Don’t fret! Things will calm down over time…with your help, we’ll get through this quicker! That means more time to spend together. You want that, don’t you?”
She can’t argue.
They spend their next months tending to the town. She joins Jack listening to the citizen’s scare ideas and rating their demonstrations. Then she goes around Halloween Town collecting extra materials from Halloween night, to return to their inventory. Other activities include helping monsters collect bats and snakes that may have escaped, as well as jotting down any changes to the Halloween song.
. . .
It’s January when they have enough free time to end their days early. Sally & Jack retreat to the Skellington Manor to cool off. This is the best opportunity to start planning their wedding - something they’ve grown excited for, after being busy for so long. Jack is happy to start this process and spends a considerable amount of time talking with his fiancée.
“We should hire the Band for music,” Sally suggests. “They’ve been such good friends to us, and they’re talented! I think they’ll do a wonderful job.”
“No question about it.” He writes this down. “Who were we thinking of inviting?”
“We’ll invite our friends, and my…family…” She feels pleasant describing the Doctor, Jewel, and Igor this way.
“We’ll invite everybody to your coronation, so we'll have a little less people for our wedding.” He chuckles. “So it’s not terribly overcrowded. I know it can be overwhelming for you.”
She relaxes in her seat. “That’s a good idea.”
“-And what about your dress, dear? I have to prepare a suit as well.”
She sits up in her seat. “I can make those! I’d love to sew my own dress. I can even make you a suit, if you’d like!”
“Wonderful!' He scribbles this down. Ideas spread in her mind on the details of their clothes. She wiggles around in her seat excitedly. “What theme do we-"
*EEK!*
The couple is interrupted by the loud shrieking of the doorbell. Sally jumps in the air while the skeleton drops his pencil with a sigh. He dismisses himself politely, moving to answer the front door.
The Mayor of Halloween Town waits on their doorstep impatiently, shifting his feet. He notices Jack’s tall frame and jumps with how quickly he is answered. They’ve already finished their business for the day - what more does he need? The Pumpkin King tilts his skull at the sight - his arms aren’t filled with papers, and he isn't holding his usual megaphone…he must've come here in a rush. He rests a hand on the door frame as he looks at his friend curiously.
“Mayor, what a surprise! Is there something you need?”
“Jaaackk….” He looks around, leaning forward as he wrings his hands together. “They’re in the Town Hall..!”
“..Who?”
“B-Boogie’s Boys!” He exclaims. "They came in demanding to speak with you! When I told them you left, they got upset and wanted me to get you! I don’t know what to do, I tried not to get you involved-”
“-The trick-or-treaters?” He stands up straight, looking in the direction of the Town Hall. “What on Halloween’s name would they want?”
“I don’t know! But get to them as soon as you can! They’re always up to trouble. I have to get back before they get into anything!”
He doesn’t wait for a response before rushing down the steps. He bumps into innocent citizens and mumbles apologies as he runs back to the Town Hall. His behavior makes Jack Skellington puzzled. He closes the door to grab a few things before he heads out. Sally notices him putting on his jacket and rushes over.
“Where are you going? Who was it?”
“The Mayor. Apparently those three pranksters are at the Town Hall. They want to speak to me.” He huffs, buttoning his suit. “Can’t imagine what for.”
She thinks for a moment. “Can I come with you?” He looks at her curiously. “It’s been so long since I've seen them. And I….want to know how they’re doing. Without Boogie around.”
“But, why? They kidnapped you.” His ribs ache when her eyes droop sadly. “What they did should not be forgotten.”
“I know. But we haven’t seen them around. They wouldn't be causing trouble if we didn’t hear about it.” He hums indifferently. “I won't give them the benefit of the doubt again. But…I-I just want to know.”
He looks at her for a long time, her eyes continuing to plead with his sockets. He eventually caves in with a frustrated noise. “-Fine. But if they lay a hand on you, I’m NOT going to let it slide.”
She presses a kiss on his bony cheek. “Thank you.”
He exhales through his nose, taking her hand and clutching it close to his chest. He opens the door and patiently helps her down the steps. They make it to the Town Hall, only to hear terrified whimpers. They follow the noise and notice three small children throwing rocks at a shaking figure. The Mayor notices them coming in and weakly points in their direction.
“There! He’s here now! Leave me alone!”
Lock, Shock, and Barrel whip around to find their King standing across from them, looking angry as he shoves his hands on his hips. Sally joins his side, sharing a similar expression when she crosses her arms. They drop the small rocks in their hands and approach the two, hiding their hands behind their backs. They bat their eyes innocently.
“Jaaaack!” Shock greets. “It’s great to see you!”
“How’s the family?” Lock teases.
“You’re looking thin!” Barrel adds.
“What are you three up to?” He asks, getting straight to the point. “And why are you assaulting my coworker?”
“We were passing the time ‘til you got here!” The small devil defends. The Mayor fumes in the background. “We thought you’d never show up!”
“--Answer his question.” Sally cuts in sternly.
“We wanted to say we’re sorry. We didn’t get a chance to tell you!” Shock drops her mask. Her cohorts do the same.
“Sorry for what? Threatening, beating, and kidnapping Sally, then trying to feed her to your boss?”
Barrel steps forward. “We know it was bad, but we were only following orders! The boss would’ve been mad if we didn’t get her!”
“-And we didn’t want to make Oogie angry…” Lock adds with a frown.
Jack Skellington looks at them with unimpressed eye sockets. The Mayor takes this opportunity to slip out of the room when they’re not looking. Sally’s harsh gaze falls when she looks at their faces. She’s never seen them this genuinely upset before. The skeleton remains apprehensive as he stands straight, tapping the side of his arm impatiently. They haven’t gotten through to him.
“We also wanted to…thank you, I guess.” Lock mutters under his breath. He perks up.
“Did I hear that right?” The devil rolls his eyes. He isn’t going to repeat himself. Jack quirks an eye socket. “-What for?”
“-For getting rid of Oogie!” Shock interrupts impatiently. She kicks some dirt with her boot.
He grows quiet at their confession. He’s confused why they’re thanking him for killing their boss - an arguable ‘father figure'. But he wasn’t ever a good one, judging from their reactions. He expected them to resent him for what he did. But hearing their gratitude…makes Jack believe he did the right thing.
“...So we wanted to make it up to you. To show we’re sorry.” Barrel brings up.
“Yeah. We heard you're getting married or something. So we can help with that, if you want.” Lock spits out.
Sally butts in with wide eyes. “Do you really mean that?”
“You can give us another chance.” Shock clenches her gloved fists. “We wanna prove it! So you better give us something to do!”
Jack crosses his arms. “You three are going to cause trouble and I know it. There hasn’t been a single Town event where you didn’t pull a stunt. There’s a reason you’re banned from them. I will not have that at my wedding.”
“Aw, c’mon!” “Pleaaaase?” “We’ll prove it to you!”
Sally's in full agreement until she notices the way they’re on their knees, begging….like they truly care about this. The look in their eyes seems different. They don’t hold the usual mischief like she’s seen before. She tests their words and firmly moves forward, stopping when she’s in front of the children. She leans down to get at eye-level with them, making sure she has their attention with this next question:
“Are you three *really* happy that Boogie's gone? You’re not lying about this?”
They nod their heads. Too quickly for her liking. “Of course!” “Yeah!” “Honest!”
She still feels unconvinced. “You don’t feel any other way about this..?”
She keeps eye contact with them, never breaking. Shock is the one to cave in, looking at the floor and shrugging. “I mean, we’re disappointed, but we’ll get over it. We’ve been trying to!”
“He was scary,” Barrel mutters. Lock nods in agreement.
“He hit us a lot. If he didn’t do that, then he threatened us. We didn't like it, but we couldn’t say anything…now that he’s gone, it doesn’t happen anymore.”
Pity hits her hard. Her phantom heart grows cold. She wants to embrace them. But she remembers what happened. She can’t forgive them right away. They’ll have to prove that they’re sorry for what they’ve done. Boogie may have been behind it all - but they need to rebuild their reputation in town. They’re guilty of their wrongdoings. And she…wants to give them that chance, as stupid as it may seem.
“Alright. You three can help, if you promise you’re serious about this.”
They look happy with her approval, smiles lighting up their faces. “We are!”
Jack groans as Sally returns to his side. He doesn’t argue - he’ll respect her decision. She *is* the one they wronged to begin with. He’ll go along with this - but will make sure things still go as planned. So these three won’t get in the way of anything. The last thing he wants is trouble on the most anticipated day of his death.
“Can I be the ring bearer!?” Barrel asks, jumping up-and-down. Jack is quick to shoot down this idea.
“No. Zero has that job. You can be…an usher.”
“An usher?” He tilts his head.
“You lead people to their seats and help them leave when the time is right,” Sally explains, remembering what she’s learned about weddings. Barrel looks indifferent, but agrees anyway.
“What about me ?” Lock asks impatiently. The skeleton thinks about it.
“...You’ll be a page.” He grins. “You open doors for people, fetch them what they want, and run any errands we may need on the big day.”
“Aw, what!? You’re making me an ERRAND BOY!?”
“If you want to make it up to us, then that’s what you’ll be.” He continues with a challenging smirk. “-Unless you change your mind..?”
He opens his mouth to object. Shock smacks him upside the head with her hat. He goes to punch her until he notices the looks on Jack and Sally’s faces. He lowers his fist and pouts, turning away. He mutters a ‘fine, whatever’ under his breath, earning proud looks from the skeleton and ragdoll. They move their attention to the witch, who bashfully looks away under their stares. They think for a moment.
An idea pops up in Sally’s head. “Shock, would you like to be a flower girl?”
“Flower girl?” She scrunches up her nose. “That sounds dumb!”
“It’s not! It’s wonderful. You get to toss petals from wilted flowers down the aisle. I know little girls who would love to do it…! What do you say?”
She glances at Lock and Barrel, who giggle and tease her in return. It sounds so… girly! But they didn’t get ideal positions, either. Hers sounds more important than their jobs. For this reason, she smirks in triumph and agrees - making Sally delighted. The three children put their masks back on and say goodbye, running out and inevitably encountering the Mayor again. He hollers at the sight of them - but they pay no mind for once, leaving the Town Hall without a further exchange.
Jack and Sally share an uneasy glance.
“Do you think we can trust them..?” She asks quietly. She feels guilty for accepting their help without consulting him first. He shrugs in return.
“They won’t be handling anything valuable, so it should be fine.” His expression changes as he rests a hand against her cheek. “-You didn’t have to do that, you know. You’re not obligated to give everyone second chances if they’ve wronged you.”
Her eyes lower. “If I’m going to be the Pumpkin Queen, I want a fresh start. I don’t want to be cruel…I believe in the good of everybody.”
He rests his forehead against hers and intertwines their fingers together, sighing as he closes his eyes. ‘She’s too good for this world, ’ he thinks.
Notes:
I know things are happening quickly, but I want to end this story already, if I'm going to be honest. May is a super inactive time for the TNBC fandom, but I want to be consistent with the monthly updates.
There should be one more chapter left after this - maybe 2, depending on how the next one goes. Either way, the story is ending soon, so I look forward to it! Since Our Nightmare has been going on for so long...I *do* want to make some changes from the early chapters, so I'll be editing for awhile.
Chapter 22: Wedding
Summary:
Jack and Sally have their wedding, with a minor storm through it all. Afterwards, they talk about their future - and Jack rightfully crowns his new Pumpkin Queen.
Notes:
Sally's wedding dress is based on one of my favorite pieces on deviantART, https://www.deviantart.com/julibee-darling/art/Ragdoll-Bride-262633630
Jack's suit is the Dancing Jack outfit from Oogie's revenge - which you can see here: https://64.media.tumblr.com/aea8f8f8bdcf680d0ff7dee16caf6e42/tumblr_inline_pausq7s4cC1un8abg_540.png
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The large bell housing prominently over the Town Hall rings loudly across Halloween Town. The deafening notes are heard miles away. Its noise is an announcement to something urgent. In this case, a wedding – but not an ordinary ceremony. A royal one, as the Pumpkin King is marrying a woman, who, after the matrimony, can call herself the new Pumpkin Queen.
It’s been ages since a royal wedding has been recorded in the town’s history. The citizens are urgent, desperate to participate in this once-in-a-death event. A good portion of the town attends, having a connection with their king and his fiancée. They receive a generous RSVP line, filling the town square with seats and tables to accommodate the large crowd attending.
As the center of Halloween Town crowds with attendees, the husband-and-wife-to-be slip out from the commotion unnoticed. It’s a graceful feat, thanks to the skeleton’s natural gift of creeping. They're strolling through the Outskirts, hand happily in one another’s. Human ceremonies take superstitions seriously, but Halloween Town adores bad luck. Jack and Sally are striving to get the worst possible, to ensure things roll smoothly.
“It’s beautiful outside,” The ragdoll says, holding the ends of her dress to avoid the dirt. He notices the storm clouds hanging overhead, threatening to unleash rain any second now. He’s felt the static on his spine all day. Nothing can make him more content than this ideal weather.
“It truly is,” He agrees.
“I’m glad we didn’t cancel the ceremony. I love rain.”
He holds his palm out to feel the raindrops coming down. “It should only be a light shower, thankfully.”
She looks excited with this news. She notices the distance they’ve made from town and her smile falters. She wants to stay like this for hours - alone together, enjoying the peaceful sights before something so… nerve-wracking.
She’s prepared for this day for a long time, planning with her fiancé and practicing the ceremony. She’s read about what to expect from weddings. Although she may be book-ready, she doesn’t anticipate the strong swelling in her leaves. It’s an overwhelming but delightful feeling - being with Jack makes it temporarily go away. But they’ll have to face the attention sooner or later.
“We can head back, now.”
He agrees. He swerves them into the opposite direction in a smooth movement and she giggles. They slip in the same way they snuck out. They part from each other to welcome guests, exchanging delighted grins every time the other passes their vision.
——————————
An hour or so passes while everyone settles themselves at the tables, with the help of Lock and Barrel. The Halloween Town band plays music to keep monsters patient while they sip their drinks and watch children run around playing. They’re eager to witness the marriage between their King and future-Queen already. The Mayor frequently reminds them to be patient. They’re setting up canopies, in hopes of keeping guests dry in case the rain falls earlier than expected.
It isn’t long before the Mayor urges everyone to their seats, claiming things will begin. Creatures snatch as many spots close to the front as possible. The rows are shortly filled, with no need for any parties on either side. The ghosts and winged creatures hover in the back while everyone faces the direction of the altar intently.
The Mayor is respectively chosen as the marriage officiant and minister, more than happy to fulfill the roles. Jack’s best man is no other than his old friend, Doctor Finklestein, who will walk Sally down the aisle. Zero poses as ring bearer and patiently holds them on a small, gray pillow. His spiral tail wags in anticipation as he looks at his master.
Everyone’s attention is on their King. Unlike his usual black-and-white pinstriped jacket with a bat bow tie, Jack wears a white suit. This one consists purely of whites and grays, with a toned-down version of his bow tie, as well as shirt cuffs at the ends of his sleeves. He sports a white top hat to finish the outfit, hanging lazily on the side of his skull. He nudges it trying to keep it in place, but the thing insists on being crooked. Sally spent careful time making this ensemble for him - so he’s doing his best to keep it tidy.
“Nervous?” The Mayor whispers, leaning over the podium and grinning. He’s getting a kick out of seeing him like this.
“As I’ll ever be.” Comes the rushed reply. “I’m not sweating too much, am I?”
“Jack, you can’t sweat.”
“Right…”
Music fills the Town square. The skeleton stiffens as everyone perks their heads up. They find Sally standing at the end of the carpet, with a bouquet in her hands and veil carefully placed over her stitched face. Beside her is Dr. Finklestein, resisting the tempting urge to scratch at his brain. He’s changed from his usual lab coat to a white suit, less elegant than Jack’s. Judging by his loosened posture and unfixed glasses, he’s affected from holding his daughter’s hand at her wedding. He sniffles subtly as he wipes a tear from under his dark lenses, moving them forward slowly.
Even though Jack has seen Sally in her wedding dress before, he still feels the breath leave him as he ravishes the sight of her. Her dress is entirely made by hand. The pieces are put together by her, including different types of rags with various patterns. They're combined to create a large and beautiful dress. A wilted flower is placed behind her ear, complimenting her black eyes. A green ribbon wraps around her thin waist, consisting of dead flowers. Behind her is a long train that matches the transparency of her veil. It’s nearly reminiscent of the patchwork dress he first met her in.
Shock emerges from behind and steps forward. She scatters the dead petals across the aisle, messily but still getting the job done. Sally follows slowly, as the Doctor is careful not to get his wheelchair caught in anything. Behind them are Lock and Barrel, serving as the pages and lift the train carefully. They take this job with consideration and make sure it never touches the ground, even if that means tripping on one another(and refraining from punching each other in the middle of attention).
As soon as they’re at the altar, the Doctor goes to his place beside Zero while the trick-or-treaters take a seat in their reserved chairs. Everyone quiets down as the lovers hold each other’s hands. Jack carefully removes Sally’s veil to peer at the beautiful paleness of her face. They gaze into each other’s eyes, the endearing looks never fading while the Mayor speaks. He begins the long speech about marriage and unity. No one’s really paying attention - instead, infatuated with the couple before them.
In the middle of the Mayor’s validation, a roar of thunder rumbles overhead. Raindrops begin to pour from the sky. Everyone seated is under the protection of the canopy. However, the Mayor realizes he’s in the open. As the raindrops fall, they drench his papers. He struggles to dry them while Jack and Sally continue to stare at each other, blissfully unaware of the water falling on them. An umbrella is summoned from the skeleton’s sleeve, which he politely holds over her with his free hand.
“Oh, what’s the use!” The Mayor throws his hands in the air. “These papers are ruined!”
“Start with the vows!” Someone impatiently yells from the back. There is a loud murmur of agreement from the crowd.
“Alright, alright! Jack, do you take Sally to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, and in sickness and in health, for the rest of eternity?”
“I do.” He states firmly.
“And Sally, do you take Jack to be your lawfully wedded husband?”
“I do.”
They take the rings from Zero, who is all too happy to deliver them. They slip it on each other’s fingers and hold their hands once more. Everyone around them shifts in their seats anxiously, the tension building in the air.
“I’m sure we’re waiting for it, so I’ll just say it!” The Mayor chuckles with a wide grin. “You may now kiss the bride!”
Everyone leans forward as the skeleton lowers the umbrella, takes Sally by the waist, and kisses her passionately on the lips. She closes her eyes and wraps her arms around his neck - similarly to when they first kissed on the Spiral Hill. The audience erupts into applause and cheers, some even leaping out of their seats. Lock, Shock, and Barrel pretend to shove their fingers down their throats, but are ignored as the couple turns to the crowd.
“Everyone!” The sound of Jack’s voice quiets them down. “May I introduce you to…your new Pumpkin Queen!”
He steps to the side to bow and extends his hand in front of Sally. They erupt into cheers once more. The ragdoll blushes as she takes his hand. He stands up straight to lay a kiss on its surface, lowering his eye sockets as he brushes her cheek with his knuckles. She leans into his touch and unconsciously lifts her leg. Jack turns back to the crowd and rushes down the altar, being mindful of his wife while he does so.
“Let’s celebrate!” He calls.
Everyone follows after and cackles. They don’t mind the rain, townsfolk in suits and dresses dance and jump in the puddles. They join Jack and Sally inside the Town Hall, where the once-large auditorium is redecorated into a ballroom. The tall wedding cake, filled with layers of Halloween Town goodness and a pumpkin cake topper, sits at the center. Surrounding it are tables for the guests, to chat and eat.
The room is packed by the time everyone arrives.
————————
The celebrations go swimmingly. The first thing monsters do is dance - filling the floor with couples and ghouls partying their souls out. The music is played by the Halloween Town Band, who perform a few jazz songs before settling on slower music. The groom and the bride sway in the center before Jewel receives the next dance with the Pumpkin King.
As she and Jack waltz, Sally joins Dr. Finklestein at a table. As much as she would like to dance with him, he isn’t willing to go through the trouble with his wheelchair. Accompanied with her frail stitches, it’s bound for some embarrassing trip-ups that they want to avoid on her wedding day.
She clasps her hands and watches him sip his wine. A few minutes pass as they listen to the music and watch the guests dance on the floor. He sets down the glass and rubs his temple. He coughs into his arm awkwardly and avoids eye contact with her.
“Well, my dear, you’re going to be the Pumpkin Queen, now…”
She looks at him inquisitively. His words sound uneasy. She’s rarely heard this tone, beyond the times Jack threatened him for her well-being. But that’s all in the past, now. They’ve mended their relationship since then. She nods encouragingly for him to continue. He does, with a reluctant breath:
“You are my Queen. Which means I will abide by your every demand. It isn’t like me to disobey royalty. If you hold any reservations about how I treated you, then-”
“Doctor…” She interrupts, holding her breath. When she catches sight of his face, the words fail to leave her lips.
The tears are flowing from underneath his glasses. A few drops have escaped his vision during the ceremony, but now he’s succumbed to the cries. She instinctively reaches for her father. He does the same. They’re holding onto each other and shedding tears together. This earns sentimental looks from those nearby, including Jewel peeking over Jack Skellington’s shoulder from afar.
“Don’t look, but they’re having a moment.” She mutters.
He gives her an odd expression. She points her finger in their direction. When he follows her gaze, he finds his wife clinging onto her father. He can’t help smiling, continuing to waltz his mother-in-law across the dance floor without a word.
——————-
After letting them have their scene, Jack and Jewel interrupt. The Doctor and Sally are reluctant to let go, but give each other a last embrace before they separate. They seem happier now. Jack leads her to cut the cake. Sally isn’t keen with handling a sharp knife, what with the threads in her way, so she lets him do the honors. Everyone watches hungrily, licking their lips. Particularly, a young trio crowding the table.
“When do we get our piece?” “-Yeah! You’ve been serving everyone BUT us!” “What flavor is it!?”
Jack rolls his sockets and serve the three their plates. They haven’t caused a ruckus and did what they were told - so they’re due for a reward. They take their dessert and run off. After the slices are served, the couple receive their share and retreat to their seats. Everyone begins eating, most of them noisily, as the skeleton and ragdoll pick at theirs. While the crowd is dining, the Mayor stands in his chair and clinks his glass with his spoon. This earns the attention of everyone in the room, glancing up from their servings.
“I believe it’s time to make a toast!” He announces, holding his drink high in the air. “To our Pumpkin King and his new Queen - may your eternity be dreadful!”
The guests exclaim in agreement, taking a hefty gulp from their glasses. They resume their treats with more chatter this time around. During this time, James, John and Jimmy make their way to the King and Queen’s table, offering their best wishes. Nothing is out of the ordinary until Jack Skellington feels a harsh slap on his back. James reaches for his hand to shake it. He’s happy to offer it to him.
He suddenly gets pulled forward, so his voice stays between them. “Ya' better keep Dolly happy. If not, you’ll be hearin’ from us.”
“Heh!” Jack laughs, believing it’s a good-natured joke from his friends, but grits his teeth when his palm almost get snapped in two. “Oh… ”
A few others make speeches, which they happily listen to - until they find the whole town wanting to say something. The Mayor finally puts a stop to it. They’re touched by the words of their citizens, how welcoming they are of Sally as their Queen and his wife. The children have all sorts of questions for her. She spends a few minutes answering them while Jack listens in the background, pretending to eat his cake.
“Do you think you'll ever have kids?” The Mummy Boy asks, picking at his bandages. “We’ll have more friends to play with, if you do.”
Sally blushes, peeking at her husband for a slight second before turning back. She neglects to see the look of interest on his face. He listens carefully as she replies, rubbing the side of his skull in thought.
“Maybe someday.”
——————–
“Jack, how long is eternity?”
“It’s forever, darling. There is no end.”
“I see.”
“Are you happy with that? That we’re going to be together, now and forever?”
They’re seated on a bench outside the Town Hall, the moonlight seeping through the windows and boards over their heads. It’s still raining outside, the sounds of the drops and occasional rounds of thunder interrupting them every now and again. The wedding has been going on for several hours. There are still a considerable amount of guests inside. It took skill to sneak out here without anyone seeing. And here they are now - situated on a bench, holding hands, and talking quietly. It’s always been their favorite thing to do.
“Of course I am.” Sally rests her head on him and closes her eyes. “There’s no one else I’d want to be with.”
“I feel the same way.”
Jack kisses her hair and rests his skull there. They listen to their breaths. They can’t think of anything more peaceful. Eventually, he breaks the silence. He can’t keep his thoughts to himself today. He wants to express how grateful he is - to be married to the love of his death.
“To think, it’s been a century since the town’s had a Queen…there are many here who have never had one.”
She bites her lip, gently tugging at her seams. He motions her hand away and grips it. She looks at the floor. “-You really think I’ll make a good Pumpkin Queen?”
She can’t seem to ever stop asking this question. He smiles. “Of course.” He brushes his fingertips through her hair, tangling his fingers within the red yarn. He adds, “Everyone loves you; you’re a wonderful role model.”
“Role model? Me?” She turns red. “No, I…I’m not exactly-”
“You were locked up for a good portion of your life, remember? But did that stop you from coming to see me?” He smiles when she shakes her head ‘no’ . “-You wanted something, and worked to get to it. I don’t know how anyone CAN’T look up to you!”
She nestles in his arms. He holds her closely, wishing to ease her concerns.
“Don’t be stressed, Sally. It’s my job to be as frightening as I can be. And take care of other things, too.” He tilts his skull and brushes his hand along her cheek. “You can do anything you want to do. I’ll support you no matter what, and I know they will, too.”
She stares into his eye sockets for a long time, a smile stretched on her face. He notices the tears falling from her eyes and gently wipes them. She lays her head on his shoulder, embracing him as close as she can . He wraps his arms around her tightly in response, closing his eye sockets and indulging himself in her warm touch.
“This is the happiest day of my life.” She chokes up. “I’m married to you. Do you know how long I’ve dreamed of this..? The moment you set me free from that Tower, I wanted this badly.”
“I wanted this, too. I proposed to you, after all.” He rubs her back with a lighthearted laugh. “It’s the best decision I’ve ever made.”
She gazes into his eye sockets again, with tears spilling out from her eyes. Before he can tend to them, she presses her lips on his, pulling him into a heartfelt kiss. He returns the affection. It lasts a minute or two. They remain outside for the rest of the ceremony, gazing at the stars every time a clear spot appears in the stormy night sky.
—-----
Her coronation is nerve-wracking and difficult to get through, but it means so much to her all the same. The town attends like last time, excited to see their new ruler be rightfully crowned. Sally does a wonderful job through it all - ignoring her shaking limbs and anxious habit of picking at her seams.
It's a thorough process, teaching her how to rule Halloween as well as the town. She was overwhelmed by it all, but comforted by her husband every time she felt stressed. He’d be by her side through it all, to share the workload like a true King and Queen do. Over time, she embraces her responsibilities - happy to share it with the man she loves.
The skeleton feels a warmth spread in his bones when he places the crown on her head. A movement done so slowly - so intensely, staring into her eyes as she blinks at him…it looks beautiful on her. Like it was always meant to be there. No head can fit it right as hers does. She stands and he takes her into his arms, holding her tightly and listening to the applause and cheer from their people around them. By then, everything feels how it’s meant to be.
His Pumpkin Queen.
THE END
Notes:
This story is finally done..! Thank you to everyone who read it, left kudos/comments, and stuck with me. I know it was a lengthy journey to get through - a lot happened in the time of writing it(COVID, quarantine, lockdown and whatnot) I lost most of my audience over time. That's the only part I don't like about writing long stories...I don't think I'll be tackling something *this* lengthy again for awhile. (At least, chapter-by-chapter.)
I was a little disheartened to lose feedback when I felt I was at the most interesting/climatic part of my story -- but it was also a delight writing, and I had a blast. Jack and Sally are my favorite OTP of all-time and I hope Our Nightmare, along with my initial fic Two Dearest Friends, paid justice to them and showed how much I love these characters. I can't wait for the sequel novel Long Live the Pumpkin Queen to release, which will *finally* and *canonically* marry Jack and Sally off. I've always felt they deserved it.
Another sequel for this series *is* possible. But like I said, I don't want to go through another long-story anytime soon. The next I'll publish is a re-write for Mirror Moon, and maybe an OC-centered fic for my TNBC OC..! But I do have an idea to continue this series. It'll be when I feel confident enough to tackle a long fic again. :)
Since it's been a long time, I am unhappy with certain parts of the story - so I will be editing and re-writing some chapters/plot elements. They're not *huge* - but expect some changes to this story. I've also been touching up Two Dearest Friends, so I hope to get that fic polished soon as well.
Thank you all.
Chapter 23: Fateful Night (SEQUEL STORY)
Notes:
I noticed I left an announcement of Our Nightmare initially in Two Dearest Friends, and now I want to update this story to let you know that the final installment of my Jack/Sally fanfiction series, a sequel to this one, has been recently published and is at 6 chapters as of writing this note.
I also want to leave a note for my readers that this story will be undergoing some revisions. Truth be told, I've been avoiding even looking at Our Nightmare for awhile, as I know there are quite a few parts that need some serious tweaking. I'm not proud with how some things were portrayed in here and would like to rewrite a bit of this story to my liking. So some things may read different over time, but I don't think I'll be changing anything major.
Sequel story below!
Chapter Text
"Elroy Skellington is finally old enough to join his father for his first Halloween in the human world, but things go awry and he runs away. In his troubled state, the Pumpkin Prince discovers something new that will change their lives, and the world they know, forever.
Jack/Sally, a fic focused on the Skellington Children."
The Sequel Story is out! You may find it below!
https://archiveofourown.org/works/62815942/chapters/160828246
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Kakashifan727 on Chapter 1 Fri 10 Jan 2020 04:21PM UTC
Last Edited Fri 10 Jan 2020 04:21PM UTC
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Long_jons on Chapter 1 Thu 19 May 2022 09:26PM UTC
Last Edited Thu 19 May 2022 09:26PM UTC
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rainbowthefox on Chapter 1 Fri 20 May 2022 02:22AM UTC
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Long_jons on Chapter 1 Fri 20 May 2022 02:39AM UTC
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ResidentDimwit on Chapter 1 Sun 14 Aug 2022 09:55PM UTC
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Alkeino on Chapter 1 Thu 01 Sep 2022 08:29PM UTC
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RedWingedAngel002 on Chapter 1 Thu 19 Oct 2023 04:24PM UTC
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Stella005 on Chapter 1 Tue 07 Nov 2023 03:26AM UTC
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waterfallsilverberry on Chapter 1 Wed 03 Jul 2024 12:39AM UTC
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Kakashifan727 on Chapter 2 Fri 24 Jan 2020 01:49PM UTC
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Millicent Jackson (Guest) on Chapter 2 Fri 31 Jan 2020 07:25PM UTC
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