Sally's Wonderful Life
She hummed a tune as she dusted various knickknacks in the living room. She was smiling as she worked. Normally chores like these seemed, somewhat tedious to Sally the rag doll. Or should we call her, Sally Skellington?
Yes, Sally Skellington. For she was now happily married to her true love, Jack Skellington. Sally couldn't help but smile as she took the time to look at a certain picture on a shelf. Their wedding photo.
She smiled as she gazed at it, sighing with content. The happiest day of her life immortalized in that picture. She ran her finger over the frame. A little dusty. She wiped the frame off with a cloth. "That's better." Sally said after placing the picture back on the shelf. She smiled. Sally was soon plunged into darkness. "Oh!" She exclaimed. Someone was covering her eyes. "Guess who." A voice said. Sally giggled. "Hello Jack." She said.
"Hello my darling." said Jack Skellington. He removed his hands from his wife's face and turned her around to face him. He gave Sally a smile before leaning in for a kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him sweetly.
"Are you feeling better today?" Jack asked. Sally nodded. It was true. For the past week Sally had been out of sorts. Suffering from dizzy spells, faint spells, and nausea.
But she was smiling today. "Not nauseous or faint or anything?" Jack asked making sure she was all right.
"Jack I'm fine." Sally said laughing. "You don't have to worry."
"Ah, but it is my job as your husband my dear." said Jack. Sally giggled at him. "I assure you, I'm just fine." said Sally.
Jack nodded. "All right sweetheart." He said. "But I do think you should take it easy. You haven't been yourself lately." Sally gave a good natured eye roll and a giggle. But suddenly, she felt dizzy.
"Oh..." She moaned, putting her fingers to her forehead. "Oh my..." "Honey?" Jack asked with worry.
She began to tip over. But Jack caught her before she could fall. "Thank you." She said. Jack didn't say anything. He just guided her to the sofa to rest. Sally sat right down.
"Sally I'm starting to worry." said Jack. "I think you should see the doctor."
"It's just a little dizziness." She said. "No, it's not just that." said Jack.
"For the past week you've been feeling dizzy, nauseous, and you've fainted several times. I really think you should see Dr. Finklestein."
Sally just looked at him.
xXx
"So what seems to be the problem?" Dr. Finklestein asked. Jack and Sally met with the doctor to figure out if anything was wrong. "Dizziness mostly." Sally said. "Just dizziness?" the doctor asked. "Nothing else?"
She thought for a moment. "She's also been nauseated a few times." Jack said to Finklestein. "And she's had a few fainting spells." "Jack I could have answered that myself." Sally said. She felt a bit miffed.
"Hmm." Dr. Finklestien said. He lifted the roof of his head and scratched his brain in thought. Not a bother to Jack and Sally. She smiled at her creator. Now feeling a little more positive than a moment ago.
"Most interesting set of symptoms." said the doctor. "I might need to do some testing before I can give a diagnoses." "What kind of tests?" Sally asked. "Simple tests really." said the Doctor. "Nothing to worry about my dear."
Sally nodded in understanding. Jack held her hand to comfort her if she needed it.
xXx
After a series of tests, the Pumpkin King and Queen left the laboratory. Dr. Finklestein told them he would have the test results ready for them the next morning. The two now were standing at the gate of the manor.
Sally yawned a bit. "Maybe you should go home and rest." Jack suggested. "I'm okay." said Sally. "Really."
She smiled at him. "Are you sure sweetheart?" Jack asked." Jack I feel fine." said Sally. She kissed his cheek.
Jack smiled and place his bony hand on his cheek where Sally had kissed it.
"All right then." He said. "I trust you." Sally smiled. "Thank you." She said. "Take a walk?" He asked. "The fresh Halloween air could do you some good." "I'd like that." Sally said. Jack smiled. "Shall we then my love?" He asked. Sally nodded.
They walked into the town square together, hand in hand. Sally sighed with content. Nothing better than a walk with the one you love she thought. They walked to the fountain in the center of the square. The green spring water flowing from the mouth of the stone serpent.
The water might have looked unsettling and undrinkable to any being of the human world. But to them, it was mountain spring water.
"Should we sit down dear?" Jack asked, still concerned about his wife's well being. Sally smiled.
Then, another dizzy attack. She started to stumble. "Oh no." Jack said. She began to fall backwards.
Jack reached out and grabbed her hand before she could fall, but alas. The stitches became undone and Sally fell backward and with a splash, was in the fountain. Jack held Sally's hand in his own. "Uh oh." He said. Sally coughed as tried to stand up. Jack helped her up. Some folks gathered as soon as they heard the splash. They were indeed concerned for their queen. "Oh my poor darling." Jack said. "Are you okay?" She coughed and spit out water. "No I am not okay..." Sally said. Jack felt horrible. And not in a good way either. Sally coughed some more.
"What happened?" the Hanging Tree asked. "Is she all right?" asked the witches. "Sally had another dizzy spell and she fell." Jack said, as he wrapped his arms around his wife. "I'd better get her home." He said.
But suddenly, Sally pushed away from Jack and practically snatched her hand from Jack's. Jack was taken aback.
"Huh?" was all he could manage. "Sally?"
Everyone was silent. Sally wore a furious expression mixed with a blush.
"Stop looking at me." She snarled. "Darling..." Jack said. She looked at him acidly. That was almost enough to scare even Jack. Sally had never acted like this before. He shrunk back. Sally's heart felt like it was on fire.
Tears were forming in her eyes. Jack was shocked. The Pumpkin Queen began to sob. Tears streaming down her cheeks and falling to the stone ground they stood on.
The others saw as well. All feeling a great concern for Sally. As their queen they respected her.
But she was also a friend to everyone. The most gentle soul in Halloween Town.
Jack wrapped his arms around Sally once again to try to comfort her. Anger crept into Sally's heart once more.
"Don't touch me!" She shouted pulling away from him.
Everyone gasped. No one had ever heard Sally speak in such a tone. Jack doubled back.
"How could you do this to me!" Sally shouted. "Letting me embarrass myself like that!" Everyone gasped.
"You know I haven't been feeling well!" Sally yelled. Jack almost fell over.
"Why did you take me here where I could fall like that!" She shouted. "Sally." Jack whispered. He could almost feel tears started to well in is eye sockets. "Please...calm down." She looked at him. She looked at everyone, all staring at her in silence.
Sally felt awful. She had just yelled at her husband for no reason. And in front of his citizens.
She felt tears welling up again. Poor Sally felt she could do only one thing. Run. So she did. Heading for the gate and slipping through it's bars, not even letting the gate open for her.
"Sally..." Jack said reaching his hand out. A single tear slid down his cheekbone and hit the ground.
He was so worried. As was everyone. This wasn't like Sally. Not at all.
Sally kept running until she reached the cemetery. She sat at the base of a large tombstone and began to sew her hand back onto her wrist. Tears flowed freely. She couldn't believe she yelled at Jack in front of everyone. Her falling into the fountain wasn't really his fault. Sally sighed. "I'm sorry Jack." She said to herself. "I don't deserve you."
As soon as Sally was finished sewing her hand back on, she broke of the thread from the needle and placed the needle back behind her ear as she always would. She flexed her hand. She could tell her hand was secure, but not too tight.
But it wasn't enough to wipe away the anguish in her heart. She heaved, trying to keep herself from sobbing.
"Everyone must be mad at me now." Sally said to herself. "Yelling at Jack like that." She sniffled. "Some Pumpkin Queen I am." She said. "Maybe it would be better if I was never created." Sally wiped the tears from her eyes as she stood up. She then felt something come over her.
She almost felt out of breath. Her vision began to spin. She tottered on her feet. Before she knew it, she was on the ground.
Sally lay on the ground for a moment, her eyes closed.
But then she heard a voice. "Sally." it said. Sally opened her eyes and found herself staring at a pair of feet. Sally looked up to see the face of a woman. She crouched down over Sally hand held out her hand.
"Here, let me help you." She said. Sally wasn't sure what to do. She didn't know this person. But she felt she could trust her. So she held on to the woman's hand and the woman helped Sally to her feet. "There you go dear." She said. "Thank you." said Sally.
The woman smiled. She was perhaps an inch or two taller than Sally. She wore what seemed to be a simple white dress that came to her ankles. Her hair was long up to her waist and as black as the night sky.
Her eyes were green like emeralds. And they seemed to have the sparkle of the actual gem.
A white flower, a lily in this case seemed to be pinned to her hair like a barrette.
Sally stared at the woman. Over her head, there seemed to be like a ring of light. She was was amazed.
"If you don't mind my asking." She said. "But, who are you? Or what are you?"
The woman smiled. "I am a friend." She said. "A guardian angel."
Although this woman claimed to be an angel, she had no wings. This was only because real angels don't have actual wings. Real angels have no form because they are pure spirit. But they can take on human form.
Such was the result before Sally's eyes.
"A what?" Sally asked. "A guardian angel." the woman said.
"It's my job to look out for people. I can see that you're troubled deeply Sally."
"H-how do you know my name?" Sally asked. "I know many things about you Sally." said the angel. "So why don't you tell me what's bothering you?" Sally sighed. "I yelled at my husband Jack." She said.
"Yelled?" the angel asked. Sally told the angel what had happened in town square. Her having a dizzy spell and falling into the fountain.
And of yelling at Jack in front of the townspeople, blaming him for her fall. "I see." said the angel.
"Everyone must be really angry at me now." Sally said with pain in her heart. "Me falling into the fountain wasn't Jack's fault. I shouldn't have yelled at him." The rag doll sighed.
"I think it would have been better if I was never created." She said.
"Now you don't mean that." The lady said. "The people here really need you."
"Need me?" Sally asked disbelievingly. "I highly doubt that. There's nothing to need from me."
She looked to the ground in sorrow. She felt something touch her. The angel placed her hand on her shoulder.
"That is not true." She said. Sally looked at the angel. "How do you know?" She asked.
"I'll show you." the angel said. "Show me how?" Sally asked. With that, the angel waved her hand slowly.
And almost instantly, the two found themselves in a new but familiar setting.
"Dr. Finklestein's laboratory?" Sally asked. "How did we get here?" Sally looked around.
It was her creator's laboratory , but something was very wrong.
The lab was a real mess. Various scientific tools and equipment were either, dusty, disorganized, or a combination of the two. "What happened here?" Sally asked. "It's kind of complicated." said the angel. "You see this is the world that would be if you were never created." "What?" Sally asked. She then realized something. "Wait a minute." She said. "What's your name?" "My name isn't important right now." the angel said. "What is important is that you must see what would happen if you never existed." "But..." Sally was interrupted by a familiar sound. "Igor!" cried a voice.
Sally smiled and turned to the source of her creator's calling. But her smile faded as soon as she saw him.
Dr. Finklestein lay on a small bed. Pale, helpless. He looked almost sick. "Oh no." Sally said. She went to his side.
She tried to reach for him. But when she attempted to touch his forehead, her hand went right though as if she was a ghost. Sally jerked her hand back with a yelp. "My...my hand went right though him!" She exclaimed.
The angel nodded. "Like I told you dear." She said gently. "In this world, you don't exist. Nobody here can see nor hear you." Sally looked at her in disbelief. "Igor!" Finklestien called again, weaker than before."
"What's wrong with him?" Sally asked. "Since Dr. Finklestien never created you, he's had no one to take care of him. Now he can't even create anything, he's so ill now." said the angel. "But what about Igor?" asked Sally. "Or the creation he made after me, Jewel?" "Without you to always poison and run away from him, Dr. Finklestein never had the inspiration to create Jewel." the angel said. "And Igor..."
As if on cue, Igor came into the room. "Coming master!" said the hunchbacked creature. He carried a tray in his hands. On that tray a bowl of soup. Or that's what it seemed to be. Igor never was quite the best cook, despite his efforts.
He was also a bit of a klutz. He practically tripped over his own two feet. In fact that's just what he did.
"Ah!" He yelped. Poor Igor fell flat on his face, spilling the soupy substance at the foot end of Finklestien's bed. The doctor just sighed. "Igor, why are you such a clumsy ox?" He said, exasperated. "Igor sorry master." said Igor he got back on his feet. Sally was feeling very sad. Seeing the man suffering like this nearly broke her heart. Even if he did always lock her away from the outside world. She sniffled. "I know you're sorry Igor." said Dr. Finklestein. "The problem is, I should have created myself someone to help me." He said. "You lad, are only a lab assistant. You never did learn to cook or clean, and this rapid deterioration of my health came so suddenly it is unbelievable the burden you've been forced to shoulder. I should have created someone who could help us."
Sally knew who he was talking about. "I...I..." was all Sally could say. She felt the angel touch her shoulder.
The angel looked at Sally with a grave expression. "But still." Dr. Finklestien continued. "Us two aren't the only ones suffering. Ever since Jack disappeared during that Christmas thing and Oogie Boogie took over, life has been miserable." He said. Sally was shocked. "Oogie Boogie!" She exclaimed. The angel nodded. "I'm afraid so." She said. She waved her hand again. Instantly they were taken to the gate of Finklestein's manor, leading to Town Square.
"What now?" Sally asked. "Look." the angel simply said to her.
Sally looked into the Town Square, and gasped at what she saw. Something was very, very wrong here.
This was not the Halloween Town she lived in. The whole landscape had changed. Several statues of the nefarious Oogie Boogie lined the square and streets beyond. The buildings had been turned into what appeared to be a casino type architecture. All had what seemed to be torture devices.
"I think I'm going to be sick." Sally said. "This is just...terrible." The angel placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"Angel, what happened?" Sally asked. "Remember the Christmas fiasco?" the angel asked. "Without you to warn Jack, he disappeared during his flight. And after Santa was taken was Christmas Town, there was no one to rescue him." Sally gasped.
"And after finding out about Christmas, Oogie set out for the other holidays." said the angel. "He kidnapped them all and became..." "The Seven Holidays King." Sally finished. "Exactly right." the angel said.
"Without you the whole Seven Holidays King plan happened a lot sooner and worse, was successful."
"But, where is everyone?" Sally asked. "Either hiding or being kept prisoner." The angel said.
"Come on guys this way!" They heard someone call.
Sally looked. She saw, coming from a dark spot of town, Oogie's henchmen. Lock, Shock, and Barrel. But there was something different about them. They had something clamped on their ankles. A ball and chain restraint device built for three. "What happened to them?" Sally asked. "I thought they worked for Oogie Boogie."
"They did, until he betrayed them." the angel said. "Now they suffer just as much as the rest of the townspeople."
"Ok guys, the coast is clear." said Lock. He stood at the front of the chain line. "Let's get the heck out of here." He said. "Where are they going?" Sally asked. "Shh." said the angel. "Listen." "Why do I have to carry this ball?" Barrel asked. He stood at the end of the chain, closest to the heavy weight. "That's because you're the closest to the end." said Lock. "Quiet! We don't want to get caught!" Shock said in a whispered voice. "All right." said Lock. "We are out of here." Their escape plan would have worked if not for a shadow coming over them. Sally gasped. A giant insectoid monster stood over them. Much like a half spider half cockroach.
Obviously one of Oogie's lackeys The trio turned around to see they've been caught.
"Run for it!" They all said. They tried, but the ball and chain held them down. Barrel just could not lift the heavy weight. The monster descended on them like lightning. It screeched out something. Soon other insect monsters came in and surrounded the escaping three. They cowered. "Oh it's the stocks for us now." said Shock.
Lock gulped. Barrel was shaking all over. The insect monsters roughly grabbed them, squeezing so it hurt.
"Ouch!" said Barrel. "Not so hard!" The bugs ignored him and carried the trio off to whatever punishment Oogie would have in store for them.
Sally was struck speechless. She would have told those monsters to release the three but she remembered they wouldn't be able to hear her.
This was just dreadful. She began to tear up again.
"It's awful isn't it?" the angel asked. Sally nodded. She felt her stomach being tied up in knots, and not because of her not feeling well lately.
She hated seeing people suffering. Sure Lock, Shock, and Barrel cause a lot of trouble in the past, but this just wasn't right. Not right at all. "Wait." Sally said, remembering something very important.
"Angel." She said. "You and Dr. Finklestein said Jack disappeared."
Sally was scared to ask these words, but she did anyway. "Where is Jack?" She asked. The angel looked at her. "Sally." She said. "What I'm about to show you...I think will pain you the most. As well as myself."
Sally was nearly shaking but she wanted to see Jack. "Please take me to him." She said.
The angel nodded.
She waved her hand once more. Soon, Sally and the guardian angel were soon in a place Sally didn't recognize.
"Wh-what is this place?" Sally asked. Where they stood was dark and desolate. Mold and filth covered the walls and dripped from the ceiling.
They appeared to be in some sort of hallway. The hallway was lined with what appeared to be prison cells. In fact, that was the case here.
"We're in the human world Sally." said the angel. "This is an abandoned prison."
"What happened?" Sally asked. "Where's Jack?" The angel was silent. She just pointed to a certain cell in the hall.
Sally walked over to it. She gasped upon making it to the bars of the prison cell. What Sally saw before her eyes made her feel like her heart had been stabbed. Jack Skellington, her true love, laid on the bed of the cell, miserable and alone. He looked sickly. It seems even a dark, dreary, and lonesome place like this was enough to be too much for him.
Sally began to sob. Without even thinking she went through the bars and approached Jack's side.
Tears flowed freely from her eyes. Sally reached her hand out to try to touch his skull. But alas. Her hand went right through him just like before with Doctor Finklestein. Sally broke down, crying and falling on her knees.
The angel walked through the cell bars and stood next to Sally as she cried. "I don't understand." Sally said. "Why did all of this happen?" "Originally when Jack's sleigh crashed, he remembered what you told him about taking over Christmas being a disaster." said the angel. "Without you around to remember, he never knew the danger, and he was captured after finding he survived the crash." Sally was silent as the angel spoke. "The humans threw him in here as punishment for making a mess of Christmas." the angel continued. "Not allowed to be in contact with other people because he was too scary." "But why didn't he tell the people that he was the Pumpkin King?" Sally asked.
"They didn't believe him." said the angel. "The people were blinded by their anger and fear to even care what he had to say." Sally shook with sadness. "Now..." The angel said sadly, feeling pain in her heart. "He's even more sad and alone than before."
"No..." Sally said. "No...no this, this isn't right." She really started to cry now, tears dripping to the prison floor.
The angel gave Sally a comforting smile as she placed her hand on Sally's shoulder.
"You see now Sally?" She asked. Sally looked up at the angel, blinking back a tear or two. "If you never were created, all of this would be a reality." said the angel. Sally looked at her with tearstained cheeks. The angel wiped them away with her fingertips. "But thanks to you," She said. "everything is just fine."
Sally smiled slightly. The angel helped her to stand back up on her feet. "Thank you angel." Sally said. "I know now that I am very much needed." She looked at Jack laying down on his bed. "I didn't think that all of this would happen if I wasn't around." Sally said. "My poor love. Thank you for showing me this angel. I really..." But as Sally turned back around to face the angel, she was gone! "Huh?" She said. "Angel?" She asked.
"Angel, where are you?" Sally looked around. The angel was not there. "Angel!" Sally cried out. "Where are you! You never even told me your name!" She searched frantically. "Sally!" called a familiar voice out of nowhere. "Jack?" Sally said. She turned to his cot to see that the Jack that once was laying there had too vanished.
"Sally!" His voice called again. "Jack!" She called. "Sally, please wake up." Jack's voice called.
The world around her slowly became dark and faded. Sally started to feel hazy. Like she was getting lost in a fog. Soon she couldn't see anything, but she still heard Jack's voice.
"Sally. My darling, please wake up. It's me." Jack said as he gently stroked her cheek with his finger.
"Huh?" Sally said softly. She felt her eyelids drift open. Sally could soon see she was no longer in that horrid prison. She was in Dr. Finklestein's laboratory. Her old room in fact. "Oh my Sally, thank goodness you're all right." Jack said.
Sally turned to see her husband kneeling next to her bedside. "Jack?" She asked.
"Yes. I'm here darling." said Jack as he stroked her cheek. He smiled at her. "After you ran off, I found you had fainted in the cemetery. So I brought you here." He said. Sally was silent. She just looked around. Everything was as it should be. Sally quickly sat up. She got up off of the bed and ran to the window. "Sally?" Jack asked. "You need to lie down."
Sally didn't hear him though. She gazed out the window. She could see the Halloween Town she lived in was once again back to how it was. No statues of Oogie Boogie. No casino like buildings. And definitely no insect monster guards. Sally beamed. Jack came up behind her. "Darling?" He asked. Sally turned to face him.
Without even thinking, she wrapped her arms around her husband tightly.
"I'm so sorry!" She said nearly crying. "I shouldn't have yelled at you, please forgive me Jack!"
Jack was surprised. But he wrapped his arms around his wife. "It's okay Sally." He said. "Everything is all right."
"But I.." She said. Jack put a finger to her lips. "Shh..." He said lovingly. "You need to take it easy." Jack guided her back to the bed. Sally smiled at him. They both sat back on the bed together. Sally snuggled close to him. Everything was right once again. She took the time to reflect of everything she had gone through. She sighed with content. The thought of her being a big help in Halloween Town, let alone the other holidays, just filled her with happiness. Plus everyone she loved was just fine now. But her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of an electric wheelchair coming. "Dr. Finklestein." Sally said. She couldn't help but smile to see her creator in good health, even for his age.
"How are you feeling Sally?" the doctor asked. Clearly he did care. "I'm just fine now." Sally said. "Thank you."
"That's a relief. I was starting to get worried." said the Doctor. "Anyway, I have the results of yesterday's tests."
"You do?" Sally asked. "What are they?" Jack asked. "Sally's not sick is she?" Dr. Finklestein shook his head.
"No nothing like that." He said. "On the contrary, it's good news." Jack and Sally listened.
"You see," Dr. Finklestein began. "Sally is experiencing the symptoms of what women usually go through when they are with child."
Jack's eye socket's widened and Sally gasped slightly. "I'm..." She said.
"Yes indeed." Dr. Finklestein said. "Congratulations."
Jack and Sally couldn't believe it. She was pregnant. That certainly explained why Sally was out of sorts.
The nausea, the dizzy spells, and the mood swings. It all made sense now. Sally looked at Jack, who sat there silently next to her.
"Jack?" Sally asked. "Dear?"
Jack looked at her silently. He let the facts sink into his skull. And into his heart. He was going to be a father. "Sally..." He said, taking her hands into his own. "This is..." Jack was beaming now. He was just filled with happiness.
"This is wonderful!" He cried happily. Sally smiled widely. Jack wrapped his arms around her tightly, but gently still.
Sally did the same. "We're going to have a baby." She said softly. "Yes." Jack replied. "A prince or a princess."
"I love you Jack." Sally said. "I love you too Sally." said Jack. "So very much."
He kissed the top of her head in their embrace. Dr. Finklestein just smiled at the scene.
"I suggest you two start preparing." He said. "Oh yes." Jack said releasing the embrace. "As soon as possible."
"The little one will be here before you know it." said the doctor. "I also recommend that we set up appointments to see how your child's development is progressing up to it's birth." "Yes of course Doctor." said Jack. "Thank you."
"So much." said Sally. She smiled at her creator. "For everything." She thought to herself.
xXx
After returning home, Sally now sat in a rocking chair resting comfortably. While she rested she busied herself with knitting. Sally was always good with craftwork. And not just sewing. She had mastered needlepoint and knitting as well. Sally smiled as she worked with the strands of grey and white yarn with the large needles she held.
"Making something?" Jack asked ask he walked into the room. Sally just smiled and giggled.
"May I ask what?" He asked with a grin. "Oh, just a little blanket." Sally said. "Never to early to get started I suppose." She giggled a little.
"Of course not." Jack said. He kissed her. Sally noticed he had something in his hands.
It appeared to be a large book. "What's that book Jack?" She asked.
"Just a little heirloom." Jack said. "It's a family photo album. I figured since well, we're starting a family now..."
Sally placed her knitting at the side of her feet for a moment. Jack smiled as he got the message.
Jack opened the album. He got on his knees and allowed Sally to get a better look at the old photographs within it's pages. Sally smiled as soon as she saw the pictures. One of the photographs caught her eye. A young skeleton boy.
"Is that you?" She asked, pointing at the picture.
"That's right." Jack said, chuckling slightly. "That's me when I was about eleven I believe."
Sally giggled. She had never seen Jack as a little boy before. He was well...cute. Amazing how an adorable child grew up to be the Master of Fright. Then Sally just remembered something. "No one's mad at me right?" Sally asked.
Jack was surprised to hear this. "Sally, why would anyone be mad at you?" He asked.
"Back at the fountain yesterday..." Sally said. Jack shook his head. "No darling." He said. "Everyone was just worried about you." He took her hand. "Trust me." said Jack as he looked into her eyes. "When we tell everyone about the baby, they will be thrilled." Sally smiled. "Really?" She asked. Jack nodded and gave her a wink. Sally giggled and winked back. Jack chuckled pressed his bony lips against her own.
"Now where we darling?" He asked after breaking his loving kiss. The two looked back into the Skellington Family Album. Jack turned the page.
Sally saw what seemed to be a family of three. Sally instantly recognized the child in between the two taller figures. "There you are again." She said. Jack smiled. "Jack, are these your parents?" Sally asked looking at the photo.
Jack nodded. "My mother and father." He said. Sally found herself transfixed at the image of his mother.
There was something familiar about her. The long black hair and emerald green eyes. But it couldn't be. This woman in the picture was corpse like. No way that was...It couldn't be. Could it?
Sally something written at the bottom of the picture. Their names. The mother's name caught her eye.
Annabelle Estelle Skellington. "Annabelle..." Sally said softly, nearly a whisper.
"Did you say something?" Jack asked. "Oh, just thinking out loud." said Sally. "Oh." said Jack.
He smiled as soon as a certain thought entered his skull.
"Soon we'll have a family of our own to put in this book." He said. He placed his bony hand on Sally's stomach making her smile.
It would be a little while before Sally's pregnancy would become obvious.
But they both knew that her symptoms would get more numerous. But the parents to be still smiled.
Sally beamed most of all. She was carrying new life within her. Their little baby. The heir to the Halloween throne.
xXx
The daytime hours passed and the evening hours came. Sally had already fallen asleep for the night.
Jack stayed up for a little bit. He walked up to Sally's bedside, smiling. She looked so beautiful. Just like an angel. Jack couldn't resist.
He leaned down and kissed her cheek. "I love you." He whispered to her. Jack then gave a contented sigh and walked to the window.
Looking at the night sky. Jack couldn't help but think for a moment.
The news that he and his beloved Sally were going to be parents soon was still ringing in his skull like Christmas bells.
Then Jack's thoughts focused on something else. His own parents.
What would they think? Jack Skellington. All grown up. Married. A baby on the way. Wow.
Jack just grinned. "Wherever you are." He said, referring to his mother and father. He looked at his precious wife sleeping peacefully. "I know you would just love her." He said smiling. Jack took a couple of steps away from the window toward his closet to change into his nightclothes. But then, soft breeze blew against the back of his skull.
Jack stopped walking and looked back to the window. Strange. The window was closed, how could a breeze blow?
He saw a misty form, almost glowing, coming towards him. His first thought was it was one of the ghosts playing a prank.
But the mist took on a peculiar form. A female form.
Jack stood silent and confused as the guardian angel who visited Sally now stood before him.
She smiled at Jack warmly. "Hello Jack." She said. "Hello..." Jack said. He was confused.
He had never seen this woman. But her voice. Her eyes. Familiar.
"Who are you?" He asked. "How did you know my name?" "You don't recognize me do you?" the angel asked.
Jack shook his head. "I don't." He said.
The angel just smiled. "This is the me before I met your father." She said. She waved her hand over her face.
Instantly her visage changed. Her skin was now very pale. Almost grey or blue.
But her emerald green eyes remained ever lovely.
Her face bore a stitch or two on her cheek. Jack was shocked as he looked at the rest of her. Her hands were skeletal.
There were what looked like burns on her body. Though her white dress covered most of her body, you could see her left foot and ankle were skeletal. As her right foot and ankle still had pale skin intact.
"This is the me you should recognize now." She said. Jack gasped softly.
This was her. Annabelle Estelle Skellington.
Jack could hardly believe it. "Mother?" He asked. Annabelle smiled and nodded.
"That's right." She said. "It's me." "But you're..." Jack began. "You're..." "I know." said Annabelle. "I know."
"How is this possible?" He asked. "I said I would always look out for you." said Annabelle. "A mother always does."
Jack was still thunderstruck. But still, he was very happy to see her.
"I can't believe it." He said. He almost felt like crying. He reached forward to touch her."Mother..." He said. His hand met with her own.
Jack felt something wet in his eye sockets. He sniffled a bit.
"Oh Jack, please don't cry." said Annabelle.
She wiped the tears that ran down Jack's cheek with her fingertips.
"Oh, I've missed you so much mother." said Jack. "So many things I want to tell you."
"Nothing to tell my son." said Annabelle. "Me and your father have been watching you." "Oh." said Jack.
"So...you saw the...Christmas thing?" He asked, slightly embarrassed. Annabelle giggled.
"You always were the adventurous one. Just like your father." She said. "But everything turned out all right in the end."
She looked at Sally sleeping on the bed.
Jack looked as well. He smiled. "Isn't she just wonderful?" He asked.
Annabelle nodded. "Yes she is." She said. "You made a good choice for her as your bride."
"I don't know what I would do without her." said Jack. Annabelle smiled.
"Best he didn't know where he would be without her. At least not from me." She thought.
"Jack." She said. Jack turned and faced her.
"I want you to know that we are very proud of you." said Annabelle. "What for?" Jack asked.
"Watching you grow up and seeing what you've become. What more is there to be proud of?" said Annabelle. Jack just beamed.
"Thanks Mom." He said. Annabelle smiled. "You and Sally will be great parents." She said.
"You think so?" He asked. "I know so." said Annabelle. Jack smiled tearfully. "Oh my son." Annabelle said, wrapping her arms around her son.
Jack returned the gesture. "Mother." He simply said, happy to be have his mother with him again. They were very close when Jack was a child. And seeing her once again as a grown skeleton man filled Jack's heart with joy.
Then a soft voice from what seemed to be nowhere called out. "Annabelle..." it said.
Another familiar voice to Jack. "Father?" He asked, looking out the window.
Annabelle released her embrace from Jack.
She looked at her son. Then she looked out the window. Jack knew what was coming next.
"Wait." He said. "Mom, please don't leave."
"Annabelle..." the voice of Jack's father called again. "Don't worry." said Annabelle as she placed her hand on Jack's cheek. "I'll be where me and your father will be watching you and your family until we're all together again." She said.
Annabelle kissed his skull. "Until then my son." She said. "Remember we'll always be watching."
With that her human like appearance was instantly restored.
"I love you son." She said looking at Jack, smiling.
She began to fade away into a misty form of light.
"I love you too...mother." Jack said softly. With that, Annabelle in her misty form floated away back into the night sky.
She was gone now and all was silent once more.
Jack just stared out the window for a moment. "Goodbye." He whispered. "Jack?" a soft voice called for him. Sally was awake.
She walked up to Jack. "Sally." said Jack in surprise.
"I kept hearing voices." Sally said. "What's going on? You look like you've been crying." Jack smiled and chuckled.
"I'm not sure you would believe me if I told you." He said. She smiled. "Try me." She said.
Jack chuckled again and gave his wife a soft kiss on her lips.
"In the morning love." He said. Sally giggled. She looked out the window.
"Oh look Jack, shooting stars!" She said pointing out the window. Jack looked to see two shooting started streaking across the sky. "I've only read about them in books." said Sally. "Never saw one. How beautiful."
Jack smiled. "They are rare here." He said. "Make a wish." He said softly. He held her hand in his own giving it a gentle squeeze.
They closed their eyes and they made their wish.
The Skellingtons wished for health and happiness in their growing family. The shooting stars soon passed.
Jack smiled and held his wife close to him.
"Jack. Do you think there are guardian angels out there, watching over us?" Sally asked, remembering her experiences with who she believed was really Annabelle. But she thought if she told Jack about what happened, well, she didn't know what he would think. Sally decided she would tell Jack of that little adventure in the morning. She looked at him. "Do you?" She asked.
To her surprise Jack smiled at her. He kissed her softly. "Yes." He said. "Yes I do."
Sally smiled at him. "Really?" She asked. Jack nodded. He gently placed his hand over her stomach.
"And I have no doubt that someone will be watching over our little one." He said.
Sally smiled. "Yes." She said. "That I'm quite sure of." She and Jack both looked out the window to the sky.
A single star twinkled.
They both smiled and hugged each other, each feeling the peace of being protected, not just by each other, but by that special guardian. And they both knew her name. Annabelle Estelle Skellington.
Angel of God, my guardian dear
to whom God's love commits me here.
Ever this day/night be at my side
to light, to guard, to rule and guide.
The End
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(A/N: Yay! Another fic completed! This is also supposed to be like my version of a prequel to "A Hard Time Sleeping." As I said that fic could fit for almost any child of Jack and Sally created by fans. That could also mean a sequel to "A Hard Time Sleeping" might be coming soon. I know I said I wasn't planning on it but still. We'll just have to see. The scene where Jack is reunited with his mother was inspired by a scene in the 1995 film "Casper" as you may recognize. And the prayer at the bottom is a traditional Catholic prayer to a guardian angel. As always I must give credit to knightcommander for helping me to write this. Hope y'all enjoyed it. The Nightmare Before Christmas belongs to Tim Burton, Touchstone Pictures, and Disney. The film "It's A Wonderful Life" belongs to Frank Capra and Liberty Films. "Casper" belongs to Amblin Entertainment and Universal Picures. Annabelle Estelle Skellington rightfully belongs to me and knightcommander.)