A/N: I've always wanted to see a sequel to TNBC, but... well, let's face it; it probably won't ever happen, given the fact that Tim Burton isn't really notorious for making sequels, and it's already been about twenty years since the original film was released :( So, to put it simply, I decided to write my own. This is just an idea I've had floating around in my head for ages, and I hope you enjoy it :)

Disclaimer: If I owned The Nightmare Before Christmas... dude...

CHP. 1

"A little more to the left - no, my left - yes, that's it… a little more… a little more… aaaand - perfect!" Jack Skellington cried enthusiastically as two of the Halloween Town ghouls succeeded in hanging this year's "Happy Halloween" banner over Town Hall. It was fastened in the traditional, tattered, macabre style that their town was famous for - torn slightly and eerily billowing in the wind, covered in enormous cobwebs, the bold words printed in a scarlet shock of blood (courtesy of the vampire brothers, of course).

Halloween was still a few months away, but the citizens saw no harm in decorating early, as they did every year. They liked to be prepared. And besides - it really seemed to put everyone in the spirit. And the more spirited the ghouls of Halloween Town were, the more likely their holiday was to be the most horrible, yet.

Jack beamed as he took in the new banner. "It looks wonderful, fellas!" he called up to the ghosts, who were cheering with delight over their success. "Excellent job!"

"Hey, uh - Mr. Skellington?"

"Yes?" Jack asked, turning around to greet the next member of his public. It was one of the zombies, holding in their hand a jar of what was obviously several hissing, poisonous insects.

"Where should we send the scorpions, this year?" the man went on to ask. "Europe? Spain? Timbuktu?"

"Hmm…" Jack paused, thoughtfully tapping his skeletal, claw-like fingers beneath his chin. "Well - why not all over? You can never have too many giant scorpions running around, you know."

The zombie nodded with a grin. "I agree," he said, turning to leave. "Thanks, Jack."

"You're quite welcome…"

"I've got a question for you, Jack - " said one of the witches as she approached him, holding an arm-load of what appeared to be several small, severed heads.

"Certainly," Jack said as he turned to face her. "What can I help you with?"

She held up one of the heads with a doubtful, dubious expression. "What do you think of the shrunken heads, this year? Too… shrunken?"

Jack took the one she was holding in her outstretched hand, inspecting the hideous thing with narrowed eye sockets, tossing it back and forth, rolling it along in his bony hands. "Maybe just a little bit," he admitted after a moment. He handed it back to her. "Try to make them bigger, if you can."

"Will do, Jack."

"Hey, Jack!" the clown with the tear-away face called out to him, approaching the skeleton on his unicycle as the witch scuttled away. "What do you think of my new act - I thought maybe this year, I could tear off all of my flesh!" He gave the Pumpkin King an example, revealing the sickening, rotted organs underneath. "Huh? Huh? What do you think?"

"Why, that's marvelous!" Jack laughed, as the clown pieced himself back together. "I can't wait to see the look on the Mortals' faces when you pull that one. Very good job!"

The clown beamed. "Glad to hear you like it. Thanks a bunch, Jack," he said as he wheeled off.

"Anytime!"

"Jack! Jack!"

Jack let out a heavy sigh at the sound of the Mayor's frantic call, feeling as though his bones just might collapse. As the Pumpkin King, he fully understood what his job entailed, and knew that none of it was ever going to be easy. And he was prepared for that… he loved his work, and if he had to deal with a few negative aspects in order to continue doing what he loved, than so be it.

But he'd be crazy to deny that there were times when things got a little… overwhelming. Like today, for example. Ever since he'd started work this morning, helping with Halloween preparations, answering questions, and providing his overall opinion and advice for numerous concerns, he hadn't had a single moment to himself. It was - well, to put it bluntly - quite strenuous.

Masking his inner plight, Jack plastered on a chipper grin as the Mayor scampered over to him.

"Hello, Mayor!" he cheerfully greeted his long-time friend, who was wearing his "unhappy" expression on his triangular face.

"Jack!" the shorter man panted as he neared him. "I'm so glad I caught you - there's a visitor waiting for you in my office - Mr. Sandy Claws. I tried my best to tell him that you're working, and won't be able to speak with him, but he won't listen to me - !"

Jack's entire countenance seemed to brighten. "Sandy Claws?" he cried, elated. "He's - He's here? In Halloween Town?" It was a rare occurrence when Mr. Claws visited Jack. Since the Christmas fiasco that had taken place three years ago, the two had become very close friends, but whenever they saw each other (outside of their monthly Holiday Leaders Council meetings, of course), Jack was usually the one who had to visit Christmas Town.

He didn't mind it, seeing as how he still harbored an undeniable fascination with the holiday and all it entailed, but the fact still remained that Sandy Claws never came to visit him. Truthfully, he believed the man was still a little shaken up from his first visit here, which was why he seemed to have made it a point to stay away for as long as he had.

But now, he'd chosen to stop by. And unannounced, at that. How curious…

"You must let him know you're busy, Jack," the Mayor said desperately. "I've tried! And I don't want to seem rude, but - I can't get him to leave!"

"'Leave'?" Jack echoed, already striding towards Town Hall. "Nonsense! Why would we want him to leave?"

The Mayor blinked. "Well, because, we - "

"Mr. Claws is a guest in our Town, and we should do all that we can to make him feel welcome," Jack said. "Thank-you for letting me know, Mayor! I'll be out in just a moment - take care of things out here while I'm inside, will you?"

"But - But - Jack!"

But the skeleton man didn't hear him. He'd already slinked his way over to Town Hall in his impossibly-long stride, and was now climbing up the steps and slipping past the unlocked doors.

He made his way up to the Mayor's office, where - sure enough - there was Sandy Claws himself; dressed in his splendid red-and-white-trimmed suit, sitting patiently at one of the chairs before the Mayor's desk. He rose to his feet as Jack entered the room with a broad smile, and offered the Pumpkin King one in return.

"Sandy," Jack said as he waltzed over to the old elf, enthusiastically shaking his hand. "Good to see you again, sir!"

"You as well, Jack," Santa said with a warm, kind smile. "And how have you been?"

"Oh, just fine - quite busy, but I'm getting along," Jack replied.

Santa chuckled slightly. "Yes, yes, I can sympathize…" the man said. "How is your wife doing?"

Jack's entire countenance seemed to brighten at the mere mention of his sweetheart. "Why, thank-you for asking. Sally's been wonderful, as well, just a little under the weather, as of late. But I'm sure it has to do with all the stress of planning for Halloween. We've been married almost three years, and she still hasn't quite gotten used to everything that comes with being my wife, poor thing."

"Ah," Santa nodded. "Yes, that makes sense. Mrs. Claus was the same when we married. But not to worry, son, she'll learn how to get in the swing of things, soon enough. It just takes time."

"Oh, yes, sir. Sally's the cleverest person I've ever met; she'll probably have a better grasp of all this than me, come next year!" he said with a chuckle. "But, I digress. Please - take a seat, Mr. Claws."

"Thank-you, Jack, I will," Sandy said as he resumed his former position in the chair he'd been sitting in, and Jack took the one beside him.

"I… hope the Mayor didn't give you too much trouble," the skeleton went on. "I apologize on his behalf. I'm afraid he just gets so swept up in making the most terrifying Halloween to date, that he can come off as a little tenacious, at times. But he means well…"

"Of course," Santa said with a dismissive, understanding nod. "I completely understand. He's very passionate about his work; that's quite an admirable trait!"

"A blessing and a curse," Jack said with a small laugh, changing the subject. "But I really have to ask, Mr. Claws - and, n-not that I'm unhappy to see you, or anything like that… I'm actually quite thrilled - but… is there a particular reason why you came to visit? You don't do so very often; I'm a little surprised."

At this, a spark of something unrecognizable slid into Santa's blue, almost-always-jolly eyes. Releasing a small sigh, he glanced away from Jack and absently drummed his stubby, gloved fingers along the arm of his chair. Something in him seemed to deflate.

Jack took notice of this and frowned. He leaned forward slightly in his seat as a look of concern made its way into his empty eyes. He blinked. "Mr. Claws… is… everything alright?"

Santa looked as though he were about to speak, but hesitated, only to try again a moment later. "Well, Jack…" he muttered. "No. No, I can't say it is."

Jack knit his skeletal brow. "Why, what seems to be the matter…?"

Santa was silent for a moment as he gathered his thoughts, eyes trained on the floor. Jack waited patiently for his response, curious and also highly nervous. What if something had gone wrong in Christmas Town? What if Sandy and Mrs. Claws were in trouble, or something like that? What if Sandy knew something about Halloween Town that Jack didn't, some dreadful, horrifying news that he'd come to feed him - and not the good kind?

But Jack was totally unprepared for what the man actually said.

"There's been a murder in Christmas Town."

Jack could only blink at his friend in utter, absolute shock. For a long time the both of them were absolutely silent as the reality of Santa's words began to sink in - for the both of them.

Jack was bowled over. A murder? In Christmas Town? That just couldn't be right. Christmas Town was, by far, the jolliest and most pleasant land he'd come to visit thus far. He hadn't thought it was possible for the concept of something as… vile and corrupt as murder to even exist in such a place! This was utter insanity… he just couldn't believe it.

"What?" was all he could utter after a while, still taken aback.

"It's true," Santa said sadly. "I was just as flabbergasted as you are. It was one of the elves - Edward was his name, Edward Pennygrass. He was a good man… loyal, generous, hard-working…" Santa winced. "They… found his body in one of our forests, just… utterly slashed to bits."

Jack was stunned into silence for a moment. "B-But, Sandy - who would do such a thing in a land like your's?" he inquired, his voice dipping to a low whisper as he spoke.

"I have no idea, Jack. That's the reason I came to see you, today. I've spoken with Cupid, and he says that there have been… disturbances in Valentine's Day Town, as well; nothing remotely close to murder, of course, but disturbances, nonetheless. Uncle Sam had similar things to say… personally, I believe all of this is somehow connected."

"How peculiar…"

"Indeed," Santa agreed with a nod. "Now, you and I have become very good friends, Jack, and - well, I figured if there was any holiday leader I could confide in about this, it would be you. So I have to wonder - have there been any recent, odd… occurrences in Halloween Town?"

Jack thought back. "N-No… No, I don't believe so, sir…" he admitted. "But, I assure you, I will definitely be keeping a close eye on things, around here. And if I happen to see anything suspicious, I'll certainly let you know. Whatever this is - we simply cannot allow it to continue."

"I couldn't agree with you more. In fact, I was considering bringing it up at our next Council meeting, just to make sure everyone's aware of it. What do you say?"

"I say it's a splendid idea," Jack replied. "The more people are informed about this, the better. The safety of our Towns must be ensured, Mr. Claws. In fact - I'll call a Town Meeting first thing tomorrow morning to inform my own community."

Santa seemed a bit more relieved. "Thank-you, Jack. I'll encourage Cupid and Sam to do the same on my way back."

"Of course, sir," Jack said with a solemn, understanding nod. He sighed. "I just… I only wonder who or what this could be? And furthermore, why they feel the need to do this? It's all so bizarre."

"Indeed it is, Jack. Indeed it is," Santa responded. "But let's just hope we can figure out how to end this madness before it gets even more bizarre… because I have a feeling this isn't the last time we'll be discussing this."