Hey, guys! This is my first story on this site, but I'd really like for you to see what I enjoy doing. Also: I do not own the Nightmare Before Christmas, the Little Mermaid, Romeo and Juliet, or any other stories referenced in this fic. Thx!

Chapter 1: Missing Again

The busy street was buzzing with preparations. The Harlequin demon was nailing a scarecrow to a post, accidentally hitting Mr. Hyde. The witches laughed at the sight as they positioned the bats about the town square. The Vampire brothers painted the walls to look as if blood were seeping through the stone.

"Marvelous work, everyone!" praised the Pumpkin King. "This Halloween is sure to be one of our most memorable!"

The people cheered and resumed their work. The corpse child laughed as the mummy kid was chasing him with a frightening mask. Jack smiled at the sight, but suddenly reminding him.

"Bram!"

How could he forget? His son should've been out in the square by now. He started back towards his house, hoping his wife and son were inside. He marched up the stairs and entered into the living room.

"Sally? Bram? I'm home!"

Footsteps echoed the old house until a beautiful rag doll with flowing red yarn hair stumbled down the stairs. He caught her as she tripped over the last step.

"Are you alright, Sally?" he asked, concerned.

Sally tugged at a few of her seams. "I'm fine, Jack. But Bram is missing!"

Jack moaned, knowing this would happen. "Again?! Have you checked everywhe—?"

"Yes, I've checked the cemetery, the Hinterlands, Spiral Hill, everywhere in the house, and everywhere in town! You don't think he might've gone to the forest, do you?!"

Jack's skull filled with dread. He couldn't fathom the thought of his son, wandering aimlessly through the forest. He could be in danger!

"Sally, rally up a search party through town and another through the Hinterlands. I'll take the catacombs. Come on, Zero!"

Jack ran out of the house with the ghost pup, Sally behind him. She ran into town to call the other citizens. Jack lifted the grate in the street, the Mayor's alarm screeching as he made his way underground.

"Almost done…" Bram adjusted the pressure to his organ, flipped through the old music book, and cracked his knuckles. He cleared his throat. "Presenting, his magnificence, the one and only, the magical, marvelous Maestro Bram Skellington!"

The three street musicians applauded Bram's introduction, the young rag doll standing to take a bow. His hand suddenly dropped to the floor, crawling to try and find its way back to its body. He scooped up his hand, held it behind his back, and nervously chuckled.

"Are you guys ready?"

The zombie band nodded as Bram took his seat and spread the music. He then shoved the music sheets aside and began playing the organ by heart, the only way he knew how. It was creepy, as it should be for him, but sad and longing and filled with mystery. Longing for something more…

He gasped and looked down at the organ keys. His hands had come loose again and were dancing about the keys. He let them crawl their way back to his wrists and finally finished the piece to sew them back on.

"It's amazing, Bram!" marveled James, the saxophone player.

Bram chuckled, reattaching his hands and tightening his stitches for good measure. He, like his mother, always had the habit of losing limbs too frequently.

"I guess it is pretty great." He turned back to the keys. "I can make all kinds of wacky fun with this thing!"

"Yes!" Jim cried happily. "Such new music to fill the citizens with fright!"

Jimmy nodded, grabbing his accordion. "You truly are a genius, Prince Skellington."

Bram chuckled nervously. "Yeah, creepy music. My, uh…favorite. Um, guys...No, never mind."

How could he tell them? It'd be like saying a witch would give up magic, or a werewolf would give up howling at the ever-loving moon. It would never make sense. It would have to suffice, though. Music was the one thing in which he could truly show his emotions.

The musicians didn't seem to care anyway, since they'd already started back to the town's surface. Bram was left in the dark to think. It felt like he could spend eternity down there, but his parents would call him out eventually. They always find him.

And speak of the devil, A light made its way down the tunnel behind him. Bram made a dash for the shadows, hiding his music sheets and ducking behind a stone stairwell. The light grew brighter. Before Bram could make a run for it, his vision was clouded by the yapping ghost dog.

"Zero?" he laughed. "How did you get down here?"

A cleared throat rang through the chambers. He looked up at the Skeleton King as he stared down at his son.

Bram sheepishly smiled his dad's signature skeleton grin. "He-ey! Dad! What's, uh...crawling?"

Jack said nothing, but widened one eye socket.

Bram's face went blank. "I'm in trouble again, aren't I?"

Jack nodded. "Yep."