A/N: Hi all. This is my story about Jack Skellington and my take on how he came to be the Pumpkin King. Please review and tell me what you think! Thank you!

Disclaimer: I do not own TNBC, it belongs to the brilliant Tim Burton. I do own Jack and Sally Christmas stockings, though.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It's not easy growing up with a name like Jack Skellington. It's especially difficult when you happen to be extremely tall, very skinny and somewhat clumsy. And when you add shy and awkward to the mix, well then, growing up with a name like Jack Skellington can be downright awful.

Jack Ryan Skellington knew this firsthand, as his name was Jack Skellington and he had the unfortunate luck of having all of the mentioned traits. He was extremely tall, very skinny, clumsy, awkward and shy. Of course he was prone to such nicknames as 'Skeleton boy' and 'Jack Skeleton'.

Jack Skellington was a loner. Not by his own choice, he was actually a really friendly guy, but his overwhelming shyness, as well as his self-consciousness about his looks, caused him to be shunned by the popular group, the so-called normal group of kids that snubbed Jack because he was different.

It wasn't Jack's fault that he was tall and skinny and shy. It wasn't his fault that his parents didn't have very much money and he had to wear clothes that the popular kids thought were weird. Jack had a mop of unruly black hair that never seemed to want to stay where Jack wanted it, but rather stuck up all over his head even when he just combed it.

But things were how they were and Jack had to suffer the consequences.

Jack's best friend was his dog, Zero. Zero was a little white mutt that Jack found one day when he was walking home from school. The dog was being chased by some kids, the same kids that teased Jack. They were throwing rocks at the dog and every so often one would hit the dog and he would yelp.

Jack was just walking along, minding his own business when the little white dog ran full tilt towards him. Jack jumped out of the way, tripped over the scared dog, and fell face first onto the ground.

The kids that were chasing the dog stood in front of Jack, who was clumsily trying to stand up, the little dog trying to hide behind his skinny legs.

"Hey, look, the Skeleton has a friend," one of the boys, Ralph, said, laughing.

"Yeah, it's the only friend he'll ever have," said another boy whose name way Kyle.

"He's such a loser! Skeleton Jack, he's a nothing," said Betty, Ralph's sister.

Then they laughed, Kyle kicking some dirt at them as he walked away.

Jack looked down at the little dog who was now sitting on Jack's foot, tail wagging.

"Well, boy," Jack said. "I'm glad that at least they're not throwing rocks at you anymore."

Jack reached down and picked up the dog and studied him thoughtfully. The dog was skinny and had long legs and long ears and a pointed little nose. As Jack looked at him the dog reached up and licked his cheek and Jack's skinny face broke into a smile.

"Well, Zero," Jack said. Somehow the name just seemed to fit. "Why don't you come home with me?"

From that moment on Zero was Jack's best friend. The dog followed him everywhere. Jack talked to him like he was a person, and Zero even seemed to understand him.

The one time of year when Jack felt 'normal' was Halloween. It was by far his favorite holiday. After all, other than Halloween when could one dress up however they wished, act however they wanted, and not be snubbed or teased because of it? Halloween was a great holiday, in Jack's opinion, and year after year he worked at making each years costume the best ever. He had a different theme every year and went to great lengths putting painstaking details into his costume. The year he was a scarecrow he patched his rattiest jeans, got a bale of hay and stuffed the costume with real straw. The year he was a pirate he actually pierced his ear to have a real earring. He was twelve at the time and his mother was not happy about it.

Halloween was the one time of year when Jack was not shy and awkward. When he was wearing a costume it was as if he were a different person. He was confident. He stood up straight, not embarrassed about his height. He acted the part of whatever character he was portraying and no one would have ever guessed that it was Jack Skellington behind whatever costume he was wearing.

After he found Zero Jack always made sure that Zero was part of his Halloween theme. When he was deciding what costume he would wear that year, what theme he would have that Halloween, he always made sure Zero was a part of it.

Jack was still a loner, and he still had no friends. But he had Zero.

((to be continued. please review, thanks!))