Title: Always

By: Emerald Padparadscha

A/N: The Nightmare Before Christmas is my favourite movie of all time, and has been since I was a little girl. Every time I watch it, I get all these gooey romantic thoughts and feelings going on...so this is me trying to shake those out ^_^


Jack watched as the snowflakes of Halloween Town's second snowfalls tuck to the glass panes of his window. Each and every one was so unique, and so very delicate. He found himself wishing he knew the WHY of it all…

Zero's bark came from somewhere behind him, though it wasn't until the little ghost dog began to swirl around his legs did he take notice. He kneeled down, patting his long-time friend and companion affectionately. "No, Zero. I'm not getting any crazy ideas in my head." He stood up. "At least, not any I'm going to act on this time."

No. Not this time. He'd promised Sally he wasn't going to run off on any wanderlust whims again. He was important to Halloween Town – much more than he thought. Oogie Boogie wasn't going to say gone forever. He'd proven that not too long ago. Yet again, he would be back, and Jack swore he'd be waiting for him with his Pumpkin Fire burning.
His gaze turned to his window once more. The highest tower of Dr. Finkelstein's laboratory was dimly lit. Perhaps more than any one thing or event, Sally had ignited a passion deep inside his bones. His greatest worry with her was how far she'd proven she was willing to go for him. He was also worried it would get her into something neither of them could get her out of. After all, he was pretty sure he was something akin to immortal. He was also pretty sure she was not.
Back to the subject of getting out of things…

He watched as Sally's tower window swung open and a long rope made of many cloth pieces tied together dangled down.


Sally watched as her makeshift rope came just a few feet short of reaching the ground. Even though he Dr. hadn't been as stringent about her as he used to be, he'd made it very clear she was still as a daughter to him, and Jewel was her step-mother. Sally believed Jewel possessed the half of he brain that liked being strict. Too strict, as she found herself constantly treated like a child still and held to a ridiculous curfew.

Jewel's say-so mattered just as little as the Dr.'s did. Especially on a snowy night so beautiful as this.

She turned away from the window to get a light jacket she'd recently finished sewing herself. The howling winds and breezes at night developed a bitter chill. When she turned back to the window, she started a little in surprise, and smiled.

On her windowsill sat Jack Skellington, smiling as he held his hand out to her. "Escape with me, Sally?"

Sally smiled back, taking the Pumpkin King's hand. "Always, Jack. "

He grinned as he pulled her into his embrace, her body flush against his bones as he stepped out of the window. Using one hand, he slid down the rope of cloth, touching down as if he hadn't been falling at all. He sat Sally just as gently to her feet, and, hand in hand, they walked down the street, their footprints in the snow behind them.

FIN