Author's note: I do not own The Nightmare Before Christmas or any of its wonderful characters...I'm just a big fan! Huge thanks to Tim Burton, Henry Selick, Danny Elfman, Caroline Thompson, etc, etc!
For it is plain, as anyone can see...We're simply meant to be...
Within a few minutes following their song, Jack and Sally were sitting together on Spiral Hill, the rag doll leaning her back against the skeleton's chest. His lengthy arms were bent around her, his twiggy fingers gently playing with her tiny ones. They were both quietly smiling to themselves, each thankful that the other couldn't see their euphoric expression. They were supposed to be "gazing at the stars" of course, or at least that was the pretense they were acting under. Scattered conversation was attempted concerning galaxies and black holes (mostly maintained by Jack, who had read innumerable science books and yet never had anyone around patient enough to discuss them with him) but Sally, for one, was too disoriented to engage him very much. She felt like a melted puddle in his arms, and was amazed by every moment that passed by without the whole vision crumbling around her.
"Sally?" His voice had dropped to a low tone, almost a whisper.
She gave a barely audible, "Yes?"
"How long has it been?"
"How long...since when, Jack?"
"Since you fell for your Pumpkin King?"
For a moment, only the whistle of the chill wind tearing through the pumpkin patch could be heard. Sally couldn't seem to make her vocal cords cooperate, and then she was practically gnawing at her lips. Even though it was clearly apparent now that her affections were requited, the notion of actually discussing them openly with him was still foreign and intimidating. Jack waited patiently, trying to make her comfortable by skimming a couple of his fingers along her blue arm. It only served to make her more giddy, as she shuddered at the contact.
"Forget I asked, Sally. I didn't mean to put you on the spot. I was just curious."
"No, it...it's fine. I just...Well, I don't remember a time...before..." She blanched and stuttered into silence, her words lying elusively on her tongue.
It was Jack's turn to feel disconcerted, for once. His bony fingers hung suspended in the air above her forearm, and his brow was furrowed slightly in solemn concentration. Sally stopped breathing for a moment...this was it. She had scared off either the real Jack, or the illusion of him that she had convinced herself she was experiencing. A moment later, however, she felt his lanky arms slink slowly around her waist, gathering her in. She could feel his rib bones and the strange warmth emanating from them, which had a tranquilizing effect.
"I'm sorry, Sally. I've been so oblivious! I was under the impression you were just being a...marvelous best friend. If I had known..."
"Don't apologize. I know you're accustomed to being admired, you must have completely blocked out that kind of attention after so many years of it. For sanity's sake, I don't blame you!"
"Oh, but look what I've been missing out on! A love that could have satisfied me enough to save Christmas! Sandy Claws needn't have ever been bothered, the children could have been spared their fright, and my rag doll wouldn't have lost any stitches fretting over me!" At this, he leaned over and kissed the stitches next to her mouth. She closed her eyes and giggled softly.
"You would have tried to take over Christmas with or without me, admit it." She had now relaxed enough to smirk in his direction.
He chuckled. "Well, maybe." He thought hard for a moment. "Yes, I would."
Sally smiled at his honesty. "Besides, I liked having a chance to prove to myself, to the doctor, to everyone...that I can do more than just cook and sew. Your hijinks rescued me from a dreadful existence, Jack."
"And you certainly did prove your worth, Sally, beyond all doubt! But what's better than a dreadful existence?! Oh yes, I remember. We do have to get accustomed to each others vocabularies. What are hijinks?"
"Your life is a string of them, Jack."
"I see. Will you be sharing in my hijinks from now on?"
She grinned. "I'd love to."
"Splendid! I can't wait to get started. We'll have to plan some for tomorrow. I'll pick you up at the doctors after my morning meeting, so around noon...and we'll do nothing but hijinks all day! Would you like that, Sally?" Nothing. "Sally?" He peered over her shoulder to gaze at her face, and realized that she had fallen asleep. Her eyes were closed, head drifting to the side, red mouth hanging slightly open. Jack sighed in contentment. "What a vision..." He gathered her delicate body into his arms and, standing up, began trodding through the snow to Dr. Finklestein's lab. He was surprised to find the door unlocked, but daintily snuck in and located her bedroom, where he tucked her in. He kissed her forehead and traced her jawline with one finger. "Good night, my beautiful doll." He then disappeared into the tapering snow fall, without making a single sound, as only the Pumpkin King can.
It was noon before Sally awoke, which was highly unusual for the girl. She was always expected to be down in the kitchen before her guardian was stirring, in order to make him breakfast. This morning was different because, due to the "excitement" of the night before and her narrow escape from death, the rag doll's body was desperate for repose. Her eyes fluttered open and she instantly winced as the awareness of her sore leaves and stretched stitches dawned on her...although she could barely recall their cause. The few floating images that resided in her consciousness all involved that horrible sack-man and his disgusting game of dice - the one where her own life was the "bet", even though he never intended to give her a chance at winning it. The chilling memories of his performance began flooding back to her, to the point where she was actually shivering - even in her own warm, comforting bed. Wait...her bed?
"What the..." She abruptly sat up, gripping the covers. "Why am I here? Why am I not DEAD?" She pinched herself. "Ow!"
Sally hopped out of bed, ignoring the numbness in her swollen legs, and gazed skeptically around her. She had only a moment to catch a blurred glimpse of the winter wonderland outside of the window before her legs finally gave in, collapsing beneath her and evoking her soft little body to tumble onto the steel floor.
"Oh, drat! What is wrong with me?" She massaged her legs frantically, trying to force them to work properly, as she continued to analyze her situation. "And why has all the color drained out of Halloween-town? And...JACK! Oh, my dear friend! I do hope he's alright...Maybe the doctor can tell me what happened...Work, legs, work!"
DING. DONG.
Sally ceased all movement and shut her eyes, waiting for Dr. Finklestein to demand she answer the door. What would she tell him, when she couldn't even stand? He had to be furious with her already, for sleeping in too late and shirking her duties. Fortunately, she soon heard him opening the door himself...and when his voice resounded through the laboratory, it was markedly more cheerful than she expected.
"Why, a horrendous afternoon to you, my dear-"
"Where is Sally?"
The numbness in her legs began climbing up her lower torso. JACK! He was alive! And here! And...asking for her?
"Where is...Sally?" Finklestein's voice lowered as he surveyed the King with bewilderment.
"I'm terribly sorry to be so abrupt, Doctor, but I must see her immediately! I'll explain everything afterwards, I give you my word!"
"Very well, my boy. She's upstairs, feel free to..." But Jack was already bounding away, his long strides giving the effect of making the staircase resemble an escalator. Finklestein had to wonder, only for a moment, how Jack knew exactly which door to run to...
Knock. Knock. "Sally?" His voice had softened considerably from the way he had been speaking to the doctor.
"Come...come in." The door swung smoothly open as soon as he caught her shy reply, and Jack stood there, his gaze riveting around at eye level for several seconds before he located her on the ground.
"Sally! Whatever are you doing on the floor?" His feet and pinstriped legs were beside her in seconds, and before she could react, he was lifting her into the air and swinging her around in a circle, beaming up at her. He was too busy admiring her face to notice her legs flopping weakly beneath her. She had never felt more like a rag doll in her entire existence.
"I...I couldn't...What are you doing, Jack?" As much as she had always cherished any attention he bestowed on her, she felt quite odd accepting affections that came wildly out of the blue.
His grip on her loosened slightly as his face fell, although he continued to elevate her several feet off the floor. "What am I...Sally...Sally, what about last night?"
Her eyes widened. "What about last night?"
"You...you really don't remember?" He looked heartbroken. "You don't remember our kiss?"
"Our...kiss?" It was at this very moment that Jack decided that he should set her down on her feet, no longer feeling it was respectful to hold her in such a way, given her apparent ignorance of their situation. The effect was immediate...her legs crumpled and she toppled over, this time at least managing to land on the bed. Jack sat beside her and timidly placed a bony hand on her shoulder, gazing at her with worry evident in all of his features.
"Oh dear...Is the idea of us kissing really that dreadful?" He had to smile despite his misery, glad he was able to use the word under her terms.
There was nothing Sally disliked more than seeing Jack unhappy, so she forced herself to regain focus. "No, Jack! No...the idea of us kissing is...the most incredible idea I could envision, actually...I just...I just wasn't aware it had actually happened!"
Jack's mood flipped so fast, the Mayor would have gotten dizzy. "Oh, is that it? Well then, I'll take you to Spiral Hill right this instant, and we'll reenact it! I'll give you all your lines beforehand! You can't leave me alone with that memory, Sally, it's too wonderful!" He was already standing, holding a bony hand out to her.
"Oh, Jack! I'd love to, really, I...but..." She looked down at her feet, blushing.
"What is it, Sally?"
"I...I can't walk at the present. My legs are numb."
A gradual realization spread across his face. "Is that so? Well, not to worry, my dear, I'll just carry you until they're better! We might have to change the script a bit, but it's the mood that counts!" With that, he gently gathered her into his skeletal arms and strode out the door, slowing down only to inform a dumbfounded Finklestein that she had paperwork to complete at Town Hall.
"Regarding Oogie Boogie, of course!"
Author's note: I know, I know - This is so fluffy, we might as well be swimming in a sea of marshmallows. I swear, the next few chapters will actually have a story! I just couldn't help myself and wanted to create a good, solid base for their relationship. Stay tuned, and thanks for reading! Looking forward to your reviews :)