The Tardis groaned as it adjusted to its new environment, adapting to the environment. Upon anchoring to the location, the Doctor looked at the monitor, and found himself wondering where exactly he was. This was clearly a physical world, but there was nothing concrete. It literally seemed to be constructed by an idea.
The Doctor could only hope it was a good one.
As he left the Tardis, the Doctor found himself on a grey hill that spiraled with bizarre groves. An eternal moon was high in the sky, watching over everything with a sinister gleam.
"Where is this?" The Doctor said after performing a quick 360 degree spin. "What is this?"
"I remember saying something like that a long time ago."
The Doctor spun about and saw something amazing.
A living skeleton. It wore a black suit with white stripes and a collar made of bat wings. There were no eyes in the skull but the Doctor knew the skeleton was looking at him. The skeleton had a smile on his face, a smile the Doctor couldn't help but share.
"What do you think?" The skeleton said as he stretched his bony fingers towards the expansive graveyard and pumpkin patch.
"Fantastic!" The Doctor said. "What an interesting world this is. It seems to be constructed from a single theme, a holiday in fact. Which Holiday?"
"This, Sir, is Halloween Town. My name is Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King. I'm the head of all festivity planning for Halloween."
"How very nice to meet you," the Doctor said with a bow. "I'm the Doctor, of Gallifrey and I'm looking for my way home."
"Is that what this contraption is for?" Jack said as he placed a hand on the Tardis.
The Tardis groaned and Jack stepped back.
"She doesn't like to be touched by strangers." The Doctor said.
"My apologies," Jack said. "So, you say you're going home. Where is that from here?"
"No clue," the Doctor said with a shrug. "The plan is to search anywhere and everywhere until I find it. Ever hear of Gallifrey?"
"Has never come up, I'm afraid." Jack said as he massaged his chin. "But maybe our own Doctor might help. I have to warn you though, the locals aren't dangerous but they can seem… odd to strangers."
"Not to worry, I'm sure if they're anything like you, Jack, we'll all get along just fine."
Jack nodded, pleased to find his strange new comrade to be surprisingly jovial despite the grim environment. Together they entered the town to find answers. The chance to explore with a new friend was more than enough motivation for the two enquiringly fascinated men.
The cobbled streets echoed beneath the Doctor's feet. He did his usual sway-walk that allowed him to swagger about, seeing everything, but never lose stride with the people he walked with. Jack watched the Doctor, fascinated by the strange man who seemed to carry the brilliance of an entire world behind his eyes. So much age, knowledge, and possibilities that even Jack was at a loss to define.
The townsfolk seemed just as surprised. Despite their malevolent appearances they were surprisingly pleasant and actually saw the Doctor as the bizarre one. Still, no one got in Jack's way as he led the Doctor to the laboratory of Doctor Finklestein.
"Ah, Jack, my boy, how good to see you," Finklestein said. "How have you been? Still getting along with Sally I suppose."
"But of course, Doctor," Jack said. "She means everything to me, you know this yet you don't wish to come by the house."
"That is not your concern," Finklestein snarled. "My business with her is settled. I do not stand in the way of your affection for one another, that alone shows my care for her well being."
"Well that seems cold." The Doctor muttered.
Finklestein moved his chair by pushing the knob on the armrest. The pale, big headed being of science glared through his beady black spectacles at the Doctor as though he had just come into existence. He decided immediately not to like the stranger.
"What I do with my creations is no concern of yours, stranger," Finklestein muttered. "I did my best to work with the girl but I had no clue the spark of life I gave her would be rebellious, had I known…"
Finklestein found himself choosing his carefully considering the way Jack was looking him.
"I would have done things differently." Finklestein finally said. "But as I said that business is settled. So now let's get to something far more interesting, who are you and what convinced Jack here to bring you to my laboratory?" Nothing in Finklestein's voice told the Doctor he was welcome.
"I'm the Doctor," the Time Lord said. "I'm here because Jack apparently believes you have some noteworthy intelligence. Personally, I have my doubts."
"You dare insult me in my own house?!"
"And I do far worse to a man who'd belittle his own daughter."
"You have no right…"
"I have the best of rights in this situation," The Doctor explained. "I have had family in the past. All good friends and sometimes more. I have lost so much too often that if there is one thing I have come to understand is that family in any form is worth keeping. It sickens me to see how cold you are to one of the few beings in this universe who should have all your love. If not that, then at least be there to help her remember that you are more than a bad memory. Some of us don't even have that luxury anymore."
Finklestein and Jack were speechless. The amount of pain that came from the Doctor's lips proved he was in fact older than he seemed, but also very alone. Painfully alone. The way he seemed to carry a planet's worth of pain made both monsters realize something few do. There are some things that scare us but others that haunt us.
The Doctor to represent just how much the latter can haunt someone. Even Finklestein was shaken by the weight of the Doctor's pain, and his pain receptors had been intentionally cut away years ago.
However his words went to Jack.
"Perhaps… we can come to some kind of arrangement," Finklestein said. "I can't promise to approve of her rebellious nature."
"I'm not asking you to," Jack said. "I just wish for you be in our lives more."
"…I'll… consider it." Finklestein said after a moment.
They eventually got around to asking Finklestein to see if any of his technology managed to pick anything bizarre enough to lead to Gallifrey. No luck. The Doctor was actually relieved, because part of him didn't want this to be the place or the person to lead to his chance to be home. He hoped it would at least be in better company.
The walk home proved he probably had crossed a few lines with Jack.
"I'm sorry," The Doctor said. "There are just some things I can't stand to see in all my centuries of travel and loss."
"I know," Jack said. "Maybe Doctor Finklestein deserved half of what you said. But that does not mean I approve of it being spoken in the first place. Understand?"
"Perfectly."
"Good," Jack nodded. "That being said, I have to thank you for standing up for Sally. I hope some good comes from this meeting. So what happens now, Doctor?"
"I suppose I'll head back to the Tardis," the Doctor said. "It should be refueled by now. Not much else to keep me here."
"I think I might have something worth your time, Doctor." Jack said. "If you don't mind me bringing Sally and Zero along."
The Doctor smiled.
"I'm always in the mood for company."
Together with Sally and Zero, Jack introduced the Doctor to the place that changed his world. Doors that led to other ideaverses created for a specific holiday surrounded them.
"This is where I discovered Christmas," Jack said. "I actually thought I could do a better job of doing it than Sandy Claws. This led to me having Sandy Claws kidnapped just so I could take over."
The Doctor looked at his friend sternly.
"I gave it back," Jack said quickly. "I also had help." He held Sally who smiled.
"You discovered something better." Sally said happily.
"And right beside me my whole life," Jack said. "Once I found out, I never let go."
"Amazing what you find when you're not looking." The Doctor said with a grin.
"Indeed," Jack said. "Doctor, I have no idea where your home might be, but I believe everyone has place that ends their endless longing for something more. My place is here, and I'm sure you'll find yours one day."
"One day," the Doctor said. "Until then, I don't mind meeting others to remind me that happiness is out there for everyone."
And so the Doctor left Halloween Town. Jack Skellington and Sally saw him off. However, the Doctor promised to make sure he'd visit from the time to time.
Time for those he cared about was one promise the Doctor always worked to keep.