Disclaimer: I do not own Nightmare before Christmas. No matter how much I did. Do I have to put this

Nitendo- you are now officially my favorite person, I'm sooo happy someone caught that! Haha yes, I did put the black cat in because of that. I said it had a little bit of gold because my black cat has gold and was meowing at me while I was writing that. Haha now let's see if you can find some of my other references. ;)

Raven- mwahaha. And I don't think this took too long.. right? Ok, maybe it did. SORRY!

"Could this be my first kiss? Maybe the rumor will come true and we will always be together. My sweet jack, he's so close and when he looks at me with those eyes... "

"Hey, sally. I need to tell you something."

"What is it?"

He looks at me with the most confused look I've ever seen him have. I know something's bothering him. I think of my dream and suddenly want to hug him again.

"Oh, uh, it's nothing. Never mind. Anyways, it looks like our cats have run off together, what do you suppose we do about this?"

I don't want to push him any further.

"Yeah, maybe we should go find them."

"Sounds like a plan."

He smiles and hold out his hand, with I very happily accept.

"Maybe one day he will open up to me… but until then, being by his side is all I can do."

We walk as the October leaves shuffle, the cool air tickles at our slightly pink noses and ears, and the pure blue sky rests above us.

I close my eyes, lean my head back ever slightly, and smile.

"I love fall, don't you?"

I open my eyes to see Jack looking at me, looking at me with worried eyes.

I can tell the smile is forced. It's not his normal, welcoming smile.

"What's wrong Jack?"

"Oh, nothing Sally. Yes, fall is great."

"And Halloween is coming up soon, too. Last year's was so scary and fun. haha"

"Yes, it was. Just like the year before that… and the year before that… and the year before that."

I look at his bored expression and glazy eyes.

"Did I say something wrong, perhaps?"

Suddenly I hear a little clink of metal behind me. Jack must have heard it to, for he was looking behind us and quickly crouched down.

"What's this?"

I walk back and crouch down too. It was my bracelet. I must have forgotten I even put it on. Thin, slightly dirty from the ground and golden, it was shining dimly in the sun and had jacks full attention.

"It was a Christmas gift, from my mother. She loved Christmas, and although I didn't know her well, I understand why. I wonder what happened to make it fall off."

We both stand up facing each other.

"Here."

He slides on the bracelet and hooks the clapse. We look at each other and I'm reminded of my dream, our kiss. He starts leaning down and my heart starts racing 1000 beats a second. We get closer, and closer. Im sure he can hear my heart, and I think I can hear his too. He places his hand on my cheek, but right before our lips meet.

We hear two loud meows. Which, in turn, just about gave me a heart attack.

"Couldn't you guys have stayed lost for 1 more minute?"

Not missing a beat, he turns to face the runaways. He leaves his warm hand on my cheek fvor a moment, then slowly removing it.

I missed it immediately.

"Oh, there you guys are. Come along zero. I'll see you later Sally, I have to go. Business calls, hah…"

"Ok, is it the dance committee? I wish you luck, jack."

There it is again, that sad smile.

"What about this dance, about Halloween even that is bothering him?"

Just like that he's gone. Hallow sits by my side and looks up with her all-knowing eyes.

"You don't think it's because he's going with me, right? Why else would he be so upset?"

"Meow."

"Come on, let's get home."

The weekend passed slowly and uneventfully. Before I knew it, it was Monday. I could barely sleep the night before, because his sad looks filled my thoughts and dreams.

"What if he was regretting taking me, and what will he do? Will he hold my hand and smile at me like he's done before, or ignore me under the pressure of our peers to look and act cool. Hallow, what do I do?"

She glances out the window toward me school and meows. I love that cat.

"Sally, you're going to be late!"

"I'm on my way!"

On my way to school I think of my father, up in that study of his.

"You know, there was a time he would barley let me out of the house and I had to sneak out daily, but now? He can't wait to shoo me off. I hope jack doesn't get like that."

There it is, my school. I walk in and immediately notice people scurrying around, confused and searching. I heard the questions all day long, "Where's jack? I haven't seen jack, have you? How could he be missing? He isn't answering his texts, is he ok?"

"Maybe he's just sick. I hope he gets better."

By Wednesday, the whole school was missing their "pumpkin king" and I was getting concerned.

I have never seen Jack stay home sick once, especially around this time. Heck, that committee seemed to have troubles tying their own shoes without their leader there.

Thursday morning I stood by my locker. The bell had rung, I was late, classes were going on, and the halls were empty. I thought of the first time me and jack spoke.

I couldn't help but smile at the thought.

So much has happened sense then, and now he's sick. I don't even know where he lives or his number, I don't know what's wrong or how he was doing.

I start humming the tune from my dream of jack. The song was so sad, but so beautiful. Jakes lament, his little prayer.

"Oh, I miss you jack…"

"sally?"

I spin around to the familiar voice, and before I even realize what I'm doing, I focus on those beautiful eyes, jump forward, hug tackle jack to the floor, and grin.

In a chuckling voice I hear him say, "Haha I missed you too."

Realizing what I did, I naturally turn my usual tomato red and jump off. We both stand up, and I almost fall over again.

"Smooth."

"Where have you been, are you ok?"

"Yes the most wonderful thing has happened, sally. I had a dream, a wonderful dream!"

"A dream? That's why you missed school? What was it about?"

"Well, Im walking through this forest. It was dark and the trees were dead, but it was somehow inviting. I was thinking about how boring Halloween would be again this year, but then I looked up when zero, my cat. He was in the dream too. Well, when he meowed. I looked around at this new place, and there was this circle of trees. Each had a picture on it, like for every holiday. The pictures were doors too. I didn't know which to go to, then I thought of you and your golden bracelet, so I picked the Christmas door. Oh sally! It was astounding. Like I was in the North Pole! There were elves, and snow, and polar bears, Tree's, lights, music, the smells of pies everywhere, decorations, mistletoe, and santa clause. Though, in my dream I called him sandy clause. Haha oh, wow."

His dream sounded magical, but like it was lacking something. So when he paused, I felt like there was more to this story. I urged him on.

"Haha that's a wonderful dream, then what happened?"

"Well, I was laying in the snow and thought, what if we made it an early Christmas theme! I mean, we have done the same. Exact. Thing. For so many years. So why not, if even for something as simple as that dance, we enjoy something unexpected, different, and fun. Something… new."

"Jack, wait…"

Suddenly the bell rings and in a matter of seconds Jack is surrounded. He tells the still-growing crowd that he has a great idea for the upcoming dance and that they will discuss it right after school.

"This idea, doesn't feel right. But maybe I'm thinking too hard. Well, I should be getting to my class anyways and jack seems busy."

"Bye jack."

I turn and head to my next class, wrapped up in thoughts about what others would think of this idea or if I'm being paranoid.