Cobwebs Tend to Want Revenge on Halloween

I don't own anything but my OC's.

Chapter 7

"Was it really necessary though, master?"

Alucard glanced at Alistair Skelton from where he was sitting. "What?"

"Killing Maverick. Was it really necessary?"

Alucard bared his teeth as he scowled. "Of course it was necessary, you idiot!" The vampire snapped.

"But…Why, may I ask?"

"Think about it, my pumpkin-headed companion. The skeleton cares a lot for the sorcerer. Without him, Jack will surely lose his will to fight. The perfect time to strike."

"Forgive me for this, master, but you obviously don't know Jack as well as you think you do."

"Oh? How so?"

"Sure, he'll be depressed about it. But he'll get over it in time and, when he does, he'll want revenge."

Alucard hummed thoughtfully. "Perhaps, for once, you've been of use to me, Skelton."

"Thank you, Master Alucard."

Alucard grinned. "Now, go and get me my Witnessing Orb."

"Yes, master." Alistair left the room, muttering: "Sorry, Mav." as he went.

Shadow's mismatched eyes flickered open. She lifted her head off of the bed that Maverick's body was lying on. She barely remembered going to sleep while sitting beside it. The sorceress glanced around the room, noticing that Sally was also asleep. Cobweb was still sitting up in bed, obviously having not gone to sleep. Shadow got up from her chair, walking over to Dr. Finkelstein, who was observing different pieces of metal. "Doctor,"

"Hm?" Dr. Finkelstein asked without turning to her.

"Where's Jack?" Shadow asked.

"He hasn't come back yet."

Shadow looked over at the door. Jack had been out all night? The sorceress walked over to the door, opening it and exiting the lab.

Shadow walked through Halloween Town, dodging and avoiding the many stalls and citizens. She called Jack's name multiple times. Finally, she spotted him.

Jack was lying on top of the wall, limbs dangling off the edge. His eye sockets were open and droopy, indicating his sorrow and lack of sleep.

"Jack?"

No response.

"Jack, please answer me. We've gotten the silent treatment from Cobweb too."

No answer.

"Jack!" Shadow yelled. Her voice shook. "Jack, I know you cared for Maverick. I know how much you loved him. But we all loved him too. I'm just as upset as you. But…please…talk to me…" The tears flowed down her cheeks.

Jack didn't say anything, just merely turned his head to look at her. What had he done? Slowly, he spoke: "I never loved Maverick."

"Huh?" Shadow questioned, looking up at him again.

"I said I never loved Maverick. I still love him. Just because he's gone, doesn't mean the love I have for him is."

Shadow nodded and watched as Jack stretched his limbs and climbed down. He brushed himself off, though the dirt on his trousers had gone crumbly. "I…" He began awkwardly but could not say anything else. He thought over his next sentence, then spoke. "I didn't protect him to the best of my ability."

"Pardon?" The sorceress asked, wiping a tear away.

"I didn't protect him like I said I would. I let him die right in front of me."

"Jack-"

"I didn't even realize that he was in danger." Jack continued. "Why didn't I see this coming?"

"Jack, no one saw it."

"But I should've." Jack muttered. "Nevertheless," He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to him. "I'm sorry for upsetting you."

Shadow smiled lightly, placing her hands on his shoulder blades in a hug. "It's not your fault, Jack. I guess it finally hit me that Maverick is…" She trailed off.

Jack nodded. "I need to see my son."

Jack stood at Cobweb's bedside, arms crossed. Cobweb didn't look at his father, still staring into space; his eye socket droopy. The glow in his jack-o-lantern mask had a very faint orange glow.

"He won't talk, Mr Skellington." Sally spoke up, looking up at the tall skeleton.

"Cobweb," Jack said. "Listen to me. Dr. Finkelstein is going to make you a new arm, ok? Can you hear me?"

Cobweb didn't respond.

Jack sighed in defeat. "I hate seeing my boy in such a state…"

Shadow sighed.

Sally's face fell. Cobweb hadn't made a single movement nor noise since his arm exploded. Since Maverick died…

Shadow placed a hand on Jack's arm. "You need some rest too, Jack."

"I'm fine."

"No, you're not."

"Yes, I am."

"Jack, you thought you saw Maverick three times on the way here. You're hallucinating because you're tired and upset. Please, go and get some rest."

Jack huffed. "Fine." He climbed onto the only spare hospital bed in the room, the one next to Maverick's body. He stared as the doctor measured Maverick's right arm and wrote down the measurements. Slowly, his eye lids drooped and shut tightly.

Jack opened his eye sockets and stared up at the neon lights in Oogie Boogie's casino. "Oogie? Oogie, if this is another attempt at April Fool's Day, I already told you, it's on the 1st of April!" Jack attempted to get up. His wrists and ankles were chained to a metal panel, the same one Maverick had laid down on when he came to rescue Jack from Cobweb Boogie. Jack tried to move, but couldn't. "Oogie!"

Shadows swirled beside the panel and rose up. Jack glanced at them and smiled widely. "Maverick!"

Maverick Skellington stood beside him, arms crossed. He was in his body and smiled. "Seems like you've gotten yourself in a pickle."

"Maverick! You're alive!"

"I sure am. Well…sort of…"

"Oh, Maverick, I'm so glad to see you!" Jack tried to get up, remembering that he was chained to the panel. "Maverick, help me."

Maverick's eyes narrowed and his lips fell into a frown. "Help you? Why would I help you? You let me die."

"No, I didn't! I swear!" Jack replied, panicking.

"Yes, you did. You didn't care about me. All you cared about was Cobweb."

"No! That's not true! Of course, I cared about my son, but I cared about you too! I still do!"

"Liar." Maverick looked up and gestured to Jack. "Do with him what you will."

Jack turned his head as another shadow appeared.

"Hello, Jack." Alucard greeted, grinning.

"No, not you."

"Looks like you don't have anyone to save you this time." Alucard sneered. "Too bad." Alucard reached inside of his cape, taking out an odd, drill-like weapon and turned it on. The chuck spun around and Alucard lowered it toward Jack's forehead.

"No! No, please!" Jack shouted. "Please!" He pleaded.

All he could hear was Alucard and Maverick's laughter as everything went black…

"NO!" Jack screamed, shooting up into a sitting position. He was covered in cold sweat- despite being a skeleton- and panted heavily. He glanced around the room, but couldn't see Sally nor Shadow. Cobweb still sat like a statue; no movement whatsoever. The skeleton glanced at his grandfather's body. Still completely still. Well, it's not like Maverick could suddenly come back to life while Jack was asleep. Jack stared, tears in his eye sockets. He did what he usually did when he had a nightmare. The skeleton climbed out of his own bed and walked over to Maverick's. He laid down beside his grandfather's body, lying on his side so that he faced Maverick. Gently, he turned the body over so that it laid on its side; its emotionless face facing Jack. Jack sighed through his nose and draped Maverick's arm around him. Usually, when he had a nightmare, he would climb into Maverick's bed. In his sleep, the sorcerer would place an arm around Jack; mistaking him for Eleanor or Edwin. Only once had Maverick ever said Jack's name when he hugged his grandson during his slumber. Jack felt the tears flow down his cheeks and little sobs escaped him. He couldn't take it anymore. The Pumpkin King clutched onto his grandfather's shirt, sobbing and weeping into the fabric, mumbling things like: "Maverick, come back" and "Why did you leave me, Maverick?".

Jack wasn't sure if he was hallucinating or not, but, as he went to sleep, he could've sworn he heard Maverick say: "I'm sorry, Jack."

Author's note:

Aw…How sad…

It's not easy imagining Jack breaking down and crying.

So, Cobweb ain't moving, Jack's heartbroken and the doctor is building Cob a new arm! Will he succeed? Will Alistair be ok with Alucard? Find out next time…