AN: Hope you enjoy this little bit. And I have a little challenge for you: how many references you can name in this chapter?

Chapter 10: Too Good to be True

Skellington Manor…

"Jack, are you sure this is a good idea?"

"Of course, I know she'll just love it!"

Sally cocked her brow before looking back down at the counter. After their little rendezvous in the underground, she and Jack returned and had been found by Puck and Zack to start the parade. Things were going well when Sally recalled they had left Will's birthday cake back at the house. Though now Sally was unsure about Jack's decision to add more decorations to it. The once chocolate chocolate cake with "Happy Birthday Will" piped in green frosting with shamrock decorations now sported little candy corn pumpkins, candied insects, and a chocolate bat to top the whole thing off.

"The decorations just didn't seem to cut it, but I'm sure Will is going to adore it, especially since I used candied bugs to accommodate her new palate for insects."

However, Sally was still not convinced. True, Will now had an appetite for more of Halloween Town's unique cuisine, but she was still human. She sighed. "Okay…but don't you think–"

SCREECH! "Jack! Jack! Oh please, please tell me you're home!"

"That sounds like the Mayor," Jack said. Placing the cake down on the counter, he hurried to the door, Sally right behind him. When he opened it, Jack found the Mayor in a panic. "Mayor, what's the trouble?"

"Oh Jack, it's the absolute worst thing!" he cried. "You must come down to the square, immediately!"

"But I don't–"

"No time!" The Mayor grabbed Jack's hand and pulled him down the stairs. Jack barely had time to think. He looked behind him to find Sally struggling to keep up on the stairs. The Mayor was quick despite his status, and Jack was slowly tripping as he tried to match his longer stride with the Mayor's shorter legs.

Dragging them down the last step, the Mayor sprinted back toward the square. As they ran, Jack began slowly going through the possible worst scenario cases. The Mayor had a tendency to overreact to the simplest matters, but the politician had never been so forceful before.

They were just coming up on the square when Jack spotted a large crowd. He saw the worried looks on all his friends faces, but before he could ask what was going on, something caught his ear.

You're just too good to be true
I can't take my eyes off you
You'd be like heaven to touch
I wanna hold you so much
At long last love has arrived
And I thank God I'm alive
You're just too good to be true
Can't take my eyes off you

"What in the name of Halloween?" Jack pulled his arm free of the Mayor and looked up.

Standing on top of one of the parade floats was Will and Puck. Puck had his arms around Will and was singing to her as he lead them into a dance. This would not have seemed odd, if Jack had not already known Will had declined to dancing earlier, though it was possible she could have reconsidered. What really caught Jack's attention was the expression on her face. At first glance, she would seem happy by her small smile. However, her face was void of any emotion and, though she moved in perfect sync with Puck as he twirled, spun, and dipped her body; her eyes looked like a pair of glass doll's eyes. Something was very, very wrong.

"Jack!"

Jack turned and spotted the Vampire Brothers approaching. "What's going on?" he asked them.

"Oh Jack, it's awful," Bela said. "Willa has been mesmerized!"

"She what?!"

"I fear it's the truth," Max said. "Somehow our nephew picked up the wrong drink and became severely inebriated."

"But what does that have to do with this?" Jack asked, pointing at Puck, who had Will in another spin as he sang.

I love you baby
And if its quite alright
I need you baby
To warm the lonely nights
I love you baby
Trust in me when I say
Oh pretty baby
Don't bring me down I pray

Oh pretty baby
Now that I've found you stay
And let me love you, baby
Let me love you

"Singing and dancing? Man, this guy gives Casanova a run for his money."

Hearing the comment, Jack turned around to find Zack watching the display. The young man was also holding a rectangular device similar to the witch's glass Will owned, the "cell phone" as humans called it. Jack ran to Zack and found that he was somehow recording the display. He frowned.

"This is hardly appropriate!" Jack shouted, snatching the phone.

Zack jumped and spun around. "Jack, give me my phone back! It's a joke so cool your jets!" he said, trying to grab his phone back.

"This is not the time for jokes," Jack stated. He held up his arm with the phone, avoiding Zack's attempts to retrieve it before turning back to the Vampire Brothers. "Now, tell me what happened exactly."

"We are not sure how Puck obtained a drink, but it is having a strange effect on him, more than usual," Max explained. "It started with simple merriment, but suddenly he became possessive and drew young Willa into his arms, becoming too forward. We tried to stop him, but he challenged us, mesmerizing Willa in the process, and proceeded with this display."

"How long had she been under?"

"A few minutes, but we will need to move quickly before the boy does something they will both regret!" John urged. "Not to mention the repercussions on Willa's part."

"Fantastic!" Zack cheered, snatching back his phone when Jack lowered his arm. He quickly pocketed his phone and turned back to the couple. "I'm all for helping out but… Man! How does she get her leg up like that?"

"Puck has Will mesmerized and you're more concerned of her dancing?!" Jack demanded. He was becoming increasingly irritated by Zack's lack of concern over the matter.

"I totally know what that is," Zack said, "but please explain it like I don't." Jack could see the boy had no clue what he was talking about.

"We can explain," John interrupted, noting the Pumpkin King's frustration. "Mesmerization is one of many talents of the vampiric. We use this to halt our prey, holding them in a trance while we feed."

"Yes, but not all vampires are like us," Lon continued. "Some, mostly the younger generations, use this power to play with their victim before drinking their blood."

Nodding, Bela added, "Others use it to bend the will, forcing the person to submit to whatever that vampire desired."

"So… It's like GHB?" Zack

"What it means is that Will is no longer in control of her actions; Puck is," Jack stated, "and if we do not intervene immediately, Will may spend the rest of her life as a lifeless doll!"

"Oh, so GHB on steroids." Zack groaned. "Awesome…simply fantastic…"

"The only way to do that without harming either of them is to break Puck's control," Jack said, looking up at Will and Puck. "We've done it in the past, but it requires a powerful vampire to break the control of another. Fortunately, I do not foresee that difficult due to Puck's intoxication. The only problem is we shall need to separate them."

"Could I huck a whole garlic at him? Would that work?" Zack asked, his face completely serious.

"Valid idea, Zack, but let's not use extremes unless absolutely necessary. Perhaps we could blindside them…" Jack thought aloud. "We could use a distraction of some sorts that would cause Puck to release his hold on Will, and give us a chance to separate them. Then, while Max and his brothers take care of Will, Zack and I can find a way to incapacitate Puck until he regains his senses."

"An excellent plan, Jack, but then there's still one other problem…" Bela added. "Puck is terrifically protective of Willa at present. If we try to take her, he will not hesitate to use force."

"That is a problem," Jack said, looking remorseful. "I try to avoid confrontations that intend harm, but it would appear we may not have a choice in the matter." He looked to the Vampire Brothers, and seeing their reluctant nods, he sighed. "Zack, retrieve your garlic. I hate to use it, but if we need a last resort…"

"I'll be back faster than you can spell TARDIS," Zack said, turning sharp and sprinting off. Zack returned a very brief moment later. He was running a bit slower and seemed to have something clinging to his back.

Jack's eyes widened. It was Sally!

"Man, even for a rag doll, you are way too light," Zack grumbled, jogging up to the group. He placed his back cargo on the ground. Sally looked flustered from the piggy back ride Zack had given her. The human, on the other hand, had a small plastic container with a bright pink lid in his hand. Giving it a little shake, the whole garlic clove battered the sides.

"Never leave home without it, especially since I'm friends with a vampire. No offense guys but I have this fear of getting my blood sucked by a guy," Zack said with a cheeky grin.

"What is going on?" Sally asked, looking around.

"It appears we've had another mishap with the drinking again," Jack said, coming up beside her. "Puck is completely intoxicated after retrieving the wrong drink."

"That doesn't seem likely. Are you sure that's what happened?" Sally asked. She crossed her arms and raised a brow. "The last time this occurred, three naughty children were behind the shenanigans. Have you happened to see Lock, Shock, or Barrel anywhere?"

"I understand what you're saying, Sally, but I've had the ghosts keeping an eye on those pesky trick-or-treaters all evening," Jack protested. "They couldn't have gotten near the punch or any of the ale without being seen."

"Even ghosts can't be ever vigilant," Sally cautioned. "If Lock, Shock and Barrel intended a prank, they'd have seen to finding a blind spot."

"You know, Sally has a point," Max said. "Come to think of it, Puck should have caught the ale's scent the moment he brought the cup to his lips. If those three did something, it might be more than ale causing this irrational behavior."

"Now he's drugged? This just keeps getting better," Zack whispered sarcastically.

"If only we knew what was in his drink," Lon moaned. "Or, at least, if we had a way of extracting the ale from his body. It might give him a clearer head."

"There might be a way…" Sally said, "but first we would have to get Will far away from Puck."

"You have a solution then, Sally?" Jack asked.

"I have an idea," she suggested. "I'll need time to run back to the house to get a few things, but I think it'll work. Can you keep Puck distracted until I return?"

"We will try, but it won't be easy," Jack said, looking back at Puck and Will. He was spinning her into a dip once more, a drunken look of love in his eyes.

"We have to keep them in the square," Max stated. "If Puck senses he's being threatened, he might take off and we will loose him."

"Contain and maintain. Got it." Zack nodded.

"Not necessarily," Max replied. "If Puck should take off, he will not be easy to follow. The boy has demon blood, making him difficult to track compared to a vampire. And he has more abilities than my brothers and I, making it easier for him to hide."

"If he turns into a stone angel statue, I'm ditching you all," Zack muttered.

"In any case, we won't have to do anything unless Puck makes a drastic move," Jack said. He then split everyone into teams. Sally would run back and grab whatever she needed for her plan. Meanwhile, Jack and Zack would try to get close to Puck without drawing suspicion. The Vampire Brothers and the Mayor would mingle among the crowds, alerting everyone else to the situation to avoid a panic.

It was not long before Sally returned, a large canvas bag in hand. She found everyone dancing or involved in some other activity to keep up the charade. She eventually spotted Jack and Zack monitoring from the fountain. They had each taken a cup of punch to give the appearance of casually conversing with one another. Puck had moved to the top, standing steadily as he held Will up with one arm and sang another love song to her.

"Did anything happen while I was gone?" Sally whispered, glancing upward.

"Only that Puck has been mooning over Will and singing to her," Jack reported. "He almost tried to bite her once, but Zack intervened."

Zack tossed a now empty plastic container. "Emergency garlic," he said with a wink. "Tossed the whole thing at Will's back."

"Good thinking," Sally praised. "Throwing the garlic at Will wouldn't harm Puck, but the scent would momentarily disorient him."

"So, do you have what you need, my Sally?" Jack asked. He was too excited to see what his clever Sally had planned.

She nodded, patting her bag. "All right here." She carefully pulled out each item: a spool of hemp cord, some rubber bands, a few scraps of tulle, a jar of Frog's Breath, a larger container of Fog Juice, some rope, and even a little vile of liquid Nightshade. The last item she removed was a small jar containing a glowing green ooze.

"That better not turn anyone into an overgrown turtle with a fancy for ninjas and pizza," Zack said, eyeing the jar.

Jack was also looking at the jar, only having recognized the contents within—and knowing where she would have had to look—gave his beloved a skeptical look. "Sally, where did you get that?"

Sally looked away, blushing immensely. "The trunk at the foot of your bed…" she confessed. "I know I should have asked, but I thought the Soul Robber would be the best tool to snatch Will away from Puck." She glanced back, nervously fluttering her eyelashes. "Are you mad?" she asked.

"Oh no, Sally, I'm not mad," Jack assured her. "It's very clever! Why, I couldn't think of a better way."

"I could say I have a picture of Will in a bikini and tackle him," Zack suggested. When he got two awkward looks, he shrugged and chuckled. "What? It's a fact: no matter how gentlemanly, a guy will always turn into a horny bugger when introduced to the possibility of a picture of their fetching female in as little clothing as possible."

Jack blanched a bright ivory while Sally looked like a lighter shade of her hair. "Umm, I think we should avoid that," she said, turning the jar over in her hands. "Will is already going to feel embarrassed about this, so stating something like that…"

Zack gave them an 'Are you serious?' look.

"Let's see what Sally has planned first," Jack suggested. "If it doesn't work, we can use yours as a…uh, Plan B."

Zack grumbled. "I'm always plan B…"

Seeing they were all in agreement, Sally handed the Soul Robber to Jack and picked up the tulle and rubber bands. "Okay, here's the plan."

As all this was going on, Puck and Will were standing still atop the fountain. Puck smiled as he wrapped his wings loosely around them. "Willa, meu amor, tell me you're having a wonderful birthday," he purred. He had his free hand on her cheek while the other arm was wrapped tightly around her waist.

"I'm having a wonderful birthday," she replied, her voice monotone.

Puck pouted. "Bastão pequeno bobo, please, be happy when you say it. I can't stand when you're sad."

A smile worked it's way onto Will's face. She laughed, titling her head to the side, and said, "I'm happy!"

Puck growled possessively. "That's my girl." He stared at her a moment longer before laughing heartily. "You're just so cute! I love you, Willa!"

Will laughed again. "I'm happy! Happy!"

Puck spun them around, adoring Will's cute little reactions and making her laugh and repeat how happy she was. He was so involved he did not notice the silence, nor the heavy fog spreading throughout the square. Soon the two were surrounded in a sea of white-gray.

Puck stopped and looked down at Will's face. She was smiling and looking absolutely beautiful, though something was off about her eyes. They seemed dull, lacking the usual ocean of blue light he loved about them. Well, he could certainly fix that. He raised his hand back to her face, rubbing his thumb over her cheek. Then, Will closed her eyes, her head titling up to him as her lips parted. He leaned in.

"Fire one!"

Something hit Puck on the head. Looking up, he caught the object three inches from his face as it fell into his hand. Though, he wished he had not the moment it came close to his nose.

"Sweet Mother!" He threw the item away, his other arm gripping onto Willa.

"Fire two!"

Suddenly, another barrage of the foul-smelling objects rained down on Puck's head. Surprised, Puck folded his wings, opening himself to further assault and exposing Will to the volley as well. The odor was so awful that Puck had to cover his nose, a poor attempt to block the smell, but it was all he had. Looking over at Will, he saw that she was coughing violently. Both of them needed air, but he could not see where this attack was coming from.

"Now Jack!"

Something grabbed onto Will. It was a bright green substance that wrapped itself multiple times around her waist. She looked at Puck with panicked eyes before she was ripped out of his arms. She called out but Puck was not fast enough. Will was lost in the fog. Panicked and angry, Puck scanned the area trying to find her.

"Show yourselves, you spineless cowards!" he shouted. Fangs bared and claws ready for attack, Puck spread his wings to span twice the size of his body, making him look larger. "Release Willa and I shall spare you."

"Spare me pah-lease!" Puck had no time to respond as a heavy body slammed into him from behind. A strong arm wrapped itself around his neck. "Don't struggle. I've wrestled baby horses."

Panicked, Puck took to the sky trying to shake the foreign entity off. Beating his wings furiously, he tried every maneuver he could think of, but whatever had latched onto him was not letting go.

"What does this rag smell like to you?" the other person cried and a soft cloth was pressed against his nose and mouth. Puck struggled as a strong odor, much stronger than the one before, overwhelmed his senses. The smell was sweeter and the more he breathed in, the heavier his eyelids became, the adrenaline slowly decreasing from his body.

Meanwhile, from atop his friend's back, Zack was laughing like a triumphant madman. "Ha! Boom baby!" It was then Zack realized they were about fifty feet up in the air and Puck had just lost consciousness.

"Oh… I'm about to die… I regret nothing!"

Zack screamed as they began to descend, the ground coming closer and his mind creating thoughts of becoming a splattered mess on the sidewalk.

"Do not worry, Zackary, we have you."

Zack looked up in time to see two large bats approaching. Each one took ahold on Puck's wings and tried to prevent them from plummeting. However, it was not enough to create the drag needed for a safe landing. Zack watched as the ground was coming closer. Then, two more bats appeared and joined the first. They made it seem slower, but they were still coming in too fast.

"Coming in hot!" Zack yelled.

Below, the citizens of Halloween Town were in a panic. They could see the Vampire Brothers were unable to stop Zack and Puck from crashing. There was nothing any of them could do; they could only watch in horror, and not the fun kind.

Sally was nearly in tears. She had planned for Puck to fly off, but she did not think Zack would jump onto the vampire's back. Puck was an immortal, making his body more durable should he hit the ground. He could sustain serious injury, but he would recover. Zack would not.

"Puck, PUCK! Let me go. Let. Me. GO!" Sally turned to see Will. Bela had been holding her while Max had tried to undo Puck's mesmerization, but they had left to help Lon and John. Now the girl was being held in Glenn's grasp, but she was thrashing violently. Davy and Ned came over to help, fearing Will would harm herself if she kept flailing like that.

Sally turned with teary eyes to Jack. "What do we do?"

"I-I don't know…" Jack tried to think. The boys were headed directly for the ground, and there was nothing around to use. What can we do? he thought. If only we had a trampoline or something… Jack looked down and his eyes caught sight of the Soul Robber. He recalled how Doctor Finklestein explained some of the mechanics of the device, and some of what he had done with the Soul Robber during Oogie Boogie's attack on the Seven Holiday Worlds. Since then, he had been experimenting to see what other abilities the Soul Robber might possess.

"Jack…"

Jack spun on his heel. "Sally, gather everyone together in the center of the square," he ordered. "I need all that can pull. Make sure they are ready when I give the signal."

"But Jack, what are you planning?" Sally asked.

"Please, Puck and Zack don't have time!"

Sally watched as Jack ran off. She did not know what he was up to, but she trusted him. Taking a breath, she gathered as many people as she can. She managed to collect the Corpse Family, Creature Under the Stairs, the Hanging Tree and Hangmen, the Harlequin Demon, Mr. Hyde, and the Behemoth, and placed them under where the boys were falling.

"Sally, what's going on?" Bertha asked, holding onto her husband's arm.

"What's going to happen to them?"

"Sally, tell us what's happening."

"I-I don't know," Sally tried to say.

"Kerry's right," Ned yelled, "we need to know!"

"Where's Jack?"

"Yes, Jack will know what to do!"

"Everyone, please, be patient," Sally pleaded. She tried her best to keep everything under control, but while she has complete trust in Jack, the fear for their friends was beginning to take over.

"Jack has a plan. He wouldn't let anything happen. I am asking you to put your trust in him, as our Pumpkin King and our friend."

"But what is he–"

"Everyone, get ready!" They all turned to see Jack retuning to the square. He was riding on Al's kelpie with Zero flying beside him. When they stepped into the square, Jack pulled back his arm and sent the Soul Robber flying. Everyone backed away as the green ooze soared between the crowds. It latched onto a lamppost.

Jack pulled back both on the Soul Robber and on the kelpie's mane. He then leaned back, pressing his legs into the kelpie's sides while restricting the foreword motion with his seat. Jack then commanded, "Back," causing the creature to move backwards.

"Everyone!" Jack called. "Grab ahold of the Soul Robber and pull. We need to make a net to catch the boys." When he saw their hesitation, Jack put more compulsion into his voice. "They don't have time. Do it now!"

Not used to their leader's forcefulness, the Halloween citizens quickly did what Jack asked of them. They pulled with all their might. The Soul Robber had the consistency of taffy, but it was like pulling thick rubber. They struggled and were slowly making the Soul Robber stretch.

"We need more help!" Jack called.

Still holding onto Will, Glenn looked to Davy and Ned. "You two go help," he told them. "I'll hold her."

Nodding, the devil and corpse released their hold on Will and ran to join the group. Will began thrashing immediately. Glenn struggled to hold on, but for a small human girl, she was surprisingly strong.

"Must be the hypnosis," Glenn grunted, tightening his grip. "Calm down Will, it's me."

"AAAH!" Will screamed. Her adrenaline was pumping and it started to show. Fur grew on her body, and her teeth and claws became sharp. Even the claws on her feet were already ripping through her shoes. Skin along her arms elongated into leathery membranes.

"Sheesh! That what I used to look like during transformation?" Glenn tightened his hold and half dragged Will over to the witches. They were standing off to the side of the main gate. "Hey, think you can take care of this?" he asked. "I gotta help the others."

Helgamine nodded. "We have some ginseng extract in the shop. Zelda, went to grab it when we saw Will started in."

"Helga, I've got it!" Zeldaborne called. The smaller witch ran up to them, holding a small red elixir. "Glenn, if you'd please, hold her head back so we can pour this into her mouth."

Glenn did as asked. It was not easy. Glenn had to hold Will's head and lean back while Helgamine pinched her nose. Mouth wide open, Zeldaborne poured the red liquid down Will's throat. She coughed but soon her body went limp, and she collapsed. Glenn then handed Will off to the witches to look after while he ran to join the others.

With Glenn's help, the Soul Robber stretched to fill a good portion of the town square. Everyone struggled to keep it pulled tight. Jack cracked open one eye socket to see everyone struggling.

"Hold tight everyone. Here they come!"

As the words left Jack's lips, Zack and Puck landed in the center of the Soul Robber. The force of the impact caused them to bounce, making it harder for the Halloween citizens to maintain their hold. When they finally stopped, Jack had everyone come together so they could help the boys to the ground.

"I always hated trampolines…" Zack groaned. He turned his head to the side to glare at the still unconscious Puck. "And of course he's still out… I'm gonna puke on him."

"You were very lucky he did not bite you," Max replied. He and his brothers has returned to their vampiric forms, and offered to help Zack to his feet. "Had you hesitated a moment longer with the cloth dipped in liquid nightshade, you would become a soulless slave, or worse."

"The only thing worse than soulless slave would be…working at Walmart. Wait, those are the same thing."

"That was foolish, Zack," Jack scolded, retracting the Soul Robber. He then climbed off Frank, thanking the kelpie for his service before turning back to Zack "I admire your bravery but please refrain from such heroics again. I don't believe Al would be pleased should something happen to you."

"What Al doesn't know won't hurt me," Zack replied before turning to Sally. "Hey Sweet Doll, you still got that rope?"

Sally nodded and pulled it from her bag. "Here you are," she said, handing it to Zack. "But what are you going to do with it?"

Zack thanked her and snapped the rope. He then used it to tie Puck up and then threw the unconscious vampire on top of Frank. The kelpie snorted in protest. "Okay, hard parts done, but what do we do when he wakes up?" Zack asked, patting the kelpie's shoulder before adding, "I remember the first time he was drunk, he tried to rip my vocal cords out and the hangover rivaled even the most heaviest of drinkers"

"Do not fret, Zackary," John said, "this should wear off after a day's rest. Though give him some cold water and tomato juice when he wakes. It should dull down his bloodlust."

"The real concern is Will," Max stated. "I was interrupted and did not have a chance to free her mind. It shall be a more daunting process now."

"Least this time she'll hold still," Glenn pointed out. "The witches gave her something to help her relax."

"Max, do you think you'll be able to release her from Puck's trance?" Jack asked.

"I will try, but it will not be easy," he replied. "Remember, Jack, the longer a victim is under a vampire's mesmerization, the more arduous the task of releasing that victim."

"Then we had better move quickly." Everyone rushed over to the witches while Zack hung back with Frank. When they reached them, the witches were prattling and Will was laying on the rim of the fountain with her head resting on Sally's lap.

"How is she doing?" Jack asked.

"She's okay for now," Sally reported. She smoothed some of Will's hair out of her face. "The potion the witches used calmed her down, but she's having a fitful sleep."

"She's trying to get back to Puck," Max said, holding out his hands. "It's worse than I thought. Quick, give her to me."

Sally nodded and moved Will into a sitting position. Max took ahold of her head, pressing his thumbs into her chin and forehead. He then murmured something no one could quite make out. As he spoke, Will tossed and turned, moaning as her mind was being tampered with. At one point, she started to lash out and scream at the top of her lungs. Jack and three others had to hold her down while Max finished the task. After five minutes, Max stepped back.

"Willa, listen to me," he called. "You are in control. Do not let whispers possess your actions. Your will is your own. Return to your senses."

Having gotten bored, Zack pushed through the crowds to see what was going on. When he saw Will being held down, and heard the older vampire talking like a psychiatrist to a mental patient, he studied the entire scene. "How long is this going to take?" he asked to the creature next to him, his voice low. He was instantly shushed. "Okay okay, sorry."

Max snapped his fingers in front of her face."Willa. Open your eyes, and awaken from this trance."

A low groan sounded from her lips as Will slowly opened her eyes. "The princess awakens!" Zack said, flailing his hands slightly.

"Zackary Ricard, don't even," Will moaned. She moved away from Sally to sit on her own, but then she was blindsided by an agonizing pain. She gripped her head between her hands and bent over until the world stopped spinning. Sally placed a hand on Will, slowly rubbing her back to offer the girl some comfort.

"Will, how are you feeling?" Jack asked. He figured best to ask before the rest of the town bombarded her with questions.

However, instead of a response, Will held up her hand. Jack wanted to ask what was wrong, but then Will stood to her feet. She was still in her hybrid form, hands clenched at her sides. Without looking at anyone, Will walked over to where Zack stood with Frank. He stepped out of her way toward Frank's head to let Will at the kelpie's side. She glared at Puck, still unconscious from the nightshade cloth.

Jack took a step forward, one hand held out. "Will?" he asked tentatively.

She sighed. "I'm gonna loose it."

"I'm sorry?"

"I'm gonna loose my temper. Right now!"

"I don't under– Oh!" Before anyone could blink, Will raised her hand and struck Puck. Her claws left a shallow scratch along his cheek. Will was breathing heavily. Slowly she began to return to her human form as her anger tempered. She did nothing for a moment before turning her head to the left.

"Zack!"

"Y-yes ma'am?" he asked, angled behind Frank's head and neck.

"Take Frank back to Skellington Manor," Will said, her back still facing the crowd. "I'll meet you in a minute."

Zack saluted and took ahold of Frank's reed mane. Giving a small kissing noise, he and the kelpie jogged off, both eager to get away from the raging woman. When he was gone, Will turned back to everyone. Her eyes burned and it was clear she was trying not to loose her temper again. No one spoke. Then, Will bowed her head.

"Sorry to ruin your party…" she began to say, "I hope you all can forgive all the problems that occurred while Puck and I were incapacitated."

"Will, none of this was your fault," Sally began to say.

"Oh, I know that!" Will interrupted. "While I was under, I could still hear and see everything going on, and I just happened to overhear something very interesting."

"What would that be?" Jack asked.

"Something about a mix of booze and truth serum served in that cup Puck drank." Will chuckled, though from the sound of it, there was a touch of something wicked to it. "Look, I'd love to stay and take care of it myself, but we have two seriously drunk friends," she said, "and I have a feeling Zack shouldn't be left alone with Frank. If that water horse is anything like Cesario, then he'll be itching to find Al, and won't take no for an answer."

"If you're sure," Jack replied.

"I am. Sorry for the Patty Party repeat, but maybe next time we call in a babysitter for those bratty trick-or-treaters."

"WHAT!?"

"Yeah, like I said, I overheard those three talking," Will explained. She pointed back towards the direction of the pumpkin patch. "They ran off to hide in the pumpkins, snickering about how clever they were switching the drinks. Something about trying to get back at me, but finding Puck's little performance to be a whole lot funnier."

Jack was trembling, the Soul Robber pulsing a bright red with his anger. "When I get my hands on those three–"

"Jack, please, calm down," Sally inis sited. "I know Lock, Shock and Barrel are in a lot of trouble, but there's no need to lose your temper."

"Sally, I have not even begun to lose my temper!"

"Jack."

At this, an argument started out about how to deal with Oogie's boys—a name that still stuck despite the destruction of the nefarious boogieman—Will sought the opportunity to slip away. Oh, she had wanted to personally take care of the troublesome kids herself. After all, Will had not told Jack everything she had overheard.

"Oh, I could just strangle those three," she muttered as she walked. "Is it wrong that I want to punch a couple children? Al would probably say not. What was it she said last time? 'Poison them, drown them, bash them on the head! I'll find me some chloroform. I don't particularly care how I kill the little beasts, I'm just going to put them twelve feet under!'!"

Will laughed and put in a little more speed before she finally made it back to Skellington Manor. When she arrived, she had to take a moment to compose herself. The sight before her was just too hilarious. Frank was half-rearing while Zack clung to his reed mane.

"Easy boy-o! She'll be back! Easy!" Zack was trying to be comforting, but his voice was high in stress. Frank's eyes rolled white and he full out reared again, giving his haunting Kelpie Scream in hopes that Al would hear him and come running.

"What's the matter, Zack-Attack?" Will called in a teasing tone. "Can't control a little mutated frog-pony?"

"I'm no cowboy and Al has the magic touch with these behemoths!" Zack yelped as Frank landed right on his foot.

"Just get Puck off him," Will said, walking up to the gate. "Frank should head back to the swamp once he realizes Al isn't around."

"What do ya think I've been trying to do?!" Zack yelled, finally managing to release the dead weight on Frank's back. Once free of the body, Frank shook his mighty neck and took off, almost dragging Zack back to the kelpie's watery home.

"Hurry up, Zack!" Will called.

"I just got untangled from a bloody kelpie! Give me a moment to get my soul back in my body!" Zack yelled back. Grabbing the ropes still around Puck, Zack proceeded to skull drag the vampire up the stairs. "This is what ya get, you garlic head," Zack muttered, reaching the top of the stairs.

"You can relax once we get inside," Will commented dryly. "I would've taken you back to your apartment, but I'd rather not have your car parked in front of my apartment all night. Mrs. Trimble already has it out for Al with how often you're over." She smirked when Zack flinched at the mention of her old-fashioned, psychotic, cat-loving neighbor. "Thinking you got a key to our place is really going to upset her precious moral conduct."

"Hey, not my fault your key is the only way into Halloween Town," Zack argued. "I thought Puck would be working all night. Besides, even if I was a pastor coming to sell bibles, she'd still think it indecent."

"Hmm…you have a point there. Okay, just give me a moment while I unlock the door." Will slipped the key from her neck and used it on Jack's door. Once unlocked she opened the door to reveal the entrance to her apartment. It was dark and quiet. Will walked inside and checked on everything. Al was asleep in her bed, but Mogwai, Crepe and Whiskey were kenneled in Kat's bedroom. Will guessed the pets might have made too much racket and Al had corralled them.

Will ran back to the front door. "Okay, Z, all clear."

"I'll start dragging Garlic Bread here and–" Zack was cut off by the buzzing of his phone. He dropped Puck and answered it. "Hello? Yes, this is Zack."

Will ran to Puck, checking to make sure he had not hurt his head. She just had his head lifted up when Zack yelled, "What? Are you kidding me?!"

"What's the matter?" Will asked.

Zack held up his hand, continuing to argue with the other person on the phone. "Well that's not my fault! It was probably Robby that… No I don't… Look would you just… Oh, for the love of Gallifrey, SHUT UP AND LISTEN! I'll be right there and take care of it!" He hung up the phone, clearly annoyed by the call. "This is just fantastic!"

"What now?"

"Someone left the front gate open at work, and now a bunch of stuff is missing, including the ri– um…stuff in the lockers. I gotta go get the security tapes for the cops. You take Puck, okay?"

"WHAT?! I can't take him!" she shouted. "I already have your girlfriend awaiting a mother of a hangover, and now you're trying to dump your drunk roommate on me too!"

"Sorry girl," Zack apologized. "I owe you a chocolate bar."

"Why can't I just leave him at your apartment?"

"Because you would never forgive yourself," Zack said. "Can't leave a drunk alone without supervision. Plus, it's too late to take him back to Halloween Town. I have to leave now, and you can't carry him yourself, Wee Willy."

" Ass…" She paused for a moment to think. A grim scowl made itself present. "Damn it! I hate when you're actually right."

"Love ya too!" Zack said, throwing her a wink. Will moved aside as Zack dragged Puck inside. He threw the vampire on the couch before turning to whisper goodbye and head out the door.

Once he was gone, Will sighed. "Well, guess I better get started."

Will walked into the kitchen and prepared two large pitchers of cold water. She placed the first in Al's room, leavening it on the nightstand along with bottle of Advil and a black mug decorated with a skull and crossbones. After checking to make sure Al was still asleep, Will then tended to her other patient. Puck was sleeping on the couch, though it did not look very comfortable. Since Zack had literally thrown him, the lower half of Puck's body was hanging off the couch, his legs twisted at the hip and one arm slung over the back of the couch, while the other lay across his chest. The real problem was what to do with his wings. They too were sprawled out and made it near impossible to move around.

Gritting her teeth, Will walked over and first moved the coffee table up against the wall to give her more space. Then she went for the wings. They were surprisingly easy to manipulate and she managed fold them so she could get close enough to flip Puck over into his back. Then, after propping his feet on the other end of the couch, Will sat down chair across from Puck. He was too big to fit completely, but this way he would be more comfortable. Will only wished she had been able to find his shirt and shoes. Perhaps in the morning she could send him back to Halloween Town to retrieve them.

Exhaustion from the day finally caught up with her. Standing to stretch, Will then went to the back for a shower and a change of clothes. When she came back, she went to the living room to check the phone for messages. There was one from her boss reminding her to come in early the next morning, another from Mrs. Tanner asking if Al could pick up her brother from the airport, and the last from a telemarketer. Will wrote the messages on a notepad before deleting them. Then she returned to the kitchen to grab the second pitcher of water and a large mug.

While Will had been busy, Puck had turned over in his sleep, propped on left side. His right wing covered him and the floor. Will set the mug and pitcher down on the floor before moving the coffee table. She then tried to fold Puck's wing back into place. She picked it up and moved around to tuck the wing between the back of the couch and Puck. Once she felt it was secure, Will went to replace the table back to its original position. Will placed the mug and water on the table for Puck when he woke. However, when she went to stand her foot caught on the leg of table.

"Ouch! Stupid table." Will opened her eyes, only to find herself sprawled out over Puck's chest. Her face flushed. She tried to move, but to her dismay, Puck shifted in his sleep again. His arms came up and pulled Will on top of him.

"Oh, crap…" Will could not breath. Her eyes widened and her face had gone completely red as she now had less than an inch of space between her and Puck's lips. His hands splayed across the middle of her back, pinning her in place. Every part of her fit into each groove of his body. Never had she been more thankful to have chosen her fleece pants and tank top over one of her more summery night attire. She wished she had left her hair in the towel. Though, she would have preferred not to have ended up in this predicament in the first place!

"Mmm… Meu amor," Puck whispered, still within the realm of sleep. Will froze.

Please don't wake up! Please, oh please, don't wake up! Will thought, praying she could still have a chance to free herself.

One of Puck's hands traveled further up her back. He stopped when his fingers touched her wet hair. His face seemed perplexed for a moment, before breaking into a playful smirk. "Has my blood orange been enjoying the waterfall?" he asked, eyes still closed, but now his fingers played with strands of Will's hair. "You should have called me." He chuckled. "I would've love to join you."

"Not necessary, thank you," Will muttered. Just what the hell has he been dreaming? The thought made Will pause. Had Puck just unknowingly admitted to dreaming about her?

"Ah, one should never swim the cove alone," Puck responded. Will tensed as his hands were starting to move a little too much. "My adventurous mermaid, what if someone should see you in all your, well, natural beauty?"

Did he just! Will bit the inside of her cheek. Why that– The hell with not waking him! Using all her strength, Will pushed her hands off Puck's chest and broke free from his hold. Before thinking twice, she backhanded the side of his face she had struck earlier. The force, plus her hitting along the still healing wound, only added to the pain.

"Merda!" Puck screeched. He pressed his hand to the side of his face, squinting his eyes open. "What's going…Wait, why–"

"Ferdinando Stefan Dracul, you are positively the WORST!" Will yelled, not caring if she woke the block, let alone Al. "I should've dumped your sorry ass in your apartment. But no! I had to be nice and make sure you didn't get alcohol poisoning or something!"

"Will?" Puck winced. His head pounded like a drum "How do you know my name? And why did you hit me? More importantly, why are you straddling me?"

"Get your drunk head out of the gutter for one second, will you!" Will removed herself and walked over to the kitchen. She was at her breaking point. If she did not get away from him soon, she did not count on the vampire lasting the night. "I'm going to check on Al," she said, refusing to look at him. "Just… Oh, I don't give a rat's butt what you do, just stay the hell away from me."

Puck watched as she disappeared in the back of the house. At first, all he could focus on was the pain in his head. Yet Will's outburst was not something he could just ignore. He could not think as to why she would be angry with him. He tried to remember the past few hours. What had he done? Why was Will so mad she appeared to want him dead? And why on this green earth was he half naked?!

He could not recall one thing. If he was going to get any answers, they would have to be from Will.

Puck slowly got to his feet. His head was ready to tumble from his body and moving seemed to only make the pain worse. He wrapped his wings tight to his body to make a cape. Once he felt capable of walking straight, Puck made his way toward the back of the house. Soon he found himself standing in front of one of the bedroom doorways. He could hear movement inside, but before he could knock, the sound of Will's voice froze him in place.

"Why are guys such asses? You think they're nice but then they turn out to be complete jerks!"

Leaning in closer, Puck peered inside the door. He could see Al snoring softly in the bed. She was completely out of it. The smell of alcohol reminded him that the girl had overindulged at the party. However, it was the small sniffling that caught his attention. Will's back was too him but he did not need to see her face to know she was crying.

"I know it was the alcohol, but isn't that supposed to bring out someone's true nature?" Will asked. "I really thought Puck would be different, but aren't I entitled to a little anger? I mean, the guy couldn't keep his hands to himself, and to make it worse, he hypnotized me! I don't know how I'll be able to show my face in Halloween Town without dying from embarrassment."

Puck took a step back. He had done what?!

"Ugh! I wish I could just forget this whole day!" Will moaned, dropping her head onto the bed. "Like it wasn't bad when everyone wanted to make a big deal about my birthday, but then both Puck and you get drunk, and though Puck's was sabotaged, he still went and hypnotized me. And the worst part of it all, Puck can't keep his damn ear away from the door!"

"Yikes!" Puck backed up from the door, but he could not escape before Will barged out. She quickly shut the door before addressing him.

"Living room. Now."

Puck wasted no time. Though it made him dizzy, he quickly found his way back to the couch. He sat down and waited for Will. She was not far behind. She did not sit down, but instead paced the room. Watching her made Puck's head swim, but he did not want to turn away from her. Will looked at him occasionally. Each time he met the ice in her eyes felt like a dagger, piercing his chest.

"Will, I…"

"Just stop!" Will stilled. The coffee table remained the only barrier between them. "I don't want to hear any of your excuses, okay," she said. She took a calming breath before meeting his gaze. "Just… I don't even know what to say to you anymore."

Puck was silent. He could see how he had hurt her. Part of him wanted to defend himself. After all, it was a spiked drink that caused all this. How could he have been so careless? He still did not know how the cups had been switched; he refused to partake in any alcohol after the incident with the office party, so it confounded him that he had not detected any liquor in his cup. Whatever else had been added to the drink must have masked the smell of alcohol. However, looking at Will, Puck knew that any excuse would not convince her he was not in control.

"Will, I know-I know I don't deserve to ask for forgiveness, and I don't recall all that happened tonight," he began, hoping he could convince her. "But whatever I did, I promise, I will do whatever it takes to make this up to you."

"Make it up to me? That's a laugh," Will mocked. "You manhandle me in front of everyone, then you hypnotized me and made me…" She stopped to keep herself from screaming at him. "So much for not ever forcing yourself on others."

"Will, I never wanted to do that to you," Puck argued.

"So, it was just the booze talking then?"

"I'm not going to make any excuses, but I do regret that I hurt you. I can't apologize enough for the thing I've done. I just… I just want you to know how truly, deeply sorry I am that it happened."

Will held his gaze for a moment. She knew it was not Puck's fault, not really. The trick-or-treaters put the alcoholic concoction in the cup. Still, part of her could not overlook that they had added some sort of truth serum to the mix as well. Everything Puck said and did, no matter how much was influenced by liquor, held some form of truth. Daring to look him in the eye, Will did not say a word, but her hard gaze began to soften. Despite everything he did look regrettably sorry for what happened.

Will sighed. "I forgive you," she said. "Look, I'll check in on what punishment Jack gave Lock, Shock and Barrel tomorrow. Right now I need to keep an eye on you and Al. She's set for the night, but you look like you could use some Aspirin."

"Do you have anything stronger?" he asked. "My head feels like a bat colony is flying about in my skull."

Will stood to her feet. "I'll try to sneak the Advil from Al's room without awakening the Beast. Try drinking some cold water in the meantime."

Puck looked at the water pitcher in mild disgust. "No thanks," he said.

"Drink. Your stomach may not feel like it, but cold water really does help with the nausea," Will explained. She took the pitcher and poured some water into the mug before handing it to Puck. "Plus, it's supposed to help stave off a hangover."

Will waited for Puck to drink before walking back to Al's room. She managed to retrieve two pills without waking her friend. When she returned to the living room, Puck had already finished half the pitcher. He still seemed buzzed but he looked less green. She handed him the Advil.

"Thanks." He took the pills and set the mug back on the counter. "I'm a little better now," he said. "I'll call a cab to drive me home."

"Not gonna happen," Will argued. Puck tried to protest but Will stopped him. "Look, Zack won't be home till who-knows-when, so I'm not letting you be alone while you're still tipsy. Not to mention Zack would rag on me for leaving you after he made me promise to look after you."

"But…"

"Not buts except yours back on that couch," Will insisted.

Puck chuckled. "Yes ma'am."

"Good. Now, just relax. Do you want me to make you something to eat?" she asked.

"No, I should be fine till morning," Puck answered. "I think I'll just rest."

"Well, that's a relief," Will said. Then she yawned. "Okay, well, I'm off to bed. I need a couple hours to forget this mess of a day, plus the craziness I'll have to deal with when little Party Girl wakes up."

"Will, wait!"

Will turned around and looked at Puck perplexingly. "Something else you need?" she asked.

"No," he answered. "I just wanted to give you your birthday present." Puck reached into his left pocket and pulled out a small red velvet bag. "I somehow managed to hang on to it during my little, uh, episode."

"Oh, Puck, I told you guys I didn't want to make a big deal about all that," Will objected.

Puck chuckled. "Sorry, sweet Willa, but I would not be a gentleman if I overlooked my lady friend's birthday," he said. "Besides, I need to do something to make up for my behavior. Now, close your eyes."

Will raised an eyebrow.

"Now, now. I promise no shenanigans," he assured her. "Trust me, please?"

Will paused, making Puck very nervous, but eventually she closed her eyes. Puck smiled and then removed the item from the pouch. He walked up behind her and placed it around her. "Okay, you can look now."

His breath on her ear set Will on edge, but she did open her eyes. She looked down and was in awe. Hanging around her neck was a silver chain connected to beautiful silver roses and vines wrapping around gem wand of deep blue. Even in the dark, Will could not believe how beautifully the gem sparkled. She turned her head so she could look at Puck.

"It's beautiful."

"Well, I know how you love crystals, so I called in a favor back home," Puck explained, blushing as he talked. "My old college roommate is a geologist, even going out to find his own gems to sell. I don't know anything myself, so I gave him a description of you and the kind of necklace I wanted, and he designed this. I thought a simple birthstone necklace wasn't special enough, so I asked for that blue garnet to be added into the metal etching. I insisted it be one carat."

Will gasped. "You mean this is a real gem?!" She looked closer at the necklace. Sure enough, a tiny blue stone had been placed in the center of one of the flower etchings. It was beautiful, though she was not one to tell the difference between cubic zirconium and a real gemstone.

"Of course, as is the Aquamarine," Puck said proudly. "I also had the witches put a protection spell around it, so you'll never loose it. That blue garnet alone values at 1.5 million."

"WHAT?! Puck, I can't accept this. It's way too much!"

"Sorry, Willa, no returns," Puck teased, taking a step back. "The necklace is yours. It is a gift, so please, enjoy it."

"Puck, I… I don't know what to say." Will looked down at the pendant. It was beautiful. Not too large or gaudy, but holding a natural beauty all its own that shined through to the surface. The tiny garnet even charmed her with it's deep sea-blue against the light grey-blue of the Aquamarine. However, it was the thought behind it that made the gift special.

Taking ahold of the necklace, Will turned around, smiling up at Puck. "Thank you. I love it." She then leaned upward and place a soft kiss on Puck's cheek.

"Uh…" Puck gulped. "Y-You're welcome."

Will giggled. "You really need to stop doing that," she teased. "Doing incredibly sweet things like this, a girl is obliged to kiss you in appreciation."

Puck only became more flustered.

"Okay, okay. It's late, and me keeping you up isn't going to help with your headache tomorrow."

Puck sighed. "Yes, rest would be good."

"There's some extra blankets and pillows in the closet," Will said, walking towards her room. "Use whatever. Oh! Do you like kiełbasa? I'm was thinking of making eggs for breakfast, but I can make something else for you if you'd like."

"That sounds fine. I look forward to sampling your cooking."

"Easy, Ferdinando," Will warned, a playful smirk playing along her mouth. "You may have been intoxicated, but you're still on probation for earlier."

"You're never going to give me peace about me name, are you?" Puck asked.

"Nope and neither will Zack," Will said. "And just wait until he tells Al." Puck groaned, making Will laugh. "Goodnight Puck."

"Sweet dreams." Puck watched as will disappeared into her bedroom. Despite everything, he had managed to stay within her good graces. He waited until he was sure Will had fallen asleep before retrieving the pillows and blankets from the closet. He considered sleeping on the ceiling, but scrapped the idea, recalling Al's initial reaction to bats in her presence.

As Puck settled down into his makeshift bed, he stared after Will's bedroom door. As his eyes became heavy, Puck had one last thought before his mind succumbed to sleep.

I love her.