Meant To Be

by NintendoGal55

AzureNintendo. Sequel to "Pumpkin Petals". After Jack and Sally finally get together after the fiasco of Christmas, they share their lives together through their loving courtship, and even more. They're simply meant to be. T for mild sexual content.

11. Halloween Part 2: Halloween Night

It was Halloween night. And within the place of origin, Halloween Town, the celebration was in full swing yet again, after what seemed like such a long time since the year before. It wasn't just Halloween, also. It was a very special night for Halloween. Why is that, do you ask?

We now go to the town of Halloween, as the celebration begins:

Within the graveyard, if one were to come pass, they would soon see the ghoulish sights, and hear the creepy voices now singing a very creepy song, all about Halloween.

Shadows appeared along the graves, in the shapes of ghosts and other kinds of monsters.

"Boys and girls of every age
Wouldn't you like to see something strange?
Come with us and you will see
This, our town of Halloween"

Suddenly, grinning, gaping, sneering, glowing Jack-o-Lanterns were tossed in the air, lighting up the darkness, only to come falling down upon the spikes of the gate surrounding the graveyard, getting lanced through by them.

"This is Halloween, this is Halloween
Pumpkins scream in the dead of night!"

A few ghosts, around three or four, flew in an around the air as they continued the everlasting song. Amidst that, anyone coming would see that they were also flying closer and closer toward the town ahead. The dark, gothic buildings with the eerie orange-yellow lights were in plain view by this point as they floated along through.

"This is Halloween, everybody make a scene
Trick or treat till the neighbor's gonna die of fright
It's our town, everybody scream!
In this town of Halloween"

The door to one of the most haunted and hideous houses in all of Halloween Town suddenly flew open, first revealing a rusted wrought iron bed.

"I am the one hiding under your bed
Teeth ground sharp and eyes glowing red!"

Suddenly a hissing sound directed attention to the stairs of the house...or the space underneath the stairs, to be more specific...

"I am the one hiding under your stairs
Fingers like snakes and spiders in my hair!"

"This is Halloween, this is Halloween
Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! Halloween!"

Another little home came into view, with four coffins set about the room, opening up to reveal the four vampire brothers, tall and small.

"In this town we call home
Everyone hail to the pumpkin song" Sang the Vampire Brothers as they came out the darker depths of their home and into the town, heading for the main square.

Back outside it was suddenly the Mayor's turn to shine with his small solo! His happy face on, he trotted through the streets, hands on his hips.

"In this town, don't we love it now
Everybody's waiting for the next surprise!" He tugged at his spider bowtie.

Suddenly a black cat pounced out from a street corner near an alley, bringing attention to a couple of trashcans.

"Round that corner, man, hiding in the trash can
Something's waiting now to pounce and how you'll-"

Suddenly several citizens popped out of the trashcans! The wolf-man, the Harlequin demon, and the melting man, to be specific.

"Scream!
This is Halloween
Red and black, and slimy green
Aren't you scared?"

Then, deep down within the depths of the town's dried up well, were fast-zooming figures that unless you really looked, could easily pass you and would be missed from the eye, as nothing more than a blur.

But within the dried up well, coming closer up the way, were none other than the witches, Helgamine and Zeldaborne upon their broomsticks, already belting out their little duet.

"Well, that's just fine
Say it once, say it twice
Take a chance and roll the dice
Ride with the moon in the dead of night"

The two witches flew out of the dried up well, laughing ghoulishly as they did so. Along that, the Hanging Tree was making his way into the town square as well, with all five of his Hanging Men adorned on his branches, as per usual.

"Everybody scream, everybody scream!" Sang the Hanging Tree, and extended his limbs outward so his Hanging Men could have their say.

"In our town of Halloween" The Hanging Men chimed in.

Suddenly Clown rode up on his unicycle, looking particularly frightening!

"I am the clown with the tear-away face" he did indeed rip off his own face...and suddenly his voice went sinisterly low... "Here in a flash and gone without a trace!"

A poof of flash powder and suddenly as it cleared he was gone!

"I am the 'who' when you call 'who's there?'" the winds through the willows accompanied by the ghosts sang, "I am the wind blowing through your hair."

Within the darkness of an undisclosed spot, there were copper red strands of hair flying through the wind in an eerie little dance...

Lock, Shock, and Barrel dressed in new and even scarier versions of their Halloween costumes (a little reward for them from a certain Pumpkin Princess for being good and wearing their pink outfits for the full two weeks up to today as part of their punishment for the prank they had pulled on her earlier in the month).

"We are the trick-or-treaters of the night!
Helped overthrow Oogie, we'll fill you with fright!" They cackled, scrambling off to make mischief and to help the town complete their celebratory song

More of the citizens of Halloween Town were now pouring into the main square through an opening gate, in a ghoulish little dance as they did so.

"This is Halloween, this is Halloween
Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! Halloween!
Halloween! Halloween!"

The corpse family and the withered wing demon suddenly popped out, all looking their spookiest!

"Tender lumplings everywhere
Life's no fun without a good scare!
That's our job, but we're not mean
In our town of Halloween!"

The Mayor quickly popped up again, still smiling like crazy, eager for his second solo!

"In this town, don't we love it now!
Everyone's waiting for the next surprise!"

With that, the Mayor then hopped into his hearse to pull along a stage attached to it on wheels. Helping along pushing it from behind was Behemoth, given he was one of the strongest of the denizens.

By this point, everyone was gathered around and looking toward the appearing stage in awe as they continued singing on, this time, with a very special part in mind. Not just one this time, but two.

"Skeleton Jack might catch you in the back
And scream like a banshee
Make you jump out of your skin
This is Halloween, everybody scream!"

And now, before coming to their big finale, the citizens sang a brand new stanza of their traditional song in celebration of the newest citizen...and newest member of royalty...of their town!

"Ragged Sally is coming right at you
And squeals like a bat
Make you run for the hills!
This is Halloween, everybody shout!"

Somewhere, though they knew not where since their King and Queen were still concealed for the surprise effect it would create, all of the citizens couldn't help but think that Sally was probably blushing right now...

"Won't ya please make way for a very special guy and gal
Our man Jack is King of the pumpkin patch
With our lady Sally right at his side
Everyone hail to the Pumpkin King and Queen!"

The grinning Mayor then hopped over to the curtains as everyone continued the song, excited for what was to come!

"This is Halloween, this is Halloween
Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! Halloween!"

Very slowly, the Mayor started to pull back the curtains of the stage...

The audience was ready to clap and cheer and scream for their royal leaders...!

The curtain finally opened entirely revealing two high-backed, gothic, black chairs, one done with bone-shaped accents and the other with stitch-like accents...but no one in them!

Everyone looked on curiously as-POOF!

Suddenly a burst of fog and a flash or light drew everyone's attention to the fountain! The smoke cleared and there stood the Pumpkin King and future Queen, holding their clasped together hands up high and in full royal Halloween garb! Sally had stitched Jack a new black and white pinstriped suit with orange accents and tails that almost curled at the end, they were so luxurious! And Sally...pretty much every male creature in Halloween Town gulped...she was in a full length silk gown, black as night, flowing in a ghostly way around her legs. The collar dipped into a V and the dresses thick straps were the kind to wrap around the sides of her shoulders instead of sitting on top of them. Spider web pattern sleeves adorned her arms and a bat bow was tied around her neck to serve as a choker, along with one just like it at the waistline of her dress. Her red hair blew frighteningly around her face and her blue cloth skin glowed in the moonlight as she smiled down on the townspeople below who finally found their voices and sang again in unison...and in awe...

"In this town, we call home...
Everyone hail to the Pumpkin song..."

The la-la-las started in as the audience waved their harms back in forth in praise of their holiday.

"La (la, la, la, la), la (la, la, la, la)
La (Halloween), la, la (Halloween)
La (la, la, la, la), la (la, la, la, la)
La (Halloween), la, la (Halloween)
La (la, la, la, la), la (la, la, la, la)
La (Halloween), la, la (Halloween)
La (la, la, la, la), la, la (la, la, la, la)
La (la, la, la, la), wheee!"

Everyone clapped and cheered with glee, while some of the citizens couldn't help but stare with awe at the newly formed royal pair as they stood and waved to them all.

"HAPPY HALLOWEEN!" Everyone chorused, and broke into ghoulish laughter.

Finding her voice, Sally saw this as her cue to speak then. Oh, how nervous she felt speaking to everyone, and just being completely a part of Halloween rather than just amidst it. This time last year, she could clearly remember how she shyly watched behind the Hanging Tree as Jack had set himself on fire dressed as a scarecrow, then diving into the fountain...and arising from within its depths like a deadly creature of the night...

And now, things were quite different.

"Happy Halloween everyone! Now that we're here, we also have a special song for you." She said, keeping as sweet and confident as she could.

"Oooohhhh!" Everyone gasped, clapping with delight.

"Yes," Jack stepped forward a little, smiling charismatically and more than ready and willing to help his darling Sally with this, her first official Halloween as royalty and a leader ever! "We've prepared an original duet for us to sing together...Although actually, your princess did most of the work..." Jack bowed toward her, "After all, it's sort of a revised version of a...beautiful little melancholy song she sang once, not so long ago and yet it feels like ages have passed..." Jack's eye sockets went half lidded in her direction.

"That's true..." Sally smiled toward him as well, before addressing the crowd once more. "We hope you enjoy it." Then she looked toward the band, nodding to them.

The saxophone player gave a thumbs up and then motioned for the rest of them to play. They then began to play out a very familiar tune.

Taking a breath, and though she felt nervous, she was ready, and began to sing softly.

"I sense there's something in the wind
That feels like Halloween's at hand
Now finally standing here with him
I must confess this feeling that I have..."

The audience began to gasp a little in awe and wonder but Jack gently silenced them by raising a bony hand, letting them know to please save reactions until the end. He sang a verse now, gazing adoringly into his Sally's eyes.

"The best is just around the bend
And now I notice
Her feelings for me...
And hope she sees...how much she's come to mean
To an old Pumpkin King like me..." Jack winked at Sally.

Stifling back the urge to giggle, Sally now locked her gaze with his as she too kept on singing sweetly.

"I do adore my dearest friend
Where has our new love led us then?
To standing here before the crowd
A most enthusiastic cloud."

"Try as we may
Halloween won't last
But forever...it returns
And together..." Jack moved a little closer to her, smiling more and more...

Blushing a bit, but keeping her composure, Sally moved closer too.

"Yes, I think so…"

Jack's grin grew to its utmost and he almost gulped and trembled a little...

"We'll have our frightful fun..."

The Pumpkin King and Queen took deep breaths at the same time and then finished softly and sweetly...

"Sally and her Jack...as one...."

And then, before the moment could pass, Jack took the small liberty, considering the occasion, of moving in and gently pressing his lips to Sally's, just for a brief piece of this time on their first Halloween together.

Admittedly Sally did feel very flushed upon kissing in front of everyone, but then again, she had done so back on her little birthday party, so it wasn't as if they hadn't seen them kiss before. So she came closer and kissed back sweetly.

As the couple shared a special Halloween kiss, the citizens all cheered, clapping and laughing, some whistling and hooting at them.

"Woooohoooooo!"

"Go Jack and Sally!"

"Awesome song!"

"That was...was...beautiful!"

"Heh, go Jack go!"

"You're a real ladies man, Jack!"

"You're a lucky lady, Sally!"

"Whooooooooo!"

Jack started smiling in the kiss at all of these catcalls and cheers, unable to help it. And it didn't help him feel any less bashful and giggly that Sally was sweetly kissing him back right now. He let his arm go around her back, hugging her close for the last moment of their kiss together and then gently separated his mouth from hers, opening his eye sockets in a haze. He took a moment to catch his breath, just gazing in adoration at his Sally as he held her close, his smile beaming. "Happy Hallowen, Pumpkin Princess..." he said warmly to her.

Touched, Sally giggled a bit and beamed in return, unable to keep her eyes off her beloved. "Happy Halloween, Pumpkin King..." She cooed.

A pleasant shuddery sigh escaped Jack and for a moment he forgot where they were and only saw his beautiful, sweet princess, flushed and happy looking in his arms, clothed in clinging gorgeous black silk, and was about a second away from scooping her up into his arms or touching every seam of hers he could get his hands on or maybe just cutting out the middle man and going right for her neck and kissing and nibbling until she collapsed back onto the nearest couch or bed with him going right along with her...

But then Jack blinked and took in a deep breath of outside autumn air and came back to the reality of their 'in public' situation. He smiled and cleared his throat, releasing her and taking a small step back from her. "Yes, well..." he smiled to himself, and then glanced to the crowd, "And now I have one more special surprise for everyone...As long as we're all gathered together and on this most special of holidays, Halloween..." there were cheers for the holiday that made Jack smile more as he went on, "Yes, as long as we're all here and it's Halloween, there will be one more part of the ceremony..." he turned to Sally and took her hand, raising it up a little, "Sally...my darling, sweet, lovely Sally...I have a small gift for you today..." He bowed to her a little.

"Oh..." Sally blushed at this, unbelieving that he was actually going to give it to her in front of the entire town! "All right...what is it?"

Everyone chorused some "Oooohs" and "Aaaahhs".

Jack smiled at her, releasing her hand to reach into his jacket pocket. He shook his head a little at her. "No, no...Halloween is about surprises. Please close your eyes and bend a little low, Sally. You'll know what it is soon..." He did his best not to chuckle.

"Okay..." Sally closed her eyes and bent herself a bit low, almost kneeling downward.

Jack smiled more then turned to the crowd and placed a bony finger across his lips in a gentle shushing gesture and then winked at the crowd, letting them know not to say anything about what they might see him doing so as not to spoil the surprise for Sally. They all smiled and nodded, elbowing each other and going quiet. Jack sighed and turned back to Sally. He reached farther into his jacket and finally pulled out a small item...He then got down on one knee and reached out with the object...a small, circular hoop...a tiara, to be specific, wrought in silver and onyx with a single orange, pumpkin-shaped stone at the center...And this object he gently placed upon the top of Sally's head to 'crown', pardon the pun, her fiery red yarn hair.

A few snickers arose, immediately silenced by shushes and nudges. Sally wondered just what was going on. And was that he was putting on her head? She was so anxious to see! But, she kept her composure and was patient as can be. None the less, she smiled as she waited to see just what he was doing.

Jack straightened up and took a step back from Sally. Then he cleared his throat and signaled to a few certain people out in the crowd and instantly Lock, Shock and Barrel ran up to the stage, bringing with them a large hand mirror. Jack took the item from them and gave a small bow in thanks. The kids just chuckled and ran away. Jack raised the mirror (used the side of his hand to rub away a fake ink black moustache the kids had drawn on the mirror as a small prank-and he couldn't help chuckling a little at their mischief making). Then Jack cleared his throat and looked to Sally, holding up the mirror so that all of her face would show in it. "Alright, my Princess...stand up and open your eyes please...and Happy Halloween."

Sally smiled more and stood up, opening her eyes. She was a bit surprised at seeing her own reflection, given the look of surprise staring back at her. What was she looking for? Was it something on- And then she smiled all the more as she then saw the beautiful tiara. Needless to say, she was speechless. A tiara. An actual tiara, the kind that royalty would wear.

"O-Oh...a...a tiara..." Now she raised her hands to her mouth, staring at her reflection with wide eyes.

"Surprised, aren't you." He smiled more. "I...thought this first Halloween with you by my side would be, well...the idea time for your official coronation. And I put the tiara together along with some help from Dr. Finkelstein and the use of some tools from Santa's workshop. Do you like it?" Jack asked with so much eagerness and joy.

"I...I..." She was speechless for a few moments, just staring at the tiara in the mirror, unsure of what to say or do. A coronation, this was something of an official coronation for her. Officially crowned as the Princess... And he had gone to all that trouble just to make a lovely tiara for her, and use tonight as an official coronation. She was so touched, and so...so taken aback!

"Jack...I...I love it...I...this is so...oh, thank you!" She threw her arms around him in a happy hug, squeezing.

"Whoa!" A surprised Jack almost tottered backward at her forceful little hug, his breath catching in his throat! He barely knew what to say at all of her happiness and gratefulness and enthusiasm and joy!

Meanwhile the entire crowd just cheered again and threw in some "Awwww!" sounds at the cute little moment between their King and Princess.

Blushing, Sally held the hug a few more moments longer and then pulled away, beaming, tears in her eyes. "Really...Jack, thank you...thank you so very much..."

Jack blinked several times, just catching his breath and then he grinned about as fully as he possibly could. "Y-You're...You're welcome, Sally...But I don't deserve so much thanks...I-I mean, this really was just a...special formality for you...You made yourself our official princess long ago despite any declaration I might have made on the matter when we first got together. You help all the citizens and love this town and sew and cook and clean and you're the most selfless citizen we've ever had...You made yourself our Princess...all I did right now was just do my best to remind you how official that office really is for you now." He smiled warmly at her.

A deeper blush settled on her cheeks, and she heard murmurs of agreement from the crowd as she smiled bashfully. "Well...I...I...I still have to thank you, none the less. And...I have to thank all of you, as well." She addressed the townsfolk with a sweet smile. "For not only welcoming me into celebrating Halloween alongside Jack, but for also being wonderful. All of you...it's been nothing but a privilege, no, an honour to be of help to you. As a Princess, and as a friend...it means a lot to me, and I cannot thank all of you enough for this."

The crowd stared wide-eyed and then all laughed, uttering bashful remarks.

Jack chuckled, unable to help himself. "You made them all speechless..." he grinned, "That's not an easy task, you know..." He crossed his arms over his chest, doing his best not to laugh too much as he slipped an arm around Sally's waist, holding her close as they looked out at the crowd together.

"Oh dear..." Sally raised her free hand to her mouth, giggling.

Indeed, the citizens of the town couldn't help but feel a little humbled at her kind words to them. It wasn't often that they felt like this!

"All right everyone! It's time for the awards!" The Mayor announced through the megaphone of his hearse, drawing the crowd's attention. "Come along now!"

Jack saw Sally politely about to go off with the Mayor and everyone to watch the awards presentation but he reached out and put a hand on her shoulder, stopping her.

"Hi, Sally." A very tired and very pregnant Flower Heart lifted a Ghostface mask off her face as she greeted the rag doll happily, though tiredly. "Just wanted to say hello before you left."

"Oh! Hello, Flower Heart! I missed you!" Sally beamed and smiled at her friend...but then she had to blink, taking in the full sight of Flower Heart. "Oh!" escaped her mouth in a little quiet exclamation before she could stop herself.

"You're...um..different..." Her eyes fell to Flower Heart's stomach.

"JAAAAAACK!" Immediately a little angel dressed as a vampire bat latched onto Jack's legs. "That was AWESOME! Wow! Halloween's the best, Jack! And guess what? I totally scared a few people on the way here! It was the BEST!"

"Hmm mm..." Cupid, coming up to join the group and placing an arm over Flower Heart's shoulders let out a bashful sigh and glanced away sheepishly, "Yes, well...I take full responsibility for that, heh..."

Jack meanwhile just blinked several times and then smiled at everyone including the little angel. "Oh I'm so happy you all could make it to Halloween...and I'm very happy you like my holiday so much Timmy." He winked down at the young boy.

"Duh." Flower Heart smiled tiredly. "Being pregnant does that to you. I'm seven months, almost eight months in." She lowered her voice a bit. "And between you and me...you think Jack's protective of you now? Wait until you're pregnant. He'll be all over you."

"Of course we made it, just like we promised! And look, here's Henry!" Timmy brought his now walking nephew into sight. He was wearing an adorable bumble bee suit that Sally had made for him, including a beanie that had fake antanae.

Jack had to chuckle at the little outfit and at how much the baby had grown. "Well, well, aren't the both of you getting bigger...and pretty soon you'll be all ready to help Cupid and Flower Heart with their baby." Jack looked to Cupid again with a smile. "Congratulations again, my friend."

Cupid smiled back to him and gave a small, proud bow. "Thank you, Jack. Without you helping us be together we might never have been here. We'll never be able to repay you or Sally." He smiled more at the Halloween couple.

Meanwhile, Sally blinked several times and blushed distinctly at the sudden idea from Flower Heart of Jack's protectiveness actually increasing...and at her being pregnant with their little baby. Sally then gave a little gulp and looked at Flower Heart's tummy again. 'Having a baby...doesn't look easy..' she had to comment to herself. Then she started to reach out curiously but then paused and looked at Flower Heart uncertainly. "Um...can I, um...t-touch your stomach...Flower Heart?" she asked quietly but hopefully.

Flower Heart smiled more, though still tiredly, and nodded. "Of course! I was hoping you'd ask. Go ahead." She leaned back a bit and brought her hands on her hips as her protruding stomach seemed more pronounced, even against the black material of her outfit.

"It's gonna be a girl." Timmy announced, pouting. "Poor Henry's getting a sister!"

"Sisser!" Said Henry, giggling.

Jack's eye sockets lit up a little bit. "A girl..." he couldn't help but gently coo.

"That's...lovely..." Sally just smiled and nodded and then with a little gulp leaned out and gently laid her hand on Flower Heart's protruding stomach. It felt so...warm...so full of life. She let her hand relax on it a little, smiling more to herself. "It's...beautiful, Flower Heart..." she said softly, almost whimsically...

"Yeah, a girl!" Timmy pouted. "A yucky girl! Pretty soon there's gonna be all these dollies and dresses and makeup and tea parties and dancing...ewwww! I wish I could have another brother."

"Bwover!" Henry said.

Flower Heart smiled. "Thanks. It really something to feel a pregnant tummy. But yes, it's a girl. Her name's going to be Cheryl, after our mother. Oooh, look! She's kicking! Do you feel that?"

"Oh!" Sally gasped, a little startled at first at the 'kick' feeling suddenly coming against her palm. She blinked a few times but then finally smiled again and even giggled a little. "Oh Flower Heart...she'll be beautiful and happy and very lucky! I just know it!" And suddenly a beaming Sally was hugging Flower Heart, big tummy and all.

Jack and Cupid did their bests not to chuckle too much at the affectionate gesture between the girls.

"Ooh! ...Silly..." Flower Heart giggled and hugged her in return, patting her back. "Thanks a lot Sally... I think so, too. You're too much, Sally Pants..."

Sally just giggled more and then pulled back shyly with a small smile and blush. "I'm just...very happy for you...And I know your baby will be a good thing for you-I can feel it."

Jack smiled, turning to Sally. "Yes, if Sally says so then it must be true...She has premonitions sometimes and they always do come true."

"Well then," Cupid began with a kind smile, "...on behalf of Valentine Town we thank the new official Pumpkin Princess for her kind omens..." He bowed a little, causing Sally to blush fully.

"U-Uh...thank you..." she merely replied quietly.

"Oh! Yes, I forgot to congratulate you on your coronation Sally, that was really great." Flower Heart yawned then, but smiled warmly. "Congratulations, really."

"Congrats, Aunt Sally!" Timmy smiled. "...Um...I don't have to like, call you Princess or anything, do I?"

Sally absolutely turned scarlet and her eyes went wide. She looked to Jack. "P-People...really won't start calling me princess all the time now...will they?" she asked timidly with a small gulp, her humble nature unable to accept the idea of something like that in her life now.

Jack blinked at first but then just smiled at her. "If you don't want them to call you princess, just ask and I promise, they won't...I had the same 'issue' with the whole 'Pumpkin King' thing at first and everyone was very understanding, Halloween being an exception that we both made about my title." He put a hand on her shoulder.

A very relieved sigh escaped Sally and she smiled. "Oh...good...I'm glad..." Sally chuckled and looked back to Timmy and shook her head. "No, you don't have to call me 'princess', Timmy..just Aunt Sally please."

"Okay! Phew! I thought you'd get all mad if I didn't!"

"Timmy, she's still the same woman. Being given some kind of title or something doesn't change anybody." Flower Heart chided half-heartedly.

"...Oh. Okay! Well, I gotta go! I'm gonna go show Lock, Shock and Barrel some cool tricks! See you guys!" He headed off to where he saw the trio waiting behind a few trash cans.

"We'll head off too, I feel half-dead with fatigue." Flower Heart quipped, picking up Henry. "Hope you guys have fun tonight!"

"Haa...peee...Ha oh...een!" Said Henry.

Jack and Sally's eyes both lit up at the same time with beaming smiles. "Yes, Happy Halloween!" they said back to the little baby unexpectedly at the same time, upon which they blinked and looked at each other and then shared a warm laugh.

Sally sighed and looked back to her friend, giving her wave. "Goodbye for now, Flower Heart!"

"Yes, have a lovely evening!" Jack waved too, "...and thank you so much for coming!"

"Thank you so much for inviting us, Jack!" Cupid answered back with a smile and a wave as the group began to depart.

"Bye bye guys." Flower Heart waved too.

"Bah-bye!" Said Henry.

Sally giggled as they walked off, shaking her head. "Well, that we certainly interesting... Um...I...felt movement when I touched her stomach and...I...don't know what to say..." She looked at her little hands as they shook a bit, and smiled more.

Jack blinked, tilting his skull to the side at first but then just smiled warmly at her. "Well, you felt that because...the baby's inside of her...and it's very big now...and it moved...just like it'll move in a few months when it's born," he explained sweetly.

"...Inside...moving..." She blinked, and held her own stomach a bit. "...If I...um... were pregnant...would I get that big? I mean...I'm not vain...but...goodness, that must put strain on her back! And her feet must get very swollen and strained as well, oooh. Poor thing."

Jack blinked and gulped, glancing aside shyly. "O-Oh, well...I-I'm no expert of course but I think it's different for every woman...a-although, erm...I-I'm really not sure exactly how it's going to work out for us specifically considering some things...b-but, um...even if it did work out in the way Flower Heart's having a baby and even if you did get that big I'd...I'd do everything to make you comfortable..." He looked at her with total sincerity. "I'd carry you everywhere I could and I'd have Lock, Shock and Barrel's walking tub take you places too if you'd like-anything for your comfort, Sally." He even gave a little bow at the end of this heartfelt little speech.

This must be what she meant by him being more overprotective... She mused, and giggled, smiling. "That's sweet of you..." Sally leaned against him a little.

Jack gulped and a little tremble went through is spine at her sudden contact...and she was still in that silk dress of hers. Jack let out a breath and smiling lovingly, nuzzling against her. "I...I'm happy you think so. A-And I...um...I hope that, um..." a bashful Jack felt himself tongue tied for a moment but then he finally managed to finish in a whisper, "I hope that we have a girl one day too...as sweet and selfless and loving as her mommy." His bashful little grin grew.

"And a boy who's as strong, kind and loyal as his father." Sally added in, giggling. "Well, I suppose we'll cross that bridge when we get there, won't we?"

Jack had all but locked up in bashful surprise at her little addition, holding her extra closely now just for the sake of something to keep him standing upright. "I-I..." sort of squeaked out of his throat, which he quickly cleared, doing his best to deepen his voice again, "I suppose we will..." he finally finished, smiling a little again.

A soft blush tinted her cheeks as she realized what she just said, but then knew to think it was probably the best thing they could say for the time being. "Yes...we will...when the time comes..." Her voice trailed off for a moment as she was lost in thought, and then cleared her throat a bit.

Jack really didn't hear her though as at the moment he was currently preoccupied with the very distinct and sudden image in his mind of not only a cute little charming girl rag doll for himself to dote on eternally...but a handsome young little skeleton boy too...probably dressed in a little suit handmade especially for him by his mommy Sally...and bursting with all the happiness and childlike wonder Jack that was always popping up in Jack despite his age. Jack's smile became utterly...glowing at this point. He was bursting with pride inside...and the children didn't even exist yet.

"Jack? Hello?" Sally waved her hand in his face, smiling. "...Are you all right?"

"Hmm...?" Jack barely replied, his mind now moving on to how tenderly he had every intention of taking care of Sally provided they really could conceive in the normal way together (that whole 'living dead' thing being the main potential issue there). He would tuck her in every night and bring her breakfast in bed every morning and cover her with plenty of blankets and bring her lots of tea to stay warm and read to her whenever she wanted him to and he would sing her to sleep every evening... Finally Jack just let out a blissful sigh, about as happy as he had ever been on any Halloween ever. "I...um...I'm okay...Just...thinking about...our future little Pumpkin Prince and Princesses..." His grin picked up on one side.

Sally blinked and giggled, smiling a bit more. "So...I'm not the only one who thinks of it sometimes? ...That's good...I suppose it's a good thing it's a mutual matter..."

Jack smiled even more if it was possible, glancing away with a touch of bashful modesty, his hands clasped together in front of himself. "Well of course I think about it...sometimes...many times...You and me and...babies... I...a-actually, I...well, I hate to impose upon you, Sally, especially if things turn out having to be like they are for Flower Heart, a-and of course we could talk about it and work it out together, but, well...I..." He gulped, hesitating for a moment, his smile and eye sockets looked about as shy as they possibly could.

"Um...what is it?" Sally looked up with curiosity and concern then, wondering what could possibly be on his mind about it all that it seemed to make him nervous. "You can tell me."

Jack gave a tiny swallow and then went on quietly. "I..was sort of hoping for, um...more than just one baby...m-more than two, even...M-More like maybe, erm...f-four or five?" His skull tilted down and his eye sockets glanced up at her with extra wideness and shyness as he awaited her response.

"Four or five?" Sally's eyes went wide. She wasn't sure why he was so nervous and shy all of a sudden (wasn't that her job?), nor did she find it odd. Yes, it was mildly surprising to hear that kind of preference, but not completely. Then again, at the same time, when she pictured them having a family, she could definitely see more than one child, or even more than just two. There really was no "norm" when it came to having children, that much she knew. She recalled Flower Heart confiding in her months ago about how she had at one point, regretted the decision to have only one child at the time, and feared she could never have any more. Sally wondered if that would ever happen to her, if they would have one child and then leave it at that, but then would come a time where she would think differently and then regret the decision.

Overall, the idea of having quite a few kids was really something she did imagine. Yes, it was a stretch, considering they weren't even married, let alone planning to have kids in the near future. But it was something nice to think about nevertheless.

"Jack...you're not imposing...you don't have to be embarrassed to say such a thing." Sally assured finally, leaning against him some more. "While I...well, don't know for sure how much we will have... but I don't disagree at all. In fact, there are times I imagined us with more than one, more than two, around three, four, five. ...A big family was something I liked the idea of."

Jack took in a big breath of air and all but lit up! He just looked at her and smiled and smiled and smiled and...suddenly she was in his arms in a hug being spun around and having her face covered with kisses. "Oh Sally! Sally...Sally...Sally...Sally...!" He chuckled merrily. "You're perfect, you're just...perfect..." He placed her down but still embraced her warmly and fully. "This is the best Halloween ever..." he whispered joyfully into her ear.

"Oh!" Sally blushed heavily at his display of affection, despite that no one was around where they were at. None the less, she smiled more and reciprocated the embrace happily. "Jack...I...never would've thought you'd want that...but...I'm glad we're on the same page about it." She almost couldn't help but wonder what would happen if one of them only wanted one child, or even just two, while the other wanted quite a few. What would happen then? Making a compromise when it came to children was very likely a much more difficult way of going about it, considering that it wasn't something you could take back, ever. But, she was relieved. Yes, it was very likely they might change their minds later down the road, but then again, something this important wasn't exactly something you could change your mind about, not like the flavours of ice cream. "I mean...I'm kind of...in a sense, an only child...I have always been fascinated by having siblings."

"Me too..." Jack replied with a sigh, gently separating from her. "I've always been...well, alone, until you came along, Sally. So now I guess I just...want to be as 'un-alone' as possible...I want you there to always see and talk to and sleep near, an I want all loving little children to be running around asking questions and playing with toys-we could even teach them all about Halloween! Halloween and all of the other holidays! Wouldn't that be just delightful?" He smiled at her with eager happiness.

"It would certainly be wonderful..." Sally beamed, nodding agreement. Maybe marrying and having a family wasn't hugely common in their town, but it was still something very lovely to think about. "And I...would love to be the mother to our children... It's been said that...children are something of a manifestation of love come to life..."

Jack just gazed at her in total adoration. "What a lovely way to put it...Thank you, Sally. Yes, it...our children would be little pieces of you and little pieces of me brought and bonded together forever...The perfect personification of our love..."

"Yes, it's true..." Sally's smile picked up, her eyelashes fluttering adoringly. "I think...our children can truly inherit the best from the both of us."

A goofy chuckled escaped Jack at that cute little thing with her eyelashes. "I-If our daughter inherits those eyes and eyelashes from you...she'll get anything she wants out of me whenever she wants it, no question...a-and also out of any sweet little boy she comes across..." he sighed, "...which will worry me to death, though I guess I'll just have to let her live her life..." He chuckled a little again.

Sally laughed, shaking her head. "Jack...you're too much."

Jack just let out a little 'humble' sigh and shrugged. "Yes, well..." he wrapped an arm around her suddenly, dipping her back, "...I try." He winked.

Blushing, Sally giggled and smiled a bit more. "Y-Yes...you certainly do..."

Jack chuckled a little. "You're stuttering, my fair princess...Are you nervous, for some reason?" He brought up his other arm and laid the back of his hand against her cheek and then gently brushed it down her face and then neck, over her exposed shoulder and finally off the top of her arm. "Your skin glows its most beautiful in the Halloween moonlight...I wonder if the moonlight in the real world will have the same effect?...I'm certain it shall, you know." His free arm came around her now too.

"I...I'm s-sure...i-it might..." Sally uttered, looking up at him with a wide, blushy stare. Oh, when he got so suave and romantic like this, he easily turned her to putty.

"Still so very stuttery..." Jack cooed in a charming, low tone with almost a small smirk in his smile... "It only adds to your tempting charms..." He let out a deep breath, "You look so ravishing tonight, my ragdoll Sally...I have never seen you look more frightful than you do in that dress. The sight of you makes me shiver..." his voice lowered to a whisper, "...though perhaps that's for other reasons too..." His eye sockets sparkled with something.

"O-Oh...I...um..." She blushed all the more, completely under his spell and allured by his charms. "Oh Jack..." Was all she could say, her breathing rasping a bit.

Jack gave a small swallow, feeling her all but melting in his arms. And that way she had just said his name...His entire spine tremored up its full length. "Hmm...can't I be 'Pumpkin King' for tonight? It is Halloween, after all...O-One of the most exciting and thrilling and...unpredictable...nights of the year..." he observed suavely.

"Ooh...o-of course..." The newly crowned Princess blushed more, managing to grab onto his shoulders then. "My Pumpkin King...the Master of Fright..." Now her breathing quickened.

The tremors up Jack's spine were becoming pretty constant now and entering his ribcage as well, though he was managing to keep them relatively in check...though it wasn't exactly getting easier to do so. "W-Well, well, well...i-if you keep going on like this, sweetest Sally, I...may start to suspect that...you and that secret little fangirl inside of you...have a little crush on me..." He dipped her back farther, leaning in closer over her to compensate. "Ravishing ,ravishing, ravishing creature..." he whispered with shallow breaths, unable to help himself.

"You started it..." Sally giggled, blushing all the more. "When you started...becoming all romantic and charming...you know...that's impossible for me to...resist...my Pumpkin King..."

Jack just let out a deep sigh and visibly outwardly shivered, finally unable to help doing do. "I-It's not my fault, I assure you...It's Halloween night and I've been back to my old bony self for almost a year now...If any night inflames my passions it is this one...and if any woman inflames my passions...of for Halloween's sake, it's you, Sally...Pardon me...It's you... my Pumpkin Princess." He whispered again. "And also, knowing that you cannot resist me...doesn't help me want to stop flirting very much, you know...M-Mostly right now I want to kiss and touch and nibble and tickle every seam of yours that you'll let me get my hands on..."

"You wouldn't..." Sally giggled, unable to help herself. "Not right here..."

"You're not helping the situation by laughing in that intoxicating way of yours, my tempting little bat..." he merely cooed back, dipping her as far as she could go. "And...who's to say I wouldn't? After all...the whole town's away at the awards ceremony...We're all alone...And it's our first Halloween together...What a perfect excuse for a celebration, right?" He smirked at her a little, his eye sockets shining with something again.

"Oh dear..." Sally held her hands against her chest in a futile attempt to hold back her rapid breathing, feeling the tips of her hair brush along the cobblestone ground below them. "If you do...I hope you realize that you're tempting me...a lot."

Jack reached up with one of his hands and pulled it slowly, seductively through the full length of her hair, finishing by gently cupping the back of her head with his hand. He only replied with one word, said in the lowest tone of voice in which he could speak and with the widest, slyest grin he had to give, his wide eye sockets never once breaking from her wide eyes. "Good..."

Something within her snapped...if anything inside could snap, and boy the temptation overtook her like a rushing ocean wave. Maybe it was the charming, seductive romance mixed in with the night of ultimate terror and fright, along with temptation that just willed her to be as bold as she was right this second. Because right then, her hand came to his neck and she leaned up closer, their lips barely an inch away. "Come here, my King..." Was all she said before bringing them into a searing kiss.

Jack's breath stopped and then staggered and for a moment he really almost dropped Sally, though instantly upon recollecting the nature of the precious weight in his arms, he only held her more closely in an effort to keep himself standing and his knees from giving out from under him. "Mmmm..." he moaned deeply and richly into her throat, tilting his skull and kissing her back with all of the passion built up within him-and there was a TON between their flirtations and tonight being Halloween. He pressed them together, melting into her and feeling her melt into him.

Unable to hold back, even though they were outside and someone COULD sneak away and catch them, Sally just moaned between kisses at the back of her throat and brought her arms around him to steady herself as much as she could, given that her legs were slowly giving out. Yes, a part of her wished they were behind the closed doors of their home, but this did add to the excitement. And after all, there was a lot of romantic passion built up between them that were refusing to be denied any longer.

"Mm...mm...Mmmm..." Jack's moans escalated in quantity as Sally's did and, still holding her fast, he slowly tilted her up, bringing her more vertical for the sakes of both of their balances. His hands pressed against her and he was so overwhelmed with holiday and romantic passion that he felt half a second away from suddenly shouting 'Oh, marry me, you perfect female creature!' and eloping with her to Christmas Land to have Santa wed them right here and now! He just deepened his lips into hers at the moment, savoring everything...

"Mmmm!" Admittledly Sally felt taken aback by this overdrive of passion, but she could do nothing to stop it, no matter how intense it was feeling. Her grip tightened, just a little, her small fingers digging into his spine, and returning the kiss with deepened passion in return.

Jack's spine kinked in every place that her little fingers touched. He slowly shifted his hand down from the back of her head until he reached her shoulder and then he gently took a finger tip and started to trace over the seams of her neckline, her collar, the top of her chest, digging tenderly into individual seams as the desire came over him. His breaths were so shallow, and he adored her so much...

Her bare shoulders writhed and trembled in response as her hands tightened their grip a bit. If it were possible to bring their bodies closer together, she surely did bring them closer, leaving no space between them. Daring, she gently produced her cloth tongue to run along his mouth, taking it a step further.

Jack almost couldn't bear it all anymore... If they had been doing this in their bed, he might have... Jack let out a shuddery sigh through his nose and did his best to push that thought aside. Sally's little cloth tongue continued to beckon, but before her could admit it entrance and give it all of the attentions it deserved. For just a moment he gently separated their lips, his breath shallow and warm, his eye sockets barely opening. He whispered. "S-Sally...w-we're...still outside...A-Are you sure you...want to...? Are you sure that's a-alright...?" He just had to ask.

"Just...this once...um..." She wanted to say they had gone far enough and turning back wasn't exactly easy to do. "That is...if you do..."

"Oh, yes...yes I do want to...I want...so much...Please...princess...queen..." His eye sockets closed again and his lips gently went to hers and his mouth opened in anticipation.

It was daring, it was risky somehow, doing this while still outside...but for once, it just didn't matter. Maybe Halloween was truly about being daring and crossing frightful lines, no matter how small. Her little cloth tongue slowly entered and gently poked around to explore a little before meeting up with his, offering a shy but passionate greeting.

Jack, always wanting to be gentle to her (at least at first whenever they did something intimate together), was having a rare moment of being almost unable to control himself. He wanted nothing more than to all but ravish that cute little piece of cloth with every manner of touching and moving and teasing his own formidable appendage could manage. Still though he managed, though all but entwining her tongue around his own, to be calm and slow about it all...It was the best compromise he could come up with at the moment.

Sally quivered and melted more against him, feeling as if her legs were going to give out yet again. Was there something wrong with being so intoxicated about sharing such sweet and passionate intimacy with someone? If there was, she surely would be a case for it. She was half a second away from suggesting they go home and finish this!

Jack just pulled Sally as deeply into his mouth as he could get her, all but welding their lips together at the same time. He shifted angles, shifted pressures, shifted tongue positions-everything he could think of to give her the greatest amount of enjoyment and pleasure from all of this. He wanted her to never forget their first Halloween kiss...And he was going to absolutely make sure she never would!

Moans and giggles escaped the passionate rag doll as she managed to reciprocate the sentiments. After probably yet another long minute, they parted, both of them panting a bit. Yes, she was never going to forget it. Not for as long as they were around.

Now raising her arms to curl around his neck, Sally offered a smile and nuzzled her cheek against his own. "Mmm...Jack...?"

Jack let out a shuddery, shallow breath and gave a small nod, his eye sockets barely opened. "Y-Yes? What is it, S-S-S-Sally...? A-Anything you want ...Anything you desire...Name it and you shall have it...Anything, my darling..." he whispered back quietly, dazedly, enamoredly.

Sally's eyes went wide and she giggled, nuzzling their cheeks again. "...Oh, you're sweet...um...but all I wanted to say was Happy Halloween, and...that I love you so much...and that I'm so happy, and...well, honoured that we could come together for it."

Jack just smiled more and even chuckled a little. So cute...that was all she wanted of him...just to say such a sweet, selfless, kind thing. He sighed sweetly. "Happy Halloween to you too...A-And I'm honored that we could come together for it as well...And I love you too...A-And...you're the best kisser in the whole entire world!" He had to add the last part-he really just couldn't help himself.

"Ooh...well..." His unexpected little outburst about her apparently being the best kisser took her by surprise just a bit as she blushed heavily. "Thank you, I suppose...um...as long as I'm a good kisser to you, that's a good thing... And um, well...you're an amazing kisser, the greatest...um...if that's not too much to say. Then again, I have nothing to compare it to...though, I'd like to keep it that way..."

Jack looked a perfect mixture of flustered and proud and surprised and flattered and intrigued. He all but puffed up a little, his grin growing, and then snuggled against her fully. "W-Well, thank you, Sally, but I...consider it my duty to be 'amazing' at it...You're...quite a woman, after all, and...you deserve the fullest, richest, greatest 'experience' a man can manage to provide you with..." And then he chuckled a little and added. "And...I'm happy you'd like to 'keep it that way'...in regards to having no comparison for my kissing..." A touch more pride came to his countenance.

"Oh believe me..." He held her closely, sweetly, savoring everything about her, "...you already do...sweetest Sally..." He sighed in happiness, letting his eye sockets drift closed in peace.

"You do, too..." Sally cooed, and sighed happily. To think, that one year ago today, she had been witnessing her first Halloween...only to have the cold hands of reality, or her creator, come and try to take her away from it. Then to be in the graveyard, unseen by Jack (Though seen by Zero, she now knew) as he lamented about his troubles, as she looked on and listened... "You know...it's only been a year...it feels like it was only yesterday, and yet...it also feels as if it were much longer ago."

"I know," he replied back with a small sigh, his eye sockets starting to open again. "A lot has happened since then...so it's only natural that it doesn't feel right that it only took a year..." Jack chuckled a little. "But what a year it's been. I've never enjoyed one more in my entire existence." He smiled tenderly at her.

Blushing, she smiled tenderly in return, and sighed dreamily. "That's exactly right, a good way to put it. ...Well, it's only been a little over a year for me, but um...I can say I truly enjoyed it more than I can say. One year ago today, I was only ever dreaming and daydreaming that we'd be like this...so sure I wasn't the one for you, but looking back, I really shouldn't have doubted myself..."

"Oh how could you have ever doubted yourself, my Sally!" He smiled at her giddily. "Your charms, your grace, your selfless nature, your understanding heart...There isn't a man in the world you couldn't make utterly smitten with you if you tried." His eye sockets were dreamy.

"I-I guess so...but um...why would I want to do that? ...Why would I do that, when I have the man I love smitten with me?" Sally blushed all the more. "As long as I love you, and you love me...what more do I need?"

Jack would have blushed if he could have. "I..." he just smiled downward bashfully. "W-Well, um...I'm...certainly happy to hear you're so content, my Miss Sally...I'm humbled by being the only one you want."

Smiling more, she kissed his cheek sweetly and lay her head against his chest, exhaling happily. "You are, Jack...as I said before, the greatest gift I could ever ask for is just to be with you."

"Sally..." Jack chuckled out shyly, turning his skull away bashfully as he felt his whole ribcage warm up at her resting against it like that.

A sweet, knowing, but understanding smile came to her face as she looked up a bit. "Is this too much for you?"

"N-No, it's just..." he turned his eye sockets to look down at her dreamily. "You overwhelm me so sometimes with all of your love, my Sally...It's everything I ever wanted or needed in life, even before I realized I wanted and needed it...I-It's like having a dream come true every time you say such perfect things as that about how you feel about me..." Though he was still smiling, Jack felt like he was closer to actually producing tears and crying than he had ever been at any moment in his existence.

"Oh...I...I...well..." It was so canny sometimes how they seemed to have so much in common, despite how different they were from each other. Kindred spirits, as it were. This just made Sally smile all the more and lay her head there a bit longer. She then nuzzled their cheeks again, tightening her hold around his neck a little. "Oh, I understand how you feel... If anything, that's how I feel, whenever you say such wonderful things about how you feel. ...And to know my love for you makes you feel that way, I...I can only say that it means so much. I love you, Jack..." She kissed his cheek again.

Jack let out a sigh and then held Sally gently as well. "I love you too, Sally..." he cooed gently and then kissed her cheek as well.

The two lovers embraced, in the middle of the street, just absorbed in each other for some time. Sure, the sounds of laughter from somewhere off of the townsfolk still celebrating, and the creepy music and screams filling the air, the atmosphere was hardly romantic. But it surely didn't affect them in the least. They just held one another, just being in love.

After some time had passed, which felt like hours, it was then that they made their departure for the real world. An adventure on Halloween night was to come!

---

Getting to the real world was quite easy, at least, in this way it was. Jack had told her how he had come back from the real world in a graveyard by going through a tomb to get back to town. So, they used that same little tactic to come back to the real world...and soon emerged within the streets of a fairly large city.

All around, it was quite a sight to see! Halloween decorations adorned the streets and the homes around, children walked around in all kinds of costumes galore! Even creepy fun music played on some sound systems set up around places. Children went to houses, rang the doorbells, and yelled "Trick or Treat!" upon someone answering the door, and were given candy!

Given that they could easily blend in, both Jack and Sally walked together along the sidewalk, as it were, along a busy neighbourhood together. People passed them, and eyed them, but didn't pay much mind, since to them, they were just actors in a costume.

"Mommy! Look at them! Their costumes are neat!"

"Honey, don't stare!"

Children were especially drawn to them, thinking their "disguises" were awesome.

"Wow...it's all so alive with the celebration..." Sally marveled, taking in the colourful sights of the city. "And it's so big...there's lights and people everywhere."

Jack nodded, looking around as well. "Yes, it's a rather marvelous place...I'm so happy for a chance to visit it again...and especially on our holiday this time." Jack almost beamed with pride. "They certainly celebrate Halloween well, don't they? A little less singing than I might like but still, a very nice presentation over all." He smiled at his charming female companion.

"It certainly is..." Sally agreed, giggling. Then she heard music some ways off, and looked around to see a band playing on a stage with a huge crowd gathered around. "Oooh! Look at that!"

"This is Halloween
This is Halloween
Halloween Halloween Halloween..." The band was singing, playing a very different kind of version of what sounded like the Halloween song from back home.

"Oh my, they know our song!"

Jack blinked, and impressed grin overpowering his face. "They do, don't they...Oh splendid!" Jack quickly grabbed Sally's hand and pulled her along closer to the music. "It's so wonderful, Sally-they really do know me and us and our town and our culture!" Stopping near the band he turned to Sally with a joyful smile full of childlike enthusiasm.

"I'm certain they would, if they go to this much trouble to celebrate." She agreed, beaming as well. "I have to say, the...mmm...alternate musical arrangement is quite interesting, don't you think?"

The entire crowd was mostly dancing along to the music, some jumped up and down waving their arms.

"I am the who when you call "who's there?"
I am the wind blowing through your hair"

At that last line Jack couldn't help pulling Sally closer and gently letting his fingers pull through the ends of her hair.

"I am the shadow on the moon at night
Filling your dreams to the brim with fright"

"Ooh!" Sally giggled, blushing at the sweet little gesture. "They left that part in..mmm...I can see why, I suppose..." She looked up at the sky, and could see a round ball that was the moon. She frowned a little. It was so...small. "Then that must be their moon. ...But it's small, and there's no scary shadow along it. But it does have an odd-looking face..."

"Mmm...you think that's strange? Santa told me their sun isn't orange and jack-o-lantern shaped...Just a big bright yellowish ball. I'm sure it's pretty in its own way but...I like ours better...and our moon too..." Jack looked from the moon back to her with a smile. "Ours really does have so much more light...so make my pretty Sally glow." He winked at her.

"That's our job, but we're not mean,

In our town of Halloween..."

"A bright yellow ball? Wow..." She smiled, turning back to the band as well. Sally then saw something orange at the corner of her eye to her left, and turned to look. She saw a very short, chubby girl standing near her, wearing a pumpkin costume! At first glance, she thought it was huge, but realized it was made of felt, and she had a floppy, leafy hat to serve as a stem, as well as an orange shirt and orange pants.

"Ooooh...a pumpkin costume...very nice."

The girl looked at her with wide, shy eyes before backing away a little. "Thank you..." She said in a small, shy voice.

Jack chuckled and couldn't help but whisper to Sally. "Perhaps we should send Lock, Shock and Barrel down hear to learn how to be nice, quiet, shy little trick-or-treaters..." He glanced around at the other little children in costume then blinked at one in particular. "What in the world is that one supposed to be?" She had colorful boxes stuck to her shirt with red stuff all over them and plastic sticks sticking out of them. The young girl apparently heard Jack's question because she turned around and looked at him with a smirk. "I'm a cereal killer...I kill cereals!" she said proudly.

Jack blinked and couldn't help but scratch his skull, still slightly confused, as the girl ran off, with the other girl chasing her.

"Cereal killer..." Sally blinked. "...Why would anyone want to kill cereal? ...And how would that work?" She scratched her head, unintentionally mimicking him.

Jack let out a little sigh and shrugged. "I'm not sure...but this place can be a little confusing at times, Sally. So many customs and to make matters even more complicated they obsess over all the holidays pretty much equally-it must put them under a lot of stress." He smiled at her. "But I'm happy they care so much about our holiday to take the time to have this much fun with it.

"That's true." Sally smiled in agreement. "Well.. they certainly seem to have put a lot of work and effort into this for sure..."

"In this town we call home
Everyone hail to the pumpkin song"

Jack chuckled a little. "Maybe next year we should outsource and give the two of us a break while the real world people take care of entertaining our citizens."

"Oooh, that would certainly be interesting." Sally remarked, and then saw everyone clapping as the band members all stopped playing and addressed the crowd. "Wow, that was certainly a great rendition of our song..."

Her ears then caught a roaring noise, and further off near the stage was a railing, which overlooked a series of waterfalls, all somehow alit with orange and black lighting from behind the flows.

"Ooooh! Look! Waterfalls...and they have have bright lights! Can we go see?"

"We can go see whatever you'd like, my Princess. Tonight is all about sharing an adventure with you-wherever your heart and desires take us, I will follow..." Jack smiled and bowed gracefully forward, taking Sally's hand.

"Oh, well...okay...and I'll follow you too, of course..." Sally squeezed his hand.

They went over to the rail, overlooking the monstrous waterfalls. There were three sets. One set was a fairly long one along the cliff across the water. The was a thinner one a few feet away from the first, on its own. Then to the right, were horseshoe-shaped waterfalls. They were so loud, it was hard to hear yourself think, and because of all the falls and water, it felt misty and wet in the air.

"They're so big...and they're loud...and they have their own lights! That's amazing..." She was quite amazed, unable to tear her eyes away from the sight.

Jack nodded. "Yes, so much water...We hardly have any water in our town. The sound is very nice and so are the colors...I like it, Sally." He smiled more at the sight.

"I do too...it's beautiful..." She marveled at the sight, taken aback. She then leaned over further, looking down over the ledge. Despite that it was dark, she could clearly see how far down it was. "Goodness, that's a very long drop...I suppose that's why they have a railing here."

Jack blinked and couldn't help but gently put a protective hand on Sally's shoulder. "Be careful please, my dearest...Please don't lean over too far, now..." He smiled, though the concern was still apparent on his face.

"Sorry." Sally straightened. "I was curious."

"Hey! You two have a minute?" Came a voice from behind them.

"Oh, sure!" Sally turned around, and met with two young kids, around ten years old. She was taken aback at their choice of costume.

The girl, who was currently pulling off a mask that covered her head, revealing a head of yellow hair and a pink bow sitting on top of it, was wearing a full body black outfit with skeletal print to make her look like one. She even had black gloves that had a skeletal hand design along the back. The boy next to her had a distinctly very wide head, and was dressed as a rag doll. With a patchwork shirt, skirt, and had stitches drawn on his face (she could tell they were fake).

"Football Head over here lost his hat. It's a small little light blue cap about this big." The girl held her fingers a few inches apart.

"Oh...a little hat? Well, we could help you look. Where did you have it last?"

"Yes, we could assist you if you'd like." Jack smiled. "Where did you have it last?" He seconded Sally's question.

The young boy blinked and a light blush came to his features as he glanced down and mumbled out shyly, "O-Oh, well...I...had it on and then...my, um...'friend' here and I were...doing something a-and then the next thing I knew it had popped off of my head and blown away somewhere..." He glanced away in shyness.

"We were standing above a windy vent!" The girl said quickly.

"...A windy vent?" Sally cocked her head.

"Eh, you know. We were walking! Eh, Football Head? We were walking around like two regular joes! 'Cause we can! Uh-huh!"

The boy just shrugged, still blushing, making eye contact with no one.

Jack continued to eye them curiously...then the boy's blush really caught his eye and it took a moment but then something clicked and Jack smiled. "O-Oh...of course. Well, why don't you and your special friend look over here and...me and my special friend look over there?" He took Sally's hand and squeezed it.

The girl raised one side of her eyebrow, and smirked a bit. "Heh, all right. The name's Helga, by the way. Helga G. Pataki! And don't you forget it!" She held up her left fist for emphasis.

"Oh, I won't. My name is Sally. Uh...Finkelstein." She added in quickly.

Jack blinked at that popping out of Sally's mouth. He had never heard her refer to herself in that way before, and never even thought about her like that, actually...But, now that he thought about it, she...was sort of Dr. Finkelstein's 'daughter' so...Sally Finkelstein-not that he didn't have a rather intense preference for 'Sally Skellington' but...Sally Finkelstein was sort of nice too, he had to admit. He cleared his throat, realizing he probably had to introduce himself as well now to be polite. "Erm..." he looked to the children, "Yes, and I'm Jack...Jack Skellington."

"Wow! That's a pun if I ever heard one!" Said Helga, grinning. "Yeah, I know, it's funny 'cause you're dressed like a skeleton, too!"

The boy, finally having calmed down a little from his fluster before, let out a breath and smiled up at the taller couple. "Hi, um...I'm Arnold. Nice to meet you." He gave them a polite nod.

"All right, you heard the man! We're here, they're over there! Let's move, troops!"

And with that, they went to searching around the area.

---

After a little while, it was then that Sally found a hat on the ground, and hailed them over.

"Is this your hat?"

"Heh! You found it! There you go Arnold, there's your hat! I told you it didn't go too far!"

"Well, that's good luck, isn't it?" Jack smiled at the happy turn of events.

Arnold, meanwhile, just smiled at the sight of his recovered object and took the little hat, popping it back on his head. He nodded to Sally. "Thank you, Sally..." Then he turned back to Helga. "Yeah, it didn't get too far...A-Although, who knows how far it might get, um...you know...next time..." He shrugged and smiled bashfully at her.

"You bad boy!" Helga nudged him lightly, winking. "Don't start with me! So thanks for your help!"

"No problem at all." Sally smiled. "By the way, you have very nice costumes..."

"Thanks! What are you supposed to be? Some kind of gothic...rag doll...Princess? 'Cause of the tiara?"

"Um...yes! Yes, that's exactly it..." Sally said nervously, rubbing the back of her neck sheepishly.

"Cool! Like your dress. Where'd you buy it?"

"I made it, actually. I made both our outfits."

"Hey, awesome! I made his costume over here, too!"

Arnold was just blushing away, both from the 'bad boy' comment and from suddenly being slightly the center of attention thanks to everyone suddenly noticing his costume.

Jack just put a hand on Sally's shoulder, smiling at her. "Well, look, Sally, another little seamstress just like you."

"Really?" Sally looked at Arnold's costume again, seeing that it was quite nice and elaborate. "Wow! That's very good."

"Heh, you know..." Helga rubbed the back of her neck a bit. "It's a hobby! I had to make an outfit like one of our friends one time during a costume party. You know how it is! Well, back then I was nuts, and still am!" She brought her arm around Arnold's shoulder then, grinning. "But now he's all mine!"

"Awwww..." Sally giggled. "I see that."

Arnold was even more out of commission now than he had been before, his eyes about as wide as could be. "I-I..."

Jack was just doing his best not to laugh. "Yes, you two seem very happy together...and your friend seems like he's in good hands..."

"Good hands is right! Don't worry my poor, little Football-headed friend, you're in good hands!" Helga teased, and held him closer, grinning. "No one messes with him, or they'll have to go through me, and Ol' Betsy and the Five Avengers! Ooooh yeah, you don't mess with my man! They'll face my rage and wrath if they dare!"

Sally laughed a bit, blushing as she could relate to how Arnold was feeling. "Oh, then I'm sure no one would try to mess with him."

"Nope! Not with me around, they won't! I'll send them running for the hills!"

"Hmm..." Jack wrapped his arms around Sally from behind, "I feel the same way about my Sally..." He grinned at her and leaned his head on her shoulder. "Isn't that right, my spooky darling?" He winked at her, just feeling a compulsion for romanticness.

Sally blushed and giggled. "Y-Yes...you certainly are overprotective of me..."

"AHA!" Helga grinned, pointing at them. "So you're a couple! Haha! I knew it!"

"Oh dear. It seems our secret is revealed." Sally quipped. "Yes, we are a couple. And I take it you two are as well?"

"You betcha, raggy dolly! Been about three weeks! Heh...wow, it sure does feel good to say it."

Arnold blushed. "Yeah, it...it does..." He gently reached out and took Helga's hand loosely in his own.

Jack just smiled down at the happy young couple. "Well, it's a pleasure to meet you-we hope you two have a happy Halloween tonight."

"Thanks, you guys too! Ooh, and you know the Haunted House out in town...yeah, it's real lame! Not scary enough! Helloooo? Don't they put ANY effort into scaring anymore?" Helga rolled her eyes a bit, shaking her head. "Ooooh, but I'll bet you can make someone jump out of their pants!"

Sally had to laugh. "You have no idea how right you are, sweetie."

"Heh, really? Well, show me! Let's see!"

Jack blinked and then cleared his throat, removing his arms from Sally and taking a small step away. "Oh, I...I couldn't, really...heh..." He cleared his throat a touch bashfully, glancing off to the side.

"Hey, I can handle anything!" The blonde girl declared.

"Go on Jack, I think...it's good to scare young ones early, to get them used to it. And if anyone can show them that, you could, my love..." Sally said sweetly, inching closer toward him.

Jack gave a little shy gulp at Sally's words. "I...well, um..." He cleared his throat. "I..suppose...if it means that much to everyone...and my Miss Sally Finkelstein..." He chuckled a little again at that cute name she had come up with for herself.

"Thank you..." the little blonde boy smiled up at him. "We appreciate it."

"Definitely! So go on, knock our socks off!"

"Oooh...well, you two will be in for quite a treat."

Jack let out a sigh and cleared his throat. "Alright, you two, turn around please..." The kids did as he asked and then Jack turned to a smiling Sally and motioned for her to join them. "You too, please, my Sally...Might as well give myself at least some kind of challenge by scaring three instead of two...and one from our town, besides, who's used to this sort of thing." He winked at Sally.

"Ooh, all right." Sally giggled. "I suppose that's true."

"Wow, you take Halloween real serious, don't ya?" Helga grinned as the three of them turned around.

"Oh, yes. Where we come from, Halloween is a very important part of our culture." Sally nodded. "If not the most important aspect of our culture, you can say."

From behind them Jack just tried not to chuckle as he let them have their little chatter-it would be good for lulling themselves into a false sense of security anyway. Then he tiptoed a step or two away from them...then he adjusted his face into the most ghoulish look he could manage and decided to pounce right in the middle of them when the timing felt right...

Meanwhile, Sally and the kids were still giggling and making small talk. "Really, it's a...cultural thing for you?" asked the little boy politely. "I've never heard of a culture like that. Where did you say you were from anyway?"

While wondering what Jack had in mind to scare them with, Sally answered his question. "Well...um...farther from here. ...What is here, anyway?"

"Niagara Falls, doi! We're in Canada!"

"Can...a...duh?"

"Yep! Long story, my Dad had some business trip here and I brought Arnold here along for the ride. But yeah, hey! Where are you from if you take Halloween so seriously?"

"Um...well, as I said, it's far from here."

"Well for a last name like yours, it's gotta be!"

Well ,the real answer was that she didn't have one, it was just Sally. But it did make sense, using her creator's name, since he was always more like a father to her. "Yes, it is my real name. My cre-...father is a scientist, actually."

"With a name like that, I'm not surprised! Hey, where'd your boyfriend go?" Now Helga was glancing around, scratching her head.

Arnold blinked and glanced around. "Oh yeah...where is Mr. Jack?" The three glanced around a little bit but could only hear rushing water and the chatter of trick-or-treaters in the distance, and they could only see the falls and some lights around them.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!" Jack instantly bellowed as he suddenly burst upon the group, face contorted, eye sockets scowling, his whole form trembling with fright and fierceness!

"AAAAIIIIEEEEEEE!" Helga screamed, and jumped into Arnold's arms, who caught her, staring and shaking, wide-eyed.

"AAAIE!" Sally squealed in surprise, her eyes going wide. She grabbed the rail behind her, regaining herself. While she was used to it, and he had certainly demonstrated his scary faces to her for practice, but this was a full-blown treatment! "Oh my..."

"Wh-Wh-Whoa..." Arnold blinked several times, his face entirely pale with fright and his form trembling a little as he clung close to Helga.

Jack, fully satisfied with the fear he had obviously sent into all of them, straightened up and resumed his normal bright smile, putting his arms behind his back proudly. "How was that, everyone?" he did his best to ask humbly...though it couldn't help come out just a touch smugly, of course.

"That...that was...that was...WHOA!" Helga whistled, and then had Arnold let her down. "HOW did you DO that? That was AMAZING! Like some kind of special effect in a movie! WHOA! That was...AWESOME!"

"Yes...it was..." Sally panted a bit to regain her breathing. She looked at the children, giggling breathlessly. "I told you..."

"Boy did you ever! WOW! I'm going to have nightmares for weeks!"

"M-Me too..." Arnold trembled out, doing his best to regain himself quickly though...especially since he was right in front of his girlfriend.

Jack just beamed and nodded a little. "Thank you, thank you...I'm happy I could give you all a good fright." He winked at the children and then grinned at Sally. "And I'm especially happy I could even scare my spooky Sally once again in our lives." He chuckled a little.

Sally blushed and brought her hands behind her back. "You certainly succeeded, Jack... Very much so..."

"That was great!" Helga even clapped her hands a bit. "I wish I could do that! That's amazing! So hey, I bet you get it all the time, huh?"

"In a sense..." Sally giggled.

"W-Well, it...it was definitely scary, but...I-I could still handle it..." A blushing Arnold mumbled out, glancing at Helga and hoping he really hadn't come off as too 'chicken' after that.

Jack, sensing what might be troubling the young boy, nodded in agreement with him. "Oh of course, my little friend, and you didn't even jump...unlike your lady friend. You behaved very impressively." He winked at him.

A tiny appreciative smile came to Arnold's face. "Oh! Uh...thanks..."

"Hey, yeah! That's pretty good, Football Head!" Helga smirked, ruffling her love's hair. "You didn't even flinch! Not bad! ...Well, then again, you DID scare the entire city last Halloween! Remember?"

Intrigued, Sally stepped closer to them with an eager smile. "Oooh! What happened?"

"That's a great story! Let's see, he had all of us dress up as aliens, right? And he and his best friend pretended to be radio broadcasters, announcing that aliens landed in our city! I and some of our classmates from school had to dress up as aliens and walk around, all alien-like and go to the boarding house where he lives, since he wanted to scare his grandparents and the boarders living there, you know? Since they ALWAYS leave the kids out of their awesome Halloween activities!"

"Aww, Helga, it...it wasn't that impressive..." Arnold said shyly, yet still with a proud little grin.

"No, it sounds rather interesting..." Jack encouraged. "I always do enjoy a good Halloween prank. Everyone from our town does actually."

"They certainly do." Sally agreed, nodding, and turned back to the kids. "This is quite interesting."

"Don't be modest, Arnold! I'm serious! Anyway, so his little fake radio signal was caught on by a reporter, and before anyone knew it, everyone believed there was an alien invasion! One of our classmates was even up in the wooded area at the water tower, and we had Christmas lights decorated around it to look like some kind of an alien space ship! Eventually, the entire city was scared out of their wits and thought some kind of an alien invasion came! It worked WAY too well!" Helga laughed at the memory. "Then it caused a citywide black out! Yeah, yet another reason to believe it was all an invasion of aliens! Anyway, soon it was over and everything went back to normal. And hey, that's a good prank, if you ask me! And I'm the Queen of Pranks!"

Jack had to chuckle to himself as it occurred to him that back in Halloween Town right now, Shock was probably stopped in the middle of whatever she was doing at the moment, and 'sensing a disturbance in the force'...or rather, sensing a challenge to her title. "I agree, that sounds like quite an accomplishment! Congratulations on pulling it off so thoroughly!"

Arnold smiled more up at him. "Uh, thank you, Mr. Skellington."

Sally couldn't help but giggle, with the young boy reminding her that she too had once addressed him that way the first time they had met. "I have to agree, that's quite amazing, despite it was an accident."

"I know, right? Hey, who else is clever enough to give the Queen of Pranks, which is me, of course, a run for her money? Heh, he got me good on April Fool's Day, too!"

"April Fool's Day? What is that?"

"Wow, you don't know? Well, April Fool's Day is a silly little thing dedicated to pranking people all day! And when you succeed, you yell 'April Fools Day!' right in their faces."

Jack blinked, looking at them curiously. "April...Fools Day...? Hmm..." There was no holiday door for that...But perhaps they could celebrate anyway though one day...But then again...a brief set of images flashed into Jack's mind of what might happen to Halloween Town during a single day of actually encouraging Lock, Shock and Barrel to make mischief...It ended with Halloween Town as a crater, Jack and Sally, after a sleepover, waking up together only to find their bed somehow moved outside for everyone to see them waking up snuggled together, and finally Lock, Shock and Barrel laughing so hard that they passed out. 'M-Maybe not the best idea...heh...' He cleared his throat, moving right along. "A-Anyway, that sounds like an...interesting day..."

"Oh dear..." Sally had similar images enter her mind.

"Yeah, it's got its ups and downs. OH! I forgot!" Helga then held up her camera. "Can we get a picture with you guys? We've been shooting some neat Halloween stuff to show our friends when we go back home!"

"Ooooh! What is...this?" Sally took the camera, inspecting it. "I've never seen this thing before...It has a large eye..." She peered into it, pressing the lens into her eye. She pulled it back, poking the lens with her finger.

"What a fascinating contraption..." Jack took it with a smile, examining it as well with all of his natural curiosity. "What does it do?"

Arnold blinked, looking at them kind of funny. "It's a camera...It...takes pictures.." he explained simply and politely.

"Oooh! How does it do that?" Sally looked it over again, still very puzzled by it. "Oh! I know! There must be a little monster inside of it!"

"Yeah...it draws the picture really fast with the flash..." Helga snickered, looking toward Arnold, whispering. "What's up with these guys? They're so weird..."

"Helga..." Arnold whispered back, "They're just curious...Maybe they don't get out much."

Meanwhile, Jack was just smiling at Sally as they still examined the camera. "Hmm I'm not certain...maybe we can ask Dr. Finkelstein if he knows how to make one..."

"Ooh, good idea...we definitely should ask him." Sally agreed. "So...you two wanted a picture?"

"I'm serious! They act as if they have no idea about things!" Helga hissed. "Whatever." She cleared her throat. "Yeah, definitely!" She hailed a random passerby. "Hey, you, pal! Can you take our picture?"

"Sure." The man came over, taking the camera from them.

"All right then, come in the centre of us." Sally smiled and stepped aside so the kids could stand between them.

Jack took Sally's hand so he could hold it behind the kids. "Alright, are we all ready?"

"Sure, Mr. Skellington," Arnold smiled back at Jack and then looked to Helga. "Are...Are you ready, Helga?" He gently took her hand in his.

"You bet!" Helga grinned.

"I'm ready, too." Sally nodded, holding her free hand to her collar.

"All right...here we go!" Said the man, and snapped a picture of them, then one more. "Here you go." He gave the camera back to Helga.

"Thanks, bucko!" Helga took it back, replacing it around her neck.

"Oh dear...there's spots..." Sally was blinking her eyes over and over, not used to the flash. "I can barely see..."

Jack blinked a couple of times but actually the spots didn't affect him so much-probably something to do with just have eye sockets instead of actual eyes. As a result he took Sally gently by the shoulders, steadying her. "It's alright, Sally. I've got you." He chuckled a little.

"Thank you, Jack..." Sally smiled then, still blinking.

"Hey, thanks you guys! It was awesome meeting you!" Helga then said. "We have to go, otherwise my sister will send the police and RCMP after us!"

"Oh! Well, goodbye then, Arnold and Helga...Happy Halloween, and have unpleasant dreams." Sally smiled, and waved at them. "It was lovely meeting you both, of course."

"Yes, it was a pleasure. Happy Halloween to both of you." Jack winked at them and waved.

"Goodbye, Mr. Skellington. And thanks for everything!" A smiling Arnold waved back.

"Goodbye!" Sally waved as they treated.

"See ya!" Helga waved too, and then she and Arnold disappeared down the street.

"Oh my...they're certainly very interesting, nice kids..." Sally smiled, looking awed. "An adorable couple..."

Jack nodded. "Yes...It's nice that there are other spooky couples besides us...and it was fun to scare someone new." Jack smiled at her. "You should try scaring someone the next time around, Sally...It's the most thrilling thing ever!" He chuckled and then added, toying with one of her seams near the edge of her mouth. "Well...it's almost the most thrilling thing ever..." He winked at her.

"...What could be more thrilling?" Sally blinked, blushing a little at his gesture, genuinely curious. Oh, but she had some ideas of her own...

Jack's bashful look and grin grew... "Oh...you know...little things...just between you and me..." He twirled his fingertip extra gently into one particular seam right near the corner of her mouth.

"Ooh...well...I suppose that's true..." Sally giggled, beaming.

Jack chuckled as she giggled. "You're so cute, Sally...But really you shoud try scaring one day...I bet you could be just...tantalizingly terrifying if you tried..." He gave a little kiss to her cheek.

"I...I'll try..." Sally blushed a bit. "You've been a great teacher to me...I've learned so much so far..."

Jack chuckled a little. "You've learned a lot about a lot of things ever since we've been together..." he supplied with a bashful little grin.

"Yes, I have..." Sally couldn't help but embrace her beloved then. "Thank you..."

Jack trembled a little. "Oh no, no, no...I'm the one who should be thanking you...Believe me..." He winked at her, embracing her right back.

"Oh, but I have a lot to thank you for..." Sally insisted, nuzzling a little.

Low, goofy chuckle escaped Jack. "N-No...really, I...I'm just the P-Pumpkin King...A-And you're...well...just look at you..." He gazed at her adoringly.

"No...you're the Pumpkin King and I'm...I'm just a rag doll..." She giggled.

Jack shook his head, the goofy grin just consuming his face. "W-Well...you may be a living doll...but I certainly don't see any of the 'rag' part going on right now..." He gently traced a finger down from the top of her off-shoulder silk, black strap on one side of her dress all the way down the side of her body and off the curve of her hip, admiring all of that perfect, long silk she was clothed in.

"Ooh...well I..." Sally blushed and felt herself shiver at his gestures.

She was shivering again. WHY did she have to shiver? Her whole little body moving like that... It was one of his ultimate temptations with her. "Now, now..." he cooed sweetly, "No need to be modest or speechless...You can admit that you're at your most beautiful tonight-I won't tell if you do." He winked at her playfully.

"...I...I don't want to brag...but...I-I suppose I do...and I felt...wonderful being there alongside you..." She smiled then.

"And I felt more Kingly than I ever have with you beside me this year...But then again, anyone would feel like a King next to such an obvious future Queen..." He snuggled in close to her.

"...True...and I...did feel more like a Queen to your King..." Sally snuggled close as well, bringing her arms up to loop around his neck.

Jack gulped at her arms over his neck. He liked whenever she did that. "Sally, I...think Halloween's starting to 'affect' you the same way it 'affects' me...i-in regards to...romance..."

"I can't help it..." Sally giggled, bringing herself a bit closer. "It's Halloween...our holiday...and..." She looked out to the falls beside them. "...This is quite a spot."

"I...I'd almost forgotten about the falls...I just want to look at you..." Jack gugled out, not taking his eyes off of her. He gulped then. "S-Sally...I..." he hesitated in nervousness.

"Hmm? What is it?" She cocked her head lightly.

"I...wondered if...a-and we could always do it later when we're at home again but...I was sort of hoping you might...touch my skull ...just little..." He looked down bashfully.

"Oh! Sure...I'd be happy to." She beamed, nodding, and kissing his cheek. "We could wait until we get home...or...find a more private spot..."

Jack gulped. "If...If we could find a more private spot...th-that would be nice...u-unless you'd be uncomfortable at all...Then I'll wait. I'd wait forever for you, my Sally..." He smiled so very sincerely at her.

"We'll have to find an obscure alleyway, then..." Sally giggled, and let go, taking his hand. "Come on...let's walk around and see what we find."

"Lead and I shall follow, Princess of the Night..." he eagerly let himself be led along, trotting behind her with a grin.

"All right..." She giggled, squeezing his hand.

---

It wasn't long before they came to an alleyway right in the tourist destinations of the town, and managed to slip in without anyone noticing.

Sally blushingly looked around before bringing her hands behind her back ."Well... this seems like a nice spot... Um...that is...if you think so, too?"

"Anywhere's perfect with you, dearest midnight rose of death..." he cooed out with love.

"That's a new one..." She giggled, leaning back against the nearby wall. "It's dark...and I don't think anyone will see us here."

Jack gulped. "N-No, I...suppose they wouldn't..." He glanced to the side bashfully. "Oh Sally, I...really normally I wouldn't have asked until we were at home again but...I can't help it. Halloween does things to me..." He glanced back to her and shrugged.

"Well, it's beginning to affect me as well...you're not alone in that." Sally assured. "...Come on over here..." She motioned with her finger.

A big gulp went through him and his eye sockets widened...but then he managed a shy shuffle toward her.

With a reassuring smile, she first embraced her beloved to ease the shy tension around them, along with a few nuzzles. "We'll make the best of it...okay?"

"Mmm..." A little goofy moan escaped Jack. "O-Okay..." he sighed out dreamily. "Whatever you say, my princess..." He started to nuzzle her a little as well, allowing his eye sockets to start to close.

"I love you, Jack..." Sally whispered sweetly, and gently caressed his skull with her hands, moving slowly.

Jack's entire spine straightened and locked...and then slouched in love. "I-I...love...you too...S-S-S-Sally..." he gurgled out, barely able to do so... "Oh Sally..." he whispered gently, holding her.

Who would've thought, something that seemed so simple could be this effective? She was glad to have discovered this, and to have some kind of little love power over him like this! Not only did she feel happy to know she could make him smile and laugh and just seem to seep with joy, but to make him feel utterly relaxed and full of sweet pleasure? It was a wonderful feeling!

"Jack..." She cooed sweetly, still continuing her ministrations.

"S-Sally..." Jack barely whispered back, utterly melting under her touch at this point. Really, he was just waiting for some of his bones to start collapsing out of their sockets or for his head to pop off again or something...or for a proposal to bubble out of his mouth...though he had been having some ideas about that topic and had at least enough awareness to remember that now was not the best time for it...no, not just yet...

As she continued her ministrations, she brought their foreheads to lay against each other, closing her eyes a bit in bliss at the fact she made her beloved so happy now.

"Is there...anything else you want me to do?" She whispered.

"Mmm..." Jack couldn't help the small, soft squeak/moan that slowly escaped him. It was just...she was so...caring...Such a caring little love and lover...always just wanting to make him feel okay and happy and full of pleasure...All she cared about was him and his happiness...Who could ever ask for more? "I..." he whispered sweetly, barely able to keep his eye sockets open to look at her, "I...don't know...You already do so much...More than I could ever hope for...More than anything...I...I don't know what else I want you to do...Just stay with me and touch me and don't ever go...don't ever stop..."

"Oh my...the scariest time of the year and yet you feel absolutely romantic!" Sally marveled, unable to believe the turn of events, how just about ten minutes ago he had scared her and the kids so effortlessly, and now...a pile of adorable mush. To have this power over him was something! But, it was something to be harnessed in a good way. "I'll do anything you ask, and I won't let go...I promise." She said sweetly, giggling as she planted a little kiss on his cheek. "You've worked so hard...and you've done very well, you deserve a little reward..."

"Guh..." It escaped him in about as goofy a tone as possible and Jack seriously felt like he was going to collapse into a pile of warm bones...all at Sally's disposal. He chuckled. "I...I like rewards..." he replied shyly... "A-And thanks for...n-never letting go..." He allowed his eye sockets to drift shut and he just savored the feeling of her fingertips still against his kill. "O-Oh...c-can you...that, um...that low seam on the back near the base...c-can you touch that one...like last time?" he had to ask bashfully.

"Oh, here?" Sally moved one hand toward where he had told her to. Given his reaction, she had to have been spot on. "Oooh, I know how much you like this spot..." Her other hand moved along his brow, and she planted little kisses along his temple, adding a little more to her ministrations.

"Mmm hmm.." Jack barely got in a light tone before his eyes closed entirely and he started to tremble in bliss. Something about that deep little seam back there was just...so sensitive...It touched him to his very core whenever she touched there...It almost hurt, it felt so very...right... "Yes...Oh yes, my dear, dear...dear...Sally..." he all but purred out in pleasure at this point.

Hearing his purring tone, this made her feel a little devilish. "...Well...I'm glad it makes you feel good, my love...my Pumpkin King..." Sally purred in return, applying pressure to every place she touched, and more kisses.

"Mmm..." he squeaked/purred and before he could stop himself he fell up against the alley wall behind him, just needing its support so that he really wouldn't fall to the ground at her feet...bowing to his beautiful princess...begging her to become his queen... "I..." he managed breathily... "I..." He couldn't think of anything more to say...

"Oh dear..." Sally realized he was quite speechless, which always felt so odd for her to cause! She giggled, and continued her ministrations for a little while, not at all sure how long. All that mattered was gauging his reactions and responses, which just made her stuffing seem to flutter! How she loved making her beloved feel good, and special, and so happy. She wondered if he felt the same way she did any time he applied pleasuring pressure to her stitches, because if that was the case, it almost made her shiver! Now that he fell up against the wall, she took advantage and leaned up against him, their bodies aligning. Well, kind of!

"You don't have to say anything, Jack..." She whispered sweetly, nuzzling him now. "Just let me do all the work..."

"O-O-Oh...I...c-can't..." Finally Jack just gulped and whispered out warmly, literally shaking all over, "J-Just...g-gently, my Sally...f-for now at least..." he finally managed with a mixture of humbleness and eagerness...gazing at her with the utmost adoration.

"All right..." Sally slowed her movements a bit, nuzzling their cheeks, giggling. "Like this?"

Jack gulped. "Y-You can...go faster...a little...i-if you want..." he replied shyly...

"Like this?" Now she went a little bit faster, but kept it gentle still.

Jack gave a little nod. "Y-Yes, that's...purrfect..." He chuckled at the little purr he had added.

Sally laughed a bit at the silly half pun, shaking her head. "All right then, my...um...purrfect love..." She couldn't think of another word that had "per" in it to purr.

Jack chuckled warmly at her cute little pun. "O-Oh Sally..." he sighed under her touches... "I'm...going to have to do some very very nice things for you later to make up for you doing all of this for me now..."

"You don't have to, Jack... You asked me to do this and I was happy to. I don't expect anything in return." Sally assured, blushing as her movements slowed just a little from feeling a bit flustered all of a sudden.

Jack shook his 'writhing in pleasure' skull, grinning at her dreamilly. "No, no, no...You'll get as much in return as I can dream up in the throes of my love for you..I insist..." he finished with just a touch of something devilish in his smile.

Seeing that little touch of devilishness just made her shiver a bit. That was when he meant "business" and was going to all but follow through. She gulped, wondering what could possibly top what he usually did! "...Okay...i-if you say so..."

"Hmm..." Jack smiled more at her, "Don't be 'scared', my Sally...I'll just be doing my best to please you in every way I can...No need to fret, my darling..." He managed a little wink at her.

"I'm not scared..." Sally pouted a bit.

Jack just chuckled even more. "You're so adorable when you pout...Why must those perfect lips tempt me so?"

"I can't help it...they were made that way." Sally pouted a bit more.

"They were made to tempt me?" Jack couldn't help but ask, a touch of a smirk coming to his mouth and a touch of something glittering in his eye sockets.

Sally blushed and looked away. "You know what I mean..."

"How about you and those...enticing red lips of yours explain it to me...Just to make sure I really do know what you mean...?" He smirked a little more, his bones trembling.

Oh, the tables were turning...slowly the power and control were shifting! "Um...I meant to say..they just...came that way..." She said nervously.

"Ah..." Jack smiled more. "So...they came all ready and prepared to woo the first King they came near, did they...?" He did his best not to chuckle.

Sally blushed heavily and covered her mouth with her hands, turning away. "Nooooo. I-I didn't even realize anything like that before..."

Jack stepped away from the wall and toward her-he couldn't help it. She was like sweet Halloween candy to him...tempting him and especially on this night of the year. "Now, Sally, really...you didn't realize 'anything like that before'...ever? It never once occurred to you that you have a mouth perfect to charm kisses from the Pumpkin King?" He chuckled.

"N-N-No...I mean...this was back before we were...c-courting..." Sally backed away a step or two, feeling her face heat up. "I didn't think of it that way...um...but I guess I...h-hoped...they were...g-good enough...when I daydreamed...?"

"When you daydreamed?" Jack chuckled again, only approaching her more...He was utterly addicted to her in the strongest of ways right now and enjoying every minute of it. "Ah, so you didn't just daydream about loving me...you daydreamed about kissing me too..." He leaned in towards her. "And you 'hoped your lips were 'good enough' '...Oh Sally..." He could feel himself getting more and more worked up.

Sally was then backed against the other wall, and gulped a little, realizing what she just admitted. "...Yes...I-I did...But this was different! Back then you were still very much out of my league...and I...I wasn't even sure you saw me as anything more than a friend...daydreams were all I had to go on, and maybe my dreams. ...I um..." She blushed all the more. "Wondered if my...inexperience would be enough to prove my kiss wasn't good enough and maybe I was...nervous of that..." She must have sounded SO ridiculous right now. "...You can laugh if you want...I understand it's silly."

"It is...utterly...charming..." Jack merely purred out..." He moved forward to press against her, his smile growing, his breathing picking up. "Nervous about your inexperience...But you had to know that I'm inexperienced as well...I've never had another girl...hmm...excuse me, another woman...in my life...but you..."

Utterly trapped, and though still taken by this, giggled. "...That's true...I obviously never had another man in my life except you..." Sally blushed all the more and then brought her arms around his neck. "...Um...I guess we kind of...learned together, didn't we...?"

Little trembles went all through Jack as he smiled and nodded. "Yes, we...taught each other how to be lovers...and one day we'll teach each other how to be husband and wife together...We'll learn piece by piece...every inch of it all..." His arms were around her waist, hugging her in snugly.

Melting a bit from his words, and their sweet little embrace, Sally sighed dreamily and nuzzled his cheek. "You're absolutely right...and I'm...more than happy to learn what you have to teach me...as I love to teach you..."

Jack gulped, something in his smirk growing a little bashful... "I'll...teach you everything I can...as gently and perfectly as I can manage...A-And anything you might end up teaching me...I-It'll be a very welcome little surprise...I'm certain I'll just about fall apart, bone by bone, from anything like that..." He nuzzled his body a little closer to hers.

Blushing, Sally smiled shakily as the emotions overtook her all the more. "And I'm certain I'll burst at the seams and fall apart... But as I said...I'll help put you back together..."

"Oh don't burst at the seams too much, my sweetest Miss Sally..." Jack sighed out airily, "I-I'm not sure if I could bear the blissful experience of having to sew back together...every inch of you..." He barely knew what he was saying anymore-all he knew was that it was Halloween and for the first time he had a Pumpkin Princess! And he desired her in every way imaginable...

"Oh, Jack...If that were possible, I would have split my stitches the first time we kissed." Sally giggled, tightening her hold a little as she finally looked right up at him.

"Mmm..." Another one of those soft moan/squeaks escaped Jack. He was so close to utterly losing it. "W-W-Well...if you didn't do it the first time we kissed...p-perhaps...even if it would be so very much for me...perhaps one day...on one very special night...I really wouldn't mind splitting your perfect little stitches with pleasure...And I truly would sew you back together...even if it took all night..." He popped his lips forward and gave hers a tiny, brief kiss.

Despite the shortness, it did still send a happy shiver coursing up Sally's spine and she looked no less than a happy, dreamy woman in love. "Awwww...you're so sweet, and so good to me, Jack..."

Jack's smile picked up even more and he chuckled low a tiny bit. "Oh Sally...you have no idea how good I'll be to you...for the rest of forever...Sweet Princess...Sweet Queen of Halloween..." And suddenly he was lost in peppering her face with slow, loving little kisses, anywhere he could find to put them.

"Oooh...I..um..." Sally melted against him quite a bit as she felt happy shivers course her body with his sweet gestures. "I'll do the same, of course, my love..."

"I know..." he cooed... "I know...just...Oh Sally...your skin is so soft..." He smiled to himself as his little kisses all over her face continued.

While not sure how to respond to that, since she couldn't help it, Sally smiled all the more and giggled. "Thank you..."

"You're welcome...A-And really it..." he placed more cute kisses on her cheeks and face, "I don't know...where the cloth for your skin...came from, but...It's softer than anything...I've ever touched...ever..." He snuggled in close to her, just...utterly in love.

"I don't even know, either..." Sally shuddered a bit, melting against him happily. "And I'm made of it...but I'm happy you like its feel."

Jack just chuckled a little and kept kissing here and there, focusing on her seams...sometimes even almost nibbling at one or two...but then finally after another minute or two of all of this pleasure he managed to stop himself and to pull back a little, just to look at her. "Sally..." he cooed sweetly, "Sally, I...not that I...want to stop but...we really are still out in public...and so far away from home...Perhaps we should finish our adventure here...and then we can...well...you know... when we're back in private again...Hmm?" He smiled and gazed into her eyes.

"...That's true..." Sally agreed, and managed to pull back, letting go. "Hee hee...once we're in private...sure..." She giggled coyly. "Um...speaking of which...I wondered...if maybe...um..."

"Name it, Sally...Just name it and whatever it is you desire, it's yours..."Jack assured her suavely, bringing his arms behind his back...

"Oh...well..." Sally felt herself swoon a bit at his suave tone. "...If we could...um...h-have a...s-sleepover...since it's Halloween! A special occasion...b-but we don't have to d-do anything and I won't wear one those...um...shorter gowns...but..." She looked down at the ground sheepishly. "Moreover I just...want to fall asleep and wake up next to you... But if you'd rather not tonight, I'll understand, and I won't be offended, I promise!"

"S-Sally..." Jack looked at her in utter surprise! Just utter, utter, utter surprise, unable to come up with more words for a moment as he eyed her in, well...surprise.

"...Too much?" Sally looked worried, and utterly insecure. "I'm sorry! Forget I said anything...it's okay, I know we shouldn't make a habit out of it, I know, I know...we should wait until we're married... But I can't help it. The more we do that, the more I want to...but oh, what am I saying...I'm sorry. That's what I meant about making it a habit, becoming too used to it and then just going against what we had before that worked just fine...I'm so sorry. Please forget it." She looked down yet again, hugging herself in embarrassment.

Jack blinked, even more surprise overtaking him at this point, if that were possible. "Sally..." he spoke softly and then he gently placed two fingertips underneath her chin and lifted up her face so that her eyes met his. Then he smiled at her with all the warmth in the world. "My darling..." he explained sweetly, "It's never 'too much'...I'm sorry, I forget sometimes...you're so very prone to being too harsh on yourself, my sweet love. But I wasn't surprised because I was 'angry' with you for suggesting another...little nightly adventure between us...I was just surprised that...you would even feel the need to ask so formally. All you ever have to do is let me know that you want to and we can, Sally...A-At least, I...I hope we're that close that...neither one of us has to worry about rejection like that except in the case of an emergency or something serious...I'll always want to sleep near my Sally...She's my comfort...both when I'm awake and when I'm asleep. So of course we can have a sleepover tonight, my Miss Sally...I would love that...and when I wake up with you in my arms it will officially have been the best Halloween ever... But I'm sorry I let you get upset just now over a misunderstanding-I should have explained my surprise better...So please feel better about this, my Sally...Please..." He smiled at her with all the tenderness and love he had.

A warm, happy feeling coursed through her as she was yet again reassured of an insecure misunderstanding. Moreover, she was just touched at how patient he was with her about it. He was never patronizing, snide nor rude about it, and it helped her to realize that it was all right, that it was just something she had to overcome more and more, and he'd be right there to help. Smiling happily, she came closer and offered a sweet kiss in gratitude. "Thank you, Jack... I suppose I should have let you explain yourself before...well, jumping to conclusions. But..all right then, we'll do that..." She blushed, and then took his hand as she led the way out of the alley.

Jack all but beamed, so very happy to see her feeling better. He nodded as she led him from the alley. "Alright then...That sounds lovely, my darling. We'll have a nice cozy Halloween sleepover...A-And if you have any Halloween nightmares that are too scary...you can always cuddle with me and...I'll do what I can to make them disappear..." he added bashfully.

Sally giggled, slowing in her walking so they could walk side-by-side. "That would be lovely, Jack..." She beamed at the thought of that. Any other time she had a nightmare that was of not of the good kind, she'd either just suck it up and go back to sleep, lay awake for awhile, or sometimes would run to his room sometimes in frightened tears. Oh, but to wake up from one already in his loving embrace within his bed? ...She liked the sound of that.

"I'm happy you think so, my Sally...After all, one of my most enjoyable things in my existence is feeling like I give you comfort...safety...peace...I want to give you everything I can to show my love to you." He smiled at her, gently taking her hand as they continued on up the street.

"And I want to give you everything I can to show my love for you..." Said a very touched and swooning Sally, squeezing his hand affectionately.

"Hmm, I...think you've alreayd succeeded in that, Sally...But the efforts are always appreciated, of course." He glanced to her and winked at her.

"You did, too..." Sally giggled, smiling coyly as they walked along the street amidst other costumed people, nearing a central area in the city.

"Here, take this! We don't want 'em! Happy Halloween and stuff!" A couple of people suddenly shoved a paper bag with a big yellow M on it into Sally's hands, and then hurried off.

"Um...!" Sally tried to stop them to ask what this was, but had no luck. "...Why did they give me this?" Whatever it was, the bag was hot, and kind of greasy. "Hmm..." She peered into it, and pulled out something round but flat wrapped in some kind of plastic. "...What...is...this?" She turned it over, squeezing it, and then sniffing it. "...It smells funny."

Jack blinked at the objects. "I...don't know...Perhaps some strange human Halloween candy?" he suggested curiously, that being the first guess to come to his mind.

"I don't think so..." Sally stared at it, and handed the bag over for him to hold. "It doesn't smell like candy, not like any of the candy I've seen here so far. Hmm..." She unwrapped it, revealing two round pieces of fresh bread, with a dark piece of what she could only guess was meat, green, long squiggly, yellow, and other strange fresh foods stuffed between them. "...This looks like a sandwich...but it doesn't...it's fresh...and it's warm..." She sniffed it again. "...It smells odd." Unable to help herself, she grasped it in both hands, and took a bite of it, chewing thoughtfully. "...Mmm...mm..." She swallowed it. "...Oh my...that's...actually kind of good. A very interesting combination of flavours."

Jack couldn't help but blink and look at her in concern. "Sally...are you sure it's safe to eat that...? I...I don't want you to get sick..." He couldn't help but look at her with a touch of his natural overprotective concern.

"This is good..." Sally said, actually ignoring his warning! She took a few more bites. "Mmm...I think I like it..." After a few more careful bites, and then a few more, she finished it, and now had sauce all over her mouth. "I never though that fresh food could be so good. ...I'm sorry, did you say something?" She blinked at him now, looking messy.

Jack was torn between a desire to gently rebuke her once more for her impulsiveness in regards to something this strange...and the small urge to smile and chuckle at how cute she looked all a mess like that. He settled on sighing and approaching her with a smile, though only a small one, and pulling a napkin or two from his jacket pocket and gently dabbing at her face to clean her up. "Sally, darling...I'm happy you liked it and that you seem to be okay from it but in the future, just in case, please try to wait and consider first...at least for my sake? I just never want anything bad to happen to you or to make you sick, alright?" He looked down at her lovingly, now finished cleaning her up.

"All right...I'm sorry, it was so good I had to finish it..." Now she smiled sheepishly. "...And thank you for that...did I spill it on myself?"

"Just a little..." Jack smiled more. "Honestly, though, it was more adorable than anything else. It was almost a shame to clean you up." He winked at her.

"Oh. Um...really?...It's just spilled food..." She brought her hands behind her back, smiling sheepishly and glad she didn't spill any on her dress.

"It's still cute..." Jack couldn't help but admit, "But I suppose I'm biased...I find pretty much every move you make absolutely adorable after all..." He couldn't help his warm smile growing a bit.

"I suppose I'm guilty of that as well." Sally giggled, and then heard a commotion further up ahead, and looked to see a huge crowd of people gathered around at the end of the street. "Ooooh, what's going on over there? Should we go see?"

Jack smiled and nodded. "Of course, let's go! After all the night is still young..." He winked at her and took her hand to walk farther up the street with her.

"...Nights can get old?" Sally blinked, not quite getting the figure of speech.

Jack blinked as well at first...and then he just grinned at her and shook his head a little and did his best not to chuckle. "Honestly, Sally, I'm going to start thinking that you say delightful things like that on purpose just to intrigue me further in regards to you..." He leaned over and gave her a little kiss on the cheek, and then explained sweetly. "I meant that's it's still early...and so we still have plenty of time to explore during the rest of our little real world adventure."

"...Well, maybe I do...but...I suppose I don't know some of these things and can't help but ask, nevertheless." Sally admitted, looking away shyly. "Thank you for explaining it to me..."

"You are very welcome, my young little Princess of the night..." Jack replied with his normal natural charm and suaveness and even with a small bow. "I am always happy to oblige the fair Miss Sally..."

Sally giggled, shaking her head. "Thank you, Jack..."

They approached the crowd, and could see they were gathered around several picnic tables. Some other people were seated at them, and were carving pumpkins!

All kinds of designs and sizes, some were big and scary, others were...quite tame-looking. By the looks of it, it was a contest.

"Oooohhh! A pumpkin carving contest!"

Jack's eye sockets lit up just as Sally's eyes did: now here was something they could very much relate to! Such a perfect homage to their home and traditions! Not to mention who could think of a better Halloween date outing than something like this! "It's...splendid, Sally..." Jack had to agree with a touch of awe. "I'm happy we stumbled on to this." He smiled at her.

"Oh I know, how amazing that they're carving pumpkins like this!" Sally marveled, awed by the sight. She then picked one up that was on display, marveling it. "Oooh! This one looks just like me, Jack!" She held it next to her face for comparison. It had big wide, curious-looking eyes along with a stitched mouth curved in a sweet smile.

"Aw, that's sweet, Sally...Hmm...I never thought about carving a Jack-O-Lantern with your face in it. Maybe that's something to consider for decorations for next Halloween..." His smile grew a little.

"Awwww..." Sally giggled and placed it back down. She then picked up a scarier one, and stared at it. "Ooooh, how gruesome!" She then saw a prop, but still real-looking one sitting on the ground, and got an idea. "Jack...can I try?"

At his questioning look, she held the pumpkin in one hand, holding it up, and then placed her other hand on her hip. Then mounted her foot onto the prop pumpkin on the ground, and therefore, imitated his trademark "Pumpkin King" image. She even grinned devilishly!

Jack just blinked at first, tilting his head to the side at the sight of her like this. Then he let out a sigh and half grinned and rolled his eyes to the side. "You could look even better like that in a cute little Sandy Claws dress, you know, Miss 'Pumpkin Queen'..." he observed with just a touch of playful sarcasm

Sally giggled, and broke out of the pose. "Goodness, I can't look intimidating or scary, can I?" She pouted a bit at this.

Jack gave a little sigh, his smile only growing. "You're... macabre, yes, but...I just find you so charming and beautiful and graceful that it's rather hard for me to be acutally frightened of you, my Sally..." He moved close to her, taking her hand and looking at her sincerely. "I'm sorry, Sally, I wish it was different. I know it's important for you to be scary just like it's important for everyone else in Halloween Town, but...I...I'm afraid I might be too blinded by love at this point. But you'll always be my spooky princess of course, my sweetest Sally..." He gently leaned in and kissed the back of her hand.

Sally smiled a bit more, and placed the other piece down where she had found it. Her smile was slightly forced, however, as she realized yet again how NOT scary she was. Sure, she looked spooky and macabre, but horrific and terrifying? Forget it. She was just a pretty doll. Anytime she tried to make a scary face, people found it adorable and amusing. She wasn't easily angered nor did she have a short fuse temper, and she rarely if ever raised her voice.

'It's hopeless, I'll never be scary. I love Jack so much...and I want to be with him...even if he weren't the Pumpkin King... But I will never be a true Halloween Queen...only by status.' She bit her lip and sighed, not quite realizing that her disappointment was now shining through.

ack finished kissing the back of her hand and brought his eye sockets back up to her eyes with a smile, ready to see her smiling face...however not only did her little pout remain but...it didn't even seem playful anymore. She didn't seem happy at all as a matter of fact. He blinked and looked at her curiously. "Sally...are you...alright?" he asked with a touch of concern.

"Oh?" Sally blinked, snapping out of her thoughts. "Oh, yes. I'm fine." She smiled a bit. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Jack's head tilted more to the side. "I don't know...it's just...you don't look fine...You look like you're thinking of something."

"Oh, well...I suppose I am." Now she looked away, rubbing the spidery fabric of her sleeves nervously. "It's nothing though, don't worry about it."

Now a small pout came to Jack's face, and without him even realizing it. He stepped closer to her and did his best to catch her eyes with his eye sockets. "I...But I can't help but worry about it, Sally...especially if you're being bothered by something." He swallowed and looked down with a touch of hurt that he tried to hide. "But if you don't want to share right now, of course I'll respect that. I always want whatever makes my Sally feel the most comfortable." He managed to smile a little bit at this, looking back up to her eyes.

A look of surprise came to her face, that then melted into guilt. She could see, and even sense that he felt hurt at all of this, and was worried. Oh, who was she kidding? Sally knew all too well by now that she couldn't hide anything from her beloved. He knew her best, and far too well. "Jack...I feel really-"

"COMING THROUGH!"

"OUTTA MY WAY!"

"WOHOO!"

"GOTTA SEE THIS AWESOMENESS!"

Before Sally could finish, not only did far more people come into the crowd, but others already within the crowd were making their way around them! Soon Sally felt herself pulled back, shoved aside, and pushed along a huge hoard of people.

"Jack! Jack!" She squealed, scared.

"Sally!" Alright, Jack had gone from zero to full blown panic. He was terrified, uttelry terrified! His Sally-he wasn't with him and...and...HIS SALLY WASN'T WITH HIM! Need he say more? "Sally! Sally!" he called out in his most firm, most commanding, most worried voice, slinking in and out of people, but there were so many of them and he just couldn't see her! "Sally!" He almost couldn't bear it! Where was she?

"Jack! Jack!" Sally cried as loud as she could, hoping he would hear her amidst the crowd. Oh, but so many people taller than she was were crowding around her! Why did she have to feel so short sometimes? "JAAAACK!"

"Quit yelling, gothy!"

"Shaddup!"

"Sorry..." Sally tried to slink away from the crowd to find a spot that could provide moveable space.

"Sally...Sally...Sally...Sally!" Jack just couldn't believe...No this couldn't be happening! She...She...Oh this had been one of his many fears about taking her here but he certainly hadn't thought it would come true! He had lost her...HE HAD LOST HER! He almost couldn't bear it! He moved through people as quickly as he could but she wasn't there and the people were blending into each other in the darkness more and more! He was ready to all but fall apart! He couldn't bear it!

Sally could remember Flower Heart's advice about venturing in the real world, which was to stick together. And now they were lost. She had been right...getting lost was pretty nasty business.

The crowd continued on for blocks and blocks around corners, until finally Sally broke away at the end of the line. She sighed in relief...only to find that Jack was still nowhere to be seen. Where was she, anyway? She had not been able to see where she had been going, or how far she had gone, or even which direction!

"Oh no..." Sally now walked along the street, trying all she could to find him, and away from the crowd, hoping maybe he'd make his way out, too. "Jack! Jack, where are you? Jaaaaacck!"

She quieted right down then, realizing another one of Flower Hearts warnings:

"If you DO get lost in the real world, here's what you have to do. One, go to the designated meeting point and WAIT there. The best thing to do when you're lost is to remain where you are until help comes, I've learned. Second, and this goes if you lost a child in your care, do NOT start screaming for them or somehow broadcasting that they are lost. That will make them targets for predators. This applies same to you. If a woman is lost, alone, in a big city, that makes them a target. So don't start screaming for each other. Just calmly and quietly look for each other."

"Oh...but where do I look?"

And on top of that, she wished they HAD designated a good meeting point.

Meanwhile, Jack was falling apart. He was trying to keep calm enough to still keep searching for her but mostly he was ready to pass out in fear and worry and anxiety! His beautiful Sally...his beautiful Pumpkin Princess...he had LOST HER, LOST HER, LOST HER!

He had been irresponsible and a failure and what kind of King lost his future Queen anyway? How would he find her? What would he do if he had to go back to Halloween Town and get help...How could he tell them all how stupid he had been...How could he tell Dr. Finkelstein? Sallly was all but his daughter now...She had even used his surname as her maiden name tonight on an impulse-Sally Finkelstein. How could he tell him that he had lost her?

Jack kept looking and looking and looking, doing his best not to attract too much attention and just wanting to find Sally and never let her go and head back to their safe little home with her...together...forever...meant to be... He searched more and more, finally breaking from the main crowd to search the outskirts of it.

Going back to Halloween Town seemed like a good option, but she instantly veto'd it. After all, what kind of example would she be setting? She got herself lost, and also lost Jack on top of that! If she showed up alone, it would be blasphemous, that she would be wasting time going back there when she could back here trying to find their King. Not only that, but she felt scared, and alone. What if they would never find each other? What if he would go back to town, giving up?

No. Jack would NEVER give up on me like that. She scolded herself.

But where to find him?

---

~An hour and a half or so later~

Sally eventually found herself in the cemetery they had come in (thanks to her finding a map), and decided to wait here. Maybe, just maybe, he would think to come here to look for her? She waited near the gate, anxious and nervous, hoping he would find her there.

A group of men, fairly young, were then walking by her, all dressed in colourful outfits with numbers and names on them. She tried to look away from them, but they took notice to her.

"Heeeeyyy..." One of them slurred, chuckling. "What have we here?"

"Looks like some kinda gothic rag doll costume..." Chuckled another.

"You lost little Princess?"

Sally's eyes widened as she stared at them. "I...I'm just...waiting for my boyfriend."

"Ohhh, a boyfriend, huh?" One of them laughed, looking at the others. "Well what kind of boyfriend leaves a little dish like you unattended? Doesn't sound like a 'gentleman', does he, fellas?" He elbowed his friends who nodded.

"Yeah," one of them added with a grin, eyeing Sally, "A pretty little thing like you all alone out here? You could definitely get hurt-don't worry though, we don't mind keeping you company..." He smirked and then slid up close to her.

Sally stepped away, and her eyes narrowed. She was used to being ridiculed and talked down to, but no one, EVER spoke about Jack that way. "Now you listen here. We were separated by accident. It was not his fault. You shouldn't make assumptions about something you do not know."

The boys all laughed, nudging each other.

"Look at that, the little Princess thinks she's all tough!" One of them laughed.

"Poor wittle Pwincess! She's all scared and alone!"

One of them then suddenly snatched the tiara off her head, shocking her. No. They didn't! Not the precious gift from Jack...which he had had made for her...all out of love.

"Give it back!" Sally cried desperately, reaching for it, but the obnoxious boy held it out of her reach. "Please! Please, give it back!"

"Hey, guys, keep away!" One of them announced laughingly and suddenly the boys were tossing it back and forth to each other over Sally's head in a circle surrounding her, laughing and smirking to each other!

"Hey, maybe we'll give it back..." one of them suddenly suggested with an extra smirk as their 'game' continued, "...for a little kiss..." He laughed, looking to his friends.

Sally's eyes widened. "No! No!"

"Hey, not a bad idea..." One of the boys smirked. "I think a nice kiss from such a lovely lady like you will be in order."

"No! I will not!" Sally cried, reaching for the tiara again, but to no avail.

"Aww, why? 'Cause you got a boyfriend? Peh! Like we care!" "He can come with and watch!"

"I-I'm serious! If he finds you all here...you'll be lucky if you manage to make it out of here without having nightmares!" Sally managed, trying to sound as tough as she could.

"Hahahaha!"

"What a joke!"

Out of options, she decided to try. To intimidate them and scare them. She was from Halloween Town, after all! She had to have been able to scare them SOMEHOW! This was what the denizens of the town did! Was she really that different?

None the less, she decided to try it.

"I-I'm warning you!" She managed, and they only laughed again. "Raarr rraaaaarrr rrraaaaarr!" Now she attempted making scary faces, as well as snarling, growling noises, and now giving them her angriest eyes.

The boys all just laughed. "That was it? Come on, do it again!"

"Aw, come on, she's just being fiery...That's always kind of hot in a chick!" one of them suggested, moving closer to her with a grin. "But come on, there's no need to play hard to get-why don't you just come with us and we'll pick up a few more girls and then we'll show you a night on the town, huh?" He was right beside her now and winking right into her face and before she could reply he had her arm by the wrist and was lifting up her hand...and looking like he was about to kiss it!

"N-No! Let me go!" Sally cried, trying to yank her arm away. She considered undoing her stitches so that she would be free, but decided against that. She was in the real world, and this would likely cause unwanted attention. And she also feared they would make off with it and she would never see it again.

"Heh heh, don't think so, little Princess!"

"Let's take her to the club, guys!"

"Yeah! Oh but I don't think she's been very nice..." the one of them holding her tiara smirked and prepared to toss it to the one of his friends not currently holding on to Sally, "...I think she should have to give each of us that little kiss to get her tiara back first...Then she can come with us." He was in the process of throwing the tiara forward as he continued speaking, "I call the first dance with her! She's cute...in a gothic sort of way."

The tiara flew forward.

"And that dress certainly doesn't leave much to the imagina-Hp!" The guy stopped talking...stopped moving...stopped blinking, breathing...

This was because something was gripping him by the throwing arm with such iron strength that the pain arrested everything inside of him and made him feel almost sick. In addition, the tiara had stopped in mid air...though from a lighter grasp, considering how delicate of an item it was. It then returned into Sally's hands...

The other two boys stopped everything as well and were just...staring...And then the third boy with his arm in the vice grip managed to turn his gaze to whatever had him too...

All three of them caught sight of the angriest looking skeleton ever seen.

"How dare you treat my love so shamefully..." hissed out of Jack's throat in the coldest tone he had possibly ever spoken in.

Sally's eyes went wide, not only at the sudden appearance of Jack, the relief of being saved, but also at just how angered he was. It yet again reminded her of his encounter with Oogie Boogie. In fact, right now he actually seemed a lot angrier...only dangerously calm, which added to the intimidation. She gulped a bit, just feeling the ferocious, feral anger.

"Uh...heh heh heh...th-this is your girl?" One boy said nervously.

"Yeah uh...we were just keeping her company!"

"A-A-And playing around! Yeah! Right guys?'

Jack's gaze shot over to the other two as they spoke, and his eye sockets went wide for a second...before narrowing once more...even more so if that was possible. He pushed the other boy's arm out of his grasp and stepped right in front the young man closest to Sally...looking down at him with a seething anger boring down upon him. "Do not...TOUCH...her...!" The command was almost boomed get had a guttural quality as Jack's gaze all but bore holes into the sight of someone else's hands upon any piece of his Sally.

Shaking in fear, the closest boy released her arm, chuckling nervously.

"Heh heh heh...okay, we won't...heh heh...n-no hard feelings, right?"

"Yeah...we uh...we're just...gonna go now..."

Sally meanwhile gulped silently and just stood back, saying nothing.

Unfortunately, that was when one of the boys decided to get tough. Oh yes, things were going to look pretty bad with this happening.

For HIM!

"Hey, what's the big idea? Why do you stupid big meatheads always spoiling and ruining our fun! You got some nerve, going and leaving her all alone in the middle of the street and then get all mad at us, when we could have protected her from police pigs! But no, you gotta come be all big and heroic! Well I got news for you pal, I'm not standing for it!" He poked Jack in the ribs with every word spoken. "We got things to do and YOU weren't INVITED!"

Sally's eyes went wide. She knew, even before he opened his mouth, that there was going to be trouble.

Alright...on top of everything else, the LAST thing Jack needed was a reminder about his guilt about losing Sally in the first place...He decided to end things. Now.

Suddenly, before the three boys knew it they had been scooped up by their shoulders and were suddenly pressed up against the back of a large tombstone, Jack's darkly scowling eye sockets staring them down and keeping them silent. He spoke with more seriousness and command than he had had to do in quite a long while in his life. "Unless the three of you want to spend the rest of your pathetically brief human lives slaving away in a pumpkin patch digging out pumpkin guts you will apologize to the lady for your impertinence..and then you will leave and never bother her or I any longer...Do I make myself clear?"

The three gulped, now utterly terrified. Even more than if he had threatened to kill them.

"Heh heh...s-sorry, red..."

"No hard feelings...sorry!"

"We'll uh...be going! Sorry!"

For just a moment Jack forced them even more against the large tombstone, glaring at them. "Good..." he said in a tone so chilling it sent shivers up their spines, "Oh...and more more thing..."

Suddenly the pressure on their collars was released and the three fell to their knees on the ground, looking up at him in fright. Jack scowled down at them and then suddenly reached up and popped his skull off of his neck, then held it out to the side and said to them in his lowest, deepest voice and in a forceful tone, "Happy Halloween!"

The three boys instantly turned ghostly pale and scrambled away, screaming and screaming and screaming as they ran off!

The minute that the mean morons were gone, running for the hills screaming, and Jack has his skull popped back onto his neck, that was when Sally stood back from where she had been leaning against the iron fence. She rushed over to her beloved and threw her arms around him, holding tightly and burrowing her face into his chest, shaking a bit.

"Oh, Jack...I'm so sorry..."

Sally's sudden gestures and words were instantly reciprocated by Jack hugging her back more tightly than he had ever hugged her in her entire life. "S-Sally..." he whispered, "..Sally, don't...don't terrify me like that...Where did you go...What did they do to you...Don't...Don't ever let me lose you again...Please. I can't bear it. I'm lost without you, Sally..." As the last words left him he all but sounded like he was crying as he just held her close, pressing against her in every way possible just for the reality of it all...She was real and here and with him again. He barely felt worthy of it all.

Her own grip tightened as she trembled, sniffling a bit. "I'm sorry...I'm so sorry... I didn't mean to...the crowd was so big and forceful... Oh, what kind of future leader am I if I am so intimidated and lost from crowds...and worrying you so much...I'm sorry..."

"Stop it, please stop it!" he practically gasped, squeezing her! "Why must you blame yourself for things I do...? Things I cause! Christmas and this...I offered to bring you here and it was your first time and it was an accident but I lost you...and if anything had happened to you I could never have forgiven myself. So please stop it...It hurts me so much to hear you say such thing...when everything was all my responsibility...and so all my fault..." His breathing was jagged and shallow as he held her.

"No...it was an accident...we were both careless when we were separated...please don't blame yourself. We're...we're together now, aren't we? Please don't be sad..." Her grip tightened, if possible, to an equally desperate squeeze. "I'm so sorry I worried you."

Jack just shook his head, still hugging her. "You didn't worry me...I worried myself by losing track of you and being unable to get back to you until now...And besides, my 'worry' is nothing compared with what I almost let happen to you here...Oh Sally.." and suddenly he was peppering her face in tender kisses, "Sally, how dare they tease you and touch you and take your tiara...Sally, I'll never let anyone do those things to you ever again...Sally, forgive me...Please...forgive...me..." The frequency of his grateful kisses increased.

Unable to help herself, since his sweet words and sweet tender kisses to her face were just enough to make her melt, she sighed dreamily and let out little coos. "Oh...there's nothing to forgive, Jack...it's all right...but if it makes you feel better, I do forgive you. I love you...and what happened...was just an accident. But I am glad you found me. ...How did you know I was here?" She couldn't help but ask.

Jack's kisses finally tapered off a little and he let out a breath and looked at her, his countenance still plagued with concern. "I just...thought about where I might go...if I were lost...And this is the most comforting and similar to Haloween place there is...And also I just...felt like you might be here...You're another piece of me, Sally. I couldn't help but have a feeling about where you might be. I just wish I had been earlier!" He held her close again, unable to help it.

"Oh..." She considered this, seeing that it did make sense. After all, that was part of why she had come here, too. "I see what you're saying...I understand, I feel the same way...and it was why I came here. I was trying to find my way here. ...I was on this...moving big box thing...called a bus...and I saw the graveyard here, and stopped it, and came to wait...thinking you might be here...or would come here...all things considered."

Jack let out a sigh of relief. "You're so smart, Sally...so smart and clever...and I'm so grateful for it. You went to the exactly right place...e-even if those...m-men were here too..." He squeezed against her a little more tightly, both out of his innate compulsion to protect her and also out of some frustration with the idea of what he had indeed just walked in upon between his Sally and those three cowardly creatures.

"Oh...I couldn't even scare them." Now Sally felt perturbed all over again, exactly how she'd been feeling before they were separated. "...I tried, but they laughed at me. ...What kind of Halloween Queen am I if I can't even scare a few mean guys who threaten me?"

Jack blinked, his eye sockets going wide and instantly he pulled back from her a little to look right at her. "Sally...Oh Sally who cares if you're scary? I don't care about that at all! And you have a thousand more important qualities for being the Pumpkin Queen! And besides, you'll always have me there to take care of things like this from now on anyway. I don't need you to be scary, Sally, I just need you to be safe." He just looked at her, breathing a little heavily after all of that.

"I know...but...it makes me feel vulnerable..." She looked down in shame. "I felt so helpless and scared... You handled it so wonderfully, flawlessly...and I was a coward. A scared little girl."

Jack just shook his head emphatically, more and more worry coming to his face. "No, no...You tried and that was very brave! It's not your fault that you...well...that you're...so pretty and kind and full of love...It's just how you are and it's natural that people might not find that terrifying. I just...I'm only scary because I...I...oh, I don't know, Sally, I'm a skeleton but you seem to find that handsome so I guess that's only a small part of it-being frightening is just something I've always had a natural talent at! I can't help it! I tried to suppress it once before and we ended up with me and you and Sandy Claws nearly being destroyed and the entire human world thrown in to chaos. It's just part of who I am and I have to accept that. But that doesn't mean you have to be scary like that too! Even if you never scared anybody for the rest of forever...you've done so much more and for so many people, including me... I don't care if I have a scary Queen-I just want her to love me as I love her, and then nothing else matters to me, okay?" He looked into her eyes with more sincerity than he ever had before, almost hysterical at this point with his emotional delivery of all of these words.

Well, that much was true. He did indeed have a natural talent at looking terrifying at just about any given moment, practically at the drop of a hat! And that was just part of how he was, right? ...Maybe she was just the opposite. Ghoulish as she might have been for "normal" standards, it wasn't enough to strike fear into anyone's heart.

She recalled being on that "bus" thing earlier, and how a young man had sat with her on a seat next to hers. He had looked at her, and they eventually made small-talk. It was as if talking to something or someone like her was completely natural. He wasn't scared.

Aside from all that, Sally just let what he said sink in. He truly never did care that she wasn't a terrifying being. He wasn't shallow by any means, and she knew that far too well. All that mattered was love.

Now she clutched onto him in shame, yet relief, and mild guilt, burying her face into his chest. "I'm sorry...you're right. I suppose I try so hard to be something I'm...not...because it seems like I should be. You scare enough for the both of us and I think I need to accept that, and I do... I'm sorry..."

"Oh..." Now she was so upset obviously and it was all but breaking his heart... Jack clung to her gently, tenderly. "Why must you always be sorry, my Sally?" he asked in a cooing tone. "You've done nothing wrong...You never do anything wrong. You're just...a person and not perfect and you're not supposed to be anyway. But you don't have to be so very sorry as though you've disappointed me or something every time you try something and it doesn't work out or make a mistake or misjudge something. I don't want you to feel pressured into perfection...so please don't. And...And I respect how you want to be, but as for what other people 'expect'...I couldn't care in the least. And besides, you do scare people, but it's just...smaller and different than how I scare people...but it's still scaring and it's still important...alright?" He gently stroked through her hair a few times with one of his hands in a comforting gesture.

A little sniffle escaped Sally as she looked up at him with a little smile. "...You always know the right thing to say, Jack. Thank you..."

Jack let out a little sigh and started to smile as well for the first time in a while, so happy to see the smile return to his Sally's face. "You're so very welcome, Sally...but you don't have to thank me. What are lovers for after all if not to remind you of how special and good you are every chance they get?" He even managed a little chuckle and wink. "Now, come on...unless you had any other things you really wanted to see or do tonight, I think we've had our fair share of excitement for the evening so...how about we go home and change out of these clothes and into our comfortable pajamas, and then I'll make us some hot tea we'll snuggle in our bed together and I'll gently whisper wonderful things about you into your ear until you fall asleep...Would that be alright, Miss Sally?" Jack ended in a nervous little whisper.

Sally just positively beamed, and nodded her head. Another night of finally falling asleep and spending the night in his loving arms... Ever since their heated sleepover, she longed to spend nights with him more and more, even to the point that she was going to beg to just forget their arrangement and just spend every night together. But, she wouldn't dare do that. She could never cross any lines or boundaries like that. After all, their rooms were only next to each other, and it never bothered her before. And it still didn't. She just loved to be with him at night.

There was one instance a month ago, when she had eaten something that contained something in it that made her sleepwalk. She had never sleepwalked before.

But after eating that food, containing traces of dead poison ivy berries, strangely made her sleepwalk. Whatever happened, she had gotten out of her bed, wandered around the house (According to Zero, who had been roused by her walking around) for a few minutes, and then went to his room. She let herself in, and then climbed into bed with him, snuggling into him. Leading them both to be very surprised when they woke up nose-to-nose the next morning!

She giggled at the memory. "I'd love that, Jack... Let's go home."

Jack's normal, warm, full smile bloomed upon his face. "Yes...let's go home. Come along, my Sally...we'll hold each other closely and have sweet nightmares all night long..." He took one of her hands and raised it up and kissed the back of it and then gently lead her over to a large tombstone and opened it, making a passage back into their world. He bent low before it, looking back to her, still with a smile. "As always, ladies first, my darling." He winked at her.

Sally giggled, smiling warmly. "Thank you, Jack." She then looked around to make sure there was nobody around to see them. Confirmed that the coast was clear, she gingerly stepped down into the tomb, carefully finding her balance along the way. There had been multiple occasions that she had fallen down the stairs in their home or outside...leading to the inconvenience of having to repair herself when she had things to get to, and Jack worrying and panicking.

"You're welcome, Pumpkin Princess..." Jack chuckled as he followed after her, still holding her hand, and they descended into a dimness that Jack knew would lead them to an exit through one of the tombstones in Halloween town eventually. Jack smiled at her as they went along. "And if I may ask, what were you giggling about just now, my Sally? Are you really so very happy once again that you just had to laugh, or were you thinking about something sweet, like you always are?" He moved a little closer alongside her, snuggling against her a tiny bit.

"Oh...well..." Sally giggled. "Since we are having a...well, shared night together...I couldn't help but recall that time I sleepwalked, and ended up in bed with you." She shook her head a bit, but gently leaned against him a little. "I know it's very silly to think about..."

Jack's smile turned into a goofy grin at her words and closeness. "O-Oh...yes...I remember..." he chuckled a little. "No, it wasn't silly...It was...the most flattering thing in the world that in your dreams you came to me...You were so cute that night, my Sally." He snuggled his chin atop her soft yarn covered hair and gave it a little kiss.

"Awwww...well I..." Sally blushed quite a bit, thankful that it was dark where they were walking. "Cute...I don't even remember it...it wasn't until I woke up that I realized I had to have been...but it was quite a nice surprise in the morning..."

Jack chuckled. "And your sweet humbleness about it makes it even more cute, my Sally..." He squeezed her hand a little. "And yes...you and me in our bed together is always a very...very nice surprise on any morning..." He felt a little wave of warmth pass over his bones.

"I might just sleepwalk more often... Although I'd prefer to remember sleeping beside you." Sally quipped, squeezing his hand back.

"O-Oh..." A little visible tremor definitely went through Jack and he gulped shyly. "Y-Yes, w-well...I, um...y-yes, that would be n-nice...my nice, pretty Sally..." He was smiling all goofily.

"I'm kidding...I wouldn't put you in that kind of position all the time, Jack...don't worry." She assured, smiling a bit more and looked up at him, despite she could barely see him in the darkness. But since he was able to see in the dark no problem, at least he'd see her looking at him.

"You...can put me in any kind of position you'd like, Sally..." came from Jack in a shy little whisper as he barely glanced at her in the darkness. "I'll never mind...not ever..."

"Oh...well...um...o-okay..." Sally stumbled a bit in her steps, but retained her balance. "Oh goodness, is it hot in here?"

Jack would have blushed if he could have as he gave a little sheepish shrug and replied, doing his best to steady her, "I-I don't know, I really can't tell...I'm always pretty warm when I'm around you..."

"Oh, then it might just be me." Sally blinked, and then snuggled against him once she regained her balance. "...Jack?"

"Hmm...yes, darling?" Jack sort of sighed out dreamily as they went along together side by side...and as he slightly daydreamed about them walking like this together...down an aisle...himself in the nicest suit he had ever worn or would ever wear...and Sally in whatever wonderful white dress she would create for the occasion.

"Well...I wanted to tell you...despite we were separated... Though I did see some interesting things...I did still miss you and hoped you were okay, and that we'd find each other." She had also tried an interesting little dessert called a butter tart since they were having free samples she couldn't resist. "But despite that, it was...a very memorable and wonderful evening out in the Real World."

Jack sighed and nodded. "Yes...It was a lovely time overall...but it's always nice to just come back to each other in the end...and back to our perfect home where we belong. I love you, sweet Sally." He placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head.

"Where we belong..." Sally giggled, and reached up to try to find his cheek. Once she did, she leaned up and kissed his cheek. "I love you too, Jack..."

Jack's spine was slumping and he was gettting all warm and gooey and in-love inside. "Hmm...um...my pretty Miss Sally?" he asked sweetly.

"Mm-hmm?" Sally looked up at him.

"Um...when we reach Halloween Town again...could I carry you back to the house?" he glanced at her with a hopeful little smile.

"Oh...well..." Sally smiled and giggled, nodding her head. "Of course you can, Jack."

Jack took a breath in and his smile went from ear to ear. "A-Alright then! I-I mean, um...okay...thank you, my Sally..." He gave a cute little shrug, and with happiness could see the Halloween Town tombstone exit door coming out, the cracks around the edges of it faintly outlines by the glow of moonlight coming from their home.

"You don't have to thank me, Jack." Sally smiled. "It's sweet of you to offer. If anything, I should be thanking you."

Jack just shook his head a little. "No, no...if you don't think I have to thank you then you must not understand how much of a pleasure it is to hold all of your sweetness and love in my arms for a few precious moments..."

"What?" Sally blinked, and giggled a bit, shaking her head. "No no no... I should thank you for holding me so close, so protectively, and so lovingly, and how generous you are about it all."

Jack just glanced away bashfully as they finally came up to the door and paused. "Oh...Sally...I...w-well...you are my most precious thing...I must protect you and love you and be generous with you...It's my honor." He looked to her bashfully.

Sally opened her mouth to playfully retort, but could see where this was going. In fact, she realized he was right. "Then...I suppose the fact you feel...the way you do when you carry me, and how I feel...it evens out, wouldn't it?"

"I hope so...because there's nothing I'd love more than to know it feels as good for you as it does for me." Jack winked at her, unable to help it.

"Oh...well...that makes sense." Sally smiled then, gesturing toward the door. "Shall we go?"

Jack's grin grew. Then he instantly had her scooped up in his arm, holding her closely, one arm around her back and the other under her legs. "Of course..." He winked down at her and then swiftly pushed the tombstone door open with his hip, twirling her in his grasp a little as he exited and then pushed closed the door behind them, leaving them in the middle of the graveyard on this moonlit Halloween night in Halloween Town.

Sally inhaled the air around them, which in stark contrast to the real world, was a lot more musky, heavy, and yet, pumpkin spice and autumn. She looked and saw, further down, the first tombstone she had hidden behind this time last year. "Oh...Jack, look. That tombstone right here...that was the first I had behind when you entered the graveyard...this time last year..."

Jack's eyes barely managed to leave her to travel over to the tombstone in question. He smiled more. "Oh...Oh my cute Sally...all alone in the graveyard...watching your Pumpkin King from afar...going and hearing my lament without even letting me know." He almost chuckled at the idea.

"I wanted to...but I didn't want to interrupt...and I was nervous. ...By the time you finished, and I gathered my courage, you were gone." She pouted a bit. "...Though, I think Zero had seen me."

Jack chuckled and his grin picked up on one side. "Really? He saw you and didn't let me know? Well, well...I'll have to have a little talk with him about keeping 'beautiful rag doll' secrets from me, won't I?" He winked down at her.

Sally laughed a bit, shaking her head. "I suppose. But I guess he could sense I was afraid of you seeing me... And I didn't even have my arm at the time, either. I had been trying to find leaves to stuff myself with."

"Awww..." Jack smiled and shook his head. "I wouldn't have cared, Sally...I would have always wanted to see you no matter how shy you were or what you needed to have resew to your pretty body...But that's a good point-Zero was probably just trying to respect your privacy and shyness. I'll have to give hime a nice treat for doing that for you." He smiled more.

"Anything you say, Jack." Sally smiled more, and snuggled against him.

"Arf! Arf!" Zero had risen up from his doghouse grave, and was now floating over to them. "Arf!"

"Zero!" Jack beamed at the little dog as he started to walk back toward town and their house with Sally still in his arms. "There you are, boy. Sally and I were just talking about you and last Halloween...So, you knew Miss Sally was head over heels in love with me, huh? Hmm, you're a very sly dog, Zero, I'll give you that. Thank you for respecting her privacy though-we both appreciate it." He winked at the little ghost dog. "Arf! Arf!" Zero replied with a smile and a spin in the air, coming among them and cuddling near both Jack and Sally before taking one more spin and then gently resting himself in Sally's lap as she lay in Jack's arms.

Sally giggled, stroking Zero's head as he settled in her lap. "Awwwww...I have thanked you before for this, haven't I, Zero? Well, I don't see why I can't thank you once more." The little ghost dog barked happily, snuggling into her.

"Looks like baby Zero really loves Mommy Sally, doesn't he? And don't the two of you look cozy together like that...Our whole little happy family right in my arms..." Jack held her closer, snuggling against her as he walked them onward to their house.

Sally beamed happily and giggled as she happily petted and held Zero, who in turn barked happily. "Awwwwww...thank you Zero, I love you, too." She couldn't help but smile so much at what Jack had said...a family. Just as when she had visited him, and he had said she was part of the family of the town. And now this. Their own little family. Just the three of them. (At least for now) At first it was just Jack and Zero...now Sally was part of that little family...she felt so happy, and so much a part of it.

"Happy family...I love our little family..." Sally cooed.

"Arf!" Zero barked in agreement.

Jack's bones trembled and fluttered at her sweet words. "I...love our little family too...the way it is now, and also...h-how it might be in the future...with other little ones besides our little Zero in my Sally's arms as I hold her..."He snuggled her as they went onward.

"Yes...of course..." Sally smiled more at the thought, how soon in the future there would be other little ones along with Zero. "Though I am happy with it just being the three of us for now..."

Jack nodded as they turned onto the road leading up to their house. "Of course, Sally. Me too. Just me and my Sally and our sweet little Zero to play with. Besides...there's so much of my Pumpkin Princess to experience and explore that even an eternity with just her would never be enough for me to have my fill of her..." He leaned down and gave her a little kiss on the nose.

Sally giggled, her smile growing. She liked his little kisses on her nose, it was cute. "Awwww...Jack...you're sweet...But I...I can surely say the same about you, too..."

"Th-Thank you, my Sally..." Jack replied with a bashful little goofy grin as they approached the gate to their home. "That's very nice of you..."

"I mean it, Jack..." Sally cooed sweetly, running one finger along his mouth.

Jack's eye sockets went wide and he almost stumbled a little in his walking, though he managed to right himself. "O-Oh, I...u-um...y-yes, my Miss Sally...Whatever you say..." he replied loaded with shyness.

"Oh, sorry." Sally withdrew her hand, giggling. "I should probably wait until we're inside...shouldn't I?"

Now Jack's breathing was starting to lose its normal cadence and he almost tripped a little again as he pushed open the gate with his hip and started walking them toward the door. "S-Sally..." he was all flustered...and totally intrigued as well... "Why bother waiting...we've already done things outside today, after all..." he added it in a little blush-worthy whisper under his breath, the words slipping out of him before he could stop or think better of them.

"Oooh...well..." Sally giggled. "I understand...but if you run up the stairs...we'll be inside a lot faster.."

Jack utterly froze in his walking, his eye sockets wide as could be. Slowly his gaze turned down to her, and he looked at her almost curiously and in a touch of surprise for a moment... "I-I..." stumbled out of his mouth at first with a small crack in his voice. And then... "Uh...yes, ma'am!" And instantly he was racing toward the front door, which he then pushed open and pushed closed behind them before dashing up the stairs and finally entering their living room, pushing the door shut behind them and leaning back against it for just a moment as he caught his flustered breath, Sally's body (with Zero) still in his arms.

"Arf!" Said Zero.

"We're home..." Sally murmured, as if they all needed to know. She kissed his cheek then.

"U-Um..." Jack gave a little bashful gulp, "Y-yes, we're...home indeed..." He looked down at her, his eye sockets half lidded with warmth. "So...I suppose we should change into our pajamas, shouldn't we, Sally?" he asked with a touch of playfulness.

"Yes, of course." Sally giggled, smiling. She then petted Zero and winked at him, and he nuzzled her in acknowledgement, unseen to Jack's eyes.

Jack chuckled at her cuteness and response. "Alright then...I'll just carry you to your room and leave you to change, my ravishing rag doll...and then, as usual, you can join me in my...well, one day our...room whenever you're ready..." He walked across the room toward her door.

Sally felt her stuffing flutter as he referred to his room as one day being their room, and giggled. "All right, Jack... I'll certainly do that."

Jack smiled more as he gently pushed open her bedroom door and approached her bed. "Alright then...I'll just be eagerly awaiting your presence then, my Pumpkin Princess..." He gently laid her down upon her bad, stepping back gently and giving her a little wave. "Goodbye for now..."

Smiling lovingly, Sally waved back. "Goodbye for now..."

Jack gave her one more wave and then stepped out of the room and gently closed the door behind him, upon which he let out a deep, lovesick sigh and smiled goofily. And then like a shot he was off and into his own room to change into his own pajamas and climb into bed to await the warmth and cuteness of his favorite bedroom companion.

A little while later...

The house was dark...and there was something eerie in the air. Then again, that seemed normal. But there was something more about it.

"Jack!" Sally called from her room. "Could you come here? I need your help!" She sounded a bit distressed.

Jack, from his place sitting in his bed, blinked at the sound of this summons and then got up and walked across and out of his room and over to Sally's still closed bedroom door. "Sally, are you alright?" he asked curiously.

"I'm all right...I just need your help." Sally said from the other side of the door, though her voice was far away, as if speaking further from the door.

"Oh, um...alright..." Jack replied with a little shrug. His hand reached out for her door handle, but as his bony fingers turned it and cracked the door a sliver his eye sockets went very wide and he gulped and glanced away nervously and asked in a slightly shaky voice after clearing his throat, "U-Um...are you...d-decent, S-Sally?"

"Yes..." Sally responded from the other side.

Jack gave a little gulp again. "O-Oh, um...a-alright then..." And then shyly Jack pushed open her door and shuffled in. "What is it, Sally?" he asked bashfully. Then he finally brought his eyes up to look at her.

But she wasn't there. In fact, her entire room was dark, as if she weren't ever in there. And there was no response, either.

Jack froze and then was instantly overtaken by utter confusion. 'Wh-What...But I...' He turned his skull to look from side to side but there was nothing and no one there...Just a dark room. "S-Sally?" he called out in a touch of shyness but also in a touch of...something bordering on nervousness. After all...where was she?

SLAM!

The door suddenly closed shut behind him! But there was no one standing there to close it! ...But there was a little something on the floor.

Jack actually jumped! Now he was just standing there, facing the shut door and breathing...rather heavily...and...he was starting to feel something though...his head was a little too full of stuff to realize or admit much about it. 'What did that? Th-The wind...or maybe Zero...' He let out a final breath, finally feeling a bit calmer...sort of...

There was a lump on the bed, hidden under the covers along the pillows. A rush of wind blew from an open window, the curtains fluttering eerily. The wolfman howled to the full moon outside, the sounds floating into the room.

Jack turned around quickly again at the sound of the wolf howl, very very...full of a lot of feelings at the moment. "S-Sally...darling? Wh-Where are you?" he asked quietly, almost hesitantly. Then he managed a smile, coming across at least one comforting thought... "I-Is this a game, my spooky little bat? Are you hiding or something and I have to find you in order to have our sleepover begin?" He smirked a little at the cute, very 'Sally-esque' idea, fully expecting a little giggle and affirmative reply from her, wherever she was...

But there was none. No answer. No sound. Nothing but the darkness and the breeze were there to be seen or heard. Where was Sally? How was she even able to hide herself effectively within the span of less than three seconds before he entered?

Okay, now Jack blinked and scratched his skull, very confused and very very curious at the moment. "Sally, really...I-I know you must be in here. I heard you..." Jack took a step forward and a floorboard creaked under his foot and though the sound was nothing, somehow it made him start and his breath catch in his throat...his breathing pick up a little... 'Th-This is silly...' he assured himself as best he could, 'I...maybe I'll go check out in the living room for her...it's possible that's where she was and I just misheard her...' He stepped back and grabbed the doorknob to turn it and leave the room...and also maybe to add a litttle more light to the...really rather dark room.

However he gave the knob a turn...and the door was locked...from the outside.

Jack froze fully at this and actually gulped."S-S-Sally, a-a-are you out there?" he called towards the living room...only to be met with nothing...save the sound of the screaming breeze blowing against Sally's curtains. He turned back around. 'I-I'll just, um...j-just, um...' He felt like his thoughts were slowing, his mind going numb with something...something he was starting to recognize, though he couldn't ever recall having fully experience it at all (though he HAD caused others to experience it on several occasions over the years...)

"S-Sally..." he started again, "I-I..." His breath hitched again as he thought he heard the movement of something across the dark flloor...seeming to head in the direction of the bed. His eyes turned there. The moonlight reflected upon it, making it the only point of visibility in this dark place. And then he thought he could see a touch of movement in the bed...under the covers...perhaps even a shape near the head of it.

Was it...yes! There was slight movement under the covers! Something was under the covers as well, accentuated by the moonlight.

Then there was...a haunting voice amidst the breeze. Very brief, though then faded.

What was that sound? The bed...P-Perhaps S-Sally was in the bed...Yes, perhaps this was a cute little flirting game and he would go over and lift the covers and she would be there and giggling and pull him in with her for a little 'Halloween night fun'. If she was indeed there of course... Otherwise...Otherwise... "Ahh!" Jack gasped/practically screamed his he was lurched forward by...the feeling of something definitely snatching at the back of one of his legs. He was over by the bed now, breathing heavily, just looking down at the only place that had a shape was the upper part and...Sally had a lot more shape in a lot more places. So...what was under there? Jack had experience with 'monsters under the bed'... but he had never enountered anything under a blanket. "Wh-What's there?" Jack asked in a barely whisper.

Gingerly, the covers were pulled down, revealing...

A head.

Not just a head.

Sally's severed, disembodied head.

Her eyes opened, and she turned her disembodied head toward him. The grip around his leg tightened. She looked at him, and then said, in a haunting singsong voice,

"Behind you..."

"GAHHHH!" Jack screamed (in response to several things!) and scrambled forward to the bed but then scrambled back to the door but then scrambled to the middle of the room but then just fall to the floor, backing away on his hands with his knees pulled to his chest and his eye sockets wide in panic! His mind was blanched in...fright!

But that wasn't all! There was a tap on his shoulder.

Right near him then...was the rest of her body. Missing an arm, and her head. As well as that, was wearing a black nightgown with orange accents. It was fairly long, reaching an inch or two past her knees, but flattered and hugged her body in all the right places. Giggles were then heard, obviously coming from her disembodied head, and then the same haunting singsong voice floated out,

"Happy Halloween..."

The headless, partially armless body of Sally then waved at him heartily.

Her severed arm was on the floor, clutching his ankle.

"WHOA!" Jack just did double takes between Sally's 'body part missing' body and her arm around his ankle and her head in the bed -the he did a second one and then a third one and finally a fourth one and then he just blinked a bunch of times and got the most bewildered look upon his face imaginable!

"S-Sally, wh-what, I..." Jack blinked-realizing he had started out by addressing her body when it was probably the head he should be talking to. He turned to the bed to look at Sally's head. "Wh-What?" he just asked in total confusion and still quite a bit of panic and...yes, he finally had to admit, fear! Relief was starting to come but...a lot of disbelief was in it's way (mostly disbelief at that whole 'fear' thing).

Her severed arm let go, and then her body picked it up. Then she proceeded to repair herself as he managed to recover from the shock. It was difficult, considering her head wasn't in place, but she managed! First, her severed arm managed to hold her head to her neck long enough for her to get a steady grip on it as she sewed it back onto her neck. Then she re-attached her severed arm, as casually and calmly as she could.

Before long, she was whole again, sitting on her bed, as if nothing had happened. She then got onto the floor in front of her beloved, smiling...but then looking worried.

"Jack...are you all right?"

"Wh..." Jack blinked, looking at her more unsurely than he ever had in his entire life... "I...don't...What was...I-I...?" The words were trying to come but...b-but...she...i-it was just...different now...He barely knew how to talk to her right now...

"...I wanted to scare you." Sally admitted, playing with her hair. "I-I...was it too much? Or was it all wrong? Are you okay? ...Oh...I didn't hurt or offend you, did I?" She looked worried again. "I-I only just thought of it now. Just for fun...but I-I won't do this again, I promise!"

Jack's eye sockets popped open even wider and before he could think about it, words were flying out of his mouth in passionate surprise! "Sally, what in the world are you saying? You SCARED me! You scared ME! I could barely breathe or think or move! I was half convinced a couple of Oogie's bugs had escaped and banded together and decided to lure me in here and trap me! The only doubt I had about that theory was that Oogie never had the talent or skill or attitude to ever frighten me at all!" Jack was starting to get himself a little worked up, and his breathing was heavy and his eyes were still wide with energy as he delivered all of this information to the woman before him! He tried to start to calm himself down now and speak a little less hysterically now, through there wasdefinitely surprise coming through still as he added...starting to gulp and look a little sheepish.

"S-Sally...I-I, um...I-I mean...o-over the years...y-you know, people have given me little fun scares but no one ever tried...not like that...I-I don't know, maybe they've always been intimidated by trying to scare the Pumpkin King...B-But you weren't...a-and you tried, and...y-you...did it..." He looked at her now with more bashfulness and more reverence than he had ever looked at her with in their entire relationship.

Sally blinked as it all sunk in then. She did...she scared him. She scared Jack! The Pumpkin King! The most frightening being in town! And SHE had scared him. She hadn't tried...well, she did, but she expected him to laugh it all off but give her credit for trying and for being creative.

But no, it was full out.

"...I'm sorry. I won't tell anyone, I promise." She looked down at the floor.

Jack blinked, never even having thought about that! Other people finding out...He felt a touch of embarrassment but then put it aside and shook his head, looking at her sincerely. "N-No, Sally, I...That's not right. You deserve to be proud of scaring people, even me. Everyone here brags about things like that and you deserve to share too. Y-You don't have to not tell just for the sake of my ego or reputation or something...A-And besides...I...m-maybe I..." he started to smile...and the smile grew... "...maybe I like being scared..." he finished quietly with a little shrug.

A little smile came to her face. "Actually, Jack...if you put it that way...maybe I don't want to brag about it now. I mean...I have to admit, as much as it feels...interesting to have scared you...I have to admit that I just don't feel right gloating about it or even sharing it like that. Could we...keep it secret, just between us?"

Jack gave a little bashful swallow and shrug. "W-Well...i-if you want to...But...for what it's worth...you should be very proud, Sally, and...and...well, I...I, um..." His smile started to get extra goofy and he was tongue-tied for a moment, thinking about what he was thinking about admitting.

"I do...and well, maybe I just want you to be proud of me for it." Sally played with her hair a bit, and then looked at him. "...You can tell me, Jack...please tell me."

A small shuddery sigh escaped Jack. How could he ever deny her sweet voice ever? "I...k-know I said...before...back in the real world...th-that it didn't matter to me that you're going to be my Queen but that you're more p-pretty than scary, a-and that's still the truth of course, b-but, I...d-don't think I ever realized this until now really, but I...think I find just a little...deep scariness in woman...sort of...rather attractive..." He looked at her with an enamored smile and scooched just a tiny bit closer on the floor.

"Oh...well...I..." Sally blushed heavily, looking away shyly. Yes, she could understand what he meant and that despite her newfound ability to suddenly scare him...at least this once, he did still find her attractive, and even more so with this new little revelation. "I can understand why you would.."

"Really...?" Jack scooched just a smidge closer to her, glancing away with a rather coy grin on his face. "Does that mean that...you find me attractive when I'm very scary..." He took one of her arms...started playing with the seams on the lower part with his bony fingertips.

"Oooh..." Sally giggled then, enjoying the familiar feel. "Well I...you know I love everything about you..." She said coyly. "But yes...you are attractive when you're scary..." She scooched closer as well. "As much as I was relieved that you were there when those men were making me uncomfortable...it was so alluring...to see you that way."

Jack trembled, a deep shuddery sigh escaping him. "A-Alluring, huh? Well, I'm...happy to know that I managed to touch such a...secretly terrifying woman. Oh and you, Sally...just now...you were almost...seductively scary...I realized you had scared me and I'd never felt so intrigued before...I'd never felt so utterly drawn toward another creature in my entire existence...I almost couldn't bear it all..." He lifted up her arm and started placing kisses upon the under side, up that half of a limb.

"Oh...well..." Sally blushed all the more, and then sighed happily at his ministrations, making her tremble a bit with pleasure. "You do...always say you're so drawn to me...um...did this really make you more intrigued...? Was it possible?"

Jack spoke between kisses, his grin only growing. "Oh I didn't think it was but of course you found a way...You found a way to make yourself even more irresistible...Oh why must you be so cruel and keep adding to the tension between us...when there's still so much time before our marriage...?...It's unfair...What's a man to do...?" He turned over her arm and started planting kisses on the underside of the lower portion now...and they were becoming at bit more fervent at this point.

"I'm sorry..." Sally continued to giggle and shudder in pleasure at his kissing along her arm, as she used her other hand to support herself on the floor and remain as upright as possible. "I suppose I underestimated how much this would make you feel in the long run..." Then again a part of her wondered if maybe, deep down, her restless spirit was trying to find some kind of way to get them closer and closer together even before they were saying their vows. But then again, she knew that would likely just mess things up.

"And now you're apologizing of all things..." Jack spoke still between kisses as he coated every inch of her arm he could find, raising it more and moving higher... "So much frightfulness and yet so much modesty...What a perfect creature I found to be my Pumpkin Queen..." He smiled more to himself, having made his way up to her shoulder at this point with kisses.

Her shoulders were bare yet again, since the nightgown she had on, was made to have off-shoulder sleeve straps, in order to expose them completely without having to lower any straps. "Awwww...Jack...you're too much..." Sally beamed, looking toward him now, and scooting a little closer along the floor.

Jack chuckled, now finished with one arm and shifting to pick up her other hand and move onto the other arm. He started by kissing the tips of the fingers of this fresh hand of hers. "I can't help myself...I utterly adore you and...especially tonight...I can't wait for the first Halloween that we're married..." He smiled a little more to himself as his kisses made their way across the back of her hand.

"Ooooh...me too, Jack..." Sally murmured sweetly, already daydreaming about it. How they'd find a new way to scare one another, and then just get lost in the passion of it...

Jack laughed a tiny bit more to himself as his kisses climbed her arm. "Well, aren't you adorably eager, my sweet Sally...Oh, or should I say from now on my spooky Sally...My princess who petrified her Pumpkin King..." One of Jack's arms slid around her waist, pulling her in as close as he could get her.

"Ooh..." Sally beamed at now being so close to him, and shuddered happily all the more, enraptured. "But I'm still sweet...aren't I?"

At her cute question, Jack, who had just finished up with the shoulder of her second arm, blinked and then looked into her eyes (which were very close to his at this point) and grinned. "Oh but of course my Sally is still sweet...extra sweet...At least, that's how she tastes to me when I give her kisses all over..." He lay his forehead against hers, his eyes full of an enamored look.

Sally's smile grew as she gazed right back at him, nuzzling her head against his lovingly, an enamoured look in her eyes. "Oh, Jack...I love you...kiss me..." She couldn't help herself, it had been over an hour since they done so!

"Why must you even ask, my frightful darling-you must know the answer will always be yes, yes, a thousand time yes..." And then instantly he had both arms wrapped fully around her and they were down on the soft rug in the middle of Sally's room and he was kissing her soft, cloth lips in the highest throes of passion he had within him.

As much as Sally was taken aback by suddenly bring thrown onto the floor completely on her back, she of course didn't let it deter the rising passion within her as she kissed back in kind, letting no shyness or uncertainty get in the hands gripped at his shoulders for leverage, arching her body slightly upward to meet along with his, moans escaping her.

Jack's breaths came quickly and heavily through his nose and he was just...It was Halloween and she had actually sparked a touch of fear in him and she was gorgeous and he loved her so and she had all but commanded him to kiss her! And now with how she was responding to him...he was starting to lose it a little, getting lost in things and everything and all of this. His arms wrapped more tightly around her, sinking into the arch of her back, and he angled his skull and kissed her with all of the romance he had to give.

Her hair splayed out all over the rug amidst their passionate little kissing romp, almost like a messy little halo, or a mess of tentacles. Now her hands moved up his neck and clutched at his jawline, applying more pressure, yet lovingly, to their kiss.

It was like she was actually grasping his mouth to bring it as much in contact with her own as possible and Jack could barely handle how intensely wonderful this all was. His sweet Sally, so very shy and modest...yet somewhere deep down, whenever he got close enough to her, a spark of something fiery and dark and passionate would rise...and he would meet it, just like he was doing now...and savor it forever...

A deep sigh escaped Sally's nose as she relaxed her grip a bit, but still kept strong. Daringly, she produced her little cloth tongue and ran them along his bony lips sweetly, quite a stark contrast to their passionate kissing to be sure! Oh, there were certainly moments that a deeper, desiring, fiery side of her would emerge, and this was surely one of them. She slowed a bit, but kept it up.

Oh Jack couldn't deny her, never ever ever...His mouth opened and he angled his head more and beckoned her tongue to enter his mouth so that they could kiss as tenderly and deeply as possible yet again on their first Halloween night together... "Mmm..." He moaned a tiny bit to let her know how much he wanted this.

Her little cloth tongue met with his longer, fork tongue and they met in a sweet little dance. Sally moaned all the more as he responded by bringing his tongue around hers, all but wrapping around it. She coursed her hands along his skull and even went as far as bringing his skull closer, melding their mouths even closer...if that was possible.

Jack danced and swirled around her mouth...His Pumpkin Princess...on Halloween...He just wanted every inch of that sweet space that he could get. And now also he was just melting on top of her thanks to her touches to his skull. His bones all but ached with heat and he almost wished a window was open at this point, despite the freezing temperatures of a late autumn night in Halloween Town. Really he just felt like he was burning into her and like she was melding into him and...like they were the same.

A louder moan escaped Sally as he explored her mouth, which she just could never help but really like. It was as if he were exploring a deeper part of her! It was moments like this, when they were lost in each other with so much love and passion, that they were married, and would be able to do whatever they wanted to each other, with no holding back. Alas, most of the tension only escalated, with no way to truly meet it halfway.

Inside, Jack was having a small personal dilemma...After all, he WAS planning to propose to her very soon...and, well, either way it was pretty obvious that they were going to marry one another one day. And...it WAS a very special night...Halloween...and maybe it would justify a very, er...'special' experience occurring... 'B-But, no...I...Th-This is just because it's the heat of the moment...Just because it's Halloween...C-Calm down...Control yourself...' Yet, it was hard, so hard...In hopes of deterring himself from doing something big by doing a few more intense smaller things, he brought one hand down and over her shoulder and gently along her side and the curve of her body, and then back up, moving lightly up and down, just savoring her pretty shape.

Of course, Sally had been telling herself the same thing. She was almost ready to just burst and say 'Forget it, it's Halloween, we'll be married one day anyway, let's just go as far as we can go!', but stopped herself. 'It's Halloween, and it's a heated moment...we can't just do that now, not like this... Ooh...no matter how wonderful that would be... Come on, we don't even think about it on a normal basis...'

Well, none the less, she did savour what she could. and even moaned in response to his hand sliding along her side, making her shudder a bit. Sally pulled back from their heated liplock for a moment, opening her hazed eyes a bit.

Her lips pulling away made Jack instantly start taking in heated gasps, his eyes barely opening. He opened his eye sockets, a little, looking down at her. "I...c-can't reist you sometimes...Sally...I want you...so very much..." He brought both hands up to hold her perfect shoulders again.

An understanding, albeit somewhat dazed, smile came across Sally's midnight red lips as she gazed up at him. "I want you too, Jack...you're so hard to resist, I can barely stand it sometimes..."

"W-We're...quite a combination then...aren't we?" Jack smiled a little more between pants. "A luscious rag doll...and the tall, strong skeleton who adores her...and whom she gives so much love to..."

Sally giggled a bit, bringing her hands to his shoulders. "And the luscious rag doll adores him too, and he gives her so much love that it feels to be a dream come true every day..."

A goofy smile came to Jack's face. "Oh but how can he help but love his rag doll...when everything about her sets every bone in his body aflame?" His grin picked up a little on one side.

"How can the rag doll help when her beloved makes her stuffing seem to flutter and split a seam or two?" Sally's smile picked up on one side as well.

Jack gave a little shy gulp. "N-Now, now...I-I already told you once..." he reached up a finger to play with a little seam on the upper part of her chest, "...no 'seam splitting' for now...But after we're married..." something in his grin grew a touch more devilish and he sensously dug one of his fingertips deeply into the groove of one of her seams, "...well...I don't see how splitting just a few at least could hurt...Just a few..." His eye sockets were playfully narrowed and looked right down into her eyes.

Sally's eyes went wide, and she smiled all the more, her eyes going half-lidded as she shuddered in pleasure from his gesture. "Careful then, otherwise you might make my stitches burst before we want them to."

A tiny little fake pout came to Jack's lips, though he was smirking more than anything else. "Ah..." he whispered warmly, "I see your concern...But don't you worry, my precious Pumpkin Princess..." he swirled his fingertip around individual stitches along the seam along her chest, "I'll be so extra careful with you...Nothing will happen before it's time...Oh certainly I'll tempt and tease you before then...but never too much... You're in good hands with me, dearest Sally...and so are your stitches and seams...all the pretty ones that run all over your pretty body..." his voice lowered very much as he added extra shyly, just because it was a special night, "...e-even the ones I don't get to see just yet..."

A little giggle escaped her, and she nuzzled her cheek against his sweetly, smiling all the more. "If you're going to tempt and tease me...I'll do that, too..." Now her finger traced along his chest.

A little tremor instantly went through Jack and his eye sockets went a little wide for a moment. "O-Oh, y-you...y-you don't have to...really..." he countered playfully. "U-Um...we could just...stick with me talking about every inch of you and you blushing yourself to death..."

Sally blinked and giggled, already blushing quite a bit. "Oh, really?" Her tone held a light tease to it as she smiled.

Jack shrugged, still looking at her playfully. "Well, it's just...so much easier for me when you're the one blushing and full of pleasure and moaning in happiness, and I'm the one causing it all and smiling at my handiwork...But you have your mind set on torturing me by reversing things, don't you, my spooky, sweet Sally? I can see it in your eyes..." He brought a fingertip to her chin and swirled around it delicately.

"Well, you won't let me reverse it..." Sally giggled. "But what you do to me, I'll happily do that right back..."

Jack's goofy grin grew a little. "You're too sweet to me, my Sally...But, um...if we're going to..reverse some things...and play around a little...and savor some more of our Halloween together...I think it might be better for us to pause for just a moment so that I can carry you to our bed...After all, for all we know we'll fall asleep loving each other like this and...my princess already had to sleep on the cold, hard ground at least once in her life..." (he referred to the night after last Halloween when she had brought him that basket of hers to help him figure out Christmas)... "...and that is one time too many...At least if we're in our bed, I know she'll fall asleep someplace as soft and warm and inviting as she is..." He winked down at her.

Sally blushed, but smiled all the more and kissed him once more, savouring it sweetly. "Awwww...Jack..you're always so thoughtful...I'd love that." She even giggled as he referred to it as "their" bed, and just thought of the pure joy of the feeling of falling asleep and waking up in his arms again...

Jack gave her a little kiss on the lips as well before pulling back with a smile and replying suavely, "As you wish, Pumpkin Princess..." And then he moved away from her and sat up, and the next thing she knew his arms were under her back and under her legs and he had her scooped up and was carrying her out of her room and towards his...soon to be 'their'...room... "I will never forget this Halloween, my Sally...It has been...the best Halloween I have ever had...ever." He spoke so sincerely and lovingly to her as he gazed down at her in adoration.

Touched, Sally kissed his cheek and brought her arms around his neck as she snuggled into him. "I'm so glad you've had the best Halloween, Jack...seeing you so happy on the most important night of the year in our town is such a joy. And I...well, this is only my second Halloween ever, so I don't exactly have much to compare it to, especially since up until I overheard your lament, my first had been wonderful. ...But now, really though, this has been the greatest Halloween ever for me, too. I love you, Jack...Happy Halloween..."

"Happy Halloween to you too...light of my life...Sally...dearest Sally..." he cooed tenderly before pushing open his bedroom door with his hip and spinning around, bringing both of them inside, upon which he gently tossed his dearest Sally playfully upon their bed and then climbed right in with her, hugging and snuggling and giggling with her right away and having her do the same back, neither ceasing until they wore themselves out and fell asleep in each other's arms to have scary nightmare/dreams about Halloween and being together.

And then the next morning their eyes fluttered open at almost exactly the same instant, connected as they were so deeply...Sally's eyes hazed with love and happiness...and Jack's eye sockets hazed with the same...plus an extra little glint of something though. After all...it was now officially the Christmas season...