"Alright Sally, remember. Make him work for it."

"Um…ok."

"Yeah, and don't let him pressure you into doing something you don't want either."

"Understood."

"And remember to ask about him Sally."

Sally was being bombarded with advice and pointers by her teammates as she prepared for the most daunting thing she'd done in her undead life thus far.

She was going on a date.

With a handsome undead Lord of Fear and the monster of all monsters.

Jack Skellington.

After meeting the Pumpkin King, she'd received an invitation to enter his realm whenever she wished. Unfortunately the undead gentleman forgot to give Sally a means to enter his realm. No matter, when one of your teammates is a shaman capable of opening portals to other realms it's an easy problem to solve.

So Jack and Sally had met and spent time in each other's company several times. Until finally Jack asked Sally on a date. If her heart could beat, it would have leapt from her chest. Her friends were even more excited than she was as they rushed her out to buy clothing for her first date.

In the end the Captain had convinced everyone that a little black dress was the best option. It was nothing fancy. Just a dress that showed her arms and extended down past her knees. And with it was a matching black clutch.

Now Esmerelda and Meg were doing her makeup as she waited for the arrival of her date. They waited in their hotel suite for Jack to arrive.

"You look amazing Sally. I swear the bone man's jaw is gonna fall off," Meg said with a wide smile. Sally smiled back shyly, happy her friends seemed just as happy for her first date. But she was also a little nervous. Sally had never dated before. And she wasn't used to male attention. Usually the stitches on her body freaked people out. And anyone who knew she was a zombie met her with mixed reaction from disgust, disdain, and shock.

She used to think the undead never found love. But she was glad to be proved wrong.

"He's here," PH suddenly piped in as she stood from the wall she'd been leaning against. The girls looks around as the air began to distort. And slowly an orange door in the shape of a Jack o lantern appeared out of thin air. There was a knock from the other end.

PH smiled as she opened the door, and out stepped the nearly seven foot tall skeleton man. Dressed in his finest black tux and black bat bowtie.

"Hello PH, ladies," Jack said as he greeted the entire room. They smiled and greeted him back. Then his gaze fell on Sally. Jack couldn't blush, but he'd be red as a tomato right now. Sally was a beauty. He considered himself lucky no other gentleman had swept her off her feet.

"Hello jack," Sally breathed out softly.

Jack sapped from his stupor and collected himself. "Sally, I hope I'm not too early. You look truly enchanting," Jack said earnestly as he stood before her. Sally smiled and brushed some hair out of her face.

"For you, milady," Jack said with a bow as he pulled a bouquet of black roses from behind his back. Sally gasped and accepted them with a pleased smile. "Grown from my own garden. I hope you're ready."

Sally smiled as she handed the flowers to Esmerelda. Sally stepped forward and hooked her arm around Jack left. He smiled down at her and placed a skeletal hand over hers.

"We want her back by 11, bone man. If she's late we're coming after you," Meg said.

"I'll have her back promptly. I assure you," Jack said with a chuckle.

"And no funny business. This is only the first date," Esmerelda warned.

"Meg, Esmerelda," Sally muttered in embarrassment.

"I promise you, I will be an absolute gentleman," Jack said with a nod. With that, he ushered Sally through his door. It closed behind them, leaving Sally's friends to wish her luck.

Meg and Esmerelda exchanged a glance before high fiving.

"We are awesome at this!"

"Right? Best wing women ever! Meg said in agreement.


Sally looked around in amazement as she and Jack strolled through the streets of the Land of the Dead. Or one of them anyway. Jack explained that there were many undead worlds. Like this one and the land of the Remembered and Forgotten. And Jack was one of the few who could move between any he wanted due to his Skelton Key, the enchanted item that granted him access to any realm.

As he and sally walked through the streets Sally smiled to herself. Because for once…no one was staring at her. All around they passed skeletons and undead people. No one paid her any mind. Here she was…normal. And those that did stare at her actually seemed to be, how would Meg and Esmerelda put it, looking at her 'assets'.

Eventually Jack led them to what looked like a small pub called the Ball and Socket pub. He opened the door and led her inside and they were immediately seated by waiter. Jack pulled out her chair, earning a warm smile as she took a seat. Jack sat across from her as they were handed menus by a skeleton man.

"Alright, now what can I start you off with Mr. Skellington?" the skeleton asked Jack.

"I don't suppose you'd like some wine Sally?" Jack asked politely. She nodded. "Excellent, we'll have some AlkaloiBlack, 70 if you have it," Jack replied.

"And can I get you both an appetizer? A salad for the lady perhaps."

Jack cast Sally a glance asking for approval. Sally nodded, not knowing what exactly to eat. "I think we'll both have a Rhododendron and Hemlock salad. And let's have some Cockatrice fingers to start off with as well. Then I think we'll both have Bunyip Round," Jack said as he picked out their meals.

The skeleton nodded in conformation before taking up the menus and walking off. Sally smiled and looked around. The pub was nice. There was a skeleton Jazz band playing on a small stage and their music made the atmosphere light and warm.

She and Jack made small talk. Jack complimented her dress and light makeup. Sally smiled and explained that her friends practically dragged her to the store to buy it. And that Esmerelda did her makeup for her. Jack laughed, commenting on her friends' concern for her. Sally chuckled alongside him at her unit's protectiveness of her.

Son the skeleton came back with their wine. It was a dark purple and smelled of berries. From what Jack said it was made form Nightshade. Sally flinched and eyed the glass warily, until she was assured by Jack it was safe. Sally took a sip, and she gasped.

"It's delicious," she said in amazement. She took a little more, feeling almost like a tingle in her chest.

"I hoped you would like it. It's made from poisonous berries. You would never guess that death has a taste. Normal people can't eat it. But we undead can," Jack explained.

Soon Sally and Jack dug into their salads, which contained a variety of toxic plants that would kill several men, many times over. But to the undead, they were delicacies. Sally was amazed, she always had found human food a little bland. But this food had a certain kick it. It made her tingle and gave her little pleasant jolts in her chest.

Then there was the Cockatrice fingers. It tasted like chicken, but there was a subtle zest to it. Sally never knew monsters could be eaten.

As they moved onto their main dishes the pub vegan filling with piano music. Sally looked onto the stage to see a woman playing the piano. She had blue skin and a flowing white dress that looked like a wedding dress.

"Ah, we're in for quite the treat tonight," Jack said smiling wide.

For the rest of the hour, the woman played on stage. Sally was transfixed by her songs. They sang to her heart. Sally watched as the woman deftly moved her hands across the keys. They almost seemed to be gliding up and down the key board as she failed to miss a beat. When her performance ended, everyone in the room clapped in applause.

"Wow, she's amazing," Sally whispered softly.

"Would you like to meet her?" Jack asked. Sally whirled around with wide eyes. Jack smiled as he waved her over. The woman smiled before stepping off the stage and strolling up to their table.

"Emily, an astounding performance as always," Jack said as he greeted her.

"Always glad to play for the Pumpkin King," the woman bantered back. Then the woman's eyes drifted over to Sally. "Hello, I'm Emily," the undead woman said warmly.

Up close Sally could definitely see the woman was also a zombie like herself. And in Sally's opinion, she was very beautiful.

"Hello I'm Sally," Sally greeted back.

"So tell me Sally, is Jack being on his best behavior?" Emily joked.

Jack scoffed indignantly. "I'll have you know I've been nothing but a gentleman."

"He has," Sally said in agreement.

"Oh don't get your bones in a twist Jack I was just joking," Emily chuckled out. "Oh and y the way jack, you'll never believe this," Emily said excitedly. Jack raised an eyebrow inquisitively. "I'm seeing someone," Emily revealed giddily.

"Emily, that's wonderful news."

"I know. He's from the land of the remembered. He's so handsome," Emily said dreamily as she thought of her new beau.

"HEY EMILY! ANOTHER SONG!" a patron shouted. Emily sighed.

"Well looks like I got to get back on stage. It was nice meeting you Sally. And Jack, be on your best behavior," she said waggling her finger at the skeleton man in fake sternness. With a smile she turned to Sally. "If you're ever in the Land of the Dead again, let's get lunch Sally," with that she leaned down and kissed the air on either side of Sally's cheek in a friendly goodbye gesture before waltzing back on stage.

Sally smiled after Emily. Happy to have made a friend. After their meals and a few more minutes of listening to Emily's performance Jack took Sally to another dimension. She recognized it as his own, and waiting for them was a carriage with skeletal horses and a skeleton carriage driver.

The carriage took them through a ride through the dark forest. Most people would find the pitch black forest and silence to be spooky and unnerving. But Sally found it peaceful. She leaned against Jack, resting her head on his bony chest and sighed happily.

After their carriage ride, jack took Sally by the hand and led her through a walk through a graveyard and up to a large spiraling hill. They sat down and rested, enjoying each other's company as they gazed at the brilliant yellow moon shining down on them.

Sally looked at her hand being held in Jack's bony fingers. She gave his a squeeze, which he reciprocated. This felt nice. This was what Sally read about in books. This is what she almost believed she could never have.

"I believe it almost 11. I suppose I should be returning you to your friends," Jack said breaking the silence.

Sally smiled. Always the gentleman. Sally craned her head up to look him in the eyes. She smiled sweetly at him. Feeling brave, she rose up before gently placing a kiss on his lips.

"They can wait."


"For the last time guys, I'm NOT opening a portal to Jack's realm!"