I'm so sorry this chapter is late being posted. I am involved with a town flea market (which is a huge deal for my small town every year) And for the last 4 days I've been in the burning heat, rain, and dirt, selling and looking and buying junk from about 8-8:30am to 8 at night. I love it but I'm tried now. I really tried to post this chapter before hand, but it just didn't work out.
Thank you everyone for all the wonderful reviews and please enjoy! I don't own anything to do with nightmare before Christimas.
Chapter 21 part one.
Lock and Shock stayed quiet for the rest of lunch. They even made Barrel sit between them, just to avoid any extra awkwardness, as if eating with the doctor and his wife wasn't bad enough.
Jack secretly cursed himself for inviting the doctor and his wife to lunch. And he finally understood the kids disgust with the whole, how did they word it, "kissy kissy stuff?" The pumpkin king was all for the doctor finding or in his case creating someone he was happy with, but did he really need to make googly eyes, and whisper in her ear, and rub her leg this certain way, or lick her neck in front of everyone while they were trying to eat? It was just disturbing.
It was too much of a sight for Lock, Shock and Barrel, and they just barely touched the food on their paper plates. They wanted tell the doctor and his misses to cut it out, but Lock and Shock both feared he'd make more comments about them being in love, which was more gross, plus none of the ex boogie boys wanted to make him mad at them again.
After one big smooth, Doctor Finkestein turned to the pumpkin king, "So Jack," The master of fright unwillingly looked up, while having a drink of ice-tea,"When do you and Sally plan on giving me and my lovely misses a grandchild?"
Jack choked on his ice-tea over such a comment, and Sally's checks went the same shade of red that Lock and Shock had went earlier.
"Don't you have to be married to have a kid?" Barrel asked innocently.
"Yes," Jack chocked before the doctor had a chance to answer.
"Well then, when is the wedding Jack?" The doctor went on.
Sally couldn't make eye contact with anyone, and secretly hoped the ground would spit apart from underneath her so she wouldn't have to listen to this conversation any longer.
Jack was hoping for something similar, but with an audience, he knew he had to say something. He chuckled, trying to cover up how uncomfortable he really was, "When we figure that out, you'll be the first one to know Doctor." The pumpkin king prayed he would get the hint, but Jack couldn't be so lucky.
"You two already live together," The doctor pointed out, "So what's the holdup?"
All the trick or treaters now stared at Jack, and Jack thought for sure they were burning holes threw him. The pumpkin king just shrugged, "We're just enjoying what we have together for right now."
"A trail run with three? Well I suppose that would keep your hands rather busy," He turned to Sally, and then turned to Jack, "But trust me, it'll be a lot different when it's your own three."
"Well to be honest with you doctor, we've kind of viewed Lock, Shock, and Barrel as our own," Sally said warmly.
The master of fright nodded in agreement, "We've enjoyed their company very much," He added hoping to maybe change the topic of marriage.
"I'm not calling Jack and Sally mom and dad," Shock whispered to her two friends.
"Well I'm not calling the old guy grandpa," Lock added.
"Which one?" Barrel questioned, which got a snicker from his two older friends.
The doctor went on, "Well I remember when Sally was just a couple stitches off the old felt, I tell you Jack she was a handful! Always poisoning me and running off," He smiled at the memories, "But it was fun though," He turned to Sally, "My pride and joy."
Sally shyly smiled back. The doctor was that guy that Sally never overly respected or listened to, but she still couldn't help but like him and view him as family. He was the only parent she ever had. He wasn't great, but he wasn't terrible. She was actually kind of touched that the doctor would say she was his pride and joy, even after all the misery she put him through.
The doctor went on, "For your sake Jack, I hope you have a daughter one day, it's the most precious thing to have."
Without even thinking Lock snorted, and rolled his eyes. Who wanted more girls in the world? There was already too many!
"Something funny?" The doctor questioned.
"Nothing," Lock said sheepishly, noticing the master of fright eyeing him.
Doctor Finklstein turned back to Jack and Sally, "They're so young now, but in the blink of an eye they will be all grown up, let's hope they're not married with children before you two are!" Before Jack and Sally's cheeks could burn, the doctor felt the need to go on, "Why these two here," He gestured to Lock, and Shock, "Will probably be planning their wedding before you two!"
The two oldest trick or treaters face was 20 times more red then Jack, and Sally's could ever be. And both them had their fists clinched with anger.
Lock glanced over at Shock, him married to her? Yeah, he'd rather gouge his own eyes out of his head!
Shock was thinking the same thing, him and her together? She'd rather rip her own throat of then be married to someone so gross. The doctor really had to be crazy. Who could ever think that Shock would sink so low to be married to such a moron?
The doctor lifted his wife's chin, "I waited no time to make you mine my love," He said, linking her nose, and then began giving her a huge, and long smooch on the lips.
The ex boogie boys all tried to hold it in, but all them felt like they were going to gag up the tiny bit of lunch they did eat.
Jack had noticed, and decided it wasn't fair that everyone had to suffer through this torture of a lunch.
He lightly grabbed Shocks hand, "Here," He whispered, placing some money in her palm, "Go get ice-cream, or cotton candy or something, there is enough for you and the boys, just stay close by," He glanced over at the make out session, "But you don't have to stay too close."
Shock understood the hint, and leaped up from her seated possession and gestured for her friends to follow. The trio soon hurried off to go get some ice-cream.
"Umm, doctor," Sally said quietly, to try and break up the uncomfortable kissing.
Lucky it did work, "Oh I apologize Sally," He said politely. It was quite for a moment before the doctor spoke up, "So how is your experiment going anyways with the three little ones?"
"A little too good," Sally admitted shyly, "We really don't want them to leave."
"We kind of gotten attached," Jack added, sounding a little upset. He hated being reminded that they weren't staying forever.
"Well perhaps they can stay with you, if corpse dad wins the election," The doctor said.
Both Sally and Jack raised and eyebrow, but it was Jack who spoke first, "Corpse dad is running to be the next pumpkin king?"
"Jack?" Sally asked, "What are you talking about?"
"The town is calling for an early election to find a new pumpkin king," The doctor explained, "The town talked about it after you walked out on that meeting a couple nights ago actually. I tried to defend you best I could my boy," The elder man shrugged, "But who would listen to an old man like me?"
"You can't be serious!" Sally shirked, as loud as her quiet voice could go.
The doctor nodded, "Quite serious my dear, even stated that if he wins, he'll go through with knocking down the tree house," He shrugged, "The rest of the town seemed to enjoy that idea, I myself found it rather barbaric."
"They can't do that!" Sally said, mortified.
"The pumpkin king can," The doctor said, gesturing to Jack, "I'm not sure if you have gotten the voicemail from the Mayor yet Jack, but they are calling for a debate, or some sort of meeting tomorrow night at town hall. I think it would be wise if both you and Sally attended," He shrugged, "Like I said, I'm simply to old for anyone to pay me much attention, but you two may have a better chance in atleast redeeming yourselves."
"But what am I suppose to say?" The master of fright asked helplessly.
The doctor shrugged, "You're already in hot water Jack, so really anything I'm sure would be a lot better then nothing. It is a lot better then not showing up, actually you are obligated to go."
The master of fright sighed, "What time is it?"
"Tomorrow night, at 6 o'clock sharp."
"We can't leave Lock, Shock, and Barrel alone," Sally whispered to Jack.
That's when doctor Finklesteins face lite right up, "Oh well that's not a problem my dear Sally! Why my precious jewel here was planning on going to the meeting, I have no interest in going and I prefer not to be alone, so I can babysit for you!"
A day later...
"You hate us," Shock spat while sitting on the pumpkin kings bed with Lock watching him get ready to go, "You and Sally, really, really, really hate us."
"I don't hate any of you one bit," Jack said, while Sally adjusted his tie in the mirror. Once Sally fixed it, Jack turned his gaze to his right leg, "Barrel, you're going to get carpet burn down there."
Barrel didn't care, and continued to grab on to the master of frights leg like his life depended on it, "You can't leave us with him!" He cried, "He's crazy!"
Sally flinched. She was at a loss at what to really do. She completely understood why the children were so upset, and honestly she didn't overly want the doctor looking after them, but what was she suppose to say when he offered? They needed a sitter after all, and he willingly volunteered.
"He's not crazy," The master of fright said softly.
"Well he isn't sane!" Shock called.
"Why do we need a sitter anyways Jack?" Lock challenged, in hopes the pumpkin king would slip up and forget about their little bet.
"Because Lock you're only chil-" The pumpkin stopped himself, realizing what Lock was trying to do. The master of fright cleared his throat, and eyed Locks refection in the mirror, "Because Lock, it's my home and I much prefer someone be here home with you to make sure you three, and all my belongings are safe and sound," Lock was about to protest, so the master of fright went on, "If I were in your tree house while you weren't home," Jack really tried not to smirk, "You can hire a sitter for me, fair?"
Lock nodded bitterly in defeat, it made sense he supposed, but he still didn't like it.
"We wouldn't have been so cruel and hired the doctor," Shock murmured.
"Just play upstairs quietly and I'm sure he won't bother you," Sally suggested.
"Well, why can't we just come with you?" Lock asked.
"We'll be good," Barrel vowed, looking up at Jack, and still hugging his right leg.
"The meeting is for adults only," The master of fright lied, he honestly didn't know if the trick or treaters were welcome or not. But he wasn't going to risk exposing them to something similar to what happened at the last meeting. No way. They were better off at home, where they were safe.
"We could sit in your office," Shock suggested.
"It'll be past your bedtimes before we are home," Sally answered.
"Well why do we have to go to bed at 8:30? Lock tested, carefully eyeing Jack.
The master of fright guessed the night before that Lock was going to argue this point, and he was prepared to answer, "People in the age range you three are in need at least 11 hours of sleep, that's a fact really, I can show you in a book I have if you would like."
Jack's fun fact of the day got a cold stare from every kid in the room. The pumpkin king thought he was being nice by letting them stay up till 8:30, but still out off all the rules bedtime was still the least popular one.
"You're willing to leave us with some insane person, but you're not willing to let us stay up past 8:30?" Shock tested.
"He's not insane," The pumpkin king said again.
"He made this creepy wife that looks like a clone of himself, that isn't what I would call normal," Shock fired back.
"He made me," Sally said softly.
"Yeah," Lock pointed out, "But you're normal."
Sally turned and smiled at Lock, "Why thank you," She said sincerely flattered. Anything kind from Lock was always kind of a big deal.
"Please don't leave us alone with him Jack!" Barrel pleaded.
"You're all worried over nothing," The pumpkin king reassured, gazing down at Barrel again, "I have to walk over to the closet to get my jacket, are you going to let go?"
Barrel shook his head.
"Please?"
Barrel shook his head again.
The master of fright sighed, and carefully walked over to his closet, making sure he didn't walk to close to something that Barrel could bang his head off of, and lifting his leg enough so the child wouldn't get carpet burn.
"You're being silly you know," Jack said, while putting on his coat, and looking down at Barrel, "Do you honestly think me and Sally would leave you with someone we thought was crazy?"
"Not until you told us doctor Finklestein was coming to watch us," Barrel answered.
"Now," Jack said softly, taking a seat beside Lock and Shock on the bed, and peeling Barrel of his leg and placing him on his lap, "I think you three have the doctor completely misunderstood, he's a brilliant and interesting man," He glanced up at Sally, "Isn't that right Sally?"
The rag doll really wished her boyfriend wouldn't have dragged her into this, because to be perfectly honest, she kind of agreed with the trick or treaters. Her creator wasn't by any means a bad guy, but like the children had stated, he wasn't exactly a normal guy.
The rag doll took a seat on the bed beside Shock, "He's not a bad person," Sally said, not overly wanting to lie, but thought she should at least try to help Jack's case.
"He threatened to sow all our heads together!" Barrel cried, looking Sally right in the eye.
Sally reached her arms out to Barrel, and Barrel crawled over to her, looking for some reassurance.
The rag doll wrapped the littlest ex boogie boy in her arms, and hugged him tightly, enjoying the moment. The other two always rejected her attempts of giving them affection, so this was a rare and wonderful moment for the rag doll.
"Well if he did, I'd unsow you," She cooed.
"How reassuring," Lock muffled, with his arms crossed.
"His creepy wife pinched my cheeks once!" Shock spat, touching the side of her face, "And it hurt!"
"Well she isn't coming today, so your cheeks are safe for tonight," Jack said.
"Our heads aren't!" Lock argued.
"I've seen you all punch," Jack said, "And I've seen the damage you've all left behind, so I think you can protect yourselves just fine," He paused for a moment, "But you won't have to because me and Sally would never put you three in harm's way, and we are telling you, you three are going to be perfectly fine."
"Ring! Ring! Ring!"
"That must be him," The pumpkin king said, while getting up, "I'll go let him in," He said, leaving the room.
All six eyes helplessly went to Sally.
"You're not really going to leave us with him are you?" Lock asked, crawling over the bed to sit on the other side of the rag doll.
Sally sighed, "If I could stay with the three of you I would," She paused for a moment, "But really there isn't a single thing to worry about, you three will be fine. I promise."
"Well why do you and Jack both have to go?" Shock asked.
"All adults must attend."
"Why?" Lock asked.
Sally shrugged, unsure on what to really say. Her and Jack both agreed to keep the trick or treaters in the dark about everything that was going on with the town. They didn't want the ex boogie boys thinking all this was their faults, when it wasn't.
"It's just something to do with the town, nothing interesting. I'll probably fall asleep," The rag doll said.
"Well it has to be serious if all, and only adult can go," Lock said.
"Doctor Finklestein isn't going," Shock pointed out, narrowing in on Sally, "He's an adult."
"He's not an adult, he's a senior," Sally corrected.
Lock and Shock both looked at one another, but just shrugged. She did have a point.
Meanwhile downstairs Jack was going over a couple of things with the doctor.
"They go to bed at 8:30, I usually read to them in the living room, but if they don't want you to then you don't have to. If they want cookies or some kind of snack they are welcome to it. Umm if they want to play outside they have to wear their coats, and play in the backyard. If they are watching TV just keep an eye on what they're watching." Jack took a deep breath, "And finally doctor, no threats towards them please. That last thing really freaked them out, with you putting all their heads together or something."
"I promise Jack! Oh you worry to much my boy!" The doctor said in a smog voice.
Sally and the trick or treater came stepping down the stairs.
"Sally!" The doctor said happily, "You look lovely my dear!"
While Sally was talking to the doctor, Barrel whispered to his two friends.
"If we stay on the stairs he can't get to us," He pointed at the wheelchair.
"Good idea," Lock whispered back.
"Well, we should be off," Jack announced happily, glancing over at Lock, Shock, and Barrel on the stairs, that looked anything but happy, "Bye kids," The pumpkin king waved nervously, getting death glares from all three of them.
"Have a goodnight," Sally called, waving to the trick or treaters.
"Bye, Sally," Lock managed to muffle, giving the rag doll just barely a wave.
"We'll be back," Jack almost whispered, opening the door for Sally and still looking at the three kids that were still staring him down.
With that Jack closed the door, and before the doctor could say anything the three ex boogie boys bolted upstairs.
They decided to retreat to Shocks room, since it was the cleanest. Once they piled inside Lock slammed the door behind him.
"That was a close one," He mumbled, and began wandering around the room.
"Yeah," Barrel said, laying down on the perfectly made bed, "We should be safe up here though."
"He can't roll up the stairs," Shock snickered, taking a seat on the bed beside Barrel, "So, what do you guys wanna do?"
"I dunno," Barrel shrugged.
Lock ignored his friends and started looking at the things Shock had so neatly placed on her makeup table, purely amazed by the organizational skills she had, until something a little more interesting caught his eye.
"What's this?" He smirked, holding up a small glass bottle of sparkly purple nail polish.
"Nothing, so put it back!"
"Is this nail polish?" Lock asked, with a taunting grin covering his face.
"Yes, but it's not mine, it's Sally's. She wanted me to try it for the ball tomorrow because the colour goes with my dress," Shock shrugged, "But I don't really like that weird stuff on my hands," She said honestly.
"Oh yeah right," Lock said rolling his eyes, "It's probably yours, and you were probably going to paint your nails or something stupid, thinking no one would notice."
"Oh looks like you caught me!" Shock sarcastically answered back, "Stupid moron," She muffled to herself.
Lock started tossing it up and down in his palm, "Nail polish is pretty girly you know," He mocked.
Shock hopped off the bed, "Yeah I know, but like I said it isn't mine so be careful with it!"
Ignoring Shock, Lock went on,"What use would Sally have with purple nail polish, she never wears purple."
"I don't know," Shock growled, stepping closer to him, "But like I said, it's not mine so put it down before you break it or something."
Lock raised an eyebrow, but kept throwing it in his palm, "You want me to stop?"
"Yes!"
"Well, your're a lady aren't you? What's the magic word?" The devil mocked, and started throwing the bottle a little higher in the air.
Shock clenched her teeth together and her hands turned in to tight fists. But she wasn't going to backdown to him, not ever.
In rage, she snatched the bottle before he could catch it, and before he knew what happened Shock twisted his left arm and shoved him to the floor, sitting on his back and continued to twist his arm.
Lock was so uncomfortable, and unable to really move, since her weight was keeping him pinned down, and when he did try to struggle it only made the arm twisting worse. He looked spitefully at her, but she only grinned at him.
"What's the magic word?" She mocked.
"Please," Lock spat. His desperate please got a snicker from Barrel across the room.
Shock smiled deviously at her devil friend, "Sure I'll stop, just as soon as me and Barrel give you a little makeover," She glanced up at her younger friend, "Get over here!"
Barrel rushed over, excited to join the fun. Being on Shocks side was always the best side to be on.
Once Barrel was beside Shock, Shock handed him the bottle of nail polish with her free hand, "Open it please," She said, to politely for Locks liking.
"Oh what are you gonna do Shock?" Lock tested, "Gonna make me eat it?"
"Course not," She said way to softly, "I'm just going to make you look a little pretty."
Lock was mortified, and started struggling wildly, but it was no use, "Please don't paint my fingernails Shock! I'll do anything you want! Please!"
Shock snickered, while Barrel handed her the brush, and she got started on painting his thumb nail a sparkly purple.
"You know my left hand is my good hand!" Lock cried, horrified of the feeling of nail polish.
Shock just grinned at him, and continued to cover his sharp nails with the girly paint. Barrel stood close, laughing, and holding the bottle for Shock.
"I'm sorry about the girly thing Shock, I knew it had to have been Sally's!" Lock continued to plead, while Shock moved on to his index finger, "Just stop right now and I'll do anything you want!"
Shock just shook her head. This moment was far too priceless.
Lock continued to struggle, but still it was no use, "Cut it out!" The young devil screamed once she started on his middle finger.
"Oh you look beautiful already!" Shock cooed, "Sparkles is definitely your style Lockie."
"STOP IT SHOCK!" Lock yelled.
"Almost done," Shock went on, "Just gotta let them dry."
"Barrel stop her, or I'll punch your face in!"
"With you're sparkly purple hand?" Barrel giggled, while Shock handed him the brush to screw back on.
"This is my room," Shock said, in a snotty voice, "You don't have permission to punch Barrel."
"If you don't get off me Shock, I'll-" Lock was at a loss at what to do, again he couldn't hit her, and if he started calling her names or threatening her, Jack might find out, and than his deal would be off.
"You'll do what?" Shock said, narrowing in on him.
"I'll-," He paused for a moment, "I'll tell," He regretted saying that after he heard it out loud. That was just pathetic.
"Ha!" Shock mocked, "That's the best you got? That's just pathetic! Who you gonna tell? Jack and Sally are gone remember?" She taunted.
"I'll tell the doctor, and he'll probably glue your mouth together or something like that!"
Shock grinned at him, "Hey, he hates you just as much as he hates me."
Lock frowned, would this torment ever end...?
Meanwhile, Sally and Jack were almost to town hall.
"I bet Lock, Shock, and Barrel are having a wonderful time as we speak," Jack said, trying to cover up his guilt of leaving them with doctor Finklestein. He truly believed they would be perfectly safe with the doctor. It was just the little scene they made before they had made once they found out who their babysitter would be, and the cold stares he got while he was leaving that made him feel incredibly guilty.
Sally wasn't convinced that they were having a wonderful time, but she was confident that they were okay, "I'm sure they are," The rag doll lied, just for the sake of her boyfriends feelings.
It was quite for a moment.
"How do you think the meeting will go?" The pumpkin king asked helplessly.
Sally shrugged, "We'll know when we get there I suppose."
The master of fright sighed, "I suppose," He said sadly, holding the door open for Sally as the couple stepped in to town hall...
Hope you guys enjoyed it. I know it's pretty short. I cut it off there just because I didn't want you guys waiting a crazy long time for a update. And plus I found my last chapter a little too long. I have already started on the next chapter and I promise to have it updated soon! Thank you guys so much, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Tell me your thoughts :)