Sally prepares for an important trip today, slipping herself into her patchwork dress first thing in the morning. She finds herself avoiding it nowadays, as it reminds her of the old treatment she received back at Finklestein's. Where she was forced to use leftover fabrics and scraps to sew together just to make clothing...Looking at it in her mirror now makes her feel unpleasant. But it is the best thing to wear, if she is going somewhere that is old, dusty, and worn down.

She makes room in her basket that will hopefully be filled by the end of the day. By the time she is ready, she finds Jack idling around in his den. He looks to be somewhat anxious, pacing around in a small line in thought. He stops once she comes into the room and relaxes when they meet at the door. She leans on her tiptoes for a kiss. He receives the message and bends down to leave one on her lips.

"Are you leaving now?" He asks.

"Yes, I'm going to find the Hanging Tree and ask him if he'd like to come."

He frowns. "I doubt anything will happen while the two of you are there, but-"

"-Jack." Her voice stops his thoughts. She comes forward to rub his arm soothingly. "It's sweet of you to worry about me. I promise I'll be fine."

His posture softens. How could he not, after all they've been through? "-If you find anything that needs my attention, I'll be right in the Town Hall. You're free to come and get me."

She nods and leans forward one last time to peck his cheek. She bids her goodbye and leaves the mansion, carefully climbing down the stairs and waving to her beloved as she passes through the gates. He watches her figure disappear into town without a word, then slowly closes the door behind him.

Her absence makes him feel strangely cold.


It takes a few minutes for Sally to realize that she doesn't exactly know where her friend would be. She isn't sure where anyone here lives, aside from the Doctor and Jack. She wanders around for several minutes before stumbling right upon the tree. She accidentally bumps his side while he is walking by. When he turns around, he jumps in delight.

"Sally!" He exclaims, his sharpened grin widening. "How awful it is to see you!"

"Hello, Hanging Tree." She ducks to greet the skeletons on his branches. "-Hello to you five as well."

They lean their skulls to the side and greet her right back. He leads them out of the way to let her sit down for a moment. She brushes her hair behind her ear and gazes around at their environment. It is a beautiful day out right now - there are clouds currently forming in the sky.

"Is there any particular reason you're out today?" He asks politely. "I haven't seen you since that meeting!"

"There is. I was looking to speak with you." Her friend perks up at these words. "Would you happen to know where the old sewing shop is?"

"The old sewing shop, you say?" He repeats, placing a finger to his bark in his thought. "That's all the way in the Residential Hill. I haven't been there in so many years!"

"Would you like to come with me, then? I was going to look there for some sewing supplies. The Witches told me there might be some there, and I've been in desperate need for some time now..."

"Ah...they might be right. No one has checked in there for a very long time."

"That's why I wanted to ask. You know more about sewing than me, so I assume you've visited there, and you're familiar with the place..."

"Of course! I remember when I used to knit a lot back in those times. Maybe I can find some stuff for myself while I'm there. I've been at a loss of supplies like you have."

The skeletons on his branch have been absorbing their conversation intently. They hadn't interfered out of politeness, but as soon as silence settles in for a few moments, one of the skeletons decides to pry.

"Miss Sally, I must say that I'm surprised you didn't ask Jack to come with you." They comment. "I'm sure he would have been more than happy to accompany you."

She bites her lopsided lip. "Well, yes, but he seems so busy nowadays...I didn't want to interrupt his work."

The Hanging Tree laughs. "If I know anything about Jack, I'm sure he's prioritized you plenty already."

Her blue cheeks turn a little pink at his words. She feels foolish for not asking him to come. But she still has someone assist her, and that's all she really wanted from the start. Jack sounded concerned about it last night, and seeing how he acted just before she left...she'll be sure to be more than careful, if this is truly concerning to him.

The Hanging Tree begins to head in a direction and motions Sally to follow.

"We can start heading there now, if you'd like. I wasn't doing anything terribly important. And the walk shouldn't be too long - we'll be there before you know it."

She nods enthusiastically, looking forward to their trip. They pass the time by speaking more with each other, talking about how their knitting and sewing has been going. The skeletons listen to their conversations and even join in on a few. Sally can't begin to describe how peaceful it feels to talk with someone like this. She enjoys her time with her friend, and almost forgets about the sewing shop until they finally arrive.


"This is it!"

The ragdoll blinks twice as they approach a strange building. It stands out like a sore claw compared to the dark, occupied structures back in town. This one stands completely alone in its place - no neighboring buildings in its proximity. It is clearly built out of wood, most of which is now long rotten and looks to be nearly falling apart. The Witches' description was fairly accurate for what she is looking at now.

The Hanging Tree steps forward and she follows him. She notices the details the closer they get. The sign hanging just before the entrance is cracked and barely hanging on its hooks. The words that were once printed on it have been stained by the sun and are no longer legible. The windows on the side of the building are currently boarded up, as the glass has been broken. The roof creaks every time a gust of wind passes by, making her wonder if it would cave in at any second.

Her friend stops as they reach the door. Its paint is worn and a sign that reads: 'DO NOT ENTER' is placed right in the middle. She reaches for the key in her dress pocket and slowly takes it in her hands. She hadn't noticed there was a small skull on it; one that looks to resemble Jack's.

She observes the building again. It stands firmly where it is, and the sign creaks when the wind comes around.

"Something about this place makes me weary..."

"With what went on here, I can't blame you. But that happened such a long time ago. There's nothing to worry about now."

"You're right." Her fingers glide down to the key in her hand. 'And yet...'

The Hanging Tree glances at the sky and notices the dark clouds. Rain can be coming any second now. He looks back at Sally and finds her still staring at the building. He can't allow the Pumpkin King's girlfriend to get soaked under his watch! He steps behind her and motions her forward uneasily, glancing at the clouds that are coming in by the second.

"We might have to get going before it starts pouring..."

She notices what he is talking about and nods right away. They come to the door and she slips the skeleton key in with ease. The lock unlatches as she turns the key. The door slowly creaks open. To her surprise, the inside still seems to have power, as the moment she flicks the lights on, the hanging lanterns inside light up.

As the two head in, the floor beneath them groans at their weight and the door hastily shuts behind them. Sally jumps in alarm and bumps into one of the skeletons by accident.

"Are you alright?" They ask, holding her shoulders steady. She nods several times to assure them she is.

"Oh, yes, just a little...spooked, is all..."

The tree laughs. "Fantastic!"

The lanterns shine brighter as they're now in the room. She takes a good look at their surroundings. Things are deadly quiet otherwise, beyond the sound of the wind hitting the sign outside.

It is a large room they're in, filled with shelves that hold many fabrics. There are several sewing machines placed on the desks that litter around the room, as well as an unlit fireplace that sits in the back. There looks to be some sort of pantry to their far right, though she has yet to see what is in it.

All of these things are filled with cobwebs and dust. The fabrics look like they've been untouched for the longest time. The walls themselves are worn down, as the wallpaper seems to be peeling. Nearly all of the pictures hanging on the walls have several tears or scratches in them. As if someone has deliberately made them.

"Where do you think she kept the bodies?" One of the skeletons asks. They seem to be talking with the others on their branch. Sally can't help but eavesdrop on their conversation.

"Why would you even ask that? It's such a morbid topic."

"Which is what we love to talk about, isn't it?"

"Maybe the fabrics are the children..! Their skin, or their-"

"Don't say such things in Sally's presence!" Another skeleton scolds. "You might scare her."

"We're curious, that's all."

Their tree hushes them down, and they grow quiet. He returns to her side and frowns. "I'm sorry for my skeletons' behavior...they get so talkative with new things!"

"It's fine. I'm...sort of wondering the same thing..." She mumbles.

His frown deepens as he looks around. He decides not to touch upon such a subject and starts wandering around the room. She follows closely behind, rubbing her arms continuously. It's growing colder the longer they're in here, what with the gaps through the exposed windows and all. Since the fireplace is unlit, there is nothing currently keeping them warm in the meantime.

"It seems like all the fabrics are still in good condition," He comments, touching them and trying not to rip any with his sharp fingers. "Although, the dust would have to be cleaned off..."

"Do you think the sewing machines still work?"

"I wouldn't doubt it."

This springs some hope in Sally. She follows him as they look into the pantry across the room. This one has many drawers, all filled with sewing supplies that must have been kept as spares at one point. The relief on her face is substantial. She takes a look at what is inside and gathers what she needs. The Hanging Tree looks for himself and hums in delight when he finds the knitting needles tucked away in one drawer.

After they finish collecting what they desire, a thunderous boom sounds from outside. She yelps in surprise and instinctively reaches for one of the skeletons again, who holds her hands to calm her down. Rain begins to pour down from the sky. The two take one glance out of the door as the weather begins to pick up.

"Oh, no...I wanted to return to the Manor before it started raining..." She sighs.

"That's alright; we can stay here until it eases down."

Her breath starts to show in the air. "But it's getting so c-cold..."

The Hanging Tree says nothing as he glances at the unused fireplace in the back of the room. He walks over to it and notices the stacks of wood and twigs still placed inside, completely untouched. He goes through the trouble of finding some sort of igniter and lighting a small fire. As soon as the flames start and the wood catches, he motions for Sally to sit beside him.

She obeys and rests her basket by her side, watching the wood burn. She fidgets with her hands as they start to warm. They listen to the rain pour from outside. She finds some sort of calmness to it. It would be much better if she was at Jack's side right now, holding his hand as they rest by his hearth - in the safety and comfort of their own home, rather than an abandoned sewing shop...

"It isn't odd watching wood burn for you, is it...?" She asks.

"Not at all. I know not all trees are sentient like I am. Sometimes I burn my own sticks, and it doesn't hurt very much."

"Hm." She clutches her knees closer to her chest. "Hanging Tree, what do you know about this old seamstress..? I assume you've talked with her before, if you've been knitting for a long time."

"Back then, I talked to her whenever I came around to knit or use something of hers. She had quite the business going on back in the day - everyone loved her work! It was special enough to get our King's attention, and have her as his personal tailor. Even I liked what she made.

"Was she kind?"

"We all believed she was a nice lady who was incredibly talented in her field. But after learning what she did...I think that's when she showed who she actually was."

The Hanging Tree leans back and looks at the ceiling, seeming to recall something in bright detail.

"You see, she had a habit of disguising herself. The seamstress we knew was different from how she actually looked like. She was some sort of spider with button eyes...who usually had porcelain skin, but it cracked after awhile. She looked horrifying! We would have kept her around for the scares and chills had she not ...well..."

Sally glances at the torn pictures and frames on the wall. "-Do you think she did that?"

"Most certainly. She had fingers like needles - sharper than my own!" He laughs. "If you ask me, she reminded me a lot of Jack. He can do things very similar to what she did. She never participated in Halloween, but I imagine she would've had quite an impressive competition with him!"

"She sounds...scary..."

"Yes, but she's been gone for a long time. I doubt she has any intentions on returning here. I'm sure Jack would be upset if she ever tried. We have nothing to worry about under his protection."

The fire pops and cracks loudly. They stare at it for awhile in silence, the rain still going in the background. She wonders how long this will go on. Talking about Jack only makes her long for him more. To be in his warm arms at this moment, far away from the place where this awful woman resided. She shivers a little and her friend observes her quietly.

"You know, Sally, I think you would do a great job as a seamstress yourself." He says. She blinks in surprise at the suggestion.

"Me...a seamstress?" He nods with a sharp smile. "What makes you say that?"

"I've seen what you made and how often you practice. You're very talented! Not to mention, we've been needing someone with your expertise for a long time. Everyone I know has either holes or tears in their clothes."

"Wouldn't that be a good thing, for Halloween?"

"Yes, but for every other day of the year, I imagine it's quite a hassle! All I'm saying is that...I think you would make a good one. You're more kind than she ever was, and I know for a fact that everyone here would support you."

"Where would I even start...?" She shakes her head. "I have nowhere to do such a thing, nor do I have the means to. All I have are-"

"-You have Jack."

She pauses. He continues:

"He can make things easy for you. You should bring it up to him sometime and ask if it's possible. I'm certain it is." He bows his body forward. "It will also give you something to do, and I think you deserve to be paid for your efforts. It'll bring in many opportunities for you."

She smiles and looks at the floor. The idea makes her excited...but she gets shy thinking of bringing it up to her beloved. Is she even in the position to ask for something so big? She doesn't deserve such a thing...but sewing is such a passion of hers. She can't help but imagine herself owning a shop of her own - providing her services to her friends and the rest of Halloween Town...


Jack Skellington taps the side of his skull as he searches through the drawers in the Town Hall.

He's been doing this awhile now, in search for something in particular. But what he is looking for is old, and was likely organized a long time ago. Something they haven't bothered to touch in years. He hums as he slams another drawer shut with no success. He then goes to another filing cabinet, skimming through the papers and folders quickly.

"Have you found it yet?" The Mayor asks from behind him, his worried eyes following the skeleton around the room. He pauses to address the question, closing this drawer shut as well.

"No. Which is a peculiar thing..."

"Maybe it got mixed up? Check the propositions."

He follows his colleague's advice and moves to another area entirely, desperately searching through the stacks of paperwork. The shorter man decides to help him and begins looking for himself, going at a much slower pace compared to the skeleton's quick movements. They keep this up for awhile until Jack suddenly stops in his tracks. He holds one singular paper up with a grin plastered on his skull.

"Found it!" He exclaims.

"Perfect!" The Mayor's face changes and comes to his side. "How old is it?"

"It was filed about 8 years ago. Was this really the last time we talked about the sewing shop?"

"I'm afraid so...it must have slipped our minds, with all the other things we've been doing..."

The skeleton clears off the desk in the room and places the paper on it. He leans over and quietly reads through what has been written down. The Mayor joins him and observes the page intently. There is a moment of silence as they absorb the information. The Mayor is the first to speak.

"Well? What should we do?"

He frowns. "If we want to do anything with it, it's going to need demolished and then a complete refurbishment. That wood can't be reliable - its structure is bound to come down anytime."

"Do we have enough funding for that? Last Halloween was a little costly..."

"Check our finances, would you?"

He nods before leaving into another room. Jack continues to look at the paper in his absence. He wants nothing more but to do something with this old building. He can't have it rotting in town while being completely unusable. He's relieved Sally brought this up in the first place...the last thing he wants is for it to come down and someone to get seriously hurt by the mess.

The Mayor returns in the room, holding a few papers in his hands. "We have just enough if we decide to cut down on the blood this year. We can't afford more canisters for the Vampire Brothers if we hope to get something done."

"Alright. That's a price I'm willing to pay." Jack briefly looks over what he brought. "What do you suggest?"

"Maybe a new restaurant?"

"I don't think it would do well. The one we have never gets crowded as it is." He taps his jaw in thought. "A blood bank, perhaps?"

"I think the vampires manage that kind of thing well on their own..."

"..."

His faces switch in despair. "I tell you, we can NEVER think of something good enough as a replacement! Something that won't lose money, and what we really need..."

"Maybe we don't need to change it into something different at all...Maybe, it can still be a sewing shop?"

"But with what tailor? Or seamstress?"

"Well, I've been thinking about it, and...Sally likes to sew. Why not have her run the place?"

"Jack, that's genius! Oh, what a horrible, awful idea!" He claps his hands in excitement. "You're telling me she agreed to it already?"

"Oh, no. I, well, haven't brought it up yet. It's just...something I thought about last night." He rubs the back of his skull in shame.

"Well, then, ask her as soon as possible so the ownership can go under her name! I've heard what she can do, and I have no doubts she'd do a fine job."

The Pumpkin King doesn't respond right away. He's still staring at the paper, holding his hand to his lips in thought. He does this for a long time as his colleague stands there waiting for his confirmation. After awhile, he slowly brings his gaze from the paper over to his friend. He looks to have a smile on his face.

"Actually, we can go ahead and put it under my name. We can start with construction right away...I'll make it a sort of surprise for her.

"Really? But you two haven't even talked about it - are you sure she wants to do this?"

"She's been making all sorts of dresses and clothes these past few weeks. I can tell she's going to run out of room soon. She needs a better outlet to express this in rather than a room."

He goes to pick up the paper again, thinking further on this. "-I won't make the decision for her, but I think this is something that she's always wanted..."

'She once told me she wanted my approval on what she made. What if she had the rest of the Town's, too? I'm certain it would make her happy.'

"Alright. Let's start putting your name on the project and planning this out. We'll hire the Behemoth...he provides labor without much pay, thank Halloween!"

Jack follows him and happens to glance outside of a nearby window. He notices the sky is now filled with dark clouds. He can hear the raindrops hitting the roof and smiles to himself. This type of weather always excites him. He can hear thunder brewing far away and notices a few cracks of lightning in the sky. Then he remembers that Sally is out right now, and momentarily stops in his tracks as he feels worry begin to consume his thoughts.

'She's still out there...Maybe she noticed the weather and headed home. I'm sure she's being careful.'


The Hanging Tree and Sally are having a lovely time talking to each other. They further discuss the idea of her being a seamstress, and eventually, she caves in. She confesses it was something she'd thought of before, and was even close to suggesting it to Jack the other night. She further talks about her insecurities that come with the idea - which her friend does a wonderful job with comforting her about.

It is in the middle of their conversation when they hear another boom come from outside. The wood begins to creak as the wind picks up. This is when they finally notice the storm coming, and quickly decide to take their leave now in an attempt to get home.

The air is chilly. Sally clutches onto her sides as she moves closer to the front door. It's a wise decision to leave now. The longer they stay in here, the building may not hold for very long. She doubts the wood is still sturdy after all this time. She can't ignore how anxious the wind outside makes her, with how violent it's becoming by the second...

"D-do you th-think we'll ma-make it?" She manages through chattering teeth.

Her friend seems hopeful. "As long as we hurry, I'm sure we'll beat the storm in time."

They listen to the loud creaking and groaning of the wood around them. It makes her more worried by the minute. She shivers and reaches for her friend as they approach the door. He holds her to try and keep her warm. The contact is assuring, but his bark feels like ice. He gets the message and smiles as an apology, then opens the door and allows them to leave.

His skeletons start to thrash when the wind hits them, swinging by the ropes on their neck. Sally feels sorry for them. Her hair starts to get carelessly tossed around. The tree shuts the door behind them and she uses the key to lock it. She's holding tightly onto her basket - not wanting her things to be taken by the wind.

"Here, I'll help you get home." He offers.

He quickly yet carefully guides Sally back to the Pumpkin King's Manor. Since she didn't wear anything over her dress that morning, the rain happens to soak her figure the longer they're out there. They get there as fast as they can, finding the gates to the mansion opening and closing with the wind. The Hanging Tree bids her goodbye with a last smile on his face. She understands the message behind it - remembering what she has to ask from her skeleton man, and that it should be done soon.


Sally returns home dripping wet from head-to-tie by the time she walks through the doors of the Skellington Manor. She feels cold as she shuts the door behind her and sets down her basket. She feels guilty for walking in while her entire figure is soaked in rainwater. She hopes Jack isn't home for a second, so he doesn't have to see her like this, getting his floors all wet-

"Sally? Are you home, my dear?"

She freezes in her spot as his voice comes from up the stairs. She finds him climbing down rather eagerly, but the moment he sees her, his expression instantly turns to worry. He practically runs over and looks at her drenched figure. His eye sockets widen in disbelief. She holds her head low, an unpleasant feeling now settling in her stomach.

"I'm sorry, I-"

"You're all wet..! Oh, if only I had given you something to cover yourself with - this simply can't do! I'm so sorry, Sally. Here, let's get you in front of the fire."

She's taken by surprise as he leads her into the den and towards the hearth. There is already a decently-sized fire inside, the flames dancing around as the logs have long caught. He carefully sits her down in front of it and joins her side right away. This one is much warmer compared to the last. The skeleton takes a rag and begins to dab at her face, getting the excess water that is dripping from her cheeks and hoping to dry whatever he can.

Zero barks in delight when he finds them down there, flying above their heads in excitement. But when he notices Sally is shivering and completely damp, he whines and floats down to her side. He receives a couple of pats to the head. She scoots closer to Jack, wishing to share whatever body heat he had at that moment. He allows her to rest at his side, ignoring this part of his undershirt moistening at the contact.

"I'm s-sorry I didn't come ba-ack sooner. We th-thought the rain wo-uuld pass...That's w-why we were wait-waiting." Her tone carries guilt through the chattering of her teeth. He has a sympathetic look on his face.

"How could you have known? Nothing is your fault at all. I simply need to help you get dry..."

He tries to hide how anxious his words are. He returned home right after he and the Mayor finished starting their new project. The first thing he did was kindle a fire to warm the cold mansion. He was surprised, however, to find the Skellington Manor completely empty, apart from his ghostly dog. He believed Sally would've been there waiting for him...only to realize that she wasn't.

He was so worried in that moment - that something had happened to her, or the storm must've caught her. He was just preparing to leave and search for her until she happened to come in right through his front doors. To find her standing there, shivering, covered entirely in water...it brought immense anxiety to his bones. He's never felt so concerned before.

He sets down the rag and goes through the trouble of wrapping his arms around her from behind. He rests his large hands in her lap. She lays her small ones over his shortly afterwards. They enjoy their contact and continue to sit there, enjoying the warmth from the fire. When he brings his hand over her arm, he finds that she's finally starting to dry.

"You had me so worried," He confesses. "I'm sure I overreacted this morning - but to find you here, cold to the touch and drenched, I-"

"We tried to get here as fast as we could...it was pouring outside, and-"

"It's my fault. I should have seen this coming. Ever since you brought this up to me last night, I...I've just been feeling peculiar..."

"Peculiar..?"

He massages her hands in thought. "I always get this feeling before a storm...it's this tingling sensation on my spine. I felt it again this morning, before you left. I thought I was just nervous. If only I had read my instincts better...I could've given you my jacket, or an umbrella, or-"

"Wait. You can tell when a storm is coming?"

"I think many of us can. It's common around here." He rests his skull atop her head. "We love this weather. But this is the first time I've ever felt an unpleasant prickling. I think it's because I knew you were out there, still."

She nestles in her lover's embrace. She gets butterflies in her stomach hearing him so worried.

"I'm alright; it's nothing to be worried about. I get this wet whenever I take a bath."

"Yes, but, still...I don't want you catching a cold." He isn't even sure if Sally can fall to any ailments, but he still feels worried. "And knowing I could've prevented this from the start-"

"Oh, Jack...I don't like it when you blame yourself like this. Really. I'm fine. I'm here now, aren't I?"

He sighs deeply. "That you are..."

His grip on her tightens. Hearing that last sentence fills him with relief. She is here now. Instead of being outside, where it is far too dangerous and cold...she's safely tucked in his arms at this second. He feels his bones stop swelling as he rests his skull on her hair. She is only a little damp at this point. He feels satisfied with this progress.

After a few minutes, he realizes he hasn't asked about her trip yet.

"Did you find anything, by the way?"

"We did. There were drawers filled with spare needles, thread, thimbles...everything I could've asked for."

He smiles. She sounds so excited. The trip must have been worth it to make. "-You didn't find anything out of the ordinary, did you?"

Her hands inch their way along his arm as she thinks of a response. Quietly, she tells him, "It was a little creepy. I didn't want to stay a minute longer."

"You shouldn't have to. You got what you wanted." He motions to her basket sitting by the front door. "I guess this means your sewing should get much better?"

"I'm excited. Really, I am." Her fingers dig into the fabric of his sleeve. "Thank you for letting me go."

"Of course, darling. I would do anything to make you happy."

He moves her yarn hair to kiss her forehead. She feels tingly as she sits there, grabbing at his him and smiling. She feels antsy all of a sudden...wanting to blurt out what's on her mind. Ask him for what she wants so dearly, right then and there...but then she gets that twinge of nervousness in her leaves that stops her. She rests in his lap instead and entwines her fingers with his, enjoying their now-dry embrace.

She doesn't notice how fidgety Jack is as well. He repeatedly runs his hand through her hair and twirls the ends of her strands in his fingers. He wants to break the news to her already - of what he plans to accomplish for her; to spoil the surprise early, just to see the bright smile on her face. But he has to ignore these impulses, figuring it will all come in due time.

They hold each other while resting by the fire for the rest of the night, both of them as restless as the other.