With that reasoning, Jack walked down the hill and made his way to the doctor's lab, unaware of the restless insects in the graveyard. They swarmed all over the place, as if they knew what was to come. It was unaware to most that Oogie Boogie was returning. Then again, they would all find out soon enough. However, three knew ahead of time, and were collecting the insects at that very moment.
"Got one!" Barrel said to Lock and Shock as he carried a large roach to his friends.
"Quick, throw it in the sack," Lock said as he and Shock opened their large sack of bugs.
"Man, I can't believe Oogie Boogie's coming back," Shock said in a mixture of fear and joy.
"I knew he was coming back, even if he is a ghost," Lock bragged.
"You think we should tell him we helped Jack out last time?" Barrel asked.
"Don't be stupid and just keep collecting bugs," Shock told the costumed skeleton child.
"I'm not stupid. Besides, I haven't seen you collect any bugs today."
"That's because she's helping me with the bag, Barrel," Lock said.
"Oh... makes sense then," Barrel said before he went to seek more bugs.
"Sucker," Lock said to Shock, causing both of them to chuckle at their partner.
Away from the scheming children, Jack walked the streets of Halloween Town with Zero. He was used to the attention he got as the Pumpkin King and even grew to like it. But he had recently been finding things to complain about again. Like Halloween's complete lack of romance. Sally was the last person he wanted to scare away, he just didn't quite know how to express what he wanted. The fact Sally lived as a prisoner in her own home didn't help either.
"Hello?" Jack asked as he opened the door to the lab.
"Jack. Nice to see you again," Mrs. Finkelstein said, "What brings you here? It isn't that wretched girl, is it? She's punished."
"Punished?" Jack asked, feeling his face fall slightly.
"Yes. She seems to like cooking with Deadly Nightshade."
"Oh. Well, is Dr.-"
"Finky's busy on another one of his experiments. He has been working for days. I understand of course, but it gets lonesome for me at times."
"What a pity. I'm sorry to hear that, Mrs. Finkelstein," Jack said politely before dashing out of the house, "Poor Sally," he said to himself as he began to make his way out until Zero barked at something. There was a picnic basket being lowered to the ground on a string.
Jack allowed himself a skeletal grin, knowing what would happen next. He crept over until he figured out the best place to stand. Then, he caught Sally as she fell into his arms.
"Jack," Sally said with an appreciative smile after getting over the initial shock of being caught.
"I'm happy to see you too," Jack said as he let her down, "Punished again?"
"I gave them some Deadly Nightshade last night so I could surprise you. It wore off too early," Sally said in a depressed tone.
"You shouldn't be getting in trouble for my sake."
"I don't mind it, it's just going home that's the problem."
"Maybe you should find a different home," Jack said as he grasped her hands.
"Are you suggesting that I live with you?" Sally asked in her usual skeptical tone she took whenever Jack thought up of another scheme.
"You're over at my house most of the time anyway. It's big and has a lot of room. It gets scary in the middle of the night when I'm all alone."
"The Pumpkin King, scared? What about Zero?" Sally asked as she bent over and pet the ghost dog.
"Zero's great, but when I talk to him, he can't talk back," Jack said, getting an angry growl from Zero.
"I just can't win with you," Sally said before Mrs. Finkelstein started calling for her, "Oh no."
"You can live with them or me, Sally. Either way, I'll still get to see you, right?"
"You'll be seeing me a lot more often. Meet me in the graveyard, we'll talk then," Sally told Jack as she kissed him on the cheek and ran off.
Jack stood in his place for a while, grinning dumbly and feeling his bony cheek. When he finally did leave, he practically skipped to the graveyard. Unfortunately, he then remembered his new duty as the head of Valentine's Day. Jack knew Sally wouldn't like this idea, and how was he going to pull it off with her living with him?
"Oh heck, I forgot about my duties," Jack said to himself as he watched Sally from the gate of the graveyard, "This won't be easy," the Pumpkin King said to himself as he and Zero walked over to Sally.
"Here, I brought the basket," Sally said as she patted the ground and allowed Jack to sit next to her.
"Thank you. Now, about the whole moving in situation," Jack started.
"You have no idea how much this means to me," Sally said.
"I don't?"
"The doctor created me, but he never cared about me. All I ever was to him was a maid and a cook, never a daughter. That's why I need to leave, Jack. To go some place where I'm wanted," the rag doll confessed as she grabbed the Pumpkin King's right hand.
Jack bit the bottom of his jaw. On one hand, he cared for Sally very deeply and wanted to make her happy. Of course he wanted her to stay with him. But there was no way to plan Valentine's Day with her objecting to every plan, it would drive them apart. This wasn't good.
"Jack? Is something wrong? You don't want me to stay with you, do you?" Sally asked, her eyes lowering themselves as she stared at the ground.
"What? No. Don't be silly, my mind just wanders. Of course I want you to stay. But you'll need to get your things and... what?"
"I have everything with me," Sally said.
"You only have the clothes off of your back," Jack observed.
"They are all I have. That and a needle and a spool of thread."
"You've been deprived."
"But that's all in the past, Jack. All I care about now is my future, with you."
Jack decided that he could find a way to plan Valentine's Day with Sally in his home. Heck, as long as Sally was around him, he didn't care. For now, he could only share his appreciation with a kiss, which was interrupted before it even started.
"Jack!" a familiar voice yelled from the edge of the graveyard.
"It's the Mayor, I have to go," Jack told Sally, whose face of annoyance soon softened.
"I understand. Just promise to continue later," she said before she got up and left Jack to his business with the Mayor.
"Mr. Mayor. To what do I owe this visit?" Jack asked as he got up and met the Mayor halfway in the graveyard.
"I've heard rumors that we're postponing Halloween plans. I'm concerned." the Mayor said, the Unhappy Face speaking to Jack.
"Well, that's because I have been called to head Valentine's Day. It seems Cupid has vanished."
"Cupid, Jack?"
"He's the head of the Valentine Land. Unless he returns, we as a town will celebrate the holiday of love with the rest of the world."
"Splendid!" the Mayor said, turning his head around to show how pleased he was, "Is that why you were speaking to Miss Sally?"
"Actually, she's moving into my home."
"What?" the Mayor asked, his face changing again.
"Is something wrong, Mr. Mayor?" Jack asked with a confused look on his face.
"Wrong? Jack, this will become a scandal. Jack Skellington having an affair with the scientist's daughter!"
"What are you talking about?"
"Come on now, Jack. You don't have to play dumb with me."
"What's an affair? Isn't that like a party? We won't have loud parties. Where did you get that idea from?"
The Mayor scratched his head at Jack's blank look, "Do you know what I'm talking about?"
"Not really. Mayor, I know she's Doctor Finkelstein's daughter and should live with him, but I think she'd like living with me. I could provide for her and I think she'd be happy with me. She's my best friend. Sure we might invite people over, but nothing to disturb the town."
"You have no clue of what I'm talking about?"
"Clue about what?"
"Never mind. You obviously have good intentions, if any," the Mayor said as he happily changed his face and began to leave.
"But there is one thing. Sally cannot participate in any part of Valentine's Day. Love can be a little overwhelming for her."
"Whatever you say Jack. It will be top secret from Miss Sally."
"Thank you, Mayor," Jack said in relief as he started to make his way home.
Jack couldn't help but wonder something as he walked home. Only he and the rest of the council knew of the holiday switch. So how the news spread was quite mysterious to him. The Mayor was acting quite strange too. Why was he so worried about Sally living with him? To be honest, Jack always though the Mayor was a little high-strung, but that was too strange for him. He wondered how long it would take for the rest of the town to hear about Valentine's Day and his new living arrangements.
"I guess it's true what they say about small towns, Zero. News does spread like wildfire," the skeleton said to his ghostly companion.
Or does it? Hmmm, leaking news sounds like gossip to me. Looks like things are getting a wee bit complicated here. Oh well, makes for a good story. Ya'll come back for part three now, ya hear? (Re-edit Comment: I apologize for being so corny. Well, no, not really.)