Disclaimer: I don't own TNBC. I don't own the chapter quote. I wish I did. I'd be really really rich if I did. Not to mention really really creative. And I probably wouldn't be writing fanfictions. However, I am broke, lacking creativity, and so am doomed to write fanfictions forever. sigh

Chapter 2: The Lame Dog

You may help a lame dog over a stile but he is still a lame dog on the other side.

-Ernest Newman

Halo drifted through the sky, scanning the ground below her for anything new. Nothing appeared. It seemed that the worst of the siege was indeed over. She locked her wings in place and allowed herself to glide on the edge of the wind, receding once more into memory.

Halo had known of Jack long before she met him, even longer before the ordeal of Pset began. She had seen him around town, back when she used to live in the main of Halloween. After she left, she would still fly over the town occasionally, if just for something to do with her time. She saw him, every time. He was always walking among the people, always helping them, laughing with them. She used to feel a little jealous, thinking about how easily he was accepted. But that feeling soon passed. To her, Jack became no more than another character in the scenes that played out below her. The town itself became less and less real to her, and as the years passed, it seemed to be no more than a memory, a old scar on the back of her mind. She visited the town less and less, until it barely existed at all to her. It was ironic. People had driven her out of the town, and one of those people ended up bringing her right back.

Halo had been on the ground that day, resting against the trunk of one of the trees. She had dozed off, but woke suddenly at the sound of someone stomping through the dense foliage. From the shadows plodded a shape like a huge burlap sack. In fact, that's just what it was-the Oogie Boogie Man, hoping to cause trouble for the Exiles. Halo had seen enough. She rose and spread her wings to take off.

"Where are you going, angel wings?" Oogie snarled.

"Away from you," Halo returned coldly. She flapped her wings twice, her feet left the ground, and...

She didn't get much farther. Oogie gad grabbed a hold of her ankle, and despite all her efforts, Halo was stuck. She kicked at the glutton in the stomach, but he only caught that leg in his other hand. Halo began to panic. She was trapped, defenseless, and utterly alone.

"Get your hands off me!" she shouted, beating her wings anxiously.

"Not a chance, angel wings," Oogie returned.

"Let... me... GO!" she shrieked. Oogie jerked her down suddenly. Her wings missed a beat, and she was flung downward.

"Oh, no, you're not going anywhere!"

"Let go of her now, Oogie," commanded a voice. It was familiar, but...

Oogie turned around, surprised to hear anyone else so deep in the forest. A tall, thin figure emerged from the trees.

"Oh, Jack, it's you," Oogie said. "Now tell me you're not going to spoil my fun," The skeleton continued his approach.

"Don't make me repeat myself," Jack said quietly. The Boogie Man threw a worried look at Jack.

"Oh... all right, then," he threw Halo to the side. She hit one of the trees with a sick thud and slumped to the ground.

"Nobody is to be treated in such a way," Jack said. He turned toward Halo.

"You really shouldn't defend those Exiles like that," Oogie said. Halo had recovered a little from the blow. She was now looking over Jack's shoulder as he bent to help her up, at the Boogie Man raising his fist, about to bring it down over the Pumpkin King's skull...

"Look out!" she shouted. In a flash, Jack was out of the way of the strike. Just as quickly, he was in Oogie's face, delivering a few blows himself. Halo watched, transfixed, as the fighting continued, all the while calculating. Oogie was easily four times Jack's size, but he had no grace. He had no speed, no skill. Even the strength that had been enough to keep her in his clutches was nothing compared to Jack's. They fought for a few more minutes, when Jack decided that he'd had enough. He stooped down, clawed his hands, made a horrible face, and let out a blood-chilling scream. Oogie stopped dead in his tracks. He had gone as white as a sheet. Jack let loose another scream, and the Boogie Man turned and fled.

Jack waited until Oogie was out of sight, then walked again to Halo's side. The girl was still backed against the tree, still chilled from what she had witnessed. No wonder he's the Pumpkin King, she thought.

"Are you all right?" he asked, reaching down to help her up. Halo hesitated. Did Jack intend to hurt her? To punish her for something? She knew well enough that he could, if he wanted. But then why did he chase Oogie away? Her mind was still racing when she took Jack's hand. With a swift pull, she was on her feet, though still dazed. "Are you all right?" Jack asked again.

"Um... yes. Thank you," Halo responded.

"Sorry about Oogie. He's obsessed with making people miserable."

"I noticed."

"Are you hurt?"

"Nothing serious. Thanks, though." She began walking in some random direction, and was surprised to find Jack keeping pace with her.

"I didn't catch your name, by the way," he said. Halo hesitated. Whatever real name she once had was long lost to her, but her current name seemed too much of a ridicule. I have no name, she would have answered, but something stopped her.

"It's Halo." She said.

"Well met. I'm Jack. Jack Skellington."

"Pleased to meet you,"

The two of them talked together for a while, about random things. Jack was impressed at Halo's her honest opinion and respectful nature. She proved to have a strange, outsider's opinion, though when looked at twice, it made more sense than not. He found out, through slight prying, that she knew a good deal about the town and the way things worked. What truly amazed him, though, was the way she saw things the way they really were. She could see a problem from all angles, and even if she couldn't find a solution, she could make suggestions, and reveal ways to fix things with the least amount of strife and damage. Jack found himself wandering into the forest often, looking for advice or simply for good conversation.

Halo flew more frequently over the town, hoping to gain further insight on Jack's problems. She was eager to help, to please. For once in her life, she felt needed, and it felt wonderful.

Halo's eyes focused on a lone figure in the midst of the forest. A man, at first glance, his face covered in scars, his jet-black hair streaked with venom green. He seemed to have blue tattoos etched across his face, adding to his menace.

Pset.

He had a strong build, if a bit thin, and stood proudly, glaring up at her. But as she passed overhead, his glare changed into a grin. In an instant, he was a giant, as tall as a mountain, if not taller. The green streaks had become blood red, the scars had disappeared from his face, and the tattoos had become tiger stripes. His face, now twice the size of a horse, was now grinning evilly down at Halo, high above the treetops. Halo beat her wings madly, trying not to crash head on into the huge man. In her confusion, a hand the size of a car seized her, crushing her wings against her back and sides. Halo struggled to free herself, but the monstrous grip tightened until she couldn't breath and she cried out in pain.

Slowly, Pset began to shrink. His grip remained tight as the two of them lowered to the ground. When his hand was too small to keep Halo confined, he threw her hard against the ground, pinning her to the ground with his foot when she tried to crawl away. He continued to shrink until he was his normal size, then kicked her in the side.

"You treacherous child," he growled. "What were you thinking, helping those scatterbrained fools!" he kicked her again. Halo bit her lip. She wouldn't shout. She wouldn't raise her voice. She wouldn't say anything angry or hastily. Pset would crush her into dust if she did. She had to keep calm. "Those idiots hate you, you know. They loathe you. Despise you. Why do you waste your time aiding such ungrateful wretches?"

"I know they hate me," Halo said quietly.

"Then why do you remain loyal to them!" Pset hissed. "Why do you stay at their side like some loyal dog if all they do is torment you!" another kick met her side.

"I'm not," Halo said. "Honestly, I couldn't care less what happens to them."

"Then why are you on their side!"

"I'm on Jack's side..."

"Oh? Is that so, you coward?" another blow hit Halo, this one sending her rolling for a few feet. "Hoping to stay on the winning side? You're pathetic!" Halo was beginning to seethe. Her side was throbbing. Blood was rushing through her ears. She could hear nothing but her heartbeat and Pset's ruthless taunting.

"What right do you have, calling me a coward," Halo said quietly. "All you do is talk big, then hide when things get tough."

"Shut up, you witch,"

"If you had any guts, you'd have fought Jack by now! You'd have done more than cower in the shadows!"

"Hold your tongue or I swear I will kill you."

"Don't I know it. You aren't afraid to kill me. I am, after all, the girl who can't scare anyone, aren't I? And I'm even less threatening alone. Of course you'd have no problem killing me. And I bet you will, just so you feel all good about yourself, you dirt bag,"

"I said SHUT UP!" there was a flash of silver, an explosion of pain, and Halo saw a knife, its blade an inch from her heart. She wondered for a moment what had stopped it, and looked up. It was her wing. Somehow, she had managed to get her right wing between Pset and her just in time, though the blade had slashed through the leathery skin.

Pset stared down at her in fury. He lunged down to seize his knife, but Halo's wing flitted to the side, and her foot came up, kicking him soundly in the stomach, sending him rolling. Halo climbed to her feet, tried to flap her wings, to fly and leave, but the slightest movement of her right wing sent her reeling in pain. She gingerly pulled the knife from her wound, folded her wings against her back, eyes watering in pain, and did all she could do.

She ran.

Pset got to his feet and watched Halo flee. He whistled three times, and a dozen demons and devils emerged from among the surrounding trees.

"I want you to follow the girl," he said quietly. "then kill her."

Halo recognized the trees around her. She was still a few miles from town, and it didn't sound like Pset was following her. Though it would be hard to tell. After all, in his fastest form, he would be absolutely silent...

Her thoughts were interrupted by a burst of howls and wild laughter. She chanced to look behind her, and saw dozens of Pset's minions running after her. Her eyes widened and she ran even faster. One of the wolfmen lunged and bit her in the shoulder. Halo gasped, twisted, and he was off her, falling in the path of her other pursuers, slowing them for a breath. A demon leapt at her, his claws raking her stomach and legs. She stumbled, hit the demon against a tree, and ran on, bleeding severely. The chase continued, her wounds multiplied, her energy seeping out of her, but the miles between her and the town were melting away. Then she saw it: the gate of Halloween town. One of the few openings in the Barricade.

"Open the gate!" she shouted desperately. Someone was behind the Barricade. Someone could hear her. Someone would let her in.

But the gate remained closed.

"Please!" she pleaded. "Someone! Anyone! Open the gate!" she was all but out of the forest now. But the gate remained closed. Her vision was beginning to fade red. She heard the growls and cries behind her growing louder. She ran up to the gate, pounding on it with her fists, as Pset's minions closed in. "Please! Open the gate! Please." Nothing happened. "Please," she said, growing dizzy. "Someone..." she couldn't see straight. "Please..." her legs gave out, and she fell to the ground, exhausted. "Help me..." she lost all consciousness. The demons began to laugh amongst themselves. How pathetic this girl was! Chasing her had been fun, but killing her would be child's play. They crept closer.

A thin figure stood on top of the Barricade.

One of the demons snorted. He'd had enough. He straightened and lunged at the defenseless Halo.

And found himself face to face with Jack Skellington. Jack glared at the demon, delivered a few blows, and the demon was thrown into the crowd of Pset's minions. They scattered, knowing enough about Jack's wrath to be well into a panic. After a few minutes, the area before the gate was clear, except for Jack and Halo. Jack knelt down and gently picked Halo up. She was still out cold, and bleeding badly. One of her wings had come unfolded, and he noted a huge gash on it-the reason she hadn't flown over the gate. And clasped tightly in her hand was a long knife.

"Open the gate," he commanded.

"Right away, Jack," replied the swamp monster on the other side. A moment later, the gate was wide open, and the Pumpkin King walked through.

AN: Okay! That's chapter 2! Read and Review, you know the drill. Also, I have some ideas for the basic plot, but if you guys have any suggestions, please tell me! I'll give you full credit for any ideas that I use!

Also, thank you to nightbug08 and Ladybirdbuzz1 for reviewing! I love you guys!

Another thing: I won't update again until I get at least 5 reviews. It seems to have worked for other authors, so I'm gonna try it.