Author's Note: Oh, dearies. How horrible of me to make you all wait this long for an update. Thank you all for being so patient while I settle into my brand spanking new life. Now it's time to be rewarded. Remember, the only things I own in this story are the plot and dialogue. Every other aspect is borrowed.
"No, no, no," Brigid said to Billy as he stood up on the bar.
"What?" Billy asked as he held up one end of a large 'Congratulations' banner.
"It has to go more to the left," she said, making a motion with her hands signaling Billy to move.
"I'll fall off," Billy said, noticing the floor next to the area of the bar he was standing on.
"Ah, right. Mortals cannot fly. Not a problem," Brigid said as she clapped her hands three times.
Almost on cue, a large cloud of… something flew into the bar. This cloud placed itself under a terrified Billy and hoisted him up in the air. By this point, Billy had dropped the banner and had begun flailing around. Eventually, he managed to get himself off of the cloud. He fell to the floor and then proceeded to crawl underneath the round table Santa Claus was sitting at.
"Oh, really!" Brigid exclaimed in a frustrated tone.
"Is there a problem with the decorations, Lass?" Saint Patrick asked Brigid.
"'Tis odd to see a mortal scared of fairies," Brigid replied before turning to the cloud of fairies. "Well, since you are already here, be dearies and put up the banner. Then to the back with ye until it is time for the entertainment."
"Fairies, eh?" Saint Patrick asked as the door to the mead hall opened.
"Good, someone else to hang up the other end of the banner," Brigid said, nodding politely to Cupid.
"Still not ready?" Cupid asked as he flew in, followed by the Easter Bunny and Rabbi Tevel.
"There's still plenty of daylight out," Brigid replied as she handed the other end of the banner to Cupid.
"Not that much," Rabbi Tevel said, Easter Bunny nodding in agreement. "The other guests should be arriving soon."
"Which is why I'm adding the final touches now. Perfect!" Brigid exclaimed to Cupid and the cloud of fairies once the banner was placed in the right place.
"Well, as long as it's up," Tevel sighed before his gaze went to the shaking table Santa Claus was sitting at. "Is there any reason why that table is moving?"
"She tried to kill me!" Billy's voice yelled from underneath the table, causing it to stop shaking.
"I did not!" Brigid exclaimed, dodging the cloud of fairies going to the back of the hall. "The mortal's paranoid."
"That's a bit of an understatement, Miss," Santa Claus said as Billy reluctantly crawled out from the table.
"If only you knew what I've been through," Billy said to Brigid in an indignant tone before the door to the mead hall opened once more.
"Hello?" asked a familiar voice as two figures made their way towards the group of Holiday figures and sole mortal.
"Ah, so you could make it after all," Cupid said in a delighted tone to the pair, another pilgrim man and a Native. "Daniel, Pallaton, it's been too long, chaps."
"Well, we'll be having much more fun this time, spirits permitting," Pallaton said as he dropped a leather sack on the table, opening it to reveal a large cornucopia. "I brought a few light things to tide us over until the festivities."
"How exactly does this gathering occur?" Daniel asked.
"It's a surprise party. We wait here until the grooms show up, we surprise them, then we have a smashing time," Saint Patrick said.
"Are we supposed to be pale and shaking?" Pallaton asked, nodding to Billy, who had sat back down at the table still quivering from his surprise fairy encounter.
"No. The grooms are," Brigid said in a mysterious tone.
Before anyone could question Brigid's statement, the door to the mead hall opened once more. This time the group was larger. It was headed by a rather short, portly man who stumbled over occasionally. Following him were musicians and a man with an axe in his head. Yes, this was the group from Halloween Town.
"Did we make it on time?" the Mayor asked in a concerned tone.
"No need to worry, you're right on time," Santa Claus said.
"Aye, right before our natives come in," Saint Patrick added.
"Your natives?" Rabbi Tevel asked.
As if by cue, the mead hall doors opened yet again. This time, the group was a mish-mosh of men. Some were dressed in arrangements of leather and skins. Others had on simple fabrics. Saint Patrick knew them as Celts and converts, but to the rest of the party, they were just the regulars of Saint Patrick's Town; and they were definitely here to party. Almost all the seats at the bar were filled and Brigid sent a few stray fairies to start serving drinks.
"There, now all we need are the grooms," Brigid said to the Council and guests.
"Do we know any of these people?" Santa Claus asked her.
"No, but having more guests always means more fun," Brigid replied.
"I can give them a survey on my latest wedding plans!" the Mayor exclaimed, face beaming as he began to dig through his pockets.
"Now, now. No need to conduct business at a party," Cupid said to the Mayor, sounding slightly nervous.
"Ah, of course. You're right," the Mayor said before directing his attention to the musicians. "Why don't you set up for when they enter?"
"You got it, Mr. Mayor," said the musician in the bass before he directed the musicians to head towards the back.
"I must say, throwing parties for your group is easy, Patrick. They bring half of the food and entertainment," Brigid said.
"And we do appreciate it, Brigid," Saint Patrick replied. "Right, boys?" he asked the group, who all replied yes, except for Billy and the Easter Bunny.
"It would be better without the homicidal fairies," Billy mumbled as the place began to quiet down. "Now what?"
"The sun's setting," Pallaton said as he glanced out a window.
"Quiet everyone!" Brigid exclaimed, causing the mead hall to fall into a hush.
Brigid them proceeded to hide behind the door. As the sun was setting, there was no need to turn off any lights. All she needed was to hear the voices of the grooms. Soon enough, she could hear at the very least three voices in conversation, all about why the supposed Saint Patrick's Town meeting center was so… dead. Oh, how little they knew. Brigid giggled a bit as the door began to open. Then, when it was opened the entire way, she raised her arms, causing every candle in the mead hall to light.
"SURPRISE!" yelled the hall to Jack, Jacob, and Doctor Finkelstein.
"Lord 'a mercy!" Jacob exclaimed, genuinely surprised while Jack and Doctor Finkelstein stood still, pretending to be stunned as strains of "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow" in the wrong key began to play.
"Welcome, Gentlemen, to the end of your lives. Your single lives," Brigid said. "Follow me, please."
"Do either of you know what's going on?" Jacob asked Jack and Doctor Finkelstein.
"No idea," Doctor Finkelstein replied quickly as he wheeled himself ahead.
"I guess it was good luck we ran into you in the woods after all," Jack said to Jacob.
"Why were you two in the woods in the first place again?" Jacob asked Jack.
"Just doing some aimless wandering. I completely forgot about Poker Night until we saw you."
"Something tells me we won't be playing poker."
"I doubt it," Jack said as they all reached the round table.
"You were in on this as well?" Jacob asked Daniel and Pallaton.
"Sorry I couldn't tell you, mate," Daniel said.
"Here, have some food," Pallaton said as he and Daniel made space for Jacob to sit in between them.
"Jack, over here!" the Mayor yelled from his area of the table.
"Mayor! What a surprise," Jack said as he sat himself down and glanced to the left. "Billy? You too?"
"What can I say? You've kind of grown on me. That and I got to skip work," Billy said.
"How touching," Jack said in a sarcastic tone just as the hall began to settle down once more.
"Welcome, one and all to this joint bachelor party. Will the grooms kindly stand?" Saint Patrick asked, watching Jack and Jacob stand up from their seats. "Boys, soon, the both of you will be entering marriage," Saint Patrick said, receiving a mix of cheers, hisses, and whimpers from some of the men at the bar.
"Oh come now, it's not that bad," Brigid said as she flew next to Saint Patrick.
"Not if I were married to you, Lassie!" yelled an obviously drunk voice from the bar.
"Thank you kindly, dearie. Now, as this is your last major even before your weddings, I think it's time we start the festivities. I've arranged for some otherworldly entertainment for you boys, but first, I think you need to loosen up. Patrick?"
"Drinks all around!" Saint Patrick exclaimed, causing the whole mead hall to cheer this time.
This was shaping up to be a pretty interesting evening for Jack. He hoped Sally was having as much fun with Sarah Winchester. Little did he know that the women were entering the séance room in the mystery house that very moment.
Sally had come to one conclusion in this time she had spent with Sarah Winchester. The woman was off her proverbial rocker. Every few minutes they talked about the wedding, Mrs. Winchester would yell at a tourist group or throw something at them. Then she would go on speaking as if nothing had happened. The thought of running off crossed Sally's mind once or twice, but she decided against it. She was already running away from something.
"Are you alright?" Mrs. Winchester asked Sally as they entered the blue séance room.
"A bit nervous, actually," Sally replied as she sat on the floor, following Mrs. Winchester's cue.
"Well, that is to be expected. Now, where were we?"
"The food."
"Oh, yes! Can't have a wedding without decent food and a cake. I know some excellent cooks; they've been doing weddings since before I was born, much less dead. Yes, I'll just go over and haunt London for a minute and we'll have the food taken care of."
"London?" Sally asked.
"Long story, dear. But don't worry, they've done all kinds of weddings, they're professionals. They know how to handle all kinds of good and bad things when it comes to weddings."
"That's good. I didn't have any idea what to do for food."
"You know, elopements aren't even supposed to have food. But I like you, you and your husband-to-be. You seem right for each other."
"Thank you," Sally said, pausing. "Mrs. Winchester, may I ask you about your husband?"
"Go right ahead, dear."
"Where is he?"
"I wish I knew. William, I suppose, is on the other side of limbo waiting for me with Annie."
"Annie?"
"Our little girl. She barely lived a week. She was the first one to fall under the curse of the guns," Mrs. Winchester said, spectral tears forming in her eyes. "It was a long time until I realized I had to right the wrongs of the Winchester family. But enough about me, dear. This is supposed to be a happy occasion."
"I'm sorry," Sally apologized before looking at one of the stained glass windows. "You have a lot of those. They're very pretty."
"I'll show you the beautiful ones near the stables. Those will make great backdrops for any photos of you and-" Mrs. Winchester started before a pair of fighting ghosts fell through the ceiling and floor right in front of them, causing Sally to jump back in fear. "Not again. Pardon me," Mrs. Winchester said to Sally in a dark tone before going through the floor herself.
What Sally heard next seemed to be a large mix of noises. First came the voice of a tour guide followed by camera flashes. Then, there was the sound of many pots and pans being thrown around. Sally could hear Mrs. Winchester yelling at the ghosts, but was not too sure the humans could make it out. They could, however, sense something, since the next thing Sally heard was a collection of screams and rushed footsteps. Finally, Sally saw the two ghosts from before fly through the floor and ceiling once more, this time in fear before Sarah Winchester returned to the place she had just left.
"Those ghosts. What would they do without me?" Mrs. Winchester asked innocently before humming to herself and walking out of the séance room, a stunned Sally following her quietly.
Oooh, wouldn't want to get on her bad side. So, can our favorite couple stay on Mrs. Winchester's good side, at leas until after the wedding? What exactly will happen at the bachelor party? Does anyone else have a bad feeling about this? There's more to come, so stick around. And I promise, it should come faster than this part, dearies.