Disclaimer: For the last time, I don't own The Nightmare Before Christmas.

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Chapter 4
The Nightmare Begins Again

Both teens were too stunned to speak. "Your silence tells me that you're a bit too surprised to see me." He patted Barrel on the head, chuckling. "Well don't worry. I'm quite real." He looked around, frowning slightly. "It seems one of my boys is missing. Where's our favorite devil?" Still, only a stunned silence. "Where's Lock?!" He demanded, taking on the tone he got when his dice, which were conveniently in his grip, turned up snake eyes.

Shock snapped out of her trance. "Probably off waiting for his little living girlfriend, Aubrey."

Oogie grinned at her, again revealing his bug teeth and snake tongue. "Did you say... Aubrey?"

Shock shrank back a little. She never had liked it when Oogie grinned like that. It always meant something bad was going to happen. "Y-yes."

He cackled loudly. "You're joking! Ooh, this is just too good to be true!" He grinned down at the two. "You aren't to tell Lock that I'm back."

"Why not?" Barrel asked, finally regaining his voice.

Oogie's grin got even wider. "It's... a surprise." He vanished, and the door slammed shut with an echoing slam, making both jump.

Shock turned to Barrel. "We both saw that, right?" He nodded. "Good. Just making sure."

"Sh-should we tell Lock? That Mr. Oogie Boogie's back, I mean."

Shock smacked him with her hat. "No, stupid! Didn't you hear him! He specifically said not to tell Lock!"

"But... it's Lock. We tell him everything." Barrel pointed out, sounding a bit like a whiny toddler.

The door opened again, and they both jumped around. "Geez, what's up with you two?" Lock asked, shutting the door behind him.

"Nothing." Barrel answered quickly and, if Lock wasn't mistaken, a bit nervously.

"Shouldn't you be out with your girlfriend?" Shock asked venomously.

"One, Aubrey's not my girlfriend. Two, the sun's still up. Anyway, Jack needs a favor."

That definitely didn't help. "What does that pumpkin head want?" Barrel asked, popping a new sucker in his mouth.

"The crazy doctor needs help rebuilding his experiment."

Shock picked the mace up off the floor, taking up a bit of the floor with it, and stuck it back in its place on the shelf. "And why should we do this? We don't owe Jack any favors. May I remind you, he's the one who banished us in the first place!"

"Jack said if we helped, and didn't screw it up on purpose like we usually do, then he'd un-banish us."

Shock and Barrel glanced at each other. "No way!" They said in unison. "That town's full of losers anyway." Shock said.

"Yeah. And if you go, we'll... we'll..." Barrel stopped to think.

"Kick you out of the tree house!" Shock finished.

"And Boogie's Boys!" The younger boy added hastily.

Lock glared. He'd yet to figure out why they kept using that name even after Jack got rid of Oogie Boogie. "Fine, then ya know what? I quit!" He stormed out, slamming the poor, nearly broken door once more.

Shock ran over to the window. "Good riddance!" She yelled at his retreating back. He yelled something quite a bit more rude back and she slammed the window shut with a huff.

"What did we just do?" Barrel questioned. Shock wasn't sure she was talking to her or just to himself and didn't answer. "We... we just got rid of Lock, didn't we?"

Shock 'hmph'-ed. "We don't need 'im."

"That's where you're wrong, my dear." Oogie appeared in the middle of the room.

"Wrong? Why do we need Lock?" Barrel asked

"Yeah. He's gone soft." Shock said.

Oogie chuckled. "I'll tell you soon enough. Now, is my casino still in working order?"

xXx

"Stupid Shock. Stupid Barrel. Who needs 'em!" Lock yelled over his shoulder as he stepped out of the elevator. Dr. Finklestein would have to make do with just his help.

Lock kept walking, stopping when Guillotine Gate came into sight. Did he really want to do this? The entire town hated him, Shock, and Barrel for… well, everything that they had ever done.

Then he remembered another problem: he was BANISHED! If he so much as set foot inside that gate, no one would so much as hesitate to kick his ass to Christmas Town and back.

Lock jumped as the gate creaked open and Jack's tall, skinny figure walked out. "So, what was the answer?"

"A very solid no." Lock told him.

"I see." Jack turned around and started to walk back into town.

Lock's hesitant voice stopped him. "So Dr. Finkelstein will have to make due with just my help."

Jack turned and smiled at Lock as the teenager ran to catch up with him. The smile faded as he saw the worry on Lock's face. "What's wrong?"

Lock looked up at him. "You mean other than the fact that everyone in town hates me?"

The Pumpkin King chuckled. "Don't worry about that. No one can hold a grudge forever. Besides, you saved everyone in the end. Now come on." Jack gave Lock a little nudge in the back through the gate. It shut behind them as they walked into the square.

Jack smiled a little as he noticed how close Lock was staying to him, nearly hiding behind him. Lock looked up at him and noticed the sympathetic smile and stepped back out from behind him, choosing to walk next to him instead, stomaching the glares instead of trying to hide from them.

When Lock tried to turn toward Dr. Finklestein's Lab, Jack stopped him. "Why don't we go get something to eat first, hm?" Lock's stomach answered for him, and the devil blushed a little.

xXx

Jack opened the door of Skellington Manor and stepped aside to let Lock in. "First time I've ever been in here and not been ready to get yelled at." Lock muttered. Jack laughed a little.

"Sally, I'm home!" Sally walked out of the kitchen and smiled at Lock.

Lock smiled back, if not somewhat sheepishly. "Hi Sally."

"Hello Lock. I've got a place all set up for you." She walked over and gave Jack a kiss on the cheek. "Hazel and Zoe need some help with a new type of bone biscuits. Apparently, it isn't going well."

"Have fun." Jack called as she walked out the door.

Lock looked up at Jack as they walked into the kitchen. "How did she…?"

Jack smiled at him. "Sally's power of premonition has gotten a lot stronger over the past few years. Wish I'd listened to her back when I was trying to take over Christmas." He laughed. Lock couldn't help laughing a little too as he sat down and took a bite of the sandwich Sally had made for him.

"Wow, this is way better than the stuff Shock cooked…" Lock trailed off, staring moodily at his plate.

"'Cooked?'" Jack asked. "Why past tense?"

Lock grimaced. "We… uh, Shock, Barrel, and me, we kind of had a fight."

"That's not unusual for you three."

"They kicked me out of the tree house and I quit Boogie's Boys."

Jack set down his own sandwich. "You mean you don't have anywhere to stay?"

"Pretty much." Lock told him, taking another bite of his sandwich.

Jack paused. "You could stay here if you wanted."

Lock choked on the bite that he had been trying to swallow. "Are you serious?"

Jack shrugged, as if he hadn't just suggested that one of the trio that he had banished four years ago for nearly destroying the town, and eating his fiancé, with a giant spider stay in his house. "It's not like there isn't enough room. There are more rooms in this house that Sally and I can use."

"I… I… sure, if it's okay with Sally, I mean." Lock stammered, trying not to sound as excited as he felt. Though he'd never admit it, he had loved Skellington Manor from the moment he set foot in it. Of course, he'd never been past the living room, but that really isn't the point.

"Actually, Sally was the one who suggested it." Jack nodded toward the staircase. "Go ahead and pick one." That was all Lock need before he took off toward the staircase.

xXx

Aubrey woke up screaming. Her arms wouldn't move, and she couldn't sit up. Her eyes flicked around the room wildly. It was to dark to clearly identify where she was.

"Sandy?" She called her voice and throat rough, scratchy, and dry. She didn't receive an answer. "Sandy?"

Silence.

She attempted to sit up again, her effort failing. Why wouldn't her damn arms move! She could feel them, crossed across her chest...

Wait.

Across her chest? Oh no. She wasn't.

She looked down to see that she was indeed in a straightjacket. Which meant she was in solitary confinement. Well, that answered where she was and why her arms wouldn't move, as well as why Sandy wasn't there.

That just left one little thing.

Why was she in solitary?

The door opened, flooding the room with light and momentarily blinding Aubrey. When her eyes adjusted, she saw the spongy, padded, white walls of a stereotypical asylum room. "Hello Aubrey. I see you're finally awake."

It was Leon. "How long have I been in here?" Her voice was still hoarse.

"Only a couple of hours; the sun hasn't even gone down yet."

She coughed. "Why am I in solitary?"

He knelt down in front of her. "After you collapsed in my office, you went into a fit."

He saw her eyes widen a bit. "Did I say anything?"

"Yes. We did eventually manage to sedate you, but you kept screaming the same thing over and over."

Aubrey gulped. "What was it?"

"'He's back'."

xXx

I felt my heat skip a couple of beats. When he mentioned the fit, I feared the worst. But the 'he' Leon had mentioned could only be one person.

I felt a hand on my shoulder. "Aubrey, do you know who 'he' is?" I nodded. "Who, Aubrey? Who is it?"

"Oogie Boogie."

xXx

"Really, Aubrey, the boogeyman? This is just getting silly."

"Hey, you asked." I defended. "Oogie was the one who dragged me to Halloween Town in the first place."

"And Jack saved you. Yes, I know. We've been over this already."

I rolled my eyes. "Look, it was obviously just a nightmare, so can I go?"

Leon looked like he was about to say no, but then sighed. "All right. Tell Sandy to come in to see me after lunch."

"Sure." I walked back to my room, where an obviously worried Sandy had been waiting on me.

"What happened?" She asked, rushing over. "Leon said they put you in solitary."

"They did." I told her.

"Oh, poor baby." She hugged me. Her hugs felt like Jack's: all bones.

"It was that nightmare..." I muttered.

She pulled away with a gasp, her hands still on my shoulders. "But... but you haven't had that dream in almost five years! Not since Jack beat Oogie!"

"I know. That's what scares me."

xXx

Jack frowned as I recounted the dream. "That is strange."

Sally put an arm around my shoulders. "Are you sure it was the same dream?"

I nodded. "Positive." I saw the worry on Jack's face increase. "But it may have just been the stress. I mean, I did pass out."

"I suppose..." He muttered.

I stood up. "C'mon, Jack. Oogie isn't coming back anytime soon, or anytime at all. He got squashed, remember?"

He smiled. "You're right, of course."

"Good, so we can forget all this, you can go back to planning Halloween for the next hundred and eighty days, and I can go outside."

He laughed and patted my hair. "Go on, then. Wouldn't want to keep you cooped up in here."

I ran into the town square and heard, "No, no, that won't do at all!"

I walked toward the lab and opened the door quietly. "Dr. Finklestein?" I called, shutting the door with a click.

His wheelchair whirred to the top of the stairs. "Aubrey, my dear. Could you spare a moment?"

"Sure. What do you need help with?" I walked upstairs and followed him into his lab and caught sight of a familiar devil. "Lock?"

He turned around. "Aubrey?"

Dr. Finklestein smiled a bit. "Ah yes, you two used to be good friends. I'd forgotten. Lock is my new assistant." Lock turned a little red as he said this.

I stopped myself from laughing, but just barely. "So, what did you need help with?"

"Ah yes. I'm in need of some assistance rebuilding my experiment, and have turned up a bit shorthanded."

I grinned. "Sure. I'd love to help. What do you need me to do?"

xXx

"Shouldn't you be hanging out with Jack or something?" I asked Aubrey as we sorted through a pile in the doctor's junkyard to find parts.

She grinned. "Oh, I've already reached my 'bug Jack' quota for the day. Besides, he has planning to do. Only one hundred and eighty days 'til Halloween you know. I think the better question is, though, what in the world are you doing here?"

I rolled my eyes. "Jack said- jeez this is heavy- that if we helped Doctor F. fix his experiment, he'd end our banishment." I tugged on the offending part again. It didn't move.

Aubrey reached over to help. "So where are Sho-oof!" A final tug removed the part, and sent both of us falling backwards on our butts. And, in my case, my tail. I mentally cursed and stood back up, helping Aubrey up next. "Thanks. So where are Shock and Barrel then?"

I paused. "They... didn't come."

Apparently that pause was enough to alert Aubrey that something was wrong, because she touched my arm lightly. "Lock? What happened?"

I sighed. It was impossible to lie to her, she could always tell. "I quit Boogie's Boys and… Shock and Barrel kicked me out of the tree house."

"What?" She asked, obviously startled.

"Hey, it isn't important. Oogie's not around anymore anyway." I bent back down to search through the pile again.

I heard a sniff and looked back up, then stood quickly. "Oh no, don't start crying Aubrey."

She turned away. "I'm not crying."

"Yes you are. Aubrey, it's not your fault I quit."

Her shoulders slumped. "Before I got here, you three were best friends. And as soon as we started liking each other, you guys started fighting all the time."

I forcibly turned her to face me. "Aubrey, listen to me. Shock's a jealous bitch and Barrel follows whoever he thinks has the most power. Obviously, thinking is not his strong suit." She giggled a little bit. "Much better. Look, either Shock can get over the fact that I like a girl who's not her, or we'll just stay on non-speaking terms. End of discussion."

She smiled at me, but then looked worried again. "But where are you staying?"

I grinned. "Actually, I'm staying with Jack and Sally now. Their house is HUGE!" I couldn't help boasting a little. Aubrey laughed.

"I know, stupid, I've practically been living there every day since I was almost nine. Jack's got a room all set up for me too, in case I ever decide to stay here permanently." She teased.

I smirked. "Yeah, I saw it. Sally do the decorating?"

She blushed. "Oh, shut up. I was eight when I told her what I wanted in there!"

I leant over and kissed her on the cheek. "Calm down, I was just teasing you. Now, let's get this," I kicked the piece that we had both fallen on our butts getting out of the junk pile, "Up to the lab."

"I'm sure Igor would be more than happy to if we gave him a bone biscuit or two." Aubrey said.

I grinned at her. "To the Witches' Shop we go!" I grabbed her hand and pulled her out, through the acid works and through the square, over to the shop.

Hazel frowned a little as she saw Aubrey and I holding hands. Aubrey blushed, again, but didn't let go. "Zoë, we need a box of Bone Biscuits for Igor. Do you have any?"

Zoë smiled. "Of course. You know where to find them." Aubrey let go of my hand and ducked down behind the counter, emerging with the box in her hand. She set a couple of soul coins on the counter before we ran out.

We did manage to get Igor to drag the big piece of equipment up to the lab, he's a lot stronger than he looks, while Aubrey and I brought up some littler objects, bolts, engine pieces, stuff like that.

The sky was beginning to turn pink as we finished up. Well, technically, we'd finished up two hours ago, but we'd stayed up the rest of the night talking. Not my brightest idea, but I could deal with being tired for a little while. I didn't usually sleep much anyway; that's not very smart when Shock's usually pissed off at me. "Damn, if I could get there myself, I'd kick this Dr. Jacob's ass for you."

Aubrey laughed as we entered the clearing where the door stood. "Thanks Lock." She kissed my cheek, slipping her hand out of mine. "Get some sleep, okay?" She called as she passed through the door. I rolled my eyes and turned back toward town, biting back a yawn.

Maybe getting some sleep wasn't such a bad idea…

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SC: My god, I've added like three pages onto this one! It's freaking amazing!

Ja ne

SpontaneousCombustion