Cobwebs Tend to Grow on Halloween.

I don't own anything but my OC's.

Chapter 8

Jack led Cobweb through town, Cobweb practically skipping. For the past week, Cobweb had gone to visit Alistair. Jack had given him permission to go and see his new friend, as long as Cobweb stayed within the Pumpkin Patch.

Jack was just happy knowing that Cobweb had made a friend, even if it was under odd circumstances.

Jack opened the gate and Cobweb ran in.

Alistair sat on a jack-o-lantern, waiting for them to arrive. "Morning, Cob, Mr Skellington."

Jack chuckled. "Al, how many times do I have to tell you to call me Jack? No one else calls me Mr Skellington, so you don't either."

"Of course. Sorry."

"Apology unnecessary."

Jack patted Cobweb's head, smiling down at him. "Now, Cobweb, you know the rules. No going outside of the Pumpkin Patch." Jack waved an index finger at him while talking.

"Ok, Jack." Cobweb replied.

"I'll be back to pick you up later." Jack smiled at the two boys. "Have fun, you two!" He walked back towards the gate, wandering back into Halloween Town.

Cobweb turned to Alistair and poked him. "Tag, you're it!"

Cobweb ran a distance before realizing he couldn't hear Alistair running behind him. He turned, only to see Alistair still sitting on the jack-o-lantern, arms crossed.

Cobweb walked back to him. "What's wrong?"

"We're not gonna play tag today." Alistair said simply.

"Why not?"

"It's getting old."

"Oh…Is the game not new anymore?"

Alistair paused. "No, it means it's getting boring."

"Oh…" Cobweb nodded.

"We're gonna carve pumpkins today." Alistair jumped off of the jack-o-lantern, brushing himself off. It wasn't really necessary, for Alistair's clothes were nearly always dirty.

"Carve?"

"It means we're gonna use these," Alistair reached into his pocket and bought out two, small knives. "To make pictures in pumpkins."

Alistair held one of the knives out to Cobweb, who looked at it, as if expecting it to do something.

"Well?" Alistair asked.

"Jack says I'm not allowed to play with knives." Cobweb stated, looking up at Alistair. "He says they're sharp and dangerous."

Alistair shrugged. "We're not playing with them. Besides, they're barely sharp. They're sharp enough to carve pumpkins, but too blunt to hurt us." He ran one knife over his index finger and showed it to Cobweb. No damage had been done to Alistair's twig finger.

"Well…Alright. But I'm not allowed to go near pumpkins." Cobweb reminded him, taking the knife from him and examining it.

"Already thought of that." Alistair took out a mask from his pocket.

"What's that?" Cobweb asked, raising an imaginary eyebrow.

"It's a mask to go over your mouth. Here," Alistair walked behind Cobweb, putting the mask over Cobweb's mouth and tying the string behind his head to keep it there. "I tell ya, if you were wearing an apron and a pair of gloves, you'd look like a surgeon."

Cobweb smiled, despite not know what a surgeon was.

"It's safe to touch pumpkins, right? Just not eat them?"

"Right."

"Ok, good." Alistair led Cobweb over to a patch where pumpkins grew the most: right under the Twisted Hill.

Cobweb picked up a medium sized pumpkin, putting it by his feet at a better angle. Alistair chose a pumpkin that was slightly larger and heavier then Cobweb's.

Together, they sat and began their carvings.

…

Jack entered the shop, the bell jangling above the door. Today was the day he was to get a new suit from Shadow. And perhaps the spell for Cobweb's room. He knew Cobweb must be getting tired of the couch, not that the boy would admit it.

Jack looked up at the sound of Shadow giving a slight giggle.

A man in a long cape held her hand, kissing her knuckles. He then smiled at her and thanked her again. His hair looked gelled and was black, a few spots of grey here and there. His smiled was devilish and his eyes were a dark red.

"You're welcome." Shadow replied.

Jack felt the pang of jealousy in his stomach. He clenched and tightened his fists.

The man then held out a rose. Its petals were black and the thorns around the stem had been cut off. "For you."

Shadow gasped happily. "Thank you. It's beautiful."

"A beautiful rose for a beautiful lady." The man replied.

Shadow blushed a deep, scarlet red.

The pang in Jack's stomach rose up into his chest, right where the heart was. Or supposed to be. He cleared his throat, catching the attention of Shadow and the mystery man.

"Oh, Jack," Shadow said. "Hello."

"Hello, Shadow." Jack greeted back. He turned to the man. "And you are…?"

"Oh, Jack, this is Alucard. He's the new vampire in town."

"Ah, yes."

Alucard turned to Jack. "A pleasure, Mr Skellington."

Jack mentally rolled his eyes. Great, another Al to call him Mr Skellington. "Please, call me Jack."

"Of course, Jack." Alucard turned to Shadow. "I'll be on my way then. A pleasure to see you again, Shadow."

He turned and made his way out.

"Now, what can I do for you, Jack?" Shadow asked, leaning against the counter.

"Um…That suit that we were talking about."

"Oh, of course!" Shadow exclaimed excitedly. "I've been waiting for this." She smiled at him, and Jack could feel the bright pink blush splash across his cheeks. "By the way, Jack, I've prepared that spell for Cobweb's bedroom."

Jack smiled. "Excellent! Thank you, Shadow!"

Shadow smiled. "You're welcome, Jack." She pinned the flower Alucard gave her into her hair and led Jack into the backroom. "Now, let's measure you up. Then we'll talk designs."

Jack smiled and followed her.

…

"Alu,"

Alistair looked up from his pumpkin. "Yeah, Cob?"

"Do you know if Doctor Finkelstein is working on any…projects?"

Alistair paused. "Dunno. Why?"

"There was someone in there, in his lab. A girl." Cobweb said, poking a hole in his pumpkin. "I could see her in the window."

Cobweb could remember the whole thing. He and Jack had gone into town to pick up some groceries. On the way, Jack stopped to talk to the Witches after they had tried to make conversation with him. Cobweb had waited for the conversation to end, allowing himself to stare at Doctor Finkelstein's laboratory. There, in the top window, was a girl. She looked about Cobweb's age, but Cobweb couldn't see much detail from where he was standing. He had waved to her and she had waved back. Obviously the doctor had entered her room, because she turned and quickly ran from the window. All Cobweb could do was stare at the window in case she came back, but Jack had come and told him it was time to go. When Cobweb had asked Jack if he'd seen the young lady in the window, Jack had looked up and shook his head, saying Cobweb had been seeing things.

Thinking back on that, Cobweb realized that Doctor Finkelstein probably wouldn't tell anyone about his creation, if that was what she was.

Alistair shrugged, obviously thinking the same thing. "Probably another one of his experiments."

Cobweb nodded. "Yes, maybe."

"Well…anyway, how's your coming?"

Cobweb looked down at his jack-o-lantern. "I think it's going…well."

His jack-o-lantern had one, large eye socket and a wide smile stretching across it. Little lines were carved onto the smile. "Just need to carve the other eye socket, and I'll be done."

"What're you carving anyway?"

Cobweb smiled. "Secret."

Alistair smiled back, already knowing what Cobweb was carving. Or, more accurately, who.

…

"He's made a friend, you know."

Shadow looked up at Jack from where she was kneeling. "Really?"

"Oh, yes. A young scarecrow boy called Alistair." Jack replied, his arms stretched out like a scarecrow's.

"That's nice. It's about time he made a friend his own age."

"That's exactly what I said." Jack nodded.

"So…I was thinking, maybe we should add some orange into this suit." Shadow said.

"Orange?"

"You are the Pumpkin King." Shadow smiled, amused.

"Indeed. But…perhaps this could be a suit made for formal occasions."

"Why?"

"Well…I just think that I've grown…attached to this suit."

"Oh…right…"

"Speaking of attached," Jack continued. "I need to speak to you about Cobweb."

"What about him?"

"I don't know. Have you ever felt like you need to protect someone? Felt like you need them as much as they need you?" Jack tilted his head.

"…Sort of."

"That's how I feel. About Cobweb, I mean."

"Jack, I think it's because the thing he needs right now is his parents."

"What does that mean?"

"It means that you're starting to think of him as your son, and he's starting to think of you as his father."

Jack's mouth fell open. Honestly, how could he have missed it? "But…But…He's not my son!"

"I know."

"What will his real father think when he finds Cobweb?"

Shadow smiled. "Jack, Cobweb knows right from wrong. Once his parents get here, he'll realize you're not his father and think of you as a friend."

Jack nodded. This explained why he panicked when he couldn't find Cobweb. Cobweb was like…a son to him now. It made sense considering how he and Cobweb looked so alike.

Jack sighed. "What a mess…" He glanced up at the time. "Oh, goodness!"

"What is it, Jack?" Shadow asked, looking up.

"I've got to go and get Cobweb! He's in the Pumpkin Patch right now!"

"Pumpkin Patch? Jack, he's not allowed near pumpkins."

"I know, but he's got Al with him. It'll be fine."

"You go and get him then," Shadow said, standing up. "I'll finish these designs."

"Thank you, Shadow." Jack said before getting his coat, which hung on the back of a chair, and speed-walking out, leaving Shadow on her own.

…

Jack opened the creaky gates to the Pumpkin Patch, travelling through it. "Cobweb!" He called. "I'm here!"

Cobweb looked over his shoulder and smiled. "Ah, Jack, there you are!" Cobweb picked up his jack-o-lantern, holding it to his chest and giving Alistair back the knife. "Alu and I were carving pumpkins. Alu gave me this," He pointed at his mask. "So that the pumpkin didn't get into my mouth."

Jack smiled at the scarecrow. "Thank you, Al."

"You're welcome, Mr- I mean, Jack." Alistair stood. Cobweb handed him the mask, but Alistair put a hand up. "Keep it. Just in case, you know?"

Cobweb smiled. "Thanks."

"Ready to go?" Jack asked.

Cobweb nodded. "Yes." He turned to Alistair. "See you later, Alu."

"Bye, Cob." Alistair said.

The scarecrow waved to them as they walked back out of the Pumpkin Patch.

…

Jack opened the door to his home.

Cobweb ran in, still clutching the jack-o-lantern to his chest. He sat on the couch, Jack standing opposite him. "Would you like to see?" Cobweb asked.

Jack smiled. "Why not?" He sat on the coffee table.

Cobweb turned the jack-o-lantern around on his lap.

The picture made Jack smile, just as the picture of Jack's face on the pumpkin was smiling.

Cobweb smiled up at Jack. "Do you like it?"

"Oh, Cobweb," Jack's smile was proud. "It's fantastic." He took it from Cobweb.

"My token of thanks." Cobweb spoke up. "It's not much, but I figured it would be alright."

"It's wonder- Wait, you're giving this to me?" Jack put a hand to his chest.

Cobweb nodded.

"Thank you, it's wonderful." Jack said. "I like the tie." He gestured to the leaves Cobweb had stuck on the bottom of the pumpkin to look like Jack's bowtie.

Cobweb grinned and giggled.

Jack placed the pumpkin on the shelf beside the bookcase. "There. Right where everyone can see it." He paused before turning to Cobweb. "I need to talk to you about something."

"Yes?"

"Come with me." He led Cobweb into the kitchen and sat down, Cobweb sitting opposite him.

"What is it, Jack? Did I do something bad?"

"No, it just…Have you noticed something about your arms?"

"No…"

"Your right arm is longer then your left arm."

Cobweb held out his arms, inspecting them. "Oh…yes, it is, isn't it?"

Jack nodded. "You said the person in the coffin was missing his right arm, didn't you?"

"His leg as well, yes."

"I think I know why that spider took your arm."

"Oh, good. I've been giving it a lot of thought, but I can't think of what it could be."

"Yes…"

This was going to be hard. How could he explain this to a child?

"So…" Cobweb began. "Why is my right arm longer then the other?"

Jack gulped out loud.

"Because…I think your right arm…belongs to the person in the coffin."

Cobweb's mouth hung open. He was speechless.

…

Author's note:

Well, didn't see that coming, did ya? If you did, imaginary cookie for you! So, is Jack right? Does Cobweb's arm belong to the person in the coffin? Tune in next time to find out! Isn't Alucard a typical name for a vampire? So cliché, aren't I?