30

Wow...thirty whole chapters...this is my longest fic yet. Well, thanks for the reviews, and if anyone's still out there reading this, hope you enjoy.

Jack dismissed the other citizens, leaving just Dr. Finklestien and the Skellington family left in the town hall.

"You say you can help doctor? How?" Jack asked.

"Well, m'boy, I have been working on a portal myself. In case anyone wanted to check out the Halloween scene back in the Human World...I'm afraid its still in the experimental stages right now, but perhaps..." Dr. Finklestien said.

"Doctor, you must get that portal working." Jack said firmly.

"But Jack..." "It was not a question." Jack said, with a hint of danger in his voice.

"Thats quite a situation you got yourself into." Spike said. Jake nodded.

"Do you think you could help?" He asked. Spike shook his head.

"Sorry little bro, but I'm not magic." he said sadly. Jake hung his head.

"Well, why don't we at least give him a place to live?" said Jamie. "We can't get you back home, but you could live with us until next Halloween." she offered.

Jake considered this. If he couldn't go home, he was going to need a place to stay.

"That would be great." he said.

"Speaking of home, lets go there." said Spike, "Its starting to rain."

"How long do you think it will take?" Jack asked.

The doctor considered. "At least a full day, if I work non-stop." he said. Jack's shoulders slumped. He had sent Sally and Sam home, and he had not left the doctor's, hoping to aid however he could.

Though Jack would never admit it, the terrifying Pumpkin King, was afraid.

Spike and Jamie led Jake to a run-down part of town. They went up the stairs of a fire escape and climbed through a broken window.

"I'll tell you straight Jake," Spike said, "We don't have much. But its home."

Jake saw what Spike was talking about when he got inside. It was a small, dirty, apartment. There were two rooms. A bathroom, and one bedroom. The cramped kitchen was connected to the tiny living room. The living room was little more than a couch, a T.V, and a small stereo with a pile of punk rock CDs beside it.

"Well, lets give you the tour." Spike said. He gestured to the kitchen. "Kitchen, if you're hungry Jamie can cook you something edible. I hope you're not too hungry, we don't have much food." he said with a chuckle.

He gestured to his left. "Living room, we got a T.V. and a stereo...play the music as loud as you want. We sure do." he chuckled again, smiling at Jamie, who nodded.

Then he led Jake to the bathroom. (it wasn't that long a walk) "Bathroom...you know, if you gotta go." then he paused. "Do dead people go to the bathroom?" he asked. Jake shook his head no. Spike shrugged.

"One less room to worry about." he said. Then he led Jake to the bedroom.

"Bedroom, me and Jamie sleep here. Heh, knock first before you go in here, kay little dude?" he said with a laugh. Jake didn't know what was so funny about privacy, but he pretended he thought it was funny.

"Well, thats it." Spike said. "You hungry?" he asked. Jake nodded. He hadn't ate for a day, he was starving.

Jamie came out of the kitchen carrying three plates with food on top. "Lets eat."said Spike. He and Jamie sat at a small card table in the middle of the living room. Jake stood awkwardly, as there were only two chairs.

Jamie noticed this.

"Oh! Here..." she pulled up a crate.

As Jake chewed his food, he thought. These were good people. They had next to nothing, and yet they were willing to let in another. They could barely support themselves, and they didn't have to help Jake. All they really had was each other. And Spike and Jamie were meant to be together, Jake thought as he saw them talk and laugh. Jake smiled a little as he finished his dinner.

long chapter...please review? please?