"Now then, the meeting is tonight. What is our agenda?"
Jack sat at a cluttered table in the Mayor's office. Every month Halloweentown held a meeting where everyone came together to discuss their holiday business. The Mayor usually did most of the talking, but it was Jack who decided what topics were the most important. The Mayor leaned towards verbosity, while most of the townsfolk preferred brevity. Today, Jack's mind was elsewhere. Despite this, he still managed to compile a list to keep his associate on track.
"We need to appoint a leader for the candy making committee, otherwise they'll just argue. Also, I want to know where everyone is in terms of deadlines. The months go by so fast and I don't want us falling behind. If anyone needs extra hands, Lock, Shock, and Barrel are highly available."
"I'm sure everyone will jump at that opportunity, Jack." The Mayor sighed as he sipped his tea. "Anything else?"
Jack placed a finger to his chin, and then he said:
"Yes. Two things: We need to check-in with the Doctor. I want to make sure he's okay on supplies and such. Then again, he might not come to the meeting. The witches said that he hasn't been leaving his home as of late. I might have to pay him a visit, which would work just as well. I understand he wants to talk to Sally. She and I could go together, I suppose."
"And the second thing?" asked the Mayor. He expected something small, some other little holiday detail. Jack had a gift for details. The Pumpkin King took a drink of herbal tea, then he spoke:
"I need to make a little announcement. Last evening, I asked Sally to marry me. She said 'Yes.' Thus, I will be getting married." Jack finished the sentence with a dramatic flourish of his graceful hand.
The Mayor couldn't decide on an emotion. His head spun from joy to sorrow and back. Jack felt quite dizzy just looking at him.
"Jack! M-m-marriage?! Are you sure? Well, if you two are happy, then I'm happy for you. And for her. WAIT! This means that Sally will become the Pumpkin Queen! Did you think about that?"
"I did," said Jack. "I think she'll be a lovely Pumpkin Queen."
The Mayor rubbed his forehead.
"Oh Jack. There is certainly never a dull moment with you!"
While Jack met with the Mayor, Sally took her usual position by the fountain. She tried her best to concentrate on work, but found it difficult. Even on such an overcast morning, her ring caught fragments of light. The blue stone twinkled as she moved her hands under the sewing machine. Sally indulged herself stolen seconds, now and again, to gaze at it. Such an adornment looked out of place in the monochrome world of Halloweentown. Jack planned to announce their engagement at the town meeting that very evening. She couldn't imagine how everyone would react. At least he would be at her side. A giggle escaped Sally's uneven lips. She clapped her hand over her mouth to stifle it. Then, conscious of the ring's visibility, she quickly lowered her hand once more and gave a nervous glance to each side. The Fishgal had surfaced beside her. She rested against the stone rim of the fountain with no particular expression.
"Oh! H-hello.", Sally squeaked. The green creature took several seconds to respond before finally saying "hello." Sally smiled politely. The smile was not returned, but Fishgal did not appear hostile either.
"You look different today.", she said.
Sally smiled and gave a small, humble, shrug. She hooked her thumb around the diamond. She twisted it into her palm, so that only the band remained showing on her fingers from the outside.
"Why, you're hiding something in your hand!", Fishgal said. Her strange voice held more genuine, good-natured interest than she had ever previously shown when talking with Sally. Things hiding and hidden, surprises, were never unwelcome in Halloweentown. Sally couldn't have said herself whether what she did next was because of a desire to encourage this slightest flicker of friendliness from someone other than Jack, or whether she simply wanted to have a test run before the meeting. She slowly held out her hand. She pushed the ring back into place with her thumb. Deafening silence followed as Fishgal stared. She blinked slowly.
"Well.", she said at last. "He is serious when it comes to you."
Sally nodded. The fish woman tilted her head, her gaze still on the ring as if it were a magic talisman or weapon.
"You'll be the Pumpkin Queen. Our Queen.", she said more to herself than to the pale ragdoll. Sally pulled her hand back to her lap.
"I haven't given that part much thought.", she said. "I just want to be with him."
"Well.", the Fishgal drawled once more. "You'll need to think about that part soon. At least a little bit. Not that it matters particularly. Jack, I am certain, has thought of it, after all. He must know what you're capable of or he would not have chosen you."
Sally rocked the treadle of the machine with her foot. She slid another length of fabric under the needle. She worked for several minutes in silence, before stopping once more. She turned back to the Fishgal.
"Jack will announce our engagement tonight at the meeting.", she said. "I don't think everyone will be happy. Do you think the witches will be upset with me?"
The Fishgal took on an odd expression which wasn't quite a smile.
"They will not be happy for you. They've wanted Jack since before you were even born, such as it were. I believe they were certain they could wear him down given enough time. You were born, and it would seem that their time ran out."
Sally pursed her lips and fidgeted with the bobbin. It was full of thread and working nicely. She wished it were empty, or at least tangled so that she could pretend to be absorbed in its repair.
"Are you happy for me?", she asked. There seemed no harm in asking. The Fishgal ran a webbed hand over her translucent caudal fin and affected an air of purposeful indifference.
"Yes, of course. There is no reason for me not to be happy for you. Would another decade, or another hundred decades, have put that ring on me instead? No. Jack's made his brain up. As I said before, you have your obvious resources. No shame in that." She cleared her throat and nodded. It was far from an ideal response in Sally's mind, but could have been far worse.
"Do you have a name?", Sally asked. "A real name I mean?"
"Of course.", said the Fishgal. Sally looked at her expectantly.
"It is unpronounceable.", the creature said in a haughty tone.
Across the square, Jack stood on the doorstep of Dr. Finklestein's lab. Given the probability that the doctor would not be at the meeting, Jack decided to pay this visit sooner rather than later. It was only right that the doctor hear about the engagement first hand after all, Sally being his daughter of sorts. Jack paused at that thought. Had she been the old man's daughter? That was the only thing that made sense, Jack told himself. Still, a nagging worry tickled his skull. If he had that assumption wrong, perhaps the doctor would not be entirely thrilled to hear of the engagement. But then, if he wasn't thrilled, how much does that matter?, Jack asked himself. He hadn't brought Sally with him to see the old man, for reasons he couldn't quite say. He supposed he just wanted to assess the situation on his own first. He could always relay whatever message the witches said that the Doctor had for Sally. Jack straightened his lapels and rang the bell.
"It's open.", the Doctor called from inside. Jack entered the steel and stone building.
"Hello? It's Jack."
He waited in the kitchen as the wheel-chair bound doctor rolled down the ramp from the second floor laboratory.
"Well, hello Jack Skellington! To what do I owe this pleasure?"
Jack relaxed a bit at the welcome.
"I wasn't certain if you'd be at the meeting tonight, Doctor. I wanted to fill you in on some things."
The Doctor nodded. Jack continued:
"Are you alright on materials? I know you go through rat bones pretty quickly..."
"I'm just fine Jack, thank you for asking. I'll be sure to let you know if I require assistance. Is there anything else?" Jack took a breath.
"Yes, erm, actually there is something. I wanted to talk to you about Sally, Doctor."
Dr. Finklestien bristled noticeably. He'd heard the rumors that his errant creation had taken up residence in Halloweentown's most notable address. He forced a smile.
"She's driving you crazy, eh? I hope you've been careful with your food. She has a history you know."
Jack winced, but let the comment slide.
"I suppose you know, Doctor, that Sally has been staying with me for a while now. We get along well together. I'm very happy with her."
The Doctor turned from Jack and started back up to the lab.
"Oh, I'm so glad to hear that you're happy, Jack. Keep those windows locked now, or you'll lose her!" Jack followed the old man up the ramp.
"Doctor! Please listen to me. I wanted to tell you that I love her. I love her more than death. I want to marry her. I asked Sally, and she feels the same, she wants to be my wife."
Dr. Finklestien's lurched at Jack's words. He rolled into the lab and spun to face Jack.
"Okay Jack. I can certainly see why she likes you. You're young, you're handsome, you're wealthy beyond this old man's wildest nightmares. You're the most important man in town. She ran away to live in the street, rather than stay with me...and then went from sleeping in cold doorways and behind gravestones to your mansion. It's clear she has benefitted from you. Not as if I don't already know, but what're you getting from the arrangement?"
Jack looked as if he had been hit.
"I love her," he said quietly.
The Doctor seemed almost a little mystified by that simple answer.
"I never thought she was especially pretty," he said, "and I'm the one who made her. She's nothing compared to Jewel in that department, at any rate. She talks too much. She's exceedingly clumsy. If I told you all the things she broke around here when she was new. That's not even going into her poisoning me, and running off repeatedly. Since then Igor's been much more selective in bringing me brains."
Jack didn't know what to say. On the bright side, if the doctor felt such disdain for Sally perhaps it wouldn't matter to him one way or the other whether Jack wanted to marry her. There seemed little reason for him to care.
"All of that aside Jack, you do realize, she can't give you a child.", Doctor Finklestein said. Jack shrugged lightly.
"That's hardly unusual here. Not many Halloween creatures can have children." The doctor frowned. Clearly, he had hoped that detail would give Jack pause.
"True enough, Jack. You're unusual in that respect to be certain, a fact which makes it even less wise for you to take Sally as your mate. There is no future there, and I mean that quite literally." The old man shook his head, almost in pity.
"Not that that should matter to an old man like me, anyway. Youth is wasted on the young they say. Nevermind. You're determined to marry her. I'm afraid you'll need something from me before that can happen."
Jack looked up with a start, wondering what the old man meant.
"Sally belongs to me you know. I made her myself. There was nothing of her, not a single stitch, before I worked to create what you now so indulgently enjoy. What if I say no? I used a lot of valuable materials on Sally. One in particular, if you must know. If what you say is true, I could either sign her off to become a queen, or I could take her apart and relieve my own current unhappiness. Jewel. She's not been feeling well Jack. Do you know what the matter is?"
Feeling sick, Jack shook his skull. The doctor moved further into his lab as he talked. Jewel lay immobile on the same examination table which had held Sally for countless repairs. The Doctor gestured toward her.
"Her heart Jack. It's not strong. Not strong enough for her to keep functioning. It must be replaced. I have only one other heart in my possession, and it's been living a life of luxury in your mansion for the past two months.
"Sally?!", Jack gasped, unbelieving. The old man couldn't possibly be suggesting...
"Sally is of no use to me.", Doctor Finklestein said with a wave of his hand. "She's far less at this point than even what I created. Thanks to you, that is."
"I don't follow.", Jack said hoarsely. The Doctor laughed without humor. He regarded Jack over the top of his small glasses.
"She's less than I made, Jack. You changed her, and even if I wanted to I could never change her back. There's no un-ringing a bell, boy."
Jack suddenly understood. He couldn't blush, so he just looked down at the grated, steel floor and paused to regain his composure.
"I can't let you hurt her, Doctor.", he said at last. "She's going to be my wife."
"Bring this up with the Mayor, Jack." said Doctor Finklestein. Sally is mine. There's a paper in the townhall which says so. Her body may be in your bed, but her heart belongs to me."