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Wow, a new chapter. Ok, so there is one part in here that was referred to in my other story, The Diagnoses. I didn't want to just rewrite that entire scene, but that's kind of what I did so that it would make sense if you haven't read Diagnoses. Also, I have changed a very important detail in my user profile. Strawberry bubble tea is no longer my favorite. I'm a taro-root girl now. This may not seem like an important thing, but I have over 1000 profile hits (wow, wtf?) so apparently people need to know.

Cheers

Days passed. Every morning, Jack tried to change Dr. Finklestein's mind. He used every argument and angle his brain could devise, but to no avail. The doctor refused to be swayed. Meanwhile, Sally busied herself designing a bridal gown. Though she was happier than she had ever been, she couldn't help but notice Jack's growing anxiety. Dinners together were far more quiet than usual, not to mention the fact that their nocturnal activities had suffered a sharp drop in frequency. That could have been enough to make Sally worry whether perhaps her beloved had come down with a case of cold feet, but she sensed otherwise. Jack still sang to her; special love songs that he seemed able to pull from his skull with no preparation, but there seemed a sadness about him. He read to her from his favorite books as they lay together in bed. He held her close to his thin body as they slept each night. Sally never doubted his affections for even a moment, though obviously, something was amiss.

The Mayor had his own reason to support Jack's nuptial wishes. He was most pleased with the prospect of performing a wedding ceremony, viewing it as yet another public example of his official capacity. The fact that the Doctor's lack of cooperation could rob him of this opportunity was indeed troubling. One rainy morning, he tried his hand at the ongoing negotiations.

"C'mon Doctor! Can't you see the benefits of this union? He's the Pumpkin King! A female you created from nothing more than rags and skin was chosen by the Pumpkin King himself! That's some prestige, isn't it? Why, it could be considered the crowning accomplishment of your long and distinguished career! I would think you'd be behind this."

Doctor Finklestein shook his head. He removed his glasses and wiped the lenses with a small cloth.

"Sally was such a traitorous, ungrateful, conniving... How could I let a person like that become our Queen? Years down the road, Jack will thank me for this. You mark my words! She put me through so much, and me just a poor, weak, old, man. I realize that Jack's happiness is everyone's primary concern in this town, but what of someone like me? Without my precious Jewel, I'll perish! All alone, with no one to care for me in these, my twilight years. No one at all."

"Igor?", called a small, scratchy voice, from just outside the laboratory door. The doctor and Mayor continued with their conversation.

"Why, speaking of Jewel, I haven't seen her around town as of late.", said the Mayor. "How is your Jewel, Doctor?"

The old man sniffled dramatically. He held his head in his hands.

"Oh Mayor, let me tell you..."

Jack strode angrily through the town square, Lock jogging breathless beside him, trying to keep up. They were followed by the Mayor, fresh from his meeting with Doctor Finklestein, and Barrel who carried a mound of toffees, cupped in both his hands as if he were carrying rare coins.

"I can't believe you knew about Jewel, and about the heart! Why on earth didn't you tell me the extent of this mess, Jack?!", cried the Mayor. What are you going to do?"

"What's happening?", asked Lock with an excited smirk. He loved this. Jack was obviously angry, though not at him. That was always an event. Plus, the Mayor was worried and flustered! Such entertainment was hard to come by in these post-Oogie days. Neither of the men acknowledged Lock's question. The Mayor continued, his voice fluttering with panic.

"He does make some valid points, Jack! I'm not saying I agree! Not at all! I'm with you all the way as always, Jack! But, I do see where he's coming from. Sally must have been quite something when she was with Dr. Finklestein. He seems quite scarred by the experience."

"You came with me to the lab when he first made her.", said Jack. "Do you remember how he talked to her? Like she was nothing at all."

The Mayor softened and nodded.

"I do remember. She spilled tea all over and he just screamed at her. Come to think of it, I don't even think she was talking yet back then. Oh, Jack, I just don't know. What're you going to do? What does Sally say about this anyway?"

It was now Jack's turn to appear flustered.

"She doesn't exactly know about this."

The Mayor was shocked. He assumed Jack told Sally everything.

"Why haven't you told her, Jack? She knows the Doctor better than you or I. If anyone might know what could be done to sway him, it would be her. I thought you confided everything to her! I thought she was your 'soulmate.'"

"Sally is my soulmate," Jack said with a touch of irritation. "She's even more than that. I just don't want her to worry if she doesn't have to."

"So...", sighed the Mayor sadly. "Sally is designing a gown for a wedding that might not happen." He shook his head with sorrow. Jack snorted.

"It will happen. There is no question about that, Mayor," Jack said defiantly.

Lock grabbed a toffee from Barrel's hands and popped it into his mouth. He chewed on the candy, trying to piece together what he had just overheard. At last, he looked up at Jack.

"I'm going back home. You've got other stuff to do, and I want to play in the tree house. See ya!"

Jack caught the boy's tail in his hand and pulled him back.

"I have things for you to read, Lock. Homework, as it were."

The boy looked up, annoyed.

"Huh?"

"I don't have much time at the present to work with you. Still, I made a commitment to make sure that you don't return to your old ways. I believe you need some culture. You need a view of a world larger than your own to give you some perspective."

With that, Jack pulled the boy to the town hall where he presented him with a teetering stack of books. Lock almost fell over with the weight as Jack placed them into his arms.

"You've got to be kidding!", Lock gasped. "How long are you going to keep bugging me with this stuff, Jack?"

Jack pondered for moment before answering. He sounded tired.

"I want you and your brother and sister to become responsible citizens. To that end I will devote as much time as I can, which right now is very little. Even so, there is plenty you can do to better yourself that doesn't require my direct supervision. You work on these books, and soon I'll ask you for a full report on each one." Jack tried to remain optimistic, but he often wondered if he wasn't just kidding himself with the trio. One minute they seemed like misunderstood, misguided, children, the next minute they were heartless little criminals. It was a tough call.

Shock sat at Sally's sewing machine. She was far too small to reach the treadle, but turned the balance wheel slowly with her hand. She watched the needle move up and down over the bobbin. This is a very dangerous machine, she thought with some excitement. It could almost be a weapon, if you could just find a way to get some part, of someone you disliked, stuck under there...

"What are you doing Shock? Where is Sally?"

The girl looked up to see Jack. Beside him was an apparently mobile tower of books. It took her a moment to recognize Lock's feet sticking out from the bottom of the pile. She laughed aloud and pointed.

"Where's Sally, Shock?", Jacked asked again. Shock blew a dark green curl out of her eye.

"Sally's back at your house. She was upset about something, so she went home."

"Upset?", Jack asked. "Why? Is she alright?"

He didn't wait for an answer from Shock, just turned and ran back to his house. Shock hopped down from the sewing stool and knocked over Lock's books before collapsing into giggles again.

The house was dark and quiet, save for a soft, crying. Jack climbed the stairs to his parlor where he found Sally. She sat on the sofa, tears running down her stitched cheeks.

"What on earth?", Jack said quietly as he approached her. "Whatever is the matter, Sally?" She swallowed hard, and spoke.

"I was working today, sewing, and the witches came to talk to me. They said that the doctor told them that I can't ever have a baby. He'd didn't make me able to do that. They said, that I can't be a good queen if I can't have a baby, because that's what a queen is supposed to do! Did you know that I couldn't do that, Jack? Because...they said that if you knew, you might not want..." Her words dissolved into sobs. Jack clicked his tongue. He sat beside his fiancé, lifting her into his lap.

"I will talk to the witches. I would never marry anyone just to get a

royal broodmare. Perhaps you can not have a child, but then that would clearly mean that I can't have a child either, don't you see? I wouldn't father an heir with anyone but you after all." He stroked her hair, smoothing tear soaked strands away from her cheek.

"Do you even want a baby Sally?", he asked. She sniffled, and gave a small shrug.

"I don't know. I've never seen a baby. I went upstairs to look at your art books again. I wanted to see the paintings with babies, but I was so upset... I fell."

Sally pulled her skirt back a bit, uncovering her knee. One of her seams was badly torn. Crimson and gold leaves pressed through the gash.

Jack gasped at her injury, pulling the ragdoll more tightly against his ribs.

"This baby thing... That's a bridge we will cross some other time, Sally.", Jack sighed. "Put it out of your mind for now."

Sally nodded. She wiped her face with her hand. She extracted a sewing needle from behind her ear. Jack smiled, in spite of everything. He cuddled her legs on his lap as she repaired the wound, suturing herself with dark, blue, upholstery thread.

"Jack, you've been so quiet lately.", Sally said carefully as she finished the seam. "When the witches said that to me today, I wondered if that was why. I wondered, if you had found that out, and if it was making you sad. You are sad about something Jack, I know that you are."

Jack closed his eyes. He ran his boney fingertips across Sally's knees, making her shiver. Tell her anything, Jack thought. She doesn't need this worry. I can figure this out. He opened his eye sockets and looked up at her. His ragdoll's lovely face was so close to his. Jack knew in an instant he could tell her nothing but the truth. So he told her. He told her everything. Everything about his daily fruitless pleas to the Doctor, about his anger at the whole forsaken situation. Sally listened patiently. If she was frightened or even angry, her expression didn't show it. Jack looked down at her legs once more as a tiny, chilly tear trickled down his skull. It landed on her knee and wicked into the fabric.

"Oh, I hate that," muttered Jack. "I never let anyone see me cry. Can you imagine what they would think? The Great Pumpkin King, crying." Sally leaned forward and kissed two more tears that were sliding down his face. Jack smiled once more, immensely comforted.

"You should have told me what was happening, Jack.", said Sally. "I know you didn't want me to worry, but you should have said something. Maybe I should talk to the Doctor. I've had plenty of past experience with him, more than anyone else, and this is about me after all."

"No." Jack said firmly. "He might hurt you."

"I am very good at taking care of me, Jack. I have been for quite a while."

"I know love. I know. But let your bone man fix this."

Sally nodded in agreement. She kissed Jack goodnight, and headed upstairs to bed. She wanted a good night's sleep before visiting the evil scientist.