1Chapter 11, lumplings. I was stuck on where things would be going with this story, as there were a couple of options but everything I came up with was either too complicated, or too much of a deus ex machina. Tonight however, over my chai latte, I had an epiphany. Don't know how long it will take to finish since I don't have much free time, but at least now I know where I'm going! Yippee! XD

Sally's morning with the doctor may have been decidedly unpleasant, but across town Jack fared only marginally better.

"It truly isn't important to me. Even if it was, surely that wasn't the best way to go about it, wouldn't you agree?", Jack asked in his most diplomatic voice. The witches gazed up at him. They somehow managed to be at once, both apologetic and defensive.

"We all just want the best for you, Jack. You're our hero! We want you to be happy!", said the taller witch.

"You deserve the very best, Jack.", echoed her sister.

"I appreciate the concern, ladies, however, you really needn't worry. Sally is the best thing that's ever happened to me. As long as she is safe and happy, all will be well with your Pumpkin King. She's very sensitive. It hurts her feelings when you say such things! Please, could you be nice to her? Or at least, nicer? For me?"

Jack folded his hands over his chest, imploring. He smiled hopefully at the old women. They whimpered soft affirmatives through clenched teeth. Jack grinned as if they had agreed wholeheartedly.

"Splendid! Thank you so much! I can't tell you how much your understanding means to me. Now then, have you seen the Fishgal? I need to check in with her concerning her holiday work, but the Mayor says he hasn't heard from her in days."

"Eh, she'll turn up Jack.", the taller witch said, her mood deflated. "You know how she is."

Jack nodded. Of everyone in town, fishgal was the hardest to catch up with if she didn't want to be found. No one could really follow her for any length of time. She slipped back and forth from the lake, to the fountain, to the swamp, to who knows how many other places, through submerged passages known only to her. They were right, she'd turn up. Jack waved goodbye to the witches. He walked away towards the town hall for his daily meeting with the Mayor.

"Are we going to be nice to her then?", asked the smaller witch. Her sister sniffed indignantly.

"We can be polite, I suppose. If we have to be."

"Oooh, why are you so obsessed with marriage these days anyway? Who says you have to be married?" The Mayor, initially eager to assist, was now bored and irritated. The problems with Jack's love life were taking up too much precious time.

"Hm?" asked Jack absently. He checked over a list of humans who deserved a good scare, but was clearly thinking about the doctor and Sally. The Mayor continued:

"I'm saying don't marry her! Not officially, anyway. It's only paper, Jack! If it makes you two feel better, I'll say a little something, an 'unofficial ceremony' if you will, and there you are! Honeymoon straight ahead, then you can get back to your work." Jack weighed this option.

"But what about Doctor Finklestein and Jewel? What about the heart?"

"Jack, he's an old man. What can he do? You just keep her at home, that's all! He can hardly go all the way into your house and drag her out."

"Keep Sally at home all the time? Never let her out? That's no kind of solution.", Jack scoffed. The Mayor shrugged. He didn't know much about females, or marriage, or any of this nonsense. He was fairly certain that wives were supposed to stay home most of the time, but there was little point in arguing with Jack.

"If we didn't get married, she wouldn't be Sally Skellington.", continued Jack. "That's too nice a name to waste, don't you agree, Mayor? Besides, the whole rest of the afterlife she would still belong to him. He could just take her! Anytime he wanted to. I wouldn't put it past him, especially if he thought we were happy. It would just be too complicated."

"How's that?" asked the Mayor. Jack scratched his skull thoughtfully.

"Well, I don't know. What if, and this is just an example mind you, but hypothetically speaking Mayor, just what if, far, far, off in the future...we had a baby?"

The Mayor was absolutely horrified. Jack raised his skeletal hands defensively. "Hypothetically! If that were to happen, he could have some claim to the baby, or something else could go wrong. It would be so be so confusing for the poor little one! And—"

"Alright, Jack. It was just a thought! Forget it! In fact, forget what you said too! That baby thing." The Mayor shuddered with revulsion.

"Forgotten," Jack said. He copied a few more names. The Mayor spoke again, his voice low.

"You are the Pumpkin King, Jack. You've got plenty of money. I don't mean to be crude, but it would seem that you are at a desperate juncture."

"Offer him money for her?!" Jack said in a shocked whisper.

"Don't do that!" Sally said as she entered the funereal office. The Mayor shrugged again. Jack motioned Sally close to him.

"Don't worry love. We'll solve this," said Jack as he kissed her hands. "What are you up to right now?"

Sally managed a smile.

"I'm going to start cutting fabric for my wedding gown."

Jack nodded happily and hugged her.

"Marvelous! Lock should be over there in about an hour to discuss those books I lent him. I'll be home before that, so no worries. Later then, my precious baby-doll."

Sally caressed Jack's skull with the back of her hand, then exited the office.

"Baby-doll?" the Mayor muttered, forlorn. Jack smiled sheepishly.