Where Spiders Fear to Tread
Alternative Ending I (for people who don't like clichés.)
A/N: Don't know how many alternative endings I will make
The Pumpkin King walked down the street. His wife walked beside him. He held her arm protectively. Her skin was pale like a ghost's her eyes were green and her hair red. He liked her very much but some wounds could not always be healed. He nodded to a citizen of Halloween Town. They handed his wife dead flowers. His wife happily accepted them and smelled them. "They smell splendid." She said. The citizen smiled and bowed again. Edward looked at his wife, she was beautiful in a common way. Her mother had introduced them herself. They did not know where they were walking, or how long they would be walking. Edward Skellington preferred long walks. Long walks with silence. He always would think during this time. Thoughts of things from many years ago. His wife sighed next to him. She didn't like the walks of silence. She preferred to talk of what her friends were gossiping about. Edward preferred the silence. It was silent for many years for him.
Suddenly he saw him at the end of the road. He ordered his wife to go back to the castle. She happily obliged. He walked toward the tall man with the dark hair, dark shadows underneath his empty, soulless eyes. He still wore the same clothes. A very young child with black hair and red eyes pulled on the man's pant leg. The man bent down and the child whispered into his ear. He stood up and turned toward Edward. He gave his small smile which was familiar to Edward, despite all the years of silence. "Many years, old friend…many years." Said Barrel quietly.
Edward nodded. "Who's this?" he asked curiously.
"My son," Answered Barrel. He smiled again. "The youngest too, the other two are somewhere running around." He sighed. "I heard you got married."
"Yes, it was much smaller of a celebration compared to the Succession Ceremony. Yes I preferred it to be much quieter."
"I can respect that," he said smiling. "With the children, I understand how you crave the silence." He chuckled softly. "Ah! There goes my daughter," a small girl with black hair and black eyes ran after a black ball. She stopped and looked at the Pumpkin King curiously. She smiled and walked over to her father, her smile revealing small little fangs. Barrel picked up the small girl, "She is a fraternal twin, her name is Stellaluna." She giggled as her father kissed her cheek. Edward smiled. "You have a son, do you not?"
"Yes, his name is Jack, after my father." Said Edward. "He's a little older than Stellaluna I suppose. Where is the last?"
"Daddy!" said a small voice as a child ran to his father. He had black hair like he did and the same red eyes as his brother. They all smiled at the stranger, showing two sharp fangs. The girl suddenly squirmed in Barrel's arms and he let her down. The children ran toward a woman with black hair and red eyes. Edward stared almost in disbelief. Memories came flooding back to him that he wished he could forget, yet wished to hold onto for the rest of his life.
Their promises of young love, their one night of intimacy. Finally, how she had made the choice that had changed Edward's life forever. She wanted Edward to inherit the throne, and she knew that if she had married him that he would never be able to see his family again. She had told him that she didn't want that for him, despite how much she loved him. Then she disappeared into the night and he went back to his family.
Edward smiled slightly. The woman kneeled down and smiled at her children. She spoke to them and they all squealed in delight. The youngest one whispered into her ear. She looked at the ground for a moment, then stood. She slowly walked over to them. She smiled her small smile that used to make Edward grin ear to ear. He returned it slightly. Barrel took her hand and she smiled at him. She bowed her head slightly at him, then whispered something to her husband. Barrel nodded. She held out her hand to her old friend. Edward took it slowly, and she shook it. Then their hand embrace was over before Edward could think. She smiled the sad smile again, then she walked back to her children. "I'm glad everything worked out," Edward said softly.
Barrel nodded, "The eldest is named Lucifer. The youngest we both decided to name Edward, after his majesty." He said softly. "You helped us out of the darkness Ed," his voice the soft, kind, purr that it always was. "You helped us leave the Boogie Boys behind and start a new life."
"Do you love her?" Edward asked after some time.
"More than air," Barrel answered. "I do not want you to think that I took advantage of her lonely state."
Edward smiled at Barrel, "No, never. I always wanted her to be happy…I am glad that she found her freedom through you, Barrel. In time, I will learn to love my wife the way you love yours. I am honored that the boy is named after me." Edward Skellington replied. He bowed to Barrel, then to Arachne who nodded once more. Edward turned and walked back to the palace.
Barrel walked over to his wife, "Do you feel remorse?"
Arachne smiled at her husband, she shook her head. "I am happy to see him move on. I am not remorseful. In a way, I helped him like he had helped us." She kissed her husband, "Let's go home," she said.
Edward smiled as he walked away from them. She was always a part of him. She would never not be. But he was able to move on now, just knowing that she was safe…that his Ara was happy.