A few minutes later, jack and the gang found the energy to stand. They were walking back to Halloween town when who should they find waiting for them but good old Santa Claus, having regained his red and white sleigh.

"Whew!" said the jolly old elf as jimmy and Caitlin proceeded to pet the reindeer. "For a moment there, I thought I was too late. But I managed to deliver the presents in time!"

"Awesome!" said jonesy.

Jack, however, didn't seem happy from the good news. He stepped forward. "I'm so…" he began. Then he sighed. "Forgive me…for causing you trouble again."

The gang groaned. How the hell could jack still be feeling guilty?

"No, jack," said Santa. "This time I owe you my gratitude. Thank you for saving my life!"

Jack's face lit up when he heard this. He gave a big grin as he and the gang waved at the departing Santa.

"You see, jack?" jonesy asked. "Everything worked out in the end. You gotta start thinking more positive, pumpkin king!"

At this, jack started laughing.

---

Surprisingly, it didn't take the team long to return to Halloween town. As spiral hill came into view, jack and the gang saw that a certain rag doll was still waiting for them.

Jack was the first to meet sally at the top of the hill. The gang stayed back and observed as the two drew closer to each other.

"I was so scared, jack," said sally.

Jack was still smiling. "You know, it's strange," he said, taking sally's hands and glancing back at the gang. "Whenever I set out to find something new, my eyes are opened to a larger world."

Sally's face fell. "You're not leaving again…are you?" she asked. This made the gang frown, too.

"No," said jack. The gang and sally's faces lit up again. "Something tells me that the most wonderful discoveries…are a little closer to home."

And with that, the pumpkin king embraced the woman he loved at the top of spiral hill, just like what happened on Christmas the year before.

Jonesy smiled at the scene and shook his head. Two crazy Christmases in a row. Amazing. He gave a gesture to the others, as if he was saying, "Come on, guys. Let's get out of here." The others caught on. But as the gang were heading the direction of home…

"You're leaving already?"

The gang looked back at jack. He looked sad again.

"That's kind of sad, you know?" the pumpkin king asked. "You all should at least stay for Christmas…"

jonesy gave a sad little laugh. "Well, jack, it's tempting," he said. "But I'm afraid we have to head back. We have our Christmases to attend to, you know."

"Oh…" said jack. "Of course…" the truth was this: he didn't want the gang to leave yet. He owed so much to them. They had helped him save Christmas not once, but twice. "See you next Halloween, then?"

"What do you think, dude?" asked jonesy. "Like I said, you're stuck with us."

However, deep down, jonesy didn't want to leave yet either. He wanted to spend some more time with jack. He wanted to feel the same way he did when he and jack were flying high above the sky in that coffin sleigh. But now wasn't the time. There was other business to attend to. He and the others gave one last wave as they disappeared into the hinterlands, toward the door that led back to apple creek school.

Jack frowned as he waved. He knew that he had already thanked the gang, but something still felt…incomplete. He knew he had to do more, but what? He slowly turned to his rag doll friend.

"Sally…" he tried to begin, but he was interrupted by sally's soft smile.

"You need to talk to them," sally said quietly. "It's okay, jack. I understand. We all do." She turned to walk back to Halloween town. "We can all tell how much you love those guys," she said over his shoulder. "You'd better hurry, or you'll miss them."

"Oh…right," said jack.

Sally watched as jack ran into the hinterlands after the gang. Sally smiled. No matter how many times he went away, jack skellington would always remain the same: the pumpkin king that everyone loved and adored.

---

By this time, the gang had reached the apple creek school door. The others had already jumped in. jonesy sighed. He took one last look behind him. He was about to reopen the door when…

"Jonesy!"

jonesy quickly turned around, only to find jack standing there, lightly panting. Jonesy was confused. What was jack doing here?

"Uh…hey," said jonesy. "What's up?"

Jack stared at jonesy. How was he going to explain this to him? "Jonesy…" he tried to start. "Well, I…I was wondering if…"

"What's bugging you, pumpkin king?" asked jonesy.

Jack looked at jonesy, then shook his head. Why was this so hard to ask? He took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. "Jonesy…" he tried again. "You're…you're going to think I'm crazy for asking this, but…"

Jonesy looked expectantly at jack. For asking him what?

"Jonesy…you're not going to…go away anytime soon, are you?"

jonesy was taken a back by this question. "Go away?" he asked jack. "What do you mean, 'go'…" then it hit him. Jack was thinking that… "Aw, jack," jonesy said, almost laughing. "Is that what's been bothering you?"

"Well, sort of," said jonesy. "I just wanted to make sure you wouldn't be leaving me behind, like…"

"Leaving you behind?" asked jonesy. "Dude, I couldn't leave you behind even if I wanted to! And if you think he's left you behind, you're mistaken."

Jack's face lit up a little when he heard this.

"Right after I got home from a little fiasco last year, I wrote my brother a letter, telling him that I finally met you." Jonesy explained. "What I got back was a six-page letter of how you two first met, and how you two defeated Oogie Boogie the first time he tried to take over Halloween town. He also told me how much he missed you, and how badly he wanted to see Halloween town again. Believe me. He hasn't forgotten about you one bit."

Jack slightly smiled. "But….what about you?" he asked. "I certainly don't want to lose you…"

Now jonesy did laugh. "Dude, the way I do in school, the chances of me going away the same way my brother had to are a billion to one. And, if by some crazy miracle, I do end up leaving for the same reason my brother did, you'll definitely be the first to know."

"Really?" asked jack.

"Really," said jonesy. "And I'll give the map to another kid. One who will have just as much fun with you as my brother and I have."

"Oh, jonesy…" said jack. He looked down at his feet. "Jonesy, if you want to know the truth, back when you disappeared on Oogie's lair, I was scared to death. I was so scared that I'd lose you. I know that I'll probably never see your brother again, but…I don't know what I would have done if…if…"

"Don't even talk about something like that," said jonesy. "I'm still here aren't I? Quit dwelling on stuff that could have happened, and be thankful that I'm still here!"

Just then, on impulse, jack dropped to his knees, pulled jonesy close to him, and wrapped his long bony arms around the boy. "Jonesy…" he moaned, trying hard not to cry.

"Not so hard, you sissy," said jonesy, his voice also breaking. "you squeeze my tears out." Surprisingly, he found himself not squirming, as he had done the last time jack hugged him. This time, he found himself returning the hug.

"I'm sorry," jack whispered. "I'm not supposed to be hugging you, am I?"

"Ah, it's Christmas," said jonesy. "I'll let it slide."

"Thank you, jonesy," said jack. "Thank you for everything."

"Don't mention it," said jonesy. He paused. "I should probably be heading back."

Jack slowly let go of jonesy. He was smiling again.

"You feeing better?" jonesy asked, drying his face.

"yes," said jack. "I'd better wacth it. I don't think the others back in Halloween town would find it appealing if they found out how much of a sissy their pumpkin king is."

Jonesy chuckled. Then he headed back over to the apple creek school door. He slowly turned the knob, opened the door, and climbed up onto the edge, getting ready to jump in. he gave one last look behind him.

"Merry Christmas, jack."

"Merry Christmas, jonesy."

---

The others jumped as jonesy finally emerged from the Halloween door in the woods outside of apple creek school.

"Finally!" said Sam. "What on earth took you so long, jonesy?"

"Oh, jack just came to thank me one more time," said jonesy standing up. He looked at his friends. "Well, why are we just standing here?" he asked. "If we head back now, at least we have a few hours left before the sun comes up, right?"

Sam smiled. "I suppose," he said. "Merry Christmas, guys."

"MERRY CHRISTMAS!" said jimmy and Caitlin.

A few minutes later, in the middle of the rich neighborhood everything was silent and the gang went back to their separate houses this was a second adventure they will never ever forget.

End

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Ike1992: and there you have it readers stay tuned for the first story called 6teen the nightmare before Christmas the one where the 6teen gang first meet jack coming soon peace out and happy reading.