A/N:

Hi everyone, thank you all so much for the reviews so far ^_^ Here's chapter 3, I hope you enjoy it!

Dearest Friends

Chapter 3:

Valentine Town

Jack was standing in the holiday tree forest and looking, rather nervously, at a certain pink and red heart-shaped door. After all, who knew what he might find behind there exactly?

To clarify, Jack was not entirely ignorant of the 'interactions' between men and women in a romantic setting—he had been around for a long time after all, and he knew the fundamentals. He knew a lot of things he could do with a woman. And he had a feeling the women of Halloween Town knew a lot of things they could and wanted to do with him considering how they would all but stalk after him in a pack after every Halloween celebration, mouths spilling compliments and praise, arms outstretched and trying to grab at him, all begging for his attention. It was flattering and ego boosting, to be sure, but so very unsettling to his dignity. The only one who had ever been kind enough not to do that to him had been Sally. Yes, Sally had never approached him in the bewitching hour of Halloween night…long, pale blue arms outstretched in desire… eyes hazed in romance…scarlet lips whispering words of wanton to him in the moonlight as she came closer to claim him for her own….

Jack's thought stopped now as he now couldn't breathe anymore. He had to lean against the heart-door tree for support, digging his bony fingertips into its soft bark. He hadn't expected this sudden onslaught of feelings from a single thought of her like that at all—as stated, the other women in town chasing him like that had always made him a bit uncomfortable. But the idea of Sally chasing him…. Jack shivered all over with anticipation. "Well, I certainly 'have it bad', don't I?" he managed to breathe out with a small smile, trying to lighten the mood for himself, though it was hard…and his bones still rattled. "Sally…coming to me like that."

Jack let out a breath and shook his head. Then he cleared his throat and straightened his tie and did his best to move his thoughts along, just simply refusing to think of Sally in any way more intimate than that kiss they had shared, and even that had felt just slightly too forward to him (he was glad again that he had apologized for his behavior in his letter to her, just in case.) After all she was a lady and so sweet and so innocent and so perfect. 'She would hate me if I ever…I would hate me if I ever….' Jack sighed deeply, closing his eye sockets and reaching up a hand to rub his temples. "I have utterly lost my mind, and this is going to be so much harder than I thought, isn't it?"

Jack sighed and tried to bring his thoughts back to why he was actually here right now at this early hour and considering jumping through the strange, heart-like door before him. It wasn't so much to learn how to kiss and caress and…other such things. It was more to learn how to woo a woman, how to simply present romantic feelings to a female creature in a way that would make her happy and win her heart in return. That's what Sally deserved, and that's what he intended to give her—a perfect gentleman only trying to earn her favor and esteem. And as he had only ever had experience up until now trying to repel fanatic females, lo and behold, here he was at the Heart Door.

Jack took a step back and looked at it some more: he wondered what the Heart Door holiday was called. Now that he thought about it, he hadn't a clue. But he supposed he would find out once he got to the holiday world it led to. He also wondered what might happen when he opened this door? Snowflakes had pulled him in for a long fall down to a snowy hilltop at the Christmas Town door, and he knew from returning home from Christmas Town via the holiday forest there that the Halloween Town door pulled you in with a thick fog and dropped you down into a brushy corner of the pumpkin patch. Neither of those things had hurt, they had just been surprising, and he hoped that the pattern would continue with the other doors like the heart-shaped door.

Jack sighed and reached out for the Heart Door's small gold handle. "Oh well, here goes nothing!" He took a deep breath and then pulled open the door wide, unable to help taking a small step back in a touch of anticipation.

However, there was nothing at first but a long, quiet pause.

Jack uncringed after a moment (it seemed the pattern of a delay before a holiday pulled a person in was certainly continuing). Then he straightened his tie and suite a little (just in case he did happen to accidentally run into anyone in this place, he wanted to look presentable of course). Then he sighed and turned around so his back was facing the open door. "And three…two…o—WHOA!"

Doves were surrounding him! Little doves all grabbing at his lapels and the tails of his suit with their little beaks, and they were lifting him up and pulling him into the door in a flurry of pretty chirps!

"O-Oh!" Jack exclaimed in a touch of surprise, though soon he was smiling. "Uh, thank y—Whoa!" And then suddenly he was falling through a void, surrounded by swirls of red and violet and yellow, blinking and flailing a little, until…

"Oh!" He felt himself fall sitting into something soft yet springy, and he spun around twice and rubbed his eye sockets. He opened them, and blinked a few times.

And then oh the sights he did see….

"…And then the tall, dark and handsome vampire Count, finally unable to deny his feelings, took the bewitching, fair ghost Countess in his arms and declared his love for her. 'I love you, my darling! Oh please say you'll marry me?' The fair Countess smiled demurely and nodded with adoration in her eyes. "Oh, yes, my dearest, I've always wanted to marry you! And now we can rule our gothic kingdom together, haunting the land for eternity!' 'Yes, for eternity!' he nodded in agreement. And then the Count scooped up the Countess in his arms and whisked her away into the gloom so they could start to enjoy their happy and horror-filled life together."

Sally sighed dreamily and closed the romance novel in her hands. She hugged it close to her chest with a smile and rested back against her pillows. For a moment, she closed her eyes and let herself daydream. She imagined herself in a lovely black and purple gothic gown instead of her usual little worn patchwork dress, and Jack…well, Jack dressed as he was usually dressed since his style was so debonair to her. She imagined him coming up to this tower and finding her sitting here in her gown. Then he might take her in his arms and say something like, 'Oh Sally, breathtaking Sally, how I adore you! Ravishing creature of the night….' Next he would hold her arm and place kisses all up and down it. 'Marry me, Sally? I can't live another moment without you! Marry me and kiss me and be my Pumpkin Queen, and we'll live right here and have children and be together forever. Oh say yes, please say yes, my darling!' Sally imagined she would sigh and smile and move toward him. 'Oh Jack, yes, I'll be your Queen, I'll have your children, I'll marry you! Kiss me, Jack!' His skeletal grin would appear on his face and he would stand them up and pull her right against him. 'Yes…' he would all but bellow in that rich, deep voice of his, and then he would ravish her with the sweetest kisses, and she would kiss him back on every inch of that adorable skull of his until her lips knew every groove and crevice of it by heart. Then Jack would scoop her up and carry her off to their wedding.

Sally in real life, sighed deeply and opened her eyes. "I know all of that sounds a little silly. I probably wouldn't even like it if Jack really was that dramatic. And I don't even know for sure yet if we'll work out together as more than friends, let alone if we would be good at being married. But still, it's not such a bad daydream."

Sally smiled to herself a little more. She just wanted for them to pursue their relationship so badly. She didn't want to make Jack feel uncomfortable at all, and she knew that this 'whatever it was' between them was still so young but...oh for crying out loud she had PINED for him from the moment she had met him! She had desired his smile, his gaze, his friendship, his conversation, his esteem, his notice, his kindness, his respect, his liking, his touch…his love. He was the most wonderful man in town, and she had fallen for him from the start. Years of mental preparation, and now there was a ray of real hope for their love! And darn it she was so ready! She would take things as slowly as they needed to be taken to keep Jack from becoming overwhelmed by the sudden change between them, but all she really wanted was for them to wrap themselves up in a cocoon of love and spend hours whispering sweet nothings to one another and kissing and cuddling and sharing and…she wanted to tell him, officially, that she was in love with him. And she wanted him to say he was in love with her too. They may have missed their chance back on Spiral Hill, but now they would have all the time in the world to finally admit those most important words to each other.

But Sally sighed and remembered that at the moment she was still in Jack's house, still waiting for him to come back, and therefore still alone and without anyone to share her love with. Well, she wasn't entirely alone of course—Zero was keeping her company, but now he was asleep by the fire (she had insisted, the poor thing seemed so tuckered out from last night's harrowing ordeals after all). Yet still she longed for Jack's return and to know finally where their relationship would go from here.

Sally let herself lie back on the couch fully, stretching her arms up and yawning a little. By now, she had already read some of the books Jack had left her, eaten all the spider cakes, drunk most of the pumpkin juice, played with her hair a few different ways in the little hand mirror with the little fishbone comb, and tightened every loose stitch she had with the needle and thread Jack had left her. And now she was just bored. But it was barely eleven, and Jack wouldn't be back for at least another hour if not longer,

Then suddenly Sally blinked and sat up with a start. "Wait a minute…what am I doing? How silly of me and selfish. Just because I'm free now and a guest here doesn't mean I can't do something good with my time until Jack comes back. Besides, I don't want him to think he has to 'wait on me hand a foot' or anything like that—that's what I always had to do for Dr. Finkelstein, and I hated it. I want to show Jack that I can help him and that I like him and that I want to contribute to this place if it's going to be my new home…and that's just what I'll do!" She stood up with a happy smile, clapping her hands together (but making sure to do so quietly so as not to wake Zero—she wanted things to be a surprise for him too).

Sally giggled quietly to herself and then proceeded to start by folding up the blankets on her sofa, re-fluffing the pillows, and gathering her used dish and glass. Oh yes, she would make sure that Jack knew that choosing her to live in his tower was a good idea. And for the first time as she cleaned a little, despite the fact that it was one of the main chores Dr. Finkelstein had always made her do, Sally felt happy because she was cleaning by her own choice and cleaning for herself and for someone she loved. That circumstance really made all the difference in the world.

Jack had heard rumors of its existence, he knew, theoretically, that it could exist, and he had even seen little swatches of it in Christmas Town, but…he had never seen it before in such a pure and epic state.

'It' was the color pink—bright, vibrant, glowing, fields of pink!

All of that pink was just sort of a shock to the senses for a person who was used to the gray, drab, macabre shadows and shades of Halloween Town. And even Christmas Town had at least had all the white snow to soften things and many colors of all shades mixing together. But this was…

"O-Oh my," was all Jack could mumble.

He blinked a few more times and then let his hands rest on the ground on either side of him, though the strange texture they met with made him pull back for a moment and examine upon exactly what 'soft, springy' thing had fallen.

His eye sockets went wide at the sight. "Ooo…" He was in a thick field of pink and red flowers, it seemed, though so very different from Halloween Town flowers that were usually dried and dead. These were lush and soft and tender…roses. He had never seen them grow like this and never in a color other than deep black or purple. And yet, though he was sure everyone else back home—except perhaps his unique Sally—would look at these and call them ugly, he found them beautiful. Jack smiled and gently stroked the soft, lush petals of one of the roses.

Oh yes, Jack knew right now, he had definitely picked the right place to go to learn about romance.

And this field of roses was just the start.

Jack stood up (though not before plucking and pocketing a particularly dark red rose to give to Sally later) and gazed around. The sky of this world was pinks and peaches and honey colors all mixed together while buttery sunshine beamed softly down from overhead. And the sun was shaped like a heart. "Delightful!" he cooed at the sight. Then there was the town—whites and reds and pinks all mixed, buildings shaped like hearts (some with arrows through them), heart-shaped electric lights everywhere, the smell of sweets in the air but so much more sugary than Christmas Town, and he could see little forms of people in pastel-colored clothes dashing all around. And finally to top it all off there was a big arch at the town gate like Jack had seen in Christmas Town, but this one bore town's name on it. Jack leaned forward on his hands and knees, trying to make out the name when… "Oh!" He tumbled down the hill of roses toward the valley of the town. He soon found himself right under the arch looking up at what it said: "Val-en-tine Town? Oh, what a pretty word. 'Valentine'…"

Jack chuckled a little…and then he felt something swirling inside of him—he sat up, air filled his rib cage, and then…!

"What's this? What's this? I—"

Jack's eye sockets then suddenly focused in on the town again as he could see people hearing the start of his compulsive song. Instantly, he slapped a hand over his mouth and hid his thin, bony self behind one of the marble heart pillars holding up the arch. He leaned back against it, breathing heavily, hoping no one had seen him. 'Jack! You are NOT here to sing! You are NOT here to get distracted! You are NOT here to steal a bunch of decorations and try to fill Halloween Town with fresh roses on…' Jack quickly glanced behind the pillar toward the town hall's countdown clock, saw how many days were left until 'Valentine's Day', and then did the math in his head, '…February 14th! You are here to observe, to learn how to gently woo a woman, and then you will go home and you are never to go to another holiday unless invited ever again. That is the plan. Okay, now…how to become inconspicuous. Hmm?' He glanced down at himself: the white color of his bones actually fit in here quite well. It was the black color of his suit, though, that would make him stand out among this town and its people (and of course the fact that he was dead.)

Jack peeked out from behind his pillar. All the people here were flesh, and very rosy flesh (practically rosier than Santa), they all had white or pink or red or purple or golden hair, they all had eyes ranging from lightest blue to deepest violet, they were all wearing rose tinted glasses, and they all wore long, flowing robes in various pastel hues. And, as Jack looked closely, he noticed they all seemed to be wearing these funny little pinkish glasses with gold frames.

"Hmm…" Jack quickly whipped his head back out of sight and considered again how to—

"Hello there. A lovely day to you, sir. What is it your heart desires here?"

Jack Skellington had never been more startled in his entire existence.

Eye sockets wide, he looked out before him to see about a half dozen Valentine Town citizens (little more than half his height) now gathered around him with and a few more joining the little crowd.

Jack blinked several times, glancing from one face to the other, barely able to breathe. 'O-Okay, just calmly explain why you're here and where you're from and why you're a talking skeleton. They won't panic, you won't cause some 'inter-holiday' incident again. It'll be fine.' "Erm…hello there." Jack put on his best skeletal grin and gave the people a wave. "I'm Jack Skellington. Sorry to bother you. I-I know this is a bit unusual, that I'm a bit unusual, but I mean you no harm, really…" he made sure to assure very clearly.

The citizen who had spoken to him, a red haired woman in a sunshine yellow robe, blinked a few times, looking at him with a confused smile. "You're not unusual," she replied simply to Jack.

The other citizens nodded.

That comment had to make Jack blink. He tilted his skull to the side, looking to this woman in perplexity. "Come again?"

The female creature just smiled and shrugged. "Hello, I'm Peony. It's a pleasure to meet you." She bowed, then straightened up. "You must be new to this town. It's our rose-colored glasses." She tapped the frame of her own gently. "When we look at people with love in their hearts, how the glasses let us see the person depends on how much love they're filled with and what the source is. And whoever you're in love with must be the luckiest creature alive—you positively beam with affection! We all saw you standing here behind this pillar, glowing with emotion, from the moment you got here. You're in love, Mr. Skellington, and with your true love! That's one of the loveliest things that can happen to anyone."

All of the other citizens smiled and nodded, looking at Jack like he must be the happiest man in the world.

"Oh, just call me Jack, please…" Jack started to assure politely. Then something processed, and his eye sockets went wide and his jaw fell so thoroughly that he was amazed it didn't jut pop off. "I-I…in love? I…that's, no, no, you've got it all wrong, heh! I-I just…I mean, there's a lady friend of mine, of course, who I…care for, but love is a big word, and I…I…."

Jack was finally cut off in his stuttering by the giggles of the little group (nearly a dozen now) all around him.

Jack blinked a few more times, starting to feel very shy and embarrassed. "Wh-What?" he asked in confusion with a bashful little frown.

The giggles calmed a little, and a male citizen stepped forward now. "Oh, Jack, we're sorry, we don't mean to embarrass you. It's just that…with our glasses we can see how much you love her, and it was already very strong before you were thinking about her, but once you started denying everything and thinking about her more and more, you glowed so brightly it was as though you would burst! Oh but still we shouldn't have laughed—after all, sometimes it takes one a while to come to terms with one's feelings. We truly are sorry, Jack." He bowed a little, and the other citizens nodded and bowed as well. "I'm Chrysanthemum, by the way," he added, deepening his bow a little more. "It's a pleasure to meet you.

Jack let out a breath, calming a bit. "It's quite all right, I assure you…and it's a pleasure to meet you too, Chrysanthemum." Jack gave a small bow and straightened up, trying to seem at ease again. Still, though, he couldn't help feeling a little extra self-conscious around these people: yes, they weren't panicking because they were suddenly looking at a walking skeleton, but at the same time they could see his feelings for Sally…and there were lots of those. He felt rather exposed. "Um, I…I think there's something all of you should know though. I really am from another 'world'—a different holiday from yours. I don't mean to intrude upon your town of course, but I…there is that lady friend I mentioned, and I thought that if I exposed myself to this place a little then I might better understand how to court her properly. May I stay here for a little while to observe?" Jack asked humbly.

The citizens all nodded with smiles.

"Of course!" Peony answered. "All who are loving at heart are welcome here!" She smiled more and went on. "We're so happy for you and your lady friend, Jack, and happy that you wanted to come here to learn more about love."

Jack actually managed a calm smile now. He bowed his skull a little. "Thank you. I'm honored to be allowed here to visit your town. It's beautiful."

All of the citizens bowed low in gratitude.

"You're welcome," Chrysanthemum replied, straightening up as did the others. "And we hope you enjoy your stay here."

"He should go to Lovers Lane!" someone, a female voice, toward the back of the crowd suggested then.

Instantly the whole crowd was nodding in agreement to each other with lit up eyes.

Jack looked to them all curiously. "Lovers Lane?"

"Oh yes!" Peony added with a nod. "It's everyone's dream here to find their true love, and once that happens, Lovers Lane is where they all go to court and woo and enjoy each other's company. That would be perfect for you!"

Jack's smile beamed a little. That really did sound perfect. "Oh splendid!" He clapped his hands together happily. "Thank you! Where is it?"

Instantly the whole group of citizens pointed off toward the middle of town.

"Just head straight through town and you'll find it, Jack," assured Chrysanthemum.

Obliged, Jack smiled and bowed low. "Thank you all. I appreciate your help very much, especially you Peony and Chrysanthemum." Jack smiled more. He really was starting to like this place. It was very nice: a bit more 'perky' than Christmas Town but still very enjoyable.

They all gave him bows of their heads in return and seemed about to depart to go about their days when Jack, with a touch of hesitation in his countenance and a small clearing of this throat, made them pause for just a moment longer. "And, erm…I really won't frighten anyone here when I walk around looking the way I do, right? I know of course that your glasses affect how you see me, but I really do look quite different. I don't want to worry anybody."

The lovely people just smiled and chuckled a little. Chrysanthemum spoke for them. "Don't worry, Jack. As long as you're so very in love…oh, pardon me," he corrected himself politely, "…as long as you care so deeply for your lady friend and as long as there's kindness in your heart, you won't frighten us." He winked at Jack.

Jack smiled happily. "Splendid. Well…I'm off then, I guess." He gave them all a wave, starting to head into town. "Thank you, everyone!"

They all waved back to him, smiling. "Goodbye, Jack! Good luck with your lady friend!"

Jack smiled more and turned now to start looking at the town as he was passing through it. The whole place really did just drip with romance and love. There were so many hearts and all the pretty colors and there was just a general feel in the air of everyone loving each other and being happy and lighthearted.

If Jack had still been into stealing holidays, he would have definitely considered stealing this one…and giving it all to Sally.

He sighed dreamily, his thoughts wandering as he wandered along the town. 'Sally…she's so different. She wouldn't think this place is ugly just because it's not scary. She would think it was beautiful in its own special way. She would smile and be so happy here. And if we walked together, maybe she would hold my hand….' Jack gently clenched one of his bony hands, imagining Sally's little cloth one in it. 'She must feel nice to touch.' One day he might even run the fingers of his bony hand through her soft, yarn hair just to know what it was like, if she would let him…and possibly slip an arm around her waist to pull her close and dance. She was a very beautiful woman, and for the first time in his life Jack could let himself explore and indulge in that fact. And as they danced she might cling to his chest, much as she had done for a single moment when the Mayor had come to rescue them from Oogie's lair and Jack had grabbed hold of the rope and her for them to be pulled up. She would sigh sweetly and lay her hands against him. 'Oh Jack…' she might coo in that soft way she had. He had never let anyone get that close to him, but he would let her get that close. He would let her have as much of him as she wanted. And perhaps as their dance ended he could embrace her in a deep kiss and they would collapse together just like he had thought of doing on Spiral Hill…and he would let her see a side of the Pumpkin King that no one had ever seen before.

Little giggles and coos started to meet Jack's ears, and finally the sounds made him blink a few times and glance around, leaving behind his daydream for a moment. The little laughs (along with quite a few glances) were coming from a fair amount of the citizens he was passing—they were all looking at him dreamily and smiling and whispering to each other.

'But why would they…?' Jack blinked! 'Oh, yes, they can see my e-emotional states, can't they!?' He gulped in utter shyness and looked down humbly, instantly doing his best to move his thoughts to ANYTHING but imagining touching and kissing Sally. Jack shook his head, letting out a deep breath. 'Halloween, think about Halloween—ghosts and jack-o-lanterns and fog and red and black and slimy green….' Jack did his best, and slowly the giggles died down, though he knew his feelings for Sally couldn't help but shine through in his thoughts at least a little. Regardless, though, he just did his best to plow forward through town until finally he reached the center and found himself before a little golden archway with the words 'Lovers Lane' written on it and set upon pillars of hearts with little arrows through them. Jack couldn't help but look quizzically at seeing this design of arrows through hearts again. 'It's almost macabre. We should try putting up something like that during Halloween. I wonder why they want to shoot hearts with arrows here though?' He shrugged, figuring it was a cultural thing, and walked through the archway.

Instantly, he was standing upon the loveliest little red cobblestone path in the loveliest little park one could imagine. It was almost more like a garden really—a beautiful, spacious, winding garden.

And there were couples everywhere.

So many couple, all holding hands, walking together, leaning upon one another, whispering sweet nothings to each other, offering and accepting flowers, sitting in each other's laps on benches…lying in the grass with arms wrapped around each other…and off in shady corners under trees kissing…for very long amounts of time…and very deeply…and with fiery looks in each other's eyes…and not stopping. How were they managing to breathe while doing that for that long anyway? Some of these people looked like they might melt into one another as they kissed and caressed in their own little private corners of this place thick with perfume and warmth and honey sunshine. And a few of the women had partners trailing kisses from their lips down to their stomachs where a little bit of plumpness suggested that a fresh little citizen of Valentine Town was on the way….

Jack was having a little trouble breathing again at the moment, and he went behind a tree and slumped down to sit at its base to calm himself. "No, no…this isn't what I'm supposed to be looking for!" Jack shook his head to himself. "No, I…I…" Some of the sights were undeniably appealing, but he pushed them out of his mind. "Sally…I just want to learn how to get her to like me, or how to keep her liking me. I just want her to be happy and for us to get closer. I don't…I can't want…with her…at least not yet!" A brief flash came forth in his mind of he and Sally lying in the grass and roses, his hands gently touching her, his kisses going from her lips down to her little tummy with a little plumpness of its own….

Jack let out a very deep sigh and put a hand to his forehead, pulling his knees in close to his chest. It was just all so much. He had gone from never more than liking any woman in particular to suddenly bursting with emotions for one all over the course of a night, and he almost felt horrible for thinking about such an intense relationship with her so suddenly! After all, what would she think of him if she knew? 'Jack, you're imagining touching me and kissing me all over and having a baby! How could you? All we've done is kiss and only once, Jack. What kind of woman do you think I am? Oh Jack I'm so disappointed in you!' He could almost hear her words of shock and guilt echoing in his head, and he cringed at the idea of it all. Yet could he really blame her? How could she take his feelings seriously if he came to her like that? 'No, no, I have to go slowly—slowly and gently. Smiles and walks and maybe a kiss every now and then for a few months…or decades. Then much later on we can work out sharing anything more than that. We do have the entire length of our deaths to sort everything out after all.'

Jack nodded to himself. "Yes, that's the plan. We go slowly. Not like out there. Those people out there must have been together for centuries already."

"Actually, some of them have been together for decades, but most of them only a few months or years…and a few of the less shy ones only a few days. Ah, l'amour!" a sweet yet playful little voice suddenly replied out of nowhere, causing Jack to blink and look up with a start.

There was a woman leaning against a tree across from him dressed in a rich, red robe. Her hair was silvery, thick and long, and her eyes were…Jack blinked. She wasn't wearing those rose colored glasses everyone here seemed to have.

Jack gulped and quickly stood up and started trying to explain himself, worried that this person was seeing him as a skeleton and might be afraid. "Oh, hello! Pardon me, I know I must look strange to you, but allow me to introduce myself. My name is—"

"It's all right, Mr. Skellington…or Jack, if you prefer. I know your name and I know your situation. The whole town knows your situation, actually." The woman smiled a little more. "Even when you try not to think about her, you glow like a firework." She giggled a little, unable to help it.

Jack just blinked, looking at her curiously. "But…how do you know my name and…how can you see my feelings without the glasses?" he asked humbly.

She just shrugged and approached him. "Oh I was at the back of that little crowd you attracted before. I heard your introductions and everything else too. And as for seeing your feelings…I'm just intuitive, I suppose." She held out a soft, pale hand for him to shake. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Jack Skellington."

Jack couldn't help but look at her a little hesitantly for just another moment, but then he reached out and took her hand and shook it. "Er…the pleasure is all mine," he replied politely with a smile. "And may I ask your name?"

The woman smiled a little more and removed her hand from his. "Well, all of my friends call me Flora. But enough about me, Jack. Pardon my interference, but you seemed to be in a bit of distress when I stumbled upon you. Do you need assistance at all? I promise I can be discreet." She looked to him sincerely.

Jack blinked a few times but then looked away shyly. "I don't mean to be secretive, Miss Flora. But it's a little personal…and complicated."

However, rather than taking her leave at this explanation, this woman merely came closer to him, causing Jack to freeze, his eye sockets going wide. She closed her eyes and seemed to be gently smelling the air around him. "Hmm…Ahh, I see." She smiled more to herself and opened her eyes again. "But still I'd rather hear you describe it in your own words. Please, Jack, I would like to help you…you and your lady friend." She looked deeply into his eye sockets, and Jack could see now that her eyes were almost like prisms, flashing soft rainbows. "Oh and just call me Flora, please. No 'Miss.' I insist," she added.

Jack was feeling rather uncomfortable at the moment. He brimmed inside with his feelings for Sally, and yet this woman was so close and it almost felt like she was exuding a wall of romance-like feelings that were trying to push into him…but his own romantic feelings for Sally were pushing right back.

Flora remained just gazing at him for a moment, and Jack remained quiet…but then she blinked a few times and took several steps back from him. She gave Jack a humble bow. "I apologize, Mr. Skellington. I want to help you, but I let my desire for that overwhelm my politeness just now. I didn't mean to confuse you, and I'm sincerely sorry. I just…naturally exude a certain force of charm that I cannot control, and it comes out when I want my way a little too much. I shouldn't have let it in this case though, especially with a visitor here. Are you all right?" She looked to him with a touch of concern.

Jack blinked a few times, still seeming genuinely overwhelmed for a moment, but then he just let out a breath and straightened his tie. "It's all right. I just…never felt a force quite like that. Well, with Sally—uh, my lady friend—I do, but it's much softer and sweeter from her."

Flora nodded. "That makes sense. Hers is natural, pure, and all for you. Mine's just…sort of a nervous tick that I can't help. It's impersonal and comes through to anyone. And if I may say, Jack, your love for this woman must be very pure too to so utterly block my own little force."

Jack gulped and glanced down, rubbing one of his arms and letting out a little sigh. "I-I told the crowd before, I don't know about 'love' just yet. I just care for Sally…very much."

Flora smiled a little more and nodded. "Of course. I'm sorry, I didn't mean not to respect your feelings on the matter."

Jack looked to her humbly. "Thank you."

She smiled more and then sighed, pacing a little before him. "Anyway, Jack, about your situation, I promise, if you'll explain it to me, I can assist you."

Jack still looked to her hesitantly. "I…well…it's just…" Jack didn't know why but suddenly he really did feel like this woman could help him and like he could trust her. He almost sensed something kindred in her in an odd way. "Well…I came here to learn about courtship. You see, Sally, our relationship…. Well, actually, we don't even have a proper relationship yet. We just…she likes me and I like her very much now, and she helped me, she saved me, and we kissed…but that's all. I do want us to have a formal relationship now though, but most of what I'm skilled at involves being frightening, not being affectionate. So I just want to learn more about being good at romance, but…I can't behave like that with her!" He gestured around the tree with one of his bony thumbs back to the couples on Lovers Lane. "I can't come on that strongly to a woman after a single kiss—what in the world would she think of me? I'd look like an idiot." Jack sighed, rubbing one of his temples and cringing a little. "Correction, I'd look like an even bigger idiot. You have no idea of the spectacle I've spent the last two months making of myself, and all right in front of her face!"

"You mean the Christmas thing?" Flora asked just a touch dryly, her smile picking up a little on one side.

Jack blinked and looked at her curiously. "How did you know about…"

Flora shrugged and explained. "We in Valentine Town are familiar with the other holidays already, Jack, and you did cause quite a stir. We especially wanted to keep up with your actions since our holiday is the next one coming up after Christmas. Though I think I'm the only one here who's gotten close enough to you to realize that you're not just a Halloween Town citizen but indeed the infamous Halloween Town King." She shrugged. "Also Santa thought it wise to make a brief mention of you, though I promise he was very forgiving and understanding in what he had to say of you." She smiled encouragingly.

Jack just blinked and then sighed deeply, rubbing his temple once more with a frown. "Splendid." He shook his head. "So you see my problem then—Sally witnessed all of my insane antics first hand! She must already think I'm a fool—at least if I can have her see me as a gentleman it'll help things." He looked to Flora again.

Flora just smiled and replied back to him as reassuringly as possible, "Oh Jack, I promise it's not all that bad, really. Each holiday finds out about the other holidays eventually. You just had an…unusual reaction." She sighed. "And as for Sally, I suppose if I said that you should just talk to her about all of these confusing feelings you're having because she just might be feeling the same way, you'd find a dozen 'good' reasons why you couldn't possibly do that?"

Jack looked to (a slightly grinning now) Flora in near shock. "I can't tell Sally that I think this much about intimacy with her! And believe me she's far too sweet and clever to be having half the confusing thoughts I've been having. She probably expects me to be her prince charming and to come in and scoop her up and give her the perfect life." He sighed. "I just need to start by seeing people taking their time together slowly, relationships gradually blossoming…not what's here." He looked to Flora desperately.

Flora nodded, considering his words. "I see." She shrugged. "Well, as for the people out there on Lovers Lane, the important thing to them is that they've found their true loves, and now they just want to express that love to each other in whatever way feels most comfortable and right. There's nothing wrong or forward about it, Jack. Love is beautiful in all of its forms." She smiled warmly.

She saw Jack open his mouth in a way that suggested he was going to slightly protest something.

Flora anticipated his issue and politely corrected herself with a smile. "Yes, yes, I know, you just 'care for' Sally at the moment. I was just using the word 'love' to make a point. But you do know, Jack, that sooner or later all romances lead to what's out there—touches, kisses, warmth, passion…and even new little loves." She giggled, but then saw his further discomfort and moved along. "But, if you really insist on wanting to start as slowly as possible, I could take you to a place that might help you. But you must keep in mind that all paths lead to Lovers Lane and also that sooner or later you must talk with Sally about all of this…all right?"

Jack, so very confused but clinging to the hope of guidance she had mentioned, nodded, though hesitantly. "All right…as long as you can really show me a place where things are at a lower level of passion, I promise to keep in mind everything you've just said…and to talk to Sally…one day." He looked to her hopefully.

Flora's prism eyes brightened and she nodded. "Excellent, Jack! Please come with me!" And then she snatched up his arm and was whisking him through the garden and off to a different area of town on the other side of the park so quickly that Jack practically felt like he was flying!

A few moments later they arrived at a smaller little park area on the far outskirt of Lovers Lane.

Flora stopped their journey and released Jack's arm, bringing a finger to her lips in a silencing gesture. Then she quietly led him over to some high hedges, which she pushed aside so that they could peer at the area beyond. Jack looked—before him was a small area with swings and a seesaw and a little merry-go-round…and all sorts of little Valentine Town children playing together.

Flora smiled. "This is the children's playground Jack. And with Valentine's Day coming up in just a few more weeks, our youngest citizens are practicing for the holiday. Just look."

Jack peered curiously at the sight and then smiled.

The children were all so sweet looking—little girls and boys in their own little different colored robes, all playing nicely together. It was a far cry from how Lock, Shock and Barrel 'played together' to say the least.

Jack noticed though that, much like his new friend, the children didn't have rose-colored glasses on. He glanced to Flora. "Flora, why don't they wear the glasses either?"

Flora just smiled more and shrugged, still looking on at the children. "The children brim with such sweetness and innocence and love that they don't need the glasses to see people only for the love in their hearts. The adults can see people in that way without the glasses if they try hard enough, but the glasses help them focus a little more."

Jack took in that information with interest. He thought it was nice that there was clearly something still so childlike in Flora that made her not need the glasses. 'Sally would like her. I hope I can introduce them one day. A friend for Sally would be nice.' "I see." Jack smiled. "Thank you, Flora." He turned from her to watch the children again.

They were just laughing and singing and joking together. And then he looked closer and saw some children giving heart-shaped cards to some of their friends and turning away with a blush, and other children bowing gracefully and maybe asking politely to hold the hands of some of their friends. And he even saw a pair of children who looked older blush and smile at each other before the boy picked up the girl's hand and gave it a small kiss, and then they both stepped back from each other, giggling.

"They're all trying to learn about finding their true loves, and this is how they start, Jack," Flora explained. "Of course, they're children and you're an adult, so really even if these young fundamentals are more what you're interested in, the experiences of Lovers Lane would still be more applicable to you." She looked to Jack. However, he seemed off in his own little world at the moment.

Indeed, Jack's eye sockets were lit up like he had just stumbled across the most brilliant thing ever. "Oh yes, yes of course…" he assured Flora, not taking his gaze off the children though. "But this is actually perfect—sweet, simple, basic, barely a kiss…. Yes, all right, that'll be safest for me and Sally. Thank you so much for taking me here, Flora!"

Flora just sighed and smiled to herself and shook her head, doing her best not to giggle. "Um…you're welcome, Jack." She took a step back. "Anyway, I have to go take care of a few things now. Valentine's Day is coming up so quickly, after all. Will you be all right to find your own way back to the holiday forest?"

Jack nodded, glancing over his shoulder at her, still with a bright smile. "Oh yes, I'll manage. And thank you again, Flora. Good luck with your Valentine's Day preparations!"

Flora smiled more and bowed a little. "Thank you, Jack. Have a good day as well, and good luck with Sally! Oh and before I forget…" She approached him once more, reached into a fold of her robe and pulled out a little pink satchel which she offered to him. "A little Valentine Town welcome present for you."

Jack blinked and reached out, taking the satchel. "Oh! Um…thank you. But, may I ask, what is it?"

"Candy hearts. Sort of a favorite treat here," Flora explained with a shrug. They're made specially to, um…put the person who eats them more in touch with their emotions. Best eaten before bed—I guarantee you'll wake up feeling absolutely lovely." She winked at him.

Jack smiled more, glancing inside the satchel and indeed seeing many candy hearts of many different colors. He closed it up and placed the gift within his suit pocket, then looked to Flora with a smile. "Thank you, Flora. That's very kind of you. Erm, I'd give you a present from where I'm from, but unfortunately all I've got is a dead rat in my pocket." He smiled and shrugged sheepishly.

Flora chuckled a little. "That's quite all right, Jack. Thank you anyway. Goodbye for now!" She gave him a small wave and then swiftly slipped away.

Jack waved back at her. "Goodbye, Flora!"

He watched her go and then turned back to the children at play, all learning about Valentine's Day and how to be loving and sweet to one another.

Jack really did like children. There weren't enough of them in Halloween Town in his opinion. And for a moment, even though it scared him, he let a small idea pass through his mind of how a few new children might come about in Halloween Town…though instantly his shyness and denial made him clear his throat and turn his thoughts again to the innocent little children at their young games. He would stay here for a little while and then go back to Halloween Town, and by then he was certain he would know how best to approach his Sally after their kiss last night.

A/N:

That's all for now : ) Thank you again for reading (and for reviewing if you can!) Next chapter, Jack and Sally are finally going to confront each other—I promise fluffiness!

Happy Reading!

~Azure129 aka Jenna