In the North Pole, while the guardians were planning and pondering the next move – Halloween Town was in a rush of last minute preparations and most important of all, trying not to fall into hysterical panic at the news of the Nightmare King falling. Meant that the throne was empty, the throne hasn't been empty since the Dark ages – before that, demons, freights and horrors ran a muck freely, they still do but if it got too out of hand the Nightmare King was able to rein them in.

Most of the town was trying to keep a straight face, but the mayor constantly voiced the towns deepest fears – he was out of sorts, head twisted around for all to see his fear. It was left the Pumpkin King to placate the two-faced politician; he was the only one that could talk down the mayor from his ledge of worries and concerns.

They were in the privacy of the town hall, Jack and Sally watching the cone shaped man to pace and mumble a little hysterically – it was all a real jumble of words that the rag doll and the tall skeleton could not catch the most of what was said.

'Now Mayor…' Jack began, trying to calm down the man.

'Don't 'now mayor' me, Jack!' The mayor pressed down his coat and fiddled with his badge ribbon, 'I'm sorry; I don't mean to be so short with you but the whole world is going to the pits!' He sobbed loudly

'Mayor, Halloween is just around the corner – we must stand strong for the townspeople in this dire time.' Jack bellowed, standing as tall as he could.

'We must show our brave faces for them.' Sally added, handing the man a tissue to wipe away the tears.

'Mayor, I have taken the liberty to send a letter to Sandy Claws detailing our concerns – Sally sealed and sent the letter herself too.' Jack continued grinning.

'I did.' Sally smiled softly.

'What can anyone do? What can anyone do to stop the Never Was from breaking free – they say a new train is being built on the looking glass line, a train built for the purpose to spread ruin and corruption.' The Mayor sniffled.

'Halloween is a week away, we need to worry about that now – I believe there are last minute preparations that need to be overseen.' Jack said, waving his arms and hands gesturing to the unfinished products around them.

'I suppose…and there is only one week to go.' The mayor blew his nose.

'Good man!' Jack boomed, grinning he patted the mayor on the back who rushed off though the doors into the town square, the crowd that gathered all rushed away when they were spotted trying to eavesdrop. The mayor shooed them away with his tall hat in his fury, and shut the door behind as he left

It was only then did the smile leave Jack Skellington's skull, Sally placed a stitched hand on his bony arm – she was worried about him.

'Do you think Sandy Claws can help us?' Sally asked, Jack pulled her in a tight hug and she rested her head on his chest.

'I really don't know, Sally.' Jack sighed sadly stoking the ragdolls hair gently, 'I really don't know.'

'Surely you can take the crown of Nightmare King.' A voice snapped out. The speaker was revealed when he walked into the dim lighting, probably snuck in when the mayor left.

It was a lean, teen wearing a black hoodie, with a picture of a ribcage and beginning of a spine – baggy jeans and boots with cruel looking studs and buckles were at the end. He wore a skull mask – the hair that could be seen was slicked back greenish blonde. A black and green woven baseball bag strap rested on his shoulder.

'Barrel, what did I tell you about eavesdropping?' Sally said crossly at the teen.

'To not to…but I wanted to know what's up.' Barrel shrugged returning his attention to the tall skeleton.

'Where have you been all day?' Jack quizzed the older trick a treater.

'I was hanging with some friends under the hill…no biggie.' Barrel laughed nervously at the narrowed gaze from the ragdoll.

Sally walked to him and exclaimed,

'You reek of smoke and pumpkin ale!' Sally put her hands on her hips, 'Did Shock buy it?'

Barrel pressed his lips tightly together and refused to answer.

'Jack, Say something to him!' Sally turned to Jack who looked uncomfortable being brought into this.

'Sally, Barrel is old enough to smoke and drink – it's his choice.' Jack also pointedly said, 'Also his choice of his friends is his own.'

'What's that supposed to mean.' Barrel growled out, lashing out in defence of two of his closest friends in an instant.

'Shock and Lock are good kids…when they want to be, I just don't want them making you do something you don't want to. No one has that right to force you into anything, even parents.' Jack lifted up his hands in a calming gesture at the riled up boy.

Lock, Shock and Barrel had been taken in by Jack and Sally after the remains of Oogie crawled away. Since they first woke in Halloween Town, with no memory of their lives before - Oogie had all but pounced onto the confused children and made them his henchmen.

Barrel was the only one who stayed with the Pumpkin king and queen at the moment, Shock and Lock came and went like the seasons.

'Shock did get some, but I swear I didn't drink the ale or smoke the cigarettes.' Barrel said truthfully enough, he did try some, but promptly spat it out in disgust; Shock and Lock laughing and jeering at him.

'How is Shock's apprenticeship with the witches?' Sally asked, Barrel's own smile flattered a little.

'She doesn't really talk about it that much.' Barrel said with a furrowed brow. Shock is at the moment learning how to be a witch, she even got bruises on her neck … backfired spells caused them she said – she seemed to be alert and on edge almost all the time which made Barrel think all the bruises weren't all her own doing.

She always seemed to always have a wad of cash on her too… and met up with strangers. Barrel had asked her about it but she screamed at him to mind his own business, so he had left it be.

Lock had been so quiet, nursing his ale and a lit cigarette held delicately between his fingers – as though he was nervous about something, he was seeing a girl later (Shock looked like she was going to throw her bottle at Lock when they told him), one of the vampire's daughters and Shock shared a few choice about the whore, tramp among other titled vampire girl. Understandably, Lock left enraged and Shock flew off the other way leaving Barrel under the hill, alone.

'So why won't you go for the throne?' Barrel asked again, trying to ignore the troubling thoughts about Shock and Lock.

'Barrel, it becomes the point of wanting to be feared and hated – wanting to have the responsibility the nightmares and the Never Was.' Jack smiled at Sally, 'I have responsibilities to Halloween Town.'

He clasped the stitched hand in his bony one, Sally smiled so sweetly.

Barrel took off his white, grinning skull mask – he had a wide mouth, lean face as he had lost the puppy fat when he got into his teen years. A few additions had been added during Halloween, he went trick-a-treating a few years back – a tongue piecing, a stretcher in his right ear, and normal sleepers on the top of each ear. When he go back with a swollen tongue and countless ear infections; safe to say, Jack was not amused.

'You would be an awesome Nightmare King, Jack.' Continued Barrel, his eyes lined with black kohl.

'So would Oogie Boogie' Jack snarled the name, Barrel shuddered a little.

'Oogie would open the Never Was just for the laughs.' Jack continued with a shake of a hand.

'Yeah, that kind of sounds like something he would do.' Barrel huffed, thoughts going back to the Bug king – once the leader of the Bug day…but when Jack, the pumpkin king, took his believers the burlap sack monster went a little crazy.

Barrel pulled the bag off his shoulder, it was long and slender. He unzipped it .revealing a black and orange stripped baseball bat, another thing he had picked up from the human world. He swung it, and twirled it with skill, he hit a few shrunken heads around the block for fun – it was the only thing he was good at really.

'Well, if the Nightmares or the Never Was become restless without a king…' Barrel made a harsh swinging motion. 'They've got another thing coming.'

'Can anyone go for the throne?' Barrel asked dusting off his bat casually. It sounded right up Lock's ally to be called a 'king'. He already claims he is the 'Duke of awesomeness' – that was a fun Halloween, the redhead was plastered and dancing on a table.

'You must be of royal title.' Jack explained

'So not any tom, dick or harry can have a say.' Barrel muttered.

'No, but the good news is that only in the last 1000 years women have been able to enter the race for the Nightmare throne.' Sally added, clasping onto Jacks arm.

'That's good, girl power and all that.' Jack said grinning.

'Well, if Shock has taught me anything is that women can be as equally frightful as men.' Barrel said with a small smile.

'True, I know a couple of princesses and queens that would make fine rulers of the Nightmare realms.

'Know a couple of princesses and queens?' Barrel snickered a little, 'Sally, better keep an eye on your man then.'

Jack spluttered a little, but Sally only smirked back,

'Don't worry; I don't plan on letting him go.'

That just made Jack splutter even more, Sally only patted his skull fondly – good to see that keeping an eye out for three teenagers made Sally more confidant in her authority over Jack as well, he was a great king if not sometimes overbearing and overzealous in his ideas.

Barrel had one last lingering glance at the couple, Sally was nursing Jack's head with a gentle and fond smile stretching her stitches – Barrel shook his head at the puke worthy scene and exited the town hall into the square which had a lull in activity - everyone taking a break.

The oranges dazzled, and burned brightly in the eyes – black, purple and with the slight hint of green filled the square in streamers, craved pumpkins and coloured shadows moving in the windows.

'Ah, the ghosts have finished the streamers' Barrel said delighted – Halloween was coming together nicely. Barrel walked towards the fountain, the green ooze flowing freely; Barrel stared at the floating fish in the well with a wistful look.

'Shame, you always used to love feeding them.' A silky voice drawled, and in the corner of Barrel's eyes was a flash of a red trench coat making the teen look around wildly.

'Aw, looking for little old me?' the voice laughed, echoing in Barrel's head.

'Lock, this isn't funny!' Barrel snapped, 'stop hiding!'

Barrel flicked his eyes around, stepping backwards to the fountain only to run into something that was not the wall of the well.

'Well, since you asked nicely.' Lock purred so close to Barrel's ear it almost made the other, shorter teen jump ten feet into the air – not because of the shock factor but because how the warmth he normally associated with Lock was now freezing, below zero.

'Oh lock, tell me you didn't.' Barrel stuttered breathlessly. All the bits and pieces falling into place

'Alright I didn't.' Lock smirked, sharp features and a toothy smile showing the newly sharpened canines. Lock was always pale, but now he looked ill – with dark circles under his eyes and his red hair has taken an almost blood red appearance.

It was shorter than when he was younger and now spiked. The lanky teen was decked out in a red trench coat, black leather pants and army boots. Like Barrel he had a few piercings of his own but Lock had gotten a tattoo of rose thorns circling around his pale neck.

'Cocky bastard…you're only seventeen!' Barrel hissed lowly, 'You're not consenting age to be turned.' Barrel couldn't help but be slightly hysterical at his friend, Lock broke the rules it's just what the red head did – this was a big one though.

'Seventeen in human year's, you haven't gotten smarter have you?' Lock laughed, Barrel t huffed annoyed – he was never as smart or as cunning as Lock and Shock; he hated it when it was bought up too.

'Then act your age!' Barrel seethed, beginning to walk away only to be pulled back and back against the well.

'Who cares, I've gotten turned.' Lock laughed, 'Nothing Jack can do now.'

'Lock, this isn't a tattoo or a piecing! When Jack finds out, he might be forced to banish you from Halloween Town.' The skull masked teen seethed quietly, 'Some date with a vampire indeed, and how long have you being planning this?'

'I've planned this long ago, probably ever since Shock has turned to selling her hide and wares on the street.' Lock sneered.

Barrel flushed at what Lock was implying,

'Don't say that about her!' Barrel yelled, cheeks going red.

'It's true. Didn't you find it odd she meets up with strangers and always has a wad of cash on her?' Lock asked, 'Or maybe it was the bruises that roused your suspicion?'

'If Shock was in trouble she would've told us…' Barrel said weakly, Lock looked as though he was going to hit the skull masked boy but he didn't – he seemed to slump and lose his energy.

'Look, I'm pretty good at avoiding the bag of bones' Lock smiled weakly, 'You just have to keep this…between us, savvy?'

'Lock? You can't be serious' Barrel let out a nervous laugh, 'If Shock or you are in trouble we need to tell Jack.'

Lock flicked his eyes to Barrel, and caged him against the wall – like they used to do when they were play fighting but the slant of Locks eyes was not playful any more but dangerous and full of threats.

'I thought we were friends Barrel, aren't you Shock's friend as well?' Lock asked lowly.

'I am!' Barrel said grabbing onto Lock's shoulders, ignoring the urge to flinch away at the bone rattling cold.

'Then why can't we keep this between us, hm?' Lock; with wide eyes did he look at the shorter teen.

'Does Shock know about you being turned?' Barrel asked with a glare.

Lock had a flicker of something in his eyes, sadness or anger Barrel couldn't tell which.

'Figured since she wants to keep secrets, then I'll keep secrets from her.' Lock bitterly, 'C'mon, one little secret is not going to hurt anyone.'

'It might be a misunderstanding…'Barrel began, 'She might not be doing…what you think she is doing?'

'We're protecting Shock; the town's people would banish her if they find out. Do you want her to be sent away?' Lock asked sternly, making Barrel feel small and belittled.

Barrel furrowed his brow looking at the pleading look in the fledging vampire's eyes, Barrels eyes flicked to the teens neck; the skin showing had two puncture wounds in the nest of bleeding rose tattoos in the thorns. It was a beautiful idea if it was done on purpose. Lock probably asked for it there - that bastard.

'I guess you're right…' Barrel said unsurely, Lock beamed at that answer.

'I knew I could count on you, my best friend, my brother…' Lock clapped Barrel's back fondly stepping away. Barrel tried to smile but the cold still lingered where the vampire had touched.

'So you're not staying in Halloween Town I take it?' Barrel said lowly.

'Don't ask stupid questions Barrel.' Lock rolled his eyes at the preparations going on around them, taking measures so the group of vampires wondering around with their umbrella's out didn't notice him.

'Then where will you go?' Barrel asked.

'Oogie Boogie was the only one that understood what fun was around here!' Lock huffed, ' If you want to drop this crowd…or maybe move in, I'm at the tree house.'

'I don't know Lock…' Barrel rubbed the back of his head.

'Don't you want to have a family? Just like old times.' Lock smiled but Barrel still looked unsure.

Lock noticed that Jack and Sally were walking out, hand in hand – Lock swore under his breath at the sight.

'Give me your answer on Halloween; you know where I'll be.' And with a gust of wind, Lock was blown away like grains of sand before he was seen.

Barrel stared in surprise at air, his friend gone but the chill remained.

'Barrel, are you alright?' Sally asked the boy she had grown to love as a son.

'You look like you saw a ghost…and not the usual kind.' Jack said with a concerned tilt of the head.

'Nah, I just saw…an old friend.'

'Must be the day of old friends, I got a reply from Sandy Claws. He and the guardians are coming here midday tomorrow.' Jack sighed, 'finally some good news, and in time for Halloween too!'

'Yeah, who knows they might even stay for it.' Barrel said absent-mindedly, inwardly freaking out.

Jack gapped slightly and stared wide eyed at Barrel.

'Barrel you are a genius!'

'I am?' Barrel said surprised snapping out of his daze. He was called many things, but a genius was not one of them.

'Yes, brilliant idea – why it is an idea fit for a pumpkin prince!' Jack ruffled Barrels hair and rushed off to write up an invitation for his guests in a better mood, the town members took relief at the smile on the Pumpkin Kings skull returning to finish the finer details and decorations.

'Pumpkin prince…' Barrel said voice hitching and heart clenching painfully, mistaken for immense emotion, Sally smiled at the boy whose hair was now sticking up on end.

'You should know that Jack and I care about you very much.'

'Like a family?' Barrel said slowly, thoughts going back to Lock and Shock.

'Yes, like a family.' Sally hugged him and went off the help preparations for the big day tomorrow.

'Family…' Barrel sighed and looked very much the troubled teenager once she was out of sight dreading his encounter with Lock on Halloween, but he needed to speak to a certain witch when he saw her though.

TBC?

I hope this version of the second chapter is better. Reworking the 3rd one soon,