*Author's Notes*: The alternative title of this chapter is Detective Hal Owens and his Incredible Mood Swings! Welcome to Chapter Four! In this chapter, we get a glance into our grumpy detective's innermost thoughts. Kind of. Also, Sally is revealed to be a Prince-type for all of you manga readers/anime watchers out there. *Advisory* Be aware, readers, that I've decided to incorporate some "extras" into this story. These include: Sally's Theme Song, and a "soundtrack" for the story. Listen to the soundtrack as you read, and imagine that you're watching a REAL MOVIE! (Actually, it will probably fit better with some of the later chapters, so...yeah.) Head on over to my profile to listen to some cool music! Character art, profiles, and secret origins will eventually appear there, so keep your eyes peeled. (Recommendations for music are also gladly appreciated.) Thanks to the people who reviewed the previous chapters. (You know who you are... *winks suggestively*) If you like/hate the story, review it! They are appreciated! That said, I do not own anything, save for Hal Owens, a couple of extras, and this story plot! Read on, dear internet wanderers, and enjoy!

The Darkest Nightmare

Chapter 4: Witchcraft

Hal swayed somewhat drunkenly at his desk, feeling slightly buzzed from the after effects of a healing spell. None of his bones were broken, he was not bruised, and he was certainly not bleeding. Metaphorically, maybe. So there was no need for him to cast the spell, and yet…he had done so anyways. Why? That was the question he was constantly asking himself, day after day, after day. He still did not know the answer.

Perhaps it was the feeling of power that came with the rush of magic. Yes, perhaps that was it. To be in control, to be the absolute master of something, no matter how useless that something was. Magic was a deep and intoxicating; it took you away, and made you forget…everything. No more pain, no more happiness, no more anything. Sheer oblivion. Even if Hal wanted to rid himself of its influence, he couldn't. Its hold over him was too strong. Hal was a witch, and magic ran deep through his bones. To deny that fact felt like he was twisting a knife into his chest.

It was painful, of course. His addiction. And it was destroying his life. Every second he was not feeding it, he felt…itchy and irritated. Like a million insects were crawling over his body, and then biting him, constantly reminding him that he needed to cast just one more spell. It affected his mood, too. He snapped at everyone these days, even his own daughter. People could only put up with so much, and he had suddenly found himself with fewer friends than he'd had a year ago. In his current state of mind, he couldn't say that he missed them.

The one person who he would miss was Sally. If she ever left him, he knew he was finished. Sally, though awkward and taciturn and dowdy, was a kind and (he had always thought a tad bit romantically) noble person. She kept him going, with all of her vaguely youthful energy and sarcasm. She was almost like a knight or a prince in a fairy tale, often unnamed, but always coming in to save the day. She had been through a lot of hardships, and was almost never thanked, but he was positive that her happy ending would come. One day. Some time. Eventually.

Hal, on the other hand, would be alone until the end of time. Eventually, everyone got sick of him, and left. Even Mara didn't stick around for long, he thought pessimistically. Four years, at most. He froze upright in his chair. He had let his mind wander into a forbidden area. He had accidentally thought about his wife. Thinking about Mara was a bad idea, because it always, without fail, made him cry. That was why, when Sally walked in, she found him sobbing violently into his paperwork. He sobbed even harder when he saw the look of stark disappointment on her face. She turned her eyes heavenward, and stalked over to him. This was not the first time that she had found Hal like this, and it certainly would not be the last. She pulled out the handkerchief that was specifically designated for Hal from her pocket and handed it to him.

"Here," she said coolly, pushing aside the soggy pile on his desk that had once been paper. She grimaced at the sight of all three of his dripping eyes, and turned away to give him some privacy. There was nothing that could destroy her enthusiasm faster than the tragic visage of her magic-addled partner. Hal quickly wiped his face off, and stared blearily at the back of his partner's head. Her up-do had become undone, and from the slump of her shoulders, he could tell that she was tired. She doesn't deserve this, he thought gloomily. She doesn't deserve to be saddled with me.

"I'm sorry, Sally," he said quietly. "I'm sorry I snapped at you, and I'm sorry that you have to put up with this." She turned around and looked at him sympathetically. Much as they argued, and for all of his faults, she had to admit that she loved Hal. That was why it pained her so deeply to see him like this: a broken, pathetic mess. When she had first met him, he had been an intelligent, sharp-witted man who did not suffer fools gladly. But when Mara, his wife, had left him, he had, for lack of a better term, lost his will to live. Over the course of the last year, he had eroded into the shadow of the man he had once been. Of course she would forgive him. He was her best friend.

But that didn't mean she had to be easy on him.

"Apology accepted," she said stiffly. She walked over and awkwardly patted him on the back. "So, are you ready to listen to me now?"

He nodded, slowly. He still wasn't too keen on the idea of hunting down the Boogie Man. Who wouldn't be? Nobody was keen on the idea of dying a horribly drawn out and painful death.

Sally took a deep breath and began, praying that Hal wouldn't object to much to her admittedly outlandish plan. "Well, after our little spat, I went down to Edgar's, you know, the diner? Anyways, while I was there I ran into Jack Skellington, and he said that Oogie Boogie's boys had been hanging around his speakeasy." She paused for a second, glancing at Hal out of the corner of her eye, trying to gauge his reaction. His lip was curling, never a good sign. She plunged onwards. "He said that they're…recruiting. I told him to check it out. It might just be our way in."

"Or, it might be nothing," Hal said, shrugging off her arm. "It might be a trap. And how is our Mr. Skellington anyways? I haven't seen him since the last time we raided The Raven." He looked at her knowingly, making her blush. She suddenly remembered that Hal was indeed aware of her painfully obvious, unrequited crush on Jack.

She ignored the question with a shake of her head. Now was no time to be dwelling on a ridiculous infatuation. They had a criminal to take down."It's our only option," she said forcefully, gazing into his reddened eyes. They held the stare for several moments, before Hal grudgingly looked away.

"All right," he said with a heavy sigh. "You win this time, Finklestein. We'll see if this whole "recruitment" situation pans out. But if it doesn't," he said warningly. "We'll do this my way." Sally snorted. She couldn't believe that Hal had thought of a solution before she had, especially not in his condition.

"And which way would that be?" she asked sardonically. She knew he didn't have an answer. He couldn't have. Hal shrugged, and grinned up at her, in the way that she knew so well. When she saw that smile, she knew that everything would be all right. For now.

"I don't know," he said softly. "But it's always good to have a plan B, isn't it Sally?'