Chapter 10: I Love You...Really.

"Hey there, beautiful."

"Eek!" a startled Sally squeaked, dropping her book as she jumped. Just when she had decided that Jack might have just been kidding about returning for another sleepover (she felt stupid about getting her hopes up), the moron went ahead and showed up, creeping her out with his scary hiss in the process.

"Miss me?" He opened the window slightly and slipped inside with such gracefulness that it made her wonder if he constantly snuck into girls' rooms. The thought bothered her, and the idea of being jealous about Jack was annoying the rag-doll to no end.

"Not really," she muttered coolly, sitting back down on the bed. She discreetly checked at the lock on her door to make sure nobody would be entering unexpectedly. That was the last thing that needed to happen, anyway...

"Aww, what a meanie!" he laughed, placing his coal-colored duffel bag on the floor by her desk. "My heart was aching at the thought of being away from you, too."

"My mind is aching at the thought of being with you." Hey, at least Jack-Insults still came naturally to her. She would die if her attraction for him stopped her from being "mean;" how obvious would she be then?

"Ouch. Your words are like jagged shards of ice piercing through my very being. Yet even so, I am willing to bleed to death from the stinging wounds as long as you continue to hold my heart." Jack shut his eyes in emphasis, placing a bony hand over his forehead with his palm facing upwards. In all honesty, Sally actually considered his latest outbursts to be sweet and thoughtful. In fact, she almost sighed in fondness. But would she? Heck no.

"Reading too many romance novels, Skellington?"

"I'd write you one about our forbidden love if you desired it."

"No, thanks. I know it'd just sound terrible." Oh, no way. Was she really feeling bad about saying that? Her heart and insides seemed to twist at the brief look of disappointment on his face. The next thing she knew, words were out of her mouth before she could stop them. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that."

Stupid-stupid-stupid!

"Huh?" Jack's eyes widened slightly and he stared at her. In an even more confused voice he asked, "Did you just apologize to me?"

"Sh-shut up!" stuttered Sally, blushing self-consciously. "Don't remind me..."

"Well, that's weird," the skeleton continued, crossing his arms and nodding thoughtfully. "Have you fallen for me, then?"

She didn't respond—just tossed her book at him instead. It the side of his face, but it was clear he was paying no mind. Fuming, she threw herself backwards onto the mattress and stretched, tiredly glancing sideways at him as she did.

Jack kept still, blankly eyeing her sewing machine that was beside him on the table. His skeletal lips were pressed together in a thin line, eyes narrowed slightly, as if he were deep in thought. His arms were still crossed, and he appeared to be leaning on his left leg while the other tapped the floor every now and then. Sally found his whole aura just plain weird, but it was perhaps his unusual silence that provoked her into speaking first.

"You okay?"

He blinked. When he turned his face towards her, it was almost as if he has just seen her now. "Hello, my love!" he happily exclaimed, a smile (forced, Sally noted) on his face. If he was hoping she'd ignore his odd behavior moments before, he didn't show it. Then again, she was sure he might appreciate her showing concern over him.

Even if that wasn't the case, Sally couldn't help but worry. "Cut that out. What's wrong?"

Jack cracked a grin when she patted the spot next to her on the bed. Before she could sit up, he quickly slipped in next to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. She didn't resist. "Nothing."

"It can't be nothing. Tell me now, you moron!" Her voice was teasing, but he knew he couldn't lie to her. He'd never consider doing so. You don't lie to your Juliet, right?

"I—well, I just found out my mother died because of me, and..." Despite his attempt to sound casual and cheerful, Sally could hear the resent in his voice.

Jack was too carefree to feel resentment. His laid-back attitude was partially the reason why she was so fond of him in the first place! If he expressed any emotion other than the bright and warm ones he normally had...

It bothered her.

"What do you mean?"

"She died...giving birth to me..."

"O-oh..."

"Yeah..."

"I—I'm sorry. I wasn't aware you didn't have a mother..." What else did one say in situations like these?

"Don't worry about it," Jack answered off-handedly, nuzzling his head against Sally's. It was a mystery to her why he couldn't hear the deafening thumps her heart was making, or the fact that her face radiated enough heat to warm up the whole town. If she fainted, it wouldn't be a surprise.

But she did feel obligated to cheer Jack up.

If he was willing to share such personal information with her—someone who he barely met a few days ago—then she should at least return the favor. She briefly wondered why her father had not mentioned the Pumpkin King's (deceased) wife during their last conversation, but then again, it wasn't really his secret to tell.

Seeing Jack in such a dejected mood, even a little bit, hurt Sally in a way she could possibly never explain. All she wanted right now was to make him smile and laugh like the annoying, flirtatious, moronic idiot that Jack Skellington was—the idiot she fell in love with.

Hackneyed, but oh, so true.

"My mother is as good as dead," whispered Sally softly, pressing her cheek against his. She could hear him swallow at the display of affection, yet he did not say anything. Deciding to talk and give him a moment to find his voice, she continued, "I mean, at least to me. I haven't seen her since I was a baby, and you can only imagine how much a one-week-old can remember. If I'm correct, my 'mom' left to go work overseas and up until now, she refuses to miss a day of teaching to see us. Family isn't even in her top hundred priority list. I could be dead for all she cared." She paused for a moment, letting Jack soak in the information. It wasn't as though she felt anything about the matter; no, Mrs. Finkelstein had been away far too long to even be missed by her own children. There weren't expectations to disappoint. It didn't sadden Sally that she had no mother—she barely thought of the lady at all. "Mommy" was just another stranger. "Is it bad that I don't care about my mother? That I'm really happy without her?"

She didn't really expect an answer; it was almost a rhetorical question anyway.

"No," replied Jack suddenly, embracing her tightly. "I can't say it's bad...because I don't really miss my mom, either. I just hate myself for screwing up her and Dad's lives..."

"Hey." Sally nudged him playfully, rolling her eyes. "You didn't screw up your parents' lives. If anything, you made it better."

Jack gave a somewhat bitter laugh. "Really? 'Cause, Sally, as far I know, killing your mother doesn't make anything better..."

"Why do you think you killed her? There's no stopping those kinds of pregnancies! If anything, you were a victim, too. That loss still affects you."

"...I love you, okay?"

Time stopped. The Underworld paused completely. Sounds were muted. Everything besides the two teenagers lying on the bed next to each other, sharing their warmth, blurred into shapeless nothings.

It was just them.

"I know I tell you that everyday, and I know you think I'm just kidding, or that I don't mean it...But please, I've never been this serious in my life. Think about it: I've never met my mother and I can't say I really miss her, but I feel so terrible that she's gone and that I've caused it. And with you...if you died, or at least went away from my life, I really wouldn't be able to take it. I'd care about your absence so much more than the woman who bore me. I don't want you to leave without really knowing how I feel, because who knows when that'll happen? You and I could be separated at any time...I mean it when I say that I love you, because I do. I've been with so many women before, it isn't even funny. I'd constantly date and flirt, but there wouldn't be a connection at all with any of them. I know the types of delusions that could seem like love but isn't—I know lust. Years and years of this, and I've never had such passionate, such strong, such sure of a feeling as I have for you now. I would know what love is, Sally, trust me. And I love you. We're simply meant to be."

If there was something Sally Finkelstein could be proud of regarding herself, it would probably be the ability of always having an intellectual thought on her mind. Her father had insisted, throughout the years that he raised her, that she should not waste any of her time on pointless imaginings or daydreams. There was never a spare moment to just think randomly.

In the bathroom, showering? She was trying recite pi for as long as she could without slowing down her bathing.

Eating? She was mentally saying the alphabet in all ancient languages.

Just sitting, or relaxing? She was listing off Greek characters from Homer's stories, the gods and whatnot included.

You name it.

But having the guy she cared about confess his undying love to her? Yeah, that drew up a blank.

She stared at him, comprehending absolutely nothing. Unable to say something in fear of looking foolish, she simply watched his hopeful, friendly face. He took her hands and planted chaste kisses on both of them.

"Will you give me a chance?" he murmured, sitting up and stroking circles on her palm, "I promise to only worship you. You'll never see me think about another girl again..."

He was gazing lovingly at her (she continued to remain lying down) and she knew at once that he just wasn't saying these to make her date him; he looked absolutely sincere and honest, with no traces of hesitation or doubt on his face.

She believed him.

Sally rose to a sitting position, never breaking their gazes. I love you, too, she wanted to let him know, and I say 'yes' to your offer.

Though her voice refused to let her admit that, Jack seemed to understand quickly, as if he read her mind. His face lit up instantly, a smile slowly creeping across.

His smile.

The one she wanted to see.

She could've said something, but deciding actions spoke louder than words, she nodded in confirmation and kissed him on his cheek...

...the same side she slapped him on days prior.

Darkshade Skellington warily strolled towards Town Hall. Despite it being a Sunday, work as the Pumpkin King knew no limits; while everyone else was taking a relaxing day off of preparing for Halloween and spending time with their families, he was going to be stuck inside a public building looking over plans all day.

It didn't help, either, that he had just revealed a dark secret to his son that he had once promised himself he would never.

"Why would I burden a child with that kind of knowledge? Just so he might think he caused his mother's death?"

How long ago had he said that? And why hadn't he followed through with it?

"I am such a terrible parent," he muttered to himself with his eye-sockets shut, aware of the emptiness of the street and the unlikely chance of accidentally bumping into someone.

Then again, until he decided to join him.

"You finally realized what a horrible father you are?" called an all-too familiar voice jokingly from the large fountain ahead. The king did not have to look up to realize his best friend was nearing him.

"I'm not completely lousy. He hasn't been arrested, has he?"

"Detention," scoffed the professor with a roll of his eyes, pocketing his hands. "How are you, Darkshade?" he emphasized the name teasingly.

"I thought everyone forgot that," replied the skeleton with a slight scowl, "I don't understand what my mother was thinking about when she named me."

"She was eccentric and childish, if I remember."

"That hardly covers it."

"Makes you wonder why you turned out so dull."

"Makes you wonder why we turned out friends."

Doctor Finkelstein laughed. "Doesn't it? I will admit, this is the first time we've talked like this in a while. Really, how have you been?"

"I think I'm a failure at parenting, as you heard me say before," sighed Shade as he shook his head, "I just told Jack his mother died in childbirth."

The doctor drew a sharp breath. "Ah."

"Indeed."

"Did he take it well?"

"I can't say for certain. After I told him, he was quiet and deep in thought. However, he did smile and thank me for letting him know, before running off to meet a friend."

"He left to see someone? How could anyone possibly have the energy to entertain after hearing such thing?"

"He's my son." King Skellington looked away into the distance, sad eyes giving away his lonliness. "My boy, yet sometimes I wonder where he gets all his attributes. I don't particularly have most of them."

"Like trying to woo every female in his school?" muttered an annoyed Finklestein suddenly, crossing his arms in distaste. "You most definitely don't do that."

"He woos girls? Really?"

"You have no idea? Don't you get letters from the school?"

"No, just about his academics," Shade swallowed apprehensively. 'What has he done now?' "Why?"

The other ghoul smiled cruelly. "Oh, boy. Not delivering behavioral reports to the guardian? This means suspension!"

"F-Fink!"

"What? I can do that, you know."

"Aren't I in charge of the school? The King is, right?"

"And you won't suspend you own son," tutted Finklestein bitterly. He stopped in his tracks and the other did, too. Then, all too seriously, he looked his friend in the eye. "I want to warn you about something, though."

When he received a small nod in confirmation (though he really was going to continue even without one), the scientist began, "Keep your son away from my daughter. You remember Sally? She was the special case we had."

"The girl you refused to enroll in the academy until now," Darkshade recalled carefully. He raised a would-be eyebrow. "Wait...what do you mean? Keep Jack away from her...?"

"Yes. The last thing I want to happen is for your child to delude my little genius with improper thoughts." The scientist clicked his tongue and glared at his friend. "I will never allow Sally be...pursued...by that filthy little monstrosity."

"That's a little harsh, Fink, just a little..."

"Are we clear on that, then? You will remind Jack to stay away from my daughter?"

The king tiredly looked at his friend's defiant eyes, which held nothing but contempt for his son.

Oh, well...

"Jack's a good boy...but if you insist, then yes, I will remind him to avoid Sally...though I don't particularly understand why..."

"Read those letters and you will."

A/N: Update! Wooo! I'm actually glad about this chapter 'cause it's the longest one, I think...

Anyway, I sincerely apologize for ignoring my account for the last month or so. I had things going on...and...yes.

The other stories that I have left un-updated will hopefully be in progress soon. I'm really sorry about that.

Thanks for your patience! I hope to continue this story for several more chapters!

Oh, and thank you, reviewers! It's great to hear some feedback to know how this fic is going along!

JackXSally FOREVER! Yeah? Who agrees? !