A/N: What's this? Could it be that Invader Gilly's publishing a new story? How? She doesn't even have her in-progress stories finished yet! All right, all right, before you Doomy Sports and Something Wicked This Way Comes fans (if there are any) start throwing rather sharp objects at me, let me explain. I downloaded 'This is Halloween' onto my i-pod a week ago for reasons unknown, and I realized that I haven't seen 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' in forever. So, obviously, I had to be my parents to take me to the nearest Blockbuster and rent me the movie. And, naturally, I fell back in love with it. Being the paranoid person that I am, I wracked my brains for a fanfic and came up with this beauty! Okay, maybe not a beauty, but I'll need REVIEWS (hint, hint) to help me improve on my writing style. Enough of my nonsense talk, ONWARD WITH THE STORY!

Disclaimer: I don't own TNBC, or basically ANYTHING mentioned in the story, even the Café! I just own Annie.

Chapter 1 – I hate Paris

The setting was picturesque, there was no denying it. With the Eiffel Tower nestled between the Seine River and the Champ de Mars, the location could easily be defined as Paris. One could imagine accordion music and barrette-clad people singing songs about Amore as you passed La Castel Café. The sunlight sparkled and danced on the water spouting from the ornate fountain, and the sky was such a clear blue. Cars zoomed back and forth on Avenue de Suffern in front of the Café as its doors opened. A tall girl with shoulder-length black hair and spiky bangs exited the restaurant. Dressed all in black and with a scowl on her face, she kicked a pebble on the sidewalk while muttering to herself.

"Didn't even have a hamburger" she grumbled. "What kind of lousy place doesn't have a hamburger? Why do people come here, anyhow? I hate Paris!" This statement, along with her Goth apparel and what seemed permanent scowl, was earning her quite a few stares from passerby as she trudged down Avenue de Suffern.

"Mademoiselle?" asked a tall young man in a concerned voice. "Are you all right?"

"No!" snapped the girl. "I'm not fine! In fact, I'm far from it!" She glared at him angrily.

"M-mademoiselle?" he stuttered, quite taken aback by her response.

"And I'm not 'mademoiselle'! My name is Annie, mister, and don't ever forget it!" she shouted, suddenly turning on her heel and stomping off in the opposite direction, still muttering under her breath, which was now causing Parisians to question Annie's state of mind. Suddenly, the song 'Unwell' by Matchbox Twenty blared from her pocket. Annie took out her cell phone with a groan and hit 'talk'.

"Hello? Annie, darling? Is that you?"

"Yeah. What do you want?"

"Don't talk to your mother in that tone."

Annie's only response was a grunt. He mother chose to ignore this, as she had enough to worry about. Annie's mother was currently vacationing in the Caribbean, drinking Pina Calottes and having her toe nails painted 'Sunset Orange'.

"How's your vacation?"

"Fine."

"Are you enjoying yourself?"

"No. You spent thousands of dollars on this? What a waste."

"You should have come with your father and me, then. We're having the most delightful time here! I've learned how to tango!"

"Why would I want to come with you? We have nothing alike. I'd probably stay in my room the whole time and you'd grouse about me ruining your vacation."

Annie's mother couldn't argue with this, as it was true. Their last 'family vacation' in the Swiss Alps was a disaster. She decided to change the subject. "Are you learning about the culture?"

"I've learned that there are no hamburgers here. No good ones, anyway. I ordered one, and they out raw egg on it."

"You should try it, maybe you'll like it!"

Annie let out a bark-like laugh at this.

"Annie, sweetie, don't laugh like that. It sounds so crude. You should be having fun! Can't you think of something to do that you would like?"

"It's almost Halloween" Annie mused. "Maybe they have haunted houses here." She could almost visualize her mother shuddering dramatically at the other end of the phone.

"Annie, I'd wish that you'd give up your fascination with that holiday. It's dark and vile and –"

"Oh, would you look at that! A giant spaceship is crashing down onto the Eiffel Tower. I've gotta run!"

"Annie –"

"Good-bye, Mother."

Sighing with relief, Annie punched 'end' on her phone, silently cursing herself for accepting the call in the first place. She took out her i-pod and inserted the earplugs into her ears. Setting her sights on the Champ de Mars, she began to cross the busy Avenue Gustave Eiffel without looking.

With Blink-182 blaring in her ears and her eyes set on the park, she didn't hear nor see the car that came barreling towards her at top speed. At the last minute, she glanced to her left and let out a shriek; the driver slammed on the brakes but it was too late. Annie collapsed onto the street, one last thought forming in her head as life slowly left her body,

"Damn, I really hate Paris!"

A/N: Good, bad, horrid? How was it? You know I always like hearing from you guys, so review por favor! I'll only continue if I get responses!

~Gilly