Meant To Be Chapter 32: Underground Burial Chamber, a nightmare before christmas fanfic

A/N:

Azure129: Hi everyone : ) We're coming close to the conclusion of this story now and we hope you enjoy this new chapter ^ _ ^ Thank you all for your patience and please read and review if you get the chance! Thank you all again and we hope you like how things progress!

NintendoGal: Thank you all so much for sticking in with us! We have one more chapter after this, then it's going to be the final bits of the story. We hope you'll enjoy it!

It was a very very, very hot morning in late summer today and in the Skellington household Jack and Sally were busy gathering together a few last minute items for a little adventure they were going to take today. Jack, wearing his normal pin striped pants and white dress shirt (though the sleeves were rolled up to his elbows) and a little pinstriped vest, was just checking the contents of the picnic basket he had with him while he waited for Sally to finish getting dressed. "Let's see...sandwiches...bug juice...cozy blanket." Jack blanched a tiny bit and smiled at the last item. They had sort of a ridiculous outing planned for today. Certainly, to anyone they saw as they walked through the streets to the outskirts of town, it would look like Jack and Sally were just on their way to a nice picnic together, probably on spiral hill or near the lake...but really they were going to have a picnic in the cool depths of the underground burial chamber. And then they were going to do a very risky thing that they had only joked about doing a few times before-spend the heat of the afternoon in the cool, private dankness of the place making love together. And it really was possibly the most ridiculous thing in the world...but somehow it seemed like it was actually going to work out. Jack closed the little picnic basket and took it up with his arm. "Sally, are you almost done yet, dearest?" he called gently over to their room. "I have our little basket all ready!"

"Oh yes, I'm done now." Sally said, emerging from the bedroom. She was wearing a pair of knee-length shorts, an orange shirt, and a black slip. Dressed for a summer day, or at least a heat wave kind of summer day.

Jack approached, smiling at the sight of her. "I've said it before and I'll say it again, my Mrs. Skellington, you do look so very lovely in black. And the orange adds a lovely effect too." He gave her a little bow. "And thank you for sewing me the vest, by the way-it's nice, I still feel very professional and dignified even going out without my jacket." He chuckled and then held up the picnic basket. "Everything's all ready to go, sandwiches and water and blanket." He swallowed and added with a little quirk to his smile, "And, um...you're sure you're still okay with doing this today? I mean you're comfortable about it and everything, right?"

Sally nodded, waving it off dismissively, "Of course I'm all right with it. It'll be fun, Jack! Besides, it's been ages since we've been to the Underground Burial Chamber. It will be a lot cooler down there, as far as I know, so I think today is as good a time as any to take advantage of that."

Jack smiled at her with interest. Always his confident, fun loving Sally. He loved that about her. "Alright then, my lady, your wish is my humble command." He bowed low, chuckling and looking up at her. "Shall we depart from this dreaded heat then, Pumpkin Queen?"

"Yes, we shall, my Pumpkin King..." Sally beamed, nodding.

Jack straightened up and headed over to the front door, opening it wide and gesturing forward. "Ladies first of course, ma belle nana." He winked.

A shiver ran up her spine, followed by giggles as Sally stepped outside. "Oh, Jack, be careful! We haven't even left the house yet! You know what that does to me..."

"All I know is that it reminds me that I must take you to France as part of our one year anniversary little vacation we'll be taking after Halloween," he merely replied with a grin as he followed after her, closing the door behind them.

"You naughty thing..." Sally poked his side playfully.

Jack chuckled cutely. "What, I just want my wife to enjoy our vacation!" He shrugged innocently. "Ooo and then I thought we'd visit the Dead Sea-oh and the mummy crypts of Egypt!" He beamed at the thought and then grinned at her and added, "Or we could just spend the full week or two in France..." He pumped his non-existent eyebrows a little.

"Oh my..." Sally blinked, considering these ideas. "Perhaps we'll...have to see what we feel like doing."

Jack nodded as they reached the driveway and started walking down it together. "Yes, of course, we'll have to see. Besides, we do still have over two months until then." He moved close beside her, hooking his arm with hers. "Can you believe that, my darling, barely more than two months from now we'll have been married a whole year! Oh it's going to be such a wonderful Halloween for us. And I hope it really does come soon-this heat really is such a bother." He wiped his brow, looking up to the glaring jack-o-lantern sun overhead.

"Aside from the heat being a pain..." Sally agreed, and smiled as she took his hand. "I know! It's wonderful to think of...not to mention having time fly. It seems like it was just yesterday that we were married...and now we're almost celebrating having been married for a year..." She smiled even more. "It's wonderful..."

"And is my darling dolly happy with her choice of a husband? Because I know for certain that I'm just ecstatic about my choice for a wife." He nuzzled close to her, grinning more.

"Of course I am." Sally beamed, nuzzling close as well.

Jack chuckled. "I'm very glad, then..." They had just exited the gate together. As they walked by the town they could see a citizen here or there and they waved and Jack gave a little wave back. "Hmm, I hope everyone's coping well with all of this. Perhaps if it's not cooler in the next day or so we could invite everyone for a little trip out to the lake for a little get together. I'm sure Undersea Gal wouldn't mind hosting a few people. What do you think, Sally?" He turned to her with a smile.

She nodded in agreement, "Yes, I think it would be a good idea. If anyone else is as affected by the heat, they would surely appreciate that relief."

Jack nodded too. "I agree. And I wouldn't mind a swim again. Now that I've tried wearing the bathing suit in front of everyone it doesn't seem so awkward anymore and I think I'll feel a lot more comfortable. Thank you again for helping me work through that, Sally." He gave her a little kiss on the forehead.

Smiling and giggling, Sally squeezed his hand. "That's good, I'm glad. You're very welcome, by the way."

He squeezed her hand back. "Besides, swimming turned out to be a lot of fun! And you are so very cute in the fog and the water, my little sea siren." He chuckled a little.

"It certainly was a lot of fun," Sally agreed, wiping her forehead with her free hand. "Ooh, thinking of that makes me want to swim there now... I might just have to go for one later."

"I'll join you!" Jack beamed happily. "We can make haunted sand castles and swim out far enough that we can go all the way under the water. It would be a lovely end to the day actually. Would you like to go there in the evening, Sally? Before dinner maybe?"

"I suppose...so long as you don't mind helping me to shore and squeezing the water out of me..." Sally smiled, poking his nose.

Jack chuckled. "Oh I don't mind squeezing in the least." A tiny little smirk came to his features and then with a little gulp he reached behind Sally and gave her a tiny little playful pinch, pulling back almost immediately to look very innocent and nonchalant.

"Jack! Now really, you know very well what I meant, and I should have you know that was very inappropriate." Sally said in a mock haughty tone, turning her head away.

Jack tried very hard not to laugh and made his look seem very apologetic. "Oh I do apologize, your highness." He gave a little bow. "Forgive my impudence, I forgot I was speaking to a woman who has never ever indirectly said a suggestive thing to me in her life." He winked at her, grinning ear to ear, trying to catch her gaze.

Sally tried not to laugh and shook her head, "Well I never!"

Jack was trying very hard not to laugh too. "Well, now you have. I've grown into a very impish and impulsive skeleton king, Sally, and what's more I've gotten very comfortable with my feelings and my body...and your body...I'm afraid I just couldn't help myself. Can my dark Queen find it in her frightful heart to forgive me?" He gave her an endearing little hopeful pout, though it was very hard to manage with how much he wanted to laugh.

Sally snickered, shaking her head and looking away once more. "Your impudence is greatly offending and distracting. But since you caused no harm, I do indeed sit in my heart to forgive you."

Jack laughed a tiny bit. "Oh I do so humbly thank you, your majesty. Although..." he sighed 'dramatically' with a grin, "if I had to do that much apologizing to get you to forgive a little pinch I can't imagine the song and dance of deep pleading for forgiveness I'm going to have to do once we're done in the burial chamber." He snuggled up extra close to her and chuckled a little.

"How dare you suggest such things!?" Sally retaliated playfully, pulling away. "You and your fantasies can go to the darkest realms of this world and cease to exist furthermore!"

Jack got close to her again though, smirking playfully. "If you insist, I suppose, my iron fisted little dictator. Though you can't tell me you won't miss the ecstasy I give you..." He whispered the last part in a little singsong voice, grinning a bit. "But if you want me to go, then I shall!" He moved away from her a little bit. "It won't be any fun waking up in bed alone and with clothes on every morning but I did it for a few centuries, I guess it'll find a way to come back to me." He laughed warmly to himself.

"Fine then." Sally stuck her tongue out playfully in a childish taunt.

"Very well." Jack nodded. "Oh but I still get to keep half the kingdom of course. And...can't I still pinch you at least just some of the time if I'm gentle and I only do it when you look particularly fetching?" He gave her a pleading little grin.

"No." Sally giggled, hiding a smile behind her hand. "Absolutely no pinching."

"What about kissing?" Jack asked with interest.

"Yes. We can kiss." Sally poked his nose again.

Jack beamed a little. "Can we hug? Can I still play with your hair?"

"...If you behave, I'll think it over."

Jack nodded eagerly. "Oh yes, I'll behave. I promise. Um...can we cuddle still?"

"No. Snuggles are for buggles." Laughed Sally, shaking her head.

"Aw." Jack gave a melancholy little pout. "I'll miss that though." A tiny little smile returned. "Can we still sleep in the same bed?"

"Fiiiiine, goodness, enough of your insipid whining." Sally snickered behind her hand, playing up mock annoyance.

"Ooo I'm very happy about that! I'd miss my favorite warm blue blanket!" Jack smiled brightly. Then he added with a little smirk, "But if I could ask one more thing...may we still make love in our nice bed together?"

"No! Go away, pest!" Sally walked farther ahead, trying not to laugh.

Jack trotted after her, smiling and calling out, "Oh alright, alright, I won't bother you about it anymore, Miss Pumpkin Royalty! As long as we can kiss and hug and I can play with your hair and sleep near you I'll be very happy and well behaved, I assure you! On my honor as King!"

Sally giggled, shaking her head and calling over her shoulder, "I make no promises!"

Jack continued trotting after her and he was catching up. "Oh come on, now, my Queen, remember we're meant to be together. You're never going to shake me that easily. Just give me a chance!" He caught up to her and managed to hook arms again. He was panting a little but smiling away and he whispered to her quickly, "Sally, if anyone hears us talking like this they're going to think we're having some kind of royal lovers quarrel. And you know our friends-they'll probably have a town meeting about it to see what can be done to save our marriage and then who knows what!" He laughed.

"Oh, I'm sure they would have heard us laughing, right?" Sally assured, shaking her head. "Of course we're going to have arguments, it's normal. But we wouldn't take them outside, oh no."

"True, true," Jack agreed with a nod, "But then with our luck, Lock, Shock and Barrel would have been the ones to overhear and they would have used it to start a whole rumor about us in some back fight." He chuckled. "But yes, hopefully someone would realize that we would never fight outside like that." He snuggled a little closer, smiling contentedly. "I'm sorry for taking that pinch outside though if it really did bother you at all. I'm impulsive; it's a hard habit to break. Also I find you incredibly attractive of course so...there's that." He snuggled her a little more, his grin growing.

"It's all right, I'm not offended. Although I wouldn't do much more than that outside..." Sally could see that they were passing by a few townsfolk, so she smiled and waved to them merrily.

Jack smiled and waved too. "Of course, of course. I mean, even I still can't handle too much outside unless I'm sure we're very, very alone. I just knew the pinch would be such a quick thing though that I suppose I couldn't help myself. But I'll refrain unless we're in a very private place from now on." He smiled more and gave a little kiss to her cheek.

"Thank you, Jack," Sally smiled and kissed his cheek as well.

Jack gave a dreamy smile. "You're very welcome, my pretty Queen Sally." He just walked with her in silence for a few moments. They were moving away from the town now, out toward the fields and the old bridge and the burial chamber. "Hey...Sally? Um...may I ask you something very, very prematurely? You don't have to answer if you don't want to but, well, with the one year anniversary coming up and all that's happened between us and then with babysitting last week, there was just a thought that occurred to me and I wanted to ask you about it." He glanced at her hopefully.

"Oh, what is it?" She asked, looking over with a curious smile. "What did you want to ask in regards to all of that?"

Jack smiled a touch sheepishly and asked sincerely, "I know that we're going to wait a while before we have our own children but...have you ever thought of what you might like to name them, Sally? Or what you might like to name even just one of them?" He looked at her with interest.

"I...Oh... I never thought of that..." Sally giggled, shaking her head. "Especially since we'd have no idea of what gender our children would be until they're born. I suppose I figured we would be able to come up with one after they're born?"

Jack nodded a little, looking down shyly. "Yes, that makes sense. For the most part I suppose I figured it would just come to us as they were born. Um...I did have one suggestion though now...We don't have to name the first child it or anything, or any of the children if you really don't like it, but it just occurred to me a little while ago and I guess I wanted to see what you thought." He glanced at her a touch nervously.

Sally looked at him curiously, "Why is that a bad thing? You don't have to be nervous. I don't see why you can't plan ahead or at least have an idea. What is it?"

Jack looked a lot calmer at her words. "Oh alright then. Thank you, Sally. And, well…" he smiled contently, "...I thought we could name one of the boys...well, not really 'after me' but, um...I thought we could name one of the boys my middle name." He shrugged.

"...You have one?" Sally looked surprised.

Jack blinked and nodded. "Yes. Oh!" He realized something. "I...Did I never tell you? I'm sorry, it just never occurred to me." He frowned.

"No...you never told me." Sally poked his nose, smiling. "And I'd like to know."

Jack smiled bashfully. "Lantern. It's Lantern...Jack Lantern Skellington. Sort of a Pumpkin pun." He swallowed and glanced down. "But maybe it's a silly name for a boy. If you don't like it, it's really okay. We can pick something else." He smiled at her sincerely. "I want to know how you sincerely feel about it."

"Oh... I see..." She considered it for a few moments, thinking. It was indeed a pun, but she couldn't help but like it. It would especially be an interesting name for a future child of theirs. "I certainly won't rule it out. Perhaps we'll have a boy someday, and it could work as a good name."

Jack couldn't help a little touch of relief and happiness coming to his smile. "Thank you, Sally. I appreciate you considering it very much." He moved alongside her and gently nuzzled her head with his. "If you ever have any names you'd like to share I'd be more than happy to hear-and love-them." He smiled more.

"Well, I don't have any off the top of my head right now!" Sally smiled, shaking her head. "But if I ever do, I'll certainly tell you."

"I'd like that." Another kiss found it's way to her cheek. Then Jack sighed softly, looking around at the scenery before them. Certainly this place could look quite barren in the intense summer heat but in a way it was very nice. The grass was a burnt golden color and the trees looked especially gnarled and bare and the rotting pumpkins in the pumpkin patch added a nice aroma, and of course there was the lovely jack-o-lantern sun shining high above them and baking the sky a bone bleach white. If he hadn't been for the actual heat of the whole thing Jack would have rather enjoyed this time of year. "Sally, we're getting close to the burial chamber-would you like to stop under one of the trees or tombstones to have our picnic or would you prefer to go down in to the chamber and have it there?" he asked, glancing at her.

Pondering for a few moments, Sally took in the atmosphere of the graveyard as well. Surely, it was a great day for a picnic, if not for the intense heat. As much as she wanted to partake, it seemed that the better option was more worth taking at the moment.

"Well, if we have it down in the Underground Burial Chamber, not only will be a lot cooler, but we'll also have a change in scenery. Remember when it rained on a day we went for a picnic, and we had it on the living room floor? It would be kind of like that."

Jack smiled, recalling that time. It really had been a fun experience. And even though he liked the scenery out here he had to admit that the heat was even getting to him as well, not to mention in the summer months around here the trees weren't 'lush with shady leaves' but pretty much dead and bare. He nodded to her. "Alright then, Sally, that sounds splendid. Besides it'll give us a chance to find a nice, cozy little place down there. Let's go!" He picked up his pace a little bit, leading them in the direction of the entrance to the chamber.

With a smile, Sally followed along, taking glanced around them to see if anyone else was around. There didn't seem to be, so she relaxed a bit more. Then again, if anyone did see them, at least they had the picnic portion of their story.

Jack was a tiny bit nervous as well, though since they were having the picnic in the chamber he felt a little better about things. After all, if they had eaten first and then somebody had caught them sneaking down there, they would have had no excuse to give. At least now they could claim seeking a cool spot to eat. "Over here, Sally. I'll just move open the stone slab that leads down into the crypts and once we're inside we can make our way to the chamber. Will you hold the picnic basket for a moment?" He held it out to her.

"Of course." Sally nodded, taking the picnic basket.

"Thank you," Jack nodded with a smile. Then he went over to the stone slab, got a grip on one side with both hand and pulled with all of his strength and slowly the slab budged as he did his best to get the entrance to open wider and wider.

Waiting patiently, Sally swung back and forth on her heels-carefully-, looking all around her once more. Not quite to be on the lookout, it was mostly for passing the time.

"Ah..." Jack gave one more thorough tug and then let go, letting out a satisfied sigh. "There we go!" He took a moment to catch his breath and then turned back to Sally with a smile. "Glad I'm still strong enough to move that after all these years." He took the picnic basket back from her and gestured toward the entrance. "Ladies first...unless you'd like me to lead the way, Sally. Whatever you would prefer."

"You do know your way around it better, Jack," Sally conceded, and stepped inside anyway. "Why don't we go together?"

Jack nodded, smiling in a touch of pride and shrugging in a touch of humbleness. "Sure, Sally. That would be nice. And I'll do my best to lead us somewhere good." He stepped inside with her, but before leaving the entrance put the picnic basket down for a moment and did his best to pull the stone slab shut, though not completely of course-if they wanted to get out by this way later, it would be easier to find it by seeing the slit of light shining in from outside through the space between the slabs edge and the edge of the monument marking the entrance of the crypt. "There we go." He picked up the basket and proceeded forward.

They came along the crypt of many coffins standing upright, dusty floors, and cobwebs hanging everywhere. It was indeed a very romantic setting, to be sure. Going around the coffins and a corner, they came to another door, which this time led to another room.

"Oh Sally, it's even more frightful than I remembered!" Jack gazed around, practically beaming at the sights-he really hadn't come down here in a while. "And the air's so dank and chilled, it could make flesh crawl." He chuckled and opened the door to the other room. This was a large area made of gray stone and brick that dripped with moisture, and with several coffin slabs laid out. There was a small grate overhead letting in just a touch of light. "I think we should go on dates in this place more often," Jack remarked with a smile as they walked through this room. "It's almost terrifying-oh I bet there are just thousands of spiders here. Oh we could start storing cheeses down here to get them extra moldy! Or bottles of wine! What do you think?" He looked at her with a grin.

"Perhaps both? I think we could get away with storing a lot of things here." Sally agreed, taking in the room. "It's very interesting down here... So frightening, and yet, very cozy. And so cooling!"

Jack nodded, holding close to her. "Yes, it's a perfect relief from the heat." He gazed at her with a smile. "Would you like to picnic here or would you prefer to investigate some other rooms first, my Sally?"

"Oh, I think this room is perfect." She said, taking a sniff of the room's air. "Why don't we stop here, and then we'll explore more after we're done?"

Jack nodded. "That sounds like a splendid plan, my love." He tapped her cute little nose and then scampered to the middle of the room with the picnic basket, putting it down and opening it up to set out its contents. He put own the nice blanket first and then began to set out the food. "I hope my favorite dolly is hungry. We have nice moldy bread and some cold cuts with that pungent cheese you like and some jellied brains for a spread. Oh and bug juice of course for drinking...And of course the yummy rotten peach pie you made for dessert." He winked at her as he set the lovely pie out in the center of everything.

"Wonderful!" Sally went to help him set up the food as well. "It sounds delicious, Jack, it really does."

Jack nodded. "I'm really happy we're doing this. It's been a while since we've had a picnic." He gave them both plates. "And I really did want to celebrate our first summer married in a special way." He glanced up at her with a smile. "Would you like to do this every summer perhaps? I-I mean, the picnic part..." He blanched just a tiny bit, "We can, um...see how the other part goes before we think about ever doing it again."

Nodding, she giggled and winked at him. "I'd love to, darling. It sounds like a fantastic idea."

Jack chuckled at her cute enthusiasm. "Thank you, Sally." He prepared himself a sandwich and poured the both of them a drink. "Oh so I've been meaning to ask you, darling-how are Jewel and the doctor's wedding plans going? Has she told you anything yet about them? Every time I try to ask the doctor about it he gets very gruff and shy." Jack laughed a little at the thought.

"Oh, that's just Daddy for you..." Sally waved it off, giggling. "Well, as a matter of fact, she has! She was showing me some plans she had in mind for it, and designs for her dress. Nothing of it is too elaborate or huge, as they wanted, but certainly with quite a bit of flair, nonetheless. Once she settles on a design, I'll make it for her," she beamed.

"Oh and I'm sure you'll do a lovely job, Sally," Jack encouraged with a smile, shifting closer so that they could sit alongside each other. "Have they decided if they want a honeymoon yet? I know it's a little hard for the doctor to travel with his chair but even if they just wanted some time alone at the manor I could try to express to the mayor and everyone else that even though they're still here

Sally shook her head, starting to eat the food. "Mm-mm. She said they're not very sure just yet. If nothing else, they may go as far as the Hinterlands, according to her."

"Well, even just a day trip out there would be nice for them-just a sweet picnic together." Jack smiled more. "Let's you and I keep Lock, Shock and Barrel very distracted that day so they don't sneak off to spy on the doctor and Jewel and tease them, hm?"

"Absolutely." Sally nodded in agreement. "I think we'll find a way to entertain them." She then smiled as a thought came to her. "Jack, have you noticed the way Shock seems to interact with Timmy?"

"Hmm?" Jack asked with a blink, finishing the last bite of his sandwich and looking at Sally with adorable cluelessness. "What do you mean? I hope she hasn't been putting him through anything too rough."

"No no. I mean, they have a certain kind of interaction together." She said, giggling.

"Oh..." Jack smiled...but then blinked and looked at Sally with confusion again, having prepared himself another sandwich now. "Um...like what?" The children all seemed to get on nicely enough in Jack's opinion. Certainly they all got a bit carried away sometimes but it was nothing that a firm tone couldn't handle. And certainly Shock could be a little sarcastic and Timmy a little eager to please but-children would be children, he supposed.

"I've noticed the way they interacted sometimes since seeing Timmy hanging out with them. It's minimal, and probably unaware on both of their ends...even Timmy, all things considered. But I think there's a special kind of children's discovery crush lurking in there." Sally surmised, shrugging a little bit.

Jack blinked. "Oh you mean..." then it finally clicked, "Ohhh..." He blinked a few more times. "Oh that's...that's rather sweet, actually." He chuckled. "In fact I think it's lovely. Very cute, yes. Oh Sally it's adorable." He smiled to himself at the idea.

"It is cute, and I suppose it works as a way to discover what it's like." Again she shrugged, munching on her food a bit. "I wouldn't expect much from it, but it is sweet."

"Well, they both might grow a little from the experience at least," Jack shrugged, topping off his and Sally's glasses again. "Hmm...I think it would have been cute if you and I had gotten to be little and had met."

Sally pondered that a moment, blushing a bit. "I think it would've been hard for me to have been little, Jack..."

Jack nodded, understanding. "I-I know...I mean, you were made as you are now for the most part and I love that. I just think it would have been sweet if we could have had a childhood and met." He shrugged, looking down a little shyly. "I sort of wish I could have been little at least once. I think that's why I act very childlike sometimes...I'm trying to recapture it I guess."

"I never really thought of it, I was just a woman from the moment I awakened and realized everything soon after. It never crossed my mind." Sally looked off for a moment, thoughtful. "I can't really miss what I never had, can I?"

Jack smiled softly to himself. "I suppose not. Still it's just a thought...At least our children will get to be little before they're big." He looked to her and smiled a little more.

"...That's true, Jack... They'll be able to have the childhoods we never had." Sally giggled at the thought.

"I want to see how cute a little rag doll must be." Jack beamed a little at the notion and leaned in toward Sally. "I bet one would have the most adorable tiny legs and arm and the most adorable little feet and the most adorable big eyes just like yours Sally." He chuckled.

"Awww...that sounds adorable!"

"Mmm hmm, and you could make them all little dolly clothes that we could dress them in." He reclined back a little, just enjoying the dankness and dampness of the room. It was practically chilly in here-he almost wished he had his jacket with him.

Sally giggled, nodding. "I would love to make the children some clothes."

"And I'll try to help even though I'm awful with needles and thread." He laughed a little at himself. Then he blinked, recalling something. "Oh Sally, before I forget, I was speaking with Santa the other day and Mrs. Clause was wondering if sometime after Halloween and our little vacation you would maybe be willing to visit Christmas Town and stay for about a week with the two of them? She would very much like your help designing some new rag doll toys for this year, and any pointers you could give the elves on doll clothing or anything that needs sewing would be helpful too."

This of course, sparked Sally's interest. "Really? That would be amazing! Yes, I'd love to! It sounds like a wonderful idea, Jack!"

"Really? Oh splendid, I hoped you'd like the idea!" He beamed happily. "I'm sure you could give them a lot of help, and don't worry, Mrs. Clause assured me you'd be back in plenty of time to do the final preparations for Jewel's wedding. I'll miss you of course but, you see I figure that a week alone gives me plenty of time to come up with a very special Christmas present for my Sally." He winked at her.

"Jack, you silly." Sally poked his nose, snickering. "You're not supposed to tell me that!"

Jack laughed at her little poke. "Ah but I want to build up the anticipation! It's sort of a doozy of a present so I'd really like you to have a long time to look forward to it. I can't wait until you come back and get to see it just before Christmas." And he really did look very excited about the whole thing.

"That's still not fair." Sally stuck her tongue out childishly.

"Do you want a hint, my teasing temptress with her teasing little tongue?" Jack asked with a little smirk.

"Don't tell me!" Sally laughed, shaking her head. "You already spoiled the surprise by telling me you had a surprise in store."

"Oh okay, not one little hint, I swear." Jack winked at her. "Nothing more about this will ever leave my lips until you see the surprise with your own two big, beautiful dolly eyes." He moved up right alongside her, looking at her lovingly.

Sally poked his nose, shaking his head. "Good, now you stop talking about it so I can forget you even said it."

Jack couldn't help smirking a little. "Do you...have any particular means in mind of keeping my mouth occupied?"

"That depends..." Sally batted her eyelashes, smiling more.

"Hmm, on what?" Jack asked, his voice dropping an octave and an arm tiptoeing across the floor to come rest gently around Sally's waist.

"You tell me." Sally poked his nose, scooting a bit closer.

Jack chuckled a tiny bit at her poke. "Hmm, does it depend on whether my Sally decides to keep me quiet with kisses...or a lovely piece of her nice peach pie instead?" He smiled more and whispered playfully into her ear, "I'm hoping for the kisses, by the way, though pie is nice too."

"Let's make it both." Sally smiled, and wasted no time touching their lips into a kiss.

"Mm!" Jack was a little taken aback for a moment but then he instantly melted into her sweet kiss, bringing his other arm around her to hold her close. "Mmm..." he moaned softly, feeling his breaths grow shallow and the warmth build between them.

Settling more into their embrace and kiss, Sally giggled a little and brought her hands to his ribs, gently kneading the bones through his shirt.

Jack sighed softly through his nose. One of his hands found its way gently underneath her shirt to press against the small of her back. Oh he loved how suddenly passionate she could be with him, and it really was so very nice to be kissing like this today in this cool, dank place rather than in their stuffy, dry house.

Trembling with pleasure, Sally in turn undid a couple of his shirt buttons. She ran her hands along his chest slowly, arching her back against his touch.

Jack could barely breath at touch of her fingers to his chest. His other hand came up to touch her bare back under her shirt. His own fingers found familiar seams to settle into. He pulled back his lips just slightly from Sally's as they kissed, his breathing heavy. "Y-You can open the shirt all the way...unless you think we won't be able to control ourselves...unless of course you don't want us to control ourselves anymore..." He grinned just a touch mischievously.

"I think we can..." Sally giggled, nuzzling their noses. "We just never had to."

Jack chuckled warmly. "True. Ever since that wedding night of ours no one's had to hold back at all really. This should be fun then..." He removed his hands from her back to bring them to his shirt to undo the last of the buttons for her. "Play fair though-" he smirked a little, "No dipping down too low on old Jack's spine. You know what that does to me." He blanched a little but kept smirking just the same.

Sally rolled her eyes good-naturedly before she pulled back. "Okay, then I won't." She smiled, giggling.

Jack smiled more. "Good. Thank you." And then with his smirk returning one hand went around her to touch her back again and the other one went down to her thigh to gently push at her skirt hem and the edge of her shorts underneath it. "Now, where were we?" he asked in a deep tone.

"Oooh, Jack, you're not even trying, are you?" Sally teased, her voice sultry at this point.

Jack almost laughed completely. "What do you want me to do, pull the shirt right off of your body? I'm trying to have a least a little self control here, my Queen?" He gazed deeply into her eyes, smirking the whole time.

"No, I meant controlling yourself..." Sally poked his nose, winking and smirking in return.

Jack blinked. "Oh!" He blanched and then looked down with a sheepish smile. "Sorry, um...I've got things on my mind...a lot...most of the time...every moment I see you...even moments when I don't..." He laughed a little at the silliness of his mistake.

Don't be sorry." Sally shook her head, smiling. "That's not why we're here."

Jack swallowed and looked up at her with a trembling smile and a half lidded gaze. "We're here to cool off...and to have a picnic...and to make thrilling love..." He laughed a little, unable to help it, and blanched a bit too.

"You're right, but that last part... Can you hold out?" She teased, her eyes gleaming. "Or are you going to lose control just as we always seem to?"

Jack nodded a little, still looking rather goofy though. "O-Oh yes, I can...um...uh...that thing you said." He swallowed. "I-I mean, what-you're just my seductive rag doll wife who's given me pleasures I've never known to exist before I met you. I can w-wait...I'm Jack, the Pumpkin King. I can do anything." He tied to smile with a touch of pride, though the goofy grin remained prominent.

"Me too, I can wait." Sally nuzzled their noses. "Even though you're just my tantalizing husband who has given me so much, and so much pleasured feelings I never knew I could feel."

Jack sighed softly, closing his eye sockets and nuzzling her nose back. "Yes...I have done many nice things with my Sally. And I do love when she calls me 'husband'..." Jack chuckled warmly. "But I can wait. I waited once for almost two years, remember? I can wait just a little longer. I'm a very patient skeleton man." He opened both eye sockets a little and winked at her.

"And I'm...well I tried on numerous occasions to screw the rules." Sally giggled, shaking her head. "I lose."

"Oh but you were so cute when you would tempt me to the edge of taking you before I thought we were ready. Is it hard to drip with as much pure sensuality as you do, Sally? I was just wondering."

"It's not easy." Sally pouted. "It really isn't."

"I can imagine." Jack faked a little pout too. "It must be such a burden to bear so much raw femininity and such a drive to express it." He was trying very hard not to laugh.

She stuck her tongue out. "Very funny."

"Don't stick out your tongue." Jack grinned, leaning closer. "I thought you said you'd play fair-you know what that sweet little piece of cloth does to me...or at least what it's done to me ever since our first French kiss." He smiled more.

"Oh, come on..." Sally blushed, giggling.

"It's like me taking off my shirt or something. Now that wouldn't be very fair, would it?" He shrugged.

"Don't you dare..." She warned, shaking her head. "Oh, don't you dare." Immediately, she closed her mouth and sat up straight.

Jack chuckled and sat back a little, smiling over at her. He rested his skull on his hand. "So, we're really just going to sit here and not touch each other and pretend that we aren't just as incredibly physically compatible as we are emotionally compatible, hmm?" His grin picked up on one side.

"I don't know..." Sally sipped her drink enticingly. "You tell me."

Jack glanced away. It really wasn't fair. She could make the simplest actions suggest the ghost of something erotic and it was a power he both admired and envied thoroughly. He sighed. "I could lay the same responsibility on you, Sally." Then with a small smile, he stretched up, letting his spine crack a little. "After all, I'm just the man you've loved since the moment you met him. The famous, dashing, frightful Pumpkin King. Just a skeleton man made of bones...long, slender, smooth, ivory bones..." He reclined back a little, cutting himself a piece of pie.

Sally trembled a bit, her eyes wide. Did he really not realize what he did to her? Apparently not in the same way. She took a breath, trying to keep herself in check. "You make it very difficult for me to control myself..."

"I like that, you know." With one hand he casually used a fork to take a bite of his piece of pie. "I really really like that I've always made you a little flustered, always tempted you...I like the fact that I'm pretty sure somewhere deep down under your Queenly poise you still look at me and see the cutest guy you've ever known and maybe just want to gush about it a little bit." He took another casual bite. "Do you think the vest today makes me look 'cute'? I feel like it does make me look cuter to you. I wonder if that's why you made it for me."

Sally just shrugged, reaching out to cut herself a slice of the pie as well. "Oh, you're alright, I suppose. And the vest is cute, but that's just how I stitched it to be." Sally smiled and sat back, taking a bite of her pie.

Jack tried not to laugh. She was always cute when she played hard to get. "Oh, I know, I'm just a regular old run of the mill skeleton when you get right down to it. I just always used to hide it under the pinstripes and now I hide it under the pinstripes and under all of the things you sew for me. But you've caught me, Sally. Whatever shall I do?" He laughed a little, smiling at her playfully.

Sally giggled. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. Just promise you won't tell anyone that I'm really just a regular, old run of the mill rag doll, okay?" She winked jokingly at him.

Jack smiled more and shook his skull, eating another bite of pie. "You are not run of the mill or regular or old and you know it…And I think you know that I know that you don't really think I'm a regular old run of the mill skeleton either, don't you, ma belle nana?" He moved closer so that they were sitting side by side now.

Sally did her best not to giggle her. Her eyes got a little dreamy looking. "Jack, you know how I feel about the French."

Jack chuckled low but nodded and moved just a tiny bit away from her. "Right, right, I'll save it for after dessert. I wouldn't want to tempt my lovely away from finishing her dessert and getting her nourishment."

Sally smiled to herself. She continued eating. "You wouldn't tempt me away from finishing. I've learned how to resist you a little bit. You would just distract me, silly." She smiled more and cut herself another small piece of pie.

Jack shrugged, taking a little extra piece himself, and smiled. "Fair enough. Okay, no more distractions until we're done and have everything cleaned up." He glanced around the chamber, and became aware of how cool it really was down here again. He looked to Sally. "Are you too cold at all, Sally? I didn't realize it would be this damp and chilly down here. Should I run home and try to get you a sweater maybe?"

Sally shook her head. "It's okay, Jack. It's refreshing down here. I don't like all of the heat like there is today, but damp and cold don't bother me really. And anyway I don't want you to leave and have to go all the way home. But thank you though."

Jack smiled. "Okay, I won't go. But promise me if it gets too chilly for you that you'll tell me so that we can at least get ready to go and head outside where you can warm up a bit. We can go to the lake after this for that little beach party if you'd like. We'll go home and get our swimsuits and we'll do that nice thing where we lie in the shallow water together and let the cool feeling wash over us…What do you say?" Jack's smile took on a touch of charm. "Oh and I promise this time you won't have to spend twenty minutes coaxing me to take off my shirt and go in the water with you," he added with a little sheepish laugh.

Sally giggled. "We'll see. It sounds like a nice way to end the day though."

Jack nodded. "Yes. And also I've been checking the witches cauldron and it seems in a couple of weeks the cold weather is going to start setting in again so this might be one of our last chances for this before fall. Not to mention we'll really have to spend a lot of time on Halloween planning starting in a couple of weeks once September comes. And then of course we have to make plans for our anniversary party afterwards and for our little post-Halloween honeymoon vacation. And then Jewel and the doctor's wedding is coming up in December. We'll be very busy. It'll be hard to find time to relax together like this."

Sally nodded, looking a little overwhelmed at hearing all of that. "Oh dear, you're right I guess. It's going to be a very busy holiday season. We probably won't have any time to relax until Valentine's Day except for our honeymoon vacation. And then once we come back from that I promised Jewel I would sew bridesmaid dresses for everyone and that I would help her with her gown and make the cake. We'll have a very busy winter then I guess, won't we?" She smiled and shrugged, finishing the last bite of her pie. "But I knew things would be like that for us once I was Queen and as long as we can do it all together I'm sure we'll get through everything just fine."

Jack nodded, his smile brightening. "Yes, that's very true. It'll all go much more smoothly and be much more fun with the both of us to take care of things. Even if it will be awhile before we can just enjoy our privacy and spending time together again." Jack glanced around the room of the burial chamber with interest again. "Like this, right now and here. This is nice. No one knows where we are or what we're doing, we're tucked away somewhere private and we can just talk and spend time together." He looked to her again. "Sally, can we really make more trips here? Sort of keep it a secret place just between you and me maybe? I mean, everyone in town knows about the burial chamber of course but we can keep it a secret that it's a favorite private spot of ours to come to. And it'd be nice to have a little getaway right in Halloween Town. What do you think?"

"Of course, Jack. I think that's a good idea. As long as we don't come down here too often and make people worry about us, I think it would be nice to have a place we could go for privacy right in town." Sally smiled. "We'll just have to be very careful that no one sees us coming and going from here too much so that they don't suspect us." She winked.

Jack chuckled. "Well, if anyone's good at sneaking around, it's my clever dolly. I'm sure we'll manage. And yes, of course, we won't come down here too much or anything but just sometimes, either in the middle of a really busy day when we need a break or even for a couple of hours at night or in the early morning just to relax together. It'll be Jack and Sally's little home away from home." He laughed. "We could even decorate a room or two if you'd like."

Sally laughed. "Jack, if anyone came down here and they saw decorations, wouldn't they suspect something?"

Jack shrugged, laughing too as he finished the final slice of his own pie. "True I suppose. Okay, okay, no decorations. We'll just sneak down here with a picnic basket full of whatever we need each time." He moved a little closer to her again, smiling more and nuzzling her head a little. "I'm just happy to get to be with you and relax with you right now."

"Me too." Sally smiled more and blushed a little. Then she giggled and kissed his cheek and then moved away to start picking up the plates and glasses from their little picnic.

"Oh Sally, here, let me help. You made most of the food anyway, the least I can do is clean up." Jack gathered their belongings as quickly as possible to prevent her from having to help too much. "And then I'll do the dishes as soon as we get home."

"That's sweet, Jack, but you really don't have to, "Sally tried to assure, still managing to pick up one or two things on her own to load back into the basket. "I cooked but you packed the basket up. I can help with the dishes too."

Jack just shook his skull though, smiling at her. "Mmm mmm, I insist. Besides, once we're in the house it'll be stuffy and humid again and I know how much that tires you out, but the heat doesn't affect me so greatly. You relax and fan yourself on the couch while I take care of the cleaning and I don't want to hear another word about it, okay?" He winked at her.

Sally giggled and finally nodded. "Oh…okay, Jack. If you insist. The heat does sort of make me tired, anyway." Then she smirked a little and added playfully as she dragged a finger down his shirt slowly, "But not too tired…Maybe I'll go rest in our room under the sheets…or one top of the sheets. And you could join me when you were done with the dishes."

Jack blanched a little, his grin growing. "Sally…" he looked down dreamily, "Y-Yes, that does sound…quite splendid. And we still have the afternoon here too, don't we?" He glanced at her wit ha little smirk of his own.

Sally nodded, smiling more at him. "Yes. And it is our own private little place like you said." She glanced to the side with a little blush and rested back on her arms on the picnic blanket a little.

Jack moved more onto the blanket too. "Um…Sally? I was wondering…I know we wanted to try here today and I-I still do but, um…even if this is our own private place I'm still a little nervous. So maybe we could just make love once here, just once, and um…do anything more once we get back to the house? I-I'm sorry, it's just…you know I always like to give you as complete an experience as possible and I could try once here but for anything more I think I'd need us to be locked away in our bedroom or in any room that didn't have open access by a headstone. And besides, I really like the idea of you on the sheets…" He was blanching brightly and smiling away.

Sally just giggled. "Oh, of course, Jack, that's fine." She sat up more and looked into his eyes. "We really don't have to do this here if you don't want to either. It was kind of a silly idea. If you'd be more comfortable we could go home."

Jack looked at her gratefully but he shook his skull. "No, no, it's alright. It's sweet of you to offer, Sally but I think I can at least try here, just once. Besides, I kind of want to. It is sort of thrilling a little…and as long as we're here…" he gulped and added, leaning in close to her, "…and as long as you look just positively fetching in that cute little summer outfit…and as long as it is a little chilly in here and we could both stand some warming up…" He got on his knees and leaned over her on his hands and started to kiss her cheek and neck. "Just one little love wouldn't hurt. But we'll have to keep it a secret forever, just like our little hideout here, okay?" He smiled as he whispered this and kissed her, putting an arm around her.

Sally giggled, melting a little under his kisses. She put an arm around him too. "I-I…oh, yes, Jack…o-okay. Just one little love then…"

"Hmm…" Jack smiled as he kissed her, and then let his voice go low as he purred out near her ear, "Good." He came more over her and the two quickly gave a light drop to the picnic blanket still on the floor. "Sally…" Jack whispered tenderly, breaths shallow, as he kissed her face and let his hands touch her gently.

Giggling, Sally moaned his name too. "Jack…" She closed her eyes and melted under his kisses.

Jack kissed her cheeks tenderly and then paused for a moment to look into her eyes. "Shh, very quietly, just one little love in our new little secret place." And then Jack let one of his hands slide down near the hem of her dress and move it up a little.

"Yes, we have to be very quiet," Sally teased. She put her hands on his chest, taking hold of one of his buttons. "No one must catch you with your servant, my scary skeleton King." She giggled and winked at him.

Jack smiled widely and couldn't help laughing too. "Oh, but I think they must already suspect that something is going on between us. After all, I've been much more chipper lately…and you haven't slept in your own bed in quite a few moons." He smirked playfully a little. "Not to mention all the giggling and gasping and other things they might hear from my room at night."

Sally blushed profusely and giggled more. "Oh dear. We really will have to be quieter, won't we?"

Jack nodded. "I'll miss your screams of delight but yes, I'm afraid we will be. Especially since we're down here in the catacombs this time. At least my room is in a tower far above the rest of my castle so it's not easy to hear, but down here we'll have to whisper." He lowered his voice to a whisper and chuckled and winked at her. And his hand slowly moved up the side of her thigh.

Sally shivered a little and got his vest unbuttoned. His shirt was next. "I will if you will, my King. I am your humble little servant after all."

Jack just smiled more. "Thank you. But I wouldn't call you my servant now so much as my secret Queen. And speaking of that…you know, I hear that Queen I was supposed to marry from that far off spooky castle just announced her undying love for a skeleton who has haunted the halls of her home for centuries. Apparently they're all set to be wed despite the protests and fears of some of her subjects. It's rumored that they've even moved in to the same room together…and that maybe they've been sharing it for a while." Jack smirked playfully. "So I suppose that means I'm free to woo and wed…and share a bed…with anyone of my choice. Hmm, now who shall I pick?" He pretended to think the situation over.

Sally just giggled, undoing his shirt buttons. "Won't you pick me, my King?"

Jack's eye sockets lit up. "Hmm? Oh! Oh yes, what a splendid idea! I'll pick you, my sensual, seductive, splendid doll of the night!" And then Jack's heated kisses returned to her face and neck. His hands were taking on minds of their own, and his voice couldn't help but raise a little. "S-Sally!"

"O-Oh, J-Jack…!" Sally half yelled. She felt his touch everywhere and she touched his now exposed ribs and tenderly dragged her fingers down them.

The two of them giggled and gasped and kissed happily as they just enjoyed playing around together on the picnic blanket and preparing for another wonderful summer moment together.

A half echo from another room in the burial chamber was the first strange sound to hit Jack's ears. It sent a jolt of nerves through him as he touched along Sally's half undressed body. But it had been faint and so he could almost pretend it hadn't been there at all.

Mumbling from far off was the next thing to meet his ears. That gave him much more pause. He stopped touching her and tried to catch his breath so that he could hear better. "Hmm…Sally…" he half moaned to her, kissing her cheek once more, "Do you…are we making an echo?"

"Hmm?" Sally asked airily, giggling under his kisses. "Echo? I don't hear it in here."

"Oh.." Jack let out a final deep breath and smiled again, figuring he was just nervous considering their location. "Maybe it was nothing, I—"

The murmur of mumbling from far off—but not too far off—met his hears next. And he could tell he wasn't just imagining it because Sally seemed to pause as though she had heard it too. "Wh-What's that?" he asked, swallowing and looking down at her with wide eye sockets.

"Um…I don't know." Sally bit her lip. "Maybe we should be quiet and listen?"

Jack nodded and the two were very silent for a moment.

The murmurs became distinct words to their ears now.

"Why was the tomb door to get down here open a crack? All of the good, damp, chilly Halloween air is going to leak out of here!" one distinctly panicky male voice said.

The Mayor, Jack and Sally realized.

"Maybe the wind did it. Or maybe someone had to come down here for something," another voice suggested, this one sounding a little high pitched and young.

Another female voice replied to it. "But why come down here this time of year anyway? No one ever comes down here unless it's Halloween! Or unless there's something suspicious going on!"

The witches, Jack and Sally realized now.

"It could just be the Vampire brothers. This is one of the darkest places in town right now and you know how they hate the summer sun," came a creepy sounding female voice.

Undersea Gal. Jack and Sally were blushing and blanching quite a lot at this point.

"Well, Jack and Sally aren't home yet so we'll have to get to the bottom of it ourselves," the Mayor added, still sounding terribly distressed. "I've asked Wolfman and Clown to guard the entrance while we're down here just in case anyone who might be down here tries to sneak out. And I've asked the corpse family to look around town for Jack. Oh dear, oh dear…I do wish Jack was here. He's much more stealthy and intimidating than anybody. What if the trick-or-treating trio is down here making mischief again? Or what if…Oogie Boogie!" He sounded practically at the point of a panic attack.

"Don't worry, Mayor," Undersea Gal replied, "We'll figure it out. And I'm sure it's got nothing to do with any of that."

"Yes, and we're all very scary ourselves either way," Helgamine added. "Now come on, let's split up!"

And then it sounded like some serious movement was going on with the party of people (who had been sounding ever closer as they spoke more and more).

Jack and Sally were still just frozen in shock upon the picnic blanket, eyes wide and looking at each other.

They seemed to communicate something silently now though and instantly both were on their feet and being as quiet and quick as possible about their actions. Almost everything was put away into the picnic basket already. Jack rolled up the picnic blanket to shove in their too as Sally pulled the hem of her dress back down and adjusted the sleeves so that they were over her shoulders. Jack fumbled to button his shirt and vest and managed to do so, though with several buttons in the wrong buttonholes. Sally put on her shoes and Jack adjusted his belt. Sally straightened her hair and Jack put on his own shoes. Then the two of them glanced around quickly to make sure that there were no signs of their presence in the room. The sound of very nearby footsteps made them pause for a moment, but then a final look at each other sent Jack and Sally (Jack with the picnic basket over one arm) bolting down any fresh tunnel the chamber had to offer…

…Just as the Mayor peeked into the room. "Hello!? Is somebody there?" he called uneasily, glancing around. And in truth, he could have sworn he had heard…something. Movement? Maybe a sound? Oh but perhaps it had been one of the others searching…Or what if it was something terrible waiting to swoop down upon the town and ruin Halloween! "Oh Jack…" he sighed, the frown on his sad face looking very deep, "Please show up with Sally and make this stressful situation better just like you always do! You know how bad I am in crises!" He bit his lower lip and glanced around the room again, and then chose another corridor of the chamber and walked off into there to investigate.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Several other corridors away, Jack and Sally were resting against a wall and panting heavily from running.

"That…was…close…" Jack barely got out, doing his best to catch his breath.

Sally nodded. "Yes…Very close…" She blushed a little, thinking how horribly awkward it would have been for them to actually be caught.

"Yes…" Jack let out a final deep sigh. They two of them were whispering as quietly as possible as they talked to each other now. "Sally, I don't want to cut our afternoon short but we should get out of here. Now. Even if they just find us walking around down here and not, um…like we were on the picnic blanket, they'll know we like to come here now. But if we can sneak out of here and into town or back to our house, they'll just look around here and find nothing and leave it alone."

Sally nodded. "Okay, Jack. That should work." She looked a little nervous. "Do you think we can really sneak out of here without any of them seeing us?"

Jack did his best to smile reassuringly. "Sally, I'm a master of stealth and you are the cleverest woman in town. I think we'll manage." He winked at her and his smile took on a little more confidence. "Now come on, let's do our best!" He started to sneak off to another corridor and her beckoned her to follow with a fingertip.

Sally giggled and followed after him. "Okay, Jack. We can try."

The two passed into another chamber…but unfortunately they could hear voices nearby suddenly again!

"Hmm, nothing here."

"This is boring. Can't we just leave it alone until Jack and Sally come back and they can look for whatever's down here! They could take care of something better than we can."

"Oh hush, we can take care of things just fine on our own, Zeldabourne. The Pumpkin King had better things to do than to investigate open doors in an underground burial chamber and so does the Pumpkin Queen!"

"I guess. But I still wish Jack was here. He makes walls fall!"

"Yes, yes, and he makes mountains crack. That's why he's the Pumpkin King. Now head down this way!"

"Oh alright, Helgamine."

The footsteps of the owners of the voices were getting closer and Jack and Sally knew they would have to race to another corridor or room now.

With only a look to each other, Jack and Sally agreed on a new path to talk and dashed down it.

Jack couldn't help smiling to himself a little as they ran and whispering lightly. "It's good to know they all still think I'm scary enough to make walls fall and mountains crack at least."

Sally smiled a little. "How is making a wall fall or a mountain crack scary though, Jack? I always wondered?" She tried not to laugh.

Jack couldn't help laughing a little more and shrugging himself. "I don't know. I guess it just sounds impressive. And anyway, I never actually made a wall or mountain scared enough to fall or crack of course. I just…might have screamed at the right pitch on a few mountain summits to cause an avalanche or two that then created a new mountain pass. And I might have startled some architects during the renaissance…and contributed to the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Just a little." He pinched his fingers together and smiled and shrugged sheepishly.

Sally blinked. "You made that Leaning Tower we visited during our honeymoon?"

Jack smiled a little more. "I just 'contributed.' Oh it would have leaned anyway, I'm sure. Few places in the real world have yet to embrace the unexpected stability of gothic and surreal architecture."

Sally laughed. "Yes, I suppose that's true. I really never see buildings like ours when we go—"

"Hello, is somebody there?"

The voice of Undersea Gal coming from right up ahead made Jack and Sally pause instantly. Jack, being a bit lighter on his feet (and a bit more knowledgeable about the burial chamber than Sally), took Sally's arm in one hand and grabbed hold of an unlit torch on the wall with the other. "Sally, just hold on please and try not to scream in surprise, alright?"

"Jack? What are you doing?" Sally blinked, and then suddenly felt like running again as she heard footsteps coming closer.

"Trust me." Jack smiled down at her reassuringly, and then he pulled the unlit torch, causing the space of wall there to open and turn, bringing Jack and Sally behind the wall (and out of sight of undersea gal).

"Oh—" Sally quickly covered her mouth, not wanting to scream too loudly. "Jack, what was that?" she asked, looking up at him.

Jack grinned down at her. "Secret passageway. For the private use of royalty only." He winked. "I used to do a lot of exploring in this place before I met you. It's been a while since I've been down here of course but I think I still remember well enough how to get around. I'll get us out of here in no time. Come on!" He took her hand and led her down a very dusty and unused corridor, whispering as they dashed along. "Just listen carefully and whisper quietly—this corridor runs between a few of the other ones and we don't want anyone to hear—Oh listen!" Jack paused and then put his ear to a wall. He nodded. "Hmm…one set of footsteps, not a long stride…Probably the Mayor." Jack searched along with wall with his hand, lit upon a certain brick and then gave it a push. The brick slide to the side, allowing Jack and Sally to look out into the adjacent hall. Sure enough, the mayor was there.

"Hellooo! Is anybody here? Oogie's Boys? Listen, I don't want any trouble, please oh please! I just want everyone to have a very peaceful summer so that we can rest up for a very terrifying Halloween! So whoever you are if you could just please leave the burial chamber and have your fun elsewhere, I would appreciate it very much. I really don't want to have to get the Pumpkin King and Queen involved!" The Mayor, his frowning face on, swallowed and glanced around the dim, cobweb filled area. "If I can find them…" he added in a quiet voice with a little gulp.

Sally pouted a little, looking down at the mayor. "Jack, I really think we should find him once we get out of here. He seems very stressed. I don't want to worry him like this."

Jack nodded, whispering back to her. "We will. Absolutely. As soon as we get out of here we'll drop off the picnic basket at our house and put on our bathing suits under our clothes and then get him first and everyone else last and head to the lake. And we'll be very good and responsible from now straight through to Halloween, and even into December for Christmas and the Doctor and Jewel's wedding. A model Pumpkin King and Queen." He smiled reassuringly.

Sally smiled back at him and giggled. "Okay, Jack. But let's hurry—I don't want to make him and the others worry about us any more than they have to."

Jack nodded. "Yes, the quicker the better." Jack pushed the brick back and led Sally onward. The continued down the corridor, turning down another one or two passageways until they came to a rusted suit of armor with a sword. Jack smiled. "Here we go." He took one of the armor's arms and gestured with his skull for Sally to take the other. "Just hold on, Sally. We're going to go through to the other side of the wall again."

"Oh, sounds like fun!" Sally jumped over to the armor suit and clung to its other arm. "Shall we then, my King?"

Jack laughed. "As you wish, my lady!" And with that he pulled up on the hilt of the sword the armor suit was holding and with a quick twist Jack and Sally were now on the other side of the corridor and in a parallel hallway.

They were both smiling at each other, preparing to say something.

Then both heard footsteps and looked just a little ahead of where they had just come out.

'Helgamine and Zeldabourne!' they both clearly wanted to scream at the sight of the witches with their backs to them not ten feet away.

Jack had just enough coherency to quickly yank on the sword handle again, whisking himself and Sally back into the wall and the hidden corridor just as the witched turned around. Jack and Sally could just make out their speech from behind the wall.

"Did you hear something?"

"Yes, I did. But it could have been the wind. Or a bat. Or a rat. Or one of the others."

"I don't know…I guess so. Come on, let's keep looking a little longer. Then we'll find the mayor. As far as I'm concerned, if someone wants to play around in here that's fine with me as long as they remember to shut the tomb door behind them to keep the cold, dead air in here. Hmph!"

The witches moved on.

Meanwhile, in the secret corridor, Jack and Sally were just leaning side by side against a wall, panting heavily. That had been SO close. The potential awkwardness of their situation had never seemed so real.

"Sally?" Jack whispered finally after a few minutes, glancing to her. She was still breathing heavily and it made his gaze dip down for a moment in distraction at the movements of her chest. But then he blinked and came back to the situation. "U-Um…I mean, Sally, I'm sorry. We'll be more careful. It'll be okay, don't worry."

Taking a few deep breaths, Sally managed a nod. "Yes, I'm all right... Don't worry. It was just an unfortunate coincidence, Jack. There's no need to be sorry."

"I know," Jack looked down though, "I just really don't want anyone to catch us down here. I know how much we both value our privacy about the romantic stuff. I don't want any awkward situations for you." He looked into her eyes and gave a small smile.

With a smile, she nodded and took a breath, "I know. But sometimes... I suppose we can't help but get into a little of a bind."

Jack laughed quietly, unable to help himself. "True. But I guess those binds have been kind of fun too. I mean, this is a little stressful, but I'm also kind of liking trying to escape with you."

"Mm-hmm, it certainly is fun... So...shall we keep going?" She said, indicating further ahead.

Jack nodded. "Of course." He took her hand again and led them along the passageway. "Let me see," he led them along a narrow path, pushing cobwebs out of the way. "If we keep going along here we should reach the room with the sarcophagi, and then there's a trapdoor in the ceiling there. If we head out of it, that'll put us in the side of the graveyard closest to our house."

"All right, then that should give us enough time to get away without them seeing us. Or if nothing else, we can play up as if we've been around there the whole time," Sally said, giving a nod of approval. "So...lead the way, Jack."

Jack smiled at her over his shoulder. "Of course, my love…" He lead her along a bit more and then stopped at a seemingly dead end wall and added, looking at her sheepishly, "Alright, we're going to have to leave the secret corridor now and head out into the main halls to reach the sarcophagi room. Are you ready?"

Sally nodded, completely prepared. She followed him along through the corridor, keeping as quiet as she could.

Jack got them to another suit of armor, letting her hand go so that she could hold firmly to it. "Let me listen first to make sure no one's in the hall." Jack pressed his ear up against the stones and listened very carefully. Being the master of fright, he was not only very stealthy but very good at detecting when other people were moving too. Satisfied by the silence he heard from the other side of the stones, though, Jack smiled at Sally. "All clear. Alright then…one…two...three!" he pulled on the spear the suit of armor was holding so that it would turn and whisk them to the other side of the wall.

"You certainly have thought of everything," Sally mused, taking in the entire secret passage ideal.

Jack smiled with a touch of pride, though he looked down shyly. "I try..." He moved a little closer to her, looking into her eyes, "It's much more fun getting to share it all with you though."

Jack smiled more and then gave her a little kiss on the forehead. Then he took her hand, helping her to step down from the pedestal that the suite of armor stood upon. "Alright, then, all we have to do is walk casually and quietly down this corridor and make a left, then we'll be in the room with the sarcophagi and we'll have our way out."

"Okay, let's get to it, then," Sally looked behind them once more. Not that she feared they'd be caught at this point, but it never hurt to make sure.

Jack hooked his arm with hers and started them on strolling together. He figured, as long as they seemed in the clear, they might as well talk a little as they walked. "You know, even if it's a risk, I really would like us to come down here more often. The house has been shut up for a couple of hours now-it's going to be like an oven in there when we get back." He sighed. "Maybe we could even bring Zero and Pearl down here with us for a picnic sometime-you know, I think it's going to be the half year anniversary of their little friendship soon. I think we should do something nice for them to celebrate." He smiled. "Maybe we could make Pearl her own tombstone or let them have the house to themselves for the evening while we go off walking and gazing at the moon and stars together." He smiled a touch more dreamily.

The idea made her giggle, nodding in agreement, "Oh, certainly! I think they'd love it if we did that."

Jack nodded. "Alright then. I'll talk to Zero about it and make sure he's comfortable with all of that." Then Jack blinked. "Oh, and, speaking of things coming up in a few months, remind me to get my wedding suit out of moth balls and cleaned up, Sally. Um…I was thinking of officiating the Doctor and Jewel's wedding myself this Christmas. What do you think?" He shrugged, looking at her for approval.

"You can do that?" Sally asked, curious.

Jack shrugged. "Well...I think I can. I mean, Santa did our wedding and he's a holiday leader. I'd have to ask him if there are any special steps or training I'd have to go through first, but otherwise I do think I'd be within my 'powers' as King to marry two people." Jack smiled and then added, "Unless you'd like to officiate yourself, being the Queen of Halloween and all."

"Oh, no! I just wondered if it was possible here, and if you had done it before," she said, shaking her head. "If you had wanted to, I certainly have no objections against it, of course."

Jack just laughed warmly. "Oh but I think you'd be very cute and haunting standing in front of everyone in another beautiful dress of yours and marrying the doctor and Jewel." Then Jack looked forward and shrugged again. "No, I've never actually married two people. That subject never has come up much around here. I suppose the Corpse Mother and Father were an exception, but they almost seemed married from the start and either way it was so long ago. I could barely deal with being King at the time-if you had told me that now I had to be responsible for marrying two people I probably would have run off into the hinterlands long before I actually ever did." He smiled more, looking at her again. "But I really would like to marry the Doctor and Jewel, Sally. It was so nice to find such happiness when you and I got married, I think the only experience that could even come close would be giving two other people that same happiness."

Taking this in, it made Sally smile thoughtfully. It was certainly an interesting thought, as well as a really nice sentiment. She could understand that since they'd been married, it was only natural that they'd want to spread the happiness if possible. "I think you're right, it makes sense. It'll be nice to give them that same happiness as well."

Jack smiled more. "And you'll be the matron of honor, so you'll be right up there with me. Even if trying to do this did make me nervous, with you nearby I'll at least feel better." He laughed and wanted to say something else sweet to her. Then he stopped perfectly still, causing her to stop as well. "Sally…" he whispered quietly, "footsteps…lots of footsteps. Do you hear them too?" He had to make sure it wasn't just his own nervousness.

"Yes," Sally frowned, stopping in her walking. "They're coming from above..."

Jack swallowed, looking very nervous all of a sudden. "Sally, walk faster with me please," he whispered in a voice clearly trying to sound calmer than Jack actually felt as he got them walking again and increased their pace quite a bit, barely remembering Sally's usual need to walk more slowly than he usually did due to the limited movements of her body.

Nodding, Sally let go and took his hand instead to allow for more space to walk. She bit her lip, looking up above them, as if it were some kind of monstrous threat on their trail. But she took a deep breath, calming herself, trying to will her legs to stay balanced and keep going.

"Um…Sally, dearest, I'm sorry, I don't mean to be in such a rush," Jack managed to explain as quickly and calmly as possible, "It's just...this is the lowest level of the burial chamber, then when we turn left at the end of the corridor and reach the sarcophagi room, the ceiling grate we can exit by will take us to the bottom of the hill at the end of the cemetery. But, um, for now, you see…all the other corridors end in staircases that lead down to this corridor. So we need to get out of this hallway now, before-" The footsteps were suddenly very close and clear voices could be heard too. Mumbling and wondering about what had gotten in here in the first place, the mayor fretting over not being able to fix this problem without Jack's help, someone suddenly wondering what the noises were in the main corridor below.

"Oh..." Sally groaned under her breath, realizing just how much this could get out of hand. "The barrier between up there and down here must be thin, it's no wonder they know something is down here."

Jack nodded. "The rock's a bit porous under here, it carries sound well." Then Jack let out a breath and stopped them completely for a moment. "I'm sorry, Sally, in advance, but we really do have to dash, so…" And then he had her scooped up, the picnic basket in her lap and was lightly dashing down the hallway with her in hold.

A yelp of surprise sounded from the rag doll at this sudden change, but she knew it was necessary. Overall, it was silly to be running from their own friends and family, but it was all they could do. Right now was just not the time to be caught. She bit her lip, managing to keep up in the dashing, looking all around her and upward. Hopefully they weren't close behind...

Jack really did practically run and as he swore he could hear footsteps and voices enter the corridor directly behind them, he dove left with Sally and safely out of sight, though he knew not quite out of reach of people yet. Jack put Sally down and grabbed old of the large handle to the sarcophagi room, pulling at it with all his might. The door budged about half way the first time and Jack stood back for a second, trying to catch his breath. Some people were definitely very close to them now though, just around the corner they had ducked behind. He quickly straightened up and went to give the door another strong pull.

"Hurry, Jack!" Sally whispered, wide-eyed as she looked behind them. "I think we're coming!"

Jack finally yanked at the door with all of his force and got it open. Then he quickly grabbed Sally by the waist and pulled her inside with him, then tried as hard as he could to pull the door shut...though as soon as he heard voices coming up to directly behind it he left the door alone. The last thing their friends needed to see what a door shutting seemingly by itself in this place. They would never stop patrolling here if they did! He took a second to catch his breath, just leaning against the wall. "Just…one second…darling…" he panted out slowly.

Holding her breath, as if afraid doing so would alert them, Sally tried to relax. She too leaned against the wall, trying to gather herself.

"Now what?" She whispered.

Jack let out one final deep breath, moving away from the door a little. He opened his mouth, about to speak…when... Helgamine's head popped through the open section of the doorway for a moment and glanced around. Then she looked over her shoulder. "Zeldabourne, tell everyone we should investigate in here. The door was opened." Then her head was gone for the moment. Luckily Jack and Sally had been against the door still, so she hadn't seen them, but they both knew now that everyone was coming. Jack's eyes went to the ceiling grate they would have to climb out of. It would be simple enough to climb up there but they didn't have the time now. They would just have to lie low. Jack glanced around and finally made the only choice he could think to make. He found the biggest empty sarcophagi and went for it, Sally in tow. "We have to hide, Sally! Now! We'll escape later," he whispered to her quickly.

Nodding, she decided not to respond verbally, as she figured that it was a safer bet. The sarcophagus was big enough for them both and would serve as a good hiding place until the coast would be cleared. Sally took a deep breath, then slipped into the sarcophagus as quietly as she could, hoping to leave no trace of them being there.

Jack slipped in after her and closed the sarcophagi all but entirely -he wanted to be able to peek out and to hear to see when everyone might leave.

Just then the witches, the Mayor and Undersea Gal all come into the room. "Spread out and search around," the Mayor suggested, his panicked face on. "If there's someone planning to do something to the sarcophagi, we have to stop them. These are antique relics and what will the mummy say come election time?!" The others nodded and proceeded to spread out and take a look around, glancing behind sarcophagi and into dusty corners. Inside of their sarcophagus, Jack looked to Sally and gave her a small reassuring smile, placing a single finger indicating silence across his lips.

Sally trembled, nodding, managing to keep herself from making a sound. She peeked out as well, seeing shadows and forms moving past the opening.

"There doesn't seem to be anything here!" Came the voice of Zeldabourne. "Nothing more than usual!"

"Guess it was just rodents or something," Undersea Gal was heard saying.

Jack couldn't help smiling more, almost wanting to laugh. He leaned in very closely and whispered light as air into Sally's ear, "You're quite stealthy, my Pumpkin Queen."

"I had to learn a few things when sneaking around daddy..." Sally responded with a little smile.

Jack smiled more. "And some of that sneaking around was for me, yes?" He tried very hard not to chuckle, but he did give a little kiss to her ear.

Nodding, she smiled, blushing a bit. "Yes..."

Jack nuzzled her gently. "Sometimes I snuck away from Halloween planning to go have tea with you. Our attraction was inevitable, my love." The tiniest laugh escaped him.

"Did you hear that?" Helgamine asked, taking off her hat and putting the pointed end to her ear to amplify the sound.

Jack blinked, closing his mouth and doing his best to stand as much in front of Sally as he could in the sarcophagus. At least if they were discovered, maybe everyone would be too distracted noticing him to notice Sally, and she could stay hidden and sneak off when it was possible.

Swallowing, Sally got behind him, peering over his shoulder to see out. She kept as quiet as possible, which wasn't hard. She was the town champ, after all.

"I didn't hear anything!" Said Zeldaborne, looking around them.

Jack spoke so very quietly to Sally again. "If they open this sarcophagus, I'm going to step out and close you in. I'm going to pretend I was just playing a little game, trying to give them a good scare. Then I'll take them away, and I'll come back to escort you home as soon as I can. If that's alright please nod, my love. If...If you wouldn't be 'comfortable' all alone here, just shake your head and I'll come up with something so you won't have to be by yourself, I promise."

"Are you sure?" Helgamine blew into her hat, causing a few moths to exit it, and put it to her ear again. There was silence now though. "It was probably just the slugs and snails," Undersea Gal suggested, "They like to come down here when the weather's too hot, and they make a slippery, oozy sound as they crawl."

Sally pondered, then nodded. If it came to that, she'd be fine waiting by herself for a few minutes.

Jack smiled and kissed her cheek in thanks.

"Oh, there's no one in here," the Mayor announced, backing away from a sarcophagus, "Nothing except these awful scorpions and they pinch! Ow!" One had hold of his finger and he shook his hand to get it to release. "Come on, everyone, let's check the hallways outside one more time and then do one more walk through of the burial chamber. If we don't find anything after that we can just mention to Jack and Sally later that we had some suspicions about the place." Everyone nodded.

"I still think we should spend some more time in this lowest corridor though," Zeldabourne suggested, "It's really easy to hide down here, after all, and we don't want the mummies coming back to any surprises."

Zeldabourne nodded. "Helgamine and I can take care of that while you and Undersea Gal recheck some of the side corridors, Mayor."

"Sounds fine to me," Undersea Gal said coolly. "I'd better get back to the water soon, though. I'm starting to dry up."

Sally let out a little sigh in relief. At least they were going to be leaving, now. They just had to hold out a bit longer...

"Alright, alright, everybody, check what you can, and Undersea Gal, please get back to the water soon then-if you dry out too much no one will be there to take care of the sea monsters and then what'll we all do?" announced the Mayor, still with his worried face. He waddled over and then pushed open the door. "Come along everyone, let's finish checking everything. Oh I wish Jack was here…" He shook his head in concern.

The voices of the investigating townsfolk began to fade as they left the chamber, heading out the way they'd come. Silent and waiting, Sally released a breath she hadn't realized she was holding, and peered through the crack.

"Are they gone?" She whispered.

Jack turned a little, then, as stealthily as possible, put his hand on the lid, opened it slightly and peered out. The room was empty, though he could see the door to the sarcophagi room was still partially open, and there was still light from a few torches in the hallway beyond. "They're gone," he whispered quietly, pulling his head back in, "But they're nearby. I think we should wait until the light from the torches goes out-that'll mean they've left the hallway entirely. Then we can sneak out easily."

"Right," she said, taking a breath. "I think we can hold out until then."

Jack nodded and smiled softly, cuddling close to her. "This reminds me of…when you had to hide. That time at our first Christmas when I had to save you."

Pausing in thought, the rag doll's eyes went wide as she remembered that. How odd, it had been nearly three years ago, now. So strange. It felt as if it were only yesterday. A lot had changed since then, but she could vividly remember those moments. How scared she was, hoping with all her heart that Jack would overtake Oogie. The fire, the shadows, the darkness, the machines and weapons...

"I remember..." She murmured, not quite looking at him.

Jack kissed her cheek gently. "I'm sorry," he whispered softly, "I try not to bring it up. I know it upsets you...hurts you..." he frowned, "Ever since…with touching your leg the first time, and you seemed so sad when I brought 'him' up…" He let the fingers of one of his hands gently entwine with hers. "I wish I could have found somewhere safer to put you while I fought." He frowned a little more. "Maybe it was a bad idea, coming to this room down here..."

Shaking her head, Sally managed to smile, "It's all right. I was just lost in the memories. And it wasn't as if you had much of a choice about where to hide us like you did. You know I don't begrudge you for that."

Jack smiled a little again. He nuzzled her, reaching up and gently touching a piece of her hair. "Sally, I was thinking…it's been a while now…and I don't want anybody stumbling down to that old lair or getting hurt-or worse, Lock Shock and Barrel getting into some of the old gadgets down there for pranks. So I was thinking of having the area underneath the old bridge filled in. I-I think that with enough soil and then some plans and proper digging tools and a little water from Undersea Gal's lake that area could actually be turned into a spooky pond or even a swamp. What do you think?" He smiled sheepishly.

Giving it some thought, she nodded and smiled with approval. "That's a great idea, I think. It will help a lot to have it secured in some way. I think filling it in works very well."

Jack beamed a little bit. "I'm happy, Sally. Really, really…happy. There's no use for such an awful place here anymore anyway." He laughed and then held her shoulders and kissed her happily.

"You're right, Jack... You're absolutely right," Sally agreed, looking relieved. She peered through the open lid. "Oh, I think the coast is clear now. Should we go?"

Jack sighed softly with a grin. "Oh I suppose. I'm going to miss our private little place down here though until the next time we can return." He then pushed open the sarcophagus door wide and stepped out gracefully, taking Sally's hand and gently pulling her out as well, and pulling her close to him in the process. "That was a great deal of fun, my love-sneaking around and hiding and slipping into secret corridors. Very scary." He smiled charmingly and winked.

Sally nodded with agreement, taking it all in. "It was fun... It really was. Not quite as planned, but that's all right."

Jack nodded. "Yes, well…when all else fails, if we want privacy we still have our lovely gothic home we can always retreat to." He led them over to the ceiling grate.

"Mm-hmm, that's very true... I'm sure we'll even find other hiding places."

"The sarcophagus was a nice place to hide…It sort of reminded me of that secret coffin we keep under the bed at home." He chuckled, helping her to step on a few stacked sarcophagi to reach the ceiling grate.

Sally giggled at the thought, shaking her head. "That's true, isn't it?"

"Mmm hmm..." Jack looked down a little shyly as he followed after her. "Hey, um…Sally? I was wondering, since we got interrupted here, maybe before we go to the lake we could go home for a little while and play 'heat wave' sort of like we do each year. What do you think?" He blanched a little and half grinned as they reached the grate and he pushed it open and climbed out and then held out his hand to help Sally climb out as well.

Taking his hand, she managed to pull herself out with his help. She blushed a bit from his suggestion, a little tingle running up her spine. "I like the sound of that, actually."

Jack's whole look brightened up. "Really?" Jack felt a little kink work through his own spine as they now sat here in a little spot of cool, dead grass at the bottom of the hill below the cemetery. He swallowed then, glancing away with his happy grin. "I'm glad. I like playing heat wave…a lot. And you're very good at it, after all…"

"What better time than during an actual heat wave?" Sally giggled, winking a bit.

Jack chuckled. "And, um…perhaps, next time we visit the burial chamber we could pick up where we left off?" He stood, taking her hand and helping her stand. "Though until then we have our lovely little home, ma belle nana." He kissed her hand affectionately.

Sally giggled, blushing a bit more. "Shall we go there, then?"

Jack nodded, smiling, looking happy and playful again. "Want to race? I promise I'll give you a head start, and if you really do fall behind I'll double back and scoop you up in my arms to carry you."

Rolling her eyes, she decided to just concede and have fun with it anyway. That was the entire point, anyway.

"Sure, Jack. We can race."

Jack grinned. "Okay then. You start running, my darling, and I'll count to three and dash after you."

"Fine, then. You're on..."

Prepping her stance, Sally then started to run, in her own little way, going along the path toward home. She laughed, despite the heat, humidity and lack of a breeze.

Jack knew he should go after her soon but it was cute watching her run away-how she laughed and almost wobbled a little but managed to keep going just the same. Then finally he did go after her, his long strides catching up with her quickly. He didn't mind though-if he passed her, he would get to go back and carry her the rest of the way home and that was one of his favorite things to do ever while she held her arms around his neck and rested her head against his chest. So they would go home and play together in their special way, and then down to the lake for a picnic and a little summer party with everyone-they're whole big extended town family. The idea made Jack smile, and it was funny but, though he knew he was supposed to like October and the Fall best, he loved Summer very, very much right now, and he hoped this last little heat wave would linger before the cold weather and the start of the holidays came upon them again.