Atropa Belladonna (A Nightmare Before Christmas Fanfic 2)

Where it Lies

Flash-forward to now: Still November

I ruffle Strange's sleek hair before I get up to leave but stop for a moment and turn back to his vertical form. The doctor and Jewel had moved him to the other bedroom next to the lab. It was mine before. He was covered with quilted blankets.
I reach out and brush my thumb over one of his felt cheeks.
"I wish you would have woken up. We could have had fun together on Halloween. You, me and Jack..."
Last month was my first Halloween. I was even now a member of the opening song, taking the verse
"I am the shadow of the moonlit night, filling your dreams to the brim with fright"
I had the strongest feeling that something would go astray as the gates opened to the mortal world.Even with having a good time Jack and I were on our guard at my insistence. Yet nothing happened... I'm still suspicious.
I come back to our one way conversation.
"Im going somewhere....I won't be seeing you for a while, I don't know how long"
"I know I've tried everything to bring you back but while I'm gone I'll see if I can find help. My people also have said that I have to figure out something, getting away might be beneficial..."
"Of course Jacks coming with me" I scoffed "but I guess you wouldn't really like that would you"
My slight smile fades because he's still unresponsive.
"You'll be safe. Course you'd argue that you can take care of yourself just fine but...the feeling has grown on me that I should be the one to protect you. But now that I'm leaving you, you won't be under my protection"
I fold my arms in front of myself
"I have these bad senses about this trip but I need to go to fulfil the Shadowlings wishes"
I'm just thinking out loud now, talking to Strange is nice but he wouldn't answer my problems even if he was awake.
"So I guess this is goodbye for now, friend" I say, giving one last lingering crease to his feline ear.
I only look back once as I'm closing the heavy metal door.
"Hellllooooo!" Jacks voice calls from the opened front door.
"I'm up here Jack! Just come to say goodbye to everyone" I projected at the top of the spiral brick staired tower.
"So you ready to go then?" He asked eagerly up to me.
"Yes" I answered as I hurried down the stairs. I had no bag to bring for I was used to traveling with nothing at all.
"I just need to pick up what the doctor has been working on for me" Jack said excitedly as I came to the bottom.
"Oh you must let me see it! Jewel has him eating lunch in the kitchen, says being held up in the lab all day long isn't good for him" I grinned.
"Bet he has no complaints about her decision though" he guessed.
"Not a one" I conferred while chucking I made my way to the front door.
"I'll wait at the Hinterland edge, you can meet me there when you've finished, yah?"
"Splendid! See you there!" He said looked a little conspicuous standing at the foot of the stairs.
I choose to ignore it and gave a slight wave that he returned.
But when I turned to close the door Jack was making his way up the stairs instead of the kitchen. Odd.
Well he was just being a snooping in the lab before the doctor finds out. It seems like one of the likely outcomes.
So I hopped lightly for at a time down the uneven stone steps to the gates that creaked like all the rest of the gates in Halloween town.
After Halloween, Jack reposed to me that we should visit the other holidays and also explore the one from different countries of the world.
Jack has been getting antsy for new ideas for next Halloween and thinks this is a marvellous way to get inspiration and also discover these unknown Holliday worlds.
I think he also asked me to come with because he might feel we are drifting apart. I think our friendship is how it should.
He always wants something more out of our relationship. He's my best friend. I love him and care for him but I'm not in love with him as much as he might hope. But I think he respects my wish of remaining companions even if I can feel that he is disheartened by losing another potential love interest. He's a romantic but he should learn not to be one sometimes. 
I do hope this trip will strengthen our friendship, loyalty and trust in each other instead of a romance.
I cringe inwardly and outwardly if that is what Jack is doing here.
"Hello there wondering stranger." A familiar fluttery voice presented itself along with the floating spectre of Annebelle.
I stop in my tracks I give a guilty grin "Hello Annie, how are you?"
Where in the graveyard flower gardens, i should have known wee I was treading. She awkwardly started to pick at the pleats of her translucent gown "Whatever happened to our afternoon teas?" She showed her upset in the smile that was hardly there.
"You've been distant to me and Ruby" she said before I could respond "And Jack, I've heard..." She side eyes me. Now I know she's heading towards a lecture.
"You're giving into your kinds weakness you know. This is how your people die out. They find light in other beings to stay alive but retreat from it once they think they've had too much then disappear into the grey. I told you love was the answer, even the love of a friend-" she tries to drift closer to I put my hands up " I don't need this conversation. It's what your default is to lecture on! "We loved with a love that was more than love" don't give me that drivel for the hundreds time Annebelle Lee.
It's like her form deflated but her fallen expression turned to a start one "one of these days you need to learn to actually listen to others besides only yourself Nightshade"
I try to glide away "I do listen, and I follow instructions and-" "yes but you don't understand what's being asked of you" she tried to shift to my side and keep up with my pace. I stop and I am face to face with her
"No! I don't understand! I have to figure out something where I don't even know what that something is! I don't know the big picture, I don't know what all the pieces put together make! Since you're so clever you must understand everything don't you Annebelle!"
"I will not be talked to in that way-" she lifted her chin and rouse to my hight and I pull out my blade from mist air on instinct. She glances at it in my hand. "Is this a duel now or are you just trying to seem more threatening" she bit in a harsh and hushed tone.
"Since a mist weapon can harm all paranormals I say I'm not "Trying" to be threatining" her pretty brow knitted with concern "Would you really harm me though Nightshade"
Seeing her honest uncertainty makes my frown deepen and I back off "no" I disparate my tool "our disagreements get heated"
"That's because we're similar and opinionative" she looks at me and her tone is now caring "Maybe the journey that you will embark on will bring you back to us, I know Jack would like his friend back" she folded her hands in front of her looking like I have something to be ashamed of.
I scoffed "Yah, right well I'm considering this trip is a ploy for him to get back something even more than a friend." I fold my arms tightly.
She looked at me in puzzlement "wait do you think that-" then a small knowing smile started to spread on her lips "Oh Nightshade, soon you'll have no worry were Jacks true heart and love lies" she muses as she floats away from me and as I protest she disappears into another plain, a part of her fading away at a time
"A load of nonsense" I mutter, as I scuff up the ground "Why don't you snuff it a second time! They're not gonna scribble another poem about you then!" She gone and can't hear me but as I make my way down the path I fume and grumble on my way.