"Skelly!" Dad called several minutes later.
I wiped my eyes and came downstairs just as Dad shut the front door.
"Honey, what happened?" he asked. "Why is your crack worse?"
"W-well...when the Mayor said you were dead," I replied, "I fainted. I guess I hit my head again."
"Sheesh," Dad replied. "That's some high stress level there. But...why are you stressed in this first place?"
I looked down at the ground, biting my lip.
"Honey, you know you can talk to me," he said.
"I know."
I shuddered, wondering how he'd react.
"Um...Lock's upstairs," I said.
"What?" Dad asked. "Why?"
"Um...well...I've been--we've been...dating," I stammered.
Dad blinked in surprise. "Wasn't expecting that," he said.
"You're not mad?" I asked, not looking up at him.
"No, of course not," Dad replied. "I always knew something was different about him. That's why I never annoyed him as much. Those other two, though..."
"That's where I was going," I replied. "Shock and Barrel realized Lock and I were dating, and they took him down to Oogie Boogie's lair. Oogie Boogie beat him nearly to death." I started crying. "Lock is so scared of him," I murmured.
"Well...hold on, did you not hear?" Dad asked.
"What?" I inquired.
"I killed Oogie Boogie."
I looked up that time. "You killed him?" I asked. "Why?"
"Hey, I had every right to," Dad said. "He was trying to kill Sandy Claws and Sally. So, I gave him what he deserved."
"Did you split one of his seams?" I asked.
"Yep," Dad replied. "Lock doesn't have to worry about him anymore."
"Good," I sighed. But then I remembered the reason I'd been stressed out in the first place, and I started crying harder.
"Come sit down with me, Skelly," Dad said.
I sat down next to him on the couch.
"What else is going on?" he asked. "You were stressed before Oogie Boogie beat Lock up."
"Um...well, I don't know how to say it," I replied.
"Just tell me," Dad said.
"I...I just...I just feel like...the daughter that can...no matter how hard she tries, she...she can't...she can't live up to...to her dad," I whispered.
"Skelly," Dad sighed.
I started crying even harder, and I buried my face in his shoulder. He stroked my hair, letting me cry and cry until I couldn't cry anymore.
"Baby, look at me," Dad replied. I looked up at him. "You don't have to," he said. "I felt that same way with my dad. My dad and I were...never really on the best terms, if you know what I mean. My mom and I were close, though. You know what my mom told me once?"
"What'd she say?"
"She said these exact words: 'No matter what happens, you will never be like your father. And I don't want you to be. I want you to be you.'"
I gulped, wiping the last of my tears away.
"Honey, I don't want you to be exactly like me," he continued. "You're your own person. And I don't want you to be someone you're not. Understand?"
"Yeah," I whispered. "Dad? There's something else."
"Go on."
"I...I'm really missing Mom," I said. "I guess it's because I'm growing up and..."
"You saw me and Sally, didn't you?" he sighed.
"It's not...well, I did, but that didn't upset me," I replied. "I've been missing her, ever since I was old enough to understand that she was never going to come back. Also..." I stopped.
"Yes?"
"I know," I said.
"Know what?"
"That she was human," I replied.
"How long have you known that?!" Dad exclaimed.
"A while," I giggled.
"Child, you and your stupid snooping," Dad teased.
"Hey!" I whined.
"I'm kidding."
"How...why did you...what?" I asked. "I'm confused."
"Long story short, I went to the human world. I saw her, she saw me, and I guess she just got stuck here," Dad explained. "But there's a lot more to it than that. She...I brought her here for...complicated reasons."
"You'd better not make me snoop again," I said. "You're telling me eventually."
"I will, I will," Dad said.
"I have to go check on Lock," I replied.
I went upstairs to my room, Dad following me.
"Ouch," he said.
"Sssh," I whispered. "He's cute when he's asleep. Don't wake him up."
Dad sighed heavily. "My little girl is growing up," he said. "That is not okay."
I smiled. "Can Lock live with us from now on?" I asked.
"Sure."
I smiled, knowing everything would be okay. Lock was safe with me now. Mom...well, I still missed her, but knowing that I'd soon find out more about her made me feel like she was right there with us. And best of all, I didn't have to live up to Dad. I could be myself, Jazmine "Skelly" Skellington. Dad would leave a legacy, and when I became the Pumpkin Queen, I would make sure that his legacy lived on.
THE END!!!
(A/N - There will be a sequel coming up! Hope you enjoyed this story!)