Two Dearest Friends

Is She Scary?

Finklestein is not surprised Sally doesn't return home early.

He spends his time looking outside of the window, watching as the reds, yellows, and oranges gradually turn darker. After hours of waiting, he finds himself staring at the endless amounts of stars in the sky. And in that time, he feels...numb. He thinks of nothing, feels nothing, and says nothing. He spends his time counting how many stars he sees, wondering to himself why he's never looked at the sky like this before. But then it dawns on him why he is sitting in his Laboratory late at night, waiting for someone instead of going to bed. And then the image of Jack Skellington and Sally comes back into mind, and he desperately counts the stars again, hoping it will ease him once more.

The sound of the front door squeaking open interrupts this process. He wheels himself into the doorway as fast as he possibly can, where he stumbles upon his ragdoll stepping inside, peering around cautiously. It isn't long until his face emerges from the dark. Finklestein turns on the oil lantern he's been gripping in his hand. She lets go of the door, sending it to slam back into place. She stands upright and holds her hands in front of herself. Although she smiles at him, the Doctor can sense her guilt. They stand there for a few moments in silence - taking in the situation at hand.

"Hello..." She greets nervously. He adjusts his glasses with a knowing look in his eyes. Nothing is going to fool him at this moment.

"Hello, Sally. Have you forgotten about our little promise earlier?"

She pretends to remember. "Oh, yes...I-I'm sorry..I was just-- the time just slipped by-" His impatient look stops her from blabbering on. "Did you still want to do that?"

"What I had to say doesn't matter now." He sighs after that sentence. "But you can answer one thing: where have you gone this time, girl?"

"The town was carving pumpkins. I wanted to join in." She holds her head low. "I'm sorry. I should have asked for your permission before I left."

He gets the impression this is false, for he witnessed the true source of her departure, but he doesn't find that lying look about her eyes. Had she gone out to participate in those festivities again? Previously, he'd be upset with this information. Countless of times he told her to stay away from the town and its celebrations...but that was from her restlessness. For this reason, he isn't mad about it. He is instead more upset about the missing part of this story -- stabbing a pumpkin multiple times is nothing compared to kissing a man she isn't promised to, after all.

"Well, I'm relieved you made it home safely. That's one of the reasons I don't want you leaving here. Who knows what can happen to you when I'm not there..."

"I took care of myself," She assures. "No reason to worry."

"I wouldn't if you just stayed in your room like you are told." Her eyes lower. "You never finished your homework, did you?"

"No...I'll take care of it first thing after breakfast tomorrow. I promise."

Does a promise MEAN anything anymore? He wonders, but nods regardless. "Go to bed, now. It's getting late."

She leaves for her room above. He watches her figure grow smaller until it disappears into the door. He stays in this position before turning around and entering his lab. He has something more on his mind than sleeping at this moment -- an idea he's kept tucked away, but now has grown prominent in his brain...Reaching for a piece of paper and a pencil, he designs something new. A project he will surely come to love, and become more invested in than anything...a project that will take his mind off of this Jack-and-Sally nonsense, and he will finally be in his own, comfortable bubble again...