Sk: I retuuuuuuurn! X3
Michael: ... yay?
Sk: Shut up, you.
Jack: *snickers* No one..... cares.
Sk: ... you two always say things that you know will hurt me. <_< >_> <_< And if you want to find out whether Chels and Michael are okay - Yey, people care about them! =3 - You'll just have to read on now, won't you? X3
---
Jack sped over and knelt next to his daughter, wrapping his arms around her very gently and holding her to his chest. Lock stopped short, not daring to venture any closer. He could wait - for now.
"Chelsea? Chelsea! Wake up!" Jack whispered desperately, shaking his daughter gently. Chelsea's head lolled against his chest, but she didn't move. A few leaves fluttered to the ground from the widening rip in her back. Kris literally jumped to her feet and rushed over, falling to her knees next to him.
"Chels! Chelsea, wake up!" she cried, willing the tears in her eyes to go away. But she faltered, and those well hidden tears fell to the ground as she let her head hang. Shock's hardened eyes softened as she stood up, staring at the ground. Anarchy walked over to her younger sister, and put an arm around her.
"What's wrong, sister?" she asked softly, running a slender hand through her hair. Shock looked up to her, the young witch's eyes full of guilt.
"I just feel... so bad." she whispered back, resting her head against Anarchy's shoulder. Anarchy nodded, sighing.
"I understand."
Link glared over at them, astonished at what he was seeing - and hearing - from the sisters. He snorted angrily and slinked into the darkness, the glazed purple in his eyes replaced by an angry violet. Lock watched his brother slink off, blinking. He walked over to the witches, before looking back at Chelsea. Jack and a now sobbing Kris were still trying to wake her. He sighed and shook his head, before motioning for the sisters to follow him. They looked at each other, nodded, and obediently followed.
Barrel and Cask, however, were now next to Bayley, laughing. "Nice one, Bayley!" Cask ginned, folding his arms and smirking at the boy. Bayley looked at him and faked a smile. Barrel laughed and batted him on the shoulder gently.
"Yeah! Never stood a chance, she didn't."
"Eh heh, yeah, guys, you're right... she didn't..." he uttered, forcing a laugh. Barrel and Cask just laughed and high-fived each other.
---
"What did you do to her!?"
Anarchy cried out as Lock smashed her into the wall, holding onto her collar. The woman gulped, wincing and turning her head to the side. "I-I-I d-don't-"
"Well? What did you do?" Lock roared angrily, his tail stiffening and swaying dangerously behind him. Shock gasped and gently placed her hands on his shivering shoulder, pulling him back gently.
"She doesn't know!" Shock explained desperately. "She doesn't know what happened! All she knows is that the item was enchanted!" she cried, trying to pull the incubi off her sister. He backed up, letting Anarchy drop to the floor. He narrowed his eyes and folded his arms, baring his fangs at the witch.
"Well, fix it!" he snarled. Anarchy looked up at him, fear in her eyes. She knew what Lock was capable of, although he didn't know the extent of it. She whimpered softly, looking away.
"I can't do it..." she uttered, flinching. Lock growled warningly, his tail swaying dangerously.
"What do you mean, can't do it?"
"I can't!" she cried, snapping. Shock had only ever seen her sister like this once, and that was when Oogie broke her and Link up. Not to say that they didn't get back together after figuring out how to assure Oogie that their relationship was nothing against anyone else in the tree house. Then again, she had never seen Lock in this state, in the whole time she had known him. "I can't do it!" Anarchy reinstated, looking up at him. "I can't because I don't know what spell it was!"
Lock growled angrily, and stalked away. Shock wrapped her arms around her sister, hugging her close.
"It's all right, Annie." she comforted, as the woman leaned into her arms. "He's gone now. We'll resolve this, don't you worry."
---
Jack stood up, his pale daughter limp in his arms. He sighed shakily and looked over at Kris, whom pulled herself up and looked at him, wiping her eyes dry. She sighed gently, looking up.
"Is she g-going to b-be ok-katy, Mister Skellington...?" she asked softly. Jack stared at the ground.
"Only time will tell us that." he replied delicately, trying not to set the Christmas Towner off again. She nodded and looked away, before Maree stood up. The were-cat walked over, hooking her arm around Kris'.
"C'mon, now." Maree smiled, tugging her a little. "I'll show you to where your old man is, ne?"
"You know where grandpa is?" she asked, her face lighting up. Maree grinned and nodded, pulling her along.
"And your 'dog', as so he calls it. C'mon! You can help get the other people back to their towns as well, alright?"
"Alright..." she whispered, following. Jack smiled slightly, watching the pair walk off. Caroline looked over at Bayley, whom was now sitting at the edge of the platform, staring down into the lava. Anne put her hand on the girl's shoulder.
"C'mon, Caroline, let's go." she beckoned, before helping her father up. Michael looked over at the blonde, before running a hand through his daughter's hair gently.
"Leave her be, Anne." he whispered, beginning to walk after Jack. "She'll come in her own time. Just.... let her talk to your cousin for a bit."
Anne blinked and looked at him strangely, before nodding, her mouth open slightly in understanding. She followed, looking back over her shoulder.
"Bayley..." Caroline whispered, gently, putting a hand on Bayley's shoulder. Cask and Barrel had long run off to their room to talk of everything that had happened that night. The boy looked up at her, before standing, staring at the ground.
"Hey... Hey, Caroline..." he uttered, looking away as Caroline tried to catch his gaze. She blinked and cupped his chin with her hand, pulling him to face her.
"Bayley, cheer up." she urged, gently stroking his arm. She blinked as he fell to his knees, burying his face into his hands, his body shaking with his quiet sobbing.
"How can you tell me to do that!?" he cried, shaking his head. The poor girl couldn't tell whether he was mad or upset. She knelt next to him, pulling him against her softly. "I've done something horrible! Something terrible!" he sobbed into her shoulder as she gently stroked his neck and back. She nuzzled into his cheek, before drawing back slightly in surprise.
"Oh, Bayley..." she soothed, rubbing the tears from her nose and hugging him tightly. "I didn't know you felt so bad about hurting her..."
"She is the only one that I could care about this much in my household!" he cried, still shaking. "I can't believe I did that! I was just so angry...."
"Shhh, it's alright, Bayley, she'll be alright...." Caroline continued to soothe him, nuzzling gently against his neck, holding him tight. "You know she won't give up that easily." she whispered as he turned his head, gently nuzzling against her cheek. She smiled and looked at him, forcing her deep and aqua blue eyes to change to a happier shade of scarlet and firey orange, just for him. She winced for a second, getting used to the no longer forced expression, the red and orange of her eyes enhanced by the bubbling lava. She stood up slowly, pulling him up with her.
"But what if she isn't, Caroline?" he asked softly, looking down at her. Caroline ran a finger gently along his burn, before kissing him on the cheek.
"Don't you worry." she smiled, nuzzling into his chest and wrapping her arms around his chest. "She will get better. Knowing your father, he'd have gone straight to the doctor." she giggled, looking up at him. Bayley looked away.
"Right.... well, if the doc can't help her..."
"Don't think that way." she whispered, standing on tip-toe and kissing the bridge of his nose gently. "He -will- and you know it, alright?" she smiled. He nodded, before gasping and grabbing her hand. "W-what's wrong, Bayley?" she asked, looking at him, her eyes melting back to blue and aqua. He looked back.
"My uncle!" Bayley exclaimed, pausing his escape. "He told Anne not to call you away, in case you wanted to talk to me."
"What significance is that?" the blonde asked, pulling herself along with him. He narrowed his eye sockets slightly.
"What do you mean? He..." He paused, beginning to drag her again. Caroline gasped and looked at him again.
"You mean... they might know about us...?"
"Precisely!" Bayley snarled, pulling her out into the now cool night air. "But my Uncle Michael knows when to keep a secret. I have a better relationship with him than a lot of people."
"Then why in such a rush?" Caroline asked, blinking. Bayley looked away.
"Well, I know that Anne won't... but what if Uncle Michael tells your uncle that you're with me? No doubt that he and dad'll make even more rules for you, and think of more ways to keep us apart!"
Caroline's face turned pale. "Oh gosh!" she gasped, nodding. She began running with him, as quickly as she could in her heels. Her lacy dress caught in the wind as she ran, holding Bayley's hand tight. No matter what mood he was in, he couldn't help but smile as he looked back at her every so often. She just looked beautiful. He shook his head and cleared his thoughts, beginning to run faster. Caroline was now having trouble keeping up. "Bayley, wait up!" she pleaded, not letting her grip on his hand loosen. He slowed as she tripped, sending the blonde to the ground.
"Caroline!" Bayley cried, stopping to help her up. She winced as she stood. Bayley looked at her with concern as he helped her brush off her dress. "Caroline, are you quite alright?" he asked softly, taking her hand again. She nodded.
"Yes, Bayley, I am... I just landed on my ankle a little funny." she whispered, looking away. Bayley sighed and pulled her into a hug, stroking her back softly. He didn't care right now whether anyone saw them or not, out in the open of the graveyard. His only concern was the teenage girl in front of him, leaning against his chest.
"Are you sure? Can you still ru-"
His question was cut off by a soft, but high-pitched voice. "Awww, ain't it cute!?"
"Quiet, Sakura!" Willow whispered, walking out into the open. Bayley glared at the trees, but let up as he realised who it really was.
"Oh, it's just you two." he sighed in relief. "Hello there, Sakura, Willow. How are you?"
"Oh, good, good." Willow whispered. Sakura eyed them, blinking.
"What're you two up to? Out for a moonlit walk?" she giggled in a mock dreamy voice. Bayley shook his head and sighed.
"No, you dolt, you know very well that I... well, ran away." he snapped. He looked back down at the girl before him. "And now poor Caroline's hurt her ankle."
"Oh my!" Willow whispered, placing a branchy hand on the girl's shoulder. "Are you quite alright, my dear?"
"Yeah, I'm fine..." she whispered, looking up at the tree. Her eyes blazed to scarlets and fiery colours as she got an idea. "Hey, um... Sakura, Willow.... Happen to know any ways that Bayley and I could get into the town without being seen?"
---
Sk: >F3 Yep, Caroline isn't always the good girl. <_< Oh, who am I kidding? She's just trying to save Bayley's skin.
Rsk: Metaphorically, of course.
Bayley: I'll kill that cat for hurting Cay...
Sk: *now hiding behind Caroline* You got a leash for him?
Caroline: *sweatdrops* No.
