-As you may have noticed, Sally doesn't exist in this Fiction. I am basing this crossover from the original poem by Tim Burton where Sally and Oogie Boogie do not exist. I did this because is obvious that this is a Jack/Emily story and I can't bring myself to break Sally's poor little heart!-

"Happy Halloween!" Sandy Claws said waving from the sky.

"Merry Christmas!" Jack called back, his long skeleton arm waving, and to the town's merriment, it started to snow!

Jack held up his arms to catch the falling flurries, the soft fluffy ice reminding him of his time in Christmas town. And something else before he couldn't quite place his bony finger on.

"Like a memory long since past."

He mumbled amidst the frolicking town, quickly picking up on what the small elves were doing in Christmas town, building snowmen, making snow angels, and even hockey!

Some started to notice he was standing out and not joining in on all the fun, so as he had done plenty of times before, he slipped away to the graveyard out of the notice of the citizens of Halloween Town and made refuge on the large hill, looking odd, but beautiful covered in snow.

No, taking over Christmas did not quench his curiosity and only intensified his need to find out what was on the back of his mind, constantly nagging him to be set free, but as much as he tried to help it, there seemed to be a stronger force holding him back.

He huffed and sat on the hill, snow deep enough to cover his legs.

His situation reminded him of his Lament the night before he ran into Christmas Town. Despite everything he went through since then, he hadn't solved any of his problems he addressed. Well, other than finding out the hard way that you shouldn't mess with anyone else's stuff.

A small bark sounded from behind him, and floating up the hill was his ghost dog, Zero.

He greeted Jack with a nuzzle from his glowing nose and let out a questioning whine as to why the Pumpkin King was still troubled.

"I don't know Zero. I'm trying to remember something of my past, but can't get through when I first came to Halloween Town. So naive and eager to fill my empty skull. Perhaps I packed in too much?" He asked hopelessly.

Zero cocked his head to the side questioning his reasoning. No, his cranium was far from full!

He gathered a possible solution and stood up in triumph.

"Eureka! I should go on a quest to find where I came from before I became the legendary Pumpkin King! I couldn't have just popped out of thin air, could I?"

He began pacing along the top of the hill, excitement pouring out of every pore! Metaphorically speaking, a skeleton wouldn't have pores.

"I am a skeleton, the remains of a person, so perhaps I was once alive! I could just be trying to remember my life before now! None of the other citizens seem to remember anything other than Halloween town. Maybe death erases your mind somehow!"

He started to trot back to the town with Zero floating at his heels.

"I hope this doesn't go wrong, like last time I set out on a quest!"

Unfortunately, when he returned to the town, they had all retired to their beds and coffins. It had been a long night, and no one had gotten any sleep thanks to Jack's death scare.

He too should be tired after being shot from the sky, but he was so excited to find out who he really was!

"Well Zero, sleep seems to make time lapse. Maybe I could try and sleep tonight, but I'm not making any promises!"

To his surprise, as soon as he slipped into his PJs and slipped into his bed, he felt the energy sap out of his bony body.

The next morning, the whole town wanted to hang around him all day, as if he would die if he slipped out of sight again. Understanding, he decided to stay and enjoy the feast they prepared for his homecoming.

"Jack! We missed you so!" One of the witches said swooning.

"Yes, what would we possibly do without you! Why, Halloween wouldn't be nearly as charming without you in it!" The other said before giggling with the other ladies they sat with.

So they to the normal routine where Jack laughs nervously and pretends to let the advance fly over his head.

He looked around the table to engage in conversation in hopes to bring his attention away from the girls and his empty sockets met with Dr. Ficklestien.

Yes, if anyone were to know about what lies before Halloween Town, it would be him, the smartest doctor around!

Yet he didn't want to bring his question to the attention of everyone at the dinner, so he made a mental note to talk with him first thing after the meal.

After a few hours of joking, eating, and telling tales of how scared the living were with Jack as Sandy, the citizens cleared up the remains of the large feast and let Jack go about his own duties.

"Dr. Ficklestien!" Jack called chasing the Dr's wheelchair, pushed by his new wife, who had been made while Jack was off with Christmas.

"Hello Jack." The Dr greeted. "I must say, I'm surprised to see you with something else on your mind so soon."

"You have a point," Jack said shrugging. "But, my trip brought a question to my mind."

"Well spit it out dear boy, you're shacking like a leaf on the eve of Autumn!"

"Did anything exist for me before Halloween town?"

The Dr just bobbed his head in a slight nod. "Come with me." He said and the three walked and wheeled their way to Dr. Ficklestien's house and laboratory.

"A life before Halloween Town," the Dr said wheeling in through the front door. "It did exist, for all of us. Every citizen in Halloween town was, in fact, alive at some point."

Jack perked up. "Really? Why don't we remember any of it? Does death wipe out memories clean?"

"Not exactly." The Dr said searching for a book on a large bookshelf. "I too don't possess any of my memories, so bare with me, but if I remember correctly-" He selected a book off the shelf. "Ah, here it is!"

Jack stood looking over his shoulder as he flipped through the pages before stopping at one.

Dr. Ficklestien cleared his throat.

"To be allowed to assume the role of Halloween, the deceased or cursed must have their memories wiped with an anonymous potion to best serve their Holiday without the distraction of the outside world." He read aloud. "Well, whoever wrote this would be strongly disappointed with your recent actions involving Christmas."

"Will they enforce this rule?"

The Dr laughed. "No, it must just be a guideline for all those who join Halloween Town. It also says that the citizens volunteered to have their memories wiped and to come to Halloween Town in seek of happiness."

This wasn't what Jack wanted to hear. He had hoped he had had a great life, not to be told his reason of being here was due to being miserable. Yet this made him even more curious to find out about his previous life.

"Do you have anymore there?" Jack asked hopefully.

Dr. Ficklestien shook his head. "The only thing it says is how to get back to The Land Of The Dead, is that what you want?"

Jack couldn't turn it down. Maybe, it would spark some memories if he wandered around there for a while! He could find old friends and ask about his life too!

"Yes!" He blurted loud enough to cause Mrs. Ficklestien to jump and spill some soup she was making.

"Sorry ma'am." He mumbled before turning his attention back to the Dr.

"Alright, it says you have to say... Well, I'm not sure I want to say it, I don't want to go, I'm happy here, but read it." He turned the book to where Jack could read.

"Hopscotch?"

Before anything else could be said, crows filled the room and circled Jack. He let out a small shout before falling onto a stone floor, skull first.

"Uh, new arrival?" A woman's gritty voice questioned.

"No way! He's pure bone! He's long been dead! He just switched realms!" An Italian accented voice retorted.

Jack cracked open one eye to see a dismembered head with cockroaches supporting it.

This would faze a squeamish mortal, but Jack was the Pumpkin King, he was more than used to this.

"Well hello." He mumbled sitting up. "I assume I made it to The Land Of The Dead."

"Si, Si!"