Chapter Text
It was just an ordinary day on October 31 st, one might say. One ordinary day on a perfectly ordinary evening. There were children going from door to door trick-or-treating. There were decorations, parties, sleepovers and gatherings all around town. Except today wasn't just an ordinary day. At least not for everyone.
A little girl walked across the streets, her Halloween costume being tainted by the rain that poured down on her without mercy. The candy bag was half-full after her first round and she knew she couldn't go home again after what had happened to her parents last night. It was a shame they couldn't be with her to see how much she had learned in school ever since they died in the car crash and her world was turned upside down. Of course she was sad but everyone told her that she needed to keep going. To live. To survive. To be strong when she felt anything but that. She walked on the long pavement, in the empty neighborhood.
The lights were turned off in every house she passed by, but she couldn't care less. Halloween wasn't really the best time of year after all. It was overrated but who was she to complain when she had spent half the year looking forward to this special day. All this waiting for nothing. Maybe tomorrow she might be placed into another house, another family, another town. Maybe even another state. She didn't know but that didn't matter either. Not much mattered to her since she heard of her parents’ deaths.
She could hear laughter coming from the forest and she assumed it was probably some neighborhood kids who were egging someone's house but the curiosity inside her burned something fierce and despite her better judgment, she allowed herself to walk in the direction the laughter came from.
She saw a boy in what looked like a devil costume playing with some kind of bluish light but it came from his hands. She frowned as stopped in her tracks. Was this real? Was this actually happening? Or did her mind play tricks on her.
The boy turned around to face her, and a gasp of surprise escaped from her lips. The boy's face was narrow but rounded, pale but eyes that were yellow that could easily belong to a serpent but his gaze was anything but vile. In fact, she could feel the warmth from his smile as he took a step forward, his smile widened as he extended his hand.
“Hi there, I'm Knock!” the boy said softly. The girl looked at him for a moment but extended her hand and shook his, wanting to be polite. It was the right thing to do after all, she reasoned to herself even though she did feel a little wary of this new creature. It certainly wasn't a human, it looked almost as if it came straight out of a monster movie she had seen, only he looked a little… nicer.
“I'm Miriam. Miriam Wiley.” the girl answered. “Nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you.” Knock said gently, his smile never leaving his face. “It's always fun to make new friends.”
Miriam knew she had every right to be suspicious but she couldn't help but feel curious and intrigued by the boy she had just met. He seemed quite friendly and he definitely had a charm to him. Maybe that was why he was dressed as a devil. It wouldn't surprise her but he didn't have to know that.
“Nice costume,” Miriam said kindly, her tone filled with warmth. “I like it.”
A confused look appeared on the boy's face before a slight chuckle came out.
“Oh, I'm not wearing a costume,” he corrected softly. “I am a devil. I'm from Halloween Town.”
He suddenly stopped himself as if he had been caught doing something bad. His tail curled around his leg and his cheeks turned a light hue of pink. A nervous laughter was heard from him and his smile matched his eyes.
“Oops, I maybe wasn't supposed to say that,” a nervous smile flashed across his face as he felt his cheeks getting warm with embarrassment. “I don't usually tell anyone that but I really wanted to have someone to talk to. Well, at least someone else to talk to other than my other friends.”
The words fumbled and his eyes darted around as he wrung his hands. Miriam couldn't help but smile. He was very cute like that but she decided not to say that out loud. He really was an interesting new friend to say the least.
Knock looked at her, his cheeks pink with embarrassment, but he forced a smile on his face.
“Well, Miriam,” he said slowly. “Are you also going trick-or-treating too? Do you want to join me?”
Miriam thought for a while. If she said no, she might not be able to go trick-or-treating again, especially if she ended up in a new home where they didn't permit such things. One more time couldn't hurt.
“Sure,” she said, firm yet determined, her voice filled with resolution.
As they walked through the forest, Knock's eyes shifted toward the human girl. Something was bothering her, he could feel that. Like she was terribly sad about something. Like she felt broken, hollow.
“Are you okay?” he asked carefully, his voice filled with concern. “Are your parents alright with you being out this late?”
“I don't have any parents,” the words came out bitter. Broken. “Not anymore. They died in a car crash and tomorrow I guess I might be placed in a new home.”
“I'm sorry,” Knock said, the words were genuine. Empathetic. Like he saw her. Really saw her. Made her feel safe. Heard. Seen.
“I don't want to move to wherever they plan to take me.” Miriam huffed, trying not to let the frustration get the better of her.
“Who?” Knock asked innocently.
“The social workers,” Miriam replied, her tone filled with patience despite her inner turmoil. “The one I met yesterday wasn't quite nice at all. It was good that my dad's friend offered to babysit me today until they were to come pick me up tomorrow. It could give me a chance to escape.”
Knock nodded, listening intently.
“I see.” he said, his tone calm and even. His smile brightened. “Hey, I know! Why don't you come live with my family? Mom and Dad would help you and they're really nice.”
Miriam couldn't help but smile. “I don't know yet, maybe I should go back.”
Knock nodded in understanding.
“I understand,” he said softly. “But if you change your mind, they'll help you. I'm sure of it.”
As they parted, Miriam stood on the way where the city ended and the forest began. Should she go back or should she accept the offer Knock gave her? Really it wasn't the best idea to trust a devil, much less anyone she had just met but she could tell that what he said was true. That he was genuine. That he wasn't faking.
After a moment passed and the more she thought about the possibility of her ending up in a house with a man and a woman that might not allow her to go to school or meet her friends and force her to work for them if she was unlucky to end up in such a home in her town, she finally decided that she at least wanted to try and see if Knock's offer was worth it. If Knock was nice, maybe his parents were pretty nice too.
She called his name but now he was probably too far away. She tried to look for the bluish light that sometimes came from him but she couldn't see anything. She kept going forward and her legs picked up the pace as she ran through the forest, away from her town. Away from everything.
Panting, she leaned against a tree, trying to steady herself as she gasped for breath. Up on a hill somewhere, she spotted a red devil's tail. Maybe it was Knock. She climbed up the steep edge of soil, trying to grab a root from a tree she could use to climb better. Instead she felt something much more soft yet cold and she saw she accidentally grabbed the tail of whoever was there.
“Ow!” a surprised yelp was heard but the voice wasn't Knock's. It sounded older. Much older as if the voice of an adult. Equally surprised, she hastily let go off the tail and grabbed a nearby root instead. The older devil slowly turned around and looked down at her with a mixture of confusion and fear.
“I'm sorry,” Miriam said softly, a nervous laugh escaped from her lips that formed into an equally nervous smile. “I thought you were Knock.”
“Knock? Do you know Knock?” the older devil said, frowning slightly, but his tone was soft, but then his eyes widened in realization when he saw she was about to lose her grip and fall. He quickly grabbed her hand and helped her up.
She muttered a small ‘thank you’ to the older devil. Just then a female devil appeared with Knock beside her. Knock immediately ran over to Miriam, his grin widening.
“Mom, Dad, this is Miriam who I met earlier.” he said cheerfully, standing next to her as he used his magic to help her feel a bit warmer he saw she had begun to freeze a little. She smiled again.
“Pleased to meet you,” Miriam said politely to the two older devils.
“I'm Lyvia,” the female devil said tenderly, her voice as soft as cotton. Her hair was bright red and her eyes were as bright and soft as honey. A small tender yet sweet smile crept up on her face.
“I'm Lock,” Lock said, grinning mischievously, showing his razor sharp teeth.
“We gotta help her,” Knock went on. “Can she live with us? Can she? Can she?”
“Well, I dunno,” Lock said, his tone slightly hesitant. “Aren't her parents looking for her?”
“I don't have any parents. They're dead.” Miriam said, sighing heavily. Lock's frown melted away and gave way to a look of concern which was quickly hidden behind his calm expression, though his eyes betrayed him.
“Now that makes it only easier,” Lock thought to himself sarcastically, his eyebrows furrowing as he thought. “No arguments can beat that.”
On one hand, taking in a human girl wasn't exactly something he thought much about, but on the other hand if she were to go back to wherever she came from she maybe would end up in a place she really didn't like or those people not treating her as well as they said, almost like what he went through with Oogie… No, he couldn't get sentimental over that! She was a human. She hadn't been through what he had been experiencing, but still she was an orphan. She didn't have a family anymore. She was all on her own now if they left her, something Lock knew all too well especially since he grew up without any parents and he couldn't help but feel a pickle of pain deep down in his chest at the thought of the memory. And besides Lyvia and Knock both wanted to help Miriam and he certainly didn't want to be the bad guy because he refused to help her either, he was outnumbered anyway and he didn't mind helping her find a place to stay either. The other alternative was out of the question.
Lyvia looked at the little girl, her gaze filled with concern and empathy. She knelt down to her level, seeing how sorrowful she looked.
“Don't worry, Miriam.” Lyvia said gently. “I'm sure we'll find a way to help you, won't we?”
Lock looked at his wife and then at the human girl before nodded in agreement, the determination shining in his eyes.
“Sure.” The words came out more firmly than he intended, filled with emotions he'd never admit to anyone. “I'll see what I can do, I'm a lawyer after all.”
Knock just smiled brightly and Miriam did too. It couldn't be better! Now she maybe would get a new home, and the best part was that she got to share it with her new friend. Knock held out his hand and Miriam happily took it as they followed Knock's parents through the forest until they came to a door carved as a jack-o-lantern. Suddenly a meowing sound was heard and a small, grey cat ran up to Miriam, purring loudly as it rubbed its body against her legs.
“Percy!” she exclaimed happily as she picked up her cat. “Have you been here all this time? You've been gone for weeks! Oh, you silly cat!”
The tears flowed freely as she held her close. Percy let out a small meow and she nuzzled her to comfort her. Miriam gave her furry companion a tearful smile and Lyvia gently waved for Miriam to come with them. It was getting late and they needed to go home.
All said and done, the trip to Halloween Town was as exciting as it was frightening but Miriam couldn't help but feel awed and impressed by the new realm she was in. Monsters, ghosts, werewolves and witches were everywhere and they all scared each other for fun and were too busy celebrating to notice her which was a good thing as she really was too tired to talk to them at the moment. It had been a long day for her and she was really looking forward to sleep in her own bed. As she passed through the cheerful crowd of monsters who were talking to each other about their best scares, she walked with Knock, hand in hand until they came home to a large house that lay neatly next to two other small houses nearby. It looked very neat and looked as strange as it was big, but considering she was in Halloween Town, it probably was pretty normal after all.
As they went inside, Miriam was immediately struck by how colorful it was inside. The wallpapers, the furniture. Everything. She wiped her shoes on the rug that said “welcome” on it, and hung her coat on the clothing rack and put her shoes neatly nearby. It was a rule Knock had explained to her as she went inside while Lock and Lyvia prepared food in the kitchen. There were two devil children sitting in the living room watching TV.
“This is Lily and Zack,” Knock explained to Miriam, a soft smile on his face. “They're my little sister and little brother.”
Miriam couldn't help but smile when she saw them. They were cute and spooky at the same time, kind of like it was in Halloween Town. It maybe would take a while before she completely learned how things were in her new realm but it felt very welcoming and she was very curious about everything she saw. It was so much to take in and the excitement rose in her chest. She had always liked to watch spooky movies on Halloween about monsters but to actually be able to live with them, now how cool wasn't that? It almost felt like a dream but real at the same time.
She could hear Lock and Lyvia talking to each other and laughing at some joke, and the little human girl already felt like home. It maybe wasn't what she had imagined but it was still home and she had people who cared about her. Knock did. Lock and Lyvia did. At least they wanted to help her and that made her very grateful.
She followed Knock up the stairs and he showed her around the house. When they finally came to his room, the human girl was struck by how cozy this home was. While everything was laying neatly on the shelves, she loved how many interesting books Knock had and he gladly showed them to her.
Meanwhile, Lock and Lyvia were preparing the dinner for tonight, Lily came into the kitchen. She cleared her throat as she put her hands on her hips, something that her father often did.
“Mom? Dad? What is a human girl doing here?” she asked, her tone filled with suspicion. She narrowed her eyes. “Let me guess, it was Knock's idea, wasn't it?”
Lyvia just gave her a warm smile.
“This human girl is called Miriam,” she said softly. “She doesn't have a home and it only felt right to help her. She's a very nice girl. She's not dangerous.”
Lily rolled her eyes in annoyance.
“Alright, alright, I get it! She's stayin’ here.” she said, her tone exasperated. “I guess she'll be our adoptive sister, right? Gee, I never thought I'd call a human my sister.”
Lock nodded calmly. “That's right, and go easy on her, will ya? She had a really rough time.”
Lily just shrugged. “Alright, whatever.”
Lily just sighed but decided not to argue, instead she just walked over to sit by the table, muttering things under her breath.
Zack soon came into the kitchen as well.
“I turned off the TV after I left.” he said cheerfully, glad he remembered to follow the rules this time. “Is a human girl staying with us? Cool! I wanna meet her!”
“She'll be staying with us, I hope,” Lyvia said gently. “You'll meet her soon. The dinner is ready now, would you please help your sister to bring the plates?”
“Yes mom.” Zack answered, a small smile spread across his face. Lily just rolled her eyes again.
“Man, this evening is just getting better and better…” she muttered, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
While Knock and Miriam spoke about all the things they had done on Halloween, exchanging some fun memories while laughing and sharing a few jokes, Lyvia came into the room to tell them that the dinner was ready.
Miriam followed Knock down to the kitchen where his father, mother and siblings sat by the table, preparing food for the human girl on a plate. It smelled delicious! Miriam slowly sat down on the soft cushions on her chair and she eyed the food with curiosity. It wasn't the food she was used to at home, but it certainly didn't smell bad at all!
She took a small bite of the stew and she immediately loved how sweet yet creamy it tasted. It reminded her of the vegetable stews her mother made at home and her father's newly baked bread.
She chatted with them and told them about how things were like in her world while they told her about their realm. Lily and Zack eyed her carefully but didn't mind her staying. It was very interesting to meet a human and be able to learn more about the human world. If she was fun and was a friend of Knock's, it was okay.
After the meal was done, Lyvia showed Miriam to her room and she had given her cat Percy her own basket to lay down in if she wanted to.
When Miriam came to her room. Her new room in the new town. In Halloween Town. Her new home. It felt both thrilling and fun at the same time. As she went inside her room, she saw a bed neatly made, a purple blanket and soft light blue pillows with stars on them. And on the floor was a soft carpet with stars on. Overall, it looked very neat and very comfortable at the same time.
“I think I'll like it here,” Miriam thought to herself as she sat down on the bed, looking out of the window to see the moon shining brightly. It was both comforting yet it made her heart filled with sorrow as the memories of her parents and her camping out in the night, enjoying the wilderness around them and eating grilled marshmallows. The tears welled up in her eyes and she allowed them to fall, one by one. It felt good to let it all out now when she was finally in a safe spot where she felt she could do so after her mom and dad died.
Suddenly there was a soft knock on the door. Wiping her tears away, Miriam straightened her shoulders, though a sniffle was heard from her.
“Come in,” she said, her voice coming out more broken than she wanted. “The door's open.”
The door slowly opened and Lock peeked in, his face frowning in concern when he heard the sorrow in her voice.
“What's the matter, Miriam?” His tone was soft, but the worry was palpable despite his attempt to keep it steady. “Are you alright?”
Miriam nodded but her eyes betrayed her.
“Yes, I was just thinking about mom and dad,” the words came out broken, vulnerable. “I miss them.”
Lock didn't say anything but his look of sorrow said more than any words could.
“Was it because of something we said?” he asked, his tone filled with concern even though he tried to keep it steady, guilt welling up inside him but his calm expression hid any signs of worry though his voice betrayed him. “Did that upset you?”
He gave her an apologetic look. Miriam shook her head, a tearful smile formed on her face.
“No,” another tear fell from her face. “It's alright. I'll be fine.”
There was a moment of silence between them before Miriam decided to speak again.
“Do you think I can stay here?” she asked, her voice full of hope, fragile yet strong. Lock hesitated for a moment before he looked back at her.
“I have to talk to Jack and Sally about it but I promise I'll do everything I can,” he said truthfully, feeling regretful even though he knew it was true. “I'll go to them tomorrow.”
The little girl nodded. “Okay,” there was no disappointment in her voice. Just acknowledgement. Lock's frown deepened and he felt the lump in his stomach growing heavier and heavier. As much as he hated to see her sad, he knew there wasn't much he could do. He had to talk to the Pumpkin King and Queen, and hopefully they'd be understanding enough to allow Miriam to stay. They had to be. Neither he or Lyvia could bear to see her unhappy and distraught. She deserved a chance too.
As they sat for a moment in silence, Lock’s face suddenly lit up.
“Hey, Lyvia and the others are playing cards, do you wanna come join us? It'll be fun,” he said lightly, wanting to change the subject and perhaps it would help her feel happy too. Or at least feel a little better.
Miriam nodded, accepting the offer. While she still felt sad, it maybe was better to at least try to have fun too even though she wasn't really in the mood to do anything.
A few hours later, after everyone had gone to bed, Lock laid awake while Lyvia was still sleeping next to him. The thoughts kept him awake and they flowed freely as the minutes went on. He had to think of some sharp arguments. Arguments that beat anything Jack or Sally would say. It had to be perfect. He had to succeed. At last he fell asleep, too exhausted to think at all and let sleep claim him as his consciousness slipped.
The next morning, Lock was the first to wake up. As soon as the sunbeams hit his face, he stretched and got up, careful not to wake Lyvia who was still sleeping. As gingerly as he could, he gently pulled the covers where he had been as he smoothed out his pillow. He gently leaned over to Lyvia, draping the blanket over her that had fallen off while she slept, brushing her hair away from her face with his hand. Even though she was still asleep, a smile formed on her face.
Grinning, Lock turned around and tiptoed out of their room as he closed the door behind him as quietly as he could. As he strolled through the corridor, he came to Knock's room. He was still asleep too, so were his other siblings Lily and Zack. He couldn't help but smile. He and Lyvia were so happy to have them and they couldn't be prouder. As he went on to check on Miriam, he carefully went over to her room. She was also still asleep. She looked so peaceful with her cat next to her, and he really hoped that he could convince Jack and Sally to let her stay in Halloween Town. She and Knock got along very well and he and Lyvia didn't mind adopting her. If she wanted to stay, of course he'd do everything he could to make sure that she could. He had to, and he would never forgive himself if something happened to her if she had to leave because he didn't try hard enough convincing the Pumpkin King and Queen. He felt his heart pounding against his ribs and he drew in a deep breath to soften the worrying feeling that grew inside him.
He knew his job as a lawyer was important but now it was more important than ever and he couldn't fail on this one. He needed to have the right arguments, the right methods to convince them, the proper moment to deliver the statement no one could argue against. He quietly walked down the stairs to the kitchen even though his mind was screaming at him. His thoughts spun no matter how much he tried to stop them. But now wasn't the time to think about that now, he kept telling himself. He had other things to do, but then… He never wanted to admit it out loud but he dreaded the moment even though he knew it wouldn't be as bad as he thought, but still. As he looked in the refrigerator for ingredients he could use to make breakfast, he suddenly heard movements from the stairs.
Apparently some of the others had awoken now. He picked up some milk and other things he grabbed before closing the door and putting them on the kitchen counter. Today he was making pancakes. It would be a nice treat and it was Knock’s, Lily's and Zack's favorite too. Maybe Miriam would like that as well.
Then Knock came into the kitchen, he yawned but covered his mouth with his hand. Lock turned around, giving him a sly smirk.
“Morning sleepy-head,” he teased, but his tone was cheerful but the mischievousness was always there. “You're up early.”
“Why, good morning to you too, father,” Knock answered politely, his voice as smooth as silk hiding a sharp blade, ignoring his father's teasing remark.
Lock just rolled his eyes but hid his smile as he continued to flip another pancake.
He used his magic to put the plates on the table while the others came down to eat.
After the family had eaten breakfast, Lock immediately put his plan to work. Without a word he jumped into his car and off he went.
The trip to the Skellington Manor felt like an eternity. As Lock sat in his Porsche he couldn't help but go over the arguments once more before he felt confident enough that they would be great enough. As he walked up the stairs, he felt his heart pounding against his chest and his vision swum. With a trembling hand he knocked on the door.
He waited for a moment. Then two. And then the door opened…