Shadowed Garden

[Syth]

WARNING!: Please note that this is a M/M fanfic with some innuendos & some violence. Character death. Not recommended for the squeamish. It is based off the movie Rise of the Guardians as well as the book series, The Guardians of Childhood. I have provided links to music that I felt went with each chapter based on content. You are not required to listen to them.

Please do not leave any feedback on this topic! If you wish to comment, pm me directly or wait until I have concluded this story. I ask this because I don't want the flow of the story to be interrupted as I have not yet fully finished this story. Thank you for your consideration.


Please note that is is a SEQUEL to Black Ice. You might be lost if you have not read this one first! There are spoilers from the first one in this story, read at your own risk!

[Syth]

Prologue

Spoiler

Time doesn’t pass the same way for immortals as it does humans. It’s hard to believe that I, Pitch Black, am a Guardian. That I spend my days speaking with the Guardians who had once been long-time enemies since coming to this planet. Now I had managed to at least be civil with them. North was pretty easy to get along with, he and I had some history we could share and talk about; Sandman was surprisingly a good companion and he and I have drawn rather close despite that I did away with him the year that Jack Frost became a Guardian. I’ve grown to know Jack very well now, in the years we’ve spent together he trusts me, but there are still some things about him I have yet to understand. I find it a strange irony that the boy who was Jack’s first believer, also is mine. Visiting the boy, who is now a man, has become a rare treat that I have relished when I can. Ever the insightful one, he’s always helped me; even if he had not planned to do so. I’ve found that he’s a good mediator between myself and Jack as well considering that there are still certain matters that Jack and I do not see eye-to-eye on. The most recent of which have concerned my lost daughter, Seraphina. Jack wants to know as much about her as I suspects he wants to know about me, but talking about her is something that is very difficult. Jack understands that, but his underlying curiosity has caused him to grow impatient recently and he and I have had our fair share of disagreements within the past few weeks. Jack is certain that we can find Seraphina if we tried, but I’m not even sure that she’s even on the same planet and there are the children to think of. Neither I nor Jack can simply up and leave even if we had the means to travel the stars. Something I haven’t been able to do even when I managed to repair my ship, or what was left of it. The Earth simply did not have the resources I needed and in time the ship vanished beneath the power of nature. I knew, once it had, that there was no hope of ever finding my way back to the home I had once known. That, like the Man in the Moon, I was forever stuck on this planet. It wasn’t so bad though, I barely remember what my life was like before I was Pitch; that much the Shadows stole from me and while I wish I could remember the simple things about my former home, I am also - in a way - grateful that I cannot remember. There are times that I am reminded of that home, however, with varying changes of the seasons; even though we had more seasons than Earth there are still remnants here in each of the four seasons that act like the seasons I remember. I am not unhappy, however, with my home here on Earth. The years, following the defeat of the last of the Shadows have been mostly kind to me and Jack. Even with our recent disagreements I could not be happier. I never would have thought that I could find such a kindred spirit among my former enemies. Jack has been a blessing in my life I had given up hoping to have many centuries ago. Still, there are times when he reminds me of the daughter I lost, who is still out there in the galaxy, somewhere... whether alive or dead, I can only hope that she would be happy with the way things have turned out recently. That perhaps I can only begin to redeem myself for a past that is unforgivable, a past I barely remember, a past that my one mistake... my one moment of weakness, has cost so much. My dear Seraphina... if you could see me now, would you still look upon me with love?

[Syth]

Chapter 1: Broken Bond

Spoiler

Jack flew over Burgess. It was a misty sort of morning, frost clung to the windows and it was hard not to feel happy as he watched children play below. It was still a little too early for snow that would stick for more than a few hours. Plus he knew that Bunnymund wouldn’t appreciate him making a blizzard or anything with a lot of snow on Easter. He waved to the children that eagerly waved to him when they saw him soaring overhead. It had been nearly twenty-five years since Jack had obtained his first believer, a spirited boy named Jamie Bennett. Said boy was now all grown up, even so and with a wife and family of his own, Jamie still believed in him as strongly as he had when he’d been a young boy who’d stood up to the Nightmare King. Jack settled on the white fence that lined the yard of his best believer, his first. He had always returned every year to visit Jamie and play with his kids, even if coming early in the season meant a not-so-stern talking to from North about “staying hidden.” It was something most of the Guardians abided by, but Jack had spent 300 years without a single soul to keep him company, even after being sworn in as a Guardian he wasn’t easily going to follow a rule that seemed utterly ridiculous to him. North had talked to him time and again about the dangers of getting too attached to one child, but Jack couldn’t help it. Jamie was special because he’d been smart enough to figure out that the snow rabbit that had burst in his room hadn’t come from magic that Bunnymund could control, but the frost magic that was in Jack. The boy had proved the strength of his belief too as he’d stood in the face of the doubts of his friends and still had not stopped believing; he had been the key to bringing down Pitch, restoring Sandy to life from the Nightmare sand and ultimately saving the world. As fate would have it, a year later Jamie had teamed up with Pitch - who would have thought? - to help free him from the grip of the Shadows that had possessed him Jack still had nightmares about that event on rare occasions. It wasn’t as often as it had been originally, especially now that the Shadows were no more. Every last one of them had been defeated, and by Pitch himself no less. Pitch wasn’t the same man he’d fought against, who had tried to take control of the world; if anything, Pitch was more complex than that, and by sheer accident Jack had stumbled upon one of the many entrances to his lair. They had talked several times, the first two times had left Jack flustered and confused, but that had been the start of their uneasy friendship that had become more. When Jack wasn’t flitting about the world spreading snow or visiting Jamie, he was lounging around the victorian home in Kostroma that Pitch had remade for the two of them. Even after all this time, just thinking of the home filled Jack with a joy that made it hard for him to not grin and remembering Pitch’s welcoming embraces still sometimes caused Jack to blush. He still wasn’t sure what the ex-shade had ever saw in him, but he loved every moment he got to spend with the man he loved, who undoubtedly loved him back. Jack’s musings were interrupted, but not by any sound. It was the lack thereof that caught his attention. Normally the house would have sounds of the children from inside, it wasn’t a school day. The lack made Jack frown and he flew through a window that was always kept open for him; he searched the house only to find that no one was home. Well, it wasn’t like they were obligated to be home when Jack stopped by, but the lack of the usual note that the children left - often saying where they were going - didn’t sit easy with him. The children were nine and ten, they loved leaving Jack notes whenever they went out. Why wasn’t there one now? The sound of a car pulling up made Jack start out of his thoughts, he grinned, thinking that they were home, but to his disappointment the only one to emerge from the car was Jamie’s wife. She looked... exhausted? What was going on? He would have asked her, but as big as her heart was, she was unable to see him; like most adults she just couldn’t believe no matter how much she wanted to. That fact had never bothered Jack before, but now he wished she could see him as she headed up the stairs; he waited for her to come back down, when she did he noticed she’d changed and showered, but she still seemed paler than Jack thought any human should. She grabbed a poptart and headed back out again. Jack followed her, curiosity pricking at him. He’d never seen her looking like this, Alice was normally a very spirited young woman with as much enthusiasm for life as Jack had once had when his center had been Fun. He wasn’t quite as spirited as he’d been, now that his center was Freedom, but he still enjoyed all the things he had before, if now just a bit subdued.

Jack followed the brown sedan all the way to the hospital. Hospitals made Jack uneasy, not because he would get sick or anything, but because too often he had visited this hospital over his many years to do a duty he’d escape if he could. He hated the side of him that was known as Brother Frost, but there was little he could do about it. He needed to do it just as humans needed to breathe, but that didn’t mean he liked it. He knew he hadn’t visited Jamie and the family in months, but he had to wonder why Alice was at the hospital. Normally Jack would have flown off as fast as he could to find some children to play with, but something inside him told him that he should really stay. He wasn’t sure what it was, but he knew to trust his instincts as he followed Alice into the elevator and down a quiet corridor.
“Oh no....” The words didn’t even begin to cover what he felt when he floated through the door after Alice. The two kids had fallen asleep on a cot that a nurse had provided, strewn tissues were evidence that they had cried themselves to sleep. In the bed was Jamie, he looked terrible. Machines nearby that were hooked up to him hummed quietly, a heart monitor steadily beeping. Jack felt his heart drop when he saw how mangled his friend was. He moved past Alice without thinking, causing her to shiver.
“Oh Jamie...” There was no words to be had as he reached out along the various wounds his friend had suffered, soothing them with the coolness of his frost. A nurse came in, she didn’t seem happy and beckoned Alice out the door with her so not to disturb the children. Jack gave Jamie a pained look before following to see if the nurse would say anything useful so he could help his friend. Man in moon, how had he not thought to come sooner?!
“Mrs Bennett, I’m sorry to say it’s not good.” Jack froze where he was, a foot away from the two women, as if they could see him.
“H-how long?” Came the quiet reply.
“We don’t know for sure, it could be anywhere from days to a matter of hours. I’m sorry.” Jack was floored, felt frozen to the spot like ice. This couldn’t be true... not Jamie... He didn’t want this to be true. He forced himself to return to the room, he found the chart for Jamie in a small holder near the door. Most of it he didn’t understand, but what he could make of it made his already pale skin pale further. Jamie had internal bleeding and Jack knew then that there was nothing anyone could do. For all that Jack himself could do, there was no mending a person who was bleeding profusely on the inside. He nearly dropped the clipboard when he heard the quiet sobs from outside that he knew likely belonged to Alice. He slipped the clipboard back into place, as he did the heart monitor behind him let out one last feeble beep before flatlining. Jack cried out in pure agony, dropping to the floor where he was at as the flame of Jamie’s belief, a light that had always been a constant glow that outshone all the others, was simply snuffed out. Nurses rushed in, along with Alice, but Jack knew there was nothing they could do. It wasn’t for the lack of trying though. Alice, no sign of tears on her face, had ushered her sleepy children out of the room before they could realize what was happening. No one noticed the young Guardian writhing on the floor near the door in the sheer agony of the loss of his best friend, his first believer. Even after Jamie’s body had been removed from the room, Jack had not had the strength to move from where he lay. The pain that had cleaved through him now left him weak and hollowed out. The tears he’d cried were melting against the floor now in a small puddle. All Jack could think was how could this have happened? How could something so drastically unfortunate befall his friend and he not know about it? Why had he not come sooner? Why had he not thought to pay the family a visit last month or the month before? So many questions, no answers, not that any could soothe the aching hole in his chest where he knew his heart had once beat when he’d been human. Had he not been lying on the floor, Jack would have hung his head. He curled up on himself, his staff forgotten; it had rolled across the floor to rest against the wall. He felt like everything good in the world had just suddenly vanished, he knew that he’d lose Jamie one day because humans were fragile and they didn’t live forever, but to lose Jamie before his children were grown... There was injustice in that. They had lost their father far too soon.

Pitch paced the study room before his desk, the black and silver ornament that lay on it was momentarily forgotten, as was the jolly Guardian who was watching him through the small screen that the device produced.
“Still no word?”
“No. I know sometimes Jack has left for a day or two, three at the most to spread his snow. He always lets me know if he thinks he’ll be longer, but he didn’t leave today to go far. He told me he went to visit the Bennett family and that he’d be back by the evening at the latest. He’s never done this before. Something is wrong, North. I don’t know what, but I can feel it.”
“Do not worry so. Is Jack, he can take care of self. Even so, other Guardians looking for him now. We let you know if we find him.” Pitch shot the other Guardian an irritated look. Yes Jack could take care of himself, he was pretty powerful as far as things went but he wasn’t an all-powerful being. Few and far between were in fact, only a handful of those born had power to truly overcome any adversity, like Father Time or Mother Nature. Jack wasn’t that powerful, that was only one reason that Pitch was worried. The fact that Jack had not come back when he said he would, that it had been almost a week now, reminded him of the time when he had failed to protect Jack from the very water spirit that was rotting in the dungeons of the Seelie Court. His hands curled into fists. Jack had suffered greatly at the hands of that twisted spirit and it had almost demolished the fragile relationship the two of them had only just begun to discover. Jack had recovered from it, with time, but he had never been the same. Even though there had been peace for some time, there were always the little things that were a constant reminder to Pitch of his failure, of what Jack had gone through; although he and Jack had talked about it many times, Pitch still felt that he could have done something... anything to keep him out of Cahal’s hands. He had to force his mind away from the memories, however, least he end up lashing out at North. The Guardian of Wonder did not deserve his anger, he was sure that there may never be a time when he didn’t feel the guilt and anger of that time weighing on him despite that Jack had told him time and time again that it wasn’t his fault. It had happened during a battle, Jack didn’t blame him for it because they both knew that there had been such chaos, but that didn’t change how Pitch felt about the matter. At times he’d awoke, tears down his face and Jack had been there to soothe them away; the two of them had been reliant on the Sandman for several months following Jack’s return. Even less rare than the nightmare of losing Jack to the water spirit was the nightmare of losing Jack to the Shadows. Weak that he’d been, from having the Shadows ripped from his body, he still felt he could have done something.

Jack’s experience with the Shadows was like his own, in some small way; but Jack had been mostly conscious for what the things the Shadows had done, had made Jack do like a puppet on strings. Sometimes he wondered how it was that Jack was not more broken of a spirit when he’d faced him when he’d still been possessed and tried to destroy the Guardians. Jack’s burden of loneliness was heavier with the role he played as the Saint of Suicide, one of the names he carried with him across the globe; Jack’s burden as a Guardian was heavier than that of the other Guardians and it had been one reason that Pitch and he had been so compatible. Jack understood him like no other could, and while Pitch was grateful that he did, there were times he sorely wished that his fellow Guardian did not. As the Guardian of Courage, though he had never voice it aloud - not even to Jack -, his greatest fear was losing Jack again. It was the only other nightmare that would leave him whimpering like a child, every time he had that nightmare it would take Jack a few hours to calm him down; his greatest fear had come true, twice, in the span of such a short time. It was crippling, the only other nightmare that could bring him to his knees like that was the one the Shadows themselves had used to cripple him and keep him in submission; a nightmare of losing his daughter, of being helpless against the power of the Shadows. The Shadows were gone now so that particular nightmare didn’t happen as often as it once had. As it was, Pitch couldn’t remember the last time he’d been confronted with that particular dream. No, it was the nightmare of Jack that often caused him to cry out in the night; though it wasn’t a common occurrence it happened more often than Pitch would like to think about. Pitch paused in his pacing to turn towards the other Guardian.
“I don’t think that’s going to be enough. I’m sending my Nightmares out to find him. I am not taking the chance that something happened to him like before. There are others besides Cahal who have a nasty streak and with the Nightmare King gone there is little doubt in my mind that they are gathering their strength to surface in this world again.”
“You have point. Has been too quiet lately. Still, me think that Jack is okay. He has survived much before. You should have more faith in him.” Pitch grimaced.
“It’s not faith in him I lack. It’s more like that I know how many are out there that could easily overtake us all and not be winded by it.”
“You be thinking of someone like Mother Nature?” Pitch shook his head.
“Worse. Mother Nature has a temper at the worst of times, but she wouldn’t have it in her to hurt someone like Jack. No... there are worse things.”
“Such as?” Pitch nearly winced at what came to mind, but he frowned at the other Guardian. Hadn’t the other kept close enough watch on other spirits to know what sort were out there? The sort that had been forced into hiding because of the dark powers of the Shadows that had possessed him?
“The Nain Rouge. That one will never die, never go away like most fae that one is not vulnerable to death in conventional means.”
“You suspect she may have Jack?” Pitch shook his head.
“She doesn’t take prisoners North.... if she ever got her hands on Jack...” A shudder rippled through him and he had to take a deep breath to continue on.
“Assuming she did... Jack wouldn’t stand a chance. He would simply die.” The reaction he got from the other Guardian was satisfying, in a way, but not comforting. North thought of Jack as his son and so the varying curses that came from the other Guardian in Russian were understandable.
“We don’t know that she has though.” Pitch said, cutting off North before he could voice another angry curse.
“That’s why I want to send my Nightmares out. They will find him, if they can’t... only then should we assume the worst.” North seemed to visibly struggle to calm himself again before sighing.
“You is being right. I am working up for no reason. We find Jack, you see. I have others report in to you if they find him.” Pitch nodded, thinking that perhaps he shouldn’t have mentioned the Nain Rouge to North, but what was done was done.
“I’ll let you know if I find him first.” Pitch said, tapping the “end” button next to the “accept” button at the bottom. He looked down at the communicator, each of the small buttons above those two were various symbols for each of the Guardians. A tooth for Toothiana, a golden swirl for Sandman, a painted egg for Bunnymund, a wrapped present for North, and a white snowflake for Jack. Pitch’s fingers lightly played over the snowflake. He didn’t press it though, he had already tried countless times in the last few days to get ahold of Jack. Jack hadn’t answered his call or a call from any of the others. That was why Pitch was so worried. The only other time Jack had ignored calls from the other had been the time the Shadows- No, he shouldn’t think about that, the Shadows were gone, for good. Still, he knew something terrible must have happened, but what he did not know.

Jack lay quietly in the grass, it was wet from the morning dew that was now freezing because he was laying in it. His head propped up by the cool marble headstone. Only a day ago Jamie had been buried. Frost flowers littered the freshly turned soil of the grave, they had sprung up to outline it as soon as the service had started and the children had given him sad smiles from where they had stood amongst the crowd. It had been a small, private affair, the adults were all of Jamie’s friends from Burgess - aside from his wife of course. Jack had wept with them as the minister had said the last rites before Jamie’s body had been lowered and as the casket had been lowered into the ground he had formed a frost flower from the ice he knew would never melt and had tossed it onto the casket before it had touched bottom. No one had seemed surprised, maybe it was because of the grief of their loss, but some of the adults had actually looked his way and seemed to have seen him. His grief, and thiers, had been too keen for Jack to care or for any of those who had seen him. Among the Burgess six who had been his first believers, only Jamie had sustained enough belief to be able to see him into his adulthood and now he was gone. No one had approached him until near the end of the service, to his surprise - however little it had been - it was Cupcake who had gone over to him. A respected lawyer, no one had said a thing when she had knelt next to Jack and thrown her arms around him. No one seemed to care that she might have looked like she was hugging air, but with the chill it was only to be suspected that even the non-believers among the crowd may have - in some way - acknowledged that Cupcake wasn’t crazy. That she was trying to comfort Jack, even if they did not see him. It didn’t matter. Her hot tears had mingled with his own and he’d given into sobs then, quaking in her arms. The grief had been too much for him to bare and no one said anything as his keen wails had filled the silence that prevailed after the minister was done. There was no comfort to be had, but Jack hadn’t held back. He couldn’t. Eventually all of them had left as it had grown late into the day, Cupcake had been the last to leave; wiping away his tears, her eyes shining with her grief and understanding. He’d managed to utter a soft thanks to Cupcake before she had left. She’d just given him a sad smile before she too had left him at the grave.

Jack wanted to cry, to wail out the never ending pain that swelled in him. He didn’t even look up as he thought he heard footsteps. His fingers curling around the letters etched into the smooth stone:

Jamie Bennett

January 16th, 2002 - April 19th, 2015

Loving Husband and Father
Devoted Friend
One of the Burgess 7

Jack stared at the writing before summoning his power and etching beneath it, in less smooth writing:

Mortal Guardian and friend to the Guardians

Jack barely registered that the footsteps he’d heard stopped nearby. That is, until he heard a very familiar voice.

“Oh mate....” Jack’s head snapped around and he saw Bunnymund standing only a few feet from him. There was sadness in the rabbit’s eyes, his ears drooped and Jack knew then that Bunny had read the headstone. There was none of the usual cookiness in the other’s eyes as he slowly approached Jack. The look of empathy in those green eyes was such a strange sight that it broke through Jack’s grief long enough to have confusion cross his features before it vanished. What would Bunnymund know of this sort of thing when the other Guardians were so distant from the children they protected? Bunny withdrew the multicolored ornament that was his communicator. He hit the button that drew up the screen for North.
“I found ‘im mate. It’s not good news though. I’ll see you at the pole. Tell the others.” He didn’t give North time to reply before ending the conversation. Jack just stared at Bunny blankly, he couldn’t muster up even the smallest bit of care as the rabbit moved over to him and gently picked him up. Jack was so exhausted as it was that as soon as Bunny clutched him close he drifted off into sleep. He didn’t see the other grimace as he hopped out of the graveyard towards a path that was made for walking through the cemetery before creating a hole to the North Pole.

When Bunny arrived he popped out of a hole right in front of some unhappy yetis, but he scowled at them when they garbled complaints at him.
“Not the time for it. Let me through and just be happy I didn’t pop into the workshop itself.” The yetis rolled their eyes, but let him in when they realized that cradled in the large Pooka’s arms was the missing Guardian. Bunny didn’t hesitate to go to the third level where the living quarters were. He pushed past curious yetis and elves to the room that he knew Jack used on the rare occasions he spent nights here. He tucked the young Guardian in, pulling the blue sheets around the boy’s shoulders. Concern flickering across his face as he did so, Jack was paler than normal and this concerned him. He couldn’t help but feel responsible for Jack, for all their rivalry, Bunny cared for the young spirit as if he was his brother. A younger, annoying brother, but family nonetheless. He brushed a lock of silvery hair away from the boy’s face.
“Oh mate... you really have suffered more than ya should e’er have ta.” Bunny turned from the boy and was hardly surprised when he saw the gold eyes of Pitch. His voice was quiet as he addressed the newest Guardian.
“Best leave him for now mate. I have some news. No one’s gonna like it neither.” Pitch seemed about to protest, but nodded a little and Bunny didn’t miss that the Guardian of Courage seemed tired. Circles around his eyes seemed darker than usual. Hadn’t the bloke got any sleep lately? Even Guardians needed sleep occasionally and Bunny could tell that he needed it, even if the other would simply deny it. The two met with the other Guardians in the meeting room.
“I found him at a cemetery.”
“A cemetery?!?!” Tooth exclaimed in shock. Her magenta eyes widening while the others simply waited for him to continue and Bunny had no doubt that they could see his distress as he saw concern on their faces.
“It’s.... Jamie.... I don’t know the details, but he’s gone. That’s... that’s why Jack disappeared. He’s taken it hard.” Pitch closed his eyes. He’d felt the loss as Jack had, but it hadn’t affected him as much because he hadn’t had the time to really become close to the boy despite that Jamie had been the first to believe in him. Jack, on the other hand, had spent a lot of his free time, especially in winter time for the Northern Hemisphere, playing with the boy and his friends and Pitch knew that they had been very close indeed. North sighed heavily.
“I warned him of this. Is sad news indeed.”
“Oh... poor Jack.” Tooth said, understanding all too well. Like Jack, she bore the grief of the death of children, even if she had never gotten to know them, but she knew she could not fully understand what it was like to lose someone who was so close. Pitch let out a heavy sigh, among the Guardians, he was the only one who could really only relate. He had lost his daughter and even after all the years that had passed it still weighed on him. There was no doubt in his mind that Jack was hurting bad over this.
“At least it is not as I had feared. This, I can handle.”
“You should get some sleep mate.” Bunny suggested. Sandy nodded, an image of Pitch and a bed flashed above his head along with a starry sky and moon. To the surprise of the other Guardians, Pitch didn’t put up a fight. He merely nodded and left the room. He returned to the room that Bunny had left Jack in. For a moment he watched the younger Guardian sleep before he slid beneath the covers, pulling Jack into his embrace; the coolness against his skin was familiar and yet he couldn’t help the sorrow he felt when he realized Jack didn’t even stir. He must be so exhausted from grief that nothing short of an emergency would wake the Guardian of Freedom.

[Syth]

Chapter 2: Quiet of the Night

Spoiler

Jack had a massive headache when he awoke. He stared at the blue wall before him, the one that he knew was shaded to include all the colors of blue only to become a pure white at the bottom. He could hear the usual noise of the workshop in the background. He felt a lingering warmth at his back, but he didn’t move. When had he gotten here? With a soft groan he slowly sat up, the dim light from the nearby window made him squint. He didn’t notice that Pitch was sitting in the chair next to the bed, sleeping quietly, his head propped against the back of the chair. As Jack shifted the covers rustled and he looked down at them, staring blankly as everything slowly came back to him.
“Jack.” The soft word caught the young Guardian’s attention and he turned to see Pitch was looking at him. Pitch felt his heart clench, he knew the look he saw in Jack’s eyes. It was something he’d hoped to never see on anyone’s face, let alone that of his love.
“You don’t have to say anything. Just listen, please.” This was difficult enough, but he knew that Jack deserved this much. That he deserved to know about the girl he’d been asking for, that Pitch could share his pain with Jack and the frost spirit would understand.
“Long ago, in a city far from here in on a planet where babies with gold eyes were sent to be warriors against an enemy that never seemed to go away and would never surrender, lived a bright young girl. She would never walk anywhere, nor did she ever walk in a straight line.” Jack didn’t utter a sound, his eyes wide now as he realized who Pitch was talking about. Pitch wasn’t looking at him anymore, he was staring at hands now, which cupped the gold locket. Jack couldn’t see the expression on his face clearly, but he wasn’t about to say anything either.
“Her name was Seraphina. She would skip about, her path was full of zig-zags at times and was never fully straight. Her eyes sparkled like stones with the light that was her life. She had a garden she would tend to. She loved learning and taking care of things, of others. She had a big heart. Even though she did not have the golden eyes of her parents she wanted to learn to fight just like them and was very good with a sword. When I fell to the darkness and she had to leave, that beautiful... wonderful girl... she knew I would still be fighting. She left my sword on the bed of our home; the flowers she had once told me were too precious and beautiful to be plucked were scattered around the sword. The Nightmare King couldn’t touch the sword, of course, but that didn’t stop me. I wrapped it up, flowers and all, to take with me when I left.” There was a moment of silence.
“Those years ago, when you came to me to talk, I wasn’t prepared for you to be so nice and I tried to drive you away.” Jack raised an eyebrow at him.
“Drive me away? I could have sworn you were trying to seduce me.” Pitch couldn’t help the soft chuckle as he shifted his gaze to look at Jack.
“I was so sure that you would find my advances revolting, which was why I said what I did. I was trying to get rid of you, but as it turns out... I was also trusting you with my feelings then. I didn’t expect or even hope that you would ever return them.” Jack gave him a slight smile, for a moment he had forgotten his own feelings and a little bit of the Jack he knew was shining through. It sparked relief in Pitch, Jack was strong and he’d get through this. He didn’t say any such thing however as he leaned back in the chair, grappling with the old sorrow that always came when thinking of his daughter and the life he’d once lived; even if the life he had lived wasn’t necessarily a voluntary choice.

“For the longest time, even though you were changing something inside me, I couldn’t hold that sword because it repelled Shadows. In fact, before they were ripped from me they were starting to rebel against me.” Jack’s expression became one of confusion.
“Rebel? What do you mean?” Pitch smiled slightly.
“Your laughter, your sense of fun was awakening things in me I had never expected to feel again for anyone since the loss of Seraphina’s mother. I would like to think that if things had gone differently that we would have officially gotten married, but that hadn’t happened and I had been left alone to watch over the remaining Shadows who never should have been spared.” He shook away the thoughts before he could feel the guilt that often came with thinking of the mistake he made so long ago.
“Love is a very powerful emotion, Jack. The Shadows can’t stand it, but the Light... it fed off of it and without realizing what was going on I found that I was starting to be able to produce the same light that had been the death of many Shadows and that was a cause for problems. I was struggling to get the Shadows to listen when they were pulled from me. In hindsight, it is perhaps for the best that they were, but what happened next... I wish never had.” Pitch closed his eyes, only to open them in surprise when he felt Jack settle into his lap suddenly. His head buried into the robes, pressing against him with a soft chuckle.
“You still blame yourself for that after all this time, don’t you?”
“Yes.” Pitch said with a sigh as his arms came around to embrace Jack.
“What is it going to take to get you to stop?” Pitch didn’t answer for the longest moment, merely holding onto Jack.
“I think you know the answer to that as much as I do Jack.” His voice became quiet all of the sudden and Jack stiffened a little at the next words.
“Because I know you feel guilty about what happened to Jamie. Perhaps you didn’t cause it or feel that you did, but you keep telling yourself that you should have been there to be at his side, that you could have done more if you had been there when it happened or maybe even before then and prevented the accident.” Jack said nothing.
“There is no real cure for this kind of guilt, Jack, but time can bring understanding and help even if it can never erase the guilt completely.” He ran his hand through Jack’s hair, feeling the young Guardian tremble in his embrace from the caress. Gently he threaded the snowy hair through his fingers and Jack slowly relaxed beneath the touch, eventually humming lowly in approval as he leaned into the touch. It never ceased to affect Pitch just how much Jack appreciated the touch he offered. How the other Guardians had missed how touch-starved Jack had been when he’d been offered to join them, Pitch would never know. It was something that Pitch held against the Guardians, even if he was nearly as close as he would ever get to being friends with his former enemies.
“Jack, I know this is hard for you. I know as well that North tried to warn you against it, but I won’t say that it wasn’t right for you.” Fresh tears sprung up in Jack’s eyes even as Pitch gently tilted his head up.
“You are an empathetic spirit, Jack. You identify with those who are like you, even if only in the slightest of ways. You saw the good in me before even I knew it was there. I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Pitch gently brushed Jack’s tears away with his thumbs as he cupped Jack’s face, pressing his lips chastely to Jack’s. The contrast of coolness against his warm lips elected a soft sigh from his throat. He lightly stroked his thumbs along Jack’s cool skin, marveling in how the skin slowly warmed beneath his gentle, continuous touch.

A shudder rippled through Pitch when he felt his lip nibbled lightly. He was surprised when Jack forced his tongue past Pitch’s lips into the heat beyond. Jack had never shown any inclination before to be forceful, but Pitch couldn’t deny him.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“Jack... that was...” He felt Jack smile against him, Pitch let out a soft sigh of pleasure.
“Is that what you’ve been doing when I’ve been out?”
“Maaaayyyybbbeee.” Jack replied softly, leading Pitch’s lips to twitch with a smile.
“Well I’m not complaining and I believe the both of us benefited from the distraction.” Jack nodded a little, shifting to let Pitch fully slide from him before shifting to lay on his side; Pitch shifted to his side, dragging the covers over the both of them before sliding his arm around the frost spirit. He looked at Jack a moment, there was still some residual pain in Jack’s heart, which was to be expected. Pitch shifted to slide his free hand to the gold snowflake around Jack’s neck. Though Jack didn’t use it often, Pitch was certain he needed it now more than ever and gently squeezed it until he felt the golden pendant warm beneath his hands. Pitch shifted to press his forehead against Jack’s. Silently thanking the Sandman for his gift that would allow Jack to heal in his sleep. He watch as Jack yawned before the frost spirit settled down to sleep, Pitch lightly brushed his fingers over Jack’s cheek, delighting in the faint sound of approval he heard before he saw the dreamsand hovering over Jack and soon it began to swirl over him. Pitch blinked when he touched the sand and found that it was his own image that formed from it along with Jack’s, the sand Jack circling around him before grabbing his hand and shifting closer. Pitch smiled as he watched the image a while as it played over Jack before he succumbed to sleep himself.

[Syth]

Chapter 3: A Power Unleashed

Spoiler

Jack woke slowly. He was sore, but pleasantly so and it brought a smile to his face as he remembered the events of the night before. His smile was fleeting when he realized that he was alone in the bed. He sat up, Pitch was looking out the window, already dressed, Jack smiled again when he realized what Pitch was looking at. He slipped from the bed, not thinking about grabbing his pants as he moved over to stand next to his partner, outside snow was softly falling in the pre-dawn sky. Pitch glanced over at him, surprise flitting briefly across his face when he felt Jack embrace him. He smiled though as a fleeting smile graced Jack’s features before fading. He still felt keenly the loss of his friend, his best mortal friend, but it wasn’t as sharp as it had been the day before and he didn’t feel like he was going to be rendered immobile by it. He had to remember to thank Sandy again next time he saw the golden Guardian.
“I see you slept well.” Jack nodded.
“I... I’m sorry... I meant to keep my word when I said I was going to come -” He was forestalled from saying anything more when Pitch twisted to place his mouth over Jack’s. Jack shivered a little with intense pleasure as Pitch’s tongue pushed its way into his mouth, automatically Jack surrendered to the kiss. Last night had been a carefully planned event, but he had not planned for it to be a regular thing. As he and Pitch had both discovered, Jack liked Pitch being in control about as much as Pitch enjoyed having that control.
“You know, there are other ways of shutting me up.” Jack managed to say after the kiss had ended.
“True, but that way is my favorite.” Jack couldn’t argue with that logic. The smile on Pitch’s face faded.
“I don’t doubt that yesterday was, difficult for you, to say the least. If anything, I understand too well your pain. Only time can fix that, however there is something that disturbs me.” Jack cocked his head to the side, curious as to what Pitch meant.
“We need to talk to the others, you might want to get dressed.” Jack sighed a little but nodded. He quickly dressed and the two met up with the other Guardians in the meeting room.
“What’s this about mate?” Bunnymund asked, idly twirling one of his boomerangs as he leaned up against the wall. The others were seated at the table.
“I was woken up early this morning by one of my Nightmares. She had come across a problem, one of the children she visited nightly was dead. Normally this isn’t something I concern myself with, as accidents do happen, but the thing that disturbed me most was the manner of death.” The Guardians glanced at each other a moment before focusing their attention back to Pitch, the death of a child was something that affected them all and no one was happy to hear it.
“The child was discovered, but not all of the child was present. I can only assume that the culprit was run off by my Nightmare. The child was half eaten.” North’s eyes went wide in dismay, Tooth looked like she was going to be sick, Jack grimaced, but seemed to be the only one besides Sandy who didn’t seem to be as disturbed by the news. Bunny just looked like he was about to hurl on the spot.
“Crickey...” The Pooka said weakly.
“That is bad news. Do you know culprit?”
“Unfortunately, yes. There is only one spirit who would stoop to the damage that I saw through my Nightmare. The Nain Rouge.”

“Nain Rouge?” It was Jack who voiced the question, but the others looked troubled.
“The Nain Rouge is, as name suggests, a rogue fae. She looks like a normal little girl, until you get close. There is no nastier Unseelie. The only thing that drives her is hunger and she will eat and consume anything. I do mean anything. She thrives on hiding in the shadows to attack the unwary, it is one reason that I scared humans into staying indoors and near fires during the Dark Ages. The Nain Rouge eats whatever is unfortunate enough to cross her path. She blends in very well with modern society, much as Jack does. She is driven by her hunger, it is never satisfied and the more she consumes the more powerful she becomes. She isn’t just a danger to humans, she is dangerous to any spirit as well because she can take their power and use it as her own.”
“So, what do we do then?” Jack asked, a little unnerved by this information.
“All we can do is lure her out and fight. It won’t be easy.”
“Is anything?” Jack asked with his usual cocky grin. Bunny rolled his eyes.
“Is serious matter Jack.” North admonished.
“Hey, who says I’m not taking this seriously? I just figure as long as we don’t come in direct contact with her we’ll be okay. Not that hard for me, seeing as I doubt she can fly.”
“No, she can’t, but that doesn’t mean you should underestimate her. She often lulls her victims into a sense of false security and then, when their guard is down, she strikes. Even if she doesn’t kill you, even if all she manages is one bite... one scratch... the wound is fatal. That is what makes her so dangerous.” Jack frowned at that, but he took it seriously. He knew better than not to; the last time he hadn’t taken a warning from Pitch seriously it had meant his getting captured and nearly destroying his relationship with Pitch. Jack wasn’t about to make that mistake again.
“In that case, you, me and Sandy would be the best options in terms of getting rid of her.”
“One just simply can’t be rid of the Nain Rouge mate.” Jack raised an eyebrow at Bunnymund who sighed in response.
“Bunny’s right, Jack. The Nain Rouge is one of those few immortals who aren’t affected by loss of power or anything just because she’s that ancient of a force.” Tooth said, Jack frowned at that, but didn’t argue.
“We still can’t sit around and do nothing. Chances are if it happened once, it will again. Where was the attack at?” Pitch grimace this time.
“Burgess.” Jack paled.
“W-who was the... the child?” Pitch shook his head, dispelling Jack’s fears as he spoke.
“No one you would know personally. The attack was random, but if she ever learned that you had connections to anyone there you can bet that she would take advantage of it, killing them off before they would even realize that there was someone there.”
“As dangerous as this is... I have to go. I can’t not do something.” His throat closed as he thought of Jamie’s kids. They were in danger and he had to protect them, because it was his job wasn’t it? Jamie had been his strongest and most loyal believer. He owed it to Jamie to protect his kids. Even if he hadn’t stopped by the last year or so to play with them.
“Is decided then. Pitch - you, Jack and Sandy will go to Burgess to defend children. In mean time things go on as normal.” Sandy nodded, a look of stout determination etched into the smaller Guardian’s features and Pitch withheld a sigh. He was obviously outnumbered and while he didn’t want to be anywhere near the Nain Rouge, let alone allow Jack anywhere near her, he knew that it was a sound plan.

An hour later the three Guardians had covered the city, but there was no sign of the Nain Rouge, aside from the news that had spread about the child. Jack yawned, he wished he could go play with the kids here, but he knew he couldn’t. He wasn’t here for fun. Something stirred in the shadows as the sun began to set. Jack stiffened as did Pitch, both noticing at the same time.
“What the...” It was all Jack said before eyes began to glow in the darkness. They were small, almost as if...
“You remember I said that there are other creatures in the dark, right?” Pitch said, eyeing back the many eyes who faced them.
“Yeah... so what are these things?”
“Tooth Faeries.”
“Huh?”
“Not the kind that serve Toothiana. These ones aren’t called what they are for nothing. They feed on bones, and the kind they like best... teeth.” Pitch seemed a little unnerved.
“Whatever you do, don’t smile at them.” Just as Pitch had finished speaking, a young kid came out of a nearby shop and grinned at Jack.
“Get them!” Pitch roared and the child blinked as Jack shot towards him only to go wide eyed when the young boy saw that it wasn’t just Jack coming towards him, but a swarm of what looked like tiny blue fairies and they didn’t seem friendly. The kid let out a yelp of fright and tried to back up back into the store only to be stopped by an adult who was coming out.
“What the?” The woman asked, not sure why the kid was so scared until she saw the swarm. Jack was fast, he even froze the monstrous faeries around him, but a small handful had gotten out of his reach and were making a beeline for the kid. NO! I won’t reach him! Jack tried to pour on more speed, but it was no use, the faeries were almost as quick as he was and he wouldn’t catch up to them in time to - A streak of red cut through the faeries, destroying them before they could reach the kid. Jack halted and swung around, looking for whoever had been responsible. He was shocked when a girl, who looked to be only a few years older than himself, stepped out of the shadows. She wore a black hoodie and a pair of blue jeans. Like him, she wasn’t wearing shoes; dark chestnut brown hair waved down her back, accented by her dark emerald eyes. Jack just stared a moment until he realized she was drawing an arrow from thin air. For a brief moment he was reminded of Pitch when the former Boogeyman had destroyed Sandy, but he realized in a flash that this wasn’t like that. The arrow wasn’t pointed at him, it was pointed, however, at Pitch who was swatting away several of the faeries. Jack rushed towards this new girl, he wasn’t about to let her hurt Pitch! She loosed the arrow and only at the last second did Jack see that the arrow missed Pitch by a full inch and struck into the horde of what remained of the enemy, obliterating them in that single shot. She lowered her arms and turned to Jack with a grin that friendly and all at once mischievous. Even so, there was something in her eyes that Jack couldn’t place, but he felt that he knew it...

“Hope that’s the last of those little buggers. Nasty things to deal with.”
“Who are you?” Jack asked, confused at this new girl. She shrugged a little.
“Does it matter? You Guardians really have your work cut out for you, who’s the new guy by the way?” She asked as she walked straight up to Pitch without fear.
“Pitch Black.” Pitch said, eyeing the girl warily.
“So ... you’re working with the Guardians now? Huh... who’da thunk?” Jack was about to comment on her strange behavior when he noticed she was floating about just like him... How could she do that?!?! He thought he was the only one to be able to control the wind! She smiled, waving at Sandy who smiled back. Several dream symbols flashing overhead suddenly too fast for Jack to follow properly.
“Wait, hold up Sandy. You know her?” Sandy nodded then a small heart appeared above his head with an arrow that shot itself through it.
“You’ve got to be kidding me.... THIS is ... Cupid?!?!” The girl turned and frowned.
“I hate that name. Seriously, humans have things all wrong about me. I’m not some miniature angel with bird wings and even if I was I’m clearly NOT a guy.” Jack just stared. The girl sighed.
“Please don’t call me that.”
“Then what would you prefer to be called? There aren’t many names associated with your holiday you know.”
“My name is Venus. Stick to that.” Jack was still staring, which caused Venus to give him a funny look.
“What?”
“It’s.... just... you’re kind of cute... er... for a girl.” Jack flushed a little. Pitch’s eyes narrowed slightly as Venus laughed.
“Oh don’t get your pants in a wad Pitch, I know you two belong to each other. Thanks for the compliment though Frostboy.” Jack blinked at the nickname.
“Frostboy?” She just grinned a little while Pitch frowned at her, she turned to him and crossed her arms.
“What do you know, the Boogeyman is the jealous type.” Pitch seethed a little, this girl wasn’t making things any better.
“Ex thank you very much.” He replied, if a little stiffly. Venus grinned and Jack had the sudden feeling that Venus was baiting Pitch a lot like Jack often did with Bunnymund.
“Relax already. I’m not going to steal your precious Jack from you. He’s not even my type. Too close to my own personality for me to want anything other than friendship.” Her words weren’t helping, as Jack could see and Sandy was just laughing at Pitch, which didn’t make things any better and only seemed to irritate Pitch further. Jack himself was trying not to laugh.
“So how is it that you know a lot about Pitch and me, but I don’t know a thing about you?” Jack managed to ask with a straight face.

Venus became pensive then, there was something of pain in her eyes that flashed briefly; so briefly that Jack wondered if he’d even actually seen it. She smiled a bit sheepishly.
“Well, one of the things I can do is read the emotions of others like an open book. It’s something I do pretty naturally, like humans breathe. I don’t think about it, it just happens.” Jack couldn’t help feeling a bit nervous that she could just read him like that, but Pitch and Sandy apparently didn’t have any problems with it. Although if Pitch did chances were Venus didn’t care or was ignoring it, on top of that Pitch wasn’t exactly an open book all of the time when it came to expressions. Jack was fairly sure that he would notice if Pitch was bothered about it though, considering he’d come to notice the very subtle differences in Pitch’s face that often would betray what the other was thinking about.
“Ah... anyway... I guess I’ll see you around.” Before Jack could think to ask her any more questions, she had soared up into the air and for a second time he wondered how she was able to do that. Far as he knew only elemental fae and spirits had control over the wind and she didn’t have wings so.... It really was a puzzle to Jack, but he supposed it would have to wait until he met up with her again.
“I suggest we contact the others and report this.” Pitch spoke, breaking the silence. Jack nodded thoughtfully, still looking up where the other had disappeared. What would a being like Cup- Venus, he corrected himself, be doing in a small town like Burgess? He supposed it could be she was just doing her job, spreading love about, but it seemed like an awful coincidence to the young Guardian that she had appeared when they needed help. Jack looked at Sandy who floated over to him as Pitch used the black and silver ornament comm to contact North.
“What do you make of this Sandy?” A question mark appeared on top of the other Guardian’s head.
“She seemed nice enough, but it can’t be just a coincidence that she would have showed up just when we needed help.... I don’t know why I feel that, but it just seems a little convenient.” Jack looked to Sandy who “spoke” slowly so that Jack could understand him.
She is a flighty one, reminds me of you.
“Of me?” Confusion washed over the young Guardian and Sandy nodded with a smile.
Mischievous, playful, secretive, adolescent awkward.
“Hey! I’m not awkward!” Sandy just grinned at that, chortling silently at Jack’s protest.
“Okay, so maybe I didn’t know how to act around you and the others the first time, but it’s not like you all were so open when I came across you the few times I did.” Sandy shook his head, more symbols appearing.
Something we regret. I enjoyed your company when you chose to talk to me, but I fear the other Guardians were not so helpful when it came to easing your loneliness of the years. Jack nodded thoughtfully, he knew that the Guardians hadn’t really meant to ignore him. Though not all of them had welcomed him with open arms either when he’d come across them, then again his friendly rivalry with Bunny was mostly his own fault. He’d irritated the Pooka on purpose because Bunny had, initially, otherwise ignored his efforts to talk. They’d worked that out though and while the two still ribbed one another, Jack had to admit he probably wouldn’t ever find a more devoted friend than Bunny.

“North says we should return to the pole for now.” Pitch said, cutting into Jack’s thoughts.
“Did you tell him about Venus?” Pitch nodded.
“He said that he is familiar with her. He also agrees with Sandman.” Jack blinked.
“Wait, what?!” The slight smirk that was on Pitch’s face said that he did too.
“By the Moon, why is everyone ganging up on me today?! I’m not awkward!” Pitch just chuckled a little as he moved over to Jack and ran a finger down the Guardian’s cheek in a gentle caress, a rare show of public affection.
“Come on now. Let us be on our way.” Sandy summoned his dreamsand airplane and took off, leaving the two on the ground as he headed off to the North Pole. Pitch wrapped his arms around Jack’s waist and pulled him through the shadows before Jack could protest. The noise of the workshop filled his ears moments later.
“Would you warn me when you do that!” Jack protested a little as Pitch released him, they were back in his room.
“Where would be the fun in that?”
“Oh you are the worst.” Jack said, rolling his eyes as he headed for the door, leaving the other to follow, chuckling softly. The meeting was short, which was a relief to Jack. All they did was go over what had happened in Burgess. Venus was mentioned, but none of the other Guardians seemed concerned at her sudden appearance and help with the Tooth Faeries. Tooth had seemed very concerned at the mention of them though, which was to be expected because those creatures were the opposite of her own fairies who collected teeth. Jack had wanted to talk more about her, but when he’d questioned the others he’d only gotten a shake of heads in terms of asking whether or not they knew more about her. Jack wondered, briefly if this was how the Guardians had seen him those years ago, before he’d been called to be a Guardian. Had they shaken their heads when news of him had come up? It gave him something to think of, but considering that none of the others asked him about it or his curiosity about the girl, he figured he must be hiding it well. There was no doubt in his mind that there had to be something on her, but that the others hadn’t really taken time to look into it. He absently had acknowledged the departure of the other Guardians before flying to the library. North’s library was the most vast library anywhere and it held all books that were relevant, particularly to the Guardians and other mythical creatures. How North amassed such a collection was a mystery to Jack. He’d asked once, the only answer he’d received was that since he dealt with protecting children it was only natural he’d have a copy of every book ever that had anything to do with spirits, fae and so forth. Jack was only dimly aware that Pitch had followed him to the library as he flew quickly from one shelf to another before grabbing a book entitled: Websites, Knowledge on Cupid
The title baffled Jack, but he opened it anyway.
“What are you looking for Jack?” Pitch asked and Jack looked down, he was several feet in the air, book in one hand, staff in the other; he was out of physical reach but he had no doubt that if Pitch wanted him down with him that he would manage it.
“I was curious about Venus, I want to know more about her.” Pitch nodded a little before wandering over to a shelf, thumbing through some titles near the ladder that reached the ceiling; it was tall enough to reach all the shelves so that anyone, who couldn’t fly like he could, would be able to reach any book they wanted. The fact that it was on wheels made that function of it more obvious. Jack turned his attention to the book, crossing his legs as if he was actually sitting on something. Jack wasn’t surprised when he found pictures depicted of a winged boy with a bow, the first picture he found was of a roman statue; it wasn’t anything like what he’d seen Venus was. His eyebrows raised a little as he read that Cupid was considered the god of desire, erotic love, affection and attraction; not to mention he was supposedly the son of the goddess of love, Venus. Wasn’t that an interesting coincidence? The mythical figure supposedly shot arrows, which wasn’t so far fetched because Venus had shot arrows at the little faeries they’d faced. Though the arrows had been like short red shafts of beams, not like the arrows Pitch used or any sort of arrow that he’d seen humans use. That Cupid seemed to be often mistaken to be a putto.... wait, what as a putto?

Jack frowned and noticed a little notation near the word and flipped to the page that was indicated while keeping his page with another finger. Ah, a putto was a little, chubby winged angel like creature. Jack flipped back to the page he’d been on, not really all that interested in the other creature. Jack frowned further when he realized that no human apparently, historian or not, could agree on the parentage of Cupid. How was it that humans couldn’t keep their own history straight? He remembered, in that moment, how Venus had said that the humans had come up with ridiculous notions in regards to her. Did that mean she was around during the time that the Romans and Greeks had begun making statues of her, but as a male? That was a question he didn’t think any book could answer. After reading a bit more, he understood why everyone depicted Cupid as they did, but it was definitely for ridiculous reasons. Humans had attributed Cupid’s appearance to what they had thought of love as: flighty and irrational.
Jack was aware that love could indeed be those things, particularly in regards to humans, but that wasn’t all there was to it! Venus was definitely right, humans were ridiculous. Then again, hadn’t he had evidence of that years ago when Jamie had presented him with what the world thought of him, Jack Frost? Not to mention those stories.... A slight amused smile played on his lips. How had so many minds known that he would end up with Pitch of all spirits? There was some strong coincidence in that, but he shook the thought from his mind as he went back to reading. Nearly an hour later, Jack was stumped. There were certainly plenty of books on Cupid but there wasn’t a single one on Venus. Frustrated and tired, Jack floated down to the ground, sticking his hands into his hoodie pocket before heading out of the library. Pitch had already left the room long ago. Jack wasn’t too surprised to find that the other was sleeping soundly in his room, the sight made Jack smile slightly and he carefully climbed into the bed next to Pitch, soon enough he drifted off, forgetting to squeeze the snowflake around his neck.

[Syth]

Chapter 4: Not What It Seems

Spoiler

Jack yawned, he felt a little stiff, but otherwise he was alright. He blinked away the sleep as the sun’s rays crept across the snow covered land. Jack looked around, confused for a moment. Hadn’t he fallen asleep at ... where was it that he’d been? He glanced around, he was in the tree he remembered sleeping in by his lake. Had everything before been a dream? Jack sighed as he looked at the pond. He recalled the warmth of Pitch laying next to him so clearly, in fact he could almost still feel it. Jack drifted down from the branch and settled into the snow, it was cold as it should be, but he never really felt it. With a sigh, Jack wondered how he had managed to have a dream that had seemed so real, a dream that had seemed to span for so long of a time... It had been like he was living some other life. Darn it if he didn’t wish it was real! Well, it had been strange, having a relationship of that sort of level with the Boogeyman, but hey... if it meant he had friends and believers, wasn’t that worth it? There had been pain too... some of it familiar, some not. Jack let out a sigh. Why couldn’t it have been real? He had been so happy... even though he’d felt the blow of death of someone who had believed so strongly in him, someone who had been so important to him... he barely remembered now. No name, just a face that reminded him so much of his sister even if the child had been a boy.... Jack shook his head. He looked up at the moon, anger filling him.
“Why do you do this to me?! Why?! What is the reason I’m here? I’ve done EVERYTHING that can be done and still no one sees me!” He glared at the moon a moment, staring into the silence that was not so unusual. The moon never answered him, never had. It was not even a full moon yet, but Jack felt his anger leave only to be replaced by despair. He began to cry. 300 years and no explanation, no one saw him or bothered to speak to him; the Guardians were all too busy with their jobs of bringing joy to children and as for the Boogeyman... well, he hadn’t been seen in so long that Jack really wondered if the other actually existed. He’d heard rumors, seen the black sand horses that were Nightmares... but never once had he seen even the slightest hint of anyone. He sighed, running a hand through his hair, leaning against his staff. After a moment he moved over to the lake that had been his home for as long as he could remember, it was also where he’d died some 300 years before. He was certain he’d died, but he’d also been reborn here. Who had he been before? He was certain he’d had a life before, but he couldn’t remember anything. The memories he knew he should have simply eluded him.
“Jack.” The sound of his name was quiet upon the air but Jack stiffened, he knew that voice. He wasn’t sure how, but he knew it and he spun around to see a pair of golden eyes staring at him from beneath the shadows of the tree he’d been sleeping in not so long ago. Jack lifted his staff defensively.
“Come off it Frost, I’m not here to hurt you.”
“Who are you?”
“I’m surprised you don’t know, haven’t you heard of me? I’m Pitch Black.” Jack blinked in confusion, this figure was the Boogeyman? The man was dressed in black pants and robes, gray toned skin much like a soft shadow, his eyes were like amber coals; his hair was as black as his robes and slicked back a little. Jack kept his staff up for a moment before slowly lowering it. What did he know about the spirit before him? Sure he’d heard rumors, but the man himself was nothing to sneeze at; still wary Jack didn’t let him out of his sight for a moment.
“What do you want?”

“This isn’t about me Frost. You see, I’ve been watching you. I’ve seen how the Guardians treat you. How everyone does.” Jack took a step back. Pitch had been... but why? What was a lonely winter spirit to the shade?
“What is this about exactly? I know you didn’t come by just to talk to me.”
“True. I came here to ask you to join me.” Jack’s eyes went wide. Join Pitch? What was the shade talking about? Pitch gave him a sympathetic smile.
“Jack, I know how things have been for you and I only wish I’d been strong enough sooner to come to you. I know what it’s like, to be invisible to everyone, to want to be believed in, to be seen, to be treated like you matter... to long for a family.” Jack would have stumbled then. He never would have expected this nor the depth of emotion he saw when he gazed into the amber orbs before him.
“I know that with my help, children will believe in you.”
“In me?”
“Yes! What goes better than cold and dark? We will make them believe. We’ll give them a world where everything... everything is-”
“Pitch Black?” Jack asked, his eyes narrowing suspiciously.
“And Jack Frost, too. They’ll believe in both of us. I can help you Jack, I want to help you. I’ve been alone for so long...” He trailed off, Jack’s grip on his staff loosened as he began to consider the words. He longed to be seen. To be believed in. He’d tried everything on his own to get attention. He hadn’t tried one thing, one thing he hadn’t really wanted to try to get believers because it was just as dark - in a way - as his role as Brother Frost. Something that no other spirit... no living thing knew about him. He kept it a secret because the responsibility of it weighed on him. He didn’t like killing children, he didn’t want to watch the light leave their eyes or how happy they were that they were being lulled by him into death’s embrace. He didn’t want any of that! Yet here... Pitch was promising him believers... true believers, not ones that would slip away from him into death. Believers who would pass what they believed to more children.
“Let me prove it to you.” Pitch said after a moment. Jack nodded a little. Words were just words unless action was behind them; if Pitch was truly sincere then... The shade held out a hand and Jack hesitated before placing his free hand in that of the shade, wondering if he was making a mistake as the other pulled him close and shadows suddenly blotted out everything, leaving a nasty taste in his mouth as they suddenly were whisked to Pitch’s lair. Jack glanced around, it was dark as he expected and the stone beneath his feet was only mildly warm, but not enough to make a difference to Jack. He glanced up, wondering what the many cages that hung from the ceiling were for. As he looked around he saw that Pitch was patiently waiting next to a golden globe with a Nightmare. Jack moved forward curiously. Pitch was going to prove what he’d said to be true, so... what was he going to do?
“This globe shows all the believers in the world. Now, I’m going to show you how I can help you, just watch the globe.” Jack did and blinked in surprise when a handful of the lights became silver, he felt a warmth flutter in his chest. He stared at the lights that had become silver then looked up at Pitch.
“What... what did you just do?”
“Like it? I simply influenced a few dreams. Those silver lights, Jack, are your believers.” Jack rushed closer to the globe, lightly pressing his fingers over the silver lights. Awe and delight etched on his fingers and he let out a laugh. He had believers! He couldn’t believe it, but there it was... a small flame inside him and the silver lights...

“This is only a small taste. Of course I imagine you will want to know how things would go, at least for what I have planned.” Jack nodded and Pitch motioned towards something that Jack hadn’t noticed before. It was a small cot with a pillow on it. Jack, confused moved towards it.
“I’m going to show you the only way I can Jack, it won’t last long, I promise.” Jack nodded and settled into the cot. Pitch settled his hand on Jack’s forehead as the winter spirit closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep. He awoke quickly. Pitch was waiting for him, sitting in a dark throne that had been etched from the stone walls around him.
“Okay, you’ve convinced me. I’ll join you.”
“Excellent. Now, let us put the plan to work. Our first target is the Tooth Fairy.” Jack grinned a little, he had been no less than a little miffed when that arrogant beauty had rebuffed his visits by saying she was “too busy” to talk to him or do more than simply wave at him, and it hadn’t even been a real wave. It had been an absent minded gesture. It was time for revenge.
“What do you want me to do?” Jack asked as he stopped next to the globe to lightly caress the lights that were his new believers.
“For now, I’m going to have you assist the Nightmares with her fairies. I’ve sent them to capture them as well as the teeth. Stay here and make sure that every single one gets into those cages. This is vital, not a one must escape.” Jack nodded. He felt it was such a small thing though.
“Why not send me out to help? I’m faster than any of those fairies.” Pitch smiled a little.
“I don’t doubt it Jack, but you see I want to keep you as a surprise to the Guardians. I’ve no doubt that they know of you, but I want to see their faces when you stand at my side when they are weak.” Jack grinned, he could appreciate that. He loved surprising people, it was so much fun!
“I get it. Alright, but I hope it’s soon. I’m not exactly a patient person Pitch.”
“I promise, I will let you face them as soon as possible.” Having said as much, Pitch withdrew from the lair and stood outside, looking up at the moon. He saw the Sandman rush past it and couldn’t stop the satisfied grin from coming to his face. He knew that the Guardians were looking for Jack. That the Man in the Moon had personally chosen Jack to become a Guardian. That was why he had approached Jack. He wanted to get to the boy first and he knew he could easily convince the would-be-Guardian to go along with him. Jack was desperate for what Pitch could offer. That he had never bothered before, had left the winter spirit to suffer for 300 years of loneliness was what made this plan so perfect. Pitch had visited North, taunting the Guardian of Wonder just days before, but even so he hadn’t actually left the place as he’d gleefully watched the Guardians scramble. He had enjoyed watching North’s reaction to his little “sand show” on the Globe of Belief. He had been baffled when the Man in the Moon had appeared to speak through moonbeams to the Guardians and then had been surprised that Manny, as North called the Man in the Moon, had chosen a new Guardian. Not this time. Pitch was not going to let this one go.

He watched as his Nightmares surged across the landscape, heading off to capture Tooth’s minions. Of course he intended to make his own appearance. After all, it had been too long since he’d had this sort of fun. When he arrived at the Tooth Palace he found the other three crowded around Tooth who was kneeling in defeat. It made Pitch smile.
“I have to say, this is very exciting. The Big Four, all in one place. I’m a little starstruck.” He said with a smirk, leaning over the spire he stood on to peer down at his foes who seemed to search the area before they noticed him nearby. Tooth had taken flight again as she’d searched to see where Pitch was.
“Did you like my little show on the globe North? Got you all together, didn’t I?” North seemed to throw a small fit when the Guardian realized that they’d done as Pitch had wanted. Tooth zoomed around, trying to locate him as he’d disappeared into the shadows again.
“Pitch! You’ve got 30 seconds to return my fairies!” She yelled, darting towards him, but he’d melted back into the shadows, avoiding the furious overgrown fairy.
“Or what? You’ll stick a quarter under my pillow?” He asked, feigning fright as he stood on a different spire several feet away from the fairy.
“Why are you doing this?” North asked, pointing one sword in Pitch’s direction.
“Maybe I want what you have. To be believed in. Maybe I’m tired of hiding under beds.” He slipped back into the shadows, emerging from a shadow closer to them as he finished speaking.
“Maybe that’s where you belong.” Bunnymund bit back. Pitch appeared on the underside of the platform the Guardians were standing on.
“Oh go suck an egg rabbit.” He scoffed. Bunnymund responded by trying to swipe at him, but missed as Pitch melted back into the shadows again. He reappeared behind the group.
“None of you know what it’s like to not be believed in. To not be able to touch the humans, to not be seen... well, all of that is about to change.” The Guardians whirled around, glaring daggers at him.
“Pitch!” Bunny cried, hopping onto a different platform and hopping towards him, intending to attack as he cried out.
“You shadow sneaking rat-bag come here!” Pitch had no intention of staying put. He disappeared into the shadows again, emerging on a new platform out of reach of the insufferable overgrown rabbit. As Bunnymund stopped short, Tooth grabbed one of his boomerangs, crying out as she rushed towards him with the weapon. Pitch just smiled knowingly as she raced towards him only to halt and jolt back as a Nightmare suddenly sprung up, rearing at her and forcing the fairy back.
“Whoa! Hey! Easy girl, easy.” Pitch crooned to the Nightmare as Tooth floated back to where the other Guardians were, hovering near Bunnymund. Pitch chuckled, taking a bit of the Nightmare’s sand mane and turning to the group holding his hand out as the black sand dribbled through his fingers.
“Look familiar Sandman? Took me a while to perfect this little trick, turning dreams into Nightmares. Don’t be nervous, it only riles them up more. They smell fear, you know.” Pitch said, stroking the head of the horse lovingly.
“What fear? Of you? Heh heh” Bunnymund asked brazenly, snatching his boomerang back from Tooth who held it out to the Pooka who pointed one end at Pitch as he went on.
“No one’s been afraid of you since the Dark Ages!” Pitch smiled blissfully as he recalled that time.

“Oh, the Dark Ages. Everyone frightened, miserable. Such happy times for me oh the power I wielded! but then the Man in the Moon chose you to replace my fear with your wonder and light. Lifting their hearts and giving them hope. Meanwhile, everyone just wrote me off as a bad dream. ‘Oh, there’s nothing to be afraid of there’s no such thing as the Boogeyman!’ ” Pitch scowled.
“Now that’s all about to change.” Something caught his eye and he turned to see that the gold coloring of Tooth’s palace was beginning to crumble like gold dust off her home. He couldn’t help the smile that touched his lips.
“Oh look, it’s happening already.” The looks on the faces of the Guardians was priceless as Tooth stopped hovering, kneeling dejectedly as she realized, with wide eyes, that children were forgetting her. They no longer believed in her.
“Soon there will be no more Easter, or Christmas or little fairies that come in the night. There will be nothing but fear and darkness... and me. It’s your turn, not to be believed in!” Pitch scowled, pointing at them to add emphasis to his words. He wanted the Guardians to know that this was what was in store for them. Bunnymund cried out suddenly, tossing his boomerang at Pitch who ducked twice to avoid the magical, wooden weapon before leaping onto his faithful Nightmare and urging her down towards the shadows. The Guardians followed fast on his heels, trying to chase him down before he could vanish into the shadows below. He steered his Nightmare left and then right and back again to avoid Bunnymund’s explosive eggs that he tossed Pitch’s way and ended up exploding harmlessly against the air and rock and Pitch vanished into the shadow created by the rocks, leaving the four Guardians to land. Pitch arrived back in his lair to see Jack was perched on the globe, staring in wonder again at the lights that were his believers as other lights slowly began to go out. Jack looked up and smiled when he saw Pitch. The little fairies above were quiet, quivering in fear and cold as they peered down at Jack, not knowing who he was, and Pitch.
“Looks like it went smoothly.” Jack said as a way of greeting.
“Yes, and soon we will bring down the others.”
“One thing though... if the kids believe in the Guardians and these lights are them, why aren’t they going out?” Pitch frowned as he went over to the globe. Indeed very few had gone out, barely more than the handful of believers that Pitch had given Jack. Before he could answer the winter spirit’s question, one of his Nightmares landed nearby, tossing its head a neighing at him. Pitch scowled.
“They’re collecting the teeth?” The fairies above began chattering happily. Pitch scowled up at them.
“Pipe down or I’ll stuff a pillow with you!” The threat didn’t seem to work until Jack dropped the temperature and the fairies had to huddle closer for warmth.
“What?” Jack asked and Pitch frowned as he turned from the fairies.
“The other Guardians... they’re helping her.” Jack frowned at this news. The Nightmare nickered softly at Pitch who growled at it, the horse froze in fear before dissolving into sand. Pitch swirled part of it around his hand as he spoke, not looking at Jack.

“Let them have one last hurrah,” He said, the image of the Sandman forming from the black sand as he continued on.
“For tomorrow, all their scrambling will be for naught.” He clenched his fist, crushing the figure in his sand as he said the final word.
“So, you have a plan then?” Jack asked, hopping off the globe. Pitch smiled slightly.
“Yes, for now, however I would like you to stay here and guard the fairies. I know it’s not much fun, but this one I need to do alone. It won’t take long Jack and once the Sandman is gone we can target the others.” Jack grinned a little.
“We?”
“Yes Jack, after this I believe it will be time to let you have some fun.” Jack liked that idea. He could wait another day or so. The promise of being able to get out and get his revenge was going to be sweet. The next evening, however, he’d begun to pace. Jack had told Pitch that he was impatient and he was proving just that. The fairies didn’t give him any trouble, they were more terrified of him than they were of Pitch and that thought made the young winter spirit smile.

[Syth]

Chapter 5: Road Not Traveled

Spoiler

It was easy work, being rid of the Sandman and Pitch had loved the sound of the pained screams of his enemies as they realized they had lost one of their own. He had left them then, to lick their wounds and to gather power. When he returned the lair he noticed that Jack was sitting by the golden globe, watching gleefully as the golden lights winked out and several were replaced by silver lights. Pitch couldn’t stop the triumphant smile that crossed his features. Jack was almost ready.... now just to test him.
“Let’s have a little fun now shall we? It’s almost Easter now, time to pay that Pooka a little visit.” Jack jumped up, a grin crossing the frost spirit’s face.
“What did you have in mind?”
“Well, there are so many tunnels in that warren of his... I thought perhaps you might like to do a little payback by smashing a few eggs.” Jack’s grin just widened and Pitch patted himself on the back silently. The boy was now his. Of this he was certain. Still, he needed proof his new ali wouldn’t turn on him or something so he would test him. He drew Jack into the shadows with him as they whisked to the warren. Pitch let his Nightmares scatter through the various tunnels while he and Jack waited in the one they had arrived in. The sounds of battle rang out distantly and Pitch knew the Guardians were here, fighting his Nightmares. When the first eggs appeared, bright and colorful with legs, and heading towards the end of the tunnel to get to the surface. Jack didn’t hesitate to freeze them, smashing them with ice and snowballs, whooping in his delight as he destroyed the eggs. Pitch didn’t have to do a thing, he watched with glee as Jack demolished every single egg. Not one reached Pitch, not a single one and those that had tried to flee from the spirit had only been swiftly crushed by a Nightmare’s hooves on the other side of the tunnel. When at last all was quiet and there were no more eggs, Pitch moved over to Jack and put a hand on his shoulder.
“It’s time to plan for our appearance Jack. Let them lament at the loss of their holiday.” Jack quickly squashed the remorse of what he’d done that tried to claw its way in his mind. You deserve this rabbit... for all the times you ignored me and pushed me away. Now it’s your turn to know what it’s like to be alone! Jack moved to Pitch and took the offered hand into his, the shadows were nauseating to move through, but Jack was starting to get used to it. When they arrived back in the main chamber of the lair, Jack flew excitedly over to the globe where lights were winking out faster than he could count and many more were being replaced by silver ones. In fact, now there were only five golden lights to the dozens of silver that were on the globe.
“Go on.” Pitch encouraged and Jack placed a finger over one of the gold lights, almost hopping up and down when he removed his finger and found that it had turned silver. Pitch walked over to the boy with a smile. He pressed his finger to one of the lights and it went out with a wink. The two then took turns extinguishing the lights until only one remained. Jack pressed his finger to it, but frowned when it didn’t change or vanish.
“What’s with this one?” Pitch looked at the light, he then pressed his own finger to it, scowling when he found he couldn’t extinguish it.
“Well then... it seems this one has stronger belief. This calls for a more personal touch.”
“Can I come?” Pitch smiled.
“Of course.” Jack grinned from ear to ear.

When the shadows receded around them, Jack saw the sleigh he knew must belong to North. None of the reindeer were in sight, but he could see that North was leaning on one of his swords like a cane, Tooth’s wings fluttered uselessly, unable to lift her off the ground anymore. Bunnymund was nothing more than a fluffy, tiny bunny and the three were gathered around a boy Jack knew well. He’d watched the boy grow, had tried to get the boy’s attention many a time with no luck. Jamie Bennett. The boy looked delighted to be able to see the Guardians, well two of them, he wasn’t paying any attention to Bunnymund who looked dejected as his breath came out in quick pants. The boy couldn’t see the former Easter Bunny, but he obviously still believed in both Tooth and North. Jack wondered how it was the boy still could, but he pushed the thought aside. He was just one kid and the Guardians couldn’t protect the boy as they were meant to. Jack floated down towards them while Pitch stayed behind, it was Jack’s turn to shine.
“Jack!” North said in surprise when he caught sight of the frost spirit. Tooth blinked.
“Jack, where have you been?! We’ve been looking for you!” Jack frowned at her.
“Oh I’ve been around.”
“What are you doing here?” North asked, Jamie looked confused for a moment before an idea came to him and suddenly he saw the frost spirit. His mouth dropped in awe, it was Jack Frost! The other Guardians knew him too! Could this night be any better? the boy wondered.
“Same as you.” Jack said, nodding at the boy.
“Good timing mate, though coulda used ya hours ago against them Nightmares.” Bunny said. Jack leaned against his staff, the smile on his features made the Guardians step back, North put one hand in front of Jamie protectively while the boy stared at the winter spirit in confusion. What was going on? Wasn’t Jack on their side?
“Oh I just bet you could have cottontail. Actually... I was there... and it was fun.” Bunnymund’s jaw dropped.
“Jack... what have you done?!” Tooth asked, her hands flying to her mouth as her eyes widened. North seemed to be the only one who was speechless.
“Why are you all so surprised? You expected me to come running to help you when none of you would help me? When you barely even looked at me?!” The smile was gone, Jack’s expression was one of hatred and anger.
“You were supposed to be with us....” Tooth began. Jack laughed harshly, making her flinch.
“With you? As if. Why would I join you when none of you ever took even a moment of your time to talk to me? To acknowledge me? It’s your turn to know what that felt like. What it felt like to be alone, to not be seen!” Jamie’s eyes widened at the force of hate that seemed to roll off the frost spirit before him. He began to wonder what went wrong... had the Guardians ignored Jack up until now? He took a step back when he noticed that ice was creeping from Jack onto the pavement and slowly heading for them. The Guardians hadn’t noticed yet. A crack of thunder made Jamie jump and the Guardians spun around to see Pitch on a cloud of black sand that seemed to ripple like water about him.
“Pitch!” Tooth gasped. Jack grinned at the sight of his partner.

“Hey Pitch! You can have the Guardians... I’ll take the boy.” Jack called and watched with a growing grin as horror flashed on the faces of the four.
“Very well, have fun Jack.” Jack just grinned as the boy took off like a shot. The Guardians would have followed had Pitch not intercepted them with a scythe of black sand. Jack chased the boy down the street, but he wasn’t pouring on all his speed, not in the least. He was letting the boy think he could stand a chance at getting away. He laughed as he followed the boy between houses and further away from the Guardians who could barely stand up against Pitch. Jack had no doubts that Pitch would make short work of the Guardians. Then their reign would begin.
“Run if you think you can, but you can’t hide!” Jack called, the boy panted, he had to give the kid props for not just outright screaming in terror as Jack chased him through the neighborhood. No one could save the boy and the young boy’s legs gave out as he entered an alleyway, he scrambled to the end of it. Eyes wide as Jack grinned, slowly walking towards him.
“Too bad, you should have been my believer, Jamie.” Jamie’s eyes widened with horrified surprise when he realized that Jack knew his name.
“Please no... Please... Jack don’t do this!” The boy’s cry rang on deaf ears, a cry of pain echoing through the night, unheard by another living soul. Jack flew away, laughing triumphantly. They had won, or so Jack had thought. He didn’t realize that nearby, panting and out of breath, was Bunnymund. He summoned a hole big enough for the kid and returned to the warren to thaw the boy out before he was frozen forever.

Jack summoned his power to him, snow blanketing the ground and the temperature dropped.
“Well done Jack... now it truly begins.” Pitch said, his laughter ringing out into the night and Jack joined him. For the time being they would return to the lair. As they did, Pitch landed near his throne, indicating with a sweep of his hand, that Jack make on of his own. Jack examined the space near Pitch’s throne thoughtfully before sending out his power, creating a rather jagged looking throne that sent frost sliding along Pitch’s throne. Jack looked at what he’d made, not entirely satisfied.
“Hmmm, I think it’s missing something.” Pitch reached out with his hand, dark sand pouring over the throne and mixing it, when it disappeared again the ice throne shone like crystal and even had some of the sand mixed into the ice. Jack grinned.
“Beautiful Pitch.” Pitch nodded, then Jack spun around to look at Pitch, who seemed curious as to what the other was up to. There was a sort of intense look to the boy’s eyes that he couldn’t quite place. In a flash the boy had stepped forward, cupping Pitch’s face with his hands to kiss him. The feel of the cold lips against his was a surprise for a moment before he folded his arms around the lithe form and pulled him close, deepening the kiss and making it all the more intimate. Jack felt dizzy with sensation as he was pulled through the shadows to a room that Jack was sure belonged to Pitch.

[Syth]

Chapter 6: Dreams

Spoiler

Jack didn’t have time to think really as Pitch pressed him against the silk spread on the bed and followed him. Jack could only groan in pleasure as sensations assaulted him, no one had dared touch him, and certainly not like this!

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“Well now Jack... you belong to me now.” He murmured possessively. A shiver went through Jack and he turned his head towards Pitch, a smile in his voice.
“You planned this... didn’t you? You knew I...” Jack flushed.
“No, I didn’t know that, but yes. I did plan for it.” A finger lightly brushed Jack’s cheek.
“You don’t know how much I’ve wanted this since I first saw you. Of course I knew that I couldn’t just have you... you would have to come to me.” Jack smiled.
“Yeah... I guess I probably would have run like a rabbit if you’d tried.”
“And now?” Pitch asked, staring into Jack’s eyes. Jack’s cheeks flushed, but the frost spirit didn’t back down.
“Now if I run it’s going to be to you... I... I’ve only fantasized about this... I .. didn’t know you...” Pitch just chuckled.
“Now then, that I have you... I’m going to enjoy every inch of you Jack.” A shiver of pure pleasure and anticipation zigzagged through Jack and he knew he was looking forward to it. The rest of the night Jack spent going from one dizzy form of pleasure to another as Pitch showed him things he had never believed possible. The following day, Jack rolled in the snow. It was so soothingly cold, Pitch had overheated his body with all the pleasures of the night and Jack didn’t mind it one bit. Feeling more himself, he flew off, spending the day soaring the sky and spreading his snow to places that had once been tropical and beyond his reach but now the world was his oyster. Where clouds blocked out the sun, Shadows appeared and reaped fear from the humans who encountered them. Jack didn’t particularly like the Nightmares, but he didn’t mind them too much.

One day flowed into the next. Jack was enjoying ruling over the earth, of having children believe in him; truly believe. Those who had thought of him as some sort of a saint had come to believe less of him now. None of those who had once believed he would be there to relieve them of their lives called out his name, but every once in a while he would be soaring over a city and find the body of a child. It would make him stop and wince, he would make a frost flowers for them and decorate the body. So children weren’t afraid of him like they were Pitch, but with the way the world was they couldn’t play with him either. Most spent the day searching for food or other things just to survive. The world had come to an ice age and most humans weren’t really prepared for this. Jack had talked to Pitch about it but the Boogeyman had shrugged and told him that it was bound to happen. The weak died and the strong survived. Not all who died were children of course, a lot of the bodies Jack found were of adults. Well, it sucked for them. Jack could care less about the adults and simply brought his snow everywhere he went. Still, even though the entire world was a winter wonderland, Jack felt that something was missing. He was sitting at his lake when he heard footsteps behind him, he turned and his jaw dropped. It was Jamie... no, it couldn’t be. He’d.... Behind the boy was North, he looked like he was ready to fall over, but the boy was looking at him with pleading eyes.
“Jack... I believe in you... you can change things.” Jack could scarcely believe that the boy was still alive, that the boy was saying these things. His mouth clamped shut and he stood.
“I should have stayed with you... made sure... I won’t make that mistake again.” Jack growled, advancing on the boy, but was surprised when North interfered. Jack tossed ice and snow at the Guardian, but North took the blows like they were nothing and his sword slashed across Jack’s staff, Jack cried out in pain as the staff splintered, but didn’t break.
“How dare yo-” He stopped, pain shot through him as suddenly he felt one of North’s swords skewer him like a hot knife to butter. The sword was pulled back and Jack stumbled back, eyes wide as his hands went to his chest, blood seeping the material even as Pitch appeared with Nightmares. The Nightmares kept North away from Jack, Jack fell back against Pitch. He felt so tired... so weak...
“Pitch...”
“Jack.” Pitch held him close and placed one hand on his cheek.
“I need you to listen to me Jack. This is important. I need you to wake up.”

Jack shot up, his chest heaving. He was in Pitch’s lair, there was no North, no Jamie, no blood. He saw that a Nightmare stood next to him, the Nightmare snorted and Jack laughed weakly. A dream... it had just been a dream. A dream that Pitch had given him. Pitch... He glanced around, the Boogeyman was sitting on his throne, his head propped on one hand as he watched Jack.
“That was some dream.” Jack said after a moment, getting up from the small cot.
“Yes, well, good dreams aren’t really my department, but they are the fastest way to convey information.” Jack couldn’t argue with that.
“There were a couple things wrong with it though.” Pitch raised an eyebrow as if to say “such as?” though he didn’t speak. Jack slowly made his way over to the shade.
“First off, do you really think that boy could be that powerful? That his belief would be that strong?”
“Yes, I do. He’s not your ordinary boy. I’ve watched him and he stands out among most of his peers.” Pitch straightened when Jack had reached him, but Jack didn’t stop there, he climbed into Pitch’s lap and Pitch’s eyes flickered with surprise.
“One other thing... I told you I wasn’t patient. I don’t like waiting.” Before Pitch knew what he was doing, Jack had captured the other’s lips with his own and Pitch, after getting over the shock, kissed him back. That little part of the dream hadn’t been so much his influence as Jack’s own; after all, it had been Jack’s dream... He could definitely get used to this though. Jack didn’t pull back for a good long while. Pitch wrapped his arms around the winter spirit.
“There’s something else I should say.”
“Hmm?”
“In that dream, I had the feeling that something was missing. I still do actually, even though I know I’m awake.”
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t know... it’s like there’s something I should have that I don’t. Like I’m missing something... and when you approached me I was waking from a dream that seemed so real at the time. I mean... it was ridiculous that it would be true.” Pitch leaned back against the throne, looking down on his beloved partner.
“Tell me about it Jack.” Jack looked up at him with a helpless smile.
“That’s just it... there’s not much I remember about it anymore. I do remember that it spanned several years though and I was happy in the dream. The ridiculous part was that I was a Guardian, that the Guardians had invited me to be one of them... and then I fought against you, and somehow we won...” Jack didn’t notice that Pitch had stiffened slightly, none of the emotion on the Boogeyman’s face. He went on.
“It gets sillier... I got the feeling like a year passed and somehow you were rid of the Shadows and you and I were... that is...” Jack flushed then and a smile tugged at the edges of Pitch’s mouth as he began to relax again.
“Anyway... I had something... from one of the Guardians... not sure what... but I remember it was supposed to help me sleep, to protect me from having bad dreams about... something. Then like we had all these years of peace and getting to know one another... but then... something happened... something... indescribable. I was... I was crippled by the pain of it and Bunny found me by a grave... someone... I lost someone who was very dear to me... and it hurt... it hurt so very bad....” Jack trailed off, Pitch was silent. Considering all that Jack was telling him.
“The last part of the dream, at least what I remember, was that we’d battled some strange faeries and met this girl who claimed to be Cupid... and... that’s it.”

There was a long moment of silence that caused Jack to become uneasy as he looked at Pitch who didn’t really seem to react.
“It was just a dream... wasn’t it? I mean... I woke up after that in my tree like I normally do and that was before you came to me saying you wanted to be partners.”
“Yes Jack, it was just a dream. Complex as it may have been.” Jack sagged in relief. Glad to hear it from someone else. He felt exhausted, as if he’d been struggling against an army, before he knew it he’d drifted off to sleep.
“Jack?” The familiar voice of Pitch brought Jack from his sleep though he felt exhausted. He blinked when he realized that he was at the workshop. That the entire room was covered in ice and snow. His eyes began to widen and he backed up from Pitch, falling out of the bed in the process, who was looking at him worriedly. His black hair and bronze skin was covered in melting frost and snow. He scrambled to his feet and backed up against the wall.
“No... this is... a dream... it has to be...”
“Jack! Snap out of it!” Jack blinked, he was so confused. What... what was real?
“I...” The sharp pain of having lost something precious slammed into him and Jack cried out as he fell to his knees.
“Jack!” Pitch was on his feet and by the boy’s side in an instant. His hands lightly on the boy’s shoulders as Jack shook with quiet sobs, tears falling down his face. Jack could barely keep himself braced on his hands. He felt sick and coughed up a few snowflakes, shuddering as the sobs continued to wrack his body even as Pitch’s arms encircled him and held him close. Jack simply fell apart in the embrace of warmth that was familiar. As Pitch held him close his head snapped up and around at the sound of a familiar voice.
“Blimey this thing is stuck! Get North!” There was the sound of grumbling and running feet. Seconds later the door shook before bursting open and the other Guardians rushed into the room. Bunny and Tooth shivered from the cold, only North and Sandy didn’t seem startled to see the ice and snow everywhere in the room. It looked like a white bomb had gone off in the room. Pitch looked at them helplessly as Jack continued to cry quietly.
“Is problem... We need her help.” Pitch blinked and was about to ask when North turned to Tooth.
“Tooth, you know how to find her. Get her here.”
“But she...” Tooth began to protest but stopped when her eyes darted from North back to Jack. She nodded and was gone.
“Crickey mate...” It was all Bunny said and Sandy just seemed sad.
“North... who are you talking about?”
“Venus. She help, if we find her.” Pitch looked at North like he’d sprouted another head.
“Are you out of your mind?! She’s a loose cannon, what can she...” He stopped when North held up a hand.
“Trust me. She help. I know her, I be knowing what she can do that even Sandy’s sand cannot.”

[Syth]

Chapter 7: Secrets

Spoiler

Sandy went over to Jack, using his dreamsand to knock the young Guardian out again before swirling sand around the boy to invoke nothing but good dreams. Dreams that the frost Guardian wouldn’t remember. Pitch set him on the bed before sitting down on the edge of it himself. Worry etching the features of the Guardian of Courage. He had hoped that his talk with Jack would have prevented dreams like this, but apparently not. The boy’s fear and confusion had ripped him from his own dreams, slamming into him like someone had smacked him with a brick. He expected that the young spirit who guarded love would come sauntering in. When he saw her though, she was somber. Her face was etched with genuine concern.
“Did Sandy put him under?” Her voice was quiet. Pitch only nodded, swallowing his own fears and trying to rein in his emotions so not to distract her.
“Stop trying Pitch, you’re only going to hurt yourself. I know you love him, that you’re concerned for him. I will do what I can, but the pain I’m sensing from him is a white hot... this sort of pain is... very damaging and very dangerous to manipulate. Even in the slightest bit.”
“Can you?”
“Can I what? Take it from him?” Pitch nodded. Venus shook her head sadly.
“Not without wiping his memories of Jamie from him, and I’m not about to do that. As much pain as he’s in... he’d never forgive me if I did something so reckless as that.”
“What do you mean?” Venus sighed.
“Lessening pain has its drawbacks... I can’t just take away the pain and it disappears like magic. It has to go somewhere....” Pitch’s eyes widened as he began to understand.
“Is that why you’re sad so much?” His tone was quiet and Venus grimaced a little.
“You sacrifice your own happiness, literally, for the sake of others?”
“I do... but that is not the core reason for the unrest you sense in me.” Pitch stared at her hard then nodded.
“I believe you... you don’t have any strong fears, but there is a deep loneliness in you... like there was in Jack when I first actually talked to him.” Venus grimaced a little and shook her head.
“I wouldn’t call it that exactly. It’s a wound that won’t heal.” Pitch was silent a long moment as he watched Venus approach Jack, she closed her eyes, she hadn’t even touched him yet and he could see the stress in the way she moved.
“You love him... don’t you?” It was more of a statement than a question, but Venus’ eyes flew open, staring wide at Pitch as she turned her head to stare at the former shade.
“Yes.” There was a long pause before she spoke again, her voice rough despite how quiet it was.
“Please, don’t tell him. I don’t want him to feel guilty that he chose you. You know he would.” Pitch nodded, he knew too well that Jack was a bit too empathetic when it came to others and knowing that he had crushed someone because he had chosen to love Pitch... That would make things worse for Jack and he didn’t need that on top of what he was dealing with.

“I may never find happiness... may never be happy myself. My love is all I have... and my heart has belonged to Jack since the moment I first laid eyes on him the year I awoke. He was the first one to see me... he was so kind... so helpful... I doubt he remembers because it was years ago... In fact, it was the same year he’d first become a Guardian... He’s always been there for me when I had a question and he helped me when no one else would. I just couldn’t help it and because he is who he is... I fell in love. I never thought about it twice, never questioned it. I would do anything for him... which is why I can do this now. My love for him is so pure-”
“It’s tearing you up.” Pitch finished before she could. The look she gave Pitch was of immense sadness.
“Yes.” Neither said another word and Venus closed her eyes. She didn’t tell him what she was doing exactly, but he had a fair idea when he felt the shift between Jack and Venus. It was like she was carving out the negativity from Jack and filling the gap she left with love from herself before storing the negative energy into herself. Pitch said nothing. What could he say to this girl he had underestimated? She was so pure, so innocent, that she didn’t think twice about destroying herself for Jack. She was, Pitch realized, doing what Pitch would have done if he could have. He didn’t think though he’d have the strength to do what she was... to take in so much negativity and still smile as if nothing was wrong. As if all she had done was destroy the darkness in Jack without sacrificing a piece of herself in the process. There was no mistaking the weariness that was now etched into the features of the young girl. She seemed so old now, as if her youth had been sucked out of her and he could only begin to wonder at the depth of the emotion she’d had to pull from Jack.
“You shouldn’t have to do this.” He said, he didn’t regret that she had and wasn’t ungrateful, but for someone to have to do this for someone else...
“I don’t do it because I have to. I do it because I need to, because there’s no way I wouldn’t help Jack.”
“If you keep this up.... there’s ...” Pitch fought for the words. He’d seen what negativity did to humans, how they wasted away until they finally found death.
“I know the consequences, Pitch. I was born into this world to do this. To take on this burden so that humans wouldn’t have to. At the same time... I know that I don’t have much longer. Humanity is twisting the gift of love I have given it. There is so much negativity... so much... wrongness that they have put into it that, for the last few years... I’ve been dying.” Pitch stared at her, suddenly he realized she wasn’t thin because that that was the way she was meant to be, but because her physical form was strained with all the negativity she was keeping inside her.
“You should tell the Guardians. North can-” Venus shook her head and he stopped.
“This isn’t a disease or a sickness that can be cured... without me, mankind will sully love. Will turn it into something to be scared of, something to be avoided. At the same time... what evil there is in it will eventually be my end. I wasn’t meant for this... I was supposed to spread love... to nourish it like Mother Nature nourishes spring... I’m sorry... I ... I’m not very good at what I do.”
“On contrary, you are very good.” Venus whipped around to see that North was in the doorway. Her eyes sad.
“How long?”
“Does it matter?” Venus’ shoulders slumped.
“I guess not.”
“Come... I have much to talk with you. We talk with others too.” Venus looked apprehensive, but North shook his head.
“I promise to keep secrets, but this is great favor you do for us. They will want to know of success.” Venus nodded and North led her out of the room.

“Will you be okay?” North asked quietly as Venus walked with him to a guest room.
“I just need sleep. It’s all that can be done...”
“I am sorry we not meet before. I could have helped.” Venus gave him a weary smile.
“You are a Guardian, you know better.” North gave her a sad look, but she just shook her head.
“North, not everything has a cure. As much as you would have tried.”
“Still, why you not ask for help? Especially when you know you need it. I still would have tried and that is because I care.”
“I guess it’s just one more thing Jack and I have in common. Do you think he would have ever told you about Jamie’s death if he could have talked?” She shook her head before the Guardian of Wonder could answer.
“People like us... like me and Jack... we hate being dependant on someone else and being helpless is just one of the many fears we have. Even as much as I’ve gone through... Jack has suffered so much more deeply than I have... The least I can do, to repay him for all he has done, is to ease his burden.”
“When Jack is better, tomorrow, you join us, no?” Venus smiled a little.
“Stay night. I have plenty of room.” She nodded a little and North led her to a room not far from Jack’s. It was only a couple doors down, right next to the room that Pitch had used years ago. Venus nodded, but she wondered what North had meant as the Guardian hadn’t elaborated. Venus was exhausted, the pain and sorrow that washed over her mingled with the hatred that swirled beneath the surface. The hatred wasn’t her own, it was some she’d taken from many humans. There was a lot she’d taken from humans in her short years. Twenty-six years, it wasn’t really that long in human years, but she’d had a good run. She’d come to understand love, to know friendship and to understand the things of life that a lot of humans didn’t get to know. Not because she’d lived longer, but because she heard secret things that many did not express. She took a deep breath and settled on the red sheets, pulled her feet to her, crossing one foot over the opposing leg. Closing her eyes, she reached deep within herself, summoning the power she knew lay hidden within her; touching the power that was her center. It was like a lighthouse beacon in the murky darkness that now filled her. Its bright light seemed to ripple through her, it seeped through every part of her, herding the darkness into a tight ball inside of her and as far away from her heart, from her center as was possible. She let out a soft breath, she couldn’t erase the damage done to her physical body by the darkness within, but she could keep the darkness at bay. For now, until the hour that she was destined to die, she would harbor what she could and keep it with her. When she died, she would take the misery of mankind that she had gotten, with her. It was like a growing cancer within her, there was no doubt that, just as the Shadows had destroyed Kozmotis Pitchiner, the darkness she was taking away from this world would destroy her. Unlike the Shadows, however, this darkness would not spare her life, would not use her as a puppet. It would seep into her like the poison it was and eventually it would steal the last breath from her. Immortal that she was, she was not powerful enough to continue to hold herself together and do the job she had taken on. Venus settled down to sleep, as she started to drift off, she swore she heard a soft voice whispering to her.
Sleep child, you have done so well. Thank you for helping my son.
Venus uttered a quiet “you’re welcome” into the silence of the room before she drifted off completely.

[Syth]

Chapter 7: A New Guardian

Spoiler

When Venus awoke, she realized she had a visitor who was sitting in the chair near the window. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes she sat up, wide awake when she realized it was Jack. She glanced away, knowing that for a moment her feelings were in her eyes. Taking a slow breath helped steady her and she turned to look at him again, this time in control of herself. She took in his appearance, he seemed... happier, more himself now than he had been, the snowflake she knew he wore was, for whatever reason, dangling outside his hoodie and he had a sort of sheepish look on his face.
“Hey. I didn’t wake you did I?” Venus smiled a little. Thoughtful as ever. She thought to herself even as she replied.
“No, is there some reason you’re here? I’d have thought you’d be out spreading snow by now.” Jack shook his head.
“Nah, Pitch’d have my hide if I tried to leave. Plus I did most of that yesterday. I just... Pitch told me what you did... that you... helped. I came here to say thanks.” Venus noticed that he didn’t seem overly nervous about it, so it meant that Pitch had kept his word as had North.
That she loved Jack, more than anything in the world, was still safe as a secret from him.
“Of course. Jack, you should know... I’ve always looked up to you. Even if you don’t remember it... in the year you became a Guardian... that was when I was reborn. You helped me so much... you were so kind to me. I’ve always thought of you like an older brother.” Jack flushed slightly at that, but he seemed pleased.
“Gee... I donno what to say Venus.” She smiled, he was so cute when he blushed! Alas, she knew she would never hold his affections. She shrugged the thought off before it could spiral down through her and cause her to show something to Jack she didn’t want him to see... that he didn’t need to.
“I’m just glad you’re doing better. I know how tough that had to have been and... I saw its intensity.”
“Pitch said you could have erased my memory to take it away... but you didn’t.” She smiled a little.
“I know how precious friendships are. While you may not get to see many of the children often, I feel that it would be cruel for you to forget those who are close to your heart.” Jack smiled at that.
“Thanks, for helping me and for letting me remember Jamie and the good times I had with him.” She returned his smile, but when confusion crossed his face she realized that some of her sadness must have seeped into it.
“You have someone you care about deeply, don’t you?”
“Is it that obvious?”
“Erm... kind of.”

“Care to explain?” Jack frowned thoughtfully for a moment before finding the words.
“It’s hard to, but since I met you I just noticed that there is this sadness that seems to overshadow your expressions. It’s always there, no matter how happy you are.” Venus blinked, for a moment she dreaded he had figured it out before reasoning that there was no way he could know just from that. She gave him a sad smile.
“You are right. There is someone I’ve recently lost who holds my heart. They were the only connection I had in this world. The one thing that kept me going, even with everything I’ve had to face in my short time. Losing someone, it’s always hard.” Especially when that someone isn’t dead. Jack didn’t say anything for a time. Venus decided that she would have this much of Jack, before her time came. She got up from the bed and went over to him, wrapping her arms around him. Jack started in shock when she hugged him, but after a moment he hugged her back.
“Thank you Jack, for everything.” Her voice was soft, he was surprised that it sounded a lot like she was about to cry, but when she pulled back there were no tears in her eyes and she seemed happy enough. He still couldn’t fully place what it was that seemed to nag at the back of his mind, that wanted to pry answers from her about this.
“If you ever need to talk... I mean, about the person you lost... well...” She smiled.
“Thank you Jack, I might take you up on that offer someday. For now, like you, I find it too fresh of a wound to speak to anyone of it.” Jack nodded, he felt that since she had taken away a good portion of his pain that had nearly been the end of him that he could at least offer her an ear in sympathy. Jack grinned suddenly.
“That wasn’t the only reason I was here waiting for you to wake up.” The curious expression on Venus’ face only made him grin more.
“Come on, everyone is waiting for you.” Venus wondered what in the world he meant as he grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the room. Venus felt her cheeks heat slightly, but she banished the thoughts that were starting to creep up on her. She could indulge on the fantasy of Jack being her boyfriend on her own time, when she was alone, for now she needed to be the “warrior” of love that she was. When Jack finally let go of her hand they were in the lounge room, all the Guardians were gathered there. Jack joined Pitch, who was nibbling at a cinnamon cookie while he sat in a large chair that was big enough for Jack to sit in too if the frost Guardian so choose, but instead he merely perched on the arm of the massive chair that was to her right. On the left was greed chair of the same size that seated both Tooth, who sat closest to the door, and Sandy who was currently emptying all the goblets of eggnog that he could get his hands on. Bunny was leaning up against the hearth, more comfortable there than anywhere else considering that he was used to warmer climates. North was standing in front of the fire, two yetis were working on supplying Sandy with eggnog, there were some scattered plates on end tables near the large chairs that held cookies.

Venus glanced from one Guardian to the next and couldn’t help but feel like she was an intruder on sacred ground as the Guardians were all close friends. Tooth was chastising Sandy for drinking so much eggnog, but the gold Guardian just smiled at his friend. North smiled when he saw her.
“Ah, is good you join us. Now, for reason we ask you here.” Venus’ eyes went wide when one of the yetis who had been serving Sandy eggnog stepped up to North with a large book in its hands that had a gold “G” on it. She wasn’t entirely sure if her hunch was correct, but she’d heard rumors of the book and what it was for among the chatty fae she’d often run into. North thumbed through the book and then, finding the correct page, looked at Venus.
“Do you, Venus, vow to watch over the children of the world? To guide them from harm? To guard them with your life, their hopes, wishes and dreams for they are all that we have, all that we are and all that we will ever be?” Venus’ wide eyed gaze became wider and she glanced at Jack who smiled encouragingly.
“I... I will.” She stammered a little. She could hardly believe this!
“Then, congratulations Venus, for you are now and forever more a Guardian!” Venus nearly fainted from the joy. She never would have guessed that what North had said last night meant this! She felt tears spring into her eyes, happy tears, as he fellow Guardians crowded around her to give their congratulations. North kissed both her cheeks in the Russian way of greeting a friend. Sandy clinked a goblet of eggnog with her, after passing her one and they both drank it up. Bunnymund had simply smiled, his own way of accepting her into their group. Tooth had hugged her, as had Jack, Pitch had merely put a hand on her shoulder and gently squeezed. During the whole thing, Venus was deliriously happy and, for the first time, Pitch and Jack noticed - a look passing between them -, the shadow that seemed to overhang every expression was missing from her eyes as she simply glowed with happiness. Venus had proven herself to be a true ali, just as Jack had. North hadn’t explained really why he believed they should accept her, aside from saying what she had done for them over the years, just little things here and there, for what she’d done for Jack especially; Jack suspected there was more to it than that but the Guardian of Wonder had not given any other reason. He had also admitted to talking to Manny about it and getting his approval during the night. No one had questioned North in that regard and Jack wondered at that, but it didn’t matter. Venus was one of them now, the Guardians happily accepted their seventh member; if Pitch seemed reserved about the matter, it wasn’t so unusual.

The party had lasted most of the day before North went back to work on the toys and Tooth departed to gather teeth, Sandy also left to spread dreams to the other side of the world where it was still night. Bunnymund made his excuses, leaving Venus with just Jack and Pitch. She sat down in the vacated chair that Sandy and Tooth had left; if she seemed tired neither of the two mentioned it.
“Man oh man... I must admit, I never expected such an honor.” Jack grinned at the response. Pitch raised an eyebrow.
“Why ever not?” She shrugged a little.
“Well, I kind of just figured that unless there was like a major threat to the children that new Guardians weren’t sworn in. I mean, it’s not like your common occurrence.”
“True as that may be, you have more than proven yourself worthy of being a Guardian.” He held up a hand when she was about to protest.
“I don’t claim to know all the details of what that entails, being still somewhat new to this whole thing myself. I don’t know what would make you worthy in the eyes of Manny or North, but I have never questioned the wisdom of either on this particular matter.” Venus nodded a little, she made a note to ask North about it later on, if she didn’t pass out from exhaustion first. She was more easily tired than normal and she knew the reason was likely because of the force of negative emotions she’d had to pull from Jack. It was easy to push them away, but in the long run they, like all the others, exacted a permanent toll on her physical well being. The fact that the force of the Guardian’s emotions had ran so high and burned so hotly had meant that she had risked being destroyed by the force of the emotions, but she had braved it.
“Okay, what’s up? You look like you’ve been running miles.” Jack said, breaking the silence. Venus gave him a slight smile, as if she had expected the question, but she noted that obviously Pitch had not. Unlike the former shade, she had not underestimated Jack’s abilities to pick up things.
“What I did for you... it’s taking its toll on me and will for a while. Do not feel overly concerned or guilty over my condition. I did what I did of my own will.” Jack frowned slightly, leaning forward. He shifted the staff so it was in front of him and held his weight as he leaned towards her.
“Why did you?” She raised an eyebrow at him.
“Need I explain that again?” Jack thought about it a moment before shaking his head.
“I guess not. Still, I’d like to more about you. I mean, I did try and look up all the information there was on...” He didn’t finish but he didn’t think he needed to either.

“Feel free to ask any questions you may have. It is, of course, only natural that there is nothing on me, but everything on the oddity of what I am seen as in the eyes of the public.” To their surprise, it was actually Pitch who spoke up first.
“Is it true, then, what your arrows are capable of? Of bringing either love or the urge to flee?”
“A good question, in truth, yes. My arrows can, but unlike the stories of Cupid, I do not use the silver arrows often. I do not like using them, but I do only in times of need. In situations where it is for the best that the one who loves is better off not loving. I am sure you may have seen evidence of such situations over your time?” Pitch nodded, but Jack shook his head. Venus gave Jack a thin smile.
“Better you don’t know Jack. Let me just say that it is, in its own way, comparable to your other half.” Jack’s eyes widened, clearly startled she seemed to know about that.
“I’ve followed you around most of my life Jack, even if you haven’t always taken notice of me. How would I not know?”
“I thought.... I thought I’d kept that a secret...”
“Well, you did well in hiding it, true, but after seeing the blizzards and then seeing the result after... I put two and two together. I assume the others know?” She asked, her gaze thoughtful. Jack shifted a little uncomfortably, but nodded.
“I told them some time ago. Honestly, I didn’t think they’d accept it, but they didn’t seem too put off by it as I thought they might be.”
“Well, I’m not too surprised. For as little as I really know of the other Guardians, I do know about their painful pasts. They would be understanding, in a way.” Jack nodded a little in agreement. He still didn’t know all there was to know about his fellow Guardians and he really didn’t have much of an opportunity to talk to them about it because they were all always so busy. The only reason he knew about Pitch’s past was because at the time Pitch hadn’t been a Guardian.
“I... have to ask. Was this whole thing North’s idea?” She gestured to the room, indicating the party and, of course, her initiation as a Guardian.
“Yeah, actually. I was kind of surprised when he gathered us early this morning to discuss it. He wanted our approval, or seemed to.” Jack said thoughtfully and Venus nodded a little. She had assumed so, but she had wanted confirmation of it before she confronted the Guardian of Wonder.

“Do you have believers?” Jack asked abruptly, switching the topic. Venus shook her head.
“No one truly believes, but they would like to. My work isn’t just with older kids or adults, but my work with children is so subtle that no one notices it.” Jack tried to guard his expression, but it was difficult, he knew too well what it was like to be all alone.
“It’s not a big deal Jack. I’m favored enough among other spirits to not be as alone as you were. I also had you, in the beginning. You’ve helped me more than you know.” More than you ever likely will. She wanted to say it aloud, to tell him what she felt before it was too late, but she didn’t. She held back, as she always had. Keeping herself in check, she had once had an opportunity with Jack, during the first few years she’d been in existence, but she had not taken it. She had opted to try and convince herself that it was temporary. That she had not truly fallen in love with Jack Frost. Now it was too late. She had lost him forever, but she knew it was for the best; after all, it would hurt the boy less when she finally succumbed. She could feel it even now, the darkness probing at her core, trying to overtake her. Still she smiled at the two as if nothing was amiss, though Pitch knew what was going on. If she’d had her way, Pitch would have been the only one to know, but North had come in at an inopportune time and had overheard her and Pitch. Well, the Guardian of Wonder had said he would keep her secrets and she trusted he would.
“How is it that you fly like I do?” Jack asked, jerking her mind from the thoughts.
“It’s the power of love. It allows me to do a lot that normally I wouldn’t be able to.” There was no other explanation that she could give and Jack wasn’t sure he understood, but he would have to be happy with that because he could tell that there was no other explanation that she could give him.