Of Shadows and Snowflakes

Jack looked up at the darkening sky, wondering what to do next. He had already been to Burgess to visit Jamie, and he had already created snowstorms and started snowball fights around the world. Jack looked up at his frozen pond from where he was sitting on the low branches of a tree. It was lightly snowing with the promise of a stronger storm on the horizon.

Pitch…

Not for the first time, Jack found his mind wandering to a certain Boogeyman. Only three years prior Jack and the Guardians had run Pitch back into his cave after he had almost started another Dark Age. Jack had thought that Pitch's final punishment was a little horrifying, but hadn't said anything for fear of losing his new friends.

Jack thought back to his and Pitch's confrontation in the Antarctic. Pitch seemed so sad when he was telling Jack of his longing to have a family, to be believed in. Jack could relate. For 300 years, not a single person, spirit, or even animal had acknowledged his presence. That had been hard. What would it have been like to have joined Pitch he wondered? Would Pitch have been welcoming? Perhaps even a little caring? Probably not… Jack thought. But then…

When Jack had turned down Pitch's offer to join him, Pitch had seemed completely defeated. Like his whole being depended on Jack joining him. But that was quickly masked with fury and Jack wondered how many of Pitch's feelings were true.

Jack got up. Suddenly he wanted to visit the old entrance to Pitch's lair. He was curious if the entrance was still sealed shut or if Pitch had found a way to reopen it. A small part of Jack hoped that the entrance had been reopened.

Jack called the wind and was soon on his way to Pitch's lair. When Jack got there, he was both relieved and terrified to find the entrance reopened, two conflicting emotions of which Jack couldn't decide which was stronger. He cautiously walked up to the opening in the ground.

This is stupid. Why did I come here?

Jack stared down into the dark, twisting tunnel that lead to Pitch's lair. Was Pitch still down there? Or had the nightmares finally gotten him?

"You can't kill fear Jack,"

Jack recalled Pitch saying that to him once. He supposed it was true. Fear was needed in the world to some extent. It was what kept children from running out into the road, staying home at night and not touching a hot stove.

Jack started to turn away from the opening. It was time to go. He had spent enough time there already. Pitch wasn't coming back anytime soon and that was all that mattered. As he took a step away, the ground crumbled beneath him and Jack fell into the dark, twisting caverns of Pitch's lair. He stood up, sore from the fall, and looked around. Just as he remembered, Pitch's lair was dark and spacious, and full of shadows. Jack thought he should leave, but he was curious.

"Hello Jack. Come to rethink my offer?" Pitch smoothly stepped out from a shadow.

Jack spun, "Pitch! I uh-" Jack hadn't expected Pitch to make an appearance so quickly. It startled him to find the boogeyman looking so… normal.

"Have you finally come back to join me? The Guardians not enough anymore?"

"No that's not-" Jack started

"Oh save it Frost." Pitch interrupted, "I know they don't need you. They don't even make time for you. All they do is spend their days locked up in their little castles bringing hope, wonder, and dreams to the children. And what about you Jack? What do you do?"

"The children need me too! I bring them fun, and snow days, and snowball fights."

"Do they really need you Jack? The children can have fun in the warm weather too can't they?"

Jack frowned, "well of course they can but-"

"How many children want cold Jack? How many seek the cold embrace of their parents? The comfort of a cold blanket? Hmm Jack? How many children do you hear say that they wish it was colder out?"

"I.."

"That's what I thought Jack. Come, we'll make them believe in the cold and dark!"

"NO! I told you, that's not what I want. I don't want to be feared Pitch. I have my believers and that's all I need!" Jack realized what he said too late.

"Fine then Frost," Pitch sneered, "You can take your believers and get out. Enjoy your little snowballs and your fun times."

Pitch turned and stalked away.

"No! Pitch wait!" Jack jumped up and rode an air current over to Pitch. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that. Please don't leave yet." Jack was confused. Why was he staying? He should have just left and been done with it when Pitch told him to get out.

"Frost…" Pitch warned.

Jack was nervous. Pitch was getting angry and it could be a very dangerous thing when Pitch was angry. But Jack had to talk. He'd had the boogeyman on his mind for three years now.

"I just… want to talk. What have you been doing for three years down here?"

"Nothing." Pitch's answer was short and curt.

"Nothing? Well you have to have been doing something." Jack persisted.

"No Jack, I don't do anything. I sit down here in a dark corner and contemplate my life every day."

Jack could hear the sarcasm dripping out of Pitch's voice. This conversation was not going as he had hoped it would.

"I'm sorry… maybe I should go. I shouldn't have come in the first place."

"No!" Jack was taken aback. Had Pitch just yelled at him not to leave? Jack looked to Pitch with wide eyes. What was he going to do? Pitch took a step closer. Jack took a nervous step back.

"Jack. For three years I've been down here, thinking, wondering what would it have been like? What would it have been like to have you by my side all this time?"

Jack was stunned. Pitch had been thinking of him? And not just of him… but what it would have been like to be with him. Jack didn't know what to say. Part of him wanted to reach out to Pitch and tell him that he was there. Another part wanted to hide away and forget this encounter ever happened.

Jack looked up, "you've been thinking about me?"

"Yes Jack and I want you to join me. I want you by my side Jack." Pitch looked down at Jack with something akin to a small flicker of hope in his eyes.

"Why would you want me?" Jack couldn't meet Pitch's eyes.

"Because Jack, whether you like it or not, you and I are more alike than you think. Both of us, cast out, ignored, forgotten. I can give you a home Jack, I can make you feel loved and wanted. That's all I've ever wanted."

"Pitch I…"

"It's fine Frost, forget it." Pitch suddenly turned bitter. Jack supposed he was trying to hide the moment of tenderness he had just shown.

"No Pitch… I've been thinking about you too. I've worried about you down here for three years. Wondering what happened to you. I wondered what it would have been like too, if I had chosen to join you."

Pitch gave Jack an almost hopeful look, "you have…?" His voice had gone softer and had a note of hope in it.

All at once Jack realized just how alone Pitch was, and how much he longed for someone else, a friend. For hundreds, maybe even thousands of years, Pitch had been alone. Jack knew that feeling, but not like Pitch did. Abruptly, Jack felt a sadness welling up inside him. He turned away from Pitch trying to hide the sudden, unexpected tears in his eyes.

"Jack," the voice behind him did not sound like Pitch. It sounded gentler, almost caring. "I love you."

Suddenly it all made sense to Jack. Thinking of Pitch, worrying for his wellbeing… empathizing with him. Was that it? Did Jack love Pitch? That seemed right. It was right.

"Pitch," Jack turned around, "I love you too."