"What a pleasant surprise, Jack," Pitch sneered. "Imagine, the great Jack Frost, hero of the Guardians, coming to visit his humbled foe. To what do I owe the honor?"

Jack landed lightly on the hollow globe at the heart of Pitch's realm. He was smiling, but something about the grin seemed off. Too broad, somehow. Under his feet the dark metal took on a glossy sheen as ice crept down from the arctic regions. "Well, it's Valentine's Day, isn't it?"

Pitch snorted with laughter. "I'm touched, Jack," he said. "I never imagined you felt that way about me."

Jack hopped down off the globe and began pacing slowly toward Pitch. "Oh, I feel a lot of things for you, Pitch," he said, still grinning. "All the Guardians have feelings for you, and you know? The more I get to know them, the more I feel for you, too."

They were almost nose to chest. Jack's face tilted upward to meet the taller spirit's gaze. His eyes were wide and dark with excitement and an anticipation that sent a sliver of anxiety into Pitch's heart. Despite himself, Pitch took a step back. Jack followed, his eyes locked to Pitch's.

"What a pity you didn't realize it sooner," Pitch said, inwardly cursing his lapse in composure. He slipped a hand behind his back and covertly summoned his scythe. "We could have had such fun together. Maybe we still can."

Without warning, the scythe swung around in a deadly arc toward Jack's head, while Nightmares poured from the galleries to surround the pair. Jack dodged easily, taking to the air. A frigid whirlwind howled through the chamber, battering the Nightmares against the walls and isolating Pitch and Jack at the center. Jack's staff glowed a brilliant blue. Hovering out of reach, he aimed the shepherd's crook at his foe and sent a blast of bone-chilling cold that shattered the dark scythe and flung Pitch to the ground. In quick succession, Jack froze Pitch's mouth shut and his arms and legs to the ice-coated cavern floor. A final sweep of his staff surrounded the Guardian and his enemy with a hollow sphere of ice that shone as brightly as its maker's weapon, banishing all shadows.

Jack landed and sat cross-legged beside Pitch. "You know who feels the most for you?" He said, almost companionably. "Bunny. We've been spending a lot of time together, Bunny and I. We're kind of what you might call an item, which is where you come in. See, I've been wracking my brain all year to come up with something to give him for Valentine's Day, but what do you give a giant alien rabbit? Guy's really only interested in eggs, and he's got a full set of those. Seriously, huge collection. Tooth told me I should give him my heart, but he's already got that.

"Then Groundhog Day rolled around. You know how the 'Roo just loves the Groundhog. Their little pissing contest turned into a drinking contest, and it turns out that Bunny gets real talkative when he's drunk. He told me all kinds of things when I was pouring him into bed that night."

Jack moved to straddle Pitch's hips. He looked down into the Nightmare King's wide eyes and, if possible, his smile broadened. "Now, I know what you're thinking: this is Jack Frost. Guardian of Fun. Mr. snowballs and fun times. He's gotta be all talk, right. Well, I'll let you in on a secret, Pitch: winter isn't always fun. I'm only here because of how dangerous winter can be. Ice hides a lot of ugly things, you know? It looks really pretty when it's frosted on glass, but you know what happens when it forms inside living tissue?"

Jack pulled Pitch's robe open. He raised his staff slowly, watching Pitch's eyes track the movement. Delicately, he rested one end in the hollow of Pitch's throat and traced a straight line down to his navel. A blackened welt rose in its wake, and a muffled scream rang out.

"You murdered them," Jack said softly. Pitch's chest heaved. His eyes rolled desperately in his head. "You killed Bunny's whole family. You didn't even have the decency to do it quick." A long, slender icicle formed on the end of Jack's staff. The point sparkled, wickedly sharp. Pitch's struggles redoubled and he began to whimper, but Jack remained unmoved. Just as slowly as before, Jack lowered the thin makeshift blade to the beginning of the black stripe and pressed down. The ice bit deep, again and again, each time driving a scream from its victim's throat. Even the Nightmare King's breastbone proved no barrier to the unnatural ice.

"So, anyway, once I found out what you did, I knew exactly what to give Bunny for Valentine's Day."

Jack stood up. He snapped the icicle off the end of his staff and replaced it with a broader, flat blade which he inserted into the perforation of Pitch's sternum. He leaned his weight on the staff, using it as a pry bar. Pitch shrieked as the left side of his chest tore messily open. Jack formed one more blade of ice, this one with a keen edge. He knelt and rummaged through the opening until he found what he wanted, pulled it out, and efficiently cut it free. Pitch gave one final gasp, then went limp in his bonds.

"It's only fair," Jack told the motionless body. "You tore out Bunny's heart. It's only fair he should have yours. Heh, if he really likes it, maybe we'll make it a tradition. Can't kill fear, right? Not forever. But, just for today, Bunny will have a little peace from you."

Jack lifted the dripping heart. In his cupped hands a shadow-box in the shape of a Valentine's heart formed, encasing the bloody organ in sparkling ice. He infused the box with winter magic so that it would never melt, even in the depths of summer. Now smiling more naturally, Jack blasted a hole through the shield that kept the Nightmares at bay. Ignoring their enraged screams, he flew through the egress to the surface and headed for the nearest tunnel to the Warren.