Pitch Black stood in his lair staring at the globe in the middle of it, everyday there would be more gold lights. Every day those Guardians would get more believers while he was stuck being unseen and unfeared by anyone. Pitch growled in annoyance, those meddling Guardians had foiled his plan once but he swore on his Nightmares that he would get people to fear him once more. He would get believers and then he would have the last laugh.

One of his Nightmares trotted up to him and told him of a girl he had seen while he was patrolling the forest just as another Nightmare came over with a woman draped over its back, she was clearly exhausted and looked like she hadn't eaten in days yet her dress, shoes and the ruby encrusted clip in her hair looked new. He couldn't put her back into the forest, Jack Frost has recently put a layer of snow down and she'd freeze to death outside and he may be cruel but he wasn't going to kill her.

He gently shifted her and picked her up, frowning at her red cheeks and pale skin. She looked unhealthy and this wasn't something some sleep was going to be able to magically fix, he glanced at the two Nightmares in front of him who were looking at him curious and with a nod of his head he sent one of them away.

He made sure the girl wasn't going to fall before setting off to one of the bedrooms he'd made here, he hadn't quite thought the whole lair design through and wasn't even sure why he had more than one bedroom but now he was certainly glad he had one.

He laid her down gently, slipped her shoes off and gentle took the clip out of her hair before tucking her in and putting the clip within arm's reach of her on the side table. He went over to the fire place-which again he wasn't sure why he had but was thankful for now-and lit it before adding sticks and logs to keep it going. The Nightmare he hadn't sent away was standing at the doorway and he looked at the woman for a moment before walking out of the room.

"Stay with her, send someone to get me the moment she awakes" he ordered and the horse nodded before Pitch walked off back to the room with the globe that also funnily enough had a window near it, he'd remade the place after regaining control over the Nightmares and had added windows. Magic was a wonderful thing. He walked over and stared up at the moon and narrowed his eyes "What are you planning? You obviously lured her to where you knew my Nightmares would find her"

As normal he got no response and he turned away from the window and summoned up two of his Nightmares before climbing on one, it was time for him to go and spread some fear to the young sleeping children of the world. He looked at the clock and nodded, it was around Midnight now and he knew by the time he was finished day would be breaking here so he would need to be back by 6 at the very least. He nudged the horse forwards and him and the other Nightmare ran out of the lair and into the night.

The woman the Nightmare had found yawned and stretched only to freeze, she was in a bed. . .she was in a bed? The last thing she remembered was passing out in the cold snow. She sat up, looked down at her clothes and relaxed. She was still wearing her dress, she brushed her hair back and panicked feeling the clip was gone but soon found it on the side table. She looked confused before looking around some more, whoever had found her hadn't robbed her and had even taken care of her it seemed. She looked over at the fire place and smiled, that's why it was so warm in the room. She slipped out of bed, put her shoes back on and slipped her clip back into her hair before attempting to leave the room only to bed stopped by a pure black horse.

She thought it odd that someone have animals indoors and she was about to politely ask for the horse to get out of her way when she noticed the eyes and screamed darting backwards, horses didn't have gold eyes and yet this one did. The horse whined and looked down almost looking. . .apologetic?

"P-Please, please let me out" she said, her voice shaking slightly and the horse looked up at her before shaking it's head then pausing as if thinking and it took a few steps back unblocking the door. It's orders had been to stay at the door and tell his master when she woke up. . .His Master!

The horse let out a panicked noise before trotting off into the air and the woman's eyes went wide, where in the world had she been taken?! She swallowed heavily before walking quietly out of the room and she peered around before deciding to walk right and continue down the hallway. She walked and got to a large open area with a strange globe with gold lights, a window, an arm chair and a couch. She hurried over to the window first and looked around, she was still in the forest which she was both thankful for and scared about.

She'd gotten lost because she'd ran from a party her parents were having and had thought the forest was a good place to hide, she'd soon lost her way and the lack of sleep and food caught up with and that's how she'd ended up here.

"Well I see your well enough to scare of my fearlings, it's a very rude way of saying thank you for me helping you" Pitch said walking out of the shadows behind her, he'd come home as soon as the Nightmare had told him the woman was awake. She whirled around to see him and froze, he knew he didn't look human. His eyes were probably the most human thing about him apart from his body structure but his clothes hid that.

"I-I-I'm so sorry i. . .i didn't mean to" She said stuttering and he let out a tired sigh

"Can't be helped it happened" He said with a wave of his hand then he looked her over "Your shaking, is it cold?"

"N-No just you. . .you aren't human" she whispered and he laughed softly

"What gave it away? The eyes or the skin?" He asked before slipping his coat off, underneath he was wearing the same thing he'd been wearing last time he saw the guardians but had added a coat to keep him warm.

"B-Both who. . .who are you?" she asked and he pretended to look hurt

"I'm the Boogyman" he answered simply and he pushed down a chuckle as the shaking got worse "Ah so you know of me then"

"Y-Yes why. . ." She trailed off and bit the inside of her cheek

"Why did I help you? I may be the boogyman but I can touch you, you believe in me and I am awfully curious why" he said then added, his eye darkening "plus I do not kill people, for the moment you have nothing to fear from me Miss?"

"Natalie" she answered looking hesitant but at least she'd stopped shaking "Natalie Kathryn Paige"

"Well Miss Paige I insist you get back into bed and rest while I get you something to eat" he said and he gestured a Nightmare over and she swallowed heavily "My Nightmare here will take you back to your room, it's cold in here and I suspect you haven't eaten in days. I wouldn't want for you to collapse"

"Thank you" she said nervously and she walked forward and followed the Nightmare back to her room, pausing only once to look back but Pitch was already gone.