Hi guys welcome to the next installment of the Darkness story line. If you have not read Darkness you might need to start there if you don't want be lost. Or if you enjoy being lost come right on in. To my returning readers I am so excited to have you back, please let me know you thoughts and opinions on the new story. As I said, it will start a bit slow, then pick up speed. All characters that are mine belong to me as well as the story, others belong to theirs. Please enjoy :)
(With Pitch)
The room was silent, save for the constant beep of the machines. The King of Nightmares lay on the bed, his breathing shallow. Multiple contraptions monitored his vitals as he slept, oblivious to the blue eyes that watched him.
"Pitch, I don't know if you can hear me…" the winter spirit began talking to the unmoving man like he had been doing for the last four days. "I went to see Jamie and Sophie today," the boy pulled a picture from his pocket and placed it with the multiple ones that covered the wall, "Sophie drew that for you."
"Any change?" North asked as he came into the room, a cup of chilled cocoa in his hands. He handed the mug to Jack who accepted it gratefully
"No, I haven't gotten any response from him." he looked at North pleading, "It's been four days North, why isn't he waking up?"
North sighed as he pulled up a chair beside the distraught spirit, "I don't know Jack. Pitch did this last time he was hurt so bad, perhaps it is his body's way of dealing with pain."
"But I stand to see him like this; he looks…" Jack glanced at his brother, "…broken." the winter spirit whispered the last word
"Jack, Pitch will be fine." North placed his hand on the boy's shoulder
"North's right mate." Bunny's voice was full of confidence as he walked into the room. He stood beside them, eyes trailing to the man, "He'll pull through." the pooka smiled at Jack, "Now you go get something to eat, I'll watch him."
Jack glanced over at his brother, "Promise you'll come get me if anything changes?"
Bunny nodded, "Cross my heart." the pooka then shooed the winter spirit out the door. He made sure that Jack had truly left, then he turned to North, "I'm not liking it mate."
North sighed as he sat down, "I am not either my friend." his eyes fell on the heart monitor that had not changed rhythm since they had brought Pitch to the Pole, "He has not improved at all."
The pooka pulled up another chair as he sat into with a sigh, "I'm afraid he won't."
The Spirit of Wonder shook his head, "We can't lose faith my friend," he glanced at the unmoving Pitch, "He will get better…I just wish I knew what to do."
"He's lost."
Both Guardians turned at the new voice, standing in the doorway stood the solemn figure of Patrick.
"What do you mean 'lost'" Bunny growled
"Hold your horses," Patrick held up his hands, "I simply meant that he can't wake up."
"Explain." North asked quickly
Patrick walked over to the bed, grimacing at the sight of his friend, "Pitch once told me that his memories are his nightmares."
"What?" Bunny was confused
Patrick sighed, "Moon, he'll kill me…" he took a breath and continued, "Death bound Pitch's soul with darkness when he wouldn't break, then as a cruel sick twist she locked his memories inside that darkness. For the first few centuries he followed Death without question, without conscious. Then, when you guys came around and beat the darkness the binding slipped slightly and he was able to regain his memories."
"But what does…"
"Everything North, Pitch is trapped within his memories from the shock of having to deal with the darkness that possessed him." mismatched eyes hardened, "He will never wake up unless someone gets him out."
"What are we waiting for!"
All heads turned at the excited voice of the winter spirit as Jack and Tooth came into the room.
"How long have you been listening?"Bunny asked glaring
"Since Patrick walked in, I saw him and wanted to see how he was recovering." Jack spoke quietly
"I'm fine kid. Iris stitched me up, gave me a good scolding too." the Leprechaun laughed, then his face became serious, "But to answer your first question, a person will need to enter into Pitch's memories in order to wake him from them."
"How in the bloody hell do we do that?"
Patrick started to speak, but was cut off by Jack
"We just have to touch the memory sand." the winter spirit spoke excited as he rushed over to the bedside
"Way to steal my thunder kid," he raised an eyebrow, "How's you know that?"
"Ummm, I accidently got pulled into his memories one night at the Tooth Palace."
Patrick nodded in understanding; "You couldn't resist the sands call could you?" he smiled at the boy's expression, "Which memory did you see?"
"The night he died…" Jack whispered, his body shuddering slightly in remembrance of the scene he had watched play out.
"Bit of an eye opener huh?" the Leprechaun said as he glanced at his friend
"What happened?" Tooth asked softly
"Pitch can tell you guys when he's ready," Patrick added quickly, "It's not our memory to give."
The other Guardians looked at each other, their curiosities burning, but they knew Patrick was right.
"Ok…So where is the sand?" Bunny asked as they all looked at the sleeping Nightmare King.
Patrick frowned, "Not sure…usually it swirls around him as soon as he begins a nightmare."
Blue eyes lit up, "We could get Sandy to help!" and before anyone could stop him the winter spirit was out the door to go retrieve the Guardian of Dreams.
The Guardians only had to wait a few moments before Jack burst back through the door, a surprised Sandman being dragged by his arm.
Images immediately flickered over the man's head as he glared at Jack.
"Sorry for grabbing you Sandy, but it was kind of important." the winter spirit said apologetically
Sandman glanced at his brother on the bed, a look of concern on his face, an image of Pitch and a question mark forming.
"Yeah, it's about Pitch." Patrick said as the Guardian joined them at the bedside, he proceeded to explain his theory to him
Sandman rubbed his chin; he nodded as he formed as pile of golden sand in his palm.
"Ok, which one of us is going in?" North asked
"I should go." Jack spoke quickly
"Maybe you should leave this to the grownups Frostbite."
Jack scowled at him, "You don't even like him."
Tooth tried to calm them, "Boys, boys please don't argue."
"He started it." the winter spirit pouted
"I did not you little devil!"
"Come on you two we don't need this right…"
The two turned on the Spirit of Wonder. Soon all the occupants were arguing over who should go, with Tooth trying desperately to defuse the situation.
Sandman rolled his eyes, then they widened as he caught sight of the slight sprinkle of black sand that began to form above Pitch. He waved at the others, who didn't notice. He watched in horror as the golden sand was drawn like a magnet to the swirling mass of blackened sand. He desperately wished he had an elf right now as the gold and black sand mixed, and in a tidal wave it swallowed every occupant in the room.
Return of evil cliff! Please review and let me know what you guys think. I am very excited for this new story and I can't wait for the real meat of the story, but as with anything it must start small and then end with a bang! ("Patrick put the dynamite down…") Anyway, hope you enjoyed and welcome back. Till next time ;)