~2~
When Jack woke up, his first thought was the hope that one of the Guardians had reached Tooth in time. She had always been kind to him, and it was his fault she was in so deep.
Blinking in consciousness, Jack examined his surroundings. He was in a small cell, the walls make of what felt like black sandstone. He had an iron cuff around his ankle, but it wasn't tethered to anything. His staff was nowhere to be seen, and neither were his friends. He stood up and saw a door-sized opening in front of him. Pitch was sure to be through there- maybe he would give him his staff?
What?! Why was he thinking like that? If Pitch wouldn't give him his staff, he would take it and leave. He would leave anyway- he belonged with the Guardians.
Jack walked cautiously through the dark halls, the ground rough on his bare feet. He could hear the cries of NightMares far off, but Jack didn't run into them. He found Pitch instead.
P POV
The staff was a funny thing. Upon holding it, Pitch sensed the stick had no magic whatsoever. It was simply a conduit for Jack. For the immense power that resided within the small boy standing in front of him.
As soon as the NightMares told him Jack was awake, Pitch revised his reasons for taking the Winter Spirit. Of course there was the fact that he was a key player in the future of the Guardians, and he couldn't have Jack ruining his plans. But there was something else, perhaps just Pitch's longing for- humanoid- company. No, there was more than that. With Jack, Pitch was reminded of familiarity.
What Jack didn't know, and could never know, was that Pitch was there. The night the Moon's power pulsed with the energy of the making of a new Immortal- Pitch was watching over Jack in the cold, dark water, studying his idle face and waiting for something to happen. Jack was awoken in the night, leading Pitch to believe Jack would be like him. But, as the Moon summoned Jack to be born again, Pitch let Jack go- Jack was not like him.
From the depths of the dark and the cold, from Pitch's embrace, the boy was brought back, clueless. It took years for Pitch to find Jack again, but by then he had been tainted by the Guardians. What Pitch needed was time to explain that he was looking out for Jack much before the Guardians came along.
No, Jack was not like him, but Pitch would do everything in his power to make it that way.
J POV
Jack had practised what he wanted to say to Pitch while he was walking there, but now that he was in front of the Nightmare King, with Pitch lazily residing in his throne studying Jacks' staff, Jack's confidence disappeared.
'That's… Mine.' he said.
Pitch redirected his attention to Jack. Jack shivered as Pitch slowly put his staff at the foot of his throne, and stalked toward him. Jack looked up at Pitch's looming figure as he lightly held Jack's chin.
'Jack, how was your sleep?' Pitch asked.
Jack was called back to reality.
'You killed Tooth!' he said, stepping back from Pitch, 'you have to release me, they'll need me,' Jack said, pulling the helpless act, 'please.'
Pitch's expression was a mix of sadness and amusement.
'Now Jack, what makes you think I'd want to do that?' He asked. Jack backed up as far as he could.
'What makes you think I would ever do that?'
