In theory, bedtime should not have been difficult. In theory, the children would change into pajamas, brush their teeth, and then fall asleep. In theory, it should have been even more simple because one of the children was the Tooth Fairy. In practice, it was a whole other ball game.

"Jack, you have to change out of those clothes," said Pitch for the eleventh time. "Come on, these pajamas are blue. You like blue."

Under the couch, Jack shook his head stubbornly as Pitch gave a growl of frustration. Tooth and North wee running around playing tag, their shrill laughter echoing through the enormous spare bedroom. Sandy was already asleep on the armchair and Bunny wasr sitting on the couch, smirking at Pitch's failed attempts at getting Jack to listen. The seven year old found the entire thing amusing.

"Jack, so help me, I will stuff you in the dryer and set the cycle to high if you do not come out here right now and change," said Pitch.

"Oh, now you've done it," said North with a chuckle.

To all of their surprise, Jack did not start to cry. He crawled out from the couch, took the pajamas, and ran to the bathroom to change. The door stayed open, true to most four year olds lack of modesty. When he emerged, he meekly stood in front of Pitch, head down, trembling. Pitch could feel the fear rolling off the young boy and when he raised one lanky hand to pinch the bridge of his nose, Jack visibly flinched. Suddenly, Pitch understood.

"Jack, I'm not going to hit you," said Pitch softly. "I may be harsh but I'm not evil."

Jack didn't respond, his shaking increasing to a disturbing level but he still did not cry.

"What is it, Jack?" said Pitch softly. "What do you want? Answer me."

"Bunny," whispered Jack, his voice shuddering in time with his body.

Bunny picked Jack up and carried him over to the nest of blankets and pillows he had created near the fire. North dragged a large comforter over and settled down on the outskirts of the nest protectively. Tooth jumped onto the couch.

"Are you going to read us a story?" asked Tooth, squirming to get comfortable.

"No," said Pitch flatly.

"Whatever," said Bunny, smoothing Jack's hair out from under his nose. "Leave. Everyone else always does. We don't need you."

"I believe you," said Pitch with a slight nod.

The Nightmare King set up camp on the day bed in the corner. He believed young Bunny when the boy said he didn't need Pitch. He knew out of all of the young Guardians, Jack and Bunny had a shot at making it on their own. Looking at them now, Pitch found it difficult to see them as a threat or the self centered beings they normally were. They almost looked cute when they were asleep. North was still a pain, self righteous, but at least he had a reason. Tooth had only changed in the fact that she was grounded. Sandy was the same. Bunny was cute the way he seemed annoyed at Jack's antics but never complained. Jack was downright adorable and if Pitch could just get him to say something other than Bunny, it would be great.

Pitch fidgeted again, then got up with a sigh. He took the mattress off the stand and put it on the floor; he knew what was found under the bed.

(break)

"We have to go to school," said North the next morning. "We have to learn and socialize and create things."

"Yeah," agreed Tooth, nodding eagerly besides North, appealing to Pitch "We should be around kids our own age."

"That's cute and all, but it's summer most places, so no," said Pitch, mixing a pot of oatmeal in the kitchen.

"It's too cold," grumbled Bunny from his place at the table. "I don't want to stay here. Can't we go somewhere else?"

Jack had foundation bowl of flower in one of the lower cabinets and was happily throwing it at Pitch's back, making a total mess, much to Sandy's amusement.

"Where is the little devil?" demanded Pitch as he finished making oatmeal.

"You don't want to know," laughed North.

Pitch turned slowly and found a grinning Jack as his feet, covered in flower and clearly thrilled with himself. Silently, Pitch counted to ten, pulling in his temper and reminding himself that Jack was four and didn't know any better. It was difficult with the impish grin on the toddlers face.

"Come on, Jack," said North with another chuckle. "Let's get you cleaned up."

Jack followed North happily, trying to keep up with the preteen, trailing flour particles after him like a ghost slug trail.

"North did warn us that Jack is naughty," said Tooth by way of explanation.

"North is an arse," snapped Bunny.

"That's a naughty word!"

"Bunny, go to the corner for a break," sighed Pitch, rubbing his temples. "I need coffee."

"Coffee stains your teeth," said Tooth in a disapproving tone.

Bunny grumbled about North being an arse whether or not it was a bad word, but stood in the corner by the door to pout. Pitch set two steaming bowls of goopy oatmeal in front of Sandy and Tooth. The girl wrinkled her nose delicately at the mess in distaste while Sandy dug in with gusto. Pitch ignored them both and set about making coffee.

Then the screaming started.

"What now?" groaned Pitch.

All four ran to the source of the noise to find a panicked North attempting to calm a hysterical Jack in the bathroom near the filled tub.

"Jack please," begged North. "Stop screaming."

Jack looked about in fear, searching for a way to escape, when his eyes fell on the crowd near the door. He sprinted over to them, away from North and the tub that had little bits of steam wafting off of it. He fell into Bunny, calming minutely but only enough to turn his screams of fear into sobs.

"What happened?" demanded Pitch, glaring at North.

"I don't know," cried North in frustration. I just finished filling he bathtub and told him it was almost time to get in the water when he started screaming."

"Jack, do you not like baths?" asked Tooth gently.

Jack shook his head against Bunny's chest.

"Okay, no bath," said Bunny. "You don't have to take a bath. We'll just wash your face and hair in the sink and change your clothes, sound good?"

Jack nodded numbly and allowed Bunny to pick himself up off of the ground, hoisting Jack up as he did.

"We have got to make a list of things Jack doesn't like," said Pitch. "I'm getting too old for this."