"Jack! Jack, are you alright?"

"Sandy, fetch me some water. Some warm water."

"Jack. Jack Frost! Come on you blighter, wake up."

"Bunny, stop it. Jack? Can you hear me?"

A moan escaped the boy's throat and the three figures above him all started.

"He's coming to!" He felt hands steady him as he leaned up and ran his fingers through his hair. His eyes fluttered open to see his friends leaning in and looking anxious.

"He's alright!" he heard a girl's voice squeal. He moaned again and covered his face with his hands.

"What happened?"

"You tell us. We were standing and talking and then you were on the floor." Jack saw Sandy running back into the room, holding a pail of water with steam floating over the surface. He woke up immediately.

"You are NOT pouring that on me." Sandy's eyes widened and he dropped the pail, shaking his head and pointing at North. The gruff man crossed his arms.

"We had no idea what was wrong with you. You were unconscious for several minutes."

"Yeah, got that, thanks. But you know what warm water can do to me. Please don't take that measure. Don't even think it."

"Of course, Jack," North replied uncomfortably. Sandy shot him a glare and hurried forward. Jack picked himself up and used his staff to support himself. Sandy and Tooth reached out to help him but he limped away, leaning on the staff. He was still quite independent and would never admit to needing help. He rubbed his heart, feeling the sharp pains still prickling. The Guardians all watched him anxiously.

"What did you feel, Jack," Bunny asked softly.

"Weak," Jack said, not wanting to admit it. "Weak and helpless. Like I felt that day…" he trailed off and shook his head. His friends continued to stare at him and he turned back around, swinging his staff up beside his head.

"Nevermind. I'm fine now. Fit as a fiddle."

"Jack," Tooth said worriedly. "Finish what you were going to say."

"Don't worry about it, Tooth. I'm fine."

"If something threatens one Guardian, it can threaten all of us," North said somberly. Jack rolled his eyes.

"It's not "threatening me". I passed out, ok? End of story."

"It bloody well is not the end," Bunny said, leaping forward. "North's right. It threatens all of us, because we're a family. We take care of each other. Now tell us what you felt." Jack turned away and closed his eyes.

"When Pitch came after me…and broke my staff. I felt like all my powers had vanished, like I was a helpless mortal kid. My heart just stopped beating for a minute. I felt…pain. Pain in my heart and this horrible feeling in my stomach."

"What you are describing is what I felt when the children no longer believed in me," North said quietly. Jack's eyes widened and Bunny nodded.

"Me too. Like you're never going to be cheerful again."

"So…one kid stopped believing in me?"

"Maybe more than one. Maybe one very important kid." Jack felt another sharp pain in his heart and the Guardians' eyes narrowed when his hand flew to his chest.

"Let us check the Globe."

Jack, Tooth, Bunny, and Sandy followed North into his massive workshop and ignored the little elves around their feet. North placed his beefy hands on the globe and spun it around so fast that Tooth started to get a little dizzy. North seemed to be looking for something though. Jack's eyes followed the globe, searching. For what, he had no idea.

"There is a light that flickers," North said slowly.

"Flickers? As in, he doesn't know if he believes?"

"I do not know. This is strange…I have not seen this before. This light is…familiar." North glanced sideways at Jack, who gripped his staff tightly. He moved closer to the globe and his eyes narrowed at the tiny flickering light.

"Wait a second…" North nodded and waved his hand over the light. A sort of screen appeared over the globe and for a moment there was only darkness. When the light appeared, it showed a small dark room with a still figure. The figure was bound to the wall, his arms pulled over his head and his chin resting on his chest. The light illuminated his face and his features were clear to the Guardians. Jack's staff went tumbling to the floor and he leaped forward, only to be held back by North.

"You must remain calm, Jack-"

"Let me go, I have to get to him! He's in trouble!"

"He is the light that flickers. He spoke the forbidden words."

"No. He wouldn't. Not him."

"Jack." North spoke gently and forced the boy to look up at him. North's face was imposing but his eyes were gentle. North waved his hand over the lights again and the picture disappeared, only to be replaced by an image of a young boy jumping up and down in anger. The Guardians all watched him with wide eyes.

"See what I'm doing, Jack? Or do you even see? No…no you don't." Jack tried to swallow but found his mouth was dry and it became harder to breathe.

"You don't because… you don't exist. I don't believe in you anymore."

Jack grunted and nearly fell back; Bunny and Sandy grabbed his arms and held him upright. Jack was rubbing his chest, feeling those words had pierced his heart. North gave him a sad look.

"I am sorry Jack."

"I…I have to go see him. Explain things."

"We have no idea where he is, Jack. Or who has captured him."

"I don't CARE who's captured him, it's up to me to save him!"

"North…who do you think has him," Tooth asked softly. North glanced at her and bit his lip. Bunny frowned.

"Hang on, why do we all of a sudden think he's back?!"

"Who are we talking about here," Jack asked, bemused.

"It makes sense, for him to capture the only light that once remained. Someone he knows once believed in us the strongest. We should get moving. We need to set up defenses around our domains, should he try to attack." The Guardians all moved to the side and Jack scratched his head, a deep frown marring his brow.

"Are we talking about…who I think we're talking about?"

"Jack. He's come back before."

"Yeah but…why go after Jamie?"

"If Jamie is finding it difficult to believe…Pitch will do everything he can to extinguish that light, once and for all."