Everyone glanced in the door to see the dark room. "Jack…?"
The lights were off and no one could see anything but the faint movement of a living creature inside.
"Jack…?" asked Tooth's voice again.
A moan met their ears and Bunny burst in.
"Jack you ok little buddy what did Pitch do to ya'?"
No other sounds came out of the darkness.
"We are getting nowhere," complained North. "Sandy hit the lights please."
The little man threw the golden sand on the ceiling and the whole room was illuminated.
Everyone blinked at the sudden brightness. Instantly everyone was over by the bed where a lump was moving under the covers. Jack never used the blankets; it would make him too warm.
"Jack?" Tooth said yet again, trying to get the attention of the winter spirit.
The thing under the covers shifted and Sandman lifted the blankets.
Under the blanket was… a little boy. The kid was four, five at most. They could only see the back of the boy, with brown hair and wearing an oversized blue sweater that hid his lower body.
"This isn't Jack," whispered Bunny; unintentionally being quiet so as not to wake the boy.
At the words the little body squirmed around to face the guardians, his little hands reaching for his missing blanket.
What they saw made all of them gasp. The boy's brown hair had a large chunk of white hair on the front of his brown strands. His little face was pale with sun kissed cheeks that were chubby and lifted with a small smile on the sleeping face. He was so tiny that even Sandy could have held the sleeping form in his arms.
The little body sat up rubbing his closed eyes and yawning. "Where did my blanket go?" the little voice was sweet and filled with innocence. He lowered his hands and the sleeves covered the pudgy little fists. But the thing that stuck out the most was the pair of big childish eyes. One of the eyes was a chocolate brown filled with warmth and child-like love. The other eye was a big shining blue with a sheen like ice and reminded them of winter storms. The mismatching eyes would have looked stupid if the face that held them wasn't so chubby and cute.
"Jack?" Tooth's voice was now filled with curiosity.
"My name is Jack," said the little boy looking up at the pretty bird/fairy.
Everyone gasped except Tooth who looked down at the little boy with wide eyes. For a moment everyone thought that she was going to pick him up and start yelling 'where is the real Jack!' She lunged at the small figure and everyone else winced when she shrieked, "oh my gosh he's so cute!"
The tiny boy laughed and smiled as he was swung around by the flying woman. His laugh sounded so sweet that even the shocked guardians smiled.
"But Jack how did this happen?" asked North when Tooth had landed next to the others.
"How did what happen?" asked the little Jack.
"Well, there's no easy way to say this little buddy, you used to be bigger, like teenage looking," said Bunny not knowing if he should you look concerned or amused.
The little brow furrowed in concentration. "I think I was different before, but it's fuzzy. I don't know…" the voice faded away and he smiled. "I don't want to think can we play instead?" he bounced up and down Tooth's arms and pleaded with his big eyes, looking at the bird woman.
Tooth set down the little monster and he ran out of the room laughing all the way.
"No you don't come back here you little ankle bitter!" cried Bunny running after the boy.
The rest of them followed the rabbit out of the room.
It took ten minutes to find the little kid again. For such a tiny creature he moved pretty fast. When they located him again they found him chasing the terrified elves around. He was cackling but his mirth was one of childish enjoyment. When he finally managed to catch the little pointy elf he swung it by its hat and giggled.
"Elf, elf," he tripped and the pointy headed creature went flying off as fast as its little legs could carry it. The little boy sniffled as its toy ran away. "Bye-bye elf," he waved his tiny hand covered in the blue sweater and the too long sleeve flapped up and down. He looked up at the guardians and stood.
Bunny scooped the kid in his arms but the little body squirmed.
"No, I want the pretty bird lady to carry me," he whined.
"Gladly," said Bunny dumping Jack in Tooth's arms.
The kid yawned when he was back in the protective grasp of Tooth. He nuzzled close into the warm feathers and yawned again.
"He's precious," cooed Tooth. Then she looked up at North who was carrying the spirit's staff. "What happened to him?"
"I do not know," said North. "But we will find out."
... oh so that's what Pitch did to him. many fluffy loving chapters ahead
R&R