Chapter 3
When Jack stirred, he felt the pain. Throbbing pain radiating from his shoulder. He took a deep breath and opened his eyes.
Darkness.
His deep breath became short gasps as his panic set in.
Am I blind?
He tried to think, remember what had happened around the blinding headache. He had been playing in the tunnels, skidding along and then-
Realization hit him and he took a deep breath again. He wasn't blind. He shuddered at the thought of never seeing Sandy's creations, a child's smile, another sunset or sunrise, the way snow fell upon homes and streets. Jack felt his staff next to him and picked it up and tried to assess how bad the damage was. His head hurt, he could feel sticky blood trailing from his temple down to his neck. His shoulder felt out of place and his chest hurt, each breath was a difficulty.
Jack tried to sit up and winced as his right foot gave a twinge of pain. Slowly, he began to limp back up the tunnel. He moved at a snail's pace but his mind and thoughts were speeding like a train. He didn't know how long he had been out cold, he didn't know if North knew he had disobeyed him, he didn't know if the other guardians had arrived. Jack's injuries were his second worry. His first was North's reaction to the fact he had disobeyed a direct instruction.
It never occurred to Jack that North would have given the warning out of worry for the boy's well-being. Like a child, all Jack could focus on was not being caught and not getting into trouble.
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North greeting Bunnymund with his usual cheer and the two began bantering like the old friends they were. Bunnymund had noticed the "hippy" ice version of himself outside and was now enquiring when the creator would be back so he could share his thoughts on it (fairly physical retribution thoughts). North replied that the boy was out playing and the two settling down by the fire to chat ovr hot chocolate and discuss light-hearted subjects while they waited for Tooth, both enjoying the slowly setting sun.
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By the time Jack made it to the edge of one of the tunnel exits, he was exhausted. He knew he wouldn't be able to climb out the main entrance so had limped around, following the dimming life till he found an exit. He gave a sigh of relief, legs shaking from over-exertion.
"Wind!" he called out, voice dry.
No response.
"W-wind!" yelled Jack, trying again, his voice cracking as he cleared his throat. He scooped a handful of snow after setting his staff down and forced himself to chew and swallow the liquid.
"WIND!" he yelled and gave a smile of relief as he heard the familiar howl. The wind whipped around him, worried, gentle breezes caressing his hair. "We need to go. Home, please!" yelled Jack. He gripped his staff as the wind wrapped around him and shot him into the sky.
"Down! Down!" yelled Jack desperately. The pain shooting through his arm had tripled, he could barely breath, black dots appearing in his vision. "Wind! It hurts, HURTS! Down! PLLEEEAAASE!"
The wind, confused, immediately dropped its passenger and Jack fell, realization not hitting him till he hit the snow bank on his damaged foot.
"Arrghh!" he yelled, dropping his staff and clutching his foot with his good hand. He wanted to roll, not just sit but didn't think his shoulder could take anymore abuse. He sank into the snow, unsure of what to do. He couldn't fly out and he didn't know how far he would get walking.
He turned to the wind which was moving slowly around him, he felt guilty. The wind had just been trying to help. "Go." He said, "I'll be fine, I'm fine." He lied.
The wind, hesitated, unsure.
"Go!" he yelled and with that, the wind was gone. The silence was overwhelming but at this point, Jack was feeling fairly overwhelmed. Then he heard her, "Jack?"
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Toothiana had been making her way to the North Pole and could see it. She was distracted on her flight path when she had seen Jack shooting into the air, yelling and screaming and then falling. Once on the ground, she saw he made no attempt to get up.
She flew down towards him, a trio of fairies in tow. She slowed down as she neared him. "Jack?" she called out tentatively and gasped when he turned around, his eyes wide with fear, dark blood matted his hair and she could see in the dim light the dark purple bruising on his ankle.
"Jack! Hold on." She cried and tried to wrap her arms around him.
He gave a grunt of pain and tried to push her away, "No! Arm, its hurt." He said grimacing.
"Girls, call North," she instructed her fairies and turned back to Jack who looked like she had just struck him.
"No, No!" he yelled after the fairies who halted in mid-air. "Don't call him! Tooth, please don't!"
Tooth looked at him in confusion, "Jack, did North have something to do with this?" she asked, the notion seemed impossible.
"No, its not that. Please, just don't." he was gripping her arm now, eyes begging.
"Jack, I have to, you're hurt." Said Tooth, trying to be firm.
Jack tried to push her away. "Then go! I'm not hanging around."
Tooth couldn't believe it. She motioned for her fairies to go and whispered "quickly girls."
Jack heard and renewed his efforts. "No Tooth! I trusted you!"
Tooth switched her hold and was half hugging the boy as she tried to calm him down. "Jack! Calm down! What happened?"
"I wasn't suppose to mess around to mess around there, I was stupid and I'm going to be in trouble again!"
Tooth was getting more confused. It seemed her favourite set of teeth had been hurt during one of his antics but one thing she knew for sure, he was hurt and he was scared. She hated that he seemed to think she was trying to purposefully get him into trouble but it was obvious he needed help. As the adult in the situation, she had to make the best decision.
There was a lantern and yelling and from the darkness emerged Bunnymund, North and Phil the yeti.
"Mate! You ok?" asked Bunnymund already looking him over.
Jack wiped his face, trying to wipe the look of panic. "I-I'm fine." He stuttered.
"Like hell you are." Growled Bunnymund.
"Jack!" yelled North before asking, "what happened?"
"Graaagh?" asked Phil, leaning in as well.
Jack looked up, taking in the four pair of eyes analysing him and he couldn't do it anymore. He started crying.
"I'm sorry! Just go away! I'll go home and I'll come back. I'm sorry!"
They all looked at eachother in confusion and Tooth gave a little shrug, "he was saying about playing somewhere and getting into trouble?"
"Ah Jack, iz that eet?" asked North leaning in.
"I'm sorry!" yelled Jack again.
"Alright enough of that you dingbat." Said Bunnymund, "we can sort that all out later."
"Mind his arm" warned Tooth as North scooped him up and Bunnymund grabbed the boy's staff.
With a few whimpers and whines of pain and protest from Jack, the group made its way back towards the warmth of North's home.
Sooooo let me know what you think and anything in particular you want to see. I have another story "cold hands, warm heart" just a bunch of one-shots. If there is something you would like focuses on, give a yell and I will see what I can do.
R and R PLEASE
