Previously:

"What are you doing? There's no horses around here!"

"I heard it!" Jamie calls back, running on all fours through the trees. "I gotta help it!"

It takes several minutes, but he finally skids to a stop in a small, dark clearing. Looking around, he presses his ears to his head as an uneasy feeling washes over him. He doesn't even realize that a low growl has begun rumbling in his throat. Before he can react, a black horse rears up behind him, smashing a hoof into his head.

He's unconscious before he hits the ground.


Chapter Three

The Nightmare King, Pitch Black, chuckles darkly as he steps into the clearing. A malicious smirk is set firmly in place on his features as he lays eyes on the incredibly young new spirit.

He's been watching the boy for a while now, and it didn't take long for him to realize that he and that accursed brat, Jamie Bennett are one and the same. Pitch had been incredibly happy when the child who had brought about his downfall, not once, but twice had been killed in a school shooting; his plans in that had worked flawlessly. But MiM had stuck his nose in where it didn't belong again and brought the worthless mortal back to life.

"No, not worthless," Pitch muses, kneeling down to get a good look at the Beast Spirit lying prone in front of him.

He had been pleased to learn that Jamie hasn't retained any of his old memories. As he is now, the man could easily mold him into anything he desired. He's a blank slate, ready to be rewritten.

His chuckle turning into an outright cruel laugh, Pitch scoops Jamie up and throws him over his shoulder.

Jack slides to a halt in the clearing, just in time to see Pitch throw Jamie over his shoulder. He's so stunned at the fact Pitch is still alive he can't react at first.

"W-What are you doing with Jamie!?" Jack shouts, panicking. He's already lost his friend once, the last thing he wants is to lose him again, so Jack rushes Pitch without waiting for an answer.

Pitch sends up a wall of black sand to block Jack's path, flanking it on either side with a Nightmare.

"Jack Frost," he sneers condescendingly. "It's been too long."

Jack barely gets himself stopped before slamming into the wall of black sand. "What do you want with him, Pitch? He doesn't even remember you - he's useless to you!"

Jack realizes too late that he'd left the cabin without grabbing his staff. He'd been so focused on Jamie that he'd completely forgotten to grab it, and his panic only intensifies when he realizes he's powerless against the Nightmare King.

"Oh, but that's precisely why he's not useless," Pitch retorts. "What better pawn than one who doesn't even know who his true enemy is?"

"If you're trying to get back at me, then go ahead. You can see I'm defenseless, so what are you waiting for? Are you going to be a coward and hurt someone who has nothing to do with this? It's me you want, and I'm right here," Jack says, standing firm despite his trembling hands.

Pitch laughs at that, a dark sound that can chill even Jack's icy veins. "If this boy had never been in the picture," he starts, "I would have defeated you all the first time around, as well as the second. Jamie Bennett has everything to do with this." Then as if an afterthought, he adds wistfully, "I had so hoped that I had finally gotten rid of him twenty years ago, but alas, the Man in the Moon decided to butt in again. So, I guess I'll just have to make good use of what he's given me to work with".

Furious, Jack punches the wall, forgetting he can't do much against it without his staff. There's a sickening crunch, followed by searing pain as Jack comes away with broken fingers. He swears again.

"Jamie! Hey, Jamie!" Jack shouts, trying to wake Jamie up. "Hey kiddo, you have to wake up! Please, don't let him take you!"

Glancing over at the unconscious boy, whose head slowly drips blood onto the white snow below, Pitch smirks. "You know," he says, turning his attention back to the Guardian. "I learned a lot from our little run together, Jack. I certainly learned what not to do when it comes to keeping a pawn on my side. Thank you for that; I'll be sure to put it to good use with Jamie here."

Jack glares at Pitch, his blue eyes icy. "Don't you dare hurt him, Pitch. I will get him back." Jack's voice is low, filled with menacing promise. "And I won't let you slip away like last time, you coward!"

"I look forward to seeing you try, Jack," Pitch replies. With one last smirk, dark sand engulfs the pair and he disappears, taking Jamie with him.

Jack lets out a frustrated cry, cradling his busted hand, before taking off back to his home, where he wastes no time in grabbing his staff and using another snow globe to go to Tooth's Palace.

When he stumbles out of the portal, he immediately starts shouting for Tooth, not caring that he scares all of the little fairies around him.

Toothiana nearly drops the case of baby teeth she's holding as Jack suddenly appears. Handing it off to one of her fairies, she rushes over to him.

"Jack!" she exclaims, noticing the state his hand is in. "What happened? Are you okay?"

"Pitch took Jamie!" Jack shouts, forgetting he's the only one that knows the boy was turned into a spirit. "I couldn't stop him!"

By now the tears Jack had been trying to hold back are falling freely down his face, and he scrubs at them furiously with the sleeve of his hoodie, but they just won't stop. "I just got him back, but now he's gone again!"

"Whoa, whoa, slow down now," Tooth orders, gently grabbing the boy's shoulders. "What do you mean? Jamie and Pitch are gone, Jack." She tries to soften the blow that always comes with mentioning the deceased Bennett, but doesn't know how successful she is.

Baby Tooth flutters over and lands on Jack, nuzzling the side of his face and chirping soothingly. She doesn't like seeing her boy so worked up.

Jack touches Baby Tooth's head with his good hand before looking up at Tooth, his eyes full of pain and wet with his tears.

"No, they aren't, Tooth," Jack says, unable to disguise the pain in his voice. "Jamie's a spirit, like us, and Pitch isn't dead."

Tooth's eyes widen at that. "Wh-what? How can that be? Why would Manny...?" Hands tightening their grip, she says, "We need to discuss this with the others. Do you feel up to going to Santoff Claussen?"

"I just want to get Jamie back," Jack says softly, feeling lost and broken. This time hurts worse than when Jamie had died, since the boy's still alive, and will possibly come to hate him because of Pitch.

Heart breaking for her friend, Tooth pulls him into a gentle hug, being careful not to bump his hand. "We'll do everything in our power to get Jamie back home where he belongs."

"Thanks," Jack mumbles, returning her hug. "I don't think I can handle losing him again."

Pulling back, Tooth gives him a sad smile. "Let's see what we can do to help him, alright?" She flutters up on her wings, waiting for him to join her in the air.

With a sigh, Jack calls upon the wind to take him to Santoff Claussen. Even with Tooth's speedy fluttering, Jack can't help but feel they aren't going fast enough, and doesn't realize he's fidgeting with his staff.

It takes no time at all to make it to the home of Nicholas St. North. Tooth leads Jack directly to the man's workshop, where she finds him hunched over his desk, working on something or other.

"North, we've got trouble."

The big man looks up from his frozen prototype. "What is wrong now?" He asks, obviously not thrilled about his work being interrupted.

"Jamie's a spirit and Pitch isn't dead and Pitch took Jamie and I'm scared I'll never see him again and... and..." Jack's words come out in such a rush he chokes on them and the lump in his throat.

"Wait. What was that about Jamie and Pitch?" North asks, confused. "I thought they were dead."

Tooth rubs soothing circles on Jack's back, trying to help ease his choking. Turning to the large man, she says, "I'm not all that sure on the details myself, but apparently Manny decided to turn Jamie into one of us".

North pinches the bridge of his nose before looking up at the moon still visible even though it's the middle of the day. "Why, Manny? Why do this to poor boy? You saw what happened to Jack, and he was much older. You had to have seen this coming..." North mumbles.

Tooth gives North a sad smile, showing she had been wondering that, herself. "We should call the others over. They need to know the situation as well."

North agrees with Tooth as he pushes himself up from the table, looking at the forlorn and oddly quiet Jack as he passes him to call Bunnymund and Sandy with his Northern Lights.

Jack can't stop it as his body begins to tremble, and his legs become so unstable he has to crouch for fear of simply falling over. He draws his knees to his chest and wraps his shaking arms around them.

Baby Tooth chirps sadly, flying around to land on top of Jack's knees. She places a tiny hand on her boy's nose, using her other to wipe away a tear that managed to break free.

Jack can only give Baby Tooth a weak smile. He's so upset over Jamie it's tearing him apart from the inside out.

It doesn't take Sandy long to show up on his little golden plane made of Dreamsand. When he lands he pulls his goggles up, though they disappear into his head anyways, and the plane dissolves as well. When he spots Jack on the floor, he immediately begins questioning Tooth and North with rapid fire questions.

Bunny arrives shortly after, a bit miffed at being called away from his Warren when there's only a few months left until Easter. He grumbles all the way to the Globe Room, only stopping when he sees the serious mood that everyone's in.

"What's goin' on?"

"It's Jack," North says in a low voice, stepping away from the boy so he won't hear. "He's either completely lost it, or Pitch isn't dead and Jamie's been made into spirit like us."

North looks at the boy, skeptical. "He's good kid, but he's been through a lot. I would have thought Manny would have told us if he'd made a new spirit."

The Easter Bunny looks from North to Jack. "Why don't you tell us what you saw, mate?" he suggests, deciding to forgo his usual teasing in light of the state the boy's in.

"I saw Jamie. He found me yesterday, though he has no memories. He said MiM told him he was the Beast Spirit, and he had dog ears and a tail. God, he was filthy - he hadn't even been in a house since he'd been brought back. He spent the night with me because I was going to bring him here to see Tooth, but Pitch got him to come out into the woods and knocked him out. Pitch took him, Bunny. He took Jamie!" Jack's eyes are haunted and scared as he looks up at his old friend and rival.

Placing a paw on Jack's shoulder, Bunny kneels down on his haunches to look the distraught boy in the eye. "Easy, now. Are you sure it was your Jamie ya saw? It wasn't jus' someone who looked like 'im?"

"He had the scars from three bullets in his chest," Jack says softly, squeezing his eyes shut. "And he kept getting these little snippets of his past - feelings, flashes of memories. He sort of remembered me, and recognized Sophie, though he didn't know why. He said something about feeling like he was her sibling."

Bunny's eyes widen at that, glancing up to share a look with the other Guardians. "I think it's time we got some answers," he says, nodding his head up towards the moon.

Manny looks down upon the Guardians from his seat up high on the Moon. The little round man appears to be much happier than he is. The corners of his mouth are pulled down into a frown as he thinks about the newest spirit he had created. Though the Guardians know little to nothing of MiM himself, he is always watching over them, always trying to guide them on the right path.

"Manny!" North calls out to the moon. "Why did you not tell us about Jamie? Did we not, no, did Jack not deserve to know you'd brought back his best friend and first believer?"

"Jack is a good boy, but it had little to do with him." Manny explains. "The child needed to find his own way in life. It was an unfortunate thing I could not give him his memories back as well, but that is why I tried to guide him back to Jack the best I could. He does not understand me well, much like his friend."

Though no one can see it, MiM smiles down fondly at the Winter Spirit.

Stepping forward, Tooth asks, "So it's true that Pitch is back too, then? Is Jamie alright? How do we get him back?"

"Pitch was never gone, just weakened," Manny explains. "And Jamie must come back on his own. Like Jack, he must want to come back, or he will resent you. You can only try to convince the child to return."

"What d'ya mean 'he must want to come back'?" Bunny asks. "You mean Pitch's already managed to turn the kid?"

"Most likely. It did not take him long to turn Jack, and he had his memories and everything. Jamie is vulnerable and impressionable," Manny says, looking to try to find the young spirit.


Deep in the heart of the Nightmare King's lair, Pitch kneels before the crumpled form of Jamie. In his hand is a small ball of black Dreamsand, made especially for this occasion. Prying the boy's mouth open, he drops the marble sized ball in before closing it once more. He massages his Adam's apple until Jamie involuntarily swallows, watching as the lump moves down his throat.

The effect is instantaneous. Jamie's eyes snap open with a gasp, his back arching and pupils narrowing into catlike slits. His fangs grow longer, his claws sharper, and a dreadful paranoia washes over him. Eyes darting around, he tries to pinpoint where the danger is coming from, but I can't; it's everywhere. What is it? I don't know; why don't I know? It's out there, it's gonna get me. I don't want it to get me. It's wrong, so very wrong, but what is it?

Jamie doesn't even realize he's hyperventilating until a hand is placed on his shoulder.

"There now, that's better," Pitch says, smirking evilly. His grip tightens on the boy, causing him to let out a pained cry.

Jamie whimpers as he looks up into the slightly distorted face of the man hovering over him. Shadows constantly move about at the corners of his vision, causing his eyes to dart back and forth. "Wh-who are you? Where am I?"

"You are in my home," Pitch answers. "And I'm the one person who can save you from your fears."

"Y-you can make it go away? It won't get me?" Jamie asks, his voice small and trembling.

Pulling the boy to his feet, Pitch answers, "That's right, they won't get you. They won't ever get you".

Jamie looks up at the man, hope brimming in his eyes. His tail wags, though not at its usual excited pace.

Pitch places a hand on the boy's head, smirking victoriously at his new pet.


A terrible feeling washes over Jack, and he knows something isn't right. He doesn't know what exactly, just something. His stomach churns in a way that he feels like he's going to be ill.

"Your best hope of having the child return to you is Jack. Their bond has linked them together, which is why Jamie still had faint memories of him, and it's become something tangible with his becoming a spirit," Manny tells them.

"We have to go," Jack says, trying not to show the fact he feels like he's about to lose his breakfast. "If MiM's right, then we have to go."

"Do you know where to find 'im?" Bunny asks.

"Probably the same place as he had me - his lair," Jack mumbles, his grip tightening on his staff as he scrambles to his feet.

"To sleigh, then!"

"No! No time for the sleigh - just grab some snow globes. We have to leave. Now," Jack exclaims, impatient.

Tooth is surprised by the outburst, but can't say that she blames the boy. "Jack's right. If Jamie's in trouble, we need to help him as soon as possible."

North pulls out a globe and smashes it, opening the portal. He wastes no time in passing through, with Sandy right behind him.

Jack jumps through the portal so that when he reaches the other side he can use the wind to carry him faster to the broken bed that marks the entrance to Pitch Black's lair. He flies at a break-neck speed to the entrance, where he lands beside the bed.

"Jamie?" Jack calls out, bending over the frame. "Jamie, are you down there?"

Without waiting for the others, Jack dives down the hole.


Jamie yelps as a voice echoes throughout the chamber. Whimpering, he moves closer to Pitch, using him as a shield from the danger. A growl rumbles in his throat, but he pays it no mind.

"It would appear they've arrived sooner than expected," Pitch muses. Turning to the boy, he orders, "Listen to me. If you wish to get rid of your fear, you must fight it. Do you understand?" He smiles at Jamie's nod. "Good. I'll leave this to you, then."

With one last pat on the head, Pitch merges back into the darkness to watch the show, leaving the trembling young man to fend for himself.


Jack's unnerved when he gets into the lair without even meeting a single Nightmare, so he lands to continue his search for his friend on foot.

"Jamie, it's Jack! I'm here to take you back!" Jack shouts, cupping his hands around his mouth.

When he finally sees his friend, standing alone in the middle of the room, he knows something is off. The first thing he sees is that Jamie's trembling. Then, he notices the fact that his claws are much sharper than they were before, to a lethal level.

"Jamie?" Jack asks hesitantly, hoping the boy isn't a trick of his imagination. "Jamie, I'm here for you."

Jamie whirls his head around so fast that his neck cracks painfully. His eyes are wide and wild, still darting around madly.

What he sees takes his breath away like a punch to the stomach, forcing him back a step. It's obviously a person, but the shape constantly shifts, not able to retain a definite form. Its voice is a deep, guttural growl, and its eyes are a piercing ice blue.

Trying to scare the creature off, Jamie snarls at it, showing his sharp fangs as he growls.

"Jamie?" Jack takes a startled step back, made nervous by the boy's feral growling and pointed fangs. He holds his hands up in front of him, palms forward though he doesn't release his staff, in the universal 'I'm harmless' gesture. "It's me, Jack."

He doesn't like the way his best friend in staring at him, like he doesn't recognize Jack again.

"What did he do to you?" Jack whispers, watching Jamie.

"Crikey," Bunny mutters in shock as he and the others pull up behind Jack.

Pulling out his bow, Jamie knocks an arrow in it with lightning speed. "S-stay back!" he warns. His hands shake so bad, it messes up his normally flawless aim. "Don't come n-near me! I'm warning you!"

With his fear in its heightened state, a sort of dark cloud seems to roll off of him, turning to sand as it hits the floor. Black lines can be seen slowly crawling up like veins through his neck, stretching up to his jawline.

"Jamie, please don't be scared of me!" Jack calls out to the boy, trying to get closer to him. With the black sand beginning to engulf the boy, Jack suspects the worst for him.

Jamie cries out as the creature growls at him again, but before he can let loose the arrow, his numb fingers lose their grip altogether. Both bow and arrow clatter to the floor, leaving the boy in wide-eyed horror.

Hyperventilating fully now, he shoots the group of monsters a terrified glance before his eyes roll back in his head. He collapses into the pile of sand at his feet.

"Guess the dosage was a tad too strong," Pitch chuckles to himself.

Jack runs over to the fallen boy, cradling his friend in his arms as he turns to look at Pitch. He uses his own long, thin body to try to cover Jamie's.

Pitch watches in amusement as the remaining Guardians pull out their weapons. "Sorry to disappoint, but I'm not here for a fight." Turning to Jack, he adds, "Have fun watching your boy die a second time, Jack". With that, he disappears, leaving dark laughter echoing throughout the room.

"What did you do to him!" Jack shouts at Pitch's retreating form.

His hands tremble as he tries to shake his friend's limp body to wake him up. "Hey, kiddo. C'mon, you have to wake up. I can't lose you again. Not after you finally found me again."

Jamie's eyes crack open a fraction, not actually seeing anything. He can hear vague sounds and the unknown noise causes him to whimper.

"Jack..." he quietly calls out, breath coming out in short gasps.

"I'm right here, kiddo..." Jack says softly, taking the boy's hand in his own, careful to avoid his claws.

Sandy moves over to Jamie's side, taking a look at the boy's face, and the black markings that spread over his exposed skin.

Bunny moves over to stand behind the smaller man, taking in the marks as well. "What d'ya think it is, Sandy?"

A large golden hand appears stroking the little man's chin as a question mark appears over his head. Sandy studies the boy's form for a little while, before a light bulb forms over his head and he forms a small ball of his own Dreamsand. He looks at it as it rolls around in his hand for a moment before popping it in Jamie's mouth and coaxing him into swallowing it.

Jack watches Sandy, nervous that whatever he's doing might backfire on the boy and hurt him even more. Jack simply gathers Jamie up and holds him tightly in his arms, his staff laying beside him.

Jamie's breathing eases a bit as he slips unconscious once more. The black markings are now splintered with lines of gold, glowing faintly as the Dreamsand fights off its sinister counterpart.

"We should get him somewhere safe," Tooth suggests gently. She's still a bit shocked to see that Jamie is in fact alive after all these years, but she pushes it aside at the urgency of the situation.

With a nod, North picks up Jamie and lays him over one of his broad shoulders to carry him from Pitch's lair, Jack in tow following like the puppy Jamie appears to be.

"This is way too easy," Jack mumbles, glancing around as he follows North.

"I agree, mate," Bunny says from behind him. "Somethin's just not right, here."

Walking up next to North, Tooth retorts, "Right or not, Jamie is our first priority right now".

"You have no idea how much I agree, Tooth, but why would Pitch just let us take Jamie like that? If he thought we could easily cure Jamie, then he wouldn't have bothered taking him in the first place..." Jack watches the boy as he walks, lost in thought.

Crossing his arms, Bunny mutters, "Guess we'll find out sooner or latah".


A/N: AAA here! Things are heating up with Jamie's capture and rescue. Is that too easy of a rescue? I'm not telling! ;) You'll just have to wait until next week's update to find out!

Show us your love in the form of much appreciated reviews!