Thanks to everyone who has been reading and commenting! i really appreciate it! i'm sorry that it's been a while since i last wrote. I've been back at college and have been super busy. i'll try and keep up better. but please be patient. i wish i could do better with story. i just gotta get my ideas better put together. i'm not sure how i feel about this chapter. i feel like it could be way better but i think its alright considering it's been a while. so read! enjoy! thanks again everyone! :)
Disclaimer: i do not own Rise of the Guardians.
Chapter 6:
As soon as the guardians stepped through the portal, North was yelling instructions at the yetis to bring things into the infirmary.
"This way, hurry!" said North, rushing forward.
The rest of the guardians followed him. Bunnymund glanced down at Jack. He was unconscious and his wounds were getting worse. Bleeding through Jack's clothing and onto Bunnymund's fur.
"Hang in there Jack," he whispered, "I promise ya we'll get ya through this."
North threw open the infirmary door and gestured the bed near the window. Bunnymund gently placed Jack onto the bed. He then put his ear to Jack's chest, listening for a heart beat.
"His heart is beating, but barely," he told the others, "We need to work fast."
"What do you need us to do?" asked Tooth.
"We need to stop the bleeding and patch him up the best we can. Get all the medical supplies out."
North ran to the cabinets, Tooth behind him and grabbed the supplies. Bunnymund looked down at Jack. He sighed.
"Sorry mate," he said.
He ripped off Jack's hoodie and cut his pants so that they were more like shorts. It took all his willpower not to be sick. Jack was in worse shape than he originally thought. There was the long slash that represented the first swing Pitch took at him at the lake. But that wasn't the only thing. There were multiple stab wounds to his stomach and chest. Along with bruises over his ribs. You could barely see the color of his white skin. His wrists and ankles looked burned, which was most likely from the nightmare sand that chained him. His leg was clearly broken. His head was also bleeding which meant he must have had some trauma to it as well. How Jack was still alive, he had no idea. He thanked Manny though. As long as Jack was alive there was a chance to still save him. But what Pitch did with the staff…? He shook the thought from his head. He couldn't worry about that now. He had to take care of the physical injuries first.
Tooth flew back Bunny and Jack. She gasped. "Jack! Oh Jack!" She started crying.
"Tooth, ya need to pull ya self together. If you're upset than ya can't help him. We need ya to focus!" said Bunnymund, "You too North and Sandy. In order to help Jack we need to focus."
She took a few deep breaths, collecting herself, before she finally nodded. North and Sandy quickly shook their shocked expressions off their faces and nodded as well.
"Good. We need to stitch up his wounds. And take care of his leg. It's definitely broken. Also North set him up to a monitor so we can check his heart to make sure it's still going."
"Should we get morphine? We don't want to hurt him more," asked North.
"No. As much as I don't want to cause him more pain, the pain may actually wake him up, which is what we want. Especially that it looks like he has a head injury. If he wakes up and is reacting really bad then we'll use it. But for now, no," Bunny replied.
North nodded and began setting up Jack to the heart monitor. Everyone set to work, following Bunny's instructions. As everyone worked as gently as they could, Bunny kept glancing at Jack hoping for some sort of response. As they worked on the bigger injuries, Jack's face cringed in pain. Sweat beading down his face. Something Bunny would have never thought possible. Yet Jack still seemed to be asleep.
Tooth placed her hand on his forehead, finishing bandaging his head.
"Guys, I think he has a fever," she said, worried.
"Is that even possible?" asked North, "He's a winter spirit! That can't be good."
"Open the window Tooth," said Bunny, "We need to get cold air in here now and then get a lot of ice. We are going to need to put it on his leg and his forehead."
She zipped to the window and then flew out the door. Bunnymund looked at the heart monitor, Jack's heartbeat was still really low.
"Come on Frostbite," said Bunnymund, "Come back to us. Wake up."
Jack opened his eyes. He was lying down. He sat up and realized that he was on his lake in Burgess. It was nighttime and the moon was shining above his head.
How did I get here? He thought.
He tried to recall his latest memories but nothing was coming to his mind. Suddenly the moon began shining brighter over his head. He stood still staring at the moon. A voice suddenly emerged.
It's okay Jack. You're going to be alright. You are not alone.
"What do you mean?" asked Jack, "What's wrong with me?"
You are hurt Jack. You aren't really here. We are in your mind.
"What happened to me?"
You were fighting and then kidnapped by Pitch. Your body is very weak and your mind for that matter. It is going to take a while for you to recover. Though you are immortal it doesn't mean you can't be injured enough to be close to death. Especially if both your mind and body is injured. You need the willpower to survive Jack. If you give up then you can die.
"Then why are you here?"
Because something else happened.
Jack's memories suddenly came rushing back to him. All the pain he endured with Pitch came along with it. He gasped and his body suddenly drained of energy. Then the last memory he had came into focus. Pitch had his staff in his hand and snapped it right in front of his eyes.
"My staff…" Jack gasped.
Yes. Though you have fixed it once before, this time it is going to be harder. Like I said before Jack Frost, you are at your weakest right now. Weaker than you have ever been in your life. Putting it back together is going to be hard. Do not be discouraged if it does not work. And until you fix your staff, your powers will be suppressed. Though your powers are inside you, your staff helps you control them and bring them out. Without your staff, you won't be able to do anything. But once you are strong again then you will be able to fix it, as long as you have the belief and the willpower to do so.
Jack nodded, "I won't give up."
I'm glad. You have many who care for you Jack Frost. A family that has been brought together and sewn tightly together because of you. They are waiting for you to wake up. But before you do, I have to warn you. Pitch Black is not done with you yet. He could be back at any moment. Your body is weak and he may try to penetrate your mind. Be careful Jack Frost. And trust your family. Don't be afraid to let them in.
"Thank you Manny."
Now wake up, Jack Frost.
Jack slowly opened his eyes. He looked down at himself. He was covered in bandages. His chest and stomach were wrapped tight. Along with his wrists and his leg. There was a soft beeping to his right. He turned his eyes to the direction of the sound and saw a monitor. He tried to sit up, but ended up groaning in pain instead.
Bad idea. He thought as tears threatened to spill over his eyes.
"Jack?"
Jack flashed his eyes to his left. There sitting next to him was Bunnymund.
"Kangaroo?" said Jack, his voice hoarse.
"You're awake," he said relieved, "Here drink some water."
Bunny carefully sat Jack up and pushed pillows behind him. He then tipped a glass to Jack's mouth. Water ran down his throat, instantly making Jack fill a lot better. Minus the rest of his body, which seemed to be a mess.
"Thanks," he managed.
"How are ya feeling mate?"
"Freaking fantastic Kangaroo," he said sarcastically.
Bunny chuckled, "Yeah, I patched ya up the best we could. We just needed to get the bleeding to stop, you were losing so much blood. And it will probably be a while till you can actually get up and move around. Especially with your broken leg. And it seems that you have a broken rib or two."
Jack looked around the room, "Where is everyone?"
"Tooth and Sandy had to get back to work, seeing as it's nighttime now. And North went to get more ice. You were burning up pretty bad." Bunny explained, "They'll be back soon though. I promise."
Jack nodded.
"I'm so sorry Frostbite," said Bunnymund after a moment.
"Sorry?" asked Jack confused.
"I'm suppose to protect ya and I couldn't. We were almost too late," said Bunnymund, his ears drooping.
"Stop Bunny. It's not your fault. I wasn't paying attention. You saved me. All of you. If I was there any longer, I would have been a goner."
"You shouldn't have been in that situation in the first place though!" said Bunny angrily, "Our job is not to just protect the children of the world but each other! And I couldn't even do that!"
"Bunny seriously, stop blaming yourself. It's my own fault. I let Pitch get to me. Everything he was saying. I let it effect me. I wasn't paying attention hard enough," said Jack, remembering Pitch taunting him off his past. His death and the offer Pitch made to Jack to join him.
"I thought I lost ya Jack. When Pitch snapped your staff, the light in your eyes disappeared. I thought ya were dead, mate."
"I'm not though. Almost. But I'm here now thanks to you. And I can fix my staff again."
Bunny's ears poked up. "What do ya mean again?"
Jack internally cursed himself. Not the greatest thing to say. He would have to explain now. Which meant telling the rest of the guardians everything.
"Nothing Bunny. Forget it."
"No mate. Not a chance. You've been hiding some things. And I want to know what. We are ya family. Ya have to trust us. You have to let us in."
"Well that's kind of hard to do. Trusting people. It's not like I have ever done that before. 300 years alone could do that to you," said Jack harshly.
Bunny flinched. Guilt filling him again, thinking of all the mistakes he made of leaving Jack alone for so long.
Jack sighed. He didn't mean to be so harsh. He did need to let them in. Eventually.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean-."
"Nah, stop mate. You're right. I shouldn't expect ya to trust us. We made mistakes. Me especially. I want ya to trust me. And I know that I gotta work for it."
"I do trust you. Or at least I'm working really hard on making myself," replied Jack. He suddenly thought of Manny's words from his dream, Don't be afraid to let them in. "I guess I do owe some explanations. When everyone gets here, I'll explain."