AN: This is it! This is the last chapter! Please read and review!
OOOOO
I glance nervously at Pitch then back at the clock, drumming my fingers on my leg and tapping my feet endlessly. I've been doing this over and over for the last half an hour. I can tell that I'm starting to annoy him, but I can't help it. I'm so anxious, and the longer we sit here, the worse it gets. Johnny/Luke was supposed to be here nearly twenty minutes ago.
"He'll show." Pitch mutters in annoyance.
"How can you be sure? He knows that you know that he's Luke, and I'm sure there's no love lost between the two of you. Maybe he thinks I know. Maybe he won't come." I fret, chewing on my lips subconsciously.
"He'll show." I look at him in exasperation. "He wouldn't turn down an opportunity to see you. Not if he wants to maintain his charade." While that does have a certain logic to it, I can't honestly say I feel better. I go back to staring intently at the clock on the wall and tapping my feet. Finally, about thirty minutes after we were expecting him, there's a knock at the door. I look at Pitch, then the door, then spring up quickly. When I sent the message to Johnny/Luke to meet me in Pitch's lair today, I immediately knew there was a chance things could go straight to hell straight away. I can only hope that the hell comes later.
"Johnny!" I smile brightly as I open the door to see him. He gives me a cautiously once over before I see him mentally decide I pose no threat and smile back.
"Hey A. So, what's this about?" He asks suspiciously, eying Pitch as I escort him inside.
"Well, I heard that someone was a bit rude to you the other night, when we were drinking, so Pitch is going to apologize." Pitch looks appropriately annoyed for the situation, but that may just be because he doesn't like Johnny, at all. Nor does he particularly like Luke, but Johnny is even more annoying than Jack, with a misplaced sense of authority to boost his endless ego. Mixed all together, you get the most well know, and similarly most hated, immortal in existence. And to think that he made himself stay alive.
"Really? Well, I'm all ears." He grins cockily as he sits in a large armchair. I take my seat next to Pitch again and look at him expectantly. The former Nightmare King glares at me and rolls his eyes.
"My deepest apologies Mr. Appleseed." He hisses out. We had a long debate over why he had to actually apologize to Johnny, and I almost lost. But in the end I convinced him that it had to be done. Johnny grins wide, and settles into his chair, looking like he just got away with stealing every single fresh baked cookie from a newly stocked cookie jar.
"I accept your most heartfelt apology, Mr. Black. It means...so much." He taunts, his grin showing more teeth than a shark.
"I'm glad you could put your differences aside. I know that neither of you know the other very well. And you both have your redeeming qualities." Both of them roll their eyes at that. "Let me bring some drinks in. And you two can get to know each other better." I suggest, hopping up spryly. I glance at Pitch, who nods stiffly, before leaving the room. As soon as I leave the room, a little butterfly of nightmare sand settles on my shoulder, a sort of listening device that Pitch made for me. As long as it's by my ear, I can hear everything that's exchanged between the two. It's awkwardly quiet for most of my walk to the kitchen, but then Johnny clears his throat.
"So...you didn't tell her after all." Johnny sounds so smug. "I knew you didn't have it in you." I can only imagine the glare Pitch is giving him right now.
"I may not have told her yet. That does not mean I will not tell her." Pitch states calmly, with an undertone of frustration.
"Sure, whatever. You know, I remember hearing tales about Pitch Black the Boogieman even before she shanked me. They never told me about what a wimp you are. For all your intimidation, even you have a few soft spots. Jack Frost. And Audra Tempest? That one I just don't understand." He scoffs with condescension and I can practically hear Pitch's frustration. Hell, I can hear my own. I have to take a deep breath before I even attempt to handle any of the china in Pitch and Jack's kitchen. I can't help but wonder why they have a whole bunch of china in their kitchen in the first place. I'd think with how clumsy and uncoordinated Jack is that they'd avoid fragile dishes.
The awkward silence settles again as I pour hot water into the teapot and set said teapot and three cups onto a tray. I put two teabags in two of the cups, and put a very special teabag into the last cup, mentally memorizing that it's the cup that's closest to the teapot. The silence stretches all the way back to the sitting room, and when I walk in they both look at me with almost relief on their faces.
"What took ya so long Audra?" Johnny grins.
"You try navigating this place. I guarantee it would take you longer." I grin back, putting the tray down on the nice table next to the door and start pouring the water. I give Pitch his first, then add water to the special tea cup. It turns black for a moment before the color swirls into a beautiful tea color.
"Thank you my dear." Johnny grins when I give him his cup, not suspecting a thing. I pour my own and sit back in my chair. "So Audra, you mentioned that the Guardians are celebrating you Rebirth Day next week. Am I invited?" He asks smugly. I smile, forcing myself not sneer.
"Of course Johnny. All of my friends will be there." He takes a swallow of his tea, making a face slightly before he swallows it. He takes another sip before he puts the cup to the side. He didn't drink much, but it's enough. "I just wish some of my other friends could be. You remember them, Natalie and Juliea. Oh and the twins, Greg and Peiter. They were always the life of the party." His smug smile disappears and he squirms a little nervously.
"Sorry, who?"
"Of course you remember them Johnny. We all used to hang out by the creek. And then my parents would scold us for getting our clothes muddy, even though we were perfectly capable of deciding such things for ourselves, and cleaning up the mess." He glances between me and Pitch, looking for some kind of indication that this is a joke.
"A-Audra, what are you talking about?" His eyes are beginning to droop slightly, and he rubs at his forehead to try and keep himself awake.
"I'm talking about life, my life. The life I had before you tried to rape me. The life I had before my self defense made me a murderer on the run from my own loved ones." I drop all semblance of nicety and glare at him. He sinks into his seat for a moment before jumping up to run. But his legs fail him before he can get even four steps, and he face plants onto the floor. He pants as he lifts himself on his elbows and shoves himself onto his back. I look at Pitch, who nods, before I stand and slowly walk over to the pitiful excuse of an immortal. "I've been forced to look at your face for five hundred years. I've had to look at it and think about all the ways I would love to destroy it. And now, I have people who care about me, who would never ever blame me for it."
"Audra..." He sounds so pleading, so pathetic.
"You thought you were in control all this time. But Luke, I run the game. And you lost." He succumbs to the poison, his eyes closing and his body going lax. Pitch wanders over and hoists the body over his shoulder.
"Shall we?" He grins. I smirk back.
"Love to."
OOOOO
"How much longer is it gonna take?" Aster asks in irritation. We're all gathered in the North Pole, waiting for news on Jack. Of course he couldn't have natural birth, so North and the yetis are preforming a C-section. We've been here for three hours, and Aster is really starting to get bored. I myself am still buzzing with my victory just a few days ago, and Pitch and I keep sending evil smirks at each other.
"North is the best doctor I know, I'm sure it won't be much longer." Tooth maintains, though she's flitting to and fro nervously. Sandy is calmly sitting, next to Pitch who also looks quite composed despite the fact that his child is being born as we speak. I start running my fingers through Aster's fur, and his ears perk up immediately. I'm the only one who gets to do this. It's kind of nice to be so important, even if it's just to one person. One person I love.
"You're so impatient." I tell him with a kiss on his fuzzy cheek.
"Never been in a situation like this, is all." He mutters. Pitch smirks again, probably thinking of what happened in the lair, which causes me to smirk.
"Okay, what's the joke?" Tooth demands, catching sigh of our billionth exchange. I look at Pitch, mentally asking him if we should tell them. He shakes his head minutely and I look back at Tooth with an innocent smile.
"Nothing Tooth, just a stupid joke is all." That's all Luke is anymore. I sit back in my seat, still playing idly with Aster's fur. She looks doubtful, but goes back to her nervous twittering. Pitch and eye have a minor staring contest, talking though our new mental connection. We don't know quite how it happened, but after the thing with Luke, I was able to hear exactly what he thought, and vice versa. I guess there's something about vengeance that can bond two people.
They're going to find out eventually. I point out.
The only way they would find out is if Man in the Moon, or you, told them.
Johnny isn't exactly good at keeping his mouth shut, you know.
Johnny isn't good at anything anymore. He smirks darkly. I can't help but summon the memory of the last time I saw the immortal. He wasn't really a he anymore, more of an it. Pitch and I agreed that was justice enough. The vengeance part came with the lovely scars we left on his face. In ancient Greece, Spartan women were allowed to carry small knives so if a man tried to have his way with them or hurt them, she could cut his face and he would be shamed by the public. And I'm pretty sure most immortals will know that.
He won't be bothering either of us anymore. I say, quite confidently.
He won't if he knows what's good for him. Again we share our evil smiles.
"Pitch, Audra." The two of us look up at the newly arrived Santa Clause and the both of us hold our breath. "Jack wishes to see the both of you." He says with a smile. We jump up without hesitation and follow the jolly man back through the hallways to the delivery room. The door is opened for us by a red yeti, who looks very emotional.
"Phil, you can come in too!" Comes a cheerful call from within. The yeti immediately charges in, before Pitch or I can even go first. Jack is sitting up in his bed, a blue bundle in his arms and a giant smile on his face. I look at Pitch to see that his calm face from the waiting room has completely shattered into a look of wonder and fear and joy all in one. He stumbles forward dumbly and Jack holds up the blue bundle for Pitch.
"He's beautiful." I coo, peaking over Pitch's shoulder to look at the boy. He has pale white skin, like Jack, but dark black hair like Pitch. And he has one golden eye and one bright blue eye. "What's his name?" I ask excitedly, sitting on the edge of Jack's bed. Phil is crooning over the baby, and Pitch reluctantly lets the yeti hold him. North comes over to clap the Boogeyman on his back, in a congratulatory manner.
"I was thinking Thomas. Tommy for a nickname." Jack says proudly. He sounds amazingly energized for just having had a baby, but there's an undertone of exhaustion to his voice. I grab his hand with a smile.
"That's perfect. Right, Pitch?" The Nightmare King still has that look on his face, but now the joy is growing.
"He's perfect. Just like you Jack." Pitch takes my place on Jack's bed, holding his hand lovingly. I wander over to North and he puts his arm around my shoulder. Phil is still going crazy over the adorable baby, making cooing noises and fussing over him.
"Audra, we talked, and we want you and Aster to be the godparents." Jack tells me with a warm smile. I gape at him for a moment before looking up at North, who smiles encouragingly. "And we also think you two should be mates. He loves you, and you love him." I flush red at that.
"I think that's a good idea, myself." We all turn to the doorway where Aster, Tooth, and Sandy are all standing, looking nosy. I flush again and North gives me a little shove towards my Pooka. "You know how I feel about you Audra." He states, stroking my cheek. "I'd be honored if you were to be my mate." Everyone is looking at us expectantly, Tooth giggling to herself like a schoolgirl.
"I...I would love to, Aster." He picks me up and twirls me like the cheesy romantic he is. Across the room, Tommy blinks at us with the advanced intelligence of an immortal baby, a small smile appearing on his small lips.
Told ya so. Pitch remarks smugly.
Shut up Pitch.
END
