Sky found Cal. He was curled up, sitting amongst moss-coated tree roots, shivering and babbling. His hands were clenched in his hair, his eyes transfixed on something only he could see. Sky had seen fear before. This was different. This was stronger. Her worst nightmare would have been a paradise in comparison. There were literally no words to describe the state Cal was in. Scared, frightened, terrified, petrified, haunted- all too weak. All far too weak.

"Cal?" She alighted softly on the ground, moving slowly, like she would when approaching an injured animal. With some difficulty, his eyes flicked to her. She saw his pupils were dilated, a sliver of purple around them, unfocused. "Cal, it's me. Sky. Remember? I'm your friend." She stopped before him, kneeling and holding out her hand. He cringed away, sobbing and covering his eyes. "Cal?" He shook his head. "I can take you home. Do you want to go home?"

"Home..." He croaked, trembling viciously as he peeked at her through his fingers. The look he gave her- it made her feel like he was expecting her to go on a raving chainsaw massacre or something.

"Yes." She said gently. "Home." She offered her hand again. "You'll be safe there."

"Trust... you?"

"I'm your best friend. Of course you can trust me." He watched her unsteadily for a moment. In the silence, she could hear how heavily he was breathing. Panicking.

But he took her hand. He was too warm. She tried not to make him any warmer, keeping herself as cool as possible, but that wasn't enough. He gave into a warmth-induced sleep a quarter of the way home. He wasn't flying by himself. Sky hadn't noticed at first, but his staff was gone. It wasn't anywhere near where she had found him, leading her to suspect Pitch had taken it.

Without it, Cal was even more defenceless. Especially in his current condition. All the same, Sky doubted he was up to fighting if need be, whether he had his most trusted weapon or not.


Tooth and Aliesha were the first to see Sky drop in, literally drop in, with Cal slumped against her.

"Cal!" Aliesha cried, zipping forward. He stirred and his eyes opened a fraction, blearily. "Cal? Wake up." His brow furrowed and he did make an effort to keep his eyes open.

"Lish..."

"Get him to his room." Tooth ordered. "Sky, where was he?" Aliesha hovered for a moment, letting her brother lean against her. Sky rolled her shoulder and it clicked. "Aliesha!" Tooth gave her a pointed look. Aliesha hurried to obey, her brother's arm around her neck. A few fairies arrived to help, keeping Cal mostly upright.

Aliesha set Cal on his bed and he fell backwards. She propped him up, the fairies rearranging the pillows behind him.

"Cal?"

"Lish..." He had focused a bit more. "Lish..." He repeated. He smiled. "You... OK."

"Yes, I'm fine." Tears pooled in her eyes. This wasn't her brother. No jokes, no silliness, no hyperactivity, no nothing. Just constant shaking, an ill-focused gaze, the disbelief that she was here before him, that disorientated smile that faded, returned, faded, returned... "What happened?" Faded again. Stayed that way. His eyes widened, filled with tears. He shook his head, carried on shaking it. His breathing grew erratic, panicked. Mumbled indiscernible words. "Hey, hey. Don't break yourself." She took his hand in both of hers. "This little piggy went to market..." She pulled gently on his thumb. His attention snapped to her, he froze. "This little piggy stayed at home." This was a game they used to play when they were younger. If one of them was upset, the other would initiate this game. Instant and effective. "This little piggy had roast beef and this little piggy had none." She reached his little finger, smiling fondly. "And this little piggy went wee wee wee all the way home!" Her hands jumped and she attacked all his ticklish spots. He snorted with laughter, seemed surprised about it. The next thing he knew, he was on the floor. Aliesha smiled down at him from the bed. He looked a little stunned. "You OK down there?"

"Lish..." She held out her hand and pulled him back up. They sat either end of the bed. Cal grasped her hand tightly, turning her palm to the ceiling and tapping her palm with his finger. "Garden..."

"Oh." Another game. This time, he traced his finger around her palm, his hand shaking. She sang the song for him. "Round and round the garden, like an Easter hare, one egg, two eggs, a jackpot under there!" He chucked her under the chin and smiled. "I thought you didn't like that one."

"Do..." She returned his smile and shifted forward, hugging him.

"I'm so glad you're back, Cal." He tensed and looked up at her doubtfully. "You won't get me to repeat this, but I did miss you." He mumbled something back, resting his head on her shoulder. He fell asleep like that.

Aliesha stayed with him the rest of the night, dutifully keeping an eye on him. For an hour or so, he slept just fine. Aliesha fell asleep towards the end and then was awoken by crying and yelling.

Nightmares.

"Cal. Cal!" She tackled him, a full-on tackle. Pinned him to the floor, calling for their parents. Jack and Tooth appeared within the minute. Sandy was with them. "Cal!" She pinched his cheeks sharply and he inhaled, choking and coughing. Jack pulled her away and Tooth helped her son sit up.

"Breathe," she advised softly, brushing her hand through his hair, "it's alright, just breathe." Sandy inspected Cal once he started breathing in and out, albeit crazily. Images flashed above his head, too fast for Aliesha to comprehend. Her parents understood though. At least, Tooth did. Sandy was her best friend, of course she understood him.

Aliesha watched the colour drain from her mother's face, the nervous twitter of her feathers and wings.

"Tooth?" Jack asked.

"Cold." She instructed. Jack brought the temperature right down in the room. Tooth, to her credit, didn't even shiver. "Jack, we-" She glanced at Aliesha, falling quiet.

"What?" Aliesha demanded. "What is it?" She looked at Sandy. "Is he going to be OK?" Sandy shook his hand from side-to-side, fifty-fifty. "What do you mean?" Aliesha heard her voice getting louder and a little higher, but she had just got her brother back. He had to be OK.

"Aliesha, go out for a second."

"No!"

"Aliesha!"

"No! You can tell me! I want to know!" Tooth and Sandy shared looks. "You're still treating me like a kid! Just tell me what's wrong with my brother!"

"Fine." Tooth growled, pushing back her feathers irritably. "Sandy said that if Cal is exposed to any more nightmare sand or whatever else Pitch does, he..." Her voice cracked. "He'll lose his mind completely."


Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! :D