It has been a while. But at last! This chapter is done! It jumps around some as it is suppose to be snapshots of time and I really didn't wanna to make really big scenes out of them. Or we will never have had this chapter out.

Anyway~! There is some healing for Jacklin. Who knew just having another person around can help. Even if she never has had a good nights sleep in a while. But even then she still has a long while to go.

You should know the warnings but note possible OOCness for Pitch. No promises on how he is for ya, but this is how he wrote out for me.

Hope you enjoy!


(Chapter 9)

Pitch and the Frying Pan

Forcing herself out of her bed was harder than she would like to admit. That horrible dream left her aching and still shuddering for breath. Even though she was no longer sobbing her heart out it was hard to breath.

Getting dressed, the short haired woman ignored the fact that it was still late at night. There was no way she was getting back to sleep.

Walking out of her room, Jacklin made her way to the hearth. Wincing at the memory of her dream of being chained to it with hot irons, she knelt and started the fire. It was too cold. All she wanted was some warmth to remove the chill.

It took a bit but soon she had a fire started and growing strong. Watching the flames for a minute she let herself get caught in them. Shaking herself out of it, Jacklin fed the fire before standing up. Looking up, she froze at the other shadow on the wall beside hers.

Not thinking, she grabbed the frying pan hanging on the mantle and whirled around and hit the tall being standing behind her.

Said being gave an annoyed noise and quickly moved out of the way.

"Now is it really necessary to have to use that thing every time we meet?"

Jacklin held her frying pan between herself and the creature before taking a good look at it.

It was tall and dark. Yet it looked a good deal like a man. Gray skinned, black haired, and yellow eyes which glowed in the darkness which surrounded him. And was in a desperate need of some clothes. Really the only thing he was wearing was a black robe! Not even shoes!

Scowling, the woman met the glowing gaze and almost snorted at the glance to the pan in her hands before meeting her gaze once more.

"Well, if you stop scaring me you might stop being hit with it."

Her light brown eyes narrowed.

"Just what do you want with me, Boogieman?" The title came out as a hiss more than anything else.

The dark being stood up straighter and made an elaborate bow while giving her a sinister smile.

"Why. To feast on your fears of course."

Jacklin narrowed her eyes before lowering her pan to her side, removing one of her hands from the handle. Walking a bit closer she rose an eyebrow at the dark haired man.

"Oh? And just what makes my fear so special? Surely there are many people out here who has fear just as good tasting."

The Boogieman stood up straight and tilted his head with a smug grin.

"Do you not know?"

Jacklin shifted her hand slightly around the pan handle.

"Know what?"

Yellow eyes glittered with vicious intent as the man leaned closer to her face.

"You are the only one who fears the dead."

Clang!

TE

Jacklin rose an eyebrow at the man sitting at her table.

"Are you going to move or am I going to have to make you?"

Yellow eyes flickered over to her as a nasty grin spread over thin lips.

Rolling her eyes, the woman walked over to the hearth and started cooking. Completely ignoring the man at her table.

For a while there was nothing but the sounds of food cooking in a pan and the fire crackling. But as soon as Jacklin had moved the food to a plate did she feel something move behind her, causing her to tense.

"Boo."

Wack! went the hot pan.

TE

"You know. For as much you hate being hit with it. You never seem to bother getting out of the way." The woman commented to the man rubbing his head as he knelt on the floor of her kitchen.

"Or avoid my kitchen for that matter." Shaking her head, the woman rose the pan once more before dropping it on the gray skinned man's head and walking away to the door. She had other things to do than deal with the Boogieman. Like get firewood from the pile and water from the well.

TE

Looking up from her spinning wheel, Jacklin merely rose an eyebrow at the form of the Boogieman standing in the corner of her room before returning to her work.

"You do need to go to sleep you know."

The spinster snorted.

Yellow eyes narrowed before a nasty grin spread over thin lips.

"Oh~? Is little Miss Jacklin afraid of a little nightmare~?"

"You're the Boogieman. You tell me. Now if you don't mind, I have work to do."

The only sounds for the next few moments were that of the spinning wheel. Before the Boogieman let out a huff.

"You do realize you are no fun, correct?"

"And you do realize I don't care, right?"

TE

"How the Hell are you not afraid of what the townsfolk think of you?!"

Jacklin didn't even look up from her project. The Boogieman was a common visitor. She didn't even bother wondering if this meant she went crazy or she really needs to find a priest. However he hasn't tried to steal her soul in these visits, so she will hold off on the priest for now.

"They have been distant and cruel to me since I was small. Take a guess."

"Are you sure it isn't the other way around~?"

Jacklin pulled on her thread before checking the hood on the shirt.

"I do believe 'Treat others as you wish to be treated.' Has some weight here. Figuring out who started what is not worth the time. If I started it, then I am getting the treatment I deserve. If not, oh well."

The Boogieman gave a disappointed sigh before reaching for the teapot.

"You are impossible to handle, Cold Mistress of the Lakeside."

TE

The Boogieman was bent over in a defensive position with his hands held up over his head in a poor attempt to ward off the pan in the brown haired woman's hands.

"YOU HAVE BEEN LIVING UNDER MY BED?!"

"Now really, Jacklin. Let's be reasonable about this!"

The frying pan met gray skinned hands and arms with a loud smack!

"REASONABLE?! HOW THE HELLS AM I TO BE EXPECTED TO BE ANYMORE REASONABLE THAN REMOVING A MAN WHOM HAS BEEN LIVING UNDER MY BED!"

"Are you not scared that anyone will come running due to your screaming?"

Wild brown eyes stared down into yellow.

"No. Why should I?"

TE

"For the Love of God! Put on some trousers!" Jacklin exclaimed as she threw a pair of newly made pants at the black haired man walking out of her room and into the kitchen.

Said man caught the article of clothing before rising an eyebrow at her.

"I am descent. So is there a reason for that statement?"

Light brown eyes rolled.

"For goodness sakes! You are merely wearing a robe. Nothing else. Pray tell how is that being descent?"

The Boogieman sighed before pinching his nose.

"Will it make you feel better if I put them on?"

"Yes. It is already weird with you living under my bed. So it is either the trousers or out from under there. My vote is on the later by the way."

TE

"I do not believe I have ever given my name. I am Pitch, the Boogieman~!"

The woman didn't even raise an eyebrow at that.

"Nice to know. Now would you hand me my wool combs?"

TE

"For the Love of Nightmares! Jacklin! What were you thinking?!"

Said woman rolled her eyes at Pitch's fussing, it was just a sprained wrist.

"That I need the money and Mr. Stonemill has been kind enough to offer me work?"

Yellow eyes glared at her for that before focusing on the wrist in the grasp of a long fingered hand.

"You do realize that your work load has been lightened by a good deal, correct?"

"And you do realize that is something you have been nagging me about for a while, right?"

TE

"While I know I need to send Lily a letter, I do not see why you need to write it for me."

Pitch merely glanced at her still sprained wrist before lifting the quill in his hand to the ink well.

Jacklin huffed before sitting before him and moving the paper to rest before her. Taking another quill into her less dominate hand she dipped it into the ink well and started to write.

"I can write with both hands well enough thanks. Never mind the fact that Lils will question a new handwriting popping up in my letters. So while the offer is nice, I must decline."

Yellow eyes narrowed at her before their owner leaned back into his chair with a pout.

TE

"Alright! That's it! You mister, are going back under the bed!"

Pitch hissed as Jacklin pushed him towards her room. His long fingered hands grabbing onto the door frame and holding on in an attempt to stop her from moving him any further.

"You break the door frame and you are fixing it."

Yellow eyes narrowed and glanced over to the woman from over a black clad shoulder.

"And you trying to break my spine is not worth worrying over?"

Light brown eyes glinted with a harshness which would make most grown men shiver.

"A broken spine will be the last of your worries if you do not listen to me."

Long fingers released the door frame after a few moments after that statement. That was no threat coming from her lips. So if he really didn't want to meet the pan or whatever else she thought of, he better listen.

TE

Jacklin blinked at the squeaking thing on her table. It looked like a bird. It also looked like a fairy. And it was having a glaring contest with her housemate.

"So, do I want to know?"

Yellow and pink eyes snapped to her before the fairy-bird creature took wing and flew over to her. It chirped and gestured in many directions before hovering close to her mouth with a look of wonder.

Raising an eyebrow, the short brown haired woman looked at the man still standing by her table.

Said man merely shrugged and gave a sharp tooth grin.

"Why is it I have the feeling that you … gah!" The fairy-bird took advantage of her open mouth and started looking around in it with happy little chirps.

Pitch's smile took a mocking edge and he slipped into a chair. Placing his elbows on the table he rested his head on his hands grinning away at her predicament.

Sighing, she reached into her mouth and grabbed the fairy. Pulling them out of her mouth she closed it and glared at the now sheepish creature in her grip.

"Excuse me. I was talking. Anyway,"

She turned her gaze to the grinning fiend at her table.

"Just what did you do you nuisance?"

Pitch gasped and rested his hand on his chest as though hurt.

"My dear Jacklin. Whatever gave you the idea that this is my fault?"

Light brown eyes narrowed before turning to the fairy still in her grip. Said creature was glaring at her housemate.

"Maybe because you cause trouble and our guest looks ready to kill you?"

She released the fairy who took flight and circled her head a few times before shooting over to the Boogieman. Pitch rose a hand to block the fairy's attempt to attack his face with small punches and kicks.

Sighing once more the woman turned and started to make tea. She was going to need some for this she can tell.

"Now Princess. Is this necessary?" Pitch spoke behind her.

Angry chirps and the sound of fluttering wings answered him.

"It is not like that they have any use for you."

Jacklin let the kettle hang above the fire before turning around and watching the two. Watching the fairy closely she tried to bring to mind what was familiar about it. Because something was familiar about this creature.

The fluttering of wings.

A flying elephant.

Gems and teeth.

A monkey dressed in clothes.

A small girl bleeding and exhausted looking up with a look of wonder.

Blinking, Jacklin focused on the two at the table. Sighing she spoke.

"Pitch. Did you take her teeth?"

The two quickly looked over at her in surprise.

"How?"

Light brown eyes narrowed.

"Return them."

Yellow eyes looked at her with a look she could not recognize. Crossing his arms, the man leaned back in his chair and gave her a wicked grin.

Nonplused, the woman merely reached over to the pan hanging on the mantle. The gray skinned man watched her movements with a touch of fear.

She lifted the pan and brought it closer to her. Tracing her fingers around the rim, she rose an eyebrow at him before spinning the pan and letting it land in her open palm.

Yellow eyes narrowed and kept her gaze for a few minutes, before the man sighed and two white teeth landed onto the table. The fairy chirped and gathered both teeth and flew off towards Jacklin.

Pink eyes met hers. And Jacklin couldn't help the feeling of pride swell up in her. Why she did not know, but something told her that this little fairy had grown from whatever she was before.

Smiling, an actual smile after so long so many deaths and heartache, she nodded to the creature. A happy chirp was her answer as well as some nuzzles against her cheek before the little fairy flew off.

Light brown eyes followed the flight of the tiny girl. As Jacklin did so she did not notice the calculating gaze from Pitch.


Why hello Tooth! Just one more Guardian to go! Seeing Jack, North, Bunny, and now Tooth have popped up. While does Jack count yet? Hm...

Anyway. We are getting Sandy next! Jacklin will finally get a good dream despite the man under her bed!

So Forward~!