A/N: Hey guys, I'm so sorry this is so late! It's short, too – but that's simply because it's a bridge chapter. The next chapter will be much longer and filled with much drama and funtimes. YAY!


She woke to an empty bed.

Toothiana had never been one seized, when waking, with forgetfulness. She'd never once woken up at a sleepover with no memory of what had happened the night prior, or panicked for the knowledge whose bed she was in if not her own. So she remembered clearly that, first of all, she had been assaulted by Pitch Black. Her chest tightened, a quiet sob escaping her throat. But she also knew that there should be another in her bed. She didn't think he'd leave her…

Out of habit, she looked over at her clock. Her eyes widened, the girl gasping and throwing herself out of the bed on mere instinct. Ten AM?! Oh, no, the girls were late to school, she was late to work! She coughed, ignoring the way her head pounded at her sudden movements, before she froze. Her head tilted to the side.

Did she smell…bacon?

Don't tell her…

She padded out of her room, brushed her teeth, and stumbled into the kitchen a mite too fast, eyes widening. He was doing it. He was cooking her breakfast, humming something under his breath. "Mr. Winter, did ya miss her…" He was also shirtless. Shirtless. Very much shirtless.

"Jack?"

He spun to look at her, a wide smile appearing on his face. Her chest felt light. He was smiling at her like that. "Morning, Sleeping Beauty."

Her eyes widened, remembering her initial panic at the nickname. His damn lack of a shirt had made her forgot. "W-Work! I'm late for –"

"I…um…called you in sick." He laughed sheepishly, not sure she'd like him taking over this for her. "I told North that you might come in later if you felt up to it…I just thought that…after everything…" he trailed off.

She opened her mouth as though to protest, but a sneeze interrupted her, and as she rubbed at her nose, she sighed. She really wasn't up to work today. "You know North?"

"He's an old family friend."

"What about the girls?"

"I got them off to school, don't worry." That had been an adventure, primarily when Jai had waltzed in on them in bed together, turned bright red, and started chanting to herself, "They smutted they smutted oh my god!" and he'd had to, as red as she was and just as panicked, explain hastily that nothing had happened. It was entirely humiliating and not an experience he had any hope of reliving, especially seeing as he couldn't really explain why he was with her. Saying, "hey, your sister was assaulted last night, and I figured she wouldn't want to be alone" hardly seemed the right message to send a bunch of little girls to school with. Her eyes widened, and she gave a sniffle and then a sneeze. He eyed her curiously as he spoke, not liking that sneeze, taking a step forward and pressing a cool hand to her forehead. It felt nice. "You're clammy," he muttered. She wondered that he noticed that, but not the fact that she surely looked awful – red, puffy eyes, hair even messier than usual. She tried not to stare at his bare chest, or lower. Was that a happy trail…?

She sneezed again as he dropped his hand. "Probably just a cold. From being out in the rain…"

They were silent for a long moment as she remembered being out in the rain, and he wrestled with what to ask her. "Do you…"

"I'm not going to call the police," she whispered. His eyes widened. He hadn't expected that. But he didn't know what Pitch had wanted with her… if he was still out there, calling the police would be the safest. "He's dangerous…"

Jack felt guilt in his gut like a blow. He'd know that, he'd known that Tooth was in danger, had known that Pitch was a violent psychopath, and he hadn't done anything. He had thought that he was letting her make her own choices, but instead he'd just kept his mouth shut to spare himself – idiot. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

Tooth watched his expression twist into something sad, and she distracted him by murmuring, "The bacon's burning."

His eyes widened, and he spun back to the food with a curse. She giggled. Jack's smile quirked at her laugh, but then Tooth sighed. It seemed her happiness was too hard to maintain. She felt the need to explain. "I just…I just can't. If the police come…ask questions…they'll take the girls."

Sapphire eyes widened even as amethyst ones darkened, turning almost sad.

"I've managed to stay under the radar…out of the way thus far, but I'm so young, and if they found out I'd been doing an illegal job to stay afloat – hell, they almost didn't let me have custody of them in the first place, I can't risk –"

"Hey. I get it."

His voice was soft, and it was her turn for her eyes to widen. Tooth did nothing but fear this – it was always a worry in the back of her mind. She stayed out of trouble, didn't get noticed by anyone who might lead to having her sisters stolen away. It was all she'd thought about for a long time after finally getting custody of them – and the fear never really went away.

Jack hadn't even thought about that, but of course Tooth had. Of course. It only made sense that Tooth would has spent time agonizing over this, how easy it would be for the girls to be whisked away from her. Despite it, though, she was guilty. He could hear the guilt in her voice, because Pitch was dangerous and bad, and if she didn't turn him in he could hurt someone else – but he also knew that in the end, she was right to keep it secret. The girls meant everything to her. She was right to protect her family.

She reminded him of himself, a year ago, barely any time at all. Always trying to protect Emma. Not that he'd succeeded in the end, not really.

Toothiana nodded slowly, eyes downcast and staring at the table in between them.

"Can we…go to the bar?"

Before he could ask, could protest, she continued.

"I…He's probably skipped town. He doesn't know about my sisters. I'm sure he expects me to go to the police. I just…want to make sure, I guess."

"Are you…"

"I'm sure."

Jack sighed softly, nodding his head. They ate quickly – bacon, and only bacon, because that was the only breakfast food she'd had in the house, and Tooth had burst into laughter at Jack explaining sheepishly that "Bacon. The menu is. Bacon." And Jack hadn't cared one bit because it was so good to see her laugh. He'd thrown on a shirt, laughed as Tooth grumbled about it, and suffered a punch for the offense.

They gave a look at his bike as they passed by it, and she shook her head. She wanted to walk, and he wasn't going to argue with her over something like that. She seemed calm, almost weirdly so, as they walked. Like she didn't care one bit about going to this place. Her hands were open, palms swinging by her side, a spring in her step. Jack was nervous as hell. He hated the thought of being anywhere near that damned man for what he'd done to his family, and now that he'd hurt Tooth, too, he hated him even more. His shoulders were stiff.

Jack clenched his jaw. He wanted Pitch in jail. Hell, he didn't want Pitch in jail, he wanted Pitch here so he could beat the ever-loving shit out of him.

Every good thing in his life – every good thing – that damn man had to steal or kill or break or hurt. God. If it was all some sick joke – some pathetic attempt, some obsession with him, then he'd taken it too far. The wasn't any reason to involve anyone else if whatever fucked up grudge Pitch had against him. His hands curled into fists.

When they reached the bar – it wasn't a far walk - Jack was surprised to see another pair in front of it. Two brunettes, a tall man with an average-sized, very thin girl with hair that was just slightly spiked around her head. The girl seemed confused, pacing slightly, the man uncaring, giving a shrug.

Tooth gave a surprised call to them, presumably their names - "Rapunzel? Flynn?"

Rapunzel and Flynn turned around, giving a bright smile at the familiar girl and her unfamiliar guest. Rapunzel ran up, grabbing her in a tight hug.

"Hey, Tooth! I'm so sorry for bailing on you last night, I just –"

"It's fine," Tooth said, too fast. She didn't want to think about last night. "What are you guys doing here?"

"Punz wanted to apologize to Pitch for flaking last minute last night, but we can't find him. Everything's unlocked, but the place is empty. Even his house is a wreck. He looked like he left in a damn hurry," Flynn muttered with a shrug and a sigh. Tooth nodded. So she'd been right. "Who's this?" Flynn continued, raising a brow at Jack. Normally Jack would have grinned, made a joke about really, who didn't know him, but he wasn't feeling up to it.

"This is Jack." Tooth introduced him, apparently sensing Jack's tiredness. Flynn and Rapunzel's eyes widened in perfect unison, and Jack chuckled at them. Apparently Tooth had talked about him. That was a good sign, and he couldn't help but smirk. "Jack, these are my friends, Rapunzel and Flynn."

"Nice to meet you!" Rapunzel said cheerfully.

"I'll beat the shit out of you if you hurt her," was apparently Flynn's manner of greeting the white-haired and apparently much-adored racer.

"Flynn!" Tooth exclaimed the same moment Rapunzel shouted, "Eugene!" Jack laughed softly. Jeez, how many overprotective big-brother types did Tooth have?

Then again, she was pretty easy to love. He could certainly understand that.

"Tooth, what've you been telling them about me?" he prodded, gently elbowing her in the side.

"Hey! Don't blame me!" Tooth responded with a cheeky grin. The both missed the look Rapunzel and Flynn shot one another, one of raised eyebrows and knowing smirks. Wow. These two weren't subtle at all.

"Why did you guys come by?" Rapunzel asked curiously, looking away from her boyfriend and at the adorable pair. She regretted it instantly. The smiles washed from both of their faces, and Tooth's eyes emptied like the tide going out on a breach while Jack's filled with something like rage. The newly-brunette girl wanted to apologize for an offense she hadn't realized she'd committed.

They glanced at one another, and Tooth sighed as she looked down. She'd have to tell them – hell, really, she needed a girl's night in, she'd have them all – Astrid and Courtney and Anna and Elsa and Ruff and Mavis and everyone – over for a movie and popcorn and bonding, and she'd tell them and cry until she was okay. And of course Flynn would find out – Tooth would tell him. He was like her older brother, ever since they'd stopped dating, realizing they made better friends than lovers. So she might as well tell them now. She took a deep breath, and Jack's pale fingers tangled with her darker ones.

"We…wanted to see if Pitch was still here. Last night, as I was leaving work, he…he attacked me. Slammed me into a wall and tried to s-strangle me. I barely…g-got away." She was staring at her feet, so she missed the way Rapunzel's eyes widened and the way Flynn's narrowed, both of their orbs reflecting rage. They understood Jack's anger now.

"That rotten –" Rapunzel began. "I'm so, sorry, Tooth, if I hadn't flaked –"

"It's not your fault, Punzie," Tooth assured her.

"That fucking bastard! I'll kill him!" Flynn spat out through clenched teeth.

"Did you call the police?" Rapunzel asked, taking Tooth's free hand and giving it a squeeze. Tooth smiled appreciatively, shaking her head.

"No. I don't want to get them involved. If they found out…I could…"

"Lose the girls," Rapunzel finished for her, nodding, green eyes mirroring Tooth's sadness.

"But I feel guilty... If he's dangerous, if it's not reported – "

"We'll call it in, Tooth, you won't have to get involved," Rapunzel assured her quietly. Tooth's eyes widened, as though the idea was just occurring to her.

"Yeah," Flynn agreed. "We'll just say we found the place empty – mention that Pitch is known for some illegal shit, and I'll snoop around the place, make sure there's no records of your employment. There probably isn't, because hiring you was illegal, but if there is I'll get rid of it. I used to be a thief, remember? I'm good at this."

"Yeah, yeah!" Rapunzel exclaimed, picking up steam. "And, Eugene, your buddy in the force – the one with the weird eyebrows, Mako, the one who arrested you that last time – you could get him to help. He'd be willing to keep quiet about Tooth if we asked and explained –"

"Yeah, yeah," Flynn agreed. He knelt down slightly so he was closer to Tooth's ridiculous height, smiling gently as he placed his hands on her shoulders. "So don't you worry, Tooth. We've got you."

And Tooth stared up at him, one of her hands in Jack's and the other in Rapunzel's, and her quivering lips formed into a smile so grateful that one tear slipped down her cheek.

"Thank you," she whispered.

And Jack felt the panic and guilt in his heart ease just a little bit.

He looked at Tooth, watching as her lips stilled and her smile turned bright, laughing with Flynn, and the white-haired racer had to smile, just a little. Because for all his selfish pride, all his misplaced anger, Pitch had miscalculated. He'd thought Toothiana would be easy to break.

And Jack could tell from the way she smiled, the way she laughed, the way she breathed, that this girl was nigh unbreakable.


Tooth watched the street with tired eyes, but the smile was still there. Flynn and Rapnuzel were gone, having gone to the police office to report the crime, and they said they'd call her as soon as they were finished and had any information. She had watched Flynn speak quietly to Jack, Jack shake his head with a bitter laugh, and Flynn shrug sympathetically, and then the brunette couple had left had left.

She found it very mysterious – it had actually just amounted to a short commiseration between the boys about trying to look out for girls who refused to be looked out for, a fact which would have made her laugh.

But for now she was content to simply sit on the small porch outside the abandoned bar and stare at the golden leaves that lie dying on the ground, and not think about the implication thereof. She wrapped her arms around herself, sighing.

Jack was sitting beside her, the silence heavy but not uncomfortable. He was breathing with her, their hands still tangled, staring at the effects of fall.

"I feel…very tired," she said quietly.

He squeezed her hand.

"Can you…wake me up?"

He stiffened, wondering just what she wanted him to do to do so – his mind, to his credit, jumping immediately to kissing and not to less innocent endeavors. Granted, the second thing he thought of involved considerably less clothing than he was wearing. He frowned, shaking his head. God, at a time like this…

"Take me for a ride."

His eyes widened with understanding – she wanted a ride on his bike. Another squeeze of her hand, another nod, and he stood and she allowed him to pull her to her feet. The motorcycle was back at her house, not a long walk, and they made it in silence. It was still there, leaning against the house in a corner. He was surprised it hadn't been stolen.

"Sure, Tooth."

"Thanks."

She climbed onto the bike like it was the most natural thing in the world, and he didn't see the way her eyes darted, the way they widened slightly as though she'd come to a difficult decision, the way her smile died on her lips. He climbed onto the bike, too, passing her the helmet, and she put it on and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Go fast," she whispered, and he obliged her request with a chuckle and a screeching of tires.

For a moment all was wind and freedom and no breath, and she gave a joyous laugh as her heart surged back to life. She could feel his chill through his clothes, the way his muscles tensed. She could smell him, cool like winter, the faint scent of evergreens. She breathed in his scent.

And as she gave another bright laugh, she didn't think at all about the fact that she'd have to leave him.