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(With Patrick)
Blue eyes widened at the sight of the enormous palace that stretched skyward, the diamond walls glistened in the setting sunlight. He gawked at the golden gates as they opened revealing an emerald green sea of grass, a marble pathway led from the gate up to the palace stairs. A forest of ancient trees could be seen in the distance, the sounds of creatures echoing within it.
"Come on Jack" Patrick grinned at the boy's open mouth.
"Man in Green have nice place to hunt." Cazador remarked as he caught sight of the forest.
Jack rolled his eyes as they made their way up the path; trust Cazador to be oblivious to the grandeur in front of him.
"That I do Caz." the Leprechaun laughed as they began up the stairs
"Halt. State your business."
Jack startled as one of the golden warrior statues moved and faced them.
"Calm down, it's me." Patrick rolled his eyes at the statue
"State your business." the statue reached for its sword
"I am the Spirit of Luck, husband of Iris, been living here for the past few centuries." the Leprechaun huffed
"You may enter." the warrior turned and fell back into the position it originally was
"You always have that kind of welcome?" Jack laughed as Patrick pushed the large limestone doors open.
"Pretty much, though usually I just use the rainbow and go straight into the palace. But with Sophie, I had to use the front door."
"Patrick! I told you to tell me when you were going to bring gues…" the woman stopped as she caught sight of Sophie, "Oh my goodness, is this Rashana's daughter?"
Sophie smiled as the woman took her from Patrick, "I'm Sophie, I'm three." the little girl smiled as she held up three fingers
Iris smiled at her, "I'm Iris, and I like to believe I'm still 27."
"More like in her thousands…" Patrick whispered to Jack
Jack laughed as the Leprechaun yelped as he was hit in the arm
Iris glared at him, "Should I tell them about how I met you?"
Patrick shook his head, "That's ok dear." he smiled, "Do you think they could stay here for a bit?"
"What's wrong?" her face filled with worry
"Pitch and Jamie have been taken." his eyes hardened, "And I plan to get them back."
"I know you will Patrick." she spoke softly, she then added "Of course they can stay; they will be safe here with my golden army guarding the palace."
"Cazador stay too?" the boy asked as he rippled into his human form as the woman turned to take Sophie down the hall
Iris smiled at him, "Of course you can, you need to watch over them correct?" she motioned for him to follow
"Thank Golden Wings." the boy smiled as he bounded after her
"Jack, go get something to eat, Iris makes a mean dish." Patrick said as he caught sight of the winter spirit standing still
"I want to go help Pitch and Jamie."
"No, Jack. You are to stay here where you are safe."
"But they're my brothers Patrick!"
"It would be too dangerous Jack." the Leprechaun shook his head
"I'm stronger now Patrick and I have my staff." blue eyes glared, "I defeated Death if you don't remember."
"I know you did Jack, but I am not going to hand deliver you into another dangerous situation."
Jack glared, and then his shoulders sunk, "It's just that I want to help."
Patrick patted him on the back, "I know kid, and don't worry I'll bring them both back." he was caught off guard as Jack threw his arms around him.
"Thank you Patrick."
"I gotta go." the Leprechaun said as he smiled and gently pushed Jack away
Jack watched as he disappeared in a burst of colored light. The winter spirit smiled as he glanced down at the globe in his hand, "I'll see you there." he quickly threw the globe and stepped through the portal.
(With Pitch)
"Are you cold?" Pitch asked as he felt Jamie shiver. The boy was leaning as close to him as he could, the chain stretched as far as it would go.
"A little bit." he couldn't help the shudder that rippled through him as a cold draft drifted through the hard stones.
Pitch grimaced as he shifted his body, "Hey! The kid is going to get sick if you don't get him something to keep him warm!" the Nightmare King yelled at the troll standing guard outside the cell
"Don't care." the troll spoke without turning around
"Well you should care you lummox!"
Pitch grinned as the voice of Desaray echoed down the hall; "She's a friend." he spoke quietly when he saw the fear in Jamie's eyes
Jamie watched as a woman walked in front of the bars, he eyed her suspiciously as she opened the door
"Go get a blanket." she glared at the troll, who immediately left to get the item. She smiled at Jamie, "So you are the little human who has caused so much trouble."
Jamie glared at her, "Well, you brought me here in the first place."
Desaray looked at Pitch in shock, "I didn't think humans could see us?"
Pitch smiled, "Jamie is a special boy."
Jamie scooted away from her as she knelt in front of them
"I'm not going to hurt you." she smiled trying to reassure him, "I'm Desaray, the Spirit of Desire. I'm a friend of Pitch."
Jamie glanced at Pitch, "If you're such a friend why don't you let us go?"
"Desaray doesn't have the key to our chains Jamie."
"Here you are Desire." the troll spoke as it returned and handed her the requested item
"Here child." she smiled as she placed the blanket over the boy's shoulder.
"So, how did you meet Pitch?" Jamie asked as he pulled the blanket around himself
Emerald eyes glanced at the smirking Nightmare King, "I met him here in this very cell, he had been taken prisoner by Deception after he interfered with a contract."
"Deception had been hired to kill Patrick," Pitch spoke up, "I just happened to disagree with him."
Desaray laughed, "And Deception didn't take too kind to you either as I recall."
Pitch shrugged, "It might have had something to do with the scythe I slammed into his shoulder."
"Anyway," she laughed, "I came down to check on Mitch who had been visiting often." her emerald eyes drifted with memory, "The moment I saw Pitch, I knew I had found my soul mate."
Pitch shifted uneasily at her words, his heart pounding as the memory of their first meeting filled his mind. Golden eyes closed, "I remember you were wearing a sapphire sequined dress, with a silver butterfly in your hair."
Desaray laughed, "And you wore only a pair of blue jeans, a torn black shirt, and chains."
"Hey, I wasn't aware when I got knocked in the head that I'd be going on a date."
Jamie laughed, "You dated her while you were here?"
Pitch laughed, "Not really, kid." he smiled at her, "I just count that night as our first date."
"That night I talked with Pitch for hours, he told me all about his life and the tragedies that he had been through." her eyes glanced sympathetically at him
"I wanted you to know exactly what you were falling in love with." Pitch spoke quietly; "In case you didn't want a mons…" he stopped as she placed a finger to his lips
"Don't, I told you that night you are not a monster." she glared at him
Pitch smiled as he kissed her finger, "If you say so."
Desaray rolled her eyes as she smiled
"So why did you leave him?" Jamie asked
Desaray's smile faded, "I didn't, he left me."
Jamie looked at Pitch with surprise
"I…I left to protect her Jamie." the Nightmare King stared into Desaray's eyes, he took a breath, "And because I was scared."
Emerald eyes filled with confusion, "What do you mean Pitch?"
He shifted slightly, "I was afraid Desaray, afraid of love, afraid of the feelings you awoke within me." golden eyes filled with anguish, "But mostly I was afraid of destroying your future, I overheard you talking about how you had been engaged to be married before you met me."
Desaray surprised him by wrapping him in an embrace, "Oh you stupid man." she leaned close to his face "I could have helped you with your fear," she whispered in his ear, she smiled as he shuddered
"But you were eng…"
She pulled back, "Father had arranged for me to marry Deception," she smiled at his expression, "Why else do you think he holds such grudge against you still."
Pitch was about to say something when footsteps echoed, golden eyes narrowed as Gaten stood in front of the cell
"Boss figured you'd be here," the goblin smirked, "He wants you to say your goodbyes Desire, Pitch here will be gone at five; he's scheduled to be sent to his new owner."
"I promise I will kill you Gaten." Pitch's voice was full of loathing, "I will kill you without hesitation for kidnapping Jamie and causing him pain."
"You should save that anger Pitch, I hear your new 'master' is quite cruel." the goblin cackled as he left. "Come on Desire
She rose and followed him, glancing back with sorrow filled eyes at Pitch. Then she was gone.
Pitch sank back onto his knees, his head falling to his chest, "I never can catch a break."
Jamie stared at him; he was used to Pitch always trying to comfort him. Brown eyes narrowed, "Come on Pitch, it's not over yet. The Guardians are looking for us and I know they will find us."
Pitch glanced at him, he smiled, "You're right kid."
(With the Guardians)
"You sure Sophie will be safe?" Bunnymund asked the Leprechaun who just moments ago had appeared in the room with them
Patrick smiled, "Jack and Sophie will be perfectly safe at Iris's. Her golden army stand guard twenty-four seven outside the palace."
Bunny sighed in relief, "That takes a load off my mind mate."
"I thought you were going to go get Pitch after you dropped them off?" North spoke as he stood from his chair
"I'm brave, but not stupid." the Leprechaun laughed, "I wouldn't go into that place without backup if you paid me."
"Oye, then this guy must be one tough customer." Bunny said as he rose to his feet as well
Patrick nodded, "You have no idea."
"And you are certain they will be there?" North asked as he grabbed his scimitars
Patrick nodded, "I'm certain," his eyes narrowed, "We need to be prepared for anything."
Bunnymund looked at him, "Is there something you aren't telling us?"
"I just have a feeling that there is something deeper than just a simple kidnapping going on here."
"You think that whoever took Pitch and Jamie is working for someone?"
Patrick nodded, "Of course they are, question is. Who is their employer working for?" he furrowed his brow, "And that my dear friends is what we are going to find out."
"Anything that we should be aware of before we go?" North asked as Patrick placed another knife into his vest
The Leprechaun grinned, "Just let me do all the talking."
(With Jack)
"Ok, where is Patrick?" the winter spirit wondered as he crept silently through the vast warehouse. He gripped his staff tight as his footsteps echoed softly, "I asked the globe to take me to Pitch at the resort, why did it open up here?" He glanced around; it was then that he noticed the large metal door at the opposite end of the warehouse. He crouched behind a white moving van as the door began to open.
"Yeah, boss said we have to get them out of here pronto." a goblin was talking to the two others that followed behind him, "He's pissed because the Guardians left before they were supposed to." the goblin cackled, "He broke Thran's neck for not telling him sooner."
"Yeah, I heard that Thran was flirting with a water sprite when he was suppose to be watching them." the other goblin laughed as well
"You two go get them and I'll fill up the van." the first goblin ordered the other two
"Do we have to? Pitch scares me Gaten." the goblins shivered, "I feel like at any moment he's going to kill me."
"You're not too far off." Jack thought as he watched them, his blue eyes widened as they caught a glimpse of cell bars off to the side just before the door close, "I bet Pitch and Jamie are there."
"Grow a set Gazan, Pitch will be in chains. There is no way he can hurt you."
"What about his sand, that can hurt you."
Gaten rolled his eyes, "Imbecile, as long as he is bound he can't form his weapon," he smirked, "Besides, he doesn't have enough energy to do much anyway. Isn't that right Gozon"
Gozon nodded as he agreed
"Ok fine, but you are the one that has to move him." Gazan frowned
Gaten rolled his eyes, "Whatever, let's just gas up the van and get them loaded up before the boss has our heads."
Jack held his breath as the goblins passed the van he was hiding under and rounded the corner of the mountain of boxes. The winter spirit quickly crawled from under the van and dashed to the door.
"Hey! It's Frost!" Gaten's voice rang through the warehouse
Jack grabbed the door knob, he cursed as it wouldn't turn, Figures, locked." he turned and faced the three goblins coming towards him, "One of you guys mind telling me where the key is?"
"Oh, you mean this key?" Gaten spoke as he twirled a set of keys around his finger
Jack smiled, "And they say that goblins aren't helpful." he held his staff toward them, "Now hand them over."
"Make me, there's only one of you and three of us."
Blue eyes sparkled, "Actually, there's only two."
Gazan frowned as he counted, "No, there's thr…" he screamed as he was suddenly encased in a block of ice.
Jack smiled, "Like I said, two." his smile faded as he glared at the two remaining goblins, "Now, unless you want to wind up waiting to defrost like your friend there I suggest you hand over those keys."
Gaten growled, "You little brat." yellow eyes widened as ice blasted Gozon and froze him as well
"One," the winter spirit laughed at the goblins furious expression
Gaten jumped to the side as a blast of ice flew just inches from his head, "You know Frost, you're pretty good." the goblin flipped over another blast; he smirked as he landed, "But I'm really good at my job too."
"Oh yeah, and what is that?" the boy laughed as he shot another blast at the creature
Gaten smirked as he ducked under the oncoming ice, "Distraction."
"Wha…" was all he had time to say before pain exploded in his head as something slammed into the back of it.
Evil Cliff! Please review and let me know what you thought ;) I rewrote this chapter at least three times before I got it how I wanted, ugh, then it got deleted T-T I almost died. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it, Till Next Time