Icy Shadows

Summary: After visiting Jamie, Jack finds some fearlings attacking someone. He rescues the person only to find out its...a injured teenage Pitch? How did that happen? Jack/Pitch

Yay I managed to update. I wasn't sure what to write for the first part but once I got over that hurdle the rest of the chapter came surprisngly easy.

As you may have noticed, I've change my name slightly (I took out the H). I kind of didn't want to change my name completely but wanted something new so dahda. For those that may not know, on my profile I have a rota for the fanfics I'm working on (it includes a story I'm trying to write as well so you know when I'm focusing on that instead of my fanfics). If you want know which fanfic I'm currently working on so you know how long you need to wait for a new update of this go see :)

Hope you like the chapter ^^

Edit: Just so you all aren't confused, my previous name was HMemma546 and I took out the H. Mainly because I wanted a change but didn't want to change completely ^^;

Chapter 10

Pitch paused outside the door to North's office.

He had gone to knock on the door but found himself hesitating, sitting frozen outside the door with his hand still raised, waiting from him to unfreeze to knock.

He had never been in North's office before.

He had wanted to, back when he was evil. When he was taking over Santoff Claussen, he had planned to go into North's office, both because of curiosity of what the office of his nemesis was like and because he was planning to destroy everything in there and make it into his own office. He had been distracted though, when the last light on the globe wouldn't go out. And after that, well, he was defeated.

Now he was no longer evil and was invited into North's office….he wasn't sure if he wanted to enter. Maybe because of his previous intentions to that room or maybe because he wasn't sure what would be behind that door and what exactly North wanted with him, he didn't know. All he knew was that it must have been a whole minute that he was unable to knock.

It might have been two if Baby Tooth wasn't there.

With a frustrated squawk, Baby Tooth flew over, grabbed Pitch's hand and banged it against the door twice to make the rat-a-tat-tat knocking sound.

"Baby Tooth!" Pitch hissed, pulling his hand away.

She shot him a glare and squawked, gesturing to the door, to him and to her wrist, "You were taking too long,"

"Well you didn't have to-"

"Who is it?"

The two stopped their whispering argument and turned to the door, shooting each other a glance beforehand. North didn't sound cross as Pitch feared. Still Pitch gulped nervously.

"Er, it's Pitch," He replied.

"Ah, Pitch, of course! Come in!"

Pitch looked over at Baby Tooth who gave him a reassuring smile before she flew over and hid in his spikey hair (just in case North wanted to see Pitch alone and didn't want the little fairy there).

Pitch pushed the door open and wheeled himself inside.

He couldn't help but glaze around the office, staring at the ice sculptures that would soon become toys for children. So this was the office of the toy creator, Father Christmas, looked like.

Pitch couldn't help but think that the sculptures Jack made were better and he cheeks heated once again. Not now brain.

"You wanted to see me?" Pitch asked North, pushing back his thoughts on Jack for now.

North was standing just beside his desk, fiddling with something that lay across the desk. Pitch tried to peer around to see what it was but North's figure block the item obtrusively and by the time Pitch had manoeuvred his wheelchair enough to see around the older man, North had covered the objects with a large red sheet and had turned around.

"Ah, Pitch," North greeted with a large grin, "Would you like some fruitcake?"

"Um….you do know that fruitcake is mouldy right?" Pitch said, pointing to the fruit cake in North's hands.

North blinked before looking at the dessert to realise that in fact, it was mouldy.

"I thought I told Yetis to get rid of this one." He said, "Oh well," And he tossed it over his shoulder to land on the floor somewhere.

Pitch couldn't help but feel sorry for the yeti that probably had to clean that up later.

"I wanted to talk to you. But first, I have a surprise."

With that North took a step away from the desk, gesturing to it with an excited grin.

Raising one eyebrow, Pitch slowly made his way to the table, glancing at North every now and then. North was grinning widely. It was probably because North's centre was wonder, but he was acting like a child waiting for his best friend to open a present made by him. It was highly disturbing.

One more very cautious glance at North and Pitch took off the sheet.

"Crutches?"

"Not just any crutches," North said stepping closer, "Here, let me show you."

With just one hand, North easily helped Pitch to his feet, grabbing the two crutches with the other. Making sure the teen didn't fall down, he handed the crutches to him.

Pitch soon saw what North was talking about. The right crutch was made with a rest for him to place his broken arm. It allowed him to grip both crutches to support his broken leg without his arm getting in the way. Once Pitch's arm was in, he tried the crutches out. He was slightly wobbly, not used to being standing upright for so long. However, with North making a few adjustments, Pitch found them easy to use.

"This should help you get back on the mend." North said, smiling.

Pitch just stared at the crutches in his hands. He could finally start walking again. True, it would take time getting use to and Pitch figured he may still need his wheelchair for the first week or so. But he would soon be walking again. Much sooner than he would if he had to wait for his broken arm to mend first.

"I….thank you,"

If North was surprised by his once nemesis' thank you, he didn't show it. Pitch couldn't help it but crack a grin at the Russian. Inside he felt like jumping for joy but he didn't want to risk injuring his limbs further now he could start trying to walk again.

His grin faded however. North noticed, "What's wrong?"

"This is great North but," Pitch sighed. On his head, he could hear Baby Tooth rustling slightly in his hair, "This wasn't the only reason you ask me here is it?"

North sighed, he figured he wouldn't be able to hide the truth. He wasn't the best liar after all. He didn't know when Pitch saw that his smile wasn't quite excited as it would have been otherwise but he knew Pitch would see it eventually.

"You are right,"

He sat down on the chair behind his desk. Pitch sat back down on his wheelchair. He still held his crutches, holding them to one side and leaning on them slightly as he watched North, waiting for him to speak.

"I wanted to talk to you about fearlings."

Pitch's golden eyes shut for a moment as he held himself together. It didn't take as long to get control of himself, he had somewhat expected this to come up eventually. It was still hard though thinking about them, as he still did not open his eyes.

"You know they attacked Jack right?" North continued. Pitch nodded, although he was sure that question was rhetorical, "What you may not know is the exact events of the attack."

As Pitch's eyes finally snapped open, North quietly explained to him what Bunny had told the other Guardians the night before.

"From Bunny's point of view they seemed highly interested in Jack." He said.

"You mean they were targeting him?" Pitch whispered.

"We do not know that for certain," North admitted, "But from what Bunny said, they may be."

Pitch felt his forehead, letting out a moan, unable to comprehend the situation. It was bad enough knowing that the fearlings had harm Jack, yet alone knowing that they might have purposely targeted him.

"Why?" Was all he could ask.

"Was hoping you would know," North replied.

Pitch let out an incredulous snort, shaking his head, "How am I supposed to know? They feed off fear; they never target anyone unless I ordered them to and ever since that day I've lost complete control of them. It doesn't make any sense!"

Frustrated, he raked his fingers through his hair. A high pitched screech was heard and Baby Tooth flew out of his hair, feathers puffed up from when Pitch had unintentionally attacked her.

"Sorry," Pitch apologised, though he did not look at her. North looked slightly surprised but Pitch didn't feel like explaining the miniature tooth fairy's appearance.

"So what's going to happen now?" Pitch asked.

"We'll keep trying to track fearlings down. However, I do not think is wise for Jack to be out, at least for now. He will not be happy about that." North admitted, knowing how adamant the white haired teen had been about finding the dark horses.

Pitch nodded, relief flooding through him. He did not want Jack near those things either.

"Do you have any ideas at all?" North pressed.

"I wish I did, North," Pitch said, letting out a frustrated groan, "But I'm clueless just as you are."

"Well if there is something, anything at all," North got to his feet and, circling the table, placed his hand on Pitch's shoulder, "You know where I am."

Pitch nodded, about to turn his wheelchair and leave. Suddenly he remembered something.

"Actually there is something."

"Yes?"

Biting his lip, Pitch hesitated, unsure for a moment. After all, it was only a few months ago that North was fighting him. How wold he react to knowing Pitch had his powers back?

But then Pitch thought of Jack and he knew he had to tell him. Also there was something about the fact he got some of them back just after Jack had been attack that was concerning.

"Last night I…" Pitch begun.

But then he stopped.

"Last night?" North repeated, hoping to continue Pitch's trail of thought.

Pitch stared at his hands. His eyebrows were furrowed, confusion spreading across his features. Baby Tooth tweeted in concerned.

"I-they're not there."

"What's not there?" North asked.

Pitch shook his head. Did he imagine them or something? No, Jack had seen his hand glow. But why could he no longer feel the nightmare powers he conjured up last night?

"Last night, after a nightmare, I got some of my powers back. Only a little, mind." Pitch said. He didn't mentioned what the nightmare involved to busy wrapped in his thoughts (besides not wanting to tell North in the first place), "But I can't feel them anymore. It's like they weren't even there."

"Odd," North commented, eyebrows furrowing.

"You can say that again," Pitch remarked.

North thought for a moment, then shrugged, patting Pitch's shoulder, "Maybe was just because of the nightmare? Then once the nightmare was over, they disappeared."

"Maybe…" Pitch replied softly.

But he wasn't so sure.

"Hey,"

Pitch lifted his hand from Rudolph's forehead and he looked up to see Jack at the gate to the reindeer's pen. Rudolph flinched slightly at the removal of Pitch's hand but stayed dithering besides him. The other reindeers were all nibbling on their lunch in their troughs and hadn't paid much attention to the grey teen in the wheelchair when he had wheeled in. They did glanced up hopefully when Jack came in, but once they realised he hadn't brought carrots, their focus was back on their meals.

"Hey Jack," Pitch replied tiredly.

Jack titled his head in concern and flew over to Pitch's side. He sat cross legged on the floor, stroking Rudolph's fur as the timid reindeer sat down beside him, greeting Jack with a soft bay.

On Jack's shoulder perched Baby Tooth, shooting a look of concern at Pitch. Pitch hadn't noticed the little fairy flying off to fetch Jack, too lost in his thoughts.

"How's your head?" Pitch asked.

"The Yetis gave me the all clear. Might still be nutty at times, especially if I don't sleep but as long as I have plenty of rest and don't do a lot of activities I should be back to pranking Kangaroo in no time. And Bunny hates me forever because I seem to have gotten the Yetis calling him that now too."

Pitch couldn't help it, he chuckled at that. Jack chuckled as well, blue eyes lighting up. That alone lifted Pitch's spirits.

"So..." Jack said, glancing over to the gate. Pitch had placed his crutches down besides them, "I hear North made you some new crutches."

Pitch glanced over to the crutches that he had left by the gate, "He did, yeah."

"So why are you still sitting in this thing?" Jack asked, nudging the chair slightly.

"I haven't really felt like practicing with those things yet." Pitch said. It was true. Ever since the talk with North about the fearlings and him gaining his powers only for them to be gone again without him even realising, re-learning how to walk was the last thing on the grey skinned teen's mind.

Jack titled his head, icy blue eyes staring curiosity at golden ones. Pitch turned his head away, not wanting to answer Jack's quizzical glaze. They were silent for a few moments. When Pitch glance back at Jack, he saw the boy chewing his lip thoughtfully.

"I'll be back in a sec."

Grabbing staff, Jack quickly flew out the stables. Baby Tooth and Rudolph watched him go, both wondering where he was going. Pitch let out a sigh, placing his elbows on his leg and burrowing his head in his hands. Jack had probably gotten fed up with his cold withdrawal and had flown away, probably with no intention of coming back at all. Regret and hurt filled him at the thought. He didn't mean to push Jack away. His head was just so muddled up know, as if it had turned into the labyrinth he had once lived in with all the paths leading him into getting more and more lost by the second.

Damn those fearlings and his disappearing powers.

"I'm back."

Pitch looked back up startled. Jack came back floating in, a wide smile on his face. He held something in his hand.

Pitch chided himself for thinking Jack had grown tired of him. He couldn't help the bubbly happy feeling that Jack had come back after all fill him though.

Grin widening at Pitch's own smile, Jack sat down in mid-air in front of Pitch, "Here." And he placed the object into Pitch's hand.

Pitch took one look at the object and a soft gasp escape his lip.

There in his hand, was the same ice figurine of himself that he had found hidden in the living room's bookshelf a while ago.

It was more details than before, some of the spikes of its hair titled, an indicated of the many times Pitch raked his fingers through his hair when nervous, the jacket and trousers matching the ones Pitch was wearing to the finest detail and the blue sheen of ice the only thing preventing the eyes from mirroring Pitch's amber ones exactly. Even the cheeks had more shades of ice across it, matching Pitch's cheeks now as he flushed.

"I got Phil to show me how to make the ice everlasting, so it won't melt even in warmth." Jack explained as he waited for Pitch's to say what he thought, a slightly hesitation expression in his eyes behind that trademark smile.

"It's...beautiful." Pitch said. He had already seen it before but now with all the new features added it felt like he hadn't.

"I was going to give it to you as a congratulations gift once your leg and arm fully heals. Or if you were struggling with the crutches and needed some cheering up," Jack said, "But you kind of need cheering up now."

Pitch turned his head, pretending to analyse the statue so Jack wouldn't see the blush and smile on his face.

"Thanks Jack,"

Jack scratched the back of his neck, embarrassed, "Ah it's nothing. What are friends for?"

Pitch felt his smile drop for a moment. Jack didn't notice as he jump back up in the air.

"It should be dinner time soon. I'm starving."

"You're always starving." Pitch commented wryly.

Jack shrugged, "It's true. Coming?"

"Yeah, just give me a sec."

Nodding, Jack patted Rudolph's head and zipped to the kitchens. After sending an concern look to Pitch, Baby Tooth followed him.

Pitch glanced down at the statue and sigh. Not long ago he would have been thrilled by Jack calling him his friend. Now he couldn't help but feel his heart clenched, twisting despairingly.

"He will never see me more than a friend."

His hands suddenly flared up with black shadowy orbs. Rudolph and the other reindeers veered back in shock, bleating loudly.

Pitch quickly clenched his hands and the shadows disappeared, allowing the reindeers to calm down and leave Pitch gasping at his hands in shock. Once more he could feel the small twinge of his magic within him that he had felt last night. But….how?

What was going on?

Why do I end my chapters with questions. Anyway hope you've liked :)