Jess blinked open her eyes and sat up, her middle feeling stiff and sore. She groaned and touched her stomach, pulling her hand away in shock as she realized it was covered in bandages that wrapped around her stomach and lower torso. "W-what is this?" she questioned to no one.

Jess shoved aside the covers and swung her feet over the edge of the bed. Her bare feet touched the cool wooden floor and she stood on wobbly legs. When she was sure of her footing, Jess stumbled over to the mirror on the other side of the room. Upon seeing her reflection in the clear looking glass, Jess gasped.

Her face was gaunt and pale and her eyes looked sunken and red as if she had been crying. Jess stared at the scary reflection and reached up to slowly touches her face, testing the reality of it.

The doorknob started to jiggle and Jess turned sharply towards the door in fright. She had no idea where she was and so she had no idea who would be coming through the door. Jess pressed her back against the wall that the mirror hung on, staring with wide eyes as the door creaked open.

Jess gasped as a young woman covered almost completely in vibrant green, blue, and yellow feather fluttered into the room; quite literally too as her feet were not touching the ground as wings fluttered quickly behind her.

"Jess!" the woman cried happily. "You're awake! I'm so glad to see you up and moving!" The woman looked at Jess's frightened face and her happy smile melted away. "Jess? Is everything all right? What's wrong?"

"H-how do you know who I am? Who are you?" Jess pressed herself even more so against the wall.

The woman flitted closer, concern etching her features. "Jess…it's me, Tooth. Don't you remember?"

Jess blinked a few times and then clutched her head, bending over. "I-I feel like I should…but the memories aren't there. Where am I? What happened?"

Tooth drifted closer to Jess and said, "Do you mind if I try something? I might be able to see where those memories are."

Jess looked up at Tooth with pained eyes. "I-I guess so," she said hesitantly.

Tooth reached over and placed a small, gentle hand on Jess's temple. She squinted her eyes in concentration and hovered in front of Jess without moving for a moment. Jess watched her, wincing suddenly as a sharp pain shot through her head.

Tooth pulled her hand away from Jess's head and stared at Jess with wide eyes. "Oh…Jess."

"What? What is it? What happened? Where are my memories?" Jess was becoming frantic.

Tooth looked at her sadly. "You've repressed your memories. Just like you did when you were younger. They only surface when you have emotionally unstable moments. You've pushed down all the memories of being abused, of harming, everything that hurts you."

Jess stood there in shock. "S-so, the memories are there, but I've pushed them down?" Jess looked down at her bandaged torso. "Is this one of those memories that I put down?"

Tooth hesitated and then nodded. "Yes. You…you cut yourself out of despair and agony."

Jess looked at Tooth and then down her stomach, then back at Tooth. "I want these memories back. I don't want to have this big gap in my mind. I don't like it."

"Honey, I don't think you're going to like the memories that fill that gap."

"I don't care. I want to remember what happened. Please," Jess whispered.

Tooth sighed heavily and shook her head. "We should talk to the others before I give them back, to make sure they think it would be wise to."

"What others?"

"North, Bunny, Sandy, and…" Tooth trailed off, looking as if she might break down in tears.

"And who, Tooth?"

"And no one. It's just those three." Tooth turned away sharply and started towards the door. "We should get going so we can gather them and talk about this."

Jess trotted after Tooth, feeling confused and angry, wishing desperately that she had her memories.

Soon, Jess was standing in front of Tooth and the three others that she had mentioned, feeling like a slave up for auction as they looked her up and down and scrutinized her.

Sandy looked at Tooth and nodded, as did Bunny and North after a moment. "Give her back her memories, they could help her to understand what's going on and we might need her when we go for Jack," North said to Tooth.

"Who's Jack?" Jess asked, looking around at the Guardians.

They all looked at her and Tooth moved forward. "You'll understand in a moment."

Tooth placed her hands on Jess's temples, and took a breath. Jess closed her eyes and waited. It took a moment before a sharp shooting pain started at the base of her head and worked its way across her head. Jess gasped and tried not to cry out for fear of Tooth stopping the process. Images and sensations flashed across her mind's eye and pushed their way through the block she had created in her mind.

It seemed like forever, but Tooth finally pulled her hands away and Jess opened her eyes with a shaky breath. She looked around at the Guardians who were all looking at her with mixed expressions.

"We need to go save Jack, now," Jess said firmly, leaving no room for debate.

North smiled, "That's the attitude I like! Let's go!"

Jack was lying on the floor, unbound from his restraints. However, as much as he wanted to take advantage of this opportunity to get up and run, he just couldn't get up.

The nightmares that Pitch had sent him sapped at his strength and left him bruised, beaten, and weak. It hurt to even take a breath. Jack tried once again to unsuccessfully push himself off the ground to leave. He got up a few inches off the ground before collapsing on the ground in pain, crying out as he did so.

Dark laughter curled its way through Jack's dark room, making him shudder. "Oh, Jack. When are you going to learn that escape is impossible? Even if you were able to get up and walk away, you wouldn't be able to leave without me. At least, not as long as the nightmare sand is inside of you."

Jack mustered up enough strength to glare up at Pitch and spat at his feet. "Pitch, what do you want from me? I've already agreed to stay here, what else do you want?"

Pitch bent down and looked into Jack's blue eyes with his yellow orbs. "I want you, broken."

Jack's eyes widened and he tried to push away from Pitch.

Pitch laughed darkly and reached down, grabbing Jack by his collar and hoisting him up, his feet dangling off the ground. Pitch pushed his face into Jack's, nose-to-nose, and hissed, "You will never, ever, be able to escape me and my fear, Jack. I know every fear you ever had, as I have already made clear. And those simple nightmares you have encountered and endured, will become much more real."

Jack grabbed weakly at Pitch's hands and tried to pry them off of his collar.

As Jack struggled, Pitch cocked his head to the side and seemed to be listening to something. Then a smile curled its way across his lips and he laughed darkly. "It would appear that your friends have arrived. Foolish people. Well, I think I'll just bring you with me and see how eager they are to try to harm me if I have you."

Jess followed the Guardians into the dark castle that was Pitch's home. She nervously scanned the shadow-coated walls, wondering if Pitch was lurking inside one of them.

Jess was snapped from her thoughts as North began to talk.

"Bunny, you go with Tooth and Jess and see if you can find Jack. Sandy and I will search for Pitch."

Jess followed Tooth and Bunny as then took one tunnel that they knew led towards some rooms from their last visit while Sandy and North veered off in the opposite direction.

Jess looked at Tooth and Bunny's backs as she followed them. A thought occurred to her as they walked that she couldn't help but speak as they walked through the darkened hallway.

"W-what if we're too late?"

Tooth and Bunny looked back at Jess at the same time and said, "No."

Jess looked up as they spoke in union. Tooth continued first.

"Don't think like that, Jess. Jack is tough. He'll be fine."

Bunny nodded. "Jack wouldn't give in easily. And try not to think like that while we are here. Pitch feeds on those kinds of doubts and fears. We can't give him that advantage."

Jess looked at the two Guardians and nodded. "Alright."

As they continued to walk, Jess felt a sudden tug in her chest, a tug that almost pulled her in the direction of a tunnel that branched off to the right.

"Jack," Jess whispered, staring down the tunnel.

Tooth and Bunny turned back to look at her. "What?"

Jess looked at the two Guardians. "I can feel it. Jack is this way." Jess touched her heart and looked down the tunnel.

Tooth and Bunny looked at each other. Bunny shrugged and started down the tunnel. "It can't hurt to look. She might be right."

"I am right. I just know I am."

The tunnel wasn't very long, probably about two minutes long when they walked at a brisk pace. It soon opened up into a large room with chains dangling from the ceiling. Shadows stretched all across the walls and the floors, covering most of the room in darkness. Standing in the center of the room was Pitch.

Bunny shoved Jess behind him and pulled out his boomerangs. "Pitch!" he snapped.

The Nightmare King turned to look at them, grinning widely. "Oh! It seems the rest of the Guardians have joined the party! How wonderful!"

Jess peered around Bunny and saw North and Sandy standing on the other side of the room.

Great, Jess thought. Now no one is looking for Jack. Jess glanced over her shoulder, wondering if she and Tooth could run out and check down the other tunnel for him. Looking back at Pitch, Jess had another thought. Why was I so sure that Jack was down this tunnel?

Pitch turned fully towards her, an evil grin painting his face. "Jess my dear! So nice to see you again! I bet I know why you're here." He jerked his arms around and revealed what he was holding.

Jess clapped her hands over mouth to stop the scream.

Pitch was holding Jack in a firm grip, an obsidian black knife to his throat and basically keeping him from collapsing on the ground. Jack was as gaunt as Jess was and even more beaten up than she was.

"Jack…" Jess whispered in a shaky voice. Her features hardened and she glared at Pitch. "You fucking monster! Let Jack go!"

Pitch cackled and leveled his gaze with hers. "Or what, dear girl? You're nothing but a mere human."

Jess screamed in rage and charged at Pitch, shoving off Bunny's hands as he tried to hold her back.

Pitch watched her coolly as she charged him. He then hoisted Jack up higher and pressed the blade against Jack's neck even harder, causing a thin line of crimson to trail it's way down Jack's throat.

Jess's eyes widened and skid to a halt. "No," she hissed through gritted teeth. Jess looked up at Jack and whispered. "I'm so sorry, Jack. I never meant for any of this to happen."

Jack raised his eyes weakly to meet hers and whispered in a hoarse and scratched voice, "It's not your fault."

Tooth moved forwards to gently pull Jess back to where Bunny was still standing defensively.

Pitch laughed deeply and manically. "Oh you have know idea how pleased this makes me to see you all so pathetically helpless and unable to aid your youngest member who brinks on death."

Jess looked up sharply. "I thought you were all immortal. How could you kill him?"

Pitch looked at her darkly with a grin on his face. "I'm glad you asked dear Jess. This knife is very special, able to pierce through the veil of immortality and kill the human within."

Jess's eyes widened and she gasped. "No." She could sense Bunny and Tooth around her tense up in fear and she could see North and Sandy become stiff with shock and fear at the thought of losing Jack.

"Sorry you asked, now?" Pitch cackled.

Jess steeled her face. "There has to be something you want more than Jack."

Pitch mulled this over. "That is true. The one thing I want more than this little spirit is to see him broken beyond repair."

Jess turned sharply to Bunny and Tooth. "What if I traded places with Jack? Pitch couldn't hurt him if you were able to take care of him, right?"

"But what if Pitch hurts you? That would break Jack!" Tooth whispered frantically.

Jess smirked. "He can't hurt me if I don't fear him, right?"

Tooth and Bunny hesitated. "I guess we could try."

Jess smiled. "It'll be alright. I promise."

Jess turned to face Pitch and walked up to him. "Take the nightmare sand out of Jack, let him go with the Guardians, and take me instead."

Pitch seemed to mull this over before grinning maliciously and nodding. "You've got yourself a deal."

Pitch released the knife from Jack's neck and touched the black scar on his arm. The sand disappeared from Jack's skin before he released Jack and let him crumple. Jess caught Jack and supported him.

Jack looked up at Jess with desperation in his eyes. "Jess, you don't have to do this. Please, don't."

Jess smiled softly and kissed Jack's head. "Everything will be alright this time. I promise."

The other Guardians came forward and gathered up Jack, looking at Jess with saddened looks. Tooth came forward and hugged Jess tightly. "Be careful, Jess."

Jess hugged the feathered Guardian tightly before allowing her to fly away after the others.

Jess turned to face Pitch, steeling her gaze. But she found Pitch looking at her with a neutral expression etched into his features.

"You think this whole mess is your fault don't you?"

Jess didn't want to answer him, for fear of him using it against her, but he already knew the truth. Jess nodded slowly, her gaze loosing the hardness.

Pitch laid a hand on her shoulder and she looked up at him, suspicious.

Looking her dead in the eyes, not wavering when he asked her, "What if I told you that I knew a way you could reverse all of this so that it would never happen? So that you would never feel this guilt."

Jess snorted. "I would say you're a liar."

"But would you take me up on it if I could?"

Jess looked up at Pitch's yellow orbs. "Why do you even care?"

"Because I'm tired of all this fighting. And I know a way that you could reverse everything that has happened. You could go back and fix your mistake. You could not just what happened with Jack and the Guardians, but what happened with your father."

A/N: Here ya go guys! I hope you enjoy this chapter! R&R please, I really do like reading your reviews and I am so happy you all like this fic! Thanks for all of your support! I love you all!