~I want to apologize for how long it took me to write this chapter. I had a completely differently story line written and decided I hated it and deleted it all. I just felt it didn't flow well with the rest of the story, so I really hope you enjoy this chapter as we start to close in on the end of the story. Thanks again to everyone for sticking this out with me. It means the world to me. And as I said before I do not own anything from Rise of the Guardians~

Chapter 10

Toothiana POV
Toothiana finally stopped screaming only once she started making a choked sound and her throat was raw. She was gasping and struggling to catch her breath as she looked at the motionless body of Jack. His once unruly hair was matted with blood and was laying flat against his head where he had taken a bullet to the skull. Streaks and splatters of blood cover his face and torso. His whole torso was darkened and gapped wide from where the bullets had pierced his chest. She could feel her heart pounding in her upper body as she took in the situation. Once the waves of shock started rolling through her body she scrambled her way out of bed. She wanted as much space as possible between her and what was once Jack Frost. His limb body sent chills running down her spine as she shook involuntarily. That's when she had certain awareness. Jack could never hurt her again. No more could he beat her. He couldn't pump her full of morphine and rape her anymore. She was free from his oppression and cruelty. All her prayers had been answered in the form of Jack losing his life, and Toothiana was glad. After standing lost in thought she felt something warm running down her face. Hesitantly she touched her face only to find her finger tips smeared with blood...Jack's blood. Suddenly she felt sick and lightheaded. Darkness began to overtake her as she stumbled backwards landing against something hard and warm. Looking up she peered into golden eyes that seemed to burning with rage. Fear once again lived in Toothiana as she feared what Pitch would do to her. Darkness gave her little time to think about it as she passed out in his arms.

When Toothiana awoke she was in bed. Looking around she found herself lying on clean sheets and the room was spotless. Everything seemed to be in its place except for the smell of ammonia. At first Toothiana thought the whole thing to be a dream until she saw Pitch standing in the door frame. He said nothing but only brought a cool cloth and laid it upon her forehead. With a heavy sigh he sat down on the bed next to her and just as she had dreamed he would, he ran his fingers lightly through her hair. He tucked a few stray strands of hair behind her ear before letting his hand fall back to bed. For a few moments they both just stayed where they were staring at each other. Finally Toothiana felt the strength return to her and she regained control over her limbs. She carefully reached out with her hand to cup his cheek. He flinched slightly at her touch but didn't pull away. Toothiana took this as a sign it was ok to touch him. She could no longer contain herself as she flung her arms around his neck and began sobbing uncontrollably. She could feel Pitch grow apprehensive under such contact but after a minute he hesitantly returned the hug. Slowly, his hug grew tighter as he pulled her closer into his body and rested his chin on the top of her head.

The world seemed to be frozen in time as the two held onto each other as if the planet would collapse upon itself if they were to break their grasp on one another. Both were hesitant to be the first one to break the silence, but finally Toothiana got the courage speak. "Pitch, there are no words strong enough for what I have done or that can fix my betrayal to you. I don't expect you to ever forgive me, but if you could just at least give me the opportunity to explain myself I will let you leave and never say another word to you on the matter. I swear." Toothiana slowly backed away and hesitantly looked up to see what his expression would be. She was hoping and praying with every fiber of her being that he at least will hear her out.

Pitch's face was hard and stony and Toothiana was unable to read his expression at all. He took a minute to think about what Toothiana had said to him. Partly he hated himself because he wanted to hear her out and he knew deep down he still loved her. But, another part of him wanted to tell her to fuck off and wanted to hate her because there was nothing she could say to ever make this ok. But, even after all the travesties she had committed against him she was still the only person his heart truly belonged to. After all a testament to how much he loved her was he just committed murder in cold blood for her. Instead of saving to her, he probably should have to reap what she had sewed; he couldn't help but protect what was his. And what was his was her. It will always be her and it always has been since the very first time he laid eyes on her. It had been his thoughts of her that kept him going overseas and dreams of her that kept him alive. His will to recover was only so that he may see her once again. And now he was at a crossroad of what to do and his heart was feeling dark, as if shadows were trying to break into his chest and consume his heart whole. "Fine, I make you no promises but, I am willing to hear what you have to say even though it goes against my better judgment."

Toothiana exhaled a raged breath and tried to decide where to start, but nothing seemed make what she did right. She could think of no way around what infidelities she had committed and her addictions. Deciding not to sugar coat it she just quickly jumped into her explanation. "When you left I felt like a piece of me left with you. My love for you was so strong that without you I was unable to function without you in my life and that's when I decided to start drinking. The drinking quieted the voices that screamed in my head about how much I longed for you and it numbed the pain of loneliness I felt. The choice to start drinking seemed harmless at first but it is what got me into this situation, actually. I began to drink so much I lost my job…and with no way to pay for it Jack stepped in. he started out as a friend who agreed to buy my booze for me with the condition I pay him with my…ah, company. At this point I thought you were dead and I hadn't heard from you! So I panicked. I needed my alcohol and I desperately needed to stop the feeling of being alone. It was eating me from the inside out!" By this point Toothiana was pacing the floor and waving her hands wildly as she spoke. "Then that became to be not enough anymore and I still kept thinking of you! I still couldn't kill the suffocating loneliness, so he offered morphine to me. And for a while that seemed to help but then word spread around town of my…activities and nobody would even come near me. That's when things got bad. He isolated me Pitch! Then he beat me, badly! If that wasn't bad enough he would rape me after beating me. I had nowhere to turn except to God. Oh, so many nights I would look up at the moon and pray to him to forgive me for what I have done. And I would beg him to bring you home to me and that you would save me…and there must be a God because here you are! You did save me even after all the terrible shit I have done. You still saved me. I always felt I deserved every moment of abuse and I took it as punishment for what I have done to you. So, all I have left to say is I love you even if it seems like I don't. You still are my everything and if you want to walk out that door and never return I completely understand. Just know I love you and I know you must love me too on some level because you killed for me! Speaking of which, I know nothing about it and as far as I'm concerned he left me in the middle of the night for another woman. It's the least I can do to repay you for setting me free. But, I guess that's it, I've said my piece. I love you Pitch and I hope one day you can forgive me for all I have done, even if I can't ever forgive myself."

Before Toothiana could brace herself for Pitch's response he grabbed a hold of her by her shoulders and pulled her into a rough and hard kiss.