Ghost – Chapter 10

Bunny placed Jack gently on the windowsill. He grabbed a few pillows, so the boy's head was lifted slightly. Then, Jack shot Bunny a look of fear. Fear for Molly. Next, Tooth fluttered over towards them.

"How's he doing?" she asked.

"Not too good," Bunny replied, "Look at the state the poor fella's in. Pitch musta done some pretty rough things."

Jack's eyes flickered between Tooth and Bunny. "Pitch h-has her."

"We know," Tooth responded softly.

The fairy picked up a damp cloth and cleaned the worst of the blood from Jack's face. The winter spirit continued stuttering about Molly. "W-We need to s-save her. K-Kiera doesn't know. What if we can't get Molly back? What if we have to tell her sister?" He felt the panic and strain in his voice.

"Jack, it's okay. It's going to be okay." Tooth tried to comfort him once more.

XXXX

Molly stood, transfixed. She felt like she'd been glued to the ground. She was shocked. She didn't expect this. Pitch Black had a daughter – Mother Nature! How many bombshells could Molly cope with? First; it was being dead, then; finding out why she died, after that; it was learning Pitch had manipulated her. And now this! Her eyes kept flickering between Pitch and Seraphina.

The truth shocked Pitch as much as it had with Molly. He used to be so different. He used to be a good man. Kozmotis Pitchiner. That's who he used to be. The man who chased away the darkness. Then, the darkness had become him. The Fearlings had tricked him; made him believe Seraphina had been afraid. The Fearlings changed him to Pitch Black, the Nightmare King. For so many centuries, the only thing he had known was fear. He dived looks between Molly and Seraphina. He could see it. His own fear reflected back at him. Eventually, his eyes fixed on Seraphina. He looked into her soul. He was shell-shocked. His fear was obvious as he spoke.

"T-Thank you…f-for getting me to remember."

Seraphina stepped into the light. She kept her own voice calm and neutral. "I overheard the Guardians and I showed up to save Molly." She gave the ghost an assuring look and then turned, facing her father. "And you too. You nearly went too far." She saw the look of guilt and regret in her father's golden eyes – it was also a look of sorrow.

Molly seriously didn't expect Mother Nature to save her – and Pitch. She suspected this might change the Nightmare King. She knew this might change Seraphina. Now, the ghost found herself placed in a very difficult position. Did Pitch deserve her sympathy? Pitch had manipulated and emotionally hurt her, in cold blood. And the same thing had happened to Jack. Could she really forgive Pitch for that?

It was just as difficult for Seraphina; maybe even harder. For centuries, she'd had to put up with what her father had become. She hadn't properly seen him since she was about ten. That's how long ago it was. The Fearlings had possessed her father and stole his sanity. Seraphina's eyes flickered to Molly. It helped her to realise they were in the same boat.

Silence stretched through the dark lair. Molly hovered for a moment. Then, she perched on one of the solid stone staircases. She buried her face in her hands, trying to clear her mind and keep control of her emotions. Seraphina strolled over and sat next to her. Molly noticed that Mother Nature, too, was in conflict with her own emotions. Molly understood that. Seraphina – Mother Nature – was Pitch's daughter, after all.

"I-I didn't expect…after all these years…f-for him to f-finally remember. The Fearlings tricked him, Molly. They pretended to be me, and they made him think I was scared."

Molly's eyes quickly darted to Pitch. "What was he like, b-before all of this happened?"

Unexpectedly, Pitch heard her. He headed over to the steps where Molly and his daughter were perched. Both girls looked at him. Pitch spoke.

"Everyone knew me as 'General Kozmotis Pitchiner' and I was a hero of the Golden Age. Back then; I was in charge of the Golden Age Armies. We'd capture the Fearlings and stop them spreading fear and darkness. The Army and myself, fought to keep everyone safe from nightmares."

"So, you were kinda like the Guardians," Molly realised.

Pitch nodded. "I suppose, yes. Then one day, the Fearlings tricked me. They pretended to be Seraphina and mimicked her voice. I fell into a trance and released them. They became a part of me – they still are. Until now, I didn't remember my former life. I only knew fear."

Despite what he'd done, Molly couldn't help but feel sympathy towards Pitch. She gazed deep into his golden eyes and she saw it - Pitch looked like he was about to cry. The look in his eyes pulled at her heartstrings. To make sure none of it was a lie, she turned to Seraphina, questioning her.

"This is true, right?" Molly wanted to be certain.

"Yes, Molly," Seraphina answered, "All of it's true."

Mother Nature and the ghost glanced at each other. Both of them knew it now. Pitch really didn't know, just like Jack didn't know he'd been the catalyst of Molly's death. All those years of insanity; the Fearlings had tricked Pitch into it. It wasn't his fault he'd become who he was. It never had been. Next, Molly spoke.

"Seraphina, this is a good thing you're doing. You're helping your father to get his sanity back. You're getting him to remember who he really is. This is the right thing. Trust me."

Mother Nature suddenly wondered how Molly had become so smart. She guessed it was just part of Molly's natural instinct. Molly continued speaking.

"Do you think you can forgive him?"

Seraphina immediately looked alarmed. Shock glinted in her dark eyes. She had to control herself from literally starting a storm. Her eyes flickered between the ghost and her father.

"A-After all the bad things that happened…I-I don't know if I can." Seraphina was being honest.

Molly looked at her with understanding eyes. "I know. I know this is hard for you." Then, she said what any other person might say. "But he's your dad." She quickly glanced at Pitch and then looked back at Seraphina.

"I'm the only one left of our family. Seraphina, there's no one else," Pitch added. He tried not to look emotional.

"I found it so difficult to forgive Jack. He was the reason I died. I forgave him because he really didn't know he'd caused the car I was in, to skid on the ice and crash. I chose to forgive Jack, because I have faith in him," Molly explained, "And I love him." Her eyes suddenly flickered to Pitch again, and then back at Seraphina. "I love Jack so much, to the point where I was willing to switch places. The point is, Seraphina, Jack Frost didn't know he'd killed me…just like your father didn't know he'd been tricked all those years ago." She paused for a moment. "It's your choice. It's up to you to decide what's right."

XXXX

All Jack continued to do was gaze out of the window. The majority of his injuries and black eye, had slowly started to heal. He kept thinking about what Tooth had said: It's going to be okay. But would it really be okay? Then, Sandy came over and tugged on the sleeve of Jack's blue hoodie. The spirit looked at him curiously.

"What? Sandy, what is it?"

Sandy headed over to the globe and Jack followed him. Bunny, North and Tooth were already there. Tooth turned immediately, when she heard Jack and Sandy approach.

"Jack, are you alright?"

"What's going on?"

The bright blue crystal appeared out of the ground. Everyone knew what this meant.

"The Moon's chosen someone, hasn't 'e?" Bunny guessed.

"But why?" Jack asked, "More importantly who's been chosen?"

"Better not be the Groundhog." Bunny closed his eyes and muttered quietly.

The crystal revealed the Moon's decision. The Guardians gazed in wonder and surprise. Bunny heard Jack chuckle. He faced the boy and spoke.

"Who got picked?"

Jack gestured to the crystal's projection:

It was Molly.

A/N: I hope this chapter was okay. I'm also excited with planning the next chapter, because my head's so full of ideas. Please keep sending reviews. Since Molly's a Guardian now, I've been trying to decide what her 'Center' should be: I thought of something like Faith or Forgiveness but if you think of something better, feel free to let me know.

Secondly, although it's a way off, I'm having trouble deciding on the ending. I don't want to risk it being cheesy but I want it to be a good one – whether it's happy or tragic.

Anyway, I hope to update as soon as I can :)