Chapter 11

I am SOOOO sorry about the huge wait I haven't had time nor the inspiration to write between homework and finals, and prom and senior stuff and trying to hang around all my friends since whenever I am with one someone else seems to get mad -.-. Also PLEASE leave reviews about what you want to happen because I am pretty much out of ideas, I would like to wrap it up soon but I don't know how to do that.

Things seemed to run smoothly for a little while. The gang and I went back to the Warren.

"This is more progress than ever." Tooth said, buzzing around us quickly. "I mean we might actually win this time. Fajra can take care of Layla and I am sure if we all worked at once we could take out Pitch and-"

"Alright tooth enough." Jack said with a laugh, approaching the giant fairy and wrapping his arm around her. "Why don't you just take a few breaths when you speak and we can sort out what to do next." he said with a chuckle, slowly lowering himself and fairly down to the ground. I raised a hand to my mouth to smother a short giggle and Santa laughed.

"Indeed Tooth. At this rate we will have defeated Pitch in no time! But for now, we have to plan out our next attack." he said, almost serious. But despite our attempts to remain serious well all were giggling like schoolgirls a moment later.

"I would have liked to see the look on Pitch's face when Layla had to tell him Easter was back." Jack said with a laugh pushing me playfully. I nodded, chuckling to myself.

"I am sure he was surprised to say the least." I commented causing everyone in the group to break into a fit of laughter. Each of us feeling giddy, almost high off the power that was beginning to flow through us as more and more children began to believe.

"What do you think we should do now?" Tooth asked, buzzing around our heads, her wings were healing and her flying was almost perfect as she seemed to dance through the air.

"Simple, we take the fight to Pitch!" Santa said enthusiastically, waving his swords around like a hyper child. "We storm his hideout and we take out Pitch and Layla at once!" he cheered, causing Jack to leap back as he was nearly decapitated by one of North's blades.

"I think we learned last time that isn't a very good idea mate." Bunny said shaking his head, causing North to frown, his shoulders drooping in disappointment.

"Well, uh...we could always...I suppose you're right." he said defeated, shrugging his shoulders as we continued pacing the Warren out attitudes only decreasing a bit.

"Do you think that we could take out some of his nightmares?" Jack asked, tilting his head in curiosity as he looked up at the rising moon. "I don't think we have a chance to try it tonight but maybe tomorrow we can take down as many as we can, let a few kids sleep peacefully." he said, turning to look at us, a spark of enthusiasm filling his icy eyes.

"Of course! That's perfect!" Santa cheered as everyone took a few steps back to safety as North began to swing his swords around. "We will rest tonight and when we make out attack Pitch is sure to come for us, then. WHAM!" he yelled startling me as he slammed his hands together. "We'll take care of him right then and there." the spark in our group reunited and we began laughing aimlessly again, agreeing on the plan.

We decided it was best to spend the rest of the night resting since it was after ten o'clock and Pitch's minions would already be latched onto a child, and once that happened it was nearly impossible to separate the two. Jack explained to me that once there was somebody who could do it. The sandman would have been able to purify the thoughts in the black sand that created the demons and turn the children's nightmares to sweet dreams; however that information didn't really help us much.

I shifted my weight and leaned against the tree as I stared past my little campfire and off into the infinite darkness, the others were asleep not too far from me, a separate campfire keeping them warm...though I don't know how they were able to sleep. Santa had been the first to knock out, and his snoring was maddening. Jack had volunteered to keep watch with me, and it was nice to talk to him alone...but he had fallen asleep beside me well before midnight. It was almost hard to stay awake, but every time I so much as closed my eyes the fire beside me would dim and I would shiver and forced to rekindle it, its very presence was comforting to me, as if I wasn't truly alone. I was just beginning to drift off when the fire crackled and blazed and I jumped to attention, rising to my feet. Peering carefully into the darkness, something wasn't right. Footsteps approached, quietly patting the dirt in front of me. Until the invisible figure stepped into the small ring of light, the dim light lighting the familiar face of Layla, the contrast seemed to darken her red hair to a near black as she looked up at me, placing a hand on her hip a small half grin playing at her lips.

"Well, if it isn't the newborn." she taunted, a certain silence in her hushed voice. Her eyes skittered over to Jack who was resting peacefully against the thick tree, his staff tucked between his crossed arms and his hair fell over his face messily, his chest rising and falling slowly. Layla smiled down at him before looking back up at me. "Isn't he cute when he's sleeping?" she said, half teasing.

"oh drop it." I said, punching out my hand sending a fireball flying towards her, but she caught it and it only blazed for an instant before she extinguished it between her fingers, even my camp fire dimmed but she didn't move. She just looked up at me somberly.

"I'm not here to fight you." she said seriously, her dark red hair shifting with every movement of her head. I tensed, eyeing her cautiously.

"Then what do you want?" I asked, and she smiled.

"I'm just here to talk." she said quietly, her smile almost genuine as she reached out a hand to me. I hesitated a moment, glancing between her hand and eyes before reaching out and accepting the gesture. I expected her to attack the second I touched her. I thought for sure she was going to set me on fire or that a searing pain would fill me...but it didn't. Layla smiled, letting out almost a laugh of as she slowly pulled me forward, I was almost reluctant to follow as she lead me to the edge of the forest where I stopped, planting my feet firmly on the ground and pulling myself free making sure I could still see Jack in the dim ring of light not too far away. She looked back at me but I shook my head in response.

"Whatever you need to say you can say it now." I said seriously, shifting my weight and placing my hand to my hip.

"Fair enough." Layla said with a brief nod. "I suppose I will be blunt about this then. Pitch wants to talk to you."

"I thought that was why he sent you?" I retorted, my brow furrowing in question.

"I've come to retrieve you." she told me bluntly. "You shouldn't make this harder than it needs to be. I really would hate for your friends to deal with your business...especially one as special as Jack." she said causing me to growl, snarling defensively. I should have known following her was a bad idea.

"I won't let you hurt them." I hissed, in a voice that sounded almost like crackling fire as my hair began to light, defying gravity and lifting like a sparking flame.

"I don't want to drag them into this." Layla said with a roll of her eyes, her hand seeming glued to her hip, making no move to attack. My hair spurred and died as I eyed her suspiciously. "I am only here for you." she repeated. "If you come with me then I will leave your little troupe of freaks unharmed."

"How do I know I can trust you?" I asked, raising an eyebrow in suspicion.

"Pitch only has business with you right now." she told me, holding one hand into the air, and one to her chest, grinning devilishly. "I promise." she added with a wink.

Something is wrong...definitely wrong. I turned, glancing back to the dark figures of my sleeping friends. But if I follow Layla they would be safe...and I would have a chance at fighting Pitch without putting them in danger... I thought. The options racing through my mind.

"So...what do you say." she asked her hand on her hip. I didn't hesitate...my mind was already made up.

"Lead the way."