Bunny was sure that in all his years he had never run so fast in his life. He had popped up out of his tunnels and almost immediately could smell blood. It had been weak, but he could tell that it was Jack. With all the damage the kid had sustained in the week prior it was a smell that Bunnymund easily recognized, a fact that stabbed at his heart. He had taken off after the scent but even at this speed he wasn't able to find Jack or Sandy before the wind had cleared it away. He didn't slow nor stop, he couldn't risk it. He knew that they had to be upwind at least and so that's where he was headed.

Night had fallen almost an hour ago now and the air was absolutely frigid. Ignoring the pain in his feet from running over the all but frozen ground Bunny leapt through bushes and over boulders as he sniffed the air and listened for any telltale signs of his friends, or at the worst, approaching Nightmares.

The longer he ran the more he started to panic. What if he had passed them? What if he was too late and Pitch had gotten to them first? What it he had been mistaken and was heading in the wrong direction? Bunnymund's heart raced as these thoughts of doubt invaded his mind. By some spot of mercy there was a gust of wind then and Bunny, not even stopping to re-direct himself, veered to the left. He was at such a speed that he needed to launch off at least two trees in order to make the turn. Pushing himself harder now that he had a trail to follow Bunny hardly had breath enough to call out for the two.

Diving through another bush Bunny hardly had time enough to stop before toppled right onto the two. Lunging forward he pushed off the ground and managed to vault over them, coming to a halt off to their left. Sandy looked positively startled, though one of his whips was at the ready just in case. His other hand was holding Jack's head against his chest protectively. Upon recognizing Bunny Sandy's weapon vanished as relief flooded his face, though there was still panic and sorrow there as well. His eyes still red from crying earlier.

Bunnymund wasted no time nor words as he slid in on Jack's other side. His breath caught at the sight of him. His skin was flushed red and there were places where the skin was broken like ripped paper and bleeding. There were blisters on his hand and shoulders and meshed with his bruises giving them and even more sickening look. Jack's white hair was even ashen gray and singed on the tips. His face had blisters under his eyes where he had been crying, as well as on his forehead. His lips bled as well and his breathing was still uneven and pained.

"What happened?" Bunny managed to ask as he carefully placed a paw on the teen's head, he was really warm despite the night chill.

Sandy looked at Bunnymund with horridly sad eyes as his sand showed a flickering flame. The look that crossed Bunny's face was nothing short of heart wrenching dread. His looked back down at Jack, at all his injuries. His eyes widened further when Jack started mumbling weakly.

"Why is he awake?!" Bunny asked with alarm as he crouched lower to be at the boy's face, "Jack? You're gunna be alright, mate. Just hold in there."

When the Pooka looked up to further question the sprites conscious state he was taken aback by Sandy sobbing silently into his hands. Symbols were rolling over his head far too fast to be read. The small Guardian looked up only long enough to show his glistening eyes for a moment, the image of his swirling sand with an 'x' though it. He turned back to his palms once more as Bunny took it in. Jack was awake, because Sandy couldn't put him to sleep. His sand could not put him to sleep.

"-ny." A weak murmur from Jack had the Pooka leaning over him again.

"Don't try ta speak, Frostbite. Just-"

"Hurts." Jack whimpered, "H-hot."

"I know, mate, I know. Just hold on." Bunny looked around for something to help, but as Sandy had found, there was nothing.

Placing his hand back on Jack's head Bunny tried to determine how much time they had before the kid got heatstroke or a full blown fever. Jack winced at the initial touch but didn't try to pull away. Bunny cursed under his breath and wished that for once they were surrounded by snow. It was some kind of twisted irony that they were in Canada just as winter was leaving.

"We need ta get him back ta the Pole." Bunnymund stated grimly before his ears perked.

Something was wrong. A shifting in the brush. Sandy noticed it too and stood, his whips forming in his hands. It was silent for another moment, nothing at all moving or making a sound. Suddenly dark shadows burst from the trees and bushes around them. An ambush. How long they had been there was anyone's guess. Bunny hadn't noticed them when he had arrived, but then again he hadn't ben paying much attention, focusing more on Jack's scent.

Sandy's whips were flying about and destroying the dark creatures before they had even fully formed into their equine form. Bunny's boomerang was flying around as well as he tried to keep them from being surrounded. Though it seemed the Nightmares had done so before hand. Reaching for one of his egg grenades Bunnymund leaned low over Jack to try and keep him out of the crossfire. Hurling the aforementioned projectiles Bunny had to crouch over Jack even more as it exploded closer then he had intended as a Nightmare dove into it. Things weren't going well at all. The things knew Jack would be he and Sandy's main concern and they were being pinned down. Sandy seemed to notice as well, his whips darting about faster in the hopes of keeping the beasts at bay a bit longer. Even if they were weak the Nightmares shear numbers was proving problematic.

"Sandy! We gotta get back to the Pole!" Bunny called over to the dream weaver as he picked up Jack, who winced and whimpered at the contact, "Sh, hold on, mate. I gotcha."

Bunnymund prepared to open his tunnels as an escape route, even if the Nightmares followed they would bottle neck and effectively thin themselves out. Turning to face the other Guardian to call him over Bunny's eyes widened when he saw the other had taken out the emergency globe North had given him.

"Sandy, Don't-"

Bunny didn't have a chance as the other hurled the thing opening a crackling portal beside him, hoping to remove Jack from danger first. The Pooka closed his eyes at the sickening feeling of entering a portal overtook him tightening his grip on the teen, which in turned caused Jack to cry out. Whither Sandy made it into the portal or not Bunny wasn't sure, all he was aware of was Jack cry out in his arms as they fell.

_V_V_V_

Pitch laugh outright. The fear, oh the fear he was getting. From his most hated enemies no less! No longer keeping themselves in check they were helping to make him strong once more. The fear of immortals was potent stuff. Tooth had been the first to cower with it. Thoughts of Jack not making it, her pleading fearful voice in his head for the pain to leave him. Then that offish fool of a man North. He had fallen. Accepting that he was utterly useless. Even if he had regained some of his former resolve it didn't lessen Pitches memory of the crumbling of the man's mental barriers. Didn't stop him from peering back at the man's thoughts of utter failure. It would be most useful later to be sure.

Then there had been Sanderson. The complete helplessness the dream weaver had felt. It was simply delicious. He could have wallowed in that fear for an eternity. Jack was slowly breaking as well. His fear was truly something to behold. It betrayed his every thought to the Nightmare King. Once so strong, so cocky. Now whimpering and begging him for mercy. There would be no mercy here though. By the end perhaps he would even turn the boy into a fearling. A constant reminder to those fools that they hadn't been able to save the lad. That they had not been able to ease his pain or passing in any way. That for the second time they had utterly and truly failed him.

First though, there was one thing he needed to see too. One last thing that needed to be dealt a final blow. How convenient that they should have come looking for him. So nicely delivered.

_V_V_V_

The last he had heard was fighting. Fighting and Jack screaming. Even now those sounds echoed through his head. It took him a moment to realize the reason they were echoing though his head was because there was still a battle going on around him. Bunnymund forced his eyes open with some difficulty, as if his body was fighting the action. Looking around his eyes shot fully open and his jaw dropped partially in shock. Jack's screaming was no longer from being in his arms but from being on the battle field ahead of him. But that's not all that had the Pooka gaping.

Pitch.

Jack was fighting Pitch. It looked as if he had made himself a makeshift staff out of ice, a surrogate for this battle. It didn't look like he was doing to well with it though. He was stumbling and was clearly exhausted and weak. His legs trembled as they tried to keep him up. He was just barely able to keep out of Pitches reach. His arms and legs already bore wounds from times where he hadn't been quick enough. Bunny tried to push himself off the ground but his body felt like it was filled with lead.

Jack was trying to force Pitch back, away from himself at least, but the other was not letting up. Pitch swung his scythe, aiming for the teen's head but the other managed to block at the last moment. The ice staff he was using was rendered useless as the blow shattered it. The impact was enough to toss Jack from his feet with a cry of both pain and surprise and he was left trying to crawl away from the Nightmare King.

Bunny was trying so hard to reach them. He tried pulling his boomerangs but they were gone. His egg grenades wouldn't be removed from their holster either, which put him in even more of a panic. He was far too far away to help with his body moving so slow. Pitch seemed to notice him now though, however the dark grin on his face made his heart sink. Turning back to the boy at his feet Pitch held the blade of his weapon to the kids throat.

"Pitch." Bunny's voice was raspy and not at all as threatening as he had been trying for.

This only served to bring a chuckle from the man as he watched the Guardian of Hope struggle closer. Clearly he was not worried about the others progress.

"What's wrong rabbit? Can't stand to see another one of your failures?" He mocked, "Could this boy already mean so much to you?"

"Don't you dare lay a finger on 'im." Bunnymund glared daggers as the words left his mouth.

"So protective." Pitch sneered, "It only took you, what? Three hundred or so years to notice him? The one child that has been around the longest without even a glance from his supposed 'Guardians'? His 'Allies'? The one child in the world no one, not even you, had wanted to protect?"

" 's not like that. We're here for him now." Bunny tried to push the other's cold words away no matter how much the stung; he had to get to Jack.

" 'You're here for him now'?" Pitch mocked again, his grin growing, "Well, I'm afraid that it's already too late."

Pitch raised his weapon up, but before he swung it down he let it dissolve. Instead his other hand came forward and a wave of black sand burst out swallowing Jack whole with a final straggled yell.