"Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving."

~ Albert Einstein

Chapter 14 - Recovery vs. Relapse

A beautiful wild grassy patch started to deepen before splitting open; forming the end of a tunnel as Bunnymund hopped out of it. He loved seeing Santoff Claussen at this time of year. As it was quite high up in the mountains, the only time it seemed to flourish in beautiful colours and fresh grass was around autumn, as the thick snow would still be melting in spring and summer.

Yet when it did bloom the village was filled with bright radiance, the leafy roofs were in full bloom and Big Roots vines were fresher and greener than ever before; Ironic that such a place was the sleeping ground for a life-less Guardian. Bunnymund shook the thought from his head as he made for the door, the tunnel closing behind him and leaving a beautiful orange begonia in its place.

The whole village was quiet, he assumed the children (the usual noise and commotion of the village) had already set out for their adventures, making the most of the sunny weather. Had he known he would have left out some chocolate goodies to take with them.

Upon arriving into Jack's room Bunnymund couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. He would never admit it to the other Guardians (or even himself) that he was losing hope of Jack ever waking up again. As the days passed by he continued to put more and more blame on himself.

Again with his back to the door Nightlight rested sitting on the foot board of Jack's bed. Bunnymund couldn't understand why the little sprite resided here, he was always there in-between the Guardians shifts watching, waiting and caring for Jack.

"So how long have you been 'ere this time?" Bunnymund asked as he shut the door behind him walking to Nightlight's side. Nightlight smiled glad to see him and shrugged his shoulders in response. He didn't mind waiting for Jack, he was curious to see when he'd wake up. Bunnymund knew it was a pointless question, but routine demanded it "Any improvement?"

Nightlight lowered his head shaking, to which Bunnymund too sighed. "You know, we could really use you out on the field. Pitch is up to something and-" before the Pooka could finish Nightlight was on his feet from jumping off the bed. He pointed to himself with his free hand before tapping his staff on the ground twice as if to say 'I have to stay here.'

"I'm just saying, it'd be good for you stretch your legs a little now and then." Bunnymund insisted as Nightlight scratched the back of his head a little apologetic. The Pooka sighed again. "You're right, I just… I just wish Jack would wake up soon," his ears flopped and whiskers drooped as he continued to watch Jack, before looking to the ground, closing his eyes.

Nightlight opened his mouth, trying to find the right words from behind the large figure. He reached to the over sized rabbit as if to pat his shoulder when-

"Hang'on…give me, five more minutes ya darn kangaroo…" A very sleepy groan caught both of them off guard.

Bunnymund immediately crouched to Jacks level on the bed, he rested a hand on his shoulder and gently shook him. "Jack! You're- How are you feeling?" he bombarded him with questions which Jack wasn't too fond of. As he continuously shook him Jack seemed to groan louder.

"Gee you deaf? Five more minutes…" Jack sighed turning the other side to face the wall.

Bunnymund cursed annoyed – of all times why did Jack need to be stubborn now. "Oi! You bloody drama queen get up! You've been saying that for the past hour now come on!" The Pooka's accent thickened as he grew annoyed.

"Alright, alright! Don't get your cotton tail in a twist," Jack muttered under his breath as he turned and sat up – a little slower than usual, probably because he was so stiff, to which Bunnymund gave him a paw helping him in his bed.

"Tha-" The atmosphere changed sharply as Jacks eyes opened. Bunnymund a little spooked moved back as Jack scrambled into the corner of the bed next to the wall. Nightlight instinctively looked round the room, seeing if Pitch had crept up on them - but everything seemed normal.

Bunnymund held out his palm to calm Jack down. "Jack? What's wrong-?"

"You're not real…" Jack shook his head, repelling from Bunnymund's hand as he continued to back into the corner, continually pushing back even though he couldn't go any further.

"Jack?" Bunnymund's tone dipped concerned as he receded a little before trying again more comfortingly.

"Get away!" Jack screamed as his eyes darted round the room looking for his staff but there was no sign of it. He hurried onto his feet and cried as his leg gave way, not properly healed yet. Now on all fours he panted as he looked round the room again.

Nightlight took a step forward towards the end of the bed, the direction Jack was going in.

"Night-" Bunnymund called to him, he was going to ask what he was doing but Nightlight simply held out his hand to stop Bunnymund from speaking. He took a step closer, the sound of the floor boards spooked Jack and looked in his direction.

"S-stay Back!" Jack stammered as he tried to rise to his feet again, using the wall as support. Nightlight gently rose his staff to his own chin; his left hand holding it close to his chest whilst his right clung onto the end.

"Get Away!" Jack howled again as a sudden wind picked up in the room. Intrigued as he was with Jack's power Nightlight didn't take his eyes off him, instead he took another step closer.

"Nightlight!" Bunnymund warned him to stop again but he didn't listen. The storm in the room grow colder and wilder, vials on the shelf shattered as they hit the floor. Bunnymund's mouth gaped open, he didn't know Jack was this powerful without his staff!

Jack started to shake his head through his deep sharp breaths. "I'll never join you!" Nightlight questioned his statements as he continued to hold the light in front of Jack. Behind it he could see Jacks eyes rolling open and shut. "I-" before Jack could finish he fell sideways, following the wall and over the end of the bed. Fortunately Nightlight was there to catch him in time. In his arms he continued to sleep as Bunnymund thundered to his side. "What happened? Is he okay?"

Nightlight didn't answer, he carried the exhausted sprite back around and laid him on the bed. Once content he turned back to the Pooka and pointed his staff towards the window.

Bunnymund rose to his feet keeping his head down. "I'll get the others." He watched Nightlight run a couple of checks on him, focusing particularly on his eyes. As the Pooka headed to the door he took one last look at them both. "Do...-" Bunnymund struggled to find his sentence. Seeing Jack like that scared Bunnymund. It drained and hurt him to see someone, anyone act like that. Worst of all he knew Pitch had to do something with it. "Do you know what's wrong with him?" he finally finished his shoulders slouching not his usual posture at all.

Nightlight continued running his checks and once appeased he stuck his right hand towards Bunnymund signalling a 'maybe' sign by twisting his wrist keeping his palm facing down.

"N-no…You…ahh-" Jack moaned in his sleep wincing every so often as his head twisted sharply. At this Bunnymund removed himself from the room and left to fetch the other Guardians. Jack's breathing was getting louder and sweat started to slope down his face. Through his mumbles Nightlight gently stroked his forehead, brushing the hair out of his eyes.

'He's burning up…' Nightlight couldn't help but notice. The grip on his staff slowly tightened, his knuckles turning white as he continued to stare down at Jack.

Have faith, he'll recover

Nightlight felt the little glowing orb in his staff radiate onto his face. Nightlight sighed 'It's my fault he's like this. If I… I had only...'

But it was I that found you and brought you back.

'Only I should be dealing with Pitch.' The grip on his staff released as he turned away rubbing his forehead in thought before looking to his staff point again 'Why is he so focused on this young Immortal?' The question had been burning in Nightlight's head ever since Jack had arrived.

I may not know the reason, but I will not stop protecting him. Will you?

Nightlight looked from the glowing light to Jack in his now disturbed sleep. 'I will be there to protect him. Yet I fear Pitch already has plans for him…' Nightlight stepped closer to Jack, resting his left hand on Jack's forehead and his right hand softly on Jack's chin, he tilted his head out slightly and looked closer at the black scar residing underneath.

The wound is evil.

'Very…' Nightlight agreed.

"I…v-vow…watch over…the children of the…world"

'What is he saying?' Nightlight twisted his head to one side slightly confused.

It's the Guardians vow… probably the last thing he can hold onto...

"Guar-d them… with my –l-life…" he winced again, his breathing a lot heavier and sharper hissing in his throat. "their hopes…wishes…an-nd…dreams." Nightlight sat next to Jack on his bed and stroked it softly again, hushing him; trying to settle him as he continued repeat the vow over and over.

I dream of a door.

A wide wooden door, almost fit for a king.

I don't know how its here

I don't know why its here

But its there.

Jack!

And every time I visit it...

I'm scared - Don't let them get me

I hear her voice

Stop it!

That voice

Jack..! Jack!

It keeps haunting me.

It's driving me insane.

Don't leave me hear!

Please!

Come home!

I always walk towards it. I always want to go through, but someone's watching me.

Whether he wants me to go through I don't know.

So I leave.

And her voice screams louder.

JACK!

...

'It's dark but, I feel warm…' Jack swallowed the lump in his throat as he tried to body ached, he tried to roll his head from one side to the other; which he could do but only painfully. 'What's going on..?'

"Jack? Can you hear me?" Jack recognized the voice, soft, gentle and female.

"Tooth is that?"

There was a small chuckle of hope, maybe relief. "It's me," she replied, by the tone of her voice he could tell she was smiling. Her soft sound was very gentle and yet a hint of concern was present too. "We're all here." Tooth informed him.

Jack bit his lip as he pushed himself to sit up in front of them. His legs were left outstretched in front of him (too stiff to move) so his arms locked behind him holding him up. Jack closed his eyes tighter before slowly opening them. His eyebrows furrowed confused.

"Why- why can't I see?" Jack asked them all, he couldn't tell if they were there or not, now twisting his head testing to see if looking through a different angle would help but to no avail.

It was Bunnymund that put him out of his misery. "We think Pitch has cursed you, just trust us for a minute would ya." He explained, meanwhile Jack slowly turned his head trying to find out where each Guardian was standing.

"What do you mean? What's with the blindfold?" Jack asked getting a little annoyed now.

"When you look at us, you see fearlings?" Bunnymund suggested? Jack couldn't tell if it was a statement or a question though.

"In my dreams," he corrected him. "I see, copies, morphs… impersonations of you all out of the nightmare sand." He explained. "You all look twisted, deformed in some manner…" his head titled to the ground slightly. Jack could hear the humming of sand brushing against each other. Sandy must have been trying to suggest something.

"But you have to understand Jack, it is really us." Tooth encouraged. "You're not dreaming, you're eyes are deceiving you." She explained.

"And my ears aren't as well?" Jack challenged leaving them to mumble, but Tooth persisted.

"You have to trust us okay?" She tried to reassure, but Jack could make a sense of 'doubt this would work' in her voice. There was a bit of a pause. He guessed they were discussing what to do, when actually they just looked at each other for ideas.

"Jack, I'm going to remove the blindfold. Do you understand?" Tooth asked. Jack raised his head to her, feeling the flutter of wind brush his face from her wings. He shivered a little, feeling her hand stroke the side of his cheek.

"How can I know it's you?" Jack asked as he felt her hands untying the knot. He closed his eyes feeling the cloth fall from his eyes.

"Open them Jack…" Tooth called to him as she drew away.

Instead Jack just closed them tighter. "I'm scared." He whispered softly before taking deep breaths and calming himself. Slowly he started to open them, they were hazy at first, but as he started to focus his stomach churned as he saw five gleaming figures smiling evilly at him.

There was a tall lanky one to the right, next to him a plumper one and in front stood a similar sized one to Jack with the darkest smile, to the right of him a much shorter one and on the other side, hovering in the air was the last.

He kept his eyes focused on the flying one, ruling it out as the only one that can meet Tooth's characteristics (as she was still flying). The flying Nightmare lowered its clawed hand to Jack.

He starred at it before starring at the Nightmare who urged him to take it. Hesitantly and slowly (bringing his legs to now hang off the edge of the bed to twist his body and not strain his arm) he took her hand. It felt warmer than he'd imagined.

The rest of the Guardians were silent, not wanting to push Jack too far and leave the mothering Guardian to it.

"Answer me this." Tooth instructed as she held his hand as once he placed it in hers. "If I was a true creature of Darkness, I wouldn't have a heart would I?" She asks as she sits next to him on the bed.

Jack opened his mouth to answer, but couldn't find the words. Instead he clenched his teeth and just focused on the ground where the Nightmare was just levitating. He couldn't help his body shivering his mind begging him to run, as the Nightmare sat next to him.

"But listen…" Tooth whispered into his ear. With her free hand she gently pulled Jack closer to her, resting his head on her feathered chest. "…can't you hear it?"

"You're heart…" Jack kept his eyes to the floor as Tooth brought him to her to embrace him. He felt her clawed hand caress his hair before holding him a little tighter, her arms wrapping round him as she gently rocked him.

"I –" Jack stammered, his heart ached the most out of every muscle in his body, maybe it was trying to see around them, he couldn't tell. Perhaps it was from the love and family he felt from the Guardians. For sure, this feeling was new to him, but not completely foreign. "I know its you… but,"

"We still appear like them?" Tooth asked to which Jack nodded. She gently pulled away from the hug and tried to look into his eyes, but he kept them to the ground.

"We have a friend here who thinks he can help." Bunnymund stepped forward a little as he informed Jack, all the Guardians stared as Jack started to laugh to himself. "What's-"

"Don't make me laugh…" Jack chuckled softer "its Pitch isn't it." Jack challenged again, to which he received an enthused answer from Bunnymund with his usual low toned groan.

Again Nightlight scratched the back of his head as he rolled his shoulders.

"We might as well try" Bunnymund thought allowed as he looked to North who nodded once. Nightlight huffed loudly trying to calm himself as he took his staff up to level with his shoulders. Once positioned the staff end started to glow.

End Chapter 14

Stay tuned for 27/04 for Chapter 15 - Deception

A.N. So! Early Chapter to say thanks to all the great response on the last chapter!

I honestly didn't think people would still be around for this story :P So you know who you are but I'm going to mention you anyway :P

AnaEl92
Googs04
Canadiangirl13
The Bloodless
OtakuAme
Magiccatprincess
Naturefreak88
CrystalPeak
Redblade
ElvenstarImrahil
CaptainHooksGirl

Thanks you guys so much its great to hear what you guys think and inspires (and encourages me) to write more :D
So Jack is waking! Slowly! :/ I wonder how they'll get Jack back to normal

See you Saturday

Cloaki xx