A/N

Hey everyone! I'm back! And thanks for all the continued support! Ahhh! It's just so great! :3

Okay, so this chapter kind of combines two people's request. LunnyBunny, who wanted to see something with Pitch, and lexi1220, who wanted to see something with Jack's staff getting broken/damaged. Yes! Something goes down with the staff here! :0

To wolfwarrior1999, I haven't forgotten about you request. I'm working on a concept for it so that the misunderstanding makes sense. It's a great idea, and I'm really excited about it! ;)

Anyway, enjoy!

Warning: bit of blood and some angst.

A Powerful Bond

"Bunny…? Bunny. Bunny! Wake up!"

Bunny groaned and blinked as the soft voice stirred him from unconsciousness. He felt a small hand on his arm gently shaking him. Slowly, his vision cleared and he saw that it was the Tooth Fairy that was waking him.

Bunny sighed deeply, sat up and rubbed his head. "What happened Shelia?"

Tooth shook her head. "I don't remember much, but we were in the sleigh. There was this dark mass in front of us, and we collided with it. I remember struggling and shouting…then seeing the ground, and after that it's a blank."

Bunny looked at the ground and thought about it himself. He remembered flying in the sleigh, just as Tooth had said. All of the Guardian were on their way to the Red Forest in the Ukraine. Jack had mentioned how they never went anywhere together about a week ago, and thought it would be nice to have a sort of…vacation. It was only for a day, so really, it was more of an outing, but the original four Guardians had agreed, thinking it would be nice to take a break and get out for a while. Jack, of course, had traveled the world extensively for centuries and knew many beautiful places that would be of interest to visit. The veteran Guardians had agreed that, since it had been Jack's suggestion, he should decide where they went too. He had decided on the Red Forest. There was no denying that Jack had a fondness for forests, as he found each of them beautiful and unique. He had insisted that they travel by sleigh, saying that the view of the forest from the clouds was part of the experience of the trip, much to Bunny's great disliking.

Today was the day they had scheduled the outing for, and they each had been excited, even though Bunny could feel his stomach turning at the prospect of flying. But during the flight, something had happened. Bunny could remember this dark mass as well, but…it had all blurred at some point.

"Where are the others?" He asked Tooth. They were sitting in a clearing. Not in the Red Forest, but in a wooded area that they must've been traveling above during their trip.

Tooth moved out of the way, and Bunny saw that Sandy was doing all that he could to help North, who was clutching his head, get into a sitting position. The pair was quite a way's away and he could tell by the golden man's symbols that he was in the middle of updating North on all that he remembered. Even further behind them, Bunny saw what remained of the Cossack's sleigh. The reindeer's were not in sight, but Bunny knew they were trained well and would show up eventually, weather that were here or at the pole.

"Sandy was the one who woke me up, then we split up to wake who we each saw first." Tooth elaborated. "Sandy saw North closes, and I found you here."

Bunny's head immediately snapped around so their gazes met. "So, ya haven't seen Jack?"

"No. I was doing what I could to-" She went on to explain, but Bunny's attention had already turned to sniffing the air for a familiar sent. He focused his keen senses, picking up on what he was searching for as he felt Wind tickle his ears in the direction the sent was coming from. Bunny felt his heart drop a bit as he picked up on the metallic tinge of blood as well.

Turning in the direction he knew he would find the boy, he was met with a distant image of a blue lump lying at the edge of the clearing. Bunny gained his footing, and hopping over, he was at Jack's side in about five seconds.

Jack laid on his side with his back facing the pooka. Bunny gently turned the boy over, and winced at the sight of him. The crash had thrown him quite a distance away and, therefore, littered the boy in cuts, and bruises. Luckily, he didn't appear too harmed. The worst of his injuries seemed to be the large gash that stretch from his forehead to his temple. It was bleeding quite badly, but head injuries always did.

The others had made it over to the pair just as Bunny managed to put his heart back in its proper place.

"He's alright." He said, alleviating some of the worry the others were sure to have. "Got a bad gash though. May need some stitches."

The others knelt around the pair as Bunny gathered Jack into his arms, pillowing his head and surly re-positioning the boy into a more comfortable position. Tooth crouched in front of them gently running her fingers through his hair as North and Sandy hovered close by.

"Wake up Sweet Tooth." Toothed urged gently. Jack didn't stir.

"C'mon Snowflake, ya heard her. Wake up!" Bunny said, tone not quite as gentle as Tooth's. He shook the winter teen's shoulder as well in hopes to arouse him. Still, there was no response.

"Jack, sweetie, please!" Tooth said, moving her small hand to cup his cheek. This time, Jack let out a small humming noise.

"That's it mate! All the way now!" Bunny said encouragingly as he saw Jack's eyes flutter a bit.

A few moments later, Jack was looking at them though glazed and confused eyes. He squeezed his eyes shut, and groaned as he no doubt felt the pain from his bruises and the gash on his head hitting him full on.

"Ow." He croaked.

Bunny smirked as North let out a hearty chuckle.

"'Ow' indeed my boy!" The Cossack boomed.

"North, this is not funny!" Tooth exclaimed, examining Jack's gash with her hands on either side of his face. "He's hurt! And all you do is stand there laughing." She turned her gaze to glare daggers at the Christmas spirit.

Bunny saw Jack's dangerous smirk as his eyes lit up with an idea while Tooth's attention was redirected.

Jack winced, and immediately, Tooth's eyes softened as they turned to him. She gently began stroking his hair again.

Jack made a little groaning sound, and turned his puppy dog eyes to Tooth's worried ones. In a very meek voice, he said. "I saw Bunny laughing too…"

Uh-oh.

Quick as lightning, Tooth's sharp gaze cut Bunny right in two. Damn that Shelia and her mothering!

"Why would you laugh at him when he's hurt?!" She said, poking his nose, and making the pooka go cross eyed. "How would you like it if you were lying here, bleeding from your head, and your friends were laughing at you?!"

Sandy couldn't help the small chuckle that caused his shoulders to shake. That is until, Tooth turned her razor sharp gaze to him.

"What's so funny Sandy?" She asked with an innocent steel to her voice.

Sandy just stared at her, wide eyed and without words…literally. He raised his hands in a shrug and pulled the an awkward, confused look with a shaky grin.

With her attention now on Sandy, Bunny was able to look back down at Jack, who he still had pillowed in his arms. The boy was grinning his famous, mischievous grin, appearing quite satisfied with himself. Bunny met his gaze. Jack wiggled his eyebrows. Bunny rolled his eyes.

"Will ya quit with ya mothering Shelia!" Bunny blurted. "The boy's fine! Now c'mon. Let's go over what we all remember happening here."

Tooth looked back down at Jack, and saw him smile at her innocently. She blushed and gave a small smile as she realized he had used her to for his own amusements.

"Right." She said, making to stand.

Bunny helped Jack to his feet. Jack was a bit dizzy from the head injury, and had to stand slowly to avoid getting a head rush. For the most part, the gash had frozen over and was no longer bleeding. But a lot of blood had made it down the side of his face, making him look a little more worst for wear.

Wind blew across her boy's face gently, ruffling his hair and asking if he were alright.

"Yeah, I'm okay Wind. Thanks."

To this day, it still amazed Bunny and the others how Jack could talk to Wind so effortlessly.

"Wait!" Jack said, freezing in place as worry took over his expression. "Where's my staff?!"

"Perhaps, I could be of assistance."

Bunny turned, looking for the owner of that immensely hated and familiar voice. But before he could get a good look around, Jack began screaming and doubled over, clutching at his middle.

Bunny's eyes went wide with horrified confusion as he steadied the boy. Wind was in a fuss as well, swirling in the air frantically, stirring up surrounding debris, yet powerless to be of any help.

"Pitch! Stop!" Bunny heard North boom. He turned to look at the bulking man, still holding Jack close in one arm and drawing a boomerang with the other. The Cossack's swords were drawn as he looked to a spot deeper in the woods. Directing his attention that way, Bunny saw the Nightmare King holding Jack's staff in front of him above his other hand, which held…a medieval torch?

Bunny's eyes were drawn back to Jack as he grabbed the pooka's arm, trying to hold himself up as screams of pain tore from his throat tenfold.

Pitch had moved the staff closer to the fire.

"Stop!" Both Tooth and North screamed in anger. Sandy drew and snapped his whips threateningly.

Pitch only chuckled.

"You know…" Pitch drawled on, finally taking the lit torch away from the staff. Bunny felt Jack slump in relief. The boy panted and Bunny kept one arm wrapped around Jack, helping him stand on his unsteady feet. "That massive cloud of Nightmare Sand and shadows I used to knock you all from the air nearly drained me of all the energy I have recuperated since out last meeting." Pitch continued, expression going dark. "But I have to say, it's been worth it so far."

"What do you want Pitch?!" Tooth demanded, eyes sharp as daggers and her razor wings fluttering dangerously.

Pitch chuckled once again. "Just to test my theory. Put it to experimentation." He said, carelessly twirling Jack's staff. He turned to meet the winter child's gaze. "Ever since our little encounter in Antarctica, I've had so many…ideas."

Jack shook his head, eyes wide and disbelieving. "You've figured it out, haven't you?"

Pitch grinned, an evil glint to his golden eyes. "For the most part."

"What? Figured out what?" Bunny asked, eyes flickering between the pair.

"Keeping secrets, aren't we Jack?" Pitch said, clearly enjoying this encounter. "Would you like to tell them?"

They all turned to Jack expectantly, but he only continued to stare at Pitch, anger and disbelief stealing over his expression. Looking deeper into his crystal blue eyes, Bunny swore he saw another emotion lingering there…defeat.

"No?" Pitch said, feigning surprise. "Well, I'll take the burden from you then child." Pitch tossed the lit torch into the shadows, where it disappeared. He held Jack's staff still, gesturing with it as he began his speech.

"I'm sure, by now, Jack at least told you of our conversation one joyous Easter not so long ago?" The Guardians nodded, recalling a conversation where Jack had admitted to getting tempted to taking Pitch's offer to…'join the dark side' basically.

"Good." Pitch continued. "At least I don't have to explain all of that. However…" Pitch raised Jack's staff examining about the mid-point of it closely. "Did he tell you about our little trade?"

The Guardian's looked confused. Jack had only mentioned how he had rejected the offer to join Pitch in his crazed scheme to throw the world into darkness.

"Baby Tooth." Jack said as they all turned to him. "He had Baby Tooth, and it looked like he was crushing her. He said he'd let her go if I gave him my staff. So I did."

"Yes!" Pitch said excitedly. "As we all had learned at that point, Jack's staff here is vital to him for his magic. I figured he couldn't come to your aid without it."

"But…" Tooth said. "Later in Burgess…you had your staff?"

"And it was whole." Pitch stated lazily.

"Whole?" North asked.

"He went back on his deal." Jack said, glaring at the dark spirit. "He didn't let Baby Tooth go, so he threw her into a ravine after she stabbed him with her beak. And…he broke my staff and threw me down with her."

"And also, mistakenly, the pieces of your staff." Pitch recalled, bitterly. "At the time I had thought it to be the source of your magic. Not a conduit." He turned back to his examination of Jack's staff. "Therefore, as we all know, you were able to fix it, and quite seamlessly at that."

Bunny shook his head, looking at the boy he still helped to hold him steady in one arm. "Why didn't you tell us? I thought you trusted us?"

"No! It's not that!" Jack exclaimed, quickly working to get his point across. "I had fixed it! My staff, I mean. And Baby Tooth was safe. I didn't think about! It didn't seem important!"

"Ah! But it is important, isn't it Jack?" Pitch interrupted, twirling the staff carelessly once again. "While the staff is only a conduit, it's still very important to you…and Wind."

Oh no. Jack thought as hopelessness constricted him like a vice. He really has figured it out.

Wind was rushing around in a frenzy. Her only thought was that of utter disbelief as she repeatedly denied this occurrence as happening! It just couldn't be!

Pitch's grin widened.

"You see Guardians, while Jack's magic lies within him, his staff is important for focusing that source. His scattered mind cannot conjure the big storms without a focal point…" Here, he paused, licking his lips slightly at the taste of Jack's fear. "Nor could Wind assist him without it."

Jack was shaking his head, wanting to deny this day. Wanting to wake up, because this surly was a nightmare!

The other Guardians looked between Pitch and Jack, confusion over what was happening.

"Jack's staff is not only a conduit for him, but for Wind as well." Pitch looked at the staff, almost in awe at what the centuries old piece of wood symbolized. "It's the formation of their bond. It's why Jack can fly and communicate with Wind. Why he understands her. Why blizzards and snowfalls are carried all over the world simultaneously! It's why Jack doesn't have to be present for every snowfall that occurs around the globe! Because Wind can call upon his magic upon request, and carry it to where it needs to be! The two are so intricately bonded, their magic combined and working together in perfect harmony…because of a piece of wood."

The Big Four couldn't believe their ears. It all made sense.

Ironic, really, that a bond so strong and powerful was held together by such a plain and fragile thing. So easy to break, like Achilles' heel…once you've figured it out.

"Alone, the two are powerful, but together?!" Pitch went on, that same awed look crossing his face. "One literally helps the world turn, and the other has the control over for most powerful, and deadly season at his fingertips!" Pitch shook his head, smirking at the fearful winter teen. "And then they bond. Unknowingly forming, what is likely, the most powerful magical bond on this planet! But, did they do it for the sake of power?...No." Pitch feigned sympathy. "But to end loneliness…to have a friend.

Both needed a focal point, a conduit." Pitch continued, running his fingers lovingly over the staff. "Such diverse magic, so intimately intertwined and held together…inside a stick."

"That's why it hurts…" Tooth whispered, turning her large watering eyes to Jack.

Pitch laughed. "Exactly my dear! Harming Jack's staff won't kill him, or leave any physical damage… "He smirked once more and practically whispered: "But it'll feel like he's dying."

With that, Pitch held out his free hand, summoning the lit, medieval torch from the shadows and touching it to the staff.

Jack crumpled in on himself, screaming in pain as it felt like he himself were on fire. Bunny held onto him as steadily as he could.

North was having none of it! He had watch Pitch have his fun over torturing the boy for too long and he would not stand for the Nightmare King's dark humor anymore more.

Raising his blades, he charged Pitch with more speed and agility than his bulking size would suggest. He was hell bent on slicing Pitch into pieces and tossing him back into the shadows.

Pitch was quick though, but his instincts acted in defense before his mind could intervene.

Pitch raised Jack's staff to protect himself from North sabers.

North had no time to pull back.

He sliced through…

Jack's pained scream tore through the forest as the winter child collapsed in on himself.

A/N

Sorry for the cliffy! I will update Monday! :)

Hopefully, next chapter will answer some questions this one may have stirred, but if you still have some, let me know!

Feel free to comment and request!

Thanks!