Hello everyone! Sorry this took me a bit, I meant to update this yesterday but I was slightly busy. It was my birthday and I went out to the movies and book shopping! XD But here it is now, again sorry it took so long!

As always I don't own Rise of the Guardians or The Guardians of Childhood book series, they belong to William Joyce and DreamWorks! Hope you like it! Oh! And a BIG THANK YOU to the amazing Sumi-Sprite as well as the awesome PennamePersona for helping me with this chapter!

Of Shadows and Moonlight

Chapter 20: Black Christmas (part 3)

The baby girl looked up at her daddy from his fingers that she had been nuzzling against and was still hugging tightly. She was babbling and giggling happily as she stared up at him in what was the image of absolute innocence, love and complete and utter adoration.

And just like that the Nightmare King felt any last ounce of fight he had go up in flames.

"You had seriously better appreciate what I'm about to do for you young lady."

That was what he had said. That was what he had told her. And THAT was the most current reason for his once again torrent of raging emotions and arguments in the center of his soul… Or what little he had left of one anyway.

Once more Pitch found himself debating whether or not he should be doing this. And though this battle was far less catastrophic than the ones prior to it, it was still the definition of a complete pain in the ass.

One side of his being was telling him to just drop it, forget the whole damn thing and stop being a bloody fool. Though he had been telling himself this all month. Maybe he could simply take Kadence to see the snow or something. She liked the cold right?... Though when he thought about it more fully the last season he wanted the little girl to like was winter, and he certainly didn't need her to be falling in love with snow. For obvious reasons.

Plus tonight was Christmas Eve. Yeah, they wouldn't be taking any little fieldtrips outside tonight.

The other half of him- though he couldn't actually tell if it was him or the voice saying this- was, of course, protesting the other half and argued that this would make Kadence happy and damn it all he was her father! He had a responsibility to do that and to try and make her childhood-…

Oh dear God, now he was actually thinking like one of the moons idiotic puppets?!

"Just what in the name of darkness has happened to my life…?" He muttered in both exasperation and irritation as his jaw clenched shut.

Would you like a list?

Oh good, the voice was back.

Well for one you decided to adopt, for another you leave nearly all the work up to the Nightmares and hardly ever go out into the field yourself anymore, and then of course there's the fact your changing dirty di-

"Will you just piss off already?!"

Hey, you asked.

The sound that escaped the Nightmare King's throat was some kind of mix between a sigh of complete and total exasperation, and the sound a baby bird makes when it's being run over by a steam roller.

Kadence giggled at the funny noise and clapped her hands, once again making Pitch's internal battle all the more difficult. Though he wasn't completely aware she was doing it, too caught up in his own mental argument to really notice as he carried the little girl down through the seemingly endless tunnels to the library.

The infant in his arms though didn't seem to mind she didn't have his full attention and found amusement when he would make those funny sounds. Kadence did wonder why her daddy kept talking to himself, she didn't mind though, she loved the sound of her daddy's voice anyway.

Kadence took the moment of her father's distraction to look around a little bit, eyeing the large stalactites that hung down from the ceiling that nearly hit her daddy on the head before they came into the big open room she really liked.

She could really only look up and to the side- the other way being blocked by her daddy's chest- because of the way Pitch was holding her, but she didn't really mind. She looked up at all of the gothic bird cages that hung down from the ceiling on thick black chains, reaching up to try to grab ahold of one like she often did before huffing in irritation. She never was big enough to grab them.

Kadence didn't realize yet what they were for, nor did she realize just how amazing it was she could see them at all.

Her ability to see so clearly in the darkness, very much like her father, was really impressive and Pitch had found himself thinking about this before, simply figuring it was another one of the little girl's unnatural abilities but still finding himself proud of it for whatever reason.

Hey, she was the daughter of the Boogeyman after all. Adopted or not.

Once in awhile Kadence would see just a slight movement in the corner of her eye and briefly catch a Nightmare in her sight before it would suddenly vanish and she would either pout or giggle at the silly creatures she liked to pet and hug. Giggling because of the funny sounds they would make- she didn't know they were anxious nickers and wines for fear of their lives- and pouting because she couldn't play with them.

The two of them quickly made their way through the large cavern and entered yet another dark tunnel, following the twists and turns it made through the Earth. Kadence was curious as to wear they were going but soon grew bored with looking at her surroundings and turned her attention back to her favorite doll.

Pitch didn't even notice what his little girl was doing as he carried her through the darkness of the caves, too lost in his own mind and basically running on autopilot. His body seemingly moving on its own through muscle memory as he came closer and closer to the library and to the objects of his torment.

With every step the two sided battle in his mind slowly began to be pushed aside as he took to repeating a few specific lines that were doing little to keep his minimal at best sanity intact.

"I'm the Nightmare King, the Bogeyman, I'm not a Guardian, I'm just giving her some things she needs, I'm not a Guardian, I'm not a Guardian, I'm not a Guardian..." He muttered under his breath, not even noticing that he was actually speaking out loud nor knowing who he was really trying to convince.

You are so far into denial it's incredible. The voice chimed, Pitch just ignored it.

Not long after he began his little chant, the Nightmare King found himself in front of the large ebony doors that lead to what once was his haven and what now served as-

OK you seriously need to stop being so overdramatic. Think of the example you are setting for Kadence!

For once Pitch decided not to argue on that point and just sighed in defeat, willing the large, decretive doors open before slowly stepping inside. Silently deciding to just get this the hell over with and then forget about it later with a pint of Irish Whisky when Kadence was asleep…

Said little girl suddenly squealed in delight as they entered the room and she recognized where she was. Her focus once more traveled from her horse doll to her immediate surroundings of the room she liked even better than the room with the black swingy things from the ceiling. Though it really only made sense she'd like this place so much, it being her father's favorite room as well and where he took her for hours pretty much every day.

A second little play area was settled in the corner behind a small gate-like wall of nightmare sand, very much like the one in her room; a small bassinet set up next to it where Kadence once in awhile took her nap- though she rarely slept anywhere but in Pitch's arms.

Without even realizing what he was actually doing the Nightmare King made his way over to the little girl's playpen, leaning down to pick up a small butterfly shaped rattle before handing it to Kadence who gladly took the colorful toy with a happy squeal and irrupted into a fit of giggling as she shook it.

Pitch held the little girl securely in his arms as she bounced and wriggled, slowly making his way over to the couch and reclining back, suddenly lost in thought and more or less numb to much of anything; unconsciously listening to the bright laughter of his daughter as she played with her rattle while he smiled lightly down at her.

And you are once again trying to put this off.

However that fond smile dropped like a rock as once more that oh so pleasant voice in the back of his skull decided to throw in its two cents.

Seriously just get it over with if it's so damn bad! Do you honestly think-

"Will you just piss off for ten bloody minuets?!" He growled angrily while practically glaring a hole into the coffee table in front of him. All he wanted was a little peace and quiet for ten minutes. Ten minutes!

Was that really too much to ask?!

Apparently. What was a near perfect mirror imitation of his own voice responded and Pitch could just picture his reflection with a completely deadpan look that screamed 'unimpressed' at the very least.

All he could bring himself to do was glare at the mental image of himself.

But after about 30 seconds of a one a one man staring contest the reflected image in his mind suddenly sighed.

Why? It asked, the image of himself crossing it's arms and raising a questioning brow. What are you so concerned about?

Pitch scoffed at the question, rolling his eyes and securing his hold on the little girl in his arms that was still squirming around playing with her toy, completely unaware of her father's current inner turmoil. Well, actually the turmoil he'd been in all damn month but that was beside the point.

"You're me." He deadpanned, nearly resisting the urge to scream. "You should be more than aware of exactly what my problem is!"

Again the image shrugged in his head.

I do.

Okay, seriously resisting the urge to scream, Pitch could practically feel his eye twitching as his teeth ground together in frustration. "Then what the bloody hell-"

I want to hear you say it.

THAT, was enough to make the Nightmare King give pause.

He blinked, his mind taking about twenty steps back before blinking again. Had he just…? In all honesty he had expected a few different things when it came to responses from his own personal Jiminy Cricket. But that? That had not been one of them.

"What…?" He rasped, confusion and shock coating the words that practically crawled out of his throat.

The voice didn't seem at all fazed. I said, 'I want to hear you say it'. I want you to admit it to yourself, the real reasons you are hesitant to even say the word 'Christmas' around Kadence.

This time Pitch felt his eyes narrow dangerously. "I don't have any idea what you-"

Don't try to play dumb here, I'm you remember? The voice cut him off before he could continue, suddenly sounding dangerously close to annoyance as it tried to make it's point.

Pitch scoffed, adjusting his hold on Kadence as she played while glaring into the fireplace. "Fine then," He said evenly.

"I don't want her to have Christmas," he practically spat the word as if it were some kind of blasphemy. "Because she doesn't need it."

"She doesn't need such idiotic things like Christmas and Easter or to have that demented hummingbird and her army of flying pompoms coming to collect her teeth in the middle of the night! She doesn't need it!" He spat bitterly, his eyes narrowed and sending daggers into the roaring fire as his jaw set.

"I can give her anything she could possibly need and she does not require the foolish bribes that those idiotic dolts offer to the children of the world!"

Pitch could feel his anger steadily rising with every word and he had to restrain himself from increasing his grip on Kadence so as not to hurt the small child that was still oblivious to her father's growing fury as she played contently in his arms.

"She does not need them! She doesn't need anything they can give her she is above such demented notions and she is-"

She is still a child.

THAT was enough to make the Nightmare King give brief pause.

Pitch felt his eyes widen slightly as those words suddenly echoed through his head. It made his tense muscles loosen slightly in shock as his rant was abruptly cut off once more by the strange voice in the back of his mind that he was beginning to strongly suspect that was only there to drive him fully off of the edge into insanity.

The voice itself though didn't stop there, taking his moment of stunned silence to finally try to get it's point across to what was easily one of the most stubborn beings in existence.

She is a child, Pitch. It repeated, calm and steady as if it were somehow approaching an aggravated animal. Which in a way it was.

A child who is growing up in a world that is arguably growing darker and darker and is slowly losing the little bits of pure light it still has. And she is growing up smack dab in the center of some of the deepest darkness there is.

Pitch had absolutely NO response to that.

He didn't know what to say. What could he even say to that? He couldn't bring himself to retaliate no matter how much he may have wanted to because that would have thrown him into an even deeper state of denial and even he wasn't insane enough to go that far. So all he could do was remain quiet and wait for the voice to continue, knowing there was no way it could possibly done.

And it wasn't.

You're trying, I know, and you are succeeding. It said, still even but also hard, leaving behind not a single inch of room for argument.

But there are some things you're not going to be able to do for her, not completely, no matter how much you may want to. And as much as I know you despise the idea- and that's putting it lightly. Pitch actually did manage to finally glare at that bit but none the less remained quiet. However that was about to quickly change.

They can provide Kadence with something you can't. You're not exactly Mr. Hope and Wonder.

And cue the end of slightly productive silence.

"So what do you want me to do then?!" Pitch demanded harshly. His expression immediately pulled back into an almost ravenous snarl as he bared his teeth threateningly as if he were talking to the source of this demented voice in his head face to face.

His body unconsciously moved to pull Kadence slightly closer to himself, shifting her weight and holding her securely against his chest as if something was about to appear out of the shadows and try to snatch her away.

"What?!" He repeated, the darkness around them beginning to writhe and shudder in reaction to his outraged emotions and causing the shadows to grow larger and blacker. "You want me to just hand her over to those damn Guardians?! To come out and just say 'Here's my daughter, the child of your most hated enemy living under a roof of eternal darkness and nightmares!'"

That isn't what- The voice tried to intercede, clearly seeing that Pitch had taken things the worst possibly way, but it was cut off harshly as the Boogeyman continued.

"Oh but don't worry!" He said, dark sarcasm practically dripping off of his tongue at this point as he rolled his eyes. "It's absolutely fine because she was given to me by none other than Tsar Lunar himself and the glowing little pinprick who apparently thought the best person to take care of her was somehow ME!"

I'm saying that you owe her the chance to grow up as normally and as happily as any other child!

Once more Pitch was forced to give pause as the voice suddenly cut back in with more agitated anger than he had ever heard from the psychotic thing. The Nightmare King relented just slightly but refused to release the secure grip on his daughter or loosen his protective posture in any way shape or form as the voice continued to practically scream at him.

Not to the extent that would attract their attention. And as soon as she is old enough to understand it, which probably won't be too long all things considered! You need to tell her the truth! It snapped.

Pitch couldn't help how wide his eyes suddenly shot open as his brain managed to register what he had just been told.

You need to tell her why she has to be careful. It said, this time much quieter as if it were attempting to try and calm itself back down after its blowup.

You have to eventually explain why it is that if she ever sees a walking Popsicle or a giant bloody hummingbird she needs to act like she's never even heard of you before running as fast as she can to the nearest shadow because I know damn well that is what you are going to teach her to do.

Pitch lowered his eyes slightly at that, looking now toward the wrapped black box on the table, knowing that was exactly what he had planned to teach her as soon as she was old enough to be able to understand it. Though he had to admit he didn't want to have to tell her everything about why exactly this was the case or why they had to live the way that they did.

He wasn't looking forward to that at all.

But despite that, despite everything that you know could and most likely would happen if the Guardians were to ever find out about her,

The voice paused a moment, as if debating on what he should say next before Pitch could have sworn he heard it let out some sort of sigh.

You need to know that she deserves to fide the same joy and happiness as any other little girl.

"But-!" Pitch jumped in, ready to protest and explain in a rant that could have very well lasted hours why exactly that was a horrible idea and all the things that could and would go wrong because of it. But he was silenced as the voice continued before he could really get started.

I know! I know…

The Boogeyman waited as the voice silenced itself for a moment, as if it were debating on whether or not it should actually say what was next or it was simply trying to form the right words to say what had to be said.

But can you honestly say that she would be better off without such things?

Silence was its only answer.

You know better than anyone else just how cruel, dark and miserable the world can truly be. And despite everything that's happened, despite it all don't you think that maybe, just maybe… Once more it hesitated and at this point it was taking all Pitch had not to scream in frustration before it said one last thing that was so quiet the Nightmare King was not even sure if he had heard anything at all.

Just maybe Kadence's happiness is worth it?

Pitch wasn't sure just how many times he had been struck into shock that day, and at this point he was pretty sure he didn't even want to know. But again he found himself simply sitting there, eyes wide and without even a single response to what he had just been told.

Meanwhile, while Pitch was having his little mental episode, down on his lap, Kadence was enjoying her quality time with her favorite little stuffed horsey, having lost interest in her rattle and now snuggling with her favorite doll.

Hugging the plush toy tight, she giggled as its yarn mane tickled her nose. Looking up at her daddy, she cocked her head curiously at the odd look on his face. He looked rather...spaced. Granted, she did not know what that word meant yet, but it seemed to fit his expression rather well.

He seemed to be staring at something too. Looking up, Kadence caught sight of a black mass sitting perched on a table ahead of them. She cocked her head, blinking her large eyes.

What was that? Was it a toy? Was it maybe one of her daddy's toys? Did he even have any toys?

Her curiosity piqued, Kadence looked up at Pitch again, before down at the ground. It wasn't too far down, and he was too spacey to notice her planning her escape. Carefully, she threw down her Nightmare plush toy on the floor, then slid down Pitch's legs, and landed with a 'thump' on the plush toy. She smiled, giggling at her successful escape before picked up the plushy, and made a beeline crawl for the low hanging table, a grin plastered on her face.

Pitch, meanwhile, was completely oblivious to the lack of baby girl in his lap, so absorbed in the little fantasy world he was trapped in. Blinking owlishly, Pitch's mind began to wander as he slowly drifted out of his little panic session after the voice in his head had long since left. Damn it all, what was he even doing? Why was he freaking out like this? He was only giving her a gift, not having his vital organs removed. For Moon's sake, she was too young to even know what Christmas was!

Pitch eventually sighed heavily, running a hand slowly down his face in a futile attempt to rub some of the exhaustion out of his eyes. "Your father is going senile. Where does that leave you princess?...princess?"

Pitch looked down at his lap, just then realizing he wasn't feeling his daughter there, and when he saw nothing but his own legs and cloak of course he did the only logical and natural thing to do in that situation.

He immediately began to panic.

Kadence?" looking around with wide eyes, Pitch got up from his seat and looked around the library frantically, his mind shooting back to the few other times Kadence had somehow managed to disappear and only serving to make his panic grow farther even with the knowledge he always found her eventually. "Kadence!? Where did you-!?"

Rip!

"Whee!"

Pitch froze at the sound, and slowly turned around so he was looking over at the table where he had set the little black music box down. The sight that greeted him had his jaw plunging through the floor and into the sixth level of Hell.

Kadence, Moon only knew how, had somehow gotten up on the table, and was now having the absolute time of her life ripping the wrapping paper off of her gift, tossing the shredded pieces into the air and laughing as they landed on and around her. It wasn't long until she got to the box, and she easily tore up the unsealed top, revealing the music box Pitch had gotten her. Crooning in wide eyed fascination at the beautifully designed lid, she reached in to open it.

"Kad-" Pitch rushed over to her, intending to do...something! Anything! HE DIDN'T KNOW!

But just before he was about to reach down and snatch the little girl off the table he stopped in his tracks as she flipped open the lid. His eyes widening as he watched the little girl and music started to softly play from the beautiful box.

"Ooooooo." Kadence was staring down at the contraption in her hands in absolute awe, her little silver eyes widening and sparkling in the light of the fire. Pitch could faintly see the outlines of her tiny wings twitching beneath the back of her onesie in almost perfect time with the steady melody of the old song.

Pitch had absolutely no idea how to respond to this sudden turn of events.

Should he pick her up? Should he take her back to her room and hope she forgets about the whole thing? Should he take the box away? Should he throw the damn thing into the-

He honestly had no idea what he should be doing right now, and for how long he had not one freaking clue, such things were the only things he could bring himself to think about. His mind raced back and forth as he tried to figure out what his response should be, anywhere between calm logic to undignified panic at what he was seeing.

At least until his mind was finally able to fully register the bright smile on his daughters face.

The Nightmare King felt his eyes widen slightly in something akin to shock as he was suddenly able to fully recognize the bright eyed look of happy curiosity on the little angel's face. She crooned and gently ran her tiny hands over the smooth surface of the music box before suddenly giggling to herself and clapping happily when the soft fabric on the inside tickled her when she touched it.

Pitch still didn't quite know how to respond to just what he was seeing and was still silently trying to figure out just how in the hell he had managed to get himself into this situation.

However after seeing the bright-eyed look of total joy on Kadence's face he found himself completely unable to suppress the small smile that forcefully began tugging at his lips. A kind of warm and fuzzy feeling he would deny to the ends of eternity to ever having, suddenly began to build in his chest as the little girl laughed and clapped her hands before she suddenly looked up at him with one of the brightest smiles he had ever seen.

"Dada! Dada!" She giggled happily, pulling her hand away from the box to reach up to Pitch with grabby hands from where she sat on top of the small table.

And just like that... He was done.

Pitch felt a heavy sigh suddenly escape his throat as his eyes softened fondly and his smile grew completely against his will before he complied with the little girl's wishes and gently reached down to pick her up into his arms.

Also gently reaching down to pick up the little music box next to her as well.

Kadence crooned and smiled up at her daddy like she always did when he held her before he sat her back down in his lap on the couch and placed the little music box next to them, still leaving it open so that it would continue to play the pretty music.

That's it. It's official. He mused, still unable to help smiling down at the little girl in his arms as he reached over the other side of the couch to grab something. I have officially gone soft.

Though in the back of his mind he could faintly hear whatever remnants of darker and more sinister self practically screaming at him, he truly just didn't care anymore. He couldn't deny it anymore no matter how much he had wanted to. He had known it for a while, but he had never actually admitted it to himself.

Pitch Black, The Boogeyman, The Nightmare King, the scourge of darkness and all that a child fears, had finally gone soft.

"Alright Kadence," He said, still smiling fondly down at the little girl as she giggled and bounced on his lap, trying to reach out for the pretty box again before smiling up at him curiously.

He paused for just a moment, taking a breath and closing his eyes and almost literally taking any remaining doubts and protests he had and throwing them into the fire before looking down at the tiny form of his daughter once more and holding out another black wrapped box for her to take.

"Why don't you open this one next?"

At this point he had long since stopped trying to resist smiling as Kadence suddenly squealed joyfully and took hold of the black paper that was wrapped around the present nearly half her size and ripping it away.

At that moment Kadence looked like nothing more than any ordinary little kid opening her presents at Christmas time on her daddy's lap. She giggled and crooned happily, squealing in delight as she ripped away the shiny black paper and revealed a brightly colored plastic tower of rings, that she would be playing almost nonstop with for days to come, before moving onto another present that her daddy suddenly handed to her.

Pitch would never be able to believably deny that he had enjoyed every last second of watching the little girl open her first Christmas presents. His reputation as the spirit of fear and his hatred of a particular Guardian of Wonder unable to do anything to help him now as he laughed and watched the little girl tightly hug her new teddy bear that would be joining both himself and her favorite horse plushy for many a game of hide-and-seek and tea party when she was older, much to his future horror.

He couldn't stop himself when he caught sight of a sticky-tape bow that had been on top of one of her presents discarded on the couch and leaned down to snatch it up before sticking it on the little girl's head.

"Well, well, well." He said, grinning in complete amusement while Kadence suddenly squeaked and looked up at him in total confusion with the ribbon taped to her head.

"It looks like I also get a Christmas present this year. Don't I little one?" He asked teasingly, tapping her little nose and smirking down at her when Kadence burst out into a fit of giggling mirth.

That is before finding himself completely powerless to stop himself from looking down at the girl in shock before laughing himself when the little girl suddenly took the ribbon off her head and reached up to stick it on his nose.

The two of them stayed like that for a very long time, both of them laughing happily while Pitch looked down at his little girl with complete love and adoration that absolutely no one would expect from the fearsome Nightmare King, especially at Christmas. Before a single thought suddenly echoed through his head and, for a moment, Pitch had to wonder if it was actually the voice speaking to him once more as he smiled down at his little daughter and voiced the thought aloud.

"I'm not a Guardian…" He said, holding her just slightly closer as she giggled and clapped her hands happily. "But I am her father."

He smiled softly down at her, before reaching down to gently press his lips to the top of her forehead and chuckling as she crooned happily and leaned into the touch.

Okay, so maybe this whole Christmas holiday wasn't as absolutely dreadful as he had thought. And truth be told he would be lying if he said he wasn't already considering what he should get for Kadence come next Christmas.

Yes, he still hated most things about the holiday. The way fear was low, all of those annoying Christmas carols that always got stuck in his head, the God awful taste of fruitcake, and the way one of his enemies was all but practically worshiped.

But still, maybe it wasn't so bad. Maybe because he actually had someone to spend it with for once? Either way he supposed it didn't matter much.

All that mattered was that right now, he was here, with his daughter, and she was happy. Kadence was what made it worth it. His little girl made everything worth it.

Unbeknownst to him however, his precious little girl was about to receive a visit from a certain Guardian of Light that was already racing the wind on his way down from the Moon Palace he called home to the domain of the Nightmare King; his arms full of beautifully wrapped boxes and presents for a certain little Nightmare Princess.

Hopefully Pitch was in festive enough mood to not go along with his word to feed the boy to the Fearlings.

Still though, he had really better get used to this and though he'd rather not think about it, the Boogeyman knew he would probably be celebrating Christmas for a long, long time.

"Merry Christmas Kadence."

And there you have it ladies and gents! Hope you enjoyed the fluffy father-daughter Christmas cuteness! There will be one more chapter in the 'Black Christmas' series and it will actually be about the Guardians! Look forward to it!

It may take a bit to post the next chapter due to the fact I will have to return to school (coughHELLcoughcough) very soon so I wont have as much time to write till I get back into a decent schedule. :P But I shall do my best to update as soon as I can!

Until next time people! Please always remember- Don't blink. Don't even blink. Blink and your dead. They're fast, faster then you can believe. Don't turn your back, don't turn away, and don't blink! Good luck.

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