Hey guys, thank you for all your reviews :) I am sorry it took so long to update this one; I rewrote it like four times before I got it right. Anyway, enjoy ;)

(With Jack)

"Tooth are you ok?" the winter spirit asked as he helped the fairy to her feet

"I'm fine." Tooth glanced around the stone hallway they were in, "What happened, where are we?"

Jack glanced around, "Not sure where we are. But since we were dragged through shadows I bet Darkness had something to do with it."

"But Bunny and North searched Gaal's castle and didn't find a trace of either of them." the fairy frowned, "So why would he attack after weeks of laying low?"

"I…" Jack pushed Tooth behind him as the shadows rippled on the wall; he held his staff in front of him. Blue eyes narrowed as Ratri cautiously emerged from the wall, "All right, I don't want to hurt you, but I will."

The canine whimpered as she went to her belly, her ears flat.

Jack glanced at Tooth, "Ok…"

Tooth smiled at the cringing animal, "What's wrong girl?"

Ratri got to her feet excited at the fairy's soft tone, her serpent tail whipping side to side as she started down the hallway. She glanced at the two confused spirits, she sighed when they didn't follow; black smoke escaped her nostrils in frustration.

Jack startled when Ratri grabbed his staff, "Hey, let go!" the winter spirit tried pulling it from her. He fell on his butt as she released it, "What gives?"

The canine whined and started back down the hall

"I think she wants us to follow her Jack." the fairy spoke as she helped him up

Jack watched as Ratri seemed to smile as she wagged her tail, "You sure that's such a good idea?"

Tooth laughed, "Come on."

Jack sighed as she grabbed his hand and pulled him after the fleeing canine. "Where is she going?" He asked as they followed the fleeing animal down winding hallways.

Tooth watched as Ratri turned into a room, "Looks like we're about to find out."

Both Guardians paused as they came into room that Ratri had entered. They gasped at the sight of the pale spirit that lay before them. The man was hooked up to a heart monitor that beeped slowly, his chest rising and falling slightly. A thick cloth covered his eyes, protecting them from the light of the room.

"What happened to him?" Jack asked as he stared at the man before them.

Tooth frowned as Ratri placed her paw on Darkness's hand, "I don't know Jack."

"Ratri you mangy mutt. Why'd you bring them to my new hideout?"

Tooth and Jack turned as Gaal came up behind them; Jack immediately held his staff to Gaal's throat.

"Calm down boy," Gaal held his hands up, "You are in no danger."

"Then why did Darkness send his dog to kidnap us?" Jack growled

"He didn't, Ratri brought you here on her own." Gaal sighed

"Why?" Tooth asked as Gaal pushed past them and walked over to the bed

Gaal glanced at her, "She must think that you can help him."

Jack glanced at Darkness, "What's wrong with him?"

"Don't know," the scientist spoke as he removed the rag from Darkness's forehead, he dunked it into the basin of cold water, "He has been like this since Ratri brought him home two weeks ago."

Tooth watched as Gaal rung out the rag and replaced it, "What are his symptoms?

Gaal was surprised as she walked over, "You're going to help him?"

Tooth nodded, "I'll try. Now, tell me what's been going on."

Before Gaal could speak Darkness suddenly began to shudder, the machine began to run wild as his heart took off. "This my dear," Gaal motioned to his friend who was now thrashing wildly, he quickly grabbed a syringe from the drawer.

Darkness went still, his heart rate once again stabilizing as his friend injected the serum into his veins. He had no idea of the people that now surrounded him, nor was he aware of any help they were trying to give him. Darkness whimpered slightly as he was once again dragged into a memory.

"You know…Darkness looks like Pitch did that time he trapped Pitch within his memories." Jack smirked, "Talk about irony."

Tooth gasped, "That's it! Sophie must have caused him to regain his memories."

Gaal raised an eyebrow, "Who's Sophie?"

Tooth didn't hear him as she went over to Darkness; she carefully placed her hands to the still spirit's temples. Amethyst eyes closed as she concentrated her power.

Jack watched as bright light flowed from her palms, "But that doesn't explain his reaction…"

The fairy sighed as she removed her hands, "Actually it does," she continued at his confusion, "Think of memories like a river. Normally they flow freely, but Darkness's mind has been tampered with. A figurative dam was built halting the flow of memory. Every now and then a splash of memory may escape over the wall but for the most part he has been denied access to them."

"So what did Sophie do?" Gaal asked, intrigued

Tooth sighed, "From what I can tell Sophie must have broken the dam, allowing all of Darkness's memories to flood his mind at once."

Jack shuddered, "That must have been like pouring salt into an open wound."

The fairy nodded, "His body went into shock from the over stimulation, right now he is trying to sift through his memories."

"And all of his reactions?" the scientist motioned to Darkness whose face was scrunched in agony.

"If Death did the same to Darkness as she did to Pitch, his memories must be bound to his soul." Jack spoke quietly as he stared at the man who began to breathe rapidly. "Which causes his memories to physically manifest themselves."

Gaal stared at his friend, "So there is nothing you can do for him?"

"I could try to block the flow of memory, giving his mind a chance to recover…" the fairy spoke softly

Gaal frowned, "But would you be able to remove the block?"

Tooth nodded, "It would be tricky, but I believe that I would be able to take it down. This time piece by piece so that this," she motioned to the still spirit, "wouldn't happen."

"I don't know…" the scientist was torn. On the one hand he couldn't stand to see his friend suffering, but on the other if the fairy were to decide to not remove the block… Gaal shook his head, "I can't deny him his memories, he was so desperate to find them."

Tooth stared at Gaal, "So you're just going to let him suffer?"

"Dear girl, Darkness is my friend. I do not like to see him like this, but you do not understand how much finding out his past means to him."

Jack stopped Tooth who started to speak, "I understand exactly Gaal. For three hundred years I wandered the world with no memory of who I was or what I suppose to do. It wasn't until recently that I have able to start piecing together what I had lost."

"Jack…" the fairy stared at him, sadness in her eyes as she recalled all the long days the young winter spirit would spend watching his memories. She glanced at Darkness, she sighed, "I will try to find another way to help him."

"I appreciate your assistance. Now, I would be a bad host if I didn't offer you refreshments." Gaal smiled as he started out of the room, "You two like jelly sandwiches?"

Tooth nodded, "I suppose we did skip supper." the fairy spoke as she followed

Jack started after them; he stopped suddenly his hand going to his temple as a sharp pain filled his head.

"Please just let me go!"

Jack cringed at the sheer terror in the voice, his eyes widened as he recognized it as Darkness. He glanced at the man who was still as stone, "Did I imagine that?" the winter spirit walked over to the bed. Jack cautiously reached his hand to replace the rag that had fallen from the spirit's forehead.

The moment his hand touched Darkness's skin, tendrils of shadows flowed from the spirit and engulfed the winter spirit. When the shadows dissipated Jack stood still, his eyes glazed white.

(Flashback POV)

"Where am I?" the winter spirit shook his head as he glanced around the snow covered forest.

"Brat! I have a good mind to just end you now!"

Jack frowned as the angry voice filled the air, he started towards it. His eyes narrowed as he caught sight of a man slamming his foot into a young man who was in front of him in the snow.

"Then just do it already!"

The winter spirit recognized the voice, "Darkness?" he frowned as he caught sight of the young boy who was covered in blood and bruises. His own blood boiled at the abuse being shown, he hated that he could nothing to stop it.

"Sorry Donovan, Valdus wants that pleasure himself." the man pulled the boy roughly to his feet. He yanked Donovan's wrists behind him, sneering as he wrapped rope around them

Jack followed behind the pair, his heart breaking at the scene he was watching

Donovan was struggling half-heartedly as he was pulled through the forest; twisting his wrists that were bound tightly behind him.

"By your age rat you'd think you'd figure out there is no escape." Aeron sneered as he pulled to the chain attached to his captive's neck, laughing as the action caused the youth to fall to the ground, "Get up, we're late as it is to meet Valdus because of you."

Donovan didn't respond as he managed to get to his feet, he sighed as they emerged an hour later into a clearing. Silver eyes narrowed as he caught sight of two small figures huddled together in a small cage.

Aeron grinned as he saw the cage, "So you bought two?"

"Told you I was since the kid is eighteen now and we needed to find fresh workers." Valdus got up from the fire he was attending, "They're twins, both parents died in last week's blizzard. Their uncle thought they'd work better if they stayed together."

"Moon these guys are monsters." Jack wanted to freeze both them solid

"How could you bastards buy children! They can't be but four or five years old!"Donovan yelled at the men

Valdus smirked, "The younger the better, helps with the attitude. If we had found you at this age we wouldn't have had to deal with your constant escape attempts for eight years."

"Darkness has been with these guys for eight years?" the winter spirit was horrified as the young man was pulled across the forest

Aeron sneered as he pushed Donovan to the ground in front of the cage, "And tomorrow we won't have to deal with you anymore." He then wrapped rope around thin ankles as he made sure the boy couldn't leave.

Silver eyes glared at them both as the two men walked over to their sleeping packs. He then turned to the two young children, "Hey, my name's Donovan."

Jack watched as the little girl hugged her brother tight

"I'm Melantha and this is Ryu."

Donovan smiled at them, "Everything will be ok."

Ryu shook his head, "No it not."

Silver eyes gleamed, "I promise I won't let anything happen to either of you."

The moonless night became darker as the hours past; Jack watched as silver eyes stared intensely at the flames that still burned in the fire pit. He could tell that Darkness had an idea forming in his head.

"Don't cry, Donvin promised to keep us safe." The little girl whispered to her brother who had begun to cry softly

Jack cocked his head as a look of resolve came across Darkness's face. He watched curiously as the young man cautiously wormed his way over the fire, Jack cringed at the obvious burn of the rope on the boy's skin as he twisted across the forest floor.

"What you doing?" the little girl asked wide eyed as the young man sat with his back to the fire

"Shhhh, don't look." Donovan smiled at the two children, "Just close your eyes." He smiled as they did what he asked.

Jack watched as he took a deep breath, blue eyes widened as the boy plunged his bound wrists into the flames.

Donovan caught the scream in his throat as the hungry flames bit at both the rope and his flesh. The boy held fast, even as the flames licked at his hands. Just when Jack thought the boy wouldn't be able to bear it any longer the rope gave way as the flame ate through it.

Please review and let me know what you thought. I love hearing from you guys and seeing how you like the story's progression. Again, if there are any questions please let me know ;) Till Next Time