It had taken Pitch the better part of a week to break Jack the way he wanted. He had given up on trying to have Jack plaesure him. Even in the state he was now Jack was hesitant to do anything of the sort. The magic of the mating bond he had with the retched pooka was to strong.

Still Pitch had Jack to the point where he would do almost anything he asked without any form of question or hesitation. This had only occured once Pitch had trapped the winter spirit into a waking nightmare. Physically Jack was awake, but mentally he was trapped in his mind's subconscious. It was perfect if not for the fact Jack didn't react to anything. He could beat him if he wanted to and Jack wouldn't so much as flench.

Of course when Pitch wasn't busy messing with Jack's mind he was taunting the other guardians. The few times he had entered the chamber he kept them. He knew that if he had not had them chained to the wall they would have surely killed him. Bunny would always demand to know what he had done with his mate. To which Pitch responded in so way to having taken Jack by force. A fact that without Jack present Bunny would never be able to confirm. It only further in rage not only Bunny but the others as well. They in no way like to consider that Pitch was being truthful about the things he was implying.

It was a week to the day that Pitch felt it was time to put the next phase of his plan into action.

The Nightmare King hovered in the shadows of the chamber that held his prisonors. The amount of hopelessness and despair that filled the room was absolutly delightful. It was just about time to add more to the air before finally ridding himself of his most hated enemies.

"Well I must say this is a wonderful sight," Pitch called from the edge of the shadows just out of sight.

"Pitch ya ratbag show yer self," Bunny growled his despair and hopelessness replace with rage.

"Tempter, tempter," Pitch replied with a smug smirk as he stepped from the shadows. He was enjoying taunting the Guardians, but he had come with a purpose "and here I thought you might want to know what had become of your precious winter spirit," Pitch asked watching as slight hint of fear passed through not only Bunny but the others in addition to their anger.

"What 'ave ya done with 'im," Bunny demanded his anger flaring once more. Though Pitch didn't miss the hints of fear and worry in his voice.

"What did I say about that tempter," Pitch stated calmly as if Bunny's anger was uncalled for.

"Pitch vhat have you do to Jack," this time it was North who spoke. His own anger barely in check at the though of what had been done to his son. Pitch looked at him with the same smug smirk that they had grown to hate in the week they had been held.

"Why don't you see for yourself," Pitch sneered as he looked to his side "oh Jack would you mind coming here for a moment," he called to the shadows behind him.

Bunny and the others watch as they saw a figure move in the shadows behind where Pitch was standing. When the figure emerged fully they gasped in shock of what they saw. There was no doubt that the figure that now stood beside of Pitch was indeed Jack, but what they saw shocked them to their very cores. To start with Jack's beautiful snow white hair was now a dull pale gray tip with black. His skin was no longer it pale milky white color either instead it was more of a ashy gray very similar to Pitch's. Even his staff looked several shades darker. His hoodie was torn in a few place and smugged with dirt. However what really stuck out the most to them were his eye. They were as dull and lifeless as the rest of him appeared to be. If that weren't bad enough Jack showed no signs of reconizing any of them. In fact he showed absolutley no emotion what so ever.

"Jack," Bunny called out to his mate when he could at last find his voice. However he recieved no response nor even a sign that he had been heard at all "Jackie its me, its Aster," Bunny tried again but still he recieved no answered. Instead Jack kept his eyes focused straight at ahead as he stared off into space.

"You'll have to forgive him. He isn't big on speaking as of late," Pitch said mockingly.

"What did ya do ta 'im," asked horrifed by what he saw before him.

"Well lets see," Pitch said as he began to circle Jack trailing a finger across his shoulder as he did so. To Bunny and the other's horror Jack didn't even flench at the touch "first I started by stripping him of his memories and emotions. Though despite that he still have the will to resist me. Though that wasn't hard to fix over riding ones will when they have no memories to keep them going isn't very hard. Even with someone as strong willed as Jack was. Ture at the moment he is nothing more than a shell of his former self, but that is something I'll fix in time. Saddly though you will not be around to see it," Pitch said with a cruel smile.

"What are you planning to do," Tooth asked still horrified by the explination he gave of what he had done to Jack. At Tooth's question Pitch's smile only grew wider as he looked from Jack to them and back again.

"Jack," Pitch called though unlike when Bunny had called his name he turned his head slightly "it is time for your final test. I want you to kill the Guardian's with this," Pitch stated as he held up a dagger that had been hidden in his robe.

Jack turned his head so that he could see what Pitch was holding out to him. He looked at the weapon for a moment before exepting it without question much to the others horror, and began to slowly make his way to them. Dagger in one hand staff in the other.

"Jack stopped this," Bunny called to him "ya gotta snap out of it," he said trying to break through to him. The others were calling to him as well telling to stop, but Bunny didn't hear them.

Jack didn't so much as blink at Bunny pleas or the others as he continued to make his way to them.

"Jackie please snap out of it. Ya gotta wake up. This isn't ya Pitch is controllin' ya," Bunny pleaed trying to break through. It wasn't the though of dying that Bunny had a problem with it was the fact that Pitch was using his mate as a weapon against him "Snowflake please, please snap out of it," Bunny pleaed despritly to his mate.

Whether it was the desperation in Bunny's voice or the fact that he called him Snowflake, but something clicked in Jack's mind. It wasn't much just a spark of emotion, but it was enough to cause Jack to stop just feet from where Bunny hung pleaeding with him. That spark of emotion flashed through Jack's eyes. Something that didn't go unnoticed by Bunny.

"Thats it Snowflake, that right fight," Bunng encouraged finding himself filling with hope for the first time since Jack had been taken away from him.

'Snowflake' Jack repeated to himself. He knew the word had more meaning than just frozen water, and the voice that said it. They both held meaning to him, but didn't know why. He couldn't remember why they held meaning. There was a flash before his eye and for a moment Jack saw himself with the giant rabbit that hung before him. He was being held lovingly by the rabbit and he was happy about it. The next moment it was gone and he could only see the dimmly lit chamber he stood in.

'Pitch is controllin' ya,' who was Pitch Jack thought and how was he being controlled? Another image flashed before him. This one was of him in the antiarctic. Before him stood the man who had given him the dagger he now held. Only this time he held his staff. In one swift motion he saw the shadow man break it in two. Jack felt a sharp pain in his chest at the memory.

"Jack," Jack heard not only Bunny call but the Guardians and Pitch. As if that had been the final straw needed memories started to flash quickly before his eyes. With each memory that flashed before his eyes Jack felt the emotions that went with them.

Author's Note:

Well thats better. Pitch's plan is going up in flames right before his eyes. Ahhh the sweet smell of evil's plans falling apart. Sorry it took me a little longer to update, but I couldn't figure out the best way to start this chapter. At least one that didn't involve beat Jack senseless. I hated myself for the last chapter so I had to find away that wouldn't scare Jack more than what was already done. From here Pitch's plan will only derail furthers. Which I can't wait to write, but at the moment I am to tired to write it. With any luck the words will come easily to me and I'll have the next chapter up and ready tomorrow night. In the mean time please review and tell what you think. Until next time...