Well... not much to say other than, enjoy :D

Ch 44.

Nona awoke with a start her face wet with fresh tears. 'It was just a dream...?'

Brushing the hair out of her face, she finally allowed her eyes adjusted to the familiar surroundings of North's guest room. An overwhelming sense of guilt coursed through her as she recalled the night's previous events. She'd known better than to drop her guard, but-

"Glad to see you're finally awake."

Rolling onto her side Nona found Bunny painting eggs, exactly like the first time.

"Shame to waste a view like this." she yawned, righting herself.

A small smile crept across his face. "You're not so bad lookin' yourself."

Immediately, she felt her cheeks flush. "You think so?" she mumbled.

"I know so." he grinned, finishing the final details of the pattern.

"Flatterer."

Bunny just shrugged his shoulders, never missing a beat.

"Sooo..." she sang "Where is everyone?"

"Restin'. The battle took its toll on all of us."

Nona shifted her gaze downwards, her fingers intertwining in her lap. "How long was I out?"

"Only a few hours." Bunny replied as he reached for another egglet.

"I'm sorry."

He paused, too look at her. "Don't be."

She smiled softly. "I missed you."

Bunny's nose twitched in vain as he tried to play off his embarrassment; it was adorable and completely endearing. She'd definitely taken notice of his absence over the past few months; ever since Primrose had entered the picture. Almost immediately her thoughts wandered back to her dream. "Bunny?"

"Hmm?"

"What happened to Pitch?"

His eyebrows knit together in muted anger. "Sandy took care of em'." he replied gruffly.

"I see..." she sighed.

Right away, Bunny knew something was up. "What is it Nona?"

"I'm worried about him..."

He shot her an incredulous look. "You're worried about Pitch?!"

"I think he's angry because he lost-"

"Well obviously!"

"Bunny!" she shouted "I know he lost the battle, but it's more than that."

The Pooka just rolled his eyes before continuing on with his work. "And I s'pose it's related to your little temper-tantrums?"

Nona felt her defenses rise. "Only because I... Oh, never mind!"

Now he was intrigued. "What?"

"I thought I lost you alright?!" she snapped. "I thought I lost everything! I thought... that I had been replaced...forgotten."

He faltered a moment. "Ya did?"

"Yes. And my guess is that is exactly how Pitch feels. Forgotten, alone and abandoned. In fact, I'll bet that he's lost someone he loved dearly, and all that that bitterness and anger he feels is what truly makes him scary. I mean look what it did to me..." she paused a moment longer. "Bunny, what happened to him?"

Bunny's nose twitched. "Dunno. That's somethin' you'll have to discuss with North."

She nodded in understanding as she thought back on the proceedings of her dream.

"You were supposed to be join me, become my other half..."

'Is this my fault?' she thought wearily. 'No it can't be. Pitch has played nemesis to the Guardian's far longer than my existence. Yet...'

"I wonder if there's hope for him..." she pondered out loud.

Bunny turned to her in disbelief. Even after everything that Pitch had put her though, she was showing concern for his well being. It was mindboggling. "Listen Nona." he sighed.

Abruptly she snapped out of her daze.

"Nothin's ever truly hopeless, sometimes it's all we have. What brought all this on anyway?"

Her earnest blue eyes blinked in surprise, before she hung her head in shame. "It's a long story."

"I've got time."

Nona closed her eyes in defeat; it wasn't long before she felt Bunny's eyes boring holes into the top of her head as she recalled her 'encounter' with Pitch. He was tense to say the least, and frankly she couldn't blame him. But it didn't stop her from relishing his protective side once again.

Bunny tugged his ears back in utter shock; never in a million years would he have thought that Pitch was even capable of love, especially towards his Sheila. As far as he was concerned the Nightmare King couldn't feel anything at all.

"So do you think North will be explain any of this?"

"I..." he paused to take a deep breath. "I dunno Nona."

The room feel silent.

"Ya know, about what you said earlier... I thought I lost ya too."

Her eyes grew wide. "You did?"

"Yea, when ya tried another one of your little stunts." He scoffed.

She cringed. "You mean the shadow thing?"

He nodded, locking his gaze with hers. "Ya gotta stop bein' so reckless Nona."

"Well I had to do something." she retorted. "And you didn't leave me much choice! You were in danger and too stubborn to leave, so I used what little power I had left. Not that it did much good..." she muttered. "Besides, the world needs hope but it can live without me."

A sudden crash made her jump.

"That's not true!" he roared.

Nona froze in shock, her gaze fixed on the tools that were scattered about the floor. Bunny was furious.

"You're such a gumbi you know that?!" he yelled, as he leapt towards her. Instantly, she shrank back watching his shoulders rise and fall in time with his breathing.

"That is exactly why the world is better off without me."sShe countred, casting her eyes off to the side.

"Oh for the love a MiM!" he exclaimed "The world needs Imagination Nona! To inspire Hope, Wonder and Dreams! Don't you see? We need ya." he replied, squeezing his eyes shut. "I need ya."

She looked up at him with surprise. "You need me...?"

All at once Bunny eased off. "Why do ya seem so surprised?"

Nona shook her head, running her fingers through her head. "I just... I never thought... I mean-"

His chuckle cut her short. "You're a remarkable sheila Nona. Ya just don't see it."

"Really?" Her voice held a hint of desperation, as if she were clinging to his every word.

"Yea."

Just then her eyes filled with a glimmer of mischief. "Then show me."

Without hesitation Bunny pinned Nona down on the cot, eliciting soft giggles from the girl as he nuzzled her neck with his snout. However, her giggles were quickly silenced once he began to kiss her mouth.

"I love you." he muttered against her shoulder.

"I know." she replied breathlessly.

Deftly, Nona wrapped her arms around his neck as he turned his attention back to her lips. Then, all at once, she could felt his strong arms wrap around her waist as he pulled her even closer. Immediately, she reached up to stroke his ears earning a muffled moan in response.

"Alright! Break it up you two!"

"JACK!" Tooth screeched from the hall, "Leave them alone!"

Flustered, Nona pulled away from Bunny generating some incoherent curses.

"North wants to meet with everyone in the main hall-"

"In a few minutes," Tooth interjected, ushering the boy out the door. "But in the meantime we'll just leave you two alone."

"But-"

"Alone Jack!" Abruptly the door slammed shut; but even after their friend's departure the moment was long gone.

Bunny watched on in confusion as Nona idly crossed the room, her laughter echoing off the walls as a group of egglets gathered around her feet.

"What're ya doin' Nona?"

Quickly the spirit snatched up some of his supplies before taking her place back on the cot.

"Well?" she asked with an expectant look. Graciously, he accepted the brush being offered out to him and with a small chuckle as he sat down next to her, an within minutes a pleasant silence filled the room as the pair set to work.

"Nona?"

"Yes?"

"Earlier," he cleared his throat in obvious discomfort. "When I was under Primrose's ...err... spell..h- how did you know I wouldn't..."

"Finish the job?"

He winced before nodding 'yes.'

"I didn't," she released a heavy sigh as she set down her egglet. "But I once heard that love means giving someone the power to destroy you, and trusting them not to. And, well...I love you Aster."

He froze, his eyes fixed on the side of her face as her egglet scampered away. No one had ever trusted him so completely. "Lottie," he breathed; it was now or never. "Listen..."

Quickly she shifted away from him "I think we should go meet with the others, don't you?"

"Uh...yea." he replied glumly.

...

Nona released a heavy sigh as they made their way thought the corridor. For some reason the trip seemed to take the twice as long. Discretely, the spirit shifted her gaze towards Bunny. The tension between them was palpable. Despite having confessed her love to him multiple times, she wasn't sure if she was ready to hear what he had to say. Pitch left her emotionally rattled, but that didn't give her the right to mistreat Bunny.

She had to apologize.

"Bunny listen, about earlier, I didn't mean to cut you off. It's just I'm not sure-"

"Success!"

North's booming voice stopped them dead in their tracks.

"Ah nah, not this again."

Just inside the doorway Nona caught sight of the mischievous grins that had the Pooka on edge. "Guys, what's going on?"

A sudden groan from Bunny brought her attention overhead. 'Mistletoe...?'

A sudden feeling of embarrassment surged through her veins. She knew Bunny had an aversion to showing his affectionate side, and after everything that had just transpired, she figured it was best to depart.

However just as she turned to make a run for it North singled her out. "Nona, where are you going?" he chided. "It's tradition, no?"

"No, this is a setup." she snapped.

"Awww come on!" Jack goaded.

Nona's frown turned to concern as she glanced up at Bunny, but the winter spirit was relentless.

"What's the matter? Afraid of a little kiss, Cottontail?"

Bunny smirked at the challenge. "Not on your life Frostbite." And with one swift movement he grabbed hold of Nona, bringing their bodies flush against one another.

Straight away she felt her face heat up. "Y-you don't have to do this Bunny. It's fine, really!"

"But I want to." He whispered huskily.

"Wha- " she felt a flutter of excitement in her stomach.

"But first, there's something I need to know."

Nona cleared her throat hastil. "And what's that?"

"Are you willing to be my mate?"

Nona eyes grew as wide as saucers. "Y-you mean, you want to share the rest of eternity ... with me?" she whispered. "Permanently?"

He smiled down at her tenderly. "S'what I said, aint' it?"

"I-I don't know what to say..." she stammered, her heart thundering against her chest.

"Oh say yes!" Tooth cried, before clasping her hands over her mouth. "Sorry!"

"I..." Nona swallowed hard as she surveyed their eager faces. "I... I... Please excuse me!"

Phasing out of Bunny's grasp she made a mad dash out of the room.

Jack's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Well, that was unexpected."

'Nona...' Bunny thought begrudgingly as Sandy rested a reassuring hand on his shoulder. He could almost hear his own heart cracking as a wave of shame crashed over him.

"Bunny?" Tooth called.

He needed to leave.

"BUNNY!" she cried, but it was no use.

He was long gone.