Chapter 2

Jack looked around as he landed back at the lake. He looked around carefully as the sun was setting in the distance. He carefully made his way to Jamies house. No one was outside. He landed on Jamie's roof and leaned down to look in the window. He crept in the window and made his way through the house.

Sophie sat on her bed playing with her stuffed rabbit. She smiled as she saw Jack and hopped off the bed rushing over to him in her bunny onsie. "Jack, what are you doing here?" She asked tilting her head.

Jack knelt down infront of her. "Sophie, you wanna head to the workshop?" Her face lit up. He smiled as he pet her head. "Go get your jacket and winter gear on. I'll meet you outside." He told her as she nodded heading down stairs to get dressed. Jack sighed as he made his way outside and stood in the front yard looking around.

Sophie came out a few moments later. Jack feeling nervous picked up Sophie. "I need to get something I stored at the lake." He told her as they made their way over. Jack sat her down on the bank of the lake as he made his way to the rocks. He pulled a small box and turned to Sophie.

The other children stood with Sophie. Jack stumbled back and created a snowball. Before he could do anything Cupcake tackled him. Jack dropped the snowball and his staff trying to get her off and get away without hurting her. Finally getting away he backed off through the woods with the kids right behind him. "Why is this even happening?" He grumbled to himself as he tripped and ended up falling into a hole.

He tumbled and groaned as he landed in a familure cave. He took a moment as things connected. "Pitch?" He looked around as he stood wincing lightly in pain. He reached for his staff and groaned when he couldn't find it. "Great," Jack put his hands in his pocket and headed deeper into the cave.

It wasn't that long but it felt like a while before he found himself in the massive network of paths in the large open cave. He looked around making the room colder before he head something moving behind him. "And what do I owe the pleasure." He heard the familure behind him. Jack turned to look at Pitch.

"I'd love say this was you, but its below even you." Jack stated enjoying the look of confusion on Pitch's face for a moment. Jack sighed as he tried to fiddle with his staff but it wasn't with him. He felt his stomach drop for a moment. He didn't want to feel his staff break again but things really didn't seem to be going his way today. He fell to his knees clutching his chest.

Pitch watched confused a moment before smirking. "You sure know how to make friends, dont you Frost." He started as he neared the fallen boy of cold. He knelt before him lifting his chin to look up at him. "Its nice to see your face twisted in pain." Jack simply snarled as he glared up at Pitch's amused gaze. "You can't really do much now, can you child."

Jack gained enough strength and pulled away after a moment. "This wont end well for either of us Pitch. With who evers doing this the children wont be afraid. You'll lose whatever power you've been gathering again. We need to stop them. I need your help to do that." Jack blurted out feeling a weird feeling as he stood pleading for help. He was returning to Pitch their exchange from Antartica.

Pitch looked Jack over a bit as a few nightmares came out of the shadows. Having sensed their master's troubles came to his defence. He gentle pet the nearest mare to him as he eyed Jack a moment longer. "As if I'd believe you. You want to make me join you this time? As if the guardians would ever accept it." He added as Jack looked around a moment for an idea.

"Oh, looks like the boys are having fun." Both of them looked around for the sickly sweet female voice. Jack noticed her first sitting on a path far above them. "The fallen nightmare king and the trouble maker getting to be all buddy buddy." She added as the nightmares started stomping the ground. Pitch noticed her up there and set a hard glare upon her figure. "Oh, dont look at me like that." She added as she stood slowly.

"What are you after? What do you gain from all this?" Jack asked as he noticed his staff in her hand. He couldn't help but tense. Pitch seemed a bit more relaxed but not happy about what was happening. "It just doesn't make sense. Who are you?" He added as he felt a moment more confident.

She smiled as she jumped down to them. It was their time for a good look at her. She was short. Her hair a short black with white tips cut on an angle short in the back and long in the front. Her grey eyes eeriely locked on both of them at once some how. She wore a simple black dress with silver buttons down the front. Her landing made no sound.

Jack didn't have time to react as the walk way they stood on started collapsing. He went for his staff but it was in the woman's hand. He stumbled as the walk way shook. He looked over at Pitch who now looked displeased. Jack didn't have much time to assess the moment as he was falling down towards the rocky floor of the cave. He braced for pain but when nothing had happened he opened his eyes. His hoodie caught in the mouth of a nightmare.

They both landed on the ground gently. Pitch had his scythe of nightmare sand out to defend against the attack of the yet unnamed spirit. Jack with the lack of his staff couldn't fly but he could still use his magic. He worked up a snowball and aimed carefully before throwing. He hit the woman upon the side of the head. This distracted her enough that Pitch could get a good hit in before the platform collapsed under them.

In a moment he was on the base of the cave beside Jack. "You didn't tell me were up against something like this." He grumbled softly as he glared up at the remains of the platform. "We shouldn't linger much longer, that thing is strong and only gaining power," Pitch stalked off quickly. Jack didn't hesitate to follow or tried not to as a pain in his chest pulled him down to his knees again.

He cursed under his breath at the sharp pain. A surprisingly deep laughter came from behind him. "You store a lot of power in this conduit. Could come in handy." He heard voice creeping closer. Jack tried to stand and managed to do so with the help of the nightmare at his side. Jack climbed on as the mare quickly galloped to its master's side deeper in the cave.

"Do you know that woman?" Jack asked breathlessly as he held tight to the nightmare. His mind still trying to catch up the current events. "Are you helping me?" He asked after a moment or two. Pitch finally stopped at the end of the cave. He glared at the young spirit. Jack took that as his moment to stay quiet. The woman stood at the entrence to the dead end they found themselves trapped in. "This was a great idea." Jack couldn't stop from slipping out before another sharp pain drew a hiss from his lips.

She just smirked as she held his staff as its blue glow returned a moment to flicker before disappearing again. "You really need to learn to stop talking some times." She added with a dry laugh. Pitch looked at Jack from the corner of his eyes before focusing on the woman. "Don't you think this is fun? Doesn't a bit of Chaos make life interesting?"

Pitch let out his own dry laugh. "I'm not one for fun." With that, Jack could only see darkness. It was so sudden he couldn't help the surge of fear that welled in his aching chest. Before he knew it though he was in the base level of the workshop. Pitch collapased panting softly. "I hope I can trust you on this gamble." Pitch glared up at Jack as he dismounted.

The yetis looked at them in confusion and most moved ready to attack or defend but Jack stood before Pitch. "Stop, we need his help." He told the Yetis who all looked confused as the nightmare moved to Pitch's side in comfort. Jack took a deep breath he didn't realize he had been holding. Only now did it seem to dawn on him what he had done and what was going to have to happen. This wasn't going to be easy.