It had been another three days since they had rescued Jack and he had yet to stir from his slumber. They placed him in a small but comfortable room in Santoff Claussen, one not too far away from North's workshop, so he could get to him quickly, if needed. Turns out it was needed. The first morning after they had returned, a blood-curtling scream came from Jack's room.

North was there immediately, swords in hand, assessing the room for danger. But there was no danger and Jack was still asleep. He kept screaming and violently shaking, as if trying to fight something but continually failing. His legs thrashed under the blue duvet, throwing it off the bed. North was terrified at he sight: the usually fun, upbeat winter spirit should not be like this. He looked as if he was in pain and worst of all, like he was afraid. Jack was never afraid.

After a while, the screaming stopped but he still twitched every once and again, like he was having a fit, like he was fighting demons from within. His retinas moved back and forth under his eyelids which were partly covered by white hair that was now matted with sweat. His lips moved, looking like they were speaking but with no words coming out.

Quickly, North placed an icy wet cloth over his forehead, trying to freeze away the fever. Jack should not have a fever, being a winter spirit, which worried the Cossack immensely more than he already was. North didn't know what was happening but he knew that no one but Sandy could help the poor boy. Defeated, he placed his large hand over Jack's slim bony one and stroked it gently. Before he realised what was happening, Jack subconsciously grabbed North's hand, squeezing it so hard his already white knuckles turned even paler.

North refused to leave his side after that.

_

It was now five days since they had got back and Bunnymund had only just answered North's calls.

"What's so important that ya had to call me here, mate?" The pooka growled. They had met in the globe room and North signalled for Bunnymund to follow. He was confused but knew that North wasn't messing around: he hadn't seen North look this solemn... ever.

Finally, they reached a creaky old door to a small room and Bunny gasped when North pushed it open to reveal a sleeping Jack Frost. At first glance, it just looked like he was taking a nap. But upon closer inspection you could see the fear evident on his face, accompanied by large black bags under his eyes and bruises littering his pale skin.

Despite the frail winter spirit's appearance, his anger got the better of him. "Ah don't care about im, mate. I'm not changing my mind - he ruined Easter!" Bunny was flaring now, outraged that North had called him here for this stupid, idiotic child, who had probably just got into another situation because of his ill-timed 'jokes' and moronic behaviour. He didn't care for the boy, especially not right now: he was even more angered than after the Easter of '68 . The Russian grabbed the furious Bunny's shoulders, refusing to let him more before he had explained.

"Bunny, calm down. Something's wrong with Jack. We found him at the bottom of a cliff in the Antarctic with Baby Tooth. His staff was broken in two and his head was bleeding. He's been here for nearly six days and hasn't woken up yet." North sighed, distressed. "He keeps screaming, having violent fits, but we can't wake him up. He just looks... afraid. We don't think Easter was his fault Bunny, I can feel it."

Bunny knew this must be serious, North didn't even say that he could feel it in his belly. Guilt twinged inside him and he finally realised he had acted too harshly on the boy. "Ya right, I'm sorry," Bunnymund whispered, almost too quiet to hear. "I-"

He was cut off by Jack who had begun to hyperventilate on the bed behind them. Both North and Bunny were by his side in a flash, though they could do nothing to help and they knew it. Jack started to sob, heartwrenching sobs that made tears fall out of his closed eyes. The tears only made it to his cheeks before they froze and shattered on the floor below him. No one had ever seen Jack cry before, but this wasn't normal crying. This sounded as though Jack was having his insides ripped out, organ by organ, one by one. North began to feel tears well up in his own eyes - what did the boy ever do to deserve this type of pain? He couldn't even imagine what he was going through.

The crying continued for a while and just as Bunny and North began to think that it would never stop, the desperate sobs began to die down until it was only a whimper. And then, Jack opened his eyes.

It was a pitiful sight. Jack was awake, but not really there. His sparkling sapphire eyes were glazed over, staring straight ahead as though he was possessed. Around his eyes were red and puffy, strained from crying for so long.

He stayed like this for a while, worryingly still, and all North and Bunny could do was watch. Abruptly, Jack's hand twitched slightly and then his arm began to move. He shakily brought his hand up to his face and rubbed his eyes, wet with tears.

"Wh..where am I?" As he moved his hand away from his face, the Guardians noticed his eyes were not glazed over anymore, but they did not look quite right: they weren't as bright, they looked a tad faded and they didn't sparkle anymore. Big black bags hung under his heavy eyelids despite how long he had been asleep for. Restless sleep, but sleep nonetheless. Jack looked at Bunny and North with a blank expression then without warning jumped back, fear coating his deathly pale face.

"Stay away!" He threatened as he tried to shrink back as far as he could into the head of the bed. He looked around, desperately trying to spot his staff somewhere in the room, but it was nowhere to be seen. A cold sweat swept over him - he felt so helpless and weak without his conduit of power. This couldn't be right... they were dead! They were all dead and he had seen it. He was once more paralysed with fear as more memories flooded through his head. Memories of false accusations, of death and of revenge. On him, by the Guardians. They had tried to kill him!

"Shh, it's okay Jack, we aren't going to hurt you. You're safe." North tried to comfort Jack but he was having none of it and in a flash he was at the other side of the room. His bare feet left frozen footprints on the ingraved woodwork.

"Stay away!" He repeated, obviously distressed. Nobody moved. The room was silent and had a heavy atmosphere. Jack shrank back so far he was practically part of the wall, his thin hand held out in front of him in a weak attempt to keep the Guardians away.

"You.. you. No! Get away from me! You can't be this, this... this can't be real!!" His face was filled with terror and neither North nor Bunnymund understood what he was trying to say.

Rapidly, so quick Jack didn't have time to react, Bunny was stood infront of him, his large fury paw clamped over his shoulder so that he couldn't move. Jack's face flooded with fear as he squirmed under Bunnymund's paw, desperately trying to escape, desperately attempting to scream. Though before any sound came out, Bunny produced a small glass jar of golden sand. Jack recognised that sand.

No. No no no no.

Without warning, Bunny tipped half the jar onto Jack's head, who instantly slumped and fell towards to the floor, but not before the Pooka caught him in his strong arms. Some of the fear drained from his face but he still looked afraid.

"Good thinking Bunny," North said, "But what was that about? He looked... terrified of us."

"Looks like someone's been tampering with his memories, mate.", the Pooka said, matter-of-factly. "And I think I know just who that might be."

_

Tooth arrived as soon as she got North's message but rushed straight to the kitchen rather than to Jack's room. No matter how badly she wanted to see him, if she didn't get this done quickly then disaster could strike.

In the large decorated kitchen, she found her ingredients and began to mix together a vile-looking formula. She knew this would work, it had to, because she didn't know what she would do if it didn't.

As soon as it was finished she flew to the room where Jack was sleeping and was greeted by North and Bunnymund. She had to admit, she was surprised to see the Pooka here. That didn't matter though. She rushed straight to Jack who was sound asleep on the bed. Before the others knew what she was doing, she pushed them out and locked the door so it was just her and the sleeping winter spirit. She was surprisingly strong for such a petite little fairy.

Ever-so gently, she shook Jack awake. His eyes widened in surprise but before he could move Toothiana poured the concoction down his throat. He tried to choke it back up but Tooth forcefully placed her hand over his mouth so he had no choice but to swallow, though he did put up a fight. Suddenly drowsy again despite the hours, no, days of sleep he had had, Jack slumped against the pillow. Content with herself, Tooth unlocked the door and North and Bunnymund rushed in, exasperated.

She explained that she had made a medicine that would make Jack only remember real memories, but she did not want either of them present in the room in case he had tried to run away again from fear of them. She didn't know what Pitch had done to his memories but whatever it was, it had made Jack think the Guardians were his enemies.

They left him alone, in hope that Tooth's potion would work. It had to.

It just had to.