"Baby Tooth!" Jack cried seeing the innocent creature in the hands of none other than Pitch.

"The staff, Jack!" Pitch yelled almost crushing the little fairy in his hands. "You have a bad habit of interfering. Now hand it over, and I'll let her go."

Jack had no choice and he knew it. Baby Tooth was at the mercy of the one he once called grandpa.

"Alright", Jack holds out his hand, giving his staff to Pitch. "Now let her go."

Pitch smirked but then frowned. "No."

Jack was shocked, then furious at Pitch and himself. Why did I think-?!?

"You said you wanted to be alone. So be alone!"

It was a moment but Jack felt that his whole world crashed that second.

The very last thing he wanted was to be the cause of someone's death and it was unfolding right in front of him.

He couldn't move.

He couldn't blinked.

He couldn't breath.

It was a miracle that Baby Tooth stabbed her beak into Pitch's hand and Jack felt enormous relief.

But then Pitch threw her and Jack panicked. He yelled and tried to help her.

After a second, an agonizing pain struck Jack. One that was familiar since he had experienced it multiple times before.

Jack braced himself for the upcoming onslaught. Because it was only the beginning.

They would always break his staff first and then do the rest.

And Jack was right.

Jack blinked twice, clenching his hands over his chest, he could still feel the slight phantom pain. After a few seconds, he realized that he wasn't at home.

Or in his lake.

The wood ceiling was a big indication that he was somehow in a place designed for either mortals or spring sprites.

Jack groaned and sat up. He had that dream again about what happened last Easter.

It was almost like Jack kept dreaming about it every night.

It was either what happened with Pitch. With Sandy. With Bunny.

Jack could only shake his head. He have to accept that this is his norm now.

Dreaming of his recent mistakes. It wasn't that it haven't happened before.

How great.

Jack looked around idly. He could remember most of what has happened. Being taken here at Mother Nature's house but most of it was kinda blurry. He thinks he spoke with Pitch last night but he can't fully remember what about.

Being mortal while technically still an immortal was making him feel unbalanced.

It wasn't his natural state after all. I need to get my staff.

Jack moved to stand up when the door to his room opened.

It was Pitch. Jack was relieved. Jack was half expecting a guardian to come and talk to him about his new role. Probably setting a set of rules of sorts. Jack gave a little tired smile.

Jack was about to gave a teasing comment about barging in someone's room but he was taken aback when he saw what was in Pitch's hand.

Jack couldn't move again.

"Jack, ah I see you're awake" Pitch said looking around. He seemed to be irritated about something.

Jack just stood frozen.

"Stop" Jack whispered softly.

Pitch continued to move closer to him, not hearing what he said.

"A pest has been following me all day and it was just so infuriating" Pitch glanced to his left but then Jack made a move.

Jack pushed Pitch and pulled his staff out of Pitch's hands. Pitch was momentarily out of balanced and landed on the floor.

"What the-" Pitch begins to yell when he saw the state of the kid.

Jack has rolled into a ball, putting his staff in the middle. His arms protecting his head and knees muttering something.

"Stop. Stop." it was quiet and Pitch strained his ears to hear it.

"Jack?"

Pitch can see that the kid only shrunk back at his call. It looked painful how the kid tried to be smaller while hugging a big stick.

"Kid" Pitch whispered again, slightly hovering his hands around Jack.

Pitch has a slight clue on why Jack reacted that way. He did break the kid's staff months ago.

Pitch didn't expect Jack to react that way.

Pitch waited for an hour. He could feel that Jack has his guards up but he wasn't as distressed as before.

Jack haven't looked up though. And Pitch wanted to see if he's alright.

"Jack" Pitch heard Jack breath stopped.

Waiting for another couple of minutes, Pitch slowly inched closer.

"It's okay. No one's gonna hurt you"

Jack lifted his head and made a grim face. "Yeah. I kinda freak out there didn't I?" Jack laughed awkwardly.

Pitch sighed relief. He thought he lost Jack again. "Mind giving me an explanation?" Pitch waved a hand.

Jack's breath hitched. "It's not that big of a deal, really." Jack gestured to stand up but almost fall to his butt. He laughed again weakly.

"I should really go back to being immortal" Jack said not making another attempt to stand. He was exhausted. After all, he just finished his childish tantrum.

Pitch looked at Jack seeing a small amount of white hair in the kids hair. "You're getting there"

Pitch pat Jack's head. "Maybe you'll be back to your usual self by the end of the day."

Jack hummed in response. "Really useful. Just days after I became the Sheppard, I became like this" Jack sighed.

Jack could feel like he was getting better but he really ought to go back. The winter sprites must be worried.

"Can I ask when will you explain to me what just happened?" Pitch was patient. They have all the time in the world. Pitch is not going back to ignoring each other.

"I got nightmares that's all. Maybe you could ask one of your horse" Jack flinched. He didn't want to sound like he was blaming Pitch for his nightmares but he didn't want to explain.

They might or might not understand.

Jack knew that it was all in his head. Granted that there were many factors that resulted on the events that happened earlier. Being in the same situation where someone else held his staff and he was trapped inside a room and they were many and.. Jack forced his mind off.

"I feel unbalanced in this state. I don't remember everything. How long have I been here?" Jack changed the subject hoping that Pitch wouldn't ask about it again.

"Four days. Mother Nature was the one doing your chores. It's quite alright."

Jack nodded. He could totally trust Mother but he knew that her first priority are the lands and animals. Jack can say she doesn't care about the people as much as he would like her to.

I should get going.

"Pitch, grandpa. Can you escort me to my home?" Jack asked in his most polite way but in a teasing manner.

Pitch raised a eyebrow.

"You're willing to travel" Pitch paused, staring at the kid.

"With my nightmares?" Pitch conjured one nightmare horse.

Jack nodded.

"While awake?"

Jack nodded again.

"Jack, you said you just woke up from a nightmare" Pitch couldn't make sense. He knew he could fend off his nightmares when the kid was asleep but if the kid could feel and see them, that's a different matter.

"I don't see the problem. I already done that a couple of times"

"You hated travelling with me. In a confine space. With a lot of negative things lurking around." Pitch still can't believe he's hearing this.

"Well, you just got to say you're busy. I can walk" Jack huffed, a little irritated. Mother's house is nowhere near his home.

"You don't get to guilt trip me about this Jack. You only traveled with me four times and two of them you were unconscious. You couldn't look at the dark or stay in any room for months!" Pitch exclaimed.

"I don't really have a choice here, grandpa!" Jack slammed his fist in the ground.

Jack's eyes widen and quickly readjust himself. He took a couple of breath to steady himself.

"Sorry. I just really need to see my sprites" Jack said softly.

"Ask your guardian friends, then. The pest that been following me all day."

Jack stared at the old man. "They're busy at the moment" Jack didn't even need to think twice.

"I doubt that" Pitch said staring at something in his left.

Jack tilted his head to the side, "Pitch, they don't have time for me."

Before Jack could say more, a very familiar portal opened in front of them. "What..?"

"Go on, the pest said it leads to your home."

Still confused, Jack shook his head and jumped.