Author's Note: Ok, so this chapter is long for me (over 4k in words!) but probably not quite the longest? But it has PLOT and the Guardians with Jack, Lillian and Pitch! I want to thank everyone for their awesome suggestions on what I could do with them. I was seriously at a loss at the end of the next chapter on how to begin this one, but thanks to you guys, I figured out what I wanted to do. I know I said I probably wasn't updating until Friday, but I was just SO excited to do the 30th chapter! I'm also extremely proud of how this all turned out, so I hope you guys like it too.

Chapter Thirty: We're Sorry

It didn't take long for Jack to be officially moved into Pitch's lair. Considering he owned next to nothing, it literally took him no time at all to have his very few possessions moved in. His room thoughtfully had a peg on the wall for him to hang his staff and Jack loved sharing all his meals with Pitch and Lillian.

Now more than ever, they felt like a family. Jack sometimes felt like a child with an overprotective dad though, since Pitch felt the urge to pick out all of Jack's clothes. Perhaps Pitch had noticed that Jack had only one set of clothes, because somehow Jack kept finding new sweaters and pants set out for him every day. Jack had a suspicion that Pitch was actually preparing for Jack to move in for a very long time.

Considering the fact that all his clothes were clearly handmade, Jack was certain of it. So it was soon Saturday that Jack had gotten up and saw what new sweater Pitch had made for him.

Jack rolled his eyes when he saw it. It was a trademark blue hoodie, but it had a big design on the front that suspiciously looked like Frosty the Snowman. The snowman had a big grin, a top hat with a flower in it, and lots of snowflakes all around. But even though it definitely qualified for an ugly sweater contest, Jack had a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth as he put it on. Not only had Pitch thoughtfully made him new clothes to wear every day, but for the first time ever as a spirit, he now had pajamas.

As he finished getting dressed, Jack felt a warmth spreading in his heart. He never really quite knew all he was missing out on by essentially being a homeless spirit. Now not only did he have a family, but he had his very own room and all the little things that came with it. Perhaps he didn't have as many possessions as others might have, but he had something much greater.

Finishing getting ready for the day, Jack quickly brushed a comb through his hair and grabbed up his staff. He was especially happy today as Lillian was finally done being grounded and they could go out and play. Even though spring was supposed to be coming, Jack had managed to hear through the grapevine that the Groundhog had seen his shadow, and it didn't take much to convince Lillian that winter could go on a liiittle longer. His Winter Wind had whispered to him about how spring should be coming soon, but for just a little longer, Burgess was a winter wonderland.

Jamie had been estatic about all the extra snow, as had his friends. Jack had given Jamie his promised snow day and had played with him frequently while Lillian was grounded, much to Lillian's dismay. Lillian had groaned and whined and complained, but she had picked up her messy room all by herself and now it was back to looking just as clean as it used to, with all of her things neatly put away.

Jack left his room and with a rush of his Wind through the lair, he laughed as he flew right into Lillian's room. Lillian, who was still in bed, groaned as she felt the winter chill in the air.

She loved having Jack living with them, but his wakeup calls seriously sucked. She was either woken up by his freezing wind or a snowball to the face, and why did he have to be even more of an early riser than she was? Jack, who was used to living outdoors was quite used to getting up with the sun and therefore thought that Lillian should be too.

That, and Jack literally couldn't sit still for five minutes and he would get bored. So to avoid getting in trouble (seriously, he couldn't even make it snow a little in his room?), he would go wake up Lillian to play with him.

"Jaaaack," Lillian whined as the Wind rushed in. "It's too eaaarlyyy.."

Jack laughed at his friend as she tried to burrow back under the covers.

"It's not early, it's late!" he said happily.

Lillian cracked an eye open to glare at him, and noticed he already had a snowball ready to fire should she decide to try and go back to sleep.

"It's not even eight in the morning," she grumbled. "Is the sun even up yet?"

But Jack ignored her usual grumbling and left when he saw that she was finally getting up.

So it was that they spent a typical day together. It wasn't long before Pitch was also awake and they had breakfast and then it was off to outside to play, with Pitch warning them about causing mischief and the reminder that it was firmly Spring now so no more snow.

The last thing he needed was that wretched Pooka bothering him about how Spring had not yet come.

Lillian hadn't wanted to go into town that day, so she and Jack spent a happy day playing around Jack's lake and generally having a lot of fun. Jack noticed though that despite all the fun they were having, that Lillian would stop every once in awhile and glance around, as if she were looking for something.

When it was getting close to sunset, Jack had almost had enough. Lillian seemed pretty nervous and kept casting anxious glances around. What was going on?

As he opened his mouth to finally ask however, he was distracted by a golden glow. His eyes lit up and a grin found its way on his face.

Sandy!

Lillian noticed Sandy too, and thankfully Jack was too distracted by his arrival to notice the look of relief on Lillian's face. It was going to be dark soon, and Pitch would want them home.

Sandy was on his usual golden cloud of dreamsand and landed by the two seasonal spirits. He grinned happily at them both and waved.

"Hi Sandy!" Lillian said happily, glad that her letter had been received and that her plan was working out.

Sandy nodded at the pair and held up two envelopes. He floated over and handed one to Jack, then Lillian.

Lillian looked down at her envelope curiously, as did Jack.

"What's this?" Jack asked, but Sandy just gestured at the envelopes.

Lillian noticed that hers had her name written on the envelope in a fancy script. She opened it up to see a little card and written in the same fancy script was an invitation.

It said:

You are cordially invited to the North Pole for an evening of wonder and excitement! This includes a tour of the Workshop as well as dinner with the Guardians. If you accept, please follow Sandy. The party is scheduled for tonight!

Sincerely,

Nicholas St. North

Jack nearly face palmed at the invitation. It was for that very night? It was nearly past their curfew! Not to mention there obviously wasn't an invitation for Pitch, despite his and Lillian's claims that the boogeyman was now a big part of their lives. Jack felt indignation of Pitch's behalf. Surely their adoptive parent should be invited as well?

Before he could bring it up however, Lillian had happily accepted the invitation for the both of them.

"I call shotgun on Sandy's plane!" she cried, as Sandy formed said plane.

She raced forward and hopped into the passenger seat, looking over at Jack with excited eyes.

"Come on, Jack! We can see Santa's Workshop!"

Jack tried to look serious, he didn't really want to meet with the Guardians just yet, but Lillian's excitement was contagious. Just the thought of seeing Santa's Workshop had him feeling giddy and very much like a kid on Christmas.

He bit his lip, trying to hide his smile and looked over at Sandy.

Sandy waved at Jack to come on and started up his plane.

With a feeling of excitement mixed with dread, Jack followed after Sandy's golden plane.


North was excitedly calling out orders to the yetis as they raced around putting up last minute decorations and generally making North's Workshop look as absolutely wonderful as possible.

All the other Guardians had already arrived and were offering up suggestions on what North could have for decorations that would appeal to the two child spirits.

"I think you could use something more wintery," Tooth called out inbetween giving orders to her fairies.

"Nah mate, you need more spring!" Bunny said. "You got winter comin' out of yer ears, but the little lass is gonna feel left out!"

"You heard them!" North jovially called out to an aggravated Phil.

Phil, who didn't know which way to turn, was trying to pin up snowflakes and flowers in turn and somehow had managed to get tape and glitter all over his fur. He shot North a glare worthy of Pitch, but North didn't seem to notice.

The rushing went into overdrive when they heard Sandy's plane approaching. Soon it would be time to see if they could do as Lillian ordered - fix Jack and make him happy again.

Sandy's plane came in for a landing in the globe room and he and Lillian both got out of the plane, which soon dissolved into sparkles of dreamsand. Jack reluctantly flew in afterwards.

Bunny gave Tooth a hopeful look as he could feel the hope building in Jack. Jack might not be as happy as Lillian liked, but the kid still had some hope left and they could work with that.

North grinned as he made his way over. He could practically see the Wonder rolling off of them in waves.

"Welcome to Pole!" North said to the two spirits. "I am glad you accept invitation! Is exciting, no?"

"No! I mean, yes! Yes!" Lillian said, bouncing on the balls of her feet, her eyes practically glowing green in excitement. It was only through her concentrated effort that her spring powers weren't going haywire in her excitement.

Jack looked more subdued than his friend and he shot Bunny an anxious look.

Bunny hid a wince at that. He knew he had hurt Jack most of all. He could still feel that awful, empty feeling as Jack's hope had been shattered that day. Bunny had been so distraught about the children not believing in him anymore that he had unintentionally hurt Jack. Hurt him badly.

The other Guardians had as well, but Bunny was the main culprit. They should have given him a chance to explain.

"Ah.. Listen, maybe we oughtta talk about some things first," Bunny said, shooting Jack a guilty look.

Jack studiously avoided looking the Guardians in the eyes as Lillian looked highly confused. She had missed that part of Easter. The Guardians had talked about it a little that day on Jack's lake, but there was too much going on at the time and she hadn't taken notice of it.

"Aren't we going to see the Workshop?" Lillian asked with a note of disappointment.

"Oh we will Sweetie!" Tooth hastily reassured the child spirit. "But we need to straighten things out with Jack first?"

Lillian tilted her head, then recalled how Jack arrived at the Pole.

"Are you gonna say you're sorry for shoving Jack in a sack and kidnapping him?" she asked innocently.

Bunny winced. He forgot that the sheila had no idea what they did. Hoo boy.

"Why don't you two come sit by us and we'll explain," Tooth said gently, gesturing to some seats near where she and Bunny were seated.

Sandy happily accepted a mug of eggnog and made his way over to the couch, where he sat near Bunny. North sat in an armchair, while Jack and Lillian hesitantly came over by them.

Jack however, chose to remain standing as the seats were too close to the fire for him. Lillian looked at all the very guilty looking Guardians and opted to stand with Jack, the excited look sliding off her face.

"What happened?" she asked softly.

Bunny winced again. This wasn't going to be pretty.

"What do you remember of that day, sheila?" Bunny asked her.

Lillian thought back for a moment.

"Umm.. Pitch wasn't being himself," she recalled. "Jack had showed up with Baby Tooth and Pitch was being really mean to him. I think I was feeling kinda weird? Then I don't really remember anything until I woke up at Jack's lake."

"Well.." Tooth started. "You and Jack helped us paint all those eggs for Easter in Bunny's Warren, remember?"

Lillian tilted her head, looking thoughtful. She kinda remembered.

"Then you and Jack offered to take Sophie home," she continued.

"Da!" North agreed. "While you were gone, Pitch's Nightmares attacked while we were trying to get eggs to surface. Not one egg made it."

Jack flinched at that, and hugged his staff close to himself as he bowed his head. His white locks hung down over his eyes, obscuring his expression. He looked like the epitome of a guilty, scolded child and it broke the Guardians' hearts to see him so down. The fact that he was hugging his staff like a teddy bear was not lost on them.

Sandy, who had not been there for that terrible Easter, looked at the Guardians with a stony expression not suited to him. He recalled that they had explained a little that day at the lake, but now he had a feeling he was about to get a much more detailed explanation - and that he wasn't going to like it.

He knew that they all needed to clear the air, but he wished their little party didn't have to start off on such a melancholy note. He hoped that all the fun they had planned would make up for it. Otherwise he knew that they might lose their two blue lights forever. Their belief was so weak right now that if anything damaged their beliefs further, their lights would go out.

Lillian's eyes widened at this revelation.

"Not one?" she breathed.

"..No.." Bunny said sadly. "And uh, Jack came back without you or Baby Tooth. Right when some kids walked through me.. They didn't believe in me anymore."

Lillian gasped at that. She knew exactly how awful it was to be walked through. She knew how horribly empty inside it made you feel. It made you feel like less than nothing.

"What happened?" she asked.

Bunny shifted guiltily in his seat.

"You hafta understand, he was all by himself and holding his tooth case. It.. it looked very bad."

Jack started to tremble a little bit, and Sandy shot a glance at the globe. One of the blue lights was blinking and was so dim that he knew it was only a matter of moments before it went out forever.

Lillian noticed Jack's distress and patted him on the arm, as his hands were full at the moment, hugging his staff close.

"We didn't know what Jack had just been through," Tooth said sadly. "We assumed the worst."

Bunny nodded glumly and continued the narrative.

"We said some really hurtful things ta him. Accused him of betrayin' us."

His green eyes fixed on Jack, who wouldn't look at them to see their sorrow and guilt.

"We were wrong.. So wrong." Bunny continued. "Especially me. We know we can't even begin ta make it up ta you, mate. But we hope that this party.. well.. it'll be a start."

Jack's knuckles whitened as he clutched his staff like a lifeline. So they were apologizing again. This is what this was all about. He had a feeling it would be. He still felt so hurt from that terrible Easter, and by what had followed after the Guardians had dismissed him.

He wasn't sure if an apology would be enough. He wasn't sure what to do.

Sandy glared harshly at his fellow Guardians and crossed his arms angrily as he set his mug down.

North, Tooth and Bunny for their parts looked extremely guilty.

"We are so sorry, Jack. Please.. Please, believe us. We didn't mean to hurt you like that. It was so wrong of us not to even listen to you." Tooth said as tears filled her eyes.

North nodded his agreement.

"Even as Guardians, we make mistakes. We hope you will someday forgive us, but we understand if you do not."

Lillian looked torn as she regarded all the Guardians. She had been upset at some of them still (especially Bunny) over how Jack had been manhandled to the Pole. She hadn't even expected something like this.

Her light on the globe began to blink too as uncertainty set in. She looked up at Jack worriedly as he had yet to move or say anything to anyone.

"Jack..?" she said softly.

Jack didn't know what to think. He had wanted the Guardians to apologize. He had felt so lost after their rejection and he would have given anything to have them welcome him back. Now here was his chance to be friends with them all again, but he didn't know if he wanted it.

He didn't think he could handle it if they rejected him again.

"..I.." he said hesitantly.

"Maybe this wasn't the best time for a party," Tooth said sadly.

Jack reeled back, his head snapping up to stare at the Guardians. They could see the raw hurt pooling in his eyes.

Sandy gave a silent gasp as Jack's light blinked off the globe.

No!

"You don't want us anymore?" Lillian said, her tone sounding hurt.

Her light wavered, nearly out.

"Of course we want ya," Bunny said sadly to them. "You're our friends. We want ya ta realize that. We understand if ya don't want ta be our friends anymore, but we love ya."

Jack's light flashed on and Sandy breathed a sigh of relief as he realized Jack's light was still flickering and had taken an extra long flick to come back on.

"You hurt Jack," Lillian stated. "Even after all he did to help you."

"We know," Bunny gave them a tortured look. "We know we have a lot ta make up for."

Lillian regarded them solemnly, her light still wavering on the edge of belief.

"Will you take us away?" she asked. "Or will you let us stay with Pitch?"

The Guardians all exchanged uneasy glances. They still weren't sure about Pitch, but they could tell that this was Lillian's test for them. If they failed, they knew that the children spirits' belief would fail and that they would forever lose their chance with Jack and Lillian.

"We know that Manny helped him," Tooth said, ever the peace maker. "And.. we don't want to upset you, so we'll let you go where you want."

Bunny looked for a moment like he wanted to argue, but then he deflated. He hurt them, and he didn't have any right to demand where they went or who they lived with. Even if it was with that ratbag.

Lillian blinked. She hadn't expected that at all. She had fully expected Bunny to start ranting about how evil Pitch was and offer up his Warren yet again. She looked at their woebegone expressions and then up at Jack.

"Jack?" she asked.

Jack looked surprised as well. He had been thinking right along the same lines as Lillian. He carefully looked from one Guardian to the next. All of them seemed genuinely apologetic.

"..I guess.." he started, but then stopped as he noticed the gathering darkness in the globe room.

His eyes widened as he heard a very familiar voice.

"Well, well.. What do we have here?"

Pitch's golden eyes glared out at them as he stepped out of a shadow.


While Jack and Lillian were traveling to the Pole, Pitch was pacing around the lair. He had to leave very soon to go spread his usual nightmares, and those two spirits of his had yet to come home and they knew they had to be home by nightfall, no exceptions.

As the darkness fell outside, Pitch's temper rose. Not only did Jack have issues not leaving snow all over the lair, but those two living together were more trouble than he realized.

He began grumbling to himself as he continued pacing and started feeling the first flickers of unease.

What if something had happened to them?

What could happen to them?

Pitch knew that he wasn't the only dark spirit out there. There were all kinds of horrors waiting to prey on two unsuspecting, innocent spirits.

He shuddered to think what could happen to them.

But where could they be?

After ten more minutes of worrying, he started using the shadows to look around outside. After checking their usual hangouts, he started expanding his search area.

An hour later an extremely worried Pitch finally thought of the Guardians. Would Jack and Lillian go see them?

Deciding that this was his one last, desperate hope, he disappeared into a shadow and peeked out at the North Pole.

What he saw had him seething in fury.

There they were, his Jack and Lillian, with the Guardians! He could clearly see that both Jack and Lillian were very upset as well and he couldn't resist stepping through to the globe room.

Oh, they better have one hell of a good explanation!


Jack and Lillian exchanged panicked looks as Pitch suddenly appeared in the globe room.

"Pitch!" Bunny cried out as he stood.

The Guardians all rose, drawing out their weapons automatically.

Lillian was the first to say something about it.

"What are you doing?!" she shouted at them.

They looked cowed as she angrily glared at them, and sheepishly put their weapons away.

Whoops. Old habits died hard.

Pitch folded his arms and gave Jack and Lillian a very angry, pointed look.

"Ah.." North said, rubbing the back of his head. "What are you doing here?"

Pitch turned his icy gaze onto the Guardians.

"Funny you should ask," he said. "I was sitting in my lair, wondering where two very naughty spirits had gotten to, as I clearly told them to be home before dark. It occurred to me that something terrible could have happened to them, so I began to search."

Lillian squirmed guiltily at that.

"Pitch - " she started, apologetically, but Pitch ignored her.

"After checking their usual places they hang about, I began to look in other places around the world. Perhaps Lillian had finally learned some responsibility and was spreading Spring. After visiting a few dozen countries, I quickly realized that this wasn't the case."

"We didn't - " Jack tried, but Pitch barreled on, not listening.

"After I began to despair that some despicable spirit had kidnapped them, it finally occurred to me that perhaps, just perhaps they could be here, with you. And to my immense surprise, what do I find?"

Here Pitch shot Jack and Lillian a very angry look.

"We're sorry!" Lillian blurted out, looking extremely guilty. "Sandy gave us an invitation to the North Pole for a party!"

"A party," Pitch said flatly.

"Y-yeah," Jack stammered. "We.. we didn't think - "

Pitch interrupted.

"Clearly, you did not."

The Guardians all exchanged shocked looks.

Pitch Black had been worried about Jack and Lillian? And here he was scolding the pair of them like.. like their parent!

"Are we grounded?" Lillian asked in a small voice.

The Guardians all looked shocked at how young she sounded.

"Do we have to leave?" Jack asked, sounding equally as young, and equally as disappointed.

Pitch's non-existent eyebrow rose as he regarded first Jack and Lillian, and then the Guardians.

The Guardians all looked flabbergasted. Here was the evidence that Lillian had been telling the truth all along. Pitch was different with them. Pitch looked out for them.

Pitch cared about them.

"Maybe.." North said, trying to come up with some sort of solution. "..Maybe.. you all stay for dinner?"

Pitch took in the varying degrees of shock on the Guardians' faces (whether it was over him or North's offer, he wasn't quite sure) to the look of eager hopefulness on Jack and Lillian.

He rolled his eyes in response.

"I suppose," he drawled, "If I decline, that I'll never hear the end of how two children were this close to seeing Santa's Workshop and then had to leave."

Bunny could feel the hope radiating off of Jack and Lillian at Pitch's words, and was hard pressed to hide his grin.

"We can stay?" Lillian asked, hardly believing her ears.

"Only," Pitch said glaring at them, "if you promise never to do this ever again. I won't go through this again. And," he added before they could start apologizing again or protesting, "you are both grounded for two weeks with no magic. Do I make myself clear?"

Pitch's authoritative tone rang out in the room, and the Guardians had trouble trying to keep their jaws from hitting the floor.

Pitch sounded just like a parent!

A grin lit up Jack's face, only to fade a bit as he glanced at the Guardians.

"Excellent!" North said, clapping his hands together. "Let us put unpleasantness behind us, da? We can have tour of workshop and then dinner!"

Hardly believing that they were about to have a dinner party with Pitch Black, the Guardians all rose to their feet and followed after two very excited spirits and North off to the workshop.


Author's Note: Sooo.. what did you think? I really was going to have happy fun times, but I realized that the Guardians needed to clear the air more with Jack. Then Pitch had to come along, so now the party is postponed until the next chapter. How super awkward do you think THIS is going to be with Pitch there? If you guys have any party suggestions or any suggestions in general, I'm more than welcome to them. I am most likely going to update tomorrow anyway, since I REALLY want to do this party. I could use some suggestions for what could come AFTER the party though.

Anywho, hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and thanks to all the faves, follows and especially reviews! :)