They were supposed to be together forever, right? That's probably what hurt the most. There must have been weird circumstances surrounding the kiss, but there shouldn't have been a kiss at all. Lauren should have known better; she should have kept in mind that Jack was not hers anymore and that it was in no way appropriate for her to kiss him. Jack should have thought about Skyla and pushed Lauren away because they were working at their relationship and he should have known that something like that would cause a fight. No matter how bad he felt about it, she didn't believe that it could compare to her feelings. The war going on in her was indescribably vicious and it was destroying her.
But by the end of the week, Saturday morning as she woke up, she wondered if he would ever come back. The patio door stayed unlocked, so had the bedroom window, the curtains drawn away from it. She kept a lamp turned on in the living room, too. Just hoping with all her heart that he would make it home soon.
Life didn't stop while he was gone, though. She went to work wearing a smile, met up with Gavin, Jane, and even Marie, wearing that same smile. It was soft, hid her feelings well; it was familiar. She even went out ice skating twice. With her music playing it hadn't been that bad aside from the point when she'd nearly had a break down. During the day, she was still functioning.
But then night came and the storms started again, not just in her but also outside. Every time the sun went down and she crawled into bed alone she wondered if she could really get up and do the same things over again. If, in the morning, she'll be able to function without him. She had functioned without Brandon and they'd been really close. He knew nearly everything about her. Jack was a whole other story. He was everything to her, and she'd been willing to give him everything. She'd been readying herself to tell him everything about herself and her past. No, functioning normally without Jack was not possible.
She hadn't had any nightmares since, and she was sure it was her own force of will keeping them away. If there were anyone around she could say it to, she would say I told you so. They were just bad dreams and she could handle them on her own. She was, in no way, afraid of the Boogeyman. But she wouldn't let him in anymore. Whatever he'd wanted, she was not going to give it to him. Whatever deal he thinks they've made; well she couldn't even remember it!
As it had been, her day is a lot easier than her night had been. With no work she lazes around the apartment until Gavin shows up with lunch. He doesn't stay long though, and it seems like he was just checking on her. Out of the few people she'd interacted with, he was the only one who noticed something was going on. He knew better than to ask her about it, so he just dropped off the meal he somehow knew she'd skipped, gone through the kitchen to frown at everything, and told her to call him when she wanted to talk about it. She hoped he wasn't expecting that call any time soon.
It started getting dark out so she turned off the television and walked out onto the patio, shutting the door carefully behind herself. She waited a while, the rain starting later than usual. Then eventually the thunder, and finally the lightning. The skies lit up with each strike and she no longer jumped at the loud booming. She was soaking and her hands gripped the railing tightly, her knuckles turning white. "Life goes on" she breathes in, then out, "And reality blurs."
She wasn't sure when she'd figured it out. If it was any earlier than the previous night then she knew it must have been fear and uncertainty or just something keeping her from trying anything. From accepting that there was something for her to try. But, really, it had been obvious. From the start, the moment she'd felt the electricity, she should have known. It wasn't Jack. It wasn't some magic that happened when he gave her his heart. Magic sparked it, but the spark was from her. The energy was from her. She was the reason for the storms; they were reacting to her.
She dared not call the lighting to her. But it had to be more than the lightning that was hers. She lifted her hands, palms up, and willed the wind to pick up. She grinned ear to ear when it did but needed more proof. She told the lightning to soften then fade; it did. She told the thunder to give once last monstrous crash and then stop... It did, and she nearly jumped right out of her skin at the sound.
"How?" she asked. The night calmed and when the clouds parted she stared up at the Moon; "How?" For a while she listens patiently, piecing together his somehow not audibly heard words. Not so patiently, she asks about a hundred questions. In the end she figures out that having Jacks heart awoke whatever dormant supernatural abilities she'd had. Somehow MiM had known about her, and somehow he knew what being close to Jack could do for her. It was all just a way for her to become who he needed her to become. Another Guardian.
She spat at the idea, "I can never be a Guardian. You know that! I don't want to be, either! You shouldn't have done this, you shouldn't have brought me and Jack together! Now, because of you, I have a broken heart and another reason to hide myself away! Why did you do this to me?! Why did you ruin my life!" Skyla couldn't take it anymore. Before anything can interrupt her she stepped back inside, shutting the door... And this time she locked it. Then she went to the bedroom, uncaring that water was dripping all over the carpeted floors. She locked the window and closed the heavy curtain.
After a quick shower she put on thick pajamas and crawled into bed. She's far too exhausted and her mind is completely overwhelmed with the new information. Without crying, without thinking about how much she missed Jack, she fell asleep. And opened her eyes inside the Nightmare Castle.
Her memories came back to her slowly as she lounged on the silver framed black chaise. Pitch knows she doesn't like everything black and dark so most of the furniture in her room is like that. The bookshelves, the desk, the window seat. Even the standing mirror. He can create anything in his Nightmare World. But he wouldn't give her everything she wanted. The odd looking castle stayed odd looking and unwelcoming. The moat filled with dark -almost solid- shadows and lava, the sky with no moons or stars. Most of the castle was unlit, too. She could see, but that wasn't the problem.
She knew he was waiting for her signal. After the third night he knew for certain that she hated the way he appeared out of nowhere, skulking among the shadows until she noticed him. But he's always watching her. "Let's get this over with" she sighs, sitting up. The Boogeyman appeared and smoothly slid into the chair behind the desk in front of her and to the left. She rubbed at her temple before standing up and approaching the desk.
"Has something happened? You haven't visited me in... I think it's been a week now?"
"Almost." Skyla said shortly, "I understand how time can be lost to you." He smirked at her as she rested her hands lightly on the desk, "What do you want from me?
"You always ask the same questions. I've told you what I want, and you've agreed to give it to me. Speaking of which... How's Jack?"
She wanted to smack that smile off his face but kept an empty tone, "He is well. I am not helping you hurt him-"
"No, that is not what I want. You know what I want. And you know of our deal. Since he is well, I assume it is not yet time for you to deliver."
"Yes, that is true." He just stared for a few long moments. He didn't intimidate her as much as he thought. She refused to crumble under his gaze. She was not going to tell him anything he did not need to know. "Is something the matter?" Skyla asks innocently.
"Yes. I am very upset." He stood and walked around the desk . She turned to face him as he reached out to twirl a lock of her hair in his long, grey fingers. The ashen look suited him. He watched as his fingers worked her hair, and she watched as his expression turned to mock disbelief, "That you would lie to me is very upsetting."
Skyla tried to stepped back, but he held onto her hair and she couldn't go far. His face turned angry and his fist closed, tugging her along with him towards the window to the right of the desk. She wanted to complain, loudly, but he wasn't listening. When he's angry, he thinks he's right to do things like that. Like she deserves what she's getting for struggling. It's true, and she could stop struggling, but she was not willing to give in that easily.
Pitch forced her to sit at the window seat and turned her head forecefully towards the window, stepping back when he's sure she won't look away. "You see all this, Skyla? This is not even my entire realm. You should see my lair. My throne. I am, after all, a king. King of Nightmares. And you, you should bow to your king. If I so choose, I can have you executed for your lies and betrayals." As he said the words, in the courtyard far below, a guillotine forms in place of the decorative fountain that had been there before.
She wanted to fight back. She wanted to snarl at him and defend herself. But she knew that there's no use. "As far as I know; Jack Frost is well. And it is still not time for me to deliver my side of the bargain." Skyla looked back at him and he's calmed down. "He has not abandoned me. Nor have I decided to leave him."
"What's happened is close enough."
"It's not the same. Or are you not as fair as I thought you were." It's doubtful those words from anyone elses mouth would give him pause; but from her it did. She took it a step farther, "I hope you'll understand that while our relationship is on the rocks, it is still holding. We are still together. I still love him, and I always will. Expect nothing less."
Before he could get angry again, a Nightmare Horse neighed strongly from inside the room and Pitch looked to it. He glided over to it and waited impatiently for it to deliver whatever report it has. Skyla started to panic. She was being watched on the surface, she knew that for sure. What she knew, what she'd experienced; that Mare was about to share it all with the Boogeyman.
"Are you really going to let it interrupt us?" She asked, letting her voice sound irritated. "We are in the middle of something, Pitch."
"Give me a minute, my dear." he called over his shoulder.
Skyla stood and crossed the room, putting her hand on his arm, "I do not want to be kept waiting. Can't we just continue our talk now? We do not have all night, no matter how strong your hold is on me."
He gave in, turning towards her. "Of course. We always have tomorrow night to discuss what you've done this time." He waved the Mare away.
She smiled at him and led him back to the window so they could sit together. She noticed that the fountain is back, though of course black smoke flowed from it and not something as pure as water. Looking back at Pitch, her grey eyes meet yellow. She doesn't know what to say. "Umm... As I was saying-"
"You are in love with Jack Frost. My enemy."
"Yes." she nodded.
"And you realize that that would make you my enemy as well?"
"It doesn't have to. You don't need any more enemies, Pitch. I won't say I'll be your friend; I don't think there is much chance of that. But I don't want to be your enemy."
"Of course not. But you are. Siding with him, you must be. Unless you choose to come find me. To stay here, only not in a nightmare. This will become your reality."
How could she say no? "No way in hell. Excuse me for phrasing it that way. The only way that will happen is if I am forced to hold up my end of the bargain. And I really don't see that happening. Ever. Because Jack loves me, and I love him, and-"
"Stop saying that" Pitch fumed, "What do you know about love? You know nothing! Your mother was incapable of it, and so must you be!"
Skyla jumped to her feet and yelled at him, "You're one to talk! And don't you dare mention my mother like that! She was the most loving person I knew! She loved me! Why does that mean nothing to you?!"
"Why do you think?" he stood, and Sky stepped away. "You can not love. You will never love. You belong here."
"No" she backed farther away, "I belong with Jack Frost. And I belong in the human world."
"You can't have both." He reached forwards and gripped her upper right arm, "I will give you one week. If he still does not come back, you admit he's abandoned you. You admit love was never possible. You find me and give everything up-"
"I'm not doing that. I have a future to look forward to. With or without Jack; I have a life. I'm not giving it up just to let you out of your prison." This time she did snarl at him, letting him know that he's not going to sway her. But, like he always did, Pitch compromised.
He held up a finger on his free hand, "One week. You can not call to him, or any of his friends. Then you find me, let me out, and forget you ever met me or the Guardians. Live your pathetic human life."
She stared into his eyes, "I won't forget. But you swear you'll leave me alone?"
Both of his hands held her arms then, "Of course, my dear. Would I ever break a promise to you?"
"I believe in Jack, I know he'll come back. Your deal doesn't frighten me."
"You accept?" She nodded, and his smirk was the last thing she sees.
NOTES:
I'm writing this other thing
It's in first person and present tense
I'm mainly working on it right now
And it's already bleeding into this
Thankfully it has been brought to my attention
I'll re-read the chapters more carefully before I post okay
Sorry if I screw up again
Love Y'all *hearts*
P.S
This fic is, indeed, coming to an end
But there may also be a sequel
So baby keep smiling
You know the sun is shining
*ahem* Sorry, Lou Bega moment
