Summary: Slightly AU, set somewhat if in the middle of the movie, it took a different turn. Mentions of Dark!Jack. And a much more evil Pitch.

In order to once again claim the world, Pitch had to trick a winter sprite into falling under his control. The Guardians had been too focused on themselves and their duties, and had not caught onto Pitch's plan until too late and are now paying the price. The remaining Guardians must now hold on to the one called the "Shadow Creeper" until they can find Nightlight, the one The Man In The Moon has told them to temporarily recruit.

But little do they know she is a target for Mischief. And who is hellbent on capturing her.

*Jack/OC
one-sided Tooth/Jack
maybeTooth/Bunny

T for language and mentions of death. May be rated M later for future mature content and maybe graphic writing.

A/N: Please forgive me and I know the title isn't the best or well at all. Now first off, I must give an unimaginably large thanks to MysticRyter, blackwolfaligashia, Jordan Frost, Bevin, and BluemoonMusicGirl and all others who reviewed. I've been stuck in a rut for the longest with this story and this chapter was unbelievably difficult to write for some reason, so I can't thank you all enough for the input and support and ideas. Really, thank you. :)

Listen to: "Lex" by Ratatat

Ch8:Internee

ˌinˌtərˈnē | (noun) 1. a person who is confined as a prisoner, especially for political or military reasons.

North and Shadow looked up and watched as a handful of bright lights flickered out across Iceland.

"So, Shadow," North turned to her, eyes sparkling with hope, "what do ya say...? Will you help us...?"

Her lips remained in a straight line and she looked to her feet. When she looked back up, her gaze looked from his to the gigantic globe to the toys flying in the air and back to the globe.

If they were to look up to the rafters, they'd be able to just make out lips curl over rows of pointed teeth in a crooked smile.

Shadow considered this decision for a moment: If she were to help them, they'd probably be able to rid the world of her enemy...

'But then what?,' she thought to herself.

If she did stay here, she could get easy food, feather-down beds, and hundreds of victims for her pranks and amusement. But also, what was stopping them from tying her up again...? These people did kidnap her, after all. And if Pitch isdefeated, who's to say that they wouldn't keep her prisoner for if another threat came? And that's what finalized her decision.

Shadow's brows furrowed as she made her decision and turned to North. Her hands balled into fists and she could already feel the familiar stretching of the shadows as her powers worked. She barely held herself from just glaring at the gigantic man.

In the rafters, a toothy smile curled widely.

"North," Shadow shook her head and took a step back, "I don't think—-" She stopped, seeing his brows knot and his mouth open to speak, a disappointed look on his features.

A deep laugh caused both to freeze and look around frantically. "She doesn't want to work with you, ya old coot!" North heard a voice from somewhere.

By the sudden look on North's face, Shadow knew who it was behind her before he even spoke again. A cold mist hit the floor from above, and when it cleared, North stood face to face with his former Guardian. Jack's neck craned back, staring up at North with an aloof air and a stare that could rival a shark's. A mischievous shine shone in his dull eyes; Shadow stood rigid in her spot sensing him behind her.

"You..!" North gasped, sharp and to the point.

Jack's only response was a chuckle. He wore a wide, pointed-tooth grin from behind Shadow and she could feel his cool breath blow onto the back of her neck as his head dipped from his mock-laughter and he spoke. She watched North's eyes widen in shock and speak Jack's name in equal blank emotion.

"How did you...?"

"Get here?" Jack finished for him. He nonchalantly spun his staff in little circles to create tiny snowflakes and watched as they fell and dampened the carpet. "Oh, I just used a little toy I found. Nothing big."

Shadow could feel him stand on his tiptoes as North then took several large steps toward him. She could also feel that there was something in his jacket pocket poking her in her back. She wanted to move but knowing him, she knew that for the moment being, she'd better keep still.

Jack's smirk grew in that instant, showing more pointed teeth. His teeth were no longer flat and normal; his hood obscured his features and North wasn't sure he would have wanted to see the rest of what he had become. North swallowed at this—the winter sprite was transforming before his eyes, he realized.

North's gaze darted to the small table along the wall near him and then back at the twisted sprite. Inside the book near the potted plant on the table was a sort of security breach button that would call attention to the rest of the Guardians. If only he could reach it...

"I'm sure you must be familiar with it, obviously." Jack looked over the small trinket and tossed it once in his hand. "Just a little something I used that helps me get from one place to another..." He murmured nonchalantly.

The snow globe! North's eyes widened before narrowing to slits. He drummed his fingers once on his pants.

"No matter..."

At that same moment, Jack grabbed hold under Shadow's face with one of his hands, turning her sightly towards him. He ignored her growl as her cheeks were smooshed together. She flinched only slightly at his cold touch.

"I just came for this...So, get out of here, Nicolas." Jack smiled devilishly in North' expression.

Jack's eyes widened momentarily seeing North swiftly unsheathe the twin swords at his sides and point them in the sprite's direction. Shadow was identically caught off guard by the man's speed and she could feel Jack's stance change.

He chuckled, "whoa, whoa," detaching from Shadow and raising hands, that smirk still on his face. "No need to get hasty."

Shadow's expression had not changed throughout it all, and her eyes remained narrowed. She heard North growl, "let her go," and Jack's chest rumble in a laugh.

"That isn't really an option right now, is it, Nick?" Jack challenged. "Besides, all I'm doing is coming to get her and bring her back."

North's brows furrowed. "Bring back for what...?" he dared ask.

Already though, the sprite was moving away with the girl, taking slow steps back and away. And soon, both he and North were doing a sort of tango of circling each other, North's swords drawn and Jack's hands still raised.

Jack chuckled. "I don't think that's something you should really worry about," his wide eyes darted to Shadow, "especially with how weak you're becoming..."

Shadow glanced across the balcony, hoping that someone—anyone—would have seen this and was going to get help. She looked to North as the two still circled each other, and for a moment, thought it best to try and somehow calm some sense into Jack. But upon remembering their previous run-ins and warnings front the other Guardians, as well as with his present state of mind, she thought it best against.

The building was filled with hundreds of yetis and elves. How in the world did they go unnoticed?!, Shadow wondered.

"You are not welcomed here!"

"And yet, someone who is just as powerful, probably even worse than I am, is?"

Shadow's attention came back to the present. She had been so focused on looking for someone's attention in the workshop, that North and Jack had gone completely unnoticed until she heard them shouting now, now that she was literally squished between them.

North had now closed much of the space there was between them, swords still drawn and not too far from her chin. She could feel the cool radiating off of Jack as he once again loomed behind her aNd she could practically feel the taunt in his smirk as he spoke.

"Aww, North," he cooed. "You wouldn't hurt her—the, perhaps, only so-called chance you have at in this meaningless war...would you?"

He was taunting the other.

Shadow wanted to steal a glance behind her, but knew that would be a poor move in this situation. Besides, if she had, she would have seen Jack's eyes, wide and maniacal, shining under the darkness of his jacket and the points of his teeth just barely showing in his crooked grin. She looked across to Nick's calculating glare instead.

She could already feel her powers working.

Jack made a grab for her waist and Shadow repressed a shiver feeling his breath blow against her exposed skin. She cursed herself that she remained her a tank top.

"You wouldn't dare..."

At that moment, Shadow made a move she would later curse herself foolish for. Then, waiting for no other moment, she swung her elbow back as hard as she could, hearing the satisfying blow of wind from Jack's lungs immediately. Shadow spun on her toes, bringing her fist around squarely to his jaw with as much force as she could muster.

But her mark never landed. And her dark eyes stared up into pale blue, crazed orbs staring down at her, equipped with a row of slightly-jagged teeth grinning.

In one swift movement, Jack had caught her fist in his own hand, and seemingly effortlessly, twisted her arm painfully behind her back to where she could swear she heard something crack. She gritted her teeth and looked to North, trying her best not to make the pain show. Jack was doing the same with the numbing pulsing pain in his chest, but with a slight grin to his face.

Jack's other hand grabbed at Shadow's throat, still from behind. "Now, if you don't want me to freeze her throat mute, I suggest you better back away."

For a moment, everything seemed to pause. North looked back and forth from the dark sprite to the fallen Guardian wrapped around her, and with an odd look on his face, he sheathed his swords, slapping his hands at his sides.

Jack cracked a smile.

Shadow's eyes remained dangerously narrowed and concentrating. North watched as the dim shadows that surrounded them gathered and darken as they towered behind Jack. If they were to look Shadow in the eyes, they'd see that they had grown darker as well.

Then Shadow's foot kicked back and landed directly across his knee cap. The sprite buckled, stumbling backwards.

If she were to concentrate hard enough, she would have been able to swallow Jack as a whole. But since she was not that skilled yet, she was only able to bind his arms and ankles with the dark shadows. This, of course, earned an immediate growl from him as his hands were immediately ripped away and as he craned his neck to see it was tendrils of shadows that had bound him, and watched as his staff fell to the floor and instead of clattering, was swallowed inside the dark void.

A roar of rage ripped from his throat.

North watched speechlessly as Shadow, still with a wary frown on her face, took steps away and watched the other sprite, the shadows at her feet stretch to the larger mass that was binding Jack.

Jack cursed aloud, kicked against the black binds. North muttered in shock under his breath.

Then, with a stern look and a few stomps forward, Shadow charged forward and literally pushed the sprite backwards into the void. A silence came over the workshop, and North stood bewildered at the deep shadows ahead and the girl breathing heavily in front of them. Not a sound was made; there was only the fading yell from Jack before the darkness swallowed up his cry.

North doesn't know how long he or Shadow stood there, but as soon as he snapped out of his shocked-trance, he lunged for that carved-out book and hit one of the emergency button inside.

Shadow bent over her knees, a hand reaching to grab at her chest. The breath she let out then was a soft billow of chilled air.

Moments later, Tooth, Bunny, and Sandy arrived on the floor. Bunny and Tooth were the first to speak, questioning what was wrong, what had happened.

North could only answer with one word: Jack.

All four immediately turned to the girl in front of them.

"Well, where the bloody hell is he?" Bunny growled, boomerangs already drawn.

North waved toward Shadow. "He...he-he fell inside there," he gestured to the oddly dark shadows covering the ceiling to the carpet. "It just swallowed him—-"

He broke off seeing Shadow grip her chest and a deep, ugly cough wrack her. Bunnymund was the only one who caught the slight, white puff of cold air come from her lips. Seconds later, the mentioned sprite fell from the shadows of the ceiling, landing face first on the carpet.

Shadow wheezed.

,The staff was safely secured in a fist of his.

Sandy twinkled catching the sprite move and all four surrounded him, weapons at the ready. Jack's eyes crinkled and a low noise came from him as his only response—all Jack did was chuckle.

He chuckled.

"Well well...the big four. Nice to see you all too." He grinned up at Tooth and watch in smug satisfaction as she shivered slightly catching his sharpened teeth.

"What the bloody hell are you doing here!?" Bunny all but yelled. His foot came down on the shorter's chest.

Jack rolled his eyes. "Like I told the jolly giant," he said in annoyance, "I'm not here for any of you...unless you get in my way!"

And then to all of there surprise, he made a move to sit up—successfully, and with an angered look. The Guardians, in turn, rammed him into a wall. Shadow watched in satisfaction as his snowy head bounced off the stone, swords lining his throat.

"Here for what!"

"Nosey~" Jack tisked. "I don't think I'm exactly at liberty to say what for..." His pale gaze shifted to the little shadow girl behind them before turning back to his former comrades. "...But I can say who."

Tooth's expression what the one who changed at this, finally realizing.

Jack them leaned in close to her in particular, and his voice lowered to a mock whisper: "It's not like you can exactly keep me from her, you know. I will take the Shadow Walker..."

"Or what?" Bunny challenged. When he didn't get an answer, he pressed the razor-tipped boomerangs into the other's throat until he could feel the sprite swallow. "Speak, you ratbag!"

Sandy made sand-gestures indicating to keep Jack locked up. None of it went noticed.

"I already said, rabbit," Jack snarled. "I only came for one thing," he turned and craned his neck, looking directly at Shadow, taunting, "right, princess?"

There was a dark look in his eyes that she didn't look away from, and didn't exactly know why.

As he suspected, Jack's statement had distracted the Guardians long enough for him to shimmy in his jacket's pocket, pull out the snow globe, blow everyone away with an icy wind, and create a portal. And with a final cackle and to everyone's surprise, he was gone. Once more, the workshop was left in silence.

Bunny was the first to break it, growling in frustration. The Guardians still hadn't turned their backs.

Shadow remained where she stood.

The rest of the workshop was bustling with the workers, continuing as normal, as if nothing out of the usual had happened.

A mutter passed that Shadow wasn't sure of until Tooth asked.

"Get the others," Bunny spoke, louder this time.

All looked to him.

"We've got to. She's proven to be more troubleso—-"

"-—Much more…much more powerful than I had presumed," North finished.

"And with Jack—-"

"-—With what just happened, I think this has grown to become something that the others should know of as well. Jack Frost has grown to be more of a threat than we thought. Who knows what he could be up to now…"

"You saw how he just pushed Bunny's foot out the way…!" Tooth added.

North nodded. "We should alert the main others," he agreed, and paused, wanting to look at the younger girl shivering in a tai top.

Another brief silence passed between them all until Bunnymund huffed.

"Ok, let's get to the globe then. Sandy, grab her too. I know I can't be the only one who thinks we shouldn't let her out of our sight."

None of the others objected.

Sandy shuffled to Shadow's side, taking her hand.

Whilst following, she couldn't help but think how the tooth fairy wouldn't look away from her and Bunnymuch mumbling under his breath of how he didn't trust this plan.