Hello and Welcome!

Rise of the Guardians, Jack Frost X Pitch Black (aka Black Ice).

This is the sequel to my previous chapters in Dream Catcher, and takes place after the Rise of the Guardians movie! It is rated M for mature content (do not take lightly), and there will be emotional moments. You have been warned; read at your own risk.

Thank you and Enjoy the Show!

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Chapter 12: Into Darkness

Jack didn't know why he still cared. He shouldn't. The man tried to destroy every child's hopes, dreams, and wonder with his darkness. He could understand that he just wanted to be believed in, but as Jamie said, you could believe and not be scared.

These past few days have been chaotic. Traveling from hideout to hideout, using more energy than he knew he had, and finding out he could use his frost in different ways. He had to admit, his new options were pretty cool.

But he still wondered what had happened to the mighty Pitch Black after he left. His army was impressive for his attempted plans. They all looked just like Onyx. Obeyed him like her too.

It was weird seeing him again after so many years apart. Pitch acted like he didn't know him, but he knew that smirk back at Tooth's palace meant they had business they soon had to finish. And in Antarctica, Pitch was so bold as to propose working together to bring cold and dark into every person's life. But that wasn't how Jack wanted to be recognized and remembered.

What Jack really remembered was his memories – his sister, his past life, everything. Pitch hadn't told him all those years before for his sake. And it took him up till then, in that freezing stony cavern, to realize it. He knew he acted rash, but he was so desperate for answers that he was willing to do anything and everything to try to get them; even if it meant breaking up with Pitch.

"Hey, Frost, snap out of it, mate," Bunny waved his paw in front of Jacks face, bringing him back to the present. Jack blinked. North was at the reins, Sandy was sleeping peacefully, and Tooth was watching him nonchalantly.

"I'm okay, Bunny." Jack gave his usual smile to prove what he said. He had more respect for the Easter Bunny ever since he had witnessed how much effort Bunny actually put into his holiday. But it was still fun to tease him nonetheless. "Big ol' Bunny cares for me that much, huh?"

"Ah, grow up, kid." Bunny slumped back into his seat at the back of North's sleigh. Tooth stood up and floated to Jack.

"Jack, you were so brave standing up to Pitch like that down there, and for taking care of Baby Tooth. I guess I never really thanked you for that," Tooth kissed his pale cheek and looked back at him.

"You're welcome." He smiled wide, knowing Tooth had a weak spot for his pearly-whites, and she blushed a little before returning to where she sat before.

"Ah, Jack! Come here!" North exclaimed over his shoulder. Jack walked up next to the jolly old Russian and stuffed his hand into his hoodie pocket. "I haven't had a moment to ask, but how has that dream catcher been working for you?"

Jack's heart stopped. He hadn't realized his dream catcher North lent him was still in Pitch's lair!

"Uh, it's been good. I haven't used it in a while, but I'll bring it back for you as soon as I can." Not a complete lie. He hasn't used it in years, and he didn't want to bring it back to North with all those dreams about Pitch saved in it! Jack sighed. Now he actually had to go back and face Pitch again to retrieve it.

"Do you know where it is?" North asked.

'Damn,' Jack thought, 'he's asking all the questions I can't completely answer to his face.'

"Yes. Can I go get it so you can start working on copies?" Jack asked carefully and gripped his staff tightly.

"Absolutely!" North gave Jack a hearty pat on the shoulder and laugh loudly from his belly.

Great. Just great.

Jack annoyingly jumped off the edge of North's sleigh and skydived through the clouds. This is going to be a long day.

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Pitch lay sprawled out on the sofa in his study, with one arm dangling down off the side and one leg up over the top. Onyx brought him an ice pack for his head and dropped it on him before ditching him angrily. It had taken a while to apologize and convince her to do that much for him after he royally screwed up with their plans that took years to prepare.

"This close. I was this close to consuming the world in darkness. Damn you, Jack Frost." Pitch covered his forehead with the ice pack.

Jack.

Jack Frost.

Pitch could feel himself growing agitated just thinking his name. First he plays with his heart, then he leaves him over a tiny piece of information he would've known sooner or later, and finally sides with those weirdos against him! Hell, even having something cold against his face pissed him off!

Pitch stood up and threw the ice pack across his spacious lair. An orange tint flooded his vision. He shouldn't have gotten up too fast in his weakened condition.

He replayed his first time seeing Jack, after so many years, back at the Tooth Palace. Jack was so careful to not get close or involved with Pitch. It hurt, he had to admit, but that was a teenage boy being stubborn. When Jack came back to his lair in search of his memories, he looked so frightened. But Jack was brave and confronted him about what he needed. Pitch always liked that about him. But the event that hurt him the most was in Antarctica. Pitch had proposed reuniting with Jack, not just as lovers, but as "partners-in-crime" so to speak. But Jack brutally rejected him and Pitch unfortunately lost his temper to an extreme.

Now he was a Guardian. The Guardian of Fun. Fuck that.

Pitch fell back onto the sofa, looking up at the ceiling. Maybe this was supposed to happen? Maybe Man in Moon planned this from the beginning. Maybe Pitch and Jack were never meant to be? Pitch shook his head slightly. It was an absurd thought, but he wouldn't rule it out completely.

'Stop thinking about him. It's done. Over. And you can't do anything to change his mind,' Pitch told himself. A wave of drowsiness gave him the urge to sleep the rest of the day away.

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Jack Frost sped through the clouds to the forest and through the trees. His head had filled with all these different scenarios about what might happen when he encountered Pitch. They ranged from gentle words and tears to trying to kill each other. Each one made his heart race with excitement.

Wait, what?

Jack was excited to see Pitch? How? He watched him take away everything good that filled a child's heart and he even killed one of the more powerful guardians! And he was excited to be going to the belly of the beast?!

Jack tripped on a branch and fell face first into its cold trunk. Snow that had covered the leaves above now blanketed his blue hoodie till it was almost completely white. He slid down until he was sitting and took a deep breath. He raked his fingers across his scalp.

'Get a hold of yourself, Frost. You're just going to get the dream catcher and leave. Two minutes tops.'

But he didn't know where it was in his lair. It's been about, what, 46 years since he stepped foot in Pitch's nightmare palace? It could be anywhere. Jack groaned. That meant he'd have to ask Pitch or his horse where it was. That would be extremely awkward.

He tried to calm his heart down, but it didn't work. The more he thought about him and Pitch, the more he thought about the argument that broke them up. Jack was being so childish and immature. If he had just been patient, he would've gotten the answers he wanted. Yes, it took a few decades, but he still would've gotten it. Pitch really was doing what was best for Jack, even what was best for the both of them. Pitch had done nothing wrong.

The breeze picked up, almost commanding Jack to continue on.

Jack made up his mind and resumed his flight to Pitch's lair.

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Onyx peeked into the study. Good, he was asleep. She couldn't really be too mad at Pitch. Most of his plans never worked without something he never took into account. This time, it was Jack's assistance with helping the guardians.

Her black sandy hair stood up on the back of her neck. She could feel something. Someone. Someone with a strong aura. Someone who knew how to get to Pitch's hidden castle.

Her ears perked up, fully aware of the person closing in. She sighed quietly.

'Of course, it has to be Jack. Why now, of all times?' she thought. She might as well give him a proper greeting and maybe scare the kid to death enough to make him not want to come back.

Onyx galloped up to the closest openings into the light and clomped onto the cold ground. She heard rustling in one of the large trees behind her.

With whatever energy she had left in her, she spread apart into wide stream of sand and searched the thick forest around the hole in the ground.

She stopped at a slight rustling in a bushel of leaves and snow and saw a bluish tint. She may be tired and a little ticked off, but she certainly wasn't stupid.

Onyx stood gracefully on the edge of the branch and stared at the small figure through the plants. Jack wasn't responding to her, and she was getting angrier by each silent second.

Onyx snapped. She whined loudly, almost threateningly, and pushed the snowy branch out of her way and met Jack's stunned face.

"Hehe, hey, Onyx," Jack greeted, his voice shaky from being startled by the sand creature. Jack's eyes lit up, like he just remembered something important. "Uh, so, I'm only here so I can get something of mine that I just so happen to have left about forty years ago when me and Pitch were, you know . . ." Did he mean that stupid dream catcher Pitch kept? Jack rubbed his staff anxiously. After defeating him a few hours ago and becoming a guardian, he seemed to be more afraid of her than he was of Pitch.

Onyx decided against scaring the boy any more than she already has. She nudged her snout in the direction of the underground palace and took off, slow enough so the spirit – sorry, Guardian – could keep up and quietly sneak inside.

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Jack straightened up as Onyx offered to show him the way. So she did have a heart and wasn't just made of dry sand!

It was pretty awkward explaining his presence to Onyx. But, then again, it would be more awkward explaining it to Pitch . . .

He followed the mare to the hole in the ground, practically vomiting butterflies. As they dove into the darkness, his heart stopped. He looked around, hoping the grey man wouldn't find them.

"Onyx, do you know what I'm –"

Onyx interrupted him with a quiet huff and lead him to a short hallway. A wide doorway lead to a spacious room lined with books new and old from wall to wall. It looked like a library, with a few couches here and there and desks the same. Lights hung from the ceiling, which looked to be a few stories high, giving the room an eerie, yet fascinating atmosphere. Dark grey stone covered the floor, and rugs under almost each sofa and desk. The design was exactly the same for each rug, black and light-grey swirled, and seemed similar to the large rug in Pitch's room –

Jack's breath hitched. There was Pitch, sleeping on the black couch in the center of the room. Jack could feel the corners of his mouth start to twitch to a smile. His black robe clung to his slim body, and his hair was a mess. Jack never got a good look at him before, and now was his chance.

'Focus, Jack. Just get the dream catcher and get out.' He mentally shook himself and got back on track.

He followed Onyx to the far end of the room and saw three giant portraits on the wall, two of him and one of him with two ladies. Below the elegant portraits, there were items in Plexiglas cases in a row. It looked somewhat like a museum with hanging lights shining on each piece of art and plastic box. In the cases were old photos in pretty little frames, old hats and trinkets, and a shiny little blue and silver ornament. Jack's eagerness rose.

"Why did you come back?" Jack's heart stopped and he jumped back, holding out his staff in defense towards the raspy voice. Pitch twisted his body and rested his chin on top of the armrest and eyed him distrustfully. Onyx quickly disintegrated, leaving the two males alone in the study with the level of tension reaching all the way to the high ceiling.

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Hello Again! ^u^

Not a very climatic ending to the chapter, but I went for more of an awkward tension – it'll serve its purpose in the next chapter, trust me

So sorry this update is WAY overdue . . . school, homework, and other activities kept getting in the way . . .

But little by little, this chapter and over 2,300 words managed to happen!

Yes, the title of this chapter is a title from one of the Star Trek movies, but it has nothing to do with Spock or Kirk and I think it's a suitable name for the events in this chapter. Deal with it.

*I am having a hard time currently thinking of titles for future chapters, so if you have a suggestion, comment below and I might chose yours!*

I will update whenever I can, but I won't make any promises

Thanks a Bunches!