I restrained Jack with a ring of fire around both wrists. I connected the rings to a rope of flame and dragged Jack back home. It wasn't all of the Guardians, but it was a start.

Eric greeted us at the entrance to the enchanted bed, and gave me a look of surprised confusion. "Change of plans." I grunted, pushing past him and jumping into the hole, dragging Jack behind me. "What are we-" Jack screamed as we fell into the welcoming darkness.

We landed with a thud onto the cold floor. "Dad! Father!" I yelled

"What are we doing here? This is Pitch's lair! Amber wha-" Jack was cut off when my father entered the room, carrying a large staff covered in blood. What? Why did my father have Jack's staff? I glanced back to Jack's hand, which was still holding his frost covered stick. "Pitch." Jack sneered

Ignoring Jack my father glanced over to me, "Ava, darling, what are you doing back so soon? What about the plan?"

"Father, he tried to fly with me. I couldn't do it. There's no way I can keep my self control while he is around. Father I've failed you. I just...I'm not strong enough." Disappointment crossed my father's face, and filled me tenfold.

"It's alright. You've brought Frost. We can take down the rest of the Guardians quickly. This one needs to be punished for what he did to you."

Jack seemed to connect two in two and looked from me to my father in shock. "You have a daughter? But what about all of the 'I've been alone so long' you said to me ten years ago? What do you mean what I did to her?"

Anger filled me again. He was still pulling this shit. "Frost! You're done for! Why keep up this act? We know what you did! You've been told of my existence already! Do you think we're stupid?" A sinking feeling came to my gut again as I looked back at the bloody staff in my father's hand. I pushed the thought away. Jack Frost was finally in my custody. I would let my father punish him.

I shoved Jack towards my father, who caught him by the back of his hoodie and pulled him down the hall. I followed just behind, my eyes still on the bloody staff.

My father dragged Jack into a dark room and shut the door in my face. I felt a slight tap on my shoulder and turned to find Eric standing in front of me. His sandy skin was damp and his face was wet with tears. "Eric, what happened?" I asked, worry shooting through me.

"Ava, I can't lie to you any longer. I shouldn't have let you go without knowing the truth." he sighed and more tears came from his eyes, "The truth is that Jack didn't torture you. You weren't even tortured in this reality." Eric grabbed my hand and dragged me down the hall and towards my room.

"What do you mean I wasn't tortured by Jack? I wasn't tortured at all? Eric you're not making any sense! Of course I was tortured! I think I would know that."

"You're father made me promise that I would never tell you the truth, but it just feels so wrong to keep it from you."

"Eric, what are you even saying? That my father tortured me? That's ridiculous! I know what I saw, and it was most defiantly Jack Frost!"

Eric shook his head, frustration crossing his face, "Ava I know you're not blind! You saw the staff. And how would your father have rescued you so quickly, and unscathed? It was all a nightmare your father created to make you hate Jack! Think Ava, come on! You know it's true. You need to get Jack and get out of here before your father can release ten years of anger on Jack."

The feeling of realization was setting in again. Was it true? Was Eric telling the truth? It made sense. But what about all of the pain and agony I had endured? It couldn't have just been a nightmare. It was all to real. But wasn't that what my father did best? Turn nightmare into reality? My father had tried to use me to bring Jack and the Guardians to him.

A scream of pain came from down the hallway. I turned back to Eric with a renewed sense of urgency. "Eric. Thank you for telling me. But once we get Jack back, what are we supposed to do?"

"I have you covered there. I talked to Autumn-you're familiar with her right? The spirit of Halloween?" I nod, Autumn and I had been friends since I was a small child, "She says she can watch over us awhile, keep us hidden from Pitch until we find a better plan."

"Ok." I sighed, "You better be right about this."