When Jack finally woke up, it was middle of the night two days after the attack. The first thing he felt was the horrible pain in his side, he whimpered as he moved his hand over to it eyes opening when he felt the bandages wrapped around him. He quickly sat up, looking around.
He was in a big room with white beds, there was a fire lit that both warmed and lit up the room. He was in the bed nearest the window which was slightly ajar letting him breath calmly. It took Jack a good five minutes to remember what had happened and when he did he was quick to stand up, about to run to the door when he spotted Sandy.
"Sandy?" he whispered softly as he made his way to the bed nearest the door where the man slept, he knelt down next to the bed looking at him carefully, Sandy was breathing okay but seemed terribly pail.
Jack felt tears fill his eyes, he quickly whipped them away when he heard footsteps approaching, he looked up as the door opened and a sleepy looking Tooth peered into the room, at first panicking seeing Jack's bed empty then calming as she spotted Jack next to Sandy.
"Jack... what are you doing out of bed?" she whispered carefully coming into the infirmary closing the door quietly behind her before going over to see Jack.
"Will he be okay?" Jack whispered, looking up at Tooth hopefully. Tooth couldn't help but smile at the fear in the blue eyes, the way Jack worried over Sandy's well being was so sweet.
"He's going to be fine, just needs some rest, same as you" she whispered taking Jack by the hand "you took quite a hit, two ribs broken and the loss of blood made you faint, we where scared for you" she added the last bit hesitantly.
"It wasn't that bad... I just..." he searched for an excuse.
Tooth smiled "I know, you're strong but... you still need to rest" she said as she carefully helped Jack up and over to the bed where he curled up into under the sheets "comfortable?"
"I've never slept in a bed before... or not that I can remember..."
"Is it nice?"
Jack nodded "very... soft and warm..." he whispered.
Tooth frowned sadly at Jack as she grabbed a glass of milk from the table "here" she said handing it to Jack who sat up and drank it without questioning.
"Thank you" he said when he was finished holding it out to Tooth.
Tooth took it and carefully placed it down "tomorrow I'll bring you breakfast... do me a favour and don't tell the others I saw you tonight, they'll have a right go at me if they found out I found you awake and didn't wake them."
Jack smiled and nodded "your secrets safe with me" he replied lying down and quickly falling to sleep. Tooth stayed and watched for a few more minutes before getting up and leaving.
The next morning Jack didn't want to wake up. Usually the moment he awakened he'd be up and gone, needing to stretch his back and get warmed up, but apparently sleeping in a bed made you more lazy and Jack did after all deserve to be a bit lazy after the fight he had taken part in a few days ago, of course Tooth didn't agree.
"Jack, it's morning... you need to eat something or you'll be hungry later" she said happily as she ran her fingers though the kids snow white hair.
Jack let out a small whimper before looking up at Tooth with big blue eyes past long black eyelashes, Tooth smiled, curled up in the big bed with the thick bed sheets Jack looked so much like a child. Tooth frowned, a small skinny and weak child who shouldn't be fighting of bad guys.
"You can close the window if you want... I think I can take the heat now" Jack whispered as he sat up.
Tooth shook her head "the doctor said it would probably take you at least a few weeks to get used to it, besides, the fresh air is healthy for anyone."
Jack's eyes widened "there was a doctor?" he sounded and looked shocked, obviously he did not go for weekly doctor visits.
"Of course," Tooth whispered "you fainted from loss of blood, what did you expect us to just bandage you up and hope for the best?"
"It's what I usually do... except without the bandages."
Tooth sighed shaking her head "I know..." she whispered more to herself then to Jack, then she turned and grabbed a tray that she had placed on the side carefully placing it on Jack's knee "I got you some breakfast" she said with a small smile.
Jack looked at it, eyes widening, it was a big a breakfast with a warm bowl of porridge, a cup of hot milk and an apple "is it all for me?" he asked.
"Of course..."
"If I don't eat it all now can I save some for later?"
Tooth blinked and felt tears fill her eyes at the question "Jack you don't need to save any for later... if you want more food later I'll give it to you, don't worry..."
"But I mean real later... like... after Pitch is sorted, that way I won't need to steal anything."
A few tears escaped Tooth's eyes "Jack..."
"Why are you crying?" Jack looked worried "is it something I said? I'm sorry... I won't save any for later if you don't want me to. It doesn't matter..."
"Jack... just... don't worry, we'll figure something out" Tooth whispered, not sure how or what but knowing that she wouldn't be the only one who would be against letting the kid just go back to his old life after this.
Jack frowned unsure what exactly Tooth meant but he nodded all the same "okay, thank you."
"Now eat up, okay?"
Jack nodded "thanks."
"I'm going to get Bunny and North, okay?"
Jack nodded, eating his porridge happily. Tooth sighed one last time before leaving the infirmary to go find the others.
"North? Bunny?" Tooth opened the door to the dining room where the other two guardians were eating there breakfast.
"Tooth! You nearly miss breakfast!" North shouted gesturing to the seat next to his for Tooth to sit down at.
Tooth shook her head "I'm not very hungry" she whispered sadly "Jack is awake, I already took him breakfast I though you two may want to see him after you finish eating."
Bunny looked up pushing his plate of food away he stood up "why didn't ya tell us earlier? I need to talk to the kid!"
"Bunny... it isn't his fault what happened to Sandy!"
"I never said anything about Sandy!" Bunny shouted defensively.
"Yeah but you've been mean to the kid since he got here and don't tell me you never though about it."
"I did at some point but I ain't no idiot, the kid saves Sandy's life! I wanted to ask him where he learned to fight like that, it's a compliment..."
"If you say anything to hurt-"
"Tooth!" Bunny interrupted her then sighed, looking sad "listen, I know I was mean before, and I don't fully trust the kid but... he has proven, even to me, that he's worth a shot. I just want to check his okay... he was pretty beaten."
Tooth's expression softened "okay."
Bunny smiled "don't worry, you enjoy you're breakfast" he said leaving the room.
Tooth sighed and looked over to North "do you think he is telling the truth?"
"Of course Tooth, Bunny was very impressed by Jack's skills, I think Bunny is excited to have Jack on our team although I doubt he will say it."
Tooth smiled "he is so prideful."
"But that is good sometimes."
Tooth nodded "he protects our pride as well... I hope he will protect Jack's too eventually."
North shrugged "we should concentrate on Pitch first."
Bunny reached the door to the infirmary and taking a deep breath so Jack could not tell he had run there opened the door "Jack?" he whispered.
Jack was just putting the tray his breakfast had been on back on the table "here" he replied.
Bunny entered slowly taking a look at the tray "yummy?"
Jack nodded "it's the most yummiest thing I've ever eaten!"
"That's a bit sad, don't ya think mate?" Bunny asked sitting down on the end of the bed.
Jack frowned and looked at the tray "I don't think so, it was very nice."
Bunny smiled and shook his head "Tooth's right about ya mate."
"What about me?" Jack asked tilting his head slightly questioningly.
"Nothing, so how ya feeling?"
"Good" Jack said, moving his hand over his wound he gave it a small squeeze.
"Don't do that."
"Why not?"
"Doesn't it hurt?"
Jack shrugged "a little."
"Then why would you do it ya gumby?"
Jack put his hands on his knee "okay... I won't do it then."
"Good."
There was an awkward silence as Bunny hesitated before speaking "listen, Jack" this got the kids attention "ya know what I said earlier about ya? I'm sorry about that... I just... I didn't really trust ya... ya know?"
Jack nodded "don't worry about it, I never expected any of ya to trust me... I didn't trust you guys when I got the letter so I guess, we're even?"
Bunny grinned "I guess so."
"So... what's the plan?"
"What plan?"
"Pitch, ya know, that's why I'm here. Don't tell me you ain't planned out what we're doing next yet?"
"Well we where more worried about weather you and Sandy where gonna survive the night to be perfectly honest" Bunny said crossing his arms "but we have kept up with your plan, taken down nowhere near as many as you did that first day though" he gave Jack a strange look as he said the last bit.
"What?" Jack asked seeing the look.
"It's just... I never though you were a fighter, ya know? You never fought before."
Jack shrugged "well... all though I hate to admit it, I ain't the best at making friends and when you live on the streets, you gotta learn to defend yourself or dead meat."
"So... you learnt all that... on your own?"
"Most of it, I've had a bit of help, watching the others does help and I've made trades in exchange for lessons before."
"I see... well it was very impressive... perhaps once this is over you can show me some of does moves and I'll show you some of mine."
Jack grinned and nods "sounds good."
Bunny smiled at the kid then frowned "Jack?"
"Yeah?"
"You're definitely feeling okay?"
"Yeah, course... why?"
"It's just, you were practically stabbed, you couldn't keep consciousness from the amount of blood you lost, some ribs broken... and you're body was obviously already beaten enough from before hand yet you just... it's as if you don't feel any pain."
"Pain is just a feeling that can be blocked out with enough effort."
"That's bad Jack, perhaps now you have no need to feel the pain but... it means you don't know what's wrong with you, what if you fell ill."
Jack shook his head "what if I get ill? Even if I knew exactly what was wrong with me what am I to do about it? Go buy some medicine? Get a doctor?"
Bunny flinched at the words "Jack..."
"I didn't mean it like that" he whispered seeing Bunny flinch "I just mean... I'd much rather just, block it out, ya know?"
"But soon things will be different... you will be able to just go see a doctor, so ya need to learn to stop blocking it out. You understand right?" Bunny tried to sound soft like Tooth.
Jack shook his head and pulled his legs close, cuddling them. The sheets fell of him not that he seemed to care, Bunny flinched at how skinny the kid was, how small he looked "it's not that simple."
"What isn't?"
"You and Tooth and I'm guessing the others too... act like after this is over everything is just going to be better" Jack whispered looking out the window "but that's not true is it? Perhaps one day I will be but... when this finished I'll be nowhere near the day when I can just go see a doctor or something..."
"But Jack... why not?"
Jack shook his head "you're blind... I'm sorry but you are, just leave it" he stood up "where are my clothes?"
"What?"
"My clothes? I want to get dressed."
"Why?"
"So we can get on with this. You said yourself you've not taken down many outlaws, it sounds like we need to get a move on."
"Jack, you're in no state to fight."
Jack grinned "I'm in perfect state to fight, look at me!" he gestured with his hands "perfect."
"Jack, lie down, I'm going to change your bandages."
"What? But I'm fine!"
"Jack, I said lie down."
"No. The longer I stay put the more time Pitch has to plan and build an army up!"
"Yeah and the sooner you leave the more likely you are to fall down with one hit and force me to carry you back here again."
"I never forced you to carry me back here."
"So you wanted me to just leave you out there on the street?"
"Why not? I can look after myself" Jack said defiantly, crossing his arms.
"You took two days to wake up, lying in a warm bed with medical treatment, you think you would have survived out there in the cold?"
"I'm sure I would of."
Bunny laughed sarcastically "listen kid, people die every day of the cold, people die of loss of blood, people die from starvation... you think you can take on all does stuff alone out there."
"I'm used to does sort of stuff and I'm not dead yet."
"Yeah well... even if you did have a chance at survival, Pitch would have gotten at ya."
"But he wouldn't have hurt me."
"What?"
"He wants me to join him, had he found me alone like that chances are I would have been safer with him."
"Are you saying you wish Pitch had taken ya instead?"
"I didn't say that!"
"Sounded like it ta me" Bunny growled and stepped closer.
Jack didn't back away and glared right back at him "perhaps you should get you're hearing checked then."
Bunny was about to say something else when the door slammed open revealing North who had obviously finished his breakfast and come to see how Jack was doing. Jack blinked his anger vanishing as he looked at North with big blue eyes, Bunny's anger was also quick to vanish as he remembered how the argument had initiated.
"What is going on?" North asked, frowning at the sight.
"Jack" Bunny replied "he refuses to rest!"
North frowned "Jack, it is important you rest, you have yet to recover."
"I've already rested, I'm better now. I need to get back to work!"
"See? He has no common sense!"
"Bunny-"
"It's dangerous!"
"It was dangerous before too!"
"Now it's even more dangerous!"
"Silence!" North shouted, the two obeyed looking up at the big man.
North sighed "Jack, you can fight Pitch but first you must rest, you don't have to stay long but doctor will need to take a look at you first, safety is always first!"
Jack sighed, Bunny grinned "fine. But I will not be held at fault for any power Pitch gains during this time!"
"We never said you would, mate."
Jack crossed his arms "and I'm not seeing any stupid doctor."
"What?" Norths shouted louder then he meant to "why not?"
"Because it's a waist of time and besides, I've never seen a doctor in my life, I'm not starting now."
Bunny rolled his eyes "well if you don't want to see a doctor than you gonna have to stay in bed longer" he said shrugging.
"Why?"
"Because it takes longer to recover without proper medical attention."
"But I don't need it."
"Coming from the kid that has been unconscious for the last two days."
Jack looked away, crossing his arms looking like he was going to cry. Bunny frowned "Jack... Jack, what's wrong now?"
Jack didn't look at either of them "nothing."
Bunny growled placing a hand on Jack's shoulder "listen kid, I know you're not used to company. But if you don't start acting a bit more friendly you're going to have trouble."
"Yeah, cause your acting so friendly."
Bunny's expressions softened he pulled Jack close "come on, lie down, you need to rest."
"But I just woke up!" Jack complained and tried to get away from Bunny who laughed as he held the kid down with ease.
"You know you're a lot less strong then I expected."
"Didn't you just say I'm still weak from an attack?"
"Still, I doubt you've ever been a state when you weren't weakened by something, hunger, cold... you should probably take better care of yerself kiddo, infirmary is no where near as comfortable."
"I think it's comfortable."
Bunny nodded "you would, but eventually you'll see what I mean."
"Doubt that."
"Go to sleep."
"But-"
"Or I go get the doctor."
Jack glared at Bunny before pulling the sheets completely over his head and closed his eyes.
"Night Jack" Bunny said.
"Rest well" North said before they both left the room, letting Jack fall into a deep sleep.
The next day Jack was left in the infirmary with Pippa. The guardians, apart from Sandy, where out doing there job, following some instructions Jack had given him.
"Look Jack, I did a drawing" Pippa said holding up the colourful piece of paper.
"Well done, it's beautiful" Jack said with a smile from his bed.
"It's for you, it's a get better card" she said giving it to Jack who smiled.
"Thank you, I'll treasure it forever."
Pippa smiled and began to draw another picture "I'm going to make one for Sandy too."
"That's sweet, I'm sure he'll be happy."
"Jack?"
"Yes?"
"Shouldn't you be sleeping?"
Jack laughed "who told you that?"
"Bunnymund did, he said if you didn't rest more he was going to get a doctor around."
"He is so annoying."
"In a good way do?"
Jack smiled "I guess, I've never really had someone worry about me, I guess it's just normal."
Pippa stood up and cuddled Jack "I worry about you too."
"Thanks."
"No you sleep."
Jack laughed "okay, don't leave the infirmary."
"I won't."
"Good girl," Jack whispered smiling before lying down, sighing and doing as he was told.