Back!
Chapter Two: The Pain.
It was hours before Jack awoke, when he did he looked around before remembering why his whole body ached and he began to cry silent tears, curling up into a ball to try and hide from the pain, the memories, old memories began to surface, only this time, they feature Pitch or the Shadow Jack's raping him, or making him 'service' them, Jack curled up tighter, not caring he didn't have his staff, or what the Guardian's would say when they found him…
Jack continued to worry as a light began to shine on him,
Hush, Young Jackson, everything will be fine.
Jack uncurled slightly and looked around, having only heard the voice once, he barely recognized the voice, "M-M-Manny?"
Yes Jack, it is me…. I'm so sorry for what happened…. But you were so brave.
"You…. You know what… Pitch did?" Jack asked, not wanting to say it,
I do… but your strong Jack, you will recover…. But the Guardian's are on their way to find you…. As is your young friend Jamie.
"Jamie?" Jack's tone softened slightly looking up at the moon,
Indeed, Jack. Now listen to me…. It wasn't your fault, what Pitch did…. You couldn't do anything.
"But… those…. Things he…. Did" Jack breathed,
And I tried to stop him…. I failed…. But I did all I could, he would have done it for longer, made you suffer more if I had not stopped him, I even managed to get him not to kill you there and then…
"I wish he had" Jack muttered, not sure if the Moon could hear him,
Please do not think like that Young Jackson.
"Manny…. Why did you abandon me?" Jack asked the question that had bothered him for over 300 years.
That is complex… and the truth behind it is…. I wanted to see how you would cope on your own, at my first glance at you, I thought you'd done well… but now I look deeper… I know differently, and that I my greatest Mistake and regret.
Jack looked up at the moon and nodded slightly
To try and make amends for some of the hurt in those 300 years, I shall let you choose where you recover, and whom with… I think I can give you three options, One: With the Guardian's, of course they still need to complete their jobs daily. Two: Alone, you can run and hide for as long as you need to. Three: You can stay with Jamie Bennett, and his younger sister Sophie…. Whichever you want will be your fate.
"I-I have to choose?" Jack asked, fearful of telling anyone what had happened to him,
Indeed you do…. So, Jamie, Alone or The Guardian's?
Jack frowned, he never wanted to be alone again, those had been the worst years of his immortal life, that was out. Jack shivered as he imagined what the Guardian's would say if they found out what had happened. Jamie… he'd ask too… but he was likely to be less persistent and would be less dangerous if he found out.
"I'd… I'd like stay with… with Jamie" Jack told the moon, the beam intensified as if Manny was smiling,
Very well, rest now young Jackson, for when you awaken, It will be Jamie by your side, the Guardian's will be dealing with Pitch, When you are ready I shall let them know where you are.
"Tha-Thank you Manny" Jack told him, curling up into a ball as he slept, the Moons light banishing any nightmares, leaving dreams of snow and ice.
(With the Guardian's)
The Sleigh flew over Burgess and North frowned, it looked like only half the town had snow, this meant that Jack hadn't finished his work. Something must've happened, Jack would never abandon his work, even to spend time with Jamie, he would always finish quickly before visiting the Believer.
North looked behind him, Sandy alone was in the sleigh, Bunny was running up and down, Tooth had gone to check with Jamie, just in case the Winter Spirit had been taken ill or injured and flown to Jamie's house to rest up. Sandy was frowning, trying to locate Jack with dreams, knowing it was a long shot, but worth a try.
North turned back to the town and continued to look for any sign of Jack, before he saw Tooth flying to the sleigh,
"North…Bunny… he's found something…. By the lake" Tooth told him, she looked like she was about to cry and North frowned, turning the sleigh around he rushed to the lake and landed, finding Bunny looking over something very familiar surrounded by Blood.
"J-J-Jack staff?" North asked, falling to his knee's looking at it, before he saw it, on the base, Black Sand, "Pitch"
North Pointed to the base and the other Guardian's nodded, standing up and walking towards Pitch's lair, not noticing the Winter Spirit being shielded by Manny's light.
As they arrived, they saw it, hundreds of Nightmare Horses, lead by what appeared to be two Shadowed versions of Jack.
"Here we go again!" Bunny growled, drawing out his Boomerangs as the Guardian's charged headlong into the battle.
(With Jamie)
Jamie shivered in the Winter air, dam Jack for making it this cold around, but if Jack was in trouble, Jamie'd do anything. He'd only figured out Jack was in danger when Tooth burst in frantically asking if Jamie had seen Jack in the last week, when he told her he hadn't her face grew more worried and she flew off, though Jamie wondered if Jack was spending Winter in Russia…. AGAIN!
Jamie had decided to check Jack's lake first, knowing the significance it had on the Winter Spirit, he walked onto the ice and saw both Jack's staff surrounded by blood, and the Winter Spirit himself, he frowned, Jack's blood wasn't red, it was blue… Jamie knew this because of when Jack had cut himself while helping Jamie cook Sophie something one day.
Someone had been trying to trick people into thinking Jack was really hurt? Jamie walked over and scooped up the Spirit, surprised by how Light Jack was, before he picked up the staff and walked off, arriving home in half the usual time.
As he opened the door, Sophie gasped, rushing to open more doors, letting Jamie pass through, Jamie placed Jack into the Guest room (which was originally designed for Jack's sole use), and onto the bed, leaving him in the room before heading downstairs.
"How is he?" Sophie asked, Jamie smiled, she'd regained so much of her innocence and bounce since she'd moved in with Jamie, even more when Jamie's application for full custody of her was approved, mostly due to the fact that their parents couldn't stay on the same plane of existence for five minutes without arguing.
"He looks pretty beat up, weird thing is that someone tried to trick us into thinking Jack was more injured than what he was, I found Red blood all around his staff" Jamie sighed, sitting down to drink some of the (now Stone-cold) Hot chocolate, that had been warm until Tooth arrived.
"Will he be staying here a while then?" Sophie asked,
"Maybe, if Jack wants to… its not like we don't have the room…" Jamie replied,
"Well you never know Jamie, you might even get lucky" Sophie smirked as Jamie blushed, grabbing a couple of the mint-choc chip cookie from the table, knowing that these were Jack's favourite.
"I'm gunna go check up on him, will you call Pippa and tell her I need to stay in tonight" Jamie told his sister,
"She's not gunna be happy Jamie!" Sophie warned as Jamie walked upstairs, into Jack's room, he looked around and noticed the spirit was awake.
"Hey Jack" Jamie smiled, walking over and trying to pull the spirit into a hug, only for Jack to completely freeze up, he went completely still, as if expecting something to happen, Jamie frowned, why was Jack acting like this?
Jamie reaced a hand forward to check Jack was cold enough when Jack recoiled, curling up into a ball, muttering something under his breath which to Jamie sounded like, "Please…. Don't hurt me"
Jamie frowned, Jack knew he'd never harm him, right? Jamie almost collapsed backwards when Moonlight burst into the room…
And there it is!
Hope you enjoyed!
Frosty out for the night!