The Center of Imagination Chapter 12, a rise of the guardians fanfic

Disclaimer: you know the drill

When Jack awakens for the second time that day – which, frankly, has not happened since he was a baby, to sleep twice in one day – Reshma is sitting on the other side of the room, appearing to be meditating. "Hey!" Jack calls cheerfully. Thanks to Sandy's Dreamsand he has not had any freaky nightmares and he feels refreshed. Insanity will not overpower him that easily. "Whatcha doing? Channelling your inner chi?"

The corner of Reshma mouth twitches up and her eyes open. "You could call it that."

He grins brazenly back, until what happened before his nap surfaces in his mind. "Crap. They know I died," he mutters under his breath, massaging his temples. "And I cried. In front of Kangaroo!"

"Unfortunately. I did not intend to reveal your personal memories," Reshma apologises. "Virhorann is excellent at destabilising me."

Jack turns his bright blue eyes to her. "You died too."

"If it is any consolation. But it was never a secret."

Much like Jack's physical activity, his mind can be all over the place. The sudden change in topic is a common thing in his presence. "How did you know I died? It's not like I told anyone, or even knew for a solid three hundred years. Well, I guess I always kind of knew instinctively but that's not the same…"

It is Reshma's turn to rub her head. "I will not lie to you, Jack. I was there."

"You- you were there!" Jack gapes. "You were there! You were there and you didn't save her?! Save me? How- how?"

"Even though I wanted to, it's not like I could save you!" Reshma snaps. "Do you think I didn't try? You both went right through me and, believe or not, I have very little influence on the real world!"

"You could've stayed and helped me!" Jack shouts in retaliation. "I didn't have to be alone but you abandoned me! Why didn't you help me?"

"Because I am more dangerous than loneliness! Be it three hundred years or a thousand!" she yells. "How much I wanted to help then was irrelevant in comparison to the damage I could do! No matter my feelings or yours! I'm just too…" Reshma trails off as she doubles over, gasping for air.

Jack sprints to her side. "Reshma!"

She uncurls from her hunched position, face smoothing over to one of calm. With the slightest tremor in her voice, the only sign that moments ago she was suffering in ways Jack cannot comprehend, she says; "The Guardians did not want you to wake up alone again. Jack, they wish to rectify their past inaction for they truly do love you as family. I do not regret what I have done. It was right for you. The Guardians will be here in moments."

She is correct. The Guardians burst through the door. "Jack! You are waking!" North cries. "Is very good!"

"Jack!" Tooth flies into him, embracing Jack tightly. Baby Tooth pops out from Jack's hoodie upon her mother's arrival. Apparently she was hiding during Jack and Reshma's shouting match. "Thank goodness you're alright!" To thoroughly check, Tooth pries open his mouth and examines his perfect teeth.

"Uh, Toof?" Jack mumbles, mouth full of Tooth's insistent fingers.

"Oh, sorry," she chirps, withdrawing from Jack's beautiful incisor.

"Good to see yer feelin' better, Jackie," Bunny says, the smile on his face proof of his sincerity. Though Jack has a sneaking suspicion he will bring up the crying thing later. Sandy pats Jack's arm happily.

"Thanks," Jack grins. Impervious as always, Reshma slips from the now cramped bedroom into the hall. Subtly, Baby Tooth follows. She lands on the Muse's shoulder, twittering in her ear.

"No need to worry, little one," Reshma responds, running a finger over her green, feathery head. "I shall look after Jack and the others as long as they need me."

The fairy squeaks something else. "My safety? It is of no consequence," Reshma replies.

Her departure goes unnoticed as the "Big Four" fuss over Jack. That is, until Jack mentions; "Thank you for asking Reshma to watch over me. I know you probably had important stuff to talk about but it was nice to not be alone." It is rare for Jack to be so open.

"What do ya mean?" Bunny asks sharply. Reshma watching over Jack? On the Guardians' order? Something about her gets him agitated.

"She said you guys didn't want me to wake up by myself," Jack recounts. "So just, thanks."

Baby Tooth, in a series of chirps and squeaks, relays what happened to her mother. "Yes, yes. Muse did do as Jack says. Watched over him. Kept him safe from bad man," she gibbers, only understood by Tooth. "Told Jack lie that you told her to. Don't know why."

Toothiana absorbs this information in seconds and decides what to do. She rests a hand on Jack's shoulder. "It was no trouble, sweet tooth," she gushes, going with the lie Reshma told. Baby Tooth zips off now that problem is solved. She needs to find Reshma.

With the speed of a hummingbird, Baby Tooth darts through the maze-like Workshop following the track of Reshma's teeth. They are like any other set of well looked after teeth, though there is an unfamiliar touch of an almost ashy substance on them, which makes them that much more distinctive. Whatever it is, as a tooth fairy, it is easy to pick out in a crowd.

Baby Tooth rounds a corner to find Reshma. And Insanity. He hangs upside down from the ceiling, grinning like mad. His teeth are terrible, rotting black and chipped. Baby Tooth shivers, staying hidden to observe their exchange. With such atrocious dental hygiene no wonder he is bad, Baby Tooth fumes.

"Virhorann," Reshma greets cautiously, in battle stance. Insanity gargles a growl. "Back so soon?"

Insanity paces the ceiling. "Rabbit and birdie called me. Not like messenger boy. Not like you. But they call."

Reshma creeps closer, wary. "You don't have to do this. It won't bring back Eira." It is the wrong thing to say. His face splits into a grimace and he speeds towards the Guardians. "No!" Reshma careens after him, Baby Tooth at her heels.

Baby Tooth, even with her incredible speed, can scarcely keep up with them as they phase through walls like they do not exist, Insanity always at least one step ahead. Insanity hurtles into Jack's bedroom and hits Tooth and Bunny with two rapid-fire shots of red, Jack catching Tooth as she falls. Reshma brings Insanity to the ground, screaming a warrior's cry. She is thrown off, her body crackling and convulsing with red lightning.

"EIRA!" Insanity howls, bulleting out of the Pole.

Sandy rushes to Reshma, crumpled and shuddering. North violently shakes the unconscious Pooka. "Bunny! Wake up!"

Bunny's brilliant green eyes fly open but something is not right. He scrambles back from North, looking very much like the wild animal his form resembles. Eyes widened, ears and whiskers twitching, entire furry body trembling.

"Cottontail, you okay?" Jack asks. Bunny's primitive frightened eyes flicker over the scene before him and he makes a sound akin to mewling, clutching his head as though it will exploded apart.

"What is wrong? Bunny?" North steps closer but Bunny flees on all fours. Like cold water was dumped on her Reshma splutters awake, stumbling to her feet.

"I need- I need to help him," Reshma murmurs. Drunkenly she follows him, pushing North out of the way with surprising strength. In Jack's arms Tooth shifts as she awakens. Baby Tooth flits to her mother, tapping her eyelids in attempts to get her up. Tooth's breathing is ragged as her eyes open and she stands.

"Its fine," Tooth brushes away her mini-fairy's chattering. "I'm okay."

Reshma pursues Bunny with all the grace of a newborn giraffe, slamming into walls or staggering through them. Fortunately for her, Bunny does not go far. In his panicked state he races into the first enclosed space he can find, which just so happens to be a cupboard. He huddles against the wall, chest rising and falling in great gasping breaths. Reshma comes in after him, collapsing at his side. Bunny scrunches his eyes shut when he sees her, shaking his head. "No, not again. Not again," he sobs. To see the mighty Pooka so fragile, it is unnerving. Perhaps even more so than when he was but a cute, little rabbit.

"E. Aster, look at me," Reshma commands. "Look at me. It's only in your mind. It's me, Reshma – Resh – alive and well. Come on, E. Aster. Look at me."

His green eyes shine in the darkness of the cupboard but they are terror-stricken, unseeing. "Bunny!" Reshma grabs his face, carefully avoiding his sensitive whiskers, and stares into the chaotic distress there in his gaze. "Look. At. Me."

Bunny inhales jaggedly, dilated pupils shrinking, and buries his face in her stomach. It is very much an animal-instinct to seek comfort and Reshma does not push him away or question it. Instead she strokes him as she did while lost in thought. She does so without inhibitions, soothing his frazzled nerves. Without prompting Bunny whispers; "I saw them dying. There was blood, so much blood, and you were all coated in it. And there was blackness, eating at your skin. Voices in my head told me they would die and I would live. That they hated me. That it was all… all my fault."

"It was not your fault," Reshma replies fiercely. "Hold onto your hope, E. Aster. It gives you power. It was not your fault." A small whine rumbles in Bunny's throat but his hitched breathing slows and he melts into Reshma's lap, like any rabbit would under her massaging fingers. It takes a good few minutes before the implications of their position settles in Bunny's whirl-wind mind. When it does he jerks away. "Do not worry, Bunnymund. I will not tell anyone that rabbit likes to snuggle," Reshma assures him, hint of a smile tugging at her lips.

"Um, thanks," Bunny grunts, smoothing back his fur.

"Like I have said, I have dealt with insanity before," Reshma explains. But by that, Bunny is not sure if she means the person or the emotion.