"Mysterie." Jack said and Sandy let him go once he was back to his normal self. Jack hugged her close to him, whispering sweet nothings to her to try and comfort her.

"I love you, don't forget that... whatever happened, please don't forget I am not gonna let you go. Not now, not ever." Sandy cried a single gold tear at the moving sight and words. He never could imagined that Jack could be so... sentimental and sweet and... just ... okay, he didn't quite have words for it as he watched Mysterie bury her head against Jack's hoodie, not noticing the sand cuffs disappear; not having noticed they were even there in the first. She couldn't stop the tears even as she clung to Jack, quietly crying and taking the comfort he offered.

"Shh, shh... I'm here Myst. I'm here. I won't let them get you, not while I'm still breathing." Jakul chuckled.

"Wanna bet? Not while I'm here." Jack's eyes widened at the comment before shouting in pain, feeling like he was being ripped in two and being put back together, just as his staff had been three years before. Mysterie buried herself closer to Jack, unaware of the golden sand that suddenly seemed to surround the two of them; pushing at both Shadow and Jakul, to the two dark ones it would feel like a giant hand slamming them into a brick wall. She was oblivious to the fact that she was doing this.

"NO WAY! I'M DONE BEING PUT IN A CORNER JACK!" Jakul screamed and Jack cried out ever slowly as he lost complete control. He covered his ears, ask if that would shut out the 300 year old memories of his former life as Jackson Overland Frost; memories he'd managed to suppress until lately.

"M-mysterie." Jack stammered as he felt like he was being plunged into the cold waters again from that icy pond. He gasped for air, only to get none.

"I'm not leaving you alone..." She whispered and pulled him down to press her lips against his, holding to him in desperation... aware that if Jakul pressed too much neither one of them would be able to surface from the darkness. jack felt the warmth, he reached out to it only to be denied as Jakul took control long enough to push her off him. Jack whimpered at the loss of comforting contact and he felt his body in even more agony than before. Shadow whispered in Mysterie's mind to let Jack give in and that everything would be fine afterwards.

"P-please s-stop..." Jack pleased as he curled up on the floor, wanting the torture to end. Mysterie fell out of the chair as she lurched forward for Jack again, tumbling next to him; ignoring the sand that swirled around them, some of it silver, some of it black. She closed her eyes and clung to Jack as if he were her only hope... he was... and she waited to see what would come of them; shakily brushing a lock of Jack's hair from his face, whispering softly even as tears pooled in her eyes.

"I won't ever leave you... I love you Jack Frost... I always will..." Shadow sneers at the sentiment. Jack's eyes went wide.

"I-I w-won't l-let y-y-you go M-M-Mysterie." Jack stuttered as he struggled harder against the black ice that was creeping onto his hoodie. All the while he was mentally being assaulted by the memories, from images he'd seen from the link to his death beneath the pond's ice as well as his old fears and mistakes. Jack found himself sinking and he realized he was falling into the pond again, this time there was no moon, only darkness and he realized that he'd lost. Jakul won. Wouldn't it be better to just give in? He felt a strange warmth from the darkness, like all his troubles would be over if he just gave in. Jack's body stopped moving and his eyes became nothing more than black ink pools. Sandy gasped silently in fear and he tried to use his sand to push Jack back from the brink, but Jakul crushes the light Sandy attempts to bring like it was nothing. Mysterie held Jack close, falling with him into the icy depths of darkness without a second thought. Jack's mouth moves without his consent.

"You're too late Sandman. You both know as well as I that Jack's mine now." He chuckled darkly with Jack's voice.

"Don't worry, he's happy where he is, in the embracing darkness like he always wanted to show you both now." Jakul stood up and smiled darkly, it looked unnatural on Jack's face, because Jack's smile was so full of mischief, happiness, fun and love... but Jakul's was full of evil, darkness, insanity, and sadistic perverted glee and as he looked at Mysterie his smile got bigger.

"Hey Mysterie, you ready for some fun?" He laughed as he could practically smell the fear from her even as she just stared in sad resignation. Sandy stared in shock a moment before rushing off to fetch the other Guardians.

"You couldn't possibly be worse than them... she never showed you how to be..." Mysterie managed to mutter and Jakul growled in anger.

"So what. Doesn't mean I can't get Jack's first believer quivering with fright. Also, you must know your time's running out as well." He chuckled darkly, inching closer to her.

"Besides, I'm still the same Jack, just better." He slid his hand to her bottom, but she merely replied quietly as if he hadn't touched her at all.

"You know the Guardians won't allow it... even if I can't stop you... they can." He leaned close to the shell of her ear.

"I doubt it." With that he huffed cold breath into her ear and walked towards the window, grabbing the staff and he looked at it, smiling.

"Could use a make over, don't you think?" He turned to look at the nearby mirror.

"I guess I could change my clothing style as well." The Guardians coming up the stairs noisily.

"Oh well, time for me to skedattle. See ya soon Mysterie." He licked his lips, giving her a perverted smile before flying out the window only moments before the other guardians burst in, huffing and puffing. Sandy looked at her, shooting fast symbols while Bunny said the same thing.

"WHERE'S JACK?!"

"Gone. She mutters before slipping from consciousness, too overwhelmed from all she'd done and been through the last hour; Shadow's laughter echoing in her mind.