Mysterie didn't stir through it all, her actions resulting in sending her into a deep slumber. Having recovered from the whole ordeal, Jack picked Mysterie up and followed the others back upstairs; he went to his room and tucked her into bed, hoping that she would wake up soon. He settled next to her, softly sining to her as she slept. The Guardians didn't bother him for once, knowing this was the first time in a while that he had been with her since harboring the darkness that had made him act like a blood thirsty creature. As she slept, the darkness within her grappled for control of her body, but it was more used to Jack's and found that it couldn't find a good hold; especially as such a hold was already held by her own darkness. It hissed in her mind.
"You trrrricked meeee!" It growled at the two.
"Let usssss ouuuuttt!" Mysterie chuckled in her own mind at the darkness which writhed in frustration. She had offered herself to it as a sacrifice, but not as it had desired.
"No." There was no way that she was going to let out the darkness that was Jakul... had been Jakul while in Jack. She preferred to continue to think of the darkness as such. Jack barely managed to finish the song he sang to her, choking on the last words of it as he was unable to hold in his sobs of sorrow. He had never wanted this... He knew too well what Jakul was like, having dealt so long with the other but he would never have wished her to take the darkness that had been in him into herself. He wouldn't wish that darkness on even his enemies, let alone the woman he loved. The sound seemed to penetrate her sleep as she stirred slightly; shifting to turn towards him though she didn't fully wake.
"God... How could I let you do this? Why didn't I just fight it?!" He couldn't stop the tears even when he felt a familiar warmth on his arm. He glanced over to see it was Sandy who held out a mug of cocoa. Jack took the drink, his touch cooling the already cool liquid so that it becomes colder as he couldn't drink anything warm. He tried to smile, but he couldn't when all he could think about was how it was his fault that she had to harbor the evil that had been in him.
"Why wouldn't you guys just kill me like I asked?! Then none of this would have been happening!" Jack growled, he wasn't prepared for the stinging sensation that followed the slap. Jack held one hand to his cheek, his eyes meeting the stern ones of the Sandman who's other hand ruffled his hair in a light caress. Jack just stared, surprised that the silent Guardian had slapped him, but it had shocked him enough to keep him from becoming hysterical. Mysterie stirred again, this time she slowly opened her eyes; taking a slow deep breath that was almost painful as her throat felt like a desert. She stared at the pair of them in silence. Her normally bright green eyes a shade darker than normal, but that seemed to be the only real change. Jack huffed, but then turned at the sound of movement to meet the silent gaze of his love. He wanted to say something, but it was as if his mouth had stopped working and no words came out. The next thing he knew was that he'd closed the distance to kiss her gently, whispering into the kiss.
"You're gonna be okay." Mysterie's lips twitched into a small smile before she returned the kiss.
"I love you so much, you do realize that don't you?!" He hugged her, crying tears and managing to mumble out a thanks to her and the other Guardians for getting the darkness out, but even so there was still a slight tingle of desire in him to end his life. He shook his head a little, as if to dislodge the desire as he could feel Jakul in her stirring and laughing; sensing the remaining desire within him.
"You can't hide it from me Jackie. Let me feed on your desssirrrrreeee of ending your exisssstence." He hissed, aiming his words at Jack though she heard them too. Mysterie ignored the voice, but Shadow did not.
"Oh put a lid on it." She grumbled as Mysterie merely held Jack close and wiped away his tears gently. Jack begins to wonder, because he knows that voice and he looked at her, the obvious question in his eyes even as he puts it to words.
"Mysterie, does he talk to you in a hissing voice and constantly asks to feed on me?" Jack was really curious, knowing that the other was a part of her now. She nodded, aware that he'd asked because he could likely still hear it.
"That is how it chooses to speak." She said softly, her throat still dry.
"Can I get something to drink?" Sandy floated out of the room and immediately came back with a glass of cold water... Well, it was cold for sure after Jack took it from the other Guardian and handed it to her.
"Sooooo..." Jack coughed awkwardly, not sure what else to say. Mysterie nodded her thanks to Sandy before draining the cup and settling back against the pillow; she then turned her attention to the Sandman.
"Exactly what did you tell the others Sandy? Because I am a little surprised North didn't toss me in one of his ice cells." Even as she spoke the darkness hissed.
"Please, I need his desire... I need it." Jack groaned, speaking inwardly to the hissing voice.
"Shut your trap stupid." What was he to call it now? Was it still Jakul even when it wasn't in his head beyond when it spoke? Mysterie tossed the "voice" to Shadow to "play" with just to shut the thing up while she waited for an answer from the little Guardian. Sandy shrugged in answer to her question; not exactly knowing why either though he made a picture of the two of them hugging lovingly.
"Oh, so he sees that you love me enough to not hurt me or the others when I'm around." Jack said, translating the images and Sandy nodded.
"Well, I suppose that's reassuring in a way." Jack hugged her, he knew that she'd never harm him and he smirked mischievously before stealing a kiss before she could say anything. She chuckled softly and returned the kiss with a gentle nip at his cool lips, returning his mischief with a bit of her own. Sandy left the room, smiling and blushing like a small child who saw something he shouldn't have. Mysterie noticed this and nearly fell out of the bed in a fit of laughter. Jack chuckled.
"I gotta go make a snowfall in Burgess love, but I'll be back." He left out the window, the wind caressing her hair and a whisper of "thank you" could be heard. Jack made it snow lightly in the room, the snowflakes each containing his magic of Fun. She simply smiled, watching him leave with a bit of possessive delight. She was a little surprised at the feeling though. Well. That's new... Of all that she'd felt for Jack, she'd never felt possessive of him. Jack felt his heart sink a little when he saw that the kids were looking gloomy and upset, but he knew he could fix that.
"I know... How about a Snow Day!" He called to the kids and they laugh in shock and happiness as snow falls all around them. Jack threw a snowball that nailed both the twins and Jamie who seemed to brighten instantly. The boy laughed happily and Jack smiled as his gentle snow piled up around them. Soon everyone was laughing and it was a good hour before he went back to the pole. He could hear Jakul's hissing voice panting in pain; which was a little odd seeing as how Jack had always thought that Jakul gave it, and Jack always felt it from the other, now the shoe was on the other foot it seemed.
"J-Jack... damn it... Hurtssss, that sssstupid Ssssshadow." Jack couldn't help but chuckle.
"She beat you up? Well too bad." Jack laughed, all the spirit of fun and joy in himself had been renewed. While Jack was landing in an open window, Mysterie was listening to Sandy as the little Guardian re-enacted the battle with Pitch three years ago. Ignoring the two voices as she seemed nothing short of amused by the tale from Sandy's point of view. Jack walked through the door.
"I'm back. Oh, am I interrupting something?" Sandy shook his head with a smile, glad that Jack was finally back to being the winter spirit he remembered meeting three years ago.
"I brought some tacos with me. Jamie bought some for the two of us." Jack sighed a little.
"If only he would stop saying you're a bad influence on me." He sighed again.
"It's not like you're gonna cage me and keep me all to yourself." Don't tempt me. She thought, but pushed it away before it have even fully surfaced. She loved Jack too much for that, plus it would be selfish of her and she had never really been the selfish sort. Instead she shook her head.
"I will be lucky to live down what Shadow did to the boy in his lifetime. Especially if he ever learns about this latest thing." She shrugged a little, not seeming to be too troubled over it; she wasn't really, but the memory was still fresh in her mind and still stung to think about what Shadow and Jakul had done and how they had nearly completely ruined the boy and his friendship with Jack. She knew that even if she never lived that incident down, she would at least out live the boy more than likely. Jack put a taco for her on a plate and handed it to her before munching on his ice cold taco; anything that was hot would hurt him, so naturally he made sure he didn't eat or drink anything that was hot. He sighed after a moment.
"Crap, 2:00 in Taiwan. I'll be back." And it was like that for the rest of the day, the other Guardians were surprised that he had become like that, but had begun to worry when Jack began working like clockwork.