((This chapter has slight implied rape. Just letting ya'll know in case that weirds you out or makes you uncomfortable.))

The wind took Jack where he needed to go, and tonight it was swift due to Jack's personal mission. The best place to try and rally a meeting with his fellow Guardians would be at North's, but even as the wind took him at it's quickest, Jack felt hesitant.

It was close to Christmas, and Jack knew just how busy the older Guardian often was at this time. But he had to tell someone, and he was almost positive that North would understand Jack's plight. If any of the Guardians could understand Jack, it would be North. He was the oldest (at least, Jack thought he was) and would no doubt see exactly what they'd all been doing was wrong if it was actually hurting Pitch.

When he landed outside in the thick snow, the Yetis were quick to allow him entry. But inside it was all hustle and bustle. Jack could hear Yetis grumbling, mechanical things at work, and elves jingling as they ran underfoot. He kept a stern face on as he used his staff to part the crowd, trying to locate the one man he was looking for. He decided to ride a breeze higher up, to where North usually spent his time when he wasn't busy.

Much to his surprise, he found North sitting in his office, going over a very long list and drinking from a giant mug that could only be for a man of his size. He looked up to see Jack and his face lit up from behind the mug before he set the glass down. He had a tiny amount of eggnog froth coating his mustache, and when Jack pointed it out the older Guardian wiped it off with the back of his arm.

"Jack!" he greeted, quickly standing and ready to offer the boy a hug.

Jack put up his hand, and North's face grew solemn when he saw the Frost Spirit's expression. Although Jack never liked being hugged (even more so these days when he looked less like a hooded vigilante and more like a soldier) but he'd never given North that look before.

"Jack, what is wrong?" North asked, his eyebrows coming together in concern. "Is it Pitch?"

"Yes," Jack answered, and as if a cord had been struck inside him, North was all serious business now.

"What happened?" North questioned gravely. "What has he done? Is there secret weapon?"

The younger Guardian's lips were a thin line as he shook his head. He looked at North straight in the eyes as he leaned on his staff, both hands holding it tight against himself. He was unsure how to say something so shocking, but there was no easy way to say it. He had to get it out.

"No, it's..." he trailed off, afraid to even speak it. "I think he's dying."

Jack expected North to look surprised. He expected North to nod and agree to help Jack do something about it. He expected the man to sound an alarm and alert the others, anything. He expected the opposite of what he got.

Which was North bursting into laughter.

He wasn't sure what North found so funny about it, but he was about to find out.

"You have not lost sense of humor, Jack Frost," North chuckled, hands over his stomach as he simmered his chuckling.

Confused, the younger male lifted an eyebrow and shook his head. "I'm not joking around! Because of us, Pitch has grown...really weak. I don't think he'll make it if we keep capturing Nightmares."

His blue eyes search North's face for sympathy, but instead the older Guardian scowled.

"What does this matter? If he is weak, he cannot make children afraid," North answered simply.

Jack could not believe what he was hearing. Out of all the Guardians, he'd thought North would be the last one to sound so careless. He stared at his fellow Guardian, desperate for something, a word or an epiphany that would make the man see reason. When that didn't happen, Jack persisted.

"North, he was literally minutes from dying! We have to do something to help him!" Jack raised his voice as his anger soared higher.

North waved his hand dismissively, spatting a belligerent 'bah!' before crossing his arms.

"What do we care if Pitch dies?"

Jack felt as though his heart had dropped into his stomach. He'd never imagined North sounding so cruel, so callous. He shook his head, struggling to accept the words he'd just heard.

"You can't be serious?" he asked, a nervous chuckle following his sentence.

It was North's turn to look surprised. The way he was staring at Jack was as if the Frost Guardian had lost his mind or sprouted wings.

"Do you not remember what he did to us?" North questioned. "And that he is our enemy? That he threatened the safety of all children, not just us? That we nearly faded from existence in the blink of an eye and lost all we fought for?"

Jack cast his eyes to the floor, giving his staff a squeeze. "Of course I do..."

"Then why do you care so much about Pitch?"

At this, Jack grit his teeth. He felt so much anger at the other Guardian, angry that North couldn't think past what had happened, and was so willing to let Pitch breathe his last. They hadn't even asked the Man in the Moon if capturing Nightmares was okay! They hadn't heard from him since the battle!

"Jack, you're making it snow."

Lifting his head up, Jack suddenly realized his anger was affecting the room. Snow had begun to fall and ice was spreading from where he stood like a cold infection. When he blinked, he realized he had almost started to cry again due to the partial ice sticking to his eyelashes.

He took a deep breath, and the ice receded along with the snow. Tapping his staff against the floor, he looked off to the side.

"If we just..." he paused, biting his lip before continuing. "If we could just let a few Nightmares out..."

"NO!"

He looked up in shock at North's outburst, recoiling as if burned. The older Guardian looked furious, pointing a finger at Jack as he advanced.

"You will stop this nonsense, Jack. I don't know what got into your head, but you better forget it and leave everything be."

The anger in his tone was palpable. Jack left the room in a flurry of snow and rage, startling the working Yetis as his cold breeze sent papers flying.

As Jack traveled, he brought with him a most violent snowstorm. The wind seemed to acknowledge Jack's emotions and mirrored it with icy coldness. He traveled far until his anger finally ceased, and he took out a snowglobe to reach Toothiana's.

Throwing it into the snow, a bright rainbow portal opened up before him, and Jack threw himself forward. As he neared the other end of the portal, he could feel the temperature rise, and the snow in his hair melted the moment he came out the other side.

Tiny fairies greeted him with gusto, swarming around him at random as he entered Tooth's home. He saw her iridescent colors reflecting light as she flitted about excitedly, giggling and talking with her fairies. Before he could announce his arrival, a fairy whispered in her ear and Tooth turned to face him with a gleeful smile.

"Jack!" she called out, darting down from her perch to meet him.

His arms were ready to embrace her in a hug, but instead she grabbed his jaw and forced his mouth open to look inside. He should have been used to this by now, but he was always caught off guard by her teeth enthusiasm. Especially for his teeth.

"Still no cavities!" she exclaimed. "So perfect!"

When Jack rolled his eyes, Tooth moved her hands away with a giggle before flittering to his left.

"What brings you here, Jack?" he asked, sounding excited.

Just as he opened his mouth to answer, several fairies caught her attention and she spoke with them a for a few seconds before turning back to him. He'd nearly forgotten how busy she was. Maybe he shouldn't have come here...no! He had to tell her about Pitch!

"Tooth, I need to talk with you about something..."

"Is this about Pitch?"

Jack's expression froze.

"...North told you didn't he?"

Tooth nodded, her smile replaced by a frown.

"Yes... I'm sorry, Jack. But I stand with North on this."

He felt like his heart had been broken yet again, and when Tooth saw the look on his face, she placed her hand on his shoulder.

"Jack, I'm sorry. I wish I could help but..." she trailed off, and Jack could hear the pain in her voice. "...I fear Pitch becoming strong again."

He nodded. Tooth had felt it the worst, next to Bunnymund. Jack didn't even want to try reasoning this with him. The only thing Tooth's decision meant that Jack was alone on this. Just like before.

Turning away, he felt Tooth's hands touch his back. The two stood in silence for a moment, and Jack was wondering if Tooth was trying not to cry. Her small arms slipped around his waist in a hug, and Jack placed a hand on hers.

"I won't stop you if you decide to do something," she whispered quietly.

Jack's eyes widened before he smiled. This was the best news he'd heard all day.

"...Thanks Tooth... take care..." he told her as he slid from her arms.

"Be careful Jack," Tooth waved at him sadly.

He left in a quiet hurry.

It was good to know that he wouldn't have to worry about Tooth fighting against him. Jack only had one thing on his mind, and that was releasing a few Nightmares from the crystal prison. He reasoned a few couldn't do much damage. It'd be just enough to get Pitch back on his feet long enough to figure out another plan.

After teleporting there with the snowglobe, Jack made his way through the large and glassy building, up to where they kept the Nightmares. Yetis and giant mechanical egg soldiers patrolled the prison, each wielding weapons made of stardust and golden ropes. They paid Jack little mind as he strolled past them towards the prison gate. This close to the main cage where the Nightmares were imprisoned, he could hear them.

So many angry cries, hoofs beating the floor and screams of agony as the light kept them contained. They could smell his fear as he approached, and it riled them like a bomb had been set off. He was ready to open the cage and set a few free.

But as he reached towards the locked gate, a rope of sand snatched him away. He was literally thrown back into a wall, hitting it hard and making the glass crack from the force of his landing. Jack rubbed the back of his head in pain.

When opened his eyes, he saw Sandman. The smaller Guardian looked incredibly upset. He pointed to the gate, his sand taking the shape of exclamations points and question marks as he glared at Jack. Had North told him already as well? Was Sandy here to stop him?

"Sandy, please..." Jack begged, raising his staff to sort of shield himself as he tried to inch his way back over towards the gate. "It'll only be a few. I promise!"

He'd never seen Sandman look so angry before. Jack had little time to prepare himself for the barrage of assaults, being struck and whipped around by the Dream Sand. Jack fought the urge to strike back, but all he did was defend himself. He felt his leg grabbed by a rope of sand, and his feet were pulled out from under him.

Falling onto his back, he shielded he arms as he was struck by sand whips. He tried to freeze it if only to stop Sandy and give himself a moment to explain, but as the whips turned to ice, it seemed Sandy took this as Jack fighting back.

A fist of sand slammed into him hard and kept his staff pinned to his chest. Jack squirmed. It seemed like his fellow Guardian wouldn't give him a word in edgewise. Jack managed to pull out the snowglobe from his pants pocket and whisper his destination into it, the only place he could think of.

"Pitch's lair..."

Both Jack and the giant sand fist were engulfed by the portal that opened beneath him. He twisted around to face the portal entrance and sent a burst of ice to block Sandy from following before the portal closed.

Jack didn't have time to catch himself when he made it to the other side of the portal. He landed on his back hard, his staff leaving his hand as a large amount of sand fell around him. He kept his eyes closed, and only when he could no longer feel the trickle of sand on his face did he even breathe.

He was surprised at his fellow Guardians. The people he'd called his friends, his allies. First North, then Sandy? He didn't even want to imagine how Bunnymund would have reacted had he seen Jack trying to release the Nightmares. He could understand why they were acting like this. They feared Pitch becoming strong again. They feared being weak and helpless. They never wanted to experience it again.

Even knowing this, Jack couldn't help but feel betrayed. To know Sandy had willingly attacked him without giving him a chance to explain... or had North already explained everything to him?

In the darkness, Jack placed his hands on his face as he felt the tears begin to well up in his eyes and freeze instantly. Not a sound left his mouth as he continued to cry, some tears managing to trail down his cheeks before turning to ice. Snow began to fall around him, slow and steadily drifting down on and around the anguished Frost spirit.

He wasn't aware that Pitch was there. He didn't even hear the man approach, steps so light that he could have been floating.

When Pitch's feet touched the Dream Sand, it was quickly tainted black. The sand spiraled up around the King of Nightmares, all of it sifting away from Jack and taking shape behind Pitch. Even the bits in Jack's hair parted to the dark figure. When Pitch knelt beside Jack, the sand revealed the shape of a Nightmare, which took off in hiding the moment it came into being.

Pitch reached down and touched Jack's shoulder to alert the younger male of his presence. Jack's hands left his face, and through the tears he saw Pitch looking down at him, looking at him... almost brokenly.

"Pitch..." Jack whispered, sitting up a little to get a better look at him.

He looked sick again, but definitely not as bad as he was before.

"Why were you covered in sand?" Pitch asked.

Jack had to bite his lip to suppress an outburst. His hands grasped the edge of Pitch cloak as he held himself back from crying again. He was nearly shaking as he tried to speak, but it was difficult. He'd never felt so many emotions at once, he never been so hurt and felt conflicted all at the same time.

"I tried... I tried to get the others to help me..." he began, gripping Pitch's cloak a bit tighter. "I wanted to let some of the Nightmares go... just a few..."

Pitch was shocked to learn this, but he kept silent as Jack continued.

"North refused... and Tooth said... Tooth said she wouldn't stop me..."

Sensing Jack's turmoil, Pitch slowly embraced the younger male. Jack accepted the token of affection without hesitation and hugged Pitch back, letting the tears go.

"I just wanted to let a few go!...Just to help you...so you won't disappear! But Sandy... Sandy..."

"It's alright. I understand," Pitch whispered, and at that Jack grew silent.

Even as weak as he was, Pitch easily lifted Jack into his arms and carried him through the tarnished palace. The boy wrapped his arms around Pitch's neck, his quiet cries muffled against the older male's chest as he was carried. Jack protested a little, but Pitch insisted. Jack didn't want to injure Pitch's pride, so he allowed himself to be carried up the stairs.

The air around them was thin and warm. Jack couldn't remember this place ever feeling warm before. It was a strange realization.

"I don't think I mentioned this before," Pitch began, "But I think you look like a prince in your current outfit."

The heat of Jack's face melted his tears, and he pressed his face hard against Pitch's chest in embarrassment. Pitch chuckled softly, darkness enveloping the two as he entered his bedroom. Jack was unsure what to think when he was placed on the bed with Pitch looming over him.

Pitch's eyes were such a brilliant gold at that moment, in spite of his weakened appearance. Jack tilted his head slightly in a silent question as Pitch crawled over him and simply stared down at the young Frost Guardian.

Raising his hand up, Pitch ran his fingers through Jack's hair and along his cheek, brushing his knuckles down and over Jack's Adams apple. Those piercing eyes seemed to watch the young Guardian's reactions carefully, looking for any sign Jack didn't like what he was doing. Jack could only remain silent as he was touched. It was oddly soothing.

"Jack..." he whispered, and the tone in his voice made Jack shiver.

Pitch leaned down and pressed his face into the crook of Jack's neck, eliciting a fearful gasp to leave the snowy haired boy. Jack could feel teeth scraping against his throat and moving towards his jaw.

Pulling back as swiftly as he'd come, Pitch stared down at him with an entirely new look.

"I really hate doing this to you, but...I have need of your fear..."

Jack let out a terrified gasp when Pitch roughly began undoing his jacket, saying nothing as he forced it down off his shoulders. The way his jacket was forced down, Jack realized it was a way to keep his arms pinned- to keep Jack from fighting him.

One second Pitch was being kind and caring, even sweet. The next, he was undressing Jack and filling him with terror. Was his kindness just a means to get Jack to lower his guard, and make the rape all that more painful? No... Pitch was just trying to scare him. For his fear... right?

Pitch trailed his hands over Jack's chest, those sharp and pointed nails leaving thin red lines wherever he moved. It was a tiny sting to Jack, but it was a feeling he could focus on. Anything other than the humiliation he was feeling for being tricked into this.

He whimpered when Pitch's thumbs brushed over his nipples, feeling the hard buds with a smile. Unsatisfied, Pitch's grasped them between his fingers and twisted them a little to force more frightened sound's from Jack. He could feel his face growing red from Pitch's teasing, and again he felt that painful fear grip his heart when he realized he was becoming aroused.

Unlike last time, Pitch noticed it. He snickered as his hand trailed down and his fingers danced over the bulge that had began to form between Jack's legs, making the young Guardian tremble and gasp as those claws scraped over the fabric.

Jack looked up at Pitch pleadingly, and he became increasingly nervous to see Pitch licking the fingertips of his freehand, keeping the other lightly pressed above the younger male's crotch.

"I'm sure you're ready to scream for me?" he sneered, and when he groped Jack's slight arousal hard, Jack let out a hoarse cry. "Ah, yes. You're very ready..."