The Guardians rushed over to Jack as quickly as they could. Tooth got to him first. Suddenly it became harder for her not to cry.

He looked even worse up close. Wounds were scattered across every inch of his body. They marred his pale skin in the form of cuts, bruises, and welts. Blood had robbed his hoodie of most of it's blue color. His once white hair was tainted with dried blood, giving it an ugly brown color. He was breathing heavily through his nose and was covered in a layer of cold sweat.

He looked up at her wearily with half opened eyes, silently begging her for help.

She couldn't stop herself from lifting him into her arms and holding him tightly; his head under her chin and his still bound body in her lap. She began to rock him as the words 'it'll be okay' left her lips over and over.

Jack leaned into her the best he good, desperately trying to find comfort in her feathered arms.

Sandy and Bunnymund soon followed and they both winced visibly at the damage left behind from Pitch's assault on Jack.

Sandy stood before Jack, looking over him before his eyes fell to the floor. A few stray tears found their way out of the his golden eyes and silently hit the floor. He couldn't help but feel as though he failed the boy. He had grown to love Jack and immediately found himself amused by the mischievous spirit from the moment he first froze Santa's elf.

Bunnymund felt anger welling up again as he looked on at Tooth and Sandy crying over Jack's broken body. Never before had he wanted to take a life until this moment. But as he fought his internal battle he knew that now was not the time for anger, that would come later when he did finally get his paws on Pitch. Now was the time to get Jack out of here and start the process of healing him.

"Tooth we need to get him out of here." He reminded her quietly.

She looked up a him and then back at Jack, "Jack we are getting you out of here, it'll all be over with soon. I promise."

Jack gave her a small nod in response.

"We need to get him out of those bonds first." Bunnymund said, before looking down at Sandy, "can you do that mate?"

Sandy immediately wiped away the remnants of his tears and came closer to Jack. He placed his small hands above the black sand that hugged Jack's limbs together and close his eyes.

Bunnymund and Tooth watched as Sandy tried to use his magic but quickly noticed that it was doing nothing. Sandy soon realized this as well and looked between Tooth and Bunnymund with a exasperated expression.

Turning towards Pitch Bunnymund roared, "take these bonds off of him Pitch!"

Pitch's eyes left North and soon met with Bunnymund's. He let another smirk appear on his features. "The bonds will fall away on their own when you leave this place, I won't remove them here."

"Why not?" Bunnymund roared again.

"We play this game by my rules you pest. I suggest you get Jack out of here before I change my mind. I've become quite attached to him during our time together." Pitch warned, secretly enjoying the glare on the Pooka's face.

Bunnymund looked to North one last time, who nodded back to him. He knew what North was telling him.

"Alright guys you heard him, let's move him as he is. Tooth let me carry him."

Tooth looked back up at him with wide eyes, "Are you sure Bunny?"

"Yeah I'm sure." He reassured her.

Carefully Tooth lifted Jack and passed him over to Bunnymund. Jack winced and groaned quietly from the movement but soon found himself leaning into Bunnymund as he had Tooth.

"Wait where is his staff?" Tooth asked. She couldn't help look at Pitch who had clearly heard her question.

"Oh that little thing? I tore it to pieces the first day Jack came here." Pitch called out.

All the guardians visibly shared an expression of shock from what they had just learned. That was the source of most of Jacks power; they knew what that staff meant to him.

Jack clearly knew his staff's fate because he didn't seem to react they way they expected him to. He just turned his head into Bunnymund's chest, almost as if he were ashamed of it.

"Alright guys let's go." Bunnymund said before starting to walk back to the exit. The other two followed behind him quietly. All of them glared at Pitch as they went passed him. He simply returned the glares with another ominous smile.

North gave them one last look of reassurance as the walked past him and out the door.

"I'll miss you Jack." Pitch called out, a chuckle soon following after.

Bunnymund immediately felt the boy tense up in his arms.

"It's alright mate, he won't get anywhere near you again. I swear it on my immortal life."

Jack didn't relax and Bunnymund was struck with the thought of whether or not Jack would ever be okay again.

It took about an hour before they were able to finally see daylight again. The dark fortress was built like a maze and the structure of it would constantly shift, making it difficult to find their way out.

Jack shifted in Bunnymund's arms again, he was becoming increasingly uncomfortable in his bonds. He couldn't stop the groans of pain from escaping as some of his wounds had been further irritated from their journey through the fortress. The hole in his shoulder blade seemed to be the worst one though, even the smallest touch made pain shoot across his chest.

Tooth had obviously noticed his increased discomfort because she finally asked the question he was also wondering.

"Shouldn't the bonds have fallen away by now? We are out of the castle"

It seemed as if her words were magic because almost immediately after the words left her lips the black sand began to fall away from his body and scurry back towards the shadowy fortress.

Jacks arms and legs fell loosely towards the ground. A few sharp coughs escaped him as air entered his lungs from his mouth again.

A moment passed before he looked up at Bunnymund and spoke, "Bunnymund, you have to go back."

Once again the guardians found themselves wincing at the Jack. His voice sounded awful. There was a terrible scratchy sound that accompanied every word that he spoke.

"Don't Jack, just don't, just rest, please." Bunnymund said as he continued to carry him toward's North's sleigh.

"He shouldn't be doing this." Another cough escaped Jack again before he continued, "he's more important than I am."

"Don't say that!" Tooth cried out, "you mean so much to all of us!"

"It's what North wanted Jack, and trust me he's going to have a plan to fix all of this once we get him back."

Sandy floated over to him and nodded with confidence.

He really did want to believe them.

"Promise me...please, please promise we'll get him back..." Jack looked at them with pleading eyes.

They all made that promise as they finally reached North's sleigh