Okay you should be happy to know that this chapter is much longer than the last one, and it was quicker! I'm gonna also address something that you guys have probably noticed by now. I do realize that there are continuity errors in comparison to the movie. I started writing this before the movie came out so naturally there was a risk in doing that. I've officially made this story a year after the original movie, however, I've borrowed a few events from the movie and placed them in this story. I hope you guys can just overlook the weird time/events stuff and just enjoy the ride anyways. I also realize that this story is dark, and it's pretty much going to stay that way for awhile. Pitch is not done with Jack yet, so there's plenty more angst to be had. Anyways, please enjoy this chapter and leave any feedback you'd like to! I really appreciate the reviews/follows/overall support! And please keep reviewing! I really appreciate those! :)

WARNINGS FOR THIS CHAPTER: Disturbing imagery/dialogue

Jamie's eyes narrowed towards the darkest area of his room. He knew he wouldn't be able to see anything, but he still knew without a doubt that something malicious was lurking there. He wanted to say something to confirm his suspicions but he didn't want to sound weak or frightened. But that might be harder than it seemed because to be quite honest he was about ready to jump out of his skin.

If his hunch was right, the Boogeyman was currently watching him. He gripped his stuffed bunny tightly in his hands before he decided to speak.

"W-who's there?" The boy mentally cursed himself at the sound of his voice faltering. When a low laughter erupted from the darkness and echoed through the room a chill ran itself up and down Jamie's spine.

"I think you already know the answer to that question boy."

Jamie squinted his eyes a bit, trying harder to see past the darkness in the corner of his room. "Are you…are you the Boogeyman?" Jamie asked quietly, clutching tightly at his space themed covers as if he would throw them over his head and hide at any moment.

"Very good child, you are a bright boy aren't you?" Pitch then walked out of the darkness revealing his full form to the boy, his yellow orbs narrowing on boy's quivering form. Instantly Jamie inched back in his bed, wanting nothing more than to get away from Pitch.

"How are you back? I watched Jack and the Guardians get rid of you a year ago."

Pitch simply threw his head back and laughed loudly. Jamie shuddered as his laughter echoed once more through his small bedroom, Pitch sounded like he had gone crazy.

"As I said, there will always be fear child. Speaking of which, how are you recovering from that nightmare? I hope it wasn't too much for you" Pitch taunted.

Memories of the nightmare flooded back to Jamie in an instant, how an innocent day of sledding turned into the cold blooded murder of Jack, a murder he had absolutely no power to stop. Tears stung at Jamie's eyes but he quickly shook them away. He would not cry in front of the Boogeyman, he wouldn't let him get the satisfaction. "Aw it looks like I did shake you up a bit. You should be happy to know Jack Frost isn't really dead…not yet anyway." Pitch watched the boy carefully relishing the flashes of pain and sadness that kept appearing on his youthful features; this is what he thrived on.

"What are you talking about Pitch? You can't beat the Guardians! They are stronger than you! They will always be stronger than you!" Jamie shouted. Pitch's face instantly darkened. Without much effort he teleported through the shadows on the floor and reappeared next to the child's bed; Jamie's head whirled to Pitch, his eyes wide in surprise. He couldn't even register the fingers that wrapped themselves around the cloth of his blue nightshirt until he looked down and saw them there. "W-what are y-you?" Jamie didn't get to finish his sentence before Pitch's voice snarled back at him.

"Quiet child!" Pitch roared as he lifted Jamie from his bed and into the air. The boy immediately began to struggle in his grasp; his favorite stuffed bunny fell to the floor as he lost his grip on it. "Now it is time for you to listen, I have news for you regarding the little winter brat."

Jamie's struggles ceased as he looked back down at Pitch. "W-what do you mean? What did you do?" Jamie asked, eyes wide, reluctant to hear what the man was going to say.

Pitch let himself smile before continuing. "Your friend is no more, at least he isn't what he used to be. I've broken him completely."

The Nightmare King watched Jamie's expressions carefully, looking for any sign of understanding in his innocent brown orbs. "Are you familiar with the concept of torture?" Pitch asked.

There it was, fear. It was now etched beautifully on the child's face. "N-no you didn't do that to Jack, y-you couldn't be that evil." Jamie whimpered, tears now threatening to fall as he hung limply in the Boogeyman's grasp.

Pitch lowered the boy to the floor crouching down to meet his level. "I'll tell you exactly what I did to him." He growled. "First I kidnapped him, it was fairly easy actually…then I broke his staff into dozens of pieces…"

Jamie was crying now, he just wanted Pitch to stop; he wanted Jack to be okay. "After that I bound him and beat him till none of his skin was white anymore." Pitch sneered.

Jamie grasped at the hand Pitch was holding him with. "Stop! Please stop! I don't want to hear this! It can't be true!" Jamie cried. He was in fight or flight mode now, his body was screaming at him to run, to get away from the man in front of him.

"When the boy was awake I hurt him, when he slept I plagued him with nightmares. I even left a brand on his back claiming him as my property. That sorry excuse for a Guardian is now nothing more than a broken shell…" Pitched watched as the brown haired boy broke down in front of him. The very idea that his beloved Jack Frost was harmed was enough to do it.

Pitch gingerly grasped the boy's cheeks, lifting his head so that Jamie was forced to stare back at his glaring yellow eyes and angry scowl. "And that was just the beginning, I promise. Even though he's with the remaining Guardians, I'm not done with him or them yet, not by a long shot. Especially now that I have North in Jack's place."

Jamie hiccuped as he fought to even out his breathing. "I-I I don't believe y-you." Jamie huffed out. He refused to believe the Nightmare King was telling the truth. There was no way he could have done that to Jack and there was definitely no way he could have captured the warrior that was North. It just wasn't possible.

"Oh really? Well why don't you take a look at this then." Pitch let go of Jamie's nightshirt but kept a firm grasp on the boy's face. His free hand went to retrieve something within this black robes. When he pulled his hand back out he heard the boy gasp. In his hand he had two objects, the first being one of North's magical snow globes that allowed him to travel to any place in a short period of time. But what really got to Jamie was the other object. Sitting there visibly in Pitches clutches was a piece of Jack's wooden staff; it was the piece that connected the straight part the G shaped end, he'd know it anywhere. By now he'd memorized every detail about that staff and its amazing abilities.

"No…" Jamie breathed.

Pitch smirked at the child's realization. That everything he told him was the truth.

"Why would you do that? Why? I look up to the Guardians…Jack is my friend." A few more tears leaked from his coffee brown eyes as realization continued to set in. He tried to pull his face away from Pitch's hold but failed as his grip tightened.

"Why? I thought I made it clear a year ago why I wanted what I wanted. I want to be believed in. I want all the children to be just like you are right now Jamie, to see, believe in, and fear me. The only way to accomplish that is to destroy the Guardians and all the hope, wonder, dreams, memories, and fun along with them."

Without noticing Pitch had tightened his grasp on the boy's flesh so much that his sharp colorless nail accidentally nicked the skin of his peach colored cheek. Red liquid trailed from the small wound. A single drop dripped from his chin to the cold wooden floor. Jamie whimpered quietly as he felt the pain and saw his blood meet the floor.

Instantly Pitch let go and backed away from the child. He may have wanted to hurt the Guardians but he was not in the business of physically hurting children. Even if he had threatened Jack with Jamie earlier.

He only wanted them to fear him. That was why he made a personal visit to Jamie, not only for revenge against him for his refusal to stop believing the year before, but because he wanted to deliver the feelings of fear personally to the boy. He wouldn't hurt a child unless it was a last resort.

"I believe I've made my point clear child. I'll be taking my leave now. But here you can keep this; Jack won't need it anyways." He then tossed the piece of Jack's wooden staff to the floor. It landed with a clatter before settling at Jamie's bare feet.

Jamie looked up at Pitch as he turned to leave, a feeling of defiance building inside his small body.

"I won't ever stop believing in the Guardians. I won't ever stop believing in Jack." Jamie said, his voice now firm and confident.

"Unfortunately for you, that isn't much of a problem for me this time." Pitch chuckled as he made his way back to the shadow of the wall. "Oh and child, I hope you enjoy my nightmares, there will be plenty more to come." After one final snicker Pitch was gone, leaving Jamie alone once more.

After a few moments of silence Jamie's eyes met the floor. The shard of Jack's wooden staff still lay there clear as day. Jamie's lip quivered as he reached down to pick it up, his brown bangs falling slightly in front of his face. After retrieving the shard he carefully crawled back into his bed and examined it, tears forming in the bottom of his eyes. He couldn't stop the sobs that followed. Jack was hurt, he needed him, and he didn't even know he was in trouble. What kind of friend was he? He needed to do something. He wanted to help. He needed to get to Jack.

The Nightmare king flew through the sky on his favorite stallion, the moon shone brightly on them as they rode above the clouds back towards the lair. Pitch was feeling fantastic. He could literally feel the energy of fear flowing through his veins. The world was finally succumbing to his nightmares. But he knew he still had a lot of work to do. The Guardians weren't going to stay distracted forever, they were going to come to both North's and the children's aid eventually. He had to stay on the offensive.

His thoughts were interrupted as another nightmare horse erupted into his line of vision. Instantly he slowed his favorite nightmare stallion, glaring as he was not expecting this to happen. What was this fearling doing here? Once the other fearling reached them it neighed viscously and frantically. To anybody else it would have been incomprehensible, but Pitch understood it perfectly. His features hardened in hate as the neighing finished.

His fortress was being attacked by the Guardians.