Once again it's a late update. I promise I'll look over this chapter tomorrow and edit any grammar mistakes because there probably are some. I hope you like this chapter, and yet it get's more evil after this one. I promise though after that the Guardians are gonna catch a break, especially Jack. Please leave reviews! :D

All that could be heard in the infirmary room was the steady rhythm of breathing. The room was dimly lit as the very first rays of sun inched their way over the horizon and into the frosted windows. Golden sand still swirled above the resting winter spirit, his face completely content as images of flying and having snowball fights with children danced above his head.

The only obvious flaws were the injuries that still littered the boy's face. Bruises coated his otherwise pale skin; bandages covered his neck and arms, and a few abrasions could be seen on his forehead and cheek.

A few minutes of steady breathing passed before a cough emanated throughout the room. Slowly a pair of eyelids fluttered open, revealing bright blue eyes beneath them. All at once the golden sand the danced above his white locks dissipated completely.

Jack coughed again, shuddering slightly as pain flaired in his chest and shoulder. Carefully he looked around the room, examining his surroundings. He felt a moment of panic as he tried to remember where he was, only to calm back down as memories of what happened to him flowed back like a raging river.

His eyes continued to wander until he took notice of the sound of steady breathing, breathing that didn't belong to himself. When he turned his head to the source he found Tooth's head nuzzled up beside his own. She was completely asleep. Her legs were resting on the floor while her head and arms rested on his bed.

Upon further examination Jack saw that she wasn't alone, there nestled at his side was Baby Tooth, curled up in tight little ball asleep. Slowly his lips twitched upwards and before he knew it he found himself smiling. It was funny, a day before he was convinced he would never smile again, but now, after seeing members of his family resting there beside him, watching over him, caring for him, he actually found it easy. Jack blinked a few times as he felt his eyes begin to water up.

'Maybe I will be okay…' He thought.

His thoughts were shaken as he felt a weight lift off of mattress and the sound of humming.

"Jack you're awake! Did you sleep okay? How are you feeling? I'm sorry I fell asleep next to you!" Tooth rushed. He couldn't help but smile weakly again as Baby Tooth took to the air as well, chirping loudly at her mother as if she were scolding her for talking too fast. Tooth was about to say something back to her when she noticed Jack's soft smile.

"Never mind all of that, can I get anything for you Jack?" She said, donning a smile of her own. 'I can't believe he's smiling already, Bunny was right, we can get the old Jack back again, he's in there'

Jack coughed a few more times as he realized how dry his throat and mouth were. "Some water would be good." He said through clenched teeth.

"Do you think you can eat anything yet?" Tooth asked softly. Food wasn't a requirement for Guardians but it would help speed up the healing process for the fallen winter spirit.

Jack thought about food for a moment only for his stomach to reject the idea completely. "No, not yet…" he said with a slight grimace.

Tooth merely nodded as a response, "well I'm gonna go fetch you some water, and we're going need to change those bandages soon. Baby Tooth you stay here and keep Jack company." Baby Tooth let out a few excited chirps before flying over to Jack's bedridden form. She settled herself down by his face and nuzzled his cheek affectionately, chirping softly as she did.

"Heh, I missed you too Baby Tooth," Jack rasped.

Jack watched as Tooth flew out of the room. A few seconds later he heard her muffled voice along with the growls of a yeti, he didn't have to wait long before Phil walked in to stand guard while Tooth was out fetching his water. The large brown haired beast walked in and let out a few garbled sounds before settling himself in a large wooden chair by the windows.

For a few minutes Jack just laid there, listening to his own breathing. But after a while he started to get more restless. He was becoming more aware of how uncomfortable he was because of the pain of his fresh wounds.

So with a heavy sigh the restless Guardian decided to try and speak.

"So…uh…Phil how's the workshop?" Jack asked carefully. The Yeti looked back at him with wide green eyes, clearly surprised that how far the boy had come in merely two days. Phil began to call out in his own language, a language Jack did not understand, so instead he closed his eyes and listened.

Jack continued to listen to the yeti rant when all of a sudden he felt something was wrong. He shook his head slightly as if to shake off the feeling, but was unsuccessful.

Slowly the winter spirit opened his eyes and looked around. It was still almost dark in the room, only the first rays of sunlight had managed to peak through the glass windows. His icy blue eyes narrowed in on the shadows that covered the far wall by the medical cabinets.

They seemed darker than before. It made Jack shudder as his memories with Pitch plagued his mind all at once. He continued to become more uneasy as the feeling of being watched from the shadows grew stronger.

Jack flinched in panic when Phil stopped talking and jumped up from his chair. The yeti growled ominously and approached the shadow Jack was focused on. Jack's heart immediately accelerated, his eyes jumping back and forth between the shadow and the angry Yeti. Baby Tooth started to squeak timidly and snuggled closer to Jack.

'Please no, please god no, make it a mistake, it can't be him; he can't be here.'

"Looks like I couldn't trick the beast after all…"

'That voice…'

Jack's blood froze in his veins; his breathing hitched, and his pupils grew large. He knew that voice, how he wished he didn't, but he did.

Jack watched with terror filled eyes as the Nightmare King stepped out of the shadow, his uneven teeth glinting in the dim light.

Phil immediately went to attack the intruder; he raised both fists and brought them down in an attempt to strike Pitch.

Pitch merely disappeared into a shadow on the floor.

Jack could only watch the scene unfold before him. In a flash Pitch went down through the floor and returned out of one by Jack's bed. Jack couldn't move as he was literally frozen in fear. He watched as Pitch swung his black scepter and hit Phil in the back of the head with an unforgiving force. The yeti crashed the ground with a loud thump and then it was quiet again.

Baby Tooth quickly looked between the Nightmare King and Jack, trying to decide if it would be better to leave the boy and get help or stay and try to protect him on her own. It was an easier decision to make than she would of liked. Instantly she rose to the air and zoomed for the door. She didn't get far though before she too was struck to the ground by a mass of nightmare sand. Now she was just as unconscious as the yeti.

Jack just watched in shock, he couldn't keep his eyes off Pitch, the man who tortured him, who could do it again right now if he wanted to.

As Pitch turned around to face him, Jack couldn't stop the scream the tore from his lips. In a flash Pitch was beside the winter spirit, a hand pressed firmly against the boy's mouth, muffling most of his fear stricken scream.

"Shhhhh, no need to alert the little fairy or the other beasts just yet." Pitch cooed as he put a slender finger to his lips.

Jack let out a few muffled sobs as the reality of the situation continued to sink it. Pitch smiled down at the spirit, relishing his fear.

Slowly the Nightmare King leaned down to Jack's ear and whispered. "If you make another sound I'll kill the yeti and the mini fairy."

The Nightmare King's warm breath brushed across his ear, causing him to shake harder. All Jack could do is nod quietly and let the tears in his eyes flow freely down his cheeks. He couldn't jeopardize his friend's lives, no matter how terrified he was.

Pitch felt the boy trembling beneath his touch, and he loved it.

A few moments passed before he decided to let go of the boy's face.

"Wait a quaint little room North has here, even the North Pole's infirmary is festive…" Pitch laughed out as he approached the cabinets and began searching through them.

"Ah there we are, just what I was looking for." Pitch said was he retrieved two long stripes of cloth from the bottom cabinet.

Jack flinched as the Nightmare King slammed the cabinet doors and began to approach him. He shrank back into the bed; his heart thumping so hard he felt like he was going to pass out.

"I don't think you can struggle much anyways, but it's better to be safe than sorry." The Nightmare King said as his scepter dissipated.

In an instant Pitch grabbed Jack's wrists and slammed them against the wooden headboard. Jack yelped as pained writhed through his body at the sudden movement. Before he could figure out what was happening he felt the pressure of cloth against his two thin wrists. Pitch took no time or effort in effectively binding them there tightly.

"And one more thing. " Pitch growled.

"W-what are you-" Jack questioned as he continued to shake, tears still streaming down his bruised face. He trembled harder as memories of his most recent nightmare flashed in his mind.

"Open your mouth." Pitch commanded.

Jack hesitated for a moment before obeying. Pitch quickly pulled a thick cloth between the winter spirit's teeth and tied it behind his head tightly. Jack whimpered as Pitch gave an extra tug.

"There we are, now there will be no outbursts or interruptions for when I kill that fairy in front of you…"

Jack immediately regretted his decision to not struggle as fear for Tooth filled him to his core.