"That's not fair! You can fly and all I've got is gravity!" I yell up at Jack. He's been floating around randomly chucking snowballs at me all morning as we've explored Pitch's lair. Said Nightmare King is constantly busy monitoring the star. He says it will die within a couple of weeks, if not in days. And then, hopefully, I'll be immortal. I'll be beyond Carter's grasp. But for right now, I don't think about Carter or immortality or stars. All I can seem to think about is the annoying frost spirit hurling tightly packed snow at me. One hits me square on the top of my head and I cuss loud enough that I'm sure Pitch can hear.
"But see, if you could fly, that would make this somewhat fair. And who ever heard of fair play when it comes to snow ball fights with immortal beings?" He smirks. I try again to hit him with my own snow ball, but it whizzes straight past him, not even getting close. "Plus your aim sucks." He taunts. Suddenly a nightmare walks out of the shadows and makes some sort of demonic horse noise at me, before gesturing with it's head to get on it's back. I smirk at Jack and climb on, before the mare shoots off after my current foe. "No fair!" Jack calls.
"Yes, fair!" I point out. But Jack just sicks out his tongue. I shiver slightly as a bow and arrow suddenly appear in my hands.
"Hey, I wouldn't play with those if I were you! I've seen people get hurt!" Jack suddenly does look pretty scared and I frown. Instantly the arrow tip changes from sharp to a plunger shape. We both laugh and I take aim at the flighty frost spirit. I just barely miss him, as I'm much better at archery than snow ball throwing. I'm about to get him when suddenly I'm falling, my nightmare ride dissipating beneath me.
"Jack!" I scream, but something catches me before Jack can even turn around. I gasp and moan at the sudden impact onto two muscular arm. Soft...fuzzy muscular arm. I glance up, totally not prepared for what I see. Okay, I've seen a lot of weird things in the last week. But when Jack mentioned six foot tall rabbits, I didn't actually think he was being serious.
"Katie!" Jack zooms down to us, taking me from the life-size rabbit, almost protectively. "Bunny what the hell are you doing here?" He asks through gritted teeth. The man-bunny thing glares halfheartedly at Jack, but it looks more like the glare you'd give to an annoying little brother.
"I'm checking on ya Jack. You left North worried sick. So they voted I should I come get a report. And, if possible, bring ya both home." I tense at that. Home. I am home. And I'm certainly not going back to that place I used to live. Both Bunny and Jack see the way I react to the simple word. "But...as I told Tooth, even if ya were willing to return, I wouldn't take ya back Katie." He tells me solemnly. I crinkle my eyebrows.
"Okay, bullet point number one...who are you?" I finally manage to find my voice.
"Easter Bunny." Jack tells me before he can. "Locally known as Bunny." He adds.
"Okay, bullet point number two. How do you know me?"
"We all know about ya..." He pauses. "Well 'cept Jack, he kinda stumbled upon ya by accident. But we've had tabs on ya since ya were born in Carter's family. We weren't aware of how...bad your situation was until recently though. I'm sorry we didn't do something sooner." He explains quickly. I look at Jack, who shrugs, and then back at Bunny. "Is there a bullet point number three?" He asks with a smirk. I stick my tongue out at him playfully.
"What is he doing here?" Both Jack and me jump at Pitch's...rather angry voice. Great. After Jack promised the others wouldn't come here. Pitch materializes to our left, looking at Bunny, then at me in Jack's arms. And honestly I can't decide which one he looks more pissed about, so I nudge Jack and he puts me down.
"He came to check on me Pitch. He wasn't invited, I promise." I tell him shyly. His eyes soften, but his face retains its hardness. He gestures for the two of us to come forward, and like reprimanded children we stalk up to him.
"Your rooms, now. I need to have a talk with Bunnymund." He states firmly. I glance at Jack, who also seems to think it's hilarious, before we compose ourselves and nod. I grab Jack's hand and we start running, laughter bursting from us at nearly the same exact time. I can practically taste Pitch's annoyance, but brush it off. Instead of going to our separate rooms, I pull Jack into mine, both of us collapsing on my bed with fits of laughter.
"I think he just became our mother!" Jack giggles.
"I think I just wet myself laughing!" I add. I can hardly breathe, but once I do and I start to calm down, I become increasingly worried about what Pitch and Bunny could be talking about. Jack too seems to be concerned about something, but neither of us voice our worries. Well, for the first few minutes of awkwardness.
"Katie...when Bunny said he just recently realized how bad your situation was...what did he mean? This isn't just Night Terrors and self injury is it?" I glance at him to find his unrelenting blue eyes staring intently at me. "You can tell me. Please." He begs. I sigh heavily and reach for his hand. He doesn't complain, lacing his fingers in with mine.
"Jack...there's a lot about me you don't know. I went from a bad childhood to worse teenage years. A few years ago I tried to kill myself. And even after I was released from the behavioral hospital, I didn't stop cutting. I couldn't handle everything. Being the reject at every turn. Hating myself because I hated my sister. No one else hated her, so it must just be me. And my messed up brain. I was raised believing I was never good enough compared to Carter and I couldn't take it. I just couldn't. And even though I disgusted even myself with the cutting...I couldn't stop. Because I knew if I did stop, I'd end up killing myself." I don't look at him as I talk. I stare blankly up at my ceiling.
"Katie." He doesn't say anything else. Just my name. He holds onto my hand tightly, scooting a bit closer to me. I don't say anything else either, just scoot closer to him. "You were never second best. I think she was scared that she would always be the one who lost." He tells me, his voice soft. I look at him finally, at his open honest face. I wish I could believe that all those year it was just Carter taking out her frustration for Pitch on me. But...it all felt so personal. Each and every time she yelled at me or called me something bad, or told me I was a mistake. It all hurt like a stab right to my heart. And nothing Jack can say will ever take away that terrible feeling.
"Even if that were true, it doesn't make it right." I whisper back.
"I'm not saying that. There's nothing Carter can ever do that will make you forgive her. But I don't want you to hurt inside because you never even tried." He tells me. I can't help but notice how close we're getting. "I never want to see you hurt. Ever." He continues, inching his face closer to mine. I have the feeling that he wants to kiss me. But suddenly that day in the star room comes back to me.
"Jack, that day we discovered the star. You and Pitch went outside to talk about something. What did you say?" I ask. He winces and looks at me with heavy eyes.
"I asked him if he loved you." He admits. I recoil a bit, but then scoot back towards him.
"What did he say?"
"He said he'd never loved anyone more. He said you were the reason he wasn't actively trying to get revenge on the Guardians. That seeing you smile makes him melt on the inside. And seeing you cry makes him wish he could crawl away and weep himself." I can tell, just from how he tells me, that he's reluctant to admit this to me. He's reluctant to tell me that Pitch loves me. Because...he loves me too. Well shit. Can't score with any mortal boys, but suddenly two immortal ones are both trying to get my attention.
"Jack...what about you? Did Pitch ask you the same question?" I decide to play dumb, even though it's written all over his face. He puts his hand on my cheek, his natural cold soaking into my skin.
"I told him that from the moment I saw you I knew you were different. That you were the most special girl I'd ever met. That instinctively I wanted to protect you and care for you and take care of you. I told him I'd do everything I could to make you safe and happy. Even if it meant seeing you with him." His voice gets really heavy at the end. I put my hand over his and put my forehead against his.
"Both of you are insufferable." I whisper.
"But you love us." He laughs quietly. I nod.
"I do love you. Both of you. So much that I think I would break down without you."
"Well don't worry about loosing us. Even if Pitch kicked me out I'd come back. For you, I'd fight every nightmare Pitch could conjure." I smile and kiss his nose.
"Let's hope it doesn't come to that. I wonder what he and Bunny are talking about." I sit up, feeling a bit awkward. He does too and uses his staff to get up. Then the very theatrically kicks up from the ground and onto the top of his staff. One of his favorite perches.
"Well, my inside man should be coming back pretty soon." He winks. I want to ask what he means, but before I can the door creaks open and my nightmare monkey slips inside, closing the door behind him. "Speak of the devil I guess..." Jack murmurs. The monkey quickly climbs the staff and up Jack's hoodie until he's perched on Jack's shoulder.
"When did you two get so chummy?" I ask, quirking my eyebrow. Jack only grins deviously and lets the monkey whisper to me.
"He says Bunnymund came on behalf of the Guardians to talk to Pitch about an agreement. They all think what he did was right in removing you from your deplorable situation, but that they don't think you should be missing out of the human aspect of your life. Also, they're nervous letting him have you here, as well as me. Pitch told Bunny I was here by my own choice, and about our plan to make you immortal and then, very snarkily, said that you didn't want the human aspect anymore. Bunny ignored him and continued."
"Brave Bunny." I smirk.
"The Guardians want you to live in the Warren on the weekdays, and go to school with my friend Jamie until you graduate. Then they'll ask MiM about making you immortal instead of sneaking around behind his back about it. On the weekends, you can come visit Pitch, with one of the Guardians as a sort of protection. Pitch got real pissy at first, but then Bunnymund interrupted him."
"He must have a death wish." I continue with my comments from the peanut gallery.
"He said it would be better to go with their plan and make MiM happy than to continue with out current plan and end up pissing off the guy. Can't say I disagree, what do you think?" He looks at me, and I shrug.
"Go to a school that's not filled with people who've called me a freak since I was born? Live with the Easter Bunny? Still visit Pitch on the weekends? Get the blessing of the infamous Man in the Moon rather than sneak around him like a criminal? Sounds good to me."
"I see you were eavesdropping then." We both jump, Jack falling off his staff and to the ground, when Pitch and Bunny suddenly walk in.
"Technically we weren't." I give him half a smile, hiding the monkey, which has scampered over to me, behind my back. He rolls his eyes at our immaturity, but I can see a smile threatening to tug at his lips too. "It was Jack's idea." I add, giving said winter spirit a smile as he stands up and twirls his staff.
"Tattle tail." He sticks out his tongue.
"So you accept his suggestion? You would be willing to leave and go back to that world?" Pitch asks, sitting next to me. Instantly I scoot as close to him as possible. I'm still chilly from sitting flush with Jack for so long. "You'd leave me?"
"I'd come back. Always. And when I'm immortal and won't have school, I'll be here all the time. They just want to protect me Pitch." I promise. But he still doesn't seem happy about it. I glance at Bunny, who looks rather like he might be blushing beneath his fur. Obviously this is a sight he's never seen. Someone snuggling up with the Boogeyman and reassuring him.
"Protect you. Are you afraid you need protection?" He mutters.
"No. But they are. And I don't want anyone to think of you like that. So I think it's best to placate them." By now our conversation has descended to whispers. He runs his thumb over my cheekbone and kisses my forehead.
"If it's what you want." He whispers. I take his hand and offer a small smile. A thought crosses my mind and my smile gets larger, humorous even.
"Who are you going to use the star on then?" I ask with a slight giggle. "A whole year trying to catch the thing and now...you could make anyone immortal. Maybe." He grimaces and stands up, pulling me up with him.
"I'll figure something out. I want you to promise me that you'll never come visit me with blood on your sleeves. No more hurting yourself, even if something bad happens at school. I'll make sure Bunnymund checks." He holds my face between his hands, locking his gold eyes on mine conveying just how serious he is. This time my smile has pain behind it. I wish he'd stop worrying about it. I've never been really worried about. It still feels weird, but I know that I'm glad for his worry. I'm glad he loves me enough to worry.
"I promise." I reply. He makes a sound of something akin to anguish and hugs me close to him, my arms wrapping around him as well. He kisses my head a couple of times before he releases me.
"You'd think she was shipping off to boarding school or something." I hear Bunny murmur to Jack.
"I don't think you realize just how deeply their feelings for each other extend. He saved her. And she saved him." Jack replies so quietly that I can only hear him because I'm listening so intently. I don't think even Pitch heard him because he's busy fussing over me. Tucking hair behind my ear and memorizing every inch of my face. He opens his mouth to say something when a huge THUMP rocks the entire lair. I look at him in fear and his face seems to pale. Suddenly he's closed the door and rushes back to me.
"It's the star. Bunnymund take her now, or it won't be MiM's choice anymore." He hisses. Bunny doesn't wait to be told twice, instantly opening a tunnel with the double tap of his foot. A tunnel. Right in the middle of my room. Holy shit! I don't have much time to gape, as Pitch picks me up and settles me on Bunny's back. Bunny grabs Jack and pushes him into the tunnel. I look at Pitch before Bunny can jump.
"I'll be back soon." I tell him.
"I know. I believe you. Now go." He urges. Bunny nods to him and I smile as much as I can before Bunny jumps and the hole seals above us.