With every second that passed Larrin got more anxious. They were getting closer to her home, and she was practically dancing in her seat, her hand held fast to Jack's. When she had first seen the sleight she had been amazed. The thing was so cool! But she was kinda scared of heights, and this thing went really high really fast.
"How you holding up Larrin?" North asked with a grin towards the wide eyed girl. She returned the grin with a fearless glint in her eyes.
"Bring it on Santa!" she encouraged. He chuckled and urged the reindeer faster, much to Bunny's dismay. He made mumbles like he wanted to upchuck any moment now. Larrin's angelic giggles calmed him though and he smiled at the kid. She was supposedly seventeen, at least that's what Sandy had told them. But she acted like a little kid still. And she looked very young. With rosy red cheeks and a bouncy nature. Bunny could only imagine how she must have acted previous to her captivity. And his heart sunk a little realizing that the poor girl would probably never be the same again.
"Hold on Larrin!" North announced, tossing a snow-globe into the air after whispering to it. Larrin gasped as a portal opened which North steered right into. It seemed like only a moment later they were somewhere completely different, but someplace so familiar it ached. Larrin sighed heavily, recognizing the little town as her town. The one she left behind two years ago. The one she never thought she'd come back to.
As soon as the sleigh touched the ground, and before it had a chance to really stop, she was out and bounding down the street. She seemed to know exactly where to go, leaving the Guardians in her dust as she raced towards her home.
"Larrin wait!" Jack called but the girl was already gone. He glanced at Bunny, who shrugged. "We should follow her." Jack supposed. Tooth and Sandy looked at each other then back at the three.
"Jack we gotta work. You three go on, tell her we'll miss her." Tooth explained for the both of them. The other three watched them go them looked at each other.
"I'll park the sleigh." North acknowledged, taking back his seat in the wondrous ride. Bunny and Jack only had to look at each other once and both smirked.
"Race ya."
"If ya can keep up cottontail." Jack taunted already flying off. Both knew generally what to look for from Sandy's description. And they assumed Larrin would need a minute alone with her family anyway. A race would be a good way to amuse themselves. Both observed every home they passed but neither were really intent on finding Larrin's home.
"Hey Frostbite!" Jack stopped dead to look at Bunny. He was pointing to a home whose door was left wide open, the welcome rug slightly off as though someone was too busy to replace it.
Larrin had paid no attention to the rug as she had run into her home. She had burst right through the door, past the foyer, and into the family room where sure enough her parents and brother were all sitting watching TV. Joey, her mom, and her dad all looked up in utter shock at the girl who was suddenly standing in their home. It took Joey a solid 30 seconds to recognize Larrin. And an addition 30 for her parents.
"L...Larrin!" Joey shouted, running and wrapping his arms around her small waist. She returned the hug, squeezing his so tight he could hardly breathe. It got worse when their parents too joined in the intense group hug.
"Mommy! Daddy! Joey!" She started sobbing from all the built up emotions she had been storing ever since she remembered her family. How much she missed them and how much she wanted to hold them again. No one could form coherent words for the longest time, all of them were shedding tears. Her mom was completely hysterical, clutching to Larrin like a kid to a safety blanket. Her dad placed his hands on either side of his daughters face, just mumbling little words that didn't exactly make sense. And Joey kept his face buried in her stomach, just sobbing with love and gratitude that his sister was home.
"Larrin you here?" Jack's voice shattered the Kodiak moment and drew all of their attentions to the still open door. Jack and Bunny appeared in the room and simply looked at the intruded upon scene. "Oh. Uh...sorry."
"Um, just who are you?" Her dad demanded standing protectively in front of the other three. Larrin squirmed out of her mom's arms and smiled at the two Guardians.
"Dad it's okay. They were the ones who rescued me!" she exclaimed. He looked from his daughter to the other two again.
"Rescued...but...Larrin where have you been?" Her face fell. Oh yeah.
"We looked for you Larrin, all over those woods. But the hole wasn't there anymore." Joey insisted. She shook her head.
"I know. But..."
"She was taken by an evil force. The Boogeyman." Bunny explained so she wouldn't have to. Her mother felt her shudder at the mention of Pitch. What Larrin had been trying to shove off suddenly came rushing back into her mind. She had wanted to forget about it just long enough to have a good family reunion. But suddenly it was very bleak.
"Larrin..." Joey noticed the way his sister was reacting to the mention of this evil force and hugged her again.
"The Boogeyman? A kids tale." Her mom shook her head.
"Well so are we. I'm Jack Frost, and this is the Easter Bunny. We, along with Santa Clause, the Tooth Fairy, and the Sandman found Larrin in Pitch Black's lair, saved her, and have been watching over her for the last few days." The stone cold seriousness in his voice, plus the nod from Larrin was enough to convince her dad. He stood up from their little family huddle and reached out his hand. At first Jack hesitated but shook hands with the large guy. Bunny did as well, smiling slightly at how much like Larrin this guy was.
"Then all I can say is thank you. For saving her. And bringing her back home." He looked back at his daughter, smiling fondly at her. It had been an excruciatingly long time since he'd seen her. Since he'd seen that smile that almost everyone in their town knew. Larrin had always been at the center of everything that happened in their little city. Now she was back.
"Thank you." Her mom agreed.
"Thank you." Joey smiled happily. Larrin smiled at her new friends, eyes shining. But none of them bothered to glance into the shadows of the room. None of them saw the pissed off golden eyes glowering at the grinning girl. No one saw Pitch Black, waiting for the right moment to reclaim not only the girl he wanted so badly. But also her little brother.
Instead everyone started laughing, for no reason at all. They all sat down, Larrin and her parents on one sofa and the two Guardians with Joey on the other. Larrin's mother told stories about her daughter, telling them how Larrin had always been a blessing to them. She explained how Larrin had always protected all the kids from bullies and danger. She had amused them and adults alike.
"Uh, Jack? Bunny? Why is door open?" North's strong accent floated into the gathering and Larrin smiled again.
"Come in North!" she invited. They heard him gently close the door and Larrin couldn't keep the grin off her face as her parents gaped at the buff Russian who came to stand in their home. "Mom, Daddy...meet North. Or Santa Clause." She explained. North shook hands with her parents and high-fived Joey before taking a seat in the recliner that was dwarfed by the large man.
After a good hour of chatting and laughing and clinging to her much missed parents, everyone noticed the long yawn Larrin let out. She was really worn out, it had been a long day.
"We left your room exactly as it was. We hope...we knew you would be back." Her mom explained. Joey jumped up to take Larrin upstairs.
"Uh, see ya guys around?" Larrin asked with a smile at the Guardians.
"Yeah. We'll see ya." Jack nodded with a slight purple blush. It was not lost on North, nor on Larrin's father. Larrin however seemed painfully oblivious to the blush and hurried away with Joey, just catching a snippet of North telling her parents that they should be careful. Who knew when Pitch would be back for Larrin. They would do their best to make sure she was safe, but they wanted to be sure she would not be without the protection of her family.
"I still can't believe you're finally back! I've missed you so much Larrin!" Joey exclaimed as he ushered his sister into her room. She sighed happily at the familiar abode and turned to her brother. He had grown a lot over two years, or maybe she had shrunk. But he was still the little brother she loved.
"I missed you too. When they rescued me I didn't even remember my name, but the first thing I did remember was you." She explained. Joey cringed a little at her admittance of how low she had gone. Not remembering her name?
"Man, two years under the Boogeyman's thumb? It really messed ya up huh?" He looked down uncomfortably. She sighed and put an arm around her little brother.
"But it was worth it because I saved you." She smiled. He didn't quite believe her, but he smiled at her anyway.
"Oh how touching." Larrin's blood froze. Her smile immediately dropped. And her hold on Joey became a death grip. A scream threatened to break her lips, but before she could make a sound, Pitch emerged from the shadowed corner of her room and left her soundless. Joey too found himself trapped by scared silence when the dark man came into view. He had a feeling this man...person...thing was the one who had taken Larrin. He had a feeling it was this bastard that had stolen his sister and reduced her to a nameless little girl. But he was still too frightened of the man to be angry.
Pitch took in the sight of Larrin and Joey with an amused smirk on his face. But Larrin could see anger in his golden eyes and it sent a shiver up her spine. She needed to call the Guardians. She was finally home, she was finally with her family. She would not go back to that painful existence. But for some reason she was paralyzed. The way Pitch was looking at her, she'd seen that look before. Not to long ago she had declared that she was not afraid. But seeing his eyes...seeing him stand dominantly in her childhood room. It brought all that fearlessness crashing down. Fear poured from her, and Pitch drank it all up.
Pitch took a step forward and it startled Joey enough for him to scream. But it was short lived as a tendril of nightmare sand wrapped around the boys mouth and pulled him away from his sister. Larrin panicked, trying to hold onto Joey but failing. She felt the tendrils wrapping around her ankle and looked down at the offending snake-like creature. By the time she looked back up Joey was gone, lost in the shadows. It was just her and Pitch, a situation she never wanted to be in ever again. He walked calmly towards her, a smile on his face but anger in his eyes.
"Poor boy. Did you see how scared he was?" he cooed, running his finger down her cheek. A gentle tear followed after the gray finger.
"Bring him back, please!" She begged, a choked sob almost strangling the plea. "He's not part of this." She added when he didn't appear phased.
"He wasn't. But it really hurt when you said you weren't afraid of me Larrin." A shudder went up her spine when she heard her name from his lips. She had almost thought maybe he didn't know her name. That she was just a hobby for him. Pitch smirked at the effect he had on her. Just by saying her name...he had regained some of the power he had over her.
"I...I didn't know you heard me..." She didn't really know what else to say. Pitch made a noise a mix between a scoff and a growl. It made Larrin flinch a little.
"Well I did. Now it's about time we leave. Joey is waiting for you." He was positively ecstatic at the fear that flashed in her eyes.
"Please Pitch let Joey go!"
"No I have something very special in store for little Joey. And for you Larrin. Sweet dreams." Dark sand swarmed in front of her eyes, blinding her for a moment before she felt herself going unconscious.