Jack was huddled on the branch of a tree overlooking his lake. He hadn't seen any of the Guardians lately, but then again, he hadn't gone looking for them. The last one he'd seen was Sandy a few days ago on the night the little man had come across him and Pitch freaking people out in the movie theater's parking lot, and having quite a good time with it.

The Sandman hadn't 'said' anything, he merely looked back and forth between the two. After a few seconds, Jack fled the scene, not looking back once. Ever since then, he'd avoided any contact with the Guardians.

'They're gonna be so mad…what if they kick me out? What if they never wanna see me again? What if-?'

"Are you planning to sulk around Burgess all week?"

Jack glanced down, and spotted Pitch leaning against the trunk.

"I'm not sulking…"

"Of course you aren't, and the chilling winds and flurries that have been going on have had nothing to do with your emotional turmoil."

Jack sighed, and slid off the branch, floating down until he reached the ground.

"You're afraid of what the Guardians will think of you."

Jack leaned against the trunk as well, staying silent. He couldn't deny it, Pitch knew fear like the back of his hand.

"You know, if they do decide to kick you out, I'm positive we can think of something we can do to get back at them."

Jack gave him a skeptical gaze, and Pitch shrugged.

"Or not; frankly, if they're foolish enough to do so, I'll find a bit insulting that you chose to give your loyalty to them over me."

Jack snorted, and gave a small smile, probably the first one in days.

"I never thought of you as the comforting type." He stated.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm not comforting you, just stating facts. The Guardians were always fools, so it wouldn't surprise me if they did abandon you."

Jack rolled his eyes, before looking out at the expanse of frozen water.

"…Do you think…they're gonna kick me out?"

Pitch was silent for a few seconds, before shrugging.

"I can't really answer that. Perhaps if I make it look like I hypnotized you-"

"I don't think they'll buy that. Sandy saw me, remember?"

"Well then, if you're not going to agree with my ideas, don't ask."

"I didn't…oh never mind-"

"Frostbite."

The duo jumped at the new voice, and spun to see Bunny climbing out of a hole. The Pooka gave Pitch a withering look, before looking at Jack with a more concerned gaze.

"We need to talk, mate."

Jack let out a sigh, and headed towards him.

"Well, I knew this was coming…"

Bunny gave Pitch another suspicious glare, before jumping down the hole. Jack gave a two-fingered salute, and dropped down after the Pooka. Pitch smirked as he watched the tunnel close, before turning and vanishing into the shadows.

::::::::::::::::::::::::

"I've explained three times, North, how many more times do I have to retell the story?" Jack sighed, leaning back on the couch.

"I am just trying to understand, Jack. What made you think it would be good idea to team up with Pitch?"

"I wasn't teaming up with him, I was hanging out, there's a difference."

"Jack…"

"Look, I'm just trying to keep something like last year from happening again, okay?"

"How, by helping him gain power?!" Bunny exclaimed.

"Doesn't he deserve to be believed in, too?"

"But Jack, don't you remember the last time he got too much power?" Tooth asked.

"Yes, I remember, do you think I'd forget? But he's not getting too much power, I'm keeping an eye on that."

"Why are you helping him, Jack?" North asked.

All the Guardians looked curious, and Jack felt a little self-conscious under their gaze, but he held his ground.

"Because I know what it's like not to have anyone for a long time; how close was I to becoming that?"

"Oh, but Jack, you're so different than Pitch." Tooth stated, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Not by much; I was only alone for three hundred years, Pitch was alone centuries. Come on guys, you know what it's like to not to be believed in,"

The Guardians looked away for a moment, and Tooth gave a slight nod.

"And you only had to deal with it for a about a day or two. I'm just trying to keep that from happening again. You guys can trust me, alright?"

The group was silent for a moment, before North felt someone patting his leg. He looked down at Sandy, who was pointing towards the ceiling. Everyone looked up, and saw what had his attention. The moon was shining down through the hatch, illuminating the room.

"Ah, Manny, did not know you were coming." North greeted.

The light shifted, lighting up the floor, and everyone noticed a shadow forming on the floor into a familiar form.

"You are saying that Jack is right about Pitch?"

The shadow remained, and more appeared in the shapes of the Guardians themselves.

"We…should accept what he does?" Tooth asked.

The shadows melded together, and formed the letter G.

"We should…work together?"

"That's pushin' it a little, mate." Bunny muttered, giving Manny an annoyed stare.

North nudged him, and he shrugged.

"What? He can't expect us to just forget last year like nothin' 'appened."

"I don't think he's expecting you to so soon," Jack stated, "But maybe you could work up to it?"

"Yeah, not happenin' mate."

"Okay, maybe not forget it, but…work past it?"

Bunny didn't look like he was agreeing with Jack, so Tooth stepped in.

"If…If Jack is willing to give him a chance to do some good, I'll trust him."

The others were silent for a moment, until Sandy, through his dreamsand, stated that he was agreeing with Tooth. North and Bunny shared a look, before North spoke up first.

"Very well, Jack, we will trust you, and Manny, of course. If you believe Pitch can provide something for children, then go do it."

"But we'll be keepin' an eye on the wanker!" Bunny added.

Jack could give him that, it was a start. He was surprised though, he didn't think he'd get back-up from the Man in the Moon, especially if it involved Pitch. He would definantly have to thank him for that later.

"Soo…what now?"

"Well…I guess you tell Pitch that…he's free to do his job." Tooth replied.

"But only to an extent! No trying to seize power or causing disbelief in any of us, alright?" Bunny added.

"Well I suppose that's fair."

Everyone jumped, and whirled around to see Pitch perched on the globe, watching them all with a guarded expression.

"Pitch, when did you get here?" Jack asked.

"Oh I've been here; I just wanted to see if I should start assembling my Nightmares in case certain people decided to come after me. But it looks like I won't have to worry about that," the Boogeyman replied, getting to his feet.

"Don't get cocky; try anything an' I'll shove one of my boomerangs down ya throat!" Bunny retorted.

Pitch smirked, before turning away.

"Yes, yes, I'm sure; now then, if you'll excuse me, I have nightmares to inflict."

He vanished into the nearby shadows, leaving the stunned Guardians behind.

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Hope you're enjoying it so far!