A/N Here we are! All I can say going into this chapter is… poor Jack. I'm terrible. Also, I'm going back to school this next week and this is the last chapter I have written. Expect a little longer wait between the chapters, but nothing all you beautiful kids can't handle :)

As before thank you for your reviews and kind words! I was going to break this up but they're encouraging length, so this chapter is a little longer, I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 3: Ink

The next morning, Toothiana flitted around nervously outside of Jack's door. Bunnymund and North had called on her sometime last night, but she had been so occupied with a sudden rush of children losing their teeth that she hadn't been able to arrive until that next morning. Sandy had joined them but had entered Jack's room out of curiosity and concern when they heard the youngest Guardian shifting in his bed restlessly. The dream maker hadn't reemerged and it made the other three nervous, though none of them wanted to say anything about it.

"What do you think is wrong?" Tooth said after the others had caught her up on the situation, "And why didn't you call me earlier?" She asked, accusatory, glaring at the men from beneath cotton candy pink eye lashes.

Bunny shrugged his furry shoulders, "We don't know, Tooth. He hasn't been sleeping. North is the one who's been noticin'. And he's the one who said we shouldn't call you two until now."

North looked affronted, "I did not think it was worth pulling you away from your work!" As much as she wished to be annoyed by them, Tooth understood. As she was there now, her fairies had to work the system of tooth retrieving without her. However, her love for Jack, whom she saw as a child desperately in need of mothering, won out and she left the fairies to their own devices. Baby Tooth had given her best effort to come with Toothiana but had been left behind in the end.

Suddenly the door to Jack's door was thrown open, sending a rush of cold air at those standing outside of it. Tooth had to dart upwards to avoid being hit by the heavy wooden door.

Jack looked at them, exhausted, but unsurprised that they were outside. "What?" He asked them. When they didn't answer immediately, Jack groaned and rubbed at his head, "What do you need? Can't a guy have some time alone?" He grit out between clenched teeth, grabbed his staff, and shoved past North, the big man allowing Jack to push him aside. Sandy came out seconds later, a big golden question mark dancing around his head, facial expression pulled into a frown.

"Someone woke up on the wrong side of the iceberg." Bunnymund grumbled, though lacking its usual bite. Together the four Guardians watched Jack's form disappear around the corner.

/ / /

Days dragged along, each of the Guardians giving their best efforts to aid Jack in getting a good night's rest now that they realized that Sandy couldn't dispel whatever dream was keeping him from sleeping. Toothiana hummed lullabies and told stories of children's adventures as Jack drifted off to sleep. Bunny dozed next to Jack, one paw resting possessively and comfortingly on Jack's back, acting as an anchor. North concocted milks, hot chocolates, teas and eggnogs in hope that one would lull the frost spirit to sleep.

The mornings came and went and fewer and fewer of them showed Jack leaving his room to see them. North worried it was because Jack stayed in his room all day, and that it couldn't be healthy for a young boy like him, but Tooth and Sandy had flown around outside to the open window and seen that it was wide open, Jack being nowhere in the room.

It was well into the week before Tooth realized she's spent too much time away from her home. They had been so preoccupied with Jack that Sandy often missed children on his nightly runs and North and Bunny had spent no time thinking up new surprises for the children who await them on their respective special days.

"I say we tie him to the bed and make him tell us what's wrong." Bunny grouched one day as they sat around North's study, the fire blazing, a few hours after Jack had dragged himself through the hallways and retired to his room. Sandy had decided to spend another night sitting around Jack's bed, trying to work out why his own dream sand wasn't working.

"Bunny that is no way to talk about him. He's just a boy." Tooth admonished, wings humming even as she was seating in a chair, mind never completely in one place as she mentally directed her fairies where to go.

"He may be a boy but he's three hundred years old. We don't know how he was when he was… alone." Bunny stumbled on the word, "And we don't know if this has happened before. Maybe he's not coming to us for help because he knows how to deal with it." Even as he said it, the Pookah felt like this wasn't the case at all. The few times that he had managed to corner Jack and attempt to find out what was wrong the frost spirit had looked genuinely scared before bringing his shields up and claiming that he was fine.

Tooth sighed sadly, "He may be three hundred in our years. But Jack's just a child. He'll never grow up, and he's scared." Her feathers ruffled slightly, "I don't think sitting here around the fire is going to help him!"

"I agree with Tooth." North finally spoke up, uncrossing his arms from where he sat in a large, plush red recliner. "But I also agree with Bunny. We must find out if he knows what is happening to him, instead of just thinking he is not okay." Similar to Bunny, North didn't believe a bit in the idea that Jack was okay at all.

"Maybe you should do that, mate. You spend the most time with him." Bunny suggested. As much as Tooth wanted to coddle Jack, she also agreed that it was probably the best way to handle the situation. North nodded; he was going to get to the bottom of this.

/ / /

The next morning North paused only to give Jack a cursory warning knock on the door before opening it and stepping into the icy room. He took one step into the room before his foot slipped on an icy patch, almost sending him falling backwards into Bunnymund's arms. The Guardian caught himself on the doorframe, cracking the wood with the force of his grip, and took a look into the room.

Jack was sitting on the edge of his bed, one eyebrow raised high on his forehead as he watched North try to regain his balance. Finally, the younger reached his staff out and caught North's belt, helping to pull him upright.

When the Russian fully righted himself, he sent a reassuring look back at the Guardians- all the other three- who were waiting outside of the doorframe with apprehensive looks. North took a cautious step towards Jack's bed and when he didn't slip again, fully crossed the small distance of the room before he stood next to Jack.

"Jack." He started awkwardly, rubbing a hand across his stomach, "I feel as though you are not telling us everything. And we are worried that you cannot sleep."

Jack snorted and looked away. "I'm okay."

Shaking his head, North sat down on the edge of Jack's bed, wanting to get immediately back up when he felt the snow already soaking through the seat of his pants, but stayed for Jack's benefit. The winter spirit shot a dubious look up at the man, a grin inching along his lips. "What's up?"

In the bright light of early morning silhouetting Jack's head, North had a hard time reading the other's expression, but stared intently at the soft smile on his pale lips. North gave an appraising look at the rest of Jack, the stiff set of his shoulders, the slump of his back, and the idly tapping of toes against the snowy floor. Jack's staff was in easy reaching distance, but that was nothing out of the ordinary.

"You have been getting good sleep? You have been… absent as of late."

Jack took the time to look generally surprised. "Yeah, I guess. You guys have really been helping. I don't know what was up. I must have just… been getting used to not being on my own, you know?" He paused and North considered this. "Anyways, sorry about being gone. I didn't know you guys were waiting for me. I've just been out, doing what I do best." Jack kicked up some snow and the flurry went spinning around the room and out the door, some far off crash assuring the flurry had knocked something over.

North harrumphed, wanting not to be convinced but also wanting to be relieved at how Jack was responding to the questioning. "Okay, then." He said finally and got up, brushing off the wet back of his pants, "Okay. If you say you are all right. I will be back around tonight for cookies? I have been thinking of adding cinnamon to the eggnog." He said thoughtfully.

"No!" Jack responded, too loudly and too quickly. He seemed to realize this and cleared his throat, "No, thanks. I've been okay for a few days. I'm sorry I didn't tell you all earlier. I guess I just… was enjoying the attention?" He tried, looking sheepishly up at North through his lashes.

North was quiet for a second before his face lit up and he pulled Jack into a hug., "Good, then! I will tell the others. Do not be so worrying next time, Jack?" The large man chuckled.

Jack coughed as North crushed him with his strength, "Yeah, big guy. Sorry." When North set him back down, the frost spirit tumbled back to his bed, sitting down heavily, closing a hand over his staff. When North turned around, Jack saw that the other Guardians were watching from the hall and couldn't help but feel a bit miffed, but allowed North to walk out and announce that Jack was doing fine. Bunny's face returned to its usual scowl when he looked at Jack, but was softened considerably. Tooth looked like she could melt in relief and flitted in to press a kiss to Jack's forehead before announcing she had to return to work.

It was Sandy that stayed in place after Bunny and North said their goodbyes and allegedly went to return to work. The golden Guardian stared at Jack, who shot him an annoyed look.

Sandy returned the expression and took a step into the room, images of sand flashing above his head of Jack tossing and turning in bed and waking up in the middle of the night to escape through his window. A large X formed above the Guardian's head and then an arrow pointing at Jack.

Jack brushed the sand away. "Get out, Sandy. I said I was okay." The arrow grew in size and Jack dispersed the golden grains once more. "Sandy." He said with a little more force. This time the sand actually poked him hard in the chest. "Knock it off!" Jack shouted and Sandy took a startled movement backwards, sand falling around him. Jack took note of the change in demeanor. "What?' He asked.

Sandy formed two eyes above his head and pointed to them, then to Jack. Jack raised a hand and water dripped from the ceiling to form a round plate of ice, reflective enough to show Jack's image. What was shown back caused Jack to take a shocked step backwards. Irises that were normally a sky blue glared back at him a dark gold. Jack released a soft cry of alarm and closed his eyes, rubbing at them. He blinked a few more times and when he looked again, his eyes were back to normal.

Panicked, Jack swallowed heavily and let the ice fall to the floor, not caring when it shattered to pieces at his feet. He felt a soft hand on his back and Sandy was there. "What was that?" Jack asked, staring out the window to his room where the sun was just starting to raise high enough to diminish the soft golden light from his room. "That wasn't a trick of the light, was it?" He asked and Sandy shook his head, pointing at his eyes again.

"What am I supposed to do?" Jack muttered miserably into his hands.

Sandy looked sad for a moment before straightening up and thumping Jack on the back, an image of North appearing over his head along with a speech bubble.

Jack, unimpressed, rolled his eyes, "I'm not telling North." A question mark popped up above Sandy's head and Jack huffed a breath. "Because. They're wasting their time on me. Tooth's running herself crazy being here. North has other things to do. I know Bunnymund doesn't want to be here. He doesn't even like me on days I don't ruin his Easter egg hunts. It's better for them to think I'm doing all right."

Sandy had the nerve to look so frustrated that sand actually blew out of his ears. He slapped at Jack's arm and the winter spirit watched as images of the other Guardians flashed above his head, each followed by a heart to signify love. Finally, the image of North and the speech bubble appeared again. Jack shook his head. "I am feeling better." He said, but, admittedly, followed it up by a yawn, drawing his knees up and resting his cheek on them, "I don't know what's wrong with me."

Sandy nodded, the speech bubble growing larger and larger until it was bigger than Jack himself. Jack, frustrated, grabbed his staff and slammed the butt of it into the ground, sending a gust of wind crashing through the sand, scattering it. Sandy glared up at Jack, who looked impassively back.

"I'll handle it." He said and Sandy threw his arms up. The dream maker turned around once more in the door to show a heart and Jack blinked slowly, voice coming out low and exhausted, "Please don't tell them." He whispered.

The heart fell apart and Sandy nodded, but left afterwards. Jack swung his staff and sent the door slamming shut. He then fell back into his bed and pulled the drifts above his head, though he had no intention of falling asleep.

/ / /

Day turned to night, and Jack, against his will, had fallen into a fitful sleep. In his dream world he found himself sitting in a small boat surrounded by a sea of darkness. Recently the black had been growing larger, and every morning he woke up more and more scared of the next time he fell asleep.

This time Jack didn't even try to fight the shadows when they came up to teasingly push at his boat, choosing to stay in his curled position in the boat, muttering to himself what Bunnymund had told him weeks ago: that there were people who cared for him. That this wasn't real.

Suddenly a shadow arm reached up and latched onto the boat's lip, jerking roughly and tipping the boat overboard. Jack wasn't prepared for the movement- it had been a long while since the shadows had actually reached out to him- and couldn't stop the yell of surprise that left his throat when he was dragged below the rolling waves of inky blackness.

He tried to scream for help though he knew it was useless, and felt the black pouring itself into his mouth and down his throat. Jack brought his hands to his neck and tried to cough the black up, but every inhale and exhale just invited more in.

The blackness dimmed slightly and then grew more concentrated before him, a mocking, toothy smile and a pair of eyes suddenly looking back at him. The eyes glimmered and rippled like water and the shape took on that of a tentacle beast.

"Jack."It whispered. "Jack. Stop resisting, child." Jack didn't want to listen, but the voice invaded his head and he clapped his hands over his ears. "We are not so unlike each other, my Jack. You see, you invite the darkness in as well. They only go to those who… are willing." It said, almost thoughtfully.

Jack blinked and stopped struggling in an attempt to curl in on himself. The ink seemed to stop trying to push its way into his lungs, but Jack felt like he had swallowed tar. "What do you want?" He asked, voice sounding like it was full of cotton and every word hurt to get out.

"Your cooperation."

"I don't want to help you."

The thing blinked. "I've come to realize. Jack, if you would just accept the dark it would be so much easier on you. On all of you. You have already become such a willing host."

Opening his eyes, Jack frowned. "What?"

Pulsing yellow eyes blinked once more, twice, and then flashed so bright Jack could have sworn he was going to go blind. When he opened them again the black was bathed in gold and an anger pulsed through his veins. A sudden anger not just to lash out at the thing before him, but at everyone; at himself. He realized with a jolt that this is what he felt when he yelled at Sandy earlier when he was awake, and how he felt when he snapped at the other Guardians to leave him alone.

The yellow light left him, and as the anger diminished it was replaced with a bone chilling cold and permeating dread. Jack felt like something had left him.

"Hmm." It hummed, pleased.

"What?!" Jack shouted and felt the bubbling of blackness in his chest surge up and he coughed, feeling it spill down his chin.

It tsked, sounding disappointed, but still managed to smile. "I have so much to teach you."

Jack growled, having had enough of whatever the creature was. "Who are you?! What are you?!"

"I am an ally. A friend. Jack, I'm part of you, and you know this." As it spoke the words, Jack had already summoned his staff and struck it forward towards the thing. It hissed and before Jack had an opportunity to retaliate he felt a burning numbness spread through his chest, gripping his heart and pulling tighter and tighter until black filled up his vision and he couldn't get a breath in but it was squeezing, pulling, killing him-

And Jack was suddenly aware of himself screaming, arching his back off his bed and gripping his sheets with white knuckles. As soon as he realized where he was, Jack shut himself up by biting into his lip, listening to his own panting breaths through his nose as the only sound in his room. He covered his face with his hands and tried to shake off the feeling of terror, removing his hands after a few minutes. What he saw caused his breathing to accelerate again and his hands shook as he examined them: the digits were a dusky gray, nails and ends a dark black. He looked at one of his feet that was sticking out from underneath the snow and saw the same thing staining the white skin of his feet like he had dipped his toes into writing ink.

Throwing his covers off, Jack shoved himself through his hoodie and grabbed his staff, holding onto it and leaning against it like it was his only source of life. Remembering a breathing technique that Bunnymund had taught him a few days ago, Jack took slow, even breaths and counted backwards from one hundred. He got to zero and repeated the exercise twice more before he felt like he could walk without collapsing.

Heart still racing, Jack had no confidence in his ability to ride the howling winds outside his window and hobbled his way out of his room; just looking at his bed made him want to throw up. Quietly he made his way along the hallway, the only noises were his own breathing, the quiet padding of his bare feet, and the click of his staff on the stone as he took careful, cautious steps.

When he came to his windowsill, familiar now that it was coated in ice and frost designs etched into the floor and walls, Jack heaved a sigh of relief, using his staff to unlatch and push open the window, falling against the sill as the cool wind ran against his face.

He didn't notice when he sat back on the ledge and placed his head against the wood that he began to drift off.

/ / /

North was woken by the yell of panic that echoed down the hall outside of his bedroom. The Guardian was immediately on alert, shoving his feet into boots and pulling his coat on. He knew that cry and had a good idea where it came from.

Hustling down the hall, North hugged his coat at the breeze that was blowing through the open window, spotting Jack shivering and curled up, eyes clenched shut and breath coming out unevenly. North took a few steps towards him but then leapt forward when Jack jerked slightly and began to tip out the window.

Grabbing the smaller Guardian in his arms, North hefted him back into the Factory and shut the window, cradling Jack like he was a sleeping child. However, Jack twitched and cried out again and North knelt to the ground and shook Jack awake. North was surprised to find tears streaking down Jack's cheeks. Alarmed, North shook Jack almost violently and then resorted to shouting "Jack! I am here, Jack!" and then the boy was awake, simultaneously trying to escape North's hold and grasping the cloth of his coat so tightly it was a wonder the fabric didn't rip.

"Jack." North muttered, "You are not in your dream. You are safe." He said calmly, accent heavier and weighed down with concern.

Jack took a few moments to come back to himself but when he did he looked up at North with wide, defenseless, childish eyes. They were dry for a second but the next brimming with tears. "I'm sorry." He whispered brokenly.

North shook his head, "For what, Jack?"

"For lying. I'm not okay, North."

North nodded; that much was obvious. "Tell me what is wrong."

Jack raised his hands and his breathing quickened. North followed his gaze and saw that the tips of Jack's fingers were a dark gray, almost black at the tips. When he met Jack's eyes he watched at the blue fought for dominance against gold, the yellow stabbing through in a way that looked painful before they returned to their normal color.

"I don't know." Jack said, voice cracking, "I don't know what's wrong… I can't-" He took a steadying breath, "The nightmares. They're not nightmares, North. They… they hurt. And they talk to me. And I wake up and I feel like I can't escape them. Even though I can't see them they're in my head somewhere. I can feel them." He brought a hand to his throat and swallowed hard, eyes growing distant as if he was recalling a memory.

North pulled Jack into a hug, the smaller boy letting out a surprised grunt but wrapping his arms around North's midsection regardless. "We will help you." North promised. "I swear it."

North held Jack for a while and Jack let himself doze off against his better judgment, feeling the safety and protection of strong arms as he fell back into a world of gold eyes and ink.