A/N Sorry this is late- Finals are this week and college in stupid and I just saw RotG for the 4th time because I have no self-control and my friends enable my sick habits. This is half filler and half explanation because I feel like you all deserve at least a little explanation before the pain. (alternate title for this chapter is VOMITING HEADCANONS)

Thank you for your positive feedback- it makes me want to write instead of study and really… I have about as much self-control with that as I do when it comes to going to the movie theater. Ha! (also I'm writing other RotG stories that I'm not sure I'm going to post.. time wasting at its finest!) I'm trying to respond to reviews but if I skip over you on accident I'm so sorry, please accept my gratitude that you're sticking with me! :)

Chapter 5: Beholder

The hall they stepped into was clean and white, pure in a way that things on Earth were not. Jack could only akin it to when he hid away inside of the glaciers and ice sheets of Antarctica, the white walls in the entryway undulating as though following their movements much as the blue ice did. They came out into what looked like a throne room, though instead of walls there were windows with every kind of scenery they could imagine: forests, cities, mountains, even what seemed like the bottom of the ocean. Every few moments the images would ripple and then flicker, changing to something new as things flew out of them and darted into the next shining portal. At the end of the room there was a large, twisting tree that had its roots dug deep into the marble floor and stretched its limbs up to the ceiling. Sitting in thrones seemingly made from the tree itself were two immortals.

Mother Nature was a gentle woman, large and busty, seated beside her husband, Father Time, a wiry and frail looking man. Nature's face was aged softly while Time's was weathered. The Great Guardians sat forever beside each other, Nature's flowing golden hair entangled with Time's ever growing silver beard on their thrones that curled around them like a living entity, branches and arms hugging tightly to Nature's curves and framing Time's gaunt figure.

"Who are they?" Jack whispered, both hands wrapped around his staff, shoulders hunched, as he looked up at the beings with an expression of awe. "Are they Guardians too?"

Tooth smiled dreamily. "In a way. They're Great Guardians, like the Man in the Moon. Mother Nature is the Great Guardian of Creation, while Father Time is the Guardian of Regulation. They are similar to MiM in which they do not have direct involvement. While the Man in the Moon is here for our direction, they are more here for the humans. They evolve them." Tooth said, lovingly, as she gazed up at Nature the way a young girl would to her mother.

Smiling, Nature's rosy cheeks rounded out her plump face. "Hello, my loves." She said, voice smooth like flowing water and light like sun. "It has been a while, hasn't it, dear?" She turned to Time, who shifted his gaze to them and grunted in agreement, the only other part of his body that was moving was the subtle shifting of his fingers as he molded something within their depths.

"Apologies!" North started and Nature looked at him, amused, "For either not visiting or dropping by so unexpected. Whichever is what you are displeased about more." The Russian hiked up his belt, looking pleased. Nature chuckled softly, Time remaining impassive.

"Any of you are always welcome in our halls." Nature assured, green eyes alight with mischief as she looked at the youngest Guardian. "Oh, Jack Frost. I have watched what you do during my Spring. It is my season of birth and yet you blanket the world in white." Nature said to Jack, who jumped slightly and had the guilt to look ashamed, but Nature merely smiled wider, "I am not meaning this negatively, Jack. It takes strong will to do such a thing. And if I slack off a bit your snow gives me some extra time to create." She winked and Jack looked intrigued.

"Create?"

"Aye. She is the Guardian of Creation, remember?" Bunny snorted and Nature rolled her eyes, though in good humor.

At Nature's prompting, Time finally handed the thing he had been twisting about in his long fingers over, the white of whatever it was a stark contrast to his dark robes. Nature held it in her palm for the group to see: a small paper bird rested in the cup of her hand. Smiling, Nature pressed her other hand over it, enclosing it around the bit of art and when she opened her hands again, what remained was no longer inanimate.

A tiny white bird sat, content, in her palm, head shaking slightly and feathers ruffling. The thing stretched its tiny wings, little pinprick claws gripping for purchase. Nature looked down at it, thoughtful, before raising it to her lips. As if being stained with color, her lips shifted and changed to a deep purple and she carefully leaned down to place a kiss on the bird's small brow.

The color bled from Nature's lips, and purple blossomed in the feathers of the bird, coating it with shades and markings. When Nature's lips had returned to their original soft pink, she leaned back from the bird.

The bird chirped and sang, stretching its wings, now a rich purple, once more and taking flight when Nature urged it to the air with an upward motion of her hand. Happy with itself, the bird circled once and then settled itself in the nests of Nature's hair, the thing making tiny, satisfied bird noises.

"I create." Nature said simply, and it was then that Jack noticed the subtle shifts of movement in Nature's hair.

"Your… your hair…" He started, and wasn't sure if he should be alarmed. "It's alive?"

Nature laughed, the sound ringing like music. "Everything in here is alive. Jack, look closer."

The other Guardians watched Jack as the winter spirit turned in a circle, examining the room. He saw, then, that the walls didn't seem like they were reflecting colors and shadows, they actually were moving. The windows that showed scenery rippled like water and even the ceiling fluttered as if made of thousands of petals. Mother Nature's golden hair shifted and Jack watched as birds, butterflies, insects, even a fox moved about, other animals crawling around the tree and disappearing within the bark of the tree and the folds of Nature's locks.

A movement next to Father Time caught his attention and noticed a great horned owl, its feathers silver and feet black, which had been nesting in Time's beard. The large bird tilted its head to look at Jack, and Jack found the intelligence hidden in those eyes disarming.

"Oh." Was all Jack could think to say. He wondered how comfortable it was having all those things crawling about the Great Guardians all day long.

"Enough of all this fiddle faddle." Nature said and Jack raised an eyebrow. "As much as I do enjoy all of your company, a little bird told me you weren't just here for pleasantries." The purple bird nestled by Nature's ear chirped.

The Guardians looked uncomfortable, all shifting awkwardly until they looked at North. Sandy prodded the Russian in the back of the thigh to prompt him forward. Looking frumpled for all of a moment, North cleared his throat.

"I do apologize for not introducing Jack Frost to you properly, Mamyula. But we are in desperate times. You see-"

"I'm having nightmares and they think I'm going crazy!" Jack interrupted, slamming his staff onto the ground. His voice echoed in the cavern and the fluttering above him stilled slightly. The Guardians looked at him, "I'm sick of people talking for me! I'm not sleeping well, that doesn't mean I'm an invalid. I'm done with all of you ignoring me like I don't exist!" This was emphasized with another pound of his staff and cold air swept through the room, the creatures retreating slightly.

"Jack-" Tooth started and Jack looked over. Biting her lip, Tooth pointed to her face and Jack frowned and then grabbed his head as gold shot through his vision.

"It's happening again, isn't it?" He muttered, eyes clenching as the hammering pain almost brought him to his knees.

"Oh, this isn't good." Nature spoke, green eyes wide with trepidation.

"We know, mom." Bunny said, taking two steps over and placing a paw on Jack's shoulder cautiously. Instead of reacting with vehemence, Jack leaned into the touch, trying to hide his face in Bunny's furry chest. Bunny felt the wet soak to his skin as black bubbled at the corners of Jack's mouth and when the winter spirit glanced up, panic lacing his expression, Bunny saw the black lines that dripped from Jack's golden eyes like tears.

"Perhaps-" Nature started but was interrupted.

"There is darkness within the boy." A low, rumbling voice cut through the freezing temperatures of the room, stopping the wind and the movement of the room. The Guardians seemed surprised, as they found themselves unable to move. "There is darkness that is his own."

Father Time spoke very rarely, but when he did it was slowly and done with immense consideration. His words were always worth listening to, so much so that when words tumbled from his cracked lips the whole world stopped to listen.

Even Nature seemed shocked that her husband had spoken, and squeezed his hand in encouragement. "Go on, dear."

Time licked his lips and swallowed, but the words didn't come from his mouth. They came, instead, from the mouth of his great owl, and the Guardians found their muscles under their own control once more. "Come forth." He rolled his wrist as the owl clacked its beak and Jack felt himself pulled from Bunny's embrace and tugged forward by an invisible force. Nobody acknowledged the black smears that stained Bunny's gray fur.

"Jack Frost." Time groaned, from his own mouth.

"That's… that's me." Jack swallowed, squinting to see through the yellow haze of vision.

Time blinked slowly, eyes falling shut for a long while before he opened them once more and the owl flapped its wings, Time's voice spilling from its beak, "Jack Frost. Why do you contain so much within your own heart? We are not meant to keep things inside of ourselves." Time took a deep breath and the owl continued, "We are here for others, never for ourselves. You must care for each of your fellow Guardians and because of that, you must not keep whatever it is that grows like a virus inside of you to yourself."

Jack shook his head, mulling over the information as though he didn't know what to make of it, "But I don't know what I'm keeping inside of me!"

"Then perhaps it is time for you to look inside yourself and discover what is yours alone, rather than outwardly looking as you always have been."

"What does that even mean!?" Jack practically shouted, beyond confusion. He couldn't follow what the Great Guardian- or his owl- was trying to tell him.

"Jack." Nature said, her flowing voice cutting through the ringing in his ears, "You must look inwards, love. That is what Time is saying."

"How am I supposed to do that?" Jack searched both Nature and Time's faces, blue eyes stabbed through with gold and unable to focus on one place for more than a second. Finally, Jack settled on looking at North, trying to find solace and answers.

North took a deep breath and stepped forward, placing a large hand on Jack's small shoulder, feeling the taught muscles shift under the blue hoodie. "You must trust in them, Jack. Listen to what they have to say."

Jack bit his lip and nodded, steadying himself with a large inhale of air through his nose. "Okay. Okay, Father Time, Mother Nature. What do I do?"

Time sat up straighter and Nature tightened her hand on her husband's. She muttered something to him, something in another language that the Guardians couldn't decipher, but the words sounded as if they themselves had been the building blocks to life.

The owl cried out, a screeching noise that resulted in the ceiling fluttering to life once more. "You must sleep, Jack."

The winter guardian gripped his staff, "No. No, if you think-"

"Mamyula." North interrupted Jack, hand coming to squeeze Jack's shoulder again. The youngest Guardian subconsciously leaned into it, "The sleeping is what we have been trying to fix."

Nature gave him a patient smile, "It'll be okay, dear. Jack, it'll be okay." She said to both of them and time raised his hand.

"It is time for you to sleep, Jack." Time spoke, the words sounding like they were being pulled from his throat. Jack didn't have a chance to argue back before he fell to his knees, hands at his throat as he started to gag.

"Jack!" Tooth called and flew to Jack's side, placing both hands on his back.

Bunny jumped forward, "What's happening?!"

Nature looked like she wanted to leave her throne, and her sudden movement displaced the creatures living about her. Time was the only one who stayed still, hand raised, palm towards Jack, as he furrowed his brow in concentration.

"Dad!" Bunny yelled at the same time North called 'Batya!' "What's going on?!"

North settled back when Time clasped her hand again, his other still raised. The owl on his shoulder extended its wings and screeched again and as if in response, Jack's back tightened and he dry heaved, a racking cough following up after it.

Jack looked up blindly, eyes a shining gold, for a split second before he braced himself on his palms on the ground and threw up black ink, the thick substance coating his chin and staining the ground beneath him. Eyes clenched shut, Jack tried to breathe in around the liquid but more bubbled up and he spat it onto the ground.

Tooth's nails dug into his skin through his hoodie as she held him from falling over, "Jack." She said urgently, "What's wrong? What's happening?"

"Leave him." Time said solemnly as black dripped from Jack's nose and eyes, a stark contrast against skin turning an ashen gray. "He will sleep."

Jack was up on his knees again and Tooth jerked her hands back as his back arched and he snapped his head back, eyes staring straight up into the pulsating ceiling. As sudden as the movement was, Jack went limp and fell to the floor. Tooth caught him deftly and lowered him to the ground.

"What's going on with him?" Bunny asked as Sandy laid sand behind Jack's head as a makeshift pillow.

"He is asleep." Time said and Nature patted his arm gently.

"Jack is not just asleep. He is within himself. Jack has a darkness within him." Nature said, looking down at the sleeping Guardian. "Jack was alone for several hundred years, you all are aware. That is a long time to harbor his own hatred and malice. That darkness has resided inside of him for so many years, unable to do anything but grow with his loneliness. Now that he is… less alone, he no longer needs to draw comfort from his darkness. The darkness is unfortunately not as willing to let Jack go."

The Guardians were absolutely speechless so Nature continued, "You all have it inside of you. But you no longer have any use of it, and it was never strong enough to begin with. It has vanished. Jack's is strong, and he must confront this himself if he wishes to overcome it. It will not be easy. You saw yourselves how the darkness reacted to Time's own strength."

"And you let him… let him go into himself and confront this on his own? He doesn't know what this is! How is he supposed to do this by himself?" Bunny asked, infuriated, pointing his boomerang at the Great Guardians.

"Bunny. You will put your weapon down." North said sternly and Bunny, though hesitantly, did so.

The owl shook its feathers out, speaking once again for Time, "If he cannot overcome this himself then all is lost. I did not say he cannot have help, though."

Tooth spoke up then, from her position on the floor next to Sandy, "Then how do we help him?"

"You must sleep." Time said and then said no more.

"Then we will sleep!" North yelled at the other Guardians looked at him like he was insane. "If Jack needs our help then we will help. We have not helped him enough, it seems. It is time!"

Sandy nodded, his fist slamming into his palm and his dream sand recreating the gesture above his head. Bunny stood up as well, lending a paw to help Tooth to her feet. "Us too, mate."

"If that's how we're going to help Jack then we're in!" Tooth said enthusiastically and Nature's smile broadened.

"If you are all sure?" She asked and they all nodded, "Then I wish you best of luck. But please, do take care not to damage anything while you're in there, it is very fragile." As she spoke grass sprouted up underneath Jack, cushioning his body against the hard floor. Jack didn't respond to the change below him, and continued to breathe softly around his sleep.

Time raised his hand, palm towards them all, and the room seemed to slow down and spin. Quietly, one by one they fell to their knees, North's booming snores already echoing off the walls. Branches and rolling hills popped up to catch them and lay them gently down next to each other. However, Sandy merely turned to look at the Great Guardians.

"Don't feel like sleeping, Sanderson?" Nature asked and Sandy shook his head, a bed popping up above his head and being torn in two, followed by a quick succession of children sleeping and then the world rotating around a tiny moon. Nature chuckled, "Yes, yes dear. But your dreams are doing the job for you now, are they not? While you are here you are free from duties."

Sandy popped up another bed and let it fall apart and Time squeezed her hand. Nature understood, "You are much like my husband, Sandy." And Sandy was, in a way, this was true. Many of the Guardians related to one parent over the other, with MiM being the parent of them all. Bunny and Tooth spent much of their time speaking with Mother, and North and Sandy spent conversations in Time's company. Sandy looked at his Father and smiled, giving a small wave.

"Watch over them, Sanderson." The owl on Time's shoulder requested and Sandy nodded. He settled himself near Jack and placed his hands on the winter spirit's temples. Dream sand floated lazily around Jack's head, the golden sheen coating Jack's eyes and hairline. Slowly Sandy closed his eyes and allowed himself to sync with Jack's subconscious.

With the Guardians asleep, Nature turned to her husband and leaned over, kissing him on the cheek. "This may be too much for them. I wonder if we should have given our aid."

Time looked at his wife and shook his head, licking his lips. "No, my dear. Without this Jack will never understand that he no longer needs his darkness to survive. He must rely on the help of his fellow Guardians."

Nature hummed, flowers opening their petals to the sound of her voice, "On the love of his family, you mean."

Time's smile was small, just a tiny crack in his great wrinkled face, but with it came the birth of new life.

/ / /

Deep in his mind, Jack found himself backed against a dark sheet of black ice. Before him stood a figure that looked eerily like himself, with eyes that shone like a cat's in the minimal light that entered into the cavern he was in.

"Hello." It whispered and Jack gave a sharp intake of breath.

"I know what you are." He said back and the thing tilted its head, black staff leaned casually against his shoulder.

"Then what am I, Jack?"

Blinking, Jack gripped his staff and swung it forward defensively, "You're what's doing this to me. A nightmare."

It laughed and took a step forward, reaching a hand out. Jack swung the staff and almost lost his balance when instead of meeting resistance the wood flew through the thing's arm like an oar through water. It looked down at its arm with distaste before swinging its own staff and catching Jack on the side of his face. Jack hit the ground hard, one hand against the hot throb of his cheek as warmth filled his mouth. Spitting red blood on the ground, Jack only had a moment to marvel at the crimson color before the thing had a foot on his chest and was pushing down with a sternum cracking pressure.

"I am not responsible for your weakness, you pathetic waste of ice." It hissed, stepping down, the derogatory comment reminding Jack so vividly of Pitch in that moment Jack couldn't tell the two apart in his mind. Jack saw the split in its gray face, the teeth within black and rotting. "I am what you could be. I am what you should be. I am what will be."

Jack struggled to rise up on his elbows, but the thing was in his face and spitting venom. Jack looked up at the golden eyes and felt fear spike through his torso. He wasn't afraid, he wasn't-

The thing spoke into Jack's ear, lips centimeters from Jack's skin, and Jack felt a cold permeate his heart, a cold that he hadn't felt since falling for a lifetime in a frozen pond.

"When I am finished, I am all that will be left."