Author's Note: Hey everyone and welcome first chapter of my new fanfiction! It's my first time doing creative writing other than poetry in quite a while, so I would really appreciate you're feedback. The rating will rise as this fic continues, I doubt any one cares, but this is just a note.

Disclaimer: I don't own Rise of the Guardians or any of its creative properties. _

Chapter One: The Encounter

Jack shot up and looked around him, only to be met with darkness. He was surrounded by nothing but a black absence of light. There was no man on the moon watching over him, no wind whispering greetings like an old friend; just darkness. Groping blindly at the ground, he found his staff and used it as a crutch to help lift him off of the ground. Patting the dirt off of his clothing, he began to head in no particular direction. Heading somewhere is better than nowhere, right?

As he walked, he looked at the area around him, taking in the nothingness that surrounded him. 'When did it become so dark,' he asked himself. 'I had only just lain down for a short nap….' As he continued on his path, he couldn't help but feel the shiver of fear creep up his spine. Jack peered into the dark hoping that nothing would stare back at him from between the branches of the old oak trees. He knew that he was an adult, a guardian no less, but the dark had always given him an ominous sensation. Tales of gruesome creatures that lurked in the shadows still hung heavy in his mind from his younger days, but back then he could laugh his fears away around the bonfires with his family and friends. Now there was no one to laugh away the monsters with, no bright bonfires, just darkness. This only caused him to quicken his pace.

Jack continued to walk through the black woods, but as he did he got the growing sense that someone or something was following him. He tried to brush this off as paranoia; that it was just dark out and he was working himself up, but with every step he took though the fear only grew. It grew and grew making his heart race, and pupils dilate. The carnal sense of fear only snuck closer into his conciousness. Finally it snapped, literally. Jack heard a twig crack behind him, which sent him into a full blown panic. Turning around he used his staff to throw a huge wave of ice, covering everything around him in a white frost. The frost soon became tinged though, as shadows began to consume it as they inched closer to Jack. Jack turned around in the opposite direction and sprinted away as fast as he could

Running blindly through the night he tried to push as many obstacles out of his way as possible, but still found himself being scratched by wild brambles and small branches. Jack couldn't care less though, all he knew was something was chasing him and he needed to get away. Running and running, his legs carried him but he could still feel the presence following him. In his mad dash he didn't realize the cracking sound underneath him. He looked down too late only to see the ice caving in underneath his feet. Crashing down he felt darkness consume him.

'No, not again!' He shouted in his mind. As the cold water and bits of ice tugged him down, feelings of fear and regret resurfaced. He couldn't die again, he had to protect them, the children; he was supposed to be a guardian! These thoughts only caused him to thrash out against the dark water, yet he was helpless to the abyss that sank him deeper into its icy hold. Soon he felt his body go numb, then limp, letting the water take him over.

And then there was warmth. He felt it wrapped around him, this feeling of safety bringing him closer into its embrace. Jack only clung tightly to it, like a child would to their mother. His shaking form greedily consumed the heat, letting it calm him down. "Shh, it's alright," was cooed to Jack as his hair was stroked back. Only then did he bother to look up, having his eyes met with a set of familiar gold orbs. Jack's face quickly morphed into anger as he pushed himself away from the grey man.

"Pitch," He hissed like it was some sort of curse word. "What are you doing here?"

Pitch's face look genuinely pained for a moment, but it was quickly replaced with his usual predatory smirk. "Jack, I only came to help." He said putting his hands up in a defensive manner.

"As delicious as your fear is, it…upsets me to see you like this." He finished stepping closer to the youthful spirit.

"Stay back!" Jack yelled stepping backwards.

"Jack, I already told you," Pitch repeated, not wavering in his step. "I'm not here to hurt you."

Jack felt like a mouse trapped in a corner as Pitch approached him. "I-I said stay back!" He shouted, eyes widening.

"You hurt me Jack, treating me so hostilely when all I want is to help you." Pitch crooned with a false pout.

"I don't believe you!" Jack growled in an icy tone.

"And why should you?" Pitch asked. "It's true that in the past we were enemies, but you also forget I offered you my alliance and friendship."

"And then you kidnapped my friend and threw us into a pit!" The ice spirit retorted with a sour expression.

"Yes, but in all fairness you did reject me, and so harshly too, even after I opened myself up to you." Pitch said looking warily at Jack. "But no matter now, the past is the past. Anyone can sit around and dwell on it, but it won't change. I know better than that, I also know we have something." This comment only made Jack's frown tighten, but since he was not being interrupted, Pitch continued. "What I'm getting at Jack is that we have a connection. I could tell this from the first time we met. The others don't know what it's like, to be lonely, to live in solitude." Pitch circled Jack as spoke then stood behind him "To not be believed in." Jack expression began to soften as Pitch continued ."But we do Jack, you and I." His voice became smoother as he leaned closer into Jack. "We do."

"Yes, but I didn't try to kill anyone." Jack protested.

The snow spirit then flinched but didn't push Pitch away when he touched his shoulder "I know, I'm not asking for redemption, I'm not asking for an alliance, or even your full trust. I just want your companionship…I'm so lonely Jack, you understand that."

Jack did understand, as he had at one point been the same as the Boogeyman. He saw in the other's eyes all the feelings of loneliness and desperation he had once felt. In fact, it would still be that way if the man on the moon hadn't called his name once more and given him his new destiny. Pitch, on the other hand, was not so fortunate. He couldn't blame the other entirely for his actions; he had felt alarmingly similar from being left alone for so long. If Pitch had come to him before the guardians, Jack wondered who he might have become.

Pitch, seeing Jack's face soften, cupped his cheeks in his hands. Grey on white, tainted and pure, they spent a moment staring at each other, communicating absolutely nothing. Jack's expression of confusion quickly morphed into shock when their lips pressed together. Jack was so surprised he didn't even push Pitch away, when Pitch began to nibble his lip. He had never held hands with anyone, let alone been kissed before, so he didn't know how to react when Pitch's tongue slipped into his mouth, other than to let out a soft groan. warmth from Pitch's lips spread all across jacks body, making him shiver at the new sensation. Jack's eyes fluttered shut as he clung onto Pitch's shirt, only encouraging Pitch to deepen the kiss. Even with his eyes closed, Jack could feel the darkness begin to surround him, consuming him further into its hold.

That's when Jack shot up, panting and looking around him. He was in the same spot he had been in when he had drifted off to sleep. Unlike before it wasn't dark, it wasn't scary; it was safe. Grabbing his staff, he used it as a crutch to heave himself off of the ground. He looked up at the sky to see the moon rising once more, his watchful gaze over the world below him. He felt relief in the feeling of the wind brushing against his cheek, welcoming him back to this familiar world.

Finally his breathing steadied and his shoulders slumped, feeling at ease with his current environment. Even so, he still felt a prickle of fear linger in his chest at the thought of being left out in the dark. Jumping up, Jack shouted at the wind "Take me home!" The wind rushed around Jack's body, lifting him into the air in twists and twirls like a fallen leaf. As he rose in the air he could swear he heard someone whisper, "See you again soon Jack." Jack brushed it off as his imagination, only looking ahead to the promise of home.