When Past and Present Collide 7
For those who haven't read Mating Season yes, in the Finding Understanding series which includes Finding Understanding, Moonbeams and Sunshine, and Mating Season (I hope I haven't forgotten any) Bunny and Jack became mates and had two kits and boy and girl. This takes place about 50 years after Mating Season so the kits are grown and trying to repopulate their race, not sure which planet I'll be using for that yet but their presently on the Moon where they won't be discovered so easily by humans. I do plan on doing a few in between fics later.
"Please tell me you locked up the swords and put all the pointy objects out of reach and sight," Pitch said as he strolled out of the shadows. He gave Bunny a pointed look before sparing Nicholas an appraising look. "I must admit, North, this is a far better look for you. The old-"
Tooth began motioning with her hands for him to button up. He raised a brow in questioning. What had he said wrong? Surely North's memories had returned by now. Unless…
"Oh, I see," he finally conceded.
"Nice armor," Nicholas snorted, leaning against the fireplace with an air of arrogance as he eyed Pitch up and down. "Better than the black on black look."
Pitch held back a growl. It was true, since becoming the Guardian of Courage he had taken to wearing his old armor more, sometimes returning to the style of his past life. Of course he still dressed the part of Nightmare King when spreading fear but he had thought a change of attire might be best until he knew for sure that Nicholas was once more North. Obviously that had yet to happen. No wonder Jack's fear was so thick and muddled.
Ignoring Nicholas's snide remark he turned back to Bunny. "Where is my grandson?"
Nicholas almost choked, turning a nice shade of red as he stood up. "Grandson?" he asked before recovering and looking about the room in further confusion.
A nasty smirk tugged Pitch's thin lips. "Jack of course. Or haven't you met him yet. Cute kid, about 5'2", pale with snowy white hair. Looks remarkably like Nightlight, don't you agree, Aster?"
The wide-eyed almost horrified look the young man gave him was just precious and proved once more that North wasn't completely with them yet. Oh this could be fun. Just wait until the young man learned that Jack was his adopted son, MiM was Jack's father (in essence) and Seraphina the boy's mother (again in essence only.) If that didn't shake Nicholas's world nothing would. Pitch opened his mouth to say just that when Bunny hopped over and placed his paws firmly over his mouth.
"Let's leave it at that, mate. The man can only handle so much in one day," the Pooka said with a warning look as he removed his paws. "Jackie's taking care of his pa in the infirmary."
Pitch glared at Bunny and wiped his mouth. "Were you digging again?"
Bunny rolled his eyes. "Just go see if you can talk some sense into him. He had Phil band Sandy from the infirmary for knocking him out. The yetis are frigging siding with the kid and warned us that if anyone interferes we'll all be band. They don't seem to understand what's going on either. This is the whole Jamie thing all over again."
"Oh…" That brought back bad memories. Pitch did not want to see Jack relive that so he gave a tiny nod and swept past the other Guardians. As much as he enjoyed feasting on fear – Jack's was always a delicacy for his palette – he hated to see any child in such pain and losing his first Believer had been the hardest thing for Jack. Jamie had been one of a select few who managed to continue Believing in the Guardians long after childhood, right up to the day he died. Sadly, in Jack's attempt to keep him alive he had only caused more trouble. Jamie's death was not a peaceful one in the end.
Two yetis were guarding the infirmary doors and they immediately stepped before him, barring his way. Pitch folded his arms across his chest and tapped his foot impatiently. "Move," he said sternly, returning their glare and hostility with his own. "Now. Or I'll simply use the shadows. Either way I'm going in there."
They grumbled before finally stepping aside. He was surprised at first when he saw the curtained off corner but since he didn't see Jack or North anywhere else it was a safe bet that that was where they were. He heard the soft murmur of Jack's voice. He gently pushed back the curtain to see Jack lounging in an air chair reading a thick book to North's unconscious form. The book was balanced on his lap, his legs hanging over on arm as he leaned over the other. One small hand held North's as the other flipped the page.
"The Unseelie Queen then ordered their execution by the-" Jack paused, sensing the shift in air from the movement of the curtain. He glanced over the back of the chair, surprised to see Pitch. "Hey, what are you doing back so soon?" he asked as he slipped a book mark between the pages he had been reading.
Pitch studied the heart monitor, frowning slightly at the lack of change. North's heart beat was neither stronger nor weaker which was a great deal better than the erratic beat of Jamie's the days before he died. Sadly, this only meant that North's magic had latched on to Jack's and he was holding on only because of the boy. Soon that magic would deteriorate and North's body would give out just as Jamie's did.
"You're friends are concerned about you," Pitch answered, turning to study North. He placed a hand to the man's forehead. It was cool and clammy. Not a good sign. North was further along than the heart monitor indicated. Now he was more certain than ever it was Jack's magic holding the bearded man to life. He turned his gaze to his grandson, noting the dark bags under the youth's tired eyes. "Jack, how long have you been here?"
Jack shrugged. "Since yesterday morning," he said, stifling a yawn. "Sandy's been trying to get me to sleep but I had Phil throw him out and cast a warding spell. He's pretty pissed at me right now but I don't care. I'm not leaving."
"Have you slept at all?"
Shaking his head, Jack fidgeted about, absently twisting North's gold ring on the man's thumb. "I've napped here and there. I don't really need to, it's winter after all. But…I've been using so much magic trying to control the weather and help North. I guess I could use some sleep…but not until North wakes up."
Pitch let out his breath. He was tempted to simply whisk Jack away so he could rest someplace far away from North but that would be more detrimental than helpful. Still the boy needed rest and needed to stop trying to save North. "Jack, you need a break. You're not going to be any help to him in this condition."
"But…"
"The yetis aren't letting anyone in. They'll protect him while you rest or do you not trust that they have their employer's best interest at heart?" Pitch raised a brow, daring the boy to deny just how much the yetis loved North. They had yet to accept the new younger version either.
Jack looked away unsure if what to say or do. He was tired, so very, very tired and his back was cramping. He could do with a stretch and maybe a good nap. Maybe if he pulled a gurney over he could catch a few zzz next to North. That wouldn't be so bad. He rubbed his eyes tiredly. "Okay. For a bit but…" His stomach felt as if it suddenly dropped and he knew instantly he had been teleported somewhere. Opening his eyes he looked about, surprised to find that he and Pitch were now sitting under the sculpture they had created in their first real one on one battle before Pitch had become a Guardian. The black nightmare sand and blue-white ice sparkled in the dim Antarctic light. "What? Why are we here? North needs me."
Pitch gently but firmly pushed Jack back down when he tried to stand. "You and North need a break away from each other," he said before settling down next to the ice sprite. "Jack, I know you're trying to help North, we all do, but have you stopped to think about what you're doing?"
"I'm using my magic to heal him," the boy said as if it should be obvious.
"You're a winter spirit, not a spring one. You cannot grant life only take it."
"You don't know that!" Jack snapped, jumping to his feet only to be yanked back down. The wind howled around him with his growing distress and the temperature dropped considerably but Pitch was accustomed to the cold.
Pitch's gaze was full of pity even as the child's fear pulled at the Fearlings under his command. "I do know that. You have become a powerful spirit, Jackson, but your element cannot create life. Think about what happened with your friend Jamie."
The boy stiffened and again pulled away. This time Pitch let him go. "That was different! Jamie was human and very ill. I couldn't hold on to him no matter how much I tried."
"North is human," Pitch pointed out, stopping the boy mid rant. "He's just as human as Jamie was the only difference is he had magic and the power of Believers to support him."
"But-"
"No buts, Jack. North is human. Sooner or later this was going to happen. It happened to Ombric as well. As Guardians and wizards MiM can help them transcend from a mortal body to an immortal one."
"So?"
Pitch sighed. The boy was unbelievably stubborn and could be so dense when he wanted to be. "So by forcing him to stay trapped in a dying body you're slowly killing his soul and spirit which means that if he doesn't transcend his spirit will soon vanish and he will be no more." He stood and paced slowly to the youth. "Jack, I know this is hard to understand, you were reborn with no one there to care for you but North as you. Let his mortal body go and be there for him."
Jack shook his head in denial. "But he doesn't even remember me!" His hands balled into fists.
"Perhaps but you awoke with no memories whatsoever, with no one to guide you or hold your hand. No one was there to teach you how to control your powers or tell you who you were. North at least knows the basics but he'll need you to remind him who he is now and what he means to the world. He needs you to remind him that he's your father and how much he means to you. Maybe it won't come back all at once. Hell, it took me millions of years to regain enough of my memory to push back the Fearlings and find my rightful place in the world. I'm not saying it'll be easy but isn't the battle half the fun?"
The child hugged himself and stared at his bare feet. "I don't know. I just…I don't know. He's the only father I've ever known. I can't lose him." He looked up with teary eyes.
"I know," the former Nightmare King said gently. He took the boy by the shoulders and made him look up. "But in the end nothing we say or do matters. It's you who has to let him go."
Jack looked away from him in deep thought. He looked more lost than Pitch could ever recall seeing him. It broke his heart to see his grandson in so much pain but Jack had put himself into this situation, he was the one who had fought so hard to keep North in his mortal body. It would be up to him to finally let North move on to what awaited him next or fade from existence forever.