Hello again! Next chapter coming up! I have almost enough for another chapter to go after this!

Last chapter I left you with a horrible cliffhanger, Jamie had just been fighting Dracula... right? Well this is the rest of that scene. And there's another small cliffhanger at the end of this one... sorry.

I own NOTHING.

Pitch was being held by Sandy's whips and the wolves had either fled or been taken down when Jack realized Dracula had disappeared. "Guys, where's Dracula?" The other Guardians all shook their heads worriedly; no one knew where he had gone. Jack felt a horrifying sense that something was wrong; he felt as though he couldn't breathe. Then Jamie's scream split the air and Jack ran towards the house, nearly ripping the door off its hinges in his haste to get it open.

Jamie had crumpled to the ground, holding his side. The bo-staff North had given him for Christmas was next to him; as though he had dropped it. Sophie was cowering in a room down the hall, holding onto Abby for dear life; she was crying. \

Dracula stood over Jamie, a slightly confused expression on his face. "I do not understand. You are injured! Every drop of blood you're losing should be adding to my power! But there is nothing! Why?!"

Jamie reached slowly for his staff. "Must… protect… Sophie…" his voice was barely audible.

Jack blasted Dracula aside to crouch next to him, helping the boy as he attempted to sit up. "Are you alright? Besides all the blood over you?"

Jamie chuckled weakly, "Help m' stand, Jack?" Jack helped Jamie to his feet and Jamie leaned on his bo-staff, holding the shreds of his shirt to his side in an attempt to slow the bleeding. "Don't you get it?" He asked Dracula through gritted teeth. "I was hurt protecting my little sister. That's not pain," he spat out, "it's SACRIFICE!"

Dracula reeled at the thought for a moment; but quickly recovered, smirking darkly. "Enjoy your victory while it lasts, Guardians." He dissolved into mist just as Bunny's boomerang sliced into where he had just been.

Jamie's knees buckled and Jack gently set him down as he passed out. "Jamie!" The Guardians knelt around Jamie as Sophie came up, still crying. Jack looked down at his blood-stained hands and felt himself start panicking. "Jamie!"

North carefully cut away what was left of Jamie's shirt. "Bunny, get water and rags to clean up blood. Sandy, get pillow and towels. Make him comfortable. Tooth, go comfort Sophie. Jack-" North paused, looking at the boy, "-you stay here." None of the Guardians questioned North taking command here, they knew he had treated many injuries in his life; both in Santoff Claussen and before.

Tooth took Sophie away as Bunny came back into the room, holding a large bowl of water and a pawfull of rags. North carefully moved Jamie to the makeshift bed Sandy had made and started cleaning the blood away. "It could have been worse…" he muttered as he finally got a look at the four 3inch long gashes in Jamie's side. "Long but no deep." As the bleeding slowed to almost nonexistent, North pulled out a bottle and proceeded to cover the wound in a Vaseline-like substance.

Jamie groaned and shifted slightly, his eyes opening blearily. "Mmmmm… wha's the verdict?"

Jack stopped pacing and knelt next to his friend, "You'll live."

Jamie laughed and looked at his side. "How'm I gonna explain this to my mom?"

North chuckled, "Won't have to." He covered Jamie's side in another layer of the paste and placed a gauze pad over the claw marks. Jack helped Jamie sit so North could wrap his torso in bandages. "Will be scars by tonight."

Jamie nodded as he stood up and took the t-shirt Jack offered him. "Thanks, North. For this AND the staff."

North acknowledged his thanks with a nod. "I am happy to help in any way I can."

Sophie burst out of her bedroom, Tooth fluttering behind her. "Jamie!" Sophie squealed in relief, launching herself at her brother. Jamie caught her in a hug, wincing as she wrapped her arms around him, bumping the still- sore claw marks.

"I'm alright, Soph. Are you okay?" Sophie nodded, not looking up from where she had buried her face in Jamie's middle.

"I should have stayed here." Jack muttered angrily to himself. "I knew he was a possible target for Dracula."

Bunny hopped up behind Jack, catching him by surprise when he spoke. "This wasn't your fault, mate. Don't beat yourself up over it."

"I could have stayed and done something though. "Jack replied.

"No one could guess Dracula and Pitch would attack, Jack." North added from where he stood next to Jamie.

"Speaking of which, where is Pitch?"

Everyone looked at Sandy questioningly; sand shapes flashed frantically over his head. "He got away, didn't he?" Bunny sighed in defeat. Sandy merely nodded his head.

Jack threw his hands over his head, growling angrily. "I need some air!" He turned and stalked out the door.

Jamie removed Sophie from around his waist. "I'll go talk to him." Picking up his staff, he walked out after Jack. He was sitting where shards of ice lay in two piles; Dracula hadn't forgotten his two wolves. Jamie walked over and sat next to his friend, placing his staff down in front of him where Jack's staff laid. "This wasn't your fault you know." He eventually pointed out, glancing over at Jack.

"I know," Jack replied sadly, "but I can't help but feel as if I could have prevented the attack. I could have stopped you from getting hurt."

"Look." Jamie put his hand on Jack's shoulder. "I haven't taken martial arts classes just for fun. I've taken them because I know people like Pitch and Dracula exist."

"But you still got hurt! And there's nothing to show for it."

There was a pause then Jamie declared, standing. "Yes there is! Now I know North's staff works!" He pulled Jack up and they both, with staffs in hand, walked inside.

Jamie stopped short oat the sight of the hallway. Huge holes were carved in the walls from the staff and anything that had been standing was scattered all over the floor. Jack smirked, "It may have worked a little too well." Jamie smiled and the two finally relaxed in a few moments of laughter.

^^^^ROTG^^^^

Pitch sulked in his lair, rubbing his wrist, burned where Sandy's whips had held him, and watching moodily as Dracula paced. "Those cursed Guardians! We were so close to destroying that boy. Then, to make things worse, I find out there are ways to circumvent my power. It's just not fair!" Dracula's voice took on a whining lilt and Pitch looked on in disbelief. Was the famous Dracula ACTUALLY throwing a temper tantrum? Apparently; because Dracula was still pacing, muttering under his breath while he made hand and arm movements that coincided with whatever he was saying.

Dracula continued in that way for nearly an hour and Pitch simply ignored him, until, "I need to go cause some pain."

Pitch looked over to where Dracula was standing. "What did you have in mind?"

Dracula considered, "Nothing that would attract the Guardians' attention…"

"That rules out messing with children."

"But we can still affect their belief."

Pitch frowned. "You mean, attack other legends? The non-Guardian ones?"

Dracula grinned, baring his fangs; and evil gleam back in his eyes. He held up a hand, wherein rested a pulsing ball of black energy. "That's exactly what I mean."

Pitch looked at the energy with curiosity, anticipation, and… fear. Yes, fear; Pitch could tell that this was a power he hadn't even begun to touch.

Oh no! What new power have I given Dracula? You'll just have to wait for the next chapter! Mwahahahahah!

~~Wavelength