AN: Sorry this took so long. Was on vacation and didn't have much access to wifi. :( We're getting down to the wire guys! Read and Review! By the way, your reactions to last chapter blew me away! You guys are awesome, never doubt that. :) - Kay xoxo

Chapter Twenty-Three

"So he killed you?!" Jack asked, jumping up out of his seat. "You say that you aren't going to marry him and that jerk kills you! He better be glad he's dead! If I got my hands on him-"

"Don't worry Jack," Pitch said, tone dark. "I made sure he suffered. Every night, every time he even closed his eyes for the rest of his miserable life."

A small smile crossed Jack's face at that. He wasn't naive to the things Pitch could really do to a person, if he was crossed. With the kids it was toned down, with adults, well let's just say it's probably for the best that adults can't see Spirits of Childhood. Then he frowned.

"Wait, how did Garrett hear Pitch?" the Guardian of Fun asked. "He obviously didn't believe in Pitch and, besides, he was too old to see or hear us."

North was the one to reply.

"Jack, from what Jillian has told us, it seems Garrett was looking for a reason to... confront your sister. If someone is looking for something as hard as he was, they could hear or see anything."

"So I guess we know how you died," Jack said, his voice tinted with a hint of sadness. "But there must be more to the story; what happened next?"

Jillian took a deep breath and squeezed Pitch's hand.

"It's Pitch's turn. He knows what happened between my death and Manny bringing me back."

Pitch smiled sadly at her before his expression sobered.

JSVJSVJSV

(Pitch POV)

(Shortly after Garrett kills Jill)

Something was wrong; Pitch could feel it. Even from halfway across the globe he could sense that his little Jill was in danger.

Sandy showed up just as Pitch was debating on calling for him; clearly the golden spirit was worried about Jill as well. Pitch thanked him for taking over, a rarity in itself. But Jill took priority over just about everything else. He had promised to protect her for as long as he could.

He was halfway back to the small village of Burgess when he heard Jill call for him. Her desperate scream cut off abruptly, but he knew who she was calling for. He pushed himself to move faster, as fast as he could to get to her. Her voice shouldn't have stopped like it had. Not unless…

He was so close. He could feel that Jill wasn't alone, that there was another presence, a threatening one. It was this presence that was hurting his girl; their darkness was smothering her light and purity.

Pitch reached the glen moments too late. He pushed away the trees blocking him from his goal. Only to be greeted with the sight of Jill lying limply on the ground. Pale, unmoving, unblinking.

His knees went weak. No.

Each step seemed to take a herculean effort as he numbly crossed over to the delicate body bathed in moonlight.

No.

No.

No.

NO!

The Nightmare King fell next to Jill, shaking as he reaches out to touch her cheek. It was freezing and no life pulsed beneath her skin. Her eyes were closed as if she were sleeping, but…

His fists clenched and tears came to his eyes.

But she wasn't sleeping. She was dead.

Pitch growled at the thought, his eyes flaming with hatred and fury.

Whoever had done this would pay. Jillian was under his protection and he would see her avenged. And from the aural residue left on Jill's body, Pitch knew exactly who the murderer was. Garrett Blyth would never know another peaceful night.