Only two chapters to go! This one is dedicated to the biggest Pitch and Grabbit fan I know: ObsidianLove. Hope you enjoy it, sweetie!

Now... Who would be 300th reviewer?


Tooth caught Jack in mid air before he hit the ground. He had used every ounce of strength against Pitch and he was too weak, his hands bleeding, aching like they never had before, forcing him to let go of his staff. He clung to the fairy like a lifeline, his green eyes closing as he buried his face on her soft feathers, on that favorite spot of his where her neck met her shoulder, where he could inhale the flower nectar of her skin. He felt her body tensing, he may have heard her gasp but he was not sure, the world was just a blur and he was trying with all his might not to pass out from the pain. And just then, his mind showed him the terrified brown eyes he loved so much.

"Mandy?" he breathed, scanning his surrounding with his icy blue eyes.

He could hear a commotion but he couldn't see what was going on, his back was towards the noise.

"Tooth?" he asked, his voice strained.

Tooth shifted his body so he could see with his own eyes because there was no way she could explain what was happening.

Laying on the floor was Mandy, seemingly unconscious, covered in a golden sand cocoon. A few inches from her was Pitch, his body shaking fiercely, just as if he was having a seizure. The other three Guardians were frozen in place, unsure of what to do. The Nightmare King seemed to be in terrible pain, his body dithering uncontrollably, his complexion chalkier than ever, his face contorted. And then they witnessed the most terrifying thing of all: the Boogeyman's mouth opened wider that it was humanly possible, and a black, ghostly figure escaped from it. It had impossibly long arms and fingers twisted like claws, and its empty eye sockets were filled with a dim yellow light. Except for a terrifying mouth, the thing was faceless, yet it was obvious by looking at it that the creature was also in terrible pain.

They all felt it: fear. A paralyzing cold freezing their insides, freezing them in place. Jack couldn't help but smiling when he saw the black wattle boomerang cutting through the fearling, who disappeared at its touch. That was definitely the way Bunny dealt with fear. But his grin was erased when another ghostly figure came out of Pitch's mouth, followed by countless others. Their shadows clouded the sunlight, wrapping the Guardians in their cold darkness. Tooth pushed her boyfriend to the ground and laid on top of him, protecting him with her body. He tried to protest, he wanted to protect her instead, but he was to weak to move under her weight.

All the Guardians ducked. Sandy pulled Amanda away from Pitch, into the safety of a ruined building. Bunny went back into the bushes and North took cover behind a nearby car as fearling after fearling came out of the Nightmare King, flying away at top speed, making frightening noises, voices from their pasts calling their names, their biggest fears alive once more.

Bunny heard his people screaming as the fearlings army attacked his home. North heard the voices of those he had killed, accusing him, judging him. Tooth heard her parents screaming as they were murdered. Sandy could hear Pitch's terrifying laugh as he was turned into a nightmare. And Jack's sister screamed his name as he fell into the frozen lake. They knew it wasn't real, but the echoes from the past brought with them pain, sorrow and fear. The fairy clung to her winter boy for dear life, the fear of loosing him as well, of loosing him for real taking over her. The hellion knew what was going through her mind.

"I'm right here, Toothie! Forever! Right here!" he screamed, unsure that she could hear him amidst the chaos.

"I know" she replied, burying her face in his neck.

The deafening noises lasted until all ten thousand fearlings disappeared with the darkness. When the sun shone again, there was a dead silence.

"Everyone OK?" asked North coming out from behind the car.

"All good, mate!" said Bunny, coming out of the bushes as well.

"Jack?" asked Tooth.

"I'm fine" he said smiling. He was far from fine. His heart was racing at a million beats per minute and the pain... blinding pain blurring the world around him. But what was the point in worrying Tooth even more?

Sandy came out from the building to stand by their side, his dream sand carrying Mandy who was now awake. He hoped she recognized that he was being gentle, hoped she knew she wasn't in danger anymore.

She somehow did know that the sand was no longer constricting her, but she was still shaken from the fearlings. She couldn't see them, but she could feel the cold, terrifying breeze as they flew around her and she couldn't stop thinking about that night last spring, when she found Sophie's empty bed . She saw her winter boy, sitting on the pavement, his beautiful blue eyes contorted with pain. She ran towards him, surprised that she could, realizing that she was not a prisoner anymore. It must be over. She walked through Tooth who immediately jerked away, and kneeled down on the floor in front of Jack. She froze being so close to him, afraid to touch him, not because she was scared of him, but because she feared her touch would hurt him further. His injuries were so bad it made her feel sick and he looked so pasty and weak, so unlike the bubbly hellion she knew.

"Are you OK, sweetie? Can I help?" she asked in the most comforting tone she could master, trying to hide the tears prickling her eyes.

"I should be asking you that" replied with a tiny smile. "I'm sorry" he said, putting his head on her shoulder, waiting for her to hold him and when she did, he felt some of his pain subsiding.


North and Bunny went to check on Pitch, who was lying unconscious on the floor. He looked... different. His skin was pale, but not his usual chalky, greyish shade, just the yellowish pale of someone who hadn't been exposed to sunlight for a long time. His cloak looked like regular linen, no trace of black sand on it. And his face looked... peaceful... happy...

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" asked the pooka, looking incredulous at North.

"Maybe" replied the Russian, his eyes fixed on Pitch. "Let's take him back to the yetis." he said, holding Black's arm, looking for a pulse. He found it.

"I'll get Gretchen and we'll all go. I hope you have a portal." said Aster, tapping the ground with his right paw. He knew the Groundhog wouldn't enjoy another trip on the death trap and he didn't think she was well enough for him to carry her all the way to the Pole.

"The very last one." said North, checking his jacket pockets.


Bunny found Gretchen lying on the grass. She was so beautiful when she was asleep, her peaceful face illuminating the dark tunnel, like his own personal sun. He kneeled next to her and let his thumb run through her cheek.

"Gretchen..." he called.

Nothing.

"Gretchen!" he called again, this time his voice was a little high, a little panicky.

Nothing.

Pitch's voice invaded his mind. 'How long has it been, gorgeous? Too long... congratulations rabbit, it looks like you will be the last pooka very soon...'. Had he made a mistake? Should he have abandoned his friends and get her help? Did he really let her... die alone... in a tunnel? No, no bloody way!

He held her neck and her shoulders and pulled her closer, heaving a sight of relief as he felt her chest rising and falling, breathing albeit irregularly.

"Gretchen!" he called again and her eyes fluttered open, but he could see she wasn't quite there.

"Bunny" she smiled, trying to focus on his face but her eyes just would not obey her.

"Shh. Don't talk, Love. I'm taking you to the medics right now" he said as he lifted her up and started walking to the exit.

"I don't... like... doctors..." she pouted.

"Don't worry, I'll hold your hand the whole time and they'll give you a lolly when they're done." he said smiling as they came out from the tunnel.

"I was... worried" she continued, covering her eyes from the bright sunlight.

"Please stop talking, Gretch, you didn't have to be. Of course there was an exit to the tunnel just in case. I figured Gaia could find you if..." he replied.

"No. Worried...about... you. I... love you... too. Always." she interjected placing her hand on his face.

North decide to pretend he hadn't witnessed that. Both the Groundhog and Jack needed urgent help.

"Ready to go, no?" the Russian said loudly.

Sandy's dreamsand wrapped around Amanda once more, forming a biplane. He would take her home. But as soon as the sand touched her, her eyes widened.

"It's just Sandy" smiled Jack. "He's taking you back." Mandy nodded.

"Get better soon, I love you." she said waving as the biplane flew away.

"Bye Mandy. I love you too!" said Jack as Tooth took him through the portal.