Chapter Thirteen: A Letter
The next morning, Toothiana lay in bed next to Bunny, tracing the designs of the tattoo on his arm with her fingertips. He talked about the country life, how the days were smooth, bright, and quiet: completely different from the city.
"Would you live in the country?" Tooth asked, nuzzling into his strong arms. Bunny paused as though he were thinking it over.
Then he answered, "Yeah, I think I would." Tooth looked at him, his brow furrowed in thought. "I could build a nice little cottage, with lots of room outside for the little ankle biters-"
Tooth tilted her head to the side, smiling about how he talked about the things he would do.
"There could be a big field of flowers, and in the spring they'd all bloom."
"It sounds beautiful." Tooth said softly.
"I could build a dentistry…" Bunny quietly added. Tooth felt warmth spread in her chest. She opened her mouth to speak when Bunny suddenly leaned over her, supporting himself on his forearm. "I want you to come with me." He said huskily.
Toothiana smiled, feeling suddenly light and airy. Like she could fly. "Alright." She giggled softly, looking up at him with bright eyes.
Bunny's eyes widened for a moment, then his mouth began to spread into a wide grin. "Really?" he asked, as though he expected it all to be some sort of dream.
Tooth bit down on her lower lip and grinned. "Yes."
Bunny laughed in shock for a moment before looking back at her, his eyes shining. "Th-that's great, sheila!" he exclaimed, kissing her. He pulled away, "I promise I'll make you happy." He said, placing a hand on her cheek.
Tooth covered his hand with her own. "You already do." Bunny grinned, kissing her once more before he reached to his bedside table, opening the drawer and pulling something out. "What's that?" Toothiana asked, sitting up on the bed and pulling up the sheets so that they covered her chest.
"Lemme see your hand, Toothy." Bunny said, Tooth raised and eyebrow at him. The corner of his mouth quirked up as he said, "please?" Tooth just smiled at him, holding her hand out palm up. "Now close your eyes." Toothiana did as he asked, and waited.
She soon felt something press into her palm, and although it wasn't very soft, there was something tickling her palm.
"Ok, sheila. Open your eyes."
Tooth's eyes opened and fell on the object resting in her hand. Her mouth dropped slightly. It was a dream catcher! She remembered Bunny telling her about them. She laughed softly, "Dreams are a funny thing to catch."
Bunny smirked, "It's to keep the nightmares away, remember?"
"Mhmm." Tooth hummed, scooting closer to him. Bunny slipped his hands around her waist, leaving his warm hands at the base of her back. "Because the dreams are small enough to slip through the gaps."
Bunny's eyelids began to slowly close as he leaned in towards her. "And then they grow-"
"Into more…" Tooth finished, her lips hovering by his. She then leaned in, giving him a soft kiss. They pulled away and then looked at each other for a moment, laughing as Bunny nuzzled his nose against hers. Tooth smiled, leaning forward so that Bunny fell onto his back and she lay across his chest. "So what's the plan, then?" She asked, tilting her head to the side and letting her long curls brush his cheek. She ran her fingers through his blue gray hair.
"We leave today." Bunny said firmly, "I don't want to give that bastard any opportunities."
"Aster-" Tooth began.
"What? You want to say goodbye to him?" Bunny nearly exclaimed, his eyebrows shooting up.
Tooth sighed, running her fingers through her hair. "I was married to him-" She saw a glimmer of irritation flicker across Bunny's face. "Hey," She said softly, placing a hand on either side of his face, "I love you, but I have to do this."
"Why?" Bunny shook his head slowly, taking her hands in his. "He hurt you, Toothiana-"
"I know…" Tooth said softly, reaching up and brushing her fingers across her cheek. She saw Bunny wince, and looked away. "But he wasn't always like this." She said, a brief flicker of memories darting across her mind. The way he looked at her when they first met, how he'd freed her from Mr. Greene. The years they'd spent together. Tooth sighed, feeling a heavy sadness grip at her chest. "I have to explain it to him somehow- I owe him that much." Tooth said.
"Toothy, you owe him nothing." Bunny said, catching her face in his hands. Tooth smiled at him, touching her forehead to his. "If he sees you, you don't honestly think he'll let you just walk away, do you?" He asked. Tooth felt her heart sink in her chest. She knew he wouldn't, no matter how much she wished he would.
She closed her eyes, taking a moment to accept what had really happened between she and Pitch. They had fallen apart. They would never be friends, and they could never go back. The choice she had made, it had torn them apart. Tooth shook her head. Pitch had made choices too. She couldn't blame herself. Tears warmed at her eyes.
But admitting it to herself didn't make it hurt any less. "I'm sorry." She apologized quickly, swiping at her eyes. "I feel like I should just be perfectly fine leaving without a word." Tooth said as Bunny instantly wrapped his warm arms around her. "But I can't," she said as strongly as she could. "All the memories we shared…" She said, burying her face in Bunny's shoulder. "I just can't-" She murmured, her voice cracking slightly.
"Shh." Bunny said softly, smoothing her hair with his hand, "It's alright, sheila. I understand." He said lowly into her ear. Tooth clung to him, nodding.
"I just have to do this." She said.
She felt his arms tighten protectively around her, but she felt him lean into her. "I know." He said.
TTT
They lay together a while longer, arms coiled around each other tightly as they listened. The circus going about its daily tasks. The wind ruffling lightly against the flaps of the tent. The soft sound of animals pawing at their cages.
Now it was just the two of them.
At the moment, that was all that they needed.
TTT
Tooth slipped her dress back on, turning to Bunny, whom had just buckled his pants and stood watching her, worry evident in his green eyes. Tooth smiled through the subtle fear lingering at the base of her stomach. She reached up on her toes, giving him a kiss.
"I'll write him a letter." Tooth said, trying to ease Bunny's worry. "That way there won't be a confrontation."
Bunnymund winced, but slowly nodded, placing a hand on her waist. "And I'll talk to North." Tooth smiled at him, placing a hand on his cheek.
"I'll see you soon, ok?" She said. Bunny nodded, planting two quick kisses on her lips.
"Meet me at the park, where we brought Sophie."
"Alright." Tooth said. They kissed each other once more. It's just a letter. Tooth reassured herself, slipping Bunny's dream catcher into her dress pocket. What could go wrong?
TTT
Bunny sat in a chair in front of North, looking at his mentor as he rubbed his eyes, leaning against the table where Sandy sat. "I know it's a lot to ask-" Bunny began.
"A lot to ask?" North boomed, looking up at him. Sandy's golden eyes shifted between the two nervously. "Is understatement." North continued, pacing about the length of the room.
"Look mate, I know I've put you in a tough spot-" Bunny said, rising to his feet.
"Tough spot?" North exclaimed, rising to meet him. He looked down at Bunny with hard blue eyes. "You have stolen Pitch's wife-"
A hot rage flared within Bunny's chest, "I didn't steal her!" He snapped through grit teeth.
"Now you want me to pack entire circus to sail you two of to kto znayet gde!" he exclaimed."
"I thought I could rely on you, mate!" Bunny bellowed, slamming his palm against his chest.
"There is more than just you and her at stake!" North shouted, "what about people here, they are family-"
"I know that-"
"What about Pitch? He has not done-"
Bunny's gaze darkened, "I don't know the bloke you used to know, but that- that rat bag is not him."
"Bunny!" North exclaimed, his eyes widening with shock.
"He hit her, North!" Bunny shouted over him. North grew quiet, his gaze softening.
"What?" he asked, turning from Sandy back to Bunny.
Bunny shook his head, feeling his fist begin to shake. "You don't know how he hurts her."
North turned to Sandy, who gazed back at him solemnly. "Is true?" he asked. The small man slowly nodded. North sighed sinking into a chair.
"I-I don't believe." Sandy slipped off his chair and placed a hand on his old friend's shoulder soothingly.
Bunny felt a twinge of sympathy for North. He seemed so dejected sitting in the chair just staring at the dirt floor, trying to wrap his brain around the fact that someone he once knew could hardly be recognized anymore. "I'm sorry, mate." He said softly.
North merely remained quiet for a moment, his frame expanding as he took in a great sigh. He finally looked up at him, shocking Bunny with a simple smile.
Simple, but terribly sad.
"So, you love Tooth?" He said, looking him in the eyes.
Bunny straightened his back, returning the gaze. "Yes."
North looked up at the ceiling for a moment before rising to his feet and placing a hand on Bunny's shoulder. "I will help you, my friend." Bunny opened his mouth to thank him, but North quickly silenced him. "No thanks. Is what family does for one another, no?"
Bunny felt a lump form in his throat, but he quickly swallowed it down. He cleared his throat quickly before he clapped North on the shoulder, nodding in agreement.
TTT
Jack got the news that they were to immediately begin packing up camp when he was just about to go get dinner with Hiccup. "What?" he exclaimed. "But, that doesn't make any sense-"
Ralph simply shrugged his shoulders, "I know, it's pretty weird, huh. But you guys will have to get dinner later, North wants the boat loaded within the next two hours. The huge man craned his neck up towards the graying sky. "And it looks like it's going to rain, so you might want to hurry unless you want to be loading animals and be soaking wet."
Jack just bolted around him, ignoring the shouts from both Hiccup and Ralph as his feet slapped against the dirt. He needed to get to Rapunzel, he needed to tell her it was time to leave.
And he needed to hurry.
TTT
Toothiana walked up the stairs, her fingers gently slipping across the smooth wooden railing. She looked about the room, filled with warm reds and browns. This had once been her home. She looked at the familiar pictures on the walls as she began to walk down the hallway. She paused in front of one photo in particular; a girl in a white wedding dress on the arm of a much taller man in a suit. Tears stung her eyes as she reached up, gently pressing her finger over the man's chest. He looked so happy in the picture, so gentle, so warm. Her gaze shifted to the girl. I look so young. Toothiana thought, looking at how eagerly she clung to Pitch's arm. She sighed, feeling a heavy weight hang over her.
She wasn't that little girl any more.
And Pitch… Pitch wasn't the same man.
A hot tear rolled down her cheek, burning so much that she was sure it would raise blisters. She backed away from the photo, continuing her way down the hall, towards the familiar door. The closer she came, the harder it seemed to keep walking. Tooth felt as though a million hands were holding on to her shoulders, urging her to go back.
But she wouldn't turn away.
Not anymore.
She turned the doorknob, listening for the familiar click as the door opened. Tooth stepped into her room. Her eyes shifted over the bed, with the white covers neatly tucked beneath the mattress to the dark wooden dresser with the box that held all of Pitch's cufflinks. She moved to the closet, shifting through Pitch's suits and her dresses, wondering if she should take anything with her. She pulled out her green dress, lined with gold thread and placed it on the bed before turning away. If she took anything, it could tip Pitch off that she was leaving.
She crossed the room, taking a seat at her vanity and placing the dream catcher on the smooth wood. Tooth looked up at her reflection. Long brown hair clipped up, the faint remnants of makeup on her eyelids and cheeks. Slowly she reached up, pulling out the first pin and letting a curl fall. She moved for the next, letting another curl slip past her cheek. She continued until her hair was completely freed, placing the pins in their usual spot by her hairbrush. Tooth sighed, running her fingers through her hair. She finally reached into one of the drawers, reaching for a piece of paper and pen.
It was time.
TTT
Jack slipped through the back door of Gothel's restaurant and quietly made his way up the back staircase. He was noisier that usual, but now he didn't have the time to be stealthy. All he wanted to do was grab Punz and get her out of there. They didn't have enough time.
He opened the door with a slight bang, making Rapunzel jump. She sat on her perch by the window, reading a book, Pascal sitting on her shoulder. Rapunzel immediately looked towards him, her face lighting up. "Jack!" She quietly exclaimed, jumping up to meet him. She flung her arms around his shoulders, hugging him tightly. Jack returned the embrace, but only for a moment.
He quickly pulled away. "We need to go, now." He said, searching her room for a bag.
"What?" Rapunzel asked as she followed him across the room where he grabbed a brown cloth sack filled with apples. Jack dumped the fruit out, sending the apples scattering across the floor. "I don't understand, I thought-"
"There isn't time." Jack said hurriedly, grabbing a hairbrush and tossing it in the bag. "North's decided we're leaving within the next few hours, I ran to get you as soon as I heard." He scanned the room, pointing at Rapunzel's wardrobe. "Grab what you'll need. We'll have to be quick."
"But… I wanted to say goodbye." Rapunzel said, standing still and looking at him. Jack bit the inside of his cheek. What if she'd changed her mind? If she decided to stay… he'd never see her again.
It would be like Hiccup and the Princess.
Jack shook his head, quickly moving towards her and placing a hand on her cheek. "There isn't time-"
"But-"
"Please, " Jack pleaded, "I know it's hard, and I know you're scared, He tilted his head so that he met her gaze. "but I don't want to leave without you."
Rapunzel closed her eyes and bit down on her lower lip for a moment. Jack felt a twist of pain in his heart. She slowly nodded. "Alright." She said, looking at him with reddened eyes.
Jack felt a wave of relief rush over him, nearly knocking him off his feet. He quickly kissed both her cheeks. "Thank you." He gasped, resting his forehead against hers for a moment. Rapunzel nodded, pulling away and hurrying towards her dresser, yanking out a few dresses and tossing them in the sack. Jack scanned the room for a pair of shoes, but he found none. We'll just buy her new ones. Jack thought as he grabbed a couple paintbrushes and dropped them in the bag as well.
"Ready?" He said, turning to Rapunzel, whom stood at her dresser scrawling something on a piece of paper. She quickly straightened and hurried over to him, letting him take her hand. For a moment, she looked back at the room, taking everything in. Before Jack could say anything she turned and began to lead him down the stairs.
"Let's go." She said quietly.
They hurried down the creaky steps as quickly as they could and then darted through the kitchen. Jack began to turn the knob when he heard the swinging of the kitchen door. The pair's necks snapped back to see a woman with dark, curly black hair, and a long red dress staring at them, wide eyed for moment. Then her tray of plates clattered to the ground and she ran forward, crying out, "Rapunzel."
Jack kicked open the door, scooping up Rapunzel's hair with his free arm and pulled her through, scurrying down the alleyway. Thunder rumbled overhead and rain began to drop down from the sky.
"Rapunzel!" he heard the woman shriek, chasing after them. Jack swung around a corner before slipping into a small alleyway. He pushed Rapunzel ahead of him, keeping a hand on her back to steer her in the right direction. Once they made their way out, Jack slipped his hand into hers, leading her on the quickest route to the circus grounds.
He glanced at her for a moment, rain tracked down her cheeks. No, he realized with a twinge of pain in his chest. Tears.
TTT
Toothiana finished writing the letter and rubbed her eyes for a moment, they stung with tears crying to roll down her cheeks. She rose to her feet, forcing back her tears and picking up the letter. She walked towards the bed, placing it on the soft duvet covers. She smoothed her faded purple dress and turned to leave.
Then the door clicked open.
Tooth froze, her eyes widening as she came face to face with Pitch. He looked different, his eye solemn with circles under them. He seemed lost, as though he weren't even really there. Hid dress shirt was slightly unbuttoned and wrinkled. In fact, the more Toothiana looked at it, the more she realized that it was the same suit he'd worn the night before.
Has he even slept? She wondered, shifting her feet.
"Toothiana?" he said, looking her up and down, his brow furrowing at the dress, obviously not as glamorous as any of her others. "What are you doing?" He asked, stepping forward, eyes sliding to the paper on the bed.
Tooth bit her lip and crossed her arms, looking away from him. She heard Pitch take a sharp breath through the nose. He stalked past her, snatching up the letter, its paper cutting through the air like a knife. Toothiana flinched as he read the first few lines. Pitch crumpled up the note in his fist, looking at her darkly.
"You were just going to leave me a letter?" He choked angrily, fist tightening around the paper he seemed to be clutching onto for dear life.
"Pitch… " Toothiana said softly, "I didn't want to tell you this way-"
Pitch scoffed, unwrapping the crinkled paper and began to read it. "Dear Pitch," He began dryly, sending a slash of pain through Toothiana's heart. "I'm so sorry to have to hurt you this way-"
"Please Pitch," Toothiana begged, a painful lump forming in her throat. Pitch flung the letter to the ground, turning on her, a feverish glint in his eye.
"Do you not know how I love you?" he shouted, grabbing her shoulders, "Do you not know what I've done to make you happy?" He released her, whipping around and throwing the vanity chair to the ground, snapping one of the legs. Toothiana shrunk back against the wall, watching as he snarled at her, waving his hand around the room. "Can you not see?" He exclaimed furiously, "Can you not see that all of this was for you!" Pitch moved to the vanity, taking Toothiana's hairbrush and flinging it at the mirror, shattering it with a crash. He looked back to her, "I love you, Toothiana." He said earnestly, the menace slipping from his eyes like water swirling the drain. He gasped for a moment, legs growing unsteady. Pitch reached back with an arm, gripping the edge of the vanity to regain balance.
He shook his head slowly. "After all those years alone," he breathed, looking up at her, "I thought that you would know what it was like to long for a family."
Tooth tilted her head to the side, eyes watering. "I do know what it feels like," She said softly, looking at Pitch as her looked at her with a mix of exhaustion and frustration. "I lost my parents. Any children I might've had-"
"But I guess I was wrong." Pitch interrupted, rising up to his full height. For a moment his anger rose to the surface, burning in his eyes. "Now I see that I truly am alone."
Toothiana felt an ache in her heart for him as the energy seemed to just drain out of him. He sunk to the bed, letting his face sink into his hands. She watched him for a moment, his shoulders beginning to shake. Toothiana moved forward to place a hand on his shoulder.
"Pitch-" She softly began.
"Leave me, woman!" He snarled, yanking his arm out of her reach. Toothiana jumped back, biting down on her lower lip. She stood there, looking as tears poured down Pitch's cheeks. It knocked the breath out of her.
Tooth squeezed her eyes shut, walking past him. She stopped at the door. A horrible pain was throbbing in her chest and she was just barely resisting the urge to crumple up on the floor.
She looked back at him, sitting on their- the bed with tears dropping from his eyes, landing on the carpet with a soft plip.
Tooth took a breath, trying to think of something she could say to him. But there was nothing. Tooth's lip quivered as she looked down at her left hand. Slowly, she slipped off her wedding ring, placing it on the vanity table with a light tap. Pitch looked up at the sound, eyes widening, and completely fixed on the ring. His mouth moved as though he wanted to speak, but no words left his mouth.
Tooth turned, her fingers closing around the knob. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and then…
She left.
TTT
Pitch sat there for a while, staring at the ring. It felt as though it were physically burning him. He slowly rose to his feet, and then he crossed the room, grabbing the dresser and shoving it to the ground. All the drawers opened, sending clothes fluttering to the ground. He then swung his arm across the tabletop of the vanity, knocking pins, brushes, and perfume bottles to the ground.
Pitch tore at the walls, smashing the frames, letting the glass tumble to the carpet. He knocked the lamps from the perches on the nightstands, shouting as his arm connected with their porcelain necks. For a while, angry tears dripped down his cheeks, but those soon dried, and all that was left was dark fury.
Soon he slowed, growing tired after throwing, and breaking everything he could get his hands on. He then turned back the vanity, eyes locking on the ring. He stalked forward, huffing as his fingers closed around the ring. He glared at it, a horrible pain twisting in his gut. He tried to throw it, but his arm jerked to a stop. He couldn't do it, he just couldn't. He looked at the ring again, seeing his reflection on its shimmering surface. He winced, slipping it into his coat pocket.
The pain in his chest soon began to twist, shifting one more into unbridled rage. It was the animal caretaker's entire fault. He realized, clenching his fist. Everything had been fine until that bastard had shown up, until he had poisoned her against him.
Pitch's jaw locked as he yanked open his bedside table drawer. He felt a twinge of a smirk tug on the corner of his mouth. He reached inside and pulled out a silver, fully loaded revolver.
He chuckled slightly as he grabbed the phone, dialing a number and smoothly speaking into the mouthpiece as soon as a voice on the other end was heard. "Get all the nightmares ready." He ordered. "We have a hunt to go on."
TTT
Dear Pitch,
I'm so sorry to have to tell you this way. I have started this letter so many times, but the words never truly seemed right. I've thought of endless ways that I could tell you, but none of them seemed right, as well. But I suppose there is no 'right' way to say this. I suppose I could start with this. You are a wonderful man, Pitch Black, and I never want you to feel any different. You have saved me from a horrible life, and there is no way I could thank you for that. You gave me wonderful things, among which your love, which for so long had been a blessing I could not even think of living without. There are so many things I want to say to you, but there is no time.
It hurts me to tell you this Pitch. It hurts me so terribly. But you deserve to know, after all the years we spent together. I am leaving you Pitch. I can't be with you anymore. We have grown so far apart. And you've changed. You aren't the man I once knew, the man I fell in love with. It kills me to say that. Because I truly loved you Pitch. With all my heart. I would have followed you beyond the ends of the earth if you'd asked it of me.
But things have changed. You, me, everything. You hit me Pitch. The man you once were… he never would have done such a thing to me. I know telling you these things will hurt you, and I'm so sorry for that. I'm so sorry Pitch. But you aren't the man I once loved, and now I have to do what's right for me. I will always love you Pitch. There is a place in my heart that will always love you irrevocably. But not in the way it used to.
That's why I need to leave. I hope that one day you will understand, even though I fear you may not.
I wish you all the happiness in the world. I truly mean that.
Goodbye,
Toothiana
A/N: Review?
Next chapter will most likely be fairly short, but it should come out more quickly. It should be a quickly paced chapter.