Sorry about the longer wait school started again so I'll be busier now. I'll keep trying to update as soon as possible. To those who asked if there was a reason why Pitch captured Jack well I'll just say, when does Pitch do something without a reason? Later the true motive shall be revealed. Thanks for all the reviews!
Oh, and I'm not a medic or anything. I looked up a lot of the information for broken bones. I had him have a clean break, so that way there wouldn't be any need for him to have surgery or have screws placed. I had my family ask me multiple times why I was looking up all that information. I tried my best so I hope I did okay.
Disclaimer: I still don't own ROTG
He slowly became aware of the pounding pain in his chest and leg. He tried to fall back into the blissful sleep he was in but the pain just wouldn't let him. His eyelids didn't budge when he tried to open them. They felt heavy and after a moment of trying he gave up. Opening his eyes were the least of his problems. Every part of his body seemed to hurt. His mind was spinning and he couldn't remember what had happened.
He tried to concentrate on his thoughts. They were all jumbled up. What had happened? He, he had been with Pitch. Suddenly like a damn breaking all the memories came flying back. His eyes snapped open with no trouble. They frantically tried to figure out where he was. He couldn't see anything everything was black. For a moment he panicked as he blinked several times only to keep seeing black. Then he realized that he was in the 'room'.
He let out a sigh immediately regretting it as it sent shots of pain up his side. His eyes scrunched up in pain. He waited until the wave of pain passed, to wiggle his fingers on his hands and feet. He mentally sighed in relief as none of his digits were missing.
Feeling braver he slowly raised his arm up to his face. His cold fingers smoothly traced his broken nose. He hissed in pain as even the slightest touch hurt. He could feel the dried blood on his face crackle as his mouth stretched out in pain.
He continued up to his head where Pitch had whacked him with the scythe. There was a giant bump on his head that was probably the cause of the killer headache he was starting to feel. Thinking it was safe enough to move his other arm he brought it to his head stretching his arm so it wouldn't fall asleep. Knowing that eventually he would have to see the extent of his injuries he let out a slow breathe.
His fingers grazed his side trying to figure out which ribs were broken. He poked carefully, letting out a small yelp, when one of the middle ribs he put pressure on sent a wave of pain. Well at least he figured out which one of his ribs were broken, or fractured. He moved a little further down until he felt a lump on his chest where he assumed was where the second rib had broken. He pushed down slightly only to feel the same pain he had previously felt.
Arming himself with all the bravery that he didn't feel, he put his arms on either side before bending them slightly ready to prop himself up. His arms wavered for a second before they slowly steadied. With a grunt he pulled himself up. His right side protested as his ribs were jostled but he managed to sit up. He tried to control his breathing so he wouldn't agitate his ribs more. After a couple of seconds he decided he had to figure out how bad his leg was.
His leg was completely stretched out apparently Pitch had laid him down with his leg straightened out. He had been scared that Pitch had just thrown him not caring about injuring him even more. Since he couldn't see he would have to feel how bad it was. He just hoped that there wouldn't be a bone sticking out or something. He closed his eyes thankful when he didn't feel anything sticking out.
He could feel his leg tingling which he wasn't sure if it was a good sign or not. He was in intense pain, the pain even stronger than the one he felt in his chest. He barely was grazing his thigh but he could feel that it was already swelling up. He trembled slightly and until he felt something wet hit his hand did he realize that he was crying. He could feel the hot tears rolling gently down his cheeks.
He didn't know if he was crying because he was in pain, or because of everything that had happened to him. He wasn't just talking about now. No, he was talking about the countless years he had been stuck with Pitch. He had no how long he had been down here. The first few nights he had tried to keep track, but after the beatings and mental abuse he had received he had lost count, and he hadn't cared. Right now he knew he was on the verge of a mental breakdown.
He was hopeless he knew he was never going to escape or let free. Even if he was what would be the point? He would be cowering under in fright waiting for the next blow to come. Not that it would matter. Who would see him? They would all pass through him like he was a ghost. He was condemned to be here for eternity. He was immortal and unless Pitch decided to end his mercy he was pretty sure he would be stuck here waiting for Pitch's next order.
He swallowed wincing at the pain it caused. He sometimes cursed at the moon. It was his fault that everything was happening. He had created him, told him his name and then let him wander for years alone. Then he realized that maybe that was because he was meant to always be in pain. Either it be psychical or mentally he was always in pain.
Maybe the moon had made a mistake when he created him. He probably had accidently made him, and then since he couldn't get rid of him had decided to let him wander around aimlessly. That was probably the reason, who would ever want to be with him? He suddenly realized that Pitch was right. He was just a waste of space. He felt something inside him shatter. He suddenly felt hollow like something inside of him was missing. He didn't feel the pain anymore he was numb.
He didn't care anymore. What was the difference if he was in pain? He looked up his eyes the only thing you could see in the dark. They were empty the last bit of spark in them had died. His center was completely broken.
After the mental breakdown he had fallen asleep shortly after, his body demanding rest. The slight mental breakdown drained him of the little energy he had had. He had barely woken up a couple of minutes ago. Currently he was trying not to wallow in his thoughts. His chest still hurt but not as badly as his leg. His head was pounding which added more to his discomfort. He felt like somebody was squeezing his head in between their hands. He tried to think of something anything to try and distract his attention from the pain.
How long had he been out? When would Pitch let him out of the room?
He shifted trying to find a comfortable place on the worn down mattress. He made sure to keep his leg in the same position it was. He had finally found a more suitable spot when he heard the door open. His eyes shot open as the door swung forward. The sudden light even though it wasn't bright hurt his eyes. He clamped them shut before he opened them slowly. He could see Pitch's silhouette as he stopped in the middle of the doorway.
"Frosty?" He asked as he took a step forward. Jack instantly shrunk back. Pitch grinned before he smiled at him in what he could say was supposed to be greeting him. "Yes?" He replied his voice barely above a whisper. "Did you learn your lesson?" He questioned. He instantly tensed inwardly cursing at himself as he agitated his injuries. "Yes." He didn't know if Pitch was expecting him to say anything else.
"Good, though I think I may have gone a little over board with your leg." He stared at him dazed. Since when did he ever say that kind of stuff to him? It almost seemed to like an apology. Almost. "You'll have to somehow walk. If you do you'll have to use this." The black sand appeared in his hand, making him flinch. It formed crutches? He relaxed slightly but still stared at Pitch disbelievingly.
Pitch made his way over to him. He tried to keep his breathe steady but he could feel his heart start speeding up. He knew he couldn't breathe any deeper or faster if he didn't want to hurt his ribs, but his body was acting against him. His blue eyes widened slightly as Pitch stretched the crutches out to him. He reached for them hesitantly. His fingers touched the smooth sand, before each of his hands held a separate crutch.
The first thing he needed to do was to raise himself up. He set down the crutches for a moment before he weakly raised himself up. His grit his teeth as his side sent shots of pain, but he was up now. The crutches were in his hand again as he tried to gather his courage to try to stand up. "First you'll need something to hold your leg in place. I can't have you causing more damage to the bone." He observed.
Confusion shined in his eyes. "Don't freak out." Was the only warning he got before the sand started wrapping around his leg. For a moment he was tempted to start struggling but gave up on the idea when he realized that he wasn't even strong enough to try and put up a fight. He watched it wrap around his thigh creating what he assumed was a type of cast.
Realizing that it was finished, he placed the crutches in the correct position before bracing himself as he tried to left his body up. His chest protested as he stretched his chest and put weight on it. He slowly started to raise himself up.
He let out a small squeak as his leg was pulled. His grip on the crutches faltered for a moment but that was all he needed as he let go. He was falling backwards. He tried not to think about the moment his chest would hit the ground, he was sure that would be enough pressure to break his ribs if they weren't already. He felt something grip his shoulders holding his steady before he could hit the ground. It took him by surprise as his mouth opened slightly in shock.
It was then he realized that Pitch was the one holding him. He trembled slightly the fear already starting to bloom. "I don't need you smashing your head against the floor yet. I have something I need to tell you." He stated, not waiting for him to make some type of response he raised him up. The crutches were shoved at him again. He positioned them the crutches creating an awkward sensation.
He could feel Pitch's gaze on him. Straightening his head he looked at him. "Try walking." The statement sounded like a question but he knew when Pitch made a command. He carefully moved his good foot in front of him before placing his weight on the leg the momentum swinging the crutches forward. He clumsily made his way to the doorway, stopping in front of Pitch. His leg still hurt but not as much as the cast prevented the bone from being moved.
"Your free, just remember you lesson, I had to have my nightmares do the task you were assigned to." He warned as he strolled forward a bit making it clear he wanted Jack to follow him. He could feel the sweat trickle down his neck leaving a coolness there, as he hurriedly made his way after Pitch. He was pushing himself but they were still walking at turtle speed.
He was relieved when Pitch lead him down a straight hallway instead of taking the stairs. He couldn't imagine himself trying to go down the stairs. He shivered at the image that popped into his head. He wasn't in the condition to even try going down. They eventually stopped in front of the globe. By the time they got there his arms were trembling, and he was breathing hard.
His arms were clutching the crutches in a death grip. He was scared that if he loosened his grip on them he was going to fall. His skin was paler than usual and his hair was still stuck to his head, the blood having already dried was staining his white hair an ugly brown color. He had no idea how he was standing up at the moment, he felt like he was ready to drop dead. He tried to control his trembling as it got worse at the sight of the globe, it brought back the memories of what had happened last time.
The globe was still full of the little yellow dots that were still glowing brightly, a stark contrast to the dull colors of the lair. Pitch advanced towards it the distaste clear in his face. Jack stood there not sure what to do, or if he should say something. The last thing he wanted to do was say something that would snap the patience he had.
After a moment Pitch seemed to remember that he was still standing there. "You see these lights?" He nodded going along with whatever he was going to say. "Every single light is a child who believes in those pathetic guardians." He listened wide eyed as he insulted the Guardians. "Soon enough every single light will disappear. I will crush those Guardians." As he expressed his thoughts he reflected on his own. They were all jumbled up, not making sense they only served to make him more indecisive.
On one side he didn't care, it wasn't going to affect him in any way. He was stuck down in the gloomy lair never knowing what was happening outside. On the other hand he sometimes hoped that one of the Guardians would dare and risk coming down to rescue him. To save him.
Those thoughts had died the first couple of years, crushed by the endless nightmares that had plagued him. He sometimes faintly remembered being around children. They never saw him of course, but he remembered having this weird feeling around him. It had felt warm and something else he couldn't name. Even as he listened to Pitch saying he would destroy them he didn't know what to feel. He knew deep down a part of him said he should feel horrified at the thought of them being destroyed.
But, that was deep down. He had been with one of the Guardians when he had been taken, and he hadn't intervened. He had left him. Left him. He hadn't even turned back once. He had only laughed, the sound ringing in his head, resonating inside his head to the point where it was painful. Then he had mocked him telling him that even if he was a child he didn't care if he died or not. Now he understood why he had said that. He wasn't worth saving so he couldn't bring himself to hold anything against him.
He realized that Pitch's back was facing him, and that he seemed to be talking. The words were coming in through one ear and coming out the other. He knew he should have been paying attention to what he had said, but he was pretty sure that he had only been talking about his plan. "I'll be having visitors later." What? He tuned in not wanting to miss what he was going to say next.
"Those little annoying pests that fairy calls her helpers." He perked up. There was going to be other people here?
"You Frosty are going to stay here I don't think you'll be useful for anything." He lowered his head despite himself, his bangs falling in front of his face shielding his eyes. He felt the same ache in his chest whenever he insulted him. He blinked suddenly surprised as Pitch's feet were in front of his vision. He looked up hesitantly, but didn't dare to make eye contact afraid he would disappoint or anger him.
He flinched when he felt Pitch's cool hand, yet warm to him, on his head. Expecting a blow he made eye contact with him after a moment passed without any pain. Pitch was staring at him, a ghost of a smile on his face. He cringed as his hand brushed against his bruise. "I'm giving you permission to let you use your power to heal yourself." A gasp escaped his dry lips, as he stared at him disbelievingly.
He was going to let him use his powers? He opened his mouth to ask him why, before quickly closing it as he remembered that he couldn't speak unless he had permission. He didn't want to get punished especially if he was just messing with him. "Go on." The man coaxed. After a moment of silence. "Why?" His throat burning as he spoke.
Pitch shrugged dismissively his posture screaming out that he didn't care. "I don't want to hear you moaning in pain, and staggering around the lair. You might also have some assignments later on that will require you to do something, and I doubt you'll be able to do them in pain." Oh. He mentally shook his head. What had he expected? For him to say that he was changing or what? He didn't even know what he had been expecting.
Suddenly he raised a finger pointing it at him. "But, if you're going to use your powers you'll have to use them in my presence." He nodded, not knowing if that meant that he could use them now. "That means if you're going to, you'll have to do it now." The statement answering his question, he made sure the crutches weren't going to fall out of his grasp, he pulled his sweater up slightly groaning as the material brushed against the ugly bruises that littered his chest.
He held the cloth with his teeth exposing his injured side to the cool air in the lair. He could feel Pitch's eyes watching him intently, analyzing his every move. He took a deep breathe immediately regretting it as it made his side flare in pain. Waiting until the pain subsided he placed his hand on his chest trying to pull on his powers. He had gone so long without actually using his powers, minus the frost incident, that he didn't know if he could even use his powers anymore.
Trying to ignore the panic he was starting to feel he closed his eyes concentrating even harder on the task. It was then he felt it. The familiar sensation that traveled through his whole body as he expelled some of his power. He felt his fingertips tingle as the coldness spread out coating his injured side covering it in a light frost. A strange feeling spread across him as he felt the corner of his mouth twitch up for a second.
He tugged even more the power came out a bit stronger, but it was nothing compared to what at one point he had been able to conjure. Still it was sufficient to cover his whole chest. His chest shined as the ice covered it, the blue from his power seemed to radiate shining an electric blue, a stark contrast to his pale chest. Feeling more motivated he placed his hand above his cast letting the frost spread out under the cast numbing his leg.
He let out a sigh as the energy he had felt slipped through his fingers. He heard Pitch mumble something under his chest, before he muttered. "Interesting." Noticing that he was staring at him Pitch snapped out of thoughts. "I have something to do when I come back as I told were going to have some visitors." He looked like he was about dismiss before a thought seemed to cross his mind.
"I would assume you still know your manners, correct?" He nodded a bit dejected. That was a warning that meant that he wouldn't be able to talk to any of the fairies. The whole time he had been down here the only person he could talk with was Pitch, and only when he let him. He was practically starved of communication. "Good, in that case you can go back to your room." Knowing he was being dismissed, he made his way back to the 'room'.
As he got closer the door was open seemingly inviting him in. He groaned when he realized that he would have to lie down again. With as much delicacy as possible he sat down his ribs still sending small shots of pain but it was bearable. He gently placed the crutches next to him before he lay down. He was thankful the door was still open as it provided light, even if it was barely enough to let him see his hand that was in front of his face.
It was still better than being in complete darkness. He didn't like being in the dark, it always seemed to suffocate him, never let him see which way was out, it always had him in its claws. He shuddered slightly before shifting into a comfortable position. He curled as much as his ribs permitted him. His eyes staring at the light that was emitting from the doorway. He sought comfort from it, imaging it would lead him outside to a snowy landscape.
Where he was free, where he could fly as high as he wanted. A place where he was able to sink into the snow and lay there feeling the wind blow gently across his face, brushing his bangs out of his forehead. He see the trees covered in a white coating stretching out as far as he could see. He imagined the mountains in the background towering high above disappearing behind the clouds. He never noticed his eyes had closed, and that his face was a bit more peaceful.
The winter landscape disappearing from his mind, leaving him to see black. He would only have a couple of hours of peaceful rest before nightmares would start plaguing him. His chest falling evenly the only indication that he was sleeping.
He jumped as a voice cut through the silence, startling them all. "I have to say, this is very, very exciting." Bunny looked up immediately recognizing the voice. Standing above them was Pitch a gleeful smile on his face. "The Big Four all in one place, I'm a little star-struck." He said sarcasm dripping off every word he said. "Did you like my little show on the globe, North? Got you all together didn't I?" At that moment it dawned on North who threw his arms down in frustration. His eyes narrowed slightly at Pitch.
Tooth who was no longer able to sit still sprung up flying over to Pitch. "Pitch, you thirty seconds to give me back my fairies!" The threat seemed to bounce off him as he merely replied. "Or what?" He disappeared into a shadow before coming out of another one. "You'll stick a quarter under my pillow?" He retorted. At that moment North interrupted. "Why are you doing this?"
"Maybe I want what you want. To be believed in." Pitch moved along the wall, disappearing into a shadow, before he emerged behind the column. "Maybe I'm tired of hiding under beds." Finally not being able to hold back the rebuke he snapped out. "Maybe that's where you belong!"
"Ah, go suck an egg, rabbit!" He swiped at him only for him to disappear. "That's it! Where's Jack Frost? What have you done with him?" He snapped at him. Pitch appeared above them a frown the only indication that he was confused. "Jack what does he have to do with anything?" He realized then that perhaps that wasn't the best way to blurt it out.
He turned slightly to look at the other Guardian's. North gave him a look that clearly read that he wasn't supposed to have said that. Tooth's wings fluttered nervously behind her aware of the tension that now surrounded them. Sandy simply shrugged, his eyes silently telling him that what was done was done.
He returned his gaze at Pitch, putting on what he hoped was a stern expression. He didn't want his face to give away the worry he feeling. Thinking about what he should say next, Pitch would catch anything he said, he spoke clearly his voice surprisingly strong, and firm. "What happened to him?" Pitch stared at him intently obviously trying to figure out what he why he wanted to know about Jack.
"Why would I know what happened to him?" He retorted back. Bunny crossed his arms over his chest. "We already know you have him Pitch." Again the only indication was the way his mouth tightened slightly. "So then why ask." He snorted. Bunny glanced back at North, a silent message passing between them. He wasn't sure exactly sure what to say. "Pitch what is your interest in him? I have a feeling you didn't suddenly want to adopt him." North asked.
Bunny almost shivered at the thought of Pitch being a father. Pitch raised an eyebrow. "How would you know? You don't really know me, but that's not the point. Why do you suddenly care? After so many decades why would you care?" Bunny had to stop himself from flinching. The words struck a nerve. He knew it was their fault, but that didn't stop from them from feeling any less guilty.
He felt a shiver run down his back as Pitch's lips raised into a cocky smirk. "I don't even think there's a point in trying to save him. There's no way he could go back to the way he was. How does it feel Guardian's to know you failed in the job, you take so seriously, to protect children." He could feel the other Guardians were taking the words to heart. He was too. That one sentence seemed to echo in his mind.
"There's no way he could go back to the way he was." What did he mean by that? He swallowed feeling the dread in his stomach. He pushed back the thoughts about the possibility that they were too late.
They just couldn't be.
Oh, uh. What's with Pitch letting Jack use his powers? Is he on to something? Why does Jack think Bunny left him to Pitch? Which side is telling the truth? Hmm. Oh well, you'll eventually find out, maybe….. Until next time. Oh wait! I forgot can Jack actually sweat? I was writing and that question popped into my head, and I was like if he's Jack Frost can he sweat?