Chapter eighteen-Out of my head!
They were sitting around him, believing him and genuinely worried. All that time he had been stuck in the backseat watching his life go by he had only wanted this. He had longed to be cared for, not feared. Really that was all, he just didn't want to be feared. Much like Jack had told Boogey when he had proposed he join him. He wanted to be believed in, not feared. That sentiment had hit so close to the truth for him, that James had slowly become more aware. Through Jack he had gained a strength inside him. As he pondered that his resolve slowly crumbled, forcing him to lean over in pain, arms wrapping around his midsection.
I wish I had been more like Jack. If I had then Boogey would never have been freed. Even injured and in pain he had been twice the man, the guardian that I could ever have hoped to be. He mused, stuck rambling in his head to keep Boogey locked down tight. His whole body ached, radiating heat and tension from the strain of locking down on the presence which seemed to be located in his stomach, though he knew it wasn't. He could hear him whispering but so far he had only managed to bust through in unintelligible whispers.
He couldn't open his eyes because whenever he did images swam in a way that reminded him of seasickness. For a moment he forgot that there was anyone there and when he lurched forward he braced for impact.
"Easy, deep breaths." He felt the arms catch him and put him back down. He heard the voice like it was underwater, distant. He felt a hand on his shoulder, gently shaking and he assumed it was to get his attention but he couldn't make himself open his eyes. He knew he needed to, badly, but he couldn't.
Then he felt something rip his insides apart and throw them back together. He was cold, freezing, then burning like the Sahara. Boogey's voice cut through everything, ripping at his head and ringing in his ears.
"You are weak, boy. You can't hold me back long enough for the fat-man and the stupid bird to find that spell. I'll kill you before that happens. Let me in and you might survive." He clawed at his ears, wanting to scream but knowing it wouldn't help. He would likely just spur the vile thing on.
I'm not a boy. You aren't all that scary. And I would rather die that give you my life again. Pitch's mental voice was much more forceful than he imagined his physical one could be at the moment and he wasn't too keen on testing the theory so he tried to preoccupy himself so he wouldn't start screaming.
Back in reality Jamie was looking at his mom like she would know what to do. Jessica was really at a loss but her heart was breaking at how sick he looked. He didn't look like he expected any help either and that was sadder. He and Jack are so much alike, I don't know how they never saw it before. She mused, kneeling down beside his head where he was curled up. Sandy had stayed back so he didn't accidently knock him out completely and Bunny had stepped back when Jessica had stepped up. He assumed she would be better at this than him.
"James?" She called to him quietly, sweetly. Her hand found his and he squeezed it without knowing. She covered that hand with his and gave it a slight shake. "James, you're awake, aren't you?" She asked. He froze and nodded minutely. She took back one of her hands and pushed his bangs back from where they had managed to plaster themselves on his face.
Jack couldn't help loving this woman like a mother. As he watched her interact with the man he marveled, as did Sandy and Bunny, at her amazing ability to think of every single person she met as one of her babies.
Pitch felt his hand in someone else's and wondered if it was a mistake. No, no one was helping him, he had never earned that. He managed to squeeze one eye open, just barely enough to see her worried face with Jamie hovering behind her, Sandy's soft golden glow in the corner of his eye lighting up one side of her face.
"Okay, now Bunny's got something to help you, but you need to sit up. It's a tea, do you think you can do that?" She asked calmly.
"Maybe." He cringed at the sound of his voice. It was barely a whisper and the others started shifting their weight uncomfortably. This was getting bad fast.
"I'm gonna go help them look." Jack offered quietly, sensing more of an urgency than before. "Sandy?" He called. The little man nodded, getting Jack's motivation. They weren't doing much to help him and they'd find the spell faster with more searching. That was where they could help.
"Good idea, Jamie why don't you go with them." She asked with a smile. Jamie nodded and followed the two out as she and Bunny were helping the ailing ex-boogeyman into more of a sitting position. He tried his best but couldn't sit upright if his life depended on it. That was unfortunate because it almost did.
"There you go, now let's see if this doesn't help." Jessica said soothingly. He tried to sit up, open his eyes more but that caused a wave of nausea and his insides to do a very painful jig. He felt an arm around his shoulders and that gave him a headache, trying to figure out why.
Jessica pulled him into his side and supported him, taking the weight off his muscles and absently rubbing his shoulder and upper arm in comfort. He couldn't make sense of it but trying was distracting from the pain so he went with that.
In North's office they had everything thrown into piles on his desk and every available surface. They had checked every single room at the pole (with help from the yeti) and found every book there was that could even possibly contain a spell. They were in a calm panic which, if you've never seen it, creates tension so strong and thick in the air you could cut it with a knife.
"Is everything alright? What's happened? Is he okay?" Tooth chirped nervously upon seeing the three walk in.
"Yeah, yeah, its okay Tooth, breathe." Jack held his hands up in a both protective and soothing gesture. "He's fine, but we weren't helping him standing around so we thought we might be more help in here." He explained as lightly as the mood would allow. They were mildly surprised at how serious he had been recently.
"Alright, we have not started looking yet, just got everything in here. Start anywhere and if you can't read language or don't know what spell let one of us know." North agreed with a smile, mostly for Jamie's benefit. Partially for Jack too, only because he knew Jack wasn't bilingual or very well versed in spells either.
As they settled down in various chairs, Jack had Jamie set up in his chair and they teamed up on a book, discussing what they might be. They knew they had to be quick and dangit everything was so serious but darn if Jack and Jamie didn't try their hardest to make light of it. Panic and worry wouldn't do anything for them.
In the globe room Bunny and Jessica were having a little luck, but from James' point of view they figured it was about the same. Jessica had helped him with the tea which had reduced Boogey's effectiveness by at least 13%, because 13 was a weird number and James was almost certain that would have been the random number Jack would have suggested. It was small but not useless and it allowed him to breathe and keep his eyes open at least partially.
"Any better, mate?" Bunny asked quietly, genuinely feeling sorry for him and not even bothering to hide it. He tried to grin reassuringly but it quickly dissolved into a scowl. He couldn't think straight but he could breathe and that was what he had decided to turn his focus to.
"James, just try to relax." Jessica tried, pulling a throw pillow into her lap and gently guiding him to lay down. Bunny started to try to gage what was wrong and started mixing various ingredients that he had brought in an attempt to help him stay conscious and hopefully breathing. He was declining quickly and the knot in the rabbit's gut was clenching uncomfortably as he watched.
Moon help me this is so odd. I'd never have thought in a million years I'd be so worried about someone I had clobbered so many times. I have to admit though, he's different from Pitch Black. He mused. He tried to reason out that he was simply worried about a friend in need but that wasn't it. Like Jack, this man's hope had been shattered a long time ago and was weak. It was so thin and fragile that it felt desperate and mournful. He had felt it be restored and he realized that in all the years he had fought Pitch Black he had never sensed hope. He knew that feeling hope in him meant that he was a different person all together…and still a child.
Did he never get a chance to grow before Boogey? He asked himself. He was, after all, in that odd stage of life between childhood and true adulthood and as an immortal he would have had a chance to mature, but…maybe he hadn't. Maybe Boogey had frozen him in time, which would explain his innocent disbelief at the way Jamie's mom was treating him at the moment.
In the end someone who had helped them, was helping them, was in a lot of pain for doing so and he couldn't let him suffer like that without trying his hardest to help. He would be playfully grumpy later, deny all of it and give the man the hard time he had given Jack, but he knew he would be a great addition to the group. He had given everything when he thought it would help children and that was what really made a guardian great.
In James's fried, exhausted mind he noted the downward spiral and a dark thought crossed his mind. He wouldn't let the children, the guardians either, suffer because of him.
Bunny and Jessica shared a look as he started to go pale…er, and shake so hard he couldn't lay still. He ended up curled around his stomach and a grunt escaped him as he tensed, looking frustrated.
You know you can't keep this up, boy. Boogey taunted.
"SHUT UP!" James hissed through his teeth, hands finding his head in sheer frustration and anger and desperation and a whole slew of other things.
"James?" Jessica asked quietly, trying to steady him.
"It's Boogey, sheila. He's in his head." Bunny explained. "We need to work faster, and keep him distracted. I'm gonna go check on 'em in the library, can you try to talk to him?" He asked, clearly not wanting to leave her alone. She nodded and quickly set to attempting just that as Bunny ran off.
"Mates, what've we got?" He asked, not even bothering with announcing himself.
"A pile of lost causes and a long-shot. Why? What's wrong?" Jack bristled, noting Bunny's stiff posture and lack of even attempting to look calm.
"He's gettin' worse faster than we thought. Jamie's momma is tryin' to distract 'im, but he can't keep this up much longer, mates." He explained quickly. A silence fell and North eyed the book that had remained on his desk, open and bookmarked.
"We can try." Tooth offered quietly.
"But effects if done wrong…" North looked over to Sandy who looked torn.
"What could happen?" Bunny asked.
"It could kill him." Jack provided bluntly. "If done right, it might be the wrong spell which could…" He trailed off, not wanting to finish the sentence.
"Could what, mate?" He asked, eyeing the boy then letting his eye wander to North, Tooth and Sandy in turn.
"Could make worse." North offered, English breaking a bit more than normal which worried the Easter Bunny more than he cared to admit. They looked between each other for a moment before a cry of what they could only describe as frenzied, frustrated pain found them. It wasn't loud to them, but the fact that it had made it all the way from the small globe room to his office was impressive enough to be highly concerning.
Bunny scrambled off in a frantic way he, again, would by denying later if asked before any of them had even bothered to stand.
"What's happenin'?!" He asked as he skidded to a halt.
"I don't know!" She was looking a little more than just worried. She looked terrified. "I can hear it now too!" She informed the very worried spirit of hope.
There we have it folks, another chapter! Sorry about the cliffie, I'll get right on it, but it was just too perfect to pass up. Good news though, this is turning out much longer than I had expected which means more updates for y'all! As always please let me know what you think!
As for a very kind review, I'd like to thank you, Booksaremylife17, I've had a wonderful time writing this and I'm so happy you're enjoying it! This review made my day when I saw it! :)
Y'all are wonderful people!