Recap of last chapter: Jack's memories are hazy at most, and that dark double of his is not helping. Pitch is willing to give Jack what he's always wanted, information and a second chance.

A/N: Sorry for the delay, I had difficulty with this. Thank you to everyone who reviewed, it's all thanks to you that I was able to kick myself and finally finish this.

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Chapter Four: Parade of Liars

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Not that he was willing to admit it, but Jack felt much safer holding Pitch's hand as the Boogeyman led him down another dim corridor. This dark cave of his was more of a maze than anything else. They stayed silent for a while, Jack contemplating on everything that Pitch said to him.

They were leisurely walking at this point when Jack said, "You know, I could say the same about you."

Pitch turned to him. "I beg your pardon?"

Jack frowned. "Cute. You know what I mean."

Pitch shrugged. "I'm sorry to say that I don't, Jack."

"The whole Guardians using me thing. The fact that they never approached me until you showed up. In their defense... you never approached me either."

Pitch was about to retort, but when Jack continued speaking let him finish. Jack slowly removed his hand from Pitch's. "Only because I was the Guardians' ... 'trump card' ..." He used air quotes and fell silent.

Pitch waited a few moments, and Jack looked away from those amused eyes - the only thing with expression on that mask called a face. "Anything else you care to add, Jack?"

"It was only when I was chosen..." It fell on him like a ton of bricks. Jack backed up slowly, eyes startled in realization. "You... you just want to use me as well, don't you?" He lowered his voice and hugged himself. "'What goes better than cold and dark?' Rule side by side? Don't make me laugh. I was a threat to you. Since I wouldn't give you my powers, you wanted me out of the way."

Pitch had something about selective hearing. "If I wanted to use you, Jack, I would have been direct about it. If you think about it, the Guardians are manipulating you."

Jack was flabbergasted. "What? You... what? As are you!"

Pitch smiled. "Not at all, I've never lied to you."

"Of course you have! You..."

Pitch eyed Jack carefully. "Tell me when, Jack. Tell me, when exactly did I lie to you?"

Jack thought long and hard.

Jack said slowly, "You said that the Guardians would never accept me." Sure Pitch teased him when they first met, and didn't take him seriously. And again, when he distracted him and ruined Easter.

"And when you came back from your task, they abandoned you did they not?"

We should never have trusted you!

But he never lied.

Jack fell silent.

Pitch pat Jack on the back. "I'm just looking out for you, Jack. I did mean it when I said I wanted to be family."

"Family..." Something that Jack has always wanted. Something he thought he had for just a brief moment with the Guardians. Something... he could have with Pitch.

Pitch gently took back Jack's hand and continued to lead him down the dark corridor. "Stop defending them, Jack," he said. "They don't deserve it. Especially from you of all people."

They fell into silence.

"They never lied to me either," Jack whispered, causing for Pitch to stop. Gaining more confidence, Jack raised his voice. "The Guardians never lied to me."

Pitch turned to Jack with a pitiful look on his face.

Jack glared; he didn't want Pitch's pity. "Of course not! They wouldn't lie to me. That's like... against their nature or something."

Pitch replied, "The Man in the Moon took away your memory for a reason, Jack. Toothania never gave them to you, even though she knew you had a life before Jack Frost. Why do you think that is?"

"She didn't know!" Jack defended.

"Didn't know? Or was told to never let you know?"

"Didn't know!" Jack continued to defend his new friend.

Pitch tsked. "Ahh, but how do you know?"

Jack retorted, "How do you?"

Pitch just laughed. "I'm just speculating and rationalizing, Jack. Trying to open your eyes and show you that all that glitters is not gold."

"I know that," Jack muttered, going through their conversation in his head. Pitch made very valid points, but he couldn't just lose hope. Bunny would be disappointed in him.

Then again, he already was, wasn't he?

Jack had to pause; it was starting to get hot. "Where are we going?" he asked, reluctant to step forward. There was a reason he didn't bring snow to warm places. He couldn't handle the warm temperatures. It was something he discovered early on when he first started as Jack Frost. He prospers in the cold, and flounders in the hot.

Pitch tightened his hold on Jack's hand. "Just follow me."

"Pitch, I really can't." Jack breathed heavily, fanning himself. He wanted to fall to the floor, run away from the heat. Anything to get away. He was starting to become delirious. He couldn't figure out which way was up and which way was down, what he was doing, everything was becoming a blur.

The only comforting thing was Pitch's hand, cool to the touch.

Jack shook his head and stopped walking. "It's too hot. I don't do hot. Frost, cold, ice, that's what makes me, well, me."

Pitch looked to Jack with a warm smile on his face. "I believe in you, Jack. You can do this."

Jack looked up to Pitch, wide-eyed. "Really?" he whispered, looking down with a small smile on his face.

Pitch still had that smile on his face. "Really."

Jack squeezed Pitch's hand, bringing it close to his face. "Thank you."

He then proceeded to pass out.

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The wind in the trees was carrying a lovely tune that Jack woke to, a soft melody that seemed to echo throughout the forest. It was snowing, a light powered snow that fell gently from the sky to Jack's open palm. He slowly picked himself off the ground. Up above him was a grey sky, covered with clouds and the tips of evergreen trees. He embraced the cold, reveled in its presence, and only broke out of his stupor when he heard someone calling his name.

"Jack?"

Jack froze in his tracks, the spell of peace broken. He turned towards the voice, realizing that it was now deathly quiet in the forest. He didn't realize how soothing the music was until it was replaced with silence.

"Who's there?" he called out, finding himself dreading whatever answer he may get.

The wind picked up the music again, but instead of being everywhere, it was distant. Jack listened carefully to find the source, and slowly made his way toward it.

Jack didn't know how long he was walking, maneuvering on his feet through the trees. The music got louder and louder, and soon Jack found himself in a clearing of a field of snow and a stump at the center. On the stump was… himself, but with brown hair. Eyes closed, he was humming the melody that Jack had followed to get there. He looked so warm.

Jack stared at this other self for a few moments before making his way towards him. With a crinkle of snow, the music stopped once again. Jack found himself staring into brown eyes on a face that was exactly his own with opposite expressions. Confused frown on his own face, smile of relief on the other.

"Jack," the warm Jack whispered, quickly getting up and embracing Jack into a hug. "I'm so glad you were able to find me."

"Who are you?" Jack asked, not hugging back, but not trying to escape either.

The warm Jack released him, a warm smile still on his face. "I'm you. Well, the human side of you. Call me Jackson, your human name."

Jack was confused. "I was… human?"

Jackson frowned. "Oh no, it's starting." He looked towards the trees, as if checking to see if the coast was clear, before he pulled Jack close.

"Listen to me very carefully, we don't have much time. Pitch isn't your enemy." Jack opened his mouth to interrupt, but Jackson covered his mouth. "No interruptions! Sorry, we just don't have the time. They are coming, and I need to hide before they can find me. If they find me, then we're in deep trouble.

"As I was saying, Pitch isn't your enemy. Your enemy is the Shadows. The Shadows in the darkness consumed Pitch and soon it will consume you. You need to find the part of Pitch that is locked inside, the side that fought for good before the darkness took over."

The sky was turning black, and the trees were starting to disappear. "And how am I supposed to do that?" Jack asked, getting sleepy.

"Stay with him, help him find the person he used to be. You're the only one who could do this, Jack. It's one of the reasons I chose you."

Jack could feel himself slipping away, but he couldn't leave just yet. "What do you mean, you chose me?"

There was a twinkle in Jackson's eye as he looked toward the sky, the moon looming above them. The darkness was about to cover the moon, and Jackson seemed to be fading away.

"I'll be on the run for as long as I can, but until then." Jackson kissed Jack's forehead. "I'll be watching over you, Jack."

Jackson disappeared and Jack fell to the ground, eyes barely open. He could hear footsteps so he opened his eyes as much as he could to see the Other Jack looking pissed, but gave a sinister grin as he gently picked Jack up from the ground before looking up towards the sky.

"He's mine now; he gave himself to me," Other Jack said to the sky. "And there's nothing you can do about it."

Those were the last words Jack heard before he succumbed to the darkness of sleep.

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A/N: The melody being played in the forest is Naryu's Song from Legend of Zelda Oracle of Ages.

Hope this chapter was worth the wait!

Thanks for reading, and let me know what you think!