From Nightmares to Dreams

by spankingfemfatale

It's been several years since the Guardians defeated Pitch, but they are bound to cross paths again, and when they do, the Guardians have decided that things between them have to change. WARNING! Contains non-sexual spanking! This lovely fic is a co-written piece by myself and the lovely WindChimeGhost! (Her Archive of our own account name!)

43. Pride Goes Before a Fall

Chapter Forty-Three

Pride Goes Before a Fall

North was saddened to see Sandy leave. A part of him had hoped that he would stick around to give support at least. He sighed, pushed himself to standing, and slowly walked over to stand behind Pitch, not bothering to say anything.

Pitch had remained sitting on his crate, and feeling North approaching from behind, he let out a sad sigh, "Let's get the conveyor finished since lunch is obviously quite over." He slumped his shoulders looking down at the ground tiredly.

North cleared his throat. "We can't, unless you wish to get out in sun. We still have a while to wait."

Pitch hunched a little, "Well… is there anything else I can do to move the job along from the ground?" He asked dejectedly just wanting to finish the conveyor once and for all.

"Not at the moment, no." North replied. He gestured at the table. "Please, come back to table and finish lunch. I wish to talk."

"I don't feel like eating anymore, so if you want to talk feel free to say what you have to say here and now," Pitch huffed.

"Fine!" North snapped. "You do not have to eat. I would like to finish my meal, though. So I would appreciate it if you would join me at table." He grabbed Pitch by the arm and pulled him to standing.

Pitch gasped as he was bodily yanked by the arm to his feet wobbling a moment from the sudden change. His whole demeanor shifted as the sneer fell from his face replaced by a wary attention, "Of …of course! We …we can sit at the table," he stated hurriedly.

North gave Pitch a hard glare before he turned and walked to the table, taking a seat in his chair again. He picked up his fork and stabbed at some of the food on his plate.

Pitch gulped carefully walking a few steps behind him and quietly returning to his own seat across from North. He looked miserable as he stared down at the table arms crossed across his stomach and slouching in his chair.

North ate silently for a few minutes before leaning back in his chair and taking a long swig of his soda. "So what did you say to Tooth to make her leave? I find it odd that you managed to run her away, especially after you were so desperate about seeing her."

Pitch shrugged, "It doesn't matter now; she's gone, and I doubt she'll be coming back again anytime soon. It's just as well," Pitch's eyes never left the table, but there was a simmering hurt lingering in his words.

North knew that Pitch was at fault for whatever had happened between the two. His inward annoyance for Pitch's ever present attitude problem was constantly growing. He wanted to say something, but he held himself back, instead, choosing his words carefully.

"Oh, I am pretty sure she will be back. If not for anything else but so you can offer apology for whatever it was you said to her. And you will be apologizing to her once you come off grounding."

Pitch snapped heatedly, "Apologize to her? For slapping me across the face! The way I see it, she should be apologizing to me!"

North bolted up from his chair and glared down at Pitch. His nostrils flared as he struggled to keep his temper in check. When he spoke, his voice was calm but had a dangerous edge to it. "I'm pretty sure that she had good reason for doing what she did. I trust her judgements. I should let you know that you are teetering very close to me slapping the other end of you right now. So if I were you, I would think carefully about the next words that come out of your mouth."

Pitch shrank back in his seat his eyes going wide with obvious fear of angering the man. He didn't want to get spanked especially after the loss of pride he'd just suffered; he didn't need to add to it with getting put over North's knee as well. He swallowed hard as he squeaked, "I …I'll apologize." He dropped his gaze back to the table fresh tears welling in his eyes and spilling down his cheeks from the shame he felt. He had no recourse but to agree here he knew even though he was feeling horribly wronged.

North slowly lowered himself back into his chair, never once taking his eyes off Pitch. "Now, maybe Tooth does need to apologize to you as well. I cannot say since I was not privy to your conversation outside of hearing you raising your voice to her. If it turns out that she needs to apologize to you, I am sure she will feel need to do so when she has cooled down. She is good person who will right whatever wrong she feels that she's done. But I can already guess that you and your horrendous attitude were instigator in it, so you will be apologizing to her for whatever wrong you have done to her. Pitch, she is your friend. I can tell you two share special bond. Do not let your pride and attitude rip that apart. You have come too far to take that many steps back."

North's words pulled at Pitch. He couldn't speak merely shuddering with a fresh bout of tears at the grief he was feeling from how badly things had gone. He folded in on himself as a cloud of despair closed in around him. No matter what he did, he was never going to fit in. There was always going to be some obstacle in his way from just being himself.

North reached across the table to put a hand on Pitch's shoulder. "Pitch, I know you are frustrated and annoyed by situation you are in, but you do not have to take out anger on the rest of us. We are not your enemy, even though you continue to make us such. I wish you could see and fully understand that we are trying to help you be a better person and someone that you can be proud of. You and I both know that you are against wall right now and that this is your only chance for redemption. I wish you could realize that you only hurt yourself by continuing to backpedal."

Pitch wiped at his eyes hating how easily he cried over such things. His mind locked on the words last chance for redemption and backpedaling, had he fallen that far back? He pondered on this silently. What was he doing? He felt at a loss as he stared up at the conveyor. The clouds had turned gray, and a heaviness clung in the air, "The sun has gone behind the clouds, "I think it might rain soon," Pitch stated unwilling to address the real issues that North spoke on, "We should probably get back to work before we no longer have the chance to finish the job."

"The work on conveyor can wait." said North. "I would like to get your problems worked out first."

Pitch huffed frowning fiercely while his eyes bore holes into the table, "There's nothing to work out! You've told me what I have to do, and that's all that really needs to be said I would think." He didn't want to talk about his feelings now, he was festering in anguish and anger, and the volatile mix would only get him into trouble he knew from countless times before.

North leaned back in his chair. "Are you sure of that? I can tell that you hold in things. It would probably help you if you got them out in open. If you don't, you will be taking out anger on my conveyor. No, the conveyor will wait. Right now, we need to get over this bump in road."

"There is no bump in the road! I have nothing to say!" Pitch seethed now, "And don't worry, I won't take anything out on your stupid conveyor belt! Now can we please just get back to work!" Pitch crossed his arms defiantly unwilling to budge on the subject.

North continued to sit in silence, determined not to give in to Pitch's wishes.

Two could play at that game! Pitch sat stubbornly silently glancing occasionally back at North knowing that the man was playing a waiting game with him, but he didn't want to fold to the Cossack's demands.

The yetis filed back in to work after they had been sitting in silence a good twenty minutes looking at the two curiously as they made their way back to the site.

Pitch used this as an opportunity of course, "Looks like the work crew have returned, they'll be finished with the work by the time either of us gives, so let's just call it a draw shall we? I promise not to ruin anything else and just work as expected. Alright?" He stood to make the motion that they could follow the yetis back to the conveyor.

"Sit down." North said darkly, scowling. "You are not going back to work just yet." He leaned forward and picked up his fork to eat the last bit of his lasagna.

Pitch growled flopping down in his chair as heavily as a man as little as he weighed could (which barely caused a groan in the chair, but the action still visibly stated Pitch's internal exasperation.) "Why are you pushing this!"

"And why can't you just sit there for a while and calm down?" North threw back.

"I am calm!" Pitch fumed feeling more riled by just being made to sit like this.

North looked at Pitch for several long minutes, then he waved Pitch off. "Go and get work over with. But we are going to have talk later, once you are finished."

Pitch practically vaulted out of his seat just wanting to get away from the conversation. If North thought he was going to back down, then the man had another thing coming! Pitch was not going to give an inch he decided then wanting just for once to have the upper hand between the two. North could force him to do a lot of things, but sharing his feelings was not one of them, and Pitch felt slightly empowered in that way.

The sky rumbled Pitch noted as he boarded the lift, and the machine jerked lifting him into the air to where the yetis were already busily working having also sensed the storm that was brewing. Pitch fell into line doing his best to get through the work now as quickly as they could. His irritation was ever present in the scowl on his face, but he didn't let it affect any part of his work more as a point that he kept to what he had told North that he would not let his agitation come out in the job that he did.

North watched as Pitch went to work. He knew all along what Pitch was trying to do, which is why he had kept Pitch seated a little while longer. He wasn't about to let Pitch think he could get his way and walk all over him. He had been sorely tempted to give the Boogeyman a few swats, but he decided not to, figuring it would only work against rather than help the situation. Pitch needed to cool down. He hoped he would do just that during the length of time it took to complete the conveyor. If Pitch came out of it with the same attitude he went in with, then he would take the next step.

The conveyor was close to being finished by the time the sky broke into a light sprinkle the yetis looked like they were getting ready to pack it in. To be so close to being finished just to be stopped by the rain had Pitch goading them on, "Wait! We're almost done! Don't stop now! I doubt you can even feel the rain under that pelt of yours! Another twenty minutes, and we'll be done, and you won't have to work with me again! Wouldn't you prefer that?"

The yetis barked amongst themselves seeming undecided. What Pitch suggested was temping. They were all quite tired of working with the dark man, but the rain was starting to pick up. They looked down to North to make the final decision.

North shook his head no. "It is too dangerous!" he called up. He pointed up at the lightning. "All of us need to get back to Pole."

Pitch let out an incensed inarticulate growl, "We're almost done!" He stomped his foot angrily as he felt the lift begin its slow descent down to the ground. He muttered, "Unbelievable! To be this close and not finish!" It was infuriating as all Pitch wanted at this point was a sense of completion since he was feeling aggrieved in every other sense.

"It is not worth it, Pitch." North shouted. "Yetis will finish it tomorrow."

"The yetis will finish it? But what about me?" Pitch seemed almost hurt that he wouldn't be able to see the last of the conveyor constructed. He sneered seething angrily, of course North would rob him of even that little accomplishment. Pitch was still churning with pent up frustration from the day, and being so close to finishing just to be told that the yetis would finish up without him to witness it left Pitch rather bent out of shape by the time the lift made it to the ground. He tramped out onto the soggy ground rigid with rage. A bolt of lightning flashed followed by a roll of thunder then as the sky ripped open a tide of rain upon them sending the yetis scurrying for the entrance to get out of the weather.

North grabbed onto Pitch and pulled him along as he quickly followed after the yetis.

"I …I can walk on my own!" Pitch growled at North's choice to snatch his arm and drag him about. As if the weather hadn't already dampened his already sour mood, now North was yanking him about like a ragdoll!

North ignored Pitch's grousing as he continued running, past the stables and finally into the Pole. He let Pitch go after they entered through the doors and closed them.

Pitch was drenched looking like a drowned rat hunched over with crossed arms and a deep frown. His hair was flat with the weight of water, and Pitch pushed it out of his eyes and back with a swift brush of his hand sending a spray of water behind him. It was cold outside, and having been soaked to the bone left Pitch shivering now with the light articles of clothing he wore. He gave North a dark glare still feeling quite insulted from his recent treatment being dragged across the field.

North shook the water out of his beard and clothes. He waved forward for Pitch to walk ahead of him. "I will take you back to room so that you can dry off."

Pitch nodded wanting nothing more than to get dry. He walked wordlessly in front of North as they made their way across the hub and down the hall to his room. He let out a sigh of relief never feeling so glad than to see the familiar four walls.

"I will leave you to clean up while I go clean myself up." said North, closing the door after Pitch entered the room.

Pitch went straight to the bathroom stripping and ringing out his clothes to hang on his door. Once finished with that, he climbed in the shower planning to take a very long hot shower in hopes it would wash away the bad day he'd had.

Thirty minutes later, North walked up to Pitch's bedroom and knocked on the door.

Hearing North knocking on his door Pitch sighed, North would pick now to be punctual he thought darkly. No matter, Pitch thought, I'll still enjoy my shower until I deem I'm finished. Pitch yelled out, "I'm still in the shower, but feel free to let yourself in!"

North looked puzzled. Pitch had been in the shower for half an hour? He gave a slight shrug, turned the knob, and walked into the room, closing the door behind him. He sat down in the rocking chair and made himself comfortable as he waited for the man to finish.

Pitch had no intention of finishing anytime soon as he really didn't want to have the talk North was wanting to have. He knew the Cossack planned to pin him into a conversation discussing the events of the day, and right now, all Pitch wanted to do was forget them. He did so enjoy long showers, and just because North had arrived earlier than he wanted to finish didn't mean Pitch planned to cut it shorter than he wished, and just because the man was waiting on him, Pitch planned to take a wee bit longer.

North made himself comfortable, pulling out a book he had brought and beginning to read as he gently rocked back and forth in his chair.

Pitch stayed in the shower about another thirty minutes just melting in the warmth and comfort. Finally he shut the water off drying himself casually with his towel before gliding out of the shower slightly surprised to see North was cozily rocking away reading one of the books he'd placed on his shelf from the library. He only lifted a brow deciding not to say anything as he checked his clothes. They were still a bit damp, so he decided to just sit on his bed in his towel as he buried himself under his sheets for warmth.

"You stay in there long enough you'll wrinkle like a raisin." North said, not looking up from his book.

"Perhaps, but it's a great way to just forget everything else around you for a while," Pitch quipped. It was comforting too, and he just enjoyed the relaxing feel of a shower since it was also a modern convenience he hadn't had the chance before living at the Pole to experience, and it was a slice of heaven to be sure! It had helped to calm his anger, and that was something at least.

"True," North nodded, gently closing his book. He rocked in his chair for several minutes before he spoke again. "Pitch, I will allow you to go out and finish up conveyor early tomorrow morning, if that is your wish. But you will be brought straight back to room afterward to start your week of grounding."

Pitch frowned, "It doesn't really matter I suppose," he said one thing, but he felt another. He did want to see the conveyor finished, but the mention of getting marched straight back to his room soured the thought. He might as well just stay in bed and do his best to sleep the day away he thought bitterly.

North shrugged. "Have it your way then." He put his book down on his lap. "I am glad to see you are in better mood now."

Pitch really wasn't, but he nodded anyway letting himself drop down further under the sheets until he was lying flat on the bed. He was hoping to avoid any further talk on what had happened earlier at lunch or earlier still with the yetis. Pitch thought maybe if North thought he was tired that he would just leave him to rot in his personal miseries. He pulled the blanket up now to cover his face as he settled in to the bed.

North sighed. "I told you earlier that we would have talk." he began. "I hope you know, Pitch, that you came very close to getting another strapping this afternoon."

A strapping! Pitch cringed, he hadn't realized he'd upset North that thoroughly. He was careful with his words now, "I ...I've had a pretty rough day, and I'm sure it was equally hard on you. I'm sorry if we weren't exactly seeing eye to eye."

North nodded. "I accept your apology. But I do wish you would work harder on controlling your temper and attitude."

Pitch was silent for a long while contemplating his ability to manage creating so many problems for himself by barely even trying. He sighed tiredly, "I know; I'm not very good at that it would seem." He was glad that his face was covered, and that North couldn't see the look of misery he now carried.

"You could be if you actually tried."

Pitch snapped, "You automatically think I'm not! You have no idea!"

North's eyebrows rose at Pitch's tone of voice.

Pitch stayed under his covers silently fuming. He knew better than to express any further animosity he was feeling. The last thing he wanted to do now was upset North further after his previous threat.

"Very well. I will not press matter anymore." North said.

Pitch was thankful North was granting him a small reprieve. The whole day had worn away at him emotionally, "I think I want to sleep now if you don't mind," he stated although there was a hint of sadness in his voice.

North nodded, getting up from his chair. "Alright. I will leave you to sleep then. Good night." He walked to the door and opened it.

Pitch glanced from outside of his sheets to watch him leave. His face forlorn.

North stopped. "If you have changed your mind about working on conveyor, better let me know so I can wake you up in the morning."

Pitch shook his head no looking away. He'd already decided that by the morning he wouldn't be at the Pole any longer. It was tearing him asunder, but he had to stop fooling himself that he actually could ever belong here with the guardians, that he could ever keep their friendships or their love. Today had shown him that no matter how much he tried, he wasn't ever going to make the cut. Even Toothiana had turned on him in disgust. He was a hindrance to them, and if he cared for them at all, he'd take himself out of the equation entirely. It was better to cut ties now before he couldn't. He didn't want to now, and the thought of leaving was wrecking him, but he had to. He'd escape tonight before Sandy could come by to put him out for the night like he knew the little golden man would.

North watched Pitch a moment longer before giving a small nod and walking out the door closing it softly behind him.

Pitch took a deep breath as he watched North leave; he laid in bed for the next several hours just staring at the wall blankly. He knew what he had to do, but now he was lacking the courage to do it. He tried his best to conjure every bad thing he had ever felt for the guardians, but the thoughts evaporated into tears as Pitch cried at the grief of losing them already. He didn't want to go, but he didn't want to keep moving through perpetual cycles either. North had already told him he'd backpedaled to the point he was basically back where he started, so why was he still here if he didn't know how to move past where he'd been? He was a lost cause just wasting their time. He obviously wasn't salvageable he decided.

When night fell, the storm had finally died, and Pitch knew it was finally time to act. Pitch pulled open his nightstand drawer pocketing some of the candy, he would need that later. Looking at his lamp, he carefully removed the schooner and placed it in his pocket looking over at his other possessions longingly. He wanted to take them all with him, but he knew he had to leave them behind, just like he had to leave the guardians behind. It was for the best for everyone's sake.

He slipped from his bed and dressed quietly; creaking his door open he listened for long minutes as thrills of fear ran up his spine. When he was sure the hallway was clear, Pitch darted out creeping from shadow to shadow until he came upon some sleeping elves. The ingrates were always napping wherever they saw fit to fall out, and because of this, Pitch knew they'd be a prime target to regain enough of his powers when he could pull enough fear from them to be able to meld into the shadows once more.

There were three piled together snoozing away, and Pitch went to work twisting their dreams subtly into nightmares. The electrifying sensation rolled through him so intense that he couldn't move. Stars! It had been too long since he'd felt the glorious taste of fear this rich! He had to pull back, or he'd wake them. That would do him no good especially if they ran to tell North. He withdrew with a deep exhale, exquisite! Pitch moved on and repeated the process another four times to various sleeping elves until he'd finally ebbed enough power to bounce about unhindered.

It was exhilarating! Oh how he'd missed this! Pitch leaped from shadow to shadow down the halls of the Pole feeling unconstrained in so many ways. Still, he didn't have enough strength to make it away from the Pole through the shadows alone. The elves were not children, so their fears although were enough to grant him access to his shadow powers, once he'd erased Sandy's hold, weren't enough to really foster more power than it would take to jump more than twenty feet at a time. He could only jump to a shadow that he could visibly see as it was, and being this drained meant he had a much more limited scope. He was going to need a little help.

He shifted in and out of the shadows finally conjuring outside and over to the stables. He moved to Donner. The reindeer was quick to amble over to him and nuzzle Pitch. He dug in his pocket pulling out a few gumdrops, "It's not the sugar cubes you're used to I know, but hopefully it'll be enough,"

Pitch offered the gumdrops to Donner, and after a moment's hesitation, the reindeer ate them quickly eager for more.

Pitch chuckled, "I thought you'd like that." He carefully opened the gate to the pen placing a set of reins he'd snagged from the wall firmly in place upon the reindeer's head and guided Donner over to the gate, so he could hop on his back.

Donner wasn't fazed at all by Pitch mounting him by now, and this time Pitch knew that the reindeer would listen to his command, or at least he prayed that their bonding was enough that the reindeer's predisposition to return to the Pole could be overridden. Pitch nudged Donner forward down the tunnel; his heart was hammering so hard at the thought of getting caught right now. He'd been afraid since he'd left his room, but now he was at the point of no return.

The reindeer clopped down the tunnel, and as they moved further down, Donner moved from a trot to a run. Soon they were barreling so fast that Pitch was clinging tightly in fear of falling off, and as they cleared the tunnel and launched into the air, that moment came where Donner went to turn back, and Pitch pulled his rein directing him back the other way as he quickly gave him another gumdrop.

Donner's resistance melted, and he allowed Pitch to guide him back in the opposite direction. Pitch hooted for joy; he'd done it! He'd actually done it! Of course the victory was short lived as he rode Donner further away from the Pole, and the realization that he was leaving everyone behind. He was all alone again, and this time he'd done it to himself. His heart ached now as he willed himself to be strong. He wanted to go back already; but it was too late now.

He rode Donner into the night unsure where to go until finally deciding on the sleepy town of Burgess. It'd been over five years since he'd been to his old layer, and he suspected… hoped that the nightmares that once roamed there had left to haunt some other place. Of course, after several hours of traveling and finally arriving, Pitch realized that the hole was still sealed over. He got off Donner to inspect the entrance, and too late to stop the reindeer, Pitch shouted, "No! Donner! Stop!"

The reindeer spooked by the poison that seeped from his old lair had reared his hind legs and bolted jumping into the air to likely return back to the Pole.

Pitch watched him go feeling even lonelier now than he had. He needed to get away from here. This place reeked of regret and despair, and Pitch knew that to have come back here, of all places, was a mistake. So where was he to go then?

Pitch leaned against one of the nearby trees and sank to the ground hugging his knees to himself. He pulled the little schooner ornament out of his pocket turning it over in his hand. The tears welled in his eyes; he was such a fool! He wept despairingly; he'd forsaken his new family and his chance at redemption. They wouldn't want him back now. They always say hindsight is twenty-twenty, and it was now that he'd given up trying that he realized what exactly he was truly giving up. He wanted to go back home, and this wasn't it.

Up above the moon shone down brightly on Pitch as the man in the moon observed.

Pitch had been gone several hours by the time that Sandy came to visit him. The golden man hadn't gone to see North before stopping at the Boogeyman's room, and when he floated into the room and saw that Pitch was not present, he had just assumed he was with North in his office. It was late, but not necessarily so late that North would not be still be up tinkering about.

Sandy glided down the hall and through the hub towards North's office, when he saw the lights were off. The first hint that something was amiss went through Sandy now as he moved in a flash of golden sand towards North's personal chambers.

North was snoring loudly as Sandy darted forward tugging at the man's beard. North wasn't waking after several attempts, and finally Sandy landed with a flop on the Cossack's stomach, and the man sat bolt upright eyes still crossed with sleep. Sandy was whirling through pictograms at a mile a minute showing Pitch and an empty room.

North shook his head to wake himself up, yawning. "What it is it, Sandy? Slow down."

Sandy flashed a picture of Pitch alone now while urgently pointing towards the hub shaking his head vigorously no.

North held up a hand for Sandy to stop. "Now, start from beginning and go slow."

Sandy's brow drew down in his frustration; it was often difficult to express himself being a mute. He took in a deep breath forming a picture of himself coming to a door and opening it to float inside. He moved to a bed with a depiction of Pitch in it, and the Sandy's sand version flipped back the sheets to see the sand Pitch disappear.

North scowled, "You mean Pitch is not in his bed?"

Sandy nodded solemnly.

North quickly threw off the covers and got to his feet, slipping on his house shoes and throwing on his robe. He turned to Sandy. "Have you looked for him? Or have idea where he went?"

Sandy shrugged depicting a picture of Pitch's room and then North's office. Sandy made another picture of the other guardians and a question mark.

North nodded. "Yes, call other Guardians. I will round up some yetis to help look."

Sandy gave a hard nod and dashed off towards the globe room to activate the Northern Lights and alert the other guardians that they're presence was needed.

Within thirty minutes time, all of the guardians were at the Pole and looking in every nook and cranny.

After an hour of looking, Bunnymund was shaking his head discouragingly as they all met back in the globe room, "I haven't found a thing mates."

North didn't say anything as he stood in the middle of the room, stroking his beard.

"I don't understand why he would run off." said Tooth. "All of us had a huge disagreement yesterday, but we've had disagreements before and he's never done anything like this."

Sandy shrugged shaking his head turning a glance back to North since North was the last to see him.

North shrugged. "Nothing happened when I last saw him. I waited until he finished showering. We talked a little bit, then he wanted to go to sleep. So I left him."

Bunnymund frowned, "Well, I don't care what the reason he ran off, we gotta find the wisp and bring em' back."

Sandy grimaced giving a nod.

At that moment, Jack floated into the room and landed, walking up to the group. "I just got through checking out the stables since I figured he might try sneaking out there. No such luck. But I did notice that Donner was loose, outside where the deer usually graze."

"Loose?" North frowned.

"Yeah, I must have accidentally left his stall door unlatched or something."

Bunnymund looked skeptical and then worried, "Ya don't think the bugger coulda tried ta take off on one a those reindeer again and got himself hurt again do ya?"

"It is quite possible." North sighed. He turned to Jack. "Did you see Pitch outside anywhere?"

Jack shrugged. "No. Not anywhere near the stables anyway. I would think if he'd been out there and saw me, he would have called for help."

"Unless he knocked himself out again." North mused.

"He could be practically anywhere if'n that's the case! It'll be like looking for a needle in a haystack!" Groused Bunnymund.

"He did seem upset about not finishing work on conveyor when we had to cut it off due to rain." said North. "But when I told him he could finish it if he wished in morning, he turned down offer. He's full of pride, so he could have gone out to landfill to finish work by himself. I'd like to think he is not that stupid, but…"

Sandy made a pictograph of the lifts that Pitch would need to operate and a question if he had the ability to do so.

Bunnymund looked confused, "Do ya think he'd have been trying to fly up to the top of the conveyor with the reindeer? That seems unlikely mate. We need ta start thinking where he'd go, and from there send out search parties like we did the first time he went missing," Bunnymund ran a paw down the length of his face, "Crikey, I thought we'd gotten past this kind of thing with Pitch. Ya said ya had a disagreement yesterday Sheila, what were ya arguing about? Maybe it'll give us a clue ta where he'd go."

"No, he would not be able to operate lifts by himself. But it is possible that he thought he could ride deer up there." North said. "Even if it is not possible, Pitch will still try to do it out of spite." He turned to Bunny. "I thought we had gotten past this too."

Tooth shrugged, sighing. "Pitch was in a bad mood as usual. He let his pride get in the way of something he and North were discussing. Basically he wasn't fully admitting that he was the cause of destroying the conveyor, and was trying to push some of the blame on North's robot, subtly accusing North of being partly at fault for it all, even though it was Pitch himself who set the robot off. Anyway, he got mad and stormed off while we were having lunch, so I followed him. He accused North of making his life miserable. I told him he was making himself miserable. I told him that I agreed with everything North said, then he blew up and accused me of taking North's side and that we're all against him. He started raising his voice to me and getting out of line, so I… I slapped him across the face. One thing led to another and before I knew it, he was telling me that he was sick of me and told me to go."

Sandy blinked listening to the whole story now gave reasoning why Tooth had reacted so harshly, and it also gave a window into why the Boogeyman may have left if his pride felt wounded enough.

Bunnymund nodded, "That's …that's surprising that he'd tell you that since he seems to stick to ya like white on rice. Did he mention anything about the fight to you North?"

"I brought up subject after Tooth left, but he closed up like clam. Said it didn't matter. I told him that he was going to apologize to Tooth for whatever it was he said to her, but he got huffy again and said that Tooth was one that should apologize to him." North said, rolling his eyes.

Bunnymund shook his head, "It sounds like he may have run off over ya alls little tiff cause ya hurt his pride. It doesn't right matter I suppose, what we need to do now is drag his rear back here. He may be having some slips and falls, but he's still a heck of a lot better than he was. The longer he's out there, the more of a chance he's got ta fallen back into old habits." He turned to Sandy, "Ya had your sand keeping him subdued, is there any way ya can pinpoint him through your sand?"

Sandy shook his head no sadly.

Bunnymund turned to North, "What about you North? Do you have any kind of spell or what not that can find him?"

North frowned, shaking his head. "I do have old scrying mirror, but I haven't used it in very long time."

Sandy tilted his head to the side curiously at the suggestion.

"It sounds worth a go; let's have a look see," Bunnymund nodded liking the idea.

North motioned for everyone to follow him as he led the way down the hallway and eventually to his bedroom. He closed the door after everyone had walked inside. North walked over to his wardrobe, opened the doors, and reached to take down a small box from one of the top shelves. "Like I said, it has been long time since I used it." He lumbered over and put the box down on the bed, taking off the lid.

Everyone gathered around North watching him as he took an intricately designed mirror that was in lined with glyphs of some sort.

Bunnymund's eyes went wide, "Well ain't that a whimsical lil doodad! Ya didn't by chance use that doohickey when we had that egg hunt back in 1889 did ya?" Bunnymund teased.

North smiled. "Maybe, maybe not," He waved his hand over the mirror's glass. "Show me Pitch Black, aka the Boogeyman." For a minute, the mirror didn't appear to be doing anything. Then the glass clouded and swirled, the surface and the glyphs around it glowing a faint pale blue. When it cleared again, it showed an image of Pitch huddled on the ground near his old lair.

Sandy straightened rolling back his shoulders and proceeded to bound off knowing exactly where Pitch was and planning to retrieve him.

Before he could get very far Bunnymund snatched his foot, "Wow! Wow there mate! Hang on a sec! We might wanna approach this delicately aye? We don't wanna spook him and make him run again especially if'n he's got his powers back. We can't catch a shadow remember?"

Sandy sighed seeming unhappy with waiting, but he floated back down to join the others to see what everyone had planned.

Bunnymund turned back to the mirror squinting at what he saw, "What's he doing there anyway? Just sitting there?"

"Looks that way." North mumbled. "My guess is Donner, for one reason or other, must have ran off and came back to Pole. Doesn't look like Pitch is happy about being back at lair, though. Even though I am mad over this, I do hope it serves to teach him lesson. Maybe now he will be more appreciative of us and what we are trying to do for him."

"So how do ya wanna go about snagging the bugger back?" Bunnymund asked, "Do ya wanna sneak up behind em? My tunnels might be the way ta go ifn' ya wanna go that route. Or we could use your snow globes and surprise him, that might be risky though if he is able to react before Sandy can douse him in dreamsand as by the looks of him in yer little mirror, he ain't as sparkly anymore.

"Yeah, I noticed that." North said, stroking his beard. "Question is where did he get enough nightmares to make him shadow again." North shrugged. "We will figure that out later. As for getting him back, I plan for him to come to us. I will use globe to open portal a little ways away from him, where he can't see. Then I will walk to where he is. Sandy, you will come with me and wait where portal opens. I shall have talk with him first before I call you to sand him again. The rest of you will remain here until we get back."

Bunnymund didn't seem very keen on North going by himself, but since Pitch technically was his ward above the rest of them with the Boogeyman sharing residence at the Pole, he let out a soft grunt folding his arms, "Yer call mate. We'll be here, so leave the snow globe open incase ya need us.

Sandy moved up beside North giving a curt nod to let the Cossack know he was ready.

"I will, Bunny," said North. "Let us all head to the globe room, and we can do this there."

Everyone followed North back to the globe room standing by to support their friend if he needed their help. The room was a bit tense now moments away from confronting Pitch.

"You sure you don't want me coming along?" said Jack.

North shook his head. "I do not want too many there. I want it to be just between him and me."

Jack nodded his understanding and stepped to the side. North turned, tossed a globe into the farthest corner of the room and a portal opened. He stepped through it, motioning for Sandy to follow.

Sandy floated up beside North signaling he was ready.

North walked through the trees for a couple of minutes before he came out into the clearing where Pitch was still curled up on the ground. North held back his flaring anger, trying to calm himself before he came face to face with the man. Finally he walked forward, stopping directly in front of Pitch, hands on his hips.

Pitch had been lost in his own reverie having been sitting next to his lair for close to three hours for a lack of anywhere else to go. It wasn't until he heard the crunch of the Cossack's house shoes did Pitch realize that North was standing right in front of him.

He jerked his head up with a gasp of realized shock pressing his body against the tree behind him as he scrambled to jump into the nearest shadow. He disappeared in a flash although his presence still hung in the air. He hadn't left, but his voice came from another patch of shadows, "Why are you here? You could have been free of me once and for all," his voice was cracked and uncertain. He wanted to go home, but now he was afraid what going home would entail. He was pretty certain he had cause to worry in that regard. That was saying North even wanted him to come back with him. Pitch was afraid of this even more.

Sandy was honing in on Pitch's voice carefully moving through the trees in an attempt to remain hidden until he could make his move.

"I think it's obvious I came to bring you back." North answered, glaring. "Why would you think I would want to be free of you?"

There was a long moment of silence before Pitch spoke again, "I wanted to make it easier for you... for all of you. I know all I cause you is strife. I'm not worth the effort you're investing... I'm never going to measure up to who you want me to be!" There was a bitterness to his tone from holding back the tears that threatened to escape.

"And just who do you think we want you to be? Hm?" North crossed his arms over his chest. "All we want is to see you become something better than you are now. We want to see you become someone respectable that you can be proud of and that will give you confidence. You, Pitch, should want same, since it IS your life we're speaking of. Just swallow that over-inflated ego and pride of yours for a few minutes and look at yourself. Do you always want to live in this way? Don't you want to become someone that you can be proud of? That can do some good for world? That would make you feel like you have purpose in life?—instead of skulking around in shadows, terrifying kids, and being outlandishly rude. Perhaps if you became halfway decent, people would want to believe in you, or you would at least have better chance at it. Wouldn't you want that? Don't you want a chance at doing something good that would gain the attention of the humans? The way I see it, you really have no choice anymore. It's either that path or you sitting here on ground outside lair, crying and feeling sorry for yourself."

Pitch faltered at North's words, "I …I'm not just sitting on the ground crying and feeling sorry for myself! You think I don't want to be better? To do better? To have what you have and be believed in? Of course I do! But you said it yourself, I'm just backpedaling all the time! You've already shown me that you all are just wasting your time with me! Even sweet Toothiana can't help but to get violent with me! How do you think that makes me feel? Did you ever think, just once, that by leaving; I was doing you a favor?!" He was crying now and his voice broke like shards at the last sentence he spoke.

"Do you want to do better? Do you want what we have?" North repeated the questions back, his tone growing gravely serious with a hint of an edge. "Sometimes I'm not sure what you want. You continuously say you want to do better, but yet you turn around and do exact opposite and then yell at us for one thing and another like we are doing great harm to you, then you get punished and go through the whole 'I'm sorry' routine. Apologies don't mean anything if you continuously do the things you're sorry for, Pitch. In order for you to do better and have what we have you're going to have to stop thinking yourself above us and better than us and knock yourself down several pegs and actually work hard for it. You're going to have to be determined to be a better person, and that means swallowing your pride and admitting that you need us to guide you through this and stop getting your feelings hurt when someone doesn't agree with you or take your side in an argument. It's not going to come to you overnight, and it's not going to magically appear on your lap. Yes, you are backpedaling sometimes. It is to be expected for a short time until you gain footing. As I have said before, this road will not be easy for any of us. There will be bumps along way. But right now, you are causing yourself to backpedal because of your stubbornness and pride. Once you get a handle on that problem, then you will start moving forward. You need help, Pitch. There's no shame in admitting you need help and accepting it from others when you need it. But we can't help you until you allow us to help you. We've scratched surface already, but we can't get further than that until you let us. You are no longer capable of making right choices. Every time you make choices, you end up back here, at hole, where you started from. Look at where you are. Who brought you back here? You've made such good progress up until now, but you've now brought yourself back to beginning. You, Pitch, are doing it to yourself."

He sighed. "Toothiana was not being violent with you and you know it. She is your friend. She was only trying to help. You had no reason to talk to her in way you did so that slap was well deserved. The question is why were you slapped? Have you even stopped once to think there might be a problem there that led to her slapping you? Have you worked to correct that problem so that she does not feel need to slap you again? There are many ways to work out problems, Pitch."

North was right Pitch knew, his pride was getting in the way of him moving past a lot of his problems, he sighed, he just wanted to go home and back to that happy place he'd managed to find before all of the unfurling of the issues caused by that horrible magic page! He'd been making such good progress then. He shifted into a closer shadow as he pandered, "You're right. I know it was foolish for me to leave. I… I don't suppose we can just pretend none of this ever happened could we?" Pitch wanted nothing more than to come out to North's side, but a lingering fear of what would follow loomed over him like a guillotine blade.

North sadly shook his head. "No, Pitch. You have disobeyed and have admitted to doing it, now you must face consequences for your actions. When I took you into my home, I told myself that I would help you and teach you, and that includes administering discipline when needed. If I back down now and pretend none of this happened, I would be doing a disservice to both you and myself."

Pitch let loose a low guttural moan of despair, "You're not making this easier! Please! Just this once, I… I was confused! I made a mistake, and I …I promise I'll never try to leave again. Can't you bend the rules just this time? Please?"

Sandy was hovering above Pitch unbeknownst to the nightmare lord that was so caught up in his conversation with North he'd failed to look up. In mere moments the dream weaver would lock on to his exact location, and there would be no more darting in and out of the shadows to hide from them.

"Yes, Pitch, you did make mistake, and you're going to pay for it. No, I am not bending rules just because you demand it. Now, the longer you stay there, pleading and making excuses, the worse it's going to get for you. Already, you have heaped a large amount of punishment on yourself, since you ran off in middle of your grounding."

The Cossack's words were terrifying him. He did want to go back home, but he didn't want to face the consequences he'd wrought on himself. He was always making things worse than they had to be. He needed to face North now as much as it scared him to do so, and so he willing emerged from the shadows head down in shame and hands clasped in front of him, "It… it wasn't a demand… it …it was a request for mercy." He brought his tear stained face up to look at North now, it was apparent he'd been crying far longer than their conversation, "I know what I gave up when I left, and I thought I was making things better to take myself out of the picture because all I seem to do is make everyone around me hurt!" He crumpled to the ground at North's feet now openly weeping his hurt and anguish.

Sandy floated down behind Pitch looking to North and back to Pitch with a distraught look. He was unsure what he should do now that Pitch willingly gave himself up. He hadn't been expecting that. He made a sign of Zzz's and a question mark over his head to see if North wanted the golden man to knock Pitch out.

North held up a hand to Sandy, telling the man that he wasn't finished speaking to the Boogeyman. "Pitch, I've been showing you mercy by allowing you to stay at Pole rather than going back to this miserable place." He waved toward where the hole had been. "I've been showing you mercy by taking time out of my schedule to help rehabilitate you." North sighed. "If you do not want punishment then get it through your thick head that behaving and obeying will take you down a road with less punishment and more praise. I can only hope that you have learned something from tonight's events."

Pitch sniffed nodding his head; he wanted to apologize, but he had a feeling North didn't want to hear it, "I ...I get it now. And I know you're tired of hearing me say I'm sorry, but I am. Please know I never meant to upset you, I acted irrationally... I knew better, but I let my feelings override good judgment."

North grunted, nodding. "And that is why you will be punished. So this lesson will stick."

"I know," he whined pitifully slumping in defeat.

"You need rest." said North, softly. He motioned to Sandy.

Sandy needed no more encouragement as he quickly swooped above him dusting Pitch with dreamsand.

Pitch had never realized Sandman had been behind him as he raised his hands out to the sudden drizzle of shining sand. He didn't have long to contemplate the action though as sleep took him and his body wilted to the ground.

While he was asleep, Sandy coated him once more in specks of light to counteract his shadow ability. He sighed looking down at Pitch sadly.

"Whelp, I guess we head back now." said North, bending down to scoop Pitch into his arms. He turned and walked back to the portal.

Pitch's body sagged like a ragdoll in the Cossack's massive arms.

Sandy floated beside North as they moved through the forest to the entrance of the snow globe's portal and through it.

The rest of the guardians were there waiting for them having heard everything.

Bunnymund looked grim feeling at a loss for words as he watched the procession enter and the portal close behind them.

Sandy once through the portal drifted down to the ground to stare up at North and the others to see what if anything they needed to do now. North would be the one to guide them, and all eyes were on him now.

"I think we have had enough excitement for one night." North said wearily. "I will put him back in his bed and we will discuss what to do with him tomorrow when we've all had sleep."

"Shoulda we be taking turns guarding him? Or do you think what he said about not running is true?" Bunnymund asked worriedly.

North looked at the sleeping form of Pitch in his arms. "I really don't think it will be necessary. I think he learned hard lesson tonight and won't be trying to escape again for a good long time. Besides, Sandy's dreamsand always knocks him out until morning. But just to be on safe side, I will post a yeti outside his door."

Bunnymund nodded taking a few steps back, "Alright then, if'n you need me, you know how ta reach me." Thumping a foot on the ground, he gave the others a nod and jumped into his hole.

Sandy floated into the air gliding over to Pitch who hung limply in the Cossack's arms and extended another dose of dreamsand just to make sure that Pitch would in fact stay asleep. He backed away then giving North a nod before floating backwards giving them all one last look and a nod before heading out through the skylight.

"Well, I need to get back to my rounds." said Tooth at last. "I'm going to be backed up again if I don't." She bid North good night and exited the same way Sandy had left.

"I think I'm going to stick around, if it's okay." said Jack, rubbing the back of his neck. "It won't be long until I'll have to see to the deer."

North nodded. "Make yourself at home. I will put Pitch to bed and then retire to my own bed again." As he said the last part, North yawned and made his way down the hallway toward Pitch's bedroom. When he arrived, he nudged the door open and walked over to deposit Pitch into the bed, pulling the covers up around him. When he saw all was as it should be, he exited the room and made his way to his own sleeping quarters.