Cowritten by AyameKitsune, Thanks I owe you tons AGAIN! XD

The dark.

The fear.

The screams.

He relished them all.

He had become a terror of the night. He had tasted fear.

And he liked it!

Jack tormented the twins next, his screeching haunting laughter ringing in their ears as he drew out their fear, gorging himself and fully enjoying it. Yet nothing compaired to the boy he had scared out of his mind. The sweet taste of fear lingered in his being.

Making his craving worse until he headed back to that house. The house where his meal waited.

ROTG

"What?" Carrie Bennett demanded again, arms folded as she leaned on the doorframe.

Pitch sighed

"What part didn't you understand? And how can you see us?"

Mother Nature laughed warmly

"She is a special mortal."

Her tone grew morbid

"Carrie, it is true. Jack's...condition...has effected Jamie so much that he has fallen ill, and his brand causes him much pain. If we can'rt fix Jack...then Jamie's condition will worsen. If he was an immortal, he would fade. Since he is mortal, the sickness will kill him."

Carrie glared at Pitch before snapping, "You will fix this now." She then smiled sweetly at him. "Or else I will castrate you." She strode into the room and gives Jamie some cough medicine, hoping it would give him some relief.

"I can't fix it now. It will take time and unless you know a way to physically restrain hm, that time will be LONG!" Pitch wrung his hands.

Carrie stared at Pitch. "You can't restrain him with your shadows of ask one of the other Guardians for help?"

"IF the Guardians find out then they will castrate me. And I try to restrain him with my shadows, but he absorbs them and flees! Besides I really don't feel like dealing with a raging Sanderson at the moment. Meanwhile my Prince stubbornly ignores any orders to stay put. I could force him to obey, but what would that do to his mind?"

The mortal mother refused to give up, and made another suggestion.

"Put him to sleep with your nightmare sand?"

Pitch hung his head, a bit ashamed, "Ah if only I could. See I corrupt dreams, I dont cause sleep."

Carrie sighed.. "Then the only thing I can think of is either asking the Guardians or at least the Sandman for help or drugging Jack with a sedative."

"Sedative." MN sighed "To sedate my winter would take time, for his blood is frozen. Forgive Jack for Jamie's suffering, I beg you, Carrie. You know in your heart that he would never harm the boy intentionaly."

Carrie nodded solemly. "I know. I don't blame Jack. I blame him." She said pointing at Pitch. The mother of Jack's First Believer suddenly thought of something. "Mother Nature can you bind Jack?"

"I can. But to do so could cripple him. I would rather not snap my Winter if it can be avoided. Do you have a plan?"

"Maybe... Could you make a cage he couldn't use his powers to affect? And if we put the cage somewhere without shadows?

MN frowned deeply, and Pitch shuddered

"CAGE my Winter?!"

Carrie raised her hands in a let me explain way. "And then sedate him." She says. "And when he's sedated remove him from the cage."

"It might be our only hope, Daughter." Pitch said, feeding off fear that had surged thanks to Jack's 'fun' "Otherwise you may have to take greater measures."

"I will not like this, but the idea is sound." MN said defeatedly. "Unfortunately, we will need bate."

Carrie frowned thoughtfully. "What kind of bait would be best?"

"Jamie." Pitch said. "The boy was terrified. Jack is starving for fear. He will come. I guarentee, for a second helping."

Carrie frowned at the thought of putting her son in danger but realized it can't be helped. "Right so how are we trapping Jack?"

"I can build a Summer cage that will weaken my Winter." MN said solemnly. "It will negate his powers and make him very very weak, enough so that you can sedate him."

"Where are we gonna do this?"

Pitch snorted

"Here. That boy can't go anywhere else, not in his condition."

Carrie nodded. "Then I need a safe place to put Sophie."

Pitch stiffened. "Oh no...The brat!"

Sophie's shreaking could be heard. She had wandered outside. Jack stood over her, a hungry look in his face as he shusahed her and began surrounduing her with sand, nearly smothering her.

"What a pretty Fearling you will make for me!"

"NO!" Jamie, sick, hurting, and weak, threw himself at the corruopted Guardian, knocking him away from his sister.

Enraged, Jack sent shadows and sand to surround the boy, but was smacked hard by a Summer Vine. Screeching in pain and rage, he retreated, cackling and swearing to return.

Jamie collapsed in his Mother's arms

Carrie held Jamie close and looked frantically for her daughter. "Sophie! Where are your?" She called.

"Mommy!" she cried, reaching hands up, tears in her eyes.

Carrie shifted Jamie to one arm and used her other arm to grab Sophie to her. "It's ok baby I'm here."

"Mommy I..I scared..." she wept.

Pitch reached for her, drawing some of the terror away until her sobs became hiccups.

Carrie gave Pitch a greatful look and mouthed 'Thank you.' Then she began to walk her children back into the house.

Mother Nature smiled softly at her father, laying a hand on his shoulder. "You did well, Father."

He tried to sneer, but it came out a smirk.

"I...uh..didn't want Frost sensing it and coming back so soon, that's all."

She giggled at his sheepishness

"Of course, Father. Of course."