I originally had planned on ending this arc with this chapter (with the title being Pitch's Anger *couch...couch*). However, I decided to divide it into 3 or 4 more chapter for the different POVs for Pitch, Susanna, Flee and maybe the Guardians (maybe). Enjoy!

A Broken Heart

Nightmare Horses clashed with swords and boomerangs and the sharp wings of the Tooth Fairy Queen. A frustrating battle between the Nightmare King and his Nightmares against the Guardians was raging on. The Guardians were barely matching Pitch's attacks as he attacked with his Nightmares and scythe. However, the Guardians continued while blabbering that they were going to destroy his Nightmares from harming the children. How stupid could they be?

Pitch knew the Guardians were not at full strength. But he was too busy trying to push the Guardians away from the village, to really put much effect into attacking them. But they kept trying to attack him directly, making it almost impossible to force them back. Keyword: almost.

Pitch grinned wickedly as he stepped into the shadows before the Pooka's boomerang could hit him. The Pooka growled in anger as his boomerang returned to him. He so wanted to end that rabbit's life and maybe use him for rabbit stew. Hmmm...now that was an idea.

"My, my, angry are we?" he mocked through the shadows. The Guardians continued to fight his Nightmares as he hid in the shadows. It was amusing how they tried to defeat all his wonderful Nightmares. They were outnumbered by a few thousand or so.

Many of his Nightmares were also not like the others. They were the improved ones that Jackson helped him with. Jackson was very good with his powers over energy. They had managed to find a way to strengthen his Nightmares with his energy powers. With it, the sand would by more solidified. It would take a lot longer for them to be destroyed by his stupid enemies that he sought to destroy.

"Pitch! Get out here and fight us! Or are ya bloody afraid we'll kick you back to that hole you came from?" Pitch watched the Pooka, unamused, from the shadows. Were the Guardians really that desperate? Or were they just stupid? They were the ones losing here.

Pitch smirked as he laughed. His laughter seemed to come from all around the fighting Guardians as the shadows amplified it, making it echo and menacing. The Guardians jumped as they tried to fight the Nightmares, in addition to finding out where he was. But in truth, he was everywhere and yet not at the same time. The shadows quivered and moved around them as they sensed the Guardians' fears. It was very amusing. Did they not realize that they were fighting fear?

"Well," Pitch held his scythe in his hands. "If you insist, vermin?"

"Who are ya calling a vermin, ya bloody ratbag!?"

"Why you of course," Pitch said as he materialized behind the Pooka. Pitch held his scythe close to the Pooka's neck.

"BUUUNNNY! DUCK!" Pitch quickly staggered back, his scythe cutting a few strands of Bunnymund's fur. He wasn't expecting North to throw his sword at them.

"Crikey, North! You could have hit me!" Bunnymund yelled, looking very stunned and very angry as he glared at North.

North shrugged. "Ha, you survived. You worry too much," he said before he got attacked by three improved Nightmares.

Pitch growled as he disappeared into the shadows just as Toothiana was about to hit him. "Pitch get back here!" Pitch ignored the fairy and watched the battle from the shadows.

Pitch frowned slightly as he saw Bunnymund still glaring at North and not paying attention to the three Nightmares that were charging at him before it was too late. They seem to be fighting each other more than me. Pitch rolled his eyes at the insufferable Guardians. I can't believe these were the ones who almost defeated me during the Dark Ages.

From the shadows, Pitch glanced at the moon. The moon was a little more than half way. It would be a full moon within the next couple of day. "You're Guardians are slacking, old friend." The shadows quivered as they keep his words away from the Guardians. They did not hear a word he said, not that it mattered, but the moon did.

The moon seemed to dim before sending several moonbeams. Pitch frowned as one of the moonbeams came close to him, while the others scattered around to make it look like it was reflecting off the snow and not a direct message to him.

Pitch frowned as he heard the ancient magic of the moonbeam deliver a message to him. The message was a soft whisper of a very young man, filled with regret. I am very sorry. I was wrong.

Pitch frowned. He couldn't be serious.

I realized too late. Fear can not be destroyed.

Pitch felt his eyes widening for a moment. Was the Man in the Moon really apologizing to him, after all this time? Pitch couldn't believe it. So little Tsar Lunar XII was actually apologizing for attacking him once he got in control again, for blaming him for the stuff the Fearlings did when they were out of control, and for raging war on him for only doing his job? Well, he never thought he would see that day.

Pitch glanced at the Guardians who were still fighting his Nightmares. If that was the case then why were they still fighting against him? Did he not tell the Guardians to stop this pointless fighting then? Or were they so insufferable that they were not listening anymore?

My moonbeams have failed to reach my Guardians. Their anger and hatred have blinded them. I fear only those who could hear old magic like you and Sanderson would understand what I'm saying.

Pitch clucked his tongue. Only old spirits could accurately communicate with kindred spirits much like himself, Sanderson, Father Time (unfortunately), his daughter, Jackson (sorta), little Tsar, the four Winds, and Death. It would be next to impossible for others to understand Sanderson, considering he speaks a very old language that not many know now and had resorted to sand charades.

Pitch found himself rolling his eyes at that. Charades might be one of the worst games ever invented, considering if a person actually had the patience for it (not many do). Oh, he felt bad for the little Guardian. He must be constantly annoyed when the other fools gave up when they could not figure out his symbols. He would have to remember to tease the little man later.

Actually, now that he thought about it. Where was Sanderson?

We're going to die!

Pitch stiffened in horror as he heard the intoxicating, sickening fear of his two children. The Nightmare Horses whined as they felt their fears; the Guardians were oblivious to what was going on and were startled when the Nightmares started to go crazy.

Koz, help us! The ice is cracking! I don't know what to do.

I'm scared! I'm scared!

Pitch felt his own fear raising and completely ignored the Guardians as he exited the shadows and made a run for the path that he knew would lead him to this children; his family; his believers.

It's like my nightmare! I'm scared! I'm scared!

I don't want to die!

"No," he whispered; he prayed he wasn't too late to help them.

"PITCH, YOU RATBAG! GET BACK HERE!" Pitch ignored them and cursed under his breath as the Pooka threw his boomerang, which he dodged before it could halt his progress. He didn't have time for them. His children were in danger.

I have to save Flee. She will not die! Will Koz be mad at me, though? I might not survive this.

Pitch gasped and ran faster. His eyes began to sting with unfamiliar tears. He ignored the insults and screams of the Guardians that were close on his heel. All he could hear was Jackson and Flee's fears, along with the fast beating of his own heart. "No, no, no! Why now? Why today?"

I'm sorry Koz. I don't think I can keep my promise.

"Jackson hang on! I'm coming!"

"JACKSON! FLEE!" Pitch took a sharp left around the trees and practically jump over several boulders and logs. He felt his heart pounding the life out of his chest as he emerged into the clearing where the lake was located. And what he saw made his mind go blank as the cracking of ice reached his ears.

"JACK!" Jackson was on the lake and was starting to plummet into the frigid cold water underneath.

What Pitch did next was merely a reaction. Pitch ran towards the ice (looking on with absolute horror) and used his sand to create a whip. "JACKSON!" The sand moved quickly to grab Jackson before he completely submerged in the water. But by then it was too late.

"I'm sorry!" That was all he heard when he reached the lake. Pitch fell to his knees and saw Jackson struggling, but he was too far under.

The tears freely fell as Jackson's movement slowed down. "Jack! Come back!" Flee's cries struck a cord in his heart as he glanced at the woman and child kneeling next to him with tears on their faces. Flee looked horrible as she whimpered and cried for her brother. Susanna had to hold her back from getting too close to the hole in the ice.

"Jackson!" Susanna's cries broke his heart. The sadness in her brown orbs, the quivering of her lips was too much to bear. "Jackson!"

Her cries. Her tears. Flee's cries. Flee's tears. Their broken expressions. Their broken hearts. "No..." They matched his own. "Jackson!"

The pain. Oh, the pain was worse than he ever imagined. Emily told him about Jackson's death. But the vision was so vague…not even Father Time could pinpoint where and when. All he saw was snow and ice...and multiple visions. Nothing was clear! Why didn't he put two and two together sooner?

The tears fell harder. His pain intensified. The distress whines of Night and Onyx added to their misery and pain. Night sounded so upset and broken. Her voice was laced with pain; no doubt from the Pooka's boomerang he passed by before when he was running towards the lake.

Pitch closed his eyes as he tried to keep his anger at bay. But is was so very hard. The pain was so much. He had promised to protect his baby brother. And Jackson? Jackson promised to protect his sister. And he did. But why did you have to die? Why did you have to leave me? It was not your time!

"Pitch is crying?" Pitch gritted his teeth at Toothiana's soft voice. "When did he start caring for the children?"

And then he heard it.

Koz, please take care of…Mom and Flee. Pitch's eyes shot open as he heard Jackson's pleading fears. They mean everything to me.

Everything around him seemed to fade. The screams of Flee and Susanna became muted. Night and Onyx whines became distant before his ears silenced them. The soft, shocked whispers of the Guardians were cut out of his mind. Everything around him seemed to fade into darkness and disappear from his vision, leaving only his dying brother underneath the ice.

Be there for them. They need you now more than ever.

Pitch wanted to reach out to his baby brother. He wanted to argue. He wanted to beg for him to keep fighting. He wanted to tell him that he was going to be okay.

But then he froze.

I'm sorry…I couldn't keep my promise…I guess we won't live…forever…as spirits…

His breath hitched. "No!" Pitch saw Jackson holding the vial weakly in his hand. Jackson was so close…and yet...so far.

I love you…

Pitch wailed brokenly. "Jackson! Don't go!"

Koz…

"Don't leave me! Please, come back!"

Don't…

"We just found each other! We were going to be a family again!"

forget…

"LITTLE BROTHER!"

me…

And then the dam broke. Pitch's heart shattered into pieces. Only one-fourth of his shattered heart remained for Flee and Susanna.

But without Jackson to keep him sane…

To keep him smiling and light and happy and filled with love…

Without his prankster brother to make his life filled with energy and warmth and laughs…

Without his soft words and cocky attitude…

Without his warm brown eyes, that twinkled with mischief…

Without his hugs and reassurance that he was the best brother ever…

That he was real…

That he was here…

That he was alive and whole...

And not invisible and hated…

The chains broke.

Anger descend.

And the Fearlings roared…

For Pitch's anger was released on the Guardians.

Vengeance for the death of his child.