Hello, sorry I have taken so long to update this story. I kind of forgot about it and didn't have a good idea where it was going. I have the next two chapters in my head, it just may take awhile to get on paper. Sorry for keeping you all waiting. I hope you enjoy this chapter

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Rise of The Guardians

Chaya steadied her breathe as she stilled herself in shadow, waiting for the tell tale chill of Jack Frost's presence to leave the room. She could no longer hear his panting or see the clouds of frost, but knew he was still close by. Holding the ring close to her body, Chaya breathed out her anger, relaxing enough to let her legs release and slide down the wall as quietly as she could.

Jack had enraged her, she thought he would have been on her side; he himself had said he had suffered similar feelings and desires. So why couldn't he just understand her need? Squeezing her eyes shut, Chaya felt a few tears spill over her cheeks and disappear into the darkness. Everything she had ever known had been ripped away from her in such short time and her mind was still trying to process what was true and what was false. All she wanted now was answers and no one here seemed to be able to answer them for her.

Pitch was the only one who could help her.

Her father was her only hope.

Gently, she toyed with the silver ring in her finger. Her mind had been just as Jack's, the ring was the only thing that could get her to Pitch. But something had stopped her from placing the ring on her finger as soon as she had picked it up off the floor.

Could she really trust this?

Her fathers magic could have worn off or changed somehow. How could she be sure that she was going to the same place if she put this ring on? Nothing was certain anymore.

Chaya breathed a little easier as she felt the chill wear off and the room warmed up once again. Jack was gone. He no doubt was off to warn the others she was gone. This did not comfort her. If she didn't leave soon, they would find her soon enough and she would not be able to get to her father then. She would never get her questions answered.

Taking a deep breath, Chaya looked once again at the silver and black crosses sparkling in the light of her eyes. She didn't have a choice. It was either take the risk or get halted and pushed into a life she didn't ask for. Anger flashed through her in that moment as the thought passed. She wasn't getting forced into anything. With a determination that had not quite caught up to the rest of her mind, Chaya placed the ring once again on her finger, watching the sparkles heighten for an instant before realizing that the light was gone. Nothing had moved… but she had.

Looking up, Chaya saw only blackness and the hardness underneath her, the dampness that froze her to the bones gave her reason to believe that she was back n her father's lair. There was not a sound to be heard as Chaya sat still, breathing in the cold, stinging air.

What now?

Standing up gingerly, Chaya was careful to keep her hands out in front of her so as not to run into any thing. She was afraid of moving any further; she recalled seeing several drop offs on the cliff the last time she was here. Swallowing nervously, Chaya looked around in the deep shadows.

"Hello?" She was hesitate to call her father by his name or by father; she didn't know him.

Silence answered her words and she cleared her throat, planning on raising her voice. Before she could, a sudden light blinded her from above. Squinting hard, Chaya looked up as the light dimmed down to a reasonable brightness and Chaya saw a cave looking structures above her, two ledges away. She was not exactly sure what to do at first, but determined that she would have to go investigate. Her father was obviously not going to come find her. Taking a deep breath, Chaya followed the light to the edge of the ledge she currently stood on. As a child, she had never been much of a climber, unless you count trees, for which she had ample experience. Rubbing her hands together to warm them the best she could, Chaya took hold of a jutting rock above her head, looking down to make sure she had a solid foot support below and dragged herself up. The stones were bitterly cold, cutting her fingers just with the ice freeing over them. Although she could not be sure, she was fairly certain that she was a the bottom of a large cavern. If she were to climb higher, the temperature would not doubt rise. But for now, these two ledges would be enough.

Gasping gently, Chaya lifted herself up on to the first ledge, just below the one where the light was still flooding first. Chaya was freezing, wishing that she had listened to Jack… or at least brought a coat. Pitch's magic must be wearing off, Chaya was certain that when she had first come, she was higher up in the cavern. If she had waited any longer, she may not have made it at all. Shaking her head, she decided not to think about it, climbing over the next ledge with minimal effort, finally laying on her back in front the gaping hole of light, wondering what to do next. She had been so determined to follow the light, but now she wasn't so sure. What if her father was angry with her and he was just waiting for her to come to him, in the attempt to capture her? Or was he even more angry still? Chaya shook her head swiftly. Pitch was the only one who could get her out of here and he was her father after all. He wouldn't kill her… would he?

On shaking hands and feet, Chaya picked herself off the floor and stood directly in front of the light shielding her eyes gently as she walked slowly into the cave.

It was larger than she had first thought.

It took her a few minutes to reach the central point of the cave, the roof arching over her head for miles and she couldn't help but crane her neck up to the roof in awe, catching sparkles of crystals buried deep in the roof. Swallowing, Chaya kept going, the tunnel narrowing the further she went. Finally, after about ten minutes, Chaya reached the back of the cave, the light growing considerably dimmer and she had to squint to see. Not that there was much to see.

The end of the cave ended in a little nook scooped into the rock. There was nothing there. Chaya stopped and stared; shadows played on the wall as she realized crystals were catching the light from their spot on the wall. They danced before her eyes and for a moment Chaya blinked, not sure if the movement was real or in her imagination. She looked harder and saw something in the shadows. Stepping a little closer, Chaya shook from nervousness. A shadow darker than the cave shadows moved in a steady rhythm that could not be mistaken for anything other than deep breathing.

Her father sat right in front of her, his head bent and his arms resting on his drawn up knees.

Chaya caught her breath and stepped back. If she moved, she could touch him. After a moment of nothing, Chaya steadied her breathe, her hand over her breast to still her fluttering heart. Was her father sleeping? Or…

Chaya crouched and crawled forward, a sudden feeling of despair washing over her, mixed with compassion. This was her father, this was the man who's very soul had been poured into her. His blood ran through her veins. Her family before had been all she had ever known, but this man was physically bond to her and no matter how much she told herself this man was to be hated, she could not help want desperately to love him and feel his love; this sudden burst of feeling confused her and she sat back hard.

Her sudden movement disturbed the silence of the cave and her father shifted slightly. Chaya could not help a few tears escaping the corner of her eye as her father lifted his head slowly and looked her in the eye, his face drawn and pale. He looked as if he had not slept in a few days and his figure looked thin. A gentle smile crossed over his face when he saw his daughter sitting before him. Suddenly Chaya could not bare it and her feelings spilled over.

"Father…" Her voice trailed off as the father and daughter closed the distance between them in a deep embrace; Pitch held her head to his shoulder as he pulled her into his lap, Chaya wrapped her arms around his neck, her tears dampening his neck. Pitch did not cry, but his body shook as he rocked his daughter back and forth. The light in the cave brightened significantly and the crystals caught it, displaying the touching scene in a brilliant glow.

Finally, Chaya pulled away, the tears in her eyes sparkling like crystals as she looked up at her father. His face was grey and it looked darker then when she had first seen him. Golden eyes dull, he looked as if he had suffered a great tragedy over again. The smile on his face was genuine, but looked painful. Reaching out, he tucked a strand of hair behind his daughter's ear and his smile brightened, as if the little gesture had healed him just like that.

"You came back… ," His voice was heavy, but light at the same time, his gentle tone turned dark. "I knew you would,"

Chaya bowed her heading, holding her father's hand to her cheek. She could not understand herself. Just a day ago, she wanted nothing more then to be away from this man, even being in the North Pole had not been far enough, but now… She craved his attention, his love built her back up. As if she had been lost for so long and finally, been re-found in the assurance that her father loved her. She had been struggling for the past few days with the question 'who am I'? But now, she knew who she was; the daughter of Pitch Black and that new found identity filled her with peace. The fact that he was Pitch Black, Boogeyman to the world, was irrelevant. So what if the world hated him? Who was to say that he was the only evil in the world? This was her father and she loved him. Squeezing his hand, she looked back up at him, tears stinging her eyes now.

"I needed you,"

Pitch's face softened, the dark lines disappeared and he looked as he had before, strong and confident.

"Oh Chaya, I've waited years to hear those words from you. I'm so sorry I've hurt you. I did what I thought was best for you, I see now that it only benefited me,"

Chaya shook her head, sobs racking through her body. All the stress and shock seemed to melt.

"No, no I was wrong. You did it for me, you did it for both of us,"

Pitch smiled wider, his eyes alight now.

"Both of us? Chaya… you and I can still rule the world!"

Chaya's heart stopped. She didn't move, for fear her father could smell it. She was afraid. There was no way she could be at his side and rule with fear. She could not bring herself. No matter how much she loved her father, that was not her. That part of him had not passed over to her. She was all her mother, she must be! But if she was to know for sure, she would have to have her father's trust. She needed him to tell her who her mother was. It was the only way she could have all her questions answered. Without moving, Chaya smiled, a forced and tight kind of smile. Nodding, she blinked away her tears.

"We can father," She tried to look since as she stared up at her father in earnest.

Pitch could not help but smile widely. He stood suddenly, catching his daughter in his arms, twirling her in the little space that Chaya now realized was wider and taller than she had thought, the crystals had hid the depth in their sparkling.

"I have waited years for this my Chaya," Setting her down, Pitch stood before her, spreading his arms wide before him, the whole chasm brightened and seemed to grow larger, the roof now going on for miles above her. Chaya looked up and watched as dark shadows slithered down the wall, filling the room with the sound of gravelling sand. As they came closer Chaya made out the shapes of the sliding silk forms. They were dark horses.

Nightmares.

Chaya had told stories like this to her brother; ones with darkness and despair, but it had always been dialled down and in the context of something that could be easily reversed by someone like Jack Frost. But where was her saving grace now? Far away back at the Pole. There was no way he could save her now. Chaya was on her own and she had no idea what she'd gotten herself into.

Shaking visibly, Chaya faced her father, the light between them dimming as the horses grew thicker around them. Gold eyes met gold eyes and Pitch lowered his arms. He sensed something in those eyes, so much like his own. Chaya swallowed, sticking out her small chest in an attempt to make herself look more like her father in form. She was not sure how he would take this, but she had no choice.

"If I am to rule with you father, I have but one request,"

Pitch's face did not change, he did not suspect what was coming. He stepped closer to Chaya, looking down at her; she shook like a leaf, but did not shrink.

"Who was my mother?"

The darkness became total.

Again, I really hope you enjoyed this. Just as a warning, the next few chapters will be introducing the Shadow King, Chaya's grandfather, her mother's father. It will take place in the Underworld, so it may be a little gruesome. Just a warning. Please read and review and let me know what you're thinking! Cheers