Oh my God, I took 7 MONTHS to write something! Someone shoot me! D: I'm an ass and I don't deserve to live! D:

Okay, I'm really sorry about this MONSTROUS delay, I was having writer's block, but now I'm back! XD

Thank you too much for anyone who still are reading this or have faith in me. I really appreciate it :)

About this story in particular I can say that just one more chapter until the end. Yey! XD I have more fics that I plan to post here and on my AO3 account :)

Now, please, enjoy this chapter :D English is not my first language, so, I'm sorry for any mistake.

"Good morning Jack!"

Toothiana, one of the boy's teacher, exclaimed excited when she saw him come through the door.

Jack was the first to get to class, going to sit at a table next to the window that let the sunlight enter.

He just nodded in a greeting form before lying on the table, leaning his forehead on his arm and closing his eyes, looking exhausted. If Toothiana had paid a little more attention, she would have noticed the dark circles under the boy's eyes.

"Jack? Is something wrong? "- She asked in a quiet voice, aprouching slowly.

Frost was one of the liveliest of the group, always smiling and showing his perfect white teeth -they were bright like snowflakes. Besides, he was not very good with schedules, often arriving late in the first class, making one of his jokes, making everyone laugh.

Jack was never quiet. Not in this way.

"I'm fine" - he said, his voice a little muffled due to his arm.

The teacher sighed, starting to get worried - "You know, you can always count on me whenever you-"

But Jack interrupted - "I'm fine, don't need to worry" - he raised his head, staring at the woman's violet eyes - "I just didn't had a good night, that's all."

"Hm... I see "- she murmured, staying in silence as the boy yawned -" Try to drink a glass of hot milk at night, it might help. "

Jack nodded, seeking for strength to not lay down on the desk once more.

"And try to pay attention, this subject is important!" - She smiled, sounding excited, wanting to keep her student awake.

"Got it" - Jack said, sitting in the chair with his back straight. He did not want fall asleep and miss the explanations, but he was so tired... His eyelids were heavy and were closing on their own. It was as if he had spent weeks without rest, which was not entirely untrue.

Toothiana walked away, starting the class when other students arrived. Thirty minutes after ministering it she looked at the back of the room, watching Jack asleep on the table.

He did not wake up until the moment the bell rang out, seeming more tired than when he had entered the door.

~xxxx*xxxx~

The sun was starting to hide behind the buildings, tinting the sky with yellowish tones, painting it like a framework.

The cold wind was blowing through Jack's hair, who walked to the bus stop. Alone.

He leaned against the wall of an edifice and closed his eyes, sighing.

The boy was tired and gradually his energy and joy of life seemed to be sucked by an unknown and gloomy force, because Jack, during the last week, had been unable to sleep well.

Every day, when he turned off the light and lay down to rest, nightmares invaded his mind. They were so authentic that Jack woke up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat, barely able to breathe and feeling that if he was not sure that he was lying in bed and locked inside his own room, he could tell that it was all true.

Jack used to dream about his own family. Moments and special memories that had happened in his life were simply broken in his dreams, corrupted and counted in a totally different way.

Jack still shivered when he remembered the nightmare where he and Emma were on a frozen lake, skating and having fun. His heart clenched at the sight of the girl falling on the ice and drowning while he only had time to scream and extend his fingers.

The noise of the bus approaching made him open his eyes and move slowly. His limbs were heavy with weariness.

He entered the car that had a few more people, walking up to the last seat and sitting near the window.

Jack was extremely tired, hardly could stand. His head ached and his eyes burned with sleep. He wanted to rest, but he knew that terrible nightmares would assault, so many that he could not sleep for the rest of the night.

Frost closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against the window glass, sighing.

He needed to remember: he was on the bus, not lying in bed where the chances of having a nightmare were much higher.

Jack opened his eyelids and looked around. A man sitting on one of the first seats caught his attention. He had slicked hair and he was dressed entirely in black. Jack closed his eyes again.

He needed to study for the tests that would be next week, in addition to two extra works to present... He was more tired by just thinking about it.

Jack stirred, opening his eyes and noticed after a few seconds that the black man was no longer in the front of the bus, he was in the middle of the car, comfortably seated near the aisle.

Growling, the boy tried to get some rest.

He was safe there, no nightmares could appear in his mind with just a few minutes of sleep. However, Jack could not relax. Something was wrong.

Opening his eyes again, he noticed with some discomfort the man near to his seat. He was sitting just five rows apart.

Something was wrong.

Frost closed and opened his eyes quickly, startling when he saw the stranger dressed in black even closer. Only three rows in front.

It was almost impossible -inhuman- that he had swapped places so fast.

Jack flinched in place, looking at the rest of the seats. They were empty.

Where everyone else had gone? The boy was sure that the bus had not stopped anywhere.

Fear began to rise up his spine, spreading through his skin like a poison.

The only passengers on the bus were Jack and the man in black, no one else.

Wrong. Something was wrong.

Suddenly breathing became more difficult. Jack could see white smoke coming from his lips. The atmosphere became cold, as if he was in the middle of a blizzard.

Frost blinked, trying to swallow his discomfort. And when he realized, the man was sitting in the chair in front of him.

Jack lost his voice.

Maybe it was his mind, but the boy began to move, crawling to the other side of the bus, sitting as far away as possible from the stranger.

What was happening?

He felt alone, trapped inside that place, cornered by a man. Jack tried to speak but his throat seemed frozen. He tried to get up, but his clothes and shoes were so heavy that they did not allow his movements.

And the fear only grew.

Jack blinked, only to see that the stranger was at his side.

He had gray skin and shadows seemed to dance around his body, a dense aura surrounded him.

The man laid his golden eyes on the boy, showing a smile, revealing his sharp and twisted teeth. He was terrifying, like a character who came straight out of some demoniac tale.

Jack shivered, unable to avoid the almost irrational fear that rose into his skin.

A great shadow covered everything around.

"-Boo" - and thus the Overland awoke with a start, gasping and shaking in the seat of the bus.

...A dream. Just a dream.

Jack took a few minutes to compose himself, breathing heavily and cold sweating. People were looking at him discreetly.

~xxxx*xxxx~

Jackson Overland Frost had proved to be someone particular. And Pitch liked it. The Nightmare King loved a challenge.

Children used to, after some time constantly having bad dreams, change their own behavior. It was a gradual transition that left them more reclusive and fearful. Afraid to even close their eyes, asking their parents for help, sleeping in the same bed as them for protection.

And Jack was still a child. A sweet and gentle child. But even with all the attention of the Nightmare King, he continued acting normally. Of course, in some moments the boy faltered and listened to the bad feelings that Pitch had implanted in his head, but he was still happy even after weeks of tortuous nightmares.

Why?

Even after Pitch showed himself personally to the Overland, the maximum of reaction he had managed to tear out was little spasms of fear.

Why does this boy, that child, seemed to be immune to his attacks?

Pitch Black watched from the tree shadow the boy playing with his sister.

They ran through the park. They laughed, rolled on the ground and had fun.

All that joy sounded as if Jack was making fun of his nightmares. As if his efforts were not even able to break down the defenses of a mere mortal.

The black sand around the Boogeyman stirred, floating in the air and spreading through the floor like hungry wolves. The shadows become darker and deeper, increasing in size and being ready to attack when Pitch commanded.

"Ah..." - he muttered as he joined his own hands - "Let's not rush things up and ruin the fun" - Pitch told it with a small smile - "There is a right time for everything" - he said, looking at Jackson with his golden and bright eyes.

~xxxx*xxxx~

Finally the winter season arrived.

Snow was falling slowly from the gray sky, covering the floors and the houses ceiling. While it was a beautiful and romantic sight, the landscape could be desolated and dark depending on who looked.

Jack was sitting on the porch of his house. Barefooted in the snow -he loved the feel of the cold embracing his skin, it was like conquer a new degree of freedom. His hands were protected inside his coat pocket. Hazel eyes roaming the vastness that was the sky.

His breath created small bubbles of smoke that were lost in the air.

Jack was not the kind of person who showed weakness. He did not like to cry and show his fears. Maybe it was pride or some other feeling that prevented him from waver, but the Overland simply could not display his insecurities, especially in front of his sister. She needed someone strong as an example.

Although Jack was getting tired of pretending to be happy, after all...

The nightmares were getting worse. More real. More frightening. Darker.

And Jack did not know what to do to escape that situation. He was afraid. Afraid to lie down in bed at night. Afraid to turn out the light and be devoured, once again, by the hideous creatures that lurked in the corners of his room, under the bed, in the closet and in the shadows.

He had seen the night before, as he climbed the stairs, a shadow, a dark figure with yellow eyes and sewed lips. A being that simply could not be real, but that undoubtedly was there.

It was like in his dreams: deformed monsters appeared around him and tried to devour his very soul. The difference now was that such creatures were appearing in the corners of his own home when the boy was sure he was awake, not in the field of dreams.

Jack was scared. Scared of not longer being able to distinguish reality from dreams.

Was he...

Was he going insane?

Thank you for read it! I really am sorry for the delay D: