Paradise Lost

Toothiana's wings fluttered lightly as she peered down into the thick darkness. The shadows that she once knew so well seemed all too likely to swallow her up now: to devour her completely. Her feathers bristled slightly as she quickly shook her head, banishing the thoughts from her mind.

With a deep breath she darted into the darkness, her wings beating quickly as she shot through the tunnel. Her violet eyes scanned the cave for any possible sign of fearlings. To her surprise, she found none, but she still kept an eye out. Where there was darkness, there were shadows.

She reached the cave's cold stone floor, but remained hovering as she looked around. Large cages hung from the ceiling, creaking slowly from side to side on thick iron chains. Toothiana felt a swell of anger rise up in her. That must have been were Pitch had held her precious fairies captive. Sharp, spear-like rocks protruded from the ground, looking like weapons themselves, and little ribbons of water trickled down the cool walls, dripping to the ground with a soft drop.

Toothiana flew across the high-ceilinged room, examining the stairs that lined the walls, and the long bridge that crossed the length across the cave. She soared up, towards the bridge which she saw lead to a dark staircase. If her memory served – which she knew it would- then this was the way to Pitch's room.

It had been a long time since she'd been there….

As she floated up the stairs, a flurry of memories swarmed her: bright flashes of amber eyes, his gray hand gently sliding down her hip, the shocking warmth of his lips against hers.

She dropped to the ground and leaned against the wall for support, her heart twisted painfully as she took a shuddering breath. God, why did she still feel this way?

"I wondered if you would come here." A serpentine voice said smoothly over her shoulder. Tooth jumped, her heartbeat quickening as she jumped back into the air.

"Pitch." She said coolly despite the aching in her heart when she met his eyes, though she remained hostile… at least in stature.

His usually neat hair had a few strands falling into his face, and his ebony robe was covered in dirt and dust. "Come now, my dear." He replied smoothly, though she caught the hidden edge in his voice. "There's hardly any cause for that, is there?"

He seemed so tired, the shadows under his eyes made him look even paler and more sallow. Toothiana's glare deepened and she refused to sink back to the floor. Hardly any cause? She inwardly scoffed.

"You took my fairies!" She shouted, throwing an arm for emphasis.

"I see no need to discuss that which we are already both aware-"

Toothiana flew to his eyelevel and snapped, "You wanted them to stop believing in me!"

It was small, but Toothiana was certain she saw him wince. "That was not-"

"But wasn't it?" Toothiana challenged, straining to keep her voice level. "You wanted me to lose my powers!" She pointed a shaking finger at him, and realized all too late that a tear had slipped from her eye. She gasped and quickly wiped the tear away, shooting away from Pitch, until she backed into the wall.

She caught a change in his expression; a familiar softness fell over his features. It was how he'd used to look at her.

"I knew you hadn't come here to talk about your little sprites." He said quietly, reaching out to her pleadingly.

Toothiana felt the urge to reach out to him… to hold him again, but after everything he'd done, how could she forgive him? Was it even possible? She sank to the ground, the anger she felt at him still prodding at her heart.

She frowned at him. "Tell me, why?"

Pitch took a deep breath and straightened. "I couldn't let you be my weakness, love." He began.

"Don't call me that." Toothiana spat. A chill seemed to run through Pitch as he straightened up, folding his hands behind his back.

"I would have never allowed you to… to disappear-" He looked at her earnestly.

"What would you have done? Kept me in one of your cages?" She asked, gesturing out the stairwell to the massive cavern below the bridge.

"Of course not-" He said, sounding completely disgusted by the idea. Toothiana opened her mouth, but he sharply interrupted. "I would have waited until you were ready to-"

Toothiana's feathers flared out. "To what? Join you? To hoard the teeth with you?"

Pitch grit his teeth. "Until you were ready to forgive me."

It felt as though a knife had been lodged into her chest. She stepped towards him, tears brimming in her eyes as she reached up, placing a soft hand on his cheek. He shivered under her touch, lifting his hand to cover hers and holding it as though she were a lifeline. "Oh Tooth." He said softly, the longing in his voice tugged at her heartstrings.

More tears fell from her eyes. "How could you ask that of me?" She said softly. His eyes shot open and he looked at her with surprise and… hurt.

He suddenly seemed to realize what she was saying, and his eyes widened. "Please-" he began, clutching her hand even more tightly as she tried to pull away. "Don't do this, love. We can fix this- I promise."

Tooth just shook her head and took a shaky breath. "You ruined this." Warm tears streaked down her cheeks as she watched his breathing increase. She gently stroked his cheek with her thumb and squeezing his hand. For the last time? "You ruined us."

Pitch's face and hand went slack, letting Tooth pull her hand from his grasp. She let out a choked sob and covered her mouth with her hand, darting away and up out of the cave, out of the darkness.

The world they'd once shared… the life, the love… it was gone. Lost in the past.

Left behind in their memories.