Now That the Calm's Returned (I know I can't Manage)

Companion piece to The Finest Thing I've Ever Done.

Jack hoped that after Pitch Black's defeat, after becoming a part of the Guardians, after finally having some believers; things would be different. He hadn't expected everything to change at once, nor had he actually expect everything to change. But, riding the wind back to his little lake in Burgess; the winter sprite knew he hadn't expected this. Pulling himself from the wind's current, Jack dropped with practiced ease on to a thicker branch of one of the many old maple trees around his home. Sighing, he pushed himself from the branch and came to the lake's edge. He fell back onto the browning grass and curled his knees close to his chest, one arm wrapping loosely around them as the one holding his crook let the stick droop into the water; freezing it over with a thin layer of ice.

Scowling, the boy smashes his staff into the soft ice shattering it. He couldn't believe the rest of the Guardians! Didn't they have time for anything other than work? When did they ever have fun? He had started at the Warren this morning; hoping that the giant kangaroo would be willing to take a bit of a break to hang out maybe. But, no; this minute Jack showed up, he instructed his golems to get rid of Jack and hadn't even cared to listen to Jack-what if he'd been warning him about an incoming attack on Easter!? Feeling no little disappointment at being kicked out so quick, Jack decided that he might as well try and visit the Tooth Fairy while he was at it. Upon arriving, he easily found Toothiana who told him she was busy; but, if Jack liked he could stay a little while. Feeling marginally better after the earlier rejection, the Guardian of Fun excepted the offer. He talked to Tooth for nearly two hours before she abruptly turned on him and snapped.

"Jack!" The woman snapped.

Jack was sure she heard his teeth clank together. "Yeah?" He asked a bit weary of she had to say.

She sighed at him. "Sweet-tooth, children are losing teeth as we speak; I need to be able to think, okay?" Her eyes were pleading, but he had easily picked out the irritated curl of her lips.

Putting on his bravest smile, Jack nodded. "I'll come back later?" He suggested.

The tooth fairy nodded eagerly, ushering him out of her office. "Yes, why don't you come by next week?" She told him; however, she hadn't waited a second to hear Jack's answer, before returning and closing her office to him.

Shoulders slumped, Jack decided to try and visit North at his workshop. (The yetis wouldn't even let him in).

And here he was, sitting by his lake; waiting desperately for that visit he sometimes got from Sandy. Glancing up to the night sky, Jack glimpsed a cloud of gold and squinting, he saw the Sandman waving down at him. Grinning, Jack eagerly waved back watching the man go. He understood Sandy not having much time for talk, after all, he didn't have anyone to help him; not like the others. Exhaling for what had to be the hundredth time, the winter sprite got up and made to climb a tree when he caught sight of a shadow in the corner of his eye.

Heart thumping against his chest, the boy felt his mouth go dry. Taking a step, his worst fears are confirmed; it's Pitch Black, the King of Nightmares, the Boogeyman. At first, Jack considered running to get the other Guardians; however, he thought better of it. If they were too busy for him, they were too busy to deal with Pitch Black and it'd have to be up to him. The teenager then scrambled after Pitch, as not to lose sight of the shadow-man in the darkness around them.

He snuck in behind Pitch, when he saw the spirit go instinctively to the bed of a little boy; Jack did his best not to make a sound. He watch the man (is that a new coat?) lean in close to the boy's ear; begin to whisper things. His fingers brushed over the boy's head as he crooned some terrible image into the boy's mind; causing the smooth face to tense and crinkle. Jack from his hiding spot just on the other side of the windowsill did his best not to let his breath turn ragged or for the frost waiting to be unleashed in his finger tips come out. Soon, the boy's face took a drastic appearance and his eyes opened wide; bulging from their sockets as they saw the Boogeyman looking down him.

"DADDY!" The child shrieks, tears spilling hot and slick down his brown cheeks. Silently, Pitch retreated into the shadows and Jack watched the boy's father come to him; hold him. (Is it wrong his heart aches for the same? A boy three hundred years too old for such things?) Backing a way with slow deliberation, he glimpsed Pitch Black's retreating form in the yellow glow of the street lamps; saw him glance back the way he came and for a moment, Jack was certain he witnessed the man's flash an unfamiliar blue.

Jack doesn't think he'll ever tell anyone, but he continued to follow the Nightmare King; followed him as he visited children late in the night. He watched with horror and respect as he went on scaring children, not once wavering in his duties. He saw how fondly he looked down upon each child, how regret seemed to flash in his eyes every time they woke and saw him hovering above them and witnessed as he sometimes stuck around; watched a parent (fathers in particular) comfort their distraught sons and daughters.

Sometimes, the Guardian of Fun was left wondering if the man knew he was there; surely he did? But, then why did he ignore Jack every time? He didn't have an answer, but the boy liked to think it was because the man didn't mind his company (not like the Guardians). Possibly, that's what drove the winter sprite not to run or tell anyone about what happened the time Pitch Black approached him one sunny winter day.

Looking on with wonder as children ran that way and back in ten inches of snow, Jack could only grin at the joy his creation brought. He was thinking of joining in soon, but before he could take another step toward the gaggle of youths a rich voice rang out, "Hello!"

Turning his head, Jack saw Pitch Black not far away at all (and caught a glimpse of a couple children running for the hills). He tilted his head and looked on with mild curiosity; it was nice of the Boogeyman to follow him for a change. "I'm surprised you're showing yourself in daylight," he told the older man.

Slowly meandering closer to the winter sprite, the boy sees the man shrug with impeccable nonchalance. "I like taking chances, I suppose," he drawled; mischief glimmering in the gold of his eyes.

This brought a smile to the teenager's face. Taking his own step towards the man, he asked, "So, what drove the big bad Boogeyman to visit little old me?"

The former enemy pauses. "I wonder..." he whispered, "Do you notice?"

Not able to keep his cheek in check, Jack remarked, "Your change in wardrobe?" Smirking he finished, "'cause yeah, I do-got to say, it's nicer than your last get-up."

Shocking the boy, the shadow-man laughed. "Cheeky as always," he smiled, "Though, I do wonder why you don't call for the other Guardians; aren't you worried that I've shown my face again so soon?"

Jack felt some of the surprise drain from him to be replaced with something a little too close to contempt. "They don't have time to listen to my prattle, as Bunnymund likes to say," he mutters.

The noise Pitch makes sounds far too comforting. "Oh, Jackie, being ignored again?" He tuts, rubbing dirt into Jack's open hurts.

"No! They're busy, is all," the teenager counters, shaking his head.

Suddenly, the Nightmare King's leaning in over Jack; lording his stupid height over him. "Yes, busy catering to every child in the world besides you," he commented.

Jack tried not to let the man get to him, he wanted him to react; do something dumb. Flickering his gaze to the ground, the trees, sky and children; he argued, "I don't need them all the time, I'm not really a kid after all; I'm over three hundred years old.

The older male smirked and quicker than the winter sprite could react, Pitch had his hand tangled in his hair tousling his strands of frost white hair. Instinctively, Jack leaned in. "But still a boy at heart..." he whispered, pulling away; Jack told himself he didn't care (but he wished Pitch would it again, it felt right).

Falling back, The spirit of fear grinned at Jack. "When you get tired of being over-shadowed by the world's youth, you know where to find me;" and he was gone.

Looking around for Pitch, Jack was left feeling like an idiot. How long since he last talked to someone? A while, maybe since he last dropped in on Jamie and his gang. He didn't really want the Boogeyman's company, he was just a little starved of company (that's all!) Resolving to forget about the King of Nightmare's odd offer, Jack threw himself into the group of children not much farther away than when he left them and gained a believer while he was at it.

Deeply upset a few months later, Jack floated aimless on the wind causing storms on a whim. What was wrong with the Guardians! Christmas was over nearly a month ago! Surely North would have been able to take a minute off to do something fun-or at least talk to him...Drooping a bit, Jack yelped and hurried to regain his perch in the wind before it let him go. Grumbling about the wind's wanton behavior, he's reminded of another; Pitch Black.

"...get tired of being over-shadowed...know where to find me."

Feeling quite desolate, Jack decided it was a perfect time to take the older spirit up on his offer. Finding an entrance to the King of Nightmare's lair, near his lake in Burgess Jack's surprised by its state. It was not a warm or comforting place; though, it felt lived in and welcoming. Urged on, Jack wandered the cavern's many twists and turns. At some, having long since stopped paying attention to where he was going; Jack bumped into someone.

"Umph!" He cried, stumbling back.

Steadying him with a hand to the shoulder, the spirit of fear smiled down at him. "Taking me up on my offer, are we?" He inquired.

Gazing up at the man, Jack's shocked by how different the Boogeyman seemed. No more was the scowl or coldness to his eye, the set of his lips was content and his eyes danced with a smug sort of amusement. "You're different," Jack stated.

The older male laughed. "Quite," he agreed, leading Jack down the caverns' many paths. How different? Jack didn't yet know.

"...You really want me here?" Jack questioned doubtfully; searching for any hesitation, any hidden motive.

The man looks down on him with a fire in his eyes. "I would not have asked if I did not want you," he growled.

"Why do you want me?" The winter sprite followed up quickly, not wanting to lose his chance to have his questions answered.

The Nightmare King's gaze flickered to him and to the illuminated halls before him several times before he gave an answer. "I miss having a child about," he admitted.

Jack's eyes grew. "You had a kid?!" He exclaimed. No way! The Man had to be lying; after all, North had told him the guy was even older than him-which, the Guardian of Fun found unbelievable in itself.

"A great long time ago," the Boogeyman agreed. "...Not to say she doesn't come for visit any longer, but she's grown now."

"Who is she?" The teenager asked, greatly invested now.

The former Pitch Black smirked. "She's called Mother Nature now," he told him.

"No way!" Jack cried. He'd met her a few times, she smiled at him; but, he has a feeling it had more to do with his antics than liking him.

"Yes," the spirit of fear smiled. "I've come to realize I missed having a child around." He repeated to the still stunned Jack. Now looking him dead in the eye, he said to Jack, "I don't expect you to trust me or even enjoy my company, but I'd like to try." Glancing away, Pitch told him softly, "Someday-Someday I hope you might seem me as a close uncle...maybe even as a father."

Jack stopped and looked seriously at the man. "...I can still be the Guardian of Fun and I don't have to help you take over the world?" The youth inquired. If he couldn't, well, then he was done here; better to be lonely than lose any principles in all of this.

The man bobs his head. "You can," he concurred. "I wish for you to stay-I don't think taking away your Guardianship or making you help me conquer the world would help with that." He explained seriously.

The winter sprite cracked a grin. "You got a deal, man," he said. "I won't be calling you dad anytime soon, but how about uncle Boogey?" Jack won't ever tell Pitch this, but this offer...it's all he every really wanted; someone who just wanted him for him.

Pitch makes a face and giggling inside himself, he waited for the other to object. Closing his eyes, Pitch smiled. "If that's what you want," he concurred; brushing a gentle hand through his locks.

Blushing from the touch and from his joy; it only took all of a minute before Jack tackled the man in a hug. Yammering on about how much fun the two of them are going to have and oh, when does he get to meet his big sister Mother Nature? He more felt than heard Pitch groan beneath him, but any worries were forgotten when the man's spidery fingers crawled beneath his arms tickling him.

"UNCLE BOOGEY!"

This is a companion piece to The Finest Thing I've Ever Done which is told more or less from Pitch's view. They can be read interchangeably to a point and one does not need to read the other to enjoy the story, but it kind of comes together in making full sense of what has happened since the ending of the movie.

Thanks everyone for reading and please review! :)