"How is he doing?" Tooth asked Bunny who was sitting next to Jack's bed. It had been three days since they'd rescued Jack from Pitch, but it was barely 2 minutes after they had left the lair before Jack blacked out completely. He was now in the infirmary at the North Pole, at North's Workshop.
"I don't know the same maybe; he still hasn't woken up yet".
"Well I bet we're making slow but steady progress". The fairy replied. Tooth was always happy and tries to look on the bright side of things and point out the positive things of things. She always knew how to cheer someone up.
"Yeah, could you stay with him for a while, you know, with it being Easter in 3 weeks"?
"Course!"
The Pooka Left the room but said hello when in the door way, making Tooth turn around and see North in the door way, coming to see Jack. Jack had a broken arm and hip and a lot of fractured bones. He had a lot of bruises and cuts. But the thing that scared the Guardians most was the words written on the boy's back. It read this broken, pathetic spirit belongs to me!
"Who are you?" Jack's voice was shaky and it startled Tooth out of her thoughts.
"Jack, my boy, how are you feeling?" North jumped up.
"Who are you?" He managed to say again maybe a bit more defiantly. But then a coughing fit started and the Fairy rushed out to get a glass of water and returned within an instant, which Jack disregarded without another thought.
"Jack, we are the Guardians. I am North or Santa if you would prefer", pointing to himself. "This is the Tooth Fairy", pointing towards the flying Fairy. "There is also the Easter Bunny, and the Sandman, but they are somewhere else at the moment". Jack realised that this was the Russian man who pleaded to let him go.
"Why did you take me?" Jack looked confused, and maybe a bit scared. "What are you going to do to me"? His eyes showed the fear that he was trying to hide.
"Why Jack, we rescued you, and we're not going to hurt you, if that's what you mean". The Fairy answered looking as confused as Jack. Jack then realised that this was also one of the voices he had heard back at Pitch's lair. The fairy was the second voice he heard, the more frantic and feminine.
"What do you mean rescued? I was fine there?" Jack lied but he was still confused and still scared. What do they want with me? I need to get out of here. He will be mad if I don't go back. Jack thought to himself.
But then they all heard the smashing, and then the windows in the infirmary smashed revealing the dark figure. He looked around trying to find his possession, and then his eyes fell on the two Guardians trying to get Jack out of his bed but he was kicking at them keeping them away. They were trying to calm him down but failing every time.
"Jack, I am so glad you're safe. There's no telling what they were going to do to you. I was so scared. Come, let us leave this place". Jack stopped thrashing to look at Pitch and back to the Guardians. Come on now Jack we are going now. Pitch's thought floated into his head. He thought back, no, I don't want to go back. I want to stay here. Pitch's face twisted with rage as he flew down towards the 3 figures.
"Pitch, I am warning you, stay back" The Russian man, North that's what he called himself, said to Pitch. Then, he and Tooth stood next to each other forming a barrier in front of Jack. Then once again a wooden boomerang hit Pitch on the head making him stumble. Then a golden whip came round wrapped itself around Pitch trapping him, and making him unable to do anything.
"Jack, what are you doing, you don't know these people. They are murderers, cannibals, lunatics"! Pitch said this convincingly, but his eyes gave away the lies he was trying to tell.
"Yeah, well someone once told me to never trust the dark man". Jack replied, not looking at Pitch who was now snarling at the Guardians.
"Well, I'll be back for you, Jack, mark my words, I'll be back".
With that last sentence, there was a dark flash and the golden whip that once held Pitch, now dropped to floor, useless. Everyone turned towards Jack who trying to stand up without support from the bed. He looked up, when he realised the staring eyes, and lowered his gaze to the floor.
"Thank you", the barely audible mumble was heard by everyone in the room, "for helping me".
North came walking up and stared at Jack up and down before pulling him into a large bear hug, then the other Guardians came and joined in. Then for the first time in Jack's life he felt happy and hugged everyone back, before letting a single tear slip down his cheek.