Brilliant green, blue, and purple lights lit up the sky, visible only to the Guardians. Four pairs of eyes shot up from their different tasks. Bunnymund left his stampede of painted eggs and took to the tunnels. Tooth stopped in the middle of an address and whooshed off, followed by a company of five fairies. Sandy finished off a few paper airplanes made of dream sand, sent them, then boarded a hot air balloon that would take him to the North Pole. And Jack stopped mid snowball fight to look at the sky, allowing Jamie to pelt him in the face with a snowball. After wiping away the slush, he grinned and explained to Jamie that he had to go.

He was still the last to arrive at the workshop. By the time his feet hit the ground, the other four Guardians were already in a heated discussion about who else but Pitch Black.

"W-w-w-w-w-hoa." he interrupted the fierce argument between North and Bunny, earning stern looks from both. "What in the world is going on, and what does it have to do with Pitch?" He demanded. He was still kinda sore over the whole try and take over the world thing that Pitch did a few years ago. They all knew that Pitch wasn't dead, but Jack had hoped he would at least stay underground for a while longer.

"He appeared in workshop. He took two Yetis, three elves and disappeared." North growled, gesturing to the workshop. Jack took a closer look and noticed several overturned tables and toys strewn everywhere. Tooth looked absolutely mortified.

"If he took your elves and Yetis...my fairies!"

"My eggs!" Bunny agreed. Sandy made a sign above his head of his dream-sand turning into Nightmares again. Jack really didn't have a helper to be concerned about. He just stood silently, letting his friends fret about their minions.

"Look the best way to stop him will be to find him before he gets too strong." Jack again interrupted their thoughts and doomsday considerations. North nodded to get everyone to snap out of it. Sure he was still angry over the loss of his workers, but he had to focus. If they defeated Pitch, he would get the Yetis back. Oh and he supposed the elves could be saved as well...

"Jack do you remember where lair is?" North asked with a strong gaze at Jack. He nodded enthusiastically. Like he could forget the palace of darkness and terror.

"I don't get it though. Why now? It took him hundreds of years to take us on last time. It's barely been three years and the wanker is on our case again." Bunny observed.

"I do not know. Come we must hurry though." North commanded, leading everyone towards the sleigh, much to Bunny's dismay. Tooth kept near Jack, muttering about her fairies and something vaguely threatening towards Pitch should he touch them again. Sandy kept to himself, silently contemplating something. No pictures illuminated his thoughts, but everyone knew he has something big on his mind. Sandy was never one to idly think. Bunny too kept murmuring things about Pitch and how he'd like to show him what being afraid is really like.

"Burgess." Jack told North when the Russian asked where they were going. With a firm nod, the living legend urged his reindeer on and they took off.

Pitch happily walked through his lair, heading to the deepest darkest part of the labyrinth of nightmares and shattered hopes. He had successfully alerted the Guardians of his return to power, and now he felt like celebrating a little. And surely the girl was up for a little game. He hadn't bothered her in quite a while.

The black sand that made up the child's cell separated allowing him entrance. He had to look around a bit before he actually spotted the girl. She was curled into so small a terrified ball that he almost didn't see her all together. She practically sank into the darkness, sobbing into her knees as terror wracked her mind and soul. She became painfully aware that the Nightmare King stood once again in her tiny cell, and it made her cry more. For two years she'd been trapped in this living hell and she didn't know how much more she could take. While Pitch knew the deteriorating situation of his prisoner, he could not bring himself to take pity on her. Her anguish and fear were like a drug to him.

But unfortunately it appeared his supply was about to run out temporarily. He knew that by getting the attention of his enemies, he would soon have to give up the girl. Jack Frost knew the location of his lair. And so, once they came to try and stop him, they would find the prisoner and take her to safety. But, he reminded himself, once he had finally disposed of the Guardians, there would be nothing standing in his way of retaking the poor child.

Every step he took towards her now sent her closer to an all out panic attack. By the time he came to crouch in front of her, she was wheezing heavily and muttering pleas of mercy. She knew it would do her no good. Two years of her deepest fears being exploited by the monster had taught her not to expect any mercy or any shred of humanity from the Boogeyman. With the snap of his fingers, sand moved to wrap around the girl's wrists and pull her up until she was suspended and inch above the ground.

Now that he could actually see her face, he was struck again by how much he loved the girl and her misery. Her permanently tear stained cheeks were still rosy despite the depravity of her situation. Her brunette curls were tangled and ratted from the abuse she suffered, and her previously bright blue eyes were clouded and shy. But she still had a fierce untameable nature to her, even in her depths of horror.

"Good morning little one. Did you miss me?" Pitch asked, cupping the girls face in his hands. She whimpered as his talon like nails dug into her cheeks, little streams of blood running down to her neck. A fresh wave of fear emitted from her in that one whimper that fueled Pitch's cruelty to immeasurable amounts. It was the fright he had pulled out of this previously fearless girl that made it so easy for him to rise to power once more. It was the stark dread that he cultivated out of her mind and soul that put him on a pedestal far higher than the previous one he held three years ago.

He grinned as he felt her pain and fear rushing like a high through his blood stream. He reflected on the girl she used to be. So happy and trusting and unafraid. But it hadn't taken him too long to break the free spirit. Now she was practically his pet, she cowered before him. Yet he knew that without her, he would still be scratching the very bottom of the barrel. He needed her. He wouldn't let the Guardians have her for long. It was necessary for them to take her, but he would reacquire her soon enough.

"Why are you doing this to me?" He could hardly hear the whispered question. But the silky voice of his terrified victim was well recognized by her captor. He had listened to the sweet voice for two years, enjoying most of all when her words turned to screams. Beautiful screams that he drank up eagerly.

"It's nothing personal my dear. Your fear is so intoxicating. So energizing. It gives me all the power I could want and more. But alas, my fun is nearly over for the moment." she looked up at this last statement, begging for relief. "The Guardians come for you." he allowed her the answer, simply to see the hope that lit her eyes. But, he still had time to crush that hope before her saviors came. "I want to play a game." ah there it was. Stone cold dread that replaced any semblance of happiness in those big blue eyes. She knew very well the game he had in mind.

"P-please." He laughed cruelly at her pathetic prayer. His laugh made her flinch and her eyes filled with tears. Sobs wracked the frail body, still suspended and aching.

"Now now...I thought the news would make you happy. Just one more game before they take you away from me. My sweet little one..." he loving stroked the girls cheek, cherishing the feel of her tears on his gray skin. He would miss the tears, even if it would only be for a little while. The girl on the other hand, would miss nothing of this prison, nor her jailor. She still didn't understand how she had come to be in this state. How she had become Pitch's source of fearful power, nor why he continued to torture her when he was obviously already restored to his potential.

"I hate you." She whispered simply. A grin spread across the Boogeyman's face, one that sent shivers up her spine. He knew she hated him. He loved it. But he did wish, somewhere deep inside him, that the girl would love him. That she would at least understand his appreciation for her. For her fear. Without the girl, he would be nothing. Still but a shadow, trapped by his own fears. She had saved him. And he had destroyed her.

The echo of a crash in the distance signaled to Pitch the arrival of his enemies. No doubt Frost had to re-break the old bed frame to allow North entrance to Pitch's lair. He was, after all, a hefty man. The girl also heard the sound, and hope returned to her eyes. She silently plead for an end to this never-ending nightmare. Pitch frowned.

"I suppose our little game must wait. I have guests to attend to." with one last sickening smile he let her fall from the dark bonds and resume her position, curled into a tiny ball, trying to be invisible under the eye of the Nightmare King. And he left the dark cell to greet the Guardians.