Holy Water Cannot Help you Now

Epilogue

Floating down from the northern wind, Jack lands lightly in the powder snow. He doesn't move at first, just watching the skinny figure of grays and blacks; (he's shorter than after the rescue, though). Suddenly, a deer bursts from the dormant woods; Jack sees the fear in the doe's dewy eyes and he almost gasps as Pitch takes on the shadow shape of a wolf and bounds after the sprinting creature. He follows, making no noise as he tracks the destruction left behind in the deer's wake. Eventually, Jack comes to a small white clearing, Pitch stands tall in the middle; Jack doesn't watch his feet and hears a brittle twig crack beneath his toes. Pitch's head swerves, hot red blood drips from his lips and fingers, but, at least he looks nearly as old as Jack now. The Nightmare King wavers in his gaze-ashamed-Jack wants to tell him not to be, he understands (better than many), lean times drive you hard, force you to do things you wouldn't consider otherwise; however, Jack bites his lip and waits.

At some point Jack can't identify, Mother Nature materializes and comes to meet the two boys. She's tense, but then her gaze finds the lifeless doe and she nods. "You found it, wonderful."

Pitch bows his head, the sleeve of his dark jacket trying to wipe away the crimson from his mouth (he only smudges it), "Thank you." He murmurs and looks about ready to fall into the winter's long shadows when Mother Nature sees Jack.

"Ah, Jack Frost." She says with appreciation, glancing to Pitch she remarks to the boy, "Look who's come for a visit father."

Pitch appears pained. "You don't have to call me that," he tells her (begs her).

That stubborn jut coming to her chin, Jack knows exactly what'll she'll say-"I want to." Pitch's eyes droop and he sighs, no other argument rising from his thin lips. Turning back to Jack, Mother Nature inquires, "What brings you here Jack Frost."

Jack pauses, then waving his arm around as gesture to the surrounding landscape he answers, "Winter."

The young woman barks a laugh. "What else could bring Jack Frost, I suppose?" Jack smiles weakly back.

She shifts then, fluidly coming to her father's side taking his red-stained fingers in her green-hued ones. "I'll be back within the week, maybe you'd like to try a town then?" She asks hope and desperation tingeing the question.

Aged Gold eyes skirt away from the question and he bobs his head half-heartedly. "Yeah, maybe." The woman leans in, pressing a kiss to the colorless cheeks before disappearing in a whirlwind of clouds and fog.

Jack approaches, he comes until he's only a matter of a foot away. "So," he mumbles.

Pitch refuses to look him in the eye. "What do you want Jack?" He questions, voice strained and strangled.

"Dunno, maybe some fun?" He offers, a snowball materializing in his icy fingers.

Pitch scoffs, glaring at the pure white sphere. "I don't have time for fun."

Jack lets the ball fall from his fingers and splatter on the tainted ground (he refuses to look, to see the red seeping and scarring his sacred purity), "You did not too long ago." He reminds him.

A mixture of emotions develop and surge on Pitch's face. "How did you even find me? Ser-Mother Nature's never told me."

Jack shakes his head. "We got the letter, we knew he had you-in your own lair, no less-he told us we had a week...Toothiana's the one who decided we couldn't agonize, so, we rushed in."

Pitch runs a subconscious hand over his arm. "They abandoned post and I could move-" He cuts himself off, eyes hooded and hazy with bad emotions.

Jack's lips twitch in a strange smirk, "Didn't need much saving."

"I wouldn't have died." Pitch scowls, "You can't kill fear, it's not possible."

Jack wants to tell him he's lying, tell him he doesn't know what he's talking about, but Jack doesn't know much more than he does. "Well, maybe that's why MiM wants you on our side, you'll outlive us all."

Pitch stares at him humorless. "You're joking." He sneers.

Jack frowns. "Kids can do with a little fear," he declares, "Keeps them from being idiots."

Pitch barks a harsh laugh. "Are you Guardians just figuring this out?"

Jack quirks a bit of a smile. "Can't say, after all, I'm new too."

Pitch fights back a grin and says, "Tell your Man in the Moon he has a deal," Jack opens his mouth, ready to speak, Pitch holds up his hand. "But! Only if Mother Nature has a spot too."

Jack chuckles. "We can totally get everyone to agree to that! She's like a warrior." He comments appreciative. Pitch's sharp face takes on a softer, pleased glow that he can't help. Holding out a hand, Jack suggests, "Should we find a way to celebrate? Ice skating, maybe?"

Pitch rolls his eyes, but puts his hand in Jacks. "You and you're winter fun, but I suppose I could watch."

Eyes glinting devilishly, Jack tightens his grip and smirks. "Oh no, if I'm skating, you're skating too!" He drags the boy off in a surprise gust of wind, using his strength to keep Pitch with him.

Pitch fights him weakly, but he's quiet; Jack thinks he's enjoying riding the wind as much as Jack does, but when he glances down into the teenager's face, he sees his gold eyes are large and for the first time feels how sharp Pitch's nails are in his bare skin. Okay, maybe he's a bit scared, but they'll be at the lake soon!

Here's that epilogue I promised, it squared some things away, didn't it? It's an almost light-hearted ending too, I think. I hope you guys enjoyed reading this story as much as I had fun writing it and thanks a billion times over for reading and reviewing, I can't tell you how much I appreciate it. Thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter, BloodySword99, Nicki K, KittyHawk09 and Jade de Green Queen!

Now, just so everyone knows, I have started a new ROTG chapter story, it's called Your Flowers are Hand Grenades and its focus is on Mother Nature and the Man in the Moon, but it will spotlight a couple other characters from time to time.

I aslo have a few One-Shots out there too, Hold on to What you Believed in the Light and It's Gold and It's Glowing with all the Life you have Left which are Pitch-Centric with a healthy dose of Mother Nature interaction. My final One-Shot so far is about North and Mother Nature and is called, Green Finger Tips and Beetle-Black Eyes.