In Love with the Darkness (A ROTG Story)

Chapter 9

We sat at a large wooden table in the center of an even larger room. Sunlight poured in through the windows and I had to squint to see. I wasn't used to such brightness.

It hadn't taken much convincing to get me to agree to a talk. The little girl trusted them, so I was going to give them a chance. Plus, they still hadn't given my staff back.

"Jack, what happened?" North, the big guy, asked, gesturing to my probably purple neck.

I touched it self-consciously and looked away. I didn't want to tell them. It was embarrassing for some reason.

"Look, mate. Someone is obviously beatin' up on you. We just wanna help you out." Bunny sighed.

I bit my lip painfully, "it's not his fault!" The words slipped out.

I couldn't handle them insulting him this way. Pitch didn't deserve it. He was a kind, gracious man. I was the one who was conniving and rotten. I was talking with his greatest enemies right now.

Bunny scoffed, "Well whose is it then, mate?"

I crossed my arms, squeezing tightly, trying to keep myself from saying anything I might regret.

Bunny chuckled, "Bloody hell. This is one show you've got going here, mate. You've been painted like a fucking canvas with bruises and you're telling me that it was just an accident?"

I felt my emotions start to roil up under the surface. I felt like my blood was on fire.

"Give me a break," Bunny laughed, "He doesn't want our help."

I stood up abruptly, "What makes you think I want your fucking help, huh? That man has done everything for me for 300 fucking years. I just met you people. He loves me. It's not his fault, it's mine!"

Bunny nodded, "Ah, there we go. How would it be your fault, eh? What on earth did you do to deserve that kind of treatment?"

Tooth whined, "Bunny, calm down. Can't you see you're upsetting him?"

"I ... I didn't listen. I was selfish. I was out talking to you strangers when I should've been with him. All he wanted was to ...." I couldn't say it. The thought of what we'd done still made me sick to my stomach.

Bunny laughed and shook his head, "Listen, mate. I'm the most selfish bastard of the bunch. Easter is always the most important holiday, but you don't see North choking me out. It's not your fucking fault, mate. That's on him."

Tooth sighed and put her hand on mine supportively, "Jack, just tell us a little more about what happened. Why did he hurt you like this?"

I looked into her eyes. Lines of worry creased her smooth face and she held onto me as though I were about to disappear. It was strange. No one had ever held me that way the sense of wideness was back in my chest and I hung my head.

"I ... I didn't want to.... " A sudden thought popped into my head and I sprang to my feet, "No, y'know what? Why the fuck should I listen to you people? He loves me. It's my responsibility to make him happy. When I don't, he does something about it. There's nothing wrong with that. It's a perfectly normal relationship."

Tooth stood and shook her head, putting her hands over her mouth. She seemed shocked. "No, Jack. No... No one deserves that. You deserve so much better than him."

Tears were rolling down my cheeks. I wiped them off angrily. What did I have to cry for? These people were trying to take me away from Pitch. Why did I feel like I should listen to them?

"No ... No, I was ... We were made for each other. There's no one else." I shook my head violently, trying to clear the doubts, "Just shut up! Shut up! You don't know what you're talking about! Just get me my staff. I need my staff!"

My voice came out more desperately than I intended it to. I rubbed my hands through my hair, tugging at the white strands anxiously.

"I have to get home. I have to go back. He'll forgive me eventually, he has to. I just ... I'll stop running away. I'll just take the punishment and then ... And then I'll let him .... Y'know ... It won't be too bad. I deserve it. "

Sandy came back clutching my staff and he handed it to me wearily. A weight lifted off of my chest as I grabbed the familiar wood. Ice spread across the surface, and I sighed in relief.

"Wait!" Tooth called, rushing towards me. She grabbed my hand, "You're always welcome here, y'know? You can come back anytime. We'll always be on your side. We're here for you, Jack. Always."

I grimaced slightly, the strange expansiveness twisting my heart. I felt like I should stay, but I knew I couldn't. If Pitch knew where I was, he'd never take me back. He could never find out.

I turned and strode towards the window, a stone of dread sinking to the bottom of my stomach. I called to the wind, asking it to take me back to the lair. I had no idea what would be waiting for me at home.