Black In Black

Heart Pings

Jack looked down at Ellie as she leaned heavily into his side. Her head had dropped to rest in the crook of his neck, her cheek on his collarbone. After who knows how long of him comforting her, she had unwillfully drifted into sleep.
Jack didn't mind a bit. She was peaceful for once since he found her, and that put him at ease. He decided to push the thought of her mother and sister possibly hunting her at this moment and enjoy this calm before the storm.
Jack felt her soft breath in his neck. It was relaxing to feel her so close to him, he decided. He closed his eyes and turned his head, setting his bloodstained lips on her head as she slept.
There it was-- a ping in his chest that made his heart leap. It was so unfamiliar to him but so familiar at the same time. It made him ache for the next time it comes, the next time she smiles, the next time she grabs his hand and pulls him somewhere, anywhere.
He remembered before he was chosen to be a Guardian, he felt so empty. He really thought he had no purpose, that The Man In The Moon made him this way just to torment him. It wasn't till a year ago when he finally felt like he had purpose, when Jamie and his friends finally saw him and helped him defeat the nightmares Pitch had created. He felt needed, finally.
Back then he felt that ping only once, when Jamie hugged him, begging him not to go. It had left reverberations in his chest since then, echoing around like he literally was hollow inside. Now, he felt it on a daily basis, these pings becoming his little rush of adrenaline and dopamine into his system.
He realised then, she had made him feel more alive than he had been since he died; and she had no clue to how he felt. How does he feel? The pings were so different, so peculiar in ways he couldn't describe.
A thought crossed his mind as his breath hitched in his throat. Blood rushed to his head as his mind raced around the thought. How could he? How would he know if he never felt this before?
She started to slide off his shoulder, which caught him off guard as his mind snapped to her, her in reality. Her head slid down and gently landed in his lap. Her legs sprawled out a little, as her change in position made her shift her her side. She still was asleep, though.
His hand rested on her waist now. It felt so natural, almost a perfect fit.
He let out a little, content sigh. She was calm, she was safe, and he was there. He had found her, and made sure she was okay. She was, mostly. He wanted to make sure she stayed okay. He couldn't stand seeing her hurt, not again. No he couldn't stand seeing her hurt in any way, physically or mentally.
The thought crossed his mind again, sending a shiver down his spine. He didn't want to say it out loud, no, he couldn't. He wasn't even sure if he could say it in his head. What if it was true? Better question-- was he even capable?
He let out the air in his lungs he wasn't awake he was holding. Oh, what do we do, he thought to himself. Not just about her mother and sister, but all of it. All of it.

----------

Sometime early in the morning, I opened my eyes to find myself in the lap of someone who faintly smelled like wet dog.
I sat up, seeing the faint streaks of light come from the mouth of the cave. The fire had long died out, a cool wet air seemingly floating around us. I looked over to Jack. He had slumped against the dark rock wall behind us, asleep. His mouth hung open, just slightly.
I couldn't deny it, I was in love with him. The longer I looked at him, his sleeping face, the more that thought sunk in. I felt safe with him, I felt secure with him. That was the big one, the whammy that sent this thought into reality. I never felt that way with anyone else, besides Dad. Sure, I trusted the rest of the Guardians, but somehow with Jack it was different. His arm around me, the thought of him comforting me into sleep and being there for me, it made my heart rise up in my throat.
I moved before I could think about my actions. With one hand, I gently cupped his cheek. I lifted my face up to his and pressed my lips to his cheek, right by his ear. What the hell was I doing?
"Jack, wake up," my voice came out gentle. He stirred, making my heart thump and my hand and lips to retract quickly. He stretched, waiting till he yawned to open his eyes.
" 'Morning," he mumbled softly, pulling a smile. "Did you just wake up? How are you feeling? Why.. Why are you blushing?" He looked questionably at me as my cheeks turned pink.
"I woke up in your lap, why do you think I blushing?" I covered lamely, trying to hide my sudden decomposition.
"Oh, right." He replied, a little dryly. I ended up rolling my eyes. With a little sigh I kept my eyes looking away, as I ran my fingertips through my hair.
It was quiet for a moment, before Jack spoke again. "You didnt answer my question." He said softly, feeling his eyes on me. I ended up looking up at him. His blue eyes held honest concern.
"Which one?"
"I asked how you were feeling."
I paused. I felt fine, I little stiff and a little cold but that was about it. Mentally, was another story. Embarassed? Bingo. Afraid? Oh yeah. Worried? You don't even need to ask.
"I'm okay, sleep helped. We should uh, find your staff and find everyone." I replied, standing as I spoke. He followed, running his hands through his hair.
"You're the boss." He smiled softly. "C'mon then."
He set his hand on the small of my back and pulled me forward as he skipped ahead a few steps. I instantly moved forward at his touch, smiling back at him as he basically pranced forward. Jeez, he's a dork.

----------

Meanwhile, Pitch was moments away from having a catastrophic meltdown. He wasn't sure if he wanted to cry or rip every tree in his way till he found his daughter. God, where was she? They had been searching all throughout this bloody fog all night, in the storm. They could be anywhere, possibly dead, already buried under the snow--
"Pitch, you need to relax.." mumbled Tooth from beside him. She hadn't left his side since Ellie and Jack both disappeared, and he was fine with that. She was the only one keeping him from having that meltdown. Her voice was so even, so soft.
He bit at his lip painfully.
"They're no where to be seen, where the hell could they be?" He growled, fiercer than he meant to speak to the little woman, who hovered next to him with a hand on his shoulder.
Thankfully, by morning the fog had dissipated into the air. It was mostly clear now, which made it seem a lot easier to find a girl dressed in red in all this white. But, here we all were, still empty handed.
"They're here somewhere, They probably found shelter from the storm, especially Ellie. I bet you Jack found her and is watching over her." Tooth replied, as she watched Bunny leap off into the trees.
Pitch couldn't do much but heave a sigh and nod unsurely. He knew Jack jumped off the sleigh to find her, he had no question he was at least looking as hard as them if he hadn't found her already.
"Hey, guys!" Bunny suddenly yelled, in the distance. North and Sandman came from the other side of trees as they all rushed to Bunny.
"I.. I think its Jacks.." He said, as they approached. He stood over a small area where the snow had been compressed and ruined from its usual soft look. Blood stained the snow, still seen under a layer of fallen snow after the storm.
"Oh no.." groaned Tooth from beside him. She had turned pale and covered her face in shock.
"Footsteps? Footsteps! In the snow!" North boomed, following the crooked line of footsteps going in the opposite direction they walked up from. They all followed, Bunny bounding forward ahead of them.