Reality Heading North

The next couple of weeks went on as they had before Jack knew about Tragedy. Tragedy left the cave to help an elderly woman join her wife in the afterlife. Daydream went to work with the actor majority of the time, she rarely came back to the cave.

Bad Dream went out catching Nightmares but when he couldn't stop thinking about his mistake he went back to the Guardians to see if he could fix what he had done. His thoughts always on Daydream and Elizabeth. He needed to know if Daydream was his love but anytime they got close she would be called away. It felt like Manny didn't want them together.

The North Poles cold did not affect the Nightmare rider. He had nothing to lose, either he would convince Jack of Jeannie's sweetness or he would inform Jack that if he came near Jeannie he would show him what a true nightmare was. Bad Dream jumped from his ride and walked up to the Yeti who opened the door immediately like he was expected. North of course answered Bad Dream's suspensions.

"I hoped you would come back!" North said wrapping an arm around Bad Dream, guiding him to his office. "Why would Jeanie join up with Pitch Black after Jack drowned?" North asked after they closed the door and set down.

Bad Dream remembered the way it had been told to him, "She had nowhere else to go. She felt blamed for the death of Jack and she was alone. She had nowhere to go but to fear. Pitch gave her love, Jack didn't even remember her. Can you imagine being a child and watching the person you were closest to die?" he choked back tears.

"I died in prison. My whole family died before me. I can understand," North said shaking his head. "I was an adult and got to choose. Jeanie was just a baby. I wonder why Moon let her go so far."

Bad Dream decided to trust North, "My theory is that Manny used Jeannie to make a new guardian spirit. He needed someone like her to be an angel of death. He also needed to allow the Nightmares to be created. People have traumas and bad things happen. He needed a way to store and hold on to those traumas so people didn't get hurt. I think Manny created Tragedy."

"If that is true then Manny is... Well he has always been a little manipulative but that seems to be crossing a line," North pondered looking through the window that Manny always waited by.

His light just flickered but he didn't speak.

Jack arrived at the door and walked in. When he saw Bad Dream he nearly shot fire from his eyes, "what are you doing here?"

"I am here to show you the truth. I made a mistake in hurting you; I didn't know how bad Pitch was. I never met the man." Bad Dream stammered a little.

Jack looked from Bad Dream to North and shook his head, "I want to meet my sister," his voice still hateful.

North almost spoke up but Bad Dream put his hand up. He knew this was a bad idea so he decided to cut his losses and go home. "You will never understand. I will protect her from you. She is a wonderful girl with the kindest heart. She has a twisted sense of humor but that is something that makes her Tragedy." He got up to leave, "North, I hope to see you again you are very insightful and I feel a lot better about my job and station." Making sure that Jack didn't follow he left the North Pole and headed home. A lot of new ideas on his mind, including how easy it was to convince North of his theory. That made him more sure that he was right and that Daydream was his Katherine Elizabeth.

*****

Tragedy made it home first. She had time to think for a bit. About her dreams, about the way that Bad Dream and Daydream never have time alone, about how strangely similar their stories were. Her spine started burning, she ignored it. Daydream's real name was Kathrine; Bad Dream's real name was Daniel. That man from her memory looked a lot like Daydream. The light bulb turned on and her back felt like it was on fire again. She fell forward and cried out. Moon was trying to keep her from seeing what she should have days ago. Daniel and Daydream she had to tell them.

Her back stung as the moon burned in her ribs felt like it relit; Manny was trying to stop her. He had interfered with her life enough, he stopped her from reaching out to Jack several times, stopped her from saving Pitch, and now trying to stop her from telling Bad Dream and Daydream the truth. Tragedy would not let him stop her again. She regretted not standing up to him sooner. She left a blood stained note informing them all she had learned. Blood actually started dripping from her sholders and chest where her burning back continued to reopen and bleed.

In that moment, Tragedy also decided to bring the fight to her brother. She knew he was planning to attack her and it was only a matter of time until he found her secret layer. She had to protect her new family from her old one. She finished the note for Daydream and Bad Dream. She said goodbye to her Nightmares, then she pulled her invisibility cloak over her head and stepped into the bloody mist. A woman on a mission. She hoped she made the right choice.