The normally peaceful town was alive that night with screams of delight as a group of spirits and children slid through the town. There were six children now. All of Jaime's friends joining them with a little help from Jack's magic. They slid along after them in nothing but their pyjamas and coats. Arms held high with excitement as Jack led them all on a Merry trip through the buildings. All of them whooping and screaming with delight.

"The Easter bunny's real!" One kid called.

"And Santa!"

"And the tooth fairy!" Another added. "They're all real!"

Dia laughed and held up his hands. Petals forming around his fingertips and blowing away in the breeze behind them. The flowers of pink, yellow, orange, peach, and red all mingling with Jack's blue snowflakes in a beautiful and colourful display of magic. Ahead of them, Jack turned and beamed at the sight. His eyes meeting Dia's and they both shared a smile.

One of the boys behind them let out an excited shout at the sight. "Look at the petals! Who's doing that?"

"Dia De Los Muertos!" Jack crowed. Dia let out a whoop at his name.

"There's a Spirit for Dia de Los Muertos?" A dark skinned boy gasped. He was wearing a stripped shirt and his hair was spiked up.

"That's so cool!" And dark skinned other boy, probably his brother, added. He was on a red beanie and was grinning widely.

Jack stopped and the sleighs slid to a stop behind him. Dia's face fell as he looked up. They had paused on a junction on the edge of town. The sky was a rolling sea of black above the buildings. Thunder clouds mixing with the black sand as it churned. Pitch's voice was laughing. The sound bouncing around them threateningly. Dia rose to his feet and stood tall at Jack's side. The children behind him as they watched the storm draw closer.

"Whoo! Yeah!" A blonde boy with glasses cheered. Then he saw and the sky and let out a nervous scream, hiding behind North.

"You think a few children can help you? Against this?" Pitch called. His nightmare looming on top of a building above them. He grinned sharply and extended a hand. Lighting sparked around them at his command. One of the children whined.

"They're just bad Dreams Jaime", Jack reassured.

"Yeah we'll protect you mate", Bunny added. Although his little form was shaking.

Lightning flashed again and the pair of brothers jumped in surprise. They ran closer and Dia thought for a second that they were going for Jack. But the two boys stopped at his side. Their fingers nervously grabbing the material of his shirt. Dia froze, eyes widening. They could see him, they could touch him. The realisation made him almost buckle. He was believed in. It was a overwhelming thought. He wanted to say something but Pitch's laughter cut through.

"You'll protect them? But who will protect you?"

"I will". Jaime stepped forwards in front of Jack. His jaw set stubbornly. Dia blinked in surprise.

"I will". The girl in pink echoed as she came to stand at Jaime's side.

Dia heard the two boys behind him breath in as they let go of his shirt. "I will". "I will". The two of them stepped round him to glare up at Pitch angrily.

"And me". The blonde girl stepped next to Jaime.

"I'll try", the blonde boy stuttered. His stance no less strong than his friends despite the nervousness on his face.

Pitch snarled at the display. "Still think that there's no such thing as the boogeyman?" He raised his arms and the black swirling sand of nightmares descended on them. Thunder and lightning crackling as the wave swept down. Dia raised his scarf covered fights, Jack raising his staff. The guardians all settling into fighting positions as the sand drew closer.

"I do believe in you", Jaime stated. "I'm just not afraid of you".

The sand dropped on them and Jaime held out a hand. As soon as the black hit him, light burst out. Dia gasped in surprise as the sand was transformed into familiar gold. The golden light bursting out into shapes and swirls. Dream trails taking form in the night air as the black ness dissolved. The children all gasped and laughed in delight at the sight as the guardians stared.

Tooth let out a happy noise as her feathers regained their colour and her wings began buzzing. "Yeah! Tooth fairy!" The pink girl exclaimed as Tooth began flying around. Dia cheered and held out his hands. Tooth giving him a high five as she soared past his head.

Then North let out a triumphant yell. The colour was back in his skin and the wrinkles had disappeared. He stood straight and brandished his swords. The children cheering. Dia cheering with them. Petals exploding around his feet. "No!" Pitch roared. "Get them! Do your jobs!" The nightmares shook their manes and galloped towards them at his command.

Dia cackled as he held up his hands. Flames sparking around his cloth covered fists as skull make up covered his face. Behind him, North broke two snow globes and Yetis came running out of the portals. The yeti and Dia throwing themselves at the oncoming nightmares with gusto. The black sand bursting at Dia's flames as he thrust his hands at them. Children followed after them. The black sand turning gold under their touch. At some point in the fight Bunny had returned to his original form and Dia saw his boomerangs spin over head.

"Dia!" Jack waved at him from on top a roof. "Come on". The wind picked Dia up and he landed on the stone. He grinned at Pitch as he advanced. The nightmares around the boogeyman exploding into flame at his touch. Tooth flew by and slashed some of the nightmares into pieces with her wings. "Thanks Tooth!" Jack called as more nightmares froze under his staff.

"Ho ho ho!" Dia laughed as Bunny appeared from a chimney. His boomerangs fending off the remaining nightmares. "Good one Dia!" He called as another black horse exploded under his touch. Dia beamed. Bunny dove for Pitch but the spirit escaped. His nightmare leaping off the roof. Dia watched as suddenly North appeared and sliced the nightmare from right underneath him. Pitch went tumbling, landing heavily on the road.

"Ifs over pitch", Jack spoke as the guardians all landed around him. "There's no place to hide".

Dia letting the air sweep him up and deposit him at Jack's side. The flames around his fists and the skull decorating his face making him seem threatening. He raised his arms and colourful faces seem to appear in the dark. Grinning decorated skulls glowing in the shadows. They laughed and Dia grinned. His chest glowing under his shirt as more skeletons seemed to form from the shadows. Their bones all colourfully decorated with flowers and spirals. All their eyes turned on Pitch as the guardians advanced.

Pitch's eyes darted between them all nervously then he grinned. He fell into shadow. Everyone turned, watching as his shape danced along the walls. "Go help the children", Dia commanded. The skeletons nodded and headed, bones clacking, down the street to where the children and the Yeti's were still fighting the nightmares. Dia sighed in relief that the children would be getting some extra help and turned to Jack.

"Jack! Look out!" He called as Pitch loomed behind him. A huge black scythe in his hands. Jack turned and gasped. Just as pitch was about to swing the blade, a boomerang hit him in the shoulder. He stepped back under the blow and raised the scythe again. Jack gripped his staff to defend himself but he didn't need to. A tendril of gold caught Pitch around the arm and the boogeyman was suddenly pulled back over a van and out of sight. Dia and the guardians leapt after him.

"Sandy!"

The little gold man grinned at them. One hand holding a gold tendril which was attached to Pitch, who was rapidly disappearing into the clouds. Dia let out a yelp and ran forwards to give Sandy a hug. Golden man patting his back as they parted. The other guardians all surrounding them in greeting. North laughing as he threw Sandy up into the air.

"Mate you are a sight for sore eyes", bunny chuckled. Sandy held up a finger and they paused. He tugged in the gold rope and there was the sound of screaming as Pitch fell. His form landing in the snow a couple of feet away. The children cheered.

Unedited