I Still Remain the Same

Jack stares down at the glowering little girl. She's cute, he'll give her that. But what a brat. Turning back to the rest of the Guardians, he asks again, "Who is this?"

Looking quite miserable, North answers, "She is Mother Nature."

Little face pinching into an even deeper scowl, the child howls, "No! I'm Seraphina Pitchiner and I want my papa right now!" When no one heeds her demands, she narrows her eyes and crosses her little arms. "My papa's the General Kozmotis Pitchiner, he'll beat you up if you don't listen to me!"

Looking back down at her, Jack mutters, "Wow, I didn't know she was a little brat."

"Jack!" Toothiana hisses as Seraphina begins a raucous protest involving a lot of flailing limbs.

"I want PAPA!" the girl shrieks and Jack barely steps away quick enough to dodge the fist coming straight at his balls.

"Um," he says, "this isn't normal, right? Or why did you call me?"

North moans and Toothiana puts a comforting hand on his arm while Bunnymund rolls his eyes. "The ankle-biter, ain't usually an ankle-biter, that's why!" he snaps.

"Oh." Jack blinks, staring down at the red-faced girl rolling around on the ground. "So what happened to her?"

"We don't know actually," Toothiana replies. "But, erm, I guess she was visiting North and he woke up to find her this way?"

"Why'd she visit you?" Jack asks curiously. This questions is met from another moan from the old man and several desperate faces from the rest of the group. Seeing that he's hit something of a taboo question, the teenager backs off. "Whatever, I don't care." Looking back down at Mother Nature who's cooled off some and is now just lying on the floor in a pathetic heap, inquires, "So what do you want me for?"

"We like you to watch her," North says. "We want to go looking around, see if someone knows things."

Crossing his arms, Jack can only raise an eyebrow. He isn't stupid, it shouldn't take four people to do this. "One of you couldn't stick around here and look after her?"

Toothiana sighs. "Truthfully? She hates us all and Sandy thought… Well, you're both nature spirits, right? Maybe she'll like you better?"

The frost sprite's eyes drift down to the girl who glares up at him furiously. "I don't know about that one," he mutters.

"It's only for a few hours!" Bunnymund argues. "The rest of us have had to suffer the ankle-biter, you should have to as well!"

Jack hums. "Fine," he agrees and, for a moment, they all looks so relieved and happy, however, Jack isn't nearly as selfless with his fellow Guardians as he is with children. "But I want something in return..."

A scowl crosses the pooka's face. "Well? What do ya want?"

Grinning wickedly, Jack leans in and tells them, "I want to have some fun at the Warren."

"No way!" Bunnymund cries.

Elbowing him sharply, Toothiana hisses, "Bunnymund!"

"Fine," the pooka relents. "But only for a couple hours."

"A day," Jack bargains.

"No–!"

"Of course!" North breaks in over Bunnymund's refusal, shooting off a warning glare as he does so. The giant rabbit falls silent and brooding as everyone else rejoices. Taking Jack's hand North shakes it to cement the agreement. "We be back soon!" he promises and, then, they are gone.

Turning back to the child laying listless on the workshop's floor, Jack walks over and crouches down. "So, this dad of yours, what's he like?"

After a couple of hours listening to Mother Nature (or Seraphina, as she prefers) and no sign of the other Guardians Jack thinks darkly, liars, the bunch of them. Deciding the two of them would have more fun out in the snow, Jack stands up from where he sat down hours ago and offers his hand to the still chattering child.

She quiets for a moment. "Where are we going?" she asks.

"To play in the snow," Jack explains, wriggling his fingers expectantly.

She latches on easily enough after his answer, a smile on her face. "Is that the white stuff outside? We don't get it where Papa and I live – or where Auntie lives either," she says to Jack happily, swinging their arms.

"Yeah, the stuff outside." The teenager nods. "But I know this other place with snow, it has snow and kids for us to play with."

Seraphina takes her hand back to clap. "That's stellar! I hardly ever have anyone to play with! Except when I'm at Auntie's. Sometimes the boy from the farm down the road comes around for something and he'll stay and play," she prattles quite joyfully.

Jack, though, feels a pang of sympathy. It's lonely not to have anyone. Maybe the girl had a family, one she obviously loved, if the way she talked about them was anything to go by, but it didn't make up for having no friends. Reaching out for her hand once more, the winter sprite squeezes it firmly. "You know what kiddo? These kids are all going to want to be your best friend by the end of the day."

Awe blossoms on her countenance. "Really?" she breathes.

"Really!" Jack grins, tugging her towards the door. He then tells Mother Nature, "Now, we're going to be riding over on the wind. You got to hold on suuuper tight, alright?"

Little arms entwine around his waist as she looks up at him with a fearless smirk. "I will!" she declares.

Taking a breath, Jack leaps on to a gust of wind. His eyes flicker down to the girl, her eyes are open and amazed. They ride this way all the way to Burgess and the General's daughter's grip never wavers (he should have expected no less).

Landing in the middle of a snowy backyard, Jack spots Cupcake and Pippa. "Jack!" they scream while running his way. Hoisting Mother Nature up to his shoulders before the girls tackle him, he accepts their exuberant hugs. "Jack! You're here! Why are you here?" Pippa asks.

A hand flitting to the knee of the girl on his shoulder, Jack laughs. "Well, I have someone I'd like you to meet."

The look around him. "Who?" Cupcake demands, narrowing her eyes.

Laughing again, Jack swings the child off his shoulders and sets her in front of him. "This is Mother Nature," he introduces. "Do you see her?"

The girls stare carefully where his hands lay for a minute, slowly smiles bloom across their lips. "Yeah!" Cupcake chirps as Pippa gasps.

"Hi!" Pippa whispers, reaching out to the girl.

Seraphina shirks back. "I'm Seraphina," she scowls.

This brings vigorous nods from the other children. "Sure, okay," Pippa says

Grabbing her hand, Cupcake suggests, "Why don't we make a snowman now? Jack can help us make it super big!"

Gnawing her lip, Mother Nature asks, "What's a snowman?"

This brings wide-eyed looks from both girls. "We'll just have to show you!" Pippa decides, taking her other hand. She glances up at Jack and asks for confirmation, "Right?"

"Of course!" Jack scoffs, as if another answer is impossible. Soon, the three girls and teenager lose themselves in the winter wonderland of the suburban backyard.

Several hours later, as twilight creeps in, Jack and Mother Nature wander the streets of Burgess kicking up snow and tossing snowballs as they go. "That was fun!" Mother Nature says. "Can we see them again soon?"

Jack smiles. "Of course!" he agrees. "…Well if North lets me ever watch you again after today," he amends.

The girl giggles and it's surprisingly unique – a sound that's soft like the flapping of a butterfly's wings, yet it carries like the dong of a church bell. "If he won't, Papa will! I'm his flower," she explains, a cheeky smile teasing her lips.

Jack gazes upon her fondly. His sister had been about her age, hadn't she? Yes, she had, he concludes. He ruffles her dark hair, causing her to squawk when the winter sprite notices movement in the shadows. "Sera–"

"Papa!" the girl squeals running straight at the man stepping from the shadows.

"No!" Jack shouts, but Pitch seems just as stunned and, as if acting on reflex, catches the child in his arms, lifting her to his shoulders.

Freezing in place, the teenagers watches the man warily as Mother Nature chatters, "Papa, I didn't know where you were and I was little bit scared, but I didn't cry because I'm not a baby and then Jack came and the other funny people left, then he flew me on the wind and–"

A talon-clad hand comes to cover a pair of apple-red lips. "Hush, child."

The girl rolls her eyes before pulling the hand away. "Papa, how come you look so different? How come I look different?"

Pitch's eyes drift his way. "What is the meaning of this, Frost?" he demands.

"Uh," Jack sputters. "She thinks you're her dad," he answers lamely.

The girl from the Nightmare King's shoulders sends him an irritated glare. "He is my papa! We have the same noses, see!" she declares, one finger resting on hers and the other coming to poke the boogeyman's. The thing is, she's right. They have the same light hook to them, but that's not all, no, Jack sees a number of miniscule similarities between their faces, bodies.

Eyes hungry with something Jack almost thinks he recognizes, Pitch takes the girl from his shoulder and stares her straight in the face as he commands her, "Tell me everything you've told Frost."

A delighted smile comes to the child's face and she wraps her arms around the man's neck and kisses his cheek. "Okay, Papa!"

Both he and Pitch end up appearing faintly disgusted, but Mother Nature doesn't notice as she begins her long-winded story for the second time.

"And Auntie doesn' like me wearin' coveralls…" the girl rambles, head bobbing against Pitch's shoulder. His hand cards through her hair. "Sleep child," he whispers, and she does.

Jack steps forward. "Is that enough for you?" he asks, tired and mildly conflicted.

"I've always wondered…" he trails off as he stares down at Seraphina's small face. "Though, I wish I didn't know now." He strokes a hand down her cheek. "I've dreamt of her," he whispers, a dark chuckle passing his lips, he mutters, "I've seen her face and not once, did I ever see her in the woman."

Jack can't help but feel sorry for the man. "It sucks not knowing who you are," Jack says. "But I wonder if she hadn't wanted it that way."

Darkly, the Nightmare King bites, "Probably didn't want anyone to know her father is a monster."

"I– Hey, no, she loves you," Jack stresses. "I don't know Mother Nature all that well, but I think, if I were her, I wouldn't have told you or anyone because she wanted you not to hate yourself."

Pitch snorts. "I already did – do. How can I not? I scare children like a coward when they are vulnerable in their beds."

Jack puzzled, reminds the man, "You tried to take over the world. That seems rather ambitious for a person with self-hate issues. Wouldn't you rather destroy yourself if that were true?" he asks at the end uncertainly.

The spirit of fear sneers. "I have tried," he admits. "And when that does not work? What is a man full of loathing to do? He shall attempt to inflict others with it."

Jack shifts his eyes into the distance, face forlorn. "I'm sorry," he utters. "I'm sorry no child will ever love you, I'm sorry no child will ever think of you fondly and all you'll ever see is terror in their eyes and you'll only ever be considered with hate."

Looking to the little girl in his arms, Pitch whispers, "I wish to keep her."

Jack shakes his head. "You know you can't." He sighs. "I need to be getting her back before everyone starts looking for me and finds you."

Reluctantly, the boogeyman brings the cradled body away from himself and lays her in the frost sprite's waiting arms. "Know that I shall ache in your absence," he murmurs, bestowing upon her brow one kiss. "Goodbye, flower."

With deep reluctance, Jack lets the wind lift him and soar him through the night skies to a place children only ever dream of.

Coming into the workshop, he's bombarded by the other Guardians. "Where you been?" North demands.

Shocked, Jack stutters, "I– We went to Burgess for a-a few hours."

The old man hums. "You play with other children, yes?" At the boy's nod, he smiles. "Very nice of you," he compliments, bringing a ruddy color to the boy's normally pale cheeks. A grin expanding across his face, the spirit of wonder declares, "We know how to fix."

Swallowing thickly, Jack looks to the girl in his arms and thinks of the man who wanted her. "That's great," he mumbles.

Handing the child off, Jack flees. He can't stay, he can't watch a child die and can't watch a second chance be lost.

The remaining beings stand in confusion, but, slowly, go about the ritual of returning Mother Nature to her rightful form.

"You would have let him keep me," she says, appearing beside Jack.

Tensing, Jack hiccups in his careful creation of frozen waves. "I would have," he finally agrees, returning to the task at hand.

"Why? When he scares children and has on occasion attempted world domination."

Never looking at her, Jack hums. "You recognized him even though he's no longer your father and you loved him still." Pausing in his creation, Jack stares into beetle-black eyes. "He fell in love with you the minute you ran to him."

"He's not my father, though," Mother Nature says.

Jack wipes his hands on his pants and steps back to admire his work. "No," he concedes. "But that doesn't mean you can't still love him, or that he can't love you."

"He's done a great many terrible things," the woman mumbles.

Jack looks up at the sky. "You know what love is? It's being able to accept, forgive, and care when you don't have to," he tells her. "I know he would do that for you if you gave him the chance."

Mother Nature brushes her green-hued hand over his blue-sleeved arm. "You are an intelligent boy," she compliments. "And I think," taking a breath, she whispers, "I just might listen to you." A moment later, the fog's taken her away.

Grinning out at the frozen lake Jack says to no one, "Maybe you'll get that second chance after all, Pitch."

I want to know what you guys think, does Pitch seem alright? Not too sappy? Does Jack seem in-character? Do you like Mother Nature? If anyone has any ideas, criticism, comments or corrections, feel free to give them, I will appreciate it.

Well, thank you for reading!

EDITED: 1/4/16