Just a modern AU oneshot. Jack's memory in saving his sister with a twist.

I know that Pippa isn't his sister's real name (that's Jamie's friend, the one with the hat) but I've kinda bonded with her as Pippa so just roll with it.

Reviews are welcome!

It was a calm, sweet night in my house; our parents had left on some business and I was in charge of the house and looking after my sister while they were gone. I loved Pippa, so sweet and kind. She loved my fun loving nature and the games we played, even if I got silly sometimes and she suffered from my antics. The day was long; going to school then playing with our friends when it finished. Eventually we had dinner and I kissed Pippa goodnight, letting her sleep. I was sound asleep in my own bed, my room next door to Pippa two in the morningt due back for another day) and I could hear drawers being opened and raided.

A robbery, I concluded.

There were a few ways this suddenly dangerous night could pan out. The first, the intruder could be armed and aggressive, so we stay quiet and let him take our stuff. Second-

Pippa! I nearly screamed. She won't know what to do with a potentially aggressive intruder in the house.

"Shit…" I mutter to myself. I have no choice but to hide Pippa and get the intruder out of the house.

With the silence of a shadow, I rise from my bed and creep to my door. As I open it slowly, avoiding making any sound, I pause to listen again. The top landing is clear and peaceful, but I can hear the noises more clearly coming from the stairs. Praying that my feet won't make the floorboards creak, I step out from my room and turn to Pippa's door. I was just about to place my hand on the doorknob when it turned by itself and the door opened up.

"Jack?" Pippa stood on the other side, her favourite soft toy dangling from her hand as she looked up at me, "Jack, I heard noises and I was wondering if it was you-" she was cut off by more footsteps from downstairs. I knew I had to act fast, "Jack, who's there?"

I kneel down before her and hold her shoulders comfortingly, "It's okay Pip," I try to soothe her, hushing quietly.

But Pippa knew something was wrong, "Jack, I'm scared."

"I know, I know," I do my best to keep her calm and rack my brain for ideas, "But, it's okay. He's not gonna find us, uhh… We're gonna have a little fun instead,"

"No, we're not!" Pippa said frantically. The footsteps were getting closer.

I give a half-laugh despite the situation, "Would I trick you?"

"Yes! You always play tricks,"

I rub her arms, staring deep into her chocolate eyes, "Well, not this time. I promise, I promise," I look behind me at the staircase, expecting to see a dark figure emerge; but none showed. Suddenly an idea struck me.

"You wanna play a game?" to my absolute relief, Pippa is distracted and gives me full attention, "We're gonna play hide and seek! Like we do every day-"

Pippa gasps and my stomach drops when the first step downstairs creaks loudly. I take action quickly and turn to my frightened sister with her favourite smile on my face, "You go hide in the best hiding place you know, and don't come out until I find you." The steps were now climbing up, "I'm gonna count and you go hide, okay?"

"Okay!" Pippa said determinedly.

I stand up and face the wall, muttering numbers and watching Pippa out of the corner of my eye. We both knew the absolute best hiding place in the entire house; it was in my room, inside my wardrobe. At the very back is a small, loose doorway that leads into the walls of the house. You would never find it unless you knew what you were looking for. To my utter relief, I see Pippa dart inside and leave the door ajar. When I knew that my sister was safe, I faced the top of the stairs, waiting. To my right, I notice my crooked staff leaning against the wall realizing that I must have left it there earlier that day. I took hold of it in my hands, preparing for the worst. Finally, the intruder showed himself, looming up towards me. He stopped before he reached the last few steps when he saw me, I could feel the tension rising dramatically and my heart pound furiously in my chest. I was terrified, especially when the guy spoke.

"Who were you talkin' to?" he grunted. He was dressed head to toe in black with a balaclava covering his face. A backpack slung from his shoulders and his hands were occupied by a torch and… a knife.

Swallowing, I tried to keep my voice steady, "No one."

"Don't lie!" he spat, "I heard you talking to someone else, a girl," my stomach twisted painfully, "You tell me where she is, now," he commanded, "and don't call the cops, or this knife won't be the only thing I'll put inside her."

At those words, terror and rage boiled up within me. He planned to do disgusting, vile things to my sister if he found her. How dare he? There was no way I would let any harm come to my Pippa, I would rather die than let her down like that.

"Get out." I growl, lifting my staff defensively.

I could see how scared the intruder was himself. Great, I thought, everything's so much worse when they're scared.

"Shut up!" he screams, "Or I'll put a knife in yer!" he brandished his weapon menacingly. "T-tell me where she is! Or-or I'll kill yer! So help me I will!"

"I am not telling you anything. Leave, and no harm will come to you." trying my best at taking control of the situation. I still don't have the knife though…

The intruder scans the top floor when his eyes land on my bedroom door left ajar. I don't know how my organs could still drop, but they did. I felt hollow, and unreal, but I wasn't going to let him find Pippa ever.

Suddenly, the man lunged towards the door before me, desperate to get in. But I was too fast.

"NO!" I scream, launching my entire body at him.

I aim my staff at his throat and catch him right in the middle of his neck. He was caught off-guard and was thrown back down the stairs. I fall with him, never losing my grip on my staff and pressing it evermore into his neck. We drop down the first flight of stairs, the intruder screaming and flailing and myself grunting, until we crash into the wall in the middle of the staircase. At the impact, I hear the intruder's neck crack and fall silent and limp. Then I scream, my agonized voice echoing throughout the house. Teeth clenched, I moan in pain as I try to stand, but only to fall back on the stairs. I couldn't breathe, even as I saw my chest rise and fall desperately along with… the handle of a knife. It was embedded deep within my chest, opening me up to the world and spilling my warm blood into my clothes and onto the stairs. Every painful gasp I made had no effect, and then I felt my blood rise within me. I spluttered and coughed as the hot liquid splashed and gurgled from my lips as it choked me. I was scared and fearing death; of leaving her alone.

"P… Pipp… a…" I can barely pronounce her name.

The pain was excruciating, like a hot coal pressed onto my skin. It throbbed and ached like it was radiating some evil aura throughout my dying body. I couldn't even scream in pain, either I was immobilized or it was just too much to put into a sound. My hand reaches up to the handle, and hovers there, unsure of what to do. I couldn't see the blade at all. It was gone, inside me and never coming out. As I drop my head back onto the stairs, my body going limp as my life drains away, my eyes come to meet the full moon peering through a window above me. It was so big and so bright. Suddenly, I felt safe and secure. It seemed to tell me that it was going to be alright, that it was going to watch over her for me. I felt like time had stopped, that I wasn't going to die just yet, like the moon was giving me just a few more moments. I lay there, bathed in the moon's glorious silver light, accepting my fate.

I did good, the moon told me. I did a good job, and now my work here is done. Now was time for me to move on and to fulfil myself somewhere else. We will all understand in time.

Somehow, a small smile bloomed on my lips like a flower in the night. I felt cold, but I wasn't scared. I felt sad, but I also felt fulfilled.

"Pippa…" the words slipped from my lips like a puff of breath on a cold, frosty morning, "Love… you…"

And I closed my chocolate eyes for the last time.