This is NOT a Pitch and Jack story. This is a story of Jack and Pitch's daughter. Ebony Nightingale Black. Even though Jack is dead and a spirit, he still has human functions like eating, sleeping and drinking. However, it is not required for him to survive. So if there is some slight OOCness, sorry I'm not sorry.

I own nothing except Ebony, I made her.

Jack sat up violently from a deep sleep. He looked around in panic, almost falling off the tree branch in Burgess Forest. He didn't understand. Pitch was gone, for the time being, and he didn't have a nightmare. So, why the violent wake? Why did he feel so empty? Deciding that this was slightly urgent, he headed to the pole to find out if there was something wrong.
Upon arriving at the pole, he noticed that the other guardians accompanied North inside his workshop. Catching the eye of Tooth, she tapped North on his shoulder. He turned to see Jack, meeting his eyes with a somber look. "What, what is it? Do you guys feel it too," the winter spirit asked urgently.
"Jack, you must understand. That when you become guardian, you become connected to the children," North informed.

"Yeah, I know all that, but what is this empty feeling I'm having? What's wrong with me," Jack's voice became angry and desperate.

"Jack, that connection is felt in all of us. We have lost a child,"

"Kids grow up every day. They stop believing all the time, but other kids take their place,"

Tooth intervened and placed her hand on the boy's shoulder and spoke in a soft and gentle tone, "A child was taken to quickly Jack; she died."

His eyes flew open and were left wide for a moment, "No…NO WAY! HOW?!"

"We do not know," North interjected.

"Her parents found her at the local grave yard, and no one knows how she died," said Bunnymund.

Frost fought back the tears dancing on his tear ducks, pursing his lips together, he threw his hood over his head, turning, and he flew to the highest window of North's shop and sat there quiet; for the rest of the day.

As the sun started to set Bunny checked on Jack. Deciding to go and talk to his fellow guardian, but how would he go about getting to the top of North's shop? Pondering for a moment, Bunny grinned and produced a great leap from the soles of his feet, planting them on the large globe in the center of the room, only to them bounce onto the relatively large, balcony-like, area in front of the window.

"Listen mate, I know this is the first time losing a child, but-"

Jack cut him off, "You're right it is! I saved my sister! That's why I was chosen, and KNOWING that that child is gone, and I didn't help!..."

Bunnymund's ears folded back in sadness for his friend, and sighed. "Jack there was nothing you could have done mate, no one even knows how she died, so what were you supposed to do? Fight a force you couldn't bloody see?"

The silver-haired spirit grumbled under his breath, averting his eyes away from his companion. The pooka sighed and stood to his feet, tapping his large appendage on the ground, which caved into a round hole, into which he disappeared to the warren.

Later, North interrupted Jack's thoughts, "Jack?" Deciding to interact with other beings Jack floated down to the jolly guardian. The shop was dark. All the yetis had gone to sleep and so had the elves, the only thing lighting the room was the warmly lit candle in Santa's hand. "Come," he gestured Jack to follow him up the steps to a room. Opening the door there was a snug little room with a night stand, a window, a bathroom and a bed.

"It is not much, but I always keep it. You are welcome to stay," the guardian of wonder stared at Jack warmly. The young boy's eyebrows furrowed, opening his mouth to refusing stubbornly, but he stopped. How could he refuse? He was in no position emotionally to be on his own. Saying nothing he nodded once and went straight to the bed.

"Do not worry; I will have yetis make you sleepy clothes in morning, yes,"

A small smile pulled at the corner of Jack's mouth nodding once more, "Thank you, North."

They both said their goodnights, and North went upstairs for some much needed rest of his own. Instead of sleeping, however, Jack simply made small twinkling snowflakes, and made them dance around his fingers. He found himself chuckling a few times, somehow, doing what he was chosen to do always made him happy. Which didn't make much sense; it was the very thing that killed him. This made his face drop with sadness; his thoughts were very dark tonight. Jack never handled death well, especially not his own. After the snowflakes dissipated, he made himself comfortable on the bed and fell into a deep sleep.