Everything remained black for a long while, and Jack just... floated. No, he drifted. And then, suddenly, there was firm, cold ground beneath his feet, and when he opened his eyes, he found himself standing at the edge of a lake. His lake. It was night outside, and everything looked strange. Familiar, but very strange. He looked over to where Jamie's house, and the town, should be, but they weren't there.

He was about to go and inspect this phenomenon, when he heard a sound. It was laughter. Very, very familiar laughter. He turned slowly, disbelieving, but there he was. Jack Frost was standing, in the clothes he died in, blissfully unaware, laughing like a maniac at his newfound powers. He started to slide across the ice, his staff in hand, laughing and slipping. And Jack, by the edge of the lake, was so confused. He could remember what had happened; he could see it very clearly. Now he was actually seeing it happened, as an outsider. He knew what would happen, but still watched it take place.

But then something distracted him, something he did not remember. As dark figure was watching him from the tree line, following him with yellow eyes. Jack wondered if Pitch had really been there, and he had just never noticed, or if he was there as a result of whatever the Time Keeper had done.

He had been so engrossed in Pitch that he had not noticed his past self wander towards the small village that he had once called home. Jack did not want to go, mostly because he knew what would happen, but it didn't seem to matter. The landscape changed around him, as if he were walking with himself, but he had not moved at all. He noted that Pitch had also moved, following Jack.

Jack shook his head, thoroughly confused. Ad thought occurred to him, and her resolved to ask the Time Keeper, if he ever encountered her again. He forced himself to be brought back to the present. He watch himself kneel down, and be passed through be the child. He winced, as the memories came back to him. But then something changed. Pitch started to speak.

"It's so unfair, isn't it." He leaned up a tree and looked, not at Jack, but at the village.

"What is?" Jack could see and hear the wariness in his voice.

"We do all we can, but still no one see us." He glanced over at Jack.

"Why not?" The wariness was gone now, replaced by curiosity, and a hint on longing.

"If I tell you, will you help me? I need all the help I can get, Jack." He turned now, to look at Jack full on.

"Help you with what? H-how could I help you?"

"I have a plan, but I can't do it alone." He said, fervently.

"A plan? A plan to do what?"

Jack never heard anymore, because the darkness descended again. But the look in Pitch's eyes before he left made him think that he didn't want to hear any more.

"You could probably guess what he was going to say, anyway." Jack turned, startled, and saw her behind him.

"How are you doing this? How are you controlling everything?"

She laughed. "I'm not controlling it, just helping with a little bit. The events play out naturally, they just need a bit of a push to get them started."

Jack looked curious "A bit of a push? What does that mean?"

She sighed. "Pitch was watching you during your timeline too, Jack. That wasn't me. In your world he, after seeing you playing with your powers, left, thinking that he wouldn't be able to convince you. To make this happen, he just had to be persuaded to watch a little further."

Jack ran his hand through his hair. "I still don't know why you're doing this."

"Doing what?"

"Bringing me hear," He gestured at the empty space, "Showing me all this. What purpose does it serve?"

"Some things need to be taught."

Jack sighed again. "You never told me your name."

She laughed again, surprised. "And I wasn't lying when I said I'm not sure what it is."

"Not sure?"

"Jack, I am almost older that Manny. There are a great deal of things I'm not sure about." She paused for a moment, considering, "I think my name might be Thyme."

"Thyme... well, that's ironic, to say the least." Jack said, smiling at her, but she was no longer paying attention.

"I have to go." She looked directly at him. "And so do you." A moment after Thyme left, the scene shifted again, and again Jack was left alone with the ghosts of a past.

Disclaimer: I do not own RotG, and I doubt I ever will, but I hope you can enjoy me stuff in their universe.

Thank you for reading, Reviews, opinions, ideas, and help are always welcome.

I hope you enjoyed.

...

pjesmile