Guest: That's probably the most enthusiastic review I've had, thank you. I'm flattered you think so. Cookie? (::)

One year later.

I sat at the table, eating cereal at the same time as always. On the other side of the table sat Jamie, blearily nibbling at his toast, his normally flat, brown hair sticking up in all directions.

We'd been living together for a couple of years now. I'd gotten a stable job at the bookshop and was working a bit more seriously on art while Jamie was in university.

Oh, and we were also dating.

Don't ask me how, but Jamie didn't seem to care that I was as cold as a fridge, or the fact the temperature went down several degrees when I slept, and I commend him for it.

I'd known him through the weird puberty phase, which he seemed to have finally left behind. He still had that round face, but his ears no longer seemed to be as big, his hair had gotten longer, not much, just noticeable.

He'd filled out a bit as well, putting on a bit of muscle from training with us, but not to the point of being some hulking goliath. He'd grown up, but he was still Jamie. Still earnest, and still obsessed with the supernatural and unexplained.

I heard a soft thud by the door, and went to go pick up the post, since Jamie seemed too tired to even eat his toast, let alone get the post.

My gait was interrupted by a slight limp. My leg had healed long ago, but not enough for a proper gait, even the strange and wonderful things we had hadn't gotten rid of it. It didn't hamper me much, but I was slightly slower these days, which frustrated me.

There wasn't much on the doormat, a letter from Jamie's university about an upcoming party and other events and the monthly subscription to his "They are out There" magazine. And a letter for me.

The envelope wasn't exactly conventional, it seemed to be made from wrapping paper. There was no return address, or any address at all for that matter, just my name on the front. Curious, I sat back down at the table to open it.

"Jackie" It read.

"It's been a while since we've seen you, but I'm sending this letter now because of something of the utmost importance.
I herby invite you and your fellow Heads of the Human Order of Guardians to the North Pole. There is something we must all discuss.
We will be waiting.

Yours sincerely
Nicholas St. North"

I spat out my cereal in shock.

"Jackie!" Cried Jamie in protest as milk and half chewed cereal was sprayed all over the table. One piece ricocheted off the table and stuck onto the cupboard door above and behind Jamie's head.

"Sorry, but look!" I passed him the letter.

His eyes scanned it and he almost spat out his breakfast.

"A letter from North?!" He cried, wide awake and staring at it. "What do reckon it's about?" He asked, passing it back to me.

"No idea, must be big though." I mused.

Taboo got up from under the table and had a look at the letter.

"Nice cursive, and what is with that envelope?"

"No idea." I said as I got up from the table and put the bowl by the sink, then going back to grab the letter.

"I'd better head to the base." I said.

"What about work?" Asked Jamie.

"I'll have to call in with an excuse." I replied.

"Reckon I could come?" He asked hopefully, also getting up. He had shot up in the past few years, now standing a few inches taller than me.

"The other Head's would kill me. Plus this is something big. I don't know if it would be a good idea..."

"I can fight!"

"I know," I said, after a lot of pestering, Nigel finally let Jamie train with us, under the rule that no one outside the Burgess Branch knew. "But you know the rule. Non Descendants don't get involved."

Jamie's shoulders slumped and he sat back down to return to his toast. "Yeah yeah." He said grumpily. He hated it when I pulled that card, but I had no other option. "Say hi to Jack for me."

My heart sank; he and Jack hadn't really met up in ages. He missed Jack, a lot, and he was probably gutted that I was might see him and he wouldn't.

I walked up behind him and wrapped my arms around his shoulders in a hug.

"Hey, when it's over I'll see if I can bring him back with me. I know you miss him."

"Really?"

"I'll try."

"Thanks." He leaned up to my face and kissed me.

It lasted a second and left me with a smile on my face.

"Anyway, I've got to get moving" I said, going upstairs, deciding not to comment on the fact that Taboo rubbed her head against Jamie's leg. She'd never admit it, but she did like Jamie.

I got dressed, left a message on Sally's phone saying explaining what was happening and therefore wasn't going to work today, then left with Taboo for the lake.

I went around the back of the rocks and found the small purple plant that signalled the entrance to the base. It was no longer just a war base, all the HOG records had been moved here during the Lupine incident, and we realised the convenience of having an actual base. So now it was the base.

I wasn't actually expecting the others to be there, but it was just convenient to go down there to call a meeting.

Once it opened I formed an ice bridge and we went down it, with me whooping from the rush.

I need to do this more often. I thought as Taboo ran beside me, easily keeping up.

"Agreed, you never let me stretch my legs enough."

That's not true!

"Oh really?" Asked Taboo, but I could see her grinning in the half light of the Tunnel.

We were spat out in the Departure Cavern and we ran into the Main Cavern, then through the enormous double doors. Decorated with HOG's symbol, a boar against a crescent moon, it was a new addition.

A few other changes had occurred since we had decided that we should have and actual base. The Council Chamber had gained some decoration, with our symbols of our ancestors and the corresponding symbols for us had been carved into the wall. The differences between them were small and specific, showing our relation, yet we're not our ancestor.

The symbol for North was a sabre, while the symbol for his Descendants was a long sword.

The symbol for Bunnymund was of a patterned egg, a horizontal wavy line with dots. For the Descendants the egg had a different pattern, with rings across the egg.

The symbol for Tooth was a molar tooth, her Descendants used a canine instead.

The symbol for Sandman was a shooting star, while his Descendants used a five pointed star.

Finally, Jack's symbol was a six pointed snowflake, ours was an eight sided one.

At the table were now assigned seats. No one was at the head of the table, because the Heads were equal in power. The chairs had quite high backs, but no arm rests, the idea being so that we would pay attention during a meeting, but they still cushioned so they were comfortable.

On the left hand side of the table was a red chair with a long sword carved into the headpiece, and on its left was a green chair with ringed egg on the headpiece.

Opposite the red chair was a purple one with a canine in the headpiece. Opposite the green chair was a yellow one with a star in the headpiece.

On the end of the group, next to the yellow chair was a pale blue chair with an eight sided snowflake in the headpiece. Being on the edge of the group wasn't great, but I understood that with five Heads, it was impossible to not have someone sticking out without breaking the head of the table rule.

Down the rest of the table were normal wooden chairs for anyone else coming in to the Council Chamber.

To my surprise Jason and Samson were already there in their places. In front of them was a letter and envelope, the envelope identical to mine.

Okay, a few notes. First off if you haven't read the one shot in HOG files surrounding Jackie and Jamie, basically, this is my answer to BenneFrost, because, sorry, I don't like that pairing. I know plenty of people do, it's just my opinion.

Second, the first part of this story I had trouble splitting into chapters, I tried, but the endings feel off, that might be why.