Disclaimer: I don't own Rise of the Guardians. It's amazing characters respectfully goes to William Joyce and Dreamworks.

Soundtrack: Last Regrets- Kanon 2006 (English Cover)


Chapter Three


Despite Emma's constant chatter and their fathers' occasional murmurs of acknowledgement, the day at the Overland residence had been quiet. Snow fell from an ominous dark gray sky. Their fireplace was lit up to warm them up from the cold. Jack could see bits of frost gathering at the corners of the windows and it sometimes distracts him from the meal on his plate. He hasn't seen a blur of red hair all day. It's been a few days since he last saw her which he was alright with. He'd been avoiding that place since that incident. He sighs audibly, earning stares from his family but doesn't realize it until he turns his head away from the window.

"You alright, Jackson?" His mother calls over the sounds of clinging silverware. She takes a sip of her wine as she glances at him. "You're awfully quiet."

His father quirks an eyebrow at that and looks up from his plate to stare at them curiously. Jack feels his neck heat up as all eyes fall upon him. Oh, he knew what this was about. How can he explained what happened to him last night without sounding like a loon?

"I met someone at the pond last night," he clears his throat at the confession and rubs the back of his head sheepishly.

No use lying about this now. They'd find out eventually especially with Emma's loud mouth. But instead of a harsh scolding like he'd expect to receive, his parents exchange looks of worry.

"Was it that girl from yesterday?" Emma pipes up, smiling innocently at him. But her brown eyes were sparkling with mischief.

That little cheek! He glares at her but the corners of his mouth twitch up involuntarily. He was oddly proud of her desire to trick people. Jack winces when his parent's heads shot up quicker before he can get up from the dinner table.

"Emma," he whispers harshly. She sticks her tongue out at him.

"A girl?" They both ask in unison which was a bit frightening to be honest.

"Is it someone we know?"

"Is it Piper? Please tell me it's Piper!" Why'd his mother have to sound so excited about that?

"Everyone, calm down!" He flails his arms around, eyes nearly as wide as the dinner plates. "No, it's not Piper!" His voice had gone unusually high. Why'd it get so hot? It'd been freezing just a moment ago. "It's not Piper," he repeats, clearing his throat to get his voice deeper. "Don't get me wrong, she's amazing. But Matt won't stop going on about marrying her so that's out of the question."

Why'd they have to look so disappointed at that? How'd he get stuck in this mess? He sends a glare at Emma. She's smirking at him. Oh ho ho, she knew what she just did. He'd get her back for that someday.

"Why were you at the pond?" His father asks in his stern tone. "We told you not to go there at night. It's dangerous."

"I know and I'm sorry," Jack winces. There's the scolding he'd been worried about. "I've learned my lesson. There's...there's something out there."

"In the woods?" His father's shoulders tense and he's not looking at him in the eyes anymore. As if he had something to hide.

"At the pond," Jackson corrects. "Do you remember the stories you guys told us? It's true."

But even he wasn't so sure himself. He saw a flicker of recognition in their eyes and they glance at each other for so long it was like they were having a conversation in their heads. He could still see the girl so vividly in his mind and how she used the water to make the odd creature vanish into thin air. Should he mention her? He felt terrible for mentioning their encounter in the woods at all. She saved his life but she'd used magic to do it.

"What if I knew someone who was using magic?" He asks slowly and cautiously.

"Magic?" Emma gasps excitedly, leaning forward in her seat. "I knew magic was real! I just knew it!"

"Yes," their father interrupts with a stern expression. "Magic's real and it's dangerous. What were you thinking, Jackson? You should've reported her to the mayor!"

"But I couldn't tell for sure if she was using it or not!" Jack protests.

He remembers what his parents told him about witches. They were evil and against everything that they believed in. Anything unnatural should be frowned upon. But this girl still saved his life. She didn't have to. She could have left him there to die. He knew what happened to witches when they were reported. He didn't want that to happen to her no matter how rude she was to him.

"That doesn't matter, Jackson," his father argues. "Nothing good can come from magic."

"But how do we know that for sure?"

"Just please promise me you won't go to the pond at night anymore, Jack?" His father asks.

"What is so frightening about going there at night?" Jack frowns, narrowing his eyes. He's had quite enough of his parent's secrecy. "What are you all hiding from us?"

"Listen to your father, Jack," his mother reprimands but her gaze softens when they lock eyes.

"Yes, ma'am," Jack agrees begrudgingly with a long sigh.

Later that night, he heard a knock on his door. Frowning, he looks up from the book on his lap. He can see a small shadow in the orange light beneath the crack of his door.

"Come in," he calls, thinking it might've been his mother coming to check up on him and tell him to go to bed. It was getting awfully late.

But instead of his mother, Emma pokes her head out when she opens the door. She smiles sheepishly.

"Oh hey Em," he greets, closing the book.

"Can I come in?" she asks, still holding the door with both her hands. He nods his head and laughs fondly as she flings herself onto the bed. "Hey Jack, you weren't lying to mama and papa were you? Is magic real?"

"No tricks, I promise," he smiles, flicking her nose. She swats his hand away and pouts. "Magic's real and it's amazing."

He wasn't lying there. He never thought magic could be so graceful and real and comforting oddly enough. He really wished he had an opportunity to thank her and apologize for how he behaved.

"Is...is the Boogeyman real?"

Now, that's a name he hasn't heard since he was a kid. His mind drifts off to the large black mare with yellow eyes and how it left trails of black sand behind as it gallops around. He wasn't sure if he even believed in that fairy tale himself. Was that horse the Boogeyman?

"Nah, he isn't," he lies, wincing at her hopeful glance. "Don't you worry about that. That's nothing but a story."

"Then why would the Sandman give us nightmares?" Emma asks, lowering her head.

Jack gives her a worried frown, "Have you been having nightmares lately?"

She nods her head hesitantly and hides her face in her hair. Had he been so busy lately that he hadn't noticed something bothering her?

"Do you want to talk about them?" he asks softly, gently nudging her. She whimpers and shakes her head. "Hey, you don't have to worry about anything, alright? You got your big brother to protect you."

A ghost of a smile spread across her face.

"Oh come here, you!" Jack exclaims, laughing as he tickles her sides. She laughs shrilly despite her protests.

"Okay, okay! I give up! I give up!" Emma shrieks, squirming out of his hold. He chuckles as she shoves him away from her. It takes a few moments for their laughter to die down. "You're not going to report her, are you?"

"No, don't tell father," he says, pressing a finger to his lips. She giggles at the gesture and nods her head eagerly.

"Why does father hate it so much?" Emma whispers. "Is that why those kids were attacking that girl? 'Cause she's a witch?"

"I don't know, Em," Jack sighs. He wishes he did. All the rushed questions were making his headache worse. He hoped it didn't show on his face. He didn't want her to worry about him.

"Really wish I could've seen it, " Emma whispers, "It sounds so amazing."

"Maybe someday, squirt," Jack pokes her cheek. "Hey, don't fall asleep here! I won't take you to the pond tomorrow if you do."

She hums in reply and nudges closer toward his shoulder. She exhales sharply and all he can hear is her deep breathing. He scoffs in disbelief. She's out like a light.

Now that he thought about it. What was so bad about magic? Even in the fairy tales he's read, witches were portrayed as evil. He frowns at the thought. He glances down at Emma's sleeping form. She was snoring softly and there was a bit of drool leaving a trail from her mouth. He chuckles and shakes his head. If magic could be used to protect a person, he honestly wouldn't mind using it to protect Emma. If magic can be used to protect a person, it couldn't be all bad.

He hears a soft knock at his door and this time it's his mother who enters. She wraps her shawl closer around her for warmth and smiles at the two of them.

"Fell asleep in here again, huh?" She laughs as she walks toward them. Jack nods his head and returns the smile. "Get to bed too, will you? I know how much you love those books but you'll regret staying up late. Trust me."

Jack rolls his eyes but complies to her suggestion anyway, "I will, mother," he says, smirking.

"Now, now! Enough of that cheek!" his mother grins, poking his nose. She grabs Emma from the bed and pulls the sleeping girl into her arms. "G'night, Jack."

"Night, Mama," Jack says.

He watches at the two leave the room before sighing heavily and blowing out the candle on his bedside table. He lays there in the darkness for a few moments, staring up at his ceiling. He honestly didn't remember much from yesterday night. That creature couldn't have been real. There was just no way something like that was running around Burgess late at night. How could he not have seen it all those nights he stayed up late reading? Something just didn't seem right. He adjusts his position so that he's lying on his side and closes his eyes.

That night he dreams about gliding in the air with his bare feet hovering over the water.


A/N: *smiles sheepishly* Like a dingus, I forgot to thank everyone last chapter ^^' Thanks so much to : NotCanadian, WinterCrystal1009 , and a guest! As always, thanks for reading!