Hey people! Sorry for the long update! Unfortunately, I'm very busy, so this'll be sort of a short chapter. :( But I promise to update as soon as possible so please bear with me! Thank you for all the awesome reviews and followers and keep it up!


The Guardians watched with unbearable concern through the small window of Jack's bedroom. The woman, Mrs. Johnson, was lying wet towels over his burning forehead as he huffed and puffed as if having trouble breathing. He was pale as a ghost, to everyone's dismay. Emma stood to the side along with the other children, helping Mrs. Johnson all they could.

"It's just a fever." Mrs. Johnson said, and everyone, including the Guardians, sighed in relief. "It should pass soon, so I'm sure he's just fine." "That idiot." Ginny scowled, but tears were forming in her eyes. She sniffed and glared at the boy. "Can't blame him." Henry shrugged. "Even I'd get tired of being cooped up in my room all the time."

"But he was just fine an hour ago!" Emma wailed. Mrs. Johnson knelt down before the girl with soft sympathy and kindness sparkling in her warm brown eyes. She gently rested a hand on Emma's small shoulder. "Sweetie, it's ok. You know Jack always catches fevers. He's just fine." "That's what mama said!" Emma burst into tears. In despair, she flung herself into Mrs. Johnson's arm and sobbed in her chest. "I don't want Jack to die either! He's the only family I have left!"

"Oh, poor thing." Tooth muttered with condolence.

"He won't die." Henry said firmly. "Jack won't let a disease like that kill him; you know how strong he is." Emma peeked out of the folds of Mrs. Johnson's dress, wet tears streaming down her bright cheeks. Henry flashed her a toothy grin and bent down. "Go wash up, kiddo. Your nose is running." Her face turned even a deeper red in embarrassment. With a silent nod, she dashed out the door, head hung low.

"Jack really won't die, right?" William looked up at his elders, voice shaking. Mrs. Johnson smiled, but Ginny and Henry could tell that a sadder emotion was hidden deep beneath her comforting expression. "Of course not, hon. I won't let any of my family die."

"Family?" Bunny raised a bushy eyebrow. "This woman was that busy?"

"No..." North shook his head. "I'm guessing..."

"This is an orphanage." Tooth said with a flap of her wings. Bunny looked at her incredulously. "What? How d'ya know that?"

Tooth rolled her eyes and pointed to the front of the building. "The sign."

It wasn't one of Bunny's brightest moments.

"So, that means..."

"They did say their mother died due to the same illness that Jack has." North mused with a stroke of his beard. "I suppose his father is dead, too?" "That's most likely it." Tooth nodded.

"Now, now. Let's leave Jack alone. He needs to get some rest." Mrs. Johnson herded the children out the door. Before leaving, she snuck one quick glance back at the panting boy in bed with a painful look. The Guardians barely caught it before she softly closed the door behind her.

"Jack..." Tooth flew in through the window and inspected the boy. The shade of his face made her want to cry.

"Tooth, careful." North whispered. "We do not want to wake him up."

Sandy hopped in, silent as usual, and inspected Jack's restless face. His face lit up, and with a wave of his little chubby hands, golden sand flew out of his fingers and above the boy. The dream sand formed into a little nostalgic scene: a teenage boy and a little girl running around, laughing, surrounded by many other children, in a field. Jack's strained face relaxed slightly, and his breathing steadied. The Guardians smiled, thankful that their little guardian could rest at ease.

"Good thinking, Sandy." North winked at the sandman. Sandy looked up and smiled.

"Should'a lemme done it." Bunny hopped over and pounded his fist (paw...whatever) in the other. "Could'a knocked the lights outta 'im." "Bunny!" Tooth scolded Bunny with a blow to the arm. "What? It could be payback for all the trouble he's caused me." Bunny said.

"Bunny, we are her to watch Jack's past, not beat the boy up." North informed the pooka. "What will one little hit do to him?" Bunny protested. "It won't kill him."

North and Bunny engaged in yet another argument. This time, Tooth tried desperately to stop them, but to no avail. They were on the verge of violence.

And, of course, they didn't notice little Sandy waving his arms frantically, images of sand forming rapidly above his head. For once, they noticed.

"What is it, Sandy?" North asked. With an exasperated look, Sandy lifted an arm and pointed to the side.

"Uh-oh." They did it again. The Guardians slowly turned their heads to follow Sandy's finger, knowing what was coming. And there was Jack, sitting up in bed, looking slightly woozy, with a hand on his head.

"I must be dreaming, right?"


Like I said, I'll try really hard to update soon!