Alright so I'm not gonna be able to post for a couple days. Sorry. I hope you guys are still reading and you still like it :) Don't be afraid to comment and tell me what you think.

I like this chapter for two reasons, one: you see a lot of Star's personality and her conflicting emotions on becoming a Guardian. Two: After 300 years Jack is developing the first signs of a crush. TOOOO CUTE! ;)


Chapter Four

Wrong Choice

The room seemed much hotter now, which was all Star kept thinking as North led her into, what she guessed was the main meeting room for the Guardians. Each one stopped talking and looked at her as they walked in. 'Yup, it's definitely hotter.'

North practically pushed Star into the room because she could barely stand let alone walk, all from the nervousness that built up inside her.

Standing in the center of the room, with North walking to stand in front of the fire place next to Bunnymund, Star gulped loudly. She looked to each pair of eyes, landing lastly on ice blue ones that she didn't recognize. He eyed her carefully and Star quickly looked away, being already nervous enough without the hard gaze.

"Good." North said causing Star to look at him. He was all smiles while everyone else took notice to her nervousness. "Now that we are all here, we can begin."

"Begin what?" Star found herself blurting out. She shut her mouth tightly, mentally cursing.

"Sandy, you did not tell her?" North asked, looking down at the small man. Sandy nodded and signed in a way that only North seemed to understand.

During their small distraction, Star glanced around at the exits out of habit. Maybe she could bolt? No, the bunny was too quick for her with his transporting portals. She could possibly talk her way out of this, but then again she had no idea what she was talking her way out of.

North spoke before she could decide anything. "Star, you remember Tooth."

Star glanced at the flying fairy who smiled brightly and flew to her quickly. "It has been so long Star!" She said in her soft, but excited voice. Then she grabbed the girl's mouth and pried it open like she did the first time Star met Tooth. "Awe, you've been remembering to floss. But you still need to learn to lay off the sweets." Star pulled away rubbing her jaw while Tooth smiled innocently.

"Sure…" Star smiled awkwardly while taking a small step away from her.

Tooth flew back to where she once was as North spoke. "And Bunny."

Bunnymund smiled slightly, giving Star a nod of acknowledge before he went back to picking at his boomerang.

Unknown to the rest, Jack, who sat on a desk with one leg dangling and the other bent, scoffed and rolled his eyes at Bunny's reaction. 'Am I the only one he doesn't like?' He thought bitterly before focusing on the girl again.

"And Sandy of course."

Sandy smiled and waved a little, but his smiled dropped when Star gave him a glare. "I couldn't possibly forget Sandy." Star said with a little anger in her voice and arms crossed, obviously still peeved about him knocking her out.

Quickly North spoke, trying to ease the tension. "And this here is Jack. Our newest Guardian." North spoke proudly, Star noticed, as she looked towards the white haired boy sitting on the table to her right. "I believe you two have never done the meeting?" North asked.

Star looked him up and down, taking note that he was the youngest looking spirit she has ever seen, well besides herself. He held a brown staff and wore skinny brown pants with a dark blue hoodie. His skin was ghostly white, matching his hair and making his blue eyes pop even more than they already did.

"Jack? As in Jack Frost?" Star asked taking a glance towards the frost that rested on his sweatshirt.

Jack chuckled. "What gave it away?" He asked sarcastically before giving her a smirk. Behind Star, a couple of Tooth's fairies fainted.

His smirk grew as he noticed Star's mouth hung slightly open, clearly at a loss for words. He looked back into her grey eyes and suddenly his heart beat a little harder. When she finally looked back to North, Jack let himself look away, giving the ground a confused look as he grasped his chest. 'What was that?' He thought worriedly.

"Now that we are done with the meetings, how bout we get down to business, no?" North clapped his hands together excitedly.

Star felt her nerves begin to rise again. 'This really can't be happening,' she thought repeatedly as her heart raced. She had been doing so well over the past couple of decades, surely there must've been a mistake or she wasn't to blame for whatever she was here for.

"Star, this is very serious, please to pay attention." North snapped her from her thoughts and gave her a look. A look that made her burst.

"Ok, whatever I did I'm sorry!" She almost yelled but it came out more as a panicked voice. North eyes blinked in shock, while everyone else's looked on confused.

"Sorry?" Bunny questioned which had Star looking to him pleadingly.

"Yes sorry! I don't know what I did, but whatever it was I'm really, really sorry." She looked to each Guardian almost desperately. "I thought I was doing so well this time, honestly I really did. I didn't think I messed up or anything, at least not enough to get in trouble. But please, whatever it is I did, don't make me work New Years again."

"Um Star-" North tried to say but Star interrupted.

"And if this is about that Easter in Oakdale California, I'm so sorry. I really didn't think that the wish would get that out of control, I mean how was I supposed to know that all the eggs would rot?"

"What?" Bunny ears perked up and he took a step towards her.

"Sorry." Star flinched as Bunny gave her a look. Jack quickly covered his mouth as to not laugh at what Star just said. He was already starting to like this girl.

"What about my eggs?" Bunny asked his voice raising.

"Bunny." Tooth scolded before flying towards the trembling girl and putting a hand on her shoulder comfortingly. Star felt a little better at the soft fairies gentle touch.

"Star Light." North began while trying to chuckle at the situation, but it even sounded forced. "You are not in trouble."

"What?" Star breathed out, it was barely a whisper as she stopped trembling and looked at North with wide eyes. "You mean, you didn't bring me here to punish me or give me a job to make up for whatever it is I messed up?"

"Well, not exactly." North said, thinking about a different job she would soon be having.

"You didn't do anything wrong sweetie." Tooth said with lightness while she squeezed Star's shoulders gently before floating away.

"You are here for promotion." North said happily, while Sandy nodded once.

Star raised an eyebrow. "Promotion?"

Jack rolled his eyes; this was sure taking a long time, too long for his taste. "We want you to be a Guardian." He said in an almost bored voice.

Star looked towards Jack who stared at her with hard blue eyes. His words barely registered into her mind as she looked at him, but when they did she felt as if she froze.

Jack noticed her stiff appearance and the way her eyes stared at him blankly. He could tell that what he said hit her hard.

Suddenly Star started to laugh… and laugh… and laugh. She laughed so hard she gripped her sides and wiped away small tears that formed in her eyes.

Jack stared in amazement. Her skin started to glow, like actually glow! He was actually leaning forward in his seated position while he looked at the clearly happy girl. Her skin wasn't white like his, but around her a thin glow of white gave her a hazy appearance. It was like looking at the moon at night. Yet, this was something he couldn't take his eyes off of.

When she finally stopped laughing Star was looking towards North. "He's joking." She let out another small laugh while pointing her thumb towards Jack. "Right? He's joking."

Standing straight she wiped one last tear from her eye, for the first time she was feeling good since she arrived here. Her breathing was finally calming down as she looked at North who smiled confusingly.

"Joke?" He asked, he voice still as chipper as ever.

"Yeah joke. He really can't be serious? Why would anyone ever want me as a Guardian?" She started to laugh slightly again. "I mean, could you imagine that?"

"We don't have to imagine mate." Bunny spoke, making Star look at him. "You're a Guardian now."

Star's smile dropped as her glow died down to normal. She looked back at North who smiled and nodded at her. For a moment, her world stopped…

But then it was back. "YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS!" She yelled causing all of them to flinch. "I can't be a Guardian!" Her heart started to race again, her breathing picking up much like it did when she woke up, her voice was going back to the high pitched panic.

"But you are Star," Tooth flew in front of her, looking at her with calming eyes. "You were chosen." She then flew to float next to North, all her fairies following.

"Tooth is right." North agreed.

Star let out a harsh laugh. "You're nuts! You're all nuts! I mean, I knew you were a little nuts." She pointed at North. "But this is borderline insane!" She let out a deep breath before turning around and pacing towards the globe and back. "Who in their right mind would want me as a Guardian? I can barely handle my own job as is, and now you all want to give me more responsibility?" She looked in their direction. "Nuts!" She yelled once more before turning around to continue her pacing.

"We did not choose. Man in the Moon chose you to be Guardian, as he chose all of us." North took a step forward, trying to reason with the clearly upset girl.

Throwing her head back, Star laughed. "Oh that's rich." She let out another laugh. "Man in the Moon chose me. Me!" She turned to face them, hands on her hips. "This wouldn't be the first time I questioned his judgment, let me see hm… oh how about when he chose my clumsy butt to be a spirit?!" She began pacing once more, looking up towards the sky. "Maybe you should come down every once in a while! Then you might actually know what you're doing, you old fart!"

"Oh Star, please calm down." Tooth tried to say in a soothing voice, and Star had to admit, she felt a little calmer after the fairy spoke.

"I know this may be hard. But Man in the Moon knows what he does." As North spoke, Star stopped her pacing facing the group's direction, but refusing to look at them. "Take Jack for example. He not know who he is, then bam, he knows."

At the mention of Jack's name Star looked in his direction. Luckily he wasn't looking at her but at North while shaking his head. "That's not how it went." He said and then looked back towards Star. He was shocked to see grey eyes looking right at him, again his heart did that weird thumping thing.

"What North is trying to say…" Tooth began as she flew up to Star, taking her attention away from the teen boy. "You may be surprised at what you can do." She smiled reassuringly. "If Man in the Moon thinks you can do this job, then you must be capable. You just got to believe in yourself."

Star felt her panicky demeanor fade as Tooth spoke. She had to admit, the fairy had a way of calming her down.

Even Bunnymund chimed in. "The sheila's right mate, the Man in the Moon believes in ya."

Star looked to each face, each one smiled encouragingly at her. Maybe they were right? Maybe she could do this job? The Man in the Moon believed in her… but, did anyone else? She looked again at all the faces. They may have kept telling her that she could do this job because the Man in the Moon said she could, but did they actually believe it themselves?

Looking away from their eyes, Star already knew the answer. The Man in the Moon didn't know her like the Guardians did; of course they didn't believe she could do it.

Sighing she pulled away from Tooth and turned away from them. Looking towards the ground she closed her eyes and felt humiliated like all the other times she's been with the Guardians. "I can't." She said quietly, defeat clearly laced within her voice.

"But Star, you must. Man in the Moo-"

"I know what the Man in the Moon said." Star interrupted North, her voice a bit rougher than she intended. "But he doesn't know me… If he did, well then…" Star felt her heart clenching with pain as she squeezed her fists tightly, before finally releasing a sigh. "He would realize he made a mistake."

Tooth brought her hands to her chest, she felt tears pool at the corner of her eyes as she stared at Star's back. The poor girl feeling all alone and helpless in the corner of the room, it took all Tooth had not to fly up and hug her tightly.

North's smile faded completely as Star finished speaking. Shaking his head he looked towards his feet, for once in his life, he felt as though there was nothing he could do.

Jack looked at Star with furrowed eyebrows. How could a girl feel so useless, especially a spirit of wishes. He had to admit, if he wasn't the spirit of winter, her job would be his next choice.

Loosening his grip on his staff, that he hadn't realized he held onto so tightly, Jack stood and looked at all the other silent Guardians, Bunnymund, Sandy, and North all looked towards their feet, unable to say anything while Tooth was looking towards the girl about ready to cry.

About to say something Jack stepped forward but Star spoke first.

"I'm sorry." She said while turning her head slightly, a small forced smile on her lips. "But trust me; it's for the best… I'll show myself out." She then began to walk towards the entrance, and no one said or did anything to stop her.

Moments later...

They all stood, even with Star gone from the room, they silently sat in the same positions. Jack and Tooth being the only ones to look at the empty spot where Star stood moments ago.

Jack then looked towards North, anger filling him inside. "So that's it?" He questioned a little more harshly then intended. "We're just gonna let her walk away?"

All eyes were on him now, North opened his mouth to speak but Tooth beat him to it. "There's nothing we can do Jack, if she doesn't want to be a Guardian she doesn't have to."

"But we didn't even try!" Jack said with almost a laugh. "I mean if you guys were like that with me then I wouldn't even be here."

"Jack-" Tooth tried once more but this time North interrupted her.

"He's right." He sighed, feeling foolish that he let Star walk out of here thinking she was anything but right for the job. "We have failed Star." The words felt foreign to his mouth and he never wanted to say them again.

"Aye, but the sheila won't listen to us." Bunny hopped forward. "How are children supposed to believe in her if she doesn't even believe in herself?"

Sandy finally chimed in, signing a couple different things making North's smile come back. "Sandy's right!"

"Right about what?" Jack questioned, not getting the signing at all.

"We have to help Star believe, as we help children." He said, as if were the most brilliant plan of all.

"So what are you saying? You want us to deliver her presents and eggs? Make it snow and pick up her teeth?" Jack said with a raised eyebrow while leaning against his staff. "No offense, but I think she's a little old for all that."

"No, no this is not what I mean." North shook his head and walked towards Jack. "We help her to see what Manny sees."

"Well what does Manny see?" Bunny asked.

North turned to face him. "He sees wishes."

Tooth giggled and flew around North, obviously excited about the plan. "Yes! Children's wishes are very important, if Star didn't grant them, all over the world children's dreams would die with them."

Sandy slouched a little at this. An idea popped in his head and he signed a bright light bulb and a smile formed on his lips. He then signed some more things.

"She's good with kids eh?" Bunny asked after Sandy was done. "Well that's always good."

"Better than we can say for you." Jack said with a smirk, while Bunny glared at him.

North let out an enthusiastic laugh. "This is perfect!" He yelled looking towards the roof. "Star will be Guardian in no time!"

"There's just one problem." Jack said causing North to look down at him, his large arms dropping to his sides. "How are we gonna get her back here to show her all that?"

"All we need is some time for her to realize the potential she has." Tooth spoke.

"She wouldn't stick around that long." Bunny said the obvious. The excitement in the room died down.

Sandy signed some more causing Jack to chuckle. "I don't think she'll fall for that again Sandy."

"What can we do to get her to stay here?" North wondered out loud as he stroked his mustache. Everyone looked away, deep in thought trying to come up with ideas.

And then suddenly Jack had an idea.