0_0 This is my longest chapter. Ever. Dear gosh my hands hurt! DX On a side note you're all going to hate me. Flames will be used for cookies! :D REMEMBER THE 5-6 REVIEW DEAL FOR NEXT CHAPTER! Anyway, this took me forever to write so I hope you enjoy Chapter 4!

"You wanted to learn about us, mate?" Bunny asks.

Jack smiles slightly. "Yea. Felix was a huge help but he wasn't the only one who helped me thought those times. Like any kid, you guys gave me hope and wonder."

The Guardians were silent for a moment, taking it what Jack had said. Tooth moved forward and held Jack in a hug.

"I'm sorry we weren't there for you, Jack. We should have been." Tooth says sadly.

Jack just gave her a crooked smile. "Hey it all works out in the end, don't worry about it. Sure there are…' He faltered for a moment as if he had just remembered something but he put his smile back on before they could question him. 'Some difficulties along the way, but what life doesn't?"

Bunny didn't seem completely convinced. "Are you sure, Frostbite, that you're alright?"

Jack's smile seemed even more strained and fake. "Of course I am cottontail, why wouldn't I be?"

Jack pulled his hood up to cover his face and turned away from the others. "Everything is perfectly fine."

Before the others could retort that Jack didn't seem fine at all the next memory came.

It looked to be mid-spring with small flowers blooming and leaves growing on the trees. 7 year old Jack and 10 year old Felix were lying on the grass a few feet from their home.

"Hey Jack." Felix says to his brother, turning his head to said boy. "Can you believe that Easter is tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow's Easter?" Bunny asks grinning.

"No!" Jack laughs back. "I can't believe I've been with you and Ma for almost a year now…it's felt longer."

Felix smiled and moved closer. "Hey, those dirty rats that left you in the forest aren't you're parents, Ma is. Now you're apart of our family, and nothing will change that."

Jack smiled hesitantly. "Really?"

Felix grinned and ruffled Jack's hair, looking into his sepia eyes with his own rich blue. "Of course Jack! You're never getting rid of me that easily."

The memory speed up as the day moved to night and soon morning came.

Felix was lying on his bed; his hand and foot hanging off the bed as a bit of drool came from his mouth.

Jack snorted. "I knew he drooled."

Jack suddenly appeared on the other side of the bed with a small cup of water and a huge mischievous on his face.

Sandy grinned, he knew that look and something funny was about to happen.

"What are you doing Jack?" North asks.

Jack smiles. "You'll see…"

Jack stalked towards Felix like a predator coming in to attack it's pray. He moved slowly and quietly up next to Felix's turned head and gave a silent giggle.

With a flick of his wrist all of the freezing water in the cup splashed onto Felix's sleeping face.

"AHHHhhh!" Felix cries as he falls off the bed in shock.

All of the Guardians were laughing. Bunny was the first to stop and patted Jack on the shoulder. "I got to admit, Frostbite, that was pretty funny."

Jack laughed. "Why thank you Kangaroo."

Bunny rolled his eyes in annoyance before turning back to the memory.

"Morning Felix! It's Easter!" Jack shouts as he saddles Felix.

Felix groaned from under him. "A simple 'Wake up' and shake would have been nice Jack. On a side note please get off you're heavy!"

Jack laughed and crawled off before helping Felix up. "Come on! Ma has our baskets and food ready! Its almost time for the egg hunt, come on!"

Felix yawned. "Slow down Jack I'm still half asleep!"

"No you hurry up!' Jack counts pulling Felix's arm to the door. "We. Have. To. Go!"

Felix laughed and rubbed his eyes with his free hand. "Alright, alright! I can walk by my self you know."

Jack let go of his arm and Felix starched before grinning at Jack. "Last one to Ma is a snail!"

Jack gasped as Felix sudden ran past him. "Hey! That's cheating! Wait up!"

Jack raced after him, catching up pretty quickly, but because they weren't looking where they were going they almost made Ma drop their food.

"Whoa!" She cries as she catches the bowls of fruit and beard before it could fall. "Jackson and Felix Colburn! Watch where you are going young men!"

"Sorry Ma." Jack and Felix mutter.

Ma sighed and held the bowls out to them. "Eat up. Your baskets are out on the pouch and please remember your shoes!"

Jack and Felix were sporting matching pouts. "But Ma! They hurt out feet and make them sweaty and gross!"

Jack nodded to what his brother had said. "Please Ma, no shoes! We'll be careful, promise!"

Jack and Felix put their hands to their chins and strengthened their pouts. "PLEASE?"

Ma looked at them for a moment before sighing. "Fine."

"You and your bother got away with a lot with those pouts, didn't you?" Tooth states more then asks.

Jack blushed slightly. "Yea."

The others snorted or giggled.

Jack and Felix practically inhaled their food. They ran out the door after giving Ma a kiss on each cheek. They grabbed their basket;, Jack's being blue and white and Felix's green and yellow, they set off down the road to the egg hunt.

The memory jumped to just before the hunt began.

A tall brood man was standing in front of the excited children. "Now remember, do not go too far into the forest, the seeking area ends at the river. Do not cross the river at any point, if you get lost wait where you are for us to look for you. Understood?"

"Yes!" The kids shout eagerly.

The man stepped to the side and grinned. "The hunt ends in two hours, you may begin!"

The kids cheered and rushed into the forest.

Jack and Felix ran past all the other kids. They had a plan, if they went to the very furthest hiding spots and started there they would get more then trying to move the other way. Jack and Felix grinned as they found their first eggs. Two little eggs, a blue and red and a purple and green, sat barely hidden under a bush a few feet away.

Jack ran forward and grabbed them. "We got two!"

Jack moved back over to Felix and gave him the green and purple one. They looked at them in awe.

"They're so pretty!" Jack gasps.

"What did I tell ya, mate?' Bunny says smugly to North. "The kids love Easter.

North laughs. "You are wrong Bunny. Indeed the children think your eggs are 'pretty' but they love Christmas more."

Bunny was about to continue the fight but Sandy tapped his shoulder and shook his head. Bunny folded his arms and grumbled.

Tooth and Jack just laughed quietly at the exchange.

"Yea." Felix agrees, staring at it closely.

He shrugged and put it in his basket. "Come on Jack, there are more eggs to be found!"

Jack nodded excitedly and began looking around for more. Time seemed to speed up and soon Jack and Felix's baskets were almost full with multi-color eggs.

Jack was skipping around with a huge grin on his face. "This is so cool! Look at how many eggs we found, Felix! I don't think we saved any for the other kids!"

Felix laughed. "I'm sure there is more for the others come on lets find out how to get back."

Jack nodded, wanting to get back and eat his candy. "Ok."

After a few minutes of walking they suddenly reached the river. It wasn't that big, around 10 feet wide with lazy water flowing though it.

Felix frowned. "That can't be right. We must have gotten turned around."

Jack licked his dry lips. "Hey Felix? Since we're here can we get a drink? I'm thirsty."

Felix shook his head. "I don't know. The water under the surface it faster then you think, it could pull you right in."

Jack pouted. "Please! I'll drink from the water near the water bank! I'll be careful."

Felix didn't seem to like it but he nodded. He and Jack moved forward to the edge of the band and dunked their hands in.

"Burrr! It's really cold." Jack comments before pulling his cupped hands out and drinking from them.

"Yea the water hasn't completely warmed up yet. By the end of the month or March I'm sure it will be warm enough to swim in!" Felix suggests.

Jack grinned. "I can't wait!"

Jack didn't notice that when he put his hands back it they went further then he meant. Jack gasped when he felt something strong tug on his arms. "AHHhh!"

"JACK!" Felix cries as he pulled Jack back but fell in him self.

"FELIX!" Jack cries as his brother disappeared into the water. He could see where Felix's air bubbles were moving quickly down stream. "FELIX! HELP! PLEASE ANYONE HELP!"

Jack races down the bank as he chases his disappearing brother. His cried seemed to go unheard in the forest.

"Oh no!" Tooth cries helplessly. She wanted to help, badly, but knew she couldn't help since this was a memory.

The others were having the same ideas while Jack watched quietly.

"Jack!" Felix shouts as his head breaks the surface. He gulped for breath before he head went under again.

"Felix!" Jack had tears falling as he ran. "Keep your head up! Felix! Felix, I'll help you!"

Jack raced as fast as he could a head of Felix and grabbed a thick branch. He grunted slightly and rushed back to the side of the river. He laid it across the water and held it tightly. "Felix! Grab the branch Felix!"

Felix's head popped up again and he twisted around to face the branch. He winced as he was slammed into it but held on. "Hurry, Jack! The water is pushing me!"

Jack saddled the branch and moved as fast as he could towards Felix. When his feet where in the water he held out a hand, stretching it as far as he could. "Grab my hand!"

Felix grunted as he pushed he way through the water to Jack and held his hand in a vice-grip. "On three we jump for shore!"

Jack just nodded as he focused on making sure he didn't lose Felix's hand.

"One!" Felix says as he took a step closer to Jack.

"Two!" Jack says as he moved his other hand to also hold Felix's arm.

"Three!" They cry together as they launch them selves back to dry land, panting, the branch was swept away.

"Thank goodness." Tooth sighs.

Felix laid his head back. "Well that wasn't fun."

Felix suddenly winced when Jack hit his arm hard. "Ouch! Hey what was that for!"

"For scaring me!' Jack says angrily, but you could tell he was scared by his wide eyes and dropping tears. 'You could have died!"

Felix sat up and pulled Jack onto his lap. Jack wrapped his arms around Felix and cried into his chest. "Don't EVER scare me like that again, Felix, please. I had thought I lost you!"

Felix shushed him and patted his head. "I'm sorry, I didn't want you to get hurt. I should have been more careful, I'm sorry Jack."

Jack snuffled. "I want to go home, Felix."

Felix nodded and looked up to see some of the men from the village racing up to them. Ma was not far behind them and Felix had a feeling they were going to have a long talk.

He looked down to see Jack asleep on his lap, head resting on his wet shirt covered chest. …Well he was anyway.

He was covered in blankets and Jack was being carried in one of the men's arms as he told Ma and the men what happened.

"You're luck your brother was able to think of the branch that quickly." One of the men says to him. "You might have drowned if he hadn't, but that was brave of you to fall in for him."

Felix smiled and held the blankets closer. "I would do anything for him."

The man nodded and moved ahead. Felix looked to Jack, who was still fast asleep in one of the men's arms. "Happy Easter, Jack."

The Guardians didn't say anything as they waited for the next memory. They honestly hadn't liked how close that had been to losing Jack and even more so Felix. If Jack hadn't had thought to grab the branch Felix might have died.

The thought of it made them shiver slightly and they were thank full when the next came.

Felix was once again on his bed, but this time he was sitting up. He had a huge smile on his face as the door to his and Jack's room opened to show Jack and Ma walking in with a small sugar covered cake.

"Happy Birthday Felix!" They shout gleefully.

"Thanks, Ma!' Felix says as she sets it on his lap.

"Oh don't thank me.' She smiles, kissing his head. 'It was all Jack. He made a deal with Mr. Foley that he would work for him for 2 weeks for this cake."

"Really?' Felix asks Jack who blushes and nodes. "Thank Jack!"

Jack laughed. "Just start eating we have a day of fun to get to!"

Felix breaks it into three pieces and hands one to Ma and Jack. They all sat in comfortable silence as they ate together. After finishing Felix washed up and got dressed as Jack bounced around.

"Come on!" Jack calls as he runs out the door. "Time for a little fun!"

Felix and Ma share a look before Felix followed him.

Ma called out behind them. "Be careful!"

Felix laughed as Jack tugged on his arm. "We will!"

The next memory come right after the other left.

Jack and Felix were play when Jack suddenly trips.

"OW!" Jack cries as he rubes his cheek. He could feel a small bruise growing on his cheek but what surprised him and Felix was the White thing on the ground.

Felix grinned and picked it up. "It's your tooth!"

Jack ran his finger over his teeth to see the third one on the left side was missing. "Wow! I have lost a few others but lost them while in the forest. What do I do with it?"

"Leave it for the Tooth Fairy, of course!" Felix says handing back to Jack.

"How?" Jack asks.

"Leave it under your pillow, she'll come and get it." Felix says.

Jack nodded happily and put it in his pocket. Soon they totally forgot about the tooth as they continued to play.

The memory changed to later that night. Jack and Felix were laying in their beds asleep or at least Felix was. Jack sat with his eyes half open, trying to look asleep.

Sandy made a question mark and a snowflake above his head.

Jack shrugged. "I was waiting up for Tooth."

Jack heard a small flapping sound from near the window move closer to him. He was about to look when a gold light caught his eye. He looked back at the window to see something like gold sand go though the window and come toward him and Felix.

He felt him self get sleepy, but just before he closed his eyes he saw a small bird with dragonfly wings.

Sandy looked at Jack in interest.

"What?" Jack asks.

"Is just that normally child falls to sleep before they even see the sand, the sand helps them stay asleep and gives them the dreams." North explains for Sandy.

Jack shrugged. He couldn't explain, maybe it was just one of 'one in once in a life time chance' things.

They watched as another year pasted them and once again it was winter.

It was the evening of Jack's birthday. Jack, Felix and Ma were sitting together in the boy's room.

Felix pushed a box towards Jack with a grin. "Come on Jack! Open it; we have been waiting all day for you to!"

Jack opened the box and gasped. "Skates! Oh this is amazing, guys! Thank you!"

Jack got up and hugged Ma and Felix, but Felix pulled away slightly when the skate's blades almost cut him.

"Slowdown there Jack, or there might not be enough of me left to hug!" Felix laughs, making Jack blush.

"Shut up." Jack jokes as he nudges Felix.

"Well it's time for bed.' Ma says standing up and kissing each of their heads. "Go to bed at a reasonable hour, boys."

"Of course Ma!" They call as she leaves.

"You know,' Bunny says with a raised eyebrow. 'With how much you guys did that, and ignoring the age difference, you two could have been twins."

Jack laughed. "We could have been."

Time speed up again and soon both boys were asleep.

"You look so cute sleeping Jack!" Tooth coos.

Jack blushed as the other males laughed at his expense.

Jack was tossing and turning and had a small layer of sweat on his face.

The Guardians were shocked when the memory began to blur and was replaced with a more horrific landscape.

The trees surrounding the area were on fire and smoke hung in the air. Jack was running as fast as he could though it. He screamed when a charred branch fell in front of him, blocking his path.

"Felix! Ma! Where are you?" Jack shouts to the air.

He continued running till he found the house. It was charred and had caved in. He ran towards it, hoping to find his family, but tripped over something laying on the ground.

No someone.

"Ma!" Jack cries as he holds her. She hadn't been burned but the smoke had gotten to her. Her eyes where closed lightly, like she was sleeping, her long blond hair was mattered with dried sweat and dirt. Her rosy complexion had turned gray and the warmth her body seemed to always hold was gone. "Ma! Please wake up, please! Ma!"

He cried into her neck, hoping she would wake up till a sound caught his ear.

"Jack!"

His head shot up, it was distant but he knew that voice anywhere.

"Felix! Hold on, I'm coming!" Jack shouts as he laid his mother back down and ran in the direction he heard Felix's voice.

Jack ran until he found him self in front of the river. It had a thick layer of ice on top but wasn't completely frozen over yet. What made him froze was Felix was clutching to the ice desperately as he bobbed up and down in the water.

"Felix!" Jack raced onto the water and skidded to a halt were Felix was.

But before he could reach him Felix gave him a sad smile and sank under.

"NO!" Jack sobs. He shoved his whole arms into the freezing water grabbing around before pulling them back up when they got too numb. "No! Felix, h-hold on! Come on, F-Felix please!"

Jack curled up next to the hole, holding his numb arms to his chest. "Come back! P-please, c-come back. Come back…!"

"Felix!" Jack bolts up in his bed, making both Felix and the Guardians jump.

Jack rushed from his bed to Felix's and curled up on Felix's lap, sobbing.

"Shhhhhhh. Easy, Jack, easy.' Felix says in surprise, 'It's ok. Every things ok, It was just a nightmare."

"I-It was so r-real!' Jack hiccups. "M-Ma was d-dead! The forest w-was on fire! And you! Y-You drowned in t-the river! It was h-horrible!"

Felix's eyes widened before he pulled Jack even closer and whisper soft things in his ear.

The Guardians watched with sad looks.

"If it was Pitch who gave you that nightmare!" Tooth growls as her feathers ruffle in anger. "He'll lose more then a tooth."

Jack smiled weakly at her, now that Jack had his memories that nightmare haunted him from time to time. Among other things.

"Felix?" Jack asks softly from the old boy's lap.

Felix continued to rub Jack back comfortingly. "Yea, Jack?"

Jack snuffled slight. "Promise to never leave me. Please."

Felix turned Jack head to his and gave him a reassuring smile, him pinky curling around Jack's. "I promise. Ma and I will never leave you."

Jack nodded and laid back against Felix's chest. "Mind if I sleep in your bed tonight?"

Felix tried to lighten the mood by giving a small laugh. "As long as you don't kick me off."

Jack laughed slightly as Felix put him down next to him on the bed. "Felix?"

Felix turns on his side to look at Jack. "Yea?"

Jack smiled. "Thank you, big brother."

Felix returned the smile. "Anytime, little brother.

"The Guardians weren't sure what to say. Jack stood away from them again and a bad feeling was growing in them.

Soon the next memory started, and the bad feeling grew.

Jack was on his bed again having a nightmare.

The Guardians' vision blurred again as another new landscape appeared. It cleared to show what looked like a good sized lake.

Jack came running from the forest with nightmares chasing him.

"It is Pitch!' Bunny growls. 'That bloody rat!"

Jack ran all the way to the middle of the lake, not noticing the nightmares had stopped at the shore. Jack panted, butting his hands on his knees. "Crazy…Scary...horses!"

"I do belief their official name is 'nightmares.'" A smooth voice says from above him.

Jack gasps as he jumps back and falls on his butt. He looks up to see what he first thought was a corpse. The man was much taller then him, with dead gray skin. His eyes glowed a bright yellow like cat's eyes. His robes where ink black and seemed to billow around him.

"W-Who are you?" Jack asks.

The man gives Jack a shark toothed grin. "I am Pitch Black, the Nightmare King."

Jack shook slightly as he stood up and took a step back. "Wh-What do you want from me?"

Pitch began circling Jack. "You intrigue me, Jackson. Or should I say Thomas"

Jack gasped. "How do you know my real name?!"

"Because 'Jack',' Pitch disappeared and suddenly reappeared behind the boy. 'I have been watching you since you dear parents left you in the forest oh so long ago. Do you remember the fear you felt that night Jack? I do. It was delicious, and I had to have more."

Jack frowned. "You were the one that gave me that nightmare on my birthday!"

Pitch laughs. "Ahh, so you aren't as dumb as I thought you would be. That's good, for what I want you for."

Jack gulped. "What do you want me for?"

Pitch gave him another razor sharp grin. "You will find out soon enough. I am too weak right now, but with your fear and all the other children's it won't be long before I am!"

Jack gasped as the nightmares began to run towards him.

"Sweet dreams, Jack." Pitch laughs as Jack bolts awake.

Jack gasps for air as Pitch's words echo in his mind. With out thinking he grabs his skates and moves out the window and into the woods.

"Where are you going Jack?" North asks.

"As weird as it may sound,' Jack says. 'The one place I could clear my head and think."

Jack tracked though the woods to the river. It was now frozen over solid and was able to be skated on. Jack put his skates on and made a few lazy circles.

"What did that 'Pitch' man mean?" He mumbles.

He sighed and got off the ice. He looked up to see it was nearly dawn. "Have I really been out that long? I should get back before Ma gets up." Taking off his skates he held them in his hand as he ran back to the house.

Jack suddenly caught the whiff of smoke and froze. He looked up to see big puffs of it in the air. "Oh no. Please no!"

Jack ran as fast as his 8 year old feet would carry him. He broke though the trees and a sob choked its way out of his mouth. His skates fell to the ground as he raced into his burning home, the warning cries of the men sounding in the distance.

"Ma! Felix!"

R&R plz! Ta.

GWDG