A/N- So, I got my inspiration back for this story! And, let me tell you, I am super excited for where it is going. Anyway, I'm FINALLY back with another chapter! Yay!

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daringwolf2000: Nope, Jack is not happy in the least! Then again, I think Mara knows what she's doing... XD

Disclaimer: I don't own ROTG.

"Where are we going?" Jamie asked, jogging after me.

I continued walking down the hall. "To a special room. I need to get something. Then, I'm taking you to Jack Frost." I spat out his name, like poison on the tongue.

"Wait, you're taking me home?"

"Well, you were only to be used as bait." I rolled my eyes. "I only nabbed you because of your relations to that goddamned winter spirit. I have plans, and he keeps getting in the way of them."

"What are you going to do to him?" Damn, this kid was starting to get on my nerves.

I smirked at him. "You really think I'm going to tell you my plans?"

Jamie shrugged. "Not really. I'm just curious. And worried."

I sighed, stopping. Turning to face Jamie, I knelt down so that I was eye-level with him. "Jamie, you want to know Pitch's biggest flaw?"

"His roots in fear?" the boy tried, obviously recalling the night I kidnapped him.

I shook my head. "That was more of a design flaw. No, I meant flaws in his plan. You see, Pitch wanted a world that was pure darkness, no good in it at all. I don't. I know that there's a need for balance. Completely eradicating the others is not part of my plan. I just need them out of the picture long enough to put my plan in action. Then, I'll let them do their jobs, but still keep them weak enough so they can't overpower me. Anyway, Jack is rather powerful, and has proven quite troublesome. Therefore, I need him out of the picture first. The others shouldn't be too hard to handle after that."

Jamie nodded, absorbing this information. We reached a room that had walls lined with shelves, floor-to-ceiling covered in jars full of different ingredients, potions, elixirs, and salves. I handed him a vial of a clear liquid, which he took, looking at it suspiciously. Grabbing another, I pulled off the stopper, tossing in a few other ingredients, before recapping it and slipping it into my pocket. "What's this?"

"The same thing I gave you before, when you thought I was Valentine," I replied. It still bothered me slightly that he remembered that. "You'll fall asleep, and forget about this conversation."

"Why would you give it to me, then?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Because I figured you would rather drink it voluntarily, rather than having it forced down your throat." I shrugged. "I'm fine either way, but it's your choice."

Jamie immediately downed the contents of the bottle. He immediately passed out, and I caught him and the glass vial before either could hit the floor. With a sigh, I tossed the boy over my shoulder, placing the empty bottle on the table in the middle of the room. Smirking to myself, I made my way out of the castle.

"Ready or not, Frosty, here I come."

I faced Jack, both of us in the middle of a desolate forest. There were no inhabitants for miles around, plus it was close to the equator. So, Jack was weak, and there was little to no chance of the other Guardians finding us. I smirked at the winter spirit, who was obviously suffering amidst the sweltering heat. "A little warm for you, Frosty?"

He simply glared at me. "Where's Jamie?"

I laughed, and rolled my eyes. "Chill out, would you? He's right here."

I snapped my fingers, and a shadow creature appeared, carrying the still-unconscious boy. Jack's eyes widened for a moment, before narrowing to slits as he turned his gaze back to me. "What did you do to him?"

I sighed. "He's fine. Just asleep. I couldn't exactly have him seeing the way out of my lair. He might try to find it again, or tell you where to find it."

"Why?" he challenged. "Got something to hide?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Duh. But, that's not why I called you here. We have a deal to make, no? Well, that is, if you want your little friend back. Honestly, he's not that bad. It would be entertaining to keep him around, if our little business exchange goes awry. Then again, I also wouldn't be upset if he were to die." I tapped my chin thoughtfully, giving a wolfish smile at his hesitation as he realized that he had no power in this. Not a thing would happen that I didn't want.

"What do you want, Mara?" Jack asked, his voice cold.

I held out my hand. "Staff. Give it." Jack hesitated, pulling his symbol of power closer to himself. I shrugged, and jerked Jamie to a stand in front of me, the boy still limp in my arms. Conjuring up a knife in one hand, I raised an eyebrow at Jack. "You can either give me the staff, or I will slit his throat."

After another second of hesitation, Jack gave me the staff. With a smirk, I used the shadows to send it to my castle. "Now, give me Jamie."

"Ah, ah, ah," I wagged a finger at the winter spirit. "There's just one more thing I need you to do."

"Mara, I fulfilled my half of the deal," he said, a warning tone tinting his voice. "Now, give me Jamie."

My smirk fell. "Let's not forget who has the power here, Jack. This boy is obviously important to you. Therefore, if you want him returned to you safe and sound, you'll do as I say. You see, this is usually how hostage situations work. Besides, I now have your staff. So, what little power you may have had is gone." I pulled the vial out of my pocket, and tossed it to Jack. He looked from it, to me. I rolled my eyes. "Drink it."

"What is it?" he asked, suspicion lacing his countenance.

"It's an elixir that will make you sleep," I told him. "When you wake up, you will have no memory of me. And, you will be human."

Jack's eyes widened, and he took a step back, looking from me to the vial. "What?"

I sighed. "Jack, I need you out of the way. However, what I don't want is for you to be dead. Unlike Pitch, I don't want all of you dead. I just want to be the one in charge. I want to bring back the Dark Ages, yes, a world completely under my rule. Once I do that, I can regulate your abilities, so that you may do your job, without having the power to overthrow me. It's quite simple, actually. But, in order for me to getthere, I need you and your little Guardian friends out of the way. This was a rather simple way to do that." I smirked. "Besides, you've longed to be human again for a while, haven't you? Three hundred years alone, yeah? Not pleasant. Sure, you have your little Burgess Bunch now, but what are you going to do when they grow up? Stop believing? What then, Jack, when you're all alone once again? Trust me, I'm offering you a service. Just drink the elixir, and all of your worries will go away, if just for a short while."

I knew that my words had a powerful effect on Jack, and that he really was considering going through with drinking it. He just needed one last push. "May I remind you, Jack, that you don't have a choice. You either drink the elixir, or you will never see Jamie again. Not alive, at least."

That was all the Guardian needed. Unstopping the bottle, he downed the contents quickly. He fell to the ground, unconscious, and I grinned. The largest obstacle was now out of my way. Summoning a pair of shadows, I handed Jamie over to them, ordering them to take both the boy and Jack to Burgess.

Now, for the rest of them.

A/N- So, I had a lot of fun writing this chapter. And in the fact that I have a ton of ideas for the future of this story. Anyway, I have lasagna to make, characters to torture, and followers to make cry! XD Until next time, fave, follow, review, and PM me!