When the sun sets behind the mountains, the mythical beings gather in the grand dinning room. A crystal chandelier hangs above the circular table, holly and ornamental balls drape from the limbs. The chairs are tall and upholstered in shiny red velvet, enough of them to seat a small army. A baby blue linen table cloth covers the massive table that is being piled with silver trays. The aroma of turkey and apple pie fills the toasty air.

"What is all this?" Cassandra gasps.

Tooth giggles, linking her arm through the human's like they are the best of friends. "Why, it's dinner silly."

Cassandra smiles as Tooth urges her to sit beside the fairy. As the day had progressed, Cassandra found herself less cautious and confused. Now, she decides to just go with it. It's not like she can fix anything right now, especially with her stomach growling pointedly.

The yetis scrape back the heavy chairs and the girls seat themselves.

North enters the room, chatting amicably to a small golden man. His robe shimmers like sand and his hair sticks up in yellow spikes atop his round head. He resembles a star, glowing softly with his pointed hair.

"Sandy," Tooth answers Cassandra's unspoken question, following her gaze. He waves, flashing an adorably smile. She wave back. The comforting atmosphere is broken by loud voices.

"Oh, go freeze your tongue to a pole," the Easter Bunny snaps, trudging into the room. He sits beside North, crossing his arms over his broad chest. Like North, he has tattoos. His resemble tribal markings on the gray fur of his arms and forehead.

"Why don't you shove a carrot up your-"

"Jack, that's enough," North bellows. Jack Frost drifts into the room. He tosses his stick from one hand to the other, twirling it like a baton.

Cassandra notices that he drifts in with a cold breeze, hovering several feet above the ground. She realizes if she keeps allowing herself to be shocked, this will be a long, exhausting stay. Jack settles in the seat beside Cassandra, flashing a dazzling smile at the mortal. Tooth sighs and wiggles her fingers in his direction.

Inexplicably bothered by the exchange, Cassandra wonders is she should move so they can flirt in peace. She doesn't try to figure out why that annoys her so much.

"Ham?" Jack offers, spearing a piece of pink meat on a large fork and waving it at Bunnymund.

"I'm a vegetarian and you know that," he snaps. He snatches a plump, orange carrot and bites off the top half, chewing indignantly. He's the picture of an aggravated Bugs Bunny.

"Any word on Pitch?" Tooth inquires, daintily sipping from a cup of tea. The liquid is bright pink and smells of fresh roses.

Cassandra eyes the food and drinks, wondering if she should consume any of it. She doesn't want to be like Persephone and eat the pomegranate. The legends are pilling food on their plates, even tiny Toothiana. Cassandra shrugs as her stomach rolls indignantly. The older Guardians continue to talk as Cassandra covers her plate. The items are rich and delicious, ranging from a whole smoked turkey to balled watermelon.

Jack, bored of the conversation, sneaks a roll playfully from Cassandra's plate. Her brown eyes flash with humor and she tosses an asparagus at the boy. He catches it between his forefinger and thumb, smirking.

Bunnymund cracks up, his ears swaying with mirth. Jack picks the green veggie from his arm and tosses it at Bunny who catches it in his mouth.

"Don't encourage him," Tooth reprimands.

Bunny snickers. "Already getting the poor girl in trouble, mate," he elbows Jack.

"Don't make me separate you two," North warns, even though he has no intention of doing so.

"Yes, sir," Jack and Cassandra reply in unison. His words are mocking and hers genuine, but it makes them both laugh. Jack's laugh sounds like the sound of a snowball fight when children should be in classrooms. It's contagious and makes Cassandra grin at him.

Out of the corner of their eyes, the Guardians watch the two youngsters. North is pleased Jack isn't pestering Bunnymund. Hopefully no fist-fights will break out during this dinning experience.

Sandy leans on his elbows, a knowing smirk on his lips. A foot above his head a small cloud of golden sand forms a heart. Jack scoffs and with a wave of his hand, a brisk breeze dissipates the shape. Sandy continues to smile.

Tooth focuses on North's words. Her eyes, however, keep falling on Jack and the young woman. A small smile curves the fairy's lips. Jack is almost care-free; she hasn't seen him so at ease since word got out about Pitch's return.

"Cassandra isn't a Guardian," she tells North gently. "How can a human hold their own against someone like him, especially when he regains his power?"

"Kids have done it before," Bunny reminds her absently.

Jack bites into a turkey leg and waves it at Tooth. "He's still weak…hasn't gained his full power back."

"Well, if you managed to fend him off single-handedly," Bunny grumbles.

"Thank you for that, by the way," Cassandra says, meeting Jack's blue eyes.

He glances away, unable to hold her grateful gaze. He didn't fend off Pitch or fight in any way. Pitch got away.

"Any time, Cass," Jack replies, feigning indifference.

Sandy breaks the moment, clapping wildly. Small visions in gold appear and disappear at a rapid pace above his head.

Jack and Cassandra glance back at one another, both confused.

"It's best to let North translate when he's done," Jack whispers in her ear, his chilly breath dusting over her neck. She stifles a giggle by taking a sip of her hot cider.

"I don't think so, Sandy," North finally sighs. "Tooth is right. No amount of training will give her powers."

Cassandra shifts awkwardly, highly uncomfortable that they are talking about her like she isn't in the room.

Jack, seemingly bored, casually says, "I'll train her."

Conversation halts. A yeti that was bringing in dessert pauses at the silence, turns, and exits the room hastily.

Then everyone starts shouting over each other.

"Do you have a frozen pea for a brain-"

"It's not safe-"

"I won't allow it."

Sandy sits there, wildly waving his arms to add to the haughty decline.

Cassandra huffs a breath of air and props her chin on her fist.

"I think it's her decision, don't you?" Jack growls, nose-to-twitching-nose with Bunnymund.

"Lovely. Lay your pretty-boy charms on her, that'll help stomp out Pitch," Bunny grunts.

Tooth throws her arms in the air. "I'll train her!"

"But, you're so busy," North begins to protest. One of Tooth's assistants, a Baby Tooth as she calls them, flits to her shoulder.

"Two incisors in Omaha. And make sure the molar from Paris has been put away properly this time," Tooth orders, then frowns, realizing she just proved North's point.

Sandy, ignored, is fast asleep, a bread roll making his pillow on the table.

Cassandra feels like joining him. The day was exhausting and her mind has had enough. Her body, as well. Her vision blurs and the scene before her tilts precariously.

"Hey, hey," Jack murmurs, gently pulling her close to his side.

Her brown eyes slip closed and Jack supports her lolling head with his cold hands.

Cassandra can feel herself being dragged into unconsciousness. Weakly, she grasps onto the collar of Jack's hoodie.

"You have had a long day, child," North says, his voice distinctly quieter. "Rest now. Jack would you take her to her room, please?"

Jack lifts the petite girl into his arms and rises from the table. She nuzzles into the exposed skin of his neck, a small sigh escaping her pale lips. In fact, her entire face has gone pale. Jack gazes down at Cassandra, an odd emotion crossing his face. He tenderly tucks an unruly dark brown strand behind her ear.

"Come back quickly, ace. We still have a lot to talk about," Bunnymund warns Jack.

Bunny watches Jack carry the now passed-out girl from the dinning hall. He is very gentle with her. She brings out his humanity. Bunny shakes his head, his ears flopping about.

Jack takes her to a guest bedroom in the castle, lying her on the bed. The room has no light, save for the half moon shinning in through the huge window. Her eyes flutter open for only a moment, and she smiles. Jack bends down and, as if entranced, presses his cold lips to her forehead. His blue eyes almost glow in the dark, a bright blue that stalls Cassandra's breath.

"Sweet dreams," he whispers and her eyes shut for the night.


Pitch Black paces the length of his lair, his coat swooshing around his ankles. Onyx stamps nervously beside him.

"This is going to be too easy," Pitch murmurs to himself. The Nightmare snorts. "Her father said her powers were coming to her years ago. Are they suppressed, now?"

Pitch shakes his head. He knows she is powerful, as a winter spirit. The Man in the Moon had blessed her when she was born. Her father knew where she was, knew her potential and hid Cassandra Risk from Pitch. Pitch grins at the memory. William Risk can't stand in his way now.

Frost probably took her to one of his Guardian friends. Now they are all involved. Pitch grumbles irritably. They are a pain, but no match for Pitch.

Onyx snorts again. She is growing agitated being alone.

"Soon, my pet," Pitch shushes. "My army will be prepared soon. On the night of the new moon, we shall go to the North Pole."

He looks up through the skylight at the half moon.


I feel like there should have been a dun-dun-dun! at the end of this chapter... I hope you enjoyed it! Please review. The next chapter will be up soon :)