AN: So here we are ladies and gentlemen. It is just about time for the big sibling reunion between Jillian and Jack. Also, just a side note about last chapter: the locket Pitch gave Jill is not the same locket with his daughter's picture in it. I was pretty sure I was clear on that, but Jill's locket is just based off of Pitch's locket with his daughter. By the way, I think I finally figured out the ending, so this story has an actual plot now. :) Read and Review! –Katheryn xoxo

Chapter Seven

Jillian took her time crossing the few blocks separating Cupcake's home from her next assignment. This young girl was named Pippa. She was also coming into her maturity with a small crush. Hopefully, the object of her affections was like Cupcake's on Jamie; she didn't like using her gift to break affection towards another. But if a child was crushing on someone older than them, Jillian had to lessen the connection between the two of them.

Pippa was a rather intelligent child, with long brown hair. She reminded Jillian of herself back when she had been a child. They were currently sitting up in Pippa's green bedroom, the two girls seated on Pippa's daybed.

"So how are you today, Pippa? Did you sleep alright?" Jillian started the conversation, smiling sweetly at the girl. She knew there had been no nightmares; after all, she had been keeping Pitch occupied all night.

"Yes, ma'am," Pippa said with a smile. "I had nothing but good dreams. Can you thank Sandy for me?"

"Of course I can sweetie," Jillian replied. "So anything new going on? I admit, I'm rather new to this part of the world." Ok so that wasn't technically true, but she hadn't been in the actual town part of Burgess in quite a while.

"umm, not much," Pippa hedged. "Ever since the Guardians defeated Pitch, things have calmed down. It is almost like things have gone back to normal, but…"

"But what, Pippa?" And here it comes.

"Things have changed somehow." Pippa's head ducked down slightly, her cheeks colouring much like Cupcake's did.

Jillian took Pippa's hand and used her other to gently pull the girl's face up.

"What do you mean, things have changed?"

"I don't know, it's just…" she paused. "What he did that day was really brave and I just, I just really admire him for it."

I really admire him. Jillian understood the meaning behind those words. Pippa did indeed have a crush on this boy; she just didn't realize that her 'admiration' was slowly becoming much more than that.

"Who is he, Pippa? This brave boy you admire?" Jillian asked, looking interested but not like she had been trying to lure the young girl to the topic.

"Jamie Bennett."

JSVJSVJSVJSV

Crap. This is bad. Those two thoughts were all that circulated in Jillian's head as she walked through the forest in Burgess. Both of her assignments had developing crushes on young Jamie Bennett. In some ways, this was much worse than one of them crushing on an older child or teenager. Because now, instead of letting the girls' affections run their course, she would have to try to figure out which girl Jamie liked better and, in the end, one of the little girls would be left unhappy.

Jillian had always hated this part of her job. Sometimes childhood affections weren't always for the best and that was when she needed to intervene, instead of nurture. And breaking bonds, even if the ones that are just the smallest things, is never a good experience. Both for Jillian and the one getting the bond broken.

The affection of a child is generally a fickle thing. But at the same time, a child's love can endure the length and breadth of time itself. It is rarely very serious, but it can be one of the strongest types of love in the world. Sibling bonds, affection for parent, even childhood sweethearts. All were proof that a child's love was a strong and valuable thing. And it always broke Jillian's heart when she had to sever that love, that connection.

Jillian understood why the two girls had both "picked" Jamie as the object of their shared affections. Jamie had indeed been very brave when facing down Pitch. He had shown himself to be a mature young man that day and, well, girls do start thinking about boys in a romantic sense long before boys themselves reach that point.

'But the fact remains that one of these girls is going to get her heart broken,' Jillian thought to herself. Jillian may have been thinking a few years ahead, but perhaps that was for the best. After all, given a few years to grow and expand, a crush could turn into serious love by the time the trio were teenagers. And that is when things would go bad; especially if both Cupcake and Pippa decided they still wanted Jamie.

So lost in her thoughts was Jillian, that she didn't notice where her feet were leading her until they hit the edge of a surface that was rather harder than the forest floor. Jillian's breath caught and her very slowly beating heart seemed to stutter for a moment.

It was the lake. The one from her childhood. The one that Jack died in.

Jillian jumped back slightly from the offending body of water. She hadn't been near the lake since Jack died, not even when…. Jillian shook that particular memory out of her head. She'd rather not think about that night ever again. Jillian pushed back a few wayward strands of her hair and lifted the hem of her gown before turning around.

Only to see a large and curved wooden staff staring her in the face.

A young boy of about eighteen years stood before her. He had spiky white hair and ice blue eyes that seemed to pierce through her own. He wore a blue hoodie, with frost covering the shoulders and hood and a pair of brown pants that resembled skinny jeans. His eyes widened as he seemed to take in her appearance as well. Both parties knew each other; they knew each other extremely well, even after 315 years apart.

"Jack." Jillian breathed, unable to believe it.

"Jill."