Ok, I am sick and tired of the flames, so here we go again...

DO NOT FLAME THIS! IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, THEN WHY DID YOU BOTHER READING IT IN THE FIRST PLACE?

DO NOT LIKE, DO NOT READ. simple, right?

And, been getting lots of complaints 'bout this one, too... so, I am changing this-

Jaclyn is NOT a fem!Jack Frost anymore. (ARE YOU HAPPY, GUEST?!)

she is now my own OC who happens to share Jack's name.

I do not own the Guardians, but I do own the tears I shed for each flame I get... *prepares to cry self to sleep... again*

Also, this chapter was completely, 100% totally my idea! came to me in my sleep, thought it up by myself, but Teshy and Warrior Nun did help me, thx Guys! u 2 rock, so this chapter's dedicated to u!

damn, 2,315 words here... on this chapter! *faints*

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Jaclyn's POV

It was now the start of the second month I was to spend with Aster, and I was starting to get a little uncomfortable with how close he seemed to want me to stay to him.

At least he's finally let me wear my clothes now...

I had managed to salvage my clothes- as much as I could- and wore them constantly. In my opinion, the tattered remains were better than running about naked, yet it was just... strange how he was always near me, almost constantly.

I mean, he wasn't fucking me anymore, which was… better, but it was almost like he couldn't stand to be away from me for any amount of time, even when I was asleep…

Speaking of that, I remembered a week ago when Aster had comforted me during that storm, and sung the same song I'd been singing moments before.

It was the first time since I was a small child that I'd felt safe…

Almost ten years… I'm 18, for god's sake, I should have married long ago, but I was so stubborn and insisted on staying a virgin and never marrying… damn, why did mother have to be a tribute? If she hadn't been chosen, if she hadn't changed… would I have already been married? Would I have even been chosen to come here at all?

I curled into the thick fur behind me, reluctantly accepting the warmth it provided. I grunted softly as Aster's arms came around me once more, but said nothing as his chin rubbed my head.

"Hmm, Snowflake, it's too early… why don' ya go back ta sleep?" he said sleepily.

"B-but… I'm homesick… I miss my mother…" I said sadly, managing to pull away from him enough to squirm out of his grip and face him. He looked at me in slight shock and disappointment.

"Snowflake, have I not provided ya with every comfort I could? Have I not-" suddenly, he fell silent, ears twitching around nervously.

"Someone's stopped worshipping." He muttered, barely loud enough for me to hear.

"What?"

"Whenever someone stops worshipping me as their fertility god, I feel it. And I know where it comes from- it's from YOUR village."

My village?! Maybe he'll take me! I could see mother!

"M-my village? Maybe we should go…"

"I can handle it myself… but, I shouldn't leave ya alone. C'mere." He grabbed my arm, yanking me flush against his chest as he tapped against the ground, opening a hole beneath us. We dropped into the ground and earth spun around me, racing past as we went through the tunnel.

Moments later, I hit solid ground- and sunlight.

Eyes squinting, I ducked my head down, adjusting to the level of light before I felt a familiar paw grab my wrist and pull me forward.

"Hey, w-what are you-"

"Quiet, Snowflake!" he said sternly, cutting me off, voice low as we crept through the bushes. Suddenly, a familiar smell hit my nose.

"Smoke…" I said softly, panic rising in me as I yanked my wrist out of Aster's grip. I ran ahead, heedless of his calling me, ordering me to come back.

"Aster, my mother!" I screamed back, gaze locked on the column of smoke ahead of me, coming right from my village.

Mother!

Desperate now, I pushed through the foliage and emerged in the village square- in the middle of an inferno. Everyone was in a panic, running around and screaming as black monsters raced after them, only to tear them apart, leaving charred remains.

Gasping at the carnage in front of me, I backed away- and met solid flesh. Spinning around, I met my mother's gaze- but something was wrong…

"Mother! Oh, thank the gods, you're alright!" I said, hugging her fiercely. She stood still, not returning my embrace. Confused, I pulled back to look at her more closely.

"M-mother? Aren't you… happy to see me?" I said slowly. Her clothes were torn to shreds, and her skin was a pale grey, as though the ash from the surrounding fires had seeped into her skin.

"Snowflake, be careful!" I spun around and met Aster's gaze. He had followed me, and seemed just as confused about the carnage and damage as me.

"Mother, it's me, Jaclyn. You know, your daughter?" I said, looking hopefully into my mother's eyes… which didn't hold the usual fire in them, much to my fear.

"Ah, so you're the famous Jaclyn Frost then." A voice said beside me. Looking up, I saw a tall man in a long, black robe standing only a few feet away from us. His short, black hair was slicked back and his yellow eyes seemed to pierce into my soul, searching for my fears and drinking them as if an elixir.

"Pitch, you shadow-sneaking ratbag, what are ya doin' here?" Aster growled, moving in closer to my mother and I, almost as if to protect us…

No, he doesn't care about mortals that way, why would he protect us?

"So, the Guardians finally deem me worthy of an appearance? Where are the others, then? Or is it just you, Bunnymund?" I glanced up at Aster, who was now right next to us.

"Bunnymund? Who's he talking about, Aster?"

"Oh, you think this one important, then? If she uses your first name, she must be your-"

"That's none of yer bizzo, Pitch. Leave her and her village alone!" Aster growled, cutting the man off.

"Or what, rabbit?"

"Or I'll show ya just what us Guardians are made of." He growled, holding out a piece of- was that chocolate?

What the hell does he expect to do with that?!

"Chocolate? Really, rabbit?" Aster smirked, like he knew something this Pitch didn't…

"Ya forget what happens to a Pooka when they eat chocolate, Pitch?" he said, popping the chocolate piece into his mouth and swallowing.

"Snowflake, ya might wanna move…" he said before doubling over in pain.

Pulling my still non-responsive mother with me, I watched in fascination as Aster's body changed- he grew taller, his body grew muscle mass from unknown sources- but what shocked me the most were the four extra arms that burst out of his sides, growing and stretching into extra limbs, as useful as his original two.

Eyes a feral green, he leapt at Pitch, snarling in anger as his teeth tore into him, ripping flesh from his body in pieces- I couldn't watch.

I turned my head into my mother's chest, like I would when I was a child, but was caught off-guard when she shoved me away. Confused, I glanced up at her- only to gasp in fear at her eyes. Her eyes were bloodshot, like she'd been crying, and the edged were laced with what looked like black sand.

"J-jaclyn…" she choked out, her normally melodic voice raspy and mangled, "please, get away. L-leave me… he wants you…"

"Mother, I am NOT going to leave you again!" I said forcefully, latching myself onto her. She shifted, and I felt her place something into my hand. Glancing down, I saw a small dagger, and realized what she wanted me to do.

Shaking my head, I released my grip on her and backed away, dagger still in my hand.

"No, nonononono! I'm not going to kill you!" she simply smiled sadly at me, eyes burning brightly with unshed tears.

"Jaclyn, you must. H-he's going to use me against you if you don't… please, put me out of my misery… my daughter…"

"Mother, you can't ask this of me, please! There must be a cure, something!"

"There is no cure. Do you know who he is, child?"

I turned back to the fight, eyes taking in every detail before me. Aster's multiple arms slashing, digging into Pitch's skin, tearing out chunks and ripping out organs- only to have the man replace and heal as quickly as he was wounded. He swung a large, black scythe in an arc, narrowly missing Aster by mere inches. So absorbed I was in the fight before me, I didn't notice my mother moving closer to me until I felt a heavy weight suddenly drop on me. Snapping my head around to look at her, my eyes went wide in fear and terror- she had, in my distraction, dropped herself onto the dagger in my hands, impaling herself on it, hilt-deep in the heart.

"MOTHER!" I shrieked, effectively making the fight before me stop. Both beings turned to look at me.

"Well, it seems your mother wasn't of a strong enough will, Jaclyn." Pitch said, moving towards me. Aster was suddenly by my side, growling protectively, arms wrapped around me as I gazed dimly at my mother's face.

"You don't get to touch her, Pitch! She's mine, got it?!" Pitch backed away before melting into the shadows, disappearing totally.

"Mother… why? Why would you do this?" tears streamed down my face as blood poured out of my mother's mouth.

"My little frost-flower…" she coughed, blood soaking her shirt now, "so strong, so brave… you've grown so much, haven't you? I'm sorry I was never there for you. That man is Pitch, the Nightmare King. Remember his name, Jaclyn, remember. He will not give up, trust me. He never said why he needed you, just that he did. You are alone now… I will be waiting, with your father and the others…" with that, the light in her eyes went out. I grasped her shoulders, not believing for a second that my one protector, my lifeline, my mother… was gone.

"Mother. Mother! MOTHER, DON'T LEAVE!" I cried, tears soaking my own shirt as I cradled her body against mine. I felt the arms around me tighten, and pull me away.

"No! no, I won't leave!" I growled, clutching her- her body- tighter, as if she'd come back to me, and things would go to the way they used to be, before I was a tribute, before she was tribute…

Nimble paws worked my fingers loose and wrapped around me, pulling me away.

"Snowflake, we gotta move- Pitch's Nightmares are still here." Aster said in my ear, voice sounding weary.

"Aster? Are you… alright?" I glanced up at him and gasped- he was back to normal! His extra arms were gone and he was now only two feet taller than me again, instead of five.

"Y-yeah, jus' tired, s'all… we've gotta go. Now." He opened up a tunnel under us, dropping ungracefully into the ground. The tunnel closed up behind us, but instead of moving, we were still in the place we'd landed.

"Aster, are you sure you're ok?" I said hesitantly, placing a hand on his shoulder nervously. He looked up at me, and I saw a ring of grey around his eyes.

"Aster, did he get you too?"

"Nah, I'm too strong for his stuff. Thing is, though, after a transformation like that, I get real tired… and since I haven't done it in a real long time… think I might be a bit sick. Can ya take us home, Snowflake?"

Without saying a word, I ducked under him, supporting his weight on my shoulders as I dragged him through the tunnels.

"So, what, I gotta take care of you then?"

"Sorry, but it seems that way. So, your name's Jaclyn Frost, eh? Always knew there was something special 'bout ya."

"Actually, it's Frosten. Don't know why everyone calls us Frost…"

"…Sorry 'bout your mother… and the village."

I went tense at the mention of my mother, memory still fresh in my mind.

"Don't. Just… don't, please…" I said softly.

I felt him nod against my back, and I shifted him until he was more comfortable- I had a feeling this would be a long walk back to the Warren…

A/N- don't hate me, please! Jaclyn needed a reason to stay with Bunny, so here it is!

Her village is destroyed by Pitch, Aster saves her life, her mother dies in a heartfelt apology-sacrifice...

sorry bout the feels!

BTW, anyone flames this- AND YES, I AM TALKING TO THE COWARD GUESTS WHO DO FLAME ME!- I will allow my two biggest fans to tear you apart (Being Teshy and Warrior Nun, thx guys).

so, NO BLOODY FLAMES! I AM GETTING SICK AND TIRED OF CRYING MYSELF TO BED EACH NIGHT I GET A FLAME!

Please, I am just doing what I love...