Jack Frost had never been fond of loud noises. Once – in the 60's – he had attended a music festival, even that had bothered him. Coming from an era where the loudest noise was that of a musket, he enjoyed the silence. La Llorna was anything but.

Locating her had been simple enough. Flying over Spain, Jack had simply followed his gut, knowing that it would somehow lead him to Tooth. They had found a hillside over looking the ocean. Sharp rocks cut through the waves as they battered the cliff face. Landing on the cliff, the small group looked carefully for signs of either Tooth or La Llorna. Just when they were about to move on, a rustle in the trees caught Geri's attention. With careful precision, Mahala moved forward.

"Hello?" her smooth voice calmed Jack instantly, however, the bushes seemed to disagree. The rustling became louder as out stepped La Llorna with a tied up Toothiana. As far as spirits went, Jack had seen many that gave him the creeps, yet none compared to the being that stood before him. Nearly five feet tall, literally skin and bones, with skin that was so pale it was tinged gray, and black hair that looked perpetually wet. A simple white dress covered her and Jack suddenly saw every horrible dream he had ever had in this figure. Her sunken eyes were as black as night and simply looking upon her made Jack feel hopeless. As if sensing his hopelessness, Mahala stepped between them, dampening the effects.

"I can't say that this is a surprise. I knew that when she woke something must be amiss, but to see you, of all people, makes this ever so sweet." La Llorna whined, her cold eyes locked on Mahala. "I thought perhaps love would have come, for she is cruel, but you, you are far crueler." A knife materialized in her skeleton thin fingers and found its way to Tooth's collar. Jack tightened his grip on his staff as the knife touched the skin of Toothiana's neck.

"Don't even think about it boy. She is the only thing that has brought you true joy since that child. Tell me, what would happen if she were gone? If she were forcibly taken from you? Would you weep? Would you scream her name to the heavens? Would you even realize that you had become like Yuki Onna before it was too late? She could have been your fate, frost child. She could still be your fate, a glimpse into a future without your beloved."

"Enough." Geri barked, his fangs bared. "Release the Guardian or-"

"Or what? You'll growl at me? You'll convince me of a fate worse than death? Well, I'm already there. Let me show you." Jack wouldn't call it wailing. The sound seemed to radiate from deep within La Llorna, much like Mahala's chanting. Waves of sound pounded Jack to his knees as he cried in pain. Through his tear soaked vision he could see Tooth struggling to get free, seemingly unaffected by the noise. Geri was howling, convulsing on the ground and inching ever closer to the cliff's edge. At the far reaches of Jack's hearing – which was now almost completely gone – he could hear Mahala shouting, counteracting the pain and misery of the wail. For a moment it seemed to work.

"Llorna, stop! It's not their fault! It's no one's fault! What happened to you was –"

"There are no accidents!" the wail intensified and it took everything Jack had not to lose consciousness. He raised his staff like a shield and sent out a blast of cold. The sound cut off completely and he gasped.

"You think the cold could stop me? I live in it! Pain and sadness have no better friend than the bitter cold!" with renewed vigor, the scream pierced the air. The staff that had been Jack's companion for three centuries began to vibrate, as a wine glass vibrates under duress. All seemed lost when a new sound pierced the air, a screeching far louder than the wail. Jack looked up as an arrow pierced La Llorna's right shoulder, causing the knife to fall. Tooth took the opportunity to kick herself free and landed feet from Jack.

"Sounded like a party, mind if I drop in?" Lena landed next to Mahala, bow drawn.

"Love, it is you, come to make my pain as solid as your arrow points?" The screaming broke off, if only for a moment of angry chatter.

"I have not come to bother you, I've come to help my friends." La Llorna went to retrieve Tooth when Lena made a tsking sound.

"Leave the Guardian alone." Lena's words hung in the air.

"And what makes you so sure I'll do what you say?" the entire cliff top was frozen, two great beings staring each other down. Straight faced, Lena loosed her arrow, driving it into a tree mere millimeters from La Llorna's ear, knocking another arrow in a motion that was almost unnoticed.

"Because you have another shoulder." Her first arrow still protruded from Llorna's right shoulder, clearly not one of her magical arrows.

Jack took the pause to grab Tooth and pull her close, her entire body was shaking, Jack hoped from cold and not the terror that she most likely was feeling. La Llorna looked around at the faces of her assailants and let loose a wail that knocked even Mahala down. Struggling to stay standing, Lena waved her bow away and closed her eyes. The glow came first from her wings and then moved through her body. Ethereal warmth covered the cliff top and the scream faded.

"Do not try to mend my broken heart Archer. Nothing you can do will fix my pain." Lena opened her eyes, which were solid glowing orbs of pink magic.

"Perhaps not mend, but patch, if only for a moment." Her magic seemed to be working and then La Llorna waved her hand. Lena gasped in pain and fell to her knees.

"Take heed, Archer, I do not want your magic." Mahala slowly began to chant when La Llorna turned on her as well. With a quick flick of her wrist, Mahala was flung over the edge. Indy dove and caught her, holding on by her fingertips.

"My power is stronger than yours. The Morrigan has promised to grant me any wish as long as I contain the Guardians. Of course she never said they had to be living." Jack jumped to his feet and placed himself between Tooth and La Llorna.

"Stop!" she chuckled at him and turned, her lanky form moving closer slowly.

"Such bravery." With boney fingers, she slowly removed the arrow from her chest, without so much as a grimace. Jack swallowed, fear rising in his chest, but he held his ground.

"You can't be this bad. Nobody is this one-sided. Not even Pitch! Even he had a flipside-" he trailed off looking at Lena and then to La Llorna, who had advanced slightly.

"That's it, isn't it? The flipside. You're pain and loss and Lena and Mahala are hope and love. They're your flipside, that's why their magic worked against you. And mine didn't. Cold and pain go together." Her smile cracked her face at an odd angle.

"Very good. The universe creates balance; dark and light, good and evil, cold and warm. You can never be warm, only bitter." Jack shook his head and relaxed his grip on his staff.

"You're wrong. I can be bitter and biting but I can be soft too." A gentle wind blew in quarter sized snowflakes. Out of the corner of his eye, Jack saw Indy drag Mahala back up over the cliff and Lena was helping Geri to his feet.

"Snow isn't just about the cold, it's about fun." A glowing, blue snowflake appeared in his hand and began to float towards La Llorna. Dark eyes widened in confusion as the flake began to float towards her.

"I might not be able to make you feel love, or restore your hope, but I can remind you of what fun was like." The cliff top was covered in almost six inches of snow, small flurries forming around Jack's feet. La Llorna backed away from the magical flake.

"No, no, you're supposed to be my equal!" Jack gave a small smile.

"I was once, but then I found a new purpose. Maybe you can too." The flake connected with her nose and she froze. Energy exploded from the banshee's form, knocking all to the ground. Jack grabbed Tooth as she skidded towards the edge of the cliff. Screeching emanated from La Llorna as she doubled over.

"No! I don't want-I don't want to remember! I'm sorry!" falling to her knees, La Llorna dug her fingers into the ground. "I couldn't save- they fell and- I couldn't…it's my fault. They died and it was my fault." Jack placed his staff next to Tooth and moved slowly towards La Llorna. Her black hair had become brown and was shrouding her face.

"Llorna?" the silence of a snowy night settled across the cliff top. Inching closer, Jack held out his hand, gently resting it on the woman's should. "Llorna?" his voice was soft. Sniffles were response to his questions.

"It was my fault." She mumbled. Jack knelt down, placing both hands on Llorna's upper arms so that he could pull her up to eye level.

"What happened?" for a moment her eyes darkened, but she spoke non-the less.

"It was so long ago. I was making dinner, my children were playing in the forest, my three little boys. I could see them, darting between the trees, hear them laughing and calling to one another. And then, I couldn't hear them anymore. I looked and couldn't see them. I called to them, and nothing. I ran into the woods and found a small trail, their foot prints were fresh in the mud. I followed the trail and it led me here. I came to the edge of the cliff and just out of reach was my youngest, clinging to a branch. He was screaming for me, I couldn't reach him, and then the wind-" she was sobbing into Jack's shoulder. He held her while she shook. With a rattling breath, the sobs lessened.

"And then he was gone. The others had already fallen. My boys. I should have been watching them closer. I should have been there to protect them. I should have tried harder." Anger seemed to creep back into the edge of her voice. Jack stroked her back trying to calm her.

"I'm so sorry. I wish there was something I could do." Llorna pushed herself backwards to look Jack in the eye and to his surprise there was a soft smile on her face.

"But you did do something. For a moment, if only a moment, I am without hate, and that is because of you. Thank you Jack Frost." She stood slowly and glanced around at everyone.

"I am truly sorry for the pain I have caused you, especially you Toothiana. I do not expect forgiveness. But I will help you as much as I can. The Morrigan is in Ireland. I do not know what she is planning, but be aware, she is dangerous and willing to do anything. I wish you luck, and safe travels." She turned and headed towards a small dirt path almost hidden by bushes. Jack moved after her.

"Wait, what about you?" Llorna turned and gave him a sad smile.

"I will spend what little time I have left in remembrance. Then, I will be the wailing woman again. I can not change my nature, but you have managed to alter it, if only for a little while." She faded into the forest and for a moment, no one moved. After the moment had ended, Jack walked slowly back to Toothiana, who had freed herself from her bindings and was holding his staff. He took the staff and wrapped Tooth in a bear hug. She hugged back and they stayed like that until Lena began to speak.

"We should head out and try to regroup with the others. Hopefully, they've found North. Then on to Ireland I guess." She took to the air and zipped north, followed closely by the others. Jack and Tooth were the last and he sent her on ahead. He stayed behind and looked at the ocean, listening to the crash of the waves and the rustle of the forest. It was only when an unearthly cry began to come from the trees did he take his leave of the cliff. As he flew out of range of the cries, he couldn't help but think that they sounded less mournful, and he hoped that somehow, he had indeed helped her to find some peace in eternity.