Hey, guys and gals! I just have to say, thanks so much to WinterCrystal1009 and two Guests (you'll know who you are) for giving me ideas on who and what to write. Extra special thanks to shaneEgirlo for working out characters with me and giving me ideas on what they will act like (along with the other three above) THANKS SO MUCH...And keep it up, you're helping a lot.

When the snowflakes cleared, they all took in the view. Weeping willows lined the area with crystal, teardrop leaves raining frozen in time down the branches. Clear ice underneath of their feet glittered, yet some patches had cracks within the frozen water. The sky was filled with big, feathery clouds that looked ready to turn into a storm at any time. The chilly air bit at their skin without much venom, and they all (except Guide Jack) shivered a little when the wind whistled by. The fact that the wind sounded like it was crying made them wonder whether they were ready to see these memories.

"This place," Tooth spoke as they walked through a thick strand of branches, "Is beautiful if not for it being so...sad."

"This is where Misery comes to hang out," his copper-emerald-sapphire eyes gazed at her before moving away, "Grief is the one who lives here. Grief also represents sympathy, which explains why this place is tragic and wonderful at the same time. Jack knows that life can be pleasant and sad."

'Where is Misery?' Sandy asked as they all got out from under the heavy leaves that sounded like wind chimes when touched.

"There's a bench nearby," Guide explained as he strolled towards the largest tree in the area. Freezing rain was pouring down the leaves for real on this one, and the droplets collected at the bottom into a glass-like bench. On the bench sat someone, and for a minute, they thought it was Misery until they noticed this one had a different air to him. He looked the same as the apathetic emotion, but he seemed more caring about others, unlike Misery. He sat there in thought as he gazed at the lake nearby. A few seconds passed when he suddenly looked up at the group.

"Misery," he acknowledged the spirit who trudged glumly through the group as if they weren't believed in by Jack. Strangely, they felt no pain or anything when it happened.

"Grief," he stated flatly as he hunkered down on another bench that formed out of nowhere under the tree, "Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why do we exist?" The first asked without a drop of emotion as he stared at the clouds through the leaves, "Why? Why do people hate us?"

"Misery," Grief sighed as he created a fake tree behind him and leaned on it, "If you really want to know, go ask Clev. He's the genius."

"He says he has better things to do or something like that," the silver-haired teen glanced at Grief quickly before looking at the pond, "I take that as a get-out-of-here-because-you're-too-moody-and-I-don't-want-my-day-ruined-by-you type of thing. I'm just sad like that."

"I understand it," the simple reply had the two going into a comfortable silence for a moment or two.

"Grief?"

"Yeah, Misery?" He asked while giving the clone of Jack a knowing stare.

"They're getting bigger, aren't they?"

North, Tooth, Sandy, and Bunny all shared a look with each other. Guide simply looked away from their piercing eyes as he focused on the other two.

"Vhat are zey talking 'bout?" The Cossack questioned only for the caped teen to not respond.

"Yes," Grief grimaced intensely before tears gathered in his eyes, "It's getting worse. Last week, two girls drowned because Jack couldn't touch them. Non-believers like so many are. It tore him apart, especially since that's how he...well, we all know."

"I think he's breaking," Misery stated dully after a moment, "Like your pond. The cracks are getting bigger."

"I'm aware."

"Fear visited me today."

"Really?" Grief asked as he gave the other emotion an alarmed expression, "What could've made him leave his domain? He never has before."

"He told me that he's afraid of what's going on in Jack's mind," Misery flinched when the ice further out snapped a little, "That the balance between us is being messed with. Most negative emotions are getting stronger including us."

"Then positive emotions are getting weaker."

"Affection's already getting weaker," he continued while lightly tugging a leaf, "Loneliness is the one affecting Affection. Not that I care much."

"Yeah, you usually don't."

The memory faded out gradually until they were left with Jack's pond that they had been on a few months ago. The Jack they knew was dressed in a brown cloak and white shirt underneath. He was floating uncontrollably in the air in a way they had never seen before. Everyone knew that Jack Frost was as graceful as a dancer. However, every movement was shaky as if he had never ridden the Wind before. He suddenly slammed into a branch and burst into giggling.

"Have Ah ever mentioned how strange he is?" Bunny asked as the boy looked into the distance. They all followed his line of view to see some fires glowing in the crisp night. Instead of having to run after the teen, they were pulled to the area. Children and adults dressed similarly to Jack all moved here and there. A few dogs barked in the distance and a wild cat shrieked as one chased it. Jack greeted each person politely.

"Excuse me," the white-haired boy kneeled down towards a speeding boy, "Can you tell me where I am-Ah."

The child passed right through him and he grabbed his chest as the pain swept over all four of his unseen companions.

"How did the ankle-biter survive this?" Bunny asked as he covered his own chest as the teen was walked through by more people until he strolled away disheartened. The scenery once again changed as they got over the feeling of pain. A snowy landscape filled their vision as flakes fell in a smooth rhythm around them. In the distance was a black dot.

'This is the North Pole?' Sandy asked with a sand workshop and an arrow pointing at the northern part of a globe.

"That's right, Sandman," guide Jack laughed as they moved closer to the building, "We're at the North Pole. Jack will be showing up at any time."

"Vait...he vas at workshop?" North raised a brow before he waved his hands in the air, "I remember now...He said he tried to break in before."

"He got very close a few times," Jack smirked as his cape shifted in the wind, "Never could get passed the yetis though...There he is now."

A blur was seen approaching the large building they were standing next to now. As it got larger, they saw that it was Jack flying through the air as if he had no care in the world. Shooting towards one of the windows as fast as a bullet, they all looked away in preparation of him smashing into it and possibly breaking a lot of bones. He was immortal, but not invincible, after all. When they failed to hear any sound, they glanced back.

Jack was peering through the window that was now frosting over at the edges. Jack grimaced when he saw it, but ignored the spiraling ice in favor of getting a glimpse of what was so great about the toyshop. From what the group could see, it was an empty room that had almost no decoration either. In fact, Bunny recognized it as the room he had almost tossed Jack's staff out of, and the place that started the whole fiasco.

"You really need to use some of these bare rooms, mate."

"I wonder," Jack muttered loud enough for the Guardians to hear him as he tapped on the window, "Do the elves actually do the toy building? They seem too small to actually be able to pull it off...But then again, I'm probably a ghost anyway, so I don't doubt it. Time to have some fun."

A distinct pop was heard as the window unlatched itself and pushed open with the help of the wind. Jack's cloak fluttered around his body as the wind carefully set him into the room. He proceeded to inspect around cautiously before bouncing around the room in excitement. The Guardians saw his outline from below since they stayed in the same spot. They smiled at the pure happiness that radiated from the boy before they heard a noise.

"Gsdkfds ksfksfk ruifdvj?" A yeti, they could tell it was Phil from where they were at, came into the room and stared at the shocked boy, "Fyrdfnc djsnsdjn vsajdjcn cdcsjcsdc cdsd?"

"You can see me?" He asked with a small chuckle before he sulked, "You can see me, can't you?"

"Cakdafkdj tusiafd torjfij rigjiofsi," the larger creature stated while crossing his arms in slight annoyance, "Kdndsjn amsdf skdfnjncjn vnsjvnsvns vjnvrfn!"

"He can see me!" He shouted excitedly as he jumped into the air, "You can see me! Maybe I'm not a ghost! You can see me!"

The brownish yeti gave him a stare that clearly stated 'of course I can see you' before he grumbled off some more yettish.

"Wait," Jack patted the air and the yeti paused, "This will be a game until I learn what you're actually saying...You want me to go?"

The furry beast nodded in an effort to convey what he wanted to say. The boy they all knew looked down at the floor dejectedly as he disappointedly skimmed his foot along the carpet which promptly froze under his touch. The yeti's expression softened as he glanced at the devastated spirit who seemed like a good kid despite the break in.

"Geeaiidcif dfjnjd," he responded before ducking out of the door to retrieve something. One curious Jack and a few minutes later, the creature came into the room holding a small baggie filled with sugary cookies.

"North!" Tooth shouted as she glared at the confused and bewildered man, "You should be watching your yetis...Jack doesn't need the sugar. It's bad for his teeth-"

Seeing the looks of flat expressions from the other three (including Guide Jack since North is 0.0), she messed with the feathers in her hair.

"And he's hyper enough as it is?" Her voice came out higher pitched than usual as the guys laughed at her blushing face.

"What are those?" Jack asked as Phil held out the food to the spirit. The yeti's eyes widened in surprise before he made the motion of eating something.

"Food?" Jack exclaimed incredulously, "I don't need to eat...I don't think I do. Do I?"

The large worker for Santa just shoved the bag into Jack's unoccupied hand with a grumble before delicately dropping the spirit back out the window and closing it within a second after. Luckily, even in his stupor, the wind was able to grab Jack before he plunged to what would have been a painful fall. As the memory faded, they couldn't help but notice that Jack laughed and waved as he floated up into the sky. They also saw the giant, Yeti hand that waved back at the boy.

The next thing they knew, they were in a forest. Trees greeted them left and right as they looked around in confusion. It was what looked like the ending of autumn; leaves were painted bright crimson, bronze, and gold. There were small piles of snow on the ground beneath the tall trees, yet a few animals wondered here and there.

"Where are we now?" Tooth glanced at the sky, but couldn't see it due to the trees blocking it out.

'This looks like the forest outside Burgess,' Sandy concluded as he floated a few inches off the ground.

"Way to go once again, Sandy," Jack nodded as he smirked while holding his staff towards the smaller guy, "This is the forest outside Burgess...Or actually it used to be. The town has expanded since then."

"Since then?" Bunny asked as he hopped towards the guiding spirit, "How long ago is this, mate?"

"Um," Guide thought for a few seconds before responding, "About 304 years ago."

'But Jack is only 300 years old,' Sandy pointed out as the others in the group watched Guide carefully, 'This would be four years before then.'

"Jack existed before anyone thought," their mixed-haired companion stated before mumbling under his breath, "Way before you were Guardians actually."

Only Bunny gave the indication that he had heard the statement since he lifted a brow. Guide just disregarded him and gazed over to where they could hear a child laughing in the woods. Out rushed a kid who was ten-years-old. He had chocolate-colored hair and copper colored eyes and was dressed in a fashion similar to the villagers from the memory before. Inspecting further, they noticed he could have been Jack's twin if not for the color difference between the two.

"Whoo!" He shouted as he jumped from place to place almost as if the wind were carrying him. He raced through the trees almost faster than they could see him.

"If only Em could be out with me!" He laughed cheerfully as he ducked beneath a branch, "She'd have fun with me."

"Who is that?" North asked as they followed the little boy who was still racing around without a problem. Before Guide could tell them, they all heard a snarl behind them. Spinning around, they came face to face with a pack of gray wolves. From behind them, they heard Jack gulp in panic before he suddenly bolted. The wolves ran through the Guardians and chased after the quick boy. Forgetting that they'd be dragged along to watch the memory, they bolted after the animals in a hurry. They all stopped when they heard a cry of pain, and their vision turned white as fire spiked in their right arm. Grabbing their appendages, the group's eyes flew to the brown-haired boy.

He was clutching his forearm with tears in his eyes as the wolves ventured closer by the second. The alpha wolf growled from feet in front of the injured boy who curled further in on himself. He peeked out from under his fingers at the wild animal's teeth gleaming at him. Closing his eyes in expectation to feel more agonizing pain, they flew open when two of the wolves in the back yelped in discomfort. Out stepped a man who had an ax in his hand. Thrashing his way through the crowd of ravaging brutes, he stood in front of the boy on the ground.

"Back," the deep voice greeted the Guardian's' ears, and they weren't sure which was a real wolf with the sound coming from both sides, "Get!"

The wolves all backed away besides the lead one. This one snarled even more as it's lemon-shaded eyes glared at the man who interrupted its hunt. Bracing itself, it lunged at the man who swung the hatchet in an arch. With a scream of rage and anguish, the animal retreated, along with the rest of the pack, scarlet blood dripping from its broken upper leg.

"U-uncle?" The boy poked his head out from under his arms.

"Jackson," the man greeted as he kneeled next to the wounded boy, "What have I been telling you?"

"Don't w-wander around the w-woods," he stated with a small cry as he gripped his arm, "I was just having fun."

"What if you'd been killed?" The man, if they remembered from the first memories, named David demanded as he took a hold of the boy's shoulders, "How would your mother and sister feel? How many times have I told you to stay near the house?"

"I-I'm sorry," Jackson cried as he still held the appendage, "I was just h-having fun."

"Jackson Overland!" The man shouted as he shook the boy gently, "Look at me."

The boy looked up at the man as tears left his caramel eyes.

"Let's get you home and get that arm fixed," he stated with a small smile that looked a little like Jack's when he smirked, "You've had a long day."

"Thanks, Uncle," he leaned his head against the man's shoulder as he picked the boy up, "I'm sorry...I didn't m-mean-"

"I know," the man acknowledged softly as he shifted the kid so his arm wouldn't be aggravated further, "Let's just get you home, Kid."

The scene faded as the two left the woods. The Guardians looked around at Guide sadly and with perplexed expressions on their faces.

"That poor boy!" Tooth exclaimed as she hovered an inch, "He's really cute!"

"What does he have to do with Frost?" Bunny asked with crossed arms.

"That's Jack."

"Vhat?"

"That's your Jack," the guide nodded as the scenery changed again, "This is him as a human. Before he became immortal."

Ice solidified under their feet as they watched on. Soon, the lake that Jack always hung out at appeared with the forest around it and everything. On it stood two kids, Jackson who looked about 14 and a little girl who looked a lot like Jackson.

"Woah," Tooth exclaimed as she looked watched them skate on the ice, "She looks kind of like Jamie."

"Yeah," Guide agreed as he leaned on his staff, "Jack found out a week ago that his sister survived and had kids. Jamie and Sophie are her great-something grandkids."

"So he's related to Jamie?" Bunny asked as he stared at the kids having fun on the ice, "Oi, the ankle-biter's going to catch his death."

"Vhy?" North asked curiously as the rabbit pointed to the teen's bare feet. Everyone just grinned at how they hadn't understood he was their Jack at first...it was clearly obvious now that they were aware of it. Guide didn't join in as he didn't bother even glancing at the two youngsters, already knowing what was going to take place. The Guardians frowned when they heard a splintering shudder course through the ice. A whimper followed the heart-stopping noise as they all saw the girl atop a spider-web of fractured ice.

"Oh, no!" Tooth clenched her fists to her mouth in surprise as the girl called out to her brother.

Jackson tried to reassure her that she'd be okay. She mustn't have thought he was telling the truth because the ice cracked a little more under her weight as she yelled to the brown-haired teen.

"You always play tricks!"

"Well, not this time," he spread his arms before a metaphorical lightbulb went off over his head, "We're going to play hopscotch. You love that game."

"This isn't a game, Jack!" She shouted as another crack appeared under her feet, "You make everything a game. I'm scared, Jack."

"I-I know," he stated as he glanced around, "You'll be okay. I'll get you out. I'm your brother, right?"

"Yeah," she glanced up at him with a tiny smile, "You are."

"And I promised I'd take care of you," he patted the space next to him, "I'm the big brother in this relationship...Don't you forget that."

"I know, Jack," she laughed a little as he straightened out, "You say that all the time."

"Well then you should know I mean it," he set his foot down on the ice nearby only for it to snap and he acted like he was going to falling over, "Woah!"

The girl laughed again with a more nervous tone to it as he scooted over the ice to the thicker part of the frozen water. Reaching for a staff that looked just like Jack's current staff, he wrapped his thin fingers around the wood.

"It's your turn now," he slowly leaned forward with the staff reaching out past her, "On three."

"One."

She steadied herself as the staff came closer.

"Two."

The ice underneath of her cracked a little more as she glanced down with a scowl.

"Three!"

He thrust the stick out and drew his sister into the safe zone. She slid across the lake without a problem and laughed as she got up. Jackson responded back with a laugh as he started to get up too.

"He saved her!" The hummingbird hybrid shouted gleefully as she twirled in the air.

"At the expense of something else," Guide muttered loud enough for all to hear when they heard the ear-splitting crack. Everything faded once again as they lurched downward and felt dread drown their veins along with chilling numbness. A screech answered them before all noise died off and they were blinded by light once again.

"JACK!"