Hi everybody, me yet again! I'm so sorry I had to make you wait for me to update a week later than scheduled! School's been kicking my ass and I haven't had as much time as I would like to work on my story and as a result, it's probably going to be a bit messed up. Lots of dialog, weird descriptions, all the other stuff I'm good for.

I apologize in advance for the killer cliffie, and I thank you faithful readers for your dedication and wonderful reviews, though I kind of thought I would get more for a hurt!Bunny chapter.

Meh. Doesn't really matter. I'm just glad you guys read them at all!

Thank you once again, and I hope you enjoy the twenty-ninth chapter of the Boogeyman Tries to Understand Fanfiction.


When North woke up, it was very, very gradual. He hadn't had a good sleep in Manny knew how long, much to Sandy's annoyance, and he wanted to revel in it while he could. Dreams of his childhood flashed before his closed eyes and he smiled in his sleep, remembering the happy days he'd spent out on the Russian tundra, hunting seals and singing at the campfire with his father.

North smelled the scent of blubber and felt the cool wind on his face, blowing the peppermint wind that he inhaled like it was life itself. He loved re-living his childhood. He'd been free then, without so much responsibility. Without so much stress. Without so much-

Peppermint?

Something in North's subconscious stirred. He couldn't remember ever smelling peppermint when he was out with his father. He only remembered the smells of blubber and the bite of the icy winds that touched his cheeks when he was a beardless youth.

The smell of peppermint and then the murmuring of hushed voices filtered down to his subconscious and he realized that he was hearing people and smelling smells from real life.

Phil must've made cocoa. He thought, his mind slowly detached from his dreams as he groggily blinked his eyes open. The darkness rushed in to meet him and the pattern of squares that was always present across freshly opened eyes faded slowly. When it did, he stood and stretched, noticing nothing out of the ordinary except for the unsettling amount of darkness that was present around him.

Phil hasn't lit the lamps, he thought absentmindedly, stretching. His bones cracked and he rotated his shoulders to ease the stiffness from them. He must've been sitting in that chair for a long time, but no matter. Time to get back to work.

And get back to work he would, as soon as he'd had some of that delicious cocoa and peppermint he kept smelling.

North turned around, intent on getting a cup from the kitchens, but the sight before him stopped him in his tracks.

There were four figures sitting in chairs in front of the fire not ten feet in front of him, talking to each other. Their voices were hushed and the light of the fire silhouetted them in shadows, so North could only see the barest hint of their outlines. The chairs blocked most of their bodies, but he could see two head tops peeking out from the top of the red cloth armchairs. One was black as night, the other bright as if illuminated by the moonlight. The third person North only knew was there because the tip of a bright arm was resting on an arm rest, and the fourth was big enough to be one of his yetis. In fact, as North walked closer, he recognized Phil's gravelly tones.

"Phil?" he called hesitantly, stepping forward. The fire's heat warmed his bones, even from fifteen feet away.

His most loyal Yeti looked up and all talking ceased. The smell of peppermint was strong now, and as North walked still closer he smelled the familiar scents of woodsmoke, a rich, earthy smell and the pleasant smell of warmed milk, tempered with yet another scent. A sharper one that he couldn't identify.

"Nick!" Phil said, standing up and crossing the floor to hug his old friend. "Good to see you among the living."

North smiled hesitantly and hugged him back, then he turned to look at the other figures sitting in the chairs before the fire. "And who are these?" he asked, peering at the silhouettes. No matter how hard he tried, he could not make them out.

"I'm hurt, North." A voice called from on top of one of the chairs. "With hair like this, I'm surprised you didn't call my name the second you woke up."

North blinked, then his eyes rose to the top of the chairs and when he saw its occupant, swinging his bare foot lazily while leaning on a long wooden staff, his mouth dropped open.

"Jack?!"

"Again, you sound surprised." The youngest Guardian laughed and hopped down from his perch. "But I'll just attribute it to sleepiness."

North's jaw hung open for a moment, then he snapped it shut and reached out to embrace the boy in a hug. Jack accepted and wrapped his arms around the larger man.

"It's good to see you Jack," North said, squeezing the younger Guardian. He's relaxed considerably since Jack had revealed himself. That meant the other three had to be Toothy and Sandy. They had been waiting here for him to wake up and his heart clenched slightly with guilt when he realized how long they had probably been waiting for him. Then he dismissed it. They should've woken him. It wasn't his fault he had fallen asleep.

"Good to see you too, North." Jack said, patting the big man's shoulder. "Have a restful snooze?"

North ruffled the boy's hair. "I did." he said. "And I assume dat is thinly curtained joke?" Knowing Jack, anything he said could be a joke.

"Thinly veiled," Jack corrected, smiling. "And yes, it was."

North snorted. "Well, jokes aside, it's still good to see you." He turned to the other chairs. Sandy was standing beside the chair beside Jack's, smiling and holding a cup full of cocoa with a peppermint stick sticking out of it. It had been his arm resting on the armrest, North realized with a smile. "And Sandy, I must thank you for good dreams, yes?"

Sandy inclined his head. Guilty.

North beamed. "You are guilty of nothing but kindness." he said, allowing Sandy to put the cup down on the small table near his chair before he hugged his old friend. "And I appreciate it immensely."

Sandy hugged him back. No problem Nick. He wrote, rising up a few feet so that he could hug the man without being awkward. When North released him, he floated back an inch and wagged a finger. Just know that the next time you go six months without rest, I'm going to let you drool into your notebooks and let you stay that way for another six months.

North nodded, grinning. "I von't," he promised. Then he turned to the third chair, whose occupant hadn't shown themselves yet but he was positive it had to be Toothy. Who else would it be? "Toothy!" He called, expecting to see the familiar winged form of Toothiana sitting in the chair and his words came out before he could see who was really sitting there. "Good to see you T-" Then he stopped.

Sitting in the chair where he'd expected Tooth to be was the strangest person North had ever seen. She had thick, black hair that was pushed behind her ears and hung like a curtain down her back. It pooled like oil around her hips with a few stray strands hanging loosely in front of her face, which was down slightly as if she was bowed in prayer. What face he could see was as pale as cream and shown in the firelight when the fire flicked across her cheeks.

North's eyes traveled silently over the woman, taking in her intricate vine and leaf tattoos that encircled her forehead, snaked down the sides of her face and disappeared down into the neck of her green dress which seemed to be made more out of leaves than cloth. He blinked once, looking at the elegant dress and then he realized that it was, in fact leaves! Spear-head leaves that were the color of rich, green moss were somehow sown together in the form of a dress. She even had a thin, beautiful belt woven from rushes that he assumed was tied in the back.

North blinked again and asked, "Who are you?"

The woman, who's eyes had been cast down at the cocoa cup in her lap the entire time, raised them. They were a startling bright green; Greener that Bunny's- if that was possible, and the way the firelight shone on them as she raised her head made them briefly flash mauve. The flash startled the Guardian and he backed up a step, then her eyes settled back into her dark green and the firelight only shone on her face, making her dark pupils dance with brightness and her lips and tattoos shine dark pink against her pale face.

She smiled, her dark lips parting to show her shining pearl teeth. "My name is Mother Nature, but you can call me Sera."

North blinked yet again. Her voice was soft and low and she spoke, barely moving her lips. There was also something familiar in her voice, but North didn't pay any attention to it. If he would've thought a bit longer on the familiarity of this woman however, he would've realized that he'd seen her before, a long time ago. In the earliest battle with the Nightmare King.

But he didn't.

His mind was too far away, thinking of other things. Who was she, this strange woman? And where was Tooth? Why hadn't Jack and Sandy woken him sooner, and what had these four been discussing over mugs of hot chocolate and peppermint?

Someone nudged him. It was Jack, who had floated over to his side and casually driven an elbow into his ribs. North snapped out of his fervor and he smiled uncertainly. "My name is Nicholas St. North." He said, coughing nervously. "But you probably know dat."

Mother Nature smiled. "Yes, Jackson and Sandy have told me a lot about you." She said, rising smoothly and setting her cup down on a table identical to the one Sandy set his on. North noticed that vines were also present on her arms, curling around the wrists and ending in intricate spade-shaped leaves. The same leaves that were present in her dress. "I'm very pleased to meet you." She stuck out her hand in the way that courtly women did when they expected them to be kissed and North, getting another nudge, this time from Jack, took it and kissed it gingerly.

"De pleasure eez all mine." he said.

They all stood awkwardly for a few seconds, then Jack spoke up. "Why don't we all sit down, North?" He offered, gesturing to the other chairs that were unoccupied in front of the fire. "Phil can get you a cup of cocoa."

North nodded, a little bit of his old demeanor returning in the form of a smile. "Alright." he said, taking the seat that Phil had occupied. Then he turned to Phil, who was just leaving to get North his cup of cocoa. "Phil, make it coffee." He ordered politely. "You know how I like it."

Phil bobbed his head and took off but not before giving Jack and Sandy nods and a little bow to Mother Nature. North frowned at that, and when he turned around again to look at the others, they were all seated and staring at them with a strange intensity that bothered North quite a lot, though he did not know why. In fact, now that he thought about it, he had been feeling a bit uneasy since he had woken up. He just hadn't realized it until now.

"North?" Jack said gently, reaching across his chair to shake the Guardian's shoulder.

North blinked, realizing he'd been spacing out again. "Sorry, Jack," he apologized, then he remembered why he'd summoned them here in the first place. His face hardened with seriousness that was uncommon on the Guardian's face. "Dere are some things dat I need to tell you and Sandy about urgently."

Jack and Sandy looked at each other. Mother Nature smiled. "About Aster?" She asked lightly.

North turned to her and opened his mouth to ask how she knew that, and why she was calling Bunny by his first name, but she interrupted him with a raised hand.

"You've been asleep a long time, North." She said. "And during that time, Phil has brought us up to speed on everything that has happened since Jack and Sandy left."

North frowned. "He did?" He asked, turning to Jack and Sandy.

Jack and Sandy nodded. "Yes." Jack confirmed. "And I can tell you, I was bummed to hear that we couldn't tell you both outright because old lop-ears is unconscious and you were snoring away."

North frowned again. "Tell me?" he asked, puzzled. "Tell me vhat?"

All three exchanged glances and North watched them closely, noticing the calm and collected eyes of Mother Nature, the hesitant eyes of Jack and the firm, but worried eyes of Sandy. All three sets of eyes were conveying messages, but these messages weren't ones North could discern.

"Tell me vhat?" North asked again.

They continued to convey messages between each other and completely ignored North until he coughed loudly, making all three jump.

"If you three are quite finished," he said tersely, looking at them all in turn. "I would like to know what's going on here. Who are you, really?" He directed the question at Mother Nature, but before she could answer he turned to Sandy. "Why did you take such a long time getting here?" He demanded of the golden Guardian and Sandy looked down, embarrassed. "And what were you talking to Phil about?" North finally asked, turning to Jack.

All three beings shared another look.

"And stop looking at each other like that!" North bellowed, suddenly angry. He was confused and unsure of why they kept looking at each other like that, but mostly he was annoyed. Annoyed because he got the feeling, in his belly of course, that they were keeping something incredibly important from him. He hated being the last to know things.

Jack jumped again, but this time it was only him. "North," he said quickly, trying to placate the irritated Guardian. "We were going to wait for Bunny before we told you. It would be better if he were here."

"Well, Bunny is unconscious." North snapped. "So vhatever you need to say, you can say to me."

At this, Mother Nature rose. "I can easily remedy that." she said and, setting her cup down, swept across the floor with a rustle of cold wind and the rich scent of moldy leaves tainting the hot, smokey air. She headed for the stairs and North rose to stop her, but Sandy quickly put a hand on his shoulder.

North, come on. He said, gesturing for them to follow her. She's going to help Bunny.

North frowned and was about to protest, partly because he didn't know this woman- any more -and partly because it was his workshop and he felt awkward following someone else around his home, but a look from Sandy silenced him. He followed Sandy, stepping lightly so as not to overtake the tiny Guardian as they crossed the floor and headed for the stairs right behind Mother Nature. Jack followed behind North, keeping his staff at the ready in case it was needed.

They followed Mother Nature up the winding staircase and then into a hall. She walked confidently, without a hair of hesitation, and the way she led them through the maze-like corridors of North's workshop made North wonder if she'd been there before.

She had, but he didn't know that.

Finally they stopped outside a door and when Mother Nature reached for the knob, North nudged her gently aside. "It's locked." he explained, reaching for a ring of keys he kept on his belt at all times.

She just gave him a smile and tapped the knob with a green-nailed finger. "It's unlocked," she said simply and pushed the door open with her foot.

North stood, dumbstruck, as she swept into the room and over to the unconscious rabbit in the bed by the window. "How..." He asked, staring at her form the doorway.

"Natural talents." She said, not looking at him as she bent down to look at Bunny. Jack and Sandy slid into the room and North continued to stand in the doorway, watching her. "He's in a bad way," she said, looking at Sandy. "But at least I know why."

"Vhy?" North asked before he could stop himself.

Mother Nature looked up. "It's his element," She said simply, looking at them all in turn.

"Eggs?" Jack joked, trying to unsuccessfully ease the tension.

"Hope." Mother Nature replied, rubbing her hand over his forehead. "Someone is filling Aster full of hope, only to dash his hopes and leave him feeling dead inside. He's feeling hopeless."

Sandy frowned, then his eyes widened. Oh no.

Mother Nature noticed the look and she turned to Sandy quickly. "What?" she demanded. "The only reason I know what I know is because I've had experience with this kind of thing, but you should know more than me. So what is it, Uncle Sandy?"

North blinked. Uncle?!

But Sandy shook his head, refusing to answer her.

"Wait a minute," Jack said, holding the hand that wasn't wrapped around his staff. "I don't get it, what are you two talking about?"

"It's his element, Jack." Mother Nature said, turning back to him. Her hand was still stroking Bunny's forehead. "Just like Wonder is North's, Dreams are Sandy's, and Fun is yours."

Jack noticed she didn't mention Tooth or Pitch.

"It's the thing that makes you a spirit. You must've felt it." She said, looking him dead in the eye now. "When you felt particularly exuberant and happy, that was when a lot of kids were having fun. Or one child having a lot of fun, or even the collective power of fun across the globe. It's the same for Bunny."

Jack still looked confused.

She sighed. "Sandy, fill him in. I need to start working on this." She said exasperatedly, turning her back on Jack and North and Sandy. She raised her other hand to Bunny's forehead and a slight green glow began to emanate from her fingertips. The light began to flow down her fingers and into Bunny's forehead, which made his fur glow emerald.

Sandy took up the narrative. Jack, someone has given Bunny an enormous amount of hope, and then taken it away from him. The gaining and losing of so much hope, so quickly, hurt him badly.

Jack's eyes widened, as did North's.

"De pain!" he exclaimed, thinking back to Bunny's confession of pain earlier that day. "Bunny told me that he was in large amount of pain earlier, and when he came out of panic attack he was rolling around on the floor, groaning and moaning. You think is might be hope-related pain?"

Mother Nature answered, "I'm almost sure of it." without looking up. The green around her fingers and around Bunny's forehead was brighter now.

"Vhat are you doing to him?" North asked, stepping forward to look at the eery greenish glow around Bunny and Mother Nature. Her face was tinted with the green glow as well and her fern-green eyes danced with light.

"I'm giving him back hope." She replied. "You could help, if you wanted to." She added, turning her head slightly to look at him. "He needs all the hope he can get."

North hesitated, but when Jack stepped forward and placed his cold hand on top of Mother Natures and Sandy did the same, North followed suit. His huge hand swamped Jack's, Sandy's and Mother Natures and the green light was joined by golden, ice-blue and vibrant red.

"Good." She said, looking at the shining, shimmering colors. "Now... HOPE!"

North hoped. He hoped that Bunny would be alright, he hoped that he would live a good long time, and he hoped that they could really be a family. He hoped and hoped with all his heart and the red light which was turning into a flame now, burning their hands but not leaving any marks. The fire engulfed their hands and North hoped harder than he had ever hoped before.

Jack hoped. He hoped that old long-ears would be alright, that Pitch would be alright and Toothy too, that they would all get this sorted out and they could finally be a family, together. He hoped that North and Bunny would accept Pitch and Mother Nature, and somewhere, in the back of his mind, he found himself hoping that he could meet Abby. Just once. To thank her for all she'd done.

Sandy hoped. He hoped that all of his family would be alright, that they could all forget and accept each other for what they were. He hoped that all of his family would be safe and sound by the next day, and he hoped that whatever spirits of luck or providence or whatever had brought them together, he hoped that that spirit would continue to preserve their luck and happiness.

They hoped and hoped and hoped, putting all their hopes and- in Mother Nature and Jack's case -prayers, into trying to heal Bunny. The flames of golden and blue and green and red licked at their hands and swatted delicately at Bunny's fur. It didn't catch though. Instead, the tiny flames seemed to twist themselves around Bunny's facial fur like the fingers of a lover, tracing his nose delicately and running their light across his eyes.

Sounds had long-since come to join the flames and magic of the others. Violins, chellos, flutes and trumpets, playing a unidentifiable tune that touched all of them and made their hoping that much stronger. North hoped. Jack hoped. Sandy hoped.

But it was Mother Nature that hoped the hardest of all.

She hoped that her father would remember his memories when this was all over, and she hoped that Bunny would be alright when he got through this. But most of all, she hoped that the Guardians would learn to accept her father. To accept him like they had accepted Jack, despite his many faults. She hoped and even prayed- though she didn't pray to any deity because of her beliefs- that her family and the other Guardians would be kept safe and that this millennium-old fighting would finally end.

And then suddenly, the musical sounds vanished.

One minute they were there, almost deafening the Guardians and Mother Nature. The next, silence. And in the next moment, before any of them had a chance to move or speak, Bunny sat bolt upright in his bed and screamed.

North, Jack and Sandy all jumped back, breaking their connection and sending tendrils of fire shooting every which-way. Thankfully, the fire dissipated as soon as it hit anything substantial and nothing caught. Mother Nature, however, didn't let her hand slip from his forehead until he sat up and started screaming. Then, calmly, she let her hand slide down his face and neck until it reached his muscular- if very fuzzy -torso and she stroked there gently, like she was trying to calm a frightened child.

"Aster," she whispered. Her eyes were boring into Bunny's and his breath was coming fast, like he'd just run a marathon.

He didn't seem to know her or the others yet and all he did was sit there, panting with wide, frightened eyes as her soothing voice flowed into his large ears.

"Aster," she said again. "Come back to me, friend."

North and Jack stood, spellbound by her voice. It was soft and rolling, like a bubbling brook winding it's way through a thick glade or a gust of wind blowing through trees or thick hair, and it had an undertone of power that left the spirits in the room stunned and hanging onto every word of hers as she spoke to Bunny.

All the spirits in the room, that is, except Sandy.

Sandy didn't like fire. Not one bit. He hadn't liked fire even before he'd turned into the Sandman and when he had turned into the Sandman, he'd liked fire even less. Fire could solidify him if he got too close, and then it would take him days to get back to his natural sand state. He would have to decompose slowly, crumbling back into sand and then spending hours trying regain his normal physical shape. That was why he had been the third to put his hand on the green flame that Mother Nature's hope had ignited. He had been afraid of melting and then solidifying as glass, which had only happened three times in his vast years of existence.

Sandy stood silently, rubbing his hands to make sure they weren't melting. He'd had a close call with the fire in North's living room and he was still a bit jumpy about it, but now that he was away from fire of any kind he was beginning to calm down.

He stood slightly apart from the rest of the group and looked on at the sight before him, completely oblivious to the words of Mother Nature that had ensnared his fellow Guardians.

OK, scratch that. He wasn't completely oblivious.

Unaffected might be the correct word.

Yes, Sandy wasn't affected by the sound of Mother Nature. Not one bit. He could hear it and he could understand the words, but her voice held absolutely no power over him whatsoever, and it held no power over him for one simple reason: He was not of this earth. Sandy was a star, whatever he looked like to the other Guardians or spirits. He was a star, and as such he was exempt from Sera's power to call to plants and animals of earth.

He stood there, watching the others listening to her voice and he had to smile. They both looked like those vaguely disturbing chihuahua figurines with the big, wide eyes that say precious moments on a plaque in the front. The same wide eyes, the same frozen expressions of serenity, and the same creepy air about them.

Sandy took pity on them after another five minutes and tapped them on the shoulder, gently bringing them out of their hazy state.

Jack blinked once, then he looked at Sandy and asked, "Sandy, what happened?"

Nature's call. Sandy wrote, then he chuckled at his unintentional play on words.

Jack, however, didn't get it. "Huh?"

Never mind. Sandy glanced at North. He still hadn't come out of the hazy state and Sandy had to tap him again before he blinked and came back.

"Sandy?" He asked. "Vhat vas dat?"

Mother Nature is the mother of all things on this earth, Sandy replied, smiling. Including humans and spirits who used to be human. Her call to Bunny touched you two in your deepest primordial minds and you felt compelled to answer her. He shrugged. Or something like that. I don't know for certain because I didn't feel it.

"Why not?" Jack asked.

Because I'm not human. Sandy replied. I never was.

Both spirits nodded, having been already fully aware of that fact for a good long while but hadn't remembered until he mentioned it.

"Oh." Jack said. "That makes sense."

North turned back to Mother Nature and Bunny. He was beginning to come out of his coma and he blinked once, twice. "Is he alright?" he eagerly asked Mother Nature.

"Bunny is with us again." she replied, pulling her hand away from his torso. "He won't be able to talk for a few minutes, but he's all right physically and mentally apart from that." She smiled down at him. He blinked up at her. "Bunny, do you recognize me?" She asked him.

Bunny nodded slowly, his eyes never leaving her.

Seraphina smiled. He obviously recognized her. Not only as his boss, but as the patroness spirit of his people that she'd been many long years ago, when she'd first traveled to earth after Pitch had killed her mother and tried to kill her. They had prayed to her to give them bountiful crops and to protect them from enemies and she had done so gladly because the Pooka had been her friends even before she'd transformed into Mother Nature.

They had lived in the forests of her home planet and she had played with them often as a child, running through the trees and playing tag with them. Her nursemaid had even been an elderly Pooka doe at one time and because of that she had loved the Pookas. They were strong, fast, intelligent, and they all had a certain collective kindness that extended to no end. A Pooka would give you half of a raw carrot if that was all he had, just because that was the kind of race the Pooka were.

But that wasn't all they were. They warriors, but they were also scientists and mechanics, herbalists and sorcerers, gardeners and writers as well. They were as different as humans were, if quite a bit more advanced. The Pooka were the divine link between animal and human, in her opinion. They could fight and speak like humans, but their instinct was to fight for their young and keep their family close. It was something humans seemed to all but forgotten.

Seraphina blinked back tears. She didn't want to think about the other Pookas now. She didn't want to think about the brave Pooka warriors and warrioresses that she had seen die at the gray hands of Pitch Black. All she wanted to think about was the living Pooka in front of her.

"Aster," she said, looking at him gently. "I want you to try and stand for me."

Bunny's eyes widened and he looked hesitant, bordering on afraid.

"It's alright," she said, moving the blankets that had been laid over him. "I'm here to help. Just take it slowly, and you'll be alright."

Bunny looked to North and the others, who nodded encouragingly.

He nodded. "Aw'right." He murmured, shifting his body until his legs were sticking out of the blankets. Seraphina turned to the side to allow his feet full access to the floor and slowly, very very slowly, he stood. She supported his weight by allowing him to lean on her arm and, after some quiet words of encouragement, he was able to shuffle along in a reasonable facsimile of walking.

"You're doing wonderfully Aster," she praised. "Can you speak yet?"

Bunny shrugged. "A little." he mumbled.

"How are you doing my friend?" North asked, stepping forward.

Bunny shrugged. "M'well enough." He replied. His voice was still a mumble and his accent had thickened drastically. "How long wuz I out?"

"About a day." Jack put in. "Though, most of that we were gone for."

Bunny looked up. His face twisted as if he were trying to remember something. "You... ya all left." He said slowly, looking at Jack and Sandy hazily. His eyes were unfocused and he tried to look straight at them, but his eyes kept drifting off into space.

Jack and Sandy winced. "Yes," Jack admitted. "We did."

Aster's voice cracked. "Why?" He asked.

Sandy's dreamsand began to write. At first it was because we all had our jobs to do-

"Sandy," Seraphina interrupted, giving her beloved uncle an exasperated look. "He can't read that."

Sandy winced. Sorry. He apologized.

Bunny looked to Jack for a translation of Sandy's curling words and Jack chuckled.

"We all had jobs to do." He replied. "That was why we left. At first."

Bunny blinked. "At first?" Then his eyebrows furrowed as he looked around the room. "Wait, where's Tooth?"

Jack glanced at Sandy, then at Mother Nature, unsure if whither or not to tell him outright. Sandy shrugged and gestured to Seraphina like, hey, she's running the show, not me, and Mother Nature was too busy watching North to pay any attention to him. "Well, that's really why we're here." he said slowly. "There's something incredibly important that we need to tell you and North."

"But we wanted to wait until you both were ready," Seraphina cut it. She was still watching North but the spirit of Christmas hadn't noticed. "North was asleep when we got here and you were unconscious. The only one we could talk to was Phil."

"By the way," North said, figuring that this was as good a time as any to ask about their secretive meeting with Phil. He still hadn't noticed Mother Nature's eyes on him. "Vhat vere you guys talking about vith Phil? Downstairs, by de fire?"

Again, the three spirits shared a look. That look nearly drove North insane with curiosity.

"Vhat?!" He demanded, getting angry again. "Vhat is big secret? Jack, Sandy, I'm getting sick of being last von to know things and I demand explanation!"

They continued to share 'the look' and after a few agonizing moments, during which North fairly jigged with anticipation, Seraphina spoke.

"We wanted to tell you when you both were fit to accept the information." She said. "As I said before, you were both out of it and the only one we could tell was Phil."

"Vait," North said, raising his hand. "You mean Phil knows dis big secret and not us?!"

She nodded. "We told him."

"He wasn't surprised at all," Jack put in, smirking. "Not after Baby Tooth-"

"Jackson," Seraphina interrupted, shooting her favorite son a warning look. "Not yet."

By now, Bunny was getting curious. In fact he was more than curious, but he knew that Mother Nature didn't give up any secrets of hers until she was completely ready to. And, judging by the looks on Sandy and Jack's faces, they weren't going to say anything until she told them to. "Gaia, I'm fine right now." He said, trying to sound convi-ncing. "Really. Ya can tell us both whatever great secret ya have now."

Seraphina- who hated her old name that the Pooka race had dubbed her with -winced and then rubbed Bunny's head affectionately. "Firstly, it's Sera." She corrected. "And secondly, you can barely walk. I'm not going to tell either of you anything until I'm satisfied that you are completely recovered."

North protested, but Seraphina would hear none of it.

"No, I'm not going to be moved on this!" She said firmly. "Bunny will be able to walk, talk and fight before I will tell you anything!"

Jack winced. "Mother," he objected. "That might take some time!"

Bunny looked up, his fur bristling. "Excuse me, boy?" He said, a challenging glint in his eyes and a hint of annoyance in his Aussie-tainted voice. "I can beat your scrawny behind with both hands tied behind me back!"

Jack laughed. "Sure, Peter Cottontail." he scoffed. "So long as I'm sitting down and have my own hands behind my back." He didn't mean to bait him, really he didn't. It was just his way of speaking with Bunny and he'd done it so often that it had become commonplace.

Bunny growled and he was about to show the little runt just how tough he really was, but Seraphina tightened her hold on him before he could slip away and, reaching up with one of her tattooed hands, flicked his ear.

"Bunny, knock it off." She said, Motherness seeping from her every pore.

Jack snickered. "Ooooh, you just got-"

Then Seraphina sent a blast of water from her fingertip at Jack which hit him square in the nose and froze there, like a carrot on a snowman. Jack let out a yelp, but it unfroze just as fast and dissipated into mist before he could start to whine about it. "And Jack, stop being tiresome. Bunny has just woken up from a painful experience and I will not have you ridiculing him."

"Yes Mother," Jack replied meekly.

Bunny smiled. "Yes Ma'me."

Seraphina wrinkled her nose. "Bunny," she warned and Bunny's smile immediately drooped. "I've told you before and I'll tell you again: my name is Seraphina and I will not have you calling me anything else. Not Ma'me, not Gaia, not even Mother Nature. Ser-a-fee-na."

Bunny nodded just as meekly as Jack had. "Yes M- I mean, yes Seraphina."

"Or just Sera, if you like nick-names." She added, smiling.

"Sera," Bunny agreed. "Alright."

Sera smiled. "There, that's better." She said. Then she turned to the others who flinched in spite of themselves at her stare. Her smile widened. "Now," she said, looking at all the spirits in turn. "We are going to go back downstairs and get this all sorted out."

Jack raised a hand hesitantly. He was still a little wary of his mother. "Uh, why can't we do that in here?"

Sera rolled her eyes. "Because it's very crowded in here and I am slightly claustrophobic." She replied flatly. "Also, the heated downstairs is a much better environment for a sick animal than this chilly room."

Bunny nodded. "I won't argue with that." He said a little shakily and the others looked back at him, noticing for the first time that he was shivering. His fur was standing up a little more than it should and his ears were quivering, a sure sign of either fear or cold.

Seraphina put her arm around Bunny's shoulder again. "Come on Aster, let's get you downstairs." She said gently. "I'm sure Phil will have no problem getting you a cup of carrot juice."

Bunny nodded. His shivering was more pronounced now and as they left the room, Jack and the others could hear him mutter, "Thank you Sera." His voice was almost inaudibly and Jack raised an eyebrow as they followed Seraphina down to the level where the fire was still roaring. A Yeti stood there, putting another log on the fire and when they got to the chairs, Seraphina immediately eased him down in the chair and turned to the yeti who was poking the fire with a iron poker.

"Can you please go make him some carrot juice?" She asked pleasantly.

The yeti shrugged and said something in yetish.

"I would appreciate it very much. Thank you Richard." Seraphina bobbed her head and the Yeti left. The other Guardians sat down, except for Sandy, and Seraphina turned around to look at them all. She smiled. "Well, now that you're all here I have no doubt that you're wondering what I'm doing here, especially you North." She glanced at the rotund Guardian and he shrugged.

"De thought crossed my mind." He admitted.

"I thought so." She said, folding her arms. "Well, I hope you have enough patience to wait a little longer because I have some questions for Bunny first."

North grunted with irritation, but didn't object. Truth be told, he was a little afraid to. He'd seen the power in those bright green eyes and had sensed her magic, strong and dripping from her fingertips when she had healed Bunny and that had really frightened him. He didn't want to admit it, but it had.

Bunny, who hadn't spoken since they had left his chilly room, raised his head. "What do you want to know?" he asked.

Seraphina beamed when she heard Bunny's assent. "Thank you." She said, nodding to him. "I realize how hard this must be."

Bunny didn't move or respond. He just sat there, looking at her.

Seraphina nodded. "OK. Right to business. Basically, I want you to tell me any important details you can remember about the experience. Anything especially odd, a scent, a feeling, anything. I need to know."

Bunny raised an eyebrow. "Any particular reason?" He asked.

Mother Nature's lips parted in a smile that can only be described as catlike, her teeth gleaming in the firelight and her eyes dancing with mischief. "Other than me trying to make sure you never feel something that horrible again, does it really matter?" She asked silkily, leaning across to pat Bunny's knee.

Bunny rolled his eyes at her attempt to be coy. Jack was being a bad influence on her. "Sera," he said tiredly.

She shrugged and pulled back, instantly going back to her normal motherly persona. "I need to know anything significant you can remember because I have a theory on why it happened to you, but I have to hear it from you to be sure." She admitted. She had formulated the theory after she'd heard about Bunny's injury and, after putting two and two together, realized what had really caused Bunny's pain.

It was just a theory, but she was almost ninety-nine percent sure it was true. She just needed Aster to confirm her suspicions.

Bunny nodded. "I can tell you now what did it," he said quietly. "Some poor bloke lost hope."

Seraphina nodded. "Yes, I know that, but who, Aster? Who is what I'm looking for, and I need anything you can remember to find the answer. A flash, a smell," she paused significantly and Bunny looked up at her. "A feeling?

Bunny frowned. "I didn't see anything," he admitted slowly. "Neither time. It was just a sharp pain, then I blacked out."

"What about a smell?" she prompted.

"Bunny!" North objected, looking surprised that he was talking about his experience so easily. He wasn't sure if that was the best thing for Bunny right now, to re-live that experience just after it had happened and, truth be told, he would rather hear about what Jack, Sandy and this strange woman had been up to.

Bunny shot North a glance. "It's alright mate," he said, waving his paw. He had a feeling Sera knew more than she was telling, or course she did, but he knew he would learn whatever it was later. Mother Nature never gave anything away before she was ready. "No," he said, turning back to Seraphina. "No smell, nothing unusual."

Seraphina frowned. "Any weird feelings?"

Bunny shook his head. "Nothing." He replied. "Just the painful ones."

Seraphina nodded and she wasn't actually going to ask him about what that felt like, she thought it wasn't really necessary and would only serve to distress him more, but to her surprise he said it with no trouble.

"The first time I didn't get much of a chance to feel anything because Sandy knocked me out too fast, which I'm thankful for," he added, turning to smile at Sandy who was standing with his arms folded against Jack's armchair.

Sandy nodded in recognition.

"And the second time there wasn't really anything else running through my mind but how much pain I was in. I was thrashing and my body erupted in spasms, I felt like I was being burned alive and after the first few convulsions I blacked out."

All in the room were silent and nothing but the crackling of the fire made a single sound. North and the other Guardians sat like statues in their chairs and Seraphina looked at Bunny with such a sad expression on her face she could've been a statue in a graveyard. Hearing about Bunny's torturous experience made her feel so guilty, not because it had been her doing- which it hadn't -but because she hadn't been able to help him.

It had been her appointed task from the start of her life as a spirit to take care of the equilibrium of the universe, keep the creatures under her care safe and keep the worlds green and the water clear. So far, she'd done a pretty good job of it. Well, there had been that thing a few thousand years ago with the Ice Age, but that was just a little slip up. Still, when she'd heard Bunny's description of his horrible experience she felt guilty beyond measure. Bunny had been one of her charges, and she'd let him down.

Seems I'm always letting the Pooka Warriors down. She thought idly. First Cavot, now his grandson. It's a wonder the whole race doesn't hate me.

Bunny seemed to read her thoughts and he sighed. "Sera, I don't blame you." He said firmly, reaching across to pat her arm. "Ya couldn't have possibly done anythin' and I don't want ya beating yerself up over it."

Seraphina nodded. "Alright," She conceded. "I won't." Though she knew it wasn't true. She would always feel guilty, because that was just how she was.

Jack smiled. "It seems Mother isn't the only one who can act the parent." He murmured to Sandy, who laughed.

Seraphina raised an eyebrow. "I'm not above turning those luscious locks of yours pink as one of Bunny's eggs," she said evenly, but the others could hear the threat in her voice and shuddered.

Jack sank down in his seat and whimpered meekly, "Sorry mom."

She nodded, satisfied. "Now, Bunny," she said, turning back to him and looking at him intently. "How long did it take you to fall unconscious?"

Bunny shrugged, a little surprised by the rapid change of topic. "Uh... about five minutes. Maybe ten."

She nodded. "And was there anything that stands out to you now in your experience?"

He blinked. "What?"

"You said there were no strange scents and no strange sights, and I believe you," she explained. "So I'm asking other questions to get my answers."

He nodded. "I see." Then he furrowed his eyebrows. "It's a little blurry." He admitted, trying to think.

"Tell me what you can, but take your time." She encouraged. "I'm not forcing you to do anything."

"I know M- Seraphina." Bunny amended hastily, looking up at her with a sheepish smile. "But honestly, there really isn't anything that jumps out at me. I remember the pain, I remember blacking out. That's it." He paused. And a thoughtful look grew on his face. "Wait..."

"Yes?" She prompted gently.

"Hopeless." Bunny said quietly. "I remember feeling... afraid." His voice was barely above a whisper and the others had to strain to hear what he was saying, but Seraphina heard him clear as glass. She sighed, feeling guilty again. Not only had she not been on hand to help him, but it had probably been her own father's power affecting him.

She sighed and, in spite of her downcast spirit, smiled. At least she had been right.

Yes, but now I'll have to figure out a way to tell them and Bunny, which I knew I would have to do eventually but I didn't think it would be this soon and even though it seems like it's taken for ever I still don't want to, but I know that I have to because like it or not, I've been roped into this and-

"Mother?"

Seraphina blinked. Wow. I seem to have gotten more than I thought from my dad. Did Pitch monologue this much? "Yes Jack?" She asked, turning to her youngest son.

"You had a weird look on your face." He replied. "Are you going to clue us into your little theory or are we going to have to ask nicely?"

Seraphina gave him a look. "Jack, stop being tiresome. Of course I'm going to tell you, I just have to take a minute to find out how to do so."

Jack nodded. "Fifty-nine."

She resisted the impulse to shoot another bolt of water at him and instead closed her eyes, organizing her thoughts in a reasonable facsimile of an explanation.

"Forty."

"Jack," North and Bunny warned at the same time, earning a laugh from Sandy.

"Sorry." Jack said, actually meaning it this time.

Seraphina ignored him and, after fifteen more seconds of thinking on what she was going to say, she spoke.

"How well do any of you know Pitch Black?"

Jack and Sandy shared the briefest of looks and North raised his eyebrows. "Vhat does Pitch have to do with this?" He asked.

Jack had to suppress a snigger and Seraphina smiled. "A lot." She said.

North shrugged. "Ve know he is our enemy and it is our duty to keep the children of the vorld safe from him." He replied. "Apart from dat, not much."

Seraphina's eyes narrowed, but she kept her temper in check. They had no idea. "What about you, Bunny? What do you know about Pitch Black?"

Bunny shrugged. "The bugger nearly killed me in the Nightmare War." He said ruefully. "And I would pay to get a chance to get him back for that."

Jack winced. "Uh, Bunny-"

"No Jack," Seraphina said, raising a finger. She was still smiling. "Bunny is entitled to his opinions."

Bunny noticed her smile and frowned. "What do ya mean?" He asked, peering at her from underneath his incredibly bushy eyebrows. "Sera, what aren't you telling us?"

Seraphina's smile widened. "Sandy, bring them." She ordered, waving a hand at the Sandman.

Sandy took his orders without question and rose above the floor, sending his sand to go get Tooth and Pitch, who they had placed on a bed in the room next to Bunnys'.

North's frown deepened and he asked, "Bring who? Seraphina, Sandy, vhat is going on?"

Seraphina turned to them and smiled. "About a day ago," she began, looking at all of them in turn. "I was pulled out of my home in Yggdrasil by Father Time. He told me that something very important was about to happen and I needed to stay at his place, Big Ben, until Jack arrived to collect me."

North frowned. "Jack was to see you after he left here?"

She smiled more. "Oh no, he didn't even know I was there. Not until Father Time told him, anyway."

North opened his mouth, but Jack shook his head, warning him not to interrupt. He closed his mouth.

"When Jack came, I learned something that made me happier than anything I had heard in decades." She continued, giving Jack a nod in thanks for keeping North quiet. It would be easier to explain this way. "I was so happy and hopeful." Her smile shrank a little bit. "Then I learned something else and my hope plummeted down to my feet."

Everyone had been on the edge of their seats by now and when they heard this little piece of information, North and Bunny's eyebrows went up.

"It vas you?" North demanded, standing and looming over the woman who was still sitting calmly in her chair. He pointed a threatening finger at Seraphina's nose and growled, "You hurt Bunny?!"

"Sheila. . ." Bunny was too surprised to move. He just sat there in his chair, looking at her like she'd just betrayed him. "Why?"

Seraphina laughed at their faces. She couldn't help it. It was so ironically wrong. "But that's it, you see? That's the whole point!" She said triumphantly. "It wasn't me!"

Now Jack was confused. "But mother, you just said-"

"Think!" Seraphina interrupted, turning to face him. Her face was a patient mask with several cracks in it; her normally bright eyes were even brighter and her mouth was set in a flat line. "Think, Jackson." She ordered. "What feeling did Bunny say he was experiencing right before he blacked out?"

Jack desperately thought back to Bunny's words. "He said he felt afraid." He answered, unsure of what she was getting at. "But-"

"I wasn't afraid." She interrupted. "I just felt hopeless, but I wasn't afraid."

Bunny finally spoke and when he did, his voice was quiet and thoughtful as his brain tried to process the information. "But then. . ."

"Who else do you know that deals in fear?" Seraphina interrupted, looking North straight in the eyes. Two golden caskets were floating down the staircase just behind them and she didn't notice them until Sandy snapped his fingers to get her attention. None of the other noticed. She knew she had to wrap this up and she smiled. "Think on it, North."

North didn't have to think on it. His face clouded with anger and he said, in a voice thick with rage, "Pitch? He did dis to Bunny?"

But Bunny was looking thoughtful. "Wait..." He said, looking at nothing in particular as he thought. "If Pitch was the one who hurt me. . ."

Seraphina nodded. "Keep following that train of thought, eventually it'll lead to a depot." She quipped.

He ignored her. "If he hurt me by losing hope..." His voice trailed off. "Why would Pitch need any hope to begin with?"

Seraphina gestured for Sandy to bring the caskets a bit closer and when she answered Bunny, it was with a knowing smile on her face. "That's why." She pointed behind them.

Bunny and North whirled around but Jack, knowing now what she was doing, didn't. He kept his eyes averted because he didn't want to see their faces, surrounded by Sandy's golden caskets. What they saw made North's jaw drop and Bunny had to sink back down in his chair, his shock was so great. Neither spoke, only gaped at the two faces laying side by side among the golden sand.

"Those, as you might've guessed," Seraphina said, smiling. "Are Pitch Black and Toothiana. They are asleep. Or, at least, Tooth is." She added, looking at Sandy. "Pitch is off on is own little trip and Tooth is just staying in this state because Sandy forgot that she can wake up at any time."

Sandy winced and nodded, waving his hand. The sand covering Tooth's body melted away and flowed back to Sandy, who was standing beside Pitch, looking sadly down at the unconscious bodies.

"There we go," Seraphina said, standing and walking over to the bodies. "Now, I hope you don't mind that I wake her up. It's really hers and Pitch's story to tell, but since Pitch is unconscious I think Jack and Sandy can tell it well enough." She bent down beside Tooth and shook her shoulder gently. "Toothiana dear, wake up."

Tooth stirred. Her fingers twitched and her mouth opened, coughing up water. She spluttered, but her eyes didn't open. Jack, hearing what was going on, turned to face them and helped Seraphina move Tooth into a sitting position, her arms flopping forward and her head down against her chest as the water continued to burble from her mouth, mixed with Dreamsand and black ooze that smelled foul.

"Tooth," Seraphina coaxed, tilting her head slightly up. "Wake up. Get all that nastiness out of your system, and wake up."

The others in the room felt a shudder of power and North and Bunny gaped when Seraphina's hands began to glow green once more.

She's healing her, Bunny thought. Just like she healed me!

Rimsky-Korsakov! North thought, staring with his mouth agape.

None of the Guardians moved except Jack as the green light melded with that of Tooth's emerald feathers. Jack shifted his support on Tooth's shoulders, but Seraphina didn't more from her position at all as squatted beside Tooth, one hand supporting her back and the other under Tooth's chin, glowing with soft healing light. Tooth's face was awash in soft light, her eyelashes casting dark shadows across her face and eyes.

"She's almost awake." Seraphina reported. "North, can you go bring me that couch over there and then come take her and put her on it?" She gestured with her chin to a red couch across the room and North, too confused to do anything else, quickly stood and did as he was told, dragging the couch over to them and slowly, carefully, lifting Tooth up and onto the couch.

Seraphina got up and Jack followed suit. Bunny stood, moving over to get a look at Tooth and North did the same, standing by her dainty feet. They all watched and waited with bated breath, wondering what would happen when she woke up.

Finally, after what felt like ages, Tooth's mouth opened again and she exhaled, then inhaled wetly.

"Get her a glass of water." Seraphina ordered, not caring who carried out the order.

Since Jack already knew ninety-nine percent of what Tooth would say when she woke up, he decided to be the one to get her that glass and headed off to the kitchens below. No one noticed. They were too focused on Tooth.

Seraphina bent down beside Tooth and said gently, "Breathe sweetie." As if she were talking to a child having an asthma attack. "Breath. You're safe here."

Tooth didn't answer, but after a few more minutes of heavy breathing during which Sandy, Bunny and North watched her like eagles, her eyes slowly fluttered open and she blinked groggily up at them.

"Toothy!" North exclaimed happily, his face splitting into a wide smile. "Good to see you among the live!"

"Boy you're a sight for sore eyes sheila," Bunny said, also smiling.

North moved in to hug her, but Seraphina held him at bay. "Give her time to wake up fully," She warned. "Don't swamp her."

They listened to her and backed up a step. She nodded, satisfied, and then turned back to Tooth. "Sweetie, just keep calm. You're at the North Pole, with Sandy, North, Bunny, Jack and me. Pitch is here, you're safe."

Tooth blinked and opened her mouth, but nothing more than a low groan came out of it.

"Hold on sweetie, Jack's coming with water." Seraphina said. "I know you're confused, but please wait until Jack comes back with water and you can speak to ask us. I promise we'll tell you anything you need."

Tooth listened to her intently and when she was done she laid still for a long time, then she nodded. She still didn't speak

"Do you want to stay laying down or sit up?" Seraphina asked. "If you're going to drink it might be better if you sit up."

"Up." Tooth croaked. Her face was a little paler than usual and her eyes were slightly unfocused, but she was able to move her arms to assist Seraphina as she wiggled her hand underneath her back and lifted. Three minutes later, Tooth was sitting up comfortably and had her feet resting against the floor. "Thank you." She said, nodding at Seraphina.

"Don't mention it." Seraphina smiled and sat down beside her. "How're you feeling?" She asked, glancing her up and down. She looked like she was recovering well.

Tooth shrugged. "Not bad." She replied, still with a little croak in her voice. Then she broke off into a fit of coughing and Seraphina started patting her on the back gently until her coughing slowed.

"Easy dear, easy." She soothed in her best mother tone. "Breathe." Then she looked up at North and Bunny and hissed, "Back up a little fellas! She can't get a square inch of air!"

North and Bunny leaped back as if they'd been bitten, but Seraphina didn't really care. She was too focused on making sure Tooth was alright. It was her nature.

"Don't worry Tooth," She assured her. "Jack'll be here in a minute with the water."

Tooth nodded and didn't answer, probably because it hurt her throat too much to speak.

"And once you feel better," Bunny added. "I think it's time we had a little talk sheila."

Tooth smiled sheepishly and nodded.

"Dat's right." North said, folding his arms. "It seems ve have been kept out of hoop quite a lot."

Seraphina laughed. "It's kept out of the loop, North." She corrected. "Someone needs to get you a phrases book for Christmas."

Bunny laughed. "That's what I keep saying," He said, gesturing with his paws to North. "I've been looking for one for years, but I can never seem to find one."

For the first time since North had woken up, everybody was a little more at-ease and relaxed. North and Bunny were grinning, Tooth was smiling at her friends and Seraphina was positively beaming as she watched the others. The only one who wasn't smiling was Sandy.

Sandy, who hadn't said anything since Tooth had woken up, was still standing beside the unconscious Pitch. He was looking down at the Boogeyman and though his face was like a golden mask, his eyes betrayed his grim thoughts. He was thinking about how he was going to tell Tooth that the man she loved was trapped within his own mind, fighting demons that hadn't walked the earth in thousands of years.

I'll have to tell her sooner or later, he thought, staring somberly down at Pitch's still face. I can't make Jack or Sera tell her, that would be unfair.

To make things worse, he would have to tell North and Bunny too; he would have to tell them everything, about Pitch, Sera, Tooth, him, Jack and everything that had happened since they had left the Pole. It was a daunting task, but he knew it was his task and he would take it up without complaint. It was his fault anyway that Tooth was so out of the loop, because he'd forgotten to wake her up. He'd been so busy telling Seraphina and Jack about Pitch and Kozmotis that he had completely forgotten about her. What kind of friend did that?

One who hasn't had enough sleep, Sandy thought glumly. I swear, once this is all over and everybody knows everything, I'm going to sleep for a week. Then I'll be the one out of the hoop. He chuckled. North's getting worse and worse with English phrases.We really should get him that book this year.

"Hey guys, I'm back!"

Sandy was shaken out of his thoughts by a familiar voice calling out to them from on high above and he looked up with a smile. Jack was back.

A head of snowy hair and a blue blur was all that was visible of the youngest Guardian as he flew down the spiral staircase on his stomach, the air cushioning him as he zoomed around and around. He had a glass of water in his left hand and his staff in the other and at the speed he was going, they all wondered why the water was still staying in the glass.

The answer to their question became apparent a minute later, when Jack skidded to a halt about three feet away from Bunny's feet.

"Oi! Watch it frosty!" He griped, reaching out a paw to steady the boy. "You step on my toes I'm gonna make you swallow that stick."

Jack laughed. "Sure, long-ears." He said. "And I'll finally be able to make it snow in Hades."

"Boys," Seraphina warned, raising a finger. "Knock it off."

Bunny and Jack continued glaring at each other, but they shut up. The glares weren't really mean; Jack's was more of a playful and teasing glare than an angry one and Bunny's was more of an irritated older-brother glare, so they both knew they weren't really mad at each other. It was just a normal brother-thing.

Then Tooth coughed again and Jack immediately broke gazes with Bunny and handed her the glass of water.

"Here Tooth," he said. "Drink up."

Tooth took it and raided the glass to her lips, then she lowered it. "It's frozen." She said, looking down her nose at the solid water in the glass as if she'd never seen anything like it.

Seraphina rolled her eyes and emitted a sound that was disturbingly close to a bull's snort. "Let me see that dear," she said, reaching for the glass. Tooth handed it over with a small smile on her face and Seraphina, closing her eyes to concentrate, allowed her hand that was holding the cup to burst into flame.

"WHOA!" Everybody yelled, jumping back a little. Jack actually let out a squeak of fear and Sandy had to use every vestige of self-control to keep himself from blasting Seraphina with sand to smother the flame.

"Oh calm down," She said, waving her hand. "It's just a little to melt the ice."

Jack glared at her, not amused. "Still, mom, I wish you would warn me before your hands bursts into flame!"

Sandy was no less irritated, but he decided not to show it and instead just shook his head in despair as his adoptive daughter's poor decision-making skills.

"Next time I'll say Jack, my hand is about to catch on fire." Seraphina promised dryly, keeping her eyes on the rapidly-melting water. When it was turned back to liquid, she gave it back to Tooth who took it and drank in dainty sips. When she was done, she handed the glass back to Seraphina and thanked her.

"I really needed that." She admitted, smiling. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it." Seraphina said again, patting her on the shoulder. "Now, I'm guessing you have a few questions."

Tooth looked up and nodded. Her face was a little less pale and her eyes were slowly regaining their shine. "More than a few." She admitted.

Sera nodded. "How you got here, how long you're been out, who I am, et cetera?" She expected Tooth to nod and ask, "Yes. Who are you?" But, to her surprise, Tooth shook her head.

"I already know who you are," she said, shrugging. "You kind of gave it away with the flaming hand thing."

Seraphina blinked. "Really?"

Tooth smiled. "Yes, but let's do introductions anyway." She said. "My name is Toothiana, but you can call me Tooth."

Seraphina smiled back. "My name is Seraphina." She said, extending her hand for Tooth to shake. "But you can call me Sera."

Tooth smiled. "I have been dying to meet you." She confessed, taking Seraphina's hand and shaking it. Then, in a sudden fit of feminine emotion she lunged across the couch and wrapped her small arms around Seraphina, who was so shocked she couldn't move. "Ever since Sandy told me about you," Tooth said into her shoulder, speaking softly so that the others couldn't hear her. "I've been so worried about what you'd think about Pitch and me being together."

Seraphina stiffened, but Tooth didn't notice. She just kept plowing on.

"But now that I see you here with Jack and Sandy I have hope that, once we get everything straightened out, we can be friends."