It has been way too long! Way longer than I ever wanted it to be! But I think I am back! Maybe not as active as I once was, but definitely not going to be so long as I was before! The stress at school has lifted and things are being figured out at work... I have to work on Thanksgiving Day, though, that really sucks... but things are being sorted out.

I finished the newest Guardians book, Sandman and the War of Dreams! If you have read it, I have this huge theory I would like to run by you so PLEASE send me a message! Also, where I only thought the others were pretty good, I thought this was AMAZING! It was so good and I would love to discuss it with you!

Brad was not oblivious to the distance between Jack and Morgan as they sat at the table exchanging advice. His and Max's small toddler was in Morgan's lap, while she took time amusing the child with the movement of her hands. Morgan was avoiding Jack's eyes as they spoke and Brad could tell by their actions things were intense.

"I just think you're working a lot," she finished, poking the small child in the nose who laughed boisterously at the action. Morgan giggled and Jack eyed her longingly before releasing the quietest of sighs.

"Need I remind you about Wendy? And your other kids?" Brad pointed out.

"Brad that's something I have to do!" Brad opened his mouth to say something to her, but then shut it quickly. Jack raised one of his eyebrows, but his brother-in-law was wise. If he started in on that, the conversation would become more heated and it would turn on Morgan. And Morgan would become incredibly angry and flee the scene. No, it was best he keep his mouth shut in order to keep things calm and focused on his problems. It wasn't like it was something that hadn't been brought up to Morgan either.

"Okay, but he keeps eying other men... and making comments."

"Has he ever done anything?" Morgan challenged, while her niece took an interest in her fingers.

"I don't think he could, he's a little too shy."

"Well, then what's the problem?"

"It makes me feel inadequate."

"Oh, be realistic!" she scoffed, shaking her fingers away from the child. "You're not the only man he's ever going to find attractive."

"No, it's just... different," he sighed. "It's not in his personality."

"What do you want me to say, Brad?" Morgan muttered, and Jack winced at her voice. Not only was she harsh, but in that moment she had sounded a lot like her own mother – and not the way her mother was on a good day.

"Maybe you should understand his situation..." Jack offered just as the girl was reaching for him. He quickly picked her up and propped her in his lap. Morgan pursed her lips, but it was unclear if it was because of the girl wanting Jack or because of his comment.

"Working at the facility doesn't pay much, and I have to support Max and our little girl..." Brad told her, frowning as he touched the girl's curls. "We want another one, but we're not going to if our marriage isn't fixed first."

"If you're never around then yes I would say the chances are pretty good he's going to stray," Morgan snapped while she rose. The child's eyes looked up at her aunt with confused curiosity. Jack's mouth dropped while Brad slumped in his chair with defeated acceptance.

"Morgan!" said her husband.

"What am I supposed to say? 'Oh Brad, you're right, he's totally wrong!' That's a lie, Jack. I can't lie about what I am thinking."

"Marriage is a partnership. Both need to give and take!" Jack expressed and Morgan rolled her eyes at how repetitive his advice sounded to her. "You can't just scold Brad, both of them need to contribute!"

"Well, I'm not Cupid, am I?" she hissed at him and Jack grunted in annoyance.

"Maybe you would pay attention to me if I was..." he sighed so lowly, only he could hear his voice.

"I came to you because you're my sister and I trust your input more than anyone else's," Brad told them solemnly, knowing he wasn't going to get anywhere with them in the state they were in. Jack's eyes glossed over with his sadness and he could read everything Brad was thinking.

"Things are really stressed right now," he explained briefly and Brad arched his back as he sat up.

"Seems to me, you two need to work some things out too." Morgan's eyes circled in annoyance before she threw Jack a glance that told him he was time to leave.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"You've been quiet," Jack said to Morgan during their newest task. For the last week, the Guardians had been keeping watch over a house where the children had become neglected due to their mother's reliance on drugs and alcohol. Morgan looked up at him, from where she sat on the girl's bed, a mixture of guilt, anger, and disappointment swirling in them.

"When we were at Brad's, you didn't even... argue with him about us having problems," she whispered slowly. Jack groaned and took the spot beside her on the bed.

"Are you seriously telling me you don't think we have problems?" he challenged her. "Everything happening right now is all Pitch's fault, and things won't get solved until we defeat him again."

"But why is it happening?"

"We don't know that yet, but we'll figure it out."

"So what do we do until then?" Morgan snapped, although her eyes softened quickly. She hadn't meant to snap, and Jack smiled at her, despite wincing at her harshness.

"Be guardians... but first and foremost parents." Just then, the girl named Sydney and having just turned nine, very carefully walked in holding a warm bottle filled with a liquid thick and white. Bunny kept behind her, having followed her from the kitchen. She walked confidentially to the crib that was in her room. Her bedroom really had no room form the girl and the baby, but her little brother had been sleeping with her and they didn't want the leave the infant alone. Somehow, they had convinced their mother to help them move the crib and now the girl could keep an eye on everyone – even though she really should be in a situation where she should have to at her age.

Tooth carefully lifted the baby out of the crib and held him close, while the girl passed over the body and Tooth fed him. Sydney then walked over to the changing table and pulled a fresh packet of diapers from beneath.

"This isn't right, mate," Bunny said to North. "A child taking care of children."

"I think I should have Linda or Dad called child services..." Morgan suggested, her voice barely audible. But Sydney's ears were sharp to certain things, especially the topic of sending them away.

"No!" she screeched and ran to the toddler who was coloring on the floor. This wasn't the first time this topic had been discussed, and she was very aware of what might happen. "They'll split us up!"

"We are keeping an eye on them, Morgs," Bunny pointed out.

"But we can only do so much," she told him with passion. "They need to go to school..." Jack looked sideways at her.

"Couldn't we teach them? Like we teach Wendy?"

"Jack, we barely even have time for Wendy," she moaned, rubbing the bridge of her nose to fend off a headache. "And yes I know that's not good." Morgan turned back to Sydney, who was trying to clean marker off of her brothers hands and then took her moment of distraction to pull Jack away to the corner of the room. "I'm not denying we're having problems. And I know I need to be more attentive to Wendy, I just... Wendy knows we love her. She knows we're here for her, she knows she can go to anyone for help... but some of these kids..."

"I know, Morgs," he whispered, patting her arm lovingly.

"But maybe Guardianship isn't always enough," she muttered, as if she were cursing to herself. Her words sounded forbidden, and Jack only frowned at her. He took her hands in his and offered her an expression of doting understanding.

"Maybe we need to get the advice of a parent who isn't a Guardian."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Oliver folded his hands at the table and tried to process everything Jack and Morgan had just told him. He stroked the stubble around his mouth and then reclined before exhaling deeply. His reactions were just making the two of them even more tense and Morgan hid her hands under the table so he wouldn't see her trembles.

"That's a tough call," he explained. "I think you're right in wanting to get a hold of child services, but there is that chance of them being split up, and you never want to do that to a child. And I've heard terrible things about the system. And it's not like you can be there all the time. Do they have relatives who can take care of them?"

"Honestly, the whole world is bad..." Morgan lamented. "Pitch's destruction... I don't even know what's going on, but it's like end of days out there. You seem okay though." Morgan's observation was one of more shock. He did seem okay, even though he was incredibly aged after his wife's death. He seemed to be more calm and full of vigor. He shrugged.

"Got rid of a lot of useless things, I guess. It feels good to have the house clean. I understand why your mother always did it during tragedies I guess. Peter won't listen to me no matter what I tell him and won't put down that bottle." Morgan hissed at the news of her brother picking up the drink again. "I know Todd is afraid he's going to lose the house and Audrey is constantly by Lawrence's side."

"What did he do this time?" Jack gasped, placing a chilly hand on Morgan's shoulder.

"Another car accident."

"He wasn't healed from the last one!"

"I know..." Oliver moaned. "By all rights I feel like I should be more upset than I am. It's like I'm the only on in the world who hasn't gone crazy..." he chuckled and leaned forward to hug Morgan in a tight grip.

"Dad?"

"Morgsies... I think before you and Jack can think clearly and make a sound decision, you first need to clear away your problems before solving anyone else's," Oliver drew back and pressed his hand into her cheek. "Forget about being a Guardian for a day. The others have it under control. Ditch them. Go off with Jack alone. Spend time with Wendy. Make the decision to have a good day, and then... talk things out. Maybe with your minds clear you'll be able to solve something."

"You really are the only one with a sound mind," Morgan laughed, turning in his hand. She kissed his palm and then stood up to take Jack's hand. "Okay Dad. Maybe you're right. Maybe the answer will become clear once we push the stress away." Jack squeezed Morgan's hand and winked, a sign that he approved of her decision. He brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it, and for a moment Morgan sensed that icy tingle up her arms and down through her body. She remembered the effect he had always had on her and was once again really liking it. It was just the motivation she needed to hurry on back to the North Pole where Wendy was waiting.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Having the day with her parents really brought some warmth back into Wendy's life. They had been so busy, it made it all the more comforting to relax and try to beat each other in a classic board game. She had lost and had to surrender to the icy tickles of her father and the tackles of her mother. Eventually though, she had been worn down and wished to go to bed. Before sleep though, she fiddled with the green bracelet on her wrist and wondered what her life would have been like if she were with her real mom. She could be like all the other kids and go to school and have many friends and participate in activities. And maybe her mother was scared. Maybe she regretted it. Maybe she wanted her in the end. Maybe if she only knew she was alive... and Wendy fell asleep with those thoughts.

She rolled hr eyes at the sounds of her parents laughter. She had woken to their little intimate exchanges and tuned it out quickly. While she was pleased to hear them trying to get along, her mother's giggles and her father's low voice gave her the creeps and she wished they didn't make up for their fights ten fold. Kiss and make up should just be kissing and over and done with.

But there was a figure beside her window. Her first instinct was to turn on the night light should it be Pitch, except it wasn't. It was very clearly a woman. Her hair was dark and wavy, and it cascaded over her shoulders in an ethereal way. Her skin was a dark olive tone and her beauty was flawless, her age unidentifiable. She stood confidentially and grinned with glittering eyes at her. Wendy awed and threw aside her blankets. In her purple and lime green pajamas, she stepped towards the woman, already knowing what her identity was.

"Are you... my mother?" she squeaked. The woman did not speak, but she nodded and held out her hand. Wendy raised her arm and touched the woman's fingertips. The contact gave her a jolt of energy and she was overwhelmed with tears, sobbing loudly. Wendy couldn't hear that her parents' laughter had stopped above her cries.

In the kitchen, Morgan's grip around Jack was firm, while his icicles for fingers were slowing making their way up under her purple tunic. She whispered and turned away, blushing at the feel of his hands moving over her breasts, but was craving for more of his touch. It had been too long and she was rediscovering her desire for him.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Jack whispered, as he pulled his lips away from her lips. "Did I hurt you?"

"That... wasn't me that whined..." she told him carefully. They both remained still and listened. The weeps and sobs were carrying through the hallway from Wendy's room. Morgan pushed Jack's hands down out of her shirt and Jack followed her down the hallway. Morgan rapped on the door but there was no answer, so Jack gently pushed it in.

"Snowdrop?" he greeted, looking around to see her holding out her hand and crying uncontrollably. Wendy turned and looked up at her parents.

"My mother is here..." she said and then wailed even louder. Morgan stepped forwards, preparing to go to her, but Wendy held out her hand. "Stop! She may leave if you come any closer!"

"Leave?" Morgan repeated. Wendy nodded.

"Wendy, who are you talking about?"

"This is my mother. My real mother." Wendy pointed to the window. Jack blinked.

"Sweetheart, there's nobody there..." Morgan muttered, knowing there was no way the girl could be sobbing and in such distressed spirits and know she was lying.

"Yes there is! She's right there! Look, she's holding my hand."

But there was no one there to be seen.

All right guys. I hope this excited you to see an update. But I need to sleep so i can work in the morning. I shall see you soonish! Hopefully really soon! Thanks for being the best readers ever and being so patient! Love you! Rosie out.