Jamie started tearing up as she turned to Ombric. The old man ran comforting fingers through her short hair.

"Leah Fischer. Find the teeth," he said to Toothiana. She nodded and flew off, allowing Ombric to focus on Jamie again. "It will be okay, little goose. You did well."

"It's not that," Jamie sobbed. "It's… It's Pitch."

"You needn't fear him here. He cannot enter Santoff Clausen."

Jamie pointed to the name. Isabella.

"He knows my mom," she whispered.

Ombric pressed his lips together as he read the passage. He nodded.

"You must remind him of her. I promise, Jamie, you'll be safe here. He can't enter-."

"But Jack- Vortex can."

He pat her head, trying to calm her as she trembled in his arms. "Our goal is to bring him back. I promise you won't leave our village unless you wish it."

Jamie nodded, though her head spun in confusion. So, that must be why Pitch expected her to recognize him. He had been using her mother as a personal battery. The idea that the same fate awaited her… She shut her eyes against the thought.

"He'll try, though," she said softly. "I can feel it."

"Then we shall do everything to prevent it." Ombric hugged her and asked, "Do you know the hiding house?"

"N-no…"

"Oh? You're not aware of the best place to play hide and seek in all of Santoff Claussen?" He smiled playfully and took Jamie's hand. "Come along, Jamie Katherine."

Jamie allowed him to walk her outside. Almost immediately, Mama Gaia entered their sight with her gaggle of children huddling close to her. Her bubbly smile was gone, replaced by a calm quiet that made Jamie shiver. She nodded to Ombric when she saw him and ushered the kids his direction.

"The hiding house?" She asked.

Ombric nodded back. "Where else? Where are the Williams?"

"I'm not-."

She instantly stopped at the soft sound of chimes.

"They're ahead of us today," Ombric chuckled.

"That's Old William for you. I told Poppy to gather everyone she saw." said Gaia.

She crouched down at the trunk of a fat tree and grabbed a toadstool. Lifting it, a chunk of the earth pulled up like a door, revealing a wide hole. Somewhere inside, light flickered and illuminated a narrow ladder, which Harvest and Petter quickly descended. Then Fog jumped after them, and they caught him. Jamie's grip on Ombric's hand tightened, and he squeezed back. The gentle chimes rang out again, louder and melodic.

"They're not scared," she said.

"No need," he said simply. "All will be fine, and they know it."

"But what if it's not?"

"It will be, goose."

"This is wrong," Jamie whispered. "They- we should be scared."

Gaia waved Jamie towards her, urging her to join the others, but Jamie shook her head and let Ombric go.

"Jamie-."

Jamie continued shaking her head. "I'm not like them."

Ombric reached for her again, but she ducked and ran. He called out but didn't chase her. No one did.

Maybe they did understand, Jamie thought. She wondered if perhaps Tooth had run a hand over her teeth, causing her to recall her mother's words. Perhaps the chimes with their soft bell-like ringing pulled it to mind. Perhaps learning of her connection to Pitch made her remember it. She might never know.

She did know that she was afraid. Terrified. Mortified. Her legs shook in her too-big boots as she ran and ran, scanning the trees until she saw red.

"North! Down here!"

She saw him point to her and speak. Golden sand weaved through the branches and surrounded her. It plucked her from the ground and lifted her towards the narrow bridge until she dropped between North and Sanderson.

"You should be with the others, little one," North said sternly. "This is no place for children."

"Wrong," said Jamie, running down the bridge.

The guardians exchanged a look before rushing after her.

"What do you mean, 'wrong?' It's not safe!"

"I'm the one he plays with," she said, grabbing a tree limb. "I'm the one he's after. And I'm the one who knows- Woah!"

Sanderson grabbed her collar and floated back down with her. He wagged a finger no. She crossed her arms.

"What are you gonna do? Ground me?" she snarled. "It's getting cold."

"You need to get to hiding house," North scolded.

"It won't work."

Again, the guardians shared a glance, and a question mark formed over Sanderson's head. North nodded and asked for clarity as well. Jamie sighed.

"The teeth will help, sure, but they won't work on their own," explained Jamie. "But if it were just about remembering, Pitch would still be Dreamcatcher. My mom told me."

Sanderson recalled the image with his sand, a tiny sculpture of Jamie's mother, and she nodded.

"She always told me, 'Jamie, if something scares you, run towards it with all you have, because without fear, you won't have a chance to be brave.' Dreamcatcher was the guardian of bravery. He would know that fear is part of being brave."

North shook his head. "How does this affect Jack?"

"You and Tooth said he lost his light, his fun. Remembering what he had will only make him sad and angry because it's not the problem," Jamie said. "There's a darkness inside covering it up. He needs to know it's okay, that it doesn't mean he can't have fun. The sad parts just make it more important."

North's brow scrunched in confusion. Sanderson, though, seemed to light up at Jamie's explanation, his exhaustion forgotten and replaced by excitement. He clapped quietly and smiled, gesturing for Jamie to continue. She grinned back.

"Have either of you ever played 'piggy in the middle?'"