Here's the next chapter! Thanks Ayumu Hai for reviewing my last chapter!

Chapter 11

I stared at my reflection in shock. It was real...all of it. I closed my eyes as I tried to calm my shaking hands and racing heart. What was I going to do? I couldn't tell anyone...not even Jack. They would get hurt and it would be my fault.

I had to act like nothing was wrong. So I slowly walked out of the bathroom, then out of my bedroom. I headed down stairs with my staff in hand and waited for Jack. He wasn't down yet so I focused on happy thoughts...crisp breezes, cute animals, Jack...

I widened my eyes and shook my head. I'm not going to think about him, I mean why would I? With the inner conflict growing in my mind I walked across the wood floors to the large control panel in the middle of the room. My bare feet were a bit cold from the smooth floor, but I continued to ignore it like I always had.

I stood in front of the large panel full of buttons and the large globe full of lights. I dropped my staff on the ground and stood on my tiptoes to get a better look at all the different sized buttons. I reached toward the left side of the panel and pressed a decent sized button near the corner. I looked up as I heard a slight creak. The skylight began to open and showed the full moon shining in.

I smiled as the moonlight shined down into the room. I looked back down at the panel and saw a large button at the top of the panel. I stood on my tiptoes to reach it, but found I was too short. I leaned as far as I could and jumped when a hand came out and grabbed me less than an inch from the button.

"Jack!" I yelled as he lightly pushed my arm back.

"Curiosity killed the cat." He said smirking at me. I felt my face flush as his large hand easily remained wrapped around my wrist.

"Sorry..." I muttered under my breath as I embarrassingly looked down at the floor.

"Sorry I scared you," He said as he drew his hand away, "North just upgraded this," He said tapping the panel with his staff, "He told me he put some...um...dangerous new things in it. That's why I stopped you."

"Oh," I said looking at his silver hair that was glowing in the moonlight. His blue hoodie he had put on showed the lean muscle on his arms, and I tried my best to ignore his looks. His muscle, his bright eyes, his hair...everything. I needed to treat him as a colleague, as maybe a friend, but never as the person who makes my stomach tie up in knots.

"What's wrong?" He asked his face turning down is a slight frown.

"Nothing."

"Liar." I glared up at him. He continued to look down at me, waiting for me to respond.

"Nothing is wrong." I tried to insist.

"Well," He said as he stepped closer to me. He was close enough now to where I could see the details on the snowflakes that were frozen on the collar of his hoodie. "Atleast we know you aren't the Guardian of Truth."

"I'm not lying!"

"Yes you are. And you're lying about not lying which is almost as bad as the first lie you lied about."

"What?" I asked after a second of trying to unravel his tongue twister.

"I don't know. I lost track too. Either way you need to tell me what's wrong."

"Why? What makes you think you deserve to know?" I asked letting my sass come out. He looked down with a light smile as he responded.

"Because maybe I care about your well being." My eyes widened as he continued to look at me with his icy eyes continued to look down at me.

"I...I'm nervous about being a Guardian." It wasn't a lie...I was nervous about that.

"Don't worry," He said with a broad smile, "It will be easier when you realize what you are the Guardian of."

"He didn't tell you that?" I asked pointing up at the moon.

"Manny? No, you need to figure that out on your own."

"I do? Okay...well I'm the Spirit of Autumn?"

"Yes!" Jack said excitedly, "But what about you stands out? Hope? Fun?"

"Let me guess...you're the Guardian of Fun." I said laughing.

"Of course!" We laughed for a bit before he continued to speak, "Are you sure nothing else is wrong."

I paused a second, the sudden change of mood was jarring and surprised me. I took a deep breath before answering, "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Well then stop the long face!" Jack exclaimed slightly hovering above the ground twirling his staff lightheartedly, "We are going to have fun remember?"

"Right...so what are we goin-"

"It's a...surprise!" Jack said slightly red in the face. I looked at him slightly confused for a few seconds before he sighed and picked up my staff. He handed it to me with a smile as he continued to hover over the ground.

"So you're not going to tell me?" I questioned suspiciously as I took my staff from his hand.

"Trust me," He said as he grabbed my hand, "You'll love it." I looked at our enclosed hands then back up to him, and for a split second, I saw a young boy with brown, messy hair. I blinked in surprise and he was gone, in his place stood Jack.

With a smirk, we began flying up to the skylight. Jack manually opened it, and hand in hand we flew outside. We flew in a comfortable silence for a while, flying below the clear night sky. I looked at the snow dunes and the sinking moon in the sky as we flew toward our destination.

Jack obviously knew where he was going, he flew with a purpose, his hand in mine leading me forward with him. Our hands entwined together made my stomach flutter, his slightly cool skin against mine. I studied him more as we flew. His silver hair getting ruffled in the breeze, his pale skin contrasting against my tan skin, how his hand was almost twice as large as mine, his eyes always showing a certain clever, happiness.

Jack glanced toward me and I looked away, embarrassed. It wasn't much longer before we arrived. We gently landed in the cold snow as Jack excitedly dropped my hand and stood in front of me.

"We're here!" He said his arms held up high.

"Oh." I said looking at the barren wasteland, that looked just like...everywhere else.

"Wow. Takes a lot to impress you," Jack said sarcastically, "Follow me." He then headed towards a big snow drift. I followed him curiously as he waited for me near the base of the drift. Once I got closer I saw that it wasn't snow, but ice.

"An ice cave?" I questioned seeing his smug smile. He then banged his staff against it letting snow fall away, showing the mouth of the cave that had once been covered.

"Yeah!" He then walked in. I quickly followed behind him, trying not to let my barefeet slip on the ice. After a few more steps Jack shot his arm out, making me stop. I glanced around at the ice walls, it was very beautiful.

"This place is fantastic!" I said smiling at him, trying to duck under his arm. He lightly grabbed my shoulder and looked down at me. I gasped at his sudden movement, realizing how close we were.

"This last part is the surprise." He said smirking. He stepped behind me and covered my eyes with his hands. I laughed lightly and let him guide me across the slick ice. I was going to ask how long it would be when Jack stopped.

"Ready?" He asked whispering in my ear.

"Sure?" I questioned making him laugh. He removed his hands from my eyes, and my mouth dropped in awe. We were in a large, hollowed out room made completely of ice. It was about the size of both our rooms but together, and had a hole in the ceiling acting as a skylight. The stalagmites and stalactites looked delicate, yet strong. I stepped further into the room, looking all around. I turned and saw Jack looking at me, but he turned away when he saw me looking at him.

"Did you do this?" I asked on amazement walking back toward him.

"Nope," He said leaning against one of the walls, "Nature is a beautiful thing." I smiled and stood in front of him.

"This place is beautiful," I said gazing up at him, "Thank you." I remember when I first talked to Jack, his arrogance making me dread talking to him. But now I only saw the Jack who saved my life, made me smile, and took me here.

"Don't thank me," He said standing up straight, "I thought you would like it. Besides there are more beautiful things then this."

"Like what?" I asked slightly bewildered. He looked down at me, with his eyes gazing into mine.

"You see it everyday, but you don't even know it." I looked at him slightly confused before he continued, "I come here alot." He walked toward the center of the room, and I followed.

"Why?"

"When Bunny gets on my nerves, or I just need time by myself, I come here. Gives me time to think." He said sitting down against a large stalagmite.

"It is very peaceful out here." I said sitting down next to him. We let our staffs drop down next to our sides. I glanced up at him and he was messing with hair.

"Um...I...uh."

"Jack? What's wrong?" I asked.

"Wait. It's going to start soon." Just as he said that, the sun began to rise. I smiled as the sunlight caused the ice to shine light purples, oranges, yellows, and reds. It was even more beautiful than it was before. I laughed slightly as the colors sparkled around us, and heard Jack laugh.

"I've never brought anyone here before," He said gazing around, "I trust you. More than that I see you, and you make me feel different." I felt my face flush, he wasn't saying what I was hoping. There's no way.

"I'm honored." That was an awkward thing to say...good job Sara.

"Sara..." He started, but then quickly stood up and started pacing.

"Jack?" I asked standing up as well, watching him. He looked at me, and we locked eyes for a few seconds before he walked closer.

We were inches away before he finally shook his head, muttering, "Screw it." He then grabbed the sides of my face, and pressed his lips against mine.

I stood in shock as he pulled away after a second. Did Jack Frost just kiss me?

"I'm sorry," He muttered slightly out of breath, "I shouldn't have done that. I just...since I met you...I feel like I've known you for ever-"

"Jack." I said walking toward him. I bit my lip nervously, then before I changed my mind, I went up on my tiptoes and lightly kissed his cheek. He looked at me in shock, making me giggle. He then reached down and cupped my chin, bringing my face up toward his. He kissed me lightly, I moved in with the kiss and wrapped my arms around his neck. We parted breathing heavier, with smiles on our faces. His hair reflecting the colors of light around us.

"We should get back." He said grabbing my hands lightly.

"Okay." I whispered as we grabbed out staffs and headed back to the workshop.

I couldn't stop smiling as we flew back, his hand in mine once again. I felt genuinely happy, for the first in a long time. Nothing could ruin this.

As we walked back in to the workshop, we stopped at the staircase leading up toward our rooms.

"Thank you." I said one last time. I looked at him and I saw his eyes widen. Before I could look behind me, I was swept off my feet. My staff fell out of my hand and I heard it clatter against the wood floor. I was being pulled across the floor from a rope of black sand that had wound around my legs.

I struggled against it as it pulled me toward the large doors we had just entered through. I looked up as I stopped at the feet of the Nightmare King himself. Pitch smiled down at me, his yellow eyes boring into mine.

"Hello." His voice made me want to throw up as fear began to surface. I struggled against the sand, but found it strong. Pitch reached down toward me when an icicle pierced into his shoulder. He yelled in pain as the sand around my feet disspaeared. Before I could think, Jack pulled me up and we ran back toward the stairs.

I looked behind us as Pitch raised his arms to release Nightmares towards us. Jack pulled me behind the control panel and we sat behind it.

"Just let me get my staff!" I yelled as Jack began killing the creatures before they could reach us.

"No!" He said ducking back down beside me, "Sara listen to me!"

"I can help you!" I yelled as Jack shot another icicle at a Nightmare.

"No," He said leaning back down next to me, "They want you! Don't you understand that?"

"That doesn't mean I can't help!"

"You can," He said standing up to continue fighting against the Nightmares, "Turn on the Northern Lights to call the rest of us, then grab your staff and run up stairs to hide." I realized fighting wouldn't get us anywhere, so I frowned at him but then stood up and pressed the button marked "Guardians."

I looked up at the skylight to see the Northern Lights begin to glow. I barely dodged some black sand that came hurtling towards my head. I saw Pitch begin to walk towards us, his Nightmares still continuing to charge at Jack.

"Run!" I heard Jack scream. For once I did what he said without question. I grabbed my staff and quickly flew up the stairs.

I looked down over the balcony and saw Jack holding his own against Pitch. I ran into my room, and closed the door behind me.

Before I could think my staff was knocked out of my hand, and I was pressed against the wall with a black knife against my throat. I felt fear begin to grow as Death looked me right in the eyes.

"Hello Pet."