From here on out, unless stated otherwise, all the one shots are post Howling Shadows, so here be spoilers!

Here, I imagine Jamie to either be thirteen or just turned fourteen. I don't know if he has a canon birthday, in my head it's sometime in November.

Finally, a thank you to Caboosd for following and favouriting!

Jab punch guard. Jab punch guard. Jab punch guard.

One of the drills that Billy started us on. We've done it before so it wasn't an issue as the sand bag shook from the force.

Billy and Nigel decided that once the combat sessions were announced about a year after I joined HOG that we needed to know how to fight without our weapons. It wasn't stuff you learnt in martial arts lessons, most of it was self defence and short combinations to get people to back off so we could get weapons.

There were also lessons on how to use different weapons. Currently I could wield a sword, a staff and throwing knives.

It was my first combat session since getting injured, so in theory I was taking it easily. In reality I wasn't, and sadly the top I was wearing showed off the ragged bite mark on my shoulder, so the others had a constant reminder of what happened.

Billy oversaw the whole thing as the four of us worked the sandbags that had been placed on the floor.

"Alright, new drill. Fancy one this time." Called Billy, "Roundhouse back kick. GO!"

I screwed my face up slightly. My shoulder wasn't hurting much, despite the ugly looking mark. My leg on the other hand still hurt enough to cause a noticeable limp.

I did the drill, 45 roundhouse, then jumping into a back kick. The sandbag wobbled furiously and my leg flared up in pain, and I sucked air through my teeth involuntarily. Billy, who had the hearing of a rabbit, heard it.

"Go easy Jackie! You're still recovering!"

I grumbled under my breath. Just because my leg was a little sore didn't mean I wasn't going to work as hard as anyone else. I didn't want or need any special treatment.

"He's got a point; take it easy."

I glared at the ice tiger, who was lying against the wall, watching us work.

Whose side are you on?

"You may feel fine, but your leg doesn't. Billy knows his stuff, so take it easy."

I made a noise that sounded like a cross between a grunt and a whine.

"...Seriously?"

I got back to the drill, but with Taboo growling at me from the sidelines, I took it easy.

I sat down heavily on the park bench, looking up at the statue of the founder of Burgess. I always meant to ask Jack how accurate that was, he had told me a little about his past as a normal human, which explained why most of his Descendants had dark hair instead of white hair. He never said how became immortal, I got the idea that it was a touchy subject.

Taboo was curled up on the inside of my hood, out of sight of prying eyes, not that there were many at this time of night. I should be wary, the Descendants of Pitch and Lupine were still active and probably weren't happy about their leaders, but I didn't care. Not now.

I watched as Sandman's golden streams shot across the sky and smiled. I was out late tonight.

I waved at the gold cloud as it passed, I don't know if Sandman saw me, but I wasn't too bothered.

A stream danced right in front of me and I couldn't help but grin. He had seen me.

I ran my fingers through the silky smooth, slightly sticky sand and it burst into an image. A cat appeared in the sand and started playing a ball of yarn, chasing the end around my head.

I had to let out a laugh at such a cute image. I levered myself to stand up and wiggled my fingers in front of the sand cats face, which it started trying to bat.

I spun in a slow circle and the kitten followed my fingers, crouching and pouncing at them, falling just short each time. I went slightly faster and the kitten was now chasing my fingers.

Very quickly the cloud moved on and the kitten faded, leaving me panting slightly in the middle of a park at night.

"You've found a replacement for me." Said Taboo, not being completely serious.

I could never replace you!

"Glad to hear it."

I reached round and put my fingers in my hood, which Taboo nuzzled a little sleepily. We'd known each other for a month, and already we were close.

"Should probably go home now." I said quietly, mostly to Taboo, but not so people thought I was crazy.

My route home took me past Jamie's house, and now Jamie was outside it. He was sitting on his porch, scanning the road with a torch.

I frowned in confusion as I approached and was about to call to him when he stood up and ran to the gate.

I stopped by it and put my hands in my pockets. "What are you up to?"

"I was... waiting for you, actually." Jamie seemed oddly nervous.

"Oh, what for?"

"I wanted to ask you something."

I nodded, indicating for him to continue.

"I... I want to train with you. With your Branch."

I felt my fall open a little in confusion. "I... Why? If you want to learn to fight there's martial arts clubs."

"Yeah, I know. But you guys actually learn how to fight, so you don't get killed."

"You didn't answer my question, why do you want to do this?"

"Well, after the whole thing with Lupine-," I flinched, but Jamie continued regardless, "and I want to make sure it doesn't happen again."

"It probably won't."

"But what if it does? You almost got really badly hurt last time, I don't want that to happen again."

"It won't."

"You don't know that! I'm not a kid anymore Jackie, and I want to help!"

"No. You are not getting involved. This is dangerous, I thought you knew that!"

"I do, but I don't want to be in that kind of situation again without being able to defend myself."

"Again, there's martial arts classes for that. Why us?"

"Because you do real stuff, you've actually been in a life or death fight."

"Jamie, listen. You're not even supposed to know we exist, the only reason you do is because you know about the Guardians. Letting you come along is you getting more involved, and rule one is not getting non Descendants involved."

"Jackie-,"

"No! I'm sorry Jamie but it's not an option."

Jamie then unleashed his secret weapon. The puppy-dog look. A look that could sink ships.

I felt my resolve weaken, but I managed to turn away.

"The answer's no Jamie. I'm sorry. Night."

I underestimated how persistent Jamie could be.

Over the next week every time I saw him he'd bring up learning to fight with my Branch, and each time I told him no. He still kept pestering me though. He was going to drive me insane at this rate!

It was relief when the meeting day finally came around. There was no way Jamie was going to be able to follow me, not with Taboo keeping a nose out.

The meeting started off as normal, we sat down and gave quick reports on how everything was fine, nothing out of the ordinary was happening. There had been no reports of wolves or Descendants of Pitch, so for now we could relax.

We took a quick break before getting equipment out for combat training. I helped Nigel drag out the sandbags while Tina and Sally set up targets for projectiles. Even after four years it was still odd seeing Tina do this. Tina was quite concerned about her appearance, not to the extent of some, but she would normally be very cautious about ruining her appearance. Seeing her not afraid to get into training was still odd.

Billy had stepped out for a bit to get some air apparently, so we continued setting up and until we could hear the sound of scuffling on the corridor.

We all looked to the door to see Billy walk in, not looking impressed while holding Jamie by the collar of his shirt.

"He was outside." Billy explained, before looking over at me. "Anything to do with you?"

I almost gulped, normally Billy and I were on excellent terms with each other, but Billy had had his family round this week, and he did not get along with them. Therefore, he wasn't in the mood for messing around, even Tina knew to take it easy after Billy had seen his parents.

"I... um." I wasn't sure how to explain it, Jamie didn't know where we trained, and I didn't know how to explain why Jamie wanted to train, the others got on my case about what happened as it was.

I looked at Taboo, who was lying by the drinks. She gave a very like human shrug of the shoulders.

"Must have followed us, you know how busy it is out there Jackie."

"Jackie..." Billy was sounding really annoyed now.

"Look, I want to train with you guys." Jamie blurted out, much to the surprise of everyone else.

"I already told you. No!" I said, trying to make it clear that this was an issue. "Non Descendants-,"

"Yeah, I know, non Descendants don't get involved. But how is training with you getting involved?"

Nigel, to my horror seemed to be considering Jamie.

"Why do you want to train with us? There's a perfectly good martial arts club in Burgess."

"You guys do real stuff." Billy had let go of Jamie by this point, "Plus after what happened with Lupine, I don't want it to happen again."

Nigel stiffened, then sighed. "What happened then was extremely rare-."

"I know that! But you can't say that it won't happen again, because none of you have psychic powers." He scanned all five of us. "Right?"

"No psychic powers." Admitted Sally.

Billy meanwhile, was looking Jamie up and down critically.

"If the kid can keep up-." He started.

"No! Not an option!" I interrupted

"And why not?" Asked Billy, his brown eyes uncharacteristically serious. "I know he's your friend, but if he wants to learn to protect himself, then we're the best people to learn from."

I looked to Nigel for support, but he just shrugged. "Billy's got more experience with this than me. It's up to him."

"He's a boy." Said Tina in my defence.

"Jackie wasn't much older when she started." Countered Sally, and I knew I was outnumbered.

I practically deflated as Billy turned back to Jamie. "If you can keep up, then you can stay. Understood?"

Jamie nodded and to my horror, saluted. "Yes sir!"

Billy burst out laughing. "I like this guy!"

"Let's just get going already." I said, grumbling.

Jamie tried.

It was clear he had a little experience with fighting, he didn't need the various kicks explaining, but the fitness was where he struggled.

Even with my injuries I was able to keep going on the bags for about five minutes. Jamie was red faced and puffing after less than two.

I suppose I wasn't being fair, but I was scared about how far this could escalate. Jamie had been put in mortal danger because of me, because he knew me. Training with us seemed to be taking things in the wrong direction, ideally I wanted him to forget all the dangerous stuff I'd done, but he was starting to actively embrace it.

By the end I'd given him half of my water and he was leaning against Taboo to cool down.

Billy and Nigel were talking as I wordlessly pulled my hoodie on, hiding the scar that had been in full view all practice.

Finally Nigel came over to Jamie, but I was still close enough to hear them.

"Billy was actually quite impressed." He said and I groaned mentally. This cannot be going where I think this is going.

"And while I think the threat is minimal, I don't see the harm in training you, as long as this doesn't reach the ears of anyone else in HOG."

"Are you kidding?" I cried.

"I am completely serious Jackie. It's not as if I'm asking him to join HOG, but Jamie is in the rather unique position of having helped the Guardians during the Battle of Burgess. So, I think we should give him a chance."

I glared at Nigel, but wasn't about to question his authority. In the Burgess Branch, Nigel's word was final.

"Fine." I slung my bag over my shoulder and walked out, Taboo trotting behind me.

Jamie, who'd been quiet through the whole exchange, suddenly called after me.

"Jackie!"

I turned to face him from the doorway. "What?"

"Look, I know you really don't want me to do this, but, just let me try, please?"

I paused for a few seconds, then sighed. "Jamie, I'm not your mother, technically I can't stop you. In the Burgess Branch, Nigel's word is final."

I levelled a glare at the younger teen, and he took a step back.

"However." I growled. "Now you're here, you'd better put in a hundred and ten percent. This isn't a game, if we don't train properly, we might die. If you miss a session, you'd either better be out of state or dying. Clear?"

Jamie nodded, seeing that I was technically giving the go ahead. "Clear."