Turned out that was easier said than done.

Eight more Branches were wiped out. Each one had at least one Descendant of Frost. Some were in the original ten, some were newcomers, but each death bit me like a sledge hammer. There hadn't been many of us to begin with, so each loss was catastrophic.

I'd be lying if I said the other Heads weren't affected. Lily and Harry weren't taking it well either. Claire and Alexander were being quiet about it, but I knew them well enough to know that they were devastated.

The other five in the room had had no major casualties, because it seemed that like their ancestors, the Descendants of Pitch simply didn't know that they existed. Even we only had hints and snippets of their existence before now.

What was worse was that when I did manage to snatch some sleep it was fraught with nightmares. Not even Harry could do anything about them, they were that powerful.

Two days before Christmas marked the round about two week point, and we were still going, even after another week this still wasn't over. We'd only left the Council Chamber to use the toilets and get food.

There'd been a pullback of Descendants of Pitch and Nightmares, and while we were initially relieved, we realised that it could mean that something worse on the horizon.

"Descendants of Pitch at Punjam Hy Loo." Said Claire.

At the exact same time Alexander said.

"Descendants of Pitch in the Warren."

The two scrambled to get Branches there. This was one of those rare times when the Guardians world and our world would cross, since Descendants were the ones attacking, we saw it acceptable to get involved. Less than two minutes later the drawer that contained the communication devices to the Guardians was flashing.

I pulled it open and got out the communication device for the Pole, which was the one that was flashing. I picked up the call and North's face appeared in the blue light, the clamour of the Workshop strangely muted.

North opened his mouth to say something, then stopped and looked hard at me.

"I must say, you look terrible."

"It's been a difficult two weeks." I explained, not all too willing to go into it, to which North nodded sagely.

"I expected as much, but you are holding up, yes?"

"We're fine." I said. "What about you?"

"There's trouble at Tooth Palace and the Warren. We're splitting up to go deal with it."

North pinched the bridge of his nose. "I do not wish to ask this of you, but we don't know how many Nightmares we'll be facing, and Pitch has been brutal lately..."

"You're after re-enforcements?" I finished, to which he nodded.

"If you can't spare them, then it does not matter."

I looked over at Claire and Alexander, who were typing furiously and barking commands into the radio microphones and their communication devices.

"I think re-enforcements are on their way." I said, deciding not to add that we were sending them before he told us.

North nodded again, relief on his face. "Thank you very much." With that he disappeared from the hologram.

I looked back to my laptop, and saw something that made my blood run cold.

A written note from my Branch, saying that there were loads of Descendants of Pitch and Nightmares on the outskirts of Burgess.

"Descendants and Nightmares in Burgess!" I cried, already scanning through the nearest Branches that we could afford to send. We already had the New York Branch there, but given what was written I doubted that it would be enough.

"How many?" Asked Samantha, who hadn't had much to do in the last few days.

"Too many." I said, easily reading between the lines on the message.

I continued checking through Branches in my due restriction, the closest to Burgess was Canada, and I began contacting them. New Jersey had been one of the Branches that went down and Michigan was being sent to Punjam Hy Loo. Down the table the other Descendants had sprung into action, getting their groups from what sounded like the rest of North America.

Within minutes we'd gotten a group about a hundred strong down to Burgess. The Descendants of Pitch weren't going to know what hit them.

During this, I got a call.

I was too busy trying to sort out Branches, so I had to let go to voicemail.

Jamie's voice came out of my phone.

"Jackie, I really hope the reason you're not picking up is because you're doing Head stuff, and you're not in trouble. Thought I should tell you, there are loads of Nightmares in Burgess, easily as many as there were nineteen years ago."

Jamie's breath seemed to catch in his throat for a second, then he continued, his voice strong.

"They've got Christopher, me Sophie and her fiancé are going after them. Hope you get this, stay safe."

I felt sick and grabbed the phone, dialling just as he hung up.

"Jamie Bennett are you out of your mind?! Get the hell out of there!"

"Not happening. They've got my son, Jackie. You can't order me around either."

"Jamie-!"

"I can handle them."

"Have you at least got your sword?"

"...No."

In the background I could hear an unfamiliar male voice ask "sword?" but I ignored it.

"Jamie, get out of there! Please!"

"No. Like I said, you can't order me around."

With that Jamie hung up.

"You idiot Bennett!" I yelled at the phone, not like he could hear me.

"What's going on?" Asked Leonardo.

I looked down the table, trying to suppress a shudder as I faced the fire user.

"My ex boyfriend seems to think he can take on a horde of Nightmares on his own and unarmed, because they have his son." I said, my teeth gritted in annoyance and worry.

"Is your ex insane?" Cried Samantha. "That's a one way ticket to death!"

"I am fully aware of that, but he's too stubborn for his own good sometimes."

I turned back to the laptop and sent out the warning. Non Descendants were involved.

"Quick question." Said Samantha as I typed. "Is his son yours as well?"

I spluttered in shock and Taboo growled in displeasure at Samantha was implying. "No! No, he isn't!"

Samantha held her hands up in surrender. "Sooorry, just curious."

Sophia sighed and gave Samantha a light tap on the head. "You shouldn't barge into other people's business like that!" she chided.

Samantha grumbled but didn't say anything, instead glaring at Barry, who was shaking with silent laughter.

I tuned them out and continued typing, making sure the full situation got through.

I wanted to be out there too, my home town was in danger. It seemed wrong for me to sit down here, safe underground while my Branch risked their lives, the other Heads would probably let me as well, they'd understand. However the deaths of the other Descendants of Frost had really gotten to me, I would just be a liability because I'd be too upset to fight properly.

All I could do now was sit back and hope that everyone survived.

More reports came in. The Northern Lights had been sighted, but when I tried to contact North, I got nothing. I tried each of the Guardians communication devices, and none of them picked up.

The Branches that Alexander and Claire had sent were pulled back, turned out there hadn't been many Descendants of Pitch, and the Guardians were dealing with the small amount of Nightmares. It had been a diversion, to keep us away from Burgess.

We were beginning to panic until we got word from Burgess, the Guardians and the Nightmare Hunters had just arrived. They were okay.

All we Heads could do was sit back and pray.

That phone conversation took place after the one Jamie had in FoF. Okay? Okay.