Author's Note: Thanks to Crossover Junkie and Silversun XD for their most recent reviews. :) And Silversun XD, that is hilarious. I am SO including that at some point. Grandpa Pitch! Oh man, I can just see it now. I also like your idea, Crossover Junkie, on how to help out Jasper. I forgot about it when I was writing this, and I seriously just want to jump ahead to PLOT after all this time, but yeah. I'll have to include that too, once things settle down more. I meant to have more going on in the settling down, but I'm just as eager as everyone else to get back to the action.

To answer SnowCatt's question, I honestly didn't think of it. I'm sure the writers forgot all about it too. Plus it's way more dramatic to have Jamie be the last light. Or in this case, have Jamie and two blue lights. :P

This chapter isn't as long as previous chapters, but I had to end it there. Sorry! But I am for sure starting on the next chapter right away so I'll definitely have it posted if not tomorrow, then on the weekend.

Now on with the story!

Chapter Sixy-Two: Summer's Apology

Mother Nature waited until she was certain that everyone had left before she carefully got out of bed. She was feeling much better than she had before and thought she'd be able to recover just fine in her own palace now, but Pitch had been insistent that when they did leave the North Pole, that she come to his place for a few days at least.

She had agreed, but only to put Pitch's mind at ease. She knew that he was making up for their lost years and the thought of being mothered by her father had been a little appealing. It would be nice to have someone to take care of her for a change.

She was wearing an old fashioned nightgown and made sure to slip on a robe and slippers before she left her room. Normally she might have gotten dressed to speak with August, but she didn't want to chance seeing a yeti and having it freak out on her for doing too much. At least this way she can claim to have been bored and wanted to stretch her legs. If she were dressed, the yeti might assume she was sneaking off to her palace. She didn't need a yeti to panic and go fetch Pitch.

She made her way down the hall and to where she could feel the summer heat pouring out of a room. She knew that the North Pole was no place for the Summer Spirits and Sprites and August had made their room extra warm to compensate for it.

She knocked gently on the door before opening it and walking in. August was sitting on the bed moodily while his Spirits and Sprites were all hanging around on the other side of the room, away from their very angry Seasonal.

Mother Nature took in August's slumped posture and walked over by the bed. She perched on the edge of it near him.

"August, my child," she said softly to him. "I heard you shouting earlier. What's wrong?"

August snorted. What was wrong? Only everything.

"That baby Spring Spirit doesn't care at all about spring," he muttered angrily. "She doesn't care as much as Leif. She thinks we'll all be friends. Why would I want to be friends with a brat like her?"

The Summer Spirits exchanged sad looks at that. There had been a time when they had all gotten along. Leif hadn't just been friends with August. All the Summer Spirits and Sprites had been good friends with the Spring and Fall ones. Since they had lost Leif and the Spring Spirits and Sprites had disappeared, everyone had drifted apart.

"That 'baby Spring Spirit' as you put it, is still very much a child," Mother Nature admonished gently. "She is very new for a Spirit. Her good friend is Jack Frost, who is like a child himself. You are much older than either of them.. Perhaps she doesn't know how to relate to spirits older than her?"

August grumbled to himself at that.

"You scolded her at the meeting," August said petulantly. "And you had words with her and Jack afterward."

Mother Nature flinched at August's words, but August was too busy being disagreeable to notice.

"My actions have nothing to do with yours," she said, her voice coming out more sharply than she meant to.

August looked over at her in surprise, since it was unusual for Mother Nature to speak like that to the Seasonals.

"Whether you like it or not, she is your seasonal sibling, as is Jack Frost. I will not force you to be friends, but you need to treat them with respect. I expect you to apologize."

Her stern tone left no room for arguments, so August didn't make any. He looked away from Mother Nature and gave a mumbled response that could have been an agreement.

Mother Nature's look softened and she patted August on the knee.

"I know you're upset still over the loss of Leif. But I expect you to cease arguing with Lillian."

August didn't say anything to that, and Mother Nature sighed and stood from August's bed.

"You will apologize when they come back," she told August. Then she turned to the other Spirits and Sprites. "And you will see that he does so."

Their eyes widened at the thought of making August apologize and from the darkened look on August's face, he didn't think too much of it either.

When Mother Nature left the room, August found some paper and a pen.

"August..? What are you doing?" Marin hesitantly asked him.

"She never said I had to apologize in person," August said with a smirk. "Besides, I want to get out of here. I'm done with freezing and I feel fine."

"Aren't you going to say goodbye to Jasper?" another Spirit piped up.

August paused in his writing and then shook his head.

"Nah, he'll understand. Besides, I've seen him every day. Much more than usual. He won't miss me."

The Spirits exchanged a look at that but didn't contradict their Seasonal.

"You.. you are writing something nice, right?" Marin asked as she came over to see.

August finished his note with a flourish and had it folded before she could get a proper look.

"Of course!" August said in a tone that no one believed. "Let me put this note in her room and then we can get out of here. I'll take you guys home and then I'll go check out California myself."


Much later, Lillian, Jasper and the Guardians (minus Bunny) all returned back to the North Pole. Lillian was in much better spirits and was chatting away happily at Jasper.

"So I have to know all about you for my book! Likes dislikes.. Um." she paused trying to think of more. "If you have a girlfriend!"

"Wh-what?!" Jasper spluttered, his face getting red.

"Or - " Lillian started to continue but was cut off by Pitch.

"Or you could go back to bed and rest after this long day." Pitch cut off Lillian with a smirk in Jasper's direction.

Jasper took that opportunity to escape.

"I think I'll just go see how August is!" he said in a rush and practically ran away.

He didn't mind answering Lillian's somewhat invasive questions, but he didn't want to admit the truth to her about relationships. It wasn't that he wasn't interested in such things, but the truth was that he was practically married to his painting. And he was much too busy with his Seasonal work to get a girlfriend.

All thoughts of his non-existent relationships left his mind as he knocked and then opened the door to August's room. He was very disappointed to find a stack of borrowed clothing neatly folded on the bed, and nothing else. Disappointed, but not surprised. He had already guessed that August would leave when everyone else was away.

With a sigh, Jasper left the room and trudged off to his own. He opened up the door and entered the room, all happiness at painting having vanished.

"What's wrong?" Laurel asked as she looked over at Jasper. She was seated on the bed with Kale and Crispin and they appeared to have been talking about the events of the day before Jasper came in, as they had gone off to their room after Jasper had run away.

"August left," Jasper said as he plopped down on the bed by his Spirits.

"He.. he left?" Kale said blankly.

Jasper nodded and Crispin frowned.

"He didn't even say goodbye!" Crispin said indignantly. "I thought you were friends!"

Jasper winced and didn't notice as Laurel smacked Crispin in the back of the head.

"You've all been away for a very, very long time," Jasper said as he looked down, tracing a pattern in the comforter with his finger. "August and I aren't as close as we used to be.. Until we had all these weather problems, I only saw him maybe once a year. And that was only so he could ask me to let Summer go on a little longer."

"He hardly sees you and then asks you for favors?" Laurel said, her voice tinged with hurt and outrage. Before she had been kidnapped with her other fellow Sprites, August and Jasper had been like brothers. Now it seemed that they were more acquaintances than anything.

Jasper shrugged, but his downcast expression gave him away. He thought August would at least say goodbye.

"Well.. Well.. who needs him anyway!" Laurel declared. "We don't need anyone. We have each other and that's good enough."

Crispin and Kale nodded in agreement, but Jasper continued to look gloomy.


The next day, Mother Nature sought out Lillian in her room before Pitch could bring them all breakfast in bed. Honestly, this was getting a little ridiculous. They were all very much recovered, but there was no stopping Pitch. Secretly she was hoping the Guardians might step in to calm Pitch's mothering a little.

Lillian was already awake and staring at a piece of paper with an incredulous look on her face. She looked up as Mother Nature entered her room and sat down on the bed by her.

"Is something wrong, child?" Mother Nature asked her in a gentle voice.

Lillian wordlessly held out the paper to Mother Nature and she quickly scanned the paper, a frown appearing on her face. By the time she had finished reading, her look was thunderous and there was a loud crackle of lightning coming from outside.

Kid, the note read, I don't hate you. But I don't like you either. I'll stay out of your way if you stay out of mine. - August.

P.S. Don't bother me about that book. Just ask Jasper.

"I asked him to apologize!" Mother Nature said, her tone as dark as her mood as she crumpled the note in her hands. "That August Bay! Don't worry, I'll see to it that he apologizes properly."

"It's ok," Lillian interjected quickly. "He'll just hate me more if you do it. He'll think I asked you to."

Mother Nature sighed but relented.

"I wish for all my children to get along, but I doubt I will ever see it."

"I don't ever see them much anyway," Lillian said.

She didn't like August much anyway, so his note hadn't hurt as much as Mother Nature thought it did. As far as she was concerned, August was a stuck-up snob and he could stick Summer where the sun didn't shine!

She had to stifle a giggle at that thought and refused to tell Mother Nature what she had found so amusing.

And that was how Pitch found them when he came in with Lillian's breakfast tray. He looked surprised for a moment, but then smoothly continued on without mentioning Mother Nature being out of bed. He told them that they should be able to go back home in a few days.

Lillian started to complain since as far as she was concerned, she wanted to go home now, but Pitch had explained that he still had to clean the place up a bit.

And by cleaning, he meant thoroughly checking everywhere for Nightmares, not that he would tell anyone that.

So it was two days later that everyone left the North Pole. Surprisingly, Jasper and the rest of the Fall crew were the last to leave.

"..Thanks," Jasper said awkwardly to North as the rest of the Guardians (minus Pitch and Jack) were in the globe room.

"Is no problem!" North said as he waved a hand dismissively. "You have trouble again, you come find us. We like to help friends of Jack and Lillian."

Jasper thought 'friend' was too strong of a word, but he didn't contradict North. Instead, he just nodded.

"Are you going to visit August?" Tooth asked him kindly.

Jasper looked more awkward still and avoided Tooth's gaze.

"No, I.. uh.. I should get back to my forest." Jasper said as he put his hands in his hoodie pocket. "I'm sure my spirits and sprites are eager to get back."

Eager was an understatement since said spirits and sprites were all sporting huge smiles and practically vibrating with excitement.

"Oh," Tooth said looking disappointed for a moment. She thought Jasper and August could have taken the opportunity to become close friends again. But then she perked up. "You can always come back for a visit."

Jasper gave the Guardians a weird look, since why would he do that?

"I'll be too busy once Fall rolls around," he said as he ignored Sandy's stern finger waving in his direction and a golden picture of a bed over Sandy's head. He didn't have time for sleep when it was Fall.

"But thanks for the offer," he added.

He glanced back at his spirits and sprites.

"You guys ready to go?"

They all nodded eagerly and Jasper smiled. He felt like he hadn't been home in ages.

The Guardians all watched as all the Fall Spirits gathered up the Sprites and then they all disappeared in a swirl of fall leaves.

"I feel like we didn't help him very much," Tooth said with a sigh. It looked like Jasper was still going to be lonely in his forest.

"Lillian's still gotta get information from him for her book," Bunny said reasonably. "The sheila'll visit with Jack. He'll be fine."

The others all smiled at that thought, and then Tooth and Sandy turned to get ready for work.


Pitch had gotten Mother Nature settled into yet another of his guest rooms that were near his own. He had already gone down to his lair and cleared away any trace of the Nightmares, sweeping up the black sand left behind and locking it away in a dark room at the back of the lair. He hadn't seen any more Nightmares and hoped to keep it that way.

Lillian was sitting on her bed in her room, holding a book and leaning back against her pillows. She smiled as she read. She had missed this.

Jack meanwhile, was in his own room making it frosty cold with his winter magic. The various Winter Sprites and Spirits along with the Spring ones weren't there. They had already said their goodbyes and went on to their own homes with the promise from Jack and Lillian to come visit sometime.

The next day, Mother Nature sat at the rock table with Lillian, Jack, and Pitch as they all ate breakfast. Pitch had a cup of tea for himself and so did Jack. Lillian had a glass of milk and was eating her eggs quickly.

"Lillian, slow down," Pitch said calmly, as though he had said this many, many times.

"Can't, I gotta do Spring stuff before August takes over!" Lillian said in a rush with her mouth full.

Jack laughed and wrinkled his nose.

"You'll have plenty of time. It is not even June," Mother Nature said reasonably as she took a drink of her tea. "Besides, the weather should be perfectly fine now that you have all fixed it."

Lillian paused in shoveling her food in and looked thoughtful at that. She nodded and began to eat a little more slowly.

When she was finished, she stood up.

"Gotta go!" she exclaimed.

She was about to disappear with her Giant Flower when she looked like she remembered something. She ran over to Pitch and beckoned him to lean down. When he did so, she leaned up on her tip-toes and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

Pitch looked touched and ruffled her curls.

"Stay safe," he told her.

Lillian nodded and then ran around the table to give Jack a hug goodbye.

"Don't drive Pitch crazy!" she said with a cheeky grin at him. Jack gave her a cheeky grin back and Pitch groaned in the background.


Meanwhile, Father Time was looking at his hour glasses again, trying to figure out who could have taken the silver one that was missing. The different colors of the hour glasses meant that they all functioned differently, as Father Time had spent quite a bit of time perfecting his method of travel. There were some hour glasses that only moved back an hour at a time; some that went back years at a time; some that went back a mere half hour.

The silver ones only went back two years at once and that made him look at them with a puzzled frown. Had something significant happened two years ago? He didn't think so..

What could it be?

With a sigh he began to pace around the room, thinking.. Thinking..

He stopped in his tracks and frowned at the remaining silver hour glasses. It couldn't have been her could it?

No..

She wouldn't dare.

And yet.. It seemed like something she would do. She had always been curious about his excursions to the past, but he wouldn't let her go with. It was far too dangerous, and nothing must meddle with the past. He was only an observer, after all, and she had been far too young to understand that.

Now, however..

Father Time shook his head. No, she was grown up now. She would never do something so foolhardy. He abruptly exited this room and went to his Room of Possibilities. He studied the mirrors, hoping for a clue as to what happened.

He gasped when he spotted the mirror further down the wall from what had just transpired not too long ago with Mother Nature being frozen. He watched a particular mirror as none other than Gethen was turning an hour glass in his hands with an evil grin on his face.

Of course!

Then Father Time took in what Gethen was doing and his eyes widened.

Oh no.

Gethen wasn't doing what he thought he was doing, was he?!

Gethen couldn't.. He wouldn't dare!

Father Time watched with horror dawning on his face as Gethen seemed to vanish before his eyes.

The hour glass Gethen had held in his hands was silver. In fact, it was the very hour glass that Father Time had been agonizing over.

Now Father Time knew why that Bennett boy would be coming soon.

Gethen was changing the past.


Author's Note: Sorry, sorry for stopping there but the next chapter will finally reveal just what Gethen has up his sleeve and just why there is going to be a Ms. Parker and what's going on with that. I meant to have more going on at home with Pitch, Mother Nature, Jack, and Lillian, but I was too eager for Lillian to leave and go spread Spring some more (and jumpstart the plot). I might show a snippet with Mother Nature at home, or else it will have to wait until this current plot is done with.

For those of you curious on who the "she" is that Father Time is talking about, this person hasn't yet appeared in the fic. It's just a hint to a character that may or may not be showing up in the future. You get bonus points if you figure out who it is! She isn't a character in the movie either.

The next chapter will jump straight into the plot and I will post it very soon, promise.

Oh, and for those of you disappointed in August. Yes, he should have apologized in person. Or at least said goodbye to Jasper. But he tends to take Jasper for granted quite a bit and August doesn't seem to have the loneliness problems that Jasper has. I figure the relationship with August and Lillian will eventually be like a brother-sister relationship, but on the more antagonistic side. Since Mother Nature was essentially forcing August to apologize, of course he'd just do it in the most insincere way possible, like a sibling would. I'm hoping to explore the Seasonals being more like actual siblings later on.