It took me longer then I wanted to write this, I kept having to rewrite it. -_-" Anywho, I am excited that we reached 102 followers, 67 favorites and 55 reviews! :D That is amazing! I hope that by the end of this I will be in the triple digits for favorites and reviews as well... :P Also we have a bit aways till Jack dies, 4 or 5 chapters, but enjoy the fluff and cliffies that will so come to you. Enjoy Chapter 7!

"I'm sorry, Jack." Tooth says suddenly.

"For what, Tooth?" Jack asks with a raised eyebrow.

"That we weren't there to help you." Tooth sighs sadly. "We are Guardians, and even if Pitch wasn't up to something involving you we should have protected you."

Jack shrugged. "I had a hard live, but there we others kids out there that needed help too. It all turned out ok, I still here and all so it's ok."

"But do you not miss Felix and June?" North asks.

Jack gave a sad laugh. "I miss them more then I could ever say. They were my first real family, but if it had not happened I probably never would have met Elizabeth and Sarah. And I might not even be here right now if I hadn't."

"What do you mean, Mate?" Bunny asks.

Jack notice the next memory starting and silently thanked Manny. He didn't really want to explain how he had became immortal, at least not yet. Maybe when they got closer to that certain memory.

Jack's side still had a bandage around it but he was out of harms way. He was sitting up on the bed he had been put in the night Elizabeth had found him.

Jack sighed and let his head fall back against the wall with a small thud. "So bored."

The door opened just then and Elizabeth walked in with an amused smile. "Well until that side it fully healed I'm afraid you're stuck on that bed."

"Then back to the forest." Jack mutters quietly, but Elizabeth heard him and frowned.

"I'm sure we could find someone who would take you in." Elizabeth tries to reassure Jack.

He just shook his head. "No. I'm fine with being on my own, I don't want anyone getting hurt because of me."

Elizabeth sat at the foot of his bed. "No one would get hurt, Jack."

Jack's eyes darkened and he turned his head away to hide the mist that had come into his eyes. "I wouldn't be sure."

Elizabeth frowned. "You're only 8, Jack. You shouldn't be living alone, let alone in the forest. What if some animal ate you? Or you got hurt or sick?"

Jack shrugged. "I would steal some bandages or medicine. If I was ate by an animal? I don't think anyone would care."

Elizabeth gasped and grabbed Jack's chin, so much like Pitch that it made him squirm slightly. "Now you listen to Jack, never say that. Ever."

Jack's eyes darkened more. "Why? It's true, the only ones who would care are gone."

Elizabeth hesitated, as if mentally fighting about something. When the inner debate ended her eyes softened slightly. "Not all of them."

Jack gave her a confused look. "Who?"

Elizabeth moved her hand from holding Jack's chin to cupping his cheek. "Me, Sarah, Edith and Edmund too. When they found out you were hurt they wanted to come check on you. I told them you needed rest, so they picked that flower for you."

She pointed to a small pink flower with 5 petals on a green stem that sat on a table next to the bed. He had seen it, but hadn't had thought about it much.

Jack slowly picked it up, rubbing his thumb over the petals, and took a small sniff. It had a sweet smell to it, and he could help the small smile that come to his face.

He pulled his knees to his chest and rested his chin on them, staring at the flower in his hand. "This is all kind of you, Mrs. Overlander, but I can't stay. I only cause trouble for everyone, everyone I get close to leaves me or gets hurt. I don't want to get close to anyone, it only hurts me more."

Elizabeth was quiet for a moment before she took the hand hold the flower. "What about the others?"

Jack tore his gaze from the flower to her. "What others?"

She stared sadly at him. "What about the ones who are hurt when you leave?"

Jack's brows fused as he thought that over, but Elizabeth continued her eyes suddenly pleading.

"Stay here Jack, just for a year. You can leave any time you wish, but at least try to stay. If you want to leave at the end of the year I will not stop you." She asked, hands tightening around his and the flower.

"You'll just get hurt when I leave." Jack argues weakly. His will slowly crumpling under her pleading bronze gaze.

"We will face that when it comes,' She says softly, raising a hand to run it though his hair. 'Do you accept to stay for at least a year?"

Jack tried hard to not agree, he didn't want others or him self hurt if Pitch shows his face again.

….But he wanted- no needed- this. Even though he mentally felt older, he was just 8. Just a kid. He needed someone to comfort him, to hold him in their arms. He had lost Ma and Felix, he had lost his base and now he could feel him self crumbling slightly.

He leaned as much as he could into Elizabeth's, soaking in as much of her soft and warm touch as he could.

Maybe staying for just a year wouldn't be so bad, and he can leave when ever.

He sighed, tiredness suddenly coming to his mind and body. "Just a year…"

Elizabeth smiled softly and gave his a small peck on the forehead. "Of course. Sleep now Jack, it's late."

Jack didn't even argue as sleep took over.

(I like to Line Break, you like to Line Break, we all like to Line Break!)

Jack and his three little ducklings (aka Sarah, Edith and Edmund) were playing outside. They seemed to be trying to catch Jack but he was too swift and fast for them. Just when one seemed to corner him he would slip around them like water, laughing all the way.

It was Edith who finally got Jack.

Jack hadn't noticed her sneak up behind him when Edmund was trying to slip closer to grab him.

She pounced with a bit too much force and knocked Jack to the ground, her tumbling over him and landing on her butt.

Sarah and the twins were laughing till they heard a small wince come from Jack. They looked over to see Jack slowly sitting up, he was holding his knee with small drops of blood coming from it.

Edith gasped and tears prickled her sky blue eyes. "I'm sorry, Jack! I didn't mean-!"

Jack held up his free hand, which had small scratches on it, and grinned slightly. "It's ok Edith, it was an accident. Good catch by the way, I didn't see you in my blind spot."

Edith still looked a bit upset but the tears were gone.

Edmund turned to the house and started running to get Elizabeth.

Jack and the two girl's sat quietly, except Jack occasional hisses of pain, waiting for Ed and Elizabeth to come back.

Jack's eyes were misted slightly from the stinging but didn't let the girls notice.

When Ed got back with a worried Elizabeth, she told them they could continue playing while she helped Jack.

She helped Jack limp back to the house and sat him in a chair. As they waited for the water to warm so she could clean him off, she noticed his misted eyes. Thinking he is believes it is weak she puts a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"It's ok to cry, Jack. It doesn't mean you're weak." She says softly.

Jack looked confused for a moment before he smiled a bit awkwardly. "Oh no Mrs. Overlander, it's not that. I just didn't want to cry so Edith wouldn't."

Elizabeth looked shocked for a moment before her smile returned warmer then before. "You really are an amazing boy, Jack."

Jack looked at her in surprise. Ma had given him compliments like that all the time, but every time it felt special. He was use to believing he was a failure or unimportant, so for people like Ma and Felix, even the kids and Mrs. Overlander to praise him was feign and left a warmth in him.

He blushes and swung his legs awkwardly. "It's nothing. She was just upset about me falling, I didn't want her to cry if she saw me crying."

Elizabeth dipped a cloth into the water and wrinkled the extra water out of it before placing it on Jack's knee. He hissed but sat still as she cleaned away the dirt and blood. It had scabbed over by now and you could see the big bruise forming around it.

Once she was done she put some medicine on it and wrapped it up. "Try not to strain it to much, ok? Other then that you're free to play."

Jack stood still for a moment, eyebrows knotting as he thought something over.

Elizabeth turned her back to him as she emptied the rest of the now dirty water out the window. "Mrs. Overlander?"

She turned around slowly. "Yes?"

Jack rushed forward before she could blind and wrapped his thin arms around her waist. "Thanks."

There was more meaning behind the 'thanks', she could tell, but before she could answer he was already out the door.

Elizabeth smiled slightly and turned back to the dishes she had been washing. "You're welcome, Jack."

(Boom boom bo-boom, boom boom bo-boom bo-boom stop- Line Break time!)

It seemed to be summer now, warm winds blew though the green grass and the sun shined brightly. Sarah and the Twins were standing outside the Overlander house waiting for Jack and Elizabeth.

"What is taking them so long?!" Edith whines, pretending to faint. "If they take much longer I'll die from the heat!"

Sarah and Edmund giggled and the woman standing with them sighed. She had Edmund's brown hair and Edith's blue eyes. She had a few freckles dusting her small nose and a tall build. Her dress was a light blue with an apron around her waist. "Behave Edith. I worry that you might be spending too much time with Jack."

Edith gasped and quickly stood back up, making the lady's eyes dance with amusement. "No I'm good, see!"

"Yea Mrs. Walters, we're good." Sarah says smiling.

"I DON'T WANT TO GO!" Jack's voice yells from inside the house.

Elizabeth came out and sighed, she looked to them apologetically. "You guys go ahead, I need to talk with Jack."

"Is he in trouble?" Edmund asks.

"No. You guys go along we might catch up later." She says, she turns to Mrs. Walters. "I'm sorry April would you mind taking them?"

"Of course Elizabeth." Mrs. Walters says herding the kids away.

Elizabeth sighed again and walked back in to Jack who was lying on his bed with his arms crossed. His sepia eyes stared at the roof intense, and unreadable.

Elizabeth sat next to him and placed a hand on his crossed ones. "Jack didn't you want to go with us to the lake?"

"It doesn't matter." Jack says.

"I would guess it does Jack, if you're acting like this." Elizabeth says sternly.

Jack's eyes flicker over to hers before returning to the roof. "It's fine."

"No it's not Jack.' Elizabeth says. 'You may be a boy but I know you are avoiding water more then any other. The question is why?"

"So what if I don't like water!" Jack's voice rises a bit.

"Just tell me why, Jack, I'm sure it's not that bad."

"No."

"Jack tell me."

"No."

"Tell me, mister."

"No!"

"Jack. Tell me NOW!"

"BECAUSE MY BROTHER AND I ALMOST DROWNED!" Jack screams, tears slipping down his cheeks. "We almost died and it was my fault, and now I'm afraid of it! Are you happy now?!"

Elizabeth put a hand to her mouth. Jack had curled him self into a ball now, tears slipping down his face. "I'm afraid of water, ok?"

She moved to where she had next to him and pulled him closer so his head rested on her shoulder.

Jack couldn't help it. He told her everything; his real name and about his real parents, about living alone, Felix saving him and Ma and him taking him in, that Easter, them dieing. Everything except Pitch that is. Even if he told them everything else he couldn't talk about Pitch.

Just the thought of him made Jack shiver. Yellow eyes and sharp teeth appeared in his mind but he shook it away.

It felt like hours as he sat there in her arms crying, but it felt nice having someone holding him again.

(I'm a Line Break, I-I'm a Line Break, I'm a Line Break, I-I'm a Line Break!)

Jack was sitting outside on his back. His sepia eyes staring upward and face showing deep thought. "Maybe I should…? But what if they…? But they would never do that right…? They have asked…"

Jack was not shy, just reserved, but he suddenly felt shy. His hands were twisted into his shirt and his foot tapped on the ground repeatedly.

"That's it!" Jack sprung up and stood as tall as he could; which was slightly taller then a normal 9 year old. "I'm going to give them my answer."

With that he walked back to the house. Lunch would be done soon so both Sarah and Elizabeth were in the kitchen.

"Mrs. Overlander?" Jack asks softly.

Elizabeth turned around and smiled at Jack. "Please Jack you have been here for 4 months call me Elizabeth, what do you need?"

Jack felt butterflies flutter in his stomach, but he pushed the feeling away. "I was wondering if…Well is it ok that…"

"Are you ok, Jack?' Elizabeth asks. 'Did something happen?"

"No." Jack says hurriedly. "I just-I would like to take you up on your offer."

Elizabeth looked confused. "What offer?"

Jack felt a lump form in his throat but he spoke around it. "The offer…to live with you and Sarah."

Both females looked shocked, and Jack became worried for a moment. That is till both pulled him into a hug.

"I get a big brother!" Sarah squeals happily.

Jack felt the butterflies and lump disappear and couldn't help but laugh in relief. He has a family and this time, he going to protect them no matter what. Pitch won't take anyone away from him again.

Hope you liked! :D R&R plz! Ta.

GWDG