Hey, guys! Fast update! So some important things happen in this chapter (at least I think they do, I kind of zone out when I write so I have no idea what's going on...) Anyway, yeah. I'll see you at the end of the chapter!

Leetah POV

"You don't need to thank me," Jack whispered back, his ice blue eyes meeting mine.

"Yes I do," I said, not daring to look away. "You could have easily left me there, or not even have gone looking for me." I dropped my gaze to my hands, not wanting to say what I was thinking but needing to know. "Why did you even come after me? I'm nothing special." Jack stopped me, putting his hands on either side of my face and leaning down to be able to look me in the eyes.

"I went after you because you are special, Leetah." His voice was so gentle, and I wanted to believe him so badly.

"I'm only special because I'm a star. Because I'm the Moon's daughter." I tried dropping my face to look at my hands again, but Jack had a different idea. Still holding the sides of my face, he gently pushed with his palms on my jaw so that I looked him in the eye again. My mouth opened slightly in surprise. Jack's enchanting blue eyes, which normally held so much mischief, were watery and full of sadness.

"Never think that you are not special or important. You're important to me. Not just because you're a star or because you're Manny's daughter. Because I care about you."

Before I knew what was happening, Jack's lips were on mine. Electricity coursed through my body and my heart started beating a million miles an hour. My hands wound themselves into his hair as Jack continued to kiss me hungrily. I kissed him back, not wanting him to think for even a second that I wanted to stop. I wanted to stay in this moment forever. Jack's hands moved from my face and buried themselves in my long, thick hair. Jack then ran his tongue along my bottom lip, and I gasped. He took the opportunity to sit me up so that I was on the edge of the bed and placed himself between my legs. The way we were situated may have looked to anyone else to be extremely sexual, but to me, it was perfect. Jack licked my lip again, seeming as if he were asking permission. Hell yes, I granted him permission. His tongue slipped past my lips and as we started exploring each other's mouths, I couldn't help but notice how he tasted like wintergreen. His kiss was the kind of cold that you never want to leave and the heat that it produced in my chest was more addicting than any drug imaginable.

"Fireheart," Jack said, barely breaking the kiss.

"Hmm?" I began nipping gently on Jack's bottom lip, causing him to grab my shoulders as if he had to stop himself.

"You're glowing," he panted.

"It's what stars do."

"No, like you're actually glowing. I think I may go blind soon, Fireheart."

Taking a second to calm myself down, I open my eyes to discover that Jack was telling the truth, a bright light was emanating from my chest. Neal's words echoed in my mind: whoever possesses the heart of a star...

Neal POV

Something stirs in my heart as I watch Leetah kiss that no good Jack Frost. I wave my hand through the dark cloud of sand, sending its remnants scattering across the floor. That's what I get for checking up on Leetah, for wanting to make sure she's safe and most importantly, alive. I shake my head. There is no reason I should be acting like this, getting jealous of Jack Frost of all people. Why did I feel a pull toward the Moon's daughter? The only reason that I could think of was that she was the first person to see me as someone other than Pitch Black's son, the motherless boy. She saw me as a person, an individual separate from my father and my absentee mother.

"Cornelius?" I hear my father calling for me. He sounded angry. I rolled my eyes. This was going to be fun. "Cornelius, where is the star," my father asked, bursting into the room. I could practically see the steam coming out of his ears, and I found myself wishing his head would burst like the villains of the cartoons I watched as a kid.

"How many times have I told you that my name is Neal?" I ask calmly. This was the last conversation I wanted to be having right now, especially with the man who fathered me.

"Cornelius Kozmotis Black, I will only ask you one more time. Where. Is. The. Star?" I rolled my eyes. If he wanted the truth, I'd give it to him.

"She's safe, away from here, and away from you." I turn and walk to the door. My father grabs my arm, his grip tight enough that it will probably leave bruises. I turn my head to meet his furious glare, his unnaturally yellow eyes not affecting me as they do other people. Wanting to see how far I could push my luck, I say the one thing that I know will make my father absolutely furious. "With Jack Frost."

Letting go of my arm, my father walks to the door. "I think," he said, his voice taking on an evil tone that sent chills down my spine, "that since you care so much about this star, you can have a front row seat."

"What are you going to do?"

"Kill her. I'll cut out her heart and use it to become the most powerful being alive, all while you watch helplessly."

"NO!" I scream as I run at my father, but I was too late. The door had already closed and his maniacal laughter could be heard as well as the sliding of the lock into place.

Leetah POV

A man came in not long after Jack pointed out that I was glowing. The light in my chest had now dimmed to a faint shine, only visible if you knew it was there. Jack stood up a little straighter when the large man came stomping up to my bedside. Confused, I looked between Jack and the mountain of man, beard, and fur coat before me. The way Jack acted, this man could be his father. The only real similarities I saw between them were the color of their hair and eyes. Other than that, there was no resemblance.

"Leetah," Jack said, pulling me out of my thoughts, "I would like you to meet Nicholas St. North."

"Oh, no need to be so formal, Jack," the man laughed, his Russian accent making it difficult to understand exactly what he was saying. "Call me North." North looked at me, his bright blue eyes filled with curiosity. "You are star? Manny's daughter? Manny never told me he had daughter."

"Well, he does, whether he wants me or not," I say, crossing my arms over my chest. I still hadn't forgotten how he so easily abandoned me when I needed him most.

"How do I know you are telling truth?" North reached a massive arm up to pet his beard, revealing a tattooed arm reading "naughty".

"Who would claim to be that which they are not?"

"Suppose you are right. Tell me, what is your center, Leetah Moonchild?" North's face dropped to a look that made me fear for my life, his entire stature changing to one of intimidation.

"My-my center? Look, I don't know what my center is, that's what I was sent here to figure out!" My voice came out as a squeak. I was terrified of this version of North. Maybe it had something to do with that "naughty" tattoo.

"Wait, wait, wait," Jack said, stepping closer to me, "what do you mean, you were sent here to figure out your center?"

"I broke the Caetha, the ultimate law of the stars. My father took pity on me and gave me a second chance. Once I find my center, I can return home." The look of betrayal in Jack's eyes broke my heart. I didn't want to leave, but I had to return home to fulfill my duties.

"What do you mean, return home? I-I thought you were here for good, I thought-" Jack stopped when North raised a great hand, his adam's apple bobbing and his eyes watery, the look of betrayal still evident in them.

"Moonchild, come. We must talk about what to do. Must make plan, if Pitch wants you, is not safe anywhere except here." It seemed that North had gotten over his anger quickly, but I knew Jack would not be so quick to forgive. I stand, following the mountainous Russian around curves and corners in a seemingly never ending hallway of red wallpaper and wooden floors. After a while, the silence became too much for me to handle.

"Why do you call me Moonchild?" I crane my neck up to look at the massive man.

"Is what you are. You are child of Moon, da?" The way he said it, it seemed so simple. I couldn't help but think of the matching tattoos on his forearms: naughty and nice. This man chose to see the world in black and white, calling it the way it is. The wonder and natural curiosity that seemed to radiate from him was what I thought of as the grey space that he didn't see in the world. Maybe someone who has such a powerful imagination needs some sort of order in their life.

"Yes..." I trailed off, losing the desire to speak. My brain was already at full capacity and I didn't know if I could take much more of it.

"Moonchild, it is up to you."

"What is up to me?" I look up at the jolly Russian.

"If you stay or go. If you find center, you may stay. As Guardian!" North sounded so sure, and I couldn't help but think of how he must see things. If only everything could be as simple as he thinks.

"Perhaps, North," I said, my mind wandering. "Perhaps."

I swear I got writer's block halfway through this chapter and almost updated with a story that was 964 words... That, my dear friends, is a pathetic chapter.

As always, my thanks and love goes out to CrystalQueen and DarkAzalea for their reviews and support!

I love you all, thank you so much for reading and if you like it, feel free to leave a review! :)