A/N New chapter! Tell me how you feel about it.

Disclaimer: I do not own rise of the Guardians

Turning Tail

Unfortunately, not everyone stopped fighting when the new… allies (?) Had appeared. Will seeing the moment of distraction as a chance to attack had started creeping closer to Krampus.

Jackie could not tell you what Will's plan was since she only had an inkling of what his magic abilities were, but it didn't matter because before he could do anything Krampus noticed the boy.

Before anyone could do anything, Krampus grabbed the boy by the scruff of his neck and laughed. "One single move and you risk hurting the boy." He said. Everyone minus the newcomers dropped their weapons even Nyx reluctantly landed on Nicholas' shoulder.

Krampus laughed at the newcomers refusing to lower their weapons. "I meant it, Reapers," He said putting a hand on Will's neck. "You won't be able to stop in time before I snap his neck." If Jackie hadn't been worried about Will her heart would have skipped at the term 'reapers.' Reapers? As in Grim Reapers?

The look on the guardian's faces, as they stared at the Reapers with thinly veiled fear, but they needn't have worried, starting with the girl who had shown herself first, every single one of them, transformed their weapons into bracelets, hairclips, broaches, pens, or any other small appliance that could easily be carried on their person, and put them away.

Krampus smiled, "Now, I shall be keeping this boy." Krampus said, taking a step back, he waved his hand just as Will's parents, William and Selene started forward the look on their faces one of pure fear, "And if you all know what's good for you, you'll hand me the girl by the time the Epiphany rolls around. In fact. For every night, that I don't have her, I come for another child to add to my collection."

Then before anyone else could say another word, the creatures flew back toward the being and he disappeared into the shadows taking Will with them.

Jackie stared at the spot where Krampus and Will disappeared, the feeling in her stomach plummeting. Jackie didn't know Will that well, but he was Sarah's friend, and perhaps one of the few beings from Santoff who she still felt close to after what had happened almost 3 years ago.

For a moment, no one said anything, the Bunny started yelling at the first Reaper, the one who looked 16 and was wearing a black halter top and slacks. "What the hell do you and your lot think you're doing here."

"Krampus is our responsibility" A girl beside her said. The girl looked a few years older than the girl.

"Oh your responsibility, want to make stealing souls easier do you?" Bunny shot off. "Well, congratulations you succeeded, another child has been stolen from right under our nose."

"Woah hold on," Jack said. "What do you mean stealing souls?"

"These people are grim reapers." North interfered, "They steal souls and then inhabit their bodies."

Jackie's eyebrows rose, so they were Grim reapers. Good to know. Now, which one was Jane?

The brunette grim reaper rolled her eyes. "Nice to see nothing's changed in 300 years." She sighed. "We don't steal souls." The brunette reaper argued, "We come at the end of their life and guide souls to the proper afterlife. There is no stealing involved."

Bunny rolled his eyes. "Sure, it is. Then why do you all have the face of someone who died."

"Think about it, Bunnymund." The 16-year-old-looking reaper said with a sarcastic smile. "It'll come to you."

Bunny blinked before his glare deepened. "It's not possible." He hissed, "You lot are evil, psychopathic, she would never - "

"Bunnymund?" Jackie whispered confused before she shook her head and turned to the brown-haired reaper "What's your name?"

The brunette barely reacted to Jackie's question in fact if it hadn't been for the slight but sudden straightening of her spine, Jackie would have thought that the brunette hadn't heard her. As it was Jane continued arguing with Bunny.

A darker-haired woman noticed Jackie trying to get the brunette's attention and stepped around the woman. "Sorry, Jane isn't able to speak to either of you right now." The woman said. "But perhaps I can be of assistance? I'm Amelia."

"That's Jane? Jane the Grim Reaper?" Jackie said pointing at the brunette.

Amelia smiled sadly. "Yes, she is," She said with a half glance at her father who was still beside her, then tilted her head curiously at Jackie, "Why?"

"Umm." She looked up at Jack and then looked down again.

"It's ok sweety." Jack said, "I won't be mad. Who's Jane? Why is she important?"

"My friend Sarah went missing yesterday evening… at least I think it's yesterday North is back…" Jackie said. "And Pitch said that Sarah had befriended a reaper named Jane. Do you.. does she…"

"Yes." Amelia sighed, "When she heard the Krampus was after your friend Sarah, Jane decided that the safest course of action was to take her away and put her somewhere safe."

"So Jane did take her?" Jackie said looking at the brunette. "Where is she? Is she safe? Will she be ok?"

"She's safe, I have a few of my trainees looking after her," Amelia said soothingly.

"You mean a few Grims that have recently stolen the bodies of-" Jack said looking a little ill.

Amelia rolled her eyes. "God do I hate that theory. Grim reapers are former humans that have died, and then were sentenced to guiding the souls of the dead to the afterlife." Amelia said.

Jack looked confused. "So why do the guardians think-"

"Bunny saw one of his old friends collecting a soul. The friend panicked and just pretended that she didn't recognize him, Bunny assumed the worst." Amelia said then she winced. "In hindsight, it wasn't the best move."

Jackie looked confused, for a moment, Jonathan had said it was Mother Goose who lost their friend, perhaps he'd confused the storyteller for the person who'd lost their friend?

"I'm sorry you know where our daughter is?" Jackie, Amelia and Jack turned to see Nicholas and Jessica staring at Amelia with tears collecting in their eyes. Standing on her shoulder was Nyx looking at Jane and Amelia quizzically.

Amelia smiled, "I do, I can take you to the girl who took her."

"We're not mad." Nicholas was quick to assure.

"I am," Jessica said wiping away her tears. "The least she could have done was write a note."

"I did," Jane said stepping away from Bunny, who would have looked red in the face if he hadn't been covered head to toe with fur. "It must have fallen off the desk. I was in too much of a hurry to make sure Sarah secured the note properly."

"Thank you for thinking of our daughter," Nicholas said. "But…"

"I'm sorry, with the guardians being as untrusting as they are, I was worried that if I revealed myself it would lead to more prejudice and Sarah would be in more danger."

"Is she ok?" Jessica asked her voice hitching. "Can we see her?" Jessica clutched her husband's arm. "I know I should feel upset that Will was taken, but all I'm doing is thanking the Lord, that my daughter wasn't here."

"I don't blame you," Jane said, putting a hand on Jessica's arm. "I died before I really got to raise my daughter, but if she went through the same thing Sarah is going through, I'd feel the same way," Jane said. She stared at the Williams parents who were looking as though they had the wind knocked out from under them. "But I can also say, that the day I realized that I would never hold my baby again was the most painful of my entire existence."

Jessica stared at her hopefully. "You're a mom?"

Jane dipped her head. "Though it's been a few centuries." Then she stared at them, "I'm sorry but regarding seeing your daughter…" Jane looked away trying to figure out how to explain.

"The place we put her is not meant for living creatures." Amelia cut in, to help Jane out. At the look on Jessica and Nicholas' faces, Amelia was quick to explain. "Sarah is not dead. Jane did a small ritual to allow Sarah to cross over while she's still alive, but we can't afford to have more living souls in."

"Living?" Jack asked.

Amelia smiled, "However, there are a couple of guardians we that squeeze through a loophole if you wouldn't mind. They can check on her and make sure she's alright"

"Would they be able to return?"

"If there was a problem with them being on earth, we would have yanked them through into their afterlives," Jane said. "We've done it before."

"Umm."

"How about Sandy," Jane said, resolutely not looking at either Jackie or her dad. "Sandy died and came back, didn't he? Doesn't he count?"

Amelia stared at Jane for a long moment. "He does in his own way…" She looked at Jane for a moment, then looked at Jack and Jackie before she looked up to the sky and sighed. "We'd have to ask the head council, but I think Jack would be a better fit. Wouldn't you?"

A/N Despite Amelia constantly telling Jane in "Jane the Grim reaper" that she has to obey the rules, Amelia also knows that until Krampus has been taken care of the Guardians and The Reapers are probably going to be seeing a lot of each other, and she doesn't see the point in upholding the rules when staying away from Jack isn't going to be an option.