Mysterie wept for what she had done, not just to Jamie... but for the monster she'd brought out in Jack... for having corrupted him without ever meaning to... for the waste that her life had been in pursuing Jack when she should have just enjoyed the world around her and then returned to her life when her vacation time had been up... Everything she had tried to do... all she had meant... It had come to ruin and all she could do was despair and weep for it. As a spirit whose center was Wishes, she couldn't grant her own dearest wish... to disappear from this world... She simply curled up on herself, Jack's touch only making her cry harder and despair all the more. For what had once been so pure and light... she had tainted with darkness. Jack sighed, hugging her close and trying to ignore her tears that seeped into his hoodie as he tried to comfort her.

"It's not your fault." He whispered softly, soothingly.

"I think I figured out what you meant about the wish. You can only grant children's wishes, can't you? And you had to obey Jamie's wish... No matter what, I won't ever leave your side. Not ever again, I promise you." Unable to speak at the moment, though her tears had begun to dry up again, she shrugged a little. Silver sand swirls around in the air a little before finally forming words:

I did have no choice... but I don't think it's just the wishes of children... It's not something I've had the opportunity to test. He was right though, much as I hate that... I shouldn't have ever gone to Burgess in the first place.

It had been a trip she'd taken on a whim because she wanted to see the place where rumors had said the winter spirit had made his home; had she ever suspected any of this might happen she might never have set foot in the city. For a moment Jack's anger rose and his eyes shone black before returning to normal again.

"Jamie was wrong. Utterly wrong, I don't care what he says and neither should you; I love you." He sealed his words with a long, emotional kiss; pouring all of his feelings into it as he held her close. Mysterie shivered from the force of the emotions she felt from Jack; despite having been away from him, the bond was still very much intact. She returned his kiss desperately because for all she had despaired, whatever she might feel from what had happened, she and missed Jack so very much in those past weeks. Jack pulled her down into the snowdrift with him, a mischievous smile on his face even as he spoke quietly. She let out a soft squeak of surprise when she fell into the snowdrift, her cheeks heating a little as she looked up into his eyes.

"I love you so much Mysterie." Her voice was a little strained from her earlier crying, but she still spoke.

"I love you more than anything in this world." Jack slid his hand through her hair as he kissed her, shifting a little to slide his other hand along her back.

"Ahem... Jack." Jack turned in surprise at the voice, it was North who had spoken; all of the Guardians were there as well as a very angry Jamie. Jack hugged Mysterie close, ignoring the glare that Jamie was sending towards her. Mysterie flinched at the anger from the boy, not meeting his eyes out of shame; she didn't say a word, what could she say? She knew good and well there was no justifying what she'd done... Jack stuck out his tongue at the boy, who did the same and for a moment no one said anything as they watched this "funny-face" war for a moment until Bunny moved to lightly cuff Jack upside the head.

"Oi, what you doin' here mate?"

"I came here to stay with one I love, you gotta problem with that then go whine to MiM." Jack replied while the moon seemed to shine slightly brighter in the darkening sky as if to say 'don't bring me into this Jack!'

"Don't worry." Jack murmured to Mysterie, trying to comfort her before turning back to them.

"Why are guys here? Come to lock her up again like some animal?!" He snarled and the wind seemed to pick up, the temperature dropping; Jamie shivered and Bunny moved to hug the boy close to him to share his warmth with the youth. Mysterie mumbled something that sounded a lot like "sorry" before she seemed to burst into sand particles that quickly snaked through the night air and disappeared.

"JACK STOP THIS! SHE'S NOT WORTH IT MATE! SHE SAID SO HERSELF!" Bunny cried, trying to get him to see reason but Jack only snarled as the Pooka's words just seemed to make things worse. The snow began falling in a small blizzard around them that continued to grow.

'SHUT UP! I LOVE HER1 SHE IS THE SWEETEST, MOST KINDEST PERSON I HAVE EVER MET AND SHE UNDERSTANDS HOW I FEEL MORE THAN ANY OF YOU!" Jamie stared, tears pouring down his face but he kept silent. There was such rage and sorrow in his friend, something he didn't and couldn't understand because he hadn't spent 300 years all alone, he had always had friends, someone to take care of him and show him love... He would never be able to fully understand the pain that was locked inside Jack's heart; the same pain that had led to anger and Jakul's creation inside of him long before the boy had even met him.

The sand form she'd taken let her weave through the blizzard and away from the anger from the youth that she knew she rightfully deserved and the uneasy stares she had felt from all but one of the other Guardians aside from Jack... She could only run and hide. She felt like crying again, but it was forestalled when she felt more than saw the danger and ducked in time to miss being pelted by several rocks when she'd returned to her normal form. When she turned she found herself facing five satyrs and their leader... Pan. She nearly groaned as they tossed spears and rocks at her and she ran as they chased her from the small park she'd stopped at and into the streets of the city. Unseen, she ran into the street... that was a mistake as her pursuers were more cautious and paused at the side walk's edge as traffic zoomed by, but she'd only a second's warning of headlights catching her eye before the vehicle slammed into her; it sent her sprawling but the humans inside had no idea they'd even hit anything even as she was flung into the opposite lane and smacked by another vehicle. By the time she made it to the other side of the street she was limping and one arm had been twisted at an angle it really should be... Oh gods it was painful... but she had to get away... She kept running, despite that it felt like every part of her body was on fire. Jack was furious that a mere look from his fellow Guardians had made Mysterie leave.

"You know what, I'm done. Don't come bothering me again because the only time you're going to see me is when I make a snow day!" He glared at the group before taking off. Sandy followed behind him immediately, hoping to catch him again and talk some sense into the angry spirit. Sandy wasn't even sure why the others had insisted on bringing Jamie with them; this wasn't exactly a matter to be handled by a child. Even if the boy was special, and not just to Jack. When Jack took off he could only follow; he understood too well what Jack was likely thinking, but unlike the others he could only feel pity for Jack - knowing too well how it must hurt to know that someone he loved was so despised by others, particularly those he called friends, because of the monster she could be. Jack flew towards Antarctica, he was half way there when the wind throttled him, trying to get him to go back. He wasn't having none of that though, there was no way he was going back to them!

"STOP IT! Let me go, please! I want to be alone for once." The wind whipped his hair gently in apology and sadness as Jack flew on to the black ice spire that had been made three years ago when he'd fought Pitch. He sighed, sitting in the hollow of it, his back against it as he brought his knees up to it and buried his face in his arms. Sandy had barely managed to keep from being blown away by the wind, if only just, when it had buffed Jack. When the winter spirit finally settle back down to the ground he floated down to settle next to him. His sand floating above his head. A gentle, concerned look on his face.

Jack?

Mysterie kept running, hissing in pain between pants as she had lost the satyrs but now she had to deal with a trio of nymphs who tossed rocks at her and were trying to wrap water around her head to suffocate her. She had to hold back her tears to keep from being suffocated by them as well. She cried out as she tripped over a tree root that an earth spirit raised and it's only a moment's delay in her flight, but it's enough and the four spirits descend on her like a pack of ravenous wolves. Jack didn't notice Sandy, sensing the pain Mysterie was in his eyes instantly turn into pools of blackness as he snarls and shoots into the air, leaving the little Guardian to stare after him in startled confusion as Jack takes off as fast as he can to her location; following the sense of pain that gets stronger with each passing moment. Mysterie can sense that Jack has felt her pain and that he is coming, she also knows from his emotions that he is out for blood...

"Any last words?" The earth spirit sneers at her; she opens her mouth and the reply is a whisper that is harsh from the pain that they had inflicted on her.

"Run..." It wasn't just Jack they had to worry about, the four stared at her a moment in confusion before laughing and a blow to the head knocked her senseless. The world around her went dark, but her body was still conscious and a sadistic smile touched her bloodied lips as Shadow emerged.

"Time to play..." She sang out and the spirits began to feel fear as black sand sent them flying in all directions...