Hi everybody! here I am!

OK, first of all, I'm kind of disappointed at the lack of reviews. Chapter six gets a butt-ton and seven only gets two?! WHAT'S UP WITH THAT?!

*Sigh* Well, I guess I can't complain. Though I really wish you guys would tell me what you think of this one and if it's good or not. I hope you enjoy the next chapter. It's fun.

Kozmotis had not anticipated the rapid change in the weather and he hadn't planned for it. He and his daughter had just left the house and gotten into the car when a fierce wind began to blow and snow whirled over the windshield.

"Damn!" He swore, getting out again and using the scraper to scrape the snow off all the windows. Seraphina, however, had planed for it to be cold and had brought along a thick green coat which she burrowed into in the back seat happily. "Momma told you to get a coat dad!" she said triumphantly as her father slid into the front seat.

"Yes yes, I know. Mommy's the genius of the family and daddy's just the one who saves dying inter children." Kozmotis said as he put the car into reverse, meaning it as a joke but realizing that it had not sounded like one to his little girl. "Oh Seraphina, I didn't mean that." he said, quickly shutting off the car and turning around in his seat to pat her head comfortingly. The horrified expression that had been on her face quickly melted away.

"It's OK dad, I know you didn't." she said, smiling at her father. "He won't die. You told me that he wouldn't and I believe you."

Kozmotis smiled. "Yes, and daddy's always right." he said, tweaking her nose and then turning back to the steering wheel. He pushed the gear shifter and backed out of their driveway in the beautiful black Cadillac Sudan his wife had given him for their fifth anniversary. He'd given her a ten set copy of the Chronicles of Oz by Frank L Baum. The book seemed piteous in comparison, but she said she loved them more than any other present she'd ever gotten, and Kozmotis had certainly loved the black caddy the same way.

First they stopped off at a little grocery store not far from the house. Kozmotis had about fifty dollars in his pocket, so he bought two packages of spaghetti, a jar of sauce and some burger meat. Seraphina protested when she saw the jar of sauce, as she liked her mother's homemade sauce with real tomato and parsley, but Kozmotis told her that they would have that next week and she grudgingly agreed, on the condition that he buy her an apple to eat in the car because she was hungry.

"Little lawyer." Kozmotis teased, ruffling her hair. "You're going to grow up just like your mother."

"I'm glad about that!" she said, laughing. "Can it be a red delicious?"

He agreed and the red delicious apple was added to the basket, along with a small piece of Parmesan cheese and a box of oatmeal that was for his wife for in the morning, when he would go to the store for real and get supplies for the week to come. He got a quart of milk and some cream for his wife's coffee, then he made his way to the counter.

"Dad, can we get ice cream?" Seraphina asked, pointing to the pint containers of french vanilla on a small freezer to the left of the counter.

"No dear, we have to go to Jamie's right after this and it would melt if we left it in the car for too long." Kozmotis said, handing over the five tens to the man behind the counter when he asked for forty-nine sixty.

"Unusually cold night for April, isn't it Dean?" he asked as the man handed him back the change and started to bag the food up.

"It is indeed sir." Dead said. Kozmotis could tell he didn't recognize him, and that was alright. Even though he was kind of a celebrity for his services to the youths, he liked to keep a low profile.

Well, as low as you can be at seven feet tall in your bare feet.

"You don't look like you're dressed for the weather sir." Dean said, looking up from the bag he was stuffing and noticing his thin shirt.

"Mom told him to bring a coat," Seraphina piped up. "but he didn't listen and he didn't want to go back in to get one because then mom would've told him she told him so!"

Kozmotis ruffled her hair and said, "Alright you little tattle-tale." but he said it lovingly.

"Your daughter seems to be dressed for that abominable weather," Dean said as he handed the bags to Kozmotis. "If you don't mind me saying, she looks cute as a button."

Kozmotis beamed. His daughter was indeed the thing he loved most in the world, and he felt proud when people gave her compliments like that. "She is indeed." he said, smiling. "Thank you."

"Come again sir!" Dean called after them when they headed out the door. Sera insisted she carry one of the bags, so he had given her the lightest and allowed her to put it in the trunk herself, then she followed him to the front of the car and slid into her seat again.

"Alright, off to Jamie's." Kozmotis said, smiling.

"Off to Jamie's!" Sera repeated, smiling.

The drive there wasn't long. Kozmotis thought he saw a pair of shapes walking down the street once, but he drove past too quickly to make out for certain and he dismissed it at his imagination. After learning about the spirits of the world which were supposed to be not real, but were, he was understandably jumpy.

He pulled into the driveway, anticipating having to park the car in the middle of the driveway but surprised when he saw that the blue Kia Spectra that he had assumed was Jamie's mother's wasn't in the driveway. He frowned. Had she gone out for something? Did that mean the children were along, again?

"Dad, there are no lights." Seraphina said, pointing.

Kozmotis looked. She was right. Not a light in the place. That was odd. It wasn't even six yet. Why would they be gone? Had their mother taken them out to eat to make up for being gone so long or something like that?

"Should we go home?" Seraphina asked quietly.

Kozmotis shook his head and turned off the car. "I think we should knock, just to make sure." he said, opening his door and then his daughters. "Come on."

Seraphina hopped out and followed her father up the steps to Jamie's front door. He peered into the murky blackness beyond the glass that was inlaid in the top of the door, but he could see nothing. He knocked.

No answer.

He knocked again, harder.

Nothing.

"Jamie!" Kozmotis called. "It's me, Kozmotis! Is anyone home?"

This time he heard a bang and a loud grunting noise. He frowned. What on earth could that be?

"JAMIE!" he yelled. "Jamie, is something wrong? Let me in!"

He heard some heavy footsteps and that strange grunting again, but no voices. Were their burglars in Jamie's house? Or worse yet, a wild animal?

"JA-" Kozmotis yelled, but he was interrupted by a smashing sound and a loud yell. It didn't sound human. That's it, I'm breaking down the door. He thought, taking a step back. "Seraphina, I want you to go back to the car and wait for me, OK?"

She instantly began to protest. "No! I want to go with you!"

"Seraphina," Kozmotis hissed, motioning for her to lower her volume. "Listen," he told her sternly. "It might be dangerous. I don't know if they are inside or if it's burglars or something else entirely, but I'm not putting you in danger. If you hear me scream your name, run. Don't hide in the car, run to the nearest neighbor and tell them to call nine one one. Tell them burglars broke into next door and that I am inside. If they ask you any questions, just ignore them and tell them to bring the police, do you understand?"

She nodded slowly. "I understand dad." she said. Her eyes were wide and afraid. Kozmotis heard the grunting noise and he wrapped his arms around her quickly, kissed her on the head, and then released her.

"Go!" He ordered.

She ran to the car and dove into the back seat, closing and locking all four doors behind her. Kozmotis turned back to the door and, taking a few more steps back, rammed his shoulder into the door with all his might. The door slammed open, but didn't break, and he stepped through the threshold, looking around with his fists raised.

"Jamie!" He called. "Where are you?" It was dark, too dark for him to see and he groped for a light switch with his right hand. His fingers found the switch and he quickly turned it on, illuminating the hallway. There was nothing out of the ordinary there, but as Kozmotis took a step forward he froze when he heard a bellow from somewhere down the hall and to his left.

"What the hell is that?" he muttered, staring into the darkness before him. "A bear? No, bears don't live around here." What then? "Whatever it is, it had better have a good reason for being here and an even better one for Jamie and Sophie not being here."

Kozmotis made his way down the hall slowly, looking everywhere for the source of the mysterious sound. Half-way to the living room, Kozmotis decided to stoop and pick up a fire poker that was hanging on a hook by the fireplace that Jamie and most residents of Burgess had in their homes. He raised it in both hands and slowly crept forward. The grunting had stopped and he didn't have a clue where the mysterious enemy was.

"Hello?" he called out quietly, but not in a whisper. Now, you may think this was a stupid move for someone who was sneaking around a house like Kozmotis was, but in all honesty it was a good move. If more than one person replied, he knew where they were and, more importantly, how many there were. Unfortunately, the only reply Kozmotis got was a low grunting that he could barely hear, coming from ahead.

"Who's there?" he called out in a loud, clear voice. And this time someone answered.

"Wertaga yag ragga!"

Kozmotis blinked. Was that English? "I warn you, I'm armed!" He called. "Come out into the open!"

"Bwerg yagada!"

Kozmotis gripped his fire poker The voice was getting closer, coming towards him. He needed to find a way to subdue it, whoever or whatever it was.

"Gragga yabagawa Jamie!"

Kozmotis tensed. Jamie! Had the intruder just said Jamie? "Where is Jamie Benett?" he called.

"Kegasaga dagada!"

Kozmotis could hear the sound of footsteps now. Big, lumbering footsteps like a huge animal and they were coming right for him! Now he could make out a big, hulking figure moving slowly towards him, waving it's arms and speaking in that nonsense language.

"I warn you," Kozmotis said again, though now that he could see the size of whatever it was he wasn't feeling so cocky. "I'm armed! Tell me where Jamie and Sophie Bennett are and I'll let you go!"

The big person made a noise like a deep, throaty growl and Kozmotis knew then that there was going to be a fight and he did not like his chances. He would have to hurt the creature. He didn't want to, he really didn't, but he needed to find the children and this thing was standing in his way.

"One last warning," Kozmotis said as the creature moved forward. It was almost into the light now. Kozmotis could see a lot of fur in what he assumed was the creature's head. Maybe it was a bear. No bear can stand up on it's hind legs for that amount of time!

"Kegasaga dagada!" the creature repeated, raising it's furry arms and and lunging for him. Kozmotis dodged and swung his fire-poker across the beast's back, knocking it to the ground. It was quickly on it's feet and now that the light was on it, Kozmotis could see it clearly. It had a furry face, bright eyes and a strange, long white mustache that reached it's stomach. It looked angry and bellowed some kind of war cry, then lunged for him again.

Kozmotis tried to dodge but there wasn't much room and the creature grabbed him by the arms. It's grip was like iron!

"Let me go!" Kozmotis yelled, beating at the arm that held him with the fire-poker.

The creature moaned in pain and threw him into the living room, then it followed after, obviously intending on finishing him off. Kozmotis got to his feet and, poising the poker in both hands, prepared to drive the thing back into the light of the hall so that he could see while he fought. The living room was pitch black and he could barely see a thing!

"Where are they?!" he yelled.

"Wertaga yag ragga?!" the beast bellowed, lumbering forward with it's arms outstretched.

Kozmotis ducked under the arms and turned, using his momentum to leap onto the creature's back and he wrapped his arms around it's furry neck. The creature roared and tried to buck him, but Kozmotis knew that whatever it was couldn't survive without oxygen. His gambit soon paid off when the thing sank to it's knees and, with one last grunt, keeled over. Kozmotis rolled off the creature and quickly turned it over. He didn't want it to die, whatever it was.

Now that he got a better look at it, the creature actually didn't look that frightening. It had a small pink nose and a weird little ponytail sticking up from the top of it's head. It was kind of sweet, in a huge and hulking way.

"Well, that's over and done with." Kozmotis said, wiping his forehead. "Now I need to find a way to keep it contained."

He stood and, after making his way to the front door and calling out to Seraphina that he was OK, he headed for the small door he assumed led to a garage beneath the house where he might find some rope. The door did lead to the garage and he did find rope, so he toed the creature up by the ankles and wrists, then he dragged it over to the garage and slowly, so that he wouldn't hurt it, slid it down the stairs. He knew that, once the creature woke up neither ropes nor doors would stop it, but he wasn't sure what else to do.

After he was done, he went back upstairs to get his daughter. She was standing on the front porch and looked terrified. "Dad!" she cried, flinging herself into her father's arms and wrapping her own thin arms around her father's waist. "Are you OK?"

"I'm fine dear," he said, bending down to give her a real hug. "It didn't hurt me."

"What was it dad?" she asked, looking at his perspiring face. "I heard weird noises. Was it an Ogre?"

Kozmotis glanced behind him. "Honestly, I don't know what it was. It looked like a bear, but it sounded like it was speaking in a language. I don't know what language, but I'm sure it was a language."

Seraphina pulled away from her father and asked hesitantly, "Can I see it dad?"

"Absolutely not!" Kozmotis said sternly. "It's far too dangerous, and I'll not have you getting hurt."

"But dad-"

"No buts Seraphina," he said, putting two hands on her shoulders. "I don't know what that thing is, where it came from, where Jamie and Sophie are or anything. We need to keep it in the basement and now we need to go look for Jamie and Sophie. Can you go search the rooms for me?"

Seraphina nodded.

"I'm going to go see if that thing can tell me where they are, alright? Under no circumstances are you to come down there, OK? I don't want you near that thing."

"But dad, suppose it's friendly!" she said. "Suppose it wasn't trying to hurt you."

Kozmotis sighed. "Maybe," he said, humoring her. In truth, that thing didn't look like it had wanted to attack him but it had still done so. He wasn't quite sure what to make of the thing.

"Can we at least put a blanket over it?" she asked, pleading with him.

Kozmotis sighed. "Alright. Alright. I'll go put a blanket over it and you go search for Jamie and Sophie. Tell me if you find them and if they are unconscious or tied up."

Seraphina nodded and, with one last hug from her father, she trotted off down the hall. Kozmotis watched her go, closed the door quietly, then headed for the basement. The thing was still laying where he'd left it at the bottom of the stairs on the cold, hard cement ground. Kozmotis frowned. It wouldn't do to have it freeze, so he went back upstairs for a blanket and spread the blanket out on the floor, then he rolled the beast onto it. It groaned.

"Can you understand me?" Kozmotis asked, bending down until he was at face-level with the creature. "Please, I'm sorry I hurt you but you were trying to hurt me as well. I was obliged to defend myself."

The creature groaned again, but this time there was some sounds that resembled words mixed in.

"Please, I'm sorry." Kozmotis apologized again. He didn't want to hurt the thing and he had only been defending himself. "If you can speak my language, can you tell me where Sophie and Jamie Benett are?"

The creature stirred.

"Jamie?" he asked, then it growled and started to roll back and forth.

"No no, please, I don't want to knock you out again!" Kozmotis told it, backing up. "I want to know where they are because I care about them!"

The creature stopped moving, but it stared distrustfully at him.

"Please," he said, walking over to it again. This time he didn't bend down. "I just want to know if they are safe. I-"

"Dad!" Seraphina called from the top of the stairs. "I can't find them. It looks like they aren't here."

Kozmotis frowned. "Are you sure?" he called.

"Positive. Unless they've been moving each time I check a place, they aren't here." she said firmly. "Did you put the blanket over it?"

"I did," Kozmotis said, even though it wasn't true.

Seraphina, like her mother, had the annoying and often alarming ability to tell when he was lying and so she said, "No you didn't. I'm coming down."

"No!" Kozmotis said, his attention switching back and forth from the creature on the ground to the stairs. "Seraphina Grace Pitchner don't you dare!"

But she was already descending the stairs. "Dad, it's alright. I won't go near it." She promised.

Kozmotis sighed a long-suffering sigh. "Didn't I tell you-"

"Dad, I just want to see it!" she said, her feet coming into view and then her legs, her torso and finally her face. "I promise not to do anything stupid."

Kozmotis wiped his hand across his brow and sighed. "Alright, alright. Come on down." That last bit was kind of redundant, as she was already two thirds of the way down.

"Thanks dad," she said, hopping the last step and landing on the ground at the creature's feet. "So, does it talk?"

"It said Jamie's name," Kozmotis said, shrugging. "and it seems to understand me. At least, a little."

"Huh." Seraphina said, looking at the big furry creature. She'd never seen it's like before.

"I wonder how it got here." Kozmotis murmured after a few minutes of silence. Then he looked up at Seraphina. "That thing couldn't have picked a lock and there weren't any broken windows."

"Where are Jamie and Sophie?" Seraphina asked in a slow, clear voice. As if she was talking to an invalid.

The figure on the ground moaned and made the low sounds that Kozmotis attributed as his speech and before Kozmotis could ask again if it knew where they were, he heard the sound of breaking pottery and he whirled around. Jamie was standing on the stairs, staring down at the bound figure in amazement. He was wearing a black coat that looked much too large for him and a black beany over his unruly brown hair.

"Jamie!" Kozmotis said, relieved to see the boy well and apparently unharmed. "What are you doing?" he asked as he bounded up the steps to him. "Where were you?"

Jamie didn't respond for a moment, then he opened his mouth and said the most unexpected thing Kozmotis had ever heard.

"Phil?!"

The creature stirred and raised it's head. When it saw Jamie it let out a loud roar and tried to roll over to get to it's feet but the bonds prevented it from rising past it's knees.

"Phil! Oh my god, what are you doing here?" Jamie asked, frantically running down the stairs and past a stunned Kozmotis and Seraphina. "Why are you tied up? Kozmotis, did you see who did this?"

Kozmotis winced and slowly made his way down the stairs. "Uh, that would be me, Jamie." he said hesitantly.

Jamie rounded on him. "What?!"

Kozmotis flinched. "It tried to attack me!" he protested. "I didn't want to kill it, so I knocked it out and dragged it down here!"

Jamie glanced at 'Phil'. "You tried to attack him?" he asked in yetish, a language North had taught him to speak fluently. To Kozmotis and Seraphina, it sounded like "Ger fwagada yag mar widi?"

"Of course I did! Jamie, it's Pitch!" Phil cried angrily, straining against his bonds. "RUN!"

Jamie sighed and moved over to the yeti. "Phil, listen, I know he looks a lot like Pitch, but he's not. His name is Kozmotis and that," he paused and pointed at Seraphina. "Is his daughter, Seraphina."

"It's a trick! Jamie, don't believe him!" Phil protested, still fighting the ropes.

"Phil!" Jamie cried exasperatedly. "This is the guy who saved Jack! He's at his house right now, safe because Kozmotis stepped in to fight a Nightmare and saved Jack."

Phil froze. "He- he fought a Nightmare?" he stammered, staring with wide eyes at Kozmotis. "That's not possible. Jamie, if he's human-"

"I know. I've been wondering that too," Jamie whispered. "But let's take this one thing at a time. First of all," here he switched to English. "Where are a pair of scissors? Phil's really not comfortable like this."

"Jamie, you can't be serious!" Kozmotis exclaimed, astounded that the boy was trusting this thing, even if he could speak it's language.

"I am. Phil is a kind yeti and he won't hurt you if I tell him not to." Jamie said simply, giving him a familiar look. It was the look Sara used in courts. Kozmotis called it the 'No-nonsense-lawyer look. "Now, scissors. Then we can go upstairs and talk about this like civilized people."

Kozmotis sighed. "Alright, alright. But if he takes a step towards me or my daughter I am not just going to sit there."

Jamie nodded. "Understood." then he said something in the grunting language to Phil, who nodded. "Phil promises not to hurt you and he apologizes for attacking you. He thought you were P- uh, " Jamie faltered. "Some old enemy of his." he finished, glancing at Phil. Phil nodded and said something back to him. "He also wants to know that, if he injured you he's very pro- prof-" Jamie paused again. "Say it one more time old friend."

Phil grunted.

"Pro...fish...ant." Jamie said slowly. "Proficient. Yeah. He says that he's a proficient healer and can take care of any wounds you have."

Kozmotis was surprised to say the least. I knock it out, tie it up and interrogate it, and it asks me if I'm injured so that it can heal me. My, these creatures are a strange lot.

As if reading his thoughts, Jamie smiled. "Yetis don't hold a grudge long. He knows the error was his and he wants to make it up to you."

Kozmotis nodded. "Oh. Well, thank him for the offer, but I'm fine. And tell him I'm sorry for tying him up." he added with an apologetic look at Phil.

Phil seemed to understand this without Jamie's help because he nodded and grunted something that sounded like "All good."

Jamie beamed. "There, you see? You are getting along. Now I've got to go find those scissors. I'll be back in a second." he said, turning and heading up the stairs. "Be good guys!"

Both Kozmotis and Phil rolled their eyes at the same time and Seraphina laughed.

Jamie was indeed only gone a minute and when he came back with a pair of big black scissors and cut the ropes, Phil straightened up and stretched his massive body.

"Better big guy?" Jamie asked, patting Phil's side.

"BETTER." Phil grunted, then he made his lumbering way for the stairs. Jamie followed, then Kozmotis with Seraphina bringing up the rear. Phil led them to the living room and, when he realized just how cold it was, quickly made a big fire in the fireplace with the ease of an expert.

"Where did he learn to do that?" Kozmotis asked, staring at the crackling fire in the fireplace. The logs had come from a bin near the fireplace and Phil had used paper for tinder.

"He lives in the North Pole." Jamie replied. "It's always cold there. You have to learn how to keep warm- Phil! Really, you don't have to clean up!" he added when the big yeti set about cleaning up the over-turned chairs and fallen knick-knacks from the fight.

Phil just grunted and continued his work. Jamie sighed and sat back down. "Well, that's that." he muttered.

Kozmotis gave Jamie a puzzled look. "What do you mean?"

"All yetis have a little quirk," Jamie said, smiling as he watched Phil coming over to him with a pile of blankets in his arms. "They all like people to be happy. If someone's sad, they will do anything in their power to make them feel better. They also like to keep things neat and organized. They're kind of like big, furry kids with OCDC."

Kozmotis laughed. "OCD, Jamie, not OCDC." he corrected. "But I get your point. Uh, no Phil. Thank you, but I'm fine." he added when the yeti handed him a dark blanket.

"Kozmotis, humor him." Jamie said quickly when he noticed the hurt look in Phil's eyes. "He wants to make up for the fight and this is the only way he knows how."

Kozmotis looked form the dark blue blanket to Phil, then he sighed. "I am actually kind of cold." he admitted, taking the blanket.

"That's the ticket!" Jamie said, smiling as he wrapped his own favorite green blanket around his shoulders. "And, if we're lucky, he might make us some hot chocolate!"

"Yes please!" Seraphina chirped from her little nest of blankets.

Kozmotis shook his head. "Jamie, we can't just sit around here drinking hot chocolate. I have to let my wife know what's going on."

Jamie blinked. "Oh. OK." he said, sounding a little put-out. "Well. OK. Goodnight Kozmotis. Goodnight Co-"

"Hold on," Kozmotis said, raising a hand. "You're coming with us."

Jamie's eyes widened. "Uh, I can't." he said quickly, suddenly sounding less like a grown-up and more like a nervous boy again. "I've, ah, got school! Yeah, and I can't-"

"Jamie, you're mother's not home and neither is your father for the second night that I know of." Kozmotis interrupted, looking at him sternly. "I don't know what's going on with your family, but I am not going to leave you alone in this house without provisions or someone to watch over you."

"But I've got food!" Jamie protested. "And my mom's just out! She should be back-"

"Jamie," Kozmotis interrupted. "We both know that's not true. That red car in the driveway, it wasn't your mother was it?"

Jamie shifted. "How do you know it wasn't?" he asked defiantly.

"I can tell, Jamie. I've been around children long enough to tell when they're lying."

"Well, so what if it wasn't?" Jamie asked, setting his jaw firmly. "It's not any of your business. Me and Sophie, we're fine just like we are!"

Kozmotis sighed. "Jamie, you are not fine. You aren't capable of watching over a five-year-old full-time and going to school. Speaking of the little whirlwind, where is she?" he asked, diverting his tone for a minute form the serious one and into a more confused one. "I haven't seen her yet."

Jamie's eyes widened and he nearly fell over in his haste to get off the couch. "Oh crud!" He muttered, throwing off the blanket and heading for the blanket cupboard.

Kozmotis jumped up and followed, calling, "Jamie, what's wrong?"

Seraphina, who had been listening intently to Jamie and her father's conversation, followed more slowly, clutching her purple blanket around her thin shoulders, wondering what all the fuss was about. Phil, who had heard raised voices but hadn't intervened because he knew that Jamie didn't want him to, stuck his head into the hall and, when he noticed Jamie was running fast with the other two humans following he stepped into the hall and followed as well, wondering what Jamie was so worried about.

Jamie stopped right in front of the hall closet and threw the little door open. Inside, he found little Sophie snoring away with her thumb in her mouth. "Soph!" he cried, half laughing. "Oh god Sophie, I'm sorry I forgot about you Munchkin." he said, pulling her gently out and hugging her close. "Thanks Kozmotis! I might've forgotten about her otherwise!"

Kozmotis stopped right behind the bot and frowned. "Why was Sophie in the cupboard?" he asked suspiciously, looking at the sleeping girl in Jamie's arms.

"In case there were burglars." Jamie replied. "I didn't want her to get hurt and I told her that if I didn't come back, to stay here until she heard people leaving the house. Poor little girl must've fallen asleep."

Kozmotis peered into the cupboard, then he looked back at the little girl. "Jamie, she might've suffocated in there!" he said. "She could be suffering from oxygen depletion-"

"No, she's not. She's just asleep. And she couldn't have died any way. I left it open a crack." Jamie said quickly, pointing to something at the back of the cupboard. "And see there? It's a vent. Provides a lot of extra air for a very small person. She would've been fine."

Kozmotis saw the vent and nodded. "I'm see. I apologize."

"S'alright." Jamie said, shrugging and turning around to head back to the living room. The others followed and soon they were sitting on the couch again.

"Jamie, please," Kozmotis said, looking at the boy with his little sister nestled in his arms. "Please, come home with me. We've got spare rooms and you can stay with Sophie. We just want you to be safe."

"Kozmotis really, I'm safe here." Jamie said quietly, not wanting to wake Sophie. "I've got a yeti to protect me for Pete's sake. I can't get much more protected than-"

"Hold it," Phil said in yetish, raising a hand. "Jamie, what's going on? Why does he want you to come back to his house so much?"

All eyes went to him and Jamie sighed. "He thinks that I can't handle myself here alone, just because I'm a kid. But really, with you here I should be fine."

"Jamie," Phil said slowly. "I can't stay here. North sent me to retrieve Jack. That's why I'm here and after I find him, I have to bring him home to the Pole so that he can recuperate there."

Jamie's face fell. "What?" he asked, not sure that he'd heard the big yeti right.

"I'm here for Jack," Phil said, walking over to him and placing a big hand on his shoulder. "I came here by snow globe because the globe said this was where Jack was. This city, I mean, but I couldn't find out exactly where, so I decided to come here to ask you but you weren't home and then all this," he gestured to the room and Kozmotis. "happened. I need to find Jack, and soon. You said he was at this man's house?" he pointed to Kozmotis again.

Jamie nodded.

"Well, then that's where I'm going. And you and Sophie are coming with me." Phil said firmly, folding his arms.

Jamie would've protested loudly, except for the fact that Sophie was in his arms. "But Phil, I can't-"

"Jamie," Phil interrupted, looking down at him with a no-nonsense look. "I'm not leaving you alone either. You are going with me to this man's house and then I'm going to take Jack. If you want to stay at this man's house than that's fine, but North will be worried if I don't bring Jack back soon."

Jamie opened his mouth to protest, but Phil stopped him again. "Either you go with man to his house, or we go by snow globe. Either way, you're going. Do you understand?"

Jamie pouted at him, then he glared, then he sighed and said, "Alright! Fine! I'll do it. Stupid stubborn yeti." he muttered under his breath when Phil clapped him on the shoulder.

"What? What will you do?" Kozmotis asked, jumping into the conversation. He had been listening closely to the exchange and it seemed Phil was telling him something very important. Jamie didn't like it, but Phil was being insistent.

Jamie sighed again. "Phil says he has to take Jack back to the North Pole. North was getting worried about him, so he sent Phil to find him and he ended up here, at my house because he couldn't pinpoint his location on the globe."

Kozmotis frowned. "Globe?"

"Yes. North had a giant Globe at the North Pole where he keeps track of the number of believers in the Guardians." Jamie said, then he winced. "Oh heck, I don't think I was supposed to tell you that."

But Kozmotis wasn't paying attention to that. He was more focused on Jack. "Wait, did you say he has to take Jack? Why? Wouldn't it be better for him to not be moved?"

Jamie shrugged. "I know a bit about it, but not much. Maybe being in the North Pole might quicken Jack's healing process or something, or maybe it's because North's paranoid and wants Jack home. I don't know. The bottom line is, Phil needs to get to your house to take Jack back to the Pole and he's not leaving until I come with."

Kozmotis frowned. "Wait, so you are coming?" he asked.

"I don't have a choice." Jamie grumbled. "Phil has a snow globe. He says either I go with you, or I go with him."

Kozmotis frowned again. "Snow globe?"

"A magical Snow globe." Jamie elaborated. "It transports you anywhere in the world."

Kozmotis's eyes went wide. "Really?" The implications. . .

"Yeah. That's what you saw me hiding behind my back at your house. A snow globe. I brought it just in case I needed to get somewhere in a hurry." Jamie said. "It's actually upstairs. I can go get it if-"

"No." Kozmotis and Phil said together. They both saw the sparkle in Jamie's eyes. It meant that he probably planned to use the snow globe to get away with his sister.

Jamie sat back down. "OK, OK, fine." he said. "Can't blame me for trying."

Phil and Kozmotis shared a look. Kids.

"OK then, so that's settled." Kozmotis said. "Uh, Phil, I think you should accompany our young friend to his room while he packs. Jamie, I think you should stay with us for a few days. Three at the most."

"Three!" Jamie protested, but he fell silent when Sophie squirmed in his arms. "You're lucky I have her here," he hissed at Kozmotis, who simply smiled. Jamie stood and stomped as loudly as he was able to with Sophie in his arms down the hall to his room. Phil followed, giving Kozmotis a salute.

"I didn't know you could speak Yetish dad." Seraphina remarked from her bundle of blankets. "So, is Jamie staying?"

"Oh yes." Kozmotis said, a self-satisfied smile on his face.

"Are you sure he can't stay in my room?"

"Oh no."

XXXXXXXXXXX

About fifteen minutes later, Jamie came back downstairs leading a wide-awake Sophie who was dressed in the same outfit from when they had gone out to the store. Jamie- who was still wearing his own jacket, was carrying two bags. One was a gym bag with the elementary-school insignia on the side which was crammed with clothes, toiletries and a few books. The other was a pink backpack with Sophie's clothes, her favorite sets of wings and a few stuffed animals which she couldn't live without.

"All ready?" Kozmotis asked, surveying the bags. "Are you sure Sophie doesn't need anything else?" he nodded at the rather small backpack.

"She's a trooper, isn't that right Munchkin?" Jamie asked, ruffling Sophie's pink hat-covered head.

"Trooper!" Sophie chirped.

"Aww," Seraphina said, bending down to look at Sophie. She had inherited her father's tallness and stood about a foot taller than Jamie. "She's even cuter than the last time I saw her! Hello Sophie, do you remember me?"

"Coal!" Sophie exclaimed, tugging her little hand free from Jamie's and throwing her arms around the girl's neck. "Coal! Good Coal!"

Seraphina laughed. "What do you mean, good Coal?" she asked, looking at Sophie with an amused smile. "Do I have an evil sister I don't know about?"

"No, you the good kind of Coal." Sophie said, letting go of her and giving her such a serious look that Seraphina busted up laughing.

"Oh? And what's the bad kind of Coal?" she asked, tickling little Sophie under the chin.

"Sock Coal." Sophie replied without batting an eyelash. This made all the humans in the room bust up laughing while Sophie and Phil just stood there staring at each other uncertainly, as if they couldn't believe they associated with such strange people.

"OK," Kozmotis said when he'd finished laughing. "OK, I admit that was adorable."

"Sock Coal!" Seraphina squeaked, then she started laughing again.

Jamie chuckled. "My little sister the two-foot comedian." he said fondly, ruffling her head again.

After Seraphina stopped laughing, Kozmotis asked Jamie if he was sure he had everything. Jamie said he was. He grabbed the spare key, which Kozmotis noticed was under a plant on the counter top and not in the cereal cupboard as Jamie had previously led him to believe, and then Kozmotis led them all down out of the house and to his car. There he stopped. "Uh, Jamie? We might have a bit of a problem."

"What?" Jamie asked.

"Space." Kozmotis replied. "I don't think your Yeti friend will be able to fit."

Jamie glanced at Phil who had sidled over to them. "He's right big man, I don't think you'll be able to fit in there with us, even if you sit in the front seat."

Phil shrugged. "Big whoop." he said or, in yetish, "Waga mertunda." "I can run along the sidewalk, following the car."

"That's kind of dangerous, don't you think?" Jamie asked uncertainly, looking at the car, then back up at Phil. "What if you can't keep up? What it someone sees you?"

"Waga mertunda. I've outrun caribou that were faster than this metal bug."

Jamie shrugged. "OK."

"What?" Kozmotis asked.

"Phil says he can run behind us. He says he's fast enough to keep up with the car."

Kozmotis glanced at the yeti. "Uh, are you sure Phil?"

Phil gave him a look and Kozmotis shut up.

"OK then." Jamie said. "Pile in everybody."

Everybody piled in. Jamie sat in the back with Sophie and Seraphina sat in the front. Kozmotis turned the key and revved the engine, then he backed up out of the driveway and headed down the road at a speed of fifteen miles per hour.

About three minutes in Phil slowly walked over to the car while it was still moving and rapped on the window.

"What?" Kozmotis asked. "Am I going too fast?"

Phil said something in yetish.

"Phil says just punch it already. He's seen crabs without legs move faster." Jamie supplied from the back.

Seraphina and Sophie laughed and Kozmotis gripped the steering wheel. "OK. You want a race?" he called to the yeti.

Phil motioned for him to bring it on and Kozmotis cackled, putting his foot on the gas and the car shot forward. The speedometer shot up to forty and the children squealed.

"I'll give you a race!" Kozmotis called to Phil, who was- miraculously, still running beside them. Phil stuck his tongue out and sped up, almost over-taking the car. Kozmotis put his foot on the gas again and thought with a broad smile on his face, Who knew I would grow up to race yetis, save winter spirits and fight Nightmares. Mom would be so proud.