Okay, so it's pretty clear that you guys want to know what happened to Jack's dad. So that's what this chapter is about, enjoy! Also, I found out about that little horizontal line thingy. Now we're best friends :3

Review Shoutouts:

Crimson Dragon Devil: I know what you mean, anytime I read something I get really into it too! Once, I got so into what I was reading that I got hit in the head with a volleyball for not paying attention!

prime -lover 13: I'm sorry for the sadness but let's face it, Jack had to have a sad backstory. It's, like, the #1 rule in ALL books, manga, anime, video game, ect. It's also harder to write happy things, at least for me it is. I write something happy and I'm "Aww, that so sweet" then "I WILL NEVER WRITE THAT AGAIN, IT'S SO HARD!" But I do it anyways! :D (Don't worry, little Jack gives Pitch his 'just deserts.')

Anonymous568: Thanks, I try to keep it interesting for my viewers! (Wait, wouldn't it be readers? Oh whatever.)

WonderWoman: I'm glad you liked it, it's not everyday a superhero compliments my work! ;D

melancholyblood: Yes, WTF indeed. It will all be explained in time young grasshopper.

The-Unnamed-Artist: Thanks for pointing that out, I already went back and fixed it! And your wish has been granted!

blue008: "Ignorance killed the cat, curiosity was framed!"(C.J. Cherryh) That quote seems to suit you! Yes, this is the hole where Pitch resides (after all, it's, like, right THERE in the MIDDLE OF JACK'S FOREST in the movie). A lot of people are also worried about Mich just like you, and let me tell you something... Mich's hiding a secret. What it is... you'll have to wait to find out! ;D Also on the love thing, don't worry, I completely get you on that! I do it myself a LOT!

Stiles Holmes: Thanks for the encouragement!

RememberTheMuse: Wow, you're the first person to pick Jack and THEN Jack's dad! Sorry though, I did Jack's dad first.

Faves: 8

Follows: 20

Me: OH HELL YEAH! BTW, meet my new friend, the horizontal line.

IMPORTANT SO READ THIS!

'kay, so I have a new system to explain to you:

Bold is memory thoughts. Bold italics are thoughts that invade the memory thoughts, like Pitch did last chapter.

Italics are the memory.

Regular is the Guardians.

Also, I'm initiating a new system of songs. I'll pick a song each chapter and sometime during the chapter I'll tell you to play it. Today's song is 'Gold Forever' by The Wanted. Look for the little AN that tells you when to play it!

"Sometimes the heart sees what is invisible to the eye."- H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

How did it come to this?

The Guardians jumped at the new sudden voice. Glancing around wildly, it was finally Tooth that found the source of the voice. They were above ground again, which greatly confused them until Tooth pointed to the figure standing next to what they had just figured out was Pitch's hole. It was Jack's father.

Oh Jack, I'm so sorry. I never meant for this to happen, that bastard Tom hadn't-

"Daddy," Jack's voice floated up to him. "why do we have to do this?" His father stopped and thought. 'Why?' is a good question...

"Are we...?" Jack asked, voicing the question the others were thinking as well.

"Yes, you are hearing his thoughts," MiM answered, making the group jump in surprise again. "It has taken me a while to recharge my power and give you complete awareness, but know I have regained enough of my power to do so."

"B-But that means they'll be able to hear my thoughts!" Jack protested. Bunny perked up, fully intending to get blackmail on the little Frostbite, while Sandy shook his head at the Pooka's behavior. Tooth, missing Bunny's reaction, was excitedly zipping back and forth, squealing something about, "Cuteness overload! Everyone abandon ship!" while North stood there with an amused look directed towards Jack.

"Jack, this trip down Memory Lane is for you to grow closer," MiM said soothingly. "Now look, something is happening."

The scene shifted to a week before the dreaded 'Hole Expedition.' Jack's father was sitting with three other 'pals' from work, Tom being one of them. They had pulled up two other chairs to the table and one of the guys began to shake a die in his hand. The die was made out of wood and was rather lopsided and the edges were sorta twisted, as though someone had taken a knife to it and forgot to do the other side.

"What's your wager?" Tom asked.

"How about a pence if it's lands on a side with 3 dots or over," Jack's father laughed good-naturely. (1)

"They're gambling!" Tooth said in a huff. "Why, they should know better! Think of the children why don't you, you-you-"

"Tooth," Jack said. "This is the 1700s, of course they're gambling. Just be glad it isn't as bad as it is today."

"Yeah, Shelia, it's much worse today," Bunny agreed with Sandy and North nodding too. She sighed and settled back down, still muttering about gambling and bad choices.

"And if you lose?" Tom asked innocently, his eyes narrowing in greed. Jack's father didn't see this though.

"Why do I have a bad feeling in my belly?" North asked, the others answering in silence.

"It's up to you," he said jokingly. Tom nodded and the guy holding the die threw it on the table. It rolled and landed on a '2.' Tom let out a mock sound of sympathy.

"Better luck next time," Tom said, patting Jack's father on the shoulders in what appeared to be good nature but really wasn't. Jack's father, though, was in good nature while he laughed at his bad luck. That is, until Tom said, " Well, I guess your boy's going down a hole for you." That shut Jack's father up.

"What?" he asked. Tom smiled at him with the friendliness of a shark.

"You said you'd do anything," Tom began. "And the other day my daughter accidentally threw some of my important... things... down that hole near the lake. And since you lost, I need you to go get them. After all, an Overland always keeps his promise, right?"

Jack's father gritted his teeth. Normally, he would've said 'no' to this but with the other guys present, he had to say 'yes.' The Overland family hadn't been here as long as the other families, such as the Burgess family or the Bennett family, so they had to prove themselves to townspeople. Unless they wanted an angry mob at their door.

"Fine, I'll get your precious 'things,'" he said as he stood up and marched angrily away from the table. The scene shifted and they were once again at Pitch's hole.

"Well, at least we know how this mess got started," Tooth said, trying to optimistic but failing, her mood reflecting the group's as well.

"Because Jack," his father sighed. "We need the money and..." His father was too ashamed to say that he was afraid the villager's might kick them out.

"Would they really do that?" Bunny asked. Jack shrugged in response.

Look at you! All because of a stupid bet, you let your son go down some god-forsaken hole, where god knows what lives down there, where he might get hurt and-

It hurt to much to finish the thought so he tried to think of other things. Playing with Jack and Mich, being with the love of his life, getting a day off of work. Nothing seemed to work as the fears and worries crept around his mind like mice. So in thought was he, that he didn't notice the figure creeping up on him until it was too late. With a mighty heave, Tom pushed Jack's father off into the hole. However, he grabbed Tom's wrist before completely falling, dragging the other man with him.

As they fell, Jack's father heard the screams of little Jack over his own. Luckily, Jack had fallen first and they fell only a few feet away from him. But he didn't know this, seeing as he was knocked out along with Tom. It wasn't until Jack's scream of "DADDY!" woke him up.

The Guardians were silent as they watched the memory, not wanting to somehow mess up the moment.

He looked around, grunting as he did so, and saw a light flare up, barely two feet away from him. He couldn't see Jack through the darkness. Suddenly, a hand grabbed his ankle and he swore that he could see the glint of Tom's eyes through the darkness. He gave the man a rough kick and then screamed, "RUN JACK!" Then a tussle began as he and Tom battled for their lives. Only one would survive.

"That's just sick," Bunny spat. Tooth covered her mouth with her hands, a single tear sliding down her cheek. North looked on with sadness in his eyes while Sandy tried to comfort Jack by giving his hand a reassuring pat. Jack smiled down weakly at Sandy as he watched the scene, his stomach already in knots. He wouldn't say it but he was scared as he watched the memory. (2)

Tom's boot caught him in face and he let out a screech of pain.

"DADDY!"

"RUN!" he screamed at his son, even though he had no idea if he would obey or not. He could only hope he would. Tom landed another blow, this time with an accompanied flash. He let out a small gasp, too small to be heard by little Jack, and slowly sank to the ground. Tom smiled as he removed the knife from (AN: Okay, Jack's father is named Jackson. Jack is named after his father.) Jack's stomach.

(AN: Play 'Gold Forever' now.)

Jack could take it no longer. "Daddy!" he cried, running to him, even if it was a memory. To everyone's surprise, Jack's father looked up at present Jack and smiled. With the same smile on his face, he said slowly, "Jack, run." Contrary to many beliefs, when people do go back and watch memories, their presence during that time is noticed by those living during the memory. The 'Memory Watchers' existed in the memory, which few beings know (MiM being one of those few beings). Jack and co. were not one of those few beings, though, so it came as a complete shock to them. (3)

Jack's father reached up and clasped present Jack's hand. Tears were already forming in Jack's eyes and this gesture seemed to finally break the dam, the literal 'last straw on the camel's back.' Blindly clutching his father's hand, he sobbed. Memories raced through both their minds and the Guardians stayed to the side, silent witness to Jackson Micheal Overland's (4) last moments.

Jack, Mich, Emma (5), I love you and... I'm sorry.

"No..." Jack said as his father's hand dropped out of his, limp and lifeless. His sobs grew quiet and began to slow until they altogether stopped. The others did nothing, knowing that Jack wouldn't take their comfort and waited for him to snap out of it. Finally, he looked up at them with dry eyes and they wordlessly enfolded him with a hug. They stayed like that for a moment until North brought something vitally important up.

"Vait... so how doez Pitch come into this?"

And cut! That's a rap!

(1) Okay, I have no idea what kind of money they used so let's call it a pence.

(2) I forgot to put this in the last chapter, but when they are in the cave, they're able to see what is happening as if it was dimly lit.

(3) On the whole 'memory existence thing,' what I was trying to get at is that even though they're watching the memories and are from the future, they still exist during the memory because they are watching them, if that makes any sense. Kinda like how in the movies the people from the future go back to past and end up doing something that they think will change the future when it really doesn't because it was already a part of the past. i hope that makes sense to you people.

(4) Jack's father's full name is Jackson Micheal Overland. Jack and Mich are both named after their father.

(5) Emma is Jack's mom's name. Her full name is Emma Grace Overland.

To my dear readers, I am opening up a Submit Your Own Character right now for people in Jack's village and some little kids he might be friends with. Also, the whole Pitch and Tom thing will be revealed... next chapter! Let's say, Tom is not all there in his head. I'm sorry if I kinda confused you at the ending and if the ending sucked. I was rushed at the end because of my mom. :P Also, I fail at accents. XD Prepare for cutesy little Jack thoughts after the 'Where's Daddy' arc! And some very cutesy little Jack moments!

Questions:

1. What are your requests for future chapters?

2. Who do you want to be paired up romantically with present Jack? I may be a bit biased. (JACKRABBIT FOREVER! XD) However, it's your story as much as it is mine.

3. For the higher rated chapters later on, how far is too far? How much blood, gore, and sexual stuff can I put in here later on?

4. Who do you want to make a special appearance other than the Guardians and Pitch?