"Stay safe star child our future depends on you and may MiM watch over you." Aster whispered as he set the basket down. It held the younger twin of a well-known lesser constellation family, and it now lay on the door step of a mortal human couple. Aster knocked on the door and quickly hid as the door was opened, and once the basket holding its precious cargo was taken inside, Aster left.

It wasn't until years later that Aster was able to finally check up on the child, not realizing that another being from space, a certain former wishing star pilot, knew of the boy. The Sandman had discovered him the first night he had given him sweet dreams, and had recognized him for what he truly was.

Curious about him, Sandman had visited the home to get a look at the star child, wondering why he was being raised by a mortal family in the first place. Upon entering the room that held the child, Sandman silently gasped in awe at the sight of sleeping baby, a faint glow lighting him up.

He gently stroked the child's cheek as he swore to help watch over and protect the child as much as possible as well as, once he was old enough to understand, use his dreams to teach him how to hide what marked him as different from mortals. He did not realize that only those born in the Golden Age and the Immortals of Earth could see his glow. After a few more seconds of watching the star child sleep, Sandman left to continue with his work as a hole opened up in the room he was just in. Thus missing Aster as he jumped out of it to check on the star child himself.

A day after the boy had turned one was when the unusual dreams started, ones that not even Sandman could control. The first of the dreams began with a battle involving a man of darkness and a light, which ended in both becoming trapped and progressed from there.

The first dream scared the child into waking up crying and brought his adoptive mother into the room to calm him down. He clenched his tiny fists onto her sleeping gown as she held and rocked him gently while whispering soothing words in his ear.

He slowly calmed down and relaxed his tight hold on her sleeping gown, his crying turning into hiccups as his breath began to even out as he once more fell asleep in her arms. Once he was sound asleep once more she laid him softly back in his cradle and covered him up before returning to her husband's side, falling back asleep herself as her husband pulled her body to his.

In the morning the child acted like the dream never happened, though he remembered the light from his dream, as he babbled in baby talk at his adoptive mother, while she went about her chores, and played happily on the floor.

The child picked up the star she had made for him and stood on shaky legs before toddling the best he could over to her.

"Light." He said as he held the star towards her, uttering his first word making her look down at him in surprise. "Light." He insisted as he waved the hand that held the toy star at her.

"Yes, Jack. Stars are lights in the sky." She told him not understanding what he meant.

"Light!" He said a third time growing frustrated and toddled off to where his other toys were, clutching the star to his side. From that moment until he reached the age of ten he refused to let go of the toy star as it brought him some comfort from the unknown Dark Man.

"No bath!"

A now three year old Jack exclaimed as he slipped from his adoptive mother's hold before he ran out of the cabin naked and into the woods surrounding it.

"Jackson Overland Frost, you get back here this instant." She scolded as she chased after him only for him to giggle as he ran from her, thinking it was a game as he did.

As he crawled into the bushes to hide he, at first, didn't see the grey fur covered figure in the same bushes.

"What are you doing out here with no clothes on, Jackson?" A deep voice asked from beside him causing the boy to look up until he met green eyes.

"How do you know my name?" He asked.

"I'm the Easter Bunny Jackson, it's part of my job to know the names of all the ankle-biters." Aster answered in an amused voice as he got on all fours so as to be eye level with the boy. "Now why are you out here with no clothes?" He asked again.

Jack crossed his arms as he pouted.

"Mommy wants to give me a bath. I don't want to take a bath." He whined.

"Hm seems like we have a problem then Jackson. Baths are important for you to have, they keep you clean and when you're clean you won't get sick. You don't want to get sick do you?" Aster said as he stood back up, holding out a paw for him to take.

"No."

Jack shook his head in answer to Aster's question, and took a hold of his paw and let him lead him to his home so his adoptive mother could give him a bath.

"If you're a good boy then the Sandman will send you good dreams tonight."

"You mean like when the Light is playing with the goose girl and her friends or chasing moonbeams across the sky?" Jack asked, shocking Aster when he did.

"Here we are now get in there and take a bath." Aster told him as he gently pushed Jack toward his home's front door before returning to the Warren.

Once back in his Warren Bunny paced in worry, mumbling to himself as he did.

"How could he already know about Nightlight? Those two haven't met yet, at least I hope they haven't. It's not time for them to meet. What am I going to do? There has to be some way to stop these dreams Jack is having, and make him forget about them."

Bunny grew frustrated as he didn't have an answer for what is going on with Jack's dreams, nor how he could stop them, but then he jerked to a stop as he thought of his fellow Guardian, Sandy. Leaving his Warren, Bunny went in search of Sandy to see if he would help. But once Bunny explained to him what was wrong, he refused to help and declared that MiM wanted him to have the dreams about Nightlight and everything that happened, and they needed to trust MiM.

Though he grumbled, Bunny knew Sandy was right and returned to his Warren.

The next time Jack saw Aster was when he was five, and Aster was scouting out good places to hide his eggs.

"Bunny!" Jack shouted as soon as he saw Aster and joyfully bounded over to him. "Guess what, my mommy is going to have a baby and I'll be its big brother."

"That's wonderful news Jackson I bet you'll be a great big brother, now how about you help me look for places to hide eggs for Easter." Aster smiled proudly at Jack, who eagerly agreed before running off to look.

"How about over here Bunny." Jack called out from Aster's right.

Aster hopped over to where Jack was to check out the spot he was talking about. "That's perfect," he praised as he inspected the shallow groove beside a tree.

Jack beamed at Aster's praise and was about to run off to find another spot when his adoptive mother called him in for lunch then his afternoon chores.

"Go on ankle-biter and I'll see another time." Aster told him as he gently pushed Jack towards his home.

"Goodbye Bunny." Jack said as he quickly hugged Aster then darted off towards his home, Aster smiling softly as he watched Jack leave before continuing his search for places to hide his eggs then going home to his Warren.

A week later, on Easter morning, Aster was just finishing up hiding his eggs when Jack found him. And though he knew Jack was there, he pretended to not notice the five year old boy as he hid to watch the children of Burgess find the eggs. Jack hiding right beside him instead of joining the other children.

Aster sent Jack a glance from the corner of his eye as he asked, "You're not going to join the other young ones as they look for eggs this year?"

Jack returned Aster's glance as he answered.

"I'm going to let the younger children find all they can before I start looking."

Aster smiled at his answer and responded.

"That's very kind of you Jack." As the last of the younger children had found all the eggs she could, Jack began looking for the remainder of them using the basket Aster gave him. He then divided them up amongst all the children of the village, only keeping four to eat later.

Aster watched him proudly as he did so, thinking, 'He's already got the makings of a future Guardian. MiM will pick well when he chooses our star child.'

He tapped his foot on the ground and jumped down the hole that opened beside him, it closing up behind him with a blue flower being the evidence of him being there.

Now seven, Jack's adoptive father deemed him old enough to help tend the sheep and had given him his Shepard's crook for his birthday.

"You mean it, father? I'm ready to drive the sheep to where you usually take them?" He asked in awe as he took the staff from the man.

"Yes my son, you are now old enough to help with the sheep. I have to go to the nearby town to do some trading before winter sets in, so I am leaving you in charge. While I am gone you are the man of the house and I expect you to take care of not just your regular chores, but everything I do as well to look after your ma and little sister."

"Yes sir, I will make you proud." Jack told him as he stood up straight, clutching tightly to his new staff, watching his adoptive father leave on the family's only wagon. Not long after his adoptive father left, Jack ate a quick breakfast then went to do the chores the homestead before driving the sheep out to feed for the day.

Around lunch time Jack's adoptive mother and little sister showed up to have lunch with him, the woman carrying a basket on her arm. Grinning, Jack helped her spread out the blanket she brought then settled on it, pulling his sister onto his lap as their mother took their lunch out of the basket and placed it on the blanket.

"Thank you ma." Jack said as she handed him a plate of food both for him and his sister, Emily. "What do you say Em?" He questioned the little girl.

Emily smiled at their mother, "Thank you mama." She said then tilted her head back to look at Jack. "Did I do good?"

Jack nodded as he placed her plate on her lap so she could eat and made sure their mother had her own plate before he began to eat himself, all the while keeping an eye on the sheep to make sure they don't stray too far from his sight. When she was done with her food, Emily cuddled up on Jack's lap and fell asleep, make both Jack and their mother smile softly at her, Jack running his fingers through her hair.

"She certainly loves her big brother." Their mother mused as she watched them, a loving smile on her face but it slipped as she remembered her husband's words to her before he left.

"Ma, what's wrong?" Jack questioned as he noticed her smile fade.

She met his eyes and she opened her mouth to speak.

"There is something I need to tell you Jackson." She whispered, Jack knowing it was serious as she had used his full given name, She gently pulled Emily into her own lap, after she had packed up the basket once more. "I don't know how to tell you, it will be hard, but I must. The truth is…we, your pa and I, found you on our doorstep. We do not know where you came from or who your birth parents are… You were adopted, my son, but that does not mean your pa and I do not love you. As far as we are concerned, you are our son even if I did not give birth to you."

Jack turned away from her as he tried to come to terms with what she told him, clinging tightly to his staff which was pressed right up against his small body, which were hunched over to hide his sudden tears.

"Please I…I need some time alone." Jack answered softly when she moved to lay a comforting hand on his back.

She sadly removed her hand before standing up, Emily in her arms, and picked up the basket to leave with tears in her own eyes.

"I understand, my son, and I will be at home when you are ready to talk." She told him then left him alone with his thoughts and the sheep.

As the sun started to go down Jack rounded up the sheep, having spent the day watching the herd, thinking over what he was told and coming to accept that he was adopted, even as he hoped that he would be able to find, and meet, his birth parents someday.

"I am home ma." He called out as he entered the cabin, after herding the sheep into their pen for the night, going into his and Emily's room to lean his staff against the wall next to his bed.

"Jack!" Emily shouted in excitement as she ran to wrap her arms around his leg in a hug, a big smile lighting up her face as she looked up at him adoringly.

Jack leaned over and lifted her into his arms. "I am glad to see you too kid. Were you a good girl by helping ma around the house?" He greeted as he walked into the front room where he placed a light kiss on their mother's cheek, after placing Emily on the couch then crawled onto it himself.

"She has been a very good girl. I am glad you are home Jack." Their mother answered and Jack caught the hidden meaning in her words and gave her a loving smile as Emily made herself comfortable in his lap, Jack wrapping his arms protectively around her. Their mother set her sewing aside and wrapped an arm around Jack's shoulders, pulling him up against her in a hug. "We will always love you no matter what the future brings, always remember that Jack."

"I know ma, and I am glad that you and pa decided to take me in even though you didn't have to." Jack let out a yawn as he rested his head against their mother's side, falling asleep.

With a small smile she lifted both the children into her arms and carried them into their room, where she placed them onto Jack's bed then covered them, brushing his hair out of his face as she whispered.

"Thank you for not turning away from us, my son."

"Jack, Jack where are you?" Emily called as she searched for him, not realizing her ten year old brother was peeking down at her from the branches where he was hiding above her, suppressing his laughter as he did. "Jack alright I give up, you win." She whined.

Jack jumped out of the tree, startling her and making her lightly slap his arm with a scowl on her face and he only laughed when she did.

"It is your turn to go and hide now." He said, the two of them having told by their father that they could go play once their chores were done. That he would take a turn on tending to the sheep so Jack could watch his sister, while their mother was gone caring for her own ill sister.

As Emily ran off with a giggle to hide, Jack covered his eyes to count to ten.

"Ready or not here I come." Jack called as he began to search for Emily. "Hm, I wonder where Emily is. Oh no, I lost her! Ma and pa will get mad at me if I do not…found you!" He grabbed Emily, making her shriek in surprise then laughter as he proceeded to tickle her, having heard her giggle from where she was hiding.

Twelve year old Jack woke his mother with his cry of "No!" and she was out of her and her husband's bed and by his side in seconds, pulling him into her arms to comfort him, laying his head on her shoulder as rubbed his back soothingly. "Shhh, it was just a dream son." She whispered in his ear. "Nothing can hurt you here."

Jack pulled back as he sniffled. "It wasn't me hurt it was someone else. The light is trapped with the dark man somewhere and can't get free." He told her not realizing who he was talking about. His mother glanced down.

She let out a sigh as he snuggled up to her once more as he yawned then fell back asleep in her arms. Once she was sure he was sound asleep she laid him back in his bed and covered him up then returned to her and her husband's bed. "What was his dream about this time?" Her husband asked as she laid back down, pulling the blanket over her body.

"The light was fighting a dark man and ended up becoming trapped with him. I don't know what to do anymore about these dreams he keeps having." She sighed while rolling over to face him.

He laid an arm over her waist, meeting her worry filled eyes. "All we can do is be patient and hope the dreams stop soon." He told her.

Unknown to the residents in the cabin Aster watched the teen from the only window in the room containing his bed and the bed holding his younger sister. "It seems even though they haven't met the twins still have some kind of connection. This is good." Aster mused before he hopped down into the tunnel, it opening up just as golden dream sand weaved its way through the window and over to the children.

'What do you have planned for Jack and his twin, MiM?' Aster thought as he hopped through his Warren. 'Whatever it is I hope you know what you are doing, Jack has shown signs of a great Guardian as a child so if you're going to make him Immortal you had better do it soon or the link between the twins will be lost, Jack is on the verge of becoming an adult and forgetting us. If that happens then it will be too late."

Emily fell to her knees as she watched Jack fall under the ice that she was standing on just seconds before, screaming out his name as she reached for him with an arm and sobbing knowing she wouldn't be able to save him without going under herself. "Jack, please come back, do not leave me!"

Her screams brought her parents running, her mother stopping at the edge of the pond while her father ran out on it to scoop Emily, who was still calling out for Jack to come back, and carried her to her mother. Once she was cradling Emily in her arms, her father carefully made his way to where Jack had fallen through the ice to see if he could find the boy.

Sadly he climbed to his feet, leaning over to collect Jack's staff and ice skates as he made his way back over to where his wife and daughter waited for him. Upon seeing the look on his face his wife burst into tears. "Jackson no please, not my baby boy." She sobbed as her husband pulled her to him in an attempt to comfort her, Emily clinging to them both as her own tears continued to fall. "You have to find him, bring him home please." She begged her husband but he sadly shook his head and answered, "I am sorry but I cannot find his body, it has sunken to the bottom of the pond by now."

"NO, you cannot leave my son down there all alone, please bring him home." She yelled, distressed.

He ran hand over her hair, tears starting to show in his own eyes. "Hush love, you are scaring Emily." He told her gently as he began to lead her home, knowing he wouldn't be able to do anything until it warmed up more, that the water was still too cold to enter to retrieve Jack's body, not realizing by the time it was warm enough he wouldn't find his body as Jack had already became what he was always been, the star child of one of the lesser constellations and twin brother to the light he had seen in his dreams since he was one.