How long had it been since I took this on? More than a year?! Oh my god, I am so sorry it has taken me this long to do anything with this! I've been so absorbed with exams and revision and other stories and cosplay plans, I completely forgot about this one! But fear not, readers, for I, Firefrost143, will finally start continuing this amazing story, originally written by Death to Barbie 0206! Just please don't kill me for taking so long...

Disclaimer: Yep, I don't own ROTG either.

Jack had, slowly but surely, been developing more and more confidence as he grew used to the Guardians' company. Time and time again, he would find himself, though still rather timidly, assisting Tooth, Sandy, and every now and again, North. He was still nervous around Bunny, however, no matter how gentle the Guardian of Hope tried to be. Whenever one of them felt he was relapsing into his old way, acting as if he were a servant to them rather than a friend, they would remind him exactly where he was and what he could do, which was anything he wanted. Pitch was no longer watching his every move with the eyes of a hawk stalking its prey.

Cold wind had been blowing around Burgess far more frequently now than it ever had before, but for Jamie, Sophie and their mother Cecilia, that only brought a warm hope that Jack had returned once again. He was becoming more confident around Jamie and his small group of friends too, and as a team they were bringing him out of his shell as they laughed and pushed each other around in the snow.

It was on one of these days that Jack received the greatest present and the greatest nerve-wracking message anyone could have given him. He was busy playing yet another game of Candyland with Sophie, letting her win, as usual, when Cecilia poked her head around the door, carrying a mug of hot chocolate, placing it beside her daughter, who squealed in happiness and gladly clasped the cup in her tiny hands. Sophie reached out and moved her piece over the last few squares, cheering as she emerged triumphant once more. Both Cecilia and Jack chuckled at her glee, before the former gently rested a hand on the latter's shoulder.

"Soph, sweetheart, I need to borrow Jack for a minute or two, and I think your brother needs to talk to him too. We'll be back in a moment."

"OK, mama. Bye, Jackie!"

Jack quietly waved goodbye to the tiny blonde haired girl, who giggled happily as she took a sip of her hot chocolate, squealing again at the discovery of the marshmallows under the creamy surface. The door quietly closed behind them, and Cecilia lead him down the stairs, sitting down on the couch and patting the seat beside her to invite him to sit with her. He did so, nervously toying with his staff as he waited for her to speak, not daring to meet her eyes.

"No need to be so afraid, Jack. I'm not angry."

That was a relief.

"Not at you, anyway."

Uh-oh. That couldn't be good.

Cecilia sighed, turning to face the winter spirit as she rested a hand on his shoulder once again, "Jack, I've been thinking. When I first saw you, I was blinded by rage at what I saw you doing to Sophie. No, look at me," she reached out to guide Jack's eyes back to her, tilting his head softly, "I know that was wrong of me, especially after who knows what you went though before the Guardians helped you. I understand if... No, that you are probably still afraid of me, but I want to make things right between us."

Jack remained quiet, unmoving, staring her full in the face, something he hadn't been able to bring himself to do for hundreds of years, "N-no, there's nothing f-for you to apologise f-for," he winced, internally cursing his stammer.

However, Cecilia was having none of that, and she pulled him in, gently resting his head on her shoulder, "Jack, no more putting yourself beneath others, alright? You are just as important as anyone else in this town. No, you're more important than most people in the world. You help keep the seasons in balance, and nobody else can do your job except you. Remember that. "

The white haired boy froze, "Where are you going with this?"

Carefully, Cecilia released Jack from her arms, instead placing a hand on his cheek, "You never had a family, did you?"

Quivering slightly, Jack shook his head, "Not for centuries."

"Would you like one?"

Hang on...

Did she just...

No, that couldn't be right, Jack decided. Cecilia had barely known him for a month. Why would she offer him a place in her family when she knew almost nothing about him? Confused, he stared at her, trying to make sense of what she had said.

"S-s-sorry, w-what?"

"Would you like a family, Jack?" She repeated, rubbing a thumb over his pale cheek, "After all you've been through, it's the least I can offer you. Would you like that?"

Not for the first time in the recent weeks, Jack was dumbstruck. After all these centuries of being abandoned to the non-existent mercy of the Nightmare King, all this time of being neglected, unseen by everyone around him, someone was finally reaching to fish him out of the stormy waters he had so mercilessly been tossed in when Pitch had first enslaved him. Cecilia remained patient, watching quietly as Jack's confused turmoil raged behind what had once been empty eyes. Of course he'd have mixed feelings about this. Ha, mixed feelings; more like feelings thrown in a blender with gravel and one of Jack's snowstorms. He shuddered and turned away from her.

"Why would you... You barely even know me! W-why would y-you offer something like that t-to s-someone l-like m-me..."

Cecilia was certain something in her heart fractured right as he uttered those words, as she instinctively wrapped him in another hug. His shattered soul would be difficult to fix, but she swore to herself that she would gather all the pieces and repair him, no matter how long it took.

"Jack, sweetheart. That's enough," she felt the snow spirit tense up at her stern voice, "No more putting yourself down for something that wasn't your fault. Jamie told me of the incredible things you did for him, and for the Guardians, and that alone makes you all the more deserving of a family. I promise, you will always be welcome right here, no matter what happens," her expression darkened, and she released Jack carefully, her fists clenching in fury, "And if that monster, who left you like this, oh if he ever returns, I will wring his neck and tear him limb from limb!"

The youngest Guardian trembled at her terrifying words, freezing up as she reached out a hand to rest on his cheek again. Seeing his fearful expression, Cecilia softly planted a motherly kiss on his forehead.

"There, there, no need to be scared. Nobody will hurt you here."

Jack couldn't help himself; he flung himself forward and wrapped both arms around her middle, embracing her as if she was all he had left, tears flowing freely down his pale cheeks. Cecilia, surprised, smiled softly and let him rest his head in the crook of her neck, placing a hand on the back of his head, rustling her fingers through his hair as she let him get everything out of his system. It took several minutes and a surprise visit from Jamie to bring him back to his senses.

"Jack? You alright?"

The snow spirit jolted away from Cecilia, startled by Jamie's quiet voice. He opened his mouth to answer, despite his vocal chords being badly strained from his sobbing, but Jamie's mother beat him to it.

"Jamie, would you like to meet your brother?"

"I have a brother?"

Cecilia rested a hand on Jack's shoulder, "You do, if Jack would like that."

Jamie hopped up onto the couch beside Jack, bouncing a little on the cushion as he knelt by the Guardian's side, hope glittering in his eyes. Bunny would love that, Jack thought to himself, a smile starting to spread over his face.

"Yes. Y-yes, I-I would love that!"

Jamie quickly grabbed Jack into a tight hug, one very strong for a boy not yet in his teens. He laughed, shuddering violently with each happy shout, unaware of the slight wince of pain from Jack as he collided with what was left of the burn. Cecilia drew them both against her.

"Welcome to the family, Jack Frost Bennett."

/

Several hours later, after a long day of getting settled in to his new home, Jack found himself lying on a bed smothered in ice, in a room formed almost entirely from frozen water. He lay on his back, arms open wide as he stared at the ceiling, still trying to make sense of everything that had happened. This morning he was just a lonely, abandoned winter spirit, and now, he was a son, a brother.

He had a family.

A quiet tap on the door made him sit up, shaking him from his overwhelmed stupor. A mop of brown hair poked around the cold wood as Jamie, shivering, slipped in, literally. Jack had to dive to catch him before he roughly landed on the frozen floor.

"S-steady."

"Thanks. You really do like it cold, don't you?"

Jack almost flew into a panic, "I-if you don't l-like it, I-I can change it-"

Jamie cut him off before he could finish, "No, no, this is your room, it's supposed to be how you want it."

"O-oh..." The winter spirit trailed off, embarrassed. Jamie giggled quietly, but his smile quickly faded.

"Jack, I-I... Me and Soph... Oh, man, you're not gonna like this... We've been having nightmares again, and so have Pippa, and Cupcake and everyone else we know, and..."

As Jamie rambled on, Jack lost track of what he was saying. If children were having nightmares again, then... No, no, it couldn't mean that. Everyone had bad dreams every once in a while. It couldn't mean that. He didn't realise what little colour he had normally was draining from his face as nerves began to rattle his system.

"... And I was wondering if you could warn the other Guardians, you know, just to be safe. I don't want what happened last time to happen again..."

Jack nodded quickly, "Y-yes. Yes, I-I should go now."

"OK, I'll see you when you get back."

Jack had already called the wind to carry him out of the window and headed north by the time Jamie had finished speaking. He shuddered a little from the cold, before pushing himself to his feet and trying to take a step towards to door. However, nature had other plans, and he slipped, landing on his stomach.

"Dang it! Now I have to walk on this ice by myself!"

/

The whistle of frosty wind shook the trees of the forest on the outskirts of Burgess, shaking many tiny snowflakes from their homes in the trees, sending them tumbling gracefully to the ground. One such fragment fluttered down to rest at the edge of a hole, reaching deep into the earth. It glittered for a moment, before a black-nailed, grey-skinned hand slammed down over it, clawing at the earth as its darkness-robed owner hauled himself out of the hole, lashing out at the black sand clutching to his legs with one foot. The cold wind rustled his robes, billowing them out behind him as he turned his face to the night sky, the moon glaring down upon him.

"Run while you can boy. You know I'll always know where you are."

The silver light of the moon seemed to intensify in warning, and the darkened figure turned his head to face it. A smile twisted its way onto his face.

"Don't look at me like that, old friend. Fear will always exist, in them and in you."

With a flick of his cloak, he swung around, heading deeper into the forest. His smile only widened.

He was back.

And he was coming for what was his.