A/N Sorry it's been so long since I last updated school has been hectic, I had an exam today, as well as one tomorrow and on Wednesday and on Thursday so I've been busy revising. I've also been suffering from Writer's block, so I'm not entirely happy with this chapter, but it gets the point across.

I got inspired to write this though, because yay! it finally snowed where I live, it's brilliant, we've had more snow today than we have in the whole of December I think. Thank you Jack Frost! Now if only we could have a snow day tomorrow...

Thanks to all those who have followed or favourited this story, and special thanks to those who reviewed - you have no idea how much it means to me.

Jack POV

I slowly crept around ducking low so that I was still behind the bush. Quietly I peek round the edge and a smile appears on my face. I take my aim at the head of brown hair and throw.

"Oomph" Jamie fell; his cry muffled by a mouthful of snow.

I can't help but burst out laughing, and beside me Sophie does the same. I'm laughing so hard that I have to use my staff to lean on, to keep me from toppling over.

The past few days have been awful. After Sophie went missing, I spent all my time trying to find my first believer. For the past few days there's either been a complete lack of snow because I wasn't doing my job properly, or a full on raging blizzard because I've been close by and I kind of struggle to control my powers when my emotions are all riled up.

But she's here now, I think gratefully. I'm not entirely sure how, I reckon that North, Tooth, Sandy and Bunny had something to do with it. I'll have to speak to them latter about how Sophie mysteriously appeared back in the middle of the night, but for now… it's time for some fun!

Which is how the Snowball fight started; it's actually a lot harder having a Snowball fight when your opposition can actually see you. But it's also far more fun this way.

Across from me Jamie sits up, spitting snow out of his mouth. "Jack! I'll get you back for that!" he yells, his voice softens when his eyes fall on his Sister though. I cringe inwardly; I know all too well, what it's like to risk losing your Sister. The past few days must have been hard on Jamie. His parents too, once they couldn't find her, they called the police and a full scale search started. When they still couldn't find her they had to go and try contacting some organisation over in a city a few days away.

So for now Jamie's staying with me. Or more specifically with North. And now Sophie is too. Their parents know that Sophie is back and are travelling back to see her as quickly as possible.

Now you may be thinking 'how come Jamie is staying with North. What do his parents know of this?' the answer being that his parents know everything. During the night that we defeated Pitch, Jamie parents had noticed that he was gone, and then they found him outside with a group of guardians. Weird I know, but I think they believed because at that point I was currently showing Jamie what is what like to fly. Seeing their son flying, I think it opened their minds, because all of a sudden they could see all of us.

So now we look after Jamie and Sophie when their parents are away, which is fairly often because both of their parents work in business. None of us really mind though. Actually, don't tell the Kangaroo I said this but he's got a soft spot for Sophie ever since she broke into the warrens. Tooth also spoils her often because she still feels guilty about the 'blood and gums' incident.

"Pretty!" Sophie's' squealing and the insistent tug at the sleeve of my hoodie jerks me out of my thoughts. "Look Jack, look – it's pretty!" Sophie points up at the sky and I take a sharp intake of air.

"You'll have to get back at me later Jamie," I say not taking my eyes of the sky. "Right now we've got to get back to North's workshop." I bend and pick up Sophie who wraps her arms round my neck. Then go over to Jamie and offer him my hand, which unfortunately still has my staff in but Jamie doesn't seem to mind, he places his hand over mine, gripping tightly to the staff with the other.

I summon the wind and will it to take us to North's workshop, following the Aurora Borealis.

"North what is it?" I ask.

I arrived at the North Pole about five minutes ago, Jamie and Sophie are currently examining some new toys North's been making, but for once he isn't shooing them away. Instead, he's looking anxiously around the room as if he's expecting someone to materialize from nowhere.

I have no clue who he's looking for. All the guardians are already here. Bunnymund is stood impatiently in the corner, his ears are twitching irritably, that's how you can tell that he's annoyed. Tooth is fluttering over in the corner rapidly giving instructions to several of her mini fairies and Sandy is stood quietly next to Jamie and Sophie watching them play.

"I am not certain yet what it is" North finally replies. "But I received this Note this morning so I did as it suggested." He holds out a note to me and I take it, quickly I realize that the other guardians have come to see the Note too.

I need to tell you something.

Call the other Guardians.

I'll meet you at the pole as soon as I can.

"Who's this from?" I ask staring at the note and flipping it over to see if there is a name on the back but it's blank.

"This handwriting…" Bunny muses "isn't it her's?" he questions.

North nods.

"Who?" I ask, yet again, I'm annoyed at being ignored. Besides me I feel someone tugging at my sleeve. I turn around to face the sandman who's formed an image of a pen above his head in the golden dreamsand.

"Pen?" I say. Sandy nods enthusiastically.

Tooth comes over to me and puts an arm around my shoulders, "Jack have you ever heard of Peter?" she asks.

"Peter?" I echo, "who's that?" There's a sudden flash from the hallway behind us and in an instant I've swirled around with my staff griped tightly in my hands. The others have all turned around too, but none of them seem worried so I slowly lower my staff. That flash came from one of North's Snow globes being used. Does that mean that the writer of that Note is here?

A slight figure approaches through the shadows of the hallway; it's too dark to see the person properly.

"You might know him better as the Pied Piper" the figure says. A frown crosses my face. I've heard stories about the Pied Piper even if I've never met him. He's known as a ruthless child-kidnapper.

I'm so deep in thought about what the Pied Piper has to do with that I totally missed seeing the talker move forward into the light until the other guardians let out gasps.

I look up.

There's a girl leaning against the door frame. She's got a thin figure and she's wearing a bulky purple sweater with a denim skirt, purple leggings and blue trainers. She's got long brown hair streaked with violet highlights. She also has bright blue eyes, much like my own. I'd say that she was about my age too. Not three hundred though, about 18

But the reason that the guardians had gasped was obvious, streaking her brown and purple hair was deep red, that also seemed to smeared over her sweater and jeans and ran in streams down her legs. On closer inspection, it also seemed that her clothes were torn in places, and I could see gashes cutting into her pale skin. Well sort of pale skin, her face was pale, but most of the other skin that I could see was covered in deep purple bruises. It took me a moment to realize that her arm was bent at an odd angle because she was trying to hide it by leaning against the doorframe with her shoulder.

"Sorry I'm late" she said, a smile breaking onto her face. She seemed truly happy too, despite her injuries. "Peter found out that the kids were missing so…" she gave a nonchalant shrug as if she were totally unbothered by the fact she's been beaten up by the Piper.

Tooth rushed over in full 'mother' mode, that I normally saw her use on me. "Penelope!, why don't you go lie down for now and I'll get a medical kit, but oh, I don't know the first thing about treating injuries!"

"To-" the girl, Penelope tried to interrupt but it was a futile effort.

"What should I do!" Tooth murmured rapidly to herself "North do you know what to do, Bunnymund what about you?" she asked turning to each of them in turn but giving them no time to answer.

"Tooth!" Penelope said, and in an instant Tooth was by her side again "it's ok, we'll sort it out, everything's going to be ok" I flinch at the phrase and I think Penelope noticed just for a split second as her eyes passed over me in an attempt to find something that would stop Tooth's rambling.

"TOOTH!" she yelled eventually, having given up on finding anything she resorted to yelling. "I'm fine really, it isn't as bad as it looks, there's just a lot of blood. If I wash it off I'll look much better"

"Are you sure?" Tooth asked, calmer now. "We could get some banda-"

"No bandages Tooth," Penelope interrupted, "he'd notice."

I'm fed up of all this now "Would someone like to tell me what is going on." I announce loudly.

Besides me Sandman is bringing up pictures in rapid succession, first a flute, then children, then a pen and then the sleigh. It's making no sense whatsoever.

"Sorry Sandy but I don't understand." I say crouching down, from behind Sandy Jamie peeks out.

"Why is she covered in blood Jack?" he asks

"I honestly don't know" I reply.

Beside Jamie Sophie is stood staring at Penelope with an odd expression on her face, suddenly a bright smile appeared on her face. "Penny!" she squeals running over to her and jumping into her arms. Penelope picks her up with ease, but a fleeting pain crosses her face when she tries to use both arms to support her. She settles to hold her with one arm, Sophie's arms entwined tightly round her neck.

"You know her Sophie?" Jamie asks stepping out from behind Sandy now that he sees that the blood-covered stranger isn't a threat.

"Yes!" Sophie replied happily nodding her head, "Penny, brought us food and rescued us from that scary dark place."

"You found her?" I ask.

"I help all the children that the Piper takes Jack." Penelope replied, "it's my job. The guardians helped though."

I round on the guardians "why didn't you tell me?" I exclaimed. I'm not entirely sure what to think. Do they not trust me?

"Jack if we told you how the Piper murders children, what would you do?" Bunnymund asks turning towards me.

"Go after him." I reply instantly. The idea of murdering an innocent little kid… it's just wrong.

"Exactly why we didn't tell you," Bunnymund concludes.

"The Piper" North muses "he is powerful, we don't know how to beat him so we rescue the children instead, with Penelope's help, of course."

I turn to face Penelope who's still holding Sophie, "how to you fit into all this?" I ask.

Penelope seems to consider this, "well, to start at the beginning, the Peter is my boyfriend; I live with him in a small village in Germany."

"You're going out with a murderer!?" the idea seems incredulous.

Penelope scowls at me "it's my cover, how else am I supposed to find out where the kids are and what he's planning? I don't like going out with a murderer if that's what you're implying. Anyway, I keep an eye on Peter and rescue the children by finding tunnels out of the caves Peter puts them in when he kidnaps them. That's when I found it."

"Found what?" North interrupts.

"Peter's new caves. He keeps on swapping them because the children go missing. So I keep on exploring the tunnels to find new ways out. These new caves he's made though…" Penelope shuddered, "there huge, together there's enough room to hold every child on the planet. I'm not entirely sure what he's up to but it's something big."

Penelope gaze falls on us, all five of us.

"And I need your help to stop it."

A/N Thanks so much for reading please rate and review!

My book recommendation for this chapter is:

Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman

I'ts an amazing series that tackles the issue of racism in a really interesting way.