Jack looked her over. "How can you be so….dead to the fact that you deserve some credit? Look at Tooth, I think she's actually glowing."

Fable looked away. "I desire no praise; don't pay me compliments that I do not want Frost. Flattery will get you nowhere."

He felt as a child would when trying to make a valid point to an adult. "But…"

She silenced him with a look, though not one crafted of harshness or resentment. If anything, it was almost pleading and hurting; quite the opposite of her voice, which cut him to the quick. "Drop it."

If it hadn't been for that look, Frost would have asked more questions, really he was trying to understand Fable, but she made it very difficult. There were points where he got why she pushed the Guardians away, he had done it himself when he first became one. So many years of going unseen and being alone could make even the most sociable of people into recluses. Looking at her now, Jack could see a hint of someone who had it easy making friends, perhaps in her past life. But even now, Fable still seemed awkward among the five, even when she shared joke or to with the Kangaroo and North, let Tooth to hug her, and exchanged pleasantries with Sandy. Being in those situations made her shoulders hunch and her eyes dance with discomfort.

Many minutes had past, and Frost took no notice of the fact that he had been staring at Fable intently, almost to the point where he was leaning in, practically brushing his nose against her cheek. Fable had been ignoring him, and focusing her attention of the laughter from Lydia, with Tooth's help she seeing even more. Feeling a brush a cold against her cheek, her head snapped to attention only to find Jack studying her at a very close range. Despite it all, she felt subtle warmth creeping into her cheeks. Pushing back that little feeling of embarrassment, Fable raised an eyebrow. "Didn't your ma ever teach you manners?"

He blinked, returning from his distant thoughts. Realizing how close he was, Jack pulled away, taking the cold with him. He rubbed the back of his neck, shrugging his shoulders. "Sorry, I was just thinking about something."

To his surprise, her expression softened, almost at the same caliber of the look she would give when speaking to Lydia. "It's disturbing how similar we are hmm?

She was smiling now, her head angled downward in a playful manner. Though on a forty year old looking woman, it looked disturbing. Yet, Jack could see her as she usually was. In that form, the pose was actually endearing, and dare he say, cute? "What?"

Fable shrugged, returning her head to an upright position. "We're both immaterial in our own way. You're seen as a figure of speech, only as legendary as North in a few sparse countries, but dismissed by those who remember the old ways because they are no longer children. I'm seen in a few choice films, but never in my chosen form, and only as a plot device to get the story going for the main protagonist."

Hearing Lydia's laughter, Fable's attention went to her; a hint of smile came forth. "I'm glad that she chose to see you first."

This was a shock. Jack leaned on his staff, a full blown teasing smile on his face. "Really?"

Nodding, she made her way to the group, looking over her shoulder. "I figured it was best for her, you remind of someone I used to know. Someone who was great with children, one in particular, I knew that from the start that she was meant to see you. It made me the happiest I've been in hundreds of years."

He was stunned, no, that was an understatement. He was speechless, a rare occurrence with someone like him. Fable didn't hate him, if anything from what he could gather she saw eye to eye with him the most, he wasn't sure if that was it. She said that they were similar? Yet, that's what Pitch told him when he tried to pull him over to his side of the battle. Jack watched her go, and the smile she wore for Lydia as the girl practically jumped in her arms.

It wasn't long until the group could be found accompanying Lydia home. The child insisted on it, and grabbed Jack's hand, making him keep up as she danced through the white powder. She even forced Fable to keep up, though prodding her more gently, taking into account her assumed age. The knowledge spirit played the part well, using lines like "these old bones" to keep the visage up. In watching, North saw how the child admired the knowledge spirit, leaning up against her when her energy began to wane, the constant desire to feel Fable's arm wrapped around her shoulders. He saw a look of motherly love in the spirit's eyes. He understood now, and he found himself wondering why Manny had not chosen her for a Guardianship, perhaps she was in line to be chosen if needed?

The group reached the rundown apartment building, the six of them being walked through by the here and there throngs of mortals. Lydia didn't seem to mind, and Fable took care in making sure that the child never saw someone walk through her like the others. In an act of quick thought, she directed Lydia to Jack when the mass of people were too much for her to avoid. Bunny leapt to her side. "She doesn't know does she?"

Fable looked up at him. "I've always been careful; a mother should never outlive her daughter."

This statement practically knocked him down. "Mother?"

She shuddered as a woman dressed in a black pencil skirt, a white blouse and a black overcoat walked through her. "You know what I mean Wallaby."

Bunny tried to keep up with her as she sped up her pace. "I don't."

Sighing, Fable looked him over. "I provide her with an adult figure that helps her to grow and become her own person, a basic teacher, which is sort of what a mother is. And if she knows that I am immortal and will outlive her, she'll be crushed."

The rabbit opened his mouth, presumptively to ask more questions. He was silenced by Fable hand. "Please, Aster, no more questions. Trying to understand my role for children is one of the few things that gives me a headache."

Author's Note: Good evening all! I apologize for the long wait on this chapter. Working twenty hour weeks and going to school full time can pull a number on even the most calm and collected people. I still have two midterms to take next week. Anyway, based on my plans for the next chapter, you will be seeing Fable and Pitch ducking it out. Now, seeing that I have a particular talent in writing things horror and bloody. You have been warned, those with weak hearts!

Anyway, I'm doing well, like I said, lots of stuff on my plate. I've basically restored some confidence in my choice to become an English major, such things have been kindly pointed out to me by my GTF, my English professor, and a very close friend. So hooray on that sort of non-mid life crisis part of my life. By the by, in the early 1500's to the mid 1600's. Salt was annotated as meaning lecherous desire (sometimes wanted). So think the next time you ask someone to pass you the salt at the dinner table ;)

Valentine's Day is coming up, and good God do I hate that holiday. Not because I'm single (ok maybe a little because I'm single), but I hate glitter and pink...stuff. The smells of over sweetened sweet hearts are also incredibly nauseating to me. Also, it's such a cliched holiday, if ever I meet someone, I am not forcing the poor man to buy me over expensive jewels and fancy dinners. We'll stay in, make a nice dinner together and watch really really bad movies and laugh at them.

Also...WALKING DEAD TOMORROW!

Alright, that's all for now my readers, read, review, alert, favorite. You know the drill.