Standard copyright stuff again. Heart and storyline-me, RotG-whoever made it. Also I've taken liberties with cannon, because it's fun.

I know it's been forever. I hope to try to do this much more regularly. I'm done with school and hope to be writing a lot more!

I've been using MiM for Man in the Moon, it's just shorter and faster to write and rewrite.

R and R if you feel like it, but always enjoy!

Not much was said on the way to Santoff Claussen. After Jack and I left Jamie, I had a quick discussion with MiM. "I don't agree with how you handled it." He pressed. "I wish you had given them more warning that you were going to visit. "He continued. He wasn't sure and he knew it. "I know that four years is a long time, but maybe a shorter, probationary time would have worked."

I finally burst, "So you wish to carry more weight by taking the matters of the heart of ALL humans on your conscience." I retorted.

"No, I just wish that spirits could be the happiest that they can."

"Well," I replied, "Love is THE happiest you can get... Trust me. Better leave it to me." I replied, happy to give my advice to the not-as-old spirit. I wasn't sure if he was alright with me disgracing him in front of Jack, but sometimes he really got me angry. I glanced at Jack making a note of his semi-intrigued reaction. It didn't last long as he realized me looking at him.

We were flying distantly from each other, me with my wings and him with his staff. He started to rear off in a different direction, so I sped up to get next to him. "Hey, I know it's tough." I started.

"Just don't talk to me."

"I'm going to because-"

"No, you're not." He started to veer off in a different direction.

"Listen, it's tough, but if you'll come to see Kath-"

"WHERE DO YOU GET OFF?!" Jack stopped flying suddenly to scream at me. "I spent my life trying to find meaning. The guardians tried helping with that years ago, but then I met Jamie. He made me sane, kept me together!" His voice grew softer, "I don't know what I'll do now."

"I. I wish-"

"You don't get to wish." He spat out. "You know," he said after a moment, "I bet it's because you want everyone to be just as lonely as you are. You can't find anyone to love, so you have to ruin every chance you can for other spirits." Tears streamed from his eyes, "You have gone through your whole existence, however long it may have been, and couldn't find someone to love. Hell, you've probably never even been kissed before." He wasn't holding back, his emotions were in complete control. "You are sad and pathetic and I don't want to see you after today."

I was looking down at the earth by the time he finished. He was right about never being kissed. It's something I want, but will never have. I'll never let him know that though. I held my composure and continued to stare downwards. "You hate me. I get it. Please come talk to Katherine. You need to hear something from her. I'll never be able to explain something like this adequately." I took a deep breath, "I really do regret that I couldn't allow you two to continue. The human-spirit relationships always have a strong flair for passion and romance, but they are always cut exceedingly short."

Jack's response was a glare for a few seconds, then flying off towards Santoff Claussen. No more words needed to be said, and the flying was even more distant than before.

I touched down first, anxious to get out of my own, self-deprecating head. The town had its protections and they are quite active; the dome of bracken and vines was just in front of us with the thorns pointing every way outward, except for one. We entered by foot, it had been years since either of us, probably, had set foot in the dark area. We maneuvered past the thorns and roots which never moved against us and kept walking. It took a few minutes, but I never took my eyes off Jack. Even as larger footsteps approached, I called out,

"Hello Bear! It's Jack and I, Heart, here. We don't mean to cause any alarm."

I soon looked over to see the Bear stare intently at us and walk away, continuing on his rounds. The statues were next, the worst part. I can never stand this part, seeing all of the lost love of those trying to better themselves or just having different intentions that were sought after here. But, the worst part was coming up. I looked away before the green eyes could gaze into mine.

"Oh, dear Heart, you still don't wish to look at me?" The Spirit of the Forest asked.

"I know of your beauty and appreciate it very much, but it's behind the eyes that I can't look at. Though I know you are still so beautiful, I am sorry for what has happened. I don't believe I could bear the hurt that I would see in your eyes. I could not bear the shame." She feigned being hurt, but she knew I wouldn't look and turned to Jack instead.

"How about you? I could give you what you want." She said, about Jamie by some means.

"I want him back. I hate Heart for this. But I will not ask you for it." His voice was stern and took me off guard. I was ready to jump in and pull Jack out if he said anything wrong.

"I guess that settles it in the normal way. Good bye both of you, maybe next time you will feel more willing." She dissipated soon after her questions were done.

"Wow, I never would have thought you had feelings. You probably still don't." His tone was stinging, much more than his words. He hated me, much less than I did though. We continued on through the forest, heading towards the village. Soon, we saw some children playing and having fun.

"Ah, the Williams brothers. They always know how to have fun, something I may not be able to do again." His chastising was merited, but still hurt.

"I'm sure you will. You've been fun your whole life." We waved to the children quickly as we continued on. The way we walk showed that we were here for business, so the children left us alone. I was glad for that one; I didn't want to explain what we were here for.

Soon, we were at Big Root, the house of Ombric, the best wizard that was known in humanity's history. It was a large tree, magnificent really, that the wizard chose to be his house. It was in the center of the briar dome and was elegantly contorted but fashioned into a house by his magic. We walked up the brown steps and to the door, which opened as we arrived.

"Ah, yes. I heard you were coming from Bear. What took you two so long?" He asked. Both of us looked at each other and showed no notion of responding. "Alright, fine. Don't answer you angry spirits. Now, what can I help you two with?" He was far too cheerful for what happened recently, but that only really bothered us.

"Good day Ombric, we're here to see Katherine." I tried to be as succinct as possible. "There's been an incident."

"That's a nice way of putting it." Jack retorted.

"Ah, you finally got involved. Kat's down at the river, near the bend that flows to the lake."

"Thank you Ombric, I'll come back and chat when matters aren't so… pressing. I guess we'll be off to the bend, thanks again."

"Jack," Ombric turned toward the younger spirit, "it gets better, just don't do anything crazy."

"I'll try." He responded, following me out the door.

"As soon as this is over, you're free. I won't sternly request or attempt to influence you in any way."

"Like you could." Was his short reply.

"Alright, let's get going." I said, walking towards the river. There was a trail through the oversized forest. It wound and twisted its way until it eventually met up with the river. We walked with the river for a while before we found Katherine. She was sitting with Kailash grooming the temporarily horse-sized duck.

"Mwaaaaaaack." Was the low quack from the oversized goose, Katherine's gaze soon followed Kailash's.

"Oh!" Katherine started, seeing the both of us, "Heart and Jack, what a pleasant surprise!" She called. "Have you come to whisk me away yet?"

"Uh, no regular banter today Katherine. Please." I quickly responded. Jack's grimace at the thought of a human and a spirit together was obvious. Katherine leapt off of her companion

"What's crawled into your normally carefree mood?" She asked.

"He tore Jamie and I up." Jack was very terse.

"Oh, Jack. You knew that was going to have to be the way." She tried consoling him.

"But we could've, would have, been different." He pleaded, more with himself than Katherine.

"I'm sure Jack wants me out of here," I started softly, "but he needs to hear this now and from you and me Katherine. Jack," I hesitated, "there is only one name above Jamie that I see. That name, is Katherine." Katherine gasped at the information.

"Oh no. No no no no no no." She pleaded. "Are you sure?" My only response was a cold stare.

"What does that mean?" He asked somberly.

"It means that he does not have someone to love." Katherine filled in for me.

"It happens a couple times in a generation, Faulkner, Shakespeare, Kafka for some examples, all had Katherine's name. All told wondrous stories and all had no true love." I explained in a low voice.

"What?!" His reaction was more of an explosion. "You mean to tell me that you tore me away from Jamie just so he had no one to love?"

"No, I tore you away because if I didn't both of you may be dead by now." My response was cold, no emotions passed through my tone of voice. "If not now, then eventually. The world can't lose a Guardian, Jack. I won't allow it to happen in a way that deals with what I know best."

"And what DO you know about it?"

"Jack!" Katherine exclaimed, trying to have him come to his senses.

"No, I've said it before. He knows nothing about love and just wishes for every spirit to be as unhappy as he is in their existence."

"I understand you're angry Jack, but-" Katherine tried helping.

"No." He cut her off. "I have every right. He took away my happiness and the least I can do is be angry."

"Listen, Jack. I'm sorry." I pleaded, knowing he wouldn't see it my way. "But if you can't see it now, maybe I should just leave." I turned, spreading my wings and taking off into the air. "I'll come find you when you've put your anger on ice, you need to cool off." I turned, but then I felt a strange cold on my right wing.

"No running away. No deflecting. You and I will have it out right here and now!" Jack screamed, his staff pointed at my now-frozen right wing. I fell from the sky, constantly trying to control my fall but failing at every attempt. The ground came swiftly and was unforgiving. I felt the pain spike through my body as what must have been a couple bones breaking.

"Heart!" Katherine called, rushing to my side.

"Oh no, no feigning hurt at that blow. You can get back up." He said, strutting forward in disappointment. "And if you can't, I'll finish it right now."

Katherine stood up in between us, making sure the look as menacing as possible. "I suggest you leave. Now."

"Not while there's unfinished business."

"There is no business to be finished here. Leave now. Leave in one piece." She said motioning towards Kailash and Bear who recently appeared, both of whom looked ready to stop Jack at any moment.

He raised his staff to the sky and took off, aiming for the entrance of the dome. He, like all Guardians, knew the forest well and would be out of there soon. Kailash soon came near me, rustled beneath my broken form as a regular goose and then I was on top of a large goose.

Next thing I can remember we were at Ombric's tree, and I was lying in agony near the fireplace. The roaring fire was melting the ice which encased my wing. I couldn't move my right arm or leg; I figured they had broken in the fall. I then noticed the sound of pages being moved furiously. I turned my head sharply and immediately regretted it.

"Take it easy Heart, you just fell 4 or 5 stories." Katherine touched my arm to be reassuring, but she pulled back when I winced at the touch.

"Yes Heart, I'm looking for a healing spell now. I know I had one around here somewhere…" He was flipping frantically through his book.

"Is that what you're looking for?" A voice rang out. Soon the book moved on its own and flipped its own pages. "Here, this should be the page." It took a few moments for my eyes to adjust to see the book in its glory, but then I realized it wasn't a book.

"Ah, Mr. Qwerty. I see you've changed a bit since I last saw you."

"Yes, I found myself in a predicament when pitch last attacked. Either let him take Ombric's spell books or eat them and go through metamorphosis. Little did I know I'd end up like this." He said, moving his wings/covers back and forth. "Luckily I can bring up anything I've eaten on the pages, so Ombric still has his spells!"

"Oh, I guess I'll just wait to be healed then." I said, turning my gaze to the ceiling. "I do have a question though. Why did Bear threaten Jack? Jack and I saw him walking his patrol around the dome."

"Actually, Ombric and I have been working on a theory about that."

"Yes, we believe that when Jack was told about Jamie, something changed." The elderly man explained.

"Changed as in how?" I inquired, counting lines in the morphed wood ceiling.

"We think," Katherine's voice quivered, "We think that Jack's heart isn't pure anymore."

There's that I guess. Chapter 5 is already partially written and going pretty well. I expect to write more and more as my amount of free time has really escalated.