"Mmm love you too." Jamie didn't reply, instead he smiled and gently kissed Jack lovingly, sending a bit of his light into Jack to ease his pain.

"Mmm." He sighed.

"I must check on Roxas darling." Jack left him to his own devices to do just that. Jack chuckled when he noticed Roxas was up and glaring at him. It was then that he blushed as he realized the door hadn't been fully shut...

"S-Sorry for waking you kiddo... s-see daddy and I were enjoying a present." Roxas rolled his eyes. Jack sighed and picked him up smiling.

"So, have a good Christmas bud?"

"Yesh, unkle No'th need put bwetter wards up."

"He does."

"Bwetter wards mean more sweep for me." Jack looked down a moment.

"We'll get right on that, what you hungry for?"

"Waffles."

"Alright." He went into the kitchen and set Roxas on the chair.

"Don't move, I'll have waffles for you in a jiffy." Roxas simply watched from where Jack set him down. In moment there were waffles with a little bit of syrup on them as he didn't want him to grow to much of a sweet tooth.

"There you go." It was as well cut up and ready to eat.

"T'ank you daddy." He said, setting into them even as Jamie came into the kitchen.

"Morning."

"Morning love." Jack hugged him and Roxas 'ewed' at the affection but Jack did it on purpose.

"Alright, what you want for breakfast dear"? He had made more waffles for himself as well, but he didn't know if Jamie would want to eat some.

"The waffles look good."

"Alright, more waffles." Jack made more waffles in no time.

"Well, I'm off to make one more snowfall before January."

"Alright, see you when you get back love." Jamie replied, giving Jack a kiss on the nose, ignoring Roxas' reaction to that before he settled down to his own breakfast. Roxas wanted to play his new game boy, his first gaming machine but he set his own time on playing it as he only got it once a day. Jack smiled and took off making the last snowfall of the year, children pouted cause that meant vacation was almost over. Every child who saw Jack couldn't help but wave though. He laughed and waved back, deciding to make the best snowball fight ever this time. Every child joined in the "war" though a few brave souls try to hit Jack. He chuckled, by night time everyone was wet cold but they'd had so much fun.

"We'll have an even better one next year kiddos." They smile despite being tired and wet; all of them waving goodbye. Jack laughed, doing loop de loops in the air as he flew back only to be attacked by a new type of creature.

"AHH!" He crashed into a local park, smacking off the creature; it had a knife, sunken black eyes and black hair. It looked like a teenage boy with black bat wings. He jolted back, dodging each swipe of the dagger.

"Whoa kid, chill out!" Jack said just as he shot off a blast of ice. Jamie fed Roxas his lunch.

The figure didn't back down, crying out its rage as it shook its arm where the ice had hit before lunging for Jack again. He gasped, dodging the lunge; the figure doesn't say a word, merely lunging again and again, swiping at Jack with the blade. Each time Jack dodged and blasted at the figure with ice; eventually it got irritated enough to leave. Jack panted heavily; that took a bit out of him, but he knew he should speak with Mother Nature about this. Right now he had to get back to Jamie and Roxas. Jamie settled Roxas down for a nap before he ended up taking one himself. Jack hugged himself tightly, flying towards the pole as fast as possible. Jamie slowly drifted off, but he sensed the urgency along the bond and sleepy curiosity flited across the bond from him. Jack arrived in the room and explained what happened.

"Hmmmm. Sounds vaguely familiar but I can't say why." Jamie said thoughtfully.

"Why would you say that?" Jack was shaking.

"Because it does."

"IT ATTACKED ME!"

"So you said... I just meant that I think I read about something like that once... but I can't put my finger on WHERE." Jamie sighed as he put his arms around Jack.

"I-it wanted something Jamie, but I don't know what."

"Well, it couldn't have been too complicated in what it wanted if all it did was attack you. Not exactly what I'd call high in intelligence there." The creature indeed wanted something, something in Jack... Jamie pondered about where he could have heard about something, in his lifetime, that was like what Jack had described.

"I'm gonna go to bed." He hugged his son close as Roxas reached his arms out to Jack, having been woken by the commotion.

"Alright. I'll see you both in the morning."

"Alright." He went to bed way too early for his liking but the creature took a lot out of him. Jamie went off to find North to talk to him about the creature, maybe he'd heard of it... It was there waiting for the right moment; it went through the barriers like butter and easily slid into Jack's body like a suit, finding what it wanted inside. It decided it would stay, unnoticed of course. The creature's hold was shaky, however and it couldn't keep its hold. North frowned when Jamie asked about it.

"Iz not good news. Waz Jack cut?"

"No, not that I know of."

"Good, at least it means it would not have control then."

"Control?" North nodded.

"Thiz spirit exists only for one purpose. To infiltrate and control any and all it finds with power. No reason is known. Iz very elusive spirit. Not often seen. Only attacks those it believes are powerful." Jack shook, fighting the spirit inside him, but it was now trying to find the reason to why it was having a shaky hold. With a hiss of disappointment the spirit's control slipped and it had to retreat or be overwhelmed. Jack panted shakily as it left; it would be back, though this time it would leave its mark.

"So what exactly is this thing then?"

"Haz no real name that anyone know of. Many simply call it "Nightstalker" since that iz mostly what iz."

"How do we get rid of it then?"

"No one know. Only way iz being to kill. Nasty business. Normally not one brave enough to attack Guardian. Iz unsual. Stay close to him da? If see him, don't hesitate to do away with before it can cut him." Jamie nodded and went to the room where he knew Jack and Roxas were sleeping. Roxas curled into Jack, shaking mostly from the feeling of said nightstalker having left Jack's body. Seeing this, Jamie knelt next to Roxas and gently stroked his hair, sending silent reassurance along the bond to calm the boy. He calmed, his wings wrapping around him like a security blanket as Jack had himself, but more or less for protection. Jamie smiled at this and gently placed a kiss on his forehead before he picked out a book to read and settled in a nearby chair. Jack awoke hours later in pain as Roxas was now very interested in his tail and was pulling at it; making him yip.

"No son, please don't pull that; that hurts daddy."

"Listen to your father Roxas." Jamie said from behind his book. Jack looked for the title.

"What you reading there love?"

"Hmmm? Oh, right, forgot this doesn't have a title on its cover. It's called 'Ancient Origins and Spells.' It's interesting to a point."

"Really?" He was even more fascinated, Roxas suddenly bit Jack's arm.

"OW! BABY... SON... ROXAS LET GO!" He started eating Jack's arm

"JAMIE, DID YOU- f-feed him!" Jack cried as he just tore into him like a candy bar.

"ROXAS!" Jamie grabbed him and hauled him away from Jack, icing Jack's arm instantly to keep it from bleeding out.

"I did feed him. Apparently he's hungry again." Jamie held Roxas at arms length, anger radiating over the bond at the boy.

"You do NOT do that! Understand? If you're hungry you tell us!" Jamie glared at the boy even as he took him out of the room. When the boy tried to squirm away Jamie froze him in a block of ice to keep him from getting at anyone else as he took the boy back to the cavern. North probably wouldn't have anything like what Roxas wanted on hand. It would be too creepy if the Guardian did. Jamie set about getting Roxas the wanted food as he sat in his frozen block on the table in the cavern, crying in hunger and not having enough strength to break himself loose. Jack panted, hugging himself. What made Roxas do that? He was shaking now... what was going on? Jamie wondered the same thing as he fed Roxas. Suddenly suspicion went through him... could that thing that was stalking Jack have? No... the book he'd been reading said that the creature could only attack and attach to one being... so there was no way it had possessed Roxas in order to get to Jack because then it would be stuck in Roxas. Jamie frowned even as he packed some extra and sped back to the pole to be with Jack; he didn't want to take any chances, though the book on this Nightstalker thing was likely right, there were some things it was vague on... like how it reproduced and other things. Mostly things Jamie didn't really need to know about. It didn't, however, say how to overwhelm one either. That worried Jamie as well as he headed back to the pole with a stuffed and sleepy Roxas. Jack shook visibly, the creature had been watching him since day one; it was stalking him, controlling dreams, testing its boundaries. Jamie returned the pole, unwittingly driving the thing off. Jamie settled Roxas into the bed North had given them for him. He then went to check on Jack to see just how bad things were. Jack shook, tired from the constant attacks; the failed tries to cut him. Jamie stayed close to Jack, keeping an eye on both him and the now-sleeping Roxas. Jack awoke screaming that night; it was at it again, but this time through nightmares. It was trying paralyze him long enough to make the cut. Jamie froze the creature when he got a look at it. Causing the thing to hiss at him before it lept back out the window. Jack's eyes were wide, fear stricken paralyzed; he was reliving a memory; the day he'd died. He still feared it, even if he told Jamie he didn't. Jamie slipped his arms around Jack once the thing was gone. He wondered if maybe talking to North about security might not be a bad idea... but later, first he needed to calm Jack down again before he accidentally woke Roxas. Jack shook violently.

"Noo, please... I don't wanna die." He whispered as he closed his eyes, tears leaking out. Jamie murmured quiet reassurances, trying to pull Jack back from the memory as he's had to do many times. He awoke from it and now shook, but he was calmer for his baby and love.

"J-Jamie, where am I... w-what happened?"

"Just a nightmare. " Jamie reassures him. He looked around.

"Y-yeah... j-j-just a nightmare." Jamie did his best to comfort Jack. Knowing that for all his bravado, his love was still affected by the memory of his own death. Jack still shook a little; hugging Jame he was calming down for the baby who was stirring from his fear. His my wings curled around him and Jamie in a protective wrap. Jamie rubbed his hands along Jack's arms; allowing the wings to envelope him even as he murmured reassurances. He looked at Jamie, eyes glassy as he calmed himself from something that had happened 300 plus years ago. Jamie gently threaded his fingers through Jack's hair, cupping his cheek with his other hand as he looked into Jack's eyes. He slowly shook his head from Jamie's hand before closing his eyes to fall asleep and dream much better dreams. Jamie kept watch the rest of the night. He wasn't going to let there be a second chance. Jack started to pant heavily, a nightmare, a natural one this time; Jack was reliving his life, memories. Memories of things said and done. Having heard the commotion, a yeti stuck its head in to see if everything was okay.

"We're fine, just bad dreams; if Sandy's around see if he can't send Jack some good dreams." The yeti warbled an affirmative and disappeared. Jamie lightly threaded his fingers through Jack's hair again as he slept. He knew this was far from over. The next morning Jack was more asleep then awake; he kept falling asleep at the breakfast table and Roxas was trying wake him up by throwing his breakfast at him. It worked... only for a few seconds at a time. With a sigh Jamie looked at Sandy who took over making sure that Roxas ate his breakfast instead of throwing it while Jamie settled Jack into bed again. He stayed next to him as he tucked the blanket around him. He groaned and fought against the sleepiness to tell Jamie he was okay but his body forced him into sleep he needed. Jamie watched over him, keeping an eye out for anything unusual. He shook a little his sleep, it was not all too great but he was sleeping. Jamie was so intent on looking for anything unusual that he nearly froze Sandy when he came in with a sleeping Roxas. He gave the Dream Guardian a silent look of apology at that but Sandy only shook his head and settled Roxas in his bed for his nap. Jack groaned, tossing and turning; wanting something to stop. It was inside him, sifting through memories for any key weakness. Jamie caught a glimpse of the thing and this time he didn't just freeze it, he sent his light into it. The thing screamed out in pain, backing off... pulling its power back from Jack as it began taking interest in Jamie now... how could a winter spirit have such power? Jamie glared at the thing and it retreated to ponder the new information. It had an idea, not only to take Jamie but Jack as well; it had a mate that would require itself a body, but one look at the young child and it knew it couldn't leave it or else one day be destroyed by the child itself. It knew the child would complicate things, but for now it needed to formulate a plan. Jamie watched the thing go... he hoped this was over... but didn't dare think it was for certain.

"What h-happened?" Jack was more unsure because he was shocked it had left.

"I drove the thing off. Hopefully for good this time." He looked at Jamie and then Roxas, worried.

"I won't let anything happen to you." He hugged Jamie close.

"What are we going to do?"

"Don't worry, I'll keep that thing away. No matter what it takes." He hugged Jamie closer, shaking.

"Jamie, I should be protecting you and Roxas not the other way around." Jamie chuckled softly.

"Just because you aren't human doesn't mean you can protect us from everything."

"Maybe I can't, but I sure as heck will try." Jamie smiled a little.

"Well I think I can handle this one well enough and I'd rather it not get to you." He shifted in Jamie's arms.

"It won't, I promise." Jamie just smiled. They were unaware though of the plans the creature had; Roxas awoke to the "love" session between them.

"Oh, Roxas; sorry bud for waking you." Roxas just grinned at them both as he sucked his thumb. Jack smiled and petted his hair back, like always it sprung right back up into place.

"Hey, what you wanna do today kiddo?" He looked at Jack expectantly. Roxas sucked his thumb as he seemed thoughtful at this; Jack smiled waiting as he held Jamie close while Roxas thought about this. Jack's tail swished back and forth as he waited.

"Dinos." He said after a moment around his thumb.

"Alright." He let go of Jamie and took him to his many dinosaur sets, books, games and movies. Roxas clapped happily and grabbed some of the dinosaur figures; Jack grabbed some of his own that he liked to play with as well. He grinned as made "rawr" noises as he played with his dinos. Jack smiled and "rawr" back using a t-rex even though he had a brachiosaur. He grinned, having a ball with the dinos. Jack laughed.

"Hey, brachiosaurus don't eat meat." He smiled and saw that he had a raptor team; he snickered, using allosaurus. Jack glared at some of the toys, they seemed way to scary for Roxas.

Tell North to down low on the predatory dinosaurs; too scary for young children. Roxas just grinned a little, he didn't know the difference.

"Will do. I'm just glad he hasn't seen any of those movies." Jamie replied as he came into the room, though he didn't leave the two; he wasn't about to. Not after the last incident. Jack chuckled.

"Not until he's like 8 or something."

"Eight? Really? I think we should make it older, we don't want him scared of his own toys." Jack blushed.

"Ok 15."

"Fair enough."

"For now we stick with Land Before Time stuff." Jamie nods in agreement.

"Yeah, those are good movies." Jack hugged Roxas close.

"Mm looks like someone's hungry."

"Hungry." Roxas agreed.

"Regular or dead meat?" He snickered at Jamie's glare.

"Not funny Jack."

"Wegular." Roxas responded, not understanding why his pop was glaring at his father or why his father found that funny. Jack snickered.

"Jamie, get used to that dark sense of humor." He said as he went to get said meat. Jamie just shook his head. Not around our young son thank you. Jack just chuckled. Jamie didn't say anything beyond that; he was still a little worried that this wasn't over. It definitely, was not the creatures mate stared at him for a long time.

"Sweetheart, what's wrong?" She was holding a young baby, their baby.

"He's young for this." Came the reply, eyes looking at the young one that was sleeping in her arms.

"Yeah."

"Then again... he was born powerful was he not?" Jamie smiled a little as he tucked the tired Roxas into his bed for his nap after cleaning him up from his meal. Jack nodded then groaned.

"Fuck, I forgot to eat as well."

"White or dark meat?" Jamie asked quietly with an expression that challenges Jack to actually answer that one seriously... Jack shivered in shock at that, he hadn't been expecting Jamie to return his earlier dark humor.

"I- I... it doesn't matter." Jamie shook his head at the answer.

"Relax a little love. Come on, let's get your meal fixed." He slipped an arm around Jack; pulling him close as he gently tugged him to the kitchen. Jack nodded, suddenly he collapsed altogether to his knees.

"O-ow... w-weak knees." He said simply as he tried and failed at least three times to get back on his feet. Jamie shifted to support Jack.

"I'll help. Come on." He said gently. Using Jamie as his support, he shook a little bit and followed closely to the kitchen. Jamie sat Jack on a stool near the counter before he rummaged through the freezer for what he needed and easily prepared the meal. He made a small meatloaf out of it. Even adding eggs and seasoning to it before cooking it long enough to make it mildly warm all the way through before he served it to Jack. He purred and ate it, he felt strengthened instantly.

"Mmmm, t-thank you, so good." Jamie leaned against the counter near the stool with a smile.

"Anything for you love." He purred then scooped up another bite.

"Want a bite?" He offered the fork to him. Jamie chuckled softly.

"Didn't you say once you'd be worried if I did?"

"Whatever, want some or no?" Jamie debates that a moment. He couldn't say he did... but he couldn't say he didn't either.

"One bite." He said after several thoughtful seconds. Jack smiled and fed Jamie the bite; it was mostly bloody of course, it was also between raw and cooked.

"Like it?" Jamie chewed the bite thoughtfully, trying not to think too hard about what it was he was eating exactly... He didn't respond though until he actually swallowed it.

"I think it's a bit too raw for me. Not really much of a taste... not sure what I expected though having not completely cooked it. I can't say I hate it, but I can't say I like it either... it's just.. I dunno how to put it really."

"Do you at least think if you wanted to you might eat it with me and Roxas?"

"Well... if I wanted to. Probably. Though definitely not raw." Jack snickered.

"Oh, well, as long as we have at least one normal family dinner I'm good."

"I think I can manage to make even these meals seem normal. Though that is the last of what I had." Jack smiled and finished only half of meatloaf.

"Have to save some for kiddo, he's getting quite big honey, you'd think he was some type of weed." Jamie chuckled at that.

"You would think."

"Did we all grow so fast?"

"Fast enough I think, but then again he wasn't born like you and me... he might have a bit of an advantage over us there." Jack shifted a little, whimpering now as his body was not taking it in just yet and then when it did he glowed a tinged red and black.

"Oh so much better." He whipped his tail a little at flies that seemed to come for the meat; smashing them all. Jamie smiled a little; Jack sniff the air.

"I smell something dark."