Alaia Skyhawk: Here's part two of this opening mini-arc. I hope you guys enjoy it :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Rise of the Guardians, the Guardians of Childhood, or any related characters etc. This story is written purely for entertainment purposes.

~(-)~

Chapter 2: Sister's Return

Emily stared at the garden, through eyes no longer blurred by age. She sat up, her body no longer burdened by the infirmity of years. A garden where all seasons existed together, a veritable paradise of splendour and wonder, and not only that but she had changed.

She stared at hands that were smooth with youth, using them to explore a face that was also devoid of the wrinkles of old age. Her hair was brown again, and she was wearing a soft linen shift instead of the coarse woollen nightgown she'd been in until she'd woken here.

Emily tried to make sense of it, and could only come to one conclusion.

"Is this Heaven?"

"No... But it is a new beginning for you."

Emily turned her head sharply towards the source of the female voice, spotting a women whose grace and nobility shone in every movement. Be it that of her long ebony tresses, the billowing of her emerald-green gown in the gentle breeze, or the wisdom in her equally green eyes.

Behind her, on a nearby bench, sat an elderly white-bearded man in plain white robes. But he merely looked on as an observer, while the woman walked to bewildered girl's side. Because that was what Emily was again, physically a girl of seventeen where before she'd been a woman of sixty-five.

Emily pulled her knees up under her chin, huddling in uncertainty.

"Who are you, and what's going on? If this isn't Heaven, then what is it?"

The woman reached out and took hold of one of her hands in reassurance.

"I am Emily Jane, otherwise known as Mother Nature, and this is the Sanctuary of Nature. You, my dear namesake, have come a very long way. Over three-hundred years, in fact."

Emily stared at her, confused.

"This is the future? But... I was just at home! I was dying in my bed!"

Mother Nature glanced towards the old man.

"You did die, and you were buried beside your husband... And then Father Time saw fit to grant my request here in this era. He retrieved you, brought you forward in time, and saved you from being lost forever. No one in that time ever knew you were no longer in that grave."

Emily pulled her hand free and swung her legs over the far side of the narrow cot on which she sat. Swaying on her feet as she stood in an attempt to agitatedly get away.

Instead she staggered, still too weak to walk, and was caught by the dark-haired immortal.

"Why?! Why do that?! Why am I even here?!"

"Don't you want to see Jack again?"

Emily went utterly still at those words, not resisting as she was sat down on the bed once more. It was several moments before her hopeful gaze settled upon Mother Nature once more.

"I could see my brother?"

Mother Nature nodded, a glitter of joyful tears in her eyes as she gently cupped the side of Emily's face with a hand.

"More than just see him, you will be able to stay by him from now on... He has come a very long way from the days in which you knew him last, and he has done so much for this world and many others. And it remains a fact that without you there to guide and support him during those early years, he might never have become what he is now. Much of what is owed to him, is also owed to you. The sister he gave his life for, in the event that set him on that path. That is why this boon has been granted, and new Winter Nature Immortal brought into being."

There was quiet as Emily sat there, the words slowly sinking in, followed by her gasp of realisation. That the new immortal was her!

Emily flung her arms around Mother Nature, hugging her tight even as she also started to cry.

"Thank you! Thank you, so much!"

Mother Nature returned the hug, starting to laugh with joy. In many ways Jack had been both a friend and a sort-of errant son to her, and now it seemed she'd gained a daughter.

"Let's get you ready. You'll want to look special when he sees you, and there's much I need to teach you before then. Starting with what year it is."

Emily followed her out of the garden, curious.

"How long have I been... gone?"

Mother Nature placed an arm around her shoulder, to steady her ahead of this information.

"It's the year 2052. Jack's three-hundred and fifty-ninth birthday was a few days ago."

Emily stopped in her tracks, eyes wide. Had it really been so long?

"I've been dead almost three-hundred years?"

Mother Nature's arm tightened in a small hug of reassurance.

"Chronologically, yes. Physically, no. For you, you died late yesterday and were buried barely two hours ago. A person can only be turned into an immortal within one day after death, after that it's too late." Her expression revealed her concern. "Jack needs you, Emily. He's stuck in memories of the past, and without you it's likely he'll never recover. That's why I asked Father Time for his help. He turned you into an immortal, and now it falls to me to make sure you know everything you need to."

Emily, at the mention of her brother's condition, tried to slip free of her grasp.

"If he needs me, then take me to him right now!"

The older immortals grip remained secure. Her words firm.

"I can't. Father Time was adamant that you spend time somewhere safe and secure while you settle into this part of time's flow. He moved you a very long way, Emily. If your stay here is to be permanent, then you need to allow him to finish his work in making sure you don't cause a paradox. We decided that we'd take you to Jack on the day of the Guardian's next meeting, which gives us a little over a month to make sure of all the loose ends, and also that you know what to expect in this era. Jack has managed for the past five months, so one more should be fine."

Emily wasn't really listening, her thoughts had frozen at the mention of the Guardians as she realised what was implied by it.

"My brother is one of the Guardians of Childhood? But he's the Spirit of Winter."

Mother Nature smiled, ushering her into motion once again. Taking her along the hedged-in path towards the meadow and cottage beyond.

"He's both. Your Jack is a very special immortal, who was chosen to do a very special thing. He was recruited as a Guardian once he was ready for it. That's part of what I need to teach you before that meeting. If you don't know the basics of what Jack has been through since you died, it will be difficult to help him fully. Although I believe seeing you again will solve most of his current problem... He misses you very very deeply, and that is the source of his current hurts."

She paused, looking a little bemused. "Although, to be quite honest I won't be your actual teacher. There's someone far better at telling stories, who is also excellent at keeping secrets, who I've recruited to help me." The reached the cottage and entered, coming face-to-face with the brown-haired, smiling woman inside. "This is Katherine, from Santoff Claussen."

~(-)~

The weeks rolled by beneath Katherine's tutelage. The kind-hearted self-sustained immortal proving to be a steadying hand against the many startling and also concerning stories she told to her pupil.

Emily could only marvel at all her brother had gone on to do after her 'death'. And also at all that her descendants had achieved as well.

After being told of Jamie's ascendancy to Constellation, Emily had gone out into the meadow around the cottage to think. Throughout her life, ever since that first winter when Jack had returned and shown himself to her. Ever since he'd told her about the immortal and the one who created them; the Man in the Moon. She'd always held an awe for that Constellation and his work to watch over the world. To learn that one of her own descendants had become what he was...

She sighed deeply, yearning to go and meet those present-day descendants of hers. Feeling the grief of loss for those she'd left behind in that distant past. One more week until the meeting. One more week before she could meet them. One more week before she could hold her brother in her arms once more, and tell him everything was going to be just fine.

"Lady Emily, Mother Nature requests your presence at the Garden."

Emily turned to face the fairy who had brought the message, and nodded.

"Thank you. I'll go right away."

It wasn't far to the garden, despite the illusion of vastness the meadow around the cottage created. She'd only seen this small part of the Sanctuary, but even that mere portion of it was awash with marvels. But the greatest for her remained the Garden of the Seasons, where all seasons dwelt together as one.

Mother Nature was sat within the gazebo, which for once was empty of its usual table. Instead it had been cleared to make way for five chairs and a low stool, two of those chairs placed facing the remaining furniture.

She indicated Emily sit in one of those two chairs.

"There are some people I want you to meet. While it's true you were turned into an immortal for Jack's sake, it remains that you've no real role waiting for you in this era. However it's simple to create one for you, should you choose to join the ranks of Jack's Lieutenants of Winter."

Emily gasped.

"You want to turn me into a Nature Immortal?"

Mother Nature inclined her head.

"Of course, if you'd rather be a Legend, there are many who will help you find your place in this world."

"No no, that's not what I want." Emily flushed, flustering like the teenager she now resembled. "Would you really do that for me, let me work alongside Jack?"

The older immortal smiled.

"It's not a case of 'let', but more that you 'want' to. No Lieutenant is forced into service, it must be voluntary or not at all. Because Belief in a Lieutenant, also strengthens the Spirit of the Seasons that they work for. If not done with true intent to serve, that exchange is immoral and wrong. Do you want to be a Lieutenant for Jack?"

"Yes!"

At that definitely reply, Mother Nature chuckled quietly.

"Then it's time for you to meet his Senior Lieutenants. Just sit quiet until I say. I've asked them to come speak with me, but don't know about you yet."

She gestured with a hand, opening a vine gate a short way beyond the gazebo. Through it came two women, so different in appearance it was clear they came from far distant cultures. There was also a Native American man, a groundhog, a massive snow-white tiger, and an immense white stag.

They approached quickly, the man and women sitting on the chairs, the groundhog on the stool, while the tiger and stag lay down on the floor either side of that row. Only one they were settled was anything said, by the black-haired woman in her snowflake-patterned kimono.

Her expression was anxious.

"Have you found a way to help Jack?"

Mother Nature's expression was solemn and serious, showing no hint of the happiness that was surely bubbling beneath. In reply she simply nodded her head, the smallest of smiles lighting up her face.

"I have."

The young man leaned forward, earnest.

"What is it? Is there anything you need of us to aid in it?"

The tiger also spoke up.

"Then tell us. Anything you want of us, we will gladly do."

There was a long pause, Emily glancing at Mother Nature waiting for her to tell them. The silence drawing out until the new immortal let out a sigh of exasperation and stood up.

"For Moon's sake! If you won't tell them, then I will." She strode over and stood before them, smiling with the hope she represented for them. "I'm the one who can help Jack... I'm Emily Overland Bennett."

All six of them gasped, the groundhog among them letting out a squeak of shock.

"Jack's sister?!"

Emily laughed.

"Father Time brought me from the past and made me immortal. No one back then ever knew he'd taken me from the grave. No one ever knew I wasn't there anymore. No one in my family ever knew that one day in the future I'd be returned to them."

She crouched down to pet the groundhog on the head. "And now it seems I'm to be a Lieutenant of Winter... If you'll have me, that is."

The response to that wasn't solely verbal, instead she was immediately hauled into a hug by the Japanese woman. A hug what was swiftly added to by the other five Lieutenants. Their simultaneous exclamations of assurance that she was more than welcome to join them, melting into one massed burst of joyous noise.

Somewhere among all that they introduced themselves to her. The Japanese woman was Yuki, her Slavic counterpart was Marzanna. The Native American man was Kiyiya, the groundhog was called Dig. The tiger was Zuě Hu, and the stag was Cernunnos.

Mother Nature allowed them a few minutes for excited chatter, before she cleared her throat to get their attention. Once the chatter then faded to quiet, she spoke with both joy and amusement.

"That's what part settled. Now, Emily needs you to teach her all you can over the next few days. Can you keep it secret until after the Guardian Meeting?"

All six Lieutenants, realising what she had planned, agreed without hesitation. Kiyiya laughing out loud as he spoke for them.

"After all the pranks he's played on us over the years, it'll be nice to get one over on him for a change. We'll prepare the surprise after-party." He then slung an arm over Emily's shoulder. "Which means I guess we should start on giving you the crash course in Winter Management."

During this, Mother Nature had reached with her powers to grasp myriad strands of 'winter' and woven them into Emily. The young immortal's simple dress now bearing a delicate gracing of frost around the hems.

The Lieutenants ushered her off to the Glade of Winter, knowing that there she could practice without any chance of Jack finding out about her. And if Jack noticed the sudden absence of his Senior Lieutenants, he would likely assume quiet accurately that they'd gone off to do their own thing for a while. Although his guess at what that was would surely be far off the mark.

Emily found herself welcomed without question into his 'winter family'. The days rolling by under their tutelage just as the weeks had passed with Katherine. And then, at last, the day finally came.

Emily wandered nervously around the cottage, hands plucking at the folds of the new blue dress she'd been given. It came down to her knees above darker blue leggings and a pair of study grey boots, with more grey detailing around the hems that her powers had coated with frost. Her hair hung loose to just below her shoulders, held back from her face by a fine net of snowflakes.

Staring at herself in the mirror, it was hard to think that just over a month ago for her, she'd been old and crippled by illness in a bed. She'd been given a new beginning, and today it was truly going to start.

"Emily, it's time."

Mother Nature stood at the door of the cottage, smiling as she held out her hand. Emily accepted it, allowing herself to be led to the Garden.

Father Time waited there, eyes half-closed as he 'watched' the progress of the Guardian's Meeting. Waiting for the right moment to signal to Mother Nature.

When he did, the two of them stepped through the vine gate she had summoned, leaving Emily waiting anxiously in the Garden for her cue. The wait was less than a minute, but it seemed like an eternity before a wisp of wind came back through the gate with the message for her to go through.

She passed from the soft sounds of a garden and birdsong, to the loud cacophony of a busy toy-making workshop. The massive room, the colours and sounds, all set to startle her into motionlessness until the instant she spotted Jack.

Tears welled up in her eyes and she burst into a smile. Holding out her hand to him.

"I guess I'm seeing that bright future with you after all."

Jack took a single step forward, his eyes wide with hope that bordered on disbelief. She saw in that instant the lost man he'd become, the loneliness, the despair... All of it then washed away the moment he then raced towards her and pulled her into his arms. Hugging her so tightly it was clear he feared this was a dream.

"Emily!"

She held on tightly to him, laughing with joy.

"I'm back, Big Brother, and I'll never leave you ever again."

He continued to cling to her, his whole body shaking with his sobs as tears and joy melded into one. And while she held him, she looked over his shoulder at the Guardians and everyone else around the meeting table. Smiling in gratitude for all they'd done. One in particular, the Sandman, waving at her. It had been many years for him, since the last time he'd visited the Village and spoken to her.

She used a hand to speak in the simple sign language he'd sometimes used back then.

'Thank you for looking after him.'

Sandy grinned, acknowledging the thanks, before waving his arms to start conjuring fireworks of dreamsand in celebration. If any time was one for a party, it was right now.

~(-)~

Alaia Skyhawk: The third and final part of this mini-arc will be tomorrow. After that we'll be taking a leap back in the time-line, for a little bit of funzies with The Groundhog, Dig :)

Remember guys, I'm now taking requests for this collection fic. So if there's any little 'loose end' from the main story that I wasn't able to cover there, that you'd like to see, let me know!