A/N: Because someone asked, here's a brief family tree for Jack's family. Now, just because you know it, doesn't mean Jack does. He has no clue what happened to his family after Hannah died. For him, even though it happened centuries ago, since he just remembered her, Hannah is still ten years old. It hasn't dawned on him that maybe she grew up and had kids of her own. He hasn't realized that she might have descendants wandering about the world today, so he really hasn't thought to look for what might be left of his family.
Ellen Sophia-Married-Josiah Overland they had two kids:
Jackson (Jack Frost) died 1702 and Hannah-Married-Benjamin Abbot who also had two kids:
James (Jamie) died 1718 and Jackson Abbot -Married-Eliza, they have three known descendants presently.
Now, here's the story. As always I don't own anything, and I hope you enjoy.
Father Jake led them to a cozy office with thick woven rugs covering the old stone floor. The two walls not covered in bookshelves were adorned with beautiful hand-made quilts. A large wooden framed window looked out over the old cemetery, the street just visible. It should have been a haunting view, but was instead, somehow peaceful.
"These are lovely." Delia complimented, her eyes glued to the tapestries.
"My wife makes them." He told her proudly. "Whenever the church helps someone we give them one, so they're always changing. I keep them here because they keep the room warm. Now, you asked about the old Overland family when you called?"
"Yes!" Melinda nodded. "We know that the locket belonged to Ellen Overland, but I think we were more interested in the boys in the locket?" She said, glancing over at Delia for confirmation.
"I'm just curious." The older woman shrugged. "I want to know whatever you can find."
The old man smiled. "The Overlands were one of the first families to settle in Burgess after it was formed." The priest told them. "In fact, the were from a somewhat prominent family in England, which was the reason Josiah was able to afford to give his wife the locket when their son was born."
"I thought the locket was a gift when Jackson died." Melinda interrupted frowning.
"Not quite." The old man shook his head. "It was commissioned the day he was born, and for sixteen years it held his portrait from his Christening. The Burgess Historical Society still has that portrait, though I believe it's kept in their archives."
"Is there any way we could see it?"
"You'd need to ask someone from the Historical Society, but I don't see why not." He informed the younger woman.
"What happened to him?" Delia asked curiously. "All Mel's told me so far was that he disappeared."
"I suppose you could say that." He sighed. "Jackson's body was never found. From Ellen's diary at the Society, and church records, we know that he and his sister went out to go ice skating a few weeks after Christmas, and they thought he might have fallen through some thin ice. Naturally, Hannah Overland was beyond upset; she couldn't really tell them what had happened. That week, Josiah commissioned a second painting from one of the villagers who had known Jackson best. I'm guessing that's the portrait you have in the locket now."
"Okay." Melinda frowned. "What do you know about the other two boys?"
"Another tragedy, I'm afraid." The old priest sighed. "Sixteen years later, Hannah had the locket. By then she'd married a young man named Benjamin Abbott, and they had their own two sons, Jackson Abbott and his younger twin James. They were eight when someone broke into their home one night and murdered James."
"That's terrible." Delia empathized.
"Yes. They never found the killer. Young Jack was the only witness, and all he would say was that the Bogeyman had killed his brother."
"A bogeyman?" The young antique dealer asked carefully, the memory of chilling laughter in her ears. "Did he describe his bogeyman?"
"As well as he could." Father Jake shrugged. "In fact some of the old posters that were sent around the village are still intact today."
"They had wanted posters?" Ned asked curiously.
"Yes." The man smiled. "The Puritans were actually a very well-educated society."
A sudden shrill scream made Melinda jump though the other three seemed not to notice it, looking at her oddly. "Um, could you excuse me a moment." She said quickly, standing and ducking to the door. "I'll be right back." The three of them were looking curiously at her as the door closed behind her.
"Okay." She chided the scarce ghost. "You and I need to work on our communication skills. Screaming at me in a room full of people is not okay."
"James!" Hannah's shriek of terror made Melinda jump again, turning toward the source of the sound. She found herself facing another window overlooking the edge of the cemetery. The apparition stood there, her black gown stark against the pristine snow, her dark hair hidden beneath the simple bonnet. Her gaze was a mask of maternal fear as her gaze followed something in the street.
Melinda's gaze followed hers in time to see a young boy on a sled come flying off the street and crash head first into a mound of snow on one of the larger graves. "Oh no." She gasped, bolting for the front of the church.
Moments later she was rushing down the church steps and around to the graveyard in time to see four children disentangling themselves from a heap in the snow, all of them shouting cheerful good byes and encouragement to the sky. "Are you kids okay?" She called out, hurrying toward them.
"We're good!" a young black boy with wild hair crowed. "Jack totally had us! Right Jamie?"
Her eyes shot to the boy named Jamie as he turned, and her breath caught. The child looked so much like the boys in the locket, right down to the same missing tooth. "Yeah." He said with calm confidence. "Jack wouldn't let anything hurt us."
"Jack?" Melinda frowned, getting a bed feeling.
"Yeah." The brunette smiled. "Jack Frost. He's a Guardian."
"A Guardian?" She asked, carefully crunching through the snow to the kids.
"Yeah. Like Santa Clause and the Easter Bunny."
"And the Toothfairy!" The first boy added, nodding vigorously.
"And the Sandman." A tall lanky girl put in. "But we see Jack the most."
"Winter's favorite town?" Melinda guessed.
"Sorta…" The boy called Jamie shrugged. "Jack kinda lives in the woods by the old pond. But we don't go out there without him."
"Well, I guess it would be a bit rude to go in someone's house when they aren't home." She reasoned, playing along.
"That's not why." Piped up a small blonde boy with large glasses. "It's 'cause the Bogeyman lives out there too."
The wild wind carried Jack swiftly to the Pole where he was unsurprised to see North and the others waiting for him. Bunnymund lounged lazily against one of the large pillars, a small group of unpainted eggs sitting patiently at his large feet. Toothiana flitted amongst her tiny selves giving rapid-fire instructions, while North and Sandy were deep in a rather one-sided conversation. As soon as she noticed him, Jack's little Baby Tooth squeaked loudly and flitted to him, settling herself in the hood of the old faded blue sweater.
"Ah, Jack!" North boomed, having noticed the tiny fairy's flight. "We are waiting for you!"
"Yeah." The immortal teen grinned cockily. "What's up? You totally cheated Jamie's snow day."
"You still hangin' 'round there?" Bunny smirked. "I thought you were the free spirit type. Next thing we know you'll be settin' up shop."
"Not likely." Jack scoffed. "Burgess is just… important…"
"How is Jamie?" North interrupted, curious for news of the strongest believer.
"Still believing." He told them. "Sophie's getting big." He added with a knowing glance at the pooka.
"Little Ankle-biter." Bunny mumbled to himself.
"Anyway, why did you call?" He asked, returning his attention to the Cossack.
"Not me." North denied, shaking his head and gesturing to the much smaller form beside him. "It was Sandy."
All eyes fell on the tiny golden man whose golden gaze was locked on Jack. A tiny image swirled over his head, a small girl of sand the seemed to form and blow away with frightening rapidity.
It took a moment for the youngest Guardian to interpret the image. "Maria?" He frowned.
Sandy nodded and a map with a large question mark replaced the image. "I dunno." Jack shrugged. "She was in Burgess, but she left last week. I was gonna hit Manhattan, then meet up with her later near there before we set out for Siberia. Why?"
In answer a small stream of silvery dream sand floated over to the Spirit of Winter Games. He frowned, his fingers delving into the argent grains. With a quick swirl the sand formed into a young girl with along hair skipping gaily in a game of hopscotch. "It's… sad…" Jack said slowly. "I mean, it's good, but…"
The golden Sandman nodded sagely, the image of Maria once again forming from the dream sand.
"You guys think Maria did this?" Jack asked angrily. "But, why would she?" He demanded.
Sandy shrugged, looking as bewildered as Jack. A small golden pictogram of the winter sprite appeared next to the wispy image of the wind spirit and the two began to gesticulate to each other.
"You want me to talk to her?" Jack blinked startled.
"You've got the best chance o' findin' her, Frostbite." Bunny shrugged. "We'll come along in case she gets a bit…"
"Tempestuous?" Tooth offered.
"Precisely." North agreed with a wide smile.
Jack looked at the other three before his snowy-sky eyes fell back on the small Sandman. The little golden man gave him a sleepy smile full of gentle confidence. "Okay." Jack Frost agreed. "Any idea where to start looking for her?"
The sand above Sandy's head sifted to form a simple town sign reading 'Welcome to Grandview, NY!'