This chapter gives me emotional pains like everywhere, and oh gosh, sorry about the heinous grammar in the last chapter! I'll fix it later! Gonna go fix the past ones too (and probably this one knowing my luck). Lol okay guys, get comfy! And oh, beautiful kudos to the lovely Trumpet-Geek for chatting with me about synaesthesia, I think it's the coolest thing!

"Who I am from the start, take me home to my heart. Let me go and I will run, I will not be silent.
All this time spent in vain, wasted years, wasted gain. All is lost, hope remains, and this war's not over."

Outskirts of Burgess, 5:32 a.m.

Jack clenched his fist.

He opened his mouth, but the moment he knitted his eyebrows together, Jack paused. His heart suddenly began to race.

The welcome sign was right in front of him, and the moon shone down on it like the night he'd woken up. It made his fingers twitch anxiously but it was no time to be...

No.

No...He refused to say scared.

But god knew he felt it.

So he rubbed his eye instead and put on his game face.

"Alright, let's go get this over with."

"Get this over w...?" Tooth blinked and shook her head a little. "Jack, wait."

The brunette stopped and turned back to look at her. His blank but calculating stare made her uncomfortable – how was it that even though she'd admitted to Edmund (and herself long ago) that she liked this guy, but he still made her nervous sometimes?

She frowned as he waited for her answer.

"How did you...How did you snap out of it?" she asked about the bleeding effect.

She'd wanted to ask him since he first spoke, but with Edmund abruptly leaving, her head was more wrapped around losing their new friend. Jack blinked and looked at the river in the distance.

He shook his head.

"I don't know," he said low and honest. "I really don't."

"..."

He rubbed his head.

"I just...When we were back in the field and you caught that paper–"

"I know, I know I'm sorry–"

"No, you didn't see," he stopped her and threw a hand out. "I saw this...I felt this wave wash over me."

Tooth's eyebrows lifted.

"A-A wave?" and he nodded. He remembered how cold and violent the blue flashed over everything, like a flourish of snow.

"And when it was gone, all the people I knew from my memories started appearing."

"The bleeding effect," she mumbled and he nodded.

But he didn't dare mention the broken wonderland...her face was already too much for him to handle.

"But what about now?" she asked, her face painted with deep concern. "D-Do you see anyone?"

Jack shook his head.

"That's the other thing...When I scared you guys," he paused and threw her an almost apologetic look, "it was because I got hit with another. And they all went away."

Tooth's heart raced.

"They did? Wh–"

"The second wave I got hit with, it...it didn't hurt. It was slow and gentle...like a ripple."

After he explained, Jack made a sweeping motion with his hand. The wind weaved itself through his fingers and Tooth couldn't help but look down at the snowflakes that wanted to dance with him.

Suddenly he narrowed his eyes.

"And I think...it's because my gene knew...It's connected to this place. It knows I'm in the right place."

Tooth licked her lips. As he dropped his hand the snowflakes drifted away, she lifted her head to look at his face in the pale moonlight.

"A-Are you sure?" she dared to ask. Jack tightened his hold on his backpack.

"No," he answered and looked back at her too. "But that's all we've got."

And before he moved, Jack actually lifted his hand to cover both his eyes. He sighed before he turned away to the empty road. Aster's tires left tracks in the snow and with a powerful undersweep, Jack used his gene to sweep the snow from the field onto the road far enough that it would cover the tires and make it seem like they'd been made hours ago instead of minutes. That was the only help he could give back to the racing Australian now.

Then Jack moved and walked closer towards the sign. He missed the way Tooth's face cracked a little as her heart twisted in her chest.

...

5:42 a.m.

When they were both standing in front of the sign, Tooth hugged herself for warmth. She watched Jack step directly up to the post to put his hand against it.

Jack's eyes were still hard and focused as he trailed his white fingertips down the smooth metal. He traced some of the lines and words before he pulled away. With a set jaw, he rubbed his fingers together. Then he looked around it and knelt at the support beams to knock them with his knuckle.

Tooth smacked her lips thoughtfully.

She thought it was sorta weird that he was doing all that when they should've started walking into the town already. But it was Jack and he was a spy – it was in his nature to scrutinize every detail.

And with his memories needing a kick-start, she realised the more scrutinizing, the better.

"Ma-Maybe you should check those rocks too?"

Jack turned his head up at Tooth surprisingly. Her small form was shivering slightly but she had the same anxious look as him. He saw her tiny glove (where it was clutching her bag) lift up to point on their right. When he turned, he saw the head of a smooth stone peeking out under the snow.

Jack nodded and stood up, walking toward it.

How she'd figured that was anyone's guess but she was right.

And oddly enough, Jack felt like the stone actually was calling him out to him.

His frown still on his face, Jack made a few steps toward it. He stopped when it got caught just under his shadow.

Jack's memory of the night they ditched came back. It was still sorta blurry but he realised it was longer, and for the first time...

...he could actually hear it more clearly too...

Jack watched as a small door slid open with a deep shuuurk!

Immediately, two men who had been sitting on either side of him jumped out. They were dressed in casual sweaters and jeans ...but he had a feeling they only did that to make sure they looked like regular guys to anyone who might catch a glimpse of them.

"We're clear!" one of them whispered quietly after they did a quick scout. "We're clear!"

"Well, pull him out! Pull him OUT!"

Jack tried to move his mouth but it wasn't moving. Just like his fingers, and his entire body. Who were they pulling out? Him? And who was the guy that spoke behind him?! Wh–

The two men quickly moved back to the door and grabbed each of his legs. As they did, the person behind him also lifted him up from under his armpits.

Jack tried to gasp but it only came out as a short exhale. His lips were still frozen.

The three guys then shifted hurriedly and moved Jack through the door. Once his head passed over the threshold, the wind slapped his cheek and threw his hair up. It was really windy night that night.

And it was also really bright since the moon blurred everything he was trying to see...

Tooth watched Jack kneel on one foot into the snow again.

She was glad he was taking what little help she could give. It was all about him right now and she didn't want to mess up by not doing what she could – which also included waiting.

So she zipped her lips shut and let him do his thing.

Jack glared at the tip of the rock for a moment before he lifted his head. He then stared at the road they'd just come from, still trying to re-imagine the memory.

Jack's head bobbed violently as the guys walked into the snow. When his head fell sideways and his vision tilted behind him, one of them stopped.

"Hey, easy! EASY!" he hissed. "His brain just went through a fucking meltdown! You think you could stop shaking whatever's left in there?!"

"Psh, there is nothing left," the other guy snapped scornfully. "Why d'you think he gets to go h–"

But Jack didn't hear the rest because he tried to gasp again when his neck bent too far backwards.

"Jesus, seriously?! Careful for that rock! It almost hit his–"

The guy carrying him stumbled all of them into a freeze so he could lift Jack's head forward again. But by then, Jack had already seen where they'd come from – there was black van on a dirt road with the side door opened. It was still running...

Jack rubbed his scalp and flicked his blue eyes across the road. From one end to the other, it made his skin crawl knowing who and how he'd gotten here.

"A van..."

When he looked down again, he couldn't help but hold his breath.

He lifted his gloved hand over the stone.

Tooth watched him hesitate for a second.

She held her breath too.

Then a second later, he brushed the snow away – at first in quick, nervous strokes then in long, anxious sweeps. Jack's chest tightened as he wiped the whole slate clean. When the snow was all gone, he moved his hand away.

The rock was long, flat, and a little slanted...It reminded him of a pillow.

"We can't put him to close to the road or someone will–"

When they passed a groundhog's den they all (even Jack through his impaired vision) sow something furry stick its head out to look at him.

"Well, nothing human will, at least for a day. Nobody drives out of town on Christmas–"

"Shut up, you two!" the guy behind him barked. "Let's just find a spot where we can leave him...okay?"

The two didn't say a word after – they hated to admit how bad that sentence sounded too. Jack saw the shadows of their heads move around in the moonlight.

"Can't leave him directly in the snow," one muttered. "It'll cover him up."

"He's need some kind of elevation then. But these rocks'll–"

"Wait, over there!"

Jack's frown deepened. Despite himself, he lifted his hand again and touched the stone.

He pressed it until his palm was flat against the smooth, cold rock.

"Ease him down gently...Yeah, there."

Jack was instantly terrified as he felt his body lower. The faces were blurred out by the moonlight and the constant moving of their bodies. But he knew the feeling creeping into his chest the minute his head was resting on something hard and cold – abandonment.

He tried to move his lips, his eyes, his eyebrows, anything to get them to notice him. But they weren't seeing him.

"Wait," one of them panicked. "Can he...Can he see us? His eyes aren't closed."

"Partially, but he's been known to do that."

Jack saw all three of their heads turn to his. He could feel their eyes on him even though he couldn't see it. Then one of them shook his head.

"No, that's how they all look," another corrected him. "He's asleep though, it's part of the process."

Jack's heart raced under the turtleneck and winter coat they'd dressed him in. He wanted to say that he was ALREADY awake, that he COULD see them, and that–

"Don't worry though," they kept talking. "He'll wake up in a bit and he'll know where to go. That's why he's one of the lucky ones who made it out. The doctors did his right."

Jack's eyelids wouldn't even flutter. Go where? Made it out? Did his WHAT right?

Jack put his other fist against his mouth. He suddenly found it hard to breathe.

He really had heard that conversation as he was being dragged but...but why hadn't he remembered being carried or them speaking until now? When he woke up all he remembered was–

The guys didn't move for a second and it looked (and felt) like they were staring at him, the same way the scientists had. Then someone mumbled again.

"Good luck, buddy. W...Sorry..."

A few more seconds later, then finally they moved.

"Okay, let's go!" and in a flash they all stood up. Jack felt like he would throw up and his heart would explode in his chest. He didn't even know who they were, but they knew HIM, and they were going to leave him alone now?! And he didn't KNOW where to go!

Jack tried everything but he couldn't control anything except his tight breathing.

And in his distress, they all hopped over him and ran to the left. Jack couldn't even turn his head, but he knew where they were going.

A moment later, he heard the van door slam shut and the tires screech away.

Then he was alone, until his heart slowed and his eyes remained glued in place.

Jack moved his hand away and stood up instantly. He turned back to the sign.

'Welcome to Burgess'...the words were really starting to drive nails into his head.

Tooth watched him tilt his head. He looked as if he still wasn't getting it.

"...Anything?"

He didn't look at her but his head tilted down again slightly which meant he heard her. She shook her head a little.

"...You still don't recognize it?"

"I..."

The wind blew passed them on its own stream and lifted her bangs little. When it tossed itself over to caress his cheekbones, he turned around slowly.

Jack eyed the road instead. Before Tooth could speak, his head turned back down to the stone.

"...I never did."

Then Jack suffered another relapse from the bleeding effect – and with a hurt-filled gaze, Jack saw himself.

He saw himself...lying on the stone.

The rock was keeping his head away from the snow and he was gasping for cold air in his lungs.

It looked like he'd been there for hours – and Jack remembered that it had been for a long time before he could move his body again.

The Jack on the ground had finally turned his head and was looking up at the sign. His eyes wouldn't stop reading until the feeling came back to his arms and legs.

When they did, Jack watched himself struggle to sit up then stand on his own two feet. It took him a couple tries not to lean sideways but when he finally got it, his mouth hung open in shock.

He watched himself look down at his pale, white hands in stunned wonder, remembering what he thought then...

'Why didn't I freeze to death?'

He should've died in the cold that night but his skin hadn't turned blue and his lips weren't shivering – he'd felt almost comfortable. The thought had made him press his hand to the back of his head.

Then he watched himself turn and look up at the sign against the clear sky. He mouthed the words to himself...

Why...Burgess? What was Burgess? Where was Burgess?

Jack didn't know the town, didn't recognise the name. And it had spooked him until he backed away from the sign and rubbed his head.

He didn't want to walk down the road and go there. For all he knew, the guys who ditched him left him in an area where all these strange people might do weird things to him. And even if that wasn't the case...they'd said it was Christmas tomorrow.

Christmas. As in happy families getting up in the morning to celebrate, not wanting to see some creeped out...how old was he anyway?

Jack watched himself look down with a confused look. When the other Jack looked back up, his face was grim and he continued to walk backwards.

'No,' he remembered thinking.

They'd dumped him in this ditch for a reason which meant people weren't supposed to see him. People didn't do that unless the person they were ditching had something to hide...or worse, were potentially dangerous. So Jack decided to walk away from the sign, from Burgess and whoever the heck was in there. It wasn't like he'd felt any sort of attachment to it.

The sign did nothing for him. It was just a place.

He'd walk down the road and find another place to get help, to ask for answers. And he wasn't cold so the long, lonely walk would maybe clear his head and keep him from being seen by people.

And when the back of his feet hit the road, he turned and stumbled away, completely disturbed by what had just happened to him.

He never thought of going back once until it was completely gone from his mind.

And Jack watched until the other Jack with the hunched shoulders and white hair faded away.

Then he turned back to Tooth.

Toothiana stood there silent and shivering. The wind blew her hair in her face but he caught her dark pink eyes through them anyway. She looked worried.

She was still waiting for his answer.

He knitted his eyebrows together.

"Remember when you asked why I never came back?"

She nodded her head then tucked her chin into her scarf to keep the wind out.

"It's because I never remembered it after I left," and he stepped away from the stone and walked back to her.

"I remembered that," he pointed to the stone. "But not where it was, because I didn't care."

She immediately looked back up at him.

"Your POA," she mumbled as she looked at the stone. Jack looked at her confused. When she blinked, he looked away.

"...And I was afraid."

Tooth's eyebrows shot up.

He finally said...to her...to her.

But more importantly...to himself.

Her mouth opened and closed sadly. But then he continued.

"I...It wasn't made clear if I was even from here – people in the next town didn't recognise me and I sure as hell didn't recognise them. So if you think about it, this might not even be my hometown! I know didn't what was in there, what was waiting for me, so I..." Jack ran a hand through his hair. "So I bolted before anyone came."

Tooth turned her head back down the road that led into the forest. It did look pretty ominous with all the tall, pine trees protecting the frontline.

"But not this time."

Jack was looking at the trees too.

"Back then I didn't have a purpose, or a reason to go in," then he looked down at her. "But now I do."

Tooth would be lying if she said her skin didn't grow a little flustered from his words and heavy gaze. But she pushed it aside almost instantly when the fire came back to her chest.

Jack watched her jaw tighten and her eyes catch light. She nodded.

"I've got your back," she murmured. "Whatever or whoever's in there waiting for you, I'm right here."

And he remembered her voice in the Judgement Room just before he broke down.

I'M RIGHT HERE!

And he couldn't be more grateful.

"I know," and Jack shot her a tiny smile. "Thanks."

And she shot him one back, feeling the band around her chest vanish slightly. It felt like three hundred years had passed since she'd seen his last one.

Jack then turned towards the sign and after one more read, he grabbed Tooth's leather glove with his own. The two then walked through the last of the snow and onto the road leading into the trees.

They were silent, their hearts were racing and their grips were tight, and they hoped the bleeding effect (and Jack's wonderland) wouldn't come back.

But they didn't have to worry...he would still get flashbacks, but the Jack that had walked down the road alone was the last ghost he'd ever see again.

With one last ripple effect over the snow, his center gene made sure of it.

...

6:13 a.m.

They cringed every time their boots crunched gravel and ice...and their breaths were shaky, although Tooth's puffs of air came out larger than Jack's...but they were in awe once they finally broke the treeline.

Jack had opted to let Tooth link arms with him halfway through the road so they would stay warmer. He didn't know why but it was like he was actuallystarting to the feel the cold again through his skin the closer they got to the end of the road.

Once their shoes hit a railroad track that ran sideways over the road, they stopped.

Burgess wasn't the scary, little village they'd been mentally preparing for.

It was...absolutely stunning.

Beyond the pedestrian path and the intersection up ahead, the road did a sloping effect and they could see the entire town lit up by its streetlamps, traffic lights, and various Christmas lights. Large, breathtaking mountains in the distance covered in pine trees protected it from behind.

All the shops and businesses (huddled at Burgess' base in the distance) were closed for the holidays and the homes and buildings scattered around them had their lights out. It was like everyone had really committed to the Christmas spirit and wanted to rest that night – that, or their kids were being extra good and didn't want to stay up to spy on Santa. On the left, a piece of the mighty Lehigh River they had seen back out on the main road had broken away to make a beautiful bend along Burgess' left before it curved again to go back and join the rest of the river. Several small boats belonging to families and businesses were docked there for the winter. On the right, the train track passed them and went through the central part of the city to a small station near the other end.

And like a perfect Hallmark moment, everything was covered in snow.

Tooth pushed the back of her fingers against her mouth to stop a squeal form coming out.

"Wow..."

Even Jack was surprised.

"I really wish I had a camera right now," he mumbled and she nodded. Then he suddenly felt guilty.

Burgess wasn't a bad place after all. Sure, it was a quiet, little town that looked like it didn't get much action but it was still well taken care of.

He could see with his keen eyes how much love the people here put into their little world surrounded by the pines. The roads were clean and shovelled, the cars were safely parked and basically asleep for the night, and–

He squinted his eyes suddenly.

Far down in the distance, he saw a pair of headlights turn at another intersection and drive up the other way. His grip instantly tightened on Tooth.

Her little dream bubble popped instantly and she looked at him. All her thoughts about a winter wonderland and drinking hot chocolate again left her head.

"What?" she whispered. She was almost afraid to speak because Burgess was perfect in all its silence.

He flit his blue eyes over her head.

Now that they were alone again, she realised that if Jack slipped into a broken state again, she wouldn't have anyone strong enough to pry his fingers from her throat.

'Don't say it like that, Tooth,' she fretted and when she shook her head she threw him a gentle smile.

"We shouldn't be seen walking the main streets," he mumbled. "People shouldn't know we're here."

And on pure instinct, he moved around her and tugged her along over the tracks, going down some street on the right. When they were behind a building, his lips moved on their own.

"There's a park on this side and the rest of the neighbourhoods fan out behind it so we shou–"

He stopped.

He got another memory, this time long again and more clear...even the people's faces weren't blurry.

It was three days after New Years.

Jack was wandering through the streets of California. He'd just left some bar and wanted to get some fresh air.

When he hit a corner and was ready to cross the street, a group of college girls still on break and dressed to party passed his line. They instantly whistled and shot him flirty looks. Jack was more than happy shooting them a sexy smirk. They started to pause on themselves as they turned to face him.

This was the best, being twenty-something and so okay, he didn't know where he came from and what he was doing with himself. But he had all the free time in the world to do whatever he wanted.

They told him his hair was awesome, thinking it was some kind of holiday stunt he pulled for the winter. Jack nonchalantly thanked them, although a part of them – a sudden, cold part of him – wanted them to mind their own business. He instantly shoved it down. That had been happening a lot lately and he needed to control it.

The girls were more than comfortable enough asking him if he wanted to join them for dancing. They were walking to a nearby open pit where all the music was coming from.

"So join us! Join us!" they each laughed genuinely and he laughed when two grabbed each of his hands and tried to pull him forward. "We promise we won't ask you for sex or anything! We're classier than that!"

And Jack chuckled as he felt his fingers twitch and a cool breeze hit the collar of his blue button-up.

"Good to know."

"Oh! But you need a Christmas name first!"

Jack paused and laughed. "What kind of dance you goin' to?"

"No, not for the dance! For the contest!" one of girls chuckled. "The holiday names with the most number of people get a prize! And the ones without get one too for being unique!"

"So WE'RE all going as Vixen! Santa's eighth reindeer," one cheered and the other seven rolled their eyes.

One of the girls leaned in and jerked a thumb at her. "Her idea, but her birthday's tomorrow so we caved."

And Jack chuckled and shoved his hands into his pockets.

"Sexy," he smirked and they all sorta melted a little inside. Then two laughed and nodded.

"So come on, join us for a dance or two! Or at least help us win!"

And Jack immediately threw up his hands with a laugh. "Hey, I'm not a vixen!"

"Oh yeah?" another girl put her hands on her hips. "Then who are you?"

Jack put down his hands and looked at the ground, pretending to think for a moment. Then after a moment, he lifted his head and he ran a hand through his hair.

"I'm Jack," and a mischievous smile was on his face. "Jack Frost."

...

The pit was loud and pumping and he got swept up in the beat more times than he could count. He danced with each 'Vixen', a 'Holly', a 'Mistletoe' here and there, and even a couple 'Mrs. Clauses' until he realised it was well over three hours into the mix.

But after the umpteenth song played, he started to feel trapped in the sea of people. He didn't know why or what was happening, normally his energy was always on high and he loved to have fun.

But something about the hundreds of faces he kept spinning into made him dizzy, made him lost – and he instantly remembered the night when he 'woke up' a week ago.

His heart started to race. He almost didn't realise when the DJ stopped playing abruptly and the MC started to announce which group had one for most names – Santa was the obvious, most uncreative, winner and a swarm of about thirty guys and the odd number of girls jumped on stage and cheered.

Then the MC moved on to the 'Most Creative', and much to the college girls' disappointment, the team of twelve who called themselves the 'Stars of Bethlehem' won the title.

He heard the girls he'd come with pout a little before they clapped and decided the winning team actually did make up the better name.

He suddenly felt bad for them since they were genuinely nice. Yet just as he was about to lean over and pat the girl closest to him on the back, something flashed before his eye.

He was pulling out the weird contacts case in his pockets. It was only thing he'd woken up with in the snow and when he opened it, it said "CODENAME JACK FROST"...Then he was gasping for air in the snow again – then suddenly he saw gun in his face.

When the memory vanished, Jack froze but no one saw it. "What the hell?" He pressed his hand against his jeans pocket...it was still there.

He panicked, he didn't know what that was or why but suddenly all the cold, empty feelings of being alone again from the night in the snow came back. He grew sick, he started to shake slightly and he needed to get out of the crowd.

And finally, the MC came to honorable mention for that one, unique name.

"Alright my little, hot Christmas cookies, now give it up for the only one of y'all that actually signed up as this cool boy...Give it up for Jack Frost!"

And the crowd immediately cheered and clapped. That was super clever! Why the heck didn't anyone remember Jack Frost?

"Where's my home boy at?" the MC laughed. "Jack Frost, you get your ass on this stage so we can all see you!"

And the girl who'd stood beside him spun her head. "Jack, you won! Y–"

But the space was empty and he was gone.

"Where's Jack?"
"Where's Jack Frost?"
"Which one of you is Jack Frost?"
"Is it you?""Is it you?"
"I repeat, Jack Frost! Come on boy, don't be shy! Get up here!"

But the more they kept saying and chanting his name, Jack shoved himself harder through the crowd until he was out. The girls never saw him again.

And they'd never know that was his real name, his only name, or at least...the name he'd been given.

Really early the next morning when he went to buy a bus ticket for Nevada, the three FBI agents he would later kill by accident cornered him at the alleyway.

After that, fun for Jack Frost went irrevocably downhill.

Sure, he had a couple homes, extremely short-term loves, and a couple laughs, but he had an international arrest him that kept him in the shadows...but at least he had the freakish survival skills of a ninja.

Tooth's mouth fell open and he shot her the same wide-eyed look.

"You know about a park here?" she said. "B-But you said you'd never been here."

Jack shook his head, still shocked with himself too.

"I haven't."

And Tooth tightened her tiny hand around his arm. "Come on."

She pulled him down the road instead.

...

6:23 a.m.

The further they walked into Burgess, the more Jack's mouth fell open. His body was reacting to things he swore he'd never seen in his life.

There was a diner they'd passed on the way and suddenly he had a craving for maple waffles. Next, they crossed the town library – it was dead and sorta creepy, but his elbow started to throb like he remembered having a bad fall in there that was worth getting an arm cast for. Then, they whizzed past an auto repair shop and Jack was sure he could smell petroleum oil and his fingers itched for a motorcycle handbrake.

'It's like I'm suffering from some damn synaesthesia,' he thought nervously. His brain was just mixing all his signals, all his senses, and he was seeing things, feeling things, hell, even smelling things. His fingers twitched again.

What was wrong with him?

When they passed a glass window, he even looked over Tooth's head to stare at his reflection. His eyes looked haunted and his shoulders were slightly hunched forward...

...Just like the Jack who got up and walked away.

He instantly pulled his shoulders back.

It was all so warped to him, having these sensations but not recognizing this place – but the more his body reacted, the more flashbacks he got.

(Луна)"Welcome to the big leagues now," a big guy said and he slid a large envelope across the table to Jack.

Jack was already in his Takedown Unit uniform and picked up the envelope with his glove. As he and the other four new team leaders opened their own packages, they each pulled the enlarged photo of their criminal only two inches out of the slot – as they supposed to do.

Just by the curve of his eyebrow, they all froze with anxieties mounting.

"Pitch Black," one of the female team leaders seethed. She looked absolutely calm but all the people in the room were trained in elite physical scrutiny. They heard her breath falter just a degree under normal, her right eyelid fluttered, her fist tightened, and that one muscle near the center of her cheek twitched the slightest.

She basically had history with this man before and failed, and this was chance to redeem herself.

"Ugh, he's creepy," another leader on Jack's left grumbled. Their handler laughed darkly.

"It's the eyes, huh?"

"Does that mean he was a–"

"Three hours ago, his men killed sixteen of Italy's AISE agents and stole a cargo of VX they'd rescued eight hours earlier in Naples. They were transporting it to back to Florence but our GUARDIANs over there saw them use this–"

And he pressed the giant touchscreen in the centre of their table to enlarge an image. It showed the Nightmares spraying the street with black soot and disappearing behind it.

"When our agents pursued, they were poisoned...VX had already been used and was lacing the compound they sprayed the streets with."

"Well, did you ask them?" another female leader asked. "They must remember something now if they've been ta–"

"They're dead, agent."

Everyone kept their mouth shut as he narrowed his eyes.

"VX is a deadly nerve toxin, you all know this...But it was also laced with something that affected their centres. And turned it against them. So you understand why this mission is important, correct?"

And they all nodded.

(Portuguese) "Estamos nisto juntos," one guy on Jack's right said. "We're in this together."

"Exactly," the handler agreed. "If this affects one GUARDIAN, it affects us all."

"Well, then let's use an aerial pursuit tracker," Jack said, dead calm as always. He crossed his arms and leaned back analysing the photo for irregularities. "Can we flag air traffic control and initiate a search bar over the last twelve hours?"

Their handler nodded.

"Best course of action we can take on a world known terrorist, but it's not easy...He wipes his tracks. That's why you five disperse and see what you can find. Meet with your teams once you land and start finding the potholes."

They all nodded. And after closing their envelopes they all got up from their chairs and rushed out...

Jack said nothing as he and Tooth rushed down the east wide of Burgess. They kept to the shadows of the buildings and jaywalked at practically every intersection. Several times Tooth slipped on ice from the sidewalk and Jack's head twitched when they passed historic buildings sign or a well-lit alley ready for the Christmas morning garbage.

They weren't caught. But the farther in they walked, the more ruthless Jack's memories were–

"W-What's my time?"

"12 minutes and 7 seconds...Keep it up, Frost."

Jack's eyes and face hadn't turned red but his arms were starting to buckle. Still, he gritted his teeth and shut his eyes. Perfecting his handstand was always uncomfortable when the scientists had to come and see it for his muscle follow-up–

"100 pounds...175...200..."

"Add another."

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

Jack grinded his teeth spread out his feet more as his spotter placed another weight on his back. He was in the training room with some other agents trying to walk on his core.

He looked over at Codename: ATLAS though and glared. There was no way he'd ever lift as much as that guy, he wasn't stupid. After three short breaths, Jack pushed his arms higher off the ground until the muscles in his back stretched to their limits. As he controlled his heartbeat, his spotter leaned in and smirked.

"And whoa, you've mastered that whole no-sweat thing," he commented. "Between us, I'm still struggling."

Jack rolled his eyes but like the light conversation. "You should really keep that to yourself, buddy."

And the other guy laughed. Jack looked down awkwardly.

"Alright, alright, Ice boy, hurry it up!" he then pulled back and checked Jack's stats on the screen nearby. "You're passin' your record, but you promised GRIMREAPER that you'd help spar in Quarter Room B remember?"

"Oh shit."

And Jack eased his weight offs and rolled his muscles. He then grabbed his staff off the wall as his partner tossed him his water bottle.

"Thanks."

"And hey, go easy on him! Go easy on everyone over there with that thing!"

Every GUARDIAN had a specific weapon they were best equipped with – and with Jack, his retractable staff, and his agility, he was always the stick up their ass–

"Alright agents, you've got a 14-second window before that shaft opens again!" their pilot yelled and Jack pushed his white bangs aside to get a better look at him from under his ski hat.

"Yo, Jack hide that thing! You don't want a strand to fall and–"

"Why not? Nobody has any DNA or ID on us anymore, remember?"

And the guy shut up instantly. A pang of hurt shot through both of them – but Jack was the first to ignore it.

"Get ready, guys! We're coming over!"

Jack got up and stood on his end of the helicopter. He tightened his weapons belt and loaded his gun before he shoved it into the holster on his thigh then looked down. The wind tossed the air up into their faces and he frowned.

"Jack! Prepare to push that wind away!"

"I'm ready!" he replied called and he pulled off his glove.

"Okay, and in three...two...one!"

Then Jack stepped off, a violent whooshing rushed against his face but the earplugs blocked out the noise. He saw the heavily guarded center a thousand feet below them and the air shafts big enough to fit a person, right below them.

Jack and the others pressed their limbs close together to streamline their bodies against the wind. They were slicing through the air while gravity pushed them further downwards. When they were about 500 metres from the building, the shafts opened then closed. Their technical analyst started to talk in his ear.

"So guys, that vent just closed. MEANS YOUR FOURTEEN SECONDS START NOW! JACK YOU READY?"

"ON IT!" he shouted over the wind and fighting against the current, he pushed his hand outward and flexed his fingers. The wind suddenly parted away from them and they dropped faster without the resistance.

"NINE SECONDS...EIGHT..."

They were still about 450 meters from the center.

"SEVEN...SIX..."

Then only 320 metres!

"FIVE..."

"JACK!" someone else yelled in his ear. "WE'RE NOT DROPPING FAST ENOUGH! DO SOMETHING!"

"FOUR..."

And Jack pushed both hands out and twisted his hands up before snapping them down violently. The wind suddenly followed up behind them.

"THREE..."

Then it curved down in a powerful current and pushed at their heels, driving them down faster.

"TWO..."

"TIGHTEN YOURSELVES, GUYS!" Jack shouted and his team tried their best to move their bodies against the wind. But they'd practiced with Jack a day ago so it worked quickly.

"ONE..."

"Winter division going in!" And the four of them just made it through the open air shaft of the ceiling before it shut close on them. Then–

SCREECH!

Jack hit the throttle after he completed the drift around the hairpin turn and sped down the racetrack.

He saw the screaming audience on either side of the underground parking lot cheer when his AMG Roadster hit the finish line first. When he swung the Mercedes-Benz into an impressive park to face the crowd, he stepped out just as his racing rivals crossed the finish line.

Jack ran a hand through his hair and smirked as he walked forward. Everyone watching was falling over themselves. The energy was high just the way he liked it, the adrenaline was pumping, and best of all, he'd gotten to use his street racing skills to the test. And it showed.

"Well, well, well, my brother, look at you!" the facilitator of the illegal race said as he walked up to Jack with the rest of the losers. He slapped Jack's hand and moved in for a genuine man pat on the back. His Hispanic accent was thick and impressed.

"Mmhmm you really gotta come round again and ride with us sometime! Show these boys how it's done down here in Rio, eh?"

"And leave no chance for them?" And Jack smirked and leaned on one boot. "Ah, now come one. What kind of man would I be?"

"Haha! Bueno, bueno! Well, my prince," and the guy with the gold tooth and rocking chains spread his arm out to the booth on the side. "Your money's in there. Si, well done again, my friend."

And Jack moved away from him to walk to the booth to collect the cash, but not before shooting the losing racers a triumphant smirk.

What the other racers didn't know though was that the money was all counterfeit – but Jack took it anyway.

Later, when Jack was walking through Rio's streets alone, the same racers who lost, grabbed him and pulled him into a dark alley. The one in charge flashed a knife and shoved Jack against the wall.

"You damn American punks think you're all that comin' out and taking our races! Well it's not your race. It's ours! So where's the money!?" he tried to threaten, by flashing the weapon against Jack's neck. The others were also pulling out small knives too.

Jack rolled his eyes but they wouldn't stop talking. They weren't even from Brazil either – they were Korean for Christ's sake! So who were they to talk about comin–

"Ey! You look at me when I talk to you!" the guy snarled again. "So answer this time, where is it?!"

And Jack's calm and cool expression abruptly turned murderous.

"Why don't you ask my friends?"

Suddenly two headlights turned on and blinded them from the other side of the alley.

Five minutes later, Jack and the four others from the Gunner division had the goons up against the wall with their own (more dangerous) blades and guns at their throats. Jack tightened his glove on his hand as he walked up to the guy who'd tried to stab him with a cold look.

"Words of advice? Come a little earlier next time," he muttered darkly. "Oh and, I don't answer your questions. You answer mine."

Then he leaned up and narrowed his brown contact eyes to slits. "And don't you ever think you can outrace me again."

And the other GUARDIANs inwardly agreed. The Gunner division had the most naturally gifted street racers in the world – Jack included. So these guys had no clue who they were messing with.

"Now then," Jack hissed. "Where's Javier?"

Tooth looked up at him when she felt his arm squeeze hers. He pushed a hand under his bangs unconsciously and paused just the slightest.

When Jack pulled his hand away, he was surprised to feel how damp it was. He really was losing it...he couldn't even control his sweat anymore. He tightened his fist.

Jack didn't know Tooth was watching but by then, she'd seen the distress flash across his face.

And despite wanting to give him as much space as he needed, his arm tightening around hers was a clear cry for support.

So Tooth leaned in closer until her head – thanks to her two-inch boot heels – was resting against his shoulder.

And Jack was grateful.

She started to speak quietly, thinking they should do a...what was the spy word he and Edmund like to use?

Oh yeah, a review. A review of what had happened so far.

"So how are you feeling?" she mumbled as she shivered. She did not want to complain about the cold – but the funny thing was, the more time she spent with Jack, the less she was starting to feel it too.

Unless it was hypothermia. Oh jeez.

Tooth shook her own head at herself. "'Cause we've passed about a three dozen structures but you have said anything."

Jack sighed.

"Are you alright, sir?" Jack's voice was light and little more helpful.

"Y-Yes son, thank you," the foreign services officer stuttered. He'd only come to Brussels to visit the embassy and meet some immigrant families on behalf of the Indian government.

It turned out horribly wrong as a heist was taking place and his life was suddenly on the line.

The other agents had escorted the families to safety but Jack and a few of the rest stayed behind to help the officer collect his things and protect him until the clear was given.

"Am I gonna die?" the officer asked worriedly. He'd never been in this sorta situation before.

"No! No, you're fine sir," Jack gave him a warm smile and reached over to help him put away his things. Jack had been a spy for about four months now and he could honestly say that all his missions so far were fine. Then again, his assigned duties were to always protect and look after people so he couldn't really complain.

He was loving this early start to his new career and it meant he could really sink his brain into all the global economics, politics, and cultures he loved so much. Not to mention, all the care he give back to the people trying to help make a difference in so many people's lives.

When the officer smiled back grateful for his comfort, Jack nodded.

"Sir, if I may?" Jack asked after a moment of silence. He eyed his other partners, (older and more uptight than he was yet to become) before he leaned over slightly and raised his eyebrows.

"Do you know where the nearest gift shop is around here?"

"The wh–"

"I know, I know! Strange question but, I had to ask someone..." then he nudged his head at his team. "And they won't tell me or let me use our map for 'pointless things'."

And the officer actually chuckled. This boy was clearly just a spy starting out – he probably wanted memories of being in Germany before they left again. He then leaned back over and pointed out the blacked out window.

"There's a hotel across the street that has one," he whispered. "Although I imagine they've closed it down because of us and this emergency."

And Jack smiled a secret smile. "Thanks sir," he whispered back, then Jack pulled away and pretended like their conversation never happened.

He hoped he'd find what he wanted for her.

"Argh!"

Tooth stopped walking after his frozen state yanked her back like a tether ball. She looked up at him worriedly.

"What's wrong?"

"These memories, they..." he sighed angrily, his face still hard and cold. He rubbed his eye.

When he opened them, he realised that they passed the park already and they'd already hit the residential part of Burgess so fast. But how?

And why were his memories all still from his days as a spy? Why not from old life yet?! He was standing in what was potentially his hometown and he couldn't get a clue yet if it really was where he was from.

"This is ridiculous," he finally growled and removed himself from Tooth. He covered his eyes angrily.

"The memories aren't coming back, Tooth!"

"Yes they will, Jack!" she argued. "North and Edmund said–"

"But how come all I keep reliving are my days as an agent? As a GUARDIAN?"

And right on cue–

"How fast are you, Jack?" the criminal grinned and Jack glared murderously.

"Here, try to catch this!"

And an apple was tossed to him. Jack lifted his left palm to catch it unimpressed–

BANG!

"H-Haa–AAHHH!"

The boys laughed as Jack screamed and brought his left hand to cradle against his chest. He leaned over in silent pain but the blood from the bullet that shot through his palm was excruciating.

"What happened, superspy?!" they jeered and taunted, "We thought you said you were quick enough! Hahaha!"

"AARGH!" The scar would forever be a reminder of the first mission he failed.

Jack's scar under his glove suddenly burned and he pulled it away from his face.

He looked down at it almost angrily before he looked around Burgess.

"Tooth, how will I know who I am until I figure out who I was?!"

He suddenly wanted her light back, the floating ball of energy that guided him through his pain and out of the darkness. He wanted to cup her in his hands again and–

Jack nearly shouted.

"I...I don't have anyone here! It's just a place! It's not my–"

"B-But what about Emma?"

Jack froze.

He spun and turned to Tooth.

"What did you say?" he said barely above a whisper. Tooth shook like a leaf but her lips kept moving.

"Y-You kept calling out for...for...but that's what you kept saying! Emma!"

His mouth grew dry.

"E...Em..."

He'd never heard himself say it. Not out loud, but god knows since they left the company and drove down to Burges, that name...whoever's its was, kept bouncing around in his head.

"E..." his tongue kept stopping every time he tried again.

The curtains were drawn halfway but the lightning outside still sent a flash through the hotel room. Jack sat at the edge of the bed with his hands weaved together under his chin. He'd washed his hands three times, but it still felt like their blood was under his fingernails.

When the thunder hit, he shut his eyes. In its deep rumble, he heard the echo of her scream.

A tear threatened to show itself before he brushed it away like it was nothing.

He then angrily pulled out his contacts before he went to sleep.

Tooth frowned as she watched him struggle.

"Who is she, Jack?" she asked. "Come on...who's Emma?"

Tooth didn't feel jealous anymore the more she kept saying the girl's name. She cared more about his feelings than hers and right now, Jack's were hurting and it was tearing her apart.

And if Emma was the only person who could heal that, then she'd do anything, say anything to help him.

"You gotta remember her Jack," she said with a determined fire and touched his arm. "She's important to you, and she's the only one that can help!"

"But I–" and his tongue caught in his mouth again.

He suddenly smelled syrup again and thought for a moment that he was standing in his pyjamas and his socks.

"Your shirt, you big dummy! Haha you got–"

"Hey!"

And he heard himself laugh. "Do you two want this or not?!"

Jack squeezed his eyes shut and gritted his teeth.

A second later, Tooth nudged him gently. "Hey!"

He opened his eyelids just a peek and looked around, trying to find her. But every streetlight turned into a flash and he'd see something else.

Like a tree and the world hanging upside down...

...or a splash on a lakeshore and the smell of a barbeque...

...or old books and the name of a professor on a desk.

"Tooth?" he muttered. When he pressed a knuckle to cover his eyes so the flashes would stop, she shook her head.

"Don't fight it," she ordered softly. "Don't fight them."

"But they–"

"No, Jack!"

He bent his head down when a pretty bad memory felt like it smacked him in the back of the head.

But Tooth continued.

"Just accept them. Don't shut them out...and don't shut me out!"

And he paused because she knew him so well.

Jack usually wanted to breeze her off when she ordered him to do something. But this time, hearing the princess in her tone and sighed through his nostrils. He tried to squint them open.

"So come on, keep your eyes open...wide open." Tooth watched him like a hawk. "You need to."

And Jack fluttered his eyes several times until they were well above his irises. Tooth watched his pupils squint on its own. Whatever he was seeing really was blinding him.

"All the way, mister! Come on!"

And Jack sighed angrily before he shut his eyes one more time. Then his eyelids flew open, wide and accepting.

And when he did...

"T...Toothiana?...Tooth?"

But she was gone.

And so was the snow, the Christmas...and everything.

...

6:39 a.m.

Burgess was bright and it looked like it was the beginning of springtime. Cars drove up and down the road between him and there were people out and about.

He spun on his heel and took it all in. The shops and windows were open and there was so much noise for the small but beautiful town.

It was Burgess, the way it was...the way it should've been.

But when he turned around again, it disappeared and he felt himself running.

The streets transformed into a wooded area. Jack felt himself turn his head back around and while he and a group of kids left behind a neighbourhood in the distance. They dashed further into the woods.

"Race ya!" his voice was so high and young and he was wearing his favourite pair of red sneakers.

Hold on...did he have a favourite pair of sneakers?

No, he didn't.

...Wait, yes he did.

He did!

The ones his–

"You're on!" another kid barked and they all sprinted faster. It wasn't hard for Jack to remember that the boy on his left always liked to put his hat backwards, and the girl behind them never tied her shoes in class so the teacher always made her stay late to practice. He also remembered the other two friends were always arguing but everyone teased they'd be married someday.

Then Jack turned his head back to the forest in front of him...and he felt himself age suddenly.

He was still running, but he was growing.

Jack felt his lungs breathe deeper, his heart beat stronger, his legs grow longer.

From eight, to eleven, to fifteen, to seventeen, then finally...

"Hahaha, Jack slow down!" someone laughed right into his ear as he piggybacked her down the beaten dirt path. He chuckled.

"Why? You scared?"

Whoever it was started shaking their head and long hair smacked him in the cheek.

"No way! I can go wayy faster than you!"

"You think so, huh?"

"I KNOW so!"

"Alright then, little lady!"

Jack's forehead creased. "Little lady?"

Then he felt himself lower whoever it was sitting on his shoulders. He heard himself laugh.

"Prove it!"

And she dashed passed him before he could see her face into the warm forest growth.

"Come on, Jack! Follow me!"

"WAIT!"

And he shot out a hand for her stop but she was like a rocket taking off for the moon. He shook his head and his heart swelled before he kicked the dirt up under his trainers and chased after her. They ran through the trees and up a slight incline to a spot in the forest that couldn't be seen from below.

By the time he was going full speed, she had already reached the top of the hill. When he looked up to call her name, the afternoon sunlight was hanging just in front of her and it blinded him.

He laughed when she used the light to her advantage and disappeared over the hill.

Then–

"–gent, you should you're the first ever to disco–But she's...then me! Let it–So let's offer...But what if I...can I ever–You know what that does to–So no...Not ever–"

The scientists were moving around the labs and stations like nothing was wrong. But a week earlier, they'd been trained by the board upstairs to hide their anxieties and pretend like they were going about their regular business.

That way, when the GUARDIAN agents came in one by one, none of them would suspect.

Jack was one of the last. He came in with a slight smile and waved to some of the doctors he'd come to know over the last couple months. They waved back politely, but the second he passed them, their faces fell. Jack didn't know it, but that was the last time he'd ever see them again.

But how could he?

He thought he was going in for another routine checkup. Every month, GUARDIANs had to check in with the scientists to make sure their centers was stable and to report any new abilities or physical changes they gained or lost. Few had major scares like that and Jack was perfectly healthy, more than most in fact. His low body temperature made him less susceptible to sickness and he went out on more missions than regular GUARDIANs – then again, he was recently upgraded to team leader so that might've explained it. His mission to search for Pitch was still going and he couldn't wait that after this Bio-Op was done that he could go back out there with his team and look for the bastard.

Too bad this follow up was different.

After they asked him the same questions they asked every time (how he performed, how he felt, how many days he went without eating or sleeping), they finally told him some new information.

"We have a new treatment that we want all the GUARDIANs to use," one of the four scientists said as Jack sat on the edge of the medical table. He had already taken off the top half of his uniform so one of them could perform dialysis on his heart and check his physicals. He raised an eyebrow at the man in front of him.

"Oh."

Jack sounded surprised and when the scientist next to him told him to inhale, Jack shut his eyes and heaved a steady breath. His white hair and pale white skin were blinding them in the room but when he opened his blue eyes, the scientist nodded and pulled away. Jack continued.

"Is it supposed to help with our performance?" he asked. "Because honestly, I feel fine."

"Nothing you have to worry about," another scientist said casually, trying to throw off Jack's wary look. It didn't really work – Jack's suspicions spiked just a little higher and he squinted his eyes.

"Well, what's it for?"

"It's just to help stimulate the Center Gene if you guys slip out of consciousness," the other explained and waved the small, orange biotic vial in his hand. "You've heard the stories of what you guys do when you're out, you know?"

And Jack bit the inside of his cheek.

Oh yeah, he knew. Well, not personally.

His gene never made a mess when he got knocked out. Sure, people said the wind picked up or the air got colder but at least he didn't leave craters in the ground or set off electronic fields with his mind. When he imagined how many GUARDIANs got screwed by their own Centers he smirked and rubbed his head.

"Yeah, that's true," he finally admitted and looked at him. "Okay well sure, load me up. I don't want cause a hurricane next time I get knocked out or something."

And they all chuckled and told him to lie down. As he settled himself and looked sideways over at the table across the room, he missed their heartbroken gazes before it disappeared from their faces.

Jack Frost may have been one of the (no pun intended) colder agents they had to deal with, but he was genuinely nice and always tried to make their jobs a little easier. They were really going to miss him, much like they'd miss the rest...from whatever happened after tonight.

They were going to hell for what they were about to do, and there was nothing they could do about it.

"So..." Jack asked again as he turned his head back to them. One of them came over to attach wires to his chest to 'check his heart rate and epidermal scans'. When he saw it, he raised an eyebrow.

All this for a simple needle?

"Uh, are you sure this new procedure is safe?"

"Don't worry, Jack. It's still just your follow up and a quick injection. Then you can go back out there, kay?"

And he said nothing as they started doing their thing.

Suddenly, they put a hospital gown around his neck to cover his chest and his whole body.

"Wh...Wait, the heck are you guys doi–"

"It's nothing, honest!" one of the scientists said and jerked a thumb at the one in the back reading a tablet with all of Jack's brain chemistry and cognitive composition on it. "Ben is just paranoid."

"I heard that!"

Jack rolled his eyes and settled himself further onto the metal table. He didn't want to say it, but he always heated the smell of medical things – the table, medicine, anaesthesia, and all the things related to a sterile and stark environment.

"Okay, Jack," and suddenly they were all standing around him with calm looks. Their gazes didn't bother him.

"Count back from Desyat and it'll be over, kay?"

Jack sighed but nodded his head politely.

GAURDIANs always had to count back from 10 in Russian when they were getting weird shots or biotics. It was protocol but he guessed since the founders were Russian they just wanted to stick it to every other culture in the program.

He shut his eyelids halfway to block out most of the white light.

"Desyat...Devyat...Vosem...Sem..."

Jack rapped his right fingers on the table, bored and waiting.

"Shest...Pyat..."

Then they came in close and one man held his forehead in one hand and leaned it sideways.

"Chetiri..."

The guy then moved away and Jack felt something tiny pricking his temple. When he looked back, another scientist was holding a tiny authenticator button.

"Tri..."

The biotic leaked into the cut on his temple. His heart slowed under his gentle control.

"Dva..."

Then they shut their eyes and the scientist pressed the button.

"Aden..."

CRACK!

And just like that, Jack's vision cracked like a broken lens. Everyone froze in time and his mind went numb.

His arm fell off the metal table as his muscles relaxed, and his limp hand dangled over the ground.

When the scientists leaned in, they frowned with deep sorrow. His eyes were dull and he looked dead...but it meant it was a success.

"Jack?" one of the women whispered close to his ear. "Who do you see?"

And his mouth opened slightly. Something flickered like sunshine in his eye...he saw long, brown hair blow in some invisible breeze.

"...h'r...hair...she..."

"She?" she repeated. "Are you sure, it's a she?"

They were suddenly hopeful.

Jack's mouth moved slightly before he went completely still...but he looked calm – and that was all they needed.

After they read his tablet and looked quickly through which parts of his brain were wiped, they dropped it on the table began to move around.

Silently one of the scientists pressed his complink on his ear.

(Луна)"Bretyam shad (Agent) FROST has...been properly defragmented. He is no longer an active GUARDIAN."

"Does he remember his–"someone on the other end said quite loudly.

"Yes," and several of the scientists sighed in the back gratefully. "He remembers her, not himself... So we will send him home."

"Well done, it's been a while since we've got a report of success."

"I know, sir."

"Okay, now HURRY! TRANSPORT HIM OUT NOW!"

And they scurried into action to get him out of his uniform and into some civilian clothes. The next GUARDIAN agent would be coming in a few minutes and they knew they had at least seventy more to properly defrag before the Purge would finally end. Then they could go home...forever.

But the thing was, Jack wasn't properly defragmented. They'd flicked through his readings so fast they read it wrong. They thought his mind up to the point of starting as an agent had been successfully wiped and he wouldn't wake up for twenty four hours.

But their dose wasn't strong enough. What they didn't know was that he'd wake up eighteen hours earlier, with his past life gone and the pieces of being a spy still intact. Had they known, he wouldn't have been dressed to go home and would've been sent to the execution room right then and there.

But it wasn't like they knew.

They were in a rush and too stressed out to care. He would see her again they assumed. Jack said her name...but the thing was, he didn't know her anymore.

Tooth suddenly felt his body shake.

When she looked up, his eyes looked glassy he was pressing a hand over his heart. He didn't know why but his gunshot wound was hurting.

She looked at him worriedly.

"What's wrong?"

"I remembered..." he stopped when a hiss of pain passed over his lips and he looked away. His eyes were still wide open but he had this incredible fire flare up his chest.

"Your wound, i-is it bleeding again?" Tooth mumbled desperately. "You're overexerting your...Jack, I'm sorry! I should have never pushed you to–W-We should check your bandage in case–"

"No, Tooth, it's okay," Jack stopped her and he looked down at her wildly for a moment. Then he pulled his head up over hers to look at the streets behind her.

"I saw what happened to me...the defragmentation and it..." And he looked at her.

"Tooth, it ...it was a nightmare."

He looked more scared than she'd ever seen.

"But it...it still didn't explain why I became a GUARDIAN. One minute I'm a regular spy, the next I'm..."

She said nothing and frowned openly. He then shook his head.

"W-Why I was there and what I was meant to do, that I still don't know yet...And a part of me is starting to wonder...if I ever will..."

Suddenly he felt his fingers moving on their own accord. He thought he was looking for the wind but when he looked down...

He was looking down at a bunch of bills and papers before he signed a cheque and dropped it onto another pile. His eyebrows then knitted together in deep thought while a breeze threw his bangs up slightly.

"Jack, I'm home!"

He immediately smiled and leaned back in his dad's old chair.

"How was school?!"

"...C-Can we get off the main road?"

Jack looked back at her.

"What?"

She let go of her grip on his leather jacket and pointed down the road to the last neighbourhood hit the end of Burgess before the forest started behind it again.

"I don't know, I just...I just feel like you're gonna start screaming or something. A-And we don't want people to...you know..." Tooth faded out when it looked (and felt) like she was about to cry.

Jack's heart raced.

He raised a hand to her cheek – but Tooth beat him to it and quickly wiped away her own tear before it dripped down her cheek.

Nothing could describe the immense ache he suddenly felt seeing her like this.

"...I'm sorry," he exhaled shakily and shut his eyes.

She shook her head and grabbed his hand. Tooth then pulled away and stood on her tip toes to look around the neighbourhood.

"You can get through this!" she whispered and she pointed at a house near the start of the treeline.

Jack looked up and nodded his head. "Let's go there."

Then the two of them rushed into the secluded trees so no one would see them.

...

6:48 a.m.

The blue in the sky grew lighter with the coming of the morning sun. It lightened everything in a soft blue, making the snow glitter and the trees look less scarier than they seemed to be when they'd first walked in.

As they walked further and further into the dark trees, Jack looked back at the houses they left behind. They were cozy houses of every style – tiny cottages, two-storeys, back splits, ranches, bungalows – it was like everyone had their own idea of what home was to them and in their dark and quiet beauty, Jack kept seeing more flashes of the life he once had.

It didn't cease to make his heart stop racing.

"Tooth," Jack's deep voice drifted into the dark and curled over the shell of her ear. She shivered but answered.

"Y-Yeah?"

"I think...I think do know this place," he breathed. "There's things, and people here I keep seeing."

"That's gr-great, Jack," she chattered. Tooth suddenly stumbled as the ground they were walking started to slope upwards and the snow got deep.

Jack turned on instinct and caught her hand.

"Careful."

"T-Thanks," and she blushed. Good thing her cheeks were already rosy from the cold so he didn't notice.

Jack's fingers twitched and he pulled her.

"And watch out for this trunk," he suddenly admitted. "There's a root that snags your shoelaces if you don't lift it high enough."

"Shoelaces? What are y–"

They both froze.

Jack and Tooth looked at each other, eyes wide, until Tooth nodded her head.

She then pretended to move around and jump like a little kid – and with her size against all the thick snow, it almost looked like it.

"L-Like this?" she asked and hopped on top of the stump beside it to avoid the trunk.

Jack's hand still gripped hers but something else flashed passed his eyes. As she landed, the forest turned back into a warm afternoon...and the little girl with long, brown hair touched the ground instead. Before she looked up, Tooth and the snow came rushing back.

He gulped and tightened his grip. He heard laughter echo in the back of his head.

"Y-Yeah..." he mumbled and Tooth looked up at him.

'Keep going,' she mouthed and she shook his hand to make him move forward again.

Jack kept his gaze on her for a long moment before he turned his head and pulled her up the hill.

"And don't..." he continued. His voice began to take on some wistful, husky tone the more he talked, the more he remembered. "...don't forget about the rock just up ahead. It's got a jagged point that'll cut your shin if you're not wearing jeans."

"O-Okay," Tooth replied. The slope was getting higher and steeper, but she and Jack were actually moving faster. He bit his lip and his blue eyes moved everywhere.

"And that tree there, it's the best one to climb...and see that bush...you can hide anything you want in...a-and branch way over there looks harmless but I swear it...it whacked me so hard in the nose I started to bleed."

Suddenly he chuckled under his breath.

"A-And trust me, you don't want Ms. Mai coming after you for that...She's the worst nurse in school."

Tooth's eyes widened. Her heart started racing.

Anyone would've thought he was going mad, rambling the way he suddenly was – but to Tooth, it was the best thing she'd heard all night.

He was remembering a school, a lady, all the little things about this forest...

"You do remember, Jack," she mumbled before it came out again like a gasp. "Ha, y-you do remember!" And the more she kept repeating it, the more it suddenly felt like he wanted to go faster than she could keep up.

So she let go of his hand.

He turned back worriedly, thinking she'd fallen but her face was bright and she waved a hand.

"Go, Jack!" she huffed and pushed his shoulder forward. "Go without me!"

And he turned back around slowly, nervous at first...

"GO!"

...before his feet started to move on their own. They started to leave her behind.

Her eyes were wide and hopeful.

"Go!"

And Jack took off without another thought.

The harder his boots hit the earth, the more snow he threw up in his sprint. His breath was short and his chest was still throbbing with pain – and he was sure by now it had reopened from all the stress he was putting himself through...but he didn't care. His heart was racing and he didn't care!

"Keep running, Jack! Don't stop!"

The memories followed him. They danced behind each tree and his eyes grew wide while they flickered brighter, warmer, stronger. He felt like he was flying, carrying himself on the wind as it chased his desperation with. Hair and hood flying up, the trees became a blur and the slope got steeper. But he kept moving up faster and faster until...

Jack stopped an inch of the way there and waited for Tooth with a short gasp. After he patted a hand gingerly to the front of his jacket, he reached for a familiar long branch in the way and lifted it so he and Tooth wouldn't get hit.

Then they went over the top of the hill...

...and what they saw lying before them, made his heart stop and made her cover her mouth.

"What is...Oh my gosh."

In the growing light of the morning, there was blue everywhere. The area was covered with thick snow and beautiful flourishes of frost sugared the surfaces – it was obvious by the many swirls and strokes that the wind loved to float through here. The pine trees themselves were tall and gave a mature, protective circle around the little clearing. But it wasn't just the trees or the snow that made Tooth's mouth fall open...

...it was the small lake that sat frozen in the centre of it all.

The water had come from a tiny runoff of the Lehigh River about half away, and it pooled itself into its own little world. Protected by large cuts of stone around, beautiful thick ice covered the surface and the blue radiated off it glittered like an imperfect stain glass window.

It was breathless, it was a winter scene worthy of every postcard and photograph in the world...

...It was Narnia.

And even Jack's eyes grew wide as he soaked it all in. Cautious and careful not to shatter any peace the lake had, the two stepped forward. They crunched softly through the snow toward the lake.

Neither said a word as Jack bravely put his boot on the edge of it and pressed his weight down, mentally assessing its depth and ice density.

Then he took a step forward...and another...and another...until he was well about a two metres over it.

He turned to Tooth, palm outstretched.

She didn't say a word, too lost for words at the way he looked so...natural, against it all.

"Toothiana?" he scrunched his eyebrows slightly. "You don't–"

"No! No, I..." and without waiting, she raised her boot timidly on the edge of the lake. When her dainty foot touched the ice and it didn't crush under her boot, she tapped it several times and placed it firmly down. Then she moved her other foot and stepped fully on it.

She held her breath and rose on her tiptoes and plopped back down like she always did when she was anxious...but the ice felt like cement.

Tooth exhaled and flit her cerise-colored eyes up at him. His hand was still out for hers.

She smiled.

If Jack (who was heavier than her and always calculated his environment around him), looked fine and could stand on the ice, then she'd keep going.

So she raised her own and grasped for his hand. And in a quick tug, he pulled forward and her soles slid her gently toward him. She then let go and shuffled around to look up again.

"It's...It's beautiful!" Tooth gasped and she spun in a circle, trying to take it all in. She was suddenly reminded of her sanctuary back in the Hypunjam palace and her heart soared.

"You knew, Jack! You knew...but I don't understand. Why'd you bring us here?"

And when Jack turned his head too, to stare at the growing blue light, another memory hit him. But this time, he didn't shut his eyes. He watched it, wide-eyed and ready.

"Jack! I beat you!"

And when he got to the top of the hill, he pretended to pant on his knees. He laughed between gasps of air as he looked around the lake, and smiled to see how warm and inviting it looked. It was their favourite place to go.

"Fine, fine!" he chuckled and pulled his head up to stare at his 'little lady' as she spun in a small circle. "You win, Emma!"

And when she finally stopped spinning and her long hair swung back down on either side of her face, he saw her round face, her maple eyes, the special dot near her eye, and the big smile on her face.

And his smile softened. "You always do."

"Because it is home, Tooth...It is."

"Jack?"

But he kept staring at the blue above the trees. It was growing lighter and the lake seemed to brighten.

"Haha, that's right! I always do, Mr. Overland!" Emma heaved and dropped her hands from where they were stretched up to the sky. She looked at him for a moment.

"..land...s'n..."

"What?"

"One more day!" she smiled sadly and he did too as she ran up to hug him.

Tooth inched a step forward on the ice toward his unmoving form.

"...Jack?"

And Jack hugged her tightly. "Yeah...one more day..."

A tiny puff of breath escaped past his pale lips.

"It was never just 'Jack'..." he answered Tooth.

When he turned and looked at her, the orange from the coming sunrise finally started to show.

His heart raced. And he knew.

"...It's Jackson."

Then it all came back...and the way he looked left her breathless.

Chapter's soundtrack: "Shattered" (MTT Version) – Trading Yesterday To prepare for the next chapter, listen to "Star Gazing" composed by Mervyn Warren – it's my short but sweet official track for the town of Burgess. Although they cut the ending off...not sure why :/