Hey, so I am actually finally starting to get the hang of how to post these things, sorry for the confusing format. I obviously am not very good this. But here is the second chapter (AKA third if you count the first one as a chapter).

Disclaimer: I do not own Rise of The Guardians

Chaya awoke with the sound of her alarm and jumped immediately out of bed, knowing that she had a busy day ahead of her. Stoke, her older brother was still asleep, having either not heard or ignored the alarm. Picking up a pillow, Chaya threw it at him before turning to Joey who had slept in the croak of her arm all night. Leaning over him, she blew in his ear until he moved his hand in her face.

"Time to get up Joey," She said smilingly.

Turning over, Joey buried his head in the pillow.

"I don't wanna," his voice was muffled, but Chaya got the message. Picking him up by the arms she cuddled him over her shoulder.

"You have to go to school today, you're going to meet lots of new friends and learn so many different things, it'll be fun,"

"No it won't," the little voice on her shoulder was miserable. Sighing, Chaya let him flop down again. She got up and walked over to Stoke's bed, hoping to find better luck there. She pulled down his sheets to the bottom, exposing his thick form to the chill of the room.

"Chaya!" his voice was also muffled into his pillow, but it was much deeper than Joey's.

Ignoring her brother, Chaya lifted Joey out of bed and carried him out into the kitchen, letting him rest still half asleep on one of the little chairs. Reaching the fridge, she opened it up and looked at the measly pickings.

"What do you want for breakfast?"

"Cookies!" Now he was awake and hopeful.

Chaya turned around and smirked at him.

"You can't have that for breakfast! How about…" She gazed over the contents and picked one that looked the most appetizing. "Toast with jam?"

Joey scratched his head and sighed. "Okay,"

Chaya smiled and picked up a piece of bread from the pantry, which was as empty looking as the fridge. A tear sprung up and threatened to fall from Chaya's eye. Her mother was so much better at making food than Da was. Blinking it away, Chaya placed the bread in the toaster and placed the jam beside it with a plastic plate. As she was going back to the fridge for an orange for herself, Stoke appeared in the doorway to their bedroom and leaned on the frame.

"It's still early,"

Chaya glanced at him before she placed the orange on the counter.

"It's his first day," she nodded to Joey, who had rested his head on the table. "You know how long he takes to get ready when he doesn't want to do something,"

Stoke's eyes widened.

"He doesn't want to go?"

Chaya shook her head and looked back at the clock.

"Aren't you going to be late?"

Stoke looked at the clock and shrugged.

"I will be if I don't leave in another ten minutes, plenty of time for breakfast," He added with a wiggle of his eyebrows. Rolling her eyes, Chaya put another piece of bread in the toaster and brought another plate out and went back to her orange. Stoke sat down at the table beside Joey and nudged him playfully.

"What's this I hear about you not wanting to go to school?"

Joey looked up at his brother and sat up.

"I don't want to go, I want to stay with Da,"

Stoke shook his head.

"But if you stay with Da, you won't get to meet any new people and you won't get to learn to draw or write or anything,"

Joey looked up at Stoke.

"I want to write!"

Stoke spread his arms apart.

"Then you have to go to school and learn how!"

Joey slumped down again and sighed.

"I'll go,"

"Great, but everyday always begins with a good breakfast, Chaya, where is this young mans toast?"

Chaya smiled as Stoke stepped up the counter as if he was ordering something from a store. Behind him, Joey beamed and tried to look very important. Handing him, the toast and the jam, Chaya leaned forward to rest her head on his shoulder.

"Thank you,"

Stoke kissed her head and took the food back to his little brother. Seeing that Stoke had breakfast under control, Chaya left the kitchen, which also was the living room and opened the door to her father's room. Poking her head in, she saw that he was still in bed, but she could not tell if he was asleep or not. Stealing quietly into the room, Chaya circled the bed until she could see her father's face. His eyes were closed and his face was stuck in a serious frown.

"Da? Are you awake?" Hiding a few more tears at the pathetic picture, Chaya leaned over and into her father.

"Chaya,"

Opening her eyes to met her father's, Chaya held back her tears. Curious as to his stone-set expression.

"What is it Da?"

He looked into her eyes briefly before looking away.

"Oh, your mama," He lay his head back on his pillow and stared up at the ceiling, while his daughter watched, helpless to comfort him. Her father had become somewhat distant since the accident. She remembered it well.

When she was ten, her mama told her and Stoke that they would soon have another little brother or sister, as she was expecting a baby. The family could not be more ecstatic, their father beaming with pride with his little family. A few months later, her mama gave birth to a fine, healthy boy. Unfortunately, she was not a strong person, and she had grew weak after the birth of her second son. She died when Joey was no more than a year old. The family grieved bitterly for her, but it seemed that the children's Da had taken her death the hardest. After their grief had dulled somewhat he had fallen into a state of deep depression. It had eventually gotten so bad that he had lost his job at the lumberyard on the outskirts of the town. Because of this lose, the family had sunken even deeper into poverty then they had been originally. Stoke had had to quit school and get a job for himself. As of right now, he was supporting the entire family. Not long ago, on her fourteenth birthday, Chaya managed to acquire an after-school job herself and she worked there as much as she could while taking care of the house and her youngest brother. Their Da had been able to pick up the odd pay-check by doing some close-to-home jobs for people, but he was never able to get another job and for the last two years the family had been living mainly off the salary that Stoke earned at the paper mill. They were poor, but they had made the best they could out of it.

Blinking her eyes for her tears, Chaya leaned on her father's bed, trying not to cry out loud, but with no such luck. Her Da looked down at her, watching her silently. Gently, he stroked her hair, still not managing to say anything to her. Chaya looked up at him, longing to be able to hug him, but knowing he would not respond as he used to. His departure from his normal self was almost harder than the death of her mother.

"Da, you will come out won't you? Joey's going to school today and he'll want to say goodbye to you, Da. He's really scared,"

Smiling weakly, he patted her head gently and nodded. Vincent Winter took his daughter's face and kissed her forehead gently. Chaya let her tears come out, her father was still here, he wasn't going to leave her. Vincent shook himself and Chaya looked away, brushing her face from tears. Her Da looked out the door, leaning on his arm.

"I forgot that Joey was going to school today, I'd better take him myself,"

"Thank you Da, I promised to take him skating on the pond afterwards, so I'll bring him home," Vincent nodded and smiled lightly at her. With some effort, he pulled himself up and out of bed, stomping heavily out of the room. Before he left, he looked back and smiled at her again. This was hard for him, but he still tried.

"My good little Chaya, what would I do without you?"

She looked down again, catching her tears as he disappeared out into the kitchen. Chaya looked up to the ceiling, trying to compose herself. Lifting herself off the ground, she draped her fathers sheets loosely and followed him out. Joey, having had seen his father coming into the kitchen, had left his half-eaten toast and flew himself at his father.

"Da! I'm gonna go to school and learn how to write! Stoke told me so," His father lifted him high off the ground and hugged him to his chest for a moment before setting him on his hip.

"Well, you'll have to start writing grocery lists for Chaya,"

Joey nodded seriously, as if he believed that this was the most important job in the world that he could do for his sister. Vincent set Joey back down in his chair. For a moment he looked about to hug Stoke, but stopped as he was stared down by Stoke, over the rim of his glass. Chaya shifted behind them uncomfortably. Their father-son relationship had never been the strongest after Stoke had taken his father's responsibilities without wanting them. Vincent smiled weakly at him.

"Have a good day Stoke,"

Stoke didn't answer as he brought his plate to the tiny sink. Vincent watched him disappear back into his room. He returned momentarily, his hair combed, placing a work hat on his chestnut brown hair. He kissed Chaya on the head and said a goodbye to Joey before heading out the door, not looking once at his father. Vincent looked after him, not knowing what to say. Chaya touched his arm lightly and he turned to look at down at her, a sadness deep in his eyes that cut deep into Chaya's heart. She was careful to keep her voice low for the sake of Joey, who sat watching Stoke walk down the driveway.

"He's got a lot going on,"

Vincent nodded, knowing what Chaya really meant. On top of the depression, guilt at his son's sacrifice for the family lay heavily on him. Slowly, he turned around and sat next to Joey, leaving Chaya alone as he watched his son eat.

Leaving Joey to finish breakfast with Da, Chaya fixed her hair in the little mirror in the bathroom, emotions swirling around in her mind. Stoke's anger, her father's depression and guilt all weighed heavily on her. It was hard enough that she was a mother to Joey, but she constantly was a neutral party between her brother and father. Sighing, she left her black hair alone and got ready to leave for school. Stepping outside in the swirling chill of winter, she smiled softly at the light sprinkling of snow, enjoying the winter beauty. She headed out toward the school, sparkling snowflakes following her all the way.

Jack Frost watched the doors to a little fabric shop in town open and close, waiting patiently for the dark haired girl to emerge. He had seen her enter about two hours ago after she had left school around noon. Excitement coursed through him at the prospect of showing off his handiwork on the pond. He hoped that she might start to see him through such a little miracle. Even with all the business and stress of her life, such a thing had to penetrate something in her.

As Jack had watched her, even before Santa had instructed him to, he'd had grown to admire this girl and a deep longing to know her name and to enjoy her company had grown in him. If she was become a guardian as Manny had said, then he could have that longing satisfied. He had never actually had a friend and he couldn't help wondering if this girl would be one to him.

As he waited for the girl to come out the shop, he watched the other people on the streets as they hurried this way and that, no doubt on their way to some kind of engagement or other. He had seen this kind of activity before and it was not strange to him. In fact he had watched this little village grow into an industrial town that had doubled its size. Although sometimes he missed the simplicity of the village life, he was not sorry for all the activity which he was glad to take part in. Sometimes, every now and then the kids that truly believed in him would see him during the winter. They had good times together but it always ended the same, they would go back to their homes while Jack was left out in the cold, all alone and feeling a deep sensation of lose. He had lived like this for as long as he could remember. His only comfort in this situation was being a guardian, it was his duty to care for all these people and protect them against all evil that slept in the world.

The mention of evil flooded Jack's mind of the days when Pitch had threatened the lives of the guardians. It had been his quest to stamp out all belief of the guardians until they were invisible to everyone in the world. Fortunately, the belief of one child had given them all hope and they had been able to destroy Pitch. No one had seen him since. Jack sincerely believed that he was dead, for no one feared him anymore; there was no need. The world was on a course to a better future and fear was but an after thought, reserved only for dismal, distant nightmares and daily worries. No one was living in a complete state of fear as they had done when Pitch's reign had been in its zenith. Jack had not been born during those times, but he had heard the stories from the guardians and sometimes even catching tales of the dark days from old men who walked in his snowfall. The stories were terrible and struck fear into Jack's heart. He was glad that they had defeated Pitch when they did before he could regain his reign of fear and terrorize the world again. Pitch was but a distant memory now and he would never be a threat again. Or so he hoped.

The door to the little fabric store opened and Jack gave a start of joy as he saw that it was girl he had been waiting for. After closing the door quietly behind her, she put on a pair of dark gloves and started down the street. Happily, Jack jumped down from the tree and followed her, jumping along the fences and trees that dotted the street. She had not gone long down the street before she turned a corner and stopped. A tiny brick building faced Jack as he turned after her. It looked old and run down, but it was still standing. A few young children were trickling out of the open doors and Jack had no doubt that this was the school where the girl's younger brother went to. Wrapping her dark red scarf more firmly around her neck, the girl watched the door to the little building intently until she saw what she was looking for. Her brother, holding a small notebook and dragging his backpack on the ground, trailed out the school. When he saw his sister, he ran to her and gripping her legs, buried his face in her stomach and promptly burst into tears. Alighting on a tree close to the school, Jack watched the two. Kneeling down beside her brother, the girl looked up into his face, holding his chin to keep his face up. Jack was just close enough to hear her voice.

"Joey! What's wrong?"

Brushing Joey's hair out of his face his sister gripped his arms in her hands. Joey took a shuttering breath before he answered his sister.

"I can't write! I tried and I tried but I can't do it and the teacher said I wasn't trying, but I was and she didn't believe me when I told her and she struck me on my- my hand" his last words turned to sobs and his sister picked him up, backpack and all, and cuddled his head to her shoulder.

"Oh Joey, Joey, I'm sorry. Shhh don't cry, it'll be okay," The girl continued to sooth her brother as he cried silently on her shoulder.

"I'll never learn how to write or to draw, I'll never be able to write your grocery list… and… and…" He burst into another fit of tears and his sister carried him out of the little back alley and sat him down on a bench not far away. Jack crouched on a tree overhead, feeling slightly embarrassed that he was eavesdropping on their conversation. The girl had her hand on Joey's head, kissing it softy as she comforted him.

"Yes you will, Joey, of course you will. It just takes time," Joey shook his head as if he didn't believe her and buried his face a little deeper in her shoulder.

"It does take time and you know what, I had trouble writing just like you and I didn't get it quite right until a couple of days. You're so smart, you'll probably be able to write before you know it, just give it a little time,"

Joey looked up, wiping his eyes on his sleeve.

"Really?"

His sister nodded and Joey smiled weakly.

"I'll be able to write like you do, Chaya?"

She nodded and Jack nearly fell out of the tree. Chaya? What a beautiful name! It rolled of the tongue so perfectly, it was just right. Chaya. Chaya. He repeated to himself a few more times before he returned his focus to the two once again.

"You know we still have time to go to the pond, you want to go skating before going home?"

Joey nodded, his tears dried and his face beaming again. Smiling, Chaya lifted him up and twirled him around on the street. A few people passing turned back to the little pair. Setting Joey back on the ground, Chaya twirled around ahead of him and down the street, with him scurrying to catch up; Jack just behind them. To his surprise but to no apparent notice to her brother, Chaya began to sing. All the while she was singing, people on the street smiled and walked on as if this was a normal thing to see, as if she had done this kind of thing before. It was all very new to Jack, but he had to admit he liked it.

"I could lift you up!

I could show what you want to see and take you where you want to be!

You could be my luck, even if the sky is falling down I know that we'll be safe and sound!

We're safe and sound!

I could fill your cup, you know my river won't evaporate

This world we still appreciate!

You could my luck, even in a hurricane of frowns I know that we'll be safe and sound!

We're safe and sound!

Safe and sound

We're safe and sound

Safe and sound

We're safe and sound

I could show you love!

In a tidal wave of mystery you'll still be standing next to me!

You could be my luck, even if we're six-feet ground I know that we'll be safe and sound!

We're safe and sound!

Safe and sound

We're safe and sound

Safe and sound

Safe and sound

"I could lift you up!

I could show what you want to see and take you where you want to be!

You could my luck, even if the sky is falling down I know that we'll be safe and sound!

We're safe and sound!

"I could lift you up!

I could show what you want to see and take you where you want to be!

You could my luck, even if the sky is falling down I know that we'll be safe and sound!

We're safe and sound!

Safe and sound

We're safe and sound

Safe and sound

We're safe and sound

Hold your ground

We're safe and sound

Safe and sound

The song and Chaya's beautiful voice lasted all the way to the pond where she and Joey stopped, their eyes wide in amazement. Jack could not help feeling proud as they gazed on his masterpiece. The ice, so smooth it could be mistaken for a mirror, was thick and there were not a crack anywhere. He had also gone as far as to frost the edges so that it looked even more like a mirror with edging.

"Chaya look! Jack Frost kept the pond perfect for us,"

Chaya's mouth was open in shock still

"He did, didn't he Joey?"

Jack could barely contain a shout of joy but he watched silently as Chaya helped her brother with his skates and put on her own. Gingerly, she put one foot on the ice and then another. After she saw it was safe, she glided out to the middle and twirled around, ending in a deft jump. Laughingly, she beckoned Joey on and he skated more hesitantly out to meet her. Grabbing his hands in hers, she spun him around, throwing her head back with a laugh of joy. Jack was full of joy and he watched, with his stick posed on the ice. Small swirls of frost snaked around the ice as the pair skated. Caught up in the moment, Jack hopped off his branch and skidded out onto the shimmering sheet of ice. He ran ahead of the pair as they skated and drew more and more swirling patterns of frost until the entire pond was criss-crossed with his designs. Chaya's cheeks were red with the cold, but she did not seem to mind, as she watched her brother, skating back and forth. She watched the frost swirl around her feet and smiled. Jack, just behind her, stirred more circles around her until they lifted off the ice and whistled around her in a wind and stopped above her head, falling softly to land on her shoulders. Holding her hands up, her pretty face full of awe, Chaya caught the snow in her hands and let it fall to the ground again. She skated toward the middle of the pond once again and Joey stopped to watch as she circled the pond several times, picking up speed, before she jumped off the ice, twirled twice before landing gracefully in front of her little brother. Joey clapped his hands gleefully and skated off to show his sister his speed. Jack continued to smile broader and broader as the joy of the siblings increased. They reminded him of his family. Bittersweet memories flooded his brain and he momentarily closed his eyes, pain searing his heart. But it was swept away in the winter wind as he heard a short whistle. Opening his eyes, Jack spotted a taller boy on the top of the ridge; he had broad shoulders and he smiled ear to ear down on the two, who had heard his cry and were looking up at him.

"Stoke!" Joey, full of joy, skated off the ice quite clumsily in his haste. Chaya, glided over to the edge with her brother, stopping not far from Jack. Stoke sidled down the hill to meet his little brother and pressed him to his legs with his free hand; the other was occupied hefting a heavy bag on his shoulder.

"I came to bring you back home. It'll be dark soon!" Stoke helped Joey with his skates and laced them together before handing them to him. He waved to Chaya on the ice.

"Come on!"

He turned back up the hill with Joey. Chaya turned around once more on the ice and heaved a contented sigh. Gently, she twirled around on her skates, looking around the ice once more. She stopped slowly, eye to eye with Jack.

He caught his breathe. Could she see him now? Had it worked?

Chaya squinted her golden eyes slightly, brushing the hair out of her eyes as she stared right into his eyes. Jack stared back, excitement and terror shining in his eyes. Chaya blinked and smiled.

"Maybe it was Jack Frost,"

She smiled again and laughed, taking her eyes off Jack and skating off the ice. He deflated. it hadn't worked; she still could not see him, could not believe in him. She had too!

"Chaya…"

"Chaya, c'mon!"

Jack looked up the hill and saw Stoke looking down at his sister, his half smile lightening his features. Chaya waved to him, rushing her skates off and gracefully jumping up the hill, like a gazelle over a field. Jack sighed, he would have try again. Tomorrow.

Okay, now I am getting he hang of this. Sorry for confusion

Also, disclaimer: The song that Chaya sings is Safe and Sound by Capital Cities. I DO NOT OWN it

Let me know how you all are liking the story in the reviews. Thank you for reading!