Hello, sorry for the later update. I don't really enjoy this chapter because I wasn't sure how to make it concise and clean. But hopefully you guys still like it. I really would love some reviews, a lot of people are reading, but no feedback. So please let me know!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Rise of The Guardians (I forgot to mention this last chapter)

"What do you mean, Jack? Is she starting to believe in us or not?"

Jack Frost shrugged, sitting slouched on one of the North Pole's work benches.

"I mean, she seemed to think it was me that froze the pond, but it's hard to tell,"

After he had seen Chaya home from skating on the pond with her brother, he had gone back to the North Pole to make a sort of report. But the guardians were not taking it very well. Apparently they had expected more progress.

"Manny never told me when dis girl would come Jack, we have to be prepared,"

"I know, but what do you want me to do? Make her believe in us? Because I don't know if you've noticed, but that's not true belief!"

Bunny rolled his eyes and spread his arms akimbo.

"You gotta do more than just freeze some ponds and make it snow. The weather does that on it's own, mate!"

Jack jumped off the bench and glared at him.

"I was told to watch her closely, that's it!"

Bunny rolled his eyes again and gestured to Jack.

"You have to read unda the lines. He wanted you to watch her so that she would believe. You didn't need an excuse to watch her on your own,"

Jack stepped up to him.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"What do you think its supposed to mean, mate?"

Santa broke in between the two bristling guardians.

"We no have time for dis, we have to find a way to make dis girl come to her senses. Who does she dink does all the good things in dis world?"

Jack turned on the Russian winter king.

"Don't you dare blame Chaya, she isn't the only unbeliever and you know it! She has more important things to worry about then us. She has her young brother to look and a house to run. She's taking over the role of her mother!"

Bunny raised his eyebrow mockingly.

"Chaya huh? How closely have you been watching her?"

"You keep out of this bunny!"

Sandy hopped around the tense males, waving his hands for them to stop.

"Sandy's right, stop all this nonsense, you're all acting like children!" Tooth shook her head at the boys with her arms crossed on her chest. Jack, Santa and Bunny withdrew and relapsed into silence; Jack glared and Bunny smirked, while Santa shook his head bewilderedly.

"None of this is doing us any good, so cut it out, there is no need to lose your tempers over a girl's unbelief. Like Jack said, she has other things to worry about and I can understand that, so we have to cut her some slack. Plus Jack's right, you can't make someone belief. It has to be their decision. We all know that, we're just losing our nerve,"

Bunny and Santa mumbled agreement with Jack glaring at them all. A lapse of silence followed, no one really knowing what to say.

"Can you at least try to show yourself to her, Jack,"

Jack stared at Tooth and rolled her eyes.

"Did you not just say that's not the way it works? C'mon guys! She's not a toy. She's a human being with feelings!"

"No… No she's not,"

Jack turned on Santa.

"Don't start with me- ,"

Santa shook him off and started again.

"I jus realized someting. If Manny means for dis girl to be a Guardian. She cannot be human. Guardians are immortal… ," his voice trailed off as the other guardians took in what they knew to be true. Jack's mouth was open wide.

"Not human… But she's part of a human family,"

Bunny looked at him, no malice in his voice now.

"Couldn't she be adopted? What does this girl look like?"

Jack shrugged, still looking off into space in shock.

"I don't know… Black hair, golden eyes. She's pretty thin and pale. Her brothers have brown hair… so does her father…." How could he have missed that? She didn't look anything like her family! He looked back at the guardians and they were all looking back at him.

"She has golden eyes?"

Jack nodded, picturing the orbs in his mind, pure gold with the slightest flecks of green if you looked really close. Santa gasped quietly and attention shifted his way.

"Pitch," His voice was quiet. He looked up at them "Who else do we know dat has golden eyes, black hair and pale skin?"

The others were too shocked to speak. Pitch had a daughter? The possibility seemed unspeakable and no one could make sense of it. Bunny was about to speak when the bright light of Manny came through the window over the large globe in Santa's workshop. The guardians looked up and the moon passed over as if to smile over them, the craters in its surface making faces. Slowly it passed over and passed on. It was seemingly such a normal occurrence, even Santa was confused.

Tooth screamed and everyone looked back at her and down to where she was staring and pointing; then they saw her.

A young girl lay curled up on the floor. She was out cold and her face was hidden by her thick black hair. The guardians were shocked once again. Looking back up, Santa caught the tail end of Manny's light. He watched silently as the Tooth and Sandy gathered around the girl, picking her up and cradling her head as she lay limp in their arms. Jack watched the girl, while Bunny watched Santa. The Russian King looked back down at the him, no emotion on his face.

"He says she's the one,"

Jack nodded slowly, his eyes locked on the girls face.

"It's her, it's Chaya,"

Her eyes blinked open and then shut.

Golden.

Chaya's ears rung with her father's screams. Her head ached from everything she had experienced. It had all happened so quickly, Chaya was still not sure if it was real.

She'd decided after some thought that she wasn't actually dead. There was no way; she could feel her body and her consciousness was still intact. But with everything that had happened and the insanity of her father being the Bogeyman and seeing the Tooth Fairy and the Sandman when she'd opened her eyes for a second, she knew she must still be in some kind of dream. It was all so new and ridiculously strange. It couldn't be real. Could it?

Her body had been moved. She could tell that. She had been set down on something soft and feathery and darkness was just outside her closed eyes. She wondered briefly if she was back to reality and her brother had put her in bed. Breathing in and out steadily, Chaya went over the events of the day, seemingly so short.

It was her 16th birthday.

She was adopted, left on a doorstep when she was a baby.

A ring from her biological father had torn her from reality.

Her father was the Bogeyman.

He wanted her to rule the world in fear with him.

She had melted away in the moonlight.

She stopped for a moment. Where had the reality stopped and the dream begun? Was she really the daughter of the bogeyman? Was she really adopted? Squeezing her eye tighter, Chaya moaned gently. She had no idea. For all she knew, this was all really happening. But it just seemed so far fetched and crazy, that she couldn't actually bring herself to believe what was actually happening.

Finally, after determining that she was whole and alive once more, she opened her eyes slowly. It was dark and she was pretty sure she was staring at a wall. In a dark blue room of some sort. It definitely wasn't her room. Terror started to creep back into her as she slowly turned her body to look at the other side of the room. A boy about her age sat watching her. His ice chip blue eyes did not move from hers.

Chaya froze, her eyes widening in terror. What now? The boy held out his hand, suddenly curious.

"You see me?"

The voice was fuzzy and Chaya could not yet fully focus on him as she continued to remain still, her eyes giving the boy his answer. Confusion, which had become so common, overtook her senses. Why did nothing make sense anymore? But the figure soon became clearer as he moved a little closer. At first he looked like any other person, but as her vision cleared, she noticed that he looked unnaturally pale. His spiky white hair was tinted with blue and looked frosty. His blue eyes bored into hers. Holding his hands outstretched in front of him tentatively, the figure took a few steps forward again and Chaya remained still. The figure came so close, his shadow blackened Chaya's vision. Gently, he reached out with his fingers, just as her father had done and touched her face with one finger. Chaya instantly felt a chill and the boy backed off again. Chaya tilted her head and looked at him; this figure seemed familiar, as if she had seen him in a dream. The chill on her cheek blossomed into a small snowflake and it drifted onto her lap. Story suddenly became reality as she realized who he was.

"Jack Frost?" Shock lined her voice; not surprising.

The boy smiled and seemed to relax. He nodded his head and stepped closer again. His sparkling blue eyes were locked onto hers.

"You see me finally. I wasn't sure if you ever would. But I was pretty sure at the pond,"

Chaya frowned with confusion and stared at him. This was all too much. Why did everyone seem to know her, but she did not know them. A few tears sprung up into her eyes and she curled closer into herself, away from this… this Jack Frost. He stopped smiling and took a step closer.

"I'm sorry, did I scare you?"

Chaya brought up a hand to halt his coming any closer.

"Leave me alone… I don't know who you are or what you are. You're not supposed to exist!"

The boy backed up quickly, surprised at her outburst.

"Are you okay?"

Chaya hid her face as more tears pushed their way out and filled her vision. She sobbed lightly into her sleeve, aware that he seemed to stay at a distance, catching the hint that she did not want him near her. She became angry.

"What is wrong with you all?" She lifted her head to stare at him, sniffing back her tears. "Why do you know me? How do you know me? Because I sure as hell don't know who you are!" Chaya was not partial to language, but her anger was already burning faster than she could fuel it. "All of you, you just summon people around with magic or something. What is this? Magic rings and moonlight?" She stopped to yank off her father' ring or whoever ring it was and threw it at Jack, who ducked the flying ring and backed further away. He looked like a deer in headlights. She continued at full speed. "Is this how you treat people? You guys who are supposed to be the source of wonder in the world? So now you guys just take innocent people and throw them around with magic, bringing them one place and then another. Do you have any idea what that does to a person? Do you have any idea what I've been though? This day has been one of the biggest emotional roller coasters in my life and now I find out its from people that who don't really exist and who are supposed to be the worlds greatest joy!?"

Jack stopped her.

"We do exist. You can see me,"

Chaya huffed and looked away. As she seemed to have stopped for the moment, Jack picked up her thrown ring and looks it over, confused.

"This isn't from us. Who did you get this from?" Panic was in his voice, he already had a general idea. Chaya looked at him, her eyes almost as cold as he was.

"My father,"

Jack gulped.

"Pitch?"

Chaya looked away. She didn't have to answer him; she refused actually. It was all to be expected that they too knew who the bogeyman was.

Suddenly, she stood up, her new resolve giving her strength.

"I'm going home. I've had enough of you sick people,"

She was about to shoulder passed Jack, when he stood up as well. He was a lot taller than she'd first thought; a full foot above her. Looking down at her, he held the ring up for her to see.

"We haven't touched you," his voice was icy cold. "Did you see Pitch?"

Chaya folded her arms over her chest and looked away.

"Yeah, I saw him,"

Jack touched her chin briefly and moved her head so that he caught her eyes with his.

"Where?"

Chaya slapped his hand off her.

"How should I know? He ripped me away from my family! One moment I was with my father and brother's, the next, I'd put on the ring and I was in some dark cave underground and he was there. Now let me go home!"

Jack opened his mouth to speak, blue fire lighting his eyes.

The door to the little room opened suddenly.

"You are awake!"

The figure that now stood behind Jack was a large, imposing figure. His thick solid, legs supported a wide girth above and a flowing white beard rippled across his chest. He wore a thick red coat with black fur lining and a black fur hat. Two sabre swords hung at his waist and dark tattoos shadowed his arm. Even in her heated state, Chaya took a step back. Jack did not let off his stare as he gestured over his shoulder with is head.

"This is Santa Claus, king of the North Pole,"

Chaya wasn't surprised. If Jack was real, Santa probably was too. She stared up at the massive man as Jack stepped aside and Santa emerged further into the light.

"Welcome to da Pole!" He made a sweeping bow, holding his black hat close to his heart. Replacing it, he offered her his hand. "Would you like to see da workshop?"

Chaya's face hardened again.

"I'd like to go home," Her courage built and without thinking, she swept right past the both of them and out of the little room. Blinded momentarily by the amount of bright, shimmering light that met her, she shielded her eyes with a hand and looked about her.

Santa and Jack stepped out as she stopped. Figures of different sizes were moving this way and that before her, bumping into her and scooting behind her as she moved forward and away from the door. They were furry and lumped and looked much like over grown rabbits. But she could not place their name. Underfoot, scurrying just as fast as the larger, were little people with pointy red hats covering their bodies. She didn't even want to guess at what kind of creatures they were. Hopping over several, Chaya could not stop herself from tripping back over one as she placed her foot down. She reached out to catch herself, but started falling backwards. Without warning, she felt strong arms catch her and she fell back into a sturdy body. Pushing herself off, she turned to see Jack smiling behind her. How had he gotten back there? He smiled brightly at her. She shook him off and turned back once again, trying to reorient herself; Jack's face fell. Chaya looked around until she caught sight of Santa.

Standing with Santa were three very different people. One could say that they were not human at all. The tallest of the three was a large, blue-grey rabbit with black tattoos criss-crossing his body. Several boomerangs hung on to his thin frame. There was no doubt in Chaya's mind that this was the Easter bunny. The stories that she had told Joey not all that long ago were so far behind her now that she could not grasp it. How could it be true? Was she actually alive and witnessing this? It was all very overwhelming. The next figure was flittering about one way and another, never still. She flew on transparent, tiny wings and had a feather covered body that glimmered with almost every colour of the rainbow. The tooth fairy. Chaya was near the point of fainting from everything and then she noticed the last figure. He was short and stout and attired in a golden tunic with sandy looking hair and as she looked closer, Chaya could tell that it was indeed sand that covered his body. The sand man! Chaya stopped then and started backing up and again Jack was behind her, a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Are you alright?"

Chaya swayed slightly and put her hand on her forehead. Was it all real? Was she really standing in the North Pole with all these creatures? All these creatures who had been nothing but stories to her the day before? Or had they been stories? Had she somewhere deep down, believed that they were alive and surrounding her? She could not be sure. It was all too much and she felt weak.

Why was she here? The question pushed her over the edge and she fell back.

She did not notice Jack grabbing her arms and steadying her. She could not see clearly, a haze had come over her eyes. There were too many questions and she was screaming for the answers, afraid that she might never get them. Afraid that she would never know why she was here, she tried to scream, but nothing came out. Weak and scared, she slid to the floor and Jack kneeled down behind her. He leaned closer to her and whispered softly in her ear.

"It's alright, you're safe here. I promise,"

Chaya shook her head, unaware that she had let herself lean against him heavily. The other figures had come a little closer, concern alight in their eyes. Questions still flooded her mind, but she did not have the strength to put them into words. She breathed deeply and pressed harder into Jack. She didn't really think about it then, but she did afterwards. Jack did not seem to mind her leaning on him, in fact it was almost as if he enjoyed it.

"Why am I here?" She directed her question to Santa, but she really didn't care who answered. For a moment, the guardians did nothing but look at her quietly, but then Santa spread his arms wide and turned to face the sky.

"You were chosen by Manny to be new guardian!"

Chaya put her head in her hands and shook her head slowly. What was that supposed to mean? What was a guardian and why did she have to be one? And who was Manny? The questions raced around in Chaya's head and she held up her other hand to stop the pounding. She could think of no sensible way to put the words in her mind into sentences that would make sense to the creatures around her. What did it all mean? It was the biggest question ever and also the hardest to answer. Finally she looked up at Santa; she was still leaning heavily on Jack and she could feel his hands gripping her shoulders gently. Her eyes glittered as she fought tears.

"Tell me, why?"

Santa folded his arms slowly and sighed.

"Dat is a tough question to question to answer, Chaya, but I do my best ya?"

Santa took a seat beside his globe with an even heavier sigh. The other guardians gathered close around him. Jack helped Chaya to her feet and guided her toward the Russian king of the Pole.

"Listen, Chaya. You were chosen by Manny-,"

Chaya interrupted.

"Please, who is Manny?"

Santa pointed up to the ceiling.

"He is the man in the moon, he watches over all of us. He was the first guardian and he chooses people,"

Chaya looked up to see the last silver of the moon disappearing as the day officially started. The moon? He was alive? She remembered briefly all the times she had watched the moon out of her window after she had put Joey to bed. A lump appeared in her throat. Were her family looking for her? Were they afraid? A desperate desire to see them overwhelmed her and she stumbled slightly.

"Chaya?"

She shook herself, Jack was looking over her shoulder, so close she could sense his cold skin only inches from her own. She shook herself and rocked forward.

"I'm fine,"

Santa nodded and cleared his throat.

"As I said, Manny choose you to be our next guardian. He did not give me a clear vision like he usually does. Now I know why…"

Santa looked down at the ground, it was not often that the great Russian king was flustered, but Chaya was none the wiser to this.

"Why?"

Santa looked back up at her steadily.

"You're Pitch's daughter no?"

Chaya breathed in, trying to keep her growing frustration in check; Jack still stood firmly behind her and she found herself needing the stability she felt in his arms.

"So I've been told,"

Santa nodded his head, remaining calm even though his eyes betrayed him.

"The resemblance is unmistakable,"

Chaya looked away, the fear she had felt in her father;s presence was creeping up her back again.

"I know…" her voice trailed off and she leaned into Jack's shoulder without thinking. Santa looked at her for a moment, not fully understanding.

"You've seen Pitch?" He looked at Jack who nodded from behind her. Suddenly North stood up and came closer to Chaya, who drew back from the sudden invasion of her space.

"When did you see him?" His voice was heavy with misgiving and Chaya shuddered.

"Just before I came her, by the moon or Manny I guess. I was with my father,"

Santa drew in a breath and backed up a pace.

"How did Pitch find you?" he seemed to say this to himself, but Chaya could hear him. She suddenly realized that Jack was right; that ring had not been from them.

"He didn't find me, I'm his daughter, he always knew where I was. He gave me up when I was young and left me a ring," she stopped to see if Santa was keeping up, but he only stood and stared at her, so she continued. "He left me a ring with crosses on it, one black and one with diamonds. My adopted father gave it to me just… just yesterday actually," she stopped, holding her mouth in her hands for a moment as she remembered how angry she had been at Vincent for keeping the secret. But now she realized that he had only been doing it for her. A single tear fell from the corner of her eye as she sniffed and looked up. Santa's expression had changed; he looked compassionate, watching her softly almost as like a father. She sniffed again and continued, shakily. "H-he gave it to me because it was sixteenth birthday and that's how my real father wanted it. I don't think my adopted father had any idea who my father was… When I put the ring on, it brought me to him,"

Santa nodded understandingly as she looked at him after her story.

"He does ave a sort of magic about him. It is not like our magic doe," Chaya smiled softly.

"I know," she turned to look back at Jack. "He's the sick one," she said this softly so only Jack could hear and he smiled at her before she looked back at Santa. "He wanted me to rule with him," She laughed for a moment before she realized no one else was laughing. They all looked scared; even Jack.

"Rule with him? Rule what?" The serious tone in Santa's voice scared Chaya a little.

"He told me everything… He said we would rule the world together,"

Santa sucked in a breath.

"He's back,"

Chaya was confused.

"Did he go somewhere?"

Santa shook his head.

"We defeated him a few years ago. It was his second tirade from back in da dark ages. His fear was coming back. He must've found new fear… ,"

Chaya was still confused.

"What does all this have to do with Manny picking me to be a guardian?"

North looks up at her again.

"That is the question…"

Alright, this is a shorter chapter, I haven't written this story in awhile, because I have started another/new story! Stay tuned, I will probably start posting the chapters in a few weeks. I won't say much but it's spin on the adventures of Tintin, a sequel to the 2011 movie. I'm excited to see what people think. Anyway, enjoy this chapter and I'll update as soon as I finish the next chapter. Let me know what you think please!