Hello, I'm sorry I haven't updated in awhile, I have been super busy with midterms and they sucked the life right out of me. I'm finally finished the three of them so I thought I would put up another chapter, it's not overly long, but it will give you a sense of where I'm taking this story. Enjoy and please review, I would really love some feedback

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Rise of The Guardians

Chaya lay in her bed. Not her bed technically, it was the one she had woken up in that morning or afternoon or whatever time it had been. She had lost track of what time it was. So much had happened and her mind pounded with all that went on. Santa had still not answered her question, but he said he would talk to Manny when he came around and that had been it. He had given the room to her in the meantime and for them, life had gone on. But how could her's go on?

Nothing was the same anymore. Just a day ago she had been a daughter of a small family and now here she was, the daughter of the Pitch Black and destined to be a guardian, singled out by the moon no doubt! How was it all plausible? Chaya rolled onto her back and stared up at the dark ceiling. Nothing made sense and she was still not sure what a guardian was meant to be. What was she supposed to be guarding? And how was she supposed to guard whatever that was? Everyone else seemed to have holiday or place, she did not, so what could she give?

Fear and darkness.

Chaya shivered. She didn't want to be her father. She herself wasn't afraid of much, but she would never think of causing others to fear when there was no real need to. So what else did she have to offer? Her father had not given her a great example to follow. What was the moon thinking?

Suddenly a thought hit her.

What about her mother?

Pitch had said she had died giving birth to Chaya. The black haired girl turned once again to face the wall. What kind women had her mother been? Pitch had not given her any kind of description, but Chaya could tell that he had loved her very much. A sudden desire came over her and she wanted very much to know more about her real mother. Never really having a mother, knowing she had a real one now was harder than ever. She could only think of what her adopted mother looked like. She couldn't begin to guess at the women her father had married. Did she look like her? Maybe her hair? Or her figure? Chaya turned over again, sat up and looked down at herself. She could imagine getting her curves from her mother. Pitch had been thick and solid. Chaya nodded, her curves and shape were definitely her mother's. Chaya lay back down and closed to her eyes and tried to picture her. Could it be that whoever her mother had been was what the moon intended on Chaya sharing to the world as a guardian? She could believe that. But what was it?

"Aggghhhhhh!"

There were too many questions and Chaya had no answers. She was exhausted and emotionally drained from everything had happened since she had woken up on her sixteenth birthday. Sighing heavily, she turned over once more and sat up on the bed.

There was no window in the room.

Shivering slightly, she stood up and walked across to the door. She opened it slowly and peaked her head out. It seemed quiet enough. She stepped out and followed the light. She needed to see the moon.

Jack tapped the window gently, watching absentmindedly as the snowflake formed and floated off on to his lap. He wasn't really interested in playing athlete moment, but he needed something to preoccupy his mind. Leaning his head back against the window sill he had situated himself in, Jack looked out across the frozen tundra.

Today had not gone at all like he had thought.

When he had first met Chaya, she was a sweet and loving girl. But now, actually meeting and talking with her, knowing that she could see him; it was all so different. Chaya had good reason to be so hostile, she had been through a lot after all. Bring ripped away from family was something Jack could relate to and then finding out she was from a whole different family of a whole different world and Pitch's daughter no less! He had to admit that he had found it all overwhelming as well and her reaction was just as Jack's had been, maybe even more so.

But still…

It was almost as if he was still being ignored by her. As if she still could not see him. When he had been told to keep an eye on her, he had been mesmerized by her. The way she walked, the way she talked and everything else about her. It had been so perfect. She had been such a simple girl. Jack hated to admit it, but he knew he had deep feelings for her. He had never really felt much for all the other girls he had met over the years he had been Jack Frost, but then again. None of those girls had been like Chaya.

Chaya was immortal; just like him.

But what was the use?

Jack held his head in his hands, fighting the emotion rising in his stomach and up into his head.

Chaya didn't seem to feel a thing towards him. And why should she? She had not seen all the things he had done for her and under the circumstances, he could not blame her. He groaned into his hands and slumped down to lean on his legs. Why had things turned out so wrong?

"Jack?"

Jack sat up straight and hit the wall behind him. Chaya stood before hm, wincing at the resounding thud; her golden eyes were wide and she stood as a deer in headlights.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. Are you okay?"

Jack rubbed the back of his head ruefully and looked down, unable to meet Chaya's eyes; his own still misted in tears.

"Yea.. fine," he choked out.

Chaya relaxed slightly, not seeming to notice his discomfort. She walked forward and leaned against the windowsill a little distance from him, tilting her head up to look into the sky, disappointed that the clouds were covering the moon. Jack kept his head down as Chaya searched the skies, only allowing his head to raise an inch to look over at her. Her eyes sparkled with the faint glint of moonlight and her hair turned silver. He looked down again as she turned her head to look out the corner of the window.

She noticed, but didn't say anything. Instead, she sighed quietly and sat down to face the room, her back to the window. Jack lifted his head and looked at her, satisfied that he had hid his emotion enough.

"Are you okay?" His voice was still thick.

Chaya didn't move at first, she just looked down at the floor. Finally she lifted her head and turned to Jack; her eyes were blurred with tears.

"I don't know,"

She turned away from him to wipe her eyes, suddenly overcome as tears flowed down her cheeks. She leaned her head and wept into her arms, her sobs echoing off the walls of the hollow and empty room. She sounded so broken, as if her very soul was splitting. Jack scooted closer out of instinct; he had dealt with many crying children as a gaurdian, but this was different. For a moment, he hesitated to touch her., sitting close to her now with his hand posed over her. She had not appreciated his touch the last time he'd tried to help. Slowly and with resistance, he placed a hand on her back, just below her right shoulder blade. She flinched softly, probably from the sudden cool touch on her thinly covered back, but she did not react. Her sobs grew louder for a moment and Jack's heart ached for her. He was just about to see if he could help more when she sat back up, her face tearstained and red. Shaking off his hand, she brushed her hair out of her face, staring solemnly, but calmly straight ahead, the golden eyes had lost their sparkling light.

"This has got to be the worst day of my life,"

Jack frowned.

"It's been two,"

Chaya turned to him, her lip quivering. Jack bit his tongue, mentally hitting himself; he wasn't helping. But Chaya smiled weakly at him and turned to look out the window again. Jack looked with her, stealing a chance to look at her face again. She seemed to be calmer.

"The moon is hiding tonight," She looked up at the sky, biting her lower lip softly. Shaking her head, she looked down at the sill, tracing patterns in the fogged glass. "I used to love looking at the moon, you know," she looked at Jack again. "I liked the cold light it gave off and how clear and crisp it was. I look at it every night if I could,"

Jack nodded his head stiffly, still watching her face for any sign of aggression.

"I know," His voice was a whisper as he was lulled by her soft voice. She looked at him sharply.

"What?"

Jack bit his tongue again. Seriously! He looked nervously at her, brushing a hand through his spiky hair; Chaya just looked at him, her face expressionless.

"Uh… when we found out you would be a guardian. Santa.. asked… well he told me… I guess he gave me the order.. to uh… watch you for any signs of your coming," He closed his eyes tightly, expecting an assault. He opened them again after a minute, looking at Chaya sheepishly. She just stared at him, not moving. Finally she sat back against the window, taking a deep breath in and letting it out slowly.

"I guess that shouldn't surprise me. Not with what's been going on lately,"

Jack let out his breath. She definitely was calmer. He ducked his head to rub the back of his neck, only feeling colder.

"I saw you looking at the moon a few times. Do you remember that one time you asked the moon to give courage to your brother on his first day of school?"

Chaya blushed deeply, looking down and away.

"You heard that?" Her voice was pitched with embarrassment and Jack was quick to ease her mind.

"You don't have to feel embarrassed, you didn't know I was there.. ," he scratched the back of his head bashfully. "But you said something else. You asked me if I would freeze the pond… I found that was pretty amazing,"

Chaya looked away again, smiling now though.

"Joey's stories had gotten to my head. I figured I should say something. I never imagined that both you and moon were listening though. That as pretty incredible,"

Jack smiled again, fully enjoying talking to Chaya.

"So I did what you asked. Did you like the pond?"

Chaya nodded her head, smiling fully now.

"I did, it's never looked so beautiful. I think Joey really liked it too. Thank you," She reached out her hand to gently touch his, coming off quickly from the cold. Jack ducked his head and pulled his hand away.

"Sorry, I'm kind of.. Frosty… ," He looked up to see Chaya smiling, a laughing smile as she shook her head and looked out the window again. Jack's heart melted. Chaya was laughing and with him. He was there and she could see him. Everything he had watched her do was now happening before him once again, but this time, Chaya could see him. It was blissful and Jack closed his eyes and leaned back, relaxed and his casual self again.

Chaya watched him for a moment and then decided to speak up again.

"Jack… Do you know why… Manny choose me to be a guardian?"

Jack opened one eye and looked at her, all his former emotion gone, replaced by his old nature. He opened both eyes to see the seriousness in her eyes. He shrugged and looked out a the corner of the moon that was showing through the window now.

"I don't know. You're immortal, you know. Usually that doesn't go unnoticed,"

Chaya sat back. She hadn't even thought of that. Through all the craziness and earth-shattering events that had taken place, she had never stepped back and thought about it. She was immortal. She always had been. Surprise after surprise. Her heart ached suddenly to be back with her brothers and father; adopted of course. She was calmer now, coming into the reality of all that had happened, the shock slowly starting to melt away. But she never stopped missing them. She sniffed slowly and then shook her head. Jack had not answered her question fully.

"No, no I know. I guess I'm the daughter of Pitch Black and everything, but why me? What do I have to offer? Pitch Black only brings fear and despair. That isn't what the world needs. What do I have that Manny wants me to share?"

She was asking all these questions with her eyes closed, her head against the window. Now she opened her eyes to look once again at Jack. He seemed to be deep in thought, looking down at the ground in front of her feet. He finally looked back up at her, his eyes alight with slight confusion.

"I don't really know… I never thought to question the man in the moon, but you have a good point,"

He looked out again as finally the cloud covering passed and the moon crept out. Jack smiled as Chaya's eyes light up again with wonder and the light of the moon. She turned around and pressed her face to the glass, watching as the moon moved in it's night dance over the earth. She opened her mouth in awe as it passed her by and into another cloud, it's light fading along with her smile. She looked at Jack again. There was another question; Jack could see it.

"Jack… do you know who my mother was?"

Jack had not been expecting that. His head jerked back slightly and he looked out the window.

"No, I didn't know Pitch had a child to begin with. I haven't seen him in years. We had defeated him,"

Chaya nodded understandingly and looked at the floor.

"I just thought… I mean since Pitch isn't actually the best role model, would it be possible that whatever Manny wants me to share what came from my mother?"

Jack looked out at the sky, slowly nodding his head. That would make sense. He had to agree with her. Being Pitch's daughter didn't exactly give her any qualifications for the role of a guardian. Why had no one else thought of that when they had found out?

"I guess he could've. I don't know what that is either, though,"

Chaya looked down at the ground.

"I bet Pitch does,"

Jack looked up at her.

"What do you mean?" He wasn't too sure he liked the look in her eyes. She turned to looked at him, excitedly now.

"Pitch, he would know. She was his wife! He'll know all about her," Jumping up, she was about to run off when Jack caught her arm. She turned to look firmly at him "Don't you get it, he'll know. He'll know why I have to become a guardian!"

Jack stopped, looking passed her head as he thought it through. What she said made sense to him. She had questions and wanted the answers.

He was suddenly transported back to the time when he had first been called to be a guardian. All he had wanted to know was why, why he had been chosen when he fell into that lake so long ago, trying to protect his sister. He had not rested until he had found out. He could understand her motivations. Looking up now at the desperate searching eyes before him, he say Chaya as he had been, someone who had lost everything, wanting beyond anything to know why.

But he pulled back again, tugging on her arm to sit down again. As much as he understood her desire, he knew that it wasn't always that simple. His journey to knowing his destiny had been hard and he had almost stolen happiness from the world. One had be careful as they trod the dangerous path to self fulfilment.

Chaya looked at him, Jack only sat and stared at the floor.

"Jack, I have to know," Jack looked up at her, torn in two at wanting to help her, but wanting to help her from herself.

"Chaya… you can't go back,"

Chaya shook off his hand and stared at him, her eyes locked on his.

"Why not? He's the only one who knows my mother,"

Jack shook his head, running his hands over his face as he tried to come up with the words to describe the dangers.

"You… you can't. Chaya when I first found out I was to be a guardian, I wanted to know why too," He looked up at her in earnest as she faded her arms over her chest and looked critically at him. He pushed on. "I wanted to know why he would choose me of all people. I was blind as I did everything I could to find my purpose, even when other people needed my help. I was too caught up in finding my own identity, I wasn't living up to what I'd been chosen to do. People were hurt, Sandman almost died! You can't let it blind you Chaya. Too many people will pay the price later. Please, someone else must know your mother. Santa, maybe the moon, heck there's probably something in the library about her!"

Jack stopped himself there, panting from the adrenaline pulsing through his body; he had not realized his voice had raised to a near shout. Chaya stood staring at him as he sat before her, his eyes desperately searching hers. Something in her golden orbs chilled Jack more than he thought was possible. Chaya shook visibly, her face holding back the rage Jack knew was coming. Just as she had calmed down, he had managed to rile her again. Barely suppressed anger laced Chaya's words.

"You want me to look up my mother, the women who gave birth to me, in some dusty book off a shelf?" her voice was deathly cold. "My mother is not some character in history. She's my mother! And I have the right to know who she is and why Manny picked me. And not you or anyone else here is going to stop me. You've taken everything from me and I deserve to know why!" Her voice rose considerably and before Jack could protest, she turned and left the room.

It took a minute for Jack to take in her words before he got up and ran after her, he had to make her see reason. She couldn't go back to Pitch. As strong as she might sound, Chaya was in a weak state and Pitch would only take advantage of her. He would manipulate her and Chaya would not be able stop him. The world would once again be plunged into darkness and Jack could not watch that happen a second time.

He guessed that she would head back to her room; where else could she have gone? She didn't even know how to find Pitch. In all honesty, Jack didn't know how to find him either. The ruler of darkness did not exactly have a shop of nightmares. Suddenly, Jack felt his heart drop and he picked up his pace, turning corners as fast as he could, heading for the room Chaya had been situated in. She still had that ring and it had sounded to Jack like that was how Pitch had brought her to him in the first place. If the ring was still in her room, she had direct passage to her father. Jack ran as fast as he could, using the walls to spirit through the passages, panting slightly as he stopped short of the side room he had first met Chaya in. Taking a deep breath, Jack pushed opened the door.

Jack heart dropped to his feet.

The room was empty. Desperately, Jack searched the floor in front of the doorway, in a vain hope that Chaya had gone somewhere else in her rage and the ring had never entered her mind. Jack groaned outwardly as he saw for himself that the ring was gone; so was Chaya. She had left and she had gone back to Pitch.

Who knew what would happen next?

Alright, there we go! I hope you guys enjoyed it. I have to catch up on my chapters after this, so it may be awhile before the next chapter, but stay toned it will be up and I was thinking this Sunday would be the perfect time to release my new story, Sail Away. I look forward to sharing it. Cheers!