Hey guys! Sorry I haven't posted in—what? Two weeks? School has been troubling. Tests, tests, and more tests. Oh, and essays too! I really wish break was here. Oh, and I have another test in a few days too. *sarcastic* Yay.

I don't have much excuses. The first week I missed an update was because I have to study for some huge test. The next week was because I was catching up on sleep because that entire week had been filed with tests and more tests! So, yeah, school is pretty much the only excuse I had. Plus, I had this huge run at my school that was worth a major percentage of my P.E. grade so I was training.

Yep. I love school.

Anyways, enjoy the chapter.

The guardians was emerged into another memory and their eyes took in the scene. Jonathan was pacing back and forth in the living room rapidly, running his hand through his hair multiple times as he murmured unclear words. Jack was seated on a chair, a worried look on his face. "Papa, is mom going to be okay?" The question struck a cord in the guardians. Confusion and concern intensified with every minute and unanswered questions plagued them. What happened to Elizabeth? Is she okay? Was she hurt?

Suddenly, a scream ripped through the silence and the guardians were immediately sent into a worried frenzy. What was happening?! Screams were erupting for minutes on end and the guardians were scared for Elizabeth's state and fate. Suddenly, the screams stopped. The silence worried the guardians even more. What happened? A midwife entered the scene and realization dawned on the guardians. "It's a girl." Tooth squealed at the statement and Memory Jack giggled.

"I knew it!" Jack beamed.

"Yes, you did." Jonathan smiled, his eyes filled with affection and love. "How did you know anyways?"

"The wind told me, Papa."

Jonathan drew back, not expecting that reply. "The wind?"

"Yes, Papa, the wind."

"It seems like Jack was talking to the wind even before he became a spirit." North commented, the other guardians nodding in agreement. Fond smiles formed on their face. Even before, Jack was still a child to the wind. It was a sweet thought.

Both Jack and his papa headed to the bedroom where the guardians assumed Elizabeth probably was. They entered the room and Elizabeth was there, lying on the bed, her face covered with a thin layer of sweat. She was obviously exhausted, but nonetheless, a small smile was on her face. Jonathan gave her a kiss on the forehead. "Are you alright, Honey?" he asked in a soft voice. She nodded and shifted into a different position. A bundle came into view. Tooth squealed when her eyes landed on it. The baby!

"What are we going to name her?" her husband asked. She had a thoughtful look on her face for a moment before her eyes suddenly shifted to Jack. A glint flashed in her eyes and she beckon him over to the bed.

"What kind of name do you have in mind, Jack?" Jack frowned, his eyebrows narrowed. His eyes squint in thought, and a thin line spread across his face. Then his face suddenly brightened, and if possible, beamed brighter than before. The guardians drew back at the sudden reaction before smiling at his happy expression.

"He is so cute!" Tooth gushed. Bunny rolled his eyes, but was amused with her behavior.

Elizabeth placed the newborn baby in Jack's arms. Jack stared at the baby for a moment, before answering, "Pippa. She looks like a Pippa."

Elizabeth gasped. "Pippa! Oh, what a perfect name!" Jack blushed.

Jonathan smiled and nodded. "Pippa Overland it is then."

Pippa opened her eyes and her tiny lips curled upward. Jack bounced her lightly, causing her to giggle. "Hello there, Pippa. I'm your big brother, Jack." Pippa squealed and babbled as he continued bouncing her.

"Now, Jack," Jonathan started, continuing when Jack's attention shifted to him. "Being a big brother means that you have to help us care for her. You have to protect her. Can you do that?"

Jack nodded, a determined look on his face. "I promise to protect her with my life."

Jonathan smiled. "I know you will be a great big brother." Jack brightened with radiating happiness as he continued to play with his new baby sister.

Tooth squealed at Jack's proclamation, and proceeded to fangirl over the scene. "This is so cute! I can't even—I can't—I need to breathe! I—" Bunny slapped his paw over her, silencing her.

"We get it." he grumbled, but everyone could see the humored glint in his eyes.

MiM was frowning. He was debating whether or not he should show the next set of memories and was rethinking his decision over again. Should he? Maybe he shouldn't. The next set of memories was a bit more personal. However, on the other hand, Jack would already be furious when he finds out that MIM showed the guardians his memories, even if MiM had just shown a few so far.

In all of the years he watched over Jack, he had never seen someone more qualified to be a guardian than the winter spirit. Ignored, excluded, alone for over three hundred years would turn anyone bitter. But not Jack Frost—no, he just kept on smiling that bright smile of his. Even though Jack wasn't a guardian before, he still watched and played with the children, despite the fact that they didn't see him. MIM saw how it pained Jack when children walked through him, but even though Jack kept on smiling.

MiM always felt a small plague of guilt whenever he thought of Jack. "Why?" he would always ask. MiM desperately wanted to answer, but he couldn't.

He could've comforted the boy. He could've ask North or someone else to take Jack in. Oh, how easy it would be. Jack would be happy. He would have a family again.

But the world would pay the price.

The path MiM set Jack on was a hard one. Jack cannot have attention. To have attention drawn to Jack could make others realize Jack's potential. They would realize how powerful Jack was.

MiM realize Pitch's plot, and he knew that only an unexpected savior can save them. Even if Pitch did find out about the boy, he would excuse him as another minor spirit—another ordinary spirit that is no such threat to him. To doom one child to years of loneliness will save the rest.

But that was what Jack was. A child. A child that needed love and care and a family to guide him. But, a child doomed to isolation, to loneliness, with not one trace of a happy memory or any knowledge on how to control his powers. A child without love.

MiM was suppose to protect children, but he let this one child suffer for centuries.

He shook his head. It was for the greater good, he always told himself. Letting this one child suffer would save millions of others.

That didn't mean MiM didn't feel guilty. That didn't mean that he would forget the first few decades where Jack cried himself to sleep every night, begging for someone to see him.

Tooth can barely hold in her squeals. Bunny was acting like he was annoyed, but everyone can tell that he was on the verge of squealing too. Tooth paused; okay, maybe not squealing, but at the very most, gushing. Come on! Who wouldn't?

Sandy was smiling fondly. It was nice to know that Jack had a loving family and an amazing life before he became a spirit. However, the question still plagued Sandy and he couldn't shake the feeling that something might've happened. Sandy was thankful that the surroundings started to change again. It gave him a distraction.

The guardians found themselves on a small hill. They could see the Overlands' house a few yards away. The family was having a picnic near a tree. "She is so cute!" a voice squealed and the guardians noticed Fred and Wendy holding the newborn baby. "What's her name?" Wendy asked.

"Pippa Overland." Elizabeth answered.

Fred nodded in agreement to the name. "'Makes sense. She looks like a Pippa."

Wendy raised an eyebrow. "How does one look like a Pippa?" Her brother shrugged.

"Dunno. She just looks like a Pippa." Wendy rolls her eyes and the guardians watched as she continued bouncing the baby.

The guardians continued to watch the interactions between the Overlands and the Evan twins. Stories were exchanged and laughter roared. The nature of the family warmed the guardians' hearts. It especially warmed Sandy's. It was nice to know that Jack experienced love before and that Jack wasn't always alone. He remembered one time, when he was doing his guardian duty when he passed a lake. He noticed a certain spirit and remembered Bunny talking about some winter spirit living near a lake. He was always too busy to have an actual chat with Jack before and that upset him greatly, but he made sure that Jack always had pleasant dreams.

Bunny couldn't honestly see the problem. Sure, he overreacted a bit with Jack—even though he wouldn't admit that—but he couldn't see how Jack could've suffered at all. Jack had a loving family and creepy, but cool friends. Sure, the rich kids were definitely rude and snobbish, but other than that, Jack seemed to have a pretty good life. The only reason Bunny is even watching Jack's memories was that it can potentially give him some great blackmail material.

Tooth kept on squealing. "Oh, how I wish I could hold Pippa right now!"

Bunny raised an eyebrow. "Probably good thing that you can't. You'd probably shatter the poor kid's eardrums. You definitely shattered mine."

Tooth scowled, "Oh shut up!"

"Wait! Don't do that!" Jack's panicked voice caught the attention of the guardians.

Jack took Pippa from the twins when they started to toss her in the air. "What?" Wendy whined.

"You're not suppose to toss her into the air!" Jack hissed while he rocked Pippa in his arms.

Wendy frowned. "But I always see moms do it to their babies."

"Yeah, but Pippa is just a few months old! She will get hurt too easily!" Jack exclaimed. How can they be so careless?! This was his baby sister here!

Fred frowned, but a smirk just spread across Wendy's face. "Aw! You have such a mother-complex!" she cooed, and, realizing what his sister was doing, Fred grinned mischievously before joining in.

Jack's jaw dropped. "What?!"

"Yeah," Fred agreed, a gleam in his eyes. "Next thing you know, he'll be lecturing people on the 'dangers' of not wearing a coat in the winter, or the importance of washing your hands before and after dinner." Jack's jaw dropped further.

"I wouldn't be surprised if I see him fighting all the other moms for the last daisy-themed dress." Wendy added gleefully.

"What?!" Jack's face was baffled. "What the—?! I do not have a mother-complex!"

"Hmm . . . I don't know." Fred hummed, a mock-thinking expression on his face. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah! I am most certainly sure!" The twins had their eyebrows raised and Jack scowled at then, though still rocking Pippa.

Bunny raised his eyebrow. Of all the years he'd known Jack, it didn't ever cross his mind that Jack had a mother-complex. A brother-complex, yes, but a mother-complex, Bunny wasn't sure. But to be fair, Bunny didn't know Jack that well. The twins were obviously just teasing Jack, though.

The rest of the picnic went with Jack scowling at the twins and protesting that he didn't have a mother-complex while the twins continue insisting that he did. Jonathan and Elizabeth just watched the exchange with a humored look on their faces. Jack had a frightening glare directed towards the twins, but the scary effect was ruined by Jack rocking and bouncing Pippa onto his lap.

Jack stood up calmly and set Pippa in his mom's arms gently. "Mother-complex." Fred smirked. Jack whipped around faster than anyone can comprehend.

"I do not have a mother-complex!" Jack hissed and started to chase the twins as they continued to shout "mother-complex," provoking Jack every time.

When Wendy squealed particularly loud, Jack frowned. "Shh! I just rocked Pippa to sleep! She's a baby and she needs her rest!" he scold.

The twins giggled. "Yes, mom." Jack growled and started to chase them around again.

The guardians laughed at Jack's reaction as the memory fainted away. "Frostbite? Acting like a mom? I would pay to see that!" Bunny exclaimed and the guys nodded in agreement. Tooth just smiled fondly at the scene.

Their surroundings shifted. "A new memory!" North said.

Bunny rolled his eyes. "Thanks, Captain Obvious." Before North could retort, thick clouds of smoke hit them. "What the hell?!" Bunny yelled as the guardians coughed and waved the mass of smoke away. "Now what in tarnations—" Bunny was interrupted by a scream. Bunny was about to voice his question when he lifted his head. His entire body froze from shock, but was quickly startled by another scream. He saw the other guardians reacting with similar shock. Bunny watched the scene in front of them, shocked and horrified.

Smoke clouded the entire area and ashes blew into different directions. Screams filled the atmosphere.

The village was burning.

Hee hee hee. Cliffhanger. I admit, I was planning this particular ending for a LONG time. Oh, and that reminds me. The reason why I didn't updated any weekday was because number one, tests, and number two, when I did try to write it, I discovered that this chapter needed a bit more planning. (Yes, I plan out my stories. I even have a book and everything.) I had an idea of the plot of the chapter, but I also needed the dialogue and the wording. Even if I did plan out the chapter a bit more, I had to rewrite it a couple more times before I was satisfied.

I also liked to thank all of the reviews and views this story has gotten. Not even halfway through and this story already has nearly 1k views. The amount of favorites and follows this story has gotten astonished me and the reviews you guys leave always formed a huge smile on my face. I am so thankful!

I'll try to update sooner than I usually do to make up for the last few missed updates. Bye! Have a wonderful day or a good night, depending on where you live. :)