I know some are a little confused about Era's backstory and from where Jack learned about it. I have my reasons:

1. Jack learned about Era's back story from Sandy because he's the Sand Man! He's inside everyone's heads and knows about their dreams! He would know about the situation from her dreams. Also because Sandy is one of the oldest spirits, and I like to think him and The Moon have little gossip sessions from time to time!

2. Era's name. Era goes by a shortening of her middle name. I got this idea from my friend named Steven Maximilian (Last name excluded). When he was growing up; his parents realized he didn't look like a Steve, so they started calling him Maximilian. That was then shortened to Max. I like to think that Era's parents liked the sound of Nordica; but then began to call her by her middle name, and then they even shortened that name!

3. Era's sister. It's all explained in this chapter. As a person who works with people with mental disorders and who has family members with mental disorders; this is what I feel is an honest representation of how things can be at their worst. When mental illness is mixed with improper care, drugs, and alcohol; it's never a good outcome.

Read and Review (:

Jack made it back to Era's house in record time. He quickly opened the front door with the key that was hidden behind the second bush on the left side of the stoop. Closing and locking the door behind him, Jack floated soundlessly through the house, and found Era in her kitchen.

Era was dressed in a pair of low riding red and white dotted sleeping shorts, a purple sports bra, and bright orange socks, with her hair braided to the side. She was standing at the kitchen counter chopping what looked like almonds with a small knife. The blonde couldn't hear the winter spirit because of her red ipod that was set on the highest volume and earbuds in her ears. Jack thought of pulling a prank to scare the blonde, but he found himself watching her instead. He leant against the door frame, his cheek pressed against the aged wood.

The first thing that caught Jack's eyes was the bright flashes of colors that danced across Era's skin. The winter spirit knew about the compass that was inked on her upper left arm. When North told him about Era having a lot of tattoos, he was right. This was the first time that Jack had seen her when she wasn't fully covered with clothing.

Jack counted four tattoos, the compass included, and the first one that caught Jack's eye was the flaming fish that danced across the skin of her right thigh. The fish had vicious, yet graceful looking spines; the fish's body was made out of red, orange, and yellow flames.

Her third tattoo was on her right upper arm; a strange symbol, crafted out of pure black ink. Her final tattoo was a bright green and white Celtic dragon that wound around her right hip. Jack watched as Era sighed, seeing the blonde in a whole new light. When Era stopped chopping, she pulled her earbuds out and walked across the kitchen to check the oven.

"Hey." Jack greeted, sauntering into the bright blue and yellow themed kitchen. Era turned her head to greet him with a small smile, gesturing her head towards the counter.

"Hey. I'm making almond peppermint brownies. You like those, yeah?" She asked, clapping some chocolate powder from her hands.

"Sure. Look, I met up with the other Guardians for Tooth's tea party today." Jack said cautiously, pulling out two chairs at the kitchen table, one for him, and one for her if she chose to sit down.

"Yep, I know. You told me when you left this morning, remember? Right after you glued my toothbrush to my bathroom ceiling fan." Era snorted, turning her back to Jack and working on her brownies. Jack steeled himself with another breath, ready for Era to either explode in anger or in tears.

Then again, he was never one hundred percent sure how she was going to react; that's why Jack liked Era so much.

"Sandman told me about your family." Jack said softly, watching nervously for a bad reaction. Era froze for a millisecond, but nodded her head and went back to stirring her batter. Jack leaned back in his chair, trying to catch eyes with her.

Why was she always baking when he wanted to look her in the eye and talk?

"Oh." Era hummed, nodding her head. Almost robotically, the honey blonde picked the large mixing bowl up and began pouring the contents into the brownie pan. Jack heard her take a deep breath, like she was trying to center herself.

Was he supposed to go over to her for comfort? Was he supposed to stay in his seat and leave her alone?

"I just...I want to know if you want to talk about it. If you want me to forget I know, we can do that and we can never talk about this again." Jack said sincerely, placing his staff against the kitchen wall. Looking down at her pan of brownie mix, Era quickly shoved the pan into the pre-heated oven.

Jack watched worriedly as Era pressed her forehead against the heel of her chocolate covered palm. Quicker than he could process, Era had made her way across the room and sat down beside him. The fire fighter took a deep breath and focused her line of sight on Jack. The kelly-green and icy blue mismatched orbs burned into his own blue eyes; and the winter spirit winced as he saw the raw pain that hers held.

"My mother's name was Emmaline and my father's name was Greyson." Era took a deep breath before trying to continue.

"If it's hard, don't feel like you have to tell me. I already know the outline of the story." Jack said softly, slowly reaching a hand out to press it against Era's shaking hand. Era closed her green and blue orbs, shaking her head. She smiled a little, liking the feel of the cold hand on top of her own. It helped her center her raging thoughts.

"I'm just going to repeat what I said to Tara." Era seemed a bit detached, but Jack would let Era do or say whatever she wished. Jack nodded, squeezing her hand.

"My parents married when they were nineteen. They had my brother, Neson, then Lyson, then my sister Ashleigh, then me. After me came my sisters Cynthia and Kelly. We were happy for a long time." Came the automatic robotic reply.

"When I was seventeen, Ashleigh was diagnosed with schizophrenia." Era said slowly, her mismatched eyes welling with tears. "My mom's dad had it, so it wasn't like it came from nowhere. When the diagnosis came back, Ashleigh was mad…more than mad. She got pissed and started flailing. She accidentally smacked Kelly in the face."

Jack nodded, putting names to the sand figures that Sandy had shown him. He was glad he asked Era for the full story. He'd just thought that her older sister had gone crazy with rage.

"All of us were on edge for about a year after that first outburst. My parents had sent Ashleigh to therapy, but what we didn't know was that she was using drugs. The illness, mixed with her meds, and then mixed with the booze and drugs was just…a deadly cocktail." Era muttered, using her free hand to rub at her aching temple. Jack picked up Era's hand from the tabletop and squeezed it beneath both his hands.

"We don't know where she got the gun from. Later we learned she had borrowed it from one of her friends she met in therapy. She came in my parent's house and shot Kelly. Then Dad. Then Mom. Then Neson. When she was about to shoot Cynthia, Lyson and I stood in front of her," Era choked through a sob. "She must have…cleared her mind in that moment, because suddenly, she knew what she had done."

Jack nodded, his grip on Era's hand tightening. Both his hands were wrapped tightly around hers. His thumbs gently rubbing soothing lines into the slightly roughened skin.

"You're strong."