Emma Overland sat next to a lake, tears cascading down her cheeks. Springtime was in the air, but there was no happiness for her in the birds chirping. Her older brother, Jack, had drowned in that very lake only months before. He had died saving her life, and she blamed herself for his death.

"Jack, I miss you." she whispered.

"Are you Emma?" a girl's voice asked. Emma turned, brown hair whipping her face as she turned her eyes on the stranger. The girl had dark brown hair pulled into a braid that hung all the way to her knees.

"Who're you?" Emma asked, backing up, her feet hitting the edge of the still-frozen water.

"Don't go on the lake! It's not thick enough, you could get hurt." the stranger said, reaching out and pulling her back. She stared out and her eyes rested on the spot Jack had drowned.

"Emma, will you listen to me? it's about your brother. This will be hard on both of you, but the hardest on you. If you decide to do this I'll need you to be brave for me." she said, kneeling down and looking the younger girl in the eyes. Emma nodded.

"I'm going to take you about three hundred years into the future- where I'm from. Jack is alive, but he's... different. He's the spirit of winter now. And he doesn't remember anything. He woke up in the lake and the moon told him his name. And that's all he knows of himself. While you're there, at some point he's going to remember who he is, and who you are. Until then you can't tell him, but when he remembers you can hug all you want. Is that alright?" the girl looked almost terrified that her decision would be wrong. Emma nodded immediately- anything to be able to see her brother again.

"I'm E-Faith. I'm the Spirit of Time, and the Guardian of Belief." she said, taking Emma by the hand. She started walking and tapped her foot against the trunk of a tree. It seemed to split apart. Emma tensed in fear. Faith squeezed the girl's hand comfortingly.

"Emma, I promise you that there is nothing to be scared of. I'm right here. Don't be frightened." she said, and the two walked through.

In the town of Burgess, modern day, the same tree revealed the two stepping out, three hundred years later, as though not a day had passed.

"It looks the same." Emma said. Faith smiled.

"It is, just about. This is where Jack usually stays, but I have a place set up for us." Faith suddenly teleported to a small house. There were plenty of bedrooms as well as a large, comfortable looking living room.

"Well, to bring you up to speed, I'll have to start at the beginning. You know who Santa, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, and the Sandman are, don't you? Well, it begins with them, the Boogieman who is also known as Pitch Black, and your brother."

It was hours later that a blinding white light filled North's workshop. The large Russian landed on the floor, flat on his face. E. Aster Bunnymund landed on his feet, and Toothiana fluttered down, managing not to trip and fall. Sandy was sitting on a cushion of dream sand. The group of six children landed in a confused heap, Sophie starting to cry. Jack Frost was leaning on his staff, and Pitch Black had drawn into a corner, hiding.

"Sophie, come here." Jamie said, picking up his little sister and calming her down.

"Well, now that everyone's here I believe it is time for introductions." Faith said, walking in, leading Emma. Her eyes rested on Jack and she looked away quickly, making him start- she could see him?

"Well, these kids are Sophie, Jamie, Claude, Caleb, Pippa, Monty, and Cupcake. This one right here is Emma, though she's a bit new to the 21st century. She's from the colonial times, but she needed to come as later on someone here will need her as much as she needs them. This is North, who is Santa Clause. Bunny, obviously the Easter Bunny. Sandy, the Sandman. And Tooth, the Tooth fairy. Now, first you come over here." she said, grabbing Jack and dragging him over next to her.

"Now, for the kids, raise your hand if you can see someone next to me." she said. Only Emma raised her hand, and the other kids stared at her.

"Well, do you remember that old saying about jack Frost? Well, he is real, and right next to me. You have to believe in him to see him. Now raise your hand if you can see him." she said. Every child raised their hands, except for Sophie though she was a bit preoccupied jumping around Bunny's feet happily. She turned and nudged Jack, as he stared in shock at the kids who had raised their hands. They all had shock in their eyes and a grin started to spread across his face. He let out a breath of laughter, and the kids all started grinning as well.

"Y-You can see me?" he gasped, not able to really comprehend it. They all nodded and he did a backflip he was so happy. This made Emma smile- he was happy.

"Well, let's get started. We're going to watch the first half of a movie now. We'll watch the second half after breakfast tomorrow. Getting everyone together took longer than I anticipated." she said, settling onto a couch. Pitch emerged and Sophie shied away from him, hiding her face in Bunny's leg. He sat her next to him as most of the kids backed up. Emma gasped but Faith pulled her to her side.

"Pitch, you know that I'm stronger than you will ever be, and that if you cause any trouble here I will not hesitate to kick your miserable rear into next century." She threatened. He sat down in a black armchair but seemed to take her threat to heart. The kids found squashy beanbags to sit in. North sat in an armchair, as did the other three guardians. Jack and Faith sat on a love seat together, Emma squished between them. She still refused to look directly at Jack.

"Well, the movie is called Rise of the Guardians, and is actually about what happens in the next few days, and a bit of what happened in Emma's time. No fighting, understood? Jack, that goes for you too. No picking fights with Bunny." she said sternly and took a remote, hitting 'play'.