The Lost Child

Prologue

Descendant of Fae and Child of Mischief

Fae- An ancient, magical race that once governed over the earth long before others in the nine realms had even set their sights on the little blue planet. They were peacekeepers, healers, and magicians. They were the ones to keep the balance between all humans, animals and magical beings, and it stayed that way for hundreds of thousands of years, leading all the way back to the beginning of time. A thought to be immortal race that hated violence just as much as humans loved it. Something that would eventually lead to their downfall.

To humans the Fae were a mysterious people that held untold beauty far greater than any mortal could ever attain. With hair as white as snow, skin as pale as moonlight, and crystal blue eyes that held vast wisdom contrary to what their youthful physique portrayed.

They were a race to be feared and respected, but ultimately left alone.

That was how things stayed, until a curious little girl, who liked curious little things, meet the prince of the Fae.

There was no love at first sight as was described in many fairy tales of the time. In Fact the fifteen year old mortal couldn't stand the stuck up fifteen hundred year old Fae. He was rude and prideful and just downright horrible to be around. Nothing like the kind Fae that the elders told in stories. No, that love would come many years later, after a multitude of unintended run ins and even more arguments.

Around this time the girl had continued to grow and had passed the marriageable age. She knew if her Fae didn't marry her, her father would find her a suitable suitor, and she told the Fae as much.

Though having kept his relationship with the mortal a secret, he knew he would have to get his father, the King's, blessing. So, he came forward.

The King and Queen weren't pleased, but decided to entertain their son, and bless the marriage, figuring he was going through a faze and was leave the girl when she started to show signs of aging. If only they had known they were also blessing the eradication of their species.

Despite the slight unrest their union caused, the mortal and the Fae lived happily for many years. For Fae detest violence and would rather live their long lives carefree rather than rebel against their new princess.

It wasn't until this mortal princess, living in an immortal city, discovered her condition. The princess had become with child. A babe. One with human and Fae blood. Mortal yet immortal. It was something that had never happened before, something no one thought could happen. And it made them have fear.

Just the thought of something so unbalanced, brought the people of the Fae, who prized themselves with always being able to keep that very thing, was put in an uproar.

It was the first and last battle in Fae history. The royal family and their mages against the people. In the end they destroyed themselves. The long lived Fae race was extent in one night, with the sole prince being the one exception.

The mortal Fae princess was dead, the mortal yet immortal child lost in the heat of battle never to be seen again, and the prince, left alone and drowned in grief, left earth, escaping into the heavens in a blinding white light.

Legends were told of that fateful battle and it soon became said that if one looked hard enough, you could still see the grieving face of the prince on the surface of the moon. He became rightly dubbed the Man in the Moon.

While the end of the Fae race was mourned by many in the nine realms, it was said there may still be hope yet. That hope laid in a child, the lost mortal yet immortal child, that disappeared into thin air that night. They say the prince's descendants still live on through that child. It was useless to look for them though, as their Fae blood had become more diluted with each generation, and now they would look no different than you or me.

This was the story that Emily Nordwind had been told by her father since she was a little girl. Now as a young woman, Emily did not believe in that story. No, she knew it was true, as many other fairy tales were. She knew because she could see them. Them, the magical creatures that humans had long since become blind to. She could see them, as could her father when he had been alive, and his father, and his father before him. She didn't know if it had something to do with something in her families blood or if they were just gifted, but she did know one thing and that was that you didn't speak of it. It was such a big family secret that not even their wives and husbands were told. For it was a well known fact that those who were different were often cast out and those that were didn't survive long.

That was why, after her mother died far too young, Emily's father had tried to give her the most normalist life he could. Even when it wasn't always what she wanted. But, it was what he wanted, so as a good daughter she behaved. Play time outside was replaced with staying indoors, learning to cook and clean, becoming the perfect wife.

It continued this way until her father's passing. Once she left her spot by her father's death bed after they had laid the sheet over him and tried to end the impending marriage, but Mr. Overland's own father had been furious, it had already been arranged with her father and there was no escape.

She had been so frustrated, she hurried home, only to jog into her father's room and grabbed his hunting knife of his desk. Knowing how much the Overlands loved their women to have long hair, she brought her hair over one shoulder, twisting it. She sliced the blade across the threads, leaving it hanging just above her shoulders.

For once in her life, sweet little Emily had done something rebellious, 'and it felt good,' she thought, laying in bed with a man, proclaiming to be a god, the night before her wedding day. It made her feel a tad guilty. It wasn't like Overland was a bad guy, he was just to…. safe and, how she dreaded the word, normal. Which was why her father picked him for her.

Pushing the worries of tomorrow to the back of her mind, she turned onto her side and snuggled closer to the sleeping man beside her. Her earth brown eyes gazed up at him, knowing a piercing green laid behind his closed lids.

Loki Odinson, Prince of Asgard, he had introduced himself as. Emily didn't know where this Asgard was, and she was sceptical about him being a god, as he had explained earlier that night, but what ever he was, he wasn't human, she could tell. Neither Loki nor his rugged blonde brother were human, but they could be seen. Earlier that night, Emily thought her senses were messed up, because there they were, sitting, drinking, and telling outrageous stories with other travelers. The two men that almost oozed with magic, yet they were interacting with humans. It was something she had never seen in her entire life. In the end her curiosity had gotten the better of her and she approached the quieter of the two.

Loki awoke with sunlight streaming through the window. Groaning, he placed his pointer finger and thumb to his eyes, trying to rub the sleep from them, while sitting up. Looking around the room in the small inn him and Thor checked into last night, he noticed he was alone.

His own clothes were still scattered upon the floor, but the peasant dress and undergarments of the girl, Emily, that had come back with him, was gone.

He felt a strange pain in his chest at the realization, almost as if she had taken a part of him with her. Brushing it off as his pride being hurt by her leaving while he slept, he pulled the covers back and rested his bare feet on the hardwood floor before standing up.

Letting his magic flow over him he was dressed in an instant, his clothes disappearing off the floor and materializing on his body, crisp and clean as the day he got them. Oh, how he loved magic.

After running his hand over his head, making sure his hair was properly slicked back before walking out the door. This was his and Thor's last morning on Midgard. They had been on this little blue planet for six months, for culture experience, Odin had said. Though what mortals could teach them, he didn't know.

By midday they had traveled a ways away from the small village, there was no sense scaring the Midgardians when the bifrost opened.

Stepping forward, Thor shouted, "Heimdall, open the bifrost, we are ready to return home,"

When the rainbow colored bridge touched the ground Thor walked forward, a giant grin on his face as the light encased him.

When it was Loki's turn he made it to the edge, one more step and he'd be home, but at the last second he froze. There was a tugging sensation, like a thread was attached to him, leading him back in the direction of the village.

Confused, he took a step back, turning to look back the way he and Thor had come from. He took a step in that direction, trying to decided whether to go back and find out what was causing him to feel like this when the bifrost pulsed and Thor stepped out.

"Brother," the blonde said, gripping Loki's shoulders, "Heimdall won't keep the bifrost open for long, if we don't leave now we won't be able to return home for hundreds of years,"

Thor's voice brought Loki out of his daze and he turned to face the thunderer, "Yes...yes of course," he said, bringing a hand up to rub his temples.

A smile that seemed to not be able to leave his face for long, formed, "Come brother, a mighty feast shall be held in honor of our return," Thor said, leading Loki into the bifrost, back to Asgard and away from the small Midgardian village that held a women that had a gift of sight and a treasure unknowingly left by Loki himself.

Emily remembered when she was first learning to cook. She was ten years old and it had only been a couple of years since her mother had passed, so it was their neighbor's wife that had volunteered to be her teacher.

Mrs. Marshall was a kind, simple women who had given her husband four daughters. The second oldest was a girl with brown hair and clear blue eyes, who was only one year older than Emily herself. Allura Marshall was the girl's name and her mother had taught them together.

It was the first lesson, learning how to start a fire, where Emily failed and actually was able to catch her sleeve on fire. By the time they were able to extinguish it the fire had burned half her arm. At that time Emily had believed that would be the worst pain she would ever feel in her life. Eleven years later she was ready to rebuke that claim.

"Allura, I can't do this," Emily said, her breath coming out in pants, "It hurts too much, and I feel so weak,"

Emily had been laying in bed for almost four hours now, and it felt like sweat was pouring from every inch of her body. Despite that all she could feel was coldness. It was a persistent feeling that refused to leave her for nine months.

"Yes you can Emily," Allura told her, stepping into her line of vision, "Your child needs you to do this, if you don't he will die and all your suffering will be for not,"

Allura worriedly put a warm cloth on her friend's forehead, trying to bring her temperature up. She knew it wouldn't work, they had tried it months before with the same results, but kept trying due to there being no other options. Emily's condition had baffled every healer and elder in the village. What was suppose to be a simple pregnancy turned into a winter nightmare.

Starting back into the second month when Emily had come to her with a freezing pain in her lower stomach. With the months that followed Emily's body had only gotten colder. Now, even with multiple quilts and a fire burning bright in the hearth, her friend's skin was like ice and her lips tinged with a deep blue.

Allure didn't know what was keeping Emily alive, but she was thankful for it.

Allura walked to the closet on the other side of the room to get more blankets for the shivering girl. The whole process would be a lot easier if she had some assistants, but Allura was the only other person in the room, per Emily's request.

Bring the covers to the woman who was about to become a mother, she tucked them around her when a chilling hand grabbed her wrist, "Emily!,"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she kept repeating in a hurried manner.

"What's wrong Emily, why are you apologizing?," Allura asked her, laying her hand over the one gripping her wrist. Her face was calm on the outside, but inside she was starting to panic. This whole time she had tried her best not to let hypothermia sink its claws into Emily. Now it seemed her hardships had been in vain, as the girl got more delirious with each passing second.

"It's all my fault..my fault, I shouldn't have, I...but, they were… and they could be seen, and…and I was so curious. Then he said he was...he was,...but, if he is, he should be able to hear me, but he doesn't!," Allura was at a lost as her friend rambled on with tears streaking down her face. Being a healer's apprentice didn't qualify her for settled for sitting on the side of the bed, and trying to wipe away the tears, only for them to be replaced by more.

An icy hand covering her own caught her attention, "He doesn't, he doesn't come, why...I call and scream his name, but he doesn't come, doesn't care," Emily cried before doubling over, almost head butting Allura in the process, with a pained scream leaving her lips.

"Okay Emily, I think it's time," Allura said, standing up and moving to the end of the bed, putting her friend's ramblings to the back of her mind.

December 21st 1696, 10:52 am

That was when Emily finally got to hold her son.

Her delirium over, it was hard to describe what exactly she was feeling at that moment.

She was still cold, shivering, but not as much as she had been for the last nine months. Pain lingered from the process of labor, but it was pushed to the back of her mind. Happiness, Joy, Relief...Love, unconditional love that she felt the moment that small bundle was placed in her arms.

Through all of this, fear found a place for itself, when Emily looked upon her son. It wasn't fear of what she was seeing of her son's appearance, but fear for him. If any were to look upon him as he looks now, they would cry out, "Demon" and sentence her babe to death before he even lived.

"Emily, what have you done?," Allura asked, worry seeping into her voice.

Brown eye looked down to her child, only to be meet with bleary, bloody red reaching from tip to tip of his eyes. Brown tuffs of hair, much like her own, sat atop his head, but came in contact with pale blue skin. A very light blue that resembled the sky on a clear summer day, with terrible looking lines running across his entire body.

"Oh sweetie, I'm so sorry," Emily whispered, reaching up to trace a line running from his temple to his eyebrow.

When her pale fingers touched his skin, the blue started to recede, mimicking the color of his mother.

"Emily, what is going on?," Allura demanded, interrupting the mother and son moment.

Emily looked up at her long time friend, indecisive, before saying, "Okay, I'll tell you everything, but you have to promise not to tell anyone,"

"...Okay," Allura answered, but kept as much distance between her and the child as possible.

"I mean it Allura, if anyone finds out and believes you, it could mean the death of both me and my son,"

"I promise, Emily, I wouldn't betray you," Allura guaranteed, trying to ease Emily's mind.

Sighing Emily started her story, "Remember the two unusual travelers that appeared in the taverns months ago?,"

As Emily talked, newly brown eyes dropped close, lulled by the voice of his mother.

Jackson Overland, son of Christopher Overland.

That was the name Emily's son was officially given by her husband, and only two women in the whole world knew it was a lie.

Allura hadn't spoken a word to Emily since the morning Jackson was born, but she also hadn't spoken a word of her son's parentage or 'other' form, as Emily had started calling it. She didn't know if it was because Allura was afraid of Jackson or if she thought that if she did start talking she wouldn't be able to stop, letting something slip. Emily did know that she had lost a good friend.

Much to Emily's relief, Jackson acted and grew like any other human child. His 'other' form never made another appearance, it had gotten so that Emily almost wanted to believe she had made it up, but when she looked at Jackson she knew it was true.

Everyone in the village, including her husband always said that Jackson was a spitting image of her. When this happens she would just smile and nod, knowing it wasn't true. At first she didn't understand why everyone was saying this. Didn't they see what she saw? The box shape of his chin or slope of his jaw that she never had. What of the roundness of his eyes or thinness of his lips? And his ears, neither her nor Christopher's family was known for big ears such as Jackson's. Was she the only one to see these things?

One day it came to her, or course they wouldn't be comparing her son to Loki like she was. No one knew he was the father and he and his brother were only here one night. They were probably a distant memory at most to the villagers, they didn't remember in detail what the two strangers looked like.

It was these little blessings in life that she cherished.

At four years of age Jackson Overland was a little whirlwind.

By the time he could crawl, Jackson was always on the move, exploring everything and always getting in trouble. When he learnt to walk it only got worse.

He would chase fairies and sprites around the market whenever they went out and with Emily now seven months pregnant it was getting harder for her to keep up with her son. It only meant one thing, she needed a babysitter. She couldn't just let anyone in the village watch her son, like she knew many women did with it being such a small town, but she refused to. She didn't want to leave him with Chris' family either, they were stuck up and prideful, and she didn't agree with their parenting techniques.

That only left one option, Allura Holmes née Marshall. Emily's best friend whom still hadn't spoken to her beside the few formalities.

She handed the woman the money for the supplies she bought, before picking up the basket.

"Come on Jackson, it's time to go," she called to her son who had started playing with a dog chained to the next stand over.

" 'ere we goin' now?'" Jackson asked running past his mother before she caught his hand.

" You're going to go stay with an old friend of mine while I get Easter dinner ready,"

" Why 'ain't I go 'ome with you? I could help." Jackson pouted.

" No, you'll try to help, sweety, but you'll just end up distracting me and I have to get this dinner finished. You know how your father's side of the family can get," Emily explained, trying to reason with Jackson before his stubborn streak reared it's ugly head.

Jackson looked down at the ground, his bottom lip slightly stuck out as he determined if he liked his mother's logic or not. Emily was content to patiently walk in silence beside him as he figured this out, all the while mentally preparing for the oncoming battle should he decide against her.

"...fine," his reluctant reply came a few minutes later.

Emily let out a sigh of relief as they stepped up to the house Allura and her husband moved into when they had gotten married.

Knocking on the door Emily only had to wait a moment before Allura opened it.

Not having seen much of the women over the years, Emily eagerly drank in the sight of her. She hadn't changed much. Same short brown hair, them being the only two females in the village to have that length, parted in the middle, and clear, sky blue eyes that were now staring at her in shock and something else. Longing maybe? Just the thought that her friend missed her as much as she did boosted Emily's confidence.

" Hey, Allura," Emily said softly, a small smile on her lips.

"...Emily," she answered, before swallowing ruffley, shifting the weight that was settled on her hip.

Emily brought her attention to the little girl that Allura carried. She couldn't be more than a year younger than Jackson. Bright blonde hair that already reached her mid back, shined in the light and bright green eyes meet hers.

Her smile increasing, Emily said, " This must be your daughter, gosh, she looks so much like your husband. It's great to finally meet her in person," Emily reached up to take the girl's tiny hand, when all she grasped was air.

Allura had taken a step back, keeping her daughter out of arm's reach from the two guest. "What do you want, Emily?" she exasperated, shoulders slumped.

"I need you to watch Jackson-"

"No," she answered quickly, making to shut the door, but Emily put her hand out to stop it.

"Why not? You babysit the other village children, I can even pay you for your trouble,"

"I don't want him in my house," she stressed, putting more force on the door.

" Why? What did he ever do to you?,"

"He's not human," she whispered, not wanting to call the attention of the bystanders.

"Not human? Am I not his mother? Am I not human?," Emily asked venomously.

"Not completely human then. He is a monster in human skin. I know, I was there when he was born, he almost got you killed, or have you forgotten?," Allura asked matching Emily's tone.

Emily's face went slack and eyes cold, "I see, that's why you stopped talking to me, because you're afraid of a four year old, a toddler?,"

"Please, just leave Emily," Allura pleaded softly, refusing to meet her old friend's eyes.

Emily stood there for a few moments before turning around, "Come on sweetie, we need to get home and start dinner," she addressed her son, walking briskly away, making Jackson have to run to keep up or be dragged.

When they had gotten home, Jackson had been ushered to the front yard by his mother while she went inside to cook.

Jackson watched her through the kitchen window for a few seconds. The walk home had been quick and quiet, with his mother's hand encasing his the whole way there. Even when they had reached the road leading to their house, he had moved to run forward, as he always did, but her grip stayed firm.

Emily caught her son's eye through the open square above the counter, but quickly moved to another part of the house.

'Loki, I could really use your help,' she thought, a hand placed on her rounded stomach. But like all the other times she called to him, she received no answer

Back outside, Jackson, to had moved from the window, sulking deeper into the yard.

On a regular day he would be running around, playing with the animals and magical creatures that lived in the woods surrounding their house. The ant hill he always smashes when he came out here was passed, as were the sticks he had left after pretending to be the legendary Fae prince from mother's stories.

Looking back to make sure his mother wasn't watching, he slipped into the woods. He wasn't suppose to be here, not until he turned eleven and was able to go out hunting with his dad. Even his parent's stories of constant danger that lurked in the forest didn't stop Jackson's curiosity.

It was just recently that Jackson had found his favorite place. A large pond, right in the middle of a clearing not far from his house. No one else knew of the body of water, just on the outskirts of the village, or whenever he was there no one else was.

It was a quiet and serene place, not somewhere one would normally find the little ball of energy known as Jackson Overland, but he quite liked it, especially when he wanted to be alone.

As was now, sitting under the shade of one of the many large oak trees that dotted the area, watching the fish dart up and capture insects on the surface of the water.

He brought his legs up, wrapping his arms around them and resting his chin on top. Being how young he was, there were some things he didn't understand. Then there were times when he caught an inkling of what the adults were talking about. Today was one of those times, when mother was talking to one of her 'old friends', as she had called the women.

The conversation had started out fine and Jackson had quickly lost interest, it was only gained back when the tones of both women turned hostile, and before he knew it he was being dragged home.

He had heard his name early on in their conversation and knew that they were talking about him, so why was there voices filled with hate? Had he done something to the women? That couldn't be it, he hadn't even known about her until today.

The reason for her hate ate at him. He was a people pleaser, as his mother had once called him. He craved human contact and acceptance. The thought of someone hating him, without him even knowing of their existence, scared him.

His eye sight clouded over with tears threatening to spill. Jackson pressed his closed eyes to his kneecaps, trying to stem the flow.

He stayed like that for a few minutes until a heavy weight rested on his right shoulder, "Come now, Anklebiter, the egg hunt is about to start, no need for the water works," a male voice with a dense foreign accent said.

The kid looked up quickly, brown doe eyes wide as he took in the...person in front of him. The man wasn't really a person, or if he was he was a very hairy person, with grey fur covering him from head to toe and large ears on the top of his head.

"There, see, no need for tears, not today," the thing spoke again, a reassuring half smile on his face, but his eyes were filled with curiosity and worry, darting to Jackson's feet, then back up to his eyes.

"...Kangaroo," Jackson whispered lightly, eyes lighting up.

"Wait what?," the newly dubbed kangaroo started. He wasn't expecting that to come out of the kid's mouth.

"Kangaroo," he said again, remembering the strange creatures his father would sometimes tell him about after hearing the stories over at the tavern.

Standing up quickly, Jackson threw his arms up and threaded his fingers through the white fur on the newcomers face. So enthralled by his new toy, Jackson didn't notice he had stepped closer, making the 'kangaroo' wrap his arms around his small body so he wouldn't fall.

Chuckling when the kid reached his ears, he said, "You know, mate, I'm not a kangaroo. I'm a bunny, the Easter Bunny,"

"Kangaroo!," he said definitely, getting bored with the ears and was content to snuggle into the 'kangaroo's' fur.

"No, kid, bunny," he tried again, but Jackson was having none of it. He had already decided that the giant in front of him was a talking kangaroo and no one could tell him otherwise.

"Kangaroo,' he repeated, it coming out mumbled as he fought to keep his eyes open.

"Well,no,but," Bunny stumbled over his words, but cut short when he saw the rugrat was asleep, "Yeah, alright, Kangaroo. Easter Kangaroo, haven't heard that one before," sighing, Bunny looked over to where the kid had been sitting before he had made his presence known. His green eyes narrowed when the frost covered ground appeared in his sight. It had been the main reason he had approached the kid.

When he had heard the crying he figured a parent or some adult would come to the tikes aid, and continued hiding eggs. When the sobs ceased to stop, he decided to go check it out. Though he didn't know what he'd do if the kid didn't believe in him, rendering him useless of any form of help. There weren't many that believed in him yet, it hadn't been that long since Manny had created him, but he was quickly gaining more followers with each spring that passed.

When he had reached the clearing that the noise was coming from, he stopped short. There, curled into a ball at the base of a tree was a little boy, as he expected. What he didn't expect was the ground being slowly covered in frost, seeming to be coming from the kid. The boy didn't even seem to notice the biting cold of the ground on the warm spring day or the fact that his feet were a light blue with lines running down them. That couldn't be healthy.

He moved closer to the boy, letting out a sigh of relief when his hand didn't go through him on contact. The boy's head shot up and deep brown eyes peered up at him. For the second time that day the Easter Bunny was frozen in surprise. There was a spark in the kids eyes, something otherworldly that was hidden by a natural gleam of mischief.

The rabbit's first thought was that Manny had created another spirit, but that didn't make any sense. He didn't turn children into spirits, not since Cupid. Just the mention of the diaper wearing baby that went around shooting people with love arrows sent a shiver through him.

Even though the kid wasn't a spirit, he had to be some kind of magical creature, even with his human appearance. Part magical creature than.

He only knew of one human who could of had a child with one of them. Someone who could see them no matter what age she reached.

With the kid now snuggled in his arms, making bunny cradle him so he wouldn't fall, he thumped one of his large feet on the ground, opening a rabbit hole, before leaping in feet first.

" Jackson!," Emily yelled again, eyes scanning the yard and edge of the forest for her lost son.

She should have known better than to leave that child alone for any amount of time. What made matters worse was that she couldn't go looking for him, not in her condition and it wouldn't be long till Chris got back from his hunting trip and the rest of his family would follow shortly after.

She moved fully out of the house, content on finding her son, pregnant or not, when the ground opened up a few feet from her and a large rabbit jumped out.

" ...Bunny?," she asked incredibly, like she couldn't believe what her eyes were telling her.

" Hey, Em," he said with a lopsided grin, " Long time no see,"

" Um...Yeah," she answered with wide eyes, trying to rap her head around the fact that he was here. She hadn't seen Bunny since she was nine..ten? Just around the time her mother had passed.

Her eyes raved over his form, wanting to memorize every detail, afraid he would disappear again for another ten years or so, when they landed on the small bundle cradled in his arms.

" Jackson!," she exclaimed.

Rushing forward as fast as she could, she stopped in front of the rabbit and scoped her son up.

Hands fussing over him, checking for injuries, she looked back at when she found none.

Bunnymund had taken a step forward, paws slightly outstretched, as if to take Jackson from her. When he caught her staring, he straightened up, arms going limp. "You sure you should be carrying him like that in your condition?," he asked, eyes flitting from Jackson to her rounded stomach.

"I'll be fine," she shifted from foot to foot, winching when she felt a sting of pain in her back.

Bunnymund looked like he wanted to push the matter further, but let it go with a sigh. It was time to move on to his more pressing questions.

"So, I was right, he is your kit,"

" Yes, he's my son, how'd you know?,". Emily asked genuinely curious.

" Just a thought I had," he answered offhandedly, scratching behind his ear, "Or...it could have been the pool of frost surrounding his feet," all joking escaping from his voice.

When she refused to move her stare from the ground, holding Jackson tighter to her chest, he continued in an almost pleading voice "Em, what happened? The kid, he's human, but not at the same time, I've never seen anything like it,"

Crouching down to be more on her eye level, his ears laid back on his head when her soft voice reached them, " I don't know, I truly don't know what my son is," misty brown eyes meeting wide, forest green.

"What? He ... He didn't just leave you did he?," seeing her grimace he said, "That, that doesn't make any sense," running a hand though the fur on top of his head, "I mean, it's not everyday magical creatures have children, trust me I know. If it had me I would have been ecstatic. Even with my duties as a guardian, I would have made time for the both of you,"

Hearing his confession did nothing to soothe her aching heart. There were many times she had wished she had not lain with Loki, that if it had to of been a magical creature, it was one she had known previously. For all she knew, Loki could have been as bad as Pitch, ruling over fear, chaos, or something worse.

Now, years later, hearing that Bunny would have at least tried to have been there, not only for Jackson, but her to, made her yearn that it was true. That Bunnymund was Jackson's sire, however awkward the implications of that were. She thought Jackson would look pretty cute with bunny ears and a Cotton tail.

A small part of her thought she was being unfair to Loki, she was the one who left him, but if he really was this all powerful God he claimed to be, he should have been able to find her not to mention hear her calls. It was then that she remembered why she felt no guilt for her thoughts toward Loki.

When she looked back towards Bunnymund, he still had a pensive expression on his face, "Bunnymund?," she called his attention to her, "I know you're busy now with Easter, but why don't you come by later on in the year? I'm sure Jackson, and soon his sister when she's born, would love to spend time with your,"

She hopped he would accept, Jackson needed a reliable male figure in his life, even if Bunny couldn't be here everyday, it would be more than what Loki was doing. Her own husband didn't have much time for either of them, he was either hunting or at the tavern with his drinking buddies, only coming home for supper and a warm bed at night. He made sure she was cared for as his wife but not much else. Another reason she didn't want him to reject her offer, loneliness. It would be nice to have someone else to talk to besides a four year old and an unborn child.

"Sister?," his accent brought her out of her musing.

"Excuse me?,"

"You said sister. How'd you know it's a girl?,"

It wasn't an answer, but he hadn't declined yet, "Hmm, call it mother's intuition," she said, matter of factly.

He coughed into his paw, which Emily diagnosed as a covered up laugh. Before she could call him out on it, he mumbled, "Mother's intuition, right," tapping his foot on the ground, opening one of his rabbit holes. "Well, I better be off, Easters not going to come on it's own,"

She took a step forward as he crouched down, ready to jump, but paused when he didn't move to leap.

"Yes," she heard him say.

"What?,"

"The answer to your question. Yes, I'd love to catch up, maybe I can come over during the summer season, after Easters done and over with for the year and it hasn't gotten cold,"

"Yeah," she said, enthusiasm seeping into her voice, as a smile graced her face, "Yeah, that would be great. Just as long as it's not ten more summers from now," she joked, but Bunny could see through her mask that hid the fear that someone she cared for would leave her again.

"Na," he brushed off, "besides, it looks like that rugrats going' to be born soon and I need to see for myself if this mother's institution is real or not,"

"Of course it's real, I knew Jackson was going to be a boy,"

"Of course you did," he told her, rolling his eyes, "Make sure to tell the little ankle biter I said I'll see him later," nodding his head toward the boy in her arms.

"I will," she said softly.

"It was good seeing you again, Em," he told her, with almost an awkward air around him, before jumping down the rabbit hole.

"You to Bunny, you to," she said, as dirt covered where he had gone, leaving only a lone spring flower as proof the Easter Bunny had been there.

"You two be careful now, Jackson,"

"Of course mom, when am I not careful?," a teenaged male voice answered, brown eye rolling at her concerned tone.

"If you're so careful, then why did you come home with a huge knot on your head from falling out of a tree last week?," Emily asked, hands going to rest on her hips.

A childish laugh was heard beside Jackson making him look down to the young girl who had the appearance of a much younger Emily.

"Oh, you think that's funny, do ya?," Jackson asked her, raising an eyebrow.

A nod of a head and more giggles were his only answer.

"Oh really?," he asked slyly, giving his ten year old sister a predatory grin, before he scooped her up.

She tried to run the other way, a happy squeal leaving her mouth, but the hand she was holding stopped her from going far. Before she knew it she was in the air, back pressed against Jack's torso, his stick like arms wrapping around her stomach where he proceeded to tickle her.

Soft brown eyes squinting tightly a high pitched laugh was heard, Olivia kicked her legs and grabbed onto his arms in an attempt to make him cease his actions.

"Jack...stop..please," she pleaded between laughs and intakes of breath.

"Okay, okay, Jackson, that's enough," Emily told him when her daughter's squeals and struggling increased.

Sighing, he let go of his sister, letting her drop back down to her feet. Back on the ground Olivia turned to her brother and stuck out her tongue at him, an action he mimicked, but was interrupted by their mother.

"If you guys are going to go play in the snow, go now, it already feels like it's starting to warm up,"

"Yeah, Jackson, let's go!," Olivia exclaimed , grabbing his hand again and starting out the open door.

"See you later mom," Jackson said, letting Olivia drag him outside, a goofy grin that never seemed to disappear for long appeared on his face.

Out of sight of the house, Olivia let go and ran ahead when she saw a group of the village kids gathered.

"Hey guys," she said loudly, to be heard by all.

They stopped their conversation to look at her and her approaching brother.

"Hey, Olivia, Jackson, been awhile," a twelve year old girl addressed them. She had an unusual coloring for this village. While most people had brown hair and matching eyes, she had a head of curly red and clear blue eyes. The only match she had in her oddity was Jackson's long time friend, Mandy, with her long blonde hair and forest green eyes, who was currently standing beside her eleven year old brother, giving Jack a kind smile.

"Yeah, mom wouldn't let us out of the house. Said it was to cold and something about catching our death," Jackson answered, clearly not believing his mother's words.

"Your mother always has been the superstitious one," the redhead, Kelly, said.

"Uh, yeah," Jack answered awkwardly, if only they knew most of those 'superstitions' were real.

Standing there for a moment noticing the awkward tone, Mandy said, "Well, why are we just standing around for, this is the first time we've been together all season, let's do something,"

"Like what?, Not much we can do with all this snow covering the ground," her little brother said.

" Come on Jay, you've just got to use your imagination," Jackson told him.

"Yeah, let's build a snowman!," Oliva said excitedly, slightly bouncing on her toes.

"A snowman? What a snowman?," Kelly asked, blue eyes falling on the youngest girl.

"It's something my brother came up with!,"

All sets of eyes focused on Jackson, making him shift from side to side on his bare feet, " Um, yeah, it's pretty simple. Just get three big snowballs and stack them on top of each other. Then get two sticks for arms, a carrot for a nose and pebbles from eyes and mouth," he explained with a series of hand gestures to go along with it.

"Uh, huh, and you come up with this all on your own did you?," Kelly asked challengingly, as Olivia nodded her head.

"Yeah, of course I did," Jackson defended himself. It wasn't exactly the truth, he did make the body, but it was the fairies that found the sticks, rocks, and carrot for details.

"Uh huh," she said, not believing a word that came out of his mouth.

"Well, I think it's a great idea," Mandy exclaimed, always the optimistic one.

"Of course you like the idea, Jackson was the one who came up with it," Jay mumbled, only for Mandy to hear, earning him an elbow in the ribs.

He doubled over, groaning, while Mandy kept a sweet smile on her face.

"Riiiight," Kelly drawled out, her and the other two having missed Jay's comment, before turning her attention back to Jackson, "Well, only you and Olivia know how to make a snowman, so, lead the way," standing back and gesturing forward with her hand.

With an excited grin and gleaming eyes, Jackson did just that.

It wasn't an hour later with a dozen horrid snowmen made, that Jackson's friends had gotten the hang of it.

After a couple of minutes, Mandy's hands had gotten to cold and she had to quit, Olivia had pulled her aside and was currently showing the older girl how to make snow angels.

Kelly was the one that had taken to the process of building a snowman, and had roped Jay into figuring out how to make a snow bear with her.

Jackson would never understand Kelly's fascination with bears. It went back as far as when she was much younger and had gotten lost in the woods. When the search party had found her, she insisted she had come upon a giant grizzly with scars and arrows covering it's body. It had been about to attack her, when a golden bear came out of the trees and defended her, running the grizzly off. The golden bear stared at her afterwards and she swore that she felt a connection with it.

None of the villagers believed her, blaming her rambling on the terrified mind of a five year old, making things up. Jackson and his family knew better, they knew she had seen the golden bear of legend, the one the natives feared. It was because of that that him and Kelly became friends.

Now Jackson's friend wasn't paying attention and had her back to him, gathering snow, that was a very bold move on her part.

Bending down, he scooped up a handful of snow, straightening up, he packed it together in a ball. A predatory grin gracing his face, he pulled his arm back before throwing it forward, sending the snowball flying.

It made its impact right on target, smacking into the back of her frizzy head. Kelly lurched forward not expecting the surprise blow and almost landed face first into her snow bear. Almost bring that key word, she was able to catch herself before any damage was done.

Turning around, blue eyes blazing, landed on him, and the second snowball he threw that caught her square in the face. Knocking into Jay and sending them both sprawling. The look of shock on both their faces had Jackson doubled over laughing, catching Olivia and Mandy's attention.

"What's going on?," Mandy asked as the two ran up.

Olivia cut her off by yelling, "Snowball fight!," and decking Mandy with one of her own.

Jackson was still doubled over, trying to catch his breath.

Catching on, Kelly's eyes shined with a challenge, "So, this another one of your games, Jackson?," standing up with a scoop of snow. She tried to throw it at him, but missed by a long shot.

"Ha!," Jackson laughed, "That all you got?,""Oh, you just wait, barefeet, I'll get the hang of it," she defended, packing another snowball

Jackson's brown eyes lit up at the mention of his shoeless feet, knowing it was always a joke between the two, as she could never figure out why he hated footwear so much.

"Come on, Mandy," Olivia called, grabbing the blonde's hand and pulling her toward cover, leaving Jay sitting in the snow, confused, as a full fledged snow war was under way between Jackson and Kelly.

Jackson was having as much fun as he's had all winter, until a shrill women's voice interrupted their play, "MANDY, JAY, get over here now!,"

Looking toward the source of the sound Jackson saw Mandy and Jay's mother, Allura, standing with her hands on her hips.

Mandy came out of her hiding spot with Olivia and Jay stood up.

"I'll see you later guys," Mandy said as she passed his and Kelly's frozen forms. She kept her head down as she followed her younger brother, shoulder hunched.

"That woman is such a witch," Kelly told him once their two friends was out of earshot.

"Hm," Jackson sighed.

Allura had never liked him, he didn't know what he did to her, but she hated him for it. He couldn't remember one time she had been nice to him. Whenever Jackson was near she would always look down her nose at him with cold eyes. Like he was worth less than the dirt covering her boots. Though he was sure the pranks he pulled on her in retaliation didn't help her image of him.

"Well, what now? Not really in the mood for another snowball fight," Kelly asked, crossing her arms.

"Can we go ice skating, Jack?," Olivia asked, grabbing his hand.

Shrugging his shoulders, he said, "Fine by me. We were going to go later anyway. Want to come?," addressing his sister first, then Kelly.

"Ah, no thanks," Kelly answered, hands raised in front of her, palms facing Jackson,"Me and frozen bodies of water don't really get along, but I'll catch up with you two later," waving and turning to walk away.

"Okay," Jackson said, as Olivia pulled his arm in the opposite direction, "Hold on, Olivia," he bent down to pick up the skates he had laid at the base of a tree. Slinging the tied laced skates over his shoulders, he let Olivia lead the way down the well known path to the pond.

"Jack, I'm scared!"

'Stupid, stupid, how could you get Olivia into this situation' Jackson criticized himself internally, all the while staying calm on the outside.

He had to think quickly, he didn't have much time, but he had to save her.

He winced again as his shifting weight was the cause of multiple cracks to appear in the ice.

This wasn't good, they had waited to long to go ice skating and now the warm beginning of spring had started melting winter's frozen work. He would surely get scolded by bunny come Easter.

"Jack?," his sister's high pitched voice called to him, her fear filled brown eyes never leaving his form.

He needed to find a way to calm her down, she was starting to panic, he noted, hearing the increase of her breathing and shifting skates threatening to give out from under her. There would be no way for her to survive if that happened. The paper thin ice wouldn't be able to hold the sudden weight.

"It's okay," he held out his hands, trying to reassure her, though it sound fake in his own ears, "We're going to be fine, you'll see," brown eyes flitting around, he needed something, anything that could save them.

What the siblings needed the most was for someone to walk by that could go back to the village and find help. But, they were in a schedule area of the forest, not many knew of the pond he found as a child.

"No, we're not!'" Olivia cried, tears falling freely down her face.

"Aw, come on, would I ever lie to you?," It was suppose to be a joke, but he felt himself flinch when her response was to yell, "Yes, you're always tricking me!,"

He probably deserved that, even if it was fear induced lashing out, it was a true statement.

"Well, well not-not this time, I promise, you're going to be just fine," he stumbled over his words.

Nothing would happen to her, he would make sure of it.

Eyeing a branch with a crooked end that was lying near them, he addressed his sister, "How about we play a game? Like hopscotch,"

Olivia was now looking at him like he had gone insane, but it had done the trick. She was standing still, her breathing slowing and tears disappearing. One step down and one to go.

Taking a deep breath, he decided it was worth the risk, and took a step sideways. 'To quick!," he thought as fissures appeared beneath his barefoot.

Having put all his weight in that leg, he was off balance and, refusing to go back, his only choice was to take another step forward.

Looking up to see his sister's face fearful once again, Jack decided to do what he did best, and made a joke of it.

"Woah!," he exaggerated, flaring his arms and leg in a wild and not so safe way on melting ice. It was worth it when he heard a small giggle.

As his luck would have it the next patch of frozen water held his full weight as he crouched down and picked up the branch, his determined gaze never leaving Olivia.

"Okay, now it's your turn,"

Smile and laugh gone, a worried air surrounded her as she shuffled forward, the cracking of the ice not helping anyone.

He slowly reached forward with the crooked end of the branch, ignoring his sister's eyes that were moving quickly between him and the frozen pond. More cracking noises caught Jack's attention and, looking behind Olivia, he saw the ice breaking apart, heading straight for them.

Olivia wasn't going fast enough, she wouldn't get close enough for him to grab her. The ice would be gone before that happened, and so would she.

The mental image of his sister floating in the freezing water, forever trapped beneath the ice with blue lips and eyes that would never open and lite up with happiness again, sparked something inside him.

Jack kept forward, paying no mind to the tingling in his arms and hands, he reached toward Olivia with the crooked end of the branch. Olivia, startled, was thrown forward by an unforeseen force, the mentioned end of the stick curving around her stomach.

Acting on instinct, the moment Olivia was hooked, Jack threw her forward, using his momentum to get the maximum distance, landing her at the edge of the bank.

He'd done it, he'd actually saved her. Looking up with a smile on his face matching her own, he took a step forward to join her, momentarily forgetting about the danger he placed behind him.

Jack never made it any closer than that first step, as the cracking ice gave way underneath him. Falling backward, the last thing he heard was a scream of "Jack!," before the coldness overwhelmed him, leaving nothing but darkness behind.

It was on that day that a sister lost a brother, and a mother, a son, but the world gained Jack Frost.

Yeah, so, I decided I didn't really like what had happened in the original Lost Child or where it was going, but a lot of people still wanted me to continue it. After giving it some thought I decided that I would try to rewrite it.

I'm kinda at a dead end right now so tell me what you guys think. Do you like how the rewrite is going so far, or should I try to get inspired and finish the original?