As years continue to slip by, Jack would always manage to spot this girl. From a distance, of course. She didn't seem too keen on being spotted. He would usually see her when he came to transition fall to winter. She would be getting rid of the tree's last few leaves. Was she supposed to be Mother Nature? No, Mother Nature was said to be a woman, who ruled over all seasons. This teenage girl only seemed to be present during the autumn seasons. Unless of course, she helped spring grow as well. That was a certain possibility.

So she controlled the season plants. That was about all he could tell from where he watched her. She was very beautiful, with an elegant form as she swept the leaves during autumn. Sometimes when children would come outside, she would scoop the leaves into piles, letting the children run and leap into the leaves.

He wondered if, like himself, she didn't remember her past. That could be one place to start if he could ever have a conversation with her. He could explain what Tooth had told him long ago. Satisfied for a reason to approach the girl, he then began to plan how he could speak to her without her running away.

This one late fall season in particular, he resided in the branches of a tall tree as he hoped for her arrival. There were still leaves to pluck around this area, and he was a bit early anyway. A cold breeze swept through the air because of his presence, but he didn't start a snowfall just yet. He folded his hands behind his head.

This was around the time the children would be leaving their schoolyards. This girl would most likely come soon to make a few leaf piles. Sure enough, as he raised his head he spotted the girl in the distance. She balanced on a single branch, sweeping the leaves off of the branches.

He stood up, leaning against the trunk of his tree as he contemplated how to approach her. He twirled his staff, thinking of the many options before choosing one and jumping to the ground. He began to walk towards where she was, though she was oblivious to him. He picked up his staff and jerked it, tossing a multitude of dead leaves towards her. With a surprised face, she flipped around and blocked the leaves from touching her.

"Excuse me... um... my bad. I came a little early this season. Can't go anywhere without your powers doing something, right?" He laughed. The girl suddenly realized someone was speaking to her, and looked down at the boy feet below her. Her eyes widened, and she looked about ready to flee. "Wait, don't go!" His laugh cut short as he reached his hand out to her in visible surrender.

She stared down at him, one arm hugging a branch on her right. He mustered up the courage to take a few paces towards her tree. "I've seen you around a few times. I'm one of the only few who can see you." He assured. She remained in her steady perch on the branch.

With a sigh, he began to fly upwards towards her. She flinched, biting her lip. But Jack held up his hands again, showing surrender. His staff tucked under his arm so he could use both hands. "I'm Jack Frost. What's your name?" He asked calmly.

She seemed to stare for a long time. She finally brushed a few strands of hair behind her ear and swallowed. "I- I'm Evergreen."

"Is that your full name?" He asked, a puzzled expression crossing his face.

"N-no but, I don't like my first name." She replied, looking like a scared mouse.

"Oh." Jack frowned. "Well, can I at least shorten your last name so I can call you by it easier? How about Eve?" He suggested, crossing his arms with a satisfied smile.

"I guess Eve is good." She fluttered down a bit, now sitting on the branch with a tired, shy gaze.

Jack took hold of a branch to the side, putting a bare foot against the trunk and using a hand on a branch to hold his position. His free hand now dangled downward, his staff resting loosely in his fingers. "So, Eve," He began, "you have the powers of plant life?" He smiled, finally getting conversation out of her.

She hesitated. "I guess you can say that." She answered. "And you have the powers of winter?"

He nodded. "I'm one of the Guardians."

Her gaze snapped up then, her eyes widening. After a few moments of thought, she looked back to the teenage boy. "I've heard about the Guardians before." She muttered. Eve brought her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around them. "Protecting children, bringing them things like dreams and hope. I've always wanted to be someone like that."

Jack frowned, oddly finding this girl completely opposite to him. He thought about launching into his own story about how he didn't want to be a guardian, but decided against it. It was her dream to be one, and his own opinions in the past might sway her mind. But even as he started thinking of what to say, she jumped in again, now with an excited expression. "But to actually meet one! Is it fun? Do you help bring joy to children? Do they-" She cut short, her gaze suddenly becoming distant. "Do they see you?"

"So many questions." Jack laughed. "It is fun, I do bring joy to children, and only a handful actually see me." He answered. The look on her face was puzzled. "It's a long story. Does anyone see you?" He asked.

The look on her face was the saddest of any face he had ever seen. She shook her head slowly, looking down as children were suddenly released from their schools. A few let out bursts of excitement and dove into the leaf piles she had created earlier. "But it doesn't matter if they see me." She suddenly answered. "I just love watching the smiles on their faces when they play in the pile of leaves I create. I just want to bring life into their eyes." She curled her arms around her knees tighter.

He smiled, looking down. "I know what you mean by that."

With a small noise that sounded like laughter, Eve stood up. "Do you think I could be a guardian?" She suddenly asked out of nowhere, eyes wide with wonder. Jack turned his gaze to her, suddenly becoming shy himself. Was that possible? To bring someone in as a guardian without the Moon's choosing? He wondered if it had ever been done to the others.

He didn't want to waltz into North's workshop with a pretty girl asking if she could be a guardian. That would send off all the wrong ideas. Plus, he'd probably get lectured about taking in any person he saw to be a guardian. It was an honor, not a random pick. The silent look on Jack's face was enough to tell Eve that it would be complicated for her to be one. He lifted his sad eyes to her, and she caught them. She seemed distraught. "Oh." She muttered, sitting back down. "I should have known it wouldn't be that easy."

"The Man in the Moon chooses the Guardians." He answered simply, raising his staff to the sky where the Moon usually hung.

Her gaze snapped back to him. "The moon?" She asked suddenly, as if it meant something bigger.

"Did the moon speak to you when you came here?"

"Yes!" She jumped back up, eyes wide. "He's the one that named me!"

"He named me too." He answered with a smile.

"And he picks the Guardians?" She asked, her tone becoming wary.

He nodded solemnly.

"Did he chose you right when you got here?"

He suddenly laughed, closing his eyes as if plunged into memory. Eve hesitated, watching him from where she sat. He slowly shook his head with a soft smile. "Nope." He finally answered with a giggle. "No, he let me live on this earth for a good three hundred years before I was chosen."

"Really?" She gasped.

He nodded. "Maybe your time to be a Guardian will come." He spoke, hoping his words could cheer her up. With a soft smile, she looked back down at the children below. Jack looked to the sky, blinking at the Autumn sun. "I've got to get ready; winter is in a few days. See you around?" He suggested, fluttering back upwards.

There were millions of questions running through Eve's eyes when Jack was airborne. He wished he could answer them all. Plus, it wasn't every day he could have a conversation with someone. But he really had to go, and Eve understood. She gave a small wave. "Yeah, see you around."