It was late fall and it was raining, just before lights out, when the knock sounded at the door. For a moment Aster froze, unsure if he had actually heard something or if it was just the rain but then it came again, still so soft that only his almost superhuman hearing picked it up over the general noise of the orphanage.

"Hello?" said Aster gruffly, opening the door and glaring at the slight form standing in front of him. "What do you want?"

"I think I'm supposed to live here now," said the girl, blinking owlishly up at him.

Her quick, impish grin revealed teeth whiter than her own snowy skin. The rain dyed her pale blonde hair a slightly darker shade as it hung limply down her face, cut boyishly short and making her look like a drowned rat. She was small, painfully thing, and barefoot but surprisingly not shaking in the cold. She balanced on the balls of her feet, looking as if a strong wind would pick her up and she would fly away with it.

"Where are your shoes?" asked Aster, stepping aside to let her into the building.

"Who's this, Aster?" asked Nick waltzing up to the pair of teenagers standing next to the large wooden front door.

"Aster, is that the new kid? Jack Frost?" demanded the irritable headmaster and owner of the orphanage, Mr. Rob. "He was supposed to get here today."

"I'm Jack Frost!" piped the girl, waving her hand in the air as if she had a question. "Miss Nan sent you my papers this morning. Sorry I'm late!"

"I thought you were a boy," stated Mr. Rob, looking her up and down in disgust. "The only open bed is in the attic loft. Aster, show her and get to bed. You, Jack, we will talk in the morning. Now both of you, get going, I have this mess to clean up."

Aster nodded and walked up the stairs, the newest addition following behind with a skip. She looked about in interest, taking in all the sights and sounds.

"So Aster," she said as they walked.

"What?" snapped Aster, tired from a long day and just wanting to go to sleep.

"How do you like living here?"

"It's fine, I guess. It's a roof and a few good meals. So Jack, is it?"

"Yes, I know it's a boy name and maybe someday I'll explain to you how I got it but right now, it is just Jack or Jacky, whichever."

"Jack it is then," shrugged Aster, still confused at the strange choice in name. "Okay, this is the attic. Nick, that burly fellow you saw earlier, Sandy and I sleep here. There's the door to your bed."

Aster pointed to a trapdoor in the ceiling several feet above Jack's head. She eyed it for a moment before leaping up, snagging the handle, and letting her weight pull it down. A rickety ladder followed it and with a grin she climbed up to inspect her new home. There was a mattress on the floor with a sheet and folded blanket, a dresser, and a bedside table along with various discarded items collecting dust. A small round window let her watch the storm for a time until she realized it was just rain and time to unpack. Jack placed her backpack on the ground and took out her spare clothes to find them all soaked along with her soggy pillow. With a sigh, she jumped out of the loft and into the room below, landing lightly on her feet.

"Hello!" said Jack brightly to the three boys and one other girl who occupied the room. "I'm Jack Frost."

"I'm Amelia Toothaina," smiled the girl, leaning against Nick on his bed. "But everyone calls me Tooth."

"It's nice to meet you," said Jack politely. "And you must be Nick."

"Aye," nodded Nick, kissing the top of Tooth's head. "And that's Sandy. He doesn't talk."

Sandy signed a greeting to Jack who signed back with a cheeky grin.

"Wait, you actually know sign?" said Aster in surprise.

"Yes," laughed Jack. "Are you saying you don't?"

"We know some," said Nick defensively.

"So what's the routine here?"

"Well, lights out was a few minutes ago but Mr. Rob never checks on us," said Tooth energetically. "I sleep in the girls room down the hall. In the morning we get up and have breakfast, try not to make too much noise, then go back to sleep in the evening. Simple really. So, where are you from? What's your story?"

"I transferred from Heritage because of overcrowding. What about you guys? How did you end up here?"

"All orphaned at young ages," chirped Tooth. "Me at seven, Nick at eight, Aster at five, and Sandy at eleven."

"You?" asked Aster, noticing she had yet to tell them her story.

"I was four," replied Jack, her smile slightly forced and tone saying she did not want to discuss her life with complete strangers.

An awkward silence followed the statement. There was a clear difference between the four who were long time friends and used to telling each other everything and the new girl who they knew nothing about and who seemed uninterested in sharing.

"Well, I'm going to bed! Good night!" said Jack cheerfully, waving and clambering up the ladder in the corner.

She quickly slipped out of her dripping blue hoodie and plain midnight blue jeans and slipped into a pair of sweat pants two sizes too large and maroon t-shirt from a forgotten chest in the shadows. Then she sat on the mattress, sheet wrapped around her shoulders like a cape, and stared at the storm through the window, pretending she was not so alone, pretending that this time would be different. For a long time she watched the rain slowly ice over the glass and smiled a real smile, soft and innocent, because the ice meant winter was not far off and in her life she clung to the little things to make the rest of her world bearable.

*Hey! This is a human AU (obviously) and a new spin on things because I have an overactive imagination and twisted sense of humor. I am really unsure of how you all will like it...which worries me. So, if you hate it, let me know. If you love it or are mildly interested, and want me to continue you, let me know. Anyway, Allons-y!-Ari