Disclaimer: I don't own RotG or anything related to them.

Chapter 1: Family

"Mom, it's snowing!", ten year old James "Jamie" Bennett cried as he looked out his second story bedroom window, giggling as he saw a familiar pair of ice blue eyes looking back at him.

Jamie wasted no time in changing out of his snowflake patterned pajamas, into winter clothes, and rushing down the stairs. He had almost made it outside when he heard his mother's voice.

"Breakfast first, Jamie."

Jamie looked past his mother, just over her shoulder, frowning at the Guardian of Fun standing just outside the window. Jack nodded towards the table, were Jamie's plate of pancakes sat waiting for him. Jamie rolled his eyes, but sat down to eat.

Thirty minutes later, he had finished breakfast, helped his mom dress Sophie, and went outside with his little sister, nearly walking straight into Jack.

"Jamie, what's up?", the snow spirit asked.

"Bunny!", Sophie cried out, running past Jack, who turned to see a six foot tall rabbit holding the almost three year old.

"Jack, isn't Easter, like, four months away?", Jamie asked with a laugh.

"It is, Jamie. Bunnymund, what's going on? Where are the Yetis?", Jack asked warily.

"Something's come up in Santoff Clausen. North's called a meeting, and I volunteered to get you as I figured out where you might have run off to this time, and I told North you hate the Yetis and the sack.", the Easter Bunny said, still holding Sophie.

"Can Sophie and I go to see the others, Jack?", Jamie asked, smiling and jumping up and down.

"I don't think North will mind. Bunny?", Jack replied.

"What about your mum, Jamie? Where will she think you've run off to?", Bunnymund asked honestly.

"She'll be at work most of the day. Ever since Dad walked out on us, Mom's been working double shifts and overtime on the weekends to pay the bills every month. Burgess is a small town, so she trusts me to take care of Sophie for a few hours on Saturdays, and she knows if I need help I can take Sophie down to Monty's, and his mom will help me.", Jamie said, though the thought seemed to depress him.

"Okay then, we'll take the little ankle-biters with us.", Bunnymund decided, nodding to Jack, who picked Jamie up before flying off.

The Easter Bunny smiled before tapping the ground with his foot and disappearing down one of his tunnels with Sophie.

Several hours later, Jamie and Sophie were walking home with Jack, who had refused to leave Jamie's side after they got back from North's place. Call it a gut feeling, much like North always had, but Jack knew something was not right. After the announcement from the Man in the Moon, Jack was starting to get a little, but rightly so, paranoid.

"That was awesome! Jack, we out flew the reindeer!", Jamie cried, jumping for joy as the three walked through the woods on the edge of Burgess.

"I know, Jamie. Trust me, I know. You wouldn't have been flying if I wasn't holding onto you. Oh no!", Jack replied his voice going from happy to scared in roughly thirty seconds.

A mere twenty feet in front of them, police tape, cop cars with flashing lights, and news vans surrounded the Bennett home.

"Bunnymund!", Jack called out, praying the Pooka would hear him.

Sure enough, he did, and he too feared the same thing Jack did.

"Take the kids into the woods and stay there until I come back. I'll find out what's going on here. I just hope we're wrong about this.", Jack said quietly, walking towards the horrible scene before him.

Jack walked up to the house and went over to where the cops were talking to a distraught looking blonde woman.

"Ma'am, can you please tell us what you know?", one officer asked.

"Anne left for work this morning, Jamie and Sophie were playing in the snow, and Monty wanted to go out and play with them. He went out, but came back in about three minutes later saying they left with Jack Frost and his friend E. Aster Bunnymund. I thought those were strange names for children, but I didn't ask many more questions. Anne came home around one, like every Saturday, and she came by to ask if I had seen Jamie and Sophie. I told her what Monty told me and she left. Around three, a black car pulled up to the house, and a man stepped out. He went up to the door and Anne let him in. Ten minutes later I heard the shots and the sound of tires squealing as the car sped away. The Bennett family has an excellent security system, and it records all sound inside the house, so that may be of some assistance to you.", she said, nearly causing Jack to loose his balance.

Jack collected himself and followed the police officer into the house, where they were met with blood, and lots of it. The officer looked to the man before them, an EMT if Jack recalled correctly, and both men sighed.

"Anne's lucky to still be alive with as much blood as she lost. I'll honestly be surprised if she makes it through surgery. Two bullets tore through her chest, narrowly missing her heart. Any idea who would hurt her and take the kids?", he asked.

"Not unless you believe in Jack Frost. We're going to take the recorder out of the security system and analyze it.", the officer replied, making Jack roll his eyes at the comment.

"You can't. The system is high end and only has a playback button on it. It erases recordings after a month, so I'd have a fellow officer video tape you listening to it here ASAP. But, seriously, Jack Frost?", the EMT asked.

"Melissa said Monty told her that's who the kids left with: Jack Frost and E. Aster Bunnymund. Wish I had more to tell you, Don.", the officer replied as he walked over to the security system.

"I've got my recorder right here, so I can tape the recording.", he said a moment later.

"Taping a recorded conversation, cool.", Jack said, though he was not heard.

The officer, who Jack was sure was named Bob, pressed play on his recorder, saying, "Officer Robert "Bob" Walters, 3:24 p.m., Burgess, Pennsylvania, Bennett household, recording of the family security system voice recorder.", he then pressed play on the system and Jack's worst fear came to life.

A knock sounded. Footsteps hurried down the entry hall. The front door opened and a faint gasp was heard.

"Randall Davis, what are you doing here? There was a good reason, even after Sophie, I never married you."

"Anne, please, I just want to see them."

"Jamie and Sophie are gone. They went to the forest to play with Jack and Mr. Bunnymund."

"Who's Jack?"

"Jack is Jamie's imaginary friend. They'll be back soon, and I want you gone before then. Sophie doesn't even know who you are, so scram!"

"My daughter doesn't know who I am?"

"You left two months after she was born!"

"But it was your responsibility to tell her about her father!"

"I felt your description was too vulgar for a toddler. Her imaginary friend, Bunnymund, is probably more of a father than you are to her!"

"I can't believe it! My children are going to grow up believing in imagination because of you! They can't ever have a serious career that way!"

"I'd rather them be happy than greedy like some people!"

"How about I raise them from here on out, Anne?"

"How about you go to hell, Randall?"

Two shots were fired, Anne screamed, and the front door slammed shut.

Jack took a deep breath. It took every ounce of self control he had to not scream out obscenities at Jamie and Sophie's biological father. If Anne did not make it, who would the children go to?

Jack came out of his thoughts when Bob's cell phone rang. He answered and shook his head gravely.

"I'll call someone from Child Services. In the meantime, put out BOLOs on Randall Davis and the Bennett kids."

Jack stopped. Child services meant Jamie and Sophie would be going into the foster system. It also meant Anne was dead. Jack held back tears as he ran outside and looked up at the moon, more specifically, and the Man in the Moon.

"What am I supposed to do now? Tell me what to do, help me, please!", he screamed towards his, technically, creator.

"Jack, what happened, mate?", Bunnymund asked, hopping up behind him with Jamie and Sophie on his back.

"I can't discuss it here, Bunnymund. It's too dangerous. Take Sophie to the Warren, keep her safe, and I'll call you when you can bring her back. Jamie, buddy, come here.", Jack replied, picking Jamie up and holding him close.

"Jack, where's my mom?", Jamie asked softly.

"She's with MiM now, Jamie. I'm so sorry.", Jack whispered, holding back his own tears and rubbing small circles into Jamie's back as the boy sobbed.

"Jack, can I stay with you?", Jamie asked through his tears.

"I would let you do that if they'd let me, Jamie, but no adult has been able to see me in 300 years. The police think I'm your imaginary friend.", the winter spirit replied, not prepared for the ten year old to wriggle out of his arms and run over to the officers.

"Jamie Bennett, get back here!", Jack called after him, looking at the fast approaching black of night.

"Jamie Bennett, where have you been?", Bob asked.

"With Jack, Sophie, and Bunnymund.", Jamie answered.

"Where's Sophie at?", Bob asked the child, looking for the toddler.

"She's with Bunnymund in the Warren in under Australia. Bunnymund is the Easter Bunny. Jack is Jack Frost, and he's standing over there, trying to figure out what I'm doing.", Jamie replied, basically blowing the Guardians' secret in one try but smiling back at Jack who could only shake his head.

"Jamie, they aren't real.", Bob said slowly, only for Jamie to push him away.

"They are real! You have to trust me, Mr. Walters! Believe in them. Jack is walking up to us right now! Please just trust me!", Jamie pleaded, and the older man broke.

For the first time since his childhood, Bob Walters believed in the Easter Bunny, Santa Claus, the Tooth fairy, and the Sandman. For the first time in his life, he believed in Jack Frost. In that instant, he saw a teenaged boy in a blue hoodie and brown pants running up to them, holding a staff in his right hand.

"Jamie, don't run off like that! It's nearly black out, and you were at the Council meeting today. Italy was close to loosing their belief today, and that means Pitch Black escaped his lair again. He knows who you are and where you live, Jamie. More importantly, he knows how much you mean to me, Jamie. He know that I love you more than anything in this world and will always protect you.", Jack said, kneeling down and placing his left hand on Jamie's shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Jack. I just thought if I could get them to believe me and trust that you guys are real, I could stay with you. I don't want to go away!", Jamie managed to say before he buried his head in Jack's chest and began crying.

"Dear God, Jamie's telling the truth. I can see him! I can see Jack Frost!", Bob exclaimed, looking at the white haired teen.

With one wave of his staff, Jack made snowflakes hit everyone in the face, and they could suddenly see him. They believed.

"Jamie, everything is going to be fine. I will never let anything happen to you or Sophie. None of us will. Tooth and Bunny just love Sophie, and you know North and I love you. Sandy always gives you two the best dreams he can, because you saved us. We're not going to forget that easily.", Jack said, ignoring the adults, only focused on Jamie.

"Okay, but don't ever leave me!", Jamie sobbed, still not releasing his hold on Jack.

"I won't leave you unless absolutely necessary, Jamie, I promise.", Jack said, gently patting Jamie on the back.

Upon realizing that Jamie refused to leave Jack, both Bennett children, as soon as Bunnymund brought Sophie back, were, against the wishes of Officer Walters, were placed in counseling, most of the town still refusing to believe in the Guardians. Sophie would not let the social workers take away her bunny toy, relating all things bunny rabbit to Bunnymund.

Jamie had become quiet and withdrawn, often just sitting by his window, praying Jack would float up and knock, or maybe draw a picture and bring it to life.

Jack saw this, and it nearly broke his heart. The two children's despair ate at Jack, and the other guardians, until Jack did something drastic. It was late, and Jamie should have been asleep. Fortunately for Jack, he was wide awake.

"Jamie?", Jack asked, knocking on the window.

"Jack!", the ten year old cried softly, opening the window with a faint click.

"Bunny is getting Sophie. Pack only what you absolutely need, North, Tooth, Sandy, Bunnymund, and I can provide anything else. We don't have much time, so please hurry, Jamie.", Jack whispered, looking at the door every few seconds.

"I'm going away with you?", Jamie asked excitedly.

"For now, yeah, you are. I promised I'd always be there, and I don't break my promises.", Jack said quietly.

Jamie nodded and ran about the room, grabbing important possessions. Jack smiled as he saw Jamie pick up a dark blue sweatshirt, pull it on, and turn back around with his backpack in his hand.

That night, James Ross Bennett and Sophie Darla Bennett disappeared, leaving no trace behind, not to be seen again for six years.

A/N: How was it? Let me know what you think. I own nothing except for my OCs and plot.