Disclaimer: DreamWorks owns RotG, not me.

This was most certainly not a good situation to be in.

Jack casually took a sip from the flask he always carried, doing his best to look inconspicuous. He nervously eyed the group that just walked in.

It was a group of four, and all so different. One was short, one tall, one buff, and one petite girl. It was obvious just by looking at them they hailed from different places, none of which could be around here. Few thing brought people far out of their homelands, and even fewer kept a group of obviously different people together.

Jack wiped off a glass, turning to put it on the shelf behind him. His shift ended soon, then he'd be able to leave, and there would be slim chance these travelers would stay in Burgess long, it was mostly a town that people came to so they could re-stock supplies.

Wiping off another glass, he saw the largest in the strange group, a man with a white beard and too much enthusiasm for Jack's taste, lean forwards over the counter and say something to Jack's boss. Getting a room for the night, no doubt. The man said something else, and then he and his companions made their way over to a table and sat down.

Jack was putting the fourth glass away when his boss, known to Jack as Mr. Herke, came over to him.

"Jack." Mr. Herke waited until Jack looked up. "I know you're almost done, but if you could get room 14 and 15 ready for guests, that would be wonderful."

Jack bobbed his head, finished polishing the last glass, and went into one of the back rooms to get some linens. He grabbed the keys to the two rooms and headed up the back stairs, meant for those who did room keeping. He wasn't a room keeper, it had been decided he was better up front, but he was the only one on shift right now.

Unlocking room 14, he noticed that it connected to room 15. Shrugging, Jack set most of the linens down on a chair, before starting to put pillow cases on the pillows lying on top of one bed. He finished the two beds in that room, before doing the same to room 15.

Humming under his breath, Jack had forgotten about the group of people until he walked downstairs and noticed them. It wouldn't be a problem, he assured himself. They would be gone by morning; Burgess was too unassuming for them to stay.

Jack grabbed his cloak, which hung by the back door to the Inn, and nodded to Mary, one of the others who worked at the Inn.

"My shift is over; Mary is here, am I dismissed?" Jack asked Mr. Herke, who nodded.

"Don't forget, you have a double shift on tomorrow!" Mr. Herke called after him as he left.

Jack just nodded lazily, though he knew the man couldn't see him anymore.

Passing through the town and nodding at people he knew, Jack walked home. Jack and his family lived on the outskirts of town, by the lake. They preferred to use the lake for their water much of the time, even though most people preferred the river.

When he arrived at the house, he noticed Emma was outside, drawing something in the dirt with a stick.

"Jack!" she cried out when she noticed him, promptly dropping her stick and racing to him. Laughing, he picked her up and twirled her around.

"Emma!" he said dramatically after setting her down. "It's been too long! How have you been?"

"Jack!" she giggled. "I saw you this morning, remember?"

Jack gasped as they entered the house. "You did? I'm quite sure I would have remembered seeing you. I must not have!"

Emma shoved him. "Yes, you did! You said that you would be back a little later tonight since Mary would be late and you'd have to cover her. Remember now?"

Jack feigned confusion, rubbing his chin as he sat on one of the two chairs in the 'sitting' room. "Why, no!" He glanced down at her face, which was rather irritated at the moment. "And," he continued, in a superior tone. "Since I don't remember it, I must not have seen you this morning, for my memory is perfect!"

"Jaaaaaack! Your memory is not perfect, you're just tricking me!" She stomped her foot, the perfect picture of frustration. "You can't even remember how to play hopscotch!" Emma huffed, nodding her head like she'd won.

"Oh?" Jack raised an eyebrow, genuinely curious now. "What makes you say that?"

"You always change the rules, which means you don't remember them!" She beamed at him. "So there!"

"Alright." He smiled at her, and rose from his seat. "You win this time, silly."

Jack walked into the kitchen, where dinner was being prepared. Unlike her daughter, Mrs. Overland preferred to keep her brown hair short and out of the way. "Any trouble today?" she asked, mostly out of habit. Jack did have a tendency to get into trouble.

"Not on my part." He replied, reaching for the knife to slice some bread. "There was an odd group though. Could mean… trouble."

On the outside, Mrs. Overland appeared unconcerned with the news as she nodded, but Jack could tell she knew what he meant, and that she was worried.

"I'm certain it'll be fine." He said lightly, no need for two of them to be nervous about the travelers, after all.

"They'll only be here for the night."

A/N: So, this is my first attempt at a long story, I'd like to know how it is so far. I only have vague plans at the moment, so suggested things may actually happen. Reviews are appreciated. How did I do?Are the characters OOC? Please let me know of any mistakes you notice, criticism helps me grow as a writer!