Confessions
I DON'T OWN RISE OF THE GUARDINANS! PRETTY SURE IT BELONGS TO DREAMWORKS!
"Jack, can I ask you a serious question?" 14 year old Jamie Bennett asked, looking over at his friend, the winter sprit, Jack Frost.
"Sure kid, shoot," Jack responded, staring up at the crisp winter sky.
"Have you ever been in love?"
The question caught Jack off guard. He thought for a minute. "Yeah, I have. Why do you ask?" Jack said, turning to look at the boy.
Jamie's face was bright red. "Oh there's a girl isn't there?" Jack asked, poking at his friend. "What's her name?"
"It…its Sammie," Jamie muttered.
"Sammie," Jack mused, "Good choice. She still believes, doesn't she?"
"Yeah, we all do. After all that stuff with Pitch do you think we could stop?"
"So…how long have you liked her?"
"Since the battle with Pitch. She was the first one to step up next to me. She just looked so determined and brave… I was just…hooked," Jamie said, looking at the clouds. "Who are you in love with?"
"Sophie! Where are you ya ankle-biter!" Aster hollered, jumping around the Warren, searching for the 11 year old.
"Aster, turn around!" Sophie said looking up from the egg she was painting. "Do you need something?" she asked, setting down the egg.
"I need you to run this to Tooth Palace for me. Don't forget to tell Tooth happy birthday while you're up there. Then you need to get home ya ankle-biter," Aster said, ruffling Sophie's hair.
"Alright Aster," Sophie said, grabbing the package Aster was holding out. "And I told you four years ago, I'm not an ankle-biter anymore."
"And I told you, you'll always be my ankle-biter," Aster said, pulling Sophie into a tight hug.
"Bye bye Bunny," Sophie said quietly, wrapping her arms around the Pooka, a feat she had only achieved in the past year.
"I'll see you tomorrow ya ankle-biter," Aster said, releasing the girl.
"See ya Aster," Sophie said, grabbing a snow globe from her bag and leaving for Tooth Palace.
"Tooth! Baby Tooth! Where are you guys?" Sophie called, looking around the Tooth Palace.
"Sophie! How are you?" Tooth said, flying up to the girl.
"Tooth, hi. I'm good. I finally have something to tease Jamie about. Oh happy birthday, Bunny sends this," Sophie said, hugging the fairy and handing her the box from Bunny.
"Thanks Sophie! How is Bunny?" Tooth asked, handing Bunny's package to some mini-fairies and landing next to Sophie.
"He's good. I finally got the position Apprentice Easter Bunny!" Sophie said, bouncing happily.
"That's great Soph! Don't you need to be getting home? It's almost time for us to go to Burgess," Tooth said, giving Sophie another hug.
"You're right. See you later Tooth, tell Sandy and North I said hi!" Sophie said, taking another snow globe from her bag.
"Jamie! I'm back!" Sophie said, knocking on the brother's bedroom door, "Anything new happen while I was gone?"
Jamie opened his door, "Yeah actually, come on in."
"How's Jack?" Sophie asked, sitting backwards on Jamie's desk chair.
"He's good," Jamie said, looking up at the ceiling.
"You're quiet; normally you can't be quiet after a visit with Jack. Something happen with Sam?"
"No, Jack gave me some good advice though. How was your day with Aster?"
"Awesome! I'm officially Apprentice Easter Bunny now! Oh and its Tooth's birthday," Sophie said, spinning in the chair. "What did Jack say?"
"Well he said he didn't have much experience in love because he's only loved one person and he never admitted it to that person," Jamie said, looking at Sophie, barely containing his laughter. "You're gonna make yourself sick doing that."
"No I won't. Who is Jack in love with?" Sophie asked, stopping her spinning.
"Promise you won't tell?" Jamie said, sitting up.
"Promise," Sophie said, suddenly interested.
"Jack is in love with Bunny."
-
"Yo, Kangaroo, ya there?" Jack called, flying into the Warren.
"I'm right here," Aster said, looking up from the eggs he was inspecting.
"Looking over Sophie's work?" Jack asked, walking towards the Pooka.
"Yeah, look at this, she did this in less than five minutes," Aster said, holding up a yellow, pink, and purple egg.
"Nice, did you finally give her that promotion she kept bugging you about?"
"Yeah, I couldn't deny the little shelia any longer. She's almost as good at this as I am. Which is saying something since I've been doing this for over 300 years and she's only been doing this for eight," Aster said, running his ears through his paws.
"Can you believe it's only been eight years since we met them?" Jack said, running a hand through his hair.
"I know, I can barely remember the time before the ankle-biters," Aster said, looking over the eggs again.
Jack laughed, "How many times has Sophie told you to stop calling her that?"
"Pretty much every day since she was seven. But no matter what she says I can't stop seeing her as the little shelia who snuck into the Warren when she was only three. She'll always be my ankle-biter," Aster said.
"I understand that. Jamie just asked me for advice in his love life. I was shocked because I still thought of him as that seven year old boy who stepped between us and Pitch. But now I see that he's growing up. I'm surprised I didn't have to deal with this sooner. I did with Pippa," Jack said. "She was about Sophie's age."
"So did you need something Frostbite or did you just come by to say hello?"
"I just wanted to know if you were coming to Tooth's party," Jack said, hopping onto his staff.
"Yeah, I just wanted to look over Sophie's work before I headed over to Tooth Palace," Aster said, opening a tunnel. "Ya coming Frostbite?"
"Yeah," Jack said, hopping down.
-
"Tooth? North? Sandy? Aster?" Jack called out, wandering around Tooth Palace.
"Jack, I thought I would never get you alone," a sinister voice behind Jack said.
"Pitch," Jack hissed, spinning to face the man.
"Hello Jack," Pitch said, running a hand along Jack's face.
Jack jerked back as though burned. "Are you thick skulled? There is no way they would let you anywhere near me after what you tried to do!" Jack hissed, "How did you even find me?"
"I told you Jack, I was a Guardian once. I know when all five of you will be together. And I know when you will be alone," Pitch said, backing Jack against a wall. "None of them can help you now Jack."
"Jack! Jack, wake up!"
Jack shot up right; he was curled up in a corner of Tooth Palace.
"Jack, are you okay mate?" Aster asked, kneeling next to Jack, his paws still on Jack's shoulders.
Jack threw his arms around Aster's neck. "He found me Bunny! He was in my dream!" Jack sobbed into Aster's chest.
Aster just rubbed Jack's back. Pitch had affected Jack the most because Jack knew what it was like to not be believed in.
"It'll be okay Frostbite. Don't worry about Pitch," Aster said, pulling away slightly when Jack's sobs died down.
"But Aster, the way he messed with my emotions…the way he made me feel…I wanted to go with him. I wanted to be with him and…and he made me forget about Jamie!" Jack yelled, afraid of what Pitch could do to him.
"Don't worry Jack, you'll be fine. It's time to go. Sophie will be at the Warren soon so I'm sure Jamie's waiting for you," Aster said, helping Jack up and wiping away the boy's tears. "Ya can come by the Warren later if ya want, show pony."
Jack smiled softly, "I'd like that Kangaroo." Suddenly Jack wrapped his arms around Aster. "Thanks Aster," he mumbled before running away to meet Jamie at the lake.
"Bloody show pony," Aster muttered before opening a tunnel to the Warren.
"Aster, where were you?! I was worried something had happened, even though I didn't see the lights!" Sophie cried, flinging herself onto Aster.
"Sorry Sophie. I was at Tooth's birthday party and I had to find Jack. He had fallen asleep in a corner somewhere," Aster said, wrapping his arms around Sophie. "Now let's get to work ya ankle-biter."
Sophie stuck her tongue out at Aster, but quickly got back to work, painting the eggs.
"Hey Aster?" Sophie asked after a while.
"Ya," Aster said, glancing up from the egg he was painting.
"Have you ever been in love?"
Aster thought for a moment, thinking back. "Yeah, yeah I have," Aster said softly.
"With who?" Sophie asked, her big blue eyes shining up at Aster.
"I'm not gonna tell ya, I haven't even told him yet," Aster said, tapping Sophie on the nose with his paintbrush.
"Fine, then I won't tell you who likes you," Sophie pouted.
Aster's ears perked up. "Alright I'll tell you if you tell me," Aster said, putting down his paintbrush.
"No, you don't want to know so I'm not gonna tell you," Sophie pouted, turning away from Aster.
"Oh really?" Aster said raising an eyebrow, "I know how to make you talk."
Sophie gasped, "You wouldn't dare!" she squawked.
"Yes I would," Aster said, scooping Sophie into his lap and tickling.
"Aster, Aster stop! I'll tell you, I'll tell you!" Sophie got out between bouts of laughter.
Aster stopped tickling Sophie and she whispered into his ear. "Jack loves you."
-
"Jack, you're late! Are you okay?" Jamie said, running up to his friend.
"I'm fine," Jack said, ruffling Jamie's hair, "Just a bad dream."
"Was it Pitch again?" Jamie asked softly.
"Yeah, they're getting worse. All five of us where there and still he got to me," Jack said, sitting against a tree. "So what did Sophie say when you told her?"
"How did you know I told her?"
"Please, you can't keep anything from Sophie, she has you and Bunny wrapped around her little finger," Jack snorted.
Jamie blushed, "Is it really that obvious?"
"Yeah, so what did she say?"
"She was excited, happy. She said she's been getting a feeling Bunny was missing something. And that it went away when you were at the Warren."
"Really? He likes me too?"
"That's what Sophie said," Jamie said, starting to climb into his tree-house.
Jack flew to the top of the tree. "I guess that explains a lot," he said when Jamie got into the tree-house.
"Like what?" Jamie asked, leaning back against a wall.
"I just get this feeling sometimes. Like someone's watching me. Not the creepy-watching-from-the-shadows kind of watching, like Pitch, but the I-love-you-and-I'm-making-sure-you're-okay, kind of watching. And when I turn around, all I see is Aster," Jack said, leaning against the wall next to Jamie.
"I know what you mean," Jamie said. "You know a couple of years ago? When I had that stalker?" Jack nodded. "I could tell when she was watching and when Sammie was watching. It's the same with you, Aster, and Pitch. You can just tell the difference," Jamie said, pulling out a pack of M&M's, "Want some?" he offered Jack.
"Sure," Jack said, taking some, "But you could stop your stalker. There's no way to stop Pitch," Jack said, wandering around the tree-house. "Any new news on the Sam front?"
"No, I'm working on a card for her birthday. Oh, I need you to give this to Tooth," Jamie said, handing Jack a card he had made.
"Sure thing kiddo. You wanna go bug Sophie and Aster at the Warren?" Jack asked, standing by the window.
"Sure," Jamie said, hopping up and standing next to Jack.
"Then let's go!" Jack said, pulling out a snow globe (the only way Jamie would travel other than tunnels), and tossing it onto the wall.
"Yo, Kangaroo!" Jack called, stepping through the portal, Jamie right behind him.
"What do you need Jack?" Aster said, looking up from where he was holding Sophie in his lap.
Sophie scrambled away from Aster and pulled Jamie deeper into the Warren, jabbering about how a new bunch of eggs were about to bloom.
"What's up Kangaroo?" Jack said, leaning against a big stone egg.
"I was just talking to Sophie. She asked about love too, I think your ankle-biter is infecting mine," Aster said, standing and wiping his paws.
"Don't blame me! Jamie's the one in love with Sammie!"
"Sammy…that's Cupcake?"
"Yeah, that still throws me sometimes," Jack said, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Good choice. I mean, Jane's okay and all, but she just doesn't seem right with Jamie," Aster said, watching as an egglet wandered by, "Ya know what I mean?"
"Yeah," Jack said.
The pair lapsed into silence for a minute.
Aster finally broke it. "Sophie actually told me something really interesting…about you," Aster said, moving closer to Jack.
"There are a lot of interesting things about me Kangaroo. You're gonna have to be more specific," Jack said, amusement glinting in his eyes.
"Oh, just a little fact about your love life. Actually I think it was who you love," Aster said, putting one paw on either side of Jack.
Jack looked down, his face bright red.
"How long Jack?" Aster whispered, leaning in closer.
"At least the last 200 years. I thought it was gone until I saw you with Sophie in the Warren for the first time and it came back. Full force," Jack whispered, his icy blue eyes drifting up to meet Aster's hunter green ones.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Aster whispered.
"Because...because I was afraid. Afraid you would reject me," Jack said, running his hand along the side of Aster's face. "And I would rather have the frienemy relationship we had than have you hate me for what I feel."
Aster leant closer to Jack, "I could never hate you Frostbite," Aster said, closing the gap between them and sealing his lips over Jack's. "I love you Jack Frost."
Jack smiled, "I love you too Aster Bunnymund."
