"Stop fluttering your wings," Jack said reassuringly to a nervous Tooth. "And trust me."
Tooth nodded, lowering her wings. The young guardian couldn't help but smile at the fairy, who was now screwing her eyes shut tightly and chanting, 'think happy thoughts. Happy thoughts, Tooth. Think of teeth. White, shiny teeth.'
"Now, push off with your back foot and slide with the front." Tooth took one big breath in before putting her weight on the back of her foot and – Crack. The ice split violently beneath her and Tooth hovered above the lake, her wings shaking vigorously.
"I can't, Jack." She said, hopelessly. "I just, can't."
"No, no, no. I am not excepting defeat here, Tooth." Jack said, freezing over the broken ice so it became smooth again. "Take my hand." Tooth took hold of Jack's hand and gently placed her feet on the newly made ice. Again, she put the weight on her back foot and pushed.
Jack cheered as the little fairy whooshed around the frozen ice of the lake. She did a full circuit before sliding into Jack's arms, grinning.
"Thank you so much, Jack!" She said, hugging him tightly.
"You're, um, very welcome." Jack replied, shrugging his shoulders shyly. "It was nothing really, I just-" Before Jack could finish his sentence, Tooth placed a soft kiss on Jack's cheek. Jack felt the blood rush to his head, and for the first time he felt warmth.
Tooth slid away again, shouting "Weeee!" However, as she did, wisps of black began to float around the trees and just above the level of ice. The black clouds became thicker and thicker. Jack shouted out Tooth's name, but she too was consumed by the darkness.
The next thing Jack knew, he was lying in his bed of snow and ice. Everything was blurry, and all he could make out was a big, yellow figure. As his vision came into focus, he could just make out who it was that was leaning over him.
It was Sandman, who had an eyebrow raised and large, proud grin on his face.