Jack walked through the forest quietly, mumbling unspoken words that ran through his mind. He tried to speak to himself, to try and calm down, but the words got choked in his throat from the moment they came into contact with his lips. His crystal blue eyes were wide and filled to the brim with tears, glazed over in a watery light. He clenched his jaw tightly and squeezed his eyes shut, a few tears straying down his pale skin, one or two flowing down his neck and slowing just past his shoulders. He tightened the grip on his staff and then raised his arm, launching the shepherd's hook through the cloudy skies and hearing it crack against a tree it had collided with during it's flight. Jack slumped to the ground, leaning against another tree and cradled himself, sobbing so hard that some of the cries got caught in his throat, making him cough and splutter. Then everything went silent. As if the world had stood still to hear the teen's mournful cries as they howled throughout that once peaceful night...

-

Jamie lay curled up on his bed under the covers, sniffling softly to himself. He tightened the hold on his stuffed rabbit, the button in replace of an eye digging into his chest as he tried to muffle his cries. Jamie slowly opened his eyes, blinking a few tears from his vision, allowing them to run down his face and looked out the window into the black sky, the light only a distant memory of what had happened that day. Jamie slowly swung out of bed and walked over to the window, placing a small light hand on the glass. It was cold, and slightly frosted at the corners from the winter wind. Winter was drawing to a close. And Jamie couldn't bear to see his old friend leave his hometown again. It happened every year, Jack and Jamie meeting up to hang out and play during the holidays and the weekends and the occasional snow day and such. But then when he had to go back to the North Pole and report to the other Guardians, it didn't seem like the fun he had given Jamie meant anything. As if giving the boy fun was merely a chore for the teen. Jamie sighed and let his hand slip away from the glass as his little sister wandered into his room, the light from the hallway invading the room like the Sun did each day with the Earth. Jamie turned and gave his sister a weak smile before letting her stumble over and hug his leg tightly. A little while after, Jamie turned back to the window and thought he caught sight of a familiar figure, but in the blink of an eye it was gone. Jamie sighed more heavily and then felt his leg get a little damp. He looked down and Sophie looked up at him with wide green eyes, small tears running down her cheeks.
"Why are you upset, Soph?" Jamie whispered.
"I'm upset because you're upset" Sophie replied, mumbling a little.
Jamie bent down and cradled his sister in his arms like Jack used to do to him, holding her close to him and gently rocking her. He picked her up and carried her to his bed, setting her down and gently slipping under the covers beside her, cuddling her cold little body as she buried herself in his shirt. He closed his eyes and rested her head on his chest, listening as her breathing became more steady, signalling she had fallen asleep. Jamie could feel sleep clawing at his body, willing it to go limp so it could take its toll.
"Night Soph, I promise that I'll always be here...Just the way that Jack was here for me..."
The fourteen year old eventually gave into the sleep that hovered over him and his breathing became more steady with each heartbeat. After a few minutes, a small tear slivered down Jamie's cheek in an attempt to make his emotions shown before the date rolled over. Jamie's stuffed rabbit, that had been named Jack after their first meeting, had dropped off the side of the bed and lay on the floor with, if one looked close enough, what seemed to be an unhappy and distort face. The stuffed animal's expression did not go unnoticed by an over-looker...

-

Jack had watched the scene play out in Jamie's room. He'd seen the boy's actions and the way he cared for Sophie. But it was his words that had hit Jack the most. Like needles and pins along with knifes and animal's claws slicing through him with each second that passed. He felt like turning to dust. He knew Jamie got upset a little when the winter season came to an end for the year, but Jack had never seen him so unhappy about it. But Jack also knew why Jamie had finally decided to show his true emotions. It would be the last time they would be able to hang out with each other. The last day of winter seemed to also be the last day of Jamie's childhood innocence. Jack had been as heartbroken as Jamie himself when the news had surrounded their happiness and waved it away like it was nothing. Jamie had been so shocked that his friend had said something that they had both wished would never happen. They'd argued a little, but soon forgiven each other and embraced a strong hug that neither of them would forget. North had told Jack that the young Guardian would have to let the kid go, to let him grow up and live the life he was to lead. But Jack wouldn't have any of it, his emotions getting the better of him. He had gone to Burgess to calm down, to spend one last time with Jamie and try and make it the best one yet. But the fourteen year old had sensed that something was bothering the winter spirit, and the moment Jamie had wrapped his arms round Jack's waist, the teen had let everything spill out without control. The snow had turned thick and heavy as the news reached Jamie's ears. Now Jack was on his rooftop, hanging over the side and looking through the window at the children he had vowed to protect with his life. He then noticed the stuffed rabbit on the floor, it's face sad and darkened as it's one good eye and button eye stared into Jack's own blue gaze. The name of the rabbit came to Jack in an instant and he looked from the rabbit to Jamie and then back to the rabbit. Then it struck him like a sore thumb. Jamie had kicked him out of his life as a growing teenager and had replaced his childhood with the responsibility of looking after Sophie. Jack winced at the thought, feeling his heart freeze over and then shatter to a million shards of ice that seemed to dig into his skin and other organs. Jack's tears fell again and he frosted the window, blocking out Jamie's clear features as he turned away from the scene. He looked at the moon, who seemed to show a worried look about it. Jack cursed it under his breath and then his eyes softened and grew sorrowful.
"Please...Don't let him let me go..."
And with that request, the hooded crow flew off into the night, not even glancing back at the town he had called home for more than 300 years.

-

Jamie woke with a start and stared at his now frosted window. Jack's name rung in his head at the sight and the child began to cover his face with his pillow, hugging it tightly as his eyes snapped shut once more. He missed Jack. Missed him more than before. More than he ever had thought of missing someone. Then he remembered what Jack had said on their first parting four years ago. We'll always be here Jamie, and now, we'll always be here. Jamie sniffled happily at the memory and snuggled deep under his covers, steadying his breathing and eventually falling asleep again. Even if Jamie couldn't hang out and have fun with Jack anymore, their bond and friendship was still there, as strong as ever, and Jamie knew that one day their paths would eventually cross again without them knowing the other was there. Because that's what happens when you have a strong friendship with someone close to you. One day you have to go your separate ways, and the next thing you both know, you cross paths and find that happiness that has left you hollow for so long...