The thing that the Guardians, and Jack especially, did not seem to realize, was that there was so much more for Jamie to be afraid of as he got older.

Over ten years had gone by since the battle at Burgess against Pitch. Jamie still believed in the Nightmare King, and he still was not afraid of him. But as Jamie aged, he found his fear of fear to be increasing.

When he turned fourteen he was afraid of making a fool of himself in middle school. He feared bullies who made fun of his interests in the unusual and fanatical and his conversations with people no one else could see. When he turned sixteen he became horribly afraid of driving after getting scrapped by a truck driving carelessly after he just got his license. That was also the year he became afraid of his father on a rough day when his liking of alcohol was taken a bit too far leading to a divorce. When he was seventeen he became afraid of dying when his grandmother passed away. When he was eighteen he became afraid of deadlines when he realized his mother was late on quite a bit of their bills. When he was nineteen he became afraid on behalf of his sister's wellbeing when someone on the bus kissed her without her permission and shoved her when she told them to leave her alone. When he was twenty he became afraid of everything when his mother was diagnosed with a rapidly progressing dementia and he had to move back in to help take care of her. When he was twenty one he became afraid of never taming his anxiety when he finally went to a therapist for help. The mundane was dangerous, illness was dangerous, mortality was dangerous as were people and trust and so many things which he shouldn't fear and yet did.

As the Guardians tried to peel themselves away from the lives of aging children, Jamie thought they quite forgot that sometimes adults needed hope and wonder and joy and fun more than anyone.

It was rare for Jamie to directly see Jack any more. He was twenty two, so sure perhaps he was not Jack's top priority, but come on. He was still Jamie, his first believer, didn't that count for something? Okay, his first year away at college to study English was difficult for them both to swallow, then Jamie had almost gone the entire year without him, but surely once Jamie moved back home Jack would show up more, right? Wrong. The only time he saw the spirit was whenever he was playing with kids. He would wave at Jamie briskly before flying off somewhere, but that was about the extent of their interactions save for a few conversations here and there. Even Christmas just a few days ago had gone without a visit from any of the Guardians. Most of their contact ended around the time Jamie turned sixteen, recently after Jamie learned how Jack actually became a spirit after asking Jack why he was so incessant about freezing and re-freezing the lake. But Jamie never gave up. Their passing visits were worth it.

Initially he had mostly been annoyed because he felt as if Jack had forgotten him, even if Jack swore that would never happen. Now he just needed Jack because he was scared. He wasn't ready to grow up. Too many things were happening too quickly and he couldn't handle the responsibility of taking care of his mom and Sophie and trying to pay off their bills and help Sophie apply for scholarships for school and continue studying himself. His job at the local book store and trying to write freelance on the side simply would not cut it any more. Not that Jack would know how to help with any of that, but he could help with the nightmares which had been slowly slipping into Jamie's very being over the past two years. They were subtle at first, and then grew, to the point where they happened nearly every night. Jamie knew he was small, always had been teased for it, but if he lost a few pounds from forgetting to eat and his skin seemed paler than normal and dark circles had begun to manifest under his eyes, so what? He was taking care of his mother and little sister; that was his job, especially after it became clear his father sure as hell wouldn't step up. A final slap to the face and a slam of the door farewell had finalized that quite a few years ago.

One night, just like he always did when he was little, he slipped out of the house and made his way to the lake where he sat atop a mangled root in the snow, and wait to see if Jack would arrive. Jamie tucked his knees up to his chest and stayed there until his breathing came out in white puffs and his fingers went numb, all the while trying to read his favorite childhood book on bigfoot by flashlight which was well worn and faded, as he never possessed the ability to throw it away throughout the years. He waited, and waited, and waited because Jack was his best friend and Jamie was scared and he would do anything to have him back, to have some fun and normalcy and control of his life back. He wanted to be a kid, a kid where his biggest concern was losing a snowball fight. Now it was so much more.

But Jack never showed up, and Jamie was left sitting there, until his head leaned backwards against the trunk of a tree and he exhaustedly settled into a more comfortable position until he fell asleep.

He didn't notice the golden eyes watching him through the trees.

"I just want to go say something, bunny," Jack moaned from where he sat atop one of the eggs at the warren. "I can't leave Jamie hanging like this any longer. It's been years, he doesn't deserve that, and I know he still believes in me! I've seen it!"

The Easter Bunny sighed and set down his boomerangs which he was previously polishing. "I know it's hard, mate, but like North said. They all grow up eventually, and we have to let them."

Jack crossed his arms over his chest. "It isn't fair-"

"I know it's not fair. I know, mate, I've been around a long time. But it's how it's gotta be. You can't make him stop believing, but you have to at least try and distance yourself-"

"What if it was Sophie?" Jack asked suddenly. "You adore her, what if we were telling you that you couldn't see Sophie at all anymore? Couldn't ever talk to her again?"

Something in Bunny's expression darkened. "I'm almost there. I already have to pull back-"

"But not completely!"

"Then I would try. I'm not saying I could. I—I love the little ankle biter and I know it's different with you and Jamie since he's your very first believer but—but—you aren't even trying! I'm sorry, Jack. North's orders. You have to stop following him."

When Jack's throat tightened some time in this conversation he did not know, but it became rapidly apparent then. "But his life is a wreck, cottontail, I can't just leave him, especially not now-"

"Then when?"

"Never! I don't care! So long as he believes in me I won't leave him-"

Bunny pushed himself to his full height with a stretch suddenly. "You know what, if you aren't gonna listen to me, then fine. Take this up with North. Time to realize the worst thing about being a guardian, Jack, about being believed in. It means letting go."

Images flickered through Jamie's sleeping mind hazily, like seeing things through a stained glass window. Mostly the pictures were dark, grainy, abstract, nothing concrete that he could fully understand. All he knew was that it was frightening, made him feel trapped, even more so than his life already made him feel, and it was inescapable. He tried to tug away from the shadows which stretched towards him but some unseen force prevented him from doing so, then he was moving with startling speed until the wind whipped at his skin and scratched his face and neck. He was moving faster and faster towards something, and all he knew was that he did not, under any circumstances, to see what he was moving towards. He pulled and squirmed and yelled in an effort to get away but nothing worked, nothing ever worked, and just before he was sure he would look forward and see something shattering, he woke with a shuddering gasp.

His limbs did not want to work, and for a half moment he believed himself to still be moving towards something made of shadows. But then he inhaled again, and realized just how much his throat stung and his eyes burned from not only the cold but tears as well. Glancing around rapidly, muted eyes saw no one. No winter spirit. No Jack. Of course. He sighed and cast his attention downwards for many moments before a violent shiver tugged him back to reality. Jamie coughed and forced his arms to curl inwards around himself, but they were heavy. After some fighting, he managed to get to his feel with a shiver. But before he could take a single step towards his house something stopped hm.

Hello, Jamie. It's been a while, a deep voice said with a chuckle from somewhere in Jamie's mind.

I'm hearing shit, he told himself. I'm hearing shit or I'm getting dementia like mom. But I'm too young for that right? No that can't happen, right?

The voice turned into a full laugh now, a recognizable one, and it made his insides crawl. "Pitch," he muttered, trying to shake his limbs into alertness as he whirled around, his book and flashlight forgotten on the ground. "Where are you? I'm still not afraid of you!"

The shadows of the trees in front of him morphed, shortening but remaining slender and slick as Pitch manifested into existence with a blank expression which flipped into a smile that did not reach his eyes. "No, but you fear so much more now. So many more real things now. Gone are the days of nightlights and fantasy stories. But some of us grow up and we understand what true fear is. I know just how impossible it is to run from. You understand."

What Pitch was getting at, Jamie did not have the faintest clue, but he found himself backing up anyways until he ran into a tree. Pitch matched him for every step. "I'm not afraid of you," Jamie said again, his chin jutting outwards and his voice unwavering.

"Of course you aren't," Pitch lifted a hand and from his palms was a swirling black puff of smoke, and Jamie bent his knees in preparation. "But you are afraid of fear, and that is more than enough for me."

There was a flash of shadow as Pitch attacked and Jamie was sent spiraling into the snow as he skidded out of the way but slipped on the icy powder beneath him, landing with a hard smack or his abdomen against the ground.

"What is if you fear the most, I wonder?" Pitch asked, his voice slow and taunting, even as Jamie tried to scramble to find purchase and continue running. "Your mother dying? Your father coming back? Your sister hurt? Hurting Jack? Or, perhaps, being so worked up about everyone else that you never get to become your own person after all? Fulfill all those lovely childhood dreams?"

Jamie had managed to get back onto his feet only for the shadows, which seemed to spring to life around him and lick at his skin, to back him against a cluster of boulders. "Shut up! Leave me alone!" He screamed, his hands balling into fists at his sides until he visible trembled and his vision swam. Pitch only laughed as the shadows grew longer and began to wrap around Jamie like a bind, despite the way he leapt this way and that to avoid one, only to run right into another.

"Don't worry, dear boy. I intend to find out exactly what you fear the most. I'm getting closer, you know, with all those perfect little nightmares you've been having lately. But there's much more fun to be had, now that I have the pleasure of getting to see you in person. I've waited so long, and as Jack's first believer, such a special and important relationship, I thought I would allow you the pleasure of seeing me first." As Pitch spoke he walked closer and the shadows closed in, until a frantic Jamie was all but engulfed by them. They wrapped around his arms and legs until he was merely so exhausted he wondered about the point of battling against them any longer. Pitch latched onto the shadows as if they were Jamie's shirt and tugged upwards until they were finally nose to nose. Jamie glared back at him unflinchingly, his complexion pale and gaunt and blinking back a million more emotions than he could comprehend. Gone was the fear which had previously been threatening to overwhelm his chest. Pitch had been causing the nightmares and Jamie's inability to sleep and his seeing the worst in everything because of those nightmares. Now anger sparked behind his eyes, and only escalated once Pitch spoke again. "Care to visit my home?"

Jack couldn't take this not visiting any more nonsense. So, Burgess was going to get a little snowstorm, after he finally had a long talk with Jamie. Swooping down over the house, Jack paused upon noticing something off, something which made his heart plummet. There were police cars outside of the Bennett house. He did not need to be mortal to know that was not a good sign, and his previous faint smile deflated at once as he opened the front door and snuck in when he thought no one would notice.

Inside was an elderly gentlemen who Jack was fairly certain was Jamie and Sophie's grandfather, along with two officers talking between themselves next to a Christmas tree and stockings which looked horribly out of place in the now somber room. What truly captured his attention, however, were the sounds of muted cries upstairs. Following the sounds to Sophie's door, he pushed it open softly.

"Hey, kiddo, what's wrong?"

Sophie, now a teenager and looking quite different from when Jack had met her, with her hair chopped off at her chin and possessing a couple brightly colored piercings, reeled towards him with red eyes.

"Who—Jack? Jack you're here!" She scrambled to her feet and flung herself into him a moment later, burying her face in his chest and letting out another round of sobs. Jack's mind was spinning now, and he wrapped his arms around her tightly as he knelt onto his knees to better reach her, as she still barely came up to his shoulders. It seemed height was not a commonly shared gene in the Bennett family.

"You're okay, kiddo, what's wrong?"

Sophie's words were muffled into Jack's hoodie, but not entirely inaudible. "Jamie's missing! He's been gone for two days! He can't be missing he's my brother and—and—he would never run away from us, I need him, Jack, I don't know what to do! The cops think he just left due to stress but he would never ever do that even thought we expect too much of him. This isn't fair he should be having fun but-but-he needs to take care of my mom and me and I feel so bad. My grandpa said he can help take care of my mom in case Jamie is-is-but—but—Jamie-"

It was as if Jack's entire being stopped working. His thoughts stopped, he froze from where he was hugging Sophie, and his eyes widened as he focused out the window blankly. Then everything moved forward at once. "He's missing? What do you mean?"

Sophie pulled away with a sniffle. "I woke up one morning and he was gone and—and—the police found his book and flashlight by your lake and we don't know where he's been for two days! Jack you have to find him, please! I'm afraid something happened but the cops aren't taking it seriously cause they said someone his age wouldn't have a children's book and they think it's someone else's but I know it's his and-oh Jack you have to find him I don't know what else to do!"

"I—I will, Soph, I promise." Without another word, because time was now precious, Jack flung himself out the window and took off with the wind towards his lake. He didn't expect to find Jamie's book or flashlight, of course those would have been confiscated by the police, but what he did find unnerved him more than anything he had crafted in his mind.

Snow stained black with shadows littered the edges of the lake and led off into the forest. He followed the markings as far as he could, and although he was sure they had been smeared over the last two days, he could not help the sinking feeling in his gut, especially as he found a small opening in the ground, different from the one many years ago, but still wide enough for a person to fit.

Jack's breath was shuddering now, but at least he had a hunch as to where Jamie was. He glanced over his shoulder wildly, knowing he shouldn't go in alone in case this was Pitch, but what else could he do? It was another few hours before night fall and Sandman and the tooth fairies wouldn't be showing up soon, it would take him a while to fly to the warren… there was no time. He had to go alone. Maybe Pitch wouldn't be that powerful, Jack reasoned, because as much as he loved Jamie, even he knew most mortals were little match for an immortal no matter what state they were in. He would just have to hope, and with that, he clutched his staff tightly to his person and dropped down into the opening.

Within moments he knew exactly where he was, Pitch's lair, the same one where he had been years before in search of his teeth. He felt a shiver go through him, not one of cold as he was immune to that despite the bitter temperature below, but of nerves.

"Jamie?" He yelled, his staff extended forward as he prowled through the dark halls and down a set of stairs until he finally reached the largest enclave of the room, the one where the tooth fairies had been held before, and he flew upwards to the cages hanging from the ceiling, inwardly repeating every hope and mantra he could think of that he wouldn't find Jamie trapped inside one of them. He didn't, and a part of him deflated as he flew back down atop a tall bridge like structure nearby. "Jamie?" He yelled again, only for a voice to call back.

"Looking for someone, Jack?" Pitch asked, his voice echoing through the room, and on instinct Jack whirled towards the voice and shot off a spark of ice, only for it to hit a shadow against the stone walls rather than the nightmare king. Jack's expression contorted sharply.

"Pitch give him back right now!"

"But we've been having so much fun," Pitch drawled, peeling himself from a shadow behind Jack and he turned around, his staff sparking, until he saw the figure floating just to the side of Pitch, wrapped in shadow. Jamie was almost unrecognizable with how dark it was, he was paler than Jack had ever seen the boy, and if it was not for the occasional faint turn of his head or whimper, undeniably the effect of nightmares, Jack was sure he would be unconscious.

Jack's throat constricted and he lifted his staff, a blue flash of frost shooting towards Pitch like lightning, only for Pitch to twist his hand and Jamie flew in front of him until the frost hit his middle. Blue and silver and black warped around him and Jamie let out a screech, causing Jack to gasp and lower his staff at once as Jamie erupted into a fit of jerks and moans, his eyebrows furrowing in fear, and Jack was determined to break him out of whatever sort of trans or sleep Pitch had him trapped in. He had already left Jamie down here for two days, what had transpired in that time? What had the boy-young man, really, Jack reminded himself bitterly, been through?

In response to this Pitch clicked his tongue and laughed. "Not so fast, Jack. Wouldn't want to give him frostbite now, would we?"

It was as if Jack's insides had been light on fire, and his heart pounded in his ears. He was a guardian, that meant never letting any children get hurt, and damn the rules if that meant he could not protect Jamie. He would never leave anyone in Pitch's clutches, least of all his first believer who, if his hunch was correct, had much more going on in his life than Jack had realized. He was not about to let anything happen to Jamie and leave the man thinking Jack did not care. It was the opposite, he just couldn't always show it… until now. Until he bent the rules. And no matter what he was bending the rules until he saved Jamie, no matter what that might mean for his position as a guardian. "Let him go, Pitch!" He tried one last time, not about to give up his staff-or at least, he hoped that was not what Pitch wanted again. He had very little contact with the Nightmare King since his defeat years ago, and those had even almost been casual. A little dose of fear was needed in the world, it was just when Pitch took it too far that he became a problem.

"You want me to let him go? Fine." Pitch twisted his hand again, and Jamie floated forward and faintly to the left, Jack realized just what was happening a moment too late and he screamed as the shadows holding Jamie up vanished and his body plummeted downwards, off the bridge, and Jack threw himself after, calling on the wind to aid him, and just when he thought he might not make it in time and Jamie would hit whatever shrouded floor existed beneath them, Jack latched onto Jamie's middle and tugged him closer, spinning them about until he hit the ground with a thud and all of the air left his body, leaving him coughing. Jamie was sprawled out on top of him, his eyes still shut but now not as constrained by the shadows as he had previously been, as he rolled over, his eyes scrunched as he cried something which Jack couldn't understand, but the longer this went on for, the more the whimpers became something Jack could hear, and he slowly eased himself up onto his knees, his back and ribs screaming in protest, his staff discarded so that he could better wake Jamie because he had to stop these nightmares.

"No… Please Dad, don't… I'm sorry… mom you're okay… it's… Soph? No please… Jack don't leave-"

Jack's heart broke and his head bowed, his own vision swarming as he gave Jamie another shake, the shadows on the ground threatening to fold over the man again, crawling up his arms and into his hair, and suddenly Jack couldn't breathe. "Jamie you have to wake up. Jamie wake up. Jamie!" Tucking his staff under one arm, Jack heaved the man into his arms and kicked off, flying upwards into the air. He could deal with Pitch later, now he just had to rescue Jamie, had to get Jamie out, get him to Sandy, because he could clear this shadow, this nightmare.

He cleared the bridge, could see the opening in the ceiling where the vague hints of sunset light were slipping in, and then something latched around his ankle and tugged. He let out a yell as his leg burned, both he and Jamie being drawn back downwards at the crack of a whip. Again Jack twisted to take the blunt of the blow, his back slamming against a stone pillar, Jamie still clutched in his arms like a lifeline as his head spun and threatened to deprive him of his vision and his coherency as he slid downwards until collapsing to the ground. He heard Jamie's breath accelerating, heard him cry out, and Pitch laugh, and he shakily pushed himself up onto his hands and knees and closed his eyes in an effort to ground himself.

"You think I'd let you off so easy, Jack? The one who thwarted me last? This isn't about the whole world, Jack. I'm not strong enough for that. This is about you."

Jack scrambled for his staff, realized he couldn't find it, and saw it had clattered ten feet away from him. Before he could dive for it, he heard Jamie scream, over and over, as the shadows crept towards him and swirled around him. "Stop it, Pitch, let him go! He's done nothing let him go!" Jack roared, glancing rapidly between his staff and Jamie and rushing to the man's side at the last moment, who was thrashing left and right but the shadows were persistent in their onslaught.

"That's where you're wrong, Jack," Pitch said, now standing close enough that Jack could almost feel him behind them. "He was your first believer, the Last Light. He gave you all the power to defeat me. This is just as much about him as it is about you. The little boy's bravery and belief and trust," Pitch said the word as if it was something unsavory, "was just as troublesome as your powers. Being older does not make you stronger, in fact, in dear Jamie's case, it makes you weak."

Jamie screamed again and Jack grabbed at his shoulders, tried to murmur something calming, something reassuring, but he knew it was pointless. "Take me and let him go!" Jack said.

"Tempting, but no. This is much more fun," Pitch replied, his voice low and heavy as Jamie continued thrashing and crying out over things that Jack could not protect him against. Blindly Jack threw himself to his feet, his fist winding back, only for a shadowed mass to hit him in the stomach and again over the back, he collapsed to the ground with a coughing fit and tears prickling at his eyes.

"What-what are you doing to him?" Jack rasped.

Pitch could be heard snickering. "Nothing I haven't quietly been doing to him for the past two years. Fears and bad dreams can be a burden to bear, Jack. These, however, are quite a bit more powerful and focused. With his spirit, I think Jamie would make the perfect Nightmare, don't you think?"

Again Jack threw himself towards Pitch, but a kick to his knees and a fist to his jaw, sending him careening farther away from his staff and from Jamie, quickly caused him to collapse all over again, his breathing uneven and ragged, and all he could hear was Jamie's screaming, and Pitch's laughter as he came closer, a black dagger now morphing into existence in his hands as he stopped at Jamie's side. "You're going to witness something spectacular today, Jack. He's going to make quite the indomitable nightmare prince."

As Jack watched the dagger rise into the air he couldn't breath, only sluggishly pull himself to his feet despite the way his ribs screamed at him and his leg threatened to collapse beneath him. "Wait! Wait-wait-I'll give you anything, just don't-"

Before he could say anything more, there was a flash of color as a boomerang circled down, into Pitch's knife, and caused it to clatter to the side. "No!" Pitch roared, leaping backwards just in time for a blur of aqua to come barreling into him. Tooth planted both feet onto Pitch's chest and heaved, two swords flashing in her hands, as Pitch saved himself from falling flat on his back only barely. Bunny sprinted down after Tooth, tossing Jack's staff at him and standing firmly between Jamie, Jack, and Pitch, leaping upwards only to catch his boomerang.

"What are you doing here?" Jack asked Bunny through ragged breaths.

"Saving you, course. North told me to watch out for you. Or did you think I'm here because I honestly enjoy your company?"

Tooth's voice was shaky as she spoke, but her attention never wavered from Pitch. "Get Jamie up top to Sandy, Jack! He might not have much time! Can you fly?"

Jack didn't waste any time replying as Tooth and Bunny launched themselves at Pitch and into the Fray, sparks of shadow erupting around them. Jack scrambled over to Jamie and scooped him up, nearly falling himself in the process, and flinging himself into the sky and through the opening. He cursed the setting sun, knowing Pitch was more powerful at night, but the immediate presence of gold and red-Sandy and North standing in wait-made him release the breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. He did not so much land as he did collapse, his entire body screaming at him in protest, and Jamie rolling out of his grip. A golden sand quickly wrapped around him, and the shadows melted away, retreating back towards the opening in the ground and Jamie's whimpers quieted, his thrashing calmed, until finally it looked as if he was merely sleeping exhaustedly, pale, gauntly, but peacefully.

Vaguely the sounds of Bunny, Tooth, and Pitch's battle sounded as if it was nearing, but Jack crawled over to Jamie's side and gave him a small shake. "Jamie? Wake up, it's me, Jack. Please. I would never leave you just because you grew up. Please!"

Brown eyes slowly cracked open, and Jack had to bite back a cry. Jamie looked as if he did not even have the energy to lift his head. "Jack?"

"Hey, Kiddo. You're okay. I'm not leaving you."

Jamie almost smiled, but it looked pained. "You came?"

Hastily Jack pushed the other man's hair out of his face and bowed his head. "Of course I did. Of course-"

The sound of a snap nearby interrupted him, and Pitch came leaping out of the opening to his lair with a snarl, only to run almost directly into North and Sandy, with Bunny and Tooth on his heels. Finally he gave a low, long laugh. "Well, well, the gang's all back together. How lovely!"

Jack could feel Jamie stiffen at Pitch's voice, and he tightened his grip on the man's middle on instinct, his other hand curling tightly around his staff and pointing it the Boogeyman's direction.

Without warning Pitch took off into the air in a puff of smoke, with tens other explosions following in various directions as the shadow smoke spread out, appearing more like tiny clouds than the previous sand that he used to use, Sandy and Tooth took after him, with North and Bunny sprinting towards a nearby sleigh that Jack did not notice until just then. It did not help that it was new years, and so the sounds of beginning fireworks popped and cracked in the distance nearby, only rattling Jack even more.

"Stay with Jamie, Jack!" North yelled over his shoulder as the sleigh took off, following the trail of smoke up into the now darkened sky. The sounds of other cracks and the occasional flashes of weapons and colored eggs and yells followed, but eased as the battle got higher and higher into the air.

Jamie stirred again. "Jack m'fine. You-you need to help them-"

"No, no," Jack said softly, his body aching at the very thought, as well as of leaving Jamie. "I gotta get you somewhere safe, it's too open, here. Come on-"

"I'm sorry I thought you wouldn't come," Jamie said, his throat scratchy. "I should have tried more-"

"No! No, you did nothing wrong. I… I should have stopped by more. It doesn't matter if you're older. You needed all of us, and we didn't help you."

Jamie almost smiled. "You did now, though. You came back. You saved me." All Jack could do was let out a airy chuckle so as to not cry altogether. "You're my best friend, I love you. I couldn't ever lose-"

Jack was so caught up in these words, these words which he had been so afraid he would never hear again, that he did not catch the way Jamie's gaze flickered off to the side for a moment until he was already lurching upwards with more strength than Jack thought the man possessed. He latched onto Jack and tugged until they were nearly spun about, the sound of a sharp crack finally reached Jack's ears followed by a subsequent thud-a gasp-and Jamie letting out a croak.

"Jamie?" Jack asked loudly, pushing himself upwards again and glancing the man over, whose eyes were wide and his mouth slightly agape , but he looked darker. Then Jack noticed the shadowed arrow the size of any man's arm imbedded in his back. "Jamie? Jamie! No-Jamie-Jamie look at me-Jamie!"

Somewhere in the trees, Pitch could be heard laughing, the explosions of smoke overhead, diversions, escalating. Jamie's breath was shuddering then, as Jack latched onto him, his clothing, his arms, but the smoke soon dissolved and seeped into the man until he was almost entirely encompassed in darkness and tiny flecks of gold. Then he began to crumble. Tears openly spilled over Jack's eyes. "No-Jamie! Sandy! Someone help!" Jack let out a howl, his voice cracking, and it wasn't until the sound of Tooth gasping behind him was audible, and Bunny's frantic mutterings, that he realized Pitch must be gone, and the other Guardians returned. But he didn't care, he didn't care at all-all he cared about in that moment was turning to smoke and ash in his arms. No one said anything, no one moved, and Jack did not care that he sobbed loud enough for perhaps even the nearby town to hear.

But then there was a strange warmth, and a light, and Jack frowned, some coherency returning, because surely it could not yet be sunrise, right? But the light only grew, until Jack pushed himself back into a seated position, and saw the silver glow fall atop of Jamie's body, and, slowly, the shadows began to fade.

Jamie's funeral was somber. Jack stood in the back, waiting to talk to Sophie, who was clad in black slacks and a gray blouse. Jamie's friends had left early, and Jack wondered whether or not he should tell them. North had told him to wait, and he partially agreed, and so he would. Jamie's mother would be taken care of by their grandfather, and Sophie said she would visit as much as she could. Apparently Jamie had been saving up more money than he had let on, which could support Sophie for some time. But now it rightfully appeared as if that was the last thing on her mind, with how her hands shook and her eyes reddened more and more each passing second as friends and family departed the graveyard quietly. Jack had tried to tell Sophie what actually happened, but she hadn't listened to a single word. Not that Jack blamed her. But he tried.

"Soph," he said once the service had finished, and she marched through the graveyard with tears streaming down her face.

"Fuck off, Jack," she muttered.

Jack deflated. "He's still alive, Sophie. He's just-"

"Not Jamie. I can't see him!" She whirled around, her fists shaking at her side, and Jack frowned, his own chest tightening.

"We'll keep trying. I promise. You'll see him again, one day."

Sophie looked to be almost hyperventilating by this point. "Oh yeah? And what makes you so sure? You couldn't even protect him!"

Images of the arrow imbedding itself in Jamie's back flashed through the forefront of Jack's mind, and he took in a shuddering breath to push them out. "I know. And I-I'm so sorry. But I promise, you'll see him again, because he's standing right next to you, and he still loves you, he will always love you, just as I will, no matter how much time has passed, you can always find a new beginning. You just have to trust in him."

Jamie may have died, but Atlan did not. Jack didn't like calling him that, of course. It felt weird, but he supposed he shouldn't be surprised. There was a lot of weird going on lately whenever it concerned Atlan. There was a certain degree of shadow that followed him around, now, given how he died. But he became the Spirit of the New Year. The other Guardians got too much fun out of calling him Baby whenever they felt like poking fun, due to the assumption that Baby New Year was the namesake.

For as long as Jack could remember, Jamie had always looked young, so his facial features did not change much. His eyes had turned gold around the pupils and silver at the edges, and his hair became a dusty rose gold color. He was slightly paler, and still appeared a little gaunt, but the small wings which poked out of his back made him appear slightly bulkier otherwise, although they typically folded flush against his back. He was clad in mostly tawny and rosy hues, with snug trousers and a flowing sash across his short sleeved tunic which was cut rather low in the back so as to allow for the wings. He had on a small belt with various pouches, one of which Jack assumed was some sort of weapon-but if he had his way, they would never figure out what those weapons might be. Atlan wasn't a Guardian, and Jack selfishly hoped it stayed that way.

Atlan walked around Sophie, his arms spread wide, before turning to Jack with an exasperated groan. "She still doesn't see me! No one sees me! Soph, come on, please!"

"This is stupid, Jack. I'm leaving." Without another word, Sophie turned and marched away, leaving Atlan reaching to follow her, but Jack wrapped an arm around his shoulders to prevent him from doing this.

"She'll come around," Jack reassured, glancing down at Jamie with a tiny smile, as the man still scarcely reached his eye level. "She's mourning. It'll take time. I know this bites, not being seen, but I promise, it gets better, and until it does, you have the other Guardians, and you have me."

"I-I know." Atlan's gaze remained downcast, and he sighed. His transformation into Atlan had been a challenging one. He still hadn't woken up, even after the Man in Moon Changed him. They had taken him back to North's, where he remained unconscious for two days.

When he finally woke up he didn't remember a single thing. In his fright, he had managed to somehow fly out of a window, causing Jack to forcibly drag him back, which nearly killed him on the inside. For the first time he saw a version of Jamie who truly didn't know him, and it was not until Tooth sent a fairy to get Jamie's old Teeth, and another day to calm him down, that they finally convinced him to learn his past.

That night Jack had woken up to a nightmare of Pitch's voice tauntingly saying, now I have eternity to repeat my fun, and Jack hadn't been able to convince himself that this was truly the Nightmare King or merely his overactive imagination. He was yet to tell the other Guardians or Atlan about this.

The next day Atlan had broken down crying, and a few more days had passed before he could convince him to go outside, and that was only for his own funeral. They had to talk to Sophie, and although Jack had tried since then, she had never believed him. Jack hoped having Atlan with him would be enough, and yet, it seemed he was wrong.

"Hey, Kiddo," Jack began again, the nickname jumping from his tongue easily even if it was not exactly relevant any more.

Atlan arched an eyebrow and managed a grin which did not reach his eyes. "Yeah?"

Jack nudged him with his shoulder, a familiar, impish spark in his eyes as he hovered in the air. "Race you to North's?"

"Oh, no," Atlan chuckled, his wings unfurrowing as he too leapt into the air. "I'll race you home."

A/N: This little project basically came out of nowhere, and although I would love to write a longer version of this, realistically I know it will never happen, so you all get this pretty long one-shot/very condensed story! I took quite a bit of liberties with Jamie and Sophie's families, as well as with the concept of my character of Baby New Year/Atlan, so I hope no one minds. Please review and let me know what you think! Thanks for reading!