AN: Because Jack doesn't age and Jamie does and it just had to be done, sorry. But anyway, enjoy! (Also, tenses slay me. I am so sorry :|)
One Wish to Make
It's during autumn when he realizes that his body would not last the coming winter. He regrets nothing though, for though the journey has been long and arduous and hard to get by, he has nevertheless filled it with so much wonder and joy that there is simply no room for anything else. Weary and in pain, he nonetheless manages to smile as the first snowflakes fall from the sky.
"Papa, is there anything else you need? Is it too cold? Are you uncomfortable?"
Jamie smiles tiredly at his grandson and shakes his head. It's a little difficult to talk now, even more difficult to get up and move around, they're a little annoying but he doesn't mind. He knows they're signs of the inevitable, but Jamie doesn't fear death. To him, it's just the start of another adventure; an adventure where his parents, his beautiful, beautiful wife and most of his dearest friends are already there, waiting for him to begin.
His seventeen year old grandson tucks him into bed and with a kiss on his forehead whispers, "I love you, Papa. Try not to fly away until Grandma Sophie arrives, hmm? Don't let Jack Frost take you on another adventure just yet!"
Jamie smiles brightly at his grandson, eyes crinkling with childish delight at the mention of the winter spirit.
He and his friends never saw Jack and the other Guardians after their little adventure with the Boogeyman. For years and years after that, he and Sophie and his friends would stay up during Easters and Christmases, hoping to play once more with the beloved Guardians. They always fell asleep mere moments after though. Still, none of them ever stopped believing. Granted, there were times when he doubted, but Sophie only needed to show him his precious stuffed rabbit to start believing again. None of them can quite remember the faces of the Guardians anymore though, nor what exactly happened that night, but every time Jamie looked at his rabbit, every time he brought it out to play with his children and his children's children, his heart would be filled with so much warmth and joy that can't help but believe.
The memories may be gone, and through the years he may have learned and heard all sorts of facts that points to the inexistence of fairies and spirits, but one didn't really need to have facts or truths to believe.
His grandson settles on a chair beside his bed and, taking a freezing hand between his own, hums his favorite Christmas tune.
In his thoughts, he follows with the lyrics, once again smiling widely when he reaches, 'Jack Frost nippin' at your nose…'
Jack Frost, his mischievous winter spirit; oh, how he wished he could play with him again one last time!
"Ssh! You're going to wake him up!"
"It is not I! Bunny—,"
"Oh, so it's now my fault, eh mate? If you hadn't eaten that entire fruitcake—,"
"Shut up, you guys! You're really gonna wake him up!"
"Jack dear, maybe if you could help—,"
"Tooth, I ain't getting' help from Frostbite! Not now, not ev—ow!"
A snicker, then: "Still don't need my help now, Kangaroo?"
All at once, three voices say, "Jack!"
Jamie opens his eyes slowly. Beside his bed, he could barely make out the figure of five people. Sight beginning to focus, he could start to make out a figure in orange, gesturing wildly at someone; his gestures accompanied by images forming above his—wait a minute.
"Sandy?" he whispers, "Is that really you?"
All five figures immediately stand still and suddenly, all those years of waiting and waiting and waiting for one of them to appear… vanishes. Suddenly, it's as if he's a child again; a child so, so many winters past, laughing and playing with his sister and friends, instigated of course by that mischievous winter spirit.
He couldn't quite keep the tears at bay when his eyes finally land on that familiar figure,
"Jack," Jamie says, softly, tenderly, and filled with so, so much happiness, "Jack."
Still wearing that blue hooded jacket dusted with thousands and thousands of tiny snowflakes, and still carrying that all too familiar wooden staff, Jack glides over to Jamie, and with a huge grin says, "Hello, Jamie. Long time no see. You've sure changed a lot!"
Jamie couldn't help the laugh that bubbled from deep within him. Staring at each of the Guardians before him, he laughs even more as he greets, "Hello, North! Bunnymund and Tooth! And you too, Sandy! None of you have changed at all!"
Indeed, none of them has. It's just as he remembers them all those years ago—,
"Wait," he suddenly says in wondrous surprise, "I remember! I remember! We were playing in that lake in Burgess! There were yetis and elves and little colorful eggs! Sandy's dream sand was everywhere! And I, we, you—all of us! We had so much fun! I thought it was a dream when I woke up in bed, but we knew, all of us knew that it was real. That all of you are real. And because of that, we kept on believing, even when everyone else didn't anymore."
"Yes!" North suddenly says, his booming voice echoing cheerfully around the room, "Yes, you all did! And for that, we are eternally grateful."
Nodding, Bunnymund smiles that familiar gruff but gentle smile of his at Jamie. Toothiana makes her way beside him, and brushing stray strands of hair away from his face, begins to recount that day in full detail, with Sandy providing images with his sand. North joins in almost immediately, joyfully interrupting the tale with his bellowing laughter. And Jack, balancing at the foot of his bed on his staff, adds bits and pieces of his own tale of that day, reminding Jamie of the most precious parts.
It feels as if they've been talking all throughout the night and yet, Jamie has yet to feel the tiredness in his bones or the heaviness in his eyes. He's surrounded by friends he thought he'd never see again and he couldn't be happier! All too soon though it had to end, and one by one, each Guardian in turn bids him farewell, until only Jack remained.
Sitting on the chair his grandson previously occupied, Jack takes his hand in his own and says, "You were the first, do you remember? The first to believe in me."
Jamie nods, and feeling the lethargy in his body start to creep in, softly, tiredly says, "I do. You were so happy, Jack. And I was so happy for you."
Jack grins up at him at that, then he nods and squeezes his hands reassuringly, "I wanted to thank you, Jamie. Because you still kept on believing, even when none of us came. We wanted to, I swear we did, but it just doesn't work that way. Believing without seeing you know, it's a powerful thing."
A little frustrated as his eyes begin to feel heavy, Jamie nods then whispers, "Faith. It is a powerful thing."
"And you know what else is powerful?" Jack asks.
Jamie frowns and shakes his head, staring curiously at the wide grin of the winter sprite.
Laughing that same infectious laughter Jamie remembers all those years ago, Jack whispers closely, "Wishes. Pure-hearted wishes."
Gently turning over Jamie's hand to face upward, Jack places a perfectly shaped snowball in his hand. Grinning mischievously at him, Jack asks, "Do you want to play, Jamie?"
When Sophie finally arrives, she finds her brother with a wide smile on his face, without pain or tiredness, and finally at peace.
Her breath catches in her throat, and for a few seconds all she can do is stare. As the first of her tears begin to fall, she rushes towards his side and weeps and weeps and weeps. He's been her best friend, protector and brother all her life, someone who she knew would always be there whenever she needed it. But now… It feels as if an important part of her had been taken away, never to be returned again.
Her heart filled with sorrow, she cries continuously, clutching at his hand like a lifeline, ready but still unable to let go just yet.
The next moment is a bit of a blur for her. She doesn't know what exactly happened. And until now, she can't quite understand why she did it. But she did look up, to find the most beautifully etched thin layer of frost on her brother's window. Suddenly, images of a boy wearing a blue hoodie, a gigantic fluffy rabbit, a man in red with a huge belly, a fairy and a small man who creates dreams, flash in her mind and just like that she knew. Like him, she still believes after all.
Despite the tears continuously flowing down her cheeks, she smiles, because she knows that her brother finally got his last wish.
Taking a deep breath to compose herself, she glances at her brother, at his peaceful expression, and she sighs. Didn't Jack, his (favorite) grandson, tell him to wait for her before flying off on another adventure? She should have known though. Her brother was too much like the winter spirit after all.
Kissing him on the cheek for the last time, she smiles fondly at her brother and turns to leave. But just before she reaches the door, a cold breeze grazes her cheek and with it, a mischievous voice whispering, 'Thank you, Sophie. For always believing.'
"Seeing is believing, but sometimes the most real things in the world are the things we can't see."
The End