AN: This was written for the OutWithABang on tumblr.

Since Jack is only 14 years old in the original story – as I found out while looking things up about it – I have decided to deviate slightly and make him a bit older than that. I have also taken a few liberties with some other characters that weren't introduced in the movie but were part of the original books, since I don't reallyknow anything about them and haven't been able to find any of the original books to read.

This is kinda the wrong time of year to post this kind of story, since most of it really happens in the dead of winter and all, but hopefully you guys will be able to look past all that. Though who knows, maybe it will be nice to read about the snow and all on the warmest of summer days? ;)

Art for this fic can be found on the AO3 story, and I'll hope you check it out, as the artists did an absolutely marvellous job!

Hope you like it!

Love B&B


"What are you trying to say here Elisabeth?" Jack asked his good friend as he carefully changed his hold of the quiet two year old boy sat in his lap, making sure the child wouldn't slip from his embrace. Not that much could happen really; the young toddler was far too enraptured watching a pretty snowflake floating daintily around the three of them to do much but giggle or occasionally clap his hands together when the snowflake did an especially wonderful trick. Apart from that the boy was rather lax in Jack's arms and very much content just being cuddled up close in the boy's warm hoodie. But one could never be too safe, Jack thought.

Gracefully flicking his fingers in a small gesture Jack made the snowflake perform a series of intricate twirls and dips mid-air, making the child in his arms laugh happily time and time again. He was smiling so big all of his tiny, little teeth were showing and his eyes were sparkling with joy.

Now, Jack didn't know entirely how – or even why really – he could control the snow, or the ice, the way he did. He had never been given an explanation on the matter, not once during the three hundred years he had been alive so far, walking around the Earth.

That was the first 'mystery' in his life.

Jack had little to no clue what the answer to this first mystery was. It was simply the way things was. He had continuously asked the man in the moon about it, but he had never been given any answered to his questioned. None of the other Legends – for that was what he was, a Legend – could explain to him why he had gotten the powers he did either. It was a mystery only he himself could answer they would all say when asked.

Whatever that meant.

The second mystery however was in a way far more easily answered, yet so much more complex. Because during the three hundred years he had been alive now and walking the Earth there had so far only been two humans granted with the capability of seeing him. Of hearing him. Of touching him.

First it had been Elisabeth Hummel that came into his life some twenty years ago, then known as Elisabeth Finley, and only now recently her son Kurt as well. But why these two people? Why nobody else?

Now, it was a wide-spread truth among the Legends that the only way the humans would be able to see and interact with a Legend was if they believe in you. It didn't matter what you tried to do to gain their attention, unless they believed you would remain unseen and unheard. Unless you were believed in you would be treated like air.

For a long time it hadn't made a difference what Jack did on Earth, he could perform unique splendors and amazing miracles left and right, but never once had he been believed in. He had simply been a tale told to the children for fun, an anecdote so parents would had an excuse for their children to wear hats when it was cold outside.

Utter loneliness was a thing Jack had been horribly familiar with for centuries. At one point in time Jack hadn't even been able to remember what a life not served alone in solitude was like.

But all of that had changed some twenty years ago when a sole child – a young girl no older than five years old – had looked up at him and spoken his name.


"Oh please don't cry little one," Jack murmured worriedly in a hushed tone - despite the fact that no one could hear him - as he sat hunched before a little girl that was, simply put, bawling. He had seen her come with her parents to the winter market mere minutes ago, and had then been horrified when she had wandered away from them into the throes of humans when she saw a big sparkly balloon hovering in the air, only to soon be lost in the crowd.

Now she sat on the outskirt of the market, having run away further still once she noticed her mother and father were no longer beside her. Nobody was there to see her hiding behind a stack of empty boxes – only Jack, and he was feeling utterly useless at the moment.

What could he possibly do to help the poor child? How could he make sure she would be reunited with her parents, and soon preferably?

Nothing, that was. Someone would had to be able to see him for that to happen, and so far during his meek existence, that hadn't happened yet.

"Shh baby girl, don't cry," he begged the girl when she only sobbed harder into her little mitten covered hands, tears streaking her red cheeks as she cried.

Jack's mind flew a mile a minute. What could he possibly do to help? Could he possibly trip someone and make them slide all the way to the child on the ice? No, stupid idea, he might hurt someone. Not that it had stopped him before, but still. Too many adults around. Could he throw snowballs and make them explore where they came from? No, there were too many people here, couldn't draw that kind of attention.

Sighing Jack drew a hand through his hair, making a few stray snowflakes fall down to the ground. That gave him an idea. The very least he could do was to make the kid stop crying right? If he was too useless to do anything else?

Reaching his hand out Jack rested his palm upwards, and closing his eyes he pictured a perfect snowflake resting there, slightly bigger than normal ones, but equally as pretty as any small one could ever be.

Then he made the snowflake dance before the child, waiting until it had drawn her attention before he made it twirl around her, making her emit happy giggles watching its magic. For a few minutes he made her laugh blissfully, before slowly making the snowflake descend to the tip of her nose.

Jack chuckled watching her cross her big blue eyes to look at it where it sat on her nose, only to stop abruptly when her eyes instead focused upon him. Or at least what he thought was straight at him.

His breath caught in his throat when he moved slightly only to had her eyes fallow him.

"C-can you see me?" he questioned her quietly, fearing the probability of his own imagination. This wasn't the first time he had thought someone was seeing him, only to prove it hadn't been true, only a treacherous trick of his own attention whore of a mind.

It wasn't until she had reached forward and taken his hand that he dared to believe it. Then he broke down sobbing, not understanding how it could had happened. How he could had waited for so long only to had it happen once he had finally given up hope.

"Shh, pwetty man, don't cwy," the young girl cooed with an adorable lisp, stroking his cheek with her tiny hand, the yarn of her mitten scratching his wet cheek. Still letting the tears flow Jack covered her hand with his, the two of them looking into each other's eyes.

They sat like that for what felt like hours, but was likely only a few more minutes before Jack finally stood and offered the girl his hand, promising her to take her back to her parents.


Elisabeth had been the first child to ever see him, to ever recognize him for who he was. She had been the first human to talk to him, to hold his hand and touch his cheek. She had been the first child that could see him during his entire time on Earth.

Sure, he had talked with the other Legends at times; like the young and ever so sad Mother Nature or the old and drawling Father Time, but that wasn't the same. It wasn't even close.

For the first time he had understood the feeling of being believed in. How glorious and humbling it truly was.

Now, twenty years down the line he could still remember the shock of it all when Elisabeth had spoken to him and taken his hand in her tiny one. He could still recall the pure bliss he had felt when she had brushed a tear of joy off his cheek that first time. He could remember how she had hugged him when he had told her he would find her her parents. He could remember how she had made him realize it wasn't all some elaborate dream of his out there to torture him and bring him down to his knees when he found out the truth.

Jack could also clearly remember the disappointment he had felt afterwards when none of the other children would take notice of him; when they would walk straight past him – or even worse, through him – oblivious as always to his existence.

But he had gotten over that with the help of Elisabeth. Or, he would eventually, anyways. Or, maybe not really. Hopefully he would. One day.

But ever since that fateful day twenty years ago there hadn't been a winter when Jack hadn't visited his only friend daily.

For you see, that was the problem: it was only during the winter months that he could come see her, it was only during the winter months that he had be allowed to walk freely around on Earth. For it was only during the winter months his mere presence could be justified, it was only then his footsteps of frost could be overlooked as something 'natural.'

That was the one law he was forced to live by. That was the one law that all of the Legends were forced to obey – to only walk the Earth when they were due. To only walk the Earth when their talents and powers were needed.

It was only the Guardians among them who stood above that law, and that was only allowed when danger loomed over either mankind or the Legends. Other than that nobody was reprieved for anything.

Oh, how Jack loathed that law. He hated that law with every fiber of his being.

Every summer spent away Jack would spend his time in isolation, fearing that Elisabeth would forget about him, that once he had come back to her again she wouldn't be able to see him. That she would run straight through him just like all the other humans. That she would had stopped believing in him, reinforcing his conviction of his own worthlessness. That he wasn't worth to remember, wasn't worth to be believed in.

Jack couldn't even understand why she had believed in him in the first place. It made no sense to him. He was no one special; he could do a few cool tricks with the snow. So what? All the other Legends had actual powers, not like him. Never like him.

Luckily she hadn't stopped believing in him yet, and he was slowly starting to trust her when she told him he was special, but his fear that she one day would stop believing in him had never ceased. His fear that she might would never gone away. How could it possibly when Elisabeth was his one connection to the humans? How could it possibly when she was his best friend? His only friend?

Sure, Kurt could see him now too, just like his mother. But if Elisabeth suddenly stopped believing, how long would it take the young toddler to do the same?

There simply were no guaranties that either of the two would remember him – little silly old Jack with the snow trick – once winter came again. And now, with spring rapidly approaching, Jack couldn't help but worry about what the summer months might bring. He always did, and no matter how many times Elisabeth would reassure the young Legend that he wouldn't, couldn't be forgotten he always spent the summer months encompassed in pure fear anyway. No matter what he did he never could make the dread go away.

But at the moment he still had a few days left, a few days before he would go 'home' again, and sitting beside his best friend in her backyard, her son in his lap, Jack couldn't help but felt content. In that sole moment he didn't had to worry about a thing.

Or, at least he hadn't until Elisabeth told him she was sick.

"I have cancer Jack. Leukemia," she told him sadly, a lone tear rolling down her cheek. "The doctors said they couldn't do anything to heal me. That they caught it too late."

Jack couldn't look at her; had to look away as he felt stinging tears burn his eyes. He couldn't let her see him cry, he had to be strong for her. It didn't matter how much his own heart ached in pain, how hollow his stomach suddenly felt. It didn't matter how scared he felt, not as long as he could make her feel better, because God if he was this petrified, how scared wasn't she?

"How long?" Jack finally croaked out, after several long minutes spent in complete silence, not even Kurt having uttered a single sound. Looking pointedly at the ground, knowing he would crumble and break should he look at her just once, Jack cleared his raw throat before continuing. "How long do they think you have left?"

'How long do I still get to keep you?' went unsaid.

It took Elisabeth a while to answer, and when she did he could hear the plain despair in her voice.

"They don't know. I don't know." She took a deep, shuddering breath before leaning her head on his shoulder. "Maybe a month. Maybe two. Possibly a year if I'm lucky enough. I just don't know. Nobody does."

Jack had to swallow the lump that was suddenly lodged in his throat. She might be gone in a month? In two? His only friend in the world might die in a month and he wouldn't even be allowed to be there with her? Elisabeth could die and he wouldn't be able to say goodbye? She could die and he would be stuck on the other side of the Earth, forbidden to see her go, forbidden to simply tell her goodbye when her time came?

How was it possible? How could this possibly happen? Had he not been lonely enough in his life? Had he not suffered enough? Not been tortured enough?

A sob escaped from the young Legend's throat and it was only a moment before the two friends were hugging each other fiercely, tears flowing freely down both of their blotched cheeks as they clutched the other tightly in their grasped.

Little Kurt sat between them, far too young to understand what was really going on, but still he tried to comfort them both by stroking their cheeks, murmuring words neither of them could comprehend, and pressing wet kisses all over both of their faces, making the two friends giggle quietly despite the seriousness of the situation.

"You have to look after him Jack," Elisabeth begged her friend, clasping one of his hands in her shaking ones, gazing deep into his red-rimmed eyes that still shone sadly at her. "You have to watch over Kurt – and Burt too – when I can't. You have to make sure they're okay. You have to make sure that they're happy." Elisabeth looked down at her son with a – simply put, beautiful – smile on her lips, and stroked the hair away from her son's eyes. "He will grow up to be different than the other boys. He will be magnificent, so amazingly magnificent – but different. He'll be teased far too much by far too many people for my liking, but those who'll know him – truly know him – will absolutely adore him. How can they not?" She looked back up at her life-long friend, still seeming just as young as she remembered from her childhood days. "Can you do that for me Jack? Can you please take care of him? Can you protect him, my baby? Can you promise me that?"

Fresh tears spilled from his eyes, but he gripped her hand firmly in his and nodded, glad there was something he could do for his friend if it made it just the slightest bit easier for her to cope.

"I promise E. I promise."