I watched the movie and now I want to read the books…

The two burst into laughter. Jamie rubbed the tears from his eyes and slapped Jack on the back.

"I can't believe North didn't kill you after that!"

Jack shrugged, and feeling fidgety, began to perch on hi staff.

"Eh, North is super busy right now. You should see him; he's yelling his head off at every yeti that makes a mistake and he's all stressed because he doesn't have any time to think up new toys," Jack said with a chuckle and spot on impersonation of the energetic old man.

"That's understandable, today's Christmas Eve, am I right?"

Jack nodded. He glanced out at the window at the falling snow.

"By the way, I visited Sophie; I left some frost flowers for her."

The old man was silent for a few moments.

"That's good… Oh, and Jacquelyn named the girl Jackie."

Jack visibly winced at the name choice.

"Jeez Jamie, you got to stop it with all the punny names," he begged as he contorted his face into one of extreme pseudo-agony. From the hospital bed, Jamie shrugged.

"What can I say, ever since you started getting more believers, it's turning into a bit of a family tradition."

Jamie could see Jack blush, and he always marveled at how unnatural it looked. Instead of a bright red coloring his face, only the tips of his nose and ears, and just barely his cheekbones turned an odd coloring of blue-pink.

"C'mon Jack, it isn't that bad."

Jack flipped off his staff and began to pace around the room.

"I know, I know, it's just, embarrassing."

Even after a few decades of interacting with others more, Jack was still a surprisingly gauche person, but that was one of his traits that appealed to Jamie and his daughter. When Jack first appeared before his eyes, it was awe inspiring.

The snow sparkling right in his bedroom, a raggedy looking teenager mumbling to himself, and his kind smile, it all weaved a beautiful picture that time found impossible to erode. When he was a teenager, it seemed a yearly tradition to go do stupid things with Jack Frost. For example, convincing Jack that it was completely sane to make a rollercoaster out of ice and convince him to ride the cold death trap together. Needless to say, Jack had to pull off some impressive maneuvers and magical feats to ensure their necks weren't broken when they reached the end. When his parents divorced after Sophie's accident, Jack had been the one to cry with him and be a support. He wouldn't have made it without the Guardian of Fun. Jack always knew how to grow gardens of smiles with his snowflakes and ice.

Even so, there had been a dark time in his life where he had lost his belief. The stresses of life had weighed down on his imagination; along with the mental institute- he shuddered as he thought of those days. Now though, he needed to make as many amends as possible. His time… was slipping away. He felt miserable and it was all he could do to keep up the bright façade.

"You've been holed up here for so long Jamie. When will you be able to leave? I want to play in the snow with you and Jacquelyn. Oh wait, I can't forget Jackie either. Jamie?"

He laughed at Jack's impatience.

"I told you, cancer doesn't just stop like that; give it some more time."

"I've already given it a few years," Jack complained.

Jamie was at a loss for words. He couldn't bear to tell the truth though. Jack would be devastated.

"Give it some more time. I'll be outta here soon."

Jack gracefully moved his body to the side of the bed.

"You better not be lying!"

"I'm not!"

"Cross your heart and hope to die."

"Cross my heart and hope to die."

Jack was grinning broadly again and his glances outside were more frequent.

"Sorry Jamie, but I need to make some more snow in a few places, 'kay? I'll be back."

Jamie nodded in understanding and waved away Jack.

"Hurry up!"

"When were you in such a rush?!"

He leapt out the window and let the wind carry him. Jamie looked fondly at how Jack drifted so happily and decided to take a nap as he waited.

-o-o-o-

Jack knew something was up when he was back in Jamie's room. The clock read 12:01 on Christmas Day, yet the air was saturated with a coldness that was even more biting than his frost. It permeated every corner in the room, and for the first time, Jack found himself shivering. This feeling was familiar.

It was when he had drowned.

What was the scent of death doing in Jamie's hospital room?

Jack wasn't stupid. He just didn't want to believe it.

He crept silently over to the bed and shook Jamie's shoulder. Stillness and ice. Jack was rather unsure of what to do. After all, he wasn't the type of person that hung around places that reeked of death. True, his job took him to undesirable places sometimes, but that was to make the children smile.

Either way, he knew who came next.

The room took on an even colder quality and Jack resisted the urge to scream. A man in a dark cloak came and escorted Jamie's soul through a portal of light. Jamie caught Jack's eye, and placed a comforting hand on Jack's shoulder before whispering a few words and going through the portal. As Death was about to leave, Jack made a strangled noise, and the benevolent spirit, Jack realized, paused and looked back.

"W-will I see him again?"

A gloved hand, pointing to the moon, then nothingness.

Jack stayed by Jamie's side the whole time. At the funeral, he caught Jacquelyn's attention, and she gave him a brief nod before breaking down into sobs. When the last rose had been placed, Jack covered the coffin in flowers of ice before it was lowered into the ground. If anyone noticed, they paid no heed.

Afterwards, when almost everyone had left, Jacquelyn came to talk.

"Are you going to cry?"

"Not yet. Not yet."

It seemed to be more of a desperate mantra rather than a reply.

"You should come to visit Jackie soon."

"Yeah, I will."

"You know, Jack? Dad always said that the reason he dealt with all the treatments was because he knew you were coming next winter and he wouldn't miss his time with you no matter what."

Jack gave a small chuckle.

"Hehe. I think your priorities are a bit skewed, Jamie."

Jacquelyn also giggled a bit.

"I know, right?"

Tears streamed down Jacquelyn's face as they laughed together miserably; partners in mourning.

-o-o-o-

As Jack zipped to over to North Pole in response to a summons by the other Guardians, he couldn't help but remember Jamie's last words to him during the long trip.

"Goodbye, my best friend."

I can't cry, not yet, he thought, the others are gonna get worried and I don't feel like talking about this any more than I have to.

His feet gently touched the floor as he flitted through the open window, and he was met with the Big Four, all looking at him expectantly. Tooth and North looked more worried than angry, but Bunnymund seemed a bit peeved. As for Sandy, he was just, Sandy.

"Hi?"

"Where were you for the past couple months?! Just because Christmas is over doesn't mean you can just slack- What Sandy?!"

Bunny was pushed to the side by Sandy.

The golden Guardian waddled over to Jack and tugged on Jack's blue hoodie, question marks of golden sand dancing over his head. The look in those kindly eyes was one of concern, and strangely of knowing as well.

Of course. Jamie had been a favorite of the kids in his neighborhood. Sandy should've noticed the corresponding changes in their dreams.

Did that mean… that it was okay for him to just let go? If one of them knew already, then what was the point?

Sandy tugged again on Jack's shirt, and all the pent up sadness and frustration was released.

He let go of his staff and dropped to his knees, his whole frail frame shuddering as he cried.

Bunny's ears abruptly drooped and he hopped to Jack's side.

"L-listen mate, I'm sorry. What happened?"

He was surprised when Jack hugged him and began to cry harder. It seemed as if Jack was desperately clinging to something for support, and Bunny was the just right amount of fluffiness for it. Bunny flailed for a few moments then turned to look at North and Tooth, who were equally as shocked.

Tooth pantomimed wrapping her arms around Jack and Bunny quickly obliged.

"C'mon kid. Calm down. Talk to us."

Jack nodded and took a few deep breaths. He slowly regained his composure.

"Jamie. He's dead."

The voice was strangely flat and Bunny wondered if Jack was trying to distance himself from the whole thing. Tooth gasped and North quickly left to go retrieve cookies and whatever comfort food he could find. Bunny sat there awkwardly, until Sandy managed to pry off Jack's frozen fingers.

"Sorry about that."

"Not a problem."

"STOP SULKING!"

Jack jumped as Tooth shouted. She blushed.

"My bad."

"It's alright."

Jack was beginning to smile again.

"Cookies for Jack!"

North came stomping into the room and began feeding so many cookies to Jack that he was starting to feel a sugar rush coming up.

"I'm good North! Stop!"

"Fine, then take a nap here! Sleep always feel better!"

Jack rubbed his puffy eyes and nodded.

"I will."

He collapsed right as Sandy dumped a bucketful of dream dust onto Jack.

"Was that really necessary?" Bunny asked.

Sandy pointed to the Jack's dreams and Tooth fluttered in for a better look.

"Oh, he's dreaming about Jamie! How sweet."

North scooped up the sleeping boy and placed him gently on a cushy couch. Then, he turned to face the elves.

"If any one wakes him up, they answer to me."

Sharp jingles filled the air as they all nodded frantically and North grabbed them all in a fluid motion.

"Too loud!"

"Shhh!"

Tooth pointed to Jack, who stirred slightly. North guiltily put down the elves and they all fled the room.

For a moment, Jack was the child of their little group, and they would do all they could to ease his sadness.

And despite their disjointed attempts to cheer him up, it was the thought that mattered the most to Jack.

Well, I'm done with that.