Wow, this came out of nowhere. Please feel free to tell me if this makes no sense whatsoever. No real headcanons here, just a little sad possibility. Obviously, I don't own RotG. If I did, Jack would be shipped with so many people you don't even know. Because he is our baby. I'll shut up now.
Jamie Bennet wasn't born a believer. Though he could never have been described as a skeptic, he wasn't blind. He knew that some things weren't true; he knew that people hid things. Jamie understood people a lot better than he realized.
It was the dead of winter. Mr. Bennet was on a business trip, and had promised to be back that evening for dinner. Jamie's mother clutched the newborn Sophie to her chest, fighting back tears.
"I- I understand," she said into the telephone. Her voice was cold, lifeless. "I'll contact all of the family. Thank you for your time."
"Mom?" Little Jamie Bennet cautiously stepped into the kitchen. His new alien pajama pants pooled a little around his ankles. "Was that dad? When's he gonna come home for dinner?"
It broke his mom to see him so full of hope. A sob finally escaped her, choking any words of comfort she might have given. Jamie ran over to her and pulled Sophie from her arms.
"Ice," she kept crying. "Ice on the road, why did it have to be ice?"
"Mama, what are you talking about?" Jamie carefully laid his sister in her basinet before taking her hands. "What's wrong, mama?"
Mrs. Bennet pushed him away. "He's gone," she whimpered.
"Mama, he'll be back, he pinky swore that-"
"He's dead!" Mrs. Bennet finally snapped. "Dad is gone, Jamie, and he's not coming back! Ever!"
Jamie blinked once, twice. He looked at Sophie, sleeping snugly. He looked at his mom, doubled over and all but dying from grief. He looked at all of them, together in their only full family portrait.
He ran out the door as fast as he could.
It was cold, just the way he liked it. But the big blizzard of the day before had worn him out, and frankly, Jack Frost was bored.
"Any chance you wanna talk to me now, Old Man?" Jack asked wryly, glancing up from his perch in the tree. "I don't have anything else planned this fine evening."
"Dad!" The scream pierced the chill night, bringing Jack to full attention.
"Hold that thought, will ya? Be right back." Jack fell off of his branch, letting the wind carry him toward the source of the cry. Not far from his lake there was a little boy wandering among the trees. Snow crunched under his feet, and it worried Jack to see that they were bare.
"Dad!" The same ragged cry tore itself free from the boy's chattering lips, and Jack felt a jolt of recognition. The boy's name was Jamie. He had heard him welcome his father home several times. Now, instead of joy, his voice was wracked with pain and fear. "Daddy, where are you?"
"Not good," Jack murmured. He had no reason to be quiet, of course. No one had ever heard him, no matter how loudly he screamed. "He's headed for the lake."
The moon glared down at him, blindingly white. "What? I can't do anything. Invisible and silent as the winter wind, remember?" The glare intensified.
"Fine, fine." Jack landed beside the lost boy and fell in step with him. "Slave driver," he muttered.
Jamie didn't know where he was. The trees all looked the same. Which way was his house again?
"Dad," he whispered hoarsely, running his arms for warmth. "Daddy... Ow," he said, surprise coloring his tone. Stumbling, he felt his feet go out from under him. He hit the ground hard. Curling on his side, he found them chapped and blue. He couldn't feel them anymore.
"D-D-Daddy," he whined. "Daddy, I want to go home." A tear slipped down his cheek. "I wanna go home with you."
"Ooooooh man." Jack shook his head. "This is bad." He paced frantically beside Jamie's shivering body. He couldn't touch him- he'd freeze to death! Well, he'd freeze anyway if he left him there...
Cautiously, Jack nudged Jamie onto his back with his staff and jumped back quickly. The boy didn't stir.
"Oh no," Jack muttered. "Nononononono..." He crouched down by Jamie, examining his pale face and blue lips. The single tear on his cheek crystallized under his touch. "Come on, kid, stay with me. Wake up already!" Jack looked at the sky, searching frantically. "Hey Sand Man! You out here?!"
No helpful golden sand descended from the sky, and still the moon shone on, goading Jack, reminding him of his helplessness. Even the wind was teasing him, blowing his hair all over while he was trying to figure out how to-
Jack slapped a hand to his face. Duh. He was such an idiot under pressure. "Hey wind, sorry about that. Can you do me a big favor?"
As if to say 'It's about time, doofus!' the wind instantly blustered around him, circling before lifting Jamie off the ground.
"Alright, Jamie," Jack murmured. He gently took hold of his hand. It should be fine now that he had a plan. "You're going home now. Hang tight."
He was flying. He had to be; there was so much wind, so much noise. Jamie pried his eyes open and gasped. Trees were flying by below him at an astonishing pace, and the lights of Burgess flickered just ahead of him.
His right hand was cold. If he concentrated hard, he could almost make out the imprint of large fingers wrapped around it. Reflexively, he squeezed.
"Oh, now you wake up. Don't do that to me again, champ." The voice was close to his ear, just audible over the rushing wind. He wanted to answer it, to ask what was going on, but a fine dusting of something golden settled over him and made him feel sleepy again.
"And thanks to the man with the magic sand," the voice laughed. "I owe ya one, little guy."
Just as his own house came into view, Jamie fell asleep to sweet dreams. He dreamed about his dad.
Mrs. Bennet awoke with a start. Was that thump from the roof?
"Jamie, what are you-?" She broke off, gasping as she remembered. Jamie had run out. Why had she let him do that? Where was he?
The roof.
"Jamie!" She took the stairs three at a time up to his room, scrabbling for the doorknob. "Jamie Bennet, you answer me-!"
Jamie was sitting at his window, staring out into the night. The cuffs of his pajama pants were soaked, and melted snow glinted in the starlight.
"It's okay, mom," he said softly. "Dad's in heaven, so it's okay."
His mom's mouth opened and closed without a sound coming out. "Oh, Jamie... I'm sorry." She ran forward and hugged wrapped her arms around him. "Baby, you're freezing! Were you outside?!"
"He brought me home, mama. I heard him."
Mrs. Bennet frowned. "Who did, Jamie?"
Jamie smiled at her, a smile full wonder and hope and the dearest memories of life. "It was an angel, mom. An angel flew me home."
"Hmm." North peered up to a spot near the top of his globe. "Klingel, we have new light, yes?"
The little elves around his feet were transfixed by the glowing dot. It was the brightest and strongest they had seen in years- maybe decades.
"Eno gnortsa?" One of the yetis asked.
"I feel so too," North smiled. "I feel it in my belly. That's another bright light for us to protect. And as long as that child believes, we'll be here."
Aaaaaaand I really should have been studying for finals. Oh well. Read and review, pretty please! To those of you reading Cowby Up, I promise I'll get to work on the Rose anon's request as soon as THE LAST FREAKING THREE DAYS OF SCHOOL ARE OVER.
Signed,
Moony/Maya Koppori