They'd only just made it back to North's workshop when he heard it again. That voice, calling his name from some far off place, beckoning him.
Jack...
At first, he thought it must have been Tooth━after all, his sister was long gone by now, and he didn't have his box of memories anymore, so who else could it be?━but when he looked at her, she was facing away, distracted by something else. And when he asked what it was she wanted, she only gave him a confused look. It hadn't been her. But, then, who━?
Jack...?
He found himself searching through the workshop, trying to figure out where the voice was coming from. But no matter where he went, the voice never grew louder or quieter━never changing, and never revealing its origin. It was impossible, but it almost sounded like it wasn't in the workshop at all, but...outside. Not outside the workshop, but outside. Outside what? The planet? Space? The universe?
He turned to ask if anyone else could hear it, but he couldn't speak. Anything that came out of his mouth sounded wrong, like he couldn't get it out right no matter how hard he tried, and everything started to go fuzzy. The last thing he saw was Jamie begging him to come back━but where had he come from? And why did he have a little girl's voice...?
"Jack? Can...can you hear me?"
Part of Jack's mind was still in the dream when he opened his eyes. Everything was foggy, and his eyes were bleary as they blinked up at his sister━
"Sis...ter...?"
Her eyes widened and she covered her mouth as her jaw dropped, shock and relief and joy clearly visible on her face. And then her arms were around him and she hid her face in his shoulder, and he wasn't sure whether she was laughing or crying or both. It took him a moment to process what was happening, but he lifted a heavy hand to rest it on her back in the most reassuring gesture he could muster. Dimly, he recalled what had happened, and realized that he was in his bed at home in Burgess, Pennsylvania, early 1700's.
It had all been a dream.
"How..." He cleared his throat, but it still felt scratchy when he tried again, "How long have I been asleep...?"
"A couple of days." His sister replied, sniffling and hugging him tighter. "I thought you were going to die, but we saved you just in time...I'm sorry, Jack, it's all my fault━"
"Hey, don't say that." He patted her back and tried to hug her a little tighter, but his movements were sluggish and it was as though his limbs were made of lead. "It's not your fault. I'm just glad you're okay."
She sniffled again, but somehow, he knew she was smiling.
"You wouldn't believe the dream I had..."
After that, his mother came in to find him awake, telling his sister everything he could remember about his dream. She dropped the cup she was holding—barely seeming to notice the way it shattered on the floor—and rushed over, smiling even as she fussed over him, tears dripping down her face.
He felt fine after a day or so, but it was quite a bit longer before his limbs would cooperate enough that he could leave the house. Everyone seemed happy to see that he was alright, waving and smiling and patting him on the back, and as he went, he began to notice familiar faces:
Nicholas, the wonder-filled Russian toymaker who would generously give out free toys on special occasions.
Toothiana━a nickname the children gave her because she would always give them small gifts whenever they lost a tooth.
Sanderson, the gentle storyteller whose soft voice was perfect for telling bedtime stories.
E. Aster Bunnymund, a handmade toy rabbit of his that he'd given to his sister years ago. (He'd always joked that it looked more like a kangaroo than a bunny.)
And Pitchiner, the mysterious, lonely man from England who rarely ever mingled, except on Halloween where he would tell the children scary stories. He didn't smile as Jack passed, but he did give a nod, and after the dream he'd had, that was all the acknowledgement Jack needed.
Sometimes, he considered telling them about his dream. Telling them how great they'd all been. But he never managed to get the words out, and as time passed, he almost forgot about the dream entirely. Until years later, his sister, a few months into her pregnancy, joked that they should name the child Jamie if it was a boy.
And after little James Bennett was born, Jack would tell him the story of the Guardians and how, despite all odds, they successfully defeated the Boogeyman and brought hope and joy back to the children of the world. And when Jamie asked if the Guardians were real, Jack would smile and say, "Of course. They're all real. You can even see them, if you try. All you have to do is believe."