The Beginning of the Winter's Night
Disclaimer: I don't own Rise of the Guardians
Once upon a time, before the Bringer of Winter and the Watcher of the Stars became the Guardians of Fun and Joy, and helped defeat the Nightmare King, there was another story to be told, one that played a key role in what happened in the story of the Nightmare King's defeat.
Many years ago, there was a young immortal spirit by name of the Jacquelyn Frost. She was the Bringer of Winter, fun and mischievous. But unlike other immortal spirits, she was lonely and had neither believers nor close friends. She didn't even know who she used to be before the Moon chose her to be the Bringer of Winter. Her lonely life was all she'd ever known.
More than anything, Jacquelyn longed to end her loneliness. She watched mortals for many years and yearned to know for herself what it felt like to not be invisible, and know what it was like to love and be loved in returned. Every night, she wished for this with all her heart. But little did Jacquelyn know how her wish would be granted…
The night was cold, dark and lonely as Jacquelyn Frost gazed upon the village of Burgess. Normally, she was a mischievous spirit, very kind and full of fun and smiles as she used her staff to bring about winter joy. But at that moment, her staff lay idle beside her and she was sitting on a roof with her knees pulled up to chest as she gazed longingly at the villagers down below her.
Over a hundred years ago, Jacquelyn had woken up after being taken out of a frozen pond and was told by the Man in the Moon that her name was Jacquelyn Frost and of her job as the Bringer of Winter. But that was all he'd ever told her. Jacquelyn had had to learn the hard way that she was immortal spirit and unless a mortal believed in her, she was invisible and neither seen nor heard. She'd encountered other immortal spirits, but none of them were her close friends. They were all busy with their own jobs and believers and few of them liked her because of her winter powers and mischievous nature.
True, Jacquelyn was close with the Wind Spirit that helped her fly to wherever she wished, but the wind wasn't a human being. It wasn't the same. Jacquelyn wanted nothing more than to be believed in just once or have a close friend. But it seemed she was destined for a lonely life.
Why do I have to be alone? I try so hard and yet all I do is end up lonely and forgotten, thought Jacquelyn. She continued to watch mortals with their families, which caused her to sigh to herself as she wiped her eyes of the tears that had fallen. Just once, I wish I wasn't invisible. Just once, I wish I could be with someone I care about and who cares about me.
"Pardon me, but are you the new winter spirit I've been hearing so much about?" asked a voice.
Startled, Jacquelyn looked up to see that she wasn't alone. Standing before her was an immortal spirit. He was quite tall and slender, dressed entirely in black with grey skin, black hair and yellow eyes. Despite his appearance, he didn't seem at all frightening and he was looking at her with curiosity.
"Uh…yes. Yes, I'm the new spirit," said Jacquelyn, quickly. "Who're you?"
"My name is Pitch Black," he said. "What is your name?"
Jacquelyn hesitated, but then decided to tell him. "It's Frost. Jacquelyn Frost."
Pitch gave her a bow before taking her hand and kissing it. "I'm delighted to make your acquaintance. May I call you Lynn?"
"If you'd like," said Jacquelyn, blushing a little.
She couldn't help but feel flattered by his attention. But apparently the Wind didn't share in Jacquelyn's liking of Pitch, because it suddenly picked up and knocked Pitch off his feet before slamming into a tree.
"Wind, cut it out!" yelled Jacquelyn, as she jumped down to Pitch to help him.
But the Wind wouldn't. It kept blowing hard at Pitch and slamming him into trees.
What the devil's going on? The Wind was never like this! Had it gone insane? "Wind, if you don't stop it right now, so help me, I'll never ride you again! Quit attacking Pitch!"
Immediately, the Wind ceased blowing at Pitch. It blew gently by like always, but there was a bit of bitterness to it.
"Sorry, the Wind can be a bit…temperamental and protective of me," said Jacquelyn, apologetically as she helped him up. "Are you okay?"
Pitch nodded as he dusted himself off. "I'm perfectly fine. I've handled myself against worse than an angry wind spirit."
"Nevertheless, I apologize," said Jacquelyn. Wind, why're you acting like that? "Anyway, I hope this doesn't make you want to leave. Would you stay and talk?" She felt embarrassed that she was being so clingy, but after over a century of being alone, she was ready to accept anyone as a friend and Pitch seemed to actually like her.
"Of course I'll stay," assured Pitch. "How could I refuse the company of such a beautiful young lady such as yourself? Shall we find somewhere more comfortable to talk?"
Jacquelyn smiled. "We can go to the pond. It's lovely there. Follow me." She flew up into the sky and led Pitch to the pond where she'd first woken up and they sat together by the water.
They ended up talking for hours about everything and nothing. Pitch was able to explain a few things that the Moon never told her before. Throughout the entire evening, Pitch was also being very sweet and charismatic. Jacquelyn couldn't help but feel slightly taken with Pitch.
"So, what do you know of the Big Four? And by them, I mean the four most-believed in spirits," asked Pitch.
Jacquelyn knew who Pitch was referring to and she shrugged. "Not much to be honest. I'm not close friends with any of them. I've met North a few times and I am close with some of his reindeer. I've met Sandy in passing a few times. And I've had a few encounters with the Easter Kangaroo."
Pitch frowned in confusion. "I'm sorry. The Easter what?"
Jacquelyn chuckled. "Sorry. I mean, the Easter Bunny. He and I don't really get along. He's spring and I'm winter."
Pitch laughed. "Indeed."
"Everyone I've met calls them the Big Four, including you. Why is that? Why're they called that?" asked Jacquelyn. She failed to see the reason behind their title.
"Because they're the…special ones, I guess you could say. Besides bringing joy to children, they're the Guardians, handpicked by the Man in the Moon to guard the hope, wonder, memories and dreams of children of the world," explained Pitch. "They're children's protectors."
"Protectors? What do they protect them from, life?" asked Jacquelyn, curiously.
"Mostly. It's the darkness of life and those who would seek to destroy that," said Pitch. "But their wonderful lives as Guardians don't come without cost. Without a sufficient number of believers, they slowly cease to exist until they are nothing more than memories."
Jacquelyn's eyes widened in surprise. She hadn't expected that. "Really? Wow." Remind me never to become a Guardian. As much as Jacquelyn wanted believers, she didn't want them to be beneficial to her health. "Tell me more about them, please."
"As you wish," said Pitch. He then told her the details of each Guardian's job and what it entailed. "…and if you wish to seek your memories, you just go ask the Tooth Fairy. I have no doubt that she has them locked away somewhere in the Tooth Palace."
"Wow," murmured Jacquelyn. She was tempted to seek out the Tooth Fairy and her memories then and there. But it seemed too good to be true. And what if she regained her memories, only to find something she didn't want to remember? Perhaps it would be best if she waited before she tried to seek out her memories, if there were any. "And what about you, Pitch? What do you do?"
"I'm not a Guardian or a seasonal spirit like you, but what I do isn't really worth talking of," said Pitch. "But like you, I have no believers or close friends or family. I'm alone in this world."
Jacquelyn felt a pang of sympathy for him. "I'm sorry. No one should have to know what that's like." Being alone and invisible was the worst fate in Jacquelyn's opinion. Yet part of her was somewhat glad to know that she wasn't alone in the world in the sense of not being believed in.
"Indeed not," said Pitch. He smiled at her. "We're like two peas in a pod, you and I. Aren't we?"
"I think so," said Jacquelyn. She'd barely known him a day and yet she already felt so close to him. She looked up when the sun began to rise and the light of its rays entered her line of sight. "It's already dawn. How can that be?" It felt like mere minutes had gone by instead of hours. Time flies when you're having fun, but this was ridiculous. Jacquelyn then barely stifled a yawn as she realized how tired she was. She didn't want to sleep or leave to do her work or anything like that. She wanted to stay with Pitch a little while longer and enjoy his company.
Pitch noticed her tiredness.
"My dear, you look exhausted. Why don't I see you home so you can get some sleep?" offered Pitch. "Where do you live?"
"Oh, um…" Jacquelyn was quiet for a moment and pulled her cloak's hood up in embarrassment. "I don't really live anywhere. I just sleep wherever's comfortable when I'm tired." A century of life and she'd never had a home. How humiliating!
Pitch shook his head sympathetically. "It doesn't need to be that way." He stood up and held out his hand to her. "Come with me, Lynn."
Jacquelyn stared at him in disbelief. "What?"
"Come with me," he repeated. "You needn't be homeless or lonely again. You can live with me in my home and I'll take care of you forever. You'll never have to be alone again. We'll both be happy for all eternity, together. Will you come, please?"
Jacquelyn couldn't believe what she was hearing. Pitch was offering her everything she'd ever wanted—a proper home to call her own and someone to care about her as much as she cared about him. It was more than Jacquelyn had ever hoped for. How could she possibly refuse him? Simple. She wouldn't refuse him.
"Yes," said Jacquelyn. She rose up, picked up her staff and slid her free hand into his.
Pitch smiled as he intertwined their fingers and then they took off into the night.
XXX
Fifty passed following that night.
In Jacquelyn's opinion, they were fifty immensely happy and magical years. Since she'd first met Pitch, nothing in Jacquelyn's world had been the same. She still didn't have believers, but they hardly mattered to her anymore. Why would they when she was in love with a man who was so perfect and loved her so much?
Pitch was amazing. He was gentle caring, charismatic, and charming. When she felt discouraged or sad, Pitch was there to dry her tears and make her happy. Jacquelyn did the same for Pitch whenever she could. Whenever he was frustrated over their lack of believers, she would hold him and tell him that she'd always believe in him, and that would make him smile and kiss her before he said that she was all he ever needed. True, Pitch didn't really know how to have fun like Jacquelyn, but he could still be romantic and sweet and caring. He made her feel like she was something special and loved, which was all she'd ever wanted.
At that moment, Jacquelyn had been flying off to see someone, but was taking a moment to rest. She smiled softly to herself as she recalled the night when she and Pitch had professed their love for each other. Not long after Jacquelyn had accepted Pitch's offer and went to live with him, Pitch had taken her out for a special night.
Jacquelyn was watching children play as it was one of her favorite pastimes when Pitch came up to her.
"Are you busy?" he asked.
"No," said Jacquelyn. She was never too busy for him. "Why?"
"Come with me. I've got something planned for you," said Pitch, as he held out his hand.
Without hesitation, Jacquelyn eagerly took Pitch's hand into hers and together they flew through the skies. Pitch showed Jacquelyn things she'd never seen before and it was all one majestic sight after another. Pitch then took Jacquelyn to a ball that was occurring in one of the mortal cities.
Pitch stepped back and bowed before holding out his hand again. "May I have this dance?" he asked.
Jacquelyn smiled. "I'd be honored," she said. She put down her staff and danced the night away with Pitch. Her smile widened when Pitch twirled her in his arms and lifted her in the air before holding her close. The moment was so beautiful. Now was the perfect time for Jacquelyn to tell Pitch of her true feelings. "Pitch, I…"
Before Jacquelyn could finish her sentence, Pitch cupped her face in his hands and pulled her in for a sweet and tender kiss that she returned.
"I never knew it possible to feel so happy and so in love so quickly," murmured Pitch, as they broke apart. "I fear this is just a dream."
"Then let's make sure it never ends," said Jacquelyn, as happy tears slid down her cheeks. She couldn't believe Pitch loved her. It was perfect. "I love you so much, Pitch."
"I love you too, Lynn," said Pitch, as he kissed her again.
Since that night, they'd been happy together, blissfully in love and spending every possible moment together. It was like a dream.
But for the moment they were separated as Jacquelyn had other matters to attend to.
For a while now, Jacquelyn had been the victim of dizziness, sickness in the morning, and nausea. At first she suspected it was just the Immortal Flu and would pass before too long, but that wasn't the case. Quite fed up with it and desiring answers, Jacquelyn had slipped out while Pitch was away and was in search of Mother Nature.
Jacquelyn had never met Mother Nature, but she had no doubt that Mother Nature was real. She was the Queen of Nature itself and according to what Jacquelyn had heard, quite welcoming and caring towards the seasonal spirits. Jacquelyn learned of Mother Nature's whereabouts via one of the other seasonal spirits who'd just visited her.
Jacquelyn found Mother Nature in a special place in the world only immortal spirits could enter. It was a lovely little wood with four sections each covered in one of the four seasons. In the center of the wood was Mother Nature. She was quite lovely with her dark skin, grass green eyes, and auburn hair. Her attire consisted of a white and blue gown and her hair had a wreath of flowers and leaves in it. She looked up and smiled when she saw Jacquelyn coming towards her.
"Ah, Jacquelyn Frost. I was wondering when you'd pay me a visit," said Mother Nature, cheerfully.
Jacquelyn frowned in confusion. "You know me?"
"Of course I know of you, dear! I know all the seasonal spirits," said Mother Nature. "You are part of nature and I am nature's mother."
"I see," said Jacquelyn, not knowing what else to say.
"Oh, goodness me. Where're my manners? You came to see me for a reason. Do sit down and we'll talk after I've made us some tea," said Mother Nature. "What kind would you like? I have peppermint, raspberry and chamomile."
"Peppermint, please," said Jacquelyn. "And could you make it iced?" She still felt a little queasy and she suspected a cold drink would agree with her better than a hot one.
Mother Nature nodded and made them both some tea. She iced Jacquelyn's, and when the winter spirit drank it, she was relieved when it quelled her nausea.
"So, Jacquelyn, what brings you here?" asked Mother Nature, as they drank their tea.
"Well, I was hoping you might be able to help me. I've been sick and feeling strange recently, and I don't know why" said Jacquelyn. She told Mother Nature of her strange symptoms of late.
Mother Nature looked a little concerned. "Come here for a moment, dear." When Jacquelyn did, Mother Nature looked her over and then placed her hand over Jacquelyn's stomach for a moment before she pulled away with the strangest look on her face.
"Heavens above," murmured Mother Nature. "Well, it seems congratulations are in order."
"Congratulations? What for?" asked Jacquelyn, confused.
Mother Nature smiled. "My dear girl, you're with child."
Jacquelyn's jaw dropped as her hands automatically flew to her stomach. A baby? I'm going to have a baby? It couldn't be possible, could it? But even as she thought about it, she realized she had all the symptoms of a mother-to-be and she could feel something inside her. There was no question about it. She was going to be a mother.
"But how is this possible? I thought our kind couldn't bear children," said Jacquelyn.
"That's not entirely true. It's exceedingly rare for our kind to have children, but it isn't unheard of," said Mother Nature. "You're one of the few lucky ones, Jacquelyn. Not all of us are fortunate enough to be blessed with a child of our own."
"Indeed," said Jacquelyn. Words could not express the joy she felt at that moment. I can't believe this. Pitch and I are going to have a baby. Their own child. A little life that was half of her and half of the man she loved. It was more than she'd ever dared to hope for. "When will the baby come? Do you know if it's a boy or a girl?"
"It's early, but I believe you're going to have a son in about seven months," said Mother Nature.
A son. Our son. Jacquelyn smiled to herself as she imagined a little boy that resembled his father, except he had his mother's eyes. She then asked Mother Nature other questions about what to do until her baby was born and whatnot before thanking Mother Nature for her time and departing. She couldn't wait to tell Pitch her news.
XXX
Jacquelyn eagerly flew through the skies in search of Pitch.
She couldn't wait to tell him of her news. He'd always talked of wanting an heir. He'd be thrilled when she told him of their baby. Already, she was imagining how he'd react and the joyful times they'd have together as a family. It was going to be wonderful.
When Jacquelyn finally picked up Pitch's trail, she stopped in her tracks when she saw something she wished she hadn't.
There, in the middle of a village was Pitch, creating black sand that was scaring the living daylights out of a young mortal child. Worst of all, Pitch seemed to be enjoying watching the child's fear. She couldn't let that continue.
"Pitch, stop it!" yelled Jacquelyn. When he didn't seem to hear her, Jacquelyn blasted Pitch with her staff. "I said, STOP!"
Pitch ended up being blasted by snow and ice into a tree, which stopped the black sand from scaring the child and left Pitch slightly disoriented. "What on earth—Lynn?" Pitch was shocked to see her. "What are you doing here? I thought you were at home resting!"
Jacquelyn glared at him. "Obviously, I left. And right now, I wish I hadn't. How could you, Pitch? How could you?" With an angry huff, she flew back to their home and waited for him to come back. She was furious and disgusted with Pitch, but she wasn't about to have their fight in public where they might be seen by another immortal spirit. It was better to wait until they were alone.
It didn't take long for Pitch to return and when he did, he tried to defuse Jacquelyn's anger. "Lynn, please, just let me explain—" but he was cut off.
"Explain?! How can you possibly explain what just happened? You were terrorizing an innocent childand you were enjoyingit!" said Jacquelyn, disgusted. "How could you, Pitch? How could you do such a thing?" She knew he was a lot of things, but this? She never would've expected it.
"Please, Lynn, I had to," said Pitch. "I needed his fear to get a little stronger."
"What're you talking about? Why would you need fear to—" Jacquelyn cut herself off as Pitch's words settled on her. She instantly knew what he was talking about and why he'd been terrorizing the child. "You're…you're the Nightmare King, aren't you? The Boogeyman?"
Jacquelyn heard stories over the years, but she hadn't known Pitch was the dark spirit. She mentally berated herself for not seeing it sooner as it made perfect sense. Pitch never wanted other spirits to see the two of them together and he'd forbade Jacquelyn from mentioning his name to anyone if she ever said she was in love. He never told her exactly what he was capable of or what kind of immortal spirit he was and his home was underground and full of shadows.
Pitch didn't even try to deny it. "Yes, I am. I am the Boogeyman."
Jacquelyn felt her heart break at this. The man she loved, the man she had trusted and was the father of her unborn child was a monster. "You…I can't believe you," she said, as she stepped back. "How'd you get so much energy? I've heard the stories. You should still be weak from your last battle with the Guardians."
Pitch looked sheepish. "I might've been…borrowing a bit of your energy over the years. Little bits, you see, but just enough to make me strong again."
"You've been using me?" whispered Jacquelyn, horrified. "All this time, I've been nothing but a pawn in your plans, haven't I?" She couldn't believe this was happening. "Everything you've ever told me, everything I thought we had, our entire relationship, our love…all of that was a lie."
"No, Lynn…" Pitch sighed and looked regretful. "Beloved, I may have gone to extreme measures to survive, and lied about who and what I am, but I've never lied about my loneliness or my love for you. That'll always be true."
Tears slid down Jacquelyn's cheeks. "You're lying again," she sobbed. "You're always lying." How could she believe anything he said now?
She tried to turn away, but Pitch pulled her in close and cupped her face. "Lynn, look at me. You know me. You know my heart. We can still have a wonderful future together as rulers of this world. All you have to do is trust me and forget about all of this. I love you. Just trust me."
For the briefest of moments, Jacquelyn wanted to agree, but then she thought of Pitch's lies and his world and how it would affect the innocent life growing inside her. Her son! What kind of a life would he have if Jacquelyn agreed to Pitch's madness? She'd thought Pitch was a great man, but now she saw through him. He was nothing more than a monster.
The man before her wasn't worthy of being a lover, much less a father to her baby. Pitch's world of darkness, lies and fear and his life of loneliness and hatred…they were all things she didn't want for her baby. She needed to get out and she needed to keep him out of her son's life forever, no matter what heartbreak it caused her. She had to do this for her baby's sake.
With a cry of anger and agony, she pulled away from him and then unleashed quite a bit of her powers. When Jacquelyn pulled back to catch her breath, she saw that she'd frozen Pitch so deeply in ice that the idea of him ever escaping was highly unlikely.
Without further hesitation, Jacquelyn then flew straight out of Pitch's lair and kept flying for miles until she finally landed on a cloud.
She then dropped her staff beside her and began crying over her foolishness and her grief. Her heart was broken and she felt devastated. How could she not have seen through Pitch's lies? Why didn't she follow through on her instincts that something was wrong with him when they met? She should've known something wasn't right. She never should've trusted him!
But how much of it had been a lie? Jacquelyn knew her feelings. She knew the trust and love she'd felt towards Pitch had been real. Jacquelyn had deeply loved Pitch. Pitch had claimed he loved her too. But was all that just a lie? After all, he had admitted to using her to regain his strength. Had he actually cared about her at all? What would he have done if she'd told them about their baby? Would Pitch have used and corrupted their innocent baby, Jacquelyn had told him? Just thinking about it scared her.
Part of her was grateful and glad she'd gotten away from Pitch when she had, but the other part of her was heartbroken and ashamed. Why hadn't she listened to the Wind when she'd first met Pitch all those years ago? Oh, the Wind!
"Wind, I'm so sorry," she sobbed. How could she have been so foolish as to ignore the Wind's dislike of Pitch? She wouldn't blame it if it hated her now. "Forgive me."
But there was no angry reproach or scolding from the Wind. There was only the soothing feeling of the Wind's affection for her and its attempt at comfort, for which Jacquelyn was grateful for.
Jacquelyn's devastation increased when it settled on her that with Pitch frozen so deeply in the ice in his lair, she had nothing. No home, no friends, no family and no means by which to raise her baby. Well, she had the Wind, but the Wind couldn't provide her with what she needed to properly raise her unborn son. How was she supposed to take care of him when she had nothing? Worse, what if other spirits found out she'd fallen in love with Pitch and her baby was his? What if her son was judged for his father's actions? What kind of a life would he have then? It was all one giant mess!
Jacquelyn tenderly stroked her stomach where her unborn baby lay. Regardless of what his father had done to her, Jacquelyn knew her baby was innocent. She already loved her son deeply. He was the reason she'd broken free of Pitch and he was the reason she'd do her best to hang on through the trying times that were soon to follow. Regardless of what happened with Pitch, she couldn't truly regret their relationship as it had given her a blessing she'd never dreamed she could have—her own child.
I may be hurt over Pitch's deception and my foolishness, but I'll never regret this baby, she thought to herself. Jacquelyn curled up onto her side and continued to cry as the Wind soothingly tucked her cloak in closer and rocked her to comfort her.
XXX
Sandy, a.k.a. the Sandman was making his rounds spreading Dreamsand to the children of the world to give them beautiful and happy dreams. He greatly enjoyed his work, as seeing the children's smiles when they dreamt happy dreams brought joy into his life.
When he'd finished his rounds, he noticed that there was a path of moonlight that seemed to lead up into the sky, which made very little sense at all. Curious, Sandy followed the path of moonlight until he came upon a cloud and heard the sound of someone crying and spotted a familiar face.
Jacquelyn Frost was weeping. Sandy had become acquainted with the young winter spirit by a number of infrequent meetings over the years, but it'd been a while since he'd seen her last. Normally, she was so happy and cheerful. To see her so sad, left him baffled and concerned. What could've upset her so much?
Out of concern for his friend, Sandy flew down to Jacquelyn's cloud and tapped her on the shoulder. It caused her to immediately grab her staff and sit up as she faced him. She tensed, as if in fear, but then relaxed when she saw it was him.
"Oh, Sandy, it's just you. You startled me," said Jacquelyn.
Sorry, said Sandy. He wrote out the letters with his Dreamsand as he sat down beside her. I heard you crying. What's wrong?
Jacquelyn sighed as she hung her head. "It's a long story."
I've got time, said Sandy. He looked at her with concern. Jacquelyn looked paler than usual; her eyes were red from tears and there were drying tear tracks on her cheeks. Please tell me. What's the matter? He'd never seen her so sad and it worried him to see her like this. What could've upset her this badly? I'm a good listener.
Jacquelyn smiled a tiny bit at this and then hesitated. "Sandy, if I ask you to keep something secret, will you?"
Sandy nodded.
Jacquelyn placed her hands on her stomach. "I've just found out I'm with child," she confessed. "Mother Nature said I'm going to have a baby boy in seven months or so."
Sandy was shocked but no less happy for Jacquelyn. Congratulations! What's wonderful news! he said. Children born of immortal spirits were among the rarest of the rare. But then he saw the sad look on Jacquelyn's face. But why're you so sad?
Jacquelyn bit her lip and fresh tears glistened in her frosted blue eyes. "This is what you need to keep secret. The baby's father…is Pitch Black," she confessed.
Sandy's eyes widened in shock. Pitch Black had returned and not only that, but Jacquelyn Frost was carrying his heir? Sandy hadn't expected that. But Sandy felt no anger or distrust towards Jacquelyn or her innocent baby, only sympathy and pity and a desire to help. He gently placed his hand on hers and gave her a kind look.
Jackie, tell me everything, he said.
Jacquelyn did. She told him everything and left out nothing. By the time she was finished, Sandy strongly wanted to punch Pitch in the face, among other things for the way he'd hurt Jacquelyn. But Sandy also knew that this wasn't the time to dwell on that. Pitch was frozen in ice for goodness knew how long and right now, Jacquelyn and her baby needed him more.
"…then I came here and just started crying. Eventually, you showed up and you know the rest," said Jacquelyn, sadly.
Sandy squeezed her hand. I'm sorry that happened to you. You didn't deserve it.
"Thank you," said Jacquelyn. She sighed. "Is it bad that part of me misses him and wishes what just happened with him was just a bad dream?"
Sandy shook his head. Not at all. It's perfectly natural. She'd been in love with Pitch. Of course part of her wanted him back. It didn't make her a bad person. It just meant she was in love and hurting.
Jacquelyn looked relieved at this. She seemed much calmer and almost happy. Jacquelyn looked over the horizon and saw the sun beginning to rise. She then rose up to her feet. "The sun's rising. I should leave. Thanks for listening to me, Sandy. I really appreciate it. I'll see you later." She had no idea where she was going to go or what to do, but she couldn't stay on the cloud forever. She had to go.
Sandy immediately felt alarmed. Leave? No, Jacquelyn couldn't leave now. She needed to rest and relax for her baby's sake and she had nowhere to go. Sandy couldn't just let her and her baby live on the streets.
Quickly, Sandy grabbed Jacquelyn's hand before she could go, causing her to look at him in bewilderment. Don't go. Come with me, to my home.
Jacquelyn was startled. "You…you want us to come and live with you?" When Sandy nodded, she asked, "Why?"
I know after what happened with Pitch, you're hesitant to trust me or my intentions—
"No, that's not it, Sandy," interrupted Jacquelyn. "I do trust you and your intentions. You're not Pitch. You're a Guardian. I just…I just can't believe you'd want me or my baby in your home. I fell in love with Pitch Black, who's your sworn enemy and now I'm carrying his child. Why…why do you want us to live with you?"
Sandy let out a silent sigh before replying. Because…because I just do. I care about you, both of you. I don't care who your baby's father is. The baby's innocent and your past is just the past, nothing more. You've been alone for far too long and I couldn't bear it if something were to happen to either one of you. So, please let me help. You can both come and live with me for as long as you like and I'll help you take care of your baby. Please, Jacquelyn.
Jacquelyn hesitated, but then tenderly stroked her stomach before nodding. "Okay. I'll come. Thank you, Sandy," she said, gratefully. "This means a lot to me."
Sandy smiled as he took her hand. My pleasure.
XXX
Since Jacquelyn didn't really feel up to flying or riding the Wind, Sandy formed an airplane out of his Dreamsand and used it to take them to his home. Once they arrived, he led Jacquelyn to one of his spare rooms and helped her get some much-needed rest.
When she'd sufficiently rested, Sandy talked to her and they agreed that the other Guardians needed to know about her condition so that they might be able to help if need be. However, Jacquelyn asked that her meeting the other Guardians wait until the first three months of her expectancy were over and Sandy consented. Jacquelyn still had awful morning sickness and dizziness and she was quite anxious about officially meeting the other Guardians to tell them about her baby.
By the time she was four months along, Jacquelyn was showing and thankfully, her morning sickness and dizziness had passed. She was still nervous about her impending meeting, but felt far less nervous than she had before.
When the day finally arrived, Sandy summoned the other Guardians to his home and then he and Jacquelyn waited for them to arrive.
Before long, North appeared. He made his entrance by sliding down the chimney. Bunnymund came in via his tunnels.
"Ah, Sandy. Good to see you, old friend," said North. "Tooth is running late. Something about a fairy emergency."
Sandy just nodded. Tooth was busier than others because she and her Mini-Fairies were collecting teeth and leaving money for children all around the world all the time. It was only to be expected that she'd be running late.
"So, why'd you call us, Sandy?" asked Bunnymund. "What's the big emergency?"
Sandy held up a hand, signaling for them to wait and then went into the other room. When he came out, he was holding Jacquelyn's hand as he led her into the room.
Jacquelyn pulled back the hood of her cloak and looked at the Guardians with a slightly nervous look on her face. "Hello."
"Well, well, well, if it isn't Little Miss Frostbite," said Bunnymund, as he folded his arms across his chest. "Don't tell me Sandy called us because you've causing him trouble."
Dreamsand blew out of Sandy's ears and he looked furious.
"Sandy, calm down. It's okay," said Jacquelyn, soothingly. She turned to Bunnymund and North. "Sandy didn't call you here because of any trouble. We just thought it best that you know of my news."
"What news?" asked North, curiously.
Jacquelyn unconsciously touched her stomach. "I'm with child," she confessed.
Their reactions were immediate.
Bunnymund's eyes widened in shock and his jaw dropped. North looked stunned before smiling broadly and lifting Jacquelyn into the air.
"Congratulations! This is wonderful news! I'm very happy for you!" said North.
Jacquelyn giggled. "Thank you."
North then put her down.
"So, who is the lucky father?" asked North.
Immediately, Jacquelyn's face fell and she looked down at her hands. "He…he's not involved." Pitch doesn't even know. And even if he did, I wouldn't let him be a part of this baby's life. "Let's just say, he's not a part of my life or this baby's." And he never will be.
Thankfully, they picked up on her desire to cease speaking on that painful subject and didn't press her for further details about the baby's father.
"Sorry to hear that. When's the little ankle biter coming?" asked Bunnymund. "Any idea if it's a boy or a girl?"
"I'm four months along, so the baby will come in about five months or so," said Jacquelyn. "And Mother Nature said it's going to be a boy."
"Maybe you should call him Little Mischief or Loki," joked Bunnymund. That earned him a swat from North. "Ow…"
"Bunny, be polite," scolded North. He turned to Jacquelyn. "Is there anything we can do for you, Jacquelyn? Anything at all?"
"Nothing really comes to mind," she admitted. She then looked a little green when she smelled the carrots Bunnymund was eating. "I'm sorry, please excuse me for a moment. I need to get some air."
Nobody tried to stop her as they all guessed she was ill from the smell. Most likely, Jacquelyn's baby didn't like carrots.
Not long after Jacquelyn left, Tooth arrived, looking quite out of breath and flustered. "Sorry I'm late. What did I miss?" she asked.
"Quite a bit," admitted North. "Sandy called us here and we just officially met Jacquelyn Frost, that mischievous winter spirit. She just went to get some air. Do you know her?"
"Only by reputation. Why?" asked Tooth, confused.
"She's going to have a baby," said North.
Tooth looked shocked. "An immortal spirit born of two immortals? Are you serious?"
Quite, said Sandy, nodding. Jacquelyn's going to have a baby boy in five months.
Tooth was both astonished and excited. "That's great news. Who's the father?"
"No idea. Frostbite got all quiet and sad when we brought it up. Said he wasn't part of her life or the ankle biter's. Since it upset her, we didn't press further," said Bunnymund. He actually felt sorry for Jacquelyn. Heartbreak was difficult enough to endure, but having to raise a child alone was even worse. He'd seen it before when he'd watched other mortals.
"Oh, the poor girl. Does she have a home or anyone to look after her?" asked Tooth, concerned. While usually immortal spirits had homes, others were nomads and loners with nowhere they called home. Jacquelyn couldn't afford to be homeless, not with a baby on the way.
Sandy nodded. Jacquelyn had a home with him and he'd look after her.
"But even so, for one of us to have offspring is something we shouldn't take lightly," said North. He rubbed his beard in thought. "I think that we should pitch in a bit and help her out, at least until the baby's born."
Tooth and Bunnymund nodded in agreement.
So it was decided. The other three Guardians would assist Jacquelyn in whatever way they could until her baby was born. It was all they could do.
XXX
Six months down, three to go.
Jacquelyn softly hummed to herself as she sat in her new rocking chair courtesy of North, and sewed clothes and stuffed animals for her son. For several weeks now, Jacquelyn had been on the receiving end of gifts and food from the other Guardians, anything that would help her during her expectancy and would be a blessing for her baby.
Tooth's fairies had delivered small practical gifts of teething biscuits, toothpaste, dental floss, a toothbrush and a small decorated box for Jacquelyn's son to put his baby teeth in when he was old enough. The gifts were sweet and cherished by Jacquelyn, who greatly appreciated the gesture of kindness.
"Ho-ho-ho!" yelled North.
Jacquelyn laughed as North slid down the chimney. "Hi, North."
"Greetings, Jacquelyn," said North, as he dusted himself clean of soot and ash.
"If you'd care for some refreshments, North, there's chocolate chip cookies and chocolate milk on the table. I can't seem to get enough of them," said Jacquelyn. The baby seemed to like chocolate more than anything else at the moment.
"Ah, thank you. I think I will have a little," said North. He swallowed a small glass of chocolate milk before downing a cookie and pocketing two more. "What was I doing? Ah, now I remember. I come bearing gifts. I crafted them just yesterday." He reached into his sack and pulled out a handsomely crafted cradle and mobile.
The cradle was polished cherry wood with snowflakes and stars carved into it and had several blue blankets and pillows. The mobile played lovely music and consisted of white snowflakes, gold stars, owls and dolphins.
"Oh, North, they're beautiful," said Jacquelyn. She'd been meaning to ask for a cradle, but kept forgetting. North's gifts were lovely. "Thank you. I'm sure the baby will love them."
North smiled. "You're Welcome. Speaking of the little one, have you decided on a name yet?"
Jacquelyn shook her head. "No, I'm still thinking about it. His surname's going to be Frost, but I haven't picked his first name yet."
"Well, you've still got plenty of time to decide," said North. He then smiled a mischievous smile. "North and Nick are excellent names."
Jacquelyn chuckled. "I'll add it to my list." It was a sweet gesture, but she didn't think North's name or even Nick suited her baby. But now she knew he definitely needed something with a 'N' in his name. "Thank you again for the presents. I really appreciate it."
"My pleasure," said North, smiling. "Well, I must be off. I have work to do. Ta-ta." He gave her a bow and then departed.
Sandy then returned from his rounds. Was that North I just saw leaving?
Jacquelyn nodded. "He was just dropping off—ah!" Jacquelyn was startled and clutched her swollen stomach. She then smiled when she realized what had just happened.
Sandy looked concerned. Is everything all right?
"Everything's fine. The baby just kicked me," said Jacquelyn, with happy tears in her eyes. "He's never done that before." The baby's kick was proof that a little miracle was growing inside her, one that she couldn't wait for. She smiled again when she felt her son kick again. "He's doing it again. Do you want to feel?"
Sandy eagerly nodded.
Jacquelyn took Sandy's hand and placed it on her swollen stomach. He smiled and happy tears glistened in his eyes when he felt the baby kicking beneath his hand.
This is incredible. He's going to be a strong one, I can tell, said Sandy. And he'll be as lovely as his mother.
Jacquelyn blushed. "That's sweet of you to say, Sandy. Thank you. I can't wait until he's here. I want to hold him in my arms so badly."
I know, said Sandy. And speaking of which, when there's two months before the baby's born, I want you to go on bed rest.
"What? Why?" asked Jacquelyn, surprised. She was the Bringer of Winter. She had a job to do. How could she go on bed rest when there was work to be done?
Because you're going to have a baby soon and you need to rest in your condition, not go off all around the world. It'd be better if you were here rather than somewhere else when the baby's born, said Sandy. He gave her a pleading look. Please? It'd make me worry a little less.
Jacquelyn sighed. Sandy had a point and she knew he was right even if she didn't want to admit it. She did need to take time off from work soon because of the baby and she owed Sandy that much after all he'd done for her.
Sandy had been nothing but kind and patient and caring towards her. He'd cheered her up when she felt sad or discouraged, gave her happy dreams when she had trouble sleeping, listened to her talk and kept her company when she felt lonely, played with her and the mortal children when she'd gone out, and had put up with all her craziness. He was the kindest, sweetest soul she'd ever met in all her life and it was because of him that her baby would have a home and father-figure.
"Okay," said Jacquelyn. "I promise I'll do it."
Sandy looked relieved. Good. Now, I've been thinking of some names you might want to consider…
XXX
Seven months down, one to go
Jacquelyn was taking a little walk around Burgess and had stopped at her pond.
She hadn't done much work lately, having decided to let Sandy take over for a while. She'd come up with a special way for winter to come. She'd created special snowballs that would spread winter across the world once they were thrown into the air. Sandy and the Wind would deposit them for her and now she was enjoying a little time to herself.
"Hey, Frostbite!"
Jacquelyn turned to see Bunnymund coming up to her with a small sack slung over his shoulder. "Hi, Bunny. Don't worry, I'm not here to cause trouble. I'm just enjoying a walk."
"Yeah, I know. Word is, you're retiring until the ankle biter's born," said Bunnymund. "Only got two months left, don't you?"
Jacquelyn nodded. "He can't get here soon enough," she said, as she rubbed her swollen stomach. "So, what's in the sack?"
"My lunch," said Bunnymund. He produced a picnic blanket and a lunch of vegetables and salad greens. "There's plenty for two if you and the ankle biter want it."
Jacquelyn took a quick whiff of the food and the baby decided he liked it. "If you're sure it's not a problem…"
"It's not," assured Bunnymund. He and Jacquelyn usually didn't get along very well, but once in a while, they were almost like friends.
"Then I'd be happy to," said Jacquelyn.
They had a pleasant meal together and a pleasant conversation, (if you can believe it, that is) and then Jacquelyn gasped and winced slightly.
Bunnymund looked alarmed. "You okay? Don't tell me the baby's coming now?"
"No, he's not. It's just…ow. He's just kicking up a storm and his kicks feel really strong right now," said Jacquelyn as she rubbed her swollen stomach as if it would calm him down. "It feels like he's an acrobat or something. Do you want to feel it?"
Bunnymund hesitated but then nodded.
Jacquelyn took Bunnymund's furry paw and placed it on her swollen stomach. He then smiled when he felt the baby kicking.
"Whoa. I see this little ankle biter's going to be quite a handful," said Bunnymund, chuckling. "He's got enough energy to rival some rabbits."
Jacquelyn laughed. "No doubt of it." She looked at the sky and saw that it was sunset. "Thank you for the meal, but I should be getting home."
"Yeah, me too. I've got work to do. I'd offer to take you home, but I don't think the tunnels would be good for you in your condition," said Bunnymund, hesitantly. "Are you going to be okay?"
Jacquelyn nodded. "Don't worry about it. The Wind will carry me home. I'll see you later, Bunny."
Bunnymund nodded and then they went their separate ways.
XXX
Nine months down, any minute now
Jacquelyn sighed to herself as she sat in front of the fireplace as the fire glowed and warmed the room.
She rubbed her swollen stomach and smiled a little when she felt her son's kicks, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. She loved her baby very much, but she was tired. Her baby was due any day now and she was growing increasingly impatient for him to arrive. She wanted to hold him, to actually see him and start to give him a beautiful life. She also missed her job of bringing winter to mortals and longed to take her son out to do something like that.
"Sandy, would you rub my back for me?" she asked. Because of the baby, her back ached frequently and it seemed worse than usual that day.
Sandy nodded and then rubbed Jacquelyn's back, which earned him several moans of pleasure.
"Sandy, you're a treasure," said Jacquelyn, gratefully when he'd finished.
Sandy blushed a little under her praise. It's nothing.
"No, really. Thank you," said Jacquelyn, with much sincerity and gratitude in her voice. "You've done so much for me and my baby that I don't know how I'll ever repay you."
Sandy just hugged her before pulling back and saying, Jacquelyn, your happiness and the baby's is repayment enough. I'm just glad I can do all this and be here with you.
Jacquelyn smiled and hugged him again. "You're the greatest, Sandy. I don't know what I'd do without you."
They broke apart when there was a knock at the door.
"Who could that be?" asked Jacquelyn.
Sandy shrugged and answered the door. He was met by a tall old man with grey hair, a grey beard and grey eyes, dressed in white robes and carrying a large silver pocket watch.
"Greetings, Miss Frost, Mr. Sanderson. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Father Time," he said, as he bowed.
"It's an honor to meet you," said Jacquelyn. "Do sit down. What brings you here?"
"Aside from a desire to make your acquaintance, you mean? I'm here because it's my job to be here when immortal spirits have their offspring and I know you've got questions for me about your son," said Father Time, as he sat across from her. "Specifically, those questions involving his father, Pitch Black."
Jacquelyn's face fell as she sighed. "You know." She wasn't very surprised, considering he was Father Time and therefore knew all about everything and everyone that was, that is and would be or could be. But even so, she'd secretly hoped he wouldn't know as part of her feared he'd treat her harshly for her past involvement with Pitch.
"I do. And honestly, Miss Frost, you needn't worry that I'll judge you, for I shall not. You did nothing wrong. You were lonely and innocent, and you didn't know Pitch's true nature. You cannot be blamed for falling in love," said Father Time, gently. "Love can make us blind, but it is never a bad thing. And had you not been with Pitch, you might not have gained the blessing of your child."
"True," agreed Jacquelyn. Her relationship with Pitch had been a mistake, but she could never truly regret it. Pitch had given her the greatest gift of all—her son. She tenderly stroked her swollen stomach before she felt her world shift around her. "Oh, goodness…"
Sandy immediately looked worried. Jacquelyn, what is it?
Jacquelyn began breathing hard as she clutched her stomach. "The baby's coming." She felt both excited and scared all at the same time. This was the big moment. Her son was finally going to arrive and she was going to be a mother. She silently prayed everything was going to be okay.
"Right on schedule," said Father Time. He helped Jacquelyn into bed and did what needed to be done. Sandy held Jacquelyn's hand as she lay back against the headboard. "Just relax. Everything is going to be fine, Miss Frost. Just breathe deeply and do as I tell you."
I'll be right here with you the whole time, Jackie. Just breathe and squeeze my hand, said Sandy, comfortingly.
Jacquelyn just nodded in reply.
XXX
Sometime later, Father Time was smiling as he announced, "It's a boy!" He quickly cleaned up the baby and wrapped him in a dark blue blanket patterned with tiny white snowflakes and stars before handing him to Jacquelyn.
Jacquelyn was tired, but immensely happy as she held her infant son in her arms. Her baby was tiny and pink with tufts of dark hair and his mother's eyes. He was making little baby noises as he tried to play with Jacquelyn's necklace.
Sandy and Father Time watched the moment with smiles on their faces.
"I can't believe after so many months of waiting, he's finally here. My little boy. He's perfect," murmured Jacquelyn as she tenderly kissed her son's head.
He's beautiful. What will you name him?asked Sandy, with his Dreamsand.
"His name is Nightstar," said Jacquelyn. "Because he shines like a star in the darkness."
Sandy's smile grew at this.
"Sandy, I've been meaning to ask. Will you be Nightstar's godfather?" asked Jacquelyn. "After everything you've done, I can think of no one better for the job."
Sandy looked overjoyed as he eagerly nodded. It would be my honor, he wrote. He then began making the baby laugh by creating tiny owls out of his Dreamsand.
"This is truly a momentous occasion," said Father Time, softly. "But Miss Frost, if you wish for answers to the questions you seek, then you must ask, for I cannot linger for much longer."
"Yes, yes, of course. My apologies, Father Time," said Jacquelyn. "I…I want to know if Nightstar's going to be okay when he grows up. I know next to nothing about being a mother and I don't want to mess that up. I want to be the kind of mother that he'll always love and be proud of. I want him to grow up happy and loved and not be alone like I was. And I don't want him to know his father's life, always being feared and hated. Please, tell me of my son's future."
Father Time smiled softly as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "You needn't worry, Miss Frost. You will be a good mother to this child. Your son's life shall not be like that of his father's nor shall he be his father's son. He will be more like you when he grows up. He will become his own man. Your child has a great destiny ahead of him. He will grow up a happy young man, loved and cherished by his family and friends. And he will find a truer father in Sandy than he ever could in Pitch. MiM guided Sandy to you for a reason. Believe in that and all will be well, I promise."
Sandy looked relieved and Jacquelyn looked happy.
"Thank you," said Jacquelyn. "Thank you so much. Both of you, thank you."
Sandy and Father Time just smiled again as they nodded. "You're Welcome."
"Did you hear that, sweetie?" said Jacquelyn, to her baby. "Your life's going to be absolutely wonderful. You know why? Because Sandy and I will never leave you and you'll always be loved. And I will always be so proud to call you mine."
Nightstar squealed and cooed in delight.
Moonlight then beamed in through the window, courtesy of the Moon outside. The moonlight glowed and then a yin-yang medallion appeared on Nightstar's neck. Half of it was black as night, and the other half was as white as snow.
"What's this for?" asked Jacquelyn.
"Like your staff is the source of your powers, Miss Frost, this little medallion will serve as your son's source of powers," explained Father Time.
Jacquelyn nodded. She wasn't entirely surprised by the Moon's choice of a gift, but even so, part of her wished Nightstar would never have to know about the dark half of his heritage.
"I must go now," said Father Time. "But I wish you congratulations and the best of luck."
"Thank you, Father Time," said Jacquelyn.
Father Time nodded and then departed from the house, leaving Sandy and Jacquelyn alone with the new baby.
Sandy sat beside Jacquelyn on the bed and they couldn't stop fussing over Nightstar and nor did they cease smiling at him.
Nightstar made little baby noises and seemed to smile at their attention. He kept laughing at the Dreamsand owls Sandy made.
"Oh, do you like Uncle Sandy's owls, sweetie?" said Jacquelyn.
Nightstar squealed, making his mother and godfather laugh.
Jacquelyn still felt amazed at it all. She was actually a mother and had a son. He was less than a day old, and yet she could already tell that he was everything she'd ever dreamed of. Despite her worries for the future, she was immensely happy to have him in her life that she would always love and believe in and would do the same for her. It was incredible.
Jacquelyn rocked Nightstar in her arms as she softly sang him a lullaby.
Constant as the stars above The lamb lies down and rests it head I'll cradle you in my arms tonight Constant as the stars above
Always know that you are loved
And my love shining in you
Will help you make your dreams come true
Will help your dreams come true
On its mother's downy bed
Dolphin plays in the moonlight's glow
And butterfly dreams of a violet rose
Dreams of a violet rose
As sun embraces the moonlight
The clouds will carry us off tonight
Our dreams will run deep like the sea
Our dreams will run deep like the sea
Always know that you are loved
And my love shining in you
Will help you make your dreams come true
Will help your dreams come true
Nightstar snuggled in closer to her as she finished her lullaby. Jacquelyn took that as a sign that he liked the song and loved her.
Ahh…he's so sweet, said Sandy.
"Isn't he? You know, I used to wish that I would know what it was like to not be invisible and to know what it felt like to love and be loved. When I met Pitch, I thought that was the answer to my wish. But I was wrong. This, being here with you and Nightstaris my wish fulfilled," said Jacquelyn. Her son was her greatest treasure and blessing and she never wanted to let him go. I'm never going to be alone again and I'll make sure that Nightstar is always surrounded by those who love him. We're going to have a happy life together. "I'm really glad that you found me that night, Sandy. You're a blessing."
Sandy felt quite happy to hear this and smiled.
Jacquelyn then sighed. "Sandy, I've been thinking. One day, Nightstar's going to have questions about his father. When that time comes, I want to be the one to tell him. And only when he's old enough and ready to know." She silently prayed it'd be a very long time before Nightstar asked about Pitch. She wanted him to be as innocent and happy as possible for as long as she could. He'd be warned about the Boogeyman, true enough, but it would be a long time before he knew Pitch was his father. "Will you promise me you'll say nothing to Nightstar of his father's identity until I do?"
Sandy nodded. I promise.
Jacquelyn smiled a little and then her smile widened when Nightstar made baby noises as he clutched Sandy's finger in his tiny little hands. She looked up when she heard a loud noise and voices coming from outside the house.
"That'll be North and the others. Father Time must've told them about Nightstar," said Jacquelyn. "I should go introduce them."
She tried to get up, but her weariness began to set in. Sandy noticed and stopped her before she got out of the bed.
Let me do it. You just sleep. You're exhausted, said Sandy.
Jacquelyn gave Sandy a grateful look before carefully handing him Nightstar and then falling asleep. She was tired and had more than earned a good night's sleep.
XXX
Sandy carefully cradled Nightstar in his arms as he went to greet the other Guardians.
Nightstar was simply delightful. He was so beautiful and sweet and he seemed to like Sandy a great deal, which made Sandy immensely happy. Sandy was happy for Jacquelyn and was quite happy that he was going to help her raise her son and be his godfather, but even so, part of him wished Nightstar was his biological son.
And although he hadn't said anything, Sandy was deeply in love with Jacquelyn and longed for her to return his feelings, but he knew it would be a long time if it ever happened. Ah well. He could wait and in the meantime, he felt content and blessed enough just to be part of Jacquelyn's little family. He would be a good father-figure to Nightstar and would be Jacquelyn's rock.
Sandy took Nightstar outside where North, Bunnymund and Tooth were getting out of North's sleigh and making quite a bit of ruckus and excited chatter.
"Ah, Sandy!" cried North.
Sandy made a shushing motion with his hand. Keep it down. Jacquelyn's sleeping.
North looked sheepish. "Sorry," he whispered. "Where's the little one? Father Time's only just told us he's arrived!"
Sandy held out little Nightstar, who was making little baby noises and looking confused at all the attention he was getting as he was held by each of the Guardians.
"Oh, he's adorable!" squealed Tooth, as she held him. "What's his name?"
His name is Nightstar Frost, said Sandy, proudly.
"That's perfect," said Tooth. She smiled at the baby when he held her finger in his tiny hands. "He's going to be so handsome and sweet when he grows up. I just know it."
Bunnymund held him for a moment, only to pull back when Nightstar accidentally yanked on his long whiskers.
"Ow!" yelped Bunnymund. He scowled as Nightstar laughed. "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up, you little Nightshade."
"Oh, I can see he's going to be as mischievous as his mother," said North, chuckling as held the little baby boy in his arms. "But I sense his innocent and I think I see a good place on the Nice List for him."
Nightstar then yawned and began to fall asleep as North passed him to Sandy.
I should take him in now. I'll let Jacquelyn know you stopped by and wished her and Nightstar well, said Sandy.
The other Guardians accepted this and after giving him offers of congratulations, they departed and Sandy went inside.
Sandy placed Nightstar in his cradle. He made the mobile play and made little Dreamsand owls, which lulled Nightstar to sleep.
Sandy smiled as he kissed Nightstar's head. Father Time said Sandy would be a truer father to Nightstar than Pitch ever would. Sandy intended to ensure that happened. He'd be a good father-figure and make the Frosts' lives as happy as he could. Seeing their happiness and being part of their family was a great blessing to him, for he felt complete with them and hoped he would continue to do so for a long time yet. Everything was going to be just splendid, he knew it.
The End