Jack looked over at the other guardians while they laughed and talked. He often felt like an outsider with the others—whoa all knew each other so well—but tonight he was ok with it. He had gotten a Christmas present from one of them. Yes, it was in fact the early morning of Christmas.

Both jack and north had been out all night. Jack had been making snow and the latter delivering presents. Both boys were tired, but happy. As the sun rose everyone felt the belief in many small children surge. There was so much joy on Christmas morning.

There was even more joy for the white haired spirit when he had found a small box on his bed marked merry Christmas inside was a smaller box of chocolates. He had eaten them all slowly enjoying the creamy rich chocolate that he got so little of.

Maybe he shouldn't have eaten them so quickly as he was beginning to feel a bit queasy.

"You should have been the bunny the surf board was as big as you!" cried North. The large man was very excited even though he looked extremely tired.

"That's cool and everything north but maybe you should get some sleep. You look like you got run over by the sleigh," said bunny a small smile on his face. The large house pet enjoyed listening to the big man's story – even though in his opinion his stories were better—but Santa Claus was looking pretty beat.

"I think I will," North grinned and handed his big coat to one of the yetis. Waving he walked away saying, "Merry Christmas to all and to all a good nap." He laughed all the way up to his room.

Jack smiled at the retreating figure and lay back in the window sill. With the rest of the room warmed in the glow of the fire the window was the only place that he didn't feel like he was melting. But despite the cold breeze from a crack in the glass his head was heating up. Maybe he was just tired but his churning stomach fought his theory.

"You know I think I'm gonna call it a night to," said jack standing and following the bigger man up the stairs.

When Jack Frost was gone bunny turned to Tooth. "They do know it's morning don't they?"

Tooth only shrugged while sandy created a question mark over his head.

Jack felt sick. He only barely made it to his bed room before his stomach lurched and he fell to the ground, not knowing if he was going to be sick or not. He want dizzy or showed any of the other symptoms of being sick. It was just a funny feeling in his gut and slight warmth that he did not like n his head.

But when he finally managed to get enough strength to pull himself to the bed that North had given him last year (the big man had allowed him to stay at the North Pole if he promised not to mess with the toys) he collapsed onto it. He felt sick; there was no arguing with that.

Then, without warning his body twisted violently and it hurt down to his bones. It fact it seemed the pain was emanating form his bones. His whole body was twisting and his staff clattered to the floor as his hands clutched his bed. It felt like he was transforming into a monster—kind of people describe turning into a werewolf. His bones were contouring, his brain was pounding, and unexplained warmth was spreading through his veins.

With a cry louder than a yeti's his vision blurred, the pain died down and he finally blacked out.

"What was that?" asked tooth looking upstairs. It had been maybe ten minutes since both North and Jack had gone to bed but now all could hear clearly a scream of emotion from the upper floor.

"I don't know but we might want to check out why the show pony is screamin' bloody murder." Bunny tired to sound annoyed but hidden in the Australian accent was a worry for his little buddy.

The three guardians—Tooth, Bunny, and Sandy—shot quickly up the stairs.

But when they reached the top they found north, with his swords drawn at the winter spirits door. They were about to ask what had Father Christmas so mad when they saw the shadow on the door was not North's.

"Hello guardians," whispered the shadow. The tone of Pitch black's voice was tried but pleased.

"Pitch," growled Bunny pulling his boomerang from its sheath.

"Don't bother with the weapons. There is nothing you can do to a shadow. That's what you did to me. All I am is a memory of the man I once was."

"What did you do to jack!" cried Tooth desperately, he hands pulled into fists.

"Nothing much. I simply gave him a small Christmas present." They could hear the smile spreading across the spirit's face. "Happy holidays guardians."

Filled with rage Sandy shot a high powered bolt of golden sand at the door and the shadow imprinted there faded. The power of the blast also sent the door flying open.

Everyone glanced in the door to see the dark room. "Jack…?"

oooooooooooo what happened? dont know but you're about to find out
R&R!