Bunny sat in the Warren painting his googies not focusing on the one thing that would make this Easter worth it. Jack's return. But he'd been gone for fifty years now and it was becoming obvious that he wasn't going to come back. Ever. With an audible sigh Bunny laid his googie aside and rubbed his head. "Aw Jack. Why'd ya have ta leave me?" he whispered then his ears twitched as the sound of someone knocking on one of his trees sounded through his core. After Jack died he gave each of the Burgess Seven, as they had come to call themselves, a pine tree that if they ever knocked on would call him to them. He reached his power out a little bit and probed the tree that was summoning him. Jamie's and Pippa's. Their tree had only been used one other time since he'd given it to them. That was the day they had a funeral for Jack in Jamie's and Pippa's backyard.
Bunny stood and headed down the tunnel he'd need to get to Burgess. When he got there he saw an old man sitting beside the tree getting ready to knock again. "Hello Jamie." Bunny rumbled. Jamie looked at the Pooka with a sparkle in his eyes.
"Hey Bunny. I'm surprised you recognized me. I know I look very different."
"Not many old men still believe in the Easter Bunny Jamie."
The aged believer chuckled to himself. "I suppose that is true." he smiled.
"So, ya need some help?"
"Actually I called you so I could help you."
Bunny laughed. "Jamie, you know there is no helping me."
Jamie smiled. "Come now Bunny, just humor an old man."
A sigh left the bipedal lagomorph. "Alright Jamie. For you and for you only."
Jamie laughed, knowing he would convince the old Pooka. It was easy for Jack's first believer to do so. "Jackson!"
The back door of the house opened and a young boy at about fourteen years of age came running out. "Are you okay grandpa?" then he froze, his gaze stuck on Bunny. Suddenly a smile spread across his face. "The Easter Bunny! Grandpa, I'm not crazy, right?" he asked in a loud whisper. Bunny couldn't move. This boy looked exactly like Jack. Sure, a few years younger with brown hair and eyes, but still a mirror image of him.
Jamie smiled. "No Jackson, you're not crazy. The Easter Bunny really is here."
"Mom is gonna be so surprised. She don't-"
"Doesn't." Jamie corrected.
"She doesn't believe in you," Jackson amended. "Wait til I tell her. You're really tall. Do you really paint all the eggs? Can you run really fast? Do you only eat vegetables or can you eat other stuff too? Do you have to use those boomerangs to fight? Can you even use them?" Jackson asked, completely rapid fire.
"Whoa, slow down ya little ankle-biter." Bunny laughed. Jackson blinked.
"You can talk?! That is so cool! Grandpa, did you know he can talk?!" Jamie chuckled.
"Jack, where did you get the caffeine?"
"Uncle Charlie let me finish his coffee."
Jamie massaged his temples. "I am going to have to talk to my son about that."
"He said it's funny but can you blame me for freaking out?! It's the Easter Bunny in my grandpa's backyard! Wait. Does that mean that battle with Pitch Black actually happened?!"
Jamie nodded with a chuckle. "Yes Jackson. I've always told you that story was real. You're the one who doubted me."
"I will definitely not be doing that again!" Jackson laughed then he looked at Bunny. "Your fur looks really soft."
"Would ya like ta feel?"
Jackson hesitated a moment then nodded. He walked over slowly then reached out a hand. The moment his hand touched Bunny's fur he giggled and pressed against him. "You are really soft." he mumbled into Bunny's white-furred chest.
Bunny chuckled weakly. "Gotta stay properly groomed when ya have so much fur."
Jackson laughed. "That would be so cool."
After staying silent for so long, content just watching and listening with a smile on his face Jamie spoke up. "Jackson, could Bunny and I have a moment to talk? Go inside and tell the kids."
Jackson pulled away from Bunny reluctantly and nodded at his grandfather. "Okay. Bye Bunny!" he said with a huge smile before running inside, the sunlight glinting off his brown hair.
A pain that had been numbed for years returned to Bunny's chest, effectively taking his breath away. "Goodbye Jack." he responded softly.
Jamie leaned back in his chair. "Uncanny isn't it?" he asked, his voice gentle with understanding.
Bunny nodded. "When did ya notice?" he asked, sitting down.
"Notice what?"
"When did ya notice that he resembled Jack?"
"A few years ago. It took me a while to decide to call you though. I had to see if the similarities stayed, but they seem to be strengthening instead of weakening."
Bunny ran a paw over his eyes then pressed his ears against his skull only to have them spring back up to where they belonged. "Any memories returning?"
"Not that I have noticed."
"Tell me about his parents. Please."
"My daughter Tiana, after Tooth's real name but just a little more simple, is his mother and his father is named Charles. The truly care for him Bunny. She tells him stories of you guys, my stories but with her own twist. Perhaps that's why they adore my version the most, because it's the most accurate."
"Do the others know of him?"
"No. Maybe North, but he's never said anything of it. You're the first Guardian I've seen since the funeral. Baby Tooth visits occasionally, but not often."
"We don't visit kids." Bunny said apologetically.
"I know you don't. Jack did, but you guys are older. I can understand and I don't fault any of you at all. Grief tends to do things to people. Since I lost my Pippa..." he sighed sadly. "I can't say I've been the same."
Bunny nodded. "Yeah. I just... I thought I would have more time with him, but we didn't. We barely had any time at all."
"I hope that Jackson does turn out to be Jack. I really do Bunny. For your sake."
"What do ya mean, for my sake?" Bunny asked, turning a sharp look to Jamie.
"Your eggs show that you've lost a lot of hope Bunny. You seem to be slacking."
Bunny sighed. "Jamie, did you keep all of your hope when Pippa left you?" he asked softly.
"Of course not."
"Then do not fault me for this. I lost my entire race then my chosen mate. Yes, I have friends, but I do not have the eternal love I have strived to have my whole existence."
"I do not fault you Bunny. I empathize with you, but I do not understand giving up everything because Jack is gone. Live the life he cannot. Jack wanted to live and he was so full of life. Do not shame that."
"I am trying Jamie, but I am an ancient Pooka locked in his ways. I can't just bounce back from this with a few words on how Jack wanted to live. I need this grieving period so I can remember everything about him and not lose anything."
"Bunny, you are going to lose more and more until you can only remember the vaguest details. The face is always the first to go."
Tears soaked the fur on Bunny's face. "But I need him Jamie. The Warren was better. Easter was better. I was better."
"You don't need him Bunny." Jamie snapped. "You were fine before him and you will be fine after."
Bunny stared at the aged believer with wide eyes.
"I'm sorry if that is to harsh for you, but it's true. It was true for me and is true for you."
Bunny nodded mutely.
"I will keep you updated on him."
"Thank you Jamie. I best be going. Easter is in a month."
"Ah yes. I had forgotten. I find that is much easier with age."
Bunny stood and smiled. "Thank you Jamie."
"No need to thank me Bunny, just make sure you find a way to live again."
Bunny smiled. "For you Jamie." then he tapped his bottom right paw on the ground and dropped down the hole he had created.
ROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTG
Easter came and went without any problems at all. Bunny slowed long enough to let Jamie's grandchildren see him and he smiled at the squeals the children made as they ran towards their grandfather to tell him what part of him they saw. Only Jackson stood there staring at the bushes where he had seen Bunny, his brown eyes dark with confusion.
A week later Bunny's core throbbed as someone summoned him, again from Jamie's tree. He immediately ran tot he tunnels and darted towards the tree.
Jackson stood there, banging his fists against the tree as he wailed brokenly.
Bunny ran to him. "Jack!" he pulled the boy close. "Stop. What's wrong?"
"He's dead." Jackson sobbed. "Grandpa Jamie is dead."
Bunny made a soft keening noise deep in his throat. "Oh Jackie. I'm so sorry."
Jackson clung to Bunny's fur, his body shuddering with his sobs.
Bunny sat there and cradled the boy, running a paw through the unfamiliar brown hair the familiar boy possessed. "I'm here Jack. I'm right here and I am never going to leave you." he murmured gently. "Do you want to talk about it?"
"H-he's been sick for a while, but he didn't wanna show it 'cause we'd be upset and he didn't want that. He needed to go to the hospital last night. He had me bring my egg."
"Your egg?"
"The blue one you left with the white frost on it. I saved it and grandpa Jamie wanted to see it. He held it and called me Jack Frost, but Jack Frost is dead. I had to wait to be ten before I could hear that story. The earth got too hot and melted him away."
Bunny cringed, but stayed silent so the boy could talk.
"He gave me back my egg and they had me leave. My mom told me that... That..." he started to sob again.
"It's okay Jack. It's okay. You're going to be okay. He's in a wonderful place. He was Jack Frost's first believer. Now, how many people can say that?"
"Jack." the child mumbled through his tears.
"What was that?"
"You called me Jack. My name is Jackson."
"Ah'm sorry. Just seamed easier to shorten it."
"I like it." he said as he fell asleep.
Bunny made sure he was asleep before laying him down on the grass and vanishing down into his tunnels.
Was he beginning to remember?
No. That was impossible. Jack was dead.
But what if...
No damnit!
Bunny put his paws to his head and growled at himself. This was just his imagination. Just desperation to have Jack back. He did the same thing after the genocide of his species. Imagine that maybe one got away. Maybe one would find him. Maybe MiM saved one and would tell him so that they could be together. So he wouldn't be alone. He was so alone.
Dazedly Bunny's green gaze turned to the grass and flowers around him. The Warren. That's where he was. He looked up at the white orb that hung in the sky. "Is he back?" he asked.
Silence.
"Tell me!" he roared. "Is Jack Frost back?!"
Please Aster, don't do this.
"I need to know. I need to." he begged. "Just tell me. Is Jackson Bennett truly Jack Frost reincarnated?"
After a long pause that almost made him yell again he got his answer. In a way.
"Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you want to tell me?"
Because Jamie was right. Jack Frost wanted to live and Jack Frost was born dead. For Jack Frost to return Jackson would have to die. That is who Jack Frost was. A boy who died for his little sister. Jackson is just a boy who plays with children, goes to school, helps his parents, and other normal activities just as Jackson Overland once did. Jack Frost was a completely separate being from those two boys. You cannot expect Jackson Bennett to become Jack Frost again. It is not fair to him. Let him live Aster. Let him live.
Bunny fell to the ground and curled up on his side. "I can't do it anymore Manny. I can't. He was my other half. He was all I needed and all I ever wanted. He was perfect. He was mine."
There was no answer from the being who brought him to Earth and caused the happiest years of his life. Bunny was alone.
ROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTG
Three years later Bunny watched the spitting image of Jack Frost help his cousins gather eggs... Except the color palette of his body was Earthen rather than being more wintery. He smiled at the sound of Jackson's laugh at some snow falling on his mother's head. Winter was officially ending yet again and making way for spring.
Bunny saved Burgess for last like he had for the last three years. No matter the inner torture it caused him he couldn't help but stare. Jackson was perfect in nearly every single way, but Bunny's idea of perfect was a winter child. Not a warm child. He knew that next to all the other spring spirits he was strange and none of them understood his obsession with winter, but he truly didn't care. He was fine with loving winter and everything that came with it.
Jackson picked up an egg and smiled as he admired the paint coating its surface.
Bunny stared at him and nearly keened at that smile. It still caused him pain and he knew that until Jackson smiled again he'd feel that numb ache in his heart.
Jackson suddenly looked at the exact bushes that hid Bunny from his eyes.
Bunny instinctively made himself smaller so that he wouldn't be seen... But would Jack seeing him really be so bad? Before he could make up his mind Jack turned away and began to gather up the kids so that they could leave.
Bunny relaxed and ducked down his tunnel so he could return tot he Warren.
The moment his paws touched the green grass he began to pace. "Stop this. It's going to hurt like hell when he dies. He's mortal and mortals can die at any time meaning you'll never know when he's gonna go. You need to stop this. Don't go back. Don't go back. Don't. Go. Back."
No matter how many times he said it he knew that he was going to go back. He had to. He was going to. There was no stopping the inevitable, there was only prolonging it.
Bunny threw himself into weeding the garden, planting the flowers, mixing the paint, and anything else he could do to take his mind off anything that had to do with Jack Frost and the Bennett family.
It had been two months, four days, thirteen hours, and fifty-two minutes since Easter and Bunny was only slightly losing it, but the Warren had never looked so perfect.
With a slight sigh Bunny looked at the Warren in search of anything else he could do, but there was nothing. He'd already taken care of every weed above and below the surface, cleaned his burrow from top to bottom, mixed all the paint he could possibly need for the next three Easters, made enough clay dishes to last at least five lifetimes, and other miscellaneous tasks.
He laid in his nest and tried to sleep despite all the thoughts of Jack swirling around in his head. Jack's scent had long since faded from the nest they'd once shared, but if Bunny closed his eyes and let himself relax he could almost smell it as if it was right... There!
Bunny's eyes flew open with his arm outstretched, his paw reaching for Jack. His breath hitched and he curled into a tight ball. "Jack. Oh Snowflake please come back. I need you." he keened breathlessly.
Suddenly a pain hit him hard enough to take his breath away and a sharp scream echoed in his ears. He shouted in pain and put his paws over his ears.
Get up Aster. You need get up. Go to him.
Bunny slowly stood and carefully made his way to his tunnels with those screams rattling in his skull and his heart trying to wither up and die.
He had no idea how it happened but he made his way to Burgess and he stood in the street just a little ways away from Jamie's home. He blinked and looked forward then everything went silent and everything went numb. A car had been flipped and was currently burning.
His instincts kicking in he dove towards the car and dragged every body he could find out of the car. It took him a minute but he noticed that the woman who had been driving was familiar.
Tiana.
Jackson's mom.
Jackson.
Bunny ran back into the burning wreckage. "Jack! Jack where are you?!" he screamed. After a moment he heard faint coughing from the passenger side of the car. Heart pounding he ripped at the metal not caring that his fur was being singed and his paws were slowly getting burned.
Jackson lay on the floor of the car, curled into a ball with the metal of the car curved over him. There was a horrid burn that covered the left side of his chest and up his neck, just barely passing his jaw and creeping up his cheek. Bunny lifted him up and moved away from the horrid sight. He strained his ears and heard the steady breathing from all of Jackson's family members, but Jackson's breathing was weak and coming in horrid gasps.
Bunny trembled as he moved Jack's singed hair out of his face and nearly sobbed at the sight of the burn. "Jackson, open your eyes and look at me. You're gonna be okay. You're gonna live and you're gonna have a family. You're gonna have the life you deserve Jackson."
Jackson opened his eyes, the chocolaty color glazed over from the agony. "Bun... Yer 'ere."
"Of course I'm here Jackson. I've always been here."
"Knew," Jack took a slow rattle of a breath to say the next word, "it." then he exhaled and his eyes closed. He didn't inhale.
"No! Nononono! Jackson!" Bunny roared. "You were his second chance. You were he life he deserved." he sobbed.
The sound of sirens called him from his grieving. He knew he had to leave. He didn't want to. He couldn't. But he had to. He laid Jack down and forced himself to walk away.
Every single cell in his body, every single thought, every singe emotion was numbed straight to the core. Three times Jack had died. Three times he wasn't there. He entered Santoff Clausen and collapsed in front of the globe, directly on the section of the floor that hid the crystal where MiM chose new Guardians. He half keened and half moaned.
"Bunny? Are you alright old friend?" North asked gently.
"He's dead. He's gone. I couldn't help him. Why not his sister? Why not his mother? Why not his father? Why him?"
"MiM told me Bunny. Is how I knew you were coming." North pet Bunny's head gently, the way you would calm a terrified rabbit. "You will be okay Bunny. You will survive."
"But I don't want to. I want it to end." Bunny moaned.
North made a sad noise, but didn't try to convince Bunny otherwise.
Over the next week Bunny sat in front of the fireplace in one of North's many living rooms. He didn't try to eat and his fur was becoming ragged, but, try as he may, North couldn't convince him to do anything to help himself so the jolly man just had to watch as one of his best friends willingly suffered.
After exactly a week Phil the yeti ran in to retrieve North and he seemed desperate. North followed reluctantly, unsure of what his friend was going to do and that made him nervous.
At the great big doors that lead into Santoff Clausen, and were wide open for reasons unknown to North, Phil nudged him outside.
"Great, now I am taking orders from yeti." North grumbled to himself. Then he froze.
There, in the snow, stood a boy in charred clothing. His shirt on his left side had dried blood on it and parts seemed melted to his flesh then there was a horrid burn on his neck and was trying to take over the left side of his face. He had the snowy white hair and ice blue eyes that haunted North daily.
Jack Frost had returned.
"H-help me." he breathed. "I don't know what's wrong with me."
North strode forward in the snow and scooped Jack into his arms. "It is okay. We will help you."
He nodded, his eyelids drooping from exhaustion.
When the boy was asleep North looked at Phil. "Get Bunny. We will be in the infirmary." he walked off.
In the infirmary he laid the pale boy on the bed and began to cut away the blackened shirt.
Bunny slammed the door open and ran over. "Jack." he choked. "He's back. MiM warned me and I didn't listen!" he growled, his voice coated in self-loathing.
"Bunny. Now is not time to hate self. We must help Jack." North said as he focused on healing the burns.
The Pooka nodded. "Tell me what you need me to do."
Together, the two of them focused on healing Jack with more than enough energy.
After several hours of applying medicinal salves repeatedly and bandaging they were finally done.
Bunny watched Jack sleep with bright green eyes. "He's back North."
"When I saw him, Bunny, he did not recognize me. I do not know if his memories will return or not, but you mustn't pressure him."
Bunny nodded. "We were made for each other North. I will wait for him to fall in love with me again. I will wait as long as it takes."
North sighed softly and nodded. "Alright friend, if that is what you think is best." he stood and went to the door. "I will leave you with him for as long as you need me to." then he left the room.
Bunny laid his forehead against the cool sheets and inhaled Jack's familiar scent of winter and peppermint. This was the scent that had surrounded him before and now it was back. Jack was back.
The boy moaned and shifted under the white sheet they had laid on him to cover him. He opened his eyes and looked at Bunny, ice blue meeting grass green.
"Hey there, are ya feeling okay?"
"Bunny, my chest hurts and my head is foggy." Jack whined.
"Ya know who I am?"
"You're Bunny."
"Yes, Jackie, I am."
"Why do I hurt?"
"You died Snowflake."
"I remember that. Serphina told me that the Earth was experiencing too much heat so it was killing off the winter spirits. How am I back though?"
It struck Bunny that Jack's voice was now a scratchy and more of a raspy hiss than it was before. Then he realized that smoke damage could be the cause of it. Sadness rolled over Bunny's heart, but he shoved it aside. Jack needed him. He looked at the pale boy and smiled. "Ever heard of reincarnation mate?"
Jack blinked. "But I died."
"Kinda require for reincarnation to work." Bunny chuckled.
Jack struggled to sit up. "What's going on?" he demanded.
An audible sigh left Bunny lips as he emptied his lungs of air. "You died mate. You died and then you were reborn as Jamie's grandson."
"Jamie?" he asked, perking up.
"He lived a long life, but he was mortal."
Tears welled up in Jack's eyes. "He's dead?"
"He went peacefully." Bunny promised.
"What happened to me?"
"Your family was in a car crash. Your entire family survived, but I didn't find you in time. You got too much smoke in your lungs and you died."
Jack exhaled slowly and he closed his eyes. "My entire left side hurts. Why?"
"Your body was damaged by the flames and the hot metal."
Jack looked at Bunny and took his paws into his small hands. "You're scarred." he said in a small voice.
"Yes. I had to get you out."
A strangled sob left Jack's lips. "I died. Again."
Bunny held Jack close, mindful of his wounds. "Sh... I'm here. I never left you Jack."
Jack sobbed loudly into Bunny's ragged chest fur and ended up hacking coughs into his palm.
"Careful Jackie. You inhaled a lot of smoke."
"But I don't remember." he rasped weakly.
"I know and I'm sorry. I wish I had gotten there sooner."
"I don't blame you." he responded as quickly as he could.
"Thank you Snowflake." Bunny whispered then he proceeded to cradle Jack close until he fell asleep.
ROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTG
Jack had begun to get restless after five days of being stuck in the medical bed in the infirmary so they allowed him into his own room where he could feel at least a little bit of freedom, but they removed all mirrors from his room and bathroom and just hope that he wouldn't notice which, perhaps, wasn't the best idea.
Bunny walked in Jack's room with his food only to see him standing at the window with tears flooding his cheeks. "Jack? What's wrong?"
"Nothing." he spat venomously.
Bunny set the tray down and walked to him. "You can tell me anything."
"How can you look at me?"
"Just a little narcissistic there, eh mate?"
"This isn't a joke!" he yelled, turning to look at him. "Look at me!"
And for the first time since Jack returned, he did. The left side of that beautiful body was a dark red and black, twisted mess of flesh and skin just barely healing over. "I see ya mate. I see ya."
"How can you look at me?" he repeated.
"Because I spent too long looking for ya and not seeing ya anywhere. I spent too long waiting for ya. I am not gonna let this ruin what we had and hopefully will have again. Are ya? 'Cause if so, I don't wanna see it. I couldn't take that."
Jack trembled and looked at his reflection in the iced over window with pain in his eyes. "You always used to comment on my appearance. That I was as flawless as snow. Look at me now. My skin matches my soul."
"That is not what I see Jack."
"And what do you see?"
"I see a snowflake. Damaged? Yes. But still a snowflake. Each snowflake is unique and special. You have flaws just like everyone else and that is perfect. You are so perfect Jack. I will not lie to you and say that you are flawless in every way, you are flawed." Jack tried to turn away but Bunny made him look at him. "But so am I Jackie. I am so very flawed. I lost my hope and I lost my joy when I lost you causing me to be broken and full of so many flaws." Bunny knelt in front of Jack and stared straight into his eyes. "Will you keep me even though I am flawed?"
Jack nodded mutely, his eyes full of tears.
Bunny smiled and began to stand.
Jack stopped him and cleared his throat. He knelt and looked Bunny in his eyes. "Will you keep me?" he rasped.
Tears immediately came to Bunny's eyes. "Yes Jack. I will keep you now and I will keep you forever."
Sobbing Jack threw his arms around Bunny's neck and held onto him tightly. "Thank you. Thank you Bunny." he said, his voice cracking.
Bunny held the trembling child. "I will always be here for you." he said softly, closing his eyes so he could just feel how right this truly was.