A/N: Had this for a while and decided to upload it...kind of off really since it's almost Easter. But hope you enjoy it.
It was a long wait, but nonetheless, it was that time of year again; Christmas…or in this case at the moment, Christmas Eve. The night was young, and the illuminating moon was glowing heavenly among the breath taking stars. The whole atmosphere was quite lovely and peaceful when small snowflakes started to form in the sky; as they did, the snow flew freely, letting the wind take them to a small city down below. The whole city looked like a winter wonderland of snow; its cold blanket covering everything outside it managed to touch.
As the snow was silently falling down, from a distance, in the near darkness of the forest, a figure was watching the scenery from one of the tree's branches. The mysterious figure was crouching on the branches' weight looking over at the small city. Nothing was really shown from the dark, but the figure's glowing striking blue eyes. If looked upon closer, the figure's eyes resembled the color of ice.
After a while, as if by magic, the glow of the moon some-how managed to spread, lighting up the forest a bit, revealing the mysterious figure. It almost felt like if the moon was shining down on this….boy. Yes, it was a teenage boy who was the dark figure. Still, even with the moon's heavenly glow, it seemed like if it wasn't enough for the boy, in his icy blue eyes, they reflected sadness… and loneliness.
The boy's face was quite pale as the snow, though a part of it was being buried from the dark blue hood he had on. The boy was wearing a dark blue jacket, while little pieces of frost surrounded the surface of the collar. He also was wearing brownish pants, though they looked like if they were picked up a little since it was displayed he was bare-footed. Not only did his skin look like snow, but his wavy hair was as well; portraying white or silver.
The young boy continued his gaze over the small city; holding, what it seemed to be, a long staff, almost similar to a shepherd's crook, it was gripped tightly in his right hand. A faint layer of frost was resting over the surface of the staff. With snow falling, and the similarities of snow, ice, and frost in the boy's features and appearance, it was clear to say, it was no one other than the winter spirit himself…Jack Frost.
"That time of year again…" Jack said softly to himself; his eyes still locked on the city.
"Kids play in my snow, but they're more focused on Santa Claus's arrival rather than paying much attention to me," Jack then titled his head up, now concentrating on the glowing moon before him.
His eyes portrayed even more sadness.
"Can you tell me now? Why you put me here and what I'm doing wrong into trying to get noticed?" Jack asked.
Cold silence filled the air as Jack waited patiently for the "Man in the Moon's" response.
As he waited, wind faintly picked up and gently started to move across his silver hair. With the wind's sudden presence, Jack more likely knew the response...nothing. Jack then lowered his head and gave a sad sigh. He then rested his head on the side of his staff. He felt like if he was driven into a never ending cycle of unanswered questions, no matter how many times he pleaded and asked, he would get nothing but silence; at this point, Jack felt like if he was just wasting his time.
"Merry Christmas then…" Jack said to the moon.
He then lowered his staff and rested his back against the tree trunk; no longer in a crouching position. At this point, Jack was just waiting for Sandy's dream sand to come into play, usually when he witnesses the wonderful dreams and plays with them, Jack would feel a little bit more at ease, and forget his troubles…well… at least for a moment or two.
As Jack continued to wait, he didn't really expect it coming from him, but it seemed like after asking and once again reaching a dead-end; a small frozen tear escaped from his eye…the tear rolled down the side of his face and fell. Though as the tear fell, it took a shape of a snowflake; eventually the snowflake was carried off by wind…lost in plain sight.
"Look Sarah, it's snowing," a boy said; he was walking with his sister in the forest.
Sarah then stopped and raised her head, seeing the snow fall, a smile then sprouted across her face.
"Is it Santa?" she asked eagerly.
The boy was a bit baffled, scratching the back of his head.
"Uh, no, Santa doesn't make it snow Sarah," he said with a small smile.
"Oh," she said some-what sad.
As the two children kept gazing at the sky, surprisingly, a certain snowflake appeared, and softly landed on Sarah's nose. The snowflake dissolved once it touched and her nose immediately became blush red. Before she could even react to what happened, she felt her brother's hand grab hers.
"C'mon, we have to get home, mom's probably worried enough," he started to walk guiding his sister, "And the faster we get there and go to sleep, the faster Santa will come," he said turning his head facing her.
"Peter, what do you think Santa will bring?" she asked.
"I don't know, but I can't wait to find out," he said back to her.
As the two finally made it out of the forest, they started heading to the small city that was nearby, but what the two didn't know, was that they were being watched.
Jack was once again in a crouching position, examining the two children who were walking.
"That's strange…why are those two out so late at night?" he asked himself showing a bit of concern in his hooded face.
"Well, it probably won't hurt to follow them, to make sure they make it home okay," Jack said slowly standing up.
Without another word, Jack then jumped off the tree branch and started to fly towards the city, following the children.
"Mom! We're home!" Peter yelled, swinging the front door open.
As Sarah walked into the house behind him, Peter extended his arm and closed the door behind her. Both of them then started to take off their winter coats they recently had on.
Jack, who had followed them earlier, was now looking at them from a nearby window. The window was slightly opened, so Jack was able to hear the commotion that was going on in the house. As he saw the two sweet children hung up their winter coats, a strange feeling started dwelling inside his cold body.
"Why…why do I feel so drawn to them all of a sudden?" Jack whispered to himself; still fixed on the children.
As Jack continued to get his thoughts in order, another voice in the house quickly interrupted him.
"Oh, good you're home," a young woman said.
"T-that voice?" Jack continued thinking.
Eventually the woman appeared. She was slowly walking down a small set of stairs holding, what it seemed to be a large box. The woman looked like if she was in her late twenties. She had striking brown eyes, and her hair was long to the length of her shoulders, just like her eyes, her hair was brown as well, and since it was night-time, she was wearing a long white gown.
As the woman got off the stairs, she rested the box nearby the fireplace; a few other boxes were stacked on one another. The woman then turned and crossed her arms, she was angry at her children.
"Where have you two been? I told you two you could play outside, but not this long, you could have caught Pneumonia, or something," the mother said.
"I'm sorry mom, we…we were just playing in the forest nearby," Peter said.
Then the mother's eyes widen, "What! How many times do I have to tell you not to go there, it's dangerous, especially at night," the mother continued.
"We're sorry mom," Sarah said.
Even though the mother didn't like what her children did, just the simple act of seeing them home safe and with her, she just gave a sigh and let it go.
"Okay, I accept you two's apology, but please, just don't do it again," the mother said.
"Okay," her children said.
"Oh, what a day," the mother muttered to herself.
She then walked over to a chair that was close to the fireplace; after moving and picking up boxes, she was a bit tired, and needed a bit of relaxation, so she sat on the chair.
She then turned her gaze to the fire, remembering she was roasting chestnuts for her and for the kids, if they wanted any that is.
"That…that girl, why do I have this feeling that I know her?" Jack wondered still looking.
To Jack, it almost felt like an ancient memory; slowly coming back to him piece by piece.
"Mom, why do you have these boxes here?" Peter asked, moving one close to him.
The mother then turned her attention away from the chestnuts, to her son, "Oh, I was doing a little cleaning in my closet, so I had to move things around, that's why the boxes are here," she said.
"Oh," Peter then opened the box and saw many different items inside; though the one thing that caught his eye… was a big red book that was labeled, "Scrapbook," so nonetheless, he took it out.
"Mom, what's this?" he asked showing the book to her.
She then made a little laugh, "Why, it's my scrapbook, it contains pictures of me, when I was your age, and maybe even younger."
"Oh, let me see, let me see," Sarah said running to her brother.
"Okay, okay," Peter said.
He then sat down on the floor next to his sister and opened the book, and just like what the mother said, it was filled with a variety of photos.
"Wow mom, you really looked like that when you were small?" Peter asked.
Though the mother only responded with a giggle.
Just seeing this happy family moment, it truly made Jack feel like an outsider. His heart was beginning to ache, even though he didn't want to admit it, though it was crystal clear in his face, that he was jealous, no, not jealous, sad, he wanted to be loved…he wanted to have a family of his own instead of being tossed into a world of isolation. Even though he didn't know it, frost was forming along the surface of the window.
As the children continued to flip through the scrapbook, a certain picture they came across suddenly captured Peter's and Sarah's eye. The picture showed their mother as a child, but what was curious to them was…Who was the other person that she was being held by?
"Mom, who's this?" Peter asked, showing the book to her, pointing at the unfamiliar person.
And in that moment, when she laid her eyes on the picture, it couldn't really be seen by her children, but a small frown appeared on her face. Jack was really the only one who saw her reaction; it made him curious in who was the person they were referring to.
In the picture, there was a young teenage boy, smiling, along with carrying a little girl, which was his sister; the sister was smiling as well. The boy in the picture had short wavy brown hair and striking brown eyes, much like his sister. Along with that, he was also wearing a brown cloak with a white woolen shirt, and a small brown open vest. The two really looked happy in the photo, it almost made the mother burst into tears; the sight of seeing her brother, had made her suddenly sad…remembering the day when she lost him.
"Mom?" Sarah and Peter called.
With that, the mother was out of her trance, remembering her child's question.
"Oh, honey, that boy right there, well…he's my brother," she said, pointing at him in the picture.
"I didn't know you had a brother mom, what's his name?" Sarah asked moving closer to her mom, looking at the book along with Peter.
"Well, his name was Jackson, though," she then let out a slight laugh, "He would say to me and everyone else he knew, that he preferred to be called Jack instead."
Jack's eyes then widen, "That's…that's my name…" he uttered softly.
And without really knowing it, Jack then moved his head a little closer to the window and continued to listen.
"He…if he was still here, he would have been you two's uncle," the mother continued.
"What was he like? What happened to him mom?" Peter asked wondering.
"Oh, he was a really good person, and brother to me, a bit mischievous since he loved to play tricks, and also a jokester since he would make me and my friends laugh and smile," the mother said.
"So…then what happened to him?" Sarah repeated Peter's question.
It was awfully silent a bit; the only sound that was heard… was the sound of the fire crackling in the fireplace. But eventually, the mother continued to speak.
"Well, it was around the winter season, I'd remember my brother and I got ice-skates for Christmas a week back so…I wanted to use them. I was so excited, that I was bugging my brother to take me ice-skating, so he could teach me. So, knowing my brother, he asked our mom if he can take me, and she said yes, though of course saying the last remark, to be careful. So, since there was a lake nearby in the forest, and due to the winter season freezing it up, we thought it was the perfect place to skate."
"You mean the same forest, you don't want us to go to?" asked Sarah.
"Yes, it was that same forest, and well, what happened was…as soon as I put on my skates and stood up, the ice under me was so thin, it was slowly breaking, I was driven into a panic, I was so scared, I didn't know what to do, I really thought I was going to die, but Jack, he kept saying to me I was going to be alright, and well…he saved me from the ice, but at a price. It happened so quickly that when I saw him, he was already sinking down the broken ice into the water; taking my place."
"So…as soon as he saved you, the ice broke and he fell in?" Peter asked making sure.
"Sadly yes, though I remember, I was so shocked, that I ran to him, almost about to jump in with him, but as soon as I came close to the broken ice, I didn't want to take a chance, I knew my brother wouldn't want me to follow him after the sacrifice he made for me, but…I couldn't bear losing him, so I ran back home and told my parents what had happened, I wanted them to do something. So my dad went out, and well…after an hour coming back... the rest was history…I lost my brother that day. I think...I even remember crying that night…wanting him back."
"I'm sorry mom…" Peter said; he then gave his mother a warm hug.
"Yeah, I'm sorry too," Sarah said hugging her as well.
"Thanks, it's okay, he's in a better place now," she said putting the book to the side embracing her children.
After a couple of seconds, the mother then let go, "Well, I think it's already time for you two to go to bed now, don't want Santa to miss you right?"
"No," they both said.
"Okay, good-night," she said.
The children then ran up the stairs to their rooms, leaving the mother alone.
After hearing the whole story, Jack was in shock, he really didn't think he was some-one before being Jack Frost, the only scrap of memory he had for so many years, was his given name, and the time of his birth. But then even remembering his birth, being born from the frozen lake, and relating it to the woman's story, he thought it must have been true…the person the woman was talking about... was him.
After that, he started hearing the woman speak, like if she was talking to some-one.
The woman put the book away in the box, sat down on the chair again, and returned her gaze at the fire, eating a chestnut.
"He really did mean the world to me…we laughed together, we played together. He would pick me up when I was down. He would make me smile when I would even have a frown. Oh…why was he taken away from me…he was my brother…my protector…my guardian."
Still, she kept staring at the fire…remembering that day.
"Don't worry, you're not going to fall in, uh we're going to have a little fun instead," Jack said to his sister.
"No, we're not!" she said frighten.
"Would I trick you?" he asked.
"Yes, you always play tricks!" she said.
"No, not this time, I promise…I promise…you're going to be fine…
You have to believe in me…" he said trying to comfort her.
A tear then escaped from the woman's eye, still gazing at the fire.
"I believe in you Jack…."she said softly out loud.
And in that moment, to her surprise, she felt a cold hand resting on her shoulder. She then slowly turned and faced to see who it was….it was Jack Frost; though he finally had his hood down, showing his face.
"E-Emma?" Jack questioned looking at her; he was hesitant since he wasn't too sure if she could see him.
Her eyes widen in surprise and disbelief; at this point, she thought she was dreaming. She was frozen, looking at her brother's slightly new form.
"J-Jack?" she whispered.