We are Guardians
Jamie waved goodbye to Jack until he and the other Guardians disappeared into the early morning sky. The smile on his face remained yet his eyes lost their magical glee. Jamie was happy for Jack, sure, but he was sad too. Even though he only met Jack Frost just last night, he felt a connection to him that surpassed any friendship. Relief swept through him again and he realized that even though Jack was gone now, he would come back. Jack said that he was always there. As to when Jack would return, Jamie didn't know. But at least Jack would come back.
Years passed by and Jamie slowly grew into a lanky teenager. Dark circles were ever-present under his eyes. His clothes were baggier and he frequently still talked to his friends about the idea of the existence of the Guardians, yetis and Bigfoot, even though some of them looked at him in apprehension. He still smiled a spirited grin though. He hadn't lost his belief in the Guardians, even though he didn't see them. He believed in them. He believed…
High school graduation passed and Jamie went to college to major in cryptozoology. He knew that all of the creatures were real, even though he had not seen one since when he was a child. He fell asleep afterwards, but he had proof! He loved his work and felt that it connected him to Jack and the others. People around him said that he was always smiling, even when something went wrong. He was always optimistic. He had his book that was signed "Phil the Yeti". It hadn't been a prank that his parents decided to play on him…right?
He went on to obtain his Master's degree and eventually found a job as a cryptozoologist near Burgess. He was glad to be near his family, especially his little sister Sophie. She smiled when he talked about his work but he could still see something behind her eyes, something that she was hiding. His entire family looked at him like that now. But Jack promised Jamie. Jack promised him.
It finally got to the point that his family forced him to go visit a few doctors. He tried to tell them that Jack, Tooth, North, Sandy, and Bunny; they were a real. It was not just a children's tale. They protected the children of the world. There was evil from Pitch Black that had been thwarted by them.
After a while, some of what the doctors were saying hit Jamie straight in the heart. If his friends were there during the battle, why don't they tell the same tale? If the battle was as terrible as he says, why does no one else remember it to be that evil? If the Guardians were real, why hasn't he seen them since he was just a boy? Those question resulted in Jamie no longer smiling.
His eyes darkened, the glee once present snuffed out. His hair grew longer and he wore a permanent somber expression. He began to wonder if maybe he had dreamt the whole thing up. What if Jack was merely a part of his imagination?
He still worked as a cryptozoologist in Burgess but those around him could tell that he no longer brought the same kind of energy that had basically gotten him hired in the first place. He worked well, but without the contagious spirit. Eventually, Jamie found himself without a job.
He was miserable. He had spent his entire life fixated on this one idea that children's tales and mythical creatures were real and now he wasn't sure what was going to happen. 30 years old and without anything to show for it. He had never pursued a relationship with somebody else but even that seemed impossible.
One night in the winter, he was walking in the woods, passing by a frozen lake. He smiled at the memory of him and his friends skating on a blustery morning, a snow day. His smile fell when he also remembered that was the beginning of him losing his mind. He saw that in the middle of the lake there was a large crack and black still water seemed to not even reflect the sky.
He didn't even know why he did what he did next but he walked to the hole and jumped right in. The effect was immediate. His chest felt as though it was increasing in pressure, on the verge of exploding. Water flowed down into his lungs, choking him. His body refused to move, even though his mind wanted him to swim upwards, into safety. Just before he blacked out, something in the water changed.
It seemed to solidify beneath him and the ice above him disappeared. He shot out of the water and landed on the bank, spluttering for air. By the time he was able to breath in deep gulps, he heard somebody run to his side. The person spoke, a voice that he thought he would never hear again, "What were you thinking?!"
Jamie looked up and saw blue eyes that glowered in anger. The rest of his face was curved into an expression of concern and he wanted to cry out in anger.
Jamie screamed at him, "Go away! You aren't real!"
His eyes softened, "If you truly thought that I was not real, you would not be able to talk to me now. I would not have saved you." Jamie said nothing in response, only glared. Jack continued, "I'm sorry Jamie. I couldn't be here all the time. I have to be a full time Guardian now." He paused and added, "I saw you in college." Jamie's head whipped up and Jack continued, "I chose not to reveal myself. You looked so happy. I knew that you still believed in me but you had the right to live your life. I didn't know something like this would happen."
Jamie quietly responded, "I believed in you, and you never came back. I've waited for you, and you never came." Jack looked down and didn't speak. Jamie added, "People believe that I'm crazy, I'm a lunatic that never grows up."
Jack's eyes brightened and he retorted, "You do realize that most of the time, only children believe in us. The fact that you still do means that you are special. We have always been around, watching over you. We never interfered because there was nothing that we could particularly do to help. Only just now gave me the opportunity to speak to you."
Jamie asked, "Why? You meet children all over the world. Why do you care about me in particular?"
Jack hesitated and finally said, "You were/are my first believer. Also…"he trailed off, trying to decide how to phrase his next words. In the end he said, "And I learned why I feel so connected to you."
Jamie looked up and Jack said, "I looked into my family tree since I died. If I interpreted it correctly, you and I are related." Jamie's heart began to soar and he was about to thank Jack when Jack said, "You don't need to thank me. But Jamie, you do need to learn how to smile again." Involuntarily, a smile spread itself wide across Jamie's face. Jack smiled back, "That's the Jamie I remember. Now I want you to do something."
Jamie listened intently and when Jack finished speaking he answered, "Of course I will. I was just so afraid…"
Jack ruffled Jamie's hair and touched his chest, "You can be a Guardian again. Just as long as you do this one thing." The moon seemed to pulsate with light and Jack looked up and said, "Yeah, I'm coming I'm coming." He looked back at Jamie and said, "I'll see you soon. I promise." Jamie smiled at that. Before Jack had not officially promised to return and promising this time gave Jamie hope.
Decades passed and Jamie was an old man. He was watching over his great-grandchildren who were crying out in joy and were snowball fighting. He smiled gently towards the boy in a blue sweatshirt with a hook staff. The boy smiled back and a large pile of snow formed. Jamie kept his promise. He was to live his life to the fullest and make sure that his children were strong believers. Even if someday they stopped, Jamie would always believe. Because family did that sort of thing for each other. Family cared for each other.
Jamie was lying in bed and his family surrounded him, tears forming in their eyes. He held the hand of his youngest great-grandchild and whispered, "Always smile. Because when you smile, people look out for you, because even a smile can change their world." He closed his eyes and behind them, he could see Jack there, waiting for him. Jamie took Jack's hand and led him up, away from the ground and towards the sky, to fly. To fly like the moon.