North was sitting in the armchair near the fire, his usually jolly self quiet and still, his usually bright eyes dull and filled with tears "what have I done?" he whispered for what may well be the hundredth time since returning to the pole.

"Nothing, North..." Tooth reassured "it's not your fault."

"Frostbite is just being insensitive, mate."

"He is not!" North shouted "I should have been more careful... he was doubtful about living in the North pole from the beginning... now I've chased him away..."

"North... it is not your fault" tooth whispered "you didn't know about the cave or the ice... I mean... Jack will forgive you, I'm sure... just give him a little time to calm down. You know he loves you just like you love him" Tooth whispered with a reassuring smile that seemed to calm North down a bit. Sandy smiled at Tooth, thumbs up.

Meanwhile, Jack was slowly yet effectively putting the cave bath together, freezing all the water and forcing it back into the lake. He thickened decided to leave it to melt on it's own. He began to clean up the floor, smoothing it out and adding a layer of snow to soften it before getting on with the walls and the entrance.

Finally, once the actual cave was fixed he checked on his few possessions, a few things of thrown out clothes and toys. Some little collections, feathers, old Easter egg shells... a lot of coal. And few other things, most was unharmed and Jack was relieved as he organized it all making the cave looks nice and tidy once more, as he covered the possessions in snow he sat down and closed his eyes, feeling slightly tired.

Thinking about what had happened, he fought about North, he had come looking for him, for Jack. Jack pulled out the piece of coal from his hoodie and looked at it, tears filling his eyes, he cuddled it close. What had been thinking? Yes he was angry, but it had not take Jack nearly as long as he had expected to fix everything...

North had taken Jack in, given Jack a home and a family... and now just because Jack had gotten angry and slightly upset about the coal, he had thrown that all away. He pulled his hood up to cover his face as the tears fell down "I'm such a little spoiled brat" he whispered and cuddled his legs close.

North stared out the window, it was becoming late and North's worry grew with every minutes "do you think he will come back for the night?" he whispered.

"He probably is going to stay in Burgess for the night" Bunny said.

North frowned "I wish he would come back" he whispered putting his hand in his pocket and placing it around the gift he had gotten for Jack, he closed his eyes "Christmas is almost over..."

"Don't worry, we can always celebrate tomorrow or the day after... Jack won't mind" Tooth said placing a hand on North's shoulder. North seemed to not want to do anything but wait for Jack to come back.

Sandy placed a hand on North's other shoulder and made a picture of himself, an eyes and a snowflake. Then pointed out the window.

"Good idea Sandy, since he had to go everywhere to send dreams he can take a look in Burgess while his there?"

North nodded "please do..." he whispered still staring out the window.

"Good luck, mate" Bunny said quietly.

Sandy nodded and waved before leaving, he was fat and soon was in Burgess sending out the dream sand to each and every child, he looked carefully at the roofs before heading for Jack's lake.

He looked at the now frozen solid pond, guessing this was the fasted way for Jack to fix the damage done, he sighed, Jack loved this pond, he might have been scared he wouldn't be able to repair it. Or perhaps he was scared he wouldn't be able to repair his cave? Or perhaps he was just angry about the coal? Jack was not usually selfish but then again, Jack was not usually angry either.

Well... at least not for long. When he was angry all do it did not last it could be horrible, Bunny had proven that during the blizzard of '68, all do he refused to admit it was partly his fault for upsetting the young winter spirit, they all knew it.

Carefully he tracked down the proper entrance tot eh cave and knocked, when there was no reply he carefully entered. The moonlight was reflected of the ice and around the cave making it just as bright, if not a little more, as outside. Sandy smiled at the beautiful designs but soon frowned when he caught sight of Jack.

He was asleep in the snow, his hood pulled up and a few tears frozen to his cheeks. Sandy carefully knelt down and reached out to wipe the tears away, they fell to the ground and shattered, Jack's eyes suddenly flew open, bright blue filled with shock, maybe slight fear. He moved away from Sandy before relaxing.

"Oh... it's you" he whispered sitting up "sorry" he added.

Sandy smiled then frowned placing a hand on his shoulder he gave him a worried look. Jack stared back, he looked slightly tired, Sandy guessed he had tired himself out from fixing this place. North would be very upset if he saw Jack like this.

"Sandy... I-I... is there something wrong? What brings you here?" he whispered.

Sandy pointed at Jack then hesitated, before making a picture of a worried North. Jack sighed and looked to his feet, looking guilty.

"I know... he was worried, he was looking for me and I overacted... it's just... this is my home and had been for so looong... to see it damage at such a great level just... it upset me. Like all my efforts to make my home didn't matter and..." he began to silently cry.

Sandy shook his head cuddling Jack, he made a picture of a worried North again then pointed to the ground.

"North is still worried about me now?" he whispered, Sandy nodded.

Jack looked at his feet still, and nodded "I guess he would be..." he whispered cuddling his legs "you will tell him I'm okay, right?"

Sandy looked at Jack then shook his head, Jack looked surprised and at that Sandy picked up one of the frozen tears, pointed at Jack and shook his head.

"Sandy... I'm upset but I'm still okay, I just need to calm down" he explained.

Sandy shook his head and pointed to Jack then made a picture of the North Pole.

Jack shook his head "I need some time alone... I-I'm not ready to face North yet... not after what I said."

Sandy shook his head and made a picture of a Christmas tree then a picture of all the guardians.

"Today is Christmas... time for family" Jack whispered and cuddled Sandy, nodding "your right" he whispered.

Sandy smiled and began to leave the cave, Jack stood up and followed Sandy, hood still hiding his face. He looked at the ground, at his feet until the wind picked him up.

Sandy flew by Jack's side towards the North Pole, soon it came into view, Sandy smiled, he imagined when they arrived North would hug Jack tightly saying his sorry, Jack would hug him back and whisper that he was sorry too. Then they would celebrate Christmas as a family, like they should. But before this could happen, Jack stopped.

Sandy turned to look at him and made a questions mark above his head. Jack stared at the workshop for a little while then tears filled his eyes "I can't" he whispered and suddenly he flew of in the opposite direction as fast as he could. Sandy tried to follow but Jack was too fast, so instead he decided he best return to the other guardians and tell them the news.

It took almost an hour to explain what had happened to the other three guardians. They where trying there very best but such a situation was hard enough to explain with words and Sandy's pictures just weren't good enough.

"Poor Jack..." Tooth whispered.

"Poor Jack? He feeling regret for his own actions is a good thing!"

"It was not his fault" North said his face in his hands "oh Jack... please don't fly too far" he whispered hoping Jack was okay.

"He'll be okay" Tooth reassured "I'm sure he just wants some alone time..." she whispered.

"But what if he things I'm angry or hate him? Oh what if he things I don't want him here any more... what if he never comes back..."

"Then we'll track the little bugger down and drag him back here" Bunny said.

North shook his head "that might scare him or make him angry" North pointed out.

"But he will be safe and in your care" Bunny pointed out.

North looked doubtful then nodded "I guess..."

"I think we should wait a bit first" Tooth said "see if he comes back on his own, me and Sandy will keep an eye out for him during work."

Sandy nodded agreeing with tooth's decision.

A day passed and there was no sound of the kid, the guardians got back to work often visiting North to both see if he was okay or if Jack had returned. Another day passed... then a third day, a forth, a fifth, a sixth... soon it had been two weeks and jack had not been seen, not by the guardians, not my any other spirits and not by any children.

North was no longer miserable, now he was angry "where the hell is he?!" at the window.

"Maybe he hadn't noticed how long it's been?" Tooth suggested.

"That only makes things worse!"

Tooth sighed "he'll turn up" she whispered, how many times had she said this? She was beginning to doubt her own words.

"What if he is hurt? Lost?"

"He is very independent, North."

"You know that is not entirely true! He acted it... but you remember he did not eat properly, he was covered in scars... he was... he was not looking after himself right, I don't want him to be like that again, even if just for small time."

"None of us do, North..."

"Don't tell me your talking 'bout Jack again?" Bunny said coming in though the door.

"What else are we supposed to talk about? Cookies?" North crossed his arms.

"Jack didn't like cookies too much" Bunny said leaning against a wall "his okay, trust me, he is strong."

"He is child!"

"Strong child."

"Still child."

"Perhaps... so what do you want to do, search again? He is a good hider."

"If it helps find him, I search hundred more times!" North shouted standing up to go to the sleigh.

"It's pointless, mate, kid wont be found if he doesn't want to be."

North sighed "but who knows how long it will be until he wants to be found..."

"I know... but you need to trust him, mate, Jack is not stupid."

"No... I'm just worried."

"We all are" Bunny said putting a paw on North's shoulder, he looked out the window and as he fought of Jack he sighed. He definitely was.

Author Note:

Sorry about the lack of things happening in this chapter...