Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who has read, favorited, followed, and reviewed. It really means a lot to me. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own anything recognizable from Rise of the Guardians.

Departing Words

Rachel groans and rolls over as the insistent pounding on her door begins to give her a headache.

"Go away." She grumbles into her pillow.

"Rachel, I know you're in there! Come on, you haven't answered my texts in over a week. I just want to make sure you're still alive!" Cassie's voice is piercing through the walls and Rachel sighs, pushing herself up and out of bed. As she stands her legs nearly collapse underneath her and she grasps the headboard to stabilize herself. Jeez. It's like I'm an amateur all over again. Bunny had made it a point to spend many nights over at her apartment since her "wet dream" debacle. She wasn't really complaining, but the guy had so much stamina that it made her wonder just who the older person in their relationship was. She runs a hand through her hair, trying to pat the mess down as she goes to the front door of her apartment. When she finally opens the door she is nearly met with a fist in her face. Cassie pulls her hand back in surprise and glares at her. "Where have you been?" Then she looks her up and down and gasps. "Oh my God!"

"Get in here before you wake my neighbors, if you haven't done so already." Rachel rolls her eyes and waves the other girl inside. She walks in and Rachel closes the door behind her before facing her best friend. "Why are you here?"

"I haven't heard from you in forever. I got worried." Cassie crosses her arms in front of her and stares her down, taking in her ruffled hair and swollen lips. Rachel returns it full on, not the least bit ashamed.

"It's been eight days. I'm fine." She says, and Cassie huffs.

"So who's been fucking you this whole time, hm?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Rachel says, because she feels like annoying Cassie for waking her up so early. At that thought she glances at the clock on the wall and her eyes widen when she sees that it is past noon. Yeah, she needed to have a talk with Bunny about taking it easier on her. Maybe. Cassie uses her distraction as an advantage to push past her and rush into her bedroom. Rachel groans and follows slowly. She knows that Cassie will find nothing to hint at who her lover was. Bunny had left just before she fell asleep and even if he hadn't, Cassie wouldn't be able to see him. However, she had forgotten about the state of her room.

"Holy shit!" Cassie's eyes widen as she takes in the blankets thrown onto the ground and scattered pieces of material hanging off of the bed. She picks one up and Rachel identifies it as a piece of the skirt she had worn the day before. She had been furious with Bunny for tearing it, but the aftermath had made her completely forget about it. She snatches it from Cassie's hand and tosses it onto the floor to deal with later, her cheeks flushing. "No wonder you didn't want to answer my calls. Who is he?"

"You don't know him." Rachel says, studiously picking up the rest of the mess. Once she collects the leftovers of her skirt, she grabs the discarded sheets and throws them into the laundry hamper, making a note to clean them later.

"That's not what I asked. What's his name?" Rachel sighs and hesitates. She knew that this could happen. Cassie couldn't help herself. She was a woman on a mission when it came to gossip. It usually didn't bother Rachel so much, but in this case all she wanted to do was keep her relationship with Bunny a secret for multiple reasons. Firstly, she wouldn't believe her, so there was really no point. Second, it was just so special to her that she felt that telling anyone about it would make it seem less so. "Rachel, I'm not going to judge you. If it was that guy from the bar last month-"

"No, it's not him." Rachel hurries to correct her.

"Then, who? Come on Rach, I'm dying here." Cassie whines, and Rachel feels a little nagging of guilt. They'd always shared so much, and here she was keeping something huge from her. Still… "I'm your best friend. Please?"

"Cassie, I… I don't know. It's…" She sighs and considers how to word it. "He's different."

"What do you mean?" Her friend calms when she sees that Rachel will finally tell her who her new lover is.

"Um… well, you know the stories parents tell you about the Easter Bunny?" At Cassie's nod, she continues, taking a deep breath. "Well, he's sort of…" Just say it. "He's the Easter Bunny." Cassie stares at her for a moment.

"Are you trying to say that you guys role played and he pretended to be the Easter Bunny?" She snorts, waving it off. "That's not so bad, I had this one guy who-"

"No. No, there was no role playing. He is the Easter Bunny. You know, the one that delivers eggs and candy on Easter morning?" There is a moment of silence before Cassie laughs, and then when her voice is the only one that is heard, she slows and puts her hands on her hips.

"Come on, Rachel. Enough joking around. I want to know-"

"It's not a joke!" Rachel stands up from the bed, her voice defensive now. "Cassie, I'm serious."

"You're telling me that you actually screwed a rabbit? Rachel…"

"No. He's not a real rabbit. He-"

"You're not making any sense." Cassie says, her brow furrowing.

"Okay, look…" Rachel reaches into her closet and pulls out the most recent basket that Bunny had given her. It held some of the eggs that they had painted together, the colors bright and blending into swirls of pastels. "This is one of his baskets, alright? We painted these eggs together and he brought me some chocolate." She brings the truffles up for Cassie's inspection, but the other girl was looking at her with concern.

"Rachel, you can find those baskets in a convenience store. Maybe someone is playing a trick on you."

"No. He brought me this himself."

"How?"

"He creates tunnels to wherever he needs to go."

"Tunnels…" Cassie whispers, her eyes full of disbelief.

"Yes."

"What does he look like?" She asks, and Rachel instantly goes into her bedside drawer for the drawing she had done on the single night that he fell asleep before she did. She had used some chalk pastels to add the typical colors of Easter around his figure. He was sleeping peacefully, stretched out over her bed. Cassie stares at it for a moment before looking back up at Rachel. "Honey, this is like a weird human rabbit hybrid."

"Yes, I know. That's kind of what he is. He's Australian, too." As Cassie begins to shake her head Rachel knows that she is losing her. She doesn't believe her, and really why should she? A picture and a basket of eggs wasn't going to convince her that Rachel was in a relationship with Bunny, but she had a small hope that her best friend would believe her. "Cassie, I'm not making this up."

"Rachel, it's just not possible. Maybe you just got drunk and-"

"Damn it, Cassie, he isn't a drunken illusion!" Rachel yells, fed up. Cassie returns her glare and her voice rises in anger as well.

"What am I supposed to think? You sound crazy, Rachel!"

"Well I'm not. I'm telling the truth. You just refuse to believe me."

"Then show him to me! Go get him from whatever little hole he crawls out of!"

"Don't mock me. And don't insult him!"

"He's not real!"

"He is! And the very reason you wouldn't be able to meet him is because you don't believe. He's only visible to those who believe in him."

"Well isn't that convenient?" Cassie sneers.

"Get the fuck out of my apartment." Rachel snaps, turning her back on her and stalking in the hallway that leads to the front door.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me! Get out!" Rachel opens the door and Cassie slams it closed again.

"I'm just trying to figure out if you're either lying or flat out delusional."

"And that's why I want you to leave. You aren't trying to meet my new boyfriend, you're just trying to hurt my feelings."

"No, I'm not. Look, there is no such thing as the Easter Bunny okay, so whatever phase this is-"

"Cassie, I have been your friend for nearly a decade, but I swear if you don't stop-"

"Rachel, I…" Cassie's mouth hangs open and she shakes her head, looking lost. She stares down at the ground and sighs. "I just can't… there is no such thing…"

"There is. And I love him." Rachel says sternly.

"Rachel…"

"I love him."

x~x

Cassie meets her eyes and all she sees is determination and love for the one that she is convinced is real. It scares her, because even though she wants to believe her, it just doesn't make sense. She had believed in the Easter Bunny when she was a child, but she grew up. Now she wondered what had kept her best friend from doing the same. She just couldn't understand. Rachel is staring at the ground too, and it seemed as if they were at an impasse. Neither really wanted to hear what the other had to say anymore. And they had nothing to say themselves. Cassie watches Rachel wrap her arms around her stomach and the motion pulls the top of her shirt down a bit, exposing a defined reddened patch of skin. She stares at the hickey, and then looks back at Rachel's face. Her expression is stony, daring her to say anything. Whoever had put that pleasure bite there, she had no clue. But there seemed no point in trying to figure it out anymore.

"See ya, Rach." Is all she whispers before letting herself out, closing the door behind her softly. Before she even reaches her car there are tears making their way down her cheeks, and she brushes them away, a sob rising in her chest. She never expected to lose her best friend, especially in such a way as this. She wished she could turn back around and apologize, even try to really listen and believe what Rachel was saying. She just couldn't. She starts her car and with one last forlorn look at Rachel's apartment building, she pulls away, heading nowhere.

x~x

Rachel collapses into the chair in her kitchen, resting her elbows on the table and holding her head in her hands, feeling the tears begin. She wasn't sure what she was more upset about, losing her friend or the fact that her words had hurt so much. Her shoulders wrack with a strong sob, and she can almost feel Cassie doing the same.

They didn't talk to each other at all after that. Neither called or texted. They didn't show up at each other's homes and they didn't meet up at their usual hang outs. They had truly broken up. That was the hardest thing that Rachel had to face. It had happened to unexpectedly and so quickly. And she had never felt so alone.

x~x

Days later when she was just lying in her bed, her tears dampening her pillow, she faintly heard a sound coming from behind her. She sniffed, closing her eyes and continuing to wallow in her sadness, even as strong arms curled around her. They gently pushed her over on the bed so a body could settle behind her. Bunny held her close, nuzzling her neck and wrapping a leg around both of hers, attempting to heal her pain by his presence. However, he knew that it wouldn't do enough this time. He simply held her that night, feeling her shaking back against his chest and her sobs making his heart ache. He had to admit that he felt quite guilty, as he was the main reason that they had fought. He had considered forcing Cassie to believe in him so the girls could forgive each other, but that wouldn't take back the harsh words that were shared. It seemed that both girls knew that they had seen and heard from each other for the last time. Their deep friendship would soon be but a distant memory, and a lesson learned.

The only thing that made him feel better was when Rachel's crying died down and she turned around in his arms to face him, giving him a sad smile. He just waited until she moved closer and wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her face into his fur. It was only at that moment that he felt she would truly be okay…

Author's Note: I know, I know! It was short and there was virtually no Bunnymund. But just trust me, guys! There is a method to my madness, I promise you! And please don't hate Cassie. She's not a mean person. I just wanted to touch on a part of the movie that hit home for me: the fact that there is an expectation for us to give up on all wonder and magic when we grow up, and I think it's so unfortunate. There is also an upcoming plot twist that I need to prime you guys for... but we'll get to that later. Mwuahaha! Thanks for reading!