4 - 1
Jamie considered not telling him, but something in him was telling him that he could trust Jack. He had no reason to, but he found his feelings had never been wrong before... Well, here went nothing...
"I was in a room of some sort... a rabbit made of frost burst into snow and I... I was surprised to see you and... you seemed so excited when I said your name... when I confirmed that I could see you..." He trailed off, he understood now what he hadn't at the time the memory had taken place. Jamie was a spirit, he couldn't be seen by mortals; that was part of why Jack had been so excited, but... it felt like there was something more to it. Something he was missing.
"I remember that night. You were the first." He said, his tone still soft.
"The first human to see you?" Jamie asked quietly, his eyes going a little wide as Jack nodded.
"What... I mean.. do you remember anything of your life... before?" Jack seemed hesitant to ask.
"Jay!" A familiar voice calling forestalled any answer he might have given Jack. Jack was surprised when a black skinned spirit landed near the mouth of the cave, his brown eyes and hair were darker than Jamie's, but there was still hints of red though much darker than the highlights that shone in Jamie's hair. He was also older in appearance, looking like a fully grown adult dressed in a white T-shirt and khaki shorts.
"What are you doing out here J'mal?" Jamie asked.
"I came looking for you. Could ask you the same thing." His gaze flickered from Jamie to Jack.
"And with him." There was obvious disdain in the other spirit's voice. Jamie stepped between Jack and the other summer spirit instinctively.
"He stayed too long in the heat."
"You're too soft Jay. He could have froze you solid before you knew what to do." The other scoffed.
"Jack's not like that!" Jamie said, seeming just as surprised as his fellow summer spirit at the venom that was in his voice.
"Whoa ho, kiddo. No reason to get all steamed about it. I'm just worried about ya."
"Since when do you care?"
"You know Russ would have my hide if anything happened to you."
"If you know what's good for you then you won't mention this to anyone. Got that?" Jack just watched the two in silence. Obviously he'd missed a few things in the last ten years... but then again he'd been scouring the whole planet.
"Fine, but don't say I didn't warn you when you have to nurse frostbite." Jamie just sent the other a look that clearly said 'get out.' The other spirit held up his hands in surrender and left the two alone. Jamie's shoulders slumped a little with the absence of the other spirit. He turned back to Jack, ready to apologize for the interruption except that he found he really couldn't because he found that the winter spirit seemed to be scrutinizing him in a way that made him want to squirm.
"Who's Russ?"
"He's the Summer General, he found me after I woke up in the... in your forest."
"So... you go by Jay now?" Jamie shrugged.
"It's a nickname that stuck when I was still learning the ropes."
"I still like Jamie better." He wasn't sure if it was the way Jack said it, or that he'd said it at all, that had a pleasant chill running up his spine. There was something in the other spirit's eyes that made him think that Jack knew a great deal more than he was saying... and that what he knew was about Jamie himself.
"Er... to answer your question... I remember being a teenage human, I remember swimming in the pond in the forest. That's really all I remember. Next thing I knew was a flash of pain, and darkness and then... I woke up in the forest next to the pond." He fumbled a little before the last words left his mouth as he saw guilt flash into the eyes of the winter spirit.
"I... I'm so sorry Jamie..." Jack glanced away then, but the intense guilt was written all over the spirit's face. Jamie felt his heart lurch. What was that about? He hadn't known the other teen more than ten minutes and already he was getting strange feelings around him.
"Why?" The word slipped out softly before he could stop it.
"I.. I should have kept the pond frozen... If I had then you wouldn't have died." Jamie's eyebrows rose.
"You... you think... you think my death is your fault?" He stammered in shock over the words. Jack only nodded. Jamie was silent for a long moment.
"You shouldn't blame yourself. It wasn't your fault. No one was at fault." He said finally.
"But I-" Jack began.
"No Jack." The words were said so firmly and forcefully that Jack whipped his head around to meet Jamie's eyes.
"I might not know exactly how I died, but I know that you weren't there. You didn't cause my death. You weren't even indirectly involved it in. It was full blown summer when I died. You had nothing to do with it and I am not going to let you blame yourself for this." Jamie wasn't sure why he seemed so adamant about it, why the thought that Jack was trying to take the blame made him both angry and hurt at the same time.
"Jamie... I..." Jack fumbled for the words, a little shocked that Jamie seemed so passionate about this and the boy didn't even know who he was! He didn't know that Jack loved him or that...
"Jackson Overland Frost, I will not have you taking the blame for this!" Jack just stared. It had been centuries since anyone had used his full name... and with such fierceness. Jack was at a loss then, sinking deeper into the snow that had been piled on him. He glanced away, a soft blush tinging his cheeks, but he made no more protest. Jamie seemed content then and settled down a few feet away. Now that he'd seemed to get his point across, he found it curious he'd seemed to know the other spirit's full name. How had he known? Jack certainly hadn't told him, had someone else? He tried to think back only to fail to figure it out.
Lost to his thoughts, he was unaware that he was beginning to nod off as the cold began to seep into him. He closed his eyes for only a moment, darkness stealing over him. When he awoke again he found himself next to the fire. Jamie rubbed his eyes in confusion for a moment. He didn't remember going back to the fire, that's when he noticed Jack was leaning back against the cavern wall nearby. The firelight playing across his pale features. Jamie noticed Jack seemed to be staring off at the other wall, lost in thought apparently. Not moving, the summer spirit couldn't help but take the opportunity to appreciate the long limbs of the winter spirit. Jack might be cooler in temperature, he wagered, but that didn't mean he wasn't good looking. Jamie stared unabashedly until his thoughts began to take a turn he didn't think that they should and he shifted his gaze to the fire as his bronze skin flushed. Had he seriously just thought a moment ago about what it'd be like to slide his hands beneath Jack's hoodie? They'd just met by the moon! What could possess him to think such thoughts? Then again he'd been having strange feelings around Jack since he'd noticed the winter spirit near the pond. Jamie groaned inwardly. This was really turning out to be a strange day. Jamie wondered why it was he felt so comfortable with the winter spirit when he had trouble just making friends the first month with other summer spirits. He nearly groaned as a group of summer spirits landed at the mouth of the cave; one of which was a darker bronze than he was, the woman had blonde hair and a fairly big chest, she gave Jamie a flirtatious smile and it took all he had not to just groan. In fact, the whole group were nothing but beautiful ladies, all had various shades of tanned skin. Jack's eyes went wide as he watched the blonde walk towards Jamie with a swagger that told him she was the "alpha" of the group and she only had eyes for Jamie. Her deep blue eyes sparkled like sapphires as she moved towards Jamie, unlike the male who'd been there earlier, this woman wore a low cut halter top that teasingly displayed her bust modestly and the black shorts she wore were snug on her hips, and the halter top was too short to cover all of her mid-drift. Flashing a tiny line of skin as she walked. The other girls were also varying shades of blondes with either brown or blue eyes, but nothing like this girl's or anywhere the shade of Jack's. Mostly a dark blue, Jack was reminded of the "popular girls" he'd once seen Jamie talking to at his high school. That had been years ago and Jamie had never shown any interest in girls. Who was this girl who was walking towards Jamie like she knew him?
"Hello Sabrina." Jamie said, the subtle flatness in his tone told Jack that he had no real like for this girl. Who was batting her eyes at Jamie.
"I told you Jay-Jay to call me Brina." Jack frowned as one of Jamie's hands clenched.
"And I told you I HATE being called that." The way he ground the words out let Jack know that he didn't just hate it... He loathed it.
"Well what else am I supposed to call you? You didn't like Jaybear." She pouted. Jack shot to his feet, he moved to hover behind the teen possessively, his eyes darkening. How DARE she! Jamie was HIS!
"Back off." Jack all but snarled. Jamie blinked and glanced over at Jack, feeling a surge of surprise and ... was that delight? at the way Jack was all but bristling at the girl before him.
"What's this got to do with you Frosty?" Jack's eyes narrowed at the name.
"More than you know Tizzy." The girl's expression became dangerous at that, her eyes hardened as she glared at Jack.
"You want to melt?" Her tone was pleasant but she had raised a hand. Before she could do more she yelped as a jolt of ice ran along her skin from head to toe and she let out a frustrated sound, but Jack had already leapt between the two; his staff crackling with ice lightning.
"Consider that a WARNING shot." Sabrina melted the frost off her skin, narrowing her eyes at Jack further.
"Don't push it blondy. I'm not a Guardian for nothing." He all but growled at the girl who huffed, dripping with water now.
"Fine..." She turned from Jack to look at Jamie, her eyes softening then.
"When you're done playing with winter and want a REAL good time, look me up Jamie." With that, she flounced out; the other summer spirits, who had been just watching with jaws dropped, scrambled after her now. Jamie stared after them, not sure what he felt more... surprise at the way Jack had chased the other spirits off or pure delight that the Guardian of Fun, of fun, had come to his defense against a girl he'd been trying to chase off since she'd set eyes on him. Once he was sure that they were gone, Jamie sat down and suddenly burst into a fit of giggles, oblivious of the odd look he was getting from Jack who had suddenly realized he might have crossed some line with that little display. Jamie didn't remember him, didn't remember the nights they had shared in each other's arms or even that he and Jack had been friends since he was eight... He couldn't help it though, Jamie had seemed so... helpless against fending the girl's affections off without actually offending the girl. Well, the kid had always had too good of a heart to really be mean, but Jack considered Jamie his. No one was going to get close to Jamie if he could help it. He felt relieved though that Jamie didn't seem at all angry at his... well, the only word he could think of then to describe it was peacocking. Then again, he had claimed Jamie years ago and though the teen spirit didn't remember their time together he had a feeling that his friend was right, it wouldn't be too hard to make him fall in love with Jack all over again. All he needed was a chance and he wasn't going to give anyone else a chance to try their luck. He waited patiently with a small smile on his features as Jamie's laughter finally subsided.
"Ah... glad to see you enjoyed that. I was afraid I... uh..." Jack began, fumbling a little as he wasn't sure he should really explain; at least not yet. Relief coursed through him though as Jamie grinned at him.
"Are you kidding? I have been TRYING to get that girl off my case for two years now!" Jack blinked.
"Seriously?" Jamie nodded.
"I owe you one Jack." Jack smiled, shaking his head.
"Don't worry about it, what are friends for after all?" Jamie blinked at that.
"Are we friends?"
"Ah... well... I think a visit to Tooth is in order."
"The Tooth Fairy?" Jack nodded.
"She would have ... well most of your memories. You and I have been friends a long time." Jamie frowned thoughtfully before giving Jack an apologetic look.
"Sorry, I don't remember." Jack just smiled.
4 - 2
"You will, no worries Jamie. Come on, we should go before it gets dark and she gets super busy." Jamie nodded and followed Jack from the cavern after Jack had made sure the fire was out by freezing the wood after Jamie had pulled the heat from. It was a strange sight for him, watching Jamie utilize his powers as if he'd been born with them, but then again this was Jamie after all.
"Jack!" Tooth flew at him, laughing happily as she hugged him briefly before letting him go.
"And I see you brought a friend!" Jamie watched from a few feet away, feeling like he was intruding and yet at the same time felt that he'd seen this all before... somewhere... but where and when he couldn't recall.
"Um... Tooth... could you fetch Jamie's teeth." Tooth's eyes widened a little.
"Jack..." Jack smiled and shook his head then jerked his head back at Jamie.
"It's him. I'm certain, but he doesn't remember." Her eyes widened even more as she left Jack's side as she zipped over to Jamie quickly, flitting around him and assessing the young teen who tried to follow her movements by twisting about. She stopped a moment to hover in front of the youth then looked over at Jack, something of uncertain belief in her magenta eyes.
Jamie wasn't sure what to make of the bird-like woman who didn't seem to have a shy bone in her body. Her wings beating so fast, like that of a humming bird. Several mini fairies were darting about and one flew over to Jack, chirping happily.
"Hey Baby Tooth." He replied with a smile and she seemed to chirp happily and settle on his shoulder as if she had always done so. Jack didn't seem to notice as his eyes met Tooth's.
"Are you sure?" Tooth asked.
"I am." With those words, Tooth shot off and Jamie gave Jack a puzzled look.
"What was that about?" He nearly retracted the words when he saw the sadness in Jack's eyes.
"She was just worried for me. Jamie... it's been eleven years since... since that time. I've... spent so much time looking for you..." He trailed off, his voice soft. Jamie stared. Jack had been looking... for him? Why? The unspoken question was in his eyes, but Jack only smiled, his gaze shifting back to Tooth who had returned with the golden cylinder in her hands. She fluttered over to Jamie and held out the tube towards him.
"If... if this really holds your memories, then all you have to do to see them is put your fingers on the top." Jamie carefully took the cylinder from her, looking it over in curiosity; the face of the boy at one end was smiling at him with brown hair and eyes. It wasn't a true representation as it was a drawing rather than a real picture, but he hoped that these were his missing memories. Taking a deep breath he placed the fingers of his right hand along the colorful flat surface; it was warm, just as the temperature around him was, he blinked as he found his vision suddenly blurred as he saw a boy laughing with a young blonde girl who hopped about and others that he barely recognized by name, but they came to him swiftly. They were his friends. The scene shifted to a snowball fight and he didn't see Jack, but just a snowball that seemed to come out of nowhere and hit him... starting the snowball fight with his friends and then a known bully... who had been hit by a snowball that hadn't come from one of his friends; he'd cringed beneath her anger until she'd begun laughing and chasing him and the others. He watched as his younger self slipped and fell onto the sled he'd been carrying.
He remembered the fear only for that fear to become a thrill as the ice weaved him in and out of traffic. He'd enjoyed the wild ride, unaware of the winter spirit who was keeping him safe. He hit a ramp and flew into a pile of snow safely, he talked excitedly as his friends caught up with him and then he was hit by a couch. Holding up a tooth he began to excitedly talk about getting money from the Tooth Fairy and the scene shifted then to him sitting in his bedroom. He heard the doubt in his young voice as he pleaded with his stuffed rabbit for a sign that the Easter Bunny was real... then his surprise at seeing the image of an Easter Egg in the frost followed by a rabbit that then came to life and ran about his room while he jumped up to try and touch it, giggling. It burst into snow when he finally touched it. He saw himself as he tried to figure out why the rabbit would make it snow... how he realized it was Jack Frost who was likely responsible and watched as his younger self turned about to gape at the winter spirit who laughed with excitement after Jamie had confirmed that he could hear and see him. The scene shifted then to Jamie standing with the other Guardians, facing a huge storm of Nightmares and their king, Pitch Black.
"Don't worry mate, we'll protect ya." Bunny said, despite being just a tiny rabbit in North's palm.
"Aww... you'll protect them? But who will protect you?" Pitch asked, seeming so confident as he glared at his foes and the children. Jack was about to step forward, a look passing between Jack and North, but Jamie watched with pride as his younger self stepped forward.
"I will." He stood next to Jack and was shortly followed by his friends who also echoed his words.
"Still think there's no such thing as the Boogeyman?" Pitch taunted, but Jamie shook his head, a look of fierce determination in his eyes.
"I do believe in you, I'm just not afraid of you!" He heard himself proclaim boldly. He held out a hand before him as the Nightmares rained down on them only to be turned into golden sand. The fight seemed over in minutes as the children ran about attacking Nightmares along side the revitalized Guardians and the Sandman reappeared to take Pitch down with little trouble. The scene then shifted to the pond, where North and the other Guardians were looking at Jack who stood before them; a yeti handing North a rather large book as the stone egg sentinels, elves and eggs gathered around behind him with the children.
"Are you ready now Jack? To make it official." Jamie couldn't see Jack's face, but he was sure that it was encouraging as North began.
"Will you, Jack Frost, vow to watch over the children of the world? To guard them with your life, their hopes and dreams for they are all that we have, all that we are and all that we will ever be?" Jack glanced back at him and the young Jamie nodded encouragingly with a smile. Jack turned back to North after giving him a smile.
"I will."
"Then, congratulations Jack Frost for you are now, and forevermore a Guardian." The children cheered. The scene shifted then to one that was a little mystifying to Jamie. He was standing with Jack in his living room, a bandage on his face. He watched as his fourteen year old self blushed when Jack pressed his lips to the bandage.
"So you won't have to feel the pain, it's better... right?" Jack asked as the boy just stared at him wide-eyed. The feelings of that memory hit Jamie like ice water and he blinked a little, staring now at the gold cylinder. That was the last memory that it gave up; he couldn't meet Jack's eyes. The feelings of that last memory were... more than just friendship, more than he might have ever admitted to the winter spirit, but he found that the feelings weren't foreign, rather they seemed a lot stronger... Whatever he'd felt then, he felt more than that now. There was no way he'd be able to look at Jack now, too afraid of the feelings would show in his eyes.
4 - 3
Instead, when he looked up his gaze went to Tooth.
"Tooth... I.. remember my childhood... but I feel like I'm still missing a lot..." She gave him a sad smile.
"I'm sorry Jamie, but the teeth only hold the most important memories of childhood. Adults don't lose teeth like children do, so I can only show you those. Any other memory would have to be recovered some other way. Perhaps North would know." Jamie nodded thoughtfully, how was he supposed to meet Jack's eyes after what he'd seen? He closed his eyes a moment, as if he could feel the cold lips on his cheek easing away the pain of the bruise beneath. He hoped his cheeks weren't flushed now as they had then, his heart was pounding in his chest now and suddenly all the things he had felt around Jack made sense. He was in love with his childhood best friend; the one who had been his hero since that fight with Pitch. There was still that gap in his memory... did Jack know how he felt? Did... could Jack love him in return? Jamie still didn't look at Jack as doubts nagged at his mind as he handed Tooth the cylinder back that held his teeth. She smiled a little, she was just as he remembered from his childhood. Beautiful and caring, she hugged him and he readily returned it.
"It's good to see you Jamie. I'm so happy you're here! Oh... North will be tickled!" Jamie could only smile. Taking a deep breath, and trying hard to keep his thoughts innocent, he turned to Jack. He felt his breath hitch when he saw the hope that was shining in the other's eyes if only for a moment; did Jack suspect that he had regained a memory of his feelings for the winter spirit? The hope seemed to disappear after a moment though Jack was still smiling at him.
"Well, you heard her. Let's go see North." Jamie nodded and with a smile to Tooth, the two of them were off while she went back to work. Jamie followed the winter spirit, fighting with his own mind; trying to keep his thoughts from wandering towards anything that would cause him to blush. Although he was sort of losing that battle as he felt his cheeks heat just at the view he had of the spirit and he felt an urge to just find a private spot where the two of them could... get reaquainted with each other. Jamie felt his cheeks flame at the thought and he ruthlessly shoved the thought away. That wasn't right! Jack, he reasoned, was different and so was he. The years apart, particularly without Jamie having his memories, had changed them both. Jamie pulled as much warm around him as he could as they soared into the colder regions that made up the North Pole. He felt the chill against his skin and he couldn't help the shiver, but it wasn't just because of the cold and he knew it, but he wasn't going to admit it. Keeping his thoughts in check, he followed Jack through a window and couldn't help but marvel at the scenery around him as if he were seeing it for the first time.
He knew he'd been here before, and with Jack; the memory of being here for his birthday surfaced without too much effort. Even so, wonder still shone through his eyes as if he was that child again. He still marveled that yetis were the ones responsible for all the toys, that the toys that could fly were zipping about the place and elves were just running about either delivering cookies or drinks or just getting in the way. He nearly laughed as he saw that one elf had decked out a fellow elf in tinsel and garland with an expression that was much like the one he saw on that of the yetis. One of concentration, as if their little "project" would ever be seriously considered. Jamie landed behind Jack and when a yeti garbled at him for landing too close to him, the summer spirit stumbled to get out of the way and tumbled into Jack who windmilled to keep both of them upright. When he managed it he turned to Jamie.
"You okay?"
"Yeah... um, sorry." Jamie felt his cheeks heating up. He rubbed the back of his neck even as Jack just smiled.
"Don't worry about it. Come on, I'm betting North is in his office." Jamie said nothing, following Jack and trying hard not to imagine what it would be like to have his hands on Jack's bottom, to feel the other's cool skin beneath his fingers. He suddenly wondered, as they drew close to the office, if he'd had such thoughts before from the time between his fourteen year old self and the time that had led to his death. Jack knocked on the door.
"Come!" Came the call and Jack opened the door. North was hunched over a chunk of ice, tapping out details on the figure of an angel. He put his tools down and swiveled in the chair, a smile stretching across the Russian's features when he saw Jack.
"Jack! Good to see you! Who is friend?"
"North, you remember Jamie don't you?" North's eyes widened slightly as he took in Jamie's appearance but then smiled happily.
"Don't say! Little Jamie! What a surprise! You grow so much since last I see you! What brings you here?"
"Um... well Tooth said you might be able to help me recover some of my other memories... from after I lost my last tooth... I'm guessing." North became pensive for a moment. Rubbing his chin as he looked at Jamie. Is little odd, seeing Jamie as spirit, but for Jack's sake... this is best. Manny knows what he's doing. No surprise though, boy was so much like Guardian last I saw of him. North had talked to Manny and had known that Jamie would become a spirit but Manny had sworn him to silence. The reason of that had escaped him nor had Manny explained any reason for it.
He had grieved for the boy, with the other Guardians, but he had known that it would happen if not the how. Manny had only said that Jamie would join them when the time was right. North had wondered if that meant he would be a Guardian, for now though Manny had been silent and had not announced Jamie as a new Guardian, but it was obvious that the boy before him was a summer spirit. He wondered if that would cause complications between the two, but he knew that Jack would likely find a way around anything that became a problem. He always had before. Heck, the little rascal had been dodging the rules when it came to Jamie. North had seen their friendship bloom into something more serious and had known that the boy's death had not just made Jack sad, it had utterly crushed his spirit and Jack hadn't been the same sense. He had persisted in looking for Jamie after he'd been away from the pole, for reasons he had not given, and it seemed that he finally had indeed found him.
"Hmmm, perhaps we find something to help, no?" Jamie nodded. Jack was silent himself and North said nothing of it, so used to the winter spirit's silence now. It still pained him to think that Jack was less of the joyful child he'd been when North had Bunny fetch him those years ago when Jack was to first join the Guardians. The years had worn on the boy, he was still only a teenager; he had never done anything to deserve the pain that North knew that he had suffered. He had long since made peace with his own blindness in the 300 years that Jack had been alone. Jack was like a son to him, had been since that first moment that he had sat down with their youngest member to talk with him when the boy had been grieving over Sandy and lamenting about not doing enough. That had been only the first of such talks that he'd had over the last several years with Jack; the boy had slowly begun to open up to him and the other Guardians and though Jack and Bunny still ribbed each other with the same "insults" they'd always used since that fateful year twenty years ago, there was no longer any real anger or malice behind the words. Bunny and Jack were like brothers, Jack had always been close to Sandy and with Tooth... well he wasn't sure if Tooth was like a mother or an older sister to the winter spirit; either way, he'd come to be close to her as well.
After the first few months of Jack's consistent moping and dark moods, the other Guardians had intervened in their own ways. Each one of them had a story to tell him, of someone they had come to grow close to and had lost along the way. They knew that it wasn't the same as losing someone as close as Jack had been to Jamie, but each had made their point. Jack had been the most surprised by Bunnymund, who had seemed more subdued around the winter spirit and had kept his temper in check more often than not. Jack shook away the thoughts though as he and Jamie followed North to the vast library on the lowest level of the workshop. It didn't look to be a huge room from the outside, but inside there were thousands upon thousands of books. The two teen spirits couldn't help but marvel at the enormity of it all as North moved towards a ladder and climbed up several stories before seeming to stop to thumb through a few of the books on the shelf. The two could only watch and wait as the Guardian of Wonder pulled a few books from the shelf only to give the shelf a shove to send the ladder sliding across the floor.
"Jack, give me hand no?" Jack instantly flew to North's side to rid him of a few books that the other Guardian had and set them down on a small table he noticed off to one side with several cushioned chairs. All the chairs in this room were cushioned for maximum comfort. The books piled up a little and by the time North had finally come down from the ladder he'd had at least ten different books.
"If there be something, it be in one of these." North gestured and the three of them settled down in chairs around the table to flip through the various books North had retrieved. The one that Jack had picked up seemed to be full of all sorts of spells; everything from healing a cut to whipping up a mighty blizzard. The winter spirit was tempted to try a few out but remembering the task at hand he brushed aside the thoughts and continued to flip through the book with renewed determination. This was about Jamie.