Title-After the Dream

Summary- The one where Bunny thinks about what Jack told him after his nightmare. (continuation of "Dream of a Dream")

Characters- Jack Frost, Bunnymund

Rating-T

"If I'm so much of a child then where the hell were you all these years? Better question, where were you when I was mortal? I understand that I'm obnoxious and cause trouble, unfocused and stubborn, but what about when I was human? Where were you when my da started drinking? When I had to start working to feed my family? When he would yell at my sister and beat me? Where were you when our village was raided and we were left without a home or when the winter was too harsh and we nearly starved? Where were you then, when I was a mortal child? Because that's who you guard, isn't it, mortal children? Because you certainly never guarded me as an immortal."

After Jack fell back asleep, Bunny sat by the fire a short way away, the words from a few hours before replaying on a loop, time and again. The problem with Bunny was that once he connected Jack with Pippa, he remembered more than he cared.

Dear Easter Bunny-

I know you probably don't get many letters and honestly, I don't know why I'm writing to you, maybe I just want someone to listen because mom doesn't like talking about him or anything from that time and Harry is too young to know. I'm 16 years old now. Ten years ago, when I was six, my brother saved my life. I told Santa, but I wanted you to know as well. See, it's important to me that you know because he was the best person I ever met. He did everything, always, to protect me and be there for me. I remember the winter before he saved my life, we didn't have enough food. He didn't want me to worry and he gave me his share most days because I was still hungry. I know he used to sneak out at night to work for the baker or whoever else had a job for him. Then during the day he took care of the sheep or worked on the farm, but he still found time to tell stories, play, and make me laugh. Oh, how he made me laugh.

The point of this letter is that I know you are supposed to protect children, that's what he always told me. I know you have protected me and my little brother since he's been gone, but I want to ask you a favor. If you ever meet my brother, can you give him a hug for me, tell him thanks, and that I turned out fine? He may seem like an adult, but he's really just a kid. Oh, and don't feel bad about the hug, he's a really cuddly person, he just doesn't want people to know.

Love Always-

Pippa

Bunny never thought it was more than wishful thinking, a girl writing to tell him how much she missed her brother most likely off in a different town or something like that, at least, until he showed it to North and he told him that Pippa's brother died when he saved her life. Then he kept a closer watch on Pippa and Harry but never learned the name of her dead brother.

But now, sitting on the ground near the fire, his gaze lingered back over the winter spirit curled up in a tight ball near the window. With a soft sigh, he tossed a light blanket over the boy and ruffled his hair fondly, noting how, in his sleep, Jack leaned into the touch. Instead of moving away, Bunny took a seat next to him, hand still smoothing down the white locks absently.

Where were you when my da started drinking?

It was a valid question. Where had Bunny been when Jack had to deal with watching his father drink away the money they needed for food. Because Bunny wasn't paying attention, Jack had to work to get food, probably for years before his time. It made sense, he'd been put on the naughty list at age four for stealing and now Bunny realized he was just stealing to eat. Over the time Jack had been a Guardian, Bunny had read up a bit on him. Jack, it seemed, stayed on the naughty list until he was seven when, Bunny assumed, he started working and could buy food. But all that time, why had none of them questioned why a four year old would be stealing?

When he'd yell at my sister and beat me?

Jack, carefree, energetic, full of laughter Jack, where was he when he was being beaten by his own father? Bunny looked down at the sleeping child, how he leaned into the touch, was so trusting in sleep but never wanted to be handled while awake, and it all made sense. Looking down at how Jack had unconsciously scooted so his head was using Bunny's leg as a pillow.

"Bloody ankle biter," grumbled Bunny good naturedly.

He had failed the immortal child while he was human and then again when he become immortal, but he would not fail him again. From all Bunny had learned from losing his entire race, the greatest lesson was that he could get sucked into regrets if he allowed it or he could learn from it and make the future better. Bunny had the happy memories of his time to hold on to, to remind him that there was still good in the world. Jack didn't have that, he had always been alone or worse than alone when he was human. It was enough to make anyone go insane, but Jack had not. Jack, the Guardian of Fun, who ushered laughter and joy wherever he went, knew more hardship than Bunny, the last of his kind, but still he found a way to smile every day.

"What the hell is a lynching club?" mused Bunny, trying to distract from the less pleasant idea that Jack had never known love.

"It's just a way of saying spirits hate me," yawned Jack, turning over, eyes still closed, snuggling closer to Bunny, sleep making his filters off and guard low. "They think I'm trouble and death and they're not wrong. Winter kills people, but so does spring and summer and fall."

"Then why just hate you?"

"I'm an easy target. Bullies don't pick on people their own size, they go for the smaller ones, the ones that are alone, who no one will notice if they are hurt. Who better than the most invisible of them all?"

"Well, you're not such an easy target anymore, mate."

"That's right, because if we're both alone, we're together in that, that's what you said earlier."

Bunny didn't respond, continued to stroke the boy's hair, and they both settled back, eventually falling asleep.

*Request by Don't touch my Seaweed Brain.

Next one I am thinking either a fight of some sort (can't really decided who with) or Jack wants a pet. What think you?

Always-Ari