And now you get an early posting, by a few hours.

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Part 7: Twenty-Six

It was a beautiful day in November: not too cold or too hot, which was good because the wedding was taking place outside. The temperature dropped every day, a warning that winter was coming. Everyone was wearing long sleeves and pants or skirts, except Aunt Janine who was sleeveless.

Jamie looked in the mirror, adjusting his red bowtie for the hundredth time. A taller male with blonde hair in a boyish cut came up behind him and grabbed his wrists, pulling his hands away from the tie before he could ruin it.

He laughed, rich and deep. "Calm down, Jamie. You look like a rabbit about to run."

Jamie didn't even try to pull himself free. He sighed. "I know. I know. I'm just so...nervous."

His wrists were released and the other, younger man backed off. His tux resembled Jamie's, chocolate brown and fitted with a red bowtie and a warm yellow baby carnation boutonniere. The only difference in their suits was that the other man had a matching red vest and Jamie did not.

"You'd think you were the one getting married," the younger male joked and fiddled with his cufflinks.

"Maybe," Jamie agreed, "but it's my little sister's wedding, and that's just as nerve wracking."

The blonde shook his head. "It's my wedding too."

"I know that, Mitch, but you're not my sister," Jamie teased.

"Good thing too, or this would be a really awkward wedding," a familiar voice added.

Jamie looked around the room quickly, but he, Mitch, and Mitch's best friend Garrett were the only people in sight. A frown tugged his lips down. He knew he'd heard Jack's voice...

There was a knock at the door and then Mr. Arthur Bennett poked his head in. All eyes turned to him. "Time to go, boys."

The wedding was perfect. Sophie's theme for the wedding was 'warmth' and she'd pulled it off beautifully. The bridesmaids wore long, slimming red dresses with chocolate brown accents. The bouquet was made up of yellow roses, carnations, and orchids. They were all different shades of yellow, but they made an attractive collection. Like the outfits, the wedding was decorated in chocolate browns, warm reds, and summer yellows. It felt like a mixture between autumn and summer.

Jamie cried during the ceremony, but he stood tall and kept quiet while he did. Sophie looked so beautiful and so happy. She even teared up herself during Mitchell's vows, a wide open smile on her face. It was all Jamie had ever wanted for his dear little sister.

Any thoughts of Jack Frost had vanished from his mind, at least until Sophie and Mitchell shared their first kiss as husband and wife. There was a soft gasp from someone gathered before the pair, Jamie wasn't sure who. The newlyweds pulled back, still beaming. Sophie lowered her eyes to look at the ring on her finger and caught sight of her bouquet.

Every flower was frosted.

It wasn't enough to kill the flowers outright, but it made them glitter in the afternoon light. Sophie's smile turned back up a few watts and she looked over Mitchell's shoulder at her brother. She didn't say anything until everyone was heading inside for the reception, though. Then she let go of her husband for a moment and grabbed hold of her older sibling.

"Did you see? Did you see my bouquet?" she asked excitedly, holding the flowers up for Jamie to see the intricate frost patterns. They were beginning to melt.

He nodded. "It's amazing." He smiled at her. "Looks like Jack Frost kissed the bride."

Sophie giggled and smacked Jamie on the arm. "You always say the funniest things!" She placed her hands on her hips and gave him a mock glare. "Just remember: I'd better get a dance with you later. No chickening out!"

Jamie laughed quietly and nodded. "Of course. Anything on your big day."

He watched her take her seat with a twinge of sorrow. Sophie believed in the Guardians right up until she graduated high school. When she hit the 'real world,' it was like her belief was sucked out of her. She still loved Easter most of all, and she loved fairy tales. But that's all they were to her now: fairy tales. Mitchell was her prince and she was his princess.

Thinking of people forgetting made Jamie remember the day he'd called up Claude and found out that neither of the brothers still believed. It was mid-July and the old group was supposed to get together and hang out. It was a painful afternoon for Jamie, pretending one of the best nights of his life never happened.

Jamie shook his head to clear it of those morose thoughts. This was his little sister's wedding! It was a happy occasion! He took his seat at the front table with the rest of the wedding party and got ready to make his speech.

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Once the dancing was in full swing and the cake had been passed out, Jamie slipped outside. Almost as soon as he was out of view of the reception hall, he heard, "I'd throw a snowball in greeting, but I'm thinking your suit wouldn't like that."

"Jack," Jamie said, placing his hands on his hips and turning around, "I'm the Best Man."

The spirit of winter dropped down from seemingly nowhere, his staff in his right hand. "Exactly my point. And wow, have you gotten taller since I last saw you? You giant!"

The human male laughed. "Not even. Now Mitchell, he's a giant."

Jack leaned on his staff and grinned. "A giant teddy bear maybe. I think North hands out his brothers and sisters to kids on Christmas."

There was silence for a moment, wherein both males just grinned stupidly at each other. Then Jamie snapped his fingers.

"That was really cool, what you did with the flowers. Sophie liked it," he said.

Jack switched his staff back and forth between his hands. "I wanted to contribute. She's a good girl. Bunny misses her." He looked at Jamie through his bangs. "If you got married, I'd be there too."

But not as the man of the hour. Jamie resisted a frown.

He wanted forever with someone, but none of his boyfriends had been that someone. He'd been cheated on by two of them. One thought he was too young, another too old (though the age gap had been only two years). One was really really vain. None of them had believed in the Guardians, but that was fine. They were adults. None of them had ever believed in Jack Frost.

"I'll get married barefoot in the snow," he said softly after a short pause. "There had better be frost on every glass surface, and I want it to start snowing right when I kiss my new husband. Got that, Frost?"

A nod. "Absolutely."

Jamie nodded to, as if sealing a deal. He stared into Jack's blue eyes for a long while in silence. In those eyes he saw the constant spark of fun, but also nerves. Jamie was twenty-six. He'd lasted this long still maintaining his belief in the Guardians, but how much longer? Was that what Jack was thinking? He thought of it himself all the time. Would he wake up one day just not believing?

"Um," Jamie started, then cleared his throat. He motioned back toward the reception hall. "Mitchell has a thirteen year old sister, and there are a bunch of little cousins running around, if you want to go spread some fun?"

That brought a bright smile to Jack's face and cleared the nerves from his gaze. "Of course! It's always a good time to have some fun. Come on." He motioned for Jamie to follow and then zipped off toward the door, brushing his hand over Jamie's shoulder as he went.

The brunette took a deep breath, shutting his eyes for a moment. God, he still loved that spirit. Even eight years later, when even if Jack was human it would seem wrong. But even just that brush made his heart flutter. Hearing his voice made it soar. Jamie was hopelessly besotted. No one would ever compare to the spirit of winter.

"Jamie!" Jack called out.

With a shake of his head, Jamie opened his eyes. There would be time to consider these feelings later, after Jack was gone. Right now he wanted to spend all the time he could with his friend, his sister, and their families. He turned around and followed the Guardian inside. There was bound to be some chaos in a few minutes and he wouldn't miss it for the world.

As predicted, Jack started mischief from the moment he was inside. He made frost patterns on the cups of the children to sneakily get their attention, led them in a conga line like dance all around the room, and kept them giggling and entertained for a long while.

The chaos began when Jack made a small patch of ice on the dance floor. It was very little, but large enough to slip on. People slid all over, turning smooth dances into wild thrashing. The flailing made everyone, even most of the adults, chuckle. The only person who did fall, however, crashed into another person, who tried to catch them self on a nearby table, knocking over a wine glass which landed in the lap of a young woman, who screeched and waved her arms around, smacking her boyfriend in the face and making him stand up abruptly, right into a server walking by with slices of cake for the guests, sending cake flying onto the people nearest. Jamie's snort was lost in the cheers and giggles of the children around the room, but he thought maybe Jack heard it anyway, even over his own laughter.