Alright guys, here's the next chapter for my story… Jack is finally up on his feet again and all of the guardians are together again… YAY! And also in this chapter, you not only get another Jack and Tooth kiss, but you also get to see the true power of Rose's healing abilities that will help them all later in the story! I hope you enjoy!
*A/N… The song that Rose sings is actually "The Healing Incarnation" from Tangled, only it's actually in Latin… What can I say; it works as a healing song and I'm a HUGE Disney Fanatic!
The sun crept into Jack's room as he awoke the next morning, feeling cold and healthy. He noticed that Tooth wasn't with him as he glanced around the colorful room. He swung his numb legs over the side of the bed and sat up; revealing that his left arm and torso were bare and the bandages had been removed. Jack had no idea how he could have stayed asleep as Tooth unwrapped the bandages from his back, but hey, she is the Tooth Fairy… Slipping teeth out from under pillows without waking the children was like a second nature to her. He grabbed for his frosted hoodie off the nightstand and pulled it on over his head as he stretching his arms sleepily. He reached for his staff resting on the nightstand and held it as he slowly raised himself off the bed. He gripped the staff tightly and using it as his body support, slowly began limping his way to the door.
Once he made it out into the hallway, it was empty. He didn't know where to look for Tooth or Rose, so bracing himself with his staff, he decided to follow the corridor leading from his room. The entire hallway looked like a kaleidoscope; every inch of it decorated with every color of the rainbow along with mirrors and murals of all the different children's memories. Jack stared in awe at the paintings as he limped past them. Eventually, he ended up on some kind of balcony overviewing the beautiful Asian sun.
"Jack Frost," a familiar, thick accent shouted joyously as it approached behind him.
Jack smile and turned to see North standing before him, followed by Sandy, Bunny, Tooth, and finally Rose.
"North! I've missed you big guy," Jack laughed as North hugged him strongly.
Sandy smiled to Jack as he pointed to the golden sand forming a heart over his head.
"Awww Sandy," Jack smiled to the small guardian, "I missed you too, little buddy!"
Rose gracefully walked towards Jack, feeling his icy cold forehead, "Goodness, you're dropping temperature quickly! You're getting icier to the touch, Frost head," Rose laughed as she playfully ran her fingers through Jack's snowy hair.
"I'll take your word for it, Tree Hugger," Jack joked as he wrapped his arms around her, hugging her in thanks for her medical healing.
"How you feelin', mate?" Bunny asked as he hopped up to him and wrapped his furry arm around Rose's shoulder.
"I'm feeling alright, Cotton Tail. My back's a little sore but I'll survive. And you?"
"Ah, a few scratches here and there from those bloody fearlings, but other than that no worries," He grinned as he and Rose made room for Tooth, who flew frantically towards Jack, picking him up off the ground and hugging him tightly, "Jack! You're finally back on your feet again," She squealed as she set him down and caressed his face as she kissed him, not caring if the other guardians were watching.
Strangely though, they didn't seem surprised as they broke apart smiling at each other. They must have known that they both had feeling for each other, and now was just the right time and place to display them publicly. Bunnymund smiled as he pulled Rose in closer to him, hugging her. North nodded approvingly to the couple as Sandy created another golden heart with an arrow shooting through it.
Tooth sheepishly backed away from Jack as he leaned on his staff for support. Jack's back began to sting as a searing fire crept over the wound. It reminded him of the battle fought only days ago; the arrow piercing him, feeling nothing but the shattering of his body as he fell to the Earth, the dark, shadowy puppet master laughing menacingly.
Jack couldn't keep quiet anymore, "What happened to Pitch after I fell?"
An uneasy silence fell over the Guardians.
"Pitch disappeared after I shot you," Rose whimpered, "He let go of his hold on me and just vanished with his fearlings!"
"He must have thought that he had gotten the job done," Tooth said sadly, bowing her head.
"Cowardly Bastard," Bunny muttered angrily under his breath.
Jack gripped his side painfully as he slid down his staff; just talking about the Nightmare King stung and burned his back, almost like he was there watching him in the shadows.
Rose immediately ran to Jack as he cringed in pain on the marble ground.
"Jack? Jack, what's wrong?" She asked as she knelt down with him, trying to meet his icy blue eyes.
"M-my back… It's stinging," Jack sputtered as he clawed at the wound.
Rose quickly lied Jack on his stomach and lifted his frosted hoodie, revealing dark sand weaving and dancing in and out of the wound.
"Oh my god!"
Rose quickly grabbed Jack's hand and placed the other over the black, writhing wound and began to sing her beautiful Latin lullaby…
Flos mico quod ferveo
Ablocare tui facultas fulgeo
Planto occasus horas reversus
Adducere rursus quisnam olim labellum mei
Valetudo quisnam emptio relictus vulnero
Abeo occasus quas intention
Servo quisnam emptio relictus defluo
Adducere rursus quisnam olim labellum mei
Quisnam olim labellum mei…
Sparkling, emerald green sand washed over Jack's blackened wound from her dainty hand as she finished her lovely lullaby. Jack stopped cringing in pain and relaxed as the black sand disappeared. Everyone looked in awe at the woodland sprite as she helped Jack to his feet. None of the guardians had ever actually seen Rose perform her healing magic except Tooth, and they were amazed by her ability.
"What?" Rose questioned the Guardians as she supported Jack.
"Rose… You can control the sand too?" Bunny asked hopping forward.
"Yes, but it's not dream sand like yours," she explained nodding toward Sandy, "It's my healing sand. It's what I've been using to help with Jack's wounds. It's why he's recovered so quickly and the bones in his arm have mended already!"
"That's incredible," Jack chimed as he braced his body on his staff.
"It's nothing really. I'm the only woodland fairy that has this ability and I spent years teaching myself and perfecting it in my garden! I guess being in there for the past 50 years had its positives," She laughed as she smiled to Bunnymund.
