A year had come and gone since Pitch had been beaten. The Guardians had been looking for Jack, but he'd managed to keep under the radar; though that hadn't been too awfully hard when he kept his visits to Jamie under the cover of darkness and spent his days with Pitch who didn't really leave his lair until the sun went down. Jack wondered why that was and when he'd ventured to ask Pitch had explained that it was because there were fewer shadows for his Nightmares to hide in during the day. People were less likely to be afraid in the daylight so he'd stopped trying to scare them during the day centuries ago. It made sense to Jack and he knew that Pitch, like himself, wanted to be believed in but he wasn't so sure that Pitch should take it as far as he had before.

"Do you really need to repeat what you did a year ago?" Jack asked, lazily draped over the throne while Pitch was standing before the globe which shined bright with the lights of those who believed in the Guardians.

"I almost succeeded did I not? If it hadn't been for that boy and you..." He trailed off, not about to start up an argument with the winter spirit again. They'd been over this hundreds of times already.

"Yeah, yeah, but my point still stands. Can't you be happy with a handful? I mean, you don't have to be just the element of fear." Pitch frowned thoughtfully and turned to Jack.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that you don't have to have children fear you."

"Jack, there's a reason I'm called the Boogeyman."

"Yeah, it's what you do but it's not all there is."

"Explain."

"See, when a human conquers fear they gain courage. So... technically your center isn't fear, it's courage." Pitch frowned a little at the mention of a center. He wasn't a Guardian.

"Just like mine is fun. It's just who we are. You can easily help children conquer the fears you instill and help them learn courage to face the scary things of the world when they get older." Pitch's expression became thoughtful. He hadn't actually considered what he did in that light before. Yes, he scared children but children grew up into adults who stopped being afraid of the little things he offered; though he did give adults fear every now and then it was never as pure as the fear of a child. He wasn't about to admit it openly, but Jack had made a very good point. Something he hadn't really taken any time to reflect on as he'd always seen his minions as a sort of curse placed on him; after all, he hadn't always been the agent of fear, it was because of them that he was... He shook the thoughts of the past away. He was no longer that man, even if he did have control of himself and was no longer a mere puppet for the Fearlings. No, they served him now and he reckoned that he could indeed use them for his own purposes just as they had once used him. Fear kept them fed and happy, so he would provide it, but he began to realize he could do so under his own terms now. Jack would probably be more than willing to help as well. How could he have been blessed with such a partner? It was something he had asked himself since that fateful day that Jack had willingly bonded with him, becoming Pitch's for all eternity just as Pitch now belonged to Jack; he hadn't said it, but he knew Jack understood this without being told. Nothing could separate the two of them.

It was just ill luck then that Bunny had gotten smart on him and was waiting for him with Jamie who was looking at him with concern when he flew through the window.

"Oi, no you don't frostbite!" Bunny leapt to block his escape through the window when Jack tried to make good his escape and Jamie tackled him to the ground.
"Please don't go Jack! Please!" Jack sighed and gave up, how could he say no to his first believer?

"What is this? An intervention?" He asked, trying to make light of it but his smile died when he saw the concern on Jamie's face.

"I'm worried about you. I really am." Jamie said as he climbed off his best friend. Jack sighed.

"Look, there's no reason for you to be. I'm FINE, seriously. Although I should have guessed you'd figure things out Cottontail."

"Look mate, we're sorry about the past, but we can't change it. We can only try and make it up ta ya." Jack frowned a little, but Bunny seemed sincere.

"I don't see how. You ignored me for 300 years of my life and that one incident where I made a mistake you've been holding it against me." Bunny sighed.

"I don't hold it against ya. Yes I'm still mad it happened, but I've forgiven ya." Jack's skeptical look made the Pooka sigh again.

"I can't undo what I've said and I know I wronged ya mate... but at least give me - us ... a chance to try and make this up to you." Jack wasn't sure he could trust the Guardians, but hadn't he fought along side them to protect the children? Sure he'd fled that night and hadn't seen any of the Guardians since then; mostly because he spent so much time in places he knew they wouldn't find him. He knew what it was like to be judged too quickly, hadn't Bunny done just that with the blizzard of '68? Why was the Pooka still mad about that anyway? It wasn't like he'd set out to ruin Easter. Maybe he'd been quick to judge the Guardians... after all, being a Guardian didn't seem to be all that he'd assumed it had. He'd thought that all the Guardians did was bribe children; he knew better now... it was so much more than that. Yes they did give children gifts, but that was just because it was part of how they protected the children - and themselves - by keeping belief in them to be as strong as it needed to be. Would he ever have as many believers as North or Bunny some day? The possibility was very appealing, after 300 years of not being believed in, being alone and unseen... Well, maybe he shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth... as the saying went.

"Fine." For the first time since the overgrown rabbit had appeared, he smiled at Jack and his own center shone in those emerald eyes. Maybe things hadn't been quite so bungled yet; if Jack was willing to give them a chance, then maybe... just maybe... he'd join them after all. He wasn't an idiot though, he knew that it would take time before Jack trusted him, trusted any of them.

"I have one condition though." Jack said after a moment.

"Name it."

"If I leave, for any reason... you don't try and stop me."

"Don't see why we'd want to mate."

"I can think of at least one and it begins with a "p" Cottontail." Bunny stiffened, he got the idea what Jack was saying; he looked about to protest before sighing.

"We'll need to talk to the others about that... I... I at least will speak for myself... It's your choice mate and my nose don't lie. Can't say I'm happy about it, but if it comes to that... I won't stop you from leaving with him."

"Thanks." Jack smiled a little, he was being truly sincere and that nearly broke Bunny's heart there because he was truly worried that Jack had made the biggest mistake of his immortal life in giving himself to Pitch as he had. Jack was still a child in a great many ways, despite being over 300; there was a lot that the young spirit needed to know about. The two stayed the evening to play with the Bennett children until it was their bedtime; much to the delight of both of the children. Jack had always felt a connection with Jamie, even before the boy could see him; the why of that he had never really puzzled out.

When the two were fast asleep, Jack followed Bunny down one of his tunnels to the pole where the other Guardians were waiting. He wasn't sure how they had known he'd follow Bunny so that they could be there, but he didn't bother asking either. North beamed at him, as welcoming as he'd been the first time, Sandy smiled a little in silent welcome and Tooth was giving orders to a few fairies though when she realized he was there she turned to smile at him a little.

"So... what's this about?" Jack asked, wondering if they thought the same as Bunny did.

"We wanted to talk about you joining us Jack." Tooth said before North could, Jack nearly rolled his eyes; this again... hadn't he made it clear he wasn't one of them?

"Jack, we know we do wrong by you... but you have heart of Guardian... Maybe better than any of us." North said, looking guilty and sad all at once. Feeling a little uncomfortable at the genuine emotion, Jack shifted his gaze from him only to realize that the others seemed to mirror North's sentiment. There was such sincerity that he felt a little guilty for having just taken off like he had; for avoiding them for a full year on purpose and not really giving them a chance to redeem themselves. After all, wasn't that what he'd wanted from them? A chance to prove that he wasn't just some mischief maker who was out just to ruin everything for his own amusement?

"We're all sorry about the past Jack, we didn't mean to ignore you..." Tooth ventured, Jack nearly sighed, why did the fairy have to have such big, expressive eyes? He felt even more guilty as her magenta eyes pleaded for him to at least give her a chance.

"I donno about joining you, but I will at least give you a chance." Jack said, shifting his gaze from one Guardian to the other; they seemed relieved and grateful... even Bunny, which was a real shocker. Maybe he'd been too hasty with his judgement of the Pooka... just as Bunny had been with him. Well, he wasn't too sure about being a Guardian if it meant going against Pitch, but maybe he could at least be friends with them...

5 years later...

Who would have thought it? This scene was definitely familiar; the Guardians were standing before him at North's but at least this time the yetis weren't juggling fire and the elves weren't playing some ridiculous music. They were, however, ringed around the place as North stood with the large book in his hands; the Guardians had been true to their word about making things up with Jack and after five years of seeing what it really meant to be a Guardian... well, he was ready to join them. Pitch was his family now, and like all family there were... complications, but he was working things out. The Guardians had been uneasy about his relationship with the shade, but they'd been supportive of him nonetheless. They were his friends, they'd proven to be more than he could have ever wished for in the 300 years he'd been alone. That was just one reason why he stood here today, ready to make it official and to take the oath. His mind snapped to the present as North began speaking.

"Do you, Jack Frost, vow to watch over the children of the world? To guard them with your life, their hopes, their wishes, and their dreams? For they are all that we have, all that we are and all that we will ever be."

"I will." Jack couldn't help the smile, as he spoke the words he felt that he had truly found a second home with the Guardians and he felt as if his heart would burst with happiness.

"Then, congratulations Jack Frost for you are now, and forevermore a Guardian." Jack grinned, Sandy held up a cup of eggnog in silent toast to their new member; Jack chuckled a little when Tooth's fairy's made a little heart.

"Keep it together girls." She admonished gently, one fainted and Jack felt a little embarrassed for the fairy. Bunny was grinning at him and North embraced him with an exclamation in Russian, kissing him on both cheeks in an old custom of welcome. Jack was a little dazed by the contact, but happy nonetheless. He still was trying to get used to all the physical contact he received from everyone, Pitch included. The other laughed a little as he steadied Jack who just grinned up at him.

"Let feast begin!" The next few hours would be some of the best yet that Jack would remember for a long time. He was a Guardian. He had a home again, a family, friends that cared about him. He couldn't be more happy.

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A/N: This is the ending that everyone voted for! Sorry it took so long to put together and get on here. Thank you so much to everyone who has waited patiently! I hope you enjoy it! Also... just because I can... I am working on the alternate ending just in case anyone wanted to know what would have happened... So be on the look out! It will be posted here once it's finished. Thanks for your support!