Okay, told ya I'm gonna try and do an update a day. And I was right yesterday: I hated the chapters I wrote yesterday. So I rewrote them, but they were super short so I decided to combine three of them into this. I hope you enjoy!

#1

Summary: The first time North hears about Jackson Overland Frost.

Side Note: This is actually a oneshot I wrote (and posted) before, but I liked it so much and I thought that as a separate story it wasn't getting much recognition, so I put here. I changed a few things so I wasn't posting the EXACT same thing.

Dear Santa,

All I want for Christmas this year is to have my brother back.

Last year he drowned in a lake near our house. That was the year you gave us both ice skates, though I'm sure you don't remember. It's my fault he's gone, it should've been me. I begged him to take me skating and because he was good big brother, he did. He wanted to wait until later, until the ice was sturdier, but I pleaded for him to take me straight away.

While I was skating, the ice cracked under me. Jackson, my brother, saved me at the cost of his own life. He saved me by making me laugh, and making a game out of it. That was who he was, a joker and yet caring. He fell through the ice after he threw me to safety. I waited for him to come back up for hours, but he never did. This happened the day after Christmas. If I hadn't insisted that Jack take me skating, he would be here with me now.

I know I don't deserve anything for Christmas because of this, but Jack didn't deserve to drown either. Please, Santa, bring him back. I promise to be extra good forever if you do.

Please, I miss him. I miss my brother. I miss the pranks he pulled and the trouble he caused. I miss his stories and his games. I miss his hugs. I miss waking up from a nightmare and having him comfort me. Most of all I miss his laughter. I miss Jack. Please, please Santa, bring him back home. That's all I want for Christmas.

Sincerely,

Emma Overland Frost

North sighs as he lowers the tear-stained letter to the desk surface. These letters are always the hardest; the ones with impossible requests. They always manage to tear at his heart, especially the ones like little Emma's, where another child's life has been lost.

The paper was crumpled and ripped, as if the writer had crushed it into a ball and thrown it out of frustration and grief. North's heart twists painfully as he remembers what Emma had said: ". . .that was the year you gave us both ice skates. . ." The incident had indirectly been his fault.

Of course, he had not known his gifts would bring about the death of young Jackson Overland, but nonetheless the boy had died while saving his sister when they were skating. North can't help the heavy weight of guilt from resting upon his shoulders.

He feels terrible that he can't grant Emma's wish, that he is unable to return her brother. He feels even worse at the self-blame the girl seemed to harbour. It hadn't been her fault any more than it had been his, but the fact of the matter remained that Jackson is gone while Emma is safe.

North gently brushes his fingers against the bottom of the letter; there are several discolored circles on the page, as if Emma had been crying while she wrote it. North knows that no gift from him can relieve Emma of her grief, but hopes that with some help from the others, she might be able to have sweet dreams, remember the fun she had with her brother, and keep alive the hope of seeing him again.

For a reason he cannot explain, North feels obligated to help this girl be happy once more. He always feels deep regret and sorrow when a child's life is lost, but it was somehow worse when he thought of the boy, Jack. He is sure he has never met him, though he faintly recalls seeing his name on the Naughty List every now and then, but he feels protective over this dead boy, as if there is a connection between them.

Knowing that there is nothing to be done that can save the poor boy, North vows to do everything and anything in his power to help his sister recover from her loss. Starting by visiting the other Guardians.

#2

This is another request from AllieSnow.

Summary: Jack may have made a mistake all those years ago. . .

Now that I think about it, it had been rather stupid. And painful. But it had been centuries ago! I had been a young winter spirit who was coaxed into doing it by three other spirits. I had regretted it almost instantly, but it wasn't something you could just get rid of. Not easily, anyway. Eventually, I had begun to think of it as cool - after having being told so by four others.

But as I see the other Guardians staring at me incredulously, I'm beginning to go back to thinking of it as stupid.

Tooth brushes my hair out of the way to get a better look at it before backing up and frowning.

Yup, definitely stupid.

"Jack?" she says carefully. "When did you get a tattoo?"

I shrug, uncertain of the certain time. "Around two hundred years ago," I say casually, smoothing my hair back into place so as to hide the tattoo at the base of the back of my neck. "The others talked me into it."

"Others?" Tooth questions.

I wave her off, deeming it unnecessary information. "I had only recently become a winter spirit, and I was bored so. . ." I shrug again.

"How did you do it?" North asks curiously. "I thought nobody could see you. . . ?"

"They can't," I reply. "I assume you got yours like the humans, but probably done by a spirit or another Guardian, right? Well, I did it a bit differently. I had to craft the design out of ice, and then my friend - a summer spirit - heated it, but made sure not to melt it, and then I had to press it against my neck so that it was burned into my skin. And then I made frost creep over it and outline the design so that it had colour."

Bunny wrinkles his nose. "Tha' sounds painful," he says.

"It was," I confirm, wincing as I remember the process.

"Hey Frostbite?"

"Yeah?"

"A snowflake ain't very original."

Not very good, I know, but I tried. I'm sorry.

This is like Family Warmth, only from the Guardians point of view. I thought it'd be cute but I fear I failed miserably.

Summary: Jack looked so cute when he was tired!

The Guardians barely breathed, barely moved. They were terrified of accidentally disturbing the boy among them. Jack was cushioned on North's coat and Tooth's feathers, and it was easy to tell that he was this close to falling asleep. But Jack resisted. He tried to wrench open his eyes and glare at Sandy, but another tendril of dream sand fixed that. Jack slumped deeper into his makeshift bed, his hand even moving to Bunny's fur. Within minutes his breathing evened out and he had no more resistance left. He was overcome with a yawn that exposed all his pearly white teeth, but Tooth knew that this wasn't the time.

The three Guardians that surrounded Jack - and the one who stood in front of them all - ignored the drowsy feeling they all had to watch him. Now that he was finally giving in to sleep, all his defensive walls were down and he looked so. . . young. Jack rubbed his eyes and Tooth had to physically restrain herself from cooing at the adorable sight.

There was no doubt about it. When Jack was tired, he was sweet and adorable. The others all had the same thought: Jack looked like a slighter older - yet no less cute - version of a sleeping Jamie Bennett. Jack's eyes fell shut and he expelled a quiet sigh.

His staff slipped from his grip and rolled across the floor, coming to a rest around Sandy's feet. The sandman carefully picked it up, frowning at the freezing tempeture of the wood, and rested it against the nearest wall, making sure to put it somewhere Jack would see as soon as he woke up. No need to cause the boy to panic - which he would if he couldn't find his precious staff.

When Sandy turned back to the Guardians, his eyes widened. They had moved around while his back was turned. Jack was still in the middle, but now his head rested across Tooth's shoulders and he was curled up to her side.

Tooth's head was rested on North's shoulder, one of her hands wrapped around his arm while the other was tangled in Jack's hair - she had probably been running her fingers through his hair when sleep had taken her.

North slept in a sitting position, his back against the wall. His legs were straight in front of him and his snoring was spectacular. Bunny was curled against Tooth's feet, the top of his head on her knees. Jack had stretched out his hand in his sleep so that it rested on the fur on Bunny's head.

Sandy smiled at the sight, carefully sending dreams to each of his fellow Guardians. Once they were all content in their imaginations, he crept up to them and settled down in between North and Jack. It wasn't long before they were all asleep.

Eh, I'm not very proud of this. But I needed to post something today. Hopefully the next one will be better. It'll either be the next installment of Surprises, or a request from Guest. Haven't quite decided yet. Oh hey, I've got a question for you. Should I write another chapter with Jack/Bunny brother bonding, or a different Jack/? bonding chapter? Just not with Jamie, 'cuz. . . well I got my reasons. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed, and I'm gonna try and make the next chapter better.