"Childhood is the kingdom where nobody dies." ~ Edna St. Vincent Millay

I threw my heart into this one for an amazing friend who passed this Friday. May she rest in peace.

~RotG~

Sophie was lying in bed, shaking her phone in frustration. It kept closing the webpage she was on, and she was getting ready to throw it at the wall. She almost did when it suddenly vibrated in her hand and the symbol for a message appeared in the corner of the screen.

She was surprised to see the name of a friend who she hadn't spoken to in a while. The two of them had different classes, but they tried to keep in touch because they had known each other for several years. Sophie checked the text and froze.

Hey Soph it's Marty.

*RIP Charlotte Walker*

Sophie bit her lip and shook her head. They say crazy stuff all the time, especially Marty, Sophie reminded herself. She remembered the time Marty told her she had gotten a tattoo and later admitted that it was a joke. Charlie's probably with her.

But Sophie had a bad feeling as she texted back a casual, Hey. What happened to Charlie? She would pretend it was a joke, it had to be -

Her phone vibrated, and Sophie instantly read it. For a moment, she couldn't believe it. She stared at the text in shock, unable to think. "Oh my God," she whispered, her heart stopping. She covered her mouth to hold back a sob as she began to tremble. Tears filled her eyes as she re-read the text.

She got into a car crash n passed away yesterday I wanted to text u n tell u :'(

*RIP Charlotte Walker*

Sophie wiped the tears from her eyes hurriedly. This has to be a joke, tell me it's a stupid joke. But Sophie had known Marty for years, and she would never had went so far with something like this. And why would she say it was Charlie? Why not someone they had seen just that afternoon? Why would it be about someone Sophie hadn't seen in almost a year?

Marty wouldn't lie about something like this. But Sophie wished desperately that she had this time, just this once. She would be angry if Marty replied that it was a joke, but she would rather be angry over a joke than grieving for a friend. She wanted to know her friend was okay, even if it had been a year since they last saw each other.

Sophie had to take a few deep breaths and wipe the tears away before she could reply in a daze. Oh my God. Charlie from last year? Where did you hear that?

A minute passed before Sophie could read the reply.

Yes n her dad.

*RIP Charlotte Walker*

Sophie began to cry. What had she expected? A link to a Facebook posting? What was she going to do, check it to see if it was true? But maybe Charlie's dad posted it somewhere, I could find it, Sophie thought, but then she realized it wouldn't be a good idea to bother Marty for too much information.

Sophie texted back, Oh, God. I didn't know that. After a moment, she added, Thanks for telling me.

Ur welcome

*RIP Charlotte Walker*

Sophie's heart broke. She began crying hard, her body shaking from the sobs. She dropped her phone and could only focus on one thought. Please, Charlie, don't be dead. You can't die.

It took a while before Sophie could pick up the phone and text her mom. Marty just texted me that Charlie was in a car accident and died yesterday.

Her mom checked the text while at a light. She stared at the text in shock before texting back quickly.

WHAT! OMG. I'm so sorry. R u ok

Sophie knew she was supposed to say she was okay, but she really wanted to reply, No, I'm not okay. I need to know Charlie's okay.

But she didn't text back at all, and her mom texted again. I'm on my way home.

Sophie burst into tears again as it began to truly sink in. Charlie was gone.

Jamie walked throw the front door, tossing his keys on to the couch and braced himself for a hug. But the hug never came. He frowned as he looked around the living room for Sophie. Where was she? She would always race from her room to meet him when he got home from work.

"Sophie?" Jamie called, concerned. He glanced at the time on his phone. It was a Saturday and already eight. Unless his little sister was at a sleepover, she was supposed to be home.

As he walked up the stairs, he called again, "Soph? You here?"

Then he heard a loud sob. "Hello? Yeah?" He stopped, frowning. Was Sophie crying?

He raced up the last of the steps and opened his mouth to demand what was going on. But he stopped himself when Sophie sobbed into the phone, "I don't know! All Marty told me was - " Her voice cracked and she sobbed again, not once seeing Jamie standing a few feet away. " - she was in a car accident - and she died yesterday." Jamie stiffened, shocked. No, not one of Sophie's friends. She can't handle someone dying. Sophie was taking deep breaths as she covered her mouth and nodded. "Okay."

She hung up and seemed to barely notice Jamie. She hiccupped and managed to say, "Mom's on her way," before she raced to her room, sobbing. She slammed the door and Jamie winced at the sound.

He stood nervously in the hallway, torn between going to be with his sister and his fear of upsetting her more. She obviously wanted to be alone, but Jamie had felt the same way when he first tried to quit cutting. He shook his head at that thought. She's stronger than that. She won't make the same mistakes as me. But Jamie wasn't so sure and went to Sophie's room.

He still needed his little sister to help him quit, so now he wanted to be there for her now that she needed him.

Jamie knocked on Sophie's door gently. She ignored him and tried to stop crying. Jamie opened the door slowly and leaned in. "Soph? You okay?"

It was a stupid question to ask, but he had no idea how to help her. He didn't want to say the wrong thing and make her angry. But she didn't seem to noticed Jamie's internal conflict as her muffled, shaky voice replied, "I'm fine. Just - leave me alone. Please?"

Jamie didn't want to, but Sophie didn't want him there. He decided to back off and walked out, closing the door behind himself. He stood awkwardly outside her room, each sob sending a sharp pain through Jamie's heart.

He leaned against the door until he heard the car. He went to meet his mom, who asked him quickly, "Where is she?"

"In her room," Jamie answered softly. He hesitated and added, "I - I, uh, heard your conversation." He looked at his mom helplessly. He couldn't help feeling ashamed that he couldn't help Sophie.

She grimaced and hugged her son briefly. "She'll be okay, Jamie," she assured him. Then she released him, sent him an apologetic smile, and went upstairs to see her mourning daughter.

Jamie kicked the ground and sighed in frustration. He heard Sophie's crying intensify and wanted to punch something. When Sophie needed him, he was unable to help. He couldn't do anything.

Upstairs, Mrs. Bennet was feeling the same way. She held her daughter close, and they cried together. All Jamie and his mom could do was wait it out. Sophie was heartbroken, and they would have to help her through it.

Jamie sat in the living room, his head in his hands. He had no idea what to do, and he was considering going to see the Guardians' when a buzzing sound caught his attention. He looked up in time to see a blur of colors fluttering around the room. It was moving too fast to see it clearly, but Jamie knew what it was.

One of Tooth's fairies was there to help Sophie feel better.

Tooth had explained how her job worked when she had first shown Jamie several of his best memories to help him to quit cutting. "When anyone - child, teen or adult - needs a special memory to remind them what's worth living for," she had told him gently, "my fairies and I give them their best memories back."

Jamie guessed the little fairy was lost when she noticed him and chirped frantically.

"She's upstairs," he informed her, pointing at the stairs. Already, Sophie's crying had begun to quiet down.

The fairy squeaked and flew up the stairs, and Jamie jumped up and followed her quietly. When he reached Sophie's room, he listened as Sophie said suddenly between sobs, "I remember - she used to always call Cupcake a kitty."

Jamie sighed as Sophie and her mom reminisced about the girl who had died. Jamie heard the girl's name - Charlie - and winced. He hadn't particularly liked the hyper girl, but he had been polite to her whenever she had visited Sophie. The girl was pretty annoying, but Sophie had been great friends with her.

"I can't believe she's gone," Sophie admitted tearfully.

"She was very lively," her mom agreed, softly.

Jamie sighed in relief as he walked to his room. Sophie was already starting to feel better. He hoped she would be okay and back to her old cheerful self soon. Her memories seemed to be helping her.

"Sometimes," Tooth had told him apologetically, "my fairies can't get to the people who need their memories in time, and those people lose sight of what's important. And then they lose hope."

"And that's when they start self-harming?" Jamie asked, surprised. It sounded so simple he could hardly believe it. Just because he hadn't remembered something important before - I started cutting myself.

Tooth had winced and nodded. "Yes." Then she hugged him tightly. "I'm sorry, Jamie. For not being there to stop all of this before it began."

Jamie had tentatively hugged her back. "It wasn't your fault," he had assured her, then added quickly, "And it wasn't your fairies' fault either. Things happen, right? Maybe my fairy got lost or something." He frowned to himself. "Or maybe she was looking for a girl named Jamie instead of a boy."

Tooth had giggled and let him go.

Jamie took a deep breath and let it out slowly. At least Sophie was okay now that she remembered the good times spent with her friend, and she wouldn't be losing hope any time soon with Bunny as her father figure.

Sophie had finally managed to stop crying, but Jamie knew it wouldn't be a good night.

Jack flew through the open window, looking concerned. Jamie glanced at him as the Guardian of Fun asked him, "What's wrong?"

"One of Sophie's friends died in a car accident."

Jack was somber. "Where?"

Jamie shrugged helplessly. "I don't know. I don't even think Sophie knows."

Jack bit his lip and frowned at the ground. He had been careful to keep ice off the road this winter, but had he literally missed a spot?

"Did her friend live nearby?" Jack asked him.

"I don't know!" Jamie glared at Jack. "All I know is that Sophie's upset and I can't help her!"

Jack raised his hands in surrender and backed off. Before he could apologize, the fairy from before flew into Jamie's room and landed on Jack's shoulder. "Baby Tooth!" he greeted her.

She squeaked and flew to Jamie, chirping as she bowed her head in what Jamie thought was shame.

"She's apologizing," Jack explained quietly, seeing Jamie's confused expression. "For not giving you your memories back when you needed them."

"Oh. It's fine," Jamie told her, smiling sadly. "Just take care of Sophie, okay?"

She nodded and flew out the window.

Jamie sighed and sat on his bed. Jack patted his shoulder and told him suddenly, "She'll be okay, Jamie. She won't make the mistake we did."

"I'm scared she will."

Jack shook his head. "So am I, but she has you to stop her before she starts. And she's seen what you're going through, trying to quit. And if she did cut herself, she has both of us to help her quit." Jack paused, then added, "She won't be alone, Jamie."

Jamie didn't answer, and Jack sighed.

After a while, Jamie's mom entered his room, and Jack left. He had to find Sandy. He would help Sophie and Jamie to have a good night.

Later, Sophie was lying in bed, re-reading the conversation between Marty and herself. She kept hoping that Marty would suddenly text her and announce that it was just a terrible joke. But Marty never did, and Sophie cried until a strand of dreamsand slipped through her window.

Outside, Jack sat on the roof and guarded them from the nightmares.

~RotG~

Sorry for the depressing chapter, I just had to get this off my chest.

To Zorua Illusion - Thanks! The colors are what inspired this story. I had found a blue marker one day and thought of Jack Frost. And of course he'll keep in touch with Sophie!

To Guest - They're not. And I'm glad it came out fluffy.

To AngelXJackFrost - I'm glad you liked it.

Y'all have a great week!