BEFORE YOU READ THIS CHAPTER: I have an announcement. I'm thinking of doing a fanfic that's an "interview the Rise of the Guardians cast" kind of piece. The characters will be asked questions in their interviews, and I want to have some "questions from the fans." I would love for those questions to be from actual fans, instead of just being questions I make up. If you have any questions that you would like me to ask the characters, please submit them to me via PM or review. PM is preferred, so the questions can stay unseen until I post the fanfic; but if you are a guest reader who doesn't have a fanfiction account, questions via review are totally fine.

Now, read on!

Chapter 10

Naomi's breath caught in her throat. Her eyes widened, until they were fairly bulging out of their sockets and she stared at Cassie. "Wha…wha…" she squeaked.

"Put me down," Cassie whispered to Jack. Jack lowered her until her feet touched the balcony. By this time Naomi had progressed from squeaks to choking noises.

"Naomi, please," Cassie begged, stepping toward her friend. "Breathe."

Naomi exhaled, but the action was unsteady. "Ca…Ca-Cassie. You were…"

"Floating?" Cassie finished cautiously. "Yes, I know."

Naomi's breath was coming in shorts spurts now. "Cassie…what's going on here?"

Cassie moved forward, reaching a hand out to her friend. "Naomi, please; try to calm down."

Naomi took a sharp step back. "What the hell is going on?"

Cassie sighed. "I don't know where to start. I've been in some very strange company lately."

"Strange?" Jack repeated from a few feet behind her, sounding slightly offended.

"Not now," Cassie muttered back.

"What kind of company?" Naomi said suspiciously, her voice still an octave above its usual pitch. "And who are you talking to?"

Cassie paused for a moment, steeling herself. Finally she answered, "Jack Frost. I've had his company for the past few weeks, and he's here with me right now."

Naomi's eyes narrowed. "That's not funny, Cassie. Quit messing with me and tell me the truth."

"It is the truth," Cassie said firmly. "How else would you explain the fact that I was a dozen feet in the air a moment ago?"

Naomi hesitated. "I-I must have imagined it. I had storytelling duty at the library for two hours the other day; it's probably getting to me."

"You didn't imagine it," Cassie insisted. "Those stories you tell, some of them are more than just stories. Jack Frost is a book character, but he is also a very real person; and he is the reason I was floating just now."

Naomi put a hand to her temple, closing her eyes. "This can't be happening."

"Naomi, I've always been open-minded, and I know you are too. I realize this must be a shock; but you have to believe that I'm telling the truth."

Naomi opened her eyes, and Cassie could see panic in those dark orbs. "No. No, no, no. This isn't happening," she chanted. "Maybe I'm just having a weird dream…that would explain all of this…"

Cassie bit back a groan. She hadn't been prepared for Naomi to find out the truth under ideal circumstances, let alone like this; and the situation seemed to be going from bad to worse. If I could just show her…her eyes widened as an idea came to her. She turned towards Jack. "Jack, we have to give her some proof," she said softly, still watching Naomi out of the corner of her eye. "Can you do the frost outline?"

Jack nodded. He and Cassie had discussed techniques for helping kids to see him and believe in him as a result. It seemed those techniques would come in handy now as well. "I'm on it." Raising his staff slightly, he started to create snowflakes, collecting them in a cloud in front of him. When he was sure he had enough, he beckoned to them with one hand, and they started to attach to his body.

Cassie nodded. "Come out from behind me."

Naomi watched her friend, wondering if she had gone crazy. "Cassie, will you please stop—" Her speech cut off abruptly as frost started to gather next to Cassie. First a five-toed foot appeared, and then another. The frost raced upwards to form legs, and then a torso. Soon a full figure made of frost stood on Cassie's right. The figure was humanoid, a few inches taller than Cassie, and gripped a frost staff that resembled a shepherd's crook.

Naomi's body started to tremble. "W-what is that?"

Cassie put a hand on Jack's shoulder, suppressing a shudder at the cold of the frost that coated it. "Naomi, this is the person we were just talking about."

A shock went through Naomi as Cassie's hand curled around the shoulder of the figure. By all logic, her hand should have gone through the thin layer of frost; but her hand stayed easily in place, like there was something solid underneath her fingers.

"I wanted to give him a chance to weigh in on this conversation," Cassie continued. "After all, you can't deny that something is standing here right now. Can you?" Naomi slowly shook her head, apparently rendered mute. "So watch this." Cassie put an arm around Jack's shoulders. "Take me up," she told him.

Jack did as she said, wrapping an arm around her waist and lifting them both a couple of feet into the air. He held them there for just a few seconds before touching back down on the balcony.

Cassie kept her eyes on Naomi the whole time, watching intently for any signs of a breakthrough—or a breakdown. "He lifted me up just now, right?" She asked coaxingly. These were very straightforward facts; but Naomi would need to confirm them before she could accept them as true.

Again Naomi nodded, and adrenaline shot through Cassie's veins. Here goes. "I think I should introduce him now. Naomi, meet Jack Frost."

Jack started to let the frost fall away from his figure. When all of his head was uncovered, he raised a hand to Naomi in a small wave. "Hi," he said, trying to sound unthreatening.

Naomi's eyes bugged as the frost fell away to reveal the face of a human-looking boy. He looked no more than twenty, with snow-white hair and skin and bright blue eyes. Almost automatically, Naomi's lips parted to answer him. "Hi," she croaked. And then her vision went dark.

Cassie swore, lunging forward to catch Naomi before she could hit the floor. "I never would have expected Naomi to faint over anything," she said ruefully.

Jack came forward, his body free from the frost coating. "So what do we do now?"

"We better take her to her apartment." Cassie sighed. "It's probably better for her to freak out in private than in public, anyway."

Jack frowned. "I'm not sure I can carry two people."

"I wasn't going to ask you to," Cassie replied. "The three of us flying right through town, even at night, would attract a lot of attention. I'll call a taxi." She looked at the unconscious Naomi and shook her head. "I can tell the driver she had too much to drink and is sleeping like the dead. Could you take us down to the ground, at least?"

Jack nodded. He could manage that much.

"Thanks. Shoot, wait; our stuff is still inside!" Cassie handed Naomi over to Jack, making sure he had a solid grip on her petite friend before letting go. Then she bolted back into the restaurant, returning not a minute later with the overcoats and Naomi's bag. Carefully she guided Naomi's arms into the sleeves of her coat, zipping it shut once it was on and then tending to her own coat. "All right," she said finally. "Let's go."

Jack nodded again. Together he and Cassie positioned Naomi between them with one of her arms draped around each of their shoulders, using their free arms to grip her waist. Jack made sure that his arm touched Cassie's, so he could carry her with magic alone. The three of them struggled onto the balcony railing and floated slowly down to the pavement.

Cassie breathed a sigh of relief as her feet touched the sidewalk. The street was dark and empty but for a few passing cars, and no one seemed to have noticed their brief flight. "Ok," she addressed Jack. "Once I get a cab, just follow behind it. Unless you want to ride with us?"

"Nah, I'll fly. I can follow a car, easy." Jack glanced at Naomi, who was now draped over both of Cassie's shoulders like a piggyback ride gone wrong. "Didn't see this one coming."

Cassie grimaced. "Neither did I. But it happened anyway, and now we have to deal with it." A bright yellow car turned onto the street. Cassie put her fingers to her lips, releasing an ear-piercing whistle, and then lifted her hand to flag down the vehicle. "Taxi!"

ooOoo

Her eyes were closed. Her eyes were closed, and she was lying on her back. When had that happened? She groaned softly and turned her head to one side, resting her cheek on the soft surface underneath her.

"She's waking up!" A voice said softly. The voice was familiar. She felt the presence of another person draw near, and the surface she was on sank down in one spot as the person sat down. She groaned again, and her eyes slowly fluttered open.

The first thing she saw was Cassie. Her blonde-haired friend was leaning over her, concern in her eyes. She still wore the gray dress and makeup from the party, although her curls were starting to come loose. "Are you ok?" She asked gently.

"Um…yeah." Naomi sat up, taking in more of her surroundings. She was lying on a bed with a yellow-and-white-patterned bedspread and matching pillows, still wearing her own party clothes. The walls were painted white, with a dark green rug in the center of the wood floor. The room was furnished with a dresser and closet, a desk and chair, and a bookcase overflowing with classic literature. "You took me back to my place. Did I fall asleep at the party?"

Cassie's mouth curled in a wry smile. "Something like that."

Naomi hung her head. "I'm so sorry, Cassie. I don't know how that could've happened."

"Don't worry about it."

Something in Cassie's voice made Naomi look up; but Cassie's expression gave away nothing. "I'll make it up to you, I promise," she said sincerely. "But I've gotta tell you, I had the craziest dream—"

"Was I in the dream?" Cassie interrupted. "Was I floating in midair? Did I introduce you to Jack Frost?"

Naomi stared at Cassie. "How did you know?"

"Because you weren't dreaming." Cassie turned towards the bedroom door. "Jack?"

A figure appeared in the doorway, and Naomi's breath caught. It was the pale boy from the balcony. "Cassie…" she said slowly. "Am I really seeing that guy? The one who looks like a bleached albino?"

"Hey!" Jack protested.

"Hush, Jack," scolded Cassie. Turning back to Naomi, she replied, "Yes, you're really seeing him. Are you going to believe me on this?" She added with a touch of weariness.

Naomi sighed and raised her eyebrows briefly, as though she couldn't fathom what she was about to say. "I guess I have to, don't I? Even the biggest skeptics say that seeing is believing."

Cassie blinked. It seemed odd that Naomi was handling this so well, when less than an hour ago she had gone incoherent and then passed out.

Then again, maybe it wasn't so strange. Naomi was a strong person, in heart and mind. It was why she had befriended Cassie and taught her about reading and writing, and why she stood up for Cassie when the bullies came around. "You have it right on that one, Naomi," Cassie said, letting herself exhale in relief. "Now, if you'll hold on just a minute…" she stood up and walked over to Jack, leaning forward so she could speak softly. "I need you to get out of here," she told him. "It'll be better if this conversation is between just me and Naomi."

Jack raised an eyebrow. "Is this conversation going to involve girl talk?"

"Maybe."

"Yeah, I'm outta here." Or I'll be outside, anyway. Jack strode over to the bedroom's one window and eased it open. He climbed onto the windowsill, and then glanced behind him. "Nice to meet you," he told Naomi.

"Right…you too…" Naomi replied weakly. She watched Jack—Jack Frost—hop out the window and disappear from sight.

Cassie went to the window and pulled it shut. Once she had secured it, she turned back to Naomi. "I guess you'll be wanting an explanation."

"You think?" Despite the quiver in her voice, Naomi managed to give Cassie a flat stare.

Cassie bit her lip. "Ok…I'm not sure where to start."

"The beginning would be good."

Cassie chuckled. "Glad you haven't lost your sass. All right, you'll want to stay sitting for this." Slowly she went through an explanation, trying to make sure she didn't forget anything. In a corner of her mind, she wondered how many times she would have to tell this story.

When Cassie finished, she was greeted by silence. Cassie's brows knitted together. Naomi's reactions were usually loud and lengthy; it worried Cassie that she wasn't getting any response out of her.

But then again, this news was a bombshell. It had turned Cassie's world upside-down, and she already believed in people like Jack Frost and the Tooth Fairy—belief that she realized must have come from her spirit life. Naomi, on the other hand, had known those people as characters in the children's books she read. With that difference in mind, Cassie was surprised her friend hadn't passed out again.

Cassie got up and left the room, hoping a minute alone would help Naomi to process things. She headed into the kitchen, where she filled two glasses with cold water. Returning to Naomi's bedroom, she offered one glass to Naomi. Her friend accepted it without a word, taking a sip and then lowering it to stare down at it. Cassie gripped her own glass, drinking half of the liquid inside in one pull.

Finally, the silence got to be too much for Cassie. "So…what do you think about all this?"

Naomi looked up, emotions flitting over her face too quickly to identify. "I don't know what to think." She paused. "You know this goes against every logical thing I've ever known, right?"

"That it does," Cassie agreed. "But this really isn't a logical world we're in. It's full of things we don't understand, even if you didn't call it magic or spirits."

"Yeah, about that," Naomi looked away from Cassie. "I can believe what you say about Jack Frost and these Guardians—barely. I've heard enough stories about them that there's at least something to back up that information. But the water spirit thing…I just can't believe that." She looked up, and flinched at the look on Cassie's face. "I'm not calling you a liar; but there must be some mistake. You're a human, Cassie."

Frustration washed over Cassie. She buried her face in her hands for just a moment, and then lifted her head again. "I am human now; but I was a water spirit up until three years ago."

Naomi shook her head. "You're going too far. I'm already at my limit with the rest of your story, Cassie. Unless you have some kind of proof you can give, I just can't see you as something other than human."

Cassie looked at Naomi incredulously. "How am I supposed to…" her voice trailed off as she registered her tight grip on her water glass. She glanced down at the glass, and her eyes widened. "You know the spilled water incident at the North Pole?" She took a seat next to Naomi on the bed. "Let's see if I can do that again." Not waiting for Naomi to respond, Cassie brought her right hand over the water glass.

She knew she would have to aim for something small to have any chance of this working. She dipped two fingers into the water and then lifted them up, curving them inward to make just a few drops collect in her palm. She set down the water glass and tried to gather the feeling of force from when she had stopped the water in North's workshop. Holding her left hand above her right palm, she pinched her fingers together and lifted her hand in a gradual pulling motion.

At first nothing happened. Cassie squinted, and the water started to quiver. Cassie pushed harder, focusing her will and a touch of frustration into the liquid in her palm. Slowly, so slowly, the little pool stretched upwards, rising until it was an inch above Cassie's palm. Cassie heard a gasp, and knew that Naomi had seen it.

Cassie lifted her head to look at Naomi, allowing the water to fall back into her palm. "Now do you believe me?" she asked, shaking the droplets away. She felt oddly cranky, like she had lost sleep during her little experiment.

Naomi's eyes resembled dinner plates. "I…you…how did you…"

Not this again. "I told you I was telling the truth. Can you please skip the stammering fit?" Cassie implored.

Naomi bristled. "I think I have a right to be shocked that my best friend just lifted water into the air. But…" she exhaled. "Like I said before, seeing is believing." Her mouth twisted thoughtfully. "If you could get a better grasp on that power, you would dominate in water balloon fights."

A startled laugh burst out of Cassie. She leaned over and elbowed Naomi. "You mean the ones at the civic center? You know those are organized for the local kids."

Naomi smirked. "Never stopped me before."

Cassie laughed again, the sound dancing through the room. "You're terrible." Now this is the Naomi I know. "But, hopefully I will get my powers back."

Naomi blinked. "How are you going to do that?"

"Well, we're just getting started, but if I can become a spirit again—"

"Wait, what?" Naomi frowned, a look of confusion crossing her face. "You want to go back to being a spirit?" Cassie nodded. "But…why?"

Cassie looked at Naomi warily. Something in her friend's voice was making her nervous. "Because I have to; it's who I am."

"No, it's who you were," Naomi argued. "Now you're a human. You have people who care about you, and we want you here as you are." Her voice grew small, and she wrapped her arms around herself. "I want you as you are."

Cassie's heart ached. "Naomi, you know you're my best friend. I don't want to lose you any more than you do me."

"Then just stay the way you are," Naomi pleaded. "Let magic be in your life, if you want; but stay the way you are."

Cassie's expression was pained. "I can't."

Naomi didn't see the pain in her friend's face, only the determination in her eyes. Something ugly reared up and twisted inside her chest. Her voice hardened, and her arms dropped to her sides. "I see how it is. Being human isn't good enough for you now, is it?"

Cassie's eyes widened. "What?"

"You've never acted like you were better than anyone. But now you know you started out different, and you think you can look down your nose at the rest of us. I guess even our friendship doesn't matter so much anymore, huh?"

"What?" Cassie repeated in bewilderment. "Naomi, what's gotten into you?"

"What's gotten into me?" Naomi abruptly stood up. "I'm not the one who's trying to leave all their friends behind!"

"I don't want to leave anyone!" Cassie protested, jumping to her feet as well. "I don't want to leave you, or Emma and Jerry, or Dan and the art shop, or others who have been kind to me here. But Naomi, I'm not made for human life. I'm meant to be a spirit."

Naomi glowered at her. "Like I said, you think you're too good to be a human."

Cassie's mouth fell open. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "You have no idea what you're talking about." Suddenly she was angry. "You don't know what it's like to be an outcast. You have a family, and friends besides me, and you're going to school. But as long as I stay as I am now, I'm a girl with no official education and a limited skill set, in a town where most people don't like me." Her voice grew louder. "You talk about me devaluing our friendship; but what kind of friend are you if you want to keep me in a life where I have no future?" She took a breath and lowered her voice. "I love you, Naomi, but our circumstances are very different. You have no right to tell me how to live."

There was silence as Naomi stared at Cassie. Finally Naomi said, "You're right; we are different. And all these years I've defended you from the people who spoke badly of you, when I should have been listening to what they said." She glared at Cassie, and spoke her next words slowly. "Now I see they were right to call you a freak."

Cassie gasped. She was used to hearing that word from bullies, but not from Naomi. Never from Naomi. She stood speechless, staring at the dark-haired girl.

Naomi saw Cassie's eyes go wide. She looked away, trying to ignore the hurt and the moisture collecting in those sapphire orbs. "Get out of here, Cassie."

The command brought words back to Cassie's lips. "Naomi…"

"I said get out." Naomi's voice cracked. "Get out of my apartment!"

For a moment neither girl moved. Then Cassie stepped over to the desk chair where she had set her coat, picking up the garment without a word. Turning around, she walked to the bedroom door and pulled it open. She looked back at Naomi for a moment, a silent plea in her eyes. When Naomi didn't meet her gaze, she turned again and walked out of the room. As she shut the door, she heard what sounded like muffled sobs start to come from inside.

ooOoo

Jack spotted her as she stepped outside the apartment complex. He flew to greet her as she descended the two flights of stairs to the ground. "Wow, that didn't take long. How'd it go?" His eyebrows drew together as he took in her slumped posture. "You ok?"

Cassie shook her head, and stepped forward to wrap an arm around Jack's shoulders. "Just take me home, ok?" She said in a choked voice.

Jack pressed his lips together, but complied. Wrapping his arm around Cassie's waist, he took them up into the air; and the two of them flew over Burgess in silence.

Cassie unlocked her apartment door and stepped inside, holding the door open for just a moment so Jack could slip in after her. She made a beeline for the living room couch, where she sat down heavily, staring down at her lap.

Jack sat down next to her, putting a hand on her shoulder. "What happened?"

Cassie lifted her head to look at him. "I…I'm not sure. Things were going pretty well at first. But then I mentioned wanting to be a spirit again, and Naomi got upset. We started arguing…and then she told me to get out."

Cassie had long known that Naomi lived well. Her parents weren't rich, but they made enough money to pay for Naomi's college tuition. Naomi was getting her bachelor's degree in a subject she loved, and she had enough friends that she could find someone to hang out with most weekends. With that said, Cassie had always tried to be happy for her. Naomi had just gotten lucky in life, and Cassie had never resented her for it.

Or so she had thought. She bit her lip as she remembered the things she had said to Naomi not an hour ago. She knew her words were valid; but they had also uncovered an ugly seed of jealousy inside of her.

Jack watched as Cassie's troubled expression deepened. "Is that it, then?" He winced. He hadn't meant to be so blunt.

Cassie's vision grew blurry with tears. "There's a chance she might come around; but I'm not holding my breath." She squeezed her eyes shut. "She called me a freak, Jack."

Anger surged inside Jack. Naomi was supposed to be Cassie's friend; how could she speak so cruelly to her? "You know she's wrong. Don't believe her."

"I know it's not true," Cassie replied softly. "I don't think Naomi really believes it either, but…" she shook her head. "Like I said, I'm not holding my breath." Her tears broke free, trailing down her cheeks as it sunk in that she had probably lost her best friend.

Seeing the tears, Jack moved closer and put his arms around Cassie. Cassie accepted the hug, leaning into Jack as her tears continued to flow.

Cassie's sadness was laced with confusion. She felt like she was mourning the death of a loved one, or some other such loss. No one she knew had died, though. So why do I feel this way?

Images of Naomi started to flit through her head. She saw Naomi shelving books and reading children's stories at the library. Naomi raving about classic literature one moment and fishing for gossip the next. Naomi with her loud voice and large, sometimes explicit vocabulary. Naomi with her bright eyes and mischievous smile. And Cassie realized that her feeling of mourning made sense. The Naomi that Cassie knew, the Naomi who was her friend, had been eclipsed during their argument; replaced by someone who had shunned her. In that sense, Cassie really had lost Naomi.

ooOoo

"I am so sorry!" Cassie apologized fervently. "I didn't mean to; I wouldn't do that to anyone on purpose."

Jack and Cassie's second portal trip hadn't gone much better than the first one. Jack had managed to catch himself in mid-air this time, but Cassie was a different story. Rather than hit the floor, she had fallen straight down on top of a very surprised yeti. Said yeti was now scowling at her, hands on its hips.

"Ah, lighten up, Phil," Jack interjected. "It was an accident. And I'm the one who opened the portal, not her." The yeti's response to this was to turn his glare on Jack.

Cassie frowned and raised an eyebrow. "Phil?" She looked between Jack and the yeti. "You two know each other?"

"I tried to bust in here a few times before North had me brought in," explained Jack. "Phil was always the one to throw me out." He smirked at Phil, prompting a growl from the yeti.

Cassie hummed thoughtfully, and then stepped forward. Standing on her tiptoes, she whispered something in Phil's ear. As she whispered, the scowl slipped off of the yeti's face, replaced by a surprised smile. She stepped back and returned the smile, then added a quick wink. Phil laughed and clapped her on the shoulder, careful not to put too much force into it, before returning to his work of making toys.

Jack's brow furrowed. "What did you say to him?"

Cassie grinned. "I told him he doesn't need to worry about punishing you for our bad entrance, because I know how to dye your hair orange."

Jack's eyebrows shot up. "You wouldn't."

"No, I wouldn't. At least, probably not," Cassie added with a smirk.

"Are you two done flirting yet?" Bunny asked from where he stood against a pillar. "In case you forgot, we still have a job to do."

Cassie turned to face Bunny. "We remember. In case you forgot, it's my mind that's involved here," she said pointedly. "Is everyone here?"

"Almost," Tooth chimed in. "We're just waiting for Sandy."

Cassie frowned. "Tooth, I don't know why I'm only wondering now, but how can you properly watch my memories? You give orders to your fairies twenty four-seven."

"I've got that covered," Tooth reassured her. "After viewing your memories the first time, I realized I need a backup worker, to direct my girls when I can't. Baby Tooth, my best worker, is covering for me right now—I've made her my deputy."

Jack grinned. "Nice choice." Just then Sandy flew in through one of the large windows, the cloud of golden sand under him dispersing as he came inside.

"Sandy, there you are!" North said jovially. "Now we may proceed."

Sandy nodded. He hovered over to the crystal that stood prominent and waiting, and waved to Cassie. Cassie strode over, stopping next to Sandy. Conjuring a small sand cloud, Sandy floated up until he was at eye level with Cassie and then held a hand up, palm straight out.

Understanding what he wanted, Cassie leaned forward to press her forehead to his hand. As his fingers touched her skin, she once again felt his presence in her mind. You did take some time to live and think as a human, didn't you? He asked.

I did. A picture of Naomi's stony face flashed through her mind before she could stop it. From the way Sandy's own face softened in pity, she knew he had seen it too. My brain got plenty of rest, she insisted. But what do you think? Can we give my memories another try?

Sandy gave her a concerned look but didn't bring up the image of Naomi, much to Cassie's relief. The loss of her friend was still a fresh wound, one she wished she could fix. Since she couldn't, though, she didn't want to think about it any more than she had to.

Several moments passed, in which Cassie supposed Sandy was scanning her brain. Yes, he said finally. It is safe for me to access your memories again. He removed his fingers from her forehead.

Cassie nodded. "Then let's get started," she said out loud. Turning to the crystal, she pressed her right hand against the smooth surface. The light inside of it pulsed at her touch.

Sandy put his hand over hers, and the light flared up and out. Again it stretched to become a projector screen; and again Cassie's memories started to play.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Next chapter: "Maybe a kind spirit got the water to us and then vanished," he said with a chuckle./ The rain pelted her body and the smell of wet soil filled her nostrils, and she let out an elated whoop. Wait until Yuki heard about this./ She was just setting foot on the opposite riverbank when she heard a crack and a high-pitched scream./ "I was not made to harm. Those children were innocent; and I will never leave an innocent to die."

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