WARNING: NIGHTMARES ARE PROHIBITED FROM READING THIS FANFICTION
Falling isn't as terrifying as people make it out to be. After flying with Jack, I hardly consider it frightening. It's the long wait, the way you can feel gravity throwing you, that makes your heart leap into your throat.
I break one of the beads, and start thinking that I probably should have done that sooner as the second floor flies past my vision. A second later, I feel like I'm actually going to die.
Then Jack's arm wraps around my waist, jerking me upright when I'm feet above the ground. His face doesn't look happy, and he avoids looking at me as we rise to the rooftop.
"I..." out of breath, it took me a moment to get my words out. "I thought you wouldn't come."
A smile plays with the corners of his mouth, and he looks at me. "C'mon, you've gotta learn to trust me sometimes." We land lightly on the stone wall. My hands on his chest, and his arm tight around my waist. That same look he gave me at the North Pole passed again, and it filled me with a weird warmth. He smiled.
"Oh. My. God."
Nikki stands there, slack-jawed, shivering against the wind. "Oh…what… Mimzy Angelica Bird!" She grabs my hand and pulls me off of the wall. Jack laughs, and this time, when Nikki looks up, she sees him.
"You couldn't tell me this sooner?"
"Don't use my full name," I blush and turn away from Jack. "You would've thought I was insane."
"I…" she paused, then agreed with me. "But you…this…" Then, pulling me closer, she whispers, "He's hot."
"Actually," Jack's floating above us, grinning, "I have a pretty stable body temperature."
I laugh, and Nikki blushes redder than a beat. She lets go of my arm and steps back, shaking her head. "I'm spending the night tonight, and you, missy, are telling me everything."
"But –"
Nikki waves her hands and rushes towards the elevator before I can get another word out. As she disappears, Jack lands gently beside me and leans on his staff.
He chuckles. "She's cute," he says. A sting of pain erupts in my chest. My smile wavers, but I decide to nod.
"She's my bestie."… Right. Yes. An awkward silence pursues us, until Jack swings around to face me.
"Please, refrain from any more suicidal attempts."
I grin, and playfully slug his shoulder. "Why? Does it worry you?"
Jack takes my ungloved hand, his fingers cold against mine. He looks down at our fingers, and I see the stark contrast of our skin. His is pale, white with a sort of pinkish hue. Mine is a few shades darker, and against each other they look…beautiful. That warm feeling spreads through me again, and I can't meet his gaze.
"More than you know, Mimzy," he lifted my face by holding my chin. For a second, I think he's actually going to kiss me. For another second, I realize that I want him to. So badly.
But, like at the North Pole, he backs away, his face suddenly a mask. He turns his back on me as he rides Wind up into the clouds.
I shiver. Something suddenly bitter and cold rides on the Wind. It doesn't feel right.
I told Nikki what I could, interrupted every so after with a No way and You're making that up. But she followed along, beaming like a child who was being told a story by the fireplace. By morning, we had hardly slept because of how detailed I tried to be (but let's face it; it was impossible to describe the toy factory, and Toothiana's amazing feather), and she left with a yawn and a tight hug. I was suddenly light and happy. I had told Nikki what had been weighing me down for days.
I felt ready to paint. I returned to my abandoned corner and gathered the blues and white and fine paintbrushes. I started with the background, adding watercolor blue and letting it fall in streams before adding the pale white to it.
For the moment, everything was peaceful and happy. God, I wish those moments lasted longer than they did.
