A/N: Holy crow, so many reviews! Where did you all come from?! Thanks for reading and reviewing! You all make me want to write again because you were all so patient and looking forward to it. So here you are! A happy holiday chapter from me to you.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Beth Wilkerson

It was Chrismas Eve and Beth was bounding between breathless excitement and incredible worry. She was going to see her siblings – quotation marks – and they were absolutely going to flip over the North Pole. Then again….

"Agh! Let it go brain!" Beth growled in exasperation, messing her hair up in a helpless display of frustration. She had to admit that while North and Jack were pretty darn good at keeping her distracted, she couldn't stop thinking about the destroyed teeth and Bunny's trampled garden. And couldn't help feeling guilty that it may be her bringing the trouble to them. And she was thinking about it AGAIN!

Beth groaned and fell backwards into the pile of wrapping paper, disappearing under a mountain of bows and ribbons. She'd been helping to wrap these days, something North had shown her how to do properly after he saw her many failed attempts. And there was a lot of it to be done, if this absolute pile of paper was anything to by. A concerned bunch of Yeti speak caught her attention and she shifted the paper off her face to look up at Phil and one of the others she worked with often, Fred.

"I'm okay I swear." Beth said, giving them a thumbs up from her cavern of pretty paper. Phil rolled his eyes and Fred scooped her out of it. She gave a startled squeak before Fred stuck a bow in her hair. Beth blinked at the sudden action when she realized Fred's eyes were twinkling with amusement. A normally quiet Yeti, she found out soon after working with him that he had a shining sense of humor. Beth felt her lips twitch and she grabbed the bucket of bows and upended it over his head. They dissolved into laughter as Phil gave a weary sigh and then added a bucket of ribbon to the mess.

"Wha-hey!" Beth shouted as the ribbon blinded her and she attempted to detangle the mess from her face so she could see. She could hear both the yeti's laughing and she made a blind attempt to throw some bows in their direction. She knew she probably missed – even on a good day she wouldn't hit much – but valiantly struggled on anyway.

"What is this?"

North's voice cut through it all and she tried to whirl around to apologize, forgot she was covered in ribbon and went tumbling into a stack of boxes. Somehow the fall had shifted the tangled mat so she could see and realized she had ended up upside down and everyone was staring at her. Jack, who had been with North, was sniggering into his hand and she stuck her tongue out at him, looking sheepish and definitely embarrassed that she'd been caught slacking off. But then they all started to laugh as North came to her aid, picking her out of the mess by her sweatshirt scruff with ease. She was glad to see he wasn't really too disappointed with them, as his eyes crinkled with good humor. He set her easily on her feet and she attempted to pick ribbon out of the tangle in her hair and clothes.

"Good to see laugh but many more presents to wrap!" North said, clapping Phil and Fred on the shoulders. "Must go see sleigh but keep up good work!"

Fred and Phil saluted and Beth waved as he turned to continue on his way. Then she returned to the task of getting the ribbon off. Honestly, how did something get so tangled so quickly? A cool pair of hands joined hers, pulling it out of her hair.

"Slacker." Jack teased and she rolled her eyes.

"It was just for a moment so it was a break not slacking off."

"If you say so." He laughed and she stuck a bow in his hair in retaliation. It didn't do much other than make him laugh harder but he looked really silly so it appeased her for the moment. Between the two of them, they finally managed to detangle her from the knot. She shrugged out of it and let it fall to the floor, finally getting a chance to examine the mess they'd made.

"Oops." Beth could only say, cringing slightly at the decorations flung everywhere and the boxes scattering the floor. Phil and Fred had started to pick it up and she immediately made to help. A hand on her shoulder stopped her. She looked back at Jack's grin and got suspicious.

"What?" She asked and he tugged on her sleeve.

"We can help later, come on. I have something to show you."

"But I helped make the mess-"

"Quit being so responsible, come on!" Jack said a little more insistently and Beth sighed, relenting. If she stayed behind, he'd probably just pester her into following anyway. She gave an apologetic wave to Phil and Fred and tagged along. As they wound up the walkway, Beth asked a question that had been nagging at her all day.

"So you left awfully early this morning. Where'd you go?" She asked and he continued to walk with a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders. The only reason she knew he'd left was because Phil had put up a fuss about mildly frozen window shutters and it had woken her up.

"Went to go work. Some of us have work." Jack said airily and she snorted at the snobbishness. She threw his hood over his head as punishment.

"If you went to 'work' as you said, it'd take you at least a couple of days, not a few hours."

"I missed a spot."

Now he was blatantly lying. Beth frowned at him, irritated, and Jack looked away, rubbing the back of his neck. He was very nervous about something. She was about to ask another question when he suddenly grabbed her hand and they were in the air.

"Woah!" Beth held on to her hat for dear life as they dodged the flying machines and went straight out through an open door. The cold air hit her face like a truck, almost knocking the wind from her lungs. She was really glad she'd kept the habit of wearing her gloves and sweatshirts. Despite having warmer blood, she really was a temperature wimp. They kept going up and up until the North Pole was a mass of twinkling lights below them. She wasn't afraid anymore though – she knew Jack wouldn't drop her. "How high are we going Jack? And you're evading the question!"

"Why don't you look up and stop worrying about it?" He said instead and Beth obliged, though she was still insanely curious. She tore her eyes off the merry lights below and glanced up. And there went her breath.

The aurora and its cold light blazed overhead, looking close enough to touch. It danced over their skin, turning varieties of blues and greens. Like a living, breathing thing, it danced across the darkness of the sky, reflecting off the ice and turning the glittering snow into a moonlit sea. Beth could only glance at Jack, a breathless laugh caught in her throat. He was smiling back, his eyes dancing and his white hair blue-green in the light. Her cheeks hurt from smiling so big in return. Her eyes went back to the sky, squeezing Jack's hand. It was several long moments before she realized that he had completely distracted her.

"You know, I should be mad that you completely evaded my question." She said conversationally. She saw him flinch out of the corner of her eye and she raised an eyebrow. What had him so jumpy? She was a little concerned now. He didn't answer and instead brought them back down towards the North Pole. They landed outside of her room and she turned to ask him what was bothering him when the shutters flew open and she practically jumped out of her skin when someone flung herself at her.

"Sarah!?" Beth shouted, falling over with Sarah hanging off her. She hugged Sarah tightly anyway, despite her immense surprise.

"Hi Beth! Surprise!" Sarah said, sitting back and grinning. Her eyes looked a little damp too.

"Yeah no kidding. When did you get here?" Beth asked, trying to fix her falling hat. Jack laughed quietly and then suddenly Beth was buried under a pile of other kids. "Ack!"

"Beth, Beth – have you seen this place? We're really at the North Pole!"

"The wights!"

"I want to fly one of those toys they're so COOL."

Lying on the cold ground, her back hurting from being tackled and her ears ringing from so many questions at once, Beth felt more at home that she had for a long while. She nodded at questions and laughed at others, ruffling Kevin's hair and giving Sarah a noogie for scaring her. She looked up at Jack and offered a hand to help her up. He did and when she was standing, she pulled him into a hug. He stilled, surprised, before he finally wrapped his arms around her back.

"Thanks Jack." She said, knowing that he probably took her flying to distract her from the kids sneaking in. She felt him laugh softly, his breath cold.

"No problem. Don't be so nosy next time though." Beth laughed back at that and then Sarah's loud "Ohhhhhh!" broke them both apart, snorting with laughter.

"You're so immature Sarah!" Beth said, grabbing her and hauling her over her shoulder.

Jack Frost

Jack was glad the surprise had gone well, considering he'd done a horrible job of trying to hide it. North had suggested he use a globe to bring them today, and he decided to try and make it a surprise. Stars always distracted her and the aurora had done a good job of it. He'd never get over the look on her face when Sarah tackled her through the window. And he hadn't expected the hug. Then again, she was a pretty touchy person. And he could appreciate that. He'd missed hugs.

Beth and the rest of kids tugged him along into their games too. They played some card game he'd never heard of but he turned out to be pretty good at it. Beth was atrociously bad and lost pretty much the entire time. More bragging rights for him. She looked too darn happy to really tease though and he was glad. He was sure she'd be even happier later.

He had left early this morning, not just to get the kids but also to talk to Mother Goose about what Beth would want for Christmas, because North and Fairy had asked. He was surprised by the answer he'd been given but told North anyway. And North checking the sleigh? He was really going to get Fairy and Sandman, since Bunny was too focused on his eggs to bother. Also Mother Goose. The thought made Jack smile again. He couldn't believe Mother Goose had scared Bunny off.

"What're you smiling about?" Beth asked and he shook his head.

"Just that Bunny is afraid of Moth-you-know-who." Jack said, catching himself as Catlin turned to look curiously. Nana had asked they keep her identity a secret from the kids and Jack figured it had something to do with the endless questions she'd be bombarded with. Beth grinned back.

"Gotta say I'm looking forward to that meeting." She hummed and then triumphantly placed down a card. "King of Spades! Hah!"

"Ace! I win again!" Sarah said, slamming down an ace and Beth groaned, her head in her hands. Sam patted her on the back sympathetically. "You owe me one heck of a book Beth!"

"You extortionist!" Beth accused, but her heart wasn't in it.

"What's that?" Elliot turned to ask Jack. He was honestly a little touched that they were turning to ask him questions. Mostly just that they could see him still.

"Beth's just a sore loser." He shrugged and she tossed a card in his direction. He caught it, turning it between his fingers nimbly. Kevin watched in awe and he smirked at her. She rolled her eyes.

He was teaching Kevin how to do his little card trick, when a loud bell started ringing. Beth sat up straight, worry flashing in her eyes before Jack sprang up. North was all done with preparations then.

"Come on!" Jack said and although Beth looked confused, and still a little worried, she got up and the rest of kids dashed out the door as he floated out the walkway. Beth jumped to catch up and kept pace easily. He could tell she was confused by the lack of hustle-bustle in the workshop but she didn't seem to comment, trying to keep up with Sarah, who was easily the fastest.

A warm light shone from the globe room and Jack waited by the door when she gave him suspicious look before stepping inside.

Beth Wilkerson

Squinting in the change of light, Beth took a second to adjust before she realized she was standing in a fully decorated globe room, with a huge Christmas tree in the middle. Her heart caught in her throat when she realized North, Fairy and Sandman were all standing around it, Nana sitting in a chair by the tree, looking more peaceful than Beth had seen her in years. While the kids clamored around her, running up to North excitedly, Beth could only stand there, her throat choked with emotion. How much were they going to do for her and her family? Was this compassion a spirit thing?

A hand on her shoulder snapped her out of it. Tooth was smiling at her and Baby Tooth zipped once around her head before going to Jack.

"Merry Christmas Beth." She said and Beth smiled back, feeling strangely timid, brushing her hair behind her ears.

"Merry Christmas Beth and Jack!"

"Jamie!" Jack's voice sounded startled as Jamie ran out from behind North to give him a hug. Beth smiled into her hand. She wasn't going to tell him that she asked North for Jamie to be here when everyone else came. She waved at Jamie as Jack put the boy on his shoulders.

"Merry Christmas to all!" North exclaimed loudly, waking the Sandman, who was slumbering by the hearth again. The little golden sprite caught on immediately and gave them all an enthusiastic thumbs up. "Been long time since company. Thought we would start early before I must go. Now presents!"

The kids cheered and Jamie hopped off Jack's shoulders to join the other two. Beth smiled and went to help hand out the gifts. She had a few of her own to give as well – apparently Nana did too. When Beth turned to hand some presents to Jack, North, Tooth and Sandy, they looked seemed a little surprised.

"Pah! All ye long like trout with yer jaw hangin'. Yer takin' young Beth and carin fer her, and ye are all old friends, the lotta ye." Nana said at their expressions and North chuckled deeply, patting her shoulder with surprising gentleness. It made Beth wonder how close Nana was with the rest of them.

"Should have expected. Thank you." North said.

"Yer welcome." Nana said gruffly and accepted the gift from Beth wordlessly. In it was new clay, a soft terracotta that would be easier for her older bones to mold. And it would fire faster. Beth knew how she loved to work with her hands. For North, she'd given him a set of tools that could reach smaller spaces in the ice he carved and were large enough for his hands. Tooth was more difficult but she'd given her a small lamp, with glass carvings she'd once saw in a book at the Turkish markets. Tooth seemed to like it because she gave Beth a hug. She was relieved because she hadn't been sure. Sandman she gave a small, intricately carved bell that could hang on his wrist so he wouldn't lose it and still be loud enough to get the attention of the others.

The kids all got what they wanted most from her – since she knew them well, except for Jamie. But Jack spoke of him often enough that she went the smart route and got him some new pens, for the sketchbook she knew Jack got him. Of course, they all got spoiled by spirits to which she and Nana only shook their heads.

Jack… Jack was a little more difficult. He was her best friend but they'd only known each other a few months (it was still weird to think about – she felt like she'd known him for ages). He didn't seem like the type to carry a lot of things around and he certainly seemed to like his own clothes so that wasn't an option. The question was then… what? It'd taken her several days of wandering the workshop before she decided. Still she watched a little nervously as he took it from her, his eyebrows raised in surprise.

It was a woven bracelet. She had made one and she and Sarah had taught Jamie how to do it for the other. The one from her said, 'always believe' and Jamie's had several shaky snowflakes on it and a bunny made of ice – the thing that made him believe in Jack. Jack glanced up at her wordlessly and she saw him swallow hard.

'Thank you'. He mouthed over the noise and she smiled back, glad. He slipped them over his wrist and under his sweatshirt. She, herself, received a few gifts from the kids, mostly handmade. Sarah always complained that she was too easy-going and never told anyone what she wanted. She laughed at that – it was true. She pretty much liked everything. Nana had given her a few books to entertain her and Beth had to fight of Sarah who liked one of the titles too. She eventually relented and gave it to her anyway.

Thinking that all of this had been her present, Beth was more than a little surprised when North dumped a handful of gifts into her lap.

"What's all this?" She asked, curious. There was one large one and two smaller ones.

"Gifts silly. Open!" North insisted and she obliged.

One was wrapped in elegant golden paper – the sandman. She glanced at him and he smiled, the little bell tingling on his wrist as he waved. It was very small and she opened it carefully. A small box tumbled into her hand. Carefully she opened it.

"Oh… wow." Sarah said from beside her. She couldn't agree more. It was a small glass sphere and on it glimmered small golden pinpricks. The stars, she realized as they shifted on the surface of the glass as she tilted it. She could recognize the constellations as they went across the surface, shifting from one hemisphere to the next.

"Thank you so much." She breathed, setting the object in her lap reverently, hardly able to keep her eyes off it long enough to reach for the next one. The Sandman beamed on Nana's armrest. The next one was wrapped in a bluish material that had a pattern similar to feathers. Tooth's then. She smiled at the Fairy, who looked a little nervous – as she had for most of the night, as the children opened her gifts. She needn't have of course, as everyone loved the beautiful trinkets she'd given. And there was no need to be worried about her either.

Inside was a new hat, similar to her own beanie, except adorned with a colorful beadwork butterfly. She heard Jack give a quiet thank goodness and she glared at him, knowing how much he hated her hat for some reason. She supposed it was a little old and beat up. And this new one was gorgeous. Despite feeling the need to spite him, she couldn't resist. She immediately put it on.

"It's beautiful Tooth." She said and Tooth smiled brightly.

"It looks beautiful on you too! I'm glad." She said.

The last one was much larger but North, Phil and surprisingly, Jack's name were scrawled on it. She looked at him questioningly.

"I already got a gift from you." She said, confused and tugging at the sweatshirt that she wore frequently now.

"It wasn't Christmas." He said cheekily and she huffed in amusement.

She unwrapped it gently and carefully and found a wooden box on the inside. It was carved with trees and reindeer, so precisely and skillfully she knew it was North's doing. Phil's was the careful crafting of it, the setting of the hinges that would make it open smoothly.

"Present is not box! Open!" North said, laughing and she looked up at him in surprise. She would have been happy with the box! What else did they give her? She carefully opened it and froze.

It was a violin. How had they known they she played it? They must have asked Nana. But it had been such a long time since she had last played it… Her fingers ran over the glossy mahogany surface of the violin, a feeling of nostalgia creeping on her that was very difficult to overcome. She couldn't… remember the last time she'd played it but the hum of a tune echoed in her memory, warm like fire and oh so bittersweet…

"Beth are you crying?" Sarah asked and her head jerked up, the feeling vanished. She realized everyone was staring at her and she reached up to touch her cheeks and found them wet. Oh, she was crying.

"I'm just…. Really touched." She said, laughing lamely and a bit watery as she reached up with her sweatshirt sleeve to wipe her tears away. Beth really wasn't one to cry and Sarah wrapped her arms around her. Beth smiled into her hair and out of the corner of her eye, she saw North and Sandman exchange a quiet glance. Tooth's face had melted into something beamingly happy. And Jack looked mildly lost onto how to handle the situation of her crying. She chuckled at the look on his face.

"Now ye're last, ye must play!" Nana said, breaking the silence. This was met by a loud cheer all around and Beth suddenly felt a little bit nervous. It had been a long time since she last played.

"I don't know Nana-"

"Come on Beth, play for us like you used to!" Sarah said, referring to the beat up old fiddle that Nana used to have.

"Yeah come on!" Kevin pleaded.

"Well now you have to." Jack said, his smile a little more uncertain – as if she was going to start crying again. He was such a softie sometimes. She sighed when the Sandman shook his bell and excitedly placed a playing violin over his head.

"Alright. But I haven't done this in awhile so if you get a screech, you're the ones who asked for it." Beth said, taking the fiddle carefully from its' case and placing it under her chin. The movement felt so natural, like she'd been doing it forever. The instrument nestled itself there, the bow fit well in her hands. But she hadn't been playing in forever and it showed when everyone, did indeed get a screech. They all cringed, including her.

"Oops." She said and Jack covered his ears dramatically, despite leaning forward. She restrained the urge to toss something at him.

After a few stumbles, Beth remembered how it felt to swipe the bow over the strings and how to hold her fingers. She ran a few chords of an older song, which Sarah hummed to. And Beth couldn't stop smiling. The fiddle felt right in her hands.

"Play Jingle Bells!" Kevin shouted, breaking the quiet and she laughed.

"All right but if you start singing the wrong words again, I'm kicking you out!" Beth threatened and let herself fall back onto the song, the well-practiced chords from so long ago coming back to her. And they all stayed like that for a long time, her playing the songs that she could remember and the spirits and the kids who believed in them singing to the ones they knew and making up words to the ones they didn't.

It was the best Christmas that Beth could remember and she hoped it would last forever.

But nothing ever does... does it?