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Disclaimer: I do not own Rise of the Guardians.

Artemis

I walked out onto the ice, my friend of two years, Jace, already skating circles and figure eights. The skates I was wearing were brand new, in need of a good breaking in before I could practice any of the tricks I had learned over the years. Sammy was padding across the ice carefully, trying to catch up to Jace. Once I was on the ice as well, it took maybe half an hour for me to get into my groove.

It was such a pretty day, the clouds masking most of the sunlight as snowflakes began to fall gently towards the ground. It was only slightly chilly, making me grateful for my coat and scarf.

"Girls!" I heard my mom's voice and turned around to see her walking towards us with Father. She held a tray, two steaming mugs of what I could only guess was hot chocolate balancing atop it. Dad was carrying a bowl of what was probably Sammy's dog food and a picnic basket. "Mr. Smith and I thought it would be a fun idea to have a picnic on the ice. It's so pretty outside, after all."

"Did he bring the big blanket?" I stopped skating as a smile found its way onto my face. Mother nodded and I skated forward to intercept the two. Jace met us at the edge of the ice and we both changed into our winter boots before helping set up the picnic. We sipped hot chocolate while Mom told stories about when she was in college. Dad would put in his own occasional comments every now and then, earning some laughs and a playful hit from Mom.

"I still remember when we first met Artemis," my mom smiled lovingly at me, adoration shining in her eyes as I ducked my head.

"She was the only kid I saw in the whole place that seemed to know anything about art," Father put in. Mom hit him with a light trill of laughter leaving her.

"She was barely nine and they were all using crayons," she rolled her eyes at my Father even when he shrugged. "I can't tell you what it was about her that just drew us in like ants to a picnic. But once we had met her, we knew she was the only child in the entire place that we wanted. Miss Susan was ecstatic when we told her that we wanted Artemis. We began visiting constantly, bringing her pictures of Sammy and our house."

"I brought her some of my smaller paintings and even gave her her own art supplies," my dad pointed out triumphantly.

"He kept insisting that I was going to do great things in art," I told Jace. She smiled back at me.

"By great things, I don't think he meant that unmentioned incident last year with the oil paint?" Jace teased.

"We both know that Miss Fergeson never told me not to paint too close to the heater!" I defended, pretending like it hadn't been because of moving shadows in the corner of the art room that I had knocked my supplies over in front of the open flame.

"I'll never forget that parent teacher conference," my dad shook his head, laughing as he did so. "Her hair had oil pain all in it and her face was streaked with ashes and more paint. Your teacher looked like a leprechaun's chimney sweep."

Pitch

I had remained by Artemis's side, pressing cool rags to her forehead occasionally. She had yet to stir ever since her eyes shut. I could feel the flicker of life inside her dimming.

"What are you waiting for, Pitch?" Jack walked into the mostly empty room. "You know what's wrong with her, fix her."

"There is nothing I can do," I informed him, not moving my eyes from the pale form. Her hair seemed to be growing duller and grayer with each passing hour. There was no telling what the Man in the Moon would do. After all, I had always fought against him as the opposing force against the Man in the Moon. Why would he save the girl I had fallen...that I...

Artemis

Jace and I swooned as soon as Tom Hiddleston came on screen, me pressing my hand to my forehead as if I was going to faint. Avengers was by far one of our favorite movies. Especially whenever Loki was on screen, which was very often.

"After this do you want to watch Les Miserables?" Jace asked me, going over to the microwave to fix a bag of popcorn. I nodded absently as I made a mental note to propose to Tom Hiddleston next time I had the chance.

"I'm going to marry this man one day, mark my words," I swore, looking over at Jace with determination.

"I thought you were more of an Iron Man kind of girl?" she grinned as she took the seat next to me on the very comfortable couch.

"Polygamy!" I shouted with way too much energy as I went toppling off the couch. I hit the floor with an audible thud.

"Good luck with that," Artemis manage to say in between laughs as she looked down at me. Eventually, she helped me up.

I had been going from memory to memory, my mind rushing me through all of them before tearing me out and shoving me into another. I felt a pang in my chest every time I heard my father make a joke, smelt my mother's cooking, or heard Jace's laughter.

Meanwhile In Another Part Of The World...

A man and his wife sat together on a couch. His wife's eyes were puffy and red as she clung to the note that was the last thing she had ever gotten from her daughter.

Dear Family,

As much as I have treasure our years together, I find that I must now leave.
I do hope you understand that it is nothing you have done to cause this.
I hope to one day soon return to you.
I'm sorry for not speaking about this with you in person.

Love Always,

Artemis Smith

A girl with multi colored hair looked down at the tear-stained paper that she had kept with her ever since her friend's disappearance. She just couldn't believe it. Artemis would never...

Jace,

By the time you read this, I will be gone.
I have things that I must do.
Forgive me for not telling you sooner that I planned on leaving.
It was as much a surprise to me as it probably is to you.
I hope to one day soon return to you.

Your Friend,

Artemis Smith

Jace crinkled the note in her hand, unable to believe that her friend ran away. She pulled out a paper, remembering a conversation she had once had with her best friend.

Artemis

Jace took the note to Santa Claus out of my hands, reading it with an arched eyebrow.

"You still believe in Santa Claus?" she asked me.

"Why shouldn't I?" I responded, taking the note back and placing it into an envelope. "He never stopped believing in me when I was a child. So why should I stop believing in him just because I am older?"

"Can I tell you a secret?" Jace turned to me, a surprising blush spread across her cheeks. I nodded, curious as to what she might say. "I believe in Jack Frost and I idolize the Tooth Fairy."

"That's why my hair looks like this. I saw her once when I was a small child, she was so colorful," Jace's embarrassed blush deepened as she spoke.

"I think they're both real too," I informed her.

"Don't forget the Sandman," my dad walked into the room, indicating on my clock how late it was as he smirked down at us.

"Dad, can you tell us about the Guardians?" I asked, knowing fully well that the story book was sitting on my bookshelf, waiting for my dad's voice to bring its contents to life.

"Of course," he strolled over and pulled out the book as Jace moved over to sit next to me on the bed and I set down the letter to Santa.

Jace

Dear Santa,

I don't know if you'll get this.
Or even if you still read our letters once we turn 18.
Mon ami has disappeared.
Her name is Artemis Smith.
She says that you believed in her when she was a child.
So she's always believed in you, too.
If that's true, then I hope that you'll believe in me too.
Please bring her back to us.

That's All We Want For Christmas,

Jace

You see that? ^^^^ That's a quick update. What's it doing? It's cheering because it got here so speedily. XD