A/N: SORRY SORRY SORRY for the delay! I've been really busy getting ready for school which starts next week and I just got music for pit orchestra (for Les Miserables!) and I have a big orchestra retreat this weekend so I've had a lot going on. But I have time for a quick update today! Yay! I'm going to start another arc soon, but not quite yet.

Thanks to Harrison Orion Black, Rise-of-the-writer, insanereader3, cuteknight101, XoXBloodyAliceT.T, Star Anise, WolfScale3857, and Sheeda15 for favoriting or following this story! :D

Kiearrah Mai Rhone: Don't get used to those two updates in a day! School's gonna mess with my schedule but I'll try to update as often as possible.

Amazing-Thalia-Grace: Glad you liked it! I didn't have very many ideas on what he would make Jack call him so I just settled for that.

Caithlinn13: Thanks! If anything, updates are gonna get a bit slower but I'll try not to delay too long. Wouldn't want to keep my readers waiting!

Okay, I believe that's everyone. I posted a little Lone Ranger story so reviews from that and this are mixing up a bit. But that's a good thing that I'm getting reviews! I love reviewers and favoriters and followers and I don't care if I'm making up words now. You guys rock!

Disclaimer: Don't own. Do. Not. Own.

Chapter 14: Phil

Pre- and post- movie

Phil. Not technically his official name, but it had just stuck, like that little tooth helper. The winter spirit certainly had a penchant for naming things. The yeti never told anybody, but he was rather fond of his nickname and now he never heard his original name anymore. It had become his identity and he wouldn't change it for the world.

He had gotten his nickname the first time Jack had tried to break into the Workshop. He had been a mere janitorial yeti at the time, not having been promoted to a higher rank yet, when he had heard a soft thump come from one of the rarely used rooms. Putting aside his mop and letting his curiosity take over, he marched over to the door and peeked inside to discover the source. There, on the floor, lay a spirit. It clearly wasn't human, because no human could've entered the North Pole through a second story window without at least shivering.

As he watched, the boy got up and brushed off his old cloak and tattered leggings before he scooped up an old staff. Phil was a pretty good judge of age, and he guessed the spirit to be anywhere between one and two hundred years old, very new for a spirit. Phil himself was well over seven hundred and still looking good for his age.

He was distracted from his thoughts by a startled gasp. The boy had turned to the door and fixed his wide, blue eyes on the yeti currently standing there. He quickly got over his shock and grinned. "Hey! I'm Jack! Who are you?" he asked curiously.

"Philgrathmanlieh," Phil replied. Jack just stared at him blankly, before shrugging. "I'm just gonna call you Phil. So, mind showing me around?" he replied, moving to open the door further. Phil shook off his irritation at this nickname and shook his head. No uninvited guests allowed in the North Pole. That was one of the top rules of being a worker and he was going to stick by it.

Jack pouted slightly. "Aw, come on! I won't touch anything!" he begged, trying to get past Phil, using his staff to poke at the yeti. Phil rolled his eyes, grabbed the spirit's cloak, and unceremoniously threw him out the window. Jack barely had time to register the fact that he was, in fact, hurtling towards the ground before he desperately called for the wind who obediently grabbed him and saved him from a very unpleasant collision with the ground.

"I'll take that as a no," he called to the yeti leaning out the window to make sure he hadn't actually injured the spirit. Phil grumbled and shook his fist at Jack who just laughed and soared away, already making plans for his next entrance.

Over the next hundred and fifty years, a routine quickly became established. Jack made it his mission to enter through every window in the building, while Phil was determined to stop him and throw him out before he reached the main Workshop. The other yetis knew what was happening, of course, and only chuckled quietly as Phil grumbled after another successful day of 'Catch-the-Spirit'. They all could see that he loved it.

Phil had changed quite a bit from the janitor he had once been. North had taken notice and had promoted him to one of the Senior Yetis. Those who knew him could scarcely believe the change that had overcome him. He had had very few friends at first, due to his quiet and gruff nature. However, as time went by, he began to loosen up a bit as he secretly looked forward to the soft gust of chilly air that signaled Jack's arrival and the start of the hunt.

He began to have more fun that he had had in centuries. The creative side of him, hidden for so long, began to emerge as he came up with more ways of throwing the spirit out aside from just chucking him out a window. His methods included, but were not limited to, chasing Jack with a broom, taping the window shut, summoning an army of elves, and dumping a mug of lukewarm chocolate on him. Though he was unaware of it, his whole attitude towards his job and the other yetis changed. He now enjoyed going to work and associating with his fellow yetis who gladly gave him new ideas.

His circle of friends grew, and he began to realize that his loner lifestyle had only served to bring him unhappiness. Jack didn't show up every day, but when he did they would chat a bit despite their language barrier. Phil even managed to teach him some Yetish to make conversations just a bit easier. At the end of it, as always, Phil would show Jack the door, in a manner of speaking, and would return to work.

As an old loner himself, he knew what kept Jack going back to the Pole. The kid was lonely, plain and simple. He never mentioned any friends or other spirits, and it was clear that he often got into disagreements with them from the bruises and other injuries he sported on occasion. Phil never managed to get a straight answer from Jack, who simply changed the subject, but he knew what was going on and he hated it. He had developed a fondness for the spirit and was saddened to see him hurt.

The day Jack became a Guardian, Phil was both excited for his friend and severely disappointed. Jack now had free access to the Workshop as a Guardian. It was wonderful that he had friends, Phil would admit, but he would miss their little game. Jack had no need to break in anymore. Phil knew it was selfish of him, but a part of him wished that nothing would have changed.

These thoughts were swirling around his head one snowy day as he plodded down a hallway, his chores done until North summoned him, swinging his empty lunchbox. He was passing by a room, the room in which he had met Jack, when he heard a thud and a softly uttered curse. Perking up, he quickly yanked the door open. There, lying in a heap on the ground and rubbing his head, was Jack.

"Gotta remember that window sill next time," he grumbled, massaging a new lump on his head.

"Argablargha?" Phil asked, confused as to why the Guardian of Fun was entering through a window. Jack looked up at grinned. "Phil! Fancy seeing you here," he remarked brightly, grinning his trademark smile.

He saw the confused look and chuckled. "Aw, come on Phil, did you really think anything would change just because I have 'responsibilities' now?" he asked, using air quotes. Phil simply nodded, not daring to hope. Jack let out a loud laugh, sending it ringing through the room.

"You silly hairball! I'm not going to just abandon you! What kind of a friend would I be?" he burst out, standing up and ruffling Phil's beard. Phil just stared at him.

"Well, come on then! Time to kick me out, eh?" Jack prompted, nudging him with his elbow.

A smile slowly spread across Phil's face and he looked down at the metal box in his hand. Jack looked at it too and backed up.

"Woah, what are you gonna do with that? Phil? PHIL!"

A/N: Aw, nice ending. Okay, I'm going to do something angsty next time! Unless I happen to get a remarkable suggestion. Hint hint. I do have one suggestion coming, but it's going to wait until after an arc. Amazing-Thalia-Grace, I believe you gave me the idea, so that should give you a tiny hint about what's coming.

Stay tuned people! I apologize for sporadic updates. REVIEW AND SUGGEST STUFF! That may make me update faster, you never know…