Epilogue – Blood that Runs Strong
Jack wiped a hand across the smooth surface of the ice until he had a clear window to view the Nightmare King frozen in his icy prison.
Pitch had managed to get most of the ice from Karla's bomb out of his eyes, so Jack could see the expression of shock on his face. It would have been comical if not for the ugly snarl just beginning to form on his lips.
"What were you thinking?" an outraged voice shouted.
Jack looked over to where Kyle was currently leaning over a shivering Karla.
"I told you that you needed to throw the bomb and then get away from the blast or else... or else..." Kyle made a frustrated gesture at Karla's ice-covered body.
"It's kind of hard to get away when someone has a death grip on your throat," Karla snapped back.
Jack sighed.
Apparently not even frostbite could temper Karla's sharp and ready tongue.
"Besides Jack was in the middle of a blast. Why don't you go yell at him?" Karla griped.
"He's the freaking Spirit of the freaking Winter, Karls. I think that—I don't know—makes him immune to the ice and cold!" Kyle shot back.
"Yeah, well. I had to do something," Karla said. "And I didn't see anyone else volunteering."
"Hello! Remember the knife against your neck?"
"Are they always like this?" Bunny asked Jack as he made his way over to where everyone was gathering.
"All day, everyday," Jack confirmed.
"Oh, don't think you're out of a lecture, Frost-boy. We're all still pretty pissed about your little drowning-in-the-lake stunt," Karla said.
"What?" several of the other Guardians shouted at the same time.
"That wasn't my fault," Jack protested.
"And the knife at my neck was not my fault," Karla concurred.
"Wait hold up," Bunny said. "What's this about Frost drowning again?"
"Again?" Karla screeched. Then it turned into a fit of body-racking coughs that rattled in Karla's lungs.
"Well, that's it, sheila," Bunny announced. He hefted her shivering body up, so that he cradled her as he stood slowly. "We're gettin' ya out of this freezer locker before ya're really in trouble."
Karla made a weak protest about being able to walk by herself, but it lost any authority when she cut herself off with another round of coughs. Masterfully ignoring any more words from the girl, Bunny took off towards the exit.
Jack almost followed Bunny, but something stopped him. A stray bit of moonlight filtered into the dank cavern and just barely brushed up against Jack's newest ice sculpture, but it was enough light to set the whole thing ablaze with light.
The frost boy grimaced as the light sculpture featured Pitch frozen in his moment of defeat. It was not a good look for the Nightmare King Jack had to admit.
"Are… are you coming, Jack?" Tooth asked, her eyes shifting between Jack and the frozen Pitch.
"What should we do about him?" Jack responded. "Keep locked in ice forever?"
"We finally have fear contained," North stated. "It is how it should be, no?"
Jack felt himself nodding even though something about North's statement did not sit right with him.
"It's kinda funny though," another voice spoke up. Kyle stretched casually although Jack suspected it was to hide his discomfort in being in Pitch' s lair. "I mean if it wasn't for the fear, I probably would not have believed in Jack Frost or the rest of you for that matter."
Kyle looked like he was going to say more, but he suddenly froze when he realized all of the remaining Guardians' eyes were fixed on him.
"Uh, I mean, uh… What do I know? I've only known the creep for a few hours. And I already hate his guts," Kyle muttered lamely. "Let's get out of here."
North nodded sagely as he eyed the walls of the cavern distrustfully. "Ay. Boy is right. We should not linger here for much longer. The girl—Karla—will need to be looked at too."
Jack started to follow everyone else's exit, but again, his feet hesitated.
"Jack?" North turned towards the white-haired boy, a hand raised as if he meant to help Jack out of the cave, but another body flew in front of the Guardian of Wonder.
"Sandy?" North questioned.
The eldest Guardian shook his head, gently forcing North's outstretched hand down.
"It's all right, North," Jack called out when he finally realized what was making him hesitate. "I just need a moment."
Sandy locked eyes with Jack and nodded. Do what you need to do, child.
Jack dipped his head in return, receiving the unspoken message. He also turned and gave a tiny nod to Kyle as a silent thank you.
The other teen just gave a barely distinguishable snort that sounded a little more embarrassed than condescending.
It was not until Sandy had herded the others out of the main room that Jack turned towards Pitch.
As Jack approached the frozen enemy, he heard the nightmares appear out of their hiding places although they did not dare approached the moonlit area, no matter how weak that light was.
Gently, Jack placed a hand on the frozen surface, and a nightmare whinnied nervously.
"Easy, girl," Jack reassured.
He turned back to the ice and considered the words Kyle never said, but that were clearly written in his eyes.
What good is light if there is no darkness for it to come out of?
Taking a deep breath and refusing to reconsider his decision any more, Jack brought up his other hand and shattered the ice with his staff.
His staff met no resistance. He might as well have plowed a truck into it, but careful, careful he told his powers. The ice exploded outwards, eliciting more nervous cries from the remnants of Pitch's army.
Jack barely had to whisper a word before a breeze whisked past him and caught the body before it could smash into the stone floor below.
Easy, gentle, Jack spoke to the Wind, and it obeyed.
Pitch's body was lowered slowly to the ground as a mother would to her child.
Jack crouched over the body of his enemy and saw that Pitch was breathing steadily as if in a deep, content slumber.
"I can't believe I'm doing this," Jack muttered to the prone figure.
Jack stood, and the nightmares shifted uneasily in the darkness.
"Don't worry," Jack told them. "I won't do anything. Just take care of him until he wakes up."
The restless shuffling gradually died down, and a lone mare trotted out into the light. She flared her nostrils and screamed at Jack.
The frost boy back away from her master, and she came forward to sniff the body. Finding nothing wrong, she turned her head towards Jack, her eyes narrowed.
"Tell Pitch if he tries anything like this again, he'll have the Guardians to deal with," Jack said.
The nightmare pawed the ground and tossed her proud head as if to say, Bring it on, young Guardian!
Jack nodded and then turned away, but not before the nightmare nickered at him.
Risking one more look over his shoulder, Jack saw the mare bow her great head towards him. He saw those familiar, burning eyes fix on him, and for once they were not filled with that consuming fear or hatred, but instead just the tiniest bit of respect.
But then it was gone, and the mare snorted indignantly. Get out of here, you twig of a boy, before I make mincemeat of you with my hooves.
Jack gave her a lopsided grin and a mock salute before the Wind wrapped its child up in its arms and flew him back up to the moon-kissed lands.
"Minor frostbite and burns. Her jacket and Bunny's quick work saved her from any permanent or worse damage. Everything else… nothing a little magic could not handle. She will be fine after good rest."
"Thanks, North," Jack sighed.
"'Tis nothing," the man in red huffed. "Anything for friend of friend."
"Let's go home, eh mates?" Bunny announced as he stretched his arms above his head pointedly. "It's been one wild ride of a day. Don't know about the rest of ya, but I'm tuckered out."
The Guardians turned away from the house where they had dropped off the humans, but Jack hung back.
Sandy caught the eye of their youngest. Golden sand formed North's sleigh and then a question mark.
"Nah, thanks for the offer, but I think I'll stick to my Winds and just cruise." Jack caught sight of his fellow Guardians' worried expressions and added, "Come on, guys. I can take care of myself. And I won't be alone."
To confirm his words, the Wind gusted through the group for just a second, and at Jack's shoulder, Baby Tooth chirped as she placed a reassuring hand on Jack's cheek.
"Still, Frost," Bunny spoke for the group. "That hasn't been worked out so well in the recent past."
"Pitch is out of commission," Jack reassured, rolling his eyes. "I just need time… to get things together by myself."
He emphasized that last part. Still the older Guardians did not so confident.
"I'll visit soon," Jack promised. "Let me… let me just say goodbye without you guys hanging over my shoulder."
Finally, the Guardians softened.
"Very well," North consented. "Just be careful, yes? You are still not at best."
Tooth rushed in for a hug and squeezed him within an inch of his life. "Keep Baby Tooth close. We'll see you soon."
"Of course," Jack wheezed when she eventually released him. "We'll be seeing each other sooner than you think."
A hand clapped Jack on his shoulder, and the boy looked up to see Bunny with his usual annoyed look.
"Still waitin' for that apology," he grunted.
Jack laughed. "You'll be waiting a long time then. You know, you were very creepy stalking me like that."
Bunny grumbled, shooting Jack dirty looks, but gave his shoulder one extra squeeze as if he were unwilling to let Jack go even if it was only for a little while.
With the last of goodbyes done among the Guardians, Jack watched them all pile into North's sleigh and take off. There was no sadness in this parting, only a promise of future reunions. Jack hoped some of the goodbyes he knew he would have to be saying soon would be just as bittersweet. Well, no better time like the present to find out.
Turning, Jack entered the quiet house that held his friends.
Christina and James were asleep together on one couch, while Karla was stretched out on the other with a blanket tucked carefully around her resting body.
"Hey," a soft voice spoke in the darkness.
Jack turned and saw Kyle sitting on his stairway. Carefully tiptoeing to his friend, Jack lowered himself onto one of the steps.
"Is this goodbye then?" Kyle asked, getting right to the point.
Jack shrugged. "Doesn't have to be. Keep believing in me and I'll make sure to drop in every once in a while."
Kyle snorted, "Is it selfish of me to wish you're not this Frost character so I can keep you here with us?"
"Aw, Kyle. Love you too," Jack teased.
"I'm serious, Jack. You know how fickle and unfocused I can be. What if I just wake up one day and don't remember my best friend? I don't want to lose you like that, and I… I don't want to do that to you. I've already done that."
The silly smile slipped off Jack's face, and he turned to face Kyle.
"Jack, I really am sorry that I didn't believe in you before," Kyle continued.
"I don't know what's going to happen," Jack sighed. "Adults aren't really supposed to believe in us. I had accepted that before… everything happened with becoming human and stuff, but now having known you, having a human family… I guess, I'll just have to have a little belief too."
"As much as I want to give you my word, I can't give you much of a guarantee," Kyle spoke honestly.
"Neither can Karla and Christina or even James for that matter," Jack said carelessly, trying to make light of the situation, but he could not quite cover the sadness in his eyes.
Kyle suddenly grabbed the front of Jack's jacket and pulled him roughly into a hug. They stayed like that for a moment until Kyle spoke again, "It's not much, but I hope that will do for now."
"It's fine," Jack said, standing.
He moved to where his brother was still sleeping on the couch.
"Jack."
Jack paused and looked back at Kyle who was now standing as well.
"I will be seeing you soon," Kyle promised with finality. "If not forever, at least soon."
When he went to go pick up James, he accidentally jostled Christina, waking her.
"Jack?" she slurred. Her eyes flew open and she noted that Kyle and Karla were also back. "Is everything all right? Is Pitch—"
"Pitch won't be bothering you or any of us," Jack interrupted her.
"Are you going home?" she asked.
"I'm taking James back."
"And then?"
Jack shrugged. "The world," he said vaguely.
He went to pick James again, but stopped when he heard sniffling.
"Chris…" He reached out to the crying girl, unsure about what to do.
"Some Guardian you are, making girls cry," Kyle scoffed. "Hey, buck up, Chrissie. Jack's promised to visit."
"Sorry," Christina managed between the hiccups and attempts at smiles. "I just don't like goodbyes."
"Hey, come here." Jack brought her into a hug. "Don't think of it as a goodbye. Just a 'see you later.'"
Christina nodded into his chest.
"Don't leave without giving me a hug," another voice piped up.
The three teens looked over to where Karla was awake on her couch. Karla attempted to sit up, but she must have still been aching, for she stopped short with a hiss of pain.
"What's wrong with you?" Christina asked, immediately coming up to her friend's side.
"Just an accident with an ice bomb," Karla said flippantly. She brushed off Christina and yanked Jack into a fierce hug.
"Goodb—"
"Nope. Don't say it," Karla scoffed. "Didn't you just say this isn't a goodbye?"
Jack chuckled as he pulled away. "Well, if this isn't goodbye, then I'll just take my bro and—"
"Wait!" Christina screeched so loud Jack was surprised that she did not wake James.
The brunette flew at Jack, tackling him at his waste, and they both fell on a heap on top of Karla.
"Just one more," the girl said as Kyle came to join the group hug.
Jack breathed in the warmth of their friendship and tried desperately to hold onto the feeling.
Getting James home was easy with the Wind's help. Letting go of him…
Jack held his little brother to his chest, watching the younger boy sleep peacefully.
Eventually, Jack laid James down in his own bed and turned, intent on spending one last night in his own room, but a whimper stopped him.
"James, it's just me. You can go to sleep," Jack whispered.
"Stay with me?" James asked.
Jack nodded and set his staff down against James's nightstand.
"You've got to scoot over, bud."
James complied, and the two brothers squished onto the small bed.
"Sorry, but I'm not going to be much good keeping you warm," Jack apologized.
"You're fine," James replied.
Jack was just about to drift to sleep when James spoke up again, "Jack? You'll be here when I wake up, right?"
"Of course."
"Pinky promise?"
"Pinky promise."
Jack stood in front of his father's study door.
He remembered being a child in this household and the many rules that applied to this door: knock if it is important, do not disturb if it is not, and do not under any circumstance go in without permission.
Jack recalled the one time he had broken that rule and colored in several of the books he had found in dad's study. His backside still ached from the sound punishment he had gotten for that. Ever since then, he had never dared to break those rules again. The house could be burning down around him and the study could be the only safe place, and Jack would still not go into the study.
He did not bother to knock this time. Jack figured being a four hundred and something winter immortal kind of made that rule null and void for him.
Jack had already tried with his mother earlier this afternoon, and as expected, she walked right through him. It hurt of course. Jack had expected that, but he needed to know—to experience it for himself. He had declined James's offer to try and convince their parents. Maybe later, but Jack first needed to face the reality that he was once again a Guardian.
As much as he loved his human family, he had taken that oath all those years ago, and his first responsibility were the children he protected.
Jack twisted the door handle and pushed gently. The heavy door swung open with a small creak. The winter child stepped inside and faced his father.
"What have I told you kids?"
His father did not even look up when he said it. He was focused on some document in front of him; his glasses perched precariously on his nose.
Jack did not answer, but simply waited for his father to notice something amiss.
It did not take long.
Mr. Bennett eventually looked up, a disapproving frown on his face, but it froze awkwardly on his face when he noticed the open door. Jack caught his breath when he thought his father looked at him, but then released it in a disappointed sigh when Mr. Bennett took off his glasses and let his gaze slip past to where the door hung ajar.
Mr. Bennett grunted as he pushed himself out of his seat and walked past Jack to close the door once more.
Jack tried to fight down the bitterness in his throat and turned toward the window, intending to make that his escape route.
A firm hand slapped down on Jack's shoulder, and the teenager whirled in alarm, his staff going up on instinct.
The top of his staff caught his father on the chin with a loud smack.
Mr. Bennett gave a shout of surprise, and his hand on his Jack's shoulder disappeared and came up to rub his jaw.
"Nice reflexes," Mr. Bennett gasped, steady himself on his large oak desk.
"Man in the moon," Jack said. "Sorry, Dad. I didn't expect…"
Jack trailed off, meeting his father's eyes. His father's warm brown eyes met Jack's.
"You—you touched me," Jack stammered. "You can see me?"
"What kind of father would I be if I couldn't see you?" Mr. Bennett asked.
Jack looked away, a lump growing in his throat.
Mr. Bennett frowned, sensing Jack's sadness.
"Your mother can't see, can she?" he asked.
Jack shook his head, white-hair shadowing his eyes.
"Oh, Jack," Mr. Bennett sighed, laying his hand on his son's shoulder again. "You know it's not really her fault?"
Jack nodded. "I know. It's just…" Jack did not know how to finish the sentence, so he decided to skip around the topic. "But how can you see me?"
His father looked like a little kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar as he shuffled from one foot to the other. He nodded his head towards the couch that sat against one of the walls in his study, and Jack obediently sat down on it, his father joining him.
Jack studied his father, while his father stared back, no doubt taking in the unfamiliarity of the white hair and blue eyes. Mr. Bennett seemed certainly intrigued, but not at all surprised.
"You know who I am—who I really am. Did you always know?" Jack asked.
Mr. Bennett gave a short bark of laughter. "No," he said. "I didn't know until you walked into the this room a few minutes ago, which, by the way, you know you're supposed to knock before entering."
Jack shrugged unapologetically.
"Did I ever tell you why we named you Jack in the first place?" Mr. Bennett asked.
Jack shrugged again. "Fate?"
"It was your great-grandfather, Jamie Bennett, who named you," Mr. Bennett stated.
Jack glanced up at the name. He had known that this Bennett family was directly from Jamie's line, but the information had been temporarily sidelined with everything else happening. Jack let it sink in that he was now, in a way, related to his first believer.
"He was the first one to hold you after your mother and I," Mr. Bennett continued. "We placed you in his arms, and the first thing you did was laugh like it was most hilarious thing ever. Grandpa Jamie laughed right along with you and told us you had Jack's laugh."
Jack smiled, imagining a grandfatherly Jamie holding the baby his father described.
"The name stuck," Mr. Bennett finished. "I, of course, knew which Jack Grandpa J was referring too. Maybe it was kind of fate that we'd give you your own name."
"Still doesn't explain how you can see me," Jack said. "Adults aren't supposed to see us."
"Grandpa J could always see you all," Mr. Bennett countered.
Jack's smile widened, his eyes misting over with fond memories only he could see. "Yeah, Jamie was stubborn. I kept warning him he'd lose his faith in me. All children eventually do, but he argued right back he'd never forget his best friend, and he never did. It was the greatest gift he ever gave me."
"It's weird hearing you talk about Grandpa J like that," Mr. Bennett said. "I mean, you still look young, but you talking like that ages you."
"Not you too," Jack groaned. He swore he could hear Kyle cackling somewhere.
"Not 'me too' what?" Mr. Bennett asked.
"Nothing," Jack grumbled, waving it aside.
Mr. Bennett gave Jack a weird look, but continued, "Anyways, to answer your question about why I can see you, I'd like to think I'd inherited quite a lot from my Grandpa J. I grew up hearing the stories of the Guardians, and there was nothing like hearing Grandpa J tell a story." Mr. Bennett gave Jack a childish grin. "He made you feel like you were living the story rather than just hearing it. And I met you once when I was still a kid. Remember that?"
"Memory's a little fuzzy with everything that's been going on," Jack said with a little shake of his head. "I'll probably remember it later."
Mr. Bennett patted Jack's shoulder. "You were visiting Grandpa J and I caught you two talking. You spent the entire day with me. It's kind of hard to forget a day like that."
"What we'd do that was so memorable?" Jack questioned eagerly.
Mr. Bennett's eyes twinkled. "I'll let you remember that for yourself. It's a little too spectacular for words."
Jack pouted slightly although its effect was lost since the corners of his mouth kept twitching upwards.
"So with that memorable day with you permanently ingrained in my head, you might imagine my wonder watching you grow up as my son," Mr. Bennett said. "Each day, you looked more and more like… well, you. I did not put two and two together until you were standing right in front of me a moment ago, but seeing you like this… I just knew you were one and the same."
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully and added, "Didn't expect the whack to the face though."
Jack winced. "Accident," he stated. "I didn't expect you to actually see me. Sorry."
"So answer something for me," Mr. Bennett said. "How are you my son and Jack Frost?"
"You know my birthmark? The one on my right shoulder?" And so Jack started with that—how the birthmark was not really a birthmark. He told his father how he always believed in the Guardians, meeting Baby Tooth one night, and the random visits from the Guardians who kept claiming he was Jack Frost. He told of his disbelief and the powers that manifested soon afterwards, about Pitch Black and the fight, and finally of the victory over the nightmares.
Mr. Bennett never interrupted and just let his son tell the story. When Jack finished, Mr. Bennett just nodded as if he known it all along.
"You're taking this all very well," Jack commented.
Mr. Bennett gave his son a sardonic smile. "Like I said, Bennett genes run strong in me. Magic stuff hardly surprises me, but my son being Jack Frost." He shook his head, his face finally showing some of his disbelief. "It's probably going to hit me hard later. It does explain Jack Frost's disappearance for these past 17 or 18 years, but I watched your mother give birth to you and you grow up in this house…"
Jack's face scrunched up in a pained look. "Ew, Dad. Don't talk about that."
"What?" his father asked innocently although his eyes twinkled with mischievous light. "Birth is a natural part of—"
"I am not having the talk with you," Jack groaned. "I'm technically older than you, you know."
"But you're still my son," Mr. Bennett pointed out.
Jack's body warmed at that statement. "Yeah."
They were silent for a moment before Mr. Bennett brought up the question that weighed down on the both of them.
"So what will you do now?"
Jack gripped his staff tightly and found things to look at besides his father's face.
"I took an oath a long time ago," Jack began slowly. "You probably know that I'm a Guardian. And being gone for so long… There's a lot I need to put back in order. The other Guardians have been keeping the children believing in me while I was gone, which makes some things a lot easier, but there's still so much to fix. I need to get to it soon."
Jack bit his lip uncertainly and forced himself to look at his father. "I have to leave."
Before Jack could open his mouth to apologize, he found himself in a tight embrace.
"Dad?" Jack asked.
Mr. Bennett began to rub his hands along Jack's back, squeezing him all the more fiercely as if he were going to disappear into the wind at any moment.
"I had just convinced myself the other day that I didn't need to worry about you because you still had two years until college, and that gave me two more years for me to keep an eye on you," Mr. Bennett murmured.
Jack released his hold in his staff, letting it fall softly to the ground, and brought up both arms to return the hug. They stayed like that for a moment with Jack just being Jack Bennett and nothing more.
"But you need to go," Mr. Bennett said at last. "I can't keep you here."
Jack nodded, picking up his staff again.
"What about Mom? She can't see me, so how do explain her oldest son just vanishing?"
"Let me worry about that," Mr. Bennett said. "You have enough to worry about."
"Think she'll ever believe?"
"Time will tell," Mr. Bennett state simply. "It'll be hard for her, but I don't really see any way around this one."
"You can ask my friends to back you up, and James," Jack suggested.
"You'll come back, right?" Mr. Bennett asked.
"Of course." Jack grinned. "I'll try to come back in a week or so. Give you some magical back up if mom still doesn't believe."
"Hopefully, it won't take that long," Mr. Bennett muttered. "She might call the police if she still doesn't believe me by then."
"Here, can you give this to Mom for me?"
Jack held out his hand, and ice swirled in a mini cyclone until it solidified into an ice rose. He handed it to his father, and Mr. Bennett accepted it delicately.
"It won't melt," Jack explained.
"I'll be sure she gets it." Mr. Bennett squeezed Jack's arm. "Your room will be waiting for you whenever you need it. Just because you're some big shot winter spirit, don't make yourself a stranger. And when your mother believes, I'm sure that she'll want you to come home for the holidays."
"I will be back; don't worry," Jack promised. "I've made sure Burgess gets plenty of snow ever since Jamie, and if I did have a base, it would be here. It's not too much of a coincidence I was reborn here. Burgess has always been my home."
"Is it possible to get some extra snowfall this year?" Mr. Bennett asked. "I'll consider it my Christmas present for this year."
"Deal," Jack laughed. "Oh, Bunny's going to be pissed."
"Bunny? As in the Easter Bunny?"
Jack's eyes gleamed. "I'll introduce you to him sometime. Bunny has a soft spot for the Bennett family as well. And now that his favorite winter spirit is an official member, I'm sure he won't be able to stay away."
A childish light sparked in Mr. Bennett's eyes, and he leaned over once again to give his son a final hug.
"Later then?" he asked the white-haired teen. "I'll see you later."
"Of course, Dad," Jack murmured into his ear. "If… if you ever need me, give a message to the Wind. The Wind will make sure I'll get it. I'll never be too far away."
Mr. Bennett finally let go of his eldest son and together they walked over to the office window. Jack unlatched the lock, and the Wind blew it open, eager to ride with its child once more.
Jack turned and gave his father a pensive look.
"What?" Mr. Bennett asked. He looked down at himself, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
"It's nothing," Jack laughed. "It's just…" He paused and cocked his head to one side, his eyes sparkling with mischief and something else. "It's just that humans like to think that things like me and the Easter Bunny are unbelievable, but then there's people like you, Jamie, James… You guys are pretty unbelievable yourself."
"I'll take that as a compliment," Mr. Bennett said with a laugh.
"I'll see you soon, Dad. Promise," Jack said.
With a final wave and a bright smile, Jack turned towards the outside and called out, "Wind, take me anywhere!"
A teenager, no older than seventeen and with a shock of white hair, stood in front of the stone marker.
It had been only a week since the return of Jack Frost and there was still so much work to be done, but the blue-eyed boy had a few moments to spend for his first believer and forever friend.
Carved into the stone's face were the words: Jamie Bennett; Beloved Husband, Father, and Friend; Always a Believer.
The teen smiled fondly at the grave and brushed his fingers over its smooth surface. Delicate and intricate patterns began to cover stone's surface until it looked like a work of art rather than a marker of death.
The Spirit of Winter spent only a few more minutes by the grave before he moved on, ready to continue his work.
The only things to tell of his presence were the slightly colder air beside the tomb and bright pink sticky note firmly placed on the front of the stone.
It read:
Dear Jamie,
I love you too.
Your great-grandson and friend,
Jack
The End
And with that, I bid you a very fond farewell. I cannot express the intensity of my gratitude for all of you who have read/reviewed/followed/favorited. You have all made this a pleasure to write.
So one more surprise for you all… MissiriKoharehn had requested an alternate ending where Pitch wins. It was too good of an opportunity to pass up, so I did actually write a short AE. I'm not sure if I want to actually post it because it's just so different from the rest of this story. So for now, let me know if you would like to read it and I will send it to you, or if enough people want to see it, I will add it onto the end of this story.
Answers to anonymous reviews:
BlueManiac359: OMG you reviewed! You actually reviewed! (Gives awkwardly enthused hug before backing away self-consciously) *ahem* I mean… thanks (timid smile, then runs away)…
SplashSJQ: Thanks so much! I hope you liked that ending :)
~playing-in-the-mud