Winter's Time

by Drowning Ostrich

For three hundred years, no one took much notice of Jack. But now he's not the only one who is wondering WHY. As the Guardians come together around their winter child, they discover so much more to the story… and the answer may very well hold the entire world in the balance. Full plot, not one-shots. H/C, Fluff, Adventure, Family (no pairings).

21. New Life: A Helping Hand

Chapter 17 - A Helping Hand

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I'll post author's notes later. You're really here for the chapter, right? ;)

-ROTG-

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Jack was in a really good mood by the time he flipped into a landing on the highest point of the tooth palace mountain. He was tired, but feeling much more optimistic than he had been a few days ago. Sunday may have sucked, but this was shaping up to be a pretty great week ever since. Maybe it was Sandy's magic, but awesomeness had seemed to follow him around ever since he had left Burgess on the Guardian of Dreams' cloud three days ago.

Speaking of clouds… he laughed as Wind pushed one of the misty masses that had clustered above the palace into his face. She tended to get extra playful when he was feeling happy.

Well, he did feel like playing, so he leapt into her airy flow and they began chilling the warm tropical clouds into fun shapes. Usually, he went for something that he thought the local kids would like, then he'd fly down and watch, hoping one or two small faces would turn skyward and see what he had done for their enjoyment.

At the moment, however, frost and gale were creating forms that mirrored his own exuberant thoughts.

As they dove through the first cloud, it began to resemble the Sandman.

Jack received amazing gifts during his day with Sandy- the memories of Joy, time with the dream Guardian, reassurance that Wick was no longer a problem, and a token that seemed to instantly banish the lonely silence any time he touched its smooth glass surface, even without actually activating it. He often found himself holding Sandy's present tight in the palm of his hand without realizing he had reached for it.

And the awesome hadn't stopped there.

Jack and Wind swirled into cloud two and the shape of a child began to emerge.

He had stopped by Burgess twice to check in on Jamie, staying well out of sight and reach, and the small boy seemed in excellent spirits. Tooth's healing had worked wonders, too. There were no visible remains of the attack on the child.

With an extra burst of cold, Wind helped Jack tug the third cloud into a six-sided figure that looked vaguely like a snowflake.

Three more pillars finished, with no hostile spirits in sight. And although great fatigue still sunk into his bones, he had mastered exactly how far he could push before he'd run out of power completely and expose himself again.

Jack paused, considering the fourth wispy white mass. He began working with it a little more slowly and carefully, and it was a full minute before anyone would have identified a rabbit-like figure in the vapor.

Better yet, he had found a way to make the grueling task of pillar-making more fun. After arriving at the Warren to find Bunny away from home, he'd had an amazing idea. He could not wait to see the Easter Guardian in a couple of days. The possibilities of what that might turn out to be like filled every daydream at the moment. Would Bunny like what Jack had set up for him? Would he have gone for it already?

The Pooka probably wouldn't mind that he'd taken the liberty of grabbing some blank paper while there (Jack had stumbled across a whole archive full of documents Bunny kept in the Warren, something he hoped to explore later). One more letter to a certain shadow dork completed and sent. He hoped the letters were annoying Pitch at least a little, because as important as it was to give him options, he was still a dangerous jerk. He didn't want to give the Nightmare King the idea that he was naïve. Fear wasn't something to mess around with lightly, and he knew this was a long shot.

Jack snickered as he realized he's accidentally given cloud-Bunny Pitch's weird hair. Oops.

He changed it to an exaggerated mohawk.

Jack didn't have to think twice about what to do with the final cloud. He just hoped he could get her wings right.

Best of all, he was going to spend the day with a fearlessly fun fairy. He had exchanged a few words with her yesterday when checking in with Sandy over the mirror- the Dream and Memory Guardians had apparently been working together at the time. He had heard both the anxiety in her voice as she asked how he was healing and the excitement as she refused to tell him what they were working on. He found himself curious and excited to learn more about this unassuming yet mysterious fairy.

More importantly, though, she was probably still a little worried about everything after the attack, so a wildly fun but peaceful day together would be just the thing to ease her mind. And his.

Yeah, recent events were an anomaly- just a side effect of the incomplete pillar project. He wasn't really a danger to his companions.

Still.

He looked at his cloud art. This was kind of something that would draw attention. And funny enough, that wasn't what he wanted at the moment. In fact, there was a certain kind of attention he was really trying to avoid, remember?

No harm done, though, even Tooth didn't seem to be aware that he was here, yet. He crouched low and peered over the edge of the mountain, seeing the stream of mini fairies flying two-ways in every direction from the palace. He grinned as a burst of Tooth's distant laughter carried through the air.

Time for some stealth ninja maneuvers. This would be good practice for remaining unnoticed as he finished making this year's winter columns. The irony was not lost on him- finally seen and working towards being remembered permanently, he was now focusing on staying hidden. Could this whole thing be any more confusing?

Giving up this train of thought, Jack flipped over the edge of the roof and pressed himself to the ceiling. Carefully keeping every sense open to his surroundings, he waited for the perfect timing to zip down behind a golden pillar. Avoiding the line of sight of a flock of fairies passing close by, Jack dropped quickly from the pillar to a dome twenty feet below. He crept silently across its surface to keep the structure between him and the twenty or so feathered workers who seemed to be engaged in quite the intense debate as they flew through the palace. He almost grew impatient waiting for just the right moment to flip to the nearby platform that would provide coverage and move him closer to where he sensed Tooth flying to join a group of her fairies.

Timing each move, he darted from one pillar, dome or platform to the next without catching the attention of the thousands of busy little flyers. It was hard not to laugh as he sensed how much fun Wind was having with the novelty of the activity. She kept oh-so-subtly turning little fairies away at just the right moment to keep them from glimpsing Jack. High-five, Wind!

This was easier than he had thought it'd be. He tried to smother his laughter again as he sensed Tooth's form, petite but considerably larger than her helpers, hovering just out of sight below the inner roof he was flattened against. Super focusing, he could tell when her back was turned toward him, her vibrating wings making a distinctive cut through the air. A flurry of her fairies surrounded her. They moved to the ceiling just below Jack, then flew back down to hover in just the perfect spot. Yessss.

"Raaaaagh!" Arms thrown as wide as his triumphant grin, Jack flipped down with a playful roar and startled…

No one.

Because the hundred little fairies definitely looked like they had expected him. And, sometime in those last moments before he popped out, Tooth seemed to have vanished?!

He didn't even have time to turn toward the flicker of air he felt coming from the ceiling above before he found himself snatched by the hood of his sweatshirt and tossed into open space beyond the platform. A fantastic blur of color swirled around him multiple times as he flew through the air trying to right himself. By the time Wind had him right side up, he found himself completely surrounded by a sphere of gleeful looking fairies.

"Well, well, well, so the new recruit thinks he can outwit Toothiana and her armies, eh?"

She looked positively wicked, a pirate's smirk and jaunty air turning her graceful hovering into a sassy stand-off. Hundreds of little faces mirrored the smug look, many unable to hold back their superior giggles.

A thrill went through him at the waves of sheer fun around him. He matched Tooth's wicked grin.

"Ladies. Who could possibly think to offend such elegant and wise beauties as yourselves?"

Solidarity was immediately broken as squeals and adoring looks spread through the ranks, many minis zipping forward to attach themselves to Jack. Baby Tooth had instantly assumed her rightful place atop his head and was chittering a scolding to the rest of them.

Tooth was giving him a dry, deadpan look, lips pursed against her own amusement.

"I am not helping you out of the aftermath if you keep flirting with them."

Jack grinned unapologetically. "I'll settle for an explanation, then- how did you know I was here?!"

"Jack, it- Girls!" When the coating of fairies Jack wore fell silent and turned their attention to their queen, Tooth smiled and flew closer.

"We totally got him." They grinned at her. "Now it's time to get back to work- but!" She halted their protests with a raised hand. "I'll make sure we all have a little more 'Fun' before he goes." Jack's eyebrows shot up at her cheeky wink.

Baby Tooth settled into his hood with a stubborn look. Tooth moved to his side as they watched the rest of the fairies race off in a cheerful frenzy of anticipation.

"Yes, that means I am unleashing them on you later, and you so deserve it." She jabbed an elbow into his arm without looking his direction.

Jack's smile didn't falter even as he winced. "I'm beginning to think they could hunt me down anytime, if they wanted. Do you guys have radar or something?! I was-"

"Really obvious, actually. And once we knew you were there, it was pretty easy to set a trap for a certain thinks-he's-so-clever someone. I've been in your head, remember? I know how you tick."

"Soooo, basically you cheated."

"Lesson one in battle and pranks, Jack. Fair doesn't exist. No rules to break. Besides, it wouldn't have turned out differently, even if I had been unaware of how gifted you are." She zipped around to his other side faster than a blink. "I was flying long before you were even born, and this is my domain."

He had a feeling he'd only barely glimpsed what Tooth was capable of, and he couldn't wait to see more.

"How did Pitch ever-"

"Well he didn't poof around making cloud sculptures to announce his presence." She glanced side-long at him, purple eyes sparkling with laughter as he reddened. She held up a hand of consolation to soften the teasing critique. "Which was really fantastic and provided wonderful amusement for us all." Then Tooth sobered.

"He attacked when I wasn't there and popped in and out of the shadows. My fairies were immediately called back- we can return almost instantly- but that just meant there was a steady stream of them for the nightmares to consume. If I had only been there…"

The joy had vanished from her face as she relived the memory of the attack on her home. Jack's heart clenched as her posture curled inward.

"Sorry." His voice was soft and apologetic. "Reeeeally stupid to try to sneak up on you like that after-"

"Nah, wasn't the first time the palace was attacked, won't be the last." She straightened and faced Jack with a strong and genuine smile. It absolutely refused to allow room for guilt- for such a thing would have called the smile a lie. "I'm not that sensitive. It's good you keep us on our toes. Better a friend than a foe, I say! Ah. Which is why, when getting to know more about you with a memory spell like this, well… it's not that I will use that inside knowledge against you, but..." She hesitated.

Jack nodded. "Better the lessons come from you," he murmured.

She did look apologetic. "I don't ever want to misuse this unwarranted trust you've given us Jack. But..." she sighed and anxiously smoothed her feathers. "The whole point of this process is to basically expose you, and not just to us. I want you to be... prepared. It, it's such a big change for you."

Although her words were terrifyingly true, the fact that she felt so anxious on his behalf made him feel more calm about it himself. He unconsciously moved closer to her as a sense of safety washed over him. She didn't seem to want to directly bring up Wick's attack any more than he did.

"Yeah... it, I mean, that's why I think we need to make it more equal. For example," He flipped above her, hanging upside down from his staff so their faces were on the same level. "What makes a certain fairy queen tick?"

Her feathers flared, eyes widened and gleamed, and smile turned intensely gleeful as she grabbed his face and brought it closer.

"I am so glad you asked, wait til you see what I managed to do!"

With a wild laugh she grabbed his wrist and hauled him through her palace, weaving skillfully around several curved towers and platforms until she burst into her inner chamber room with its shelves of artifacts and ingredients. She tossed him unceremoniously into the giant pile of pillows. Tiny toes perched on a beam high up the wall, she grinned down at his wind-blown and baffled expression.

"Comfy?"

"Uh…"

"Good! Up for sharing a tiny little memory?"

"T-tiny?"

"Itty bitty! Don't worry, Sandy helped me work out the kinks yesterday."

"Uh… alright…"

"Yes! 'Kay, Jack, what was it like when you arrived at my palace a couple minutes ago?"

Jack didn't bother blocking it- this one was easy, as long as he started it right when he was entering the palace. He felt the tug of a memory being released through the veil, but barely recognized that one was coming back along the same channel before the world whited out.

-ROTG-

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Her fairies had seen him before he even crossed the border into India.

Jack was stunned- he couldn't feel Wind or any of the elements, but his mind literally spanned the globe. Thousands and thousands of consciousnesses touched his, light chirping thoughts flitting by in a never-ending stream. Each a separate identity, but part of him. Perfect understanding and love forming a boundless, constantly shifting net of sisterhood, flexible and unbreakable and mighty as the pull of the earth and moon.

Beyond this connection to a worldwide army of busy little beings, there was a deep, humming power, running through the continents and their people. It seemed to stretch on forever in his senses, ancient and embedded in every fiber of being. The strength of Memory that created billions of identities and connected lifetimes, and the ocean of Belief that flowed through these lives into Tooth and back out, strong and protected by a balanced, mutual sharing. Each heartbeat flashed with hundreds of new sparks- teeth, newly lost. If there wasn't a little fairy near a particular spark, a simple mental tap on a strand of the conscious-net immediately signaled a new tooth retrieval order.

Some inherent part of Jack echoed this ponderous sensation, recognized and sang with this same connection to Belief and the ability to inspire and protect an Aspiration, but it was like mere foam floating atop mighty waves in comparison to the ocean of Tooth's radiating Belief energy.

And then there was something else, both familiar and foreign, that rooted him to this place. It was like the ideas of the entire continent hovered in a mist around him. He couldn't quite understand the full scope of it, complex, organic, wonderful, with a million different wills, meanings and emotions… not Memory, but something similar and connected with people. What…?

All of this snapped into a single, clear focus. Tooth lived as a balance of all these things, and right now her attention was honed in on a certain Winter spirit who had just made a series of highly entertaining cloud sculptures above her palace.

Precious, intriguing, extraordinary, so young but wise… fun! Cherish. Protect. The first feelings she used to identify him upon his arrival.

Jack's heartbeat lost its rhythm for a few moments and his throat closed up as he experienced how she felt about him.

She would not accost him as soon as he showed up this time. That was probably really overwhelming for him. She winced slightly at the memory of how much it had affected him when she suddenly entered his space with probing fingers when they first met. Yes, well done, Toothiana. Great first impression.

Actually, no, his first impression of her had been great, she remembered with a happy flutter. He had thought such beautiful things about her, like he immediately determined, on sight, knowing nothing about her heritage, simply that she, as is- just, just Tooth- was wonderful.

Jack was astonished. Of course she was wonderful. And her tooth inspection had been overwhelming- but only because it was so novel. She hadn't hesitated in touching him. And the touch hadn't been a bad or controlling one, but unexpectedly gentle and casual. Like she hadn't given it any thought- didn't have any qualms about being physically connected to him for a moment, didn't have any calculated intentions. And he hadn't pushed her away the second time the impulse took her, because… he definitely didn't dislike it, and it was so unusual and funny and… disorienting.

Looking back at it now, he found it an adorable example of Tooth being Tooth- thoughtlessly welcoming and comforting and enthusiastic about her interests.

She giggled and gave a little spin, wondering how long it would take him to come in already!

Argh, now he was just floating there?! Was he worried about-

She blinked as he suddenly crouched low, and then began stealthily moving through her palace. Obviously trying to remain hidden- she sent a quick mental notice to her helpers to act none the wiser until she could figure out what Jack-

Then she saw his mischievous grin.

She clamped her hands over her mouth to keep from bursting into laughter. Seriously?! Did he really think- ohhh ho ho, she had a few things to show him.

Immediately she flew to a large open chamber, drawing his attention- she knew he'd be able to sense her flying form. Quickly drawing in about a hundred helpers, they surrounded her and flew to the ceiling. She pressed herself flat to the surface, blending her presence into it, remembering the way Jack sensed spirits less distinctly from their surroundings than mortals. She had her fairies peel away in a group. They looked devious and delighted to be playing their role, the mind-giggles flying fast between them. Getting to play with Jaaaaack!

Tooth found herself sharing this same feeling- it made her feel special that Jack wanted to have fun together. Well, she'd make sure it was fun alright- a wicked streak of anticipation raced through her. Immediately the warrior in her became a flame of focus and power.

It was all she could do to hold onto that flame instead of shrieking with excited laughter when he finally launched into their view with a roar about as intimidating as a tiger cub's.

Aw, how cute.

Time to teach this cub a lesson in diplomacy when dealing with queens.

-ROTG-

---

When he became aware again, his head hadn't even had time to hit the pillow. He saw Tooth blinking her eyes as if awakening. She floated down beside him and sat delicately on a pillow, small hands clasped and feathers quivering in anticipation.

"Well?"

Jack jumped up and crouched on a cushion facing her, almost unable to contain his enthusiasm. Baby Tooth squeaked as Wind's turbulent twirling almost dislodged her from her hoodie perch. Tooth giggled, her feathers ruffled in an airy embrace from Jack's invisible supporter.

"That was amazing! You're amazing! Brilliant! How do you even keep track of that many things- augh! You're like a real genius! And so nice and intense and clever and the funnest person ever!"

Her cheeks were bright red, but she grinned.

"Okay, you have to get North to add all that to my description in the Book. Ah!" She grabbed his hands. A jolt ran through him at the unusual sensation of fingers and palms holding his. If she noticed, she hid it well, casually beginning to pull away until he tentatively returned the slight pressure. Her smile widened and she continued what she had begun to say. "Not only did the transfer go two ways with a shared memory like that, it only took an instant. No more passing out for chunks of time! Ugh, that was so dangerous… thank goodness for Sandy's help. He's still the best mentor I ever had."

As if summoned by their comments, a glowing fish made out of dreamsand floated into the room. Pausing in front of them, it changed into Sandy's shape, waved at both of them and gave a thumbs up. Twirling back into a fish, it floated off again.

"Ah, Sandy checking in. Which means…"

One of North's portals opened and an elf tumbled out. Tottering dizzily, it gave a happy if somewhat vacant smile and proudly held up two, slightly rumpled letters. Tooth broke hand contact with Jack to take them and, with a glance at the outside writing, gave one to the elemental Guardian and immediately opened the other.

Jack stared at the white paper, folded over and sealed, with his name on it in strong cursive letters. He ran his fingers over the textured surface, tracing his name with a fingertip. He had mail. Someone had taken the time to- Santa had taken the time to write to him. Laughter welled up and spilled out, just as it always had, without thought that it would be heard.

Until he realized Tooth was looking at him with a tentative smile and an uncertain look in her eyes as they flicked from the unopened letter to his face.

Ooo. Yes, that was probably a weird reaction. Uh...

"Well, y'know, this is kind of backwards. Receiving a letter from Santa rather than sending one."

Tooth laughed then, too. "It gets even better- you'd think he'd write like he speaks and it would be big and crazy all over the page, but he's actually a master calligraphist. Half the time I think I should be framing these…"

With a mixed look of curiosity and amusement, Jack broke the seal and settled his elbows on his crossed legs, immediately absorbed in the message. It was beautifully written, in perfect English, but he found himself focused on the meaning of the words. They were simple and encouraging, wishing him well for his days with Tooth and Bunny, and promising the most fun was to be had on their day together. It also not-so-subtly reminded him that he had a nice cozy place to rest if he happened to fly by the northern part of the planet. And P.S. the elf he sent probably still thought of Jack as an appointer-of-kings and wouldn't think it proper to leave until he had been officially dismissed. The elven political system was developing into quite the complex hierarchy.

Jack glanced over and fought a smile at the elf who was clearly trying to stand at attention.

"Uh, thanks, job well done. Please extend my greetings to the kings and let them know it would please me greatly if a flaming fruitcake of good faith was delivered to North. Dismissed!" He saluted the elf who swelled with pride and dropped the snowglobe from his hands, effectively tipping right into the resulting portal. "Wow, I hope North programmed those before giving them to an elf."

"If you burn down the Pole you'll be stuck on the naughty list permanently."

"Eh, I can take the heat."

Tooth covered her eyes with a hand in exasperation, but her laughter rang true. He grinned and looked back at his letter.

A flood of affection for the Christmas Guardian filled Jack as he read through the message a third and then fourth time. It was so simple and straightforward, but it communicated so much: a general confidence in Jack, a clear and repeated message that he was wanted, and a continuation of their inside joke. And perhaps best of all, no mention of the recent fight with Wick and any of its repercussions.

Jack realized a part of him had been somewhat dreading his next encounters with each of the Guardians after the invasive memory journey and their last uncomfortable separation. But so far they were easing his concerns. It really was going to be alright, and he didn't have to worry about overreactions.

He just needed to get through his day with Bunny to complete the circuit, and he had already set stuff up so it'd be nothing but fun for them both… well, he hoped Bunny would find it fun.

This anxious anticipation spiked as one of Bunny's holes opened up in the ground between Tooth and Jack. When only a painted egg popped out, Jack wasn't sure if he was relieved or disappointed.

Tooth scooped it up, turning it around in her hands and inspecting the patterns. She smiled with knowing affection, handing the blue and white egg to Jack.

"It looks like a message for you."

Jack held the egg carefully between gentle fingers, then gave a soft gasp as he saw the pattern. It was very clearly the frost rabbit Jack had created, first for Jamie… and then again this week to lead Bunny into the game he'd set up for him a couple days ago. YES! Bunny had obvious already started, and the message seemed to be that he was having a good time. Jack's imagination went wild with funtime visions, and he wanted to run off and play with him now… maybe, maybe, Bunny was enjoying something Jack had done again.

Tooth's laughter broke through his mind's happy squealing, and he realized he had hopped his way joyfully into the rafters, bouncing from one to another.

"Come here, let's send a message back!"

Three mini fairies were waiting beside her. Tilting his head, Jack tried to act casual after his little display of glee, using a simple jump to land beside her and lean on his staff.

Tooth hovered a couple feet in the air and slung her arm around Jack, beaming shamelessly over at her triad of fairies.

"Say paneer!"

"Wha-?"

Snaps of light flashing from six little eyes left Jack blinking spots from his own. What he could see between the dark dots took a moment to process. Each of the little fairies was holding up her hands in front of her face. Hovering above their tiny palms were little moving images of Tooth and Jack as they had been a second before. Looking closer at the miniature gleeful Tooths and bewildered Jacks, captured in their moment, he realized what they'd done.

"Are those… visual memories?"

"Yeeees, aw, look how good they came out!" Tooth had lowered her face to her fairies and raised a hand to her mouth, whispering, "Make me copies, okay? At least six."

Straightening and clearing her throat, she turned back to Jack. He felt a tickle of amusement as her tone became a shade more formal but no less open. It was what he was coming to recognize was her Explanation voice.

"We Guardians developed many different communications methods for different kinds of scenarios, each leveraging our unique gifts, attuned to the situation- oh!" Enthusiasm voice overtook Explanation. "I've never seen Sandy make those mirrors before, though! Clever Sandy, making something up on the spot… It's not that easy to create a device that can be activated by the powers of another spirit. Can I see yours?"

Without hesitation, Jack reached for the leather string he had hidden around his neck beneath his hoodie. He carefully handled the disc of glass as it emerged, wound securely around with more of the leather band that fastened it all together. Tooth looked at it closely, but didn't move to touch the magical object.

"Ooooooo, almost exactly like the other one, but," She moved to look at the other side. "Yeah, that makes sense. Wow, he really did seamlessly integrate your powers..."

"Sandy is one surprising and awesome guy. Have you seen his sandcastle?!"

This led to excited gushing about their mutual friend, and Jack naturally followed Tooth as she flew casually from the room. They continued their happy dialogue while Tooth sporadically gave directions to the fairies that flew by. Jack noticed a number of them were not going out into the field, but were repairing the tile work and paintings throughout the palace. He grew quieter and quieter as he observed the surfaces that had been damaged in parallel with disbelief in the Tooth Fairy. Yet the mini fairies were efficiently rebuilding them, and Tooth remained calm and animated.

She described Sandy's role in her life as she became a Guardian. How he helped her understand her own natural abilities and ensured she had the guidance and support she needed to find an effective way of protecting children. She made a comment that she had enjoyed paying it forward in mentoring Bunny. At Jack's surprised look, she laughed and nudged her shoulder against his.

"You do remember he was just a little fluffer-puff of a Pooka-bunny before Manny called him to be a Guardian, right?"

Jack almost choked, overwhelmed with the laughter that fell over itself rushing to pour from his throat. He tumbled rather ungracefully to the grass below, holding aching ribs- really aching ribs- and tried to catch his breath between rounds. A slight wave of dizziness encouraged him to keep his current position sprawled on the grass for a little longer, although his head felt a lot better today than it had a couple days ago.

"What's so funny?" Tooth's face appeared above his, looking innocent.

When his chuckles finally petered out, he gave Tooth a secretive, confidential look.

"I just did something, you know."

Tooth raised an eyebrow.

"Yesterday. For Bunny."

"Hoo boy." She shook her head, sat beside him and placed a hand on his forehead, gently stroking back his hair.

Jack stilled. His eyes again turned wondering and vulnerable at her touch. She lifted her hand after the first motion and held it hovering a moment in place, hesitating. He looked from the hand to her face, feeling a question he couldn't put into words. It must have communicated something to her, because every feather and feature softened and she lowered the fingers to brush through his hair again.

"It's really good for him that you're here with us now." Her words were quiet and grateful.

Jack only realized he had closed his eyes when he had to open them again to smirk at Tooth.

"To keep him on his toes? The 'learning from friends' thing?"

Tooth smiled briefly, but actually looked unexpectedly serious. She seemed to be debating whether to proceed, but with a deep breath, continued. "I'm sure you've already noticed, but there are lots of ways he pushes people away- that first, uh, incident at the Pole being a prime example. Regardless of what happened after, the fact that you helped him connect with a child again, and, without prompting, forgave his earlier behavior and apologized for yours- that was amazing and important for him to experience. He's very good at… finding reasons to keep people out. I think I was the only one he'd ever shown his Easter process to before the urgent need this year. Bunny is good at burying himself in duty and avoiding others. But you-"

"-are too annoying to avoid?" Jack grinned.

Tooth raised a brow. "Not what I was going to say." Then she laughed. "Although I'm sure the fact that you have now become 'unavoidable' to him does annoy him. But in a happy, healthy way."

Jack kind of doubted that last part. But maybe someday. He wiggled his feet at the thought.

"You really care about him," Jack mused aloud.

"Goes without saying. About both of you. Even when you are being troublemakers right in the middle of a disaster." She grinned. "That whole race was actually pretty fantastic…"

Jack smirked, knowing she was thinking of they way he and Bunny had turned their tooth collecting into a competition. A spark lit Tooth's eyes. With a final ruffle of the white strands, she reached down and grabbed Jack's hand, pulling him into the air again before releasing it. "I have something to show you."

Jack and Tooth flew by many paintings, the stories depicted in each making Jack more and more curious. Most of them appeared to be about Tooth's history- there were many parts of it that baffled Jack, but with most of the details obscured by the damage, he couldn't really see enough to puzzle it out. Some pictures told other stories. Tooth finally stopped at a rather large section low on one wall. It was a beautiful, newly repaired mural of the Guardians, each surrounded by images of their backgrounds and abilities, a huge full moon shining down on them all.

Unthinkingly, Jack voiced his thoughts.

"You've all known each other for a long time."

The Tooth Fairy smiled in understanding and rested a hand on his shoulder.

"We have. We've fought many battles together, had many reasons to celebrate, shared the good times and bad. But none of us understood each other immediately. There is something wonderful about building that up," She picked up a piece of tile that had fallen off the border by North's image and carefully placed it back on the wall. "Piece by piece. And you, Jack," She impulsively wound an arm around his shoulders once more and rested her cheek against his, turning them both slightly so they were looking at the same spot of wall, "Are the final piece of that puzzle."

Jack's eyes widened, first at the warm contact that kept wiping his mind blank, then at the sight before him. He hadn't noticed at first, with all the vibrant colors of the other Guardians' completed pictures, but there on the very same wall was a spot he'd initially thought was blank. Only, it wasn't. It had an outline, and the beginning strokes of a new paint job.

It was a recently drawn outline of Jack Frost.

On the ground below it was a neat pile of tiny tiles- mostly blue, silver and white, with a few handfuls of brown, pink and black pieces, all prepped to take their place on the wall.

And the outline was indeed positioned as an integrated part of the whole image. How?! It was obvious that a blank spot there made this ancient mural look incomplete. What-

"I knew we weren't complete. That something was missing. It seemed to take forever for the Man in the Moon to select that last part- I was actually getting pretty impatient!"

"You- you knew?"

"I have a few oracular predispositions." She gave him a sidelong look that he was coming to believe she must practice to infuse it with that level of mystery.

She zipped over to Bunny's part of the picture and laid a hand fondly on it.

"Bunny tried to argue me out of this conviction over the centuries. 'We're just right as we are, sheila. Don't need anyone else coming in and mucking it all up.' It wasn't just you he objected to initially, you know- it was the idea of another teammate. In the end, I think he's adapted to your inclusion faster than he adapted to working with each of the rest of us. I think we all have. There's just something right about having you with us."

She looked at him with such satisfaction and sincerity.

Jack smiled softly at her, then broke eye contact and looked down, both hands gripping his staff. He wished it was true- more than anything. He knew he was meant to be a Guardian, he just… needed to make sure it stayed that way. He would do this, earn this. If you earn something, it can't be taken away, right?

Looking back up, he noticed she was studying him rather carefully. A depth of understanding shone in her eyes.

"Okay, that's enough from me. Now let's do something you taught that I was too blind to see. The value of field work! Let's make some children happy your way, Jack. Up close and personal."

She was off in a streak of rainbow feathers, didn't spare a backward glance, completely confident he would join her. And without another thought, he did, grateful for the active release.

As soon as he'd caught up- she obviously wasn't flying her fastest- he gave her a cautious look. He felt a spark of relief. She didn't seem concerned about venturing into the wide world with him. But just to check…

"You're not worried about another attack out in the open here?"

"Hah. I'm a queen, not a princess in a tower. It is my duty to protect the people here. We're not going out unaware, and if this situation with Pitch taught me anything, it's that we need to be paying more attention to what's going on out here and meet it head on. Now, my best weapons are my wings, but-" Almost as if prompted by their conversation, a group of little fairies rushed up carrying a pouch and a curved sword with an ancient gold handle. They dropped the set into Tooth's waiting hand and she belted it around her waist in a smooth, practiced motion. "Got this little beauty out of storage, polished and sharpened. In any case," She gave Jack a look of cool, iron-will. "Anyone'd have to be crazy to try something against me in my own region. I am a fairy queen, after all."

And on that cryptic note, she dove straight down into the canopy of trees, slicing through them, hardly disturbing a leaf in her wake.

-ROTG-

---

They flew through jungle-like forests, past mountain fields, over shaded riverbanks, keeping well outside of urban centers. The few people they passed all smiled or laughed as a deliciously cool breeze blew over sunbaked skin, seeming to carry the uplifting memories of joy-filled times. Every now and then a believing child would see Tooth and run and wave excitedly in their direction, earning a momentary, twirling fairy dance and a few frosty flakes floating into their upturned faces. The grins grew to twice the size as belief in Fun took hold and they saw her icy companion for the first time.

Tooth watched Jack in his interactions with the kids closely. As they left four children sitting on the bank of a river, pushing little ice boats around with sticks in a mock sea battle, she turned to him.

"You always seem to know what to do with them. What they'll like. It's more than just understanding how they feel, you know how to respond."

Jack blinked at her in surprise.

"Just takes spending a little time with them. Kids are typically pretty great about letting you know what they need and like."

For a moment, Jack couldn't read her expression. Then she seemed to change the subject.

"Mm. And what about you?"

A delightfully random volley of questions and answers began between the two Guardians. The day seeming to race by during their meandering journey through the countryside. She asked if he minded their warm summer weather (he didn't), he asked how long she'd lived here (almost forever and still loving it).

She wanted to know how many places he had lived (define lived); well, then, where he liked to visit most (so many amazing places).

He was curious why she hadn't been in the field for over 400 years (long story). Well, then, how was she chosen?

"You could say… I chose myself." She laughed at his exasperated expression. "Ask me again when we're sitting down for a few focused hours. It's a long story, and not particularly easy to tell."

Baby Tooth fluttered by Jack's face and gave him a little shake of her head. Jack nodded and let it go. He'd noticed Tooth's laughter had become a shade tenser with his last two questions. It wasn't like her usual unguarded willingness to help him understand, answering any and all inquiries.

In fact, thinking back, it had been a single conversation about teeth with this considerate lady that had set him on the path to discovering his past and purpose. All because she had listened and cared- even in the midst of her own troubles as her very kingdom crumbled. It was a consistent characteristic he had observed in the days since. She had taken the initiative to discover the veil and help him make sense of it, while still understanding and defending his need for boundaries. She had done all this for no real reason that he could understand, outside of her dedication to her Center and her team. It was a generosity he would never forget. He looked over with intense appreciation, immediately noticing that he had lost track of her along with his external focus during his mental rambles.

He glanced over his shoulder, realizing she had fallen back behind him- and saw her imitating the flight pattern he had just completed.

Noticing his attention, her eyes met his with a challenge. Well that was interesting. He sped up, bouncing off tree trunks, banking through branches, flipping above the canopy, only to plummet back through and hook a vine with his staff to instantly change trajectory and shoot off in a new direction.

She matched him effortlessly, her whole face lit with excitement, their combined laughter escalating and echoing far into the forest.

Jack slowed, sending her a perplexed look.

"What?"

"I just… I figured you'd be the one teaching me about flying. You're faster and more focused and-"

"I've always found the best start to teaching is learning." Her estimation of him glowed in her eyes.

Surprise at her perspective, delight at her admission, and the completely foreign sense of feeling valued prickled through every nerve.

Tooth's feathers flared and she curled inward, laughing at his astonished expression. Jack drew closer and made his own suggestion.

"OK, well, how about side by side?"

It was twice as fun to weave their distinctive styles together. And it was obvious that they had the potential to be good- no, great as a flight team. It wasn't perfect synchronization so much as creative coordination. They anticipated and added to each others' moves, speed and alternating leads, performing combined stunts that were twice as impressive. They had gotten a glimpse of this potential when they were battling Pitch, and now they finally had the space and time to begin working it out.

Even Wind seemed to be having a great time, flowing naturally between them and reacting to Tooth's movements as if tentatively trying to understand and help her, too.

They noticed almost in the same moment that they had been joined by a whole flock of different birds, trilling and twirling in the cool wind currents and spaces between and around them.

Jack flipped backward twice through the afternoon sunlight and swooped down into the mango grove they had just arrived at. Tooth spun away and plummeted through the treetops in the other direction. She hovered facing him beneath the foliage, grin matching his as they silently debated which way to go next.

Jack was just tilting his head to the village a little distance away as a suggestion when his smile dropped. Without warning, he darted to a branch high in the nearest tree, peering out from the coverage of the leaves. Tooth flew up and lit lightly beside him with an inquisitive blink, which then sharpened to an understanding, searching look through the shade of the dense trees around them.

"You feel that?"

She nodded and Baby Tooth gave a hushed chirp. Jack with his elemental perceptions and Tooth with her connection to this region had both felt the flicker of a murky spirit force. The grove and nearby tropical forest they had just flown over to get here were unnaturally quiet.

They went still, listening and trying to pick up on any indication of the presence they had briefly felt. The sounds of birds, bugs and other creatures gradually began to resume. After a minute with no further disturbances, Tooth shrugged and reached up, plucking a few ripe pieces of fruit from the branches. Jack raised his brows at her casual dismissal.

"Is that normal?"

Tooth tossed him a mango. "Not normal, but this land is deep with stories and beliefs. Things will whisper by occasionally. More memories than real manifestations. Although a few spirits remain steadily present, most of my old friends faded long, long ago."

She sat on the branch. Intuitively, he crouched, balanced on his toes beside her, tilting his head with sympathetic inquiry. She seemed to fight a smile at his posture before continuing soberly.

"The spirit… community, for lack of a better term, has been in a steady progression of decline my whole life. Manny's creation of the Guardians was the strongest thing to happen for a millennium at least. Things change. Ancient beings rarely keep up."

"Mm. I guess it-" Jack cut himself off, bolting upright with a look of horror. Tooth was immediately hovering beside him, hand on her sword hilt.

"What is it, Jack?"

"There's… a really scared child in the woods there- And another-"

With an audible snap of air, they both shot in the same direction, Tooth at first slightly behind and taking Jack's focused lead. With a gasp she drew ahead and called over her shoulder, "It's not just children, either. There are dark spirits here!"

Within moments, they almost slammed to a stopped as a child of about nine darted between the trees, trembling with tears streaming from eyes too terrified to blink. The young girl had both hands over her mouth to stifle her sobbing and she kept looking around at the trees before staring back down at the uneven ground as if unable to take in the sights around her.

Tooth and Jack immediately understood why. Shadows loomed and flickered between trees, sometimes taking the shape of serpents or vicious-looking insects as they swarmed over every surface. Wood occasionally splintered with ominous cracks. Harsh yet indecipherable whispers grated through the air.

The girl froze, appearing to stare at something right in front of her. She finally released a piercing scream that sent the darkness into a frenzy, growing blacker and more energetic.

A burst of silvery blue light lit the area as Jack hovered over the girl and sent powerful ice magic shooting in all directions. Glowing frost covered the foliage and drove back the deep shadows with its brightness. Tooth adjusted the beating of her wings, their usual sheen increasing to a powerful rosy glow, which reached into the dimmest crevasses of the immediate landscape, until even the few surviving shadows were still. Jack reached down and tried to wrap an arm around the girl, only to have it whiff through as if completely insubstantial. Tooth immediately darted forward and lifted the child, who gasped, then seemed relieved at the sight of the fairy. She wrapped her small arms around the feathered neck.

Both Guardians burst through the leaves to rise into the sunshine above the trees.

The girl was thanking Tooth profusely in her own language, and Tooth was soothing in the same tongue. Telugu. Jack tried to follow the words, but found it difficult, as the language was not one of the main ones he had been regularly exposed to.

He was so grateful Tooth was here, but part of him hurt. Another child he would not have been able to fully help on his own.

"She says she was with twelve others down there."

Jack nodded, scanning the treetops. "Yeah- they're scattered all over-"

"And the Fearlings are just everywhere… I haven't seen an outbreak this bad in centuries! Not since we defeated Pitch the first time. We have to get them out of there, now."

Jack straightened with resolve as he met Tooth's fierce look. Thirteen children in a forest of shadows. Time to step up.

"I… I know what to do."

"Okay."

Jack paused at her easy acceptance of his lead, then gave her a determined smile and dropped back into the trees. Tooth paused with a look of surprise that his first step was to go back into the darkness with the child they had just rescued. She sent a mental call to her nearest fairies before holding the girl closer and following Jack.

Jack touched down on the shaded ground, looking to make sure there was no moving darkness immediately around them. 'Fearlings,' Tooth had called them.

"Does she remember how to get back? I can create a safe path for her, but it won't stay true unless she knows the way." Or unless he followed and guided the whole time, which was not an option with twelve other children to round up.

Tooth gave him a puzzled look, then quickly asked the girl a question. The child clung tighter to Tooth, nervously looking around and shaking her head no. Tooth gave her a gentle smile, spoke a few more words and laid her hand on the young one's hairline. Dark eyes closed and the small face relaxed.

The girl opened her eyes and nodded, her face mirroring the brave look Tooth was giving her. She moved voluntarily from the fairy's arms, but kept her hand on Tooth's elbow just as a number of mini fairies began arriving from every direction.

Jack smiled wistfully at their closeness, then struck his staff to the ground. He held it there as it formed a path of glowing ice, with frost that climbed up the trunks beside it and hung from the branches above in icicles. It formed a tunnel of beautiful, moonlight-filled ice. The girl stared, mouth and eyes wide. Jack looked gratified by her reaction, leaning casually against his staff.

The winter Guardian realized Tooth was smiling proudly in understanding, too- at him. Just as his eyes flickered at the unexpected attention, Tooth turned to the girl, spoke his name and gestured at his location.

The child twirled around, her eyes at first slipping right over him. He felt a shocking thrill the moment he could tell she backtracked and locked on his form. He still found recognition so unexpected and wonderful. Her eyes met his and turned that contrary combination of shy and eager that he found so… relatable in children.

She waved a tentative hand and he laughed, waved back and gestured toward the ice. Without hesitation, she turned and ran towards the glow, giggling in delight as her feet touched the cool surface and gasping as the tunnel before her moved to follow her steps forward. Tooth spoke a couple more sentences, and the girl looked back once with a determined nod. A mini fairy flew up to provide an additional escort for the girl, who now ran for all she was worth in the direction of the mango grove, enveloped in her own personal bright ice cave.

"Jack. That is brilliant. The shadows won't be able to reach her in that cocoon of light. Now- wings up and take no prisoners!"

Thirty fairies buzzed their wings into a glow. The two Guardians shared a look of perfect understanding, Jack gesturing in the direction of the next nearest distressed child. Fun and Memory took off, orbs of blue and pink light shooting through the trees, the darkness evaporating before them.

-ROTG-

---

The children were singing. Fear banished, thirteen children were hugging each other and dashing around in excitement as they made their way through the bright fruit orchard outside of the forest, laughter and melody woven together in their voices. For some reason, Jack could perfectly understand their meaning as joy and song strengthening the unfamiliar words.

Waving his staff, several mangoes fell in front of the children. When 26 small hands eagerly lifted them from the ground, grins ignited all around in delight to find the fruit icy cold, knocked from the trees by frozen shards. The kids cheered in Jack's direction and he had to fight every urge that pushed him to go play with them right then and there until night would finally steal them indoors.

But he did resist because the Guardian business was not quite over. Now that the children were safe, they needed to make sure there was nothing left in those woods to torment them again. One final sweep now, then Tooth was setting a handful of her fairies to patrol the area for awhile, hopefully shedding some light on why this place had been infested. She had said she suspected a corrupted, nearly faded place-spirit or the like.

Tooth called to the kids and pointed in the direction of the village just in sight beyond the last of the fruit trees. They seemed to offer token protests, but started off almost immediately, the early signs of weariness evident as the adrenalin wore off. Before they'd gone even 30 feet, some of the older children had already lifted a few of the littlest kids on their backs, chatting softly to the exhausted tykes.

"I'm so glad you were here-"

"If you hadn't been here-"

They blinked at each other, then started laughing, the last of the tension from their shadowed battle floating off with the breeze.

Tooth gave a happy twirl before zipping up into the nearest mango tree, calling back over her shoulder.

"I know this sounds weird, but I always used to love picking fruit when I was little, before I had wings. I got to climb up high and spy on anyone walking below who was too unenlightened to look up. Best of all, it was like finding treasure in the very trees." She flew through the branches as she spoke, avoiding each one with skill as she snatched an entire armful of mangoes in a couple of seconds.

Arms full of fruit, Tooth gave Jack a look that clearly communicated he should prepare for something unexpected. She tossed the ripe mangoes into the air above her, and as they fell, she spun around, a tornado of slicing sword and wings. A cloud of juicy wedges flew straight at Jack, who seemed about to make an awkward dodge of the whole mess before quickly realizing this was an intentional challenge. With a swipe of his staff, a rounded shield of ice formed instantly in front of him. Grabbing it with one hand, he performed his own windmill flip, catching every piece midair in the bowl-like curve of ice and finishing with a fluid motion that left him holding the dish in a classic waiter's position. He grinned and Tooth thrust her fist into the air in triumph. The host of mini fairies cheered.

"Dinner and a show! See? We were definitely meant to be a team." She zipped up to him and grabbed a chilled slice, her little ones doing the same.

They all munched the fruit as they watched the kids nearing their home. The children were now being greeted by villagers who had obviously just set out to begin searching for them. The young people were excitedly telling their story and pointing at Tooth and Jack. The parents smiled and nodded indulgently, but some of the older generation sporting quiet expressions made eye contact with the Guardians. One ancient man bowed in gratitude.

Jack didn't realize he had been smiling until Tooth looked up and returned the grin. Then she glanced toward the sun that was making its way toward the horizon.

"Let's not give those Fearlings the advantage of night's darkness."

Jack set the bowl of remaining fruit on the ground and followed her purposeful flight back into the forest. The little fairies followed, then began to disappear in different directions in a blanket patrol of the area.

"What are Fearlings? Is that some kind of official name for the moving shadows?" Huh. Why did he feel so safe asking her questions? She seemed to naturally banish any qualms he had about appearing ignorant.

"They've been called that as long as I can remember, and I know they've been around literally forever." Her speed slowed and she got what Jack had internally begun to label the Memory look. It was like she was checking mental records or something.

"Manny made it clear they were the greatest threat to our purpose. Pitch, of course, commanded them in droves during the Dark Ages, but they've been a rare sight since we Guardians started our work. Hah, but, evil can thrive while hidden often better than out in the open. You know, working from the shadows." She briefly shot Jack a sassy look at the double meaning, then continued scanning as they made their way deeper and more slowly into the darkening forest. "It's what makes them so insidious. Fearlings are like an infestation you think you've stamped out until you lift the floorboards and find a whole colony."

"So, they are from Pitch." Jack frowned.

"I doubt it, considering we just wiped him out. We will need to find him again before he builds up another core of power, but right now I'm sure he's still licking his wounds. No, Pitch was in a class of his own, but not all of our battles were with the Boogeyman," Her tone was mocking when she used the nickname. "These dark creatures seem to align with any spirit who gives them a foothold, preying on their fears until they've created a creature that instills it in others."

That made sense… and would explain the creepy shadow thing with Mirage, Wick and the handful of other unfriendly spirits who had brushed (or blasted) across his path over the centuries.

The woods had been getting steadily dimmer as they flew in a zigzag through the maze of tree trunks, sweeping for any signs of writhing blackness. Jack was beginning to feel this may not be the best topic of conversation… dark shades seemed to move between trees out of the corner of his eye. As soon as he'd look head on, though, everything was still. But… watchful? A mix between the Jaws theme and old black-and-white horror movie music was crescendo-ing in his mind.

Jack realized Tooth was looking at him the same moment he noticed he had tensed up, practically curled around his staff, he held it so close. A delicate coating of frost was spreading along the ground and plants in his wake.

Tooth simply smiled calmly and changed the subject. "You were amazing today, Jack. Those fear-mongers paled into nothing in the light you brought the children."

Jack smiled back, his fingers loosening from their death grip on his staff as her calm and affirming words sunk in. Whether in the sunlight or the dense shade of these trees, moving through the world with a friend who gave without demanding anything made him feel… safe and free. One after another, he had been able to set aside his defensive impulses. He'd spent a whole day with her and still didn't feel overwhelmed by the intensity of her presence, even though it was bright and powerful. He didn't feel like he needed to escape from anything. He flew slightly closer as she continued talking.

"You've done that before, huh? Sensing kids in need. The ice tunnels."

Less than happy memories were called up at this comment. His immediate reaction typically would have been a vague and dismissive remark, but honest, raw words from somewhere tumbled out instead.

"Not… not much else I could do to help, often. And sometimes…"

He trailed off. She remained quiet and simply tilted her head, slowing to a stop. He halted, too, a few feet away. Eventually he spoke, very quietly, trying to keep his face and tone smooth.

"Sometimes they would be more scared of my 'help' than the real danger they faced. You know. They- they didn't know where it came from, glowing ice and unnatural winds, whatever I tried. And if they were already scared by the time I found them…"

Tooth looked down and pressed her hands together, a look of heartache locked in her features.

Jack took a shuddering breath.

"In times like that, only when it was life or death and there was no way to tell them anything or help them understand, I used that fear. It was, it was all I could do. I hated it. They were afraid and they ran from me, so I could still send them the right way, somewhere safe. Away from- from me. But… I hated it. I hated-"

He clenched his eyes closed.

He didn't mention how long he'd go after incidents like that before he'd try to interact with kids again. How dark and silent things seemed when he could feel a child's fear spike at the effects of his presence. How he actually felt grateful that they couldn't look him in the eyes in those moments. Grateful no one could see him, forever hidden from the terrible and just recriminations.

He wasn't sure when he'd moved, but somehow he was now up in the branches above Tooth and his hood was up and his knees were beneath his chin. The closest leaves had gone from cold to blackened with frostbite.

Nonono. Don't focus on the dark parts. Don't think about that stuff. Don't get lost. Don't feel like this.

Stiffly but with resolve, he unwound his frame. After a few more moments, he pushed his hood back. Looking at Tooth would be the hardest part, he didn't want to see what she was thinking. He looked up at the leaves above him. Why was he even talking about this? He needed to fix it.

"I got better at being subtle when fear was in the mix, though. And either way, at least the kids were safe, right?"

Yeah, there we go.

Smile possible? Yes, there.

Feeling it spread across his face, natural or not, he finally turned to Tooth.

She was still as a statue, feathers flattened, kneeling on the ground, her eyes closed. The only sign to indicate any kind of response was the tightness of her lips.

Just as dread was seeping coldly through his chest, Tooth took a deep breath and opened her eyes, wings perking up and giving several flutters.

"I'm sure you did everything you could to help those children, Jack. I'm just… sorry we never noticed." She seemed to want to say more, but held back, simply looking up at him. Her eyes were glossy and almost indigo dark, and very serious. But she lifted her chin and hovered up beside his branch. "And it's long, long past time that you had believers and a team to back you. I can't change the past, but we are going to make this right." She sighed. "Going forward."

Tooth reached a hand out tentatively, and Jack instinctively tensed. The observant fairy pulled her arm back immediately. Jack wilted in disappointment and frustration at being all the way back to the start, showing her such a response. His tension doubled when he realized this irritation was also probably obvious, and Tooth would get the wrong idea. This thought snapped him out of the paralysis and he scooted closer to her, fingers raised, "Sorry, I-"

Jack barely registered that Tooth was moving before her arms were around his neck in a completely committed hug.

Maybe it was the way they had spent the whole day reading each other and responding instinctively, or the fact that they had been true allies in battle only an hour before, or the contrast of those old, cold memories with the well of joy he could still feel at having protected today's children so successfully. But the full and unrestrained contact he was receiving smashed past the awkwardness and pain that had begun to screw everything up. The embrace felt for a moment completely natural and necessary. Like the first bite after weeks without sustenance, bringing back the familiarity of food and simultaneously acting as an aching reminder of the desperate starvation that was endured.

He had dropped his staff and thrown both arms around her before he consciously thought of moving.

He hadn't thought of deserving it or not.

He hadn't thought of fear or the pain in his damaged body.

He hadn't thought of pushing her away and keeping his distance.

The only thing he remembered in that moment was that today had been entirely different from those past memories that haunted him. He had just protected every child he encountered in danger thanks to the amazing person who was currently choosing to hold him close. And it was there again, the feeling that had filled him after understanding why he had been chosen, after defeating Pitch, after pledging to be a Guardian, knowing it was his destiny. In this moment, he felt strong enough to hold on to something. He had made a new memory. One more small pocket of warm light that he could call on for truth in the most confusing times.

Tooth rested her head against his and repeated herself, murmuring, "We will make new memories and make this right."

Jack's response was urgent yet vague.

"How did you… figure it out? How to be close to- how to protect so many important things without... without causing more problems?"

Tooth took a deep breath and held him at arm's length, her eyes taking on a brighter glow at the way Jack's arms seemed to resist the increasing distance between them. She changed the mood instantly with a mildly sardonic smile.

"If you hadn't noticed, problems are part of the package. It's what we do. I think you've already seen it can take us awhile to figure things out, but we believe in each other and what we protect together. Did you see what happened when I was in trouble? The guys didn't give it a second thought, they were there for me and the kids. We may be slightly dysfunctional," She chuckled, "I don't think I'd fit in, otherwise- but we're still a team, and I think it's for a reason. We're all linked. Besides, if we don't believe in ourselves and each other, how can we expect kids to?"

It was so simple when she said it. Almost trite. Believed in each other. That… sounded really nice. Sort of... permanent. But it didn't really fit. The answer was too easy, and yet impossible. She probably didn't understand what is was like to be the one who caused the problems before struggling to fix them. So far, he'd managed to keep his head above water, piecing back together what he broke, and that gave him confidence that he could continue figuring it out. But he really didn't want the others to have to bear the repercussions each time, give them reason to-

Before Jack could try to fully puzzle out her words, a voice eked out from higher up the tree trunk next to them.

"Still telling your fairy tales, I see, Toothiana." The tone turned the name into an insult.

The shadows Jack had told himself weren't really moving and watching… were.

Before the Guardian pair had time to finish their gasps, warm drops of sticky black spattered down onto their upturned faces. Jack stared in horror. The dark moisture turned into streaks of red as it made tracks down Tooth's face. Blood. Something smacked into her head, then his shoulder received a blow- no fewer than twenty birds fell from the branches above them, writhing and foaming at the beak. Those that weren't dead by the time they reached the ground didn't survive the impact.

Tooth was immediately in a ready stance, wings slicing and sword raised as she tried to zero in on the threat. Baby Tooth was right beside her. And Jack…

...had dropped his staff, indulging in a false sense of safety.

Acute panic turned his wind-less jump from the tree branch into a clumsy fall, and as still-broken ribs and internal bruises slammed into the roots below, a flood of pain left him curled immobile on the ground.

"Jack!"

His eyes jerked open only to see Tooth break from her position to dart down in his direction. Over her shoulder, he saw a snake with a head as big as a dinner plate slithering faster than seemed possible between branches, straight at the bright fairy. The tree above them seemed to be filled with a dense cloud of prickly insect legs, shining carapaces, glinting eyes and stingers dripping with vile purpose. The mass heaved, swirling down directly for Tooth.

Jack didn't even have words as he screamed a warning and rolled to his knees. Wind was wailing through the trees, undirected and unable to help. Tooth spun around in time to slice her sword through the front of the swarm. Scrambling for his staff and feeling terribly helpless, Jack barely registered that the insects bodies falling from Tooth's blade were enormous wasps. His hands clawed desperately through the carpet of leaves, searching, his eyes torn between trying to see where his conduit could have fallen and Tooth's form, now a tornado, on the verge of being completely overwhelmed by the buzzing tide of hardened bodies baring down on her. Surrounding her. It was just like when Sandy-

Jack gave a wrenching sob of relief as a cloud of mini fairies burst through the canopy of leaves, a brightly jeweled swarm of their own, tearing apart thoraxes, wings and abdomens in vicious defense of their queen.

Jack finally turned his eyes fully to the ground, now a pool of warping shadows… some of which seemed to be slowly pulling his staff down into a void not five feet from him. He was moments away from losing the conduit for his powers. As terror crashed through him and he lunged for the fragile piece of magical wood, the shadows grew blacker. Eyes and claws seemed to appear as the forms stretched up, grasping and trying to cover his body. The staff instantly seemed to drop through into the living blackness, now strengthened by his fear. Jack thrust his hand forward and just barely grasped it before it disappeared completely. His fingers touched the wood, and it was like a key turning the ignition inside him.

He shot into the air with an enraged cry, bright tendrils of winter lightning crackling out of his form. He directed the sharp light at the Fearlings that were reaching up, still clinging stubbornly to his feet. Bright, sharp shards of ice slammed into the ground and an eerie wailing vibrated up as light overcame shadowy footholds. He didn't spare a glance back at his work, instead flinging himself head first, staff blazing, toward Tooth.

She and her fairies- now more than a hundred in number- had held their attackers at bay, although a number of the little ones had obviously been stung or injured. Those unable to fly were held up by their sisters. The remaining wasps now hovered just out of reach of the cluster of fairies, watching for weak points. There were dozens of snakes, slithering and staring, stalking them from all the surrounding trees. Night had completely fallen, the only light now coming from the fairies and their frosty ally.

Jack sped to join them, mortified that he had been more of a liability than a protector so far. Tooth shot him an intensely relieved look, eyes quickly checking him over. A smile lit her face as he stopped beside her, safe and sound. Her feathers twitched as she spoke.

"Okay, maybe a haunted forest isn't the best place for a heart to heart."

Jack had no idea how she managed to laugh genuinely after all that, but she did. For some reason it made him want to cry.

Manic laughter from the trees joined Tooth's, turning a sweet sound into harsh madness.

A group of the wasps and several of the snakes in front of them pulsed together, the largest snake winding around the mass, twisting and blending it into one until a female spirit stood on a tree branch across from them. She was Tooth's height, with black eyes, a gaunt face and long, uneven stringy hair that reached her calves. She was clothed in the massive brown and yellow snake that wound around her body from left shoulder to right ankle.

"Now, now, old friend. If you intrude into my home, call me from slumber, steal away my prey, and offend my eyes with your ugly glow, you might as well provide the entertainment of your nonsensical rambling. I do relish the ridiculous, still."

Her S's hissed and buzzed and the N's came out strangely resonant, seeming to hum through their chests.

"Old friend?" Tooth squinted her eyes, then they widened and she stared, speechless. Finally, she whispered a name. "Chikitsa?"

"BIMARI!" The snake-clad woman lost her form, wasps and serpents regaining their individual bodies from her flesh as she seemed to blend into the wood of the tree. A path of rot shot down the trunk, through the network of roots and up another tree to their right. Her venomous pets in that tree melded together, once more giving her shape.

"I am Bimari! Do you think yourself the only one special enough to claim a new name? You chose to become one and many, as did I." The wasps buzzed and the snakes hissed in a horrible cacophony to support her last words.

Jack froze. Bimari. He had never met her before, but he knew the name. It was a very, very not good name.

Tooth's expression had become disbelieving and furious, her voice echoed her disgust. "You call yourself Disease? You were our greatest healer. You fought the illnesses that plagued our land and our people. You protected life."

Bimari smiled in dark anger. As one, a host of her snakes slithered down the trees and began biting and swallowing the birds that lay on the ground, still twisted from the agony of their death by whatever debilitating illness had attacked their small bodies. Jack felt nauseated by the grotesque demonstration, but didn't realize the full implications of Bimari's display of scorn for the winged creatures until the mini fairies began making wailing, mournful sounds, an empathetic distress twisting their tiny faces.

Tooth didn't flinch. Steel of blade and eyes remained steadily leveled at Bimari. "So. You joined with the Fearlings, betrayed your calling. Now you destroy what you once created in the world." Tooth's lashes twitched slightly and her face tightened. "I… I grieved your passing for decades."

"Grieved!?" Bimari shrieked and choked on her words. "What did you do to help while I still walked in the sun and moonlight, while I withered away living by your ideals?! No, my survival was entirely my own burden. And my greatest triumph."

Tooth slashed her sword through the air.

"Survival at the cost of everything that mattered to you! All those years, those lessons- You taught me about the, the importance of healing, including how vital- how much care you took to do no harm. And now, your sweet bees with their healing honey and your golden serpents that helped regenerate what had been damaged are, are- What have you done, Chikitsa? How is it even poss-"

"Oh, little girl, little girl, foolish little child. You can't have Chikitsa without Bimari. Had I not known illness intimately, I would not have been able to heal.

"To heal, one must know harm. To fight poison, one must first drink it to build up resistance. But why resist? For me, with my own life and power draining away, abandoned by the world I served, the poison became so sweet... I drank until filled with it. Here was power still. Power to take from others. And what power! The fear that illness creates!" She crowed as if relishing a memory. "It feeds my Fearlings and they have made me strong again. And sanctimonious spirits?"

Bimari laughed, gloating, wasps flying from her mouth.

"Now my venoms and poisons can make even the strongest immortal weak in an instant." She looked with satisfaction at the mini fairies who had been stung and were now comatose. "And even a very little, given time, can destroy any spirit completely. The damage grows until unstoppable. Do you know how many of my old friends I have consumed, pretty birdy?"

The strength in Tooth's face fell to shock. "I would have… I would have known if you were here all this time, hurting-"

"Yes, yes. I have had to sleep for so long, hidden in my diseases. Slowly collecting just a little more power with each outbreak. I thrive in the living until they are no more. I have been waiting and waiting, and now… I will be satisfied. I thank you for bringing such a feast to me. I woke as soon as I smelled his sweet aroma flying over. You really should have known better than to flaunt him."

"Wh-what?!"

"Him?!" Jack's face mirrored Tooth's bafflement. He was pretty sure he was the only 'him' here, and he was pretty sure he didn't smell like anything. He tried to inconspicuously sniff his hoodie.

"This one you have with you is hard to ignore. Who can sleep when such a treat is present? The pull of Winter shifting the balance. Such delicious power calls to us. I wanted to taste it for myself. So pure still…"

A viper snapped like a whip from the branch nearest Jack, fangs reaching for his throat. By the time Jack had his staff angled in the right direction, Tooth's sword had already sliced clean through the scaly hide from fang to tail, the snake's own momentum tearing it apart on the blade she held aloft.

"No." Tooth's face was red with fury, her teeth bared. Every feather quivered and seemed to take on a razor edge.

"Spoilsport."

Then the world seemed to shift slightly and without warning, the venomous creatures surrounding them jerked back and blended hastily into the shadows. Bimari shot a bitter look behind them. She dissolved once more, her final words hissing from a trail of quickly rotting trees spreading in the opposite direction. "I guess, I'm not the only one looking for a bite. Frost, you called the very darkness of Winter here, too. Toxic to us Summer spirits. Nicely done."

Her voice echoed faintly from the crumbling tree trunk right beside Jack, whispering in his ear, "Until next time, sweet poison."

Jack jerked and spun toward the sound, but every trace of Bimari and her creatures was gone. Really gone this time, the heavy blanket of darkness finally clearly recognizable by its absence. Both Jack and Tooth immediately stiffened and twirled to look behind them, now aware of the other presence Bimari had alluded to.

Tooth's eyes narrowed and she raised her sword, but Jack froze, mind as silent as prey desperate to stay hidden. He recognized the spirit. The memory of this presence had plagued his worst dreams for centuries.

The feeling barely brushed their senses before it, too, vanished. But it was enough for Jack to experience vertigo from the ponderously heavy, frigid Winter power tug against his own dizzyingly.

"That was a Fairy Queen. In my realm, uninvited." Tooth looked furious.

A few of her mini fairies began crying out in alarm. The dozen or so little warriors that had been stung or bitten now wore agonized grimaces.

"Girls! Oh no!" She rushed forward, sheathing her blade. She cradled as many of the wounded in her hands as possible, quickly checking each over with a medic's eye and gentle efficiency.

"Here."

Jack responded automatically to her stern, urgent command, taking the three little fairies she held into his own hands. They felt so small and light. Their colors were faded, wings hung limp. They were twisting around so unnaturally. Just like the dying birds had. Jack cradled them closer to his chest with a mournful sound.

Tooth reached into her pouch and pulled out a small jar of clear, golden, honey-like medicine. Before Jack could figure out how to assist, she had opened the bottle, dipped her fingers into the stickiness and with confident movements applied it firmly but carefully to each wound beneath the feathery coats. Starting with the winged creatures in Jack's hands, she quickly performed the same ministration on each fallen fighter her healthy fairies brought forward.

In under a minute, the writhing had stopped and the pain on the tiny faces changed to simple relieved weariness.

Tooth wore the same look as she slowly scanned the dark forest around them a final time, her bright glow illuminating the stillness.

"There is nothing more to be done here. Let's go back to the palace and let them rest."

-ROTG-

---

Jack had entered the palace silently, but this time it had not been in good fun.

He was once more covered in fairies, but they were more sick than saucy. He sat on the floor of a large platform and held the recovering minis close to his chest, wrapped up in one big blanket with their little heads popping out of the top. A few were asleep, but most were drowsily awake and seemed comforted by his presence. Their queen had settled them snuggly after insisting Jack wash off the blood still spattering his face. She had then moved to another chamber to communicate with the rest of the Guardians about this new attack. Without asking, she had seemed to know he'd prefer staying here.

Jack leaned his head back against the trellis-like wall, trying not to cry. Many healthy fairies were clustered on or around him, and they needed to see strength rather than a reminder of their sorrows.

He remained still as he heard the familiar barely-there chime-like sound of Tooth's wings whisper through the room again. She landed beside Jack and ran a finger over each little head sticking out of the blanket. She crooned softly to them and they returned the sound, many succeeding in brave smiles.

She sighed, then breathed deeply of the dimly lit predawn air, looking into the mists outside her home. The clouds that Jack had played in above the palace the morning before hung dark as they poured out a sleety rain, chilling the usually warm tropical breeze. Tooth's voice was barely louder than the rainfall.

"When did spirits go from disappearing to dangerous?"

Jack remained silent. He miserably held the wrapped fairies a little tighter against his chest, his eyes burning. Bimari's words had made it pretty clear- this was his fault. She had come because of him and his Winter problems…

"I still raise them. Some of her bees. Their honey heals just about anything." A tear slipped from each of Tooth's eyes. "I guess… not everything."

Jack sat up straight, jostling a few of the healthy fairies perched on him. He could tell Tooth had stopped breathing for several seconds, literally choked by her grief. A jarring stray thought entered his mind- how many of the paintings on her walls were of old friends- maybe family- who were no longer around? And he had brought this pain back to her.

He reached out a hand to where she sat, just next to him, hunched forward with palms pressed against the floor. She had comforted him with an easy touch all day. He wanted to try…

His fingers were an inch from her shoulder when they stopped and would go no further. He just… couldn't push them forward to make contact. He could feel his heart rate accelerate and breath grow shallow.

Baby Tooth, sitting on his head, chirped to get Tooth's attention. The fairy queen blinked up and for a moment he could see his own reflection in the glassy sheen of her teary eyes. He looked… scared. And strangely transparent.

The angle of her face shifted and he could see the purple of her eyes normally again. Full of sorrow, they were still strong. As was the hand that reached up and grasped his where it hovered, frozen in more ways than one. When her fingers closed around his, Jack could almost feel a tangible warmth spread from where their palms connected, a strength.

She took a moment to wipe her eyes with her other hand as she pulled their interlocked ones up to her chest.

"Well. I guess that's one friend I don't want to learn from." She took a breath to steady the waver in her voice. Straightened her shoulders. A Memory look flitted across her face. "It is hard, though, isn't it? Trying to find our place and have faith in it when everything seems to undermine."

Jack's voice came out more hushed than he had intended. "How did you find the right way…?"

A couple of the little fairies attached to his hoodie or perched on his legs gave their adorable squeaky laugh. Tooth raised a brow at them.

"Uhh… It maybe took a few… centuries." She nudged him with a tired smile. "But. None of us had to do it alone. Not sure… I would have gotten there. Without someone to talk to, without support. I meant what I said, Jack- I can't change the past, but we're here now. A hundred and sixteen percent." She leaned forward and whispered, "The extra sixteen is your signing bonus."

Jack couldn't help a chuckle. He gave her a half smile, then looked down at their connected hands as if the right response might be written there. But the warmth began to feel too hot, the pleasant feeling turning prickly. If he held on much longer, it would start burning him.

What could he say to her? The whole reason he had shown up today was to ease her worries, but they had only escalated. And it had hurt her in other ways, too.

Jack looked back up at Tooth, trying to find that new safe feeling again. The connection. But instead...

He had a vivid flashback. How crushing it had been to see her look of horror when he had failed to protect Baby Tooth and the Guardians at Easter. Every time he remembered their faces in that moment, an icy, paralyzing dread filled him. He didn't want to give her another reason to reject him, and… and what if it was right? That was the thought that terrified him the most.

Was he still messing up, doing more harm than good, even with this second chance?

Really, what had he done so far, total?

He saved his sister. Jamie kept believing. Um, what else? He'd made a few kids happy, but he'd been doing that before the Oath. He helped protect those children in the woods today… but they wouldn't have been in danger in the first place if he hadn't floated along over Bimari's sleeping place and woken her up. And what had happened because Jamie believed in him? He'd gotten hurt. He had saved his sister… and left her alone with her grief and guilt. And then there was Sandy dying and Easter and Baby Tooth and all these suffering little fairies and…

He could almost hear the heavy THUNK of an anvil landing on the Bad side of his karma scale, flattening it to the ground in permanent judgment. Naughty list indeed.

Well, fine. At least he knew. All that these attacks had done was clarify the Frost layer of the Jack problem. It wasn't just his character that needed fixing, it was this… condition.

At least those were his problems, things he had the ability to do something about. He just needed to fix this- he mentally gestured to all of himself.

But it wasn't like he could tell Tooth that. No magic honey was going to make it all better. He had to face this and figure out how to tip that scale back, be a Good in the world. He could do it. He had his Center and a purpose to guide him now. And once he was certain it could work, then he'd have something worth sharing.

Just like when he messed up at Easter, explanations and apologies would be empty and pointless, serving only to push them away. Cast him out. He needed to show, not tell.

Tooth had been studying him, her serious face taking on an edge of compassionate concern at whatever she saw there.

"Jack. I'm here now."

She was. And he wanted it to stay that way. So he remained silent.

Completing the pillar run without further interference with Guardian business should do the trick. Maybe… do it safely and consistently for the next few years, just to make sure, before letting them see his good work. He just needed to keep the danger away from the others. Lock down the Winter in him so other spirits wouldn't have a reason to seek him or anyone associated with him out. He didn't want to hurt anyone else. A few years- that would be easy to get through. As long as they didn't leave him before then.

They won't leave.

They won't leave.

"You may never be able to leave."

Jack blinked out of his thoughts to find Tooth taking back the blanket of recovering helpers and looking at the increasing number of mini fairies hanging off him. One was even trying to perch on his left ear. How had he missed that? Tooth was grinning again at last, and it was beautiful and real. Yes, she was still here.

A smile slowly began to find its way back on his pale face. Being nuzzled adoringly by a flock of soft little fairies was not a bad feeling at all. One standing on his knee gave him an expectant look as she twitched her tail feathers. A happy little feeling skipped straight out from his Center in response. Raising his hands, a flurry of large sparkling snowflakes burst into the air and floated erratically around the group. With happy chirps and excited squeaks the mini tooth collectors immediately made it a game- or rather, games. Whether they were playing catch or keep-away or competing to collect the most flakes, the mini fairies were having a wildly good time amid the blue twinkles of fun magic that surrounded Jack. Tooth was gleefully directing her troops to each advantageous opening or opportunity to score, somehow managing to keep up with all three games and avoid taking sides. She really was a marvel. Jack's smile expanded and softened as waves of joy eased any remaining signs of pain from the fairies who were watching the games from their recovery cocoon.

He could do this. Just a few more weeks this year. Just a few more pillars, and things would calm down as they always had. Then he could relax and focus on being the best Guardian he could be. He'd keep it low-key and…

"Ahhh, Jack, this is just what we needed, but I should try to get ahold of Bunny again. He's not in the Warren, and the last my fairies saw him was yesterday in Chile, of all places-"

Gasping, Jack shot into the air, leaving the feathered beings tumbling around in a startled puff.

He looked at his staff, his Winter conduit.

He knew why Bunny wasn't in the Warren. And it was bad, bad, bad, so bad.

Jack had left a blazing trail of his frost power looping all over the world for Bunny and an untold number of children to frolic in. Total sitting ducks.

Auuugh! He was a complete idiot. He'd left Bunny a "gift" that directly connected him to this danger. Why had thought it such a good idea?! He had simply imagined how much fun the Pooka could have. Figured it could make up for a few of the believer losses he had sustained when Jack had failed to protect Easter this year.

A wave of fear crashed through the joy. All the blue sparkles disappeared.

Tooth and her fairies stared at him in alarm.

"I'll go find him. I know how, it's, it's part of the game…"

"O… kay… Jack, is something wrong?"

Jack bit his lip. It might be good to have her as a backup option. He didn't want her to know the potential problem he'd caused, and he'd probably get demerits from the Moon or something for pulling her into this instead of fixing it himself, but what if Bunny really needed help? It would be selfish to hold back any help possible just because he was ashamed or might get in trouble. It wasn't just his problem at the moment.

"I, uh… what if he's in danger? I mean, he's playing a game I made," He waved his staff in demonstration, frost and flakes floating through the air. "You heard Bimari, and Wick found me because of this and…. I just- I need to go check."

Tooth had flown up to face him directly, nodding.

"Good thinking. I'm sure he would have found a way to let us know if he needed help, but better to make certain. Hold on."

She zipped away, returning a few seconds later with a few objects in her hands.

She held up a jar of magical medicinal honey. "Just in case. Poisons, venom, sickness, wounds, you name it. If you ever run into Bimari again, use this stuff right away, even if it seems minor. The amount of toxin is only one factor that determines the severity of the effects. The longer it's left untreated, the deeper the venom or poison will penetrate and the more difficult it will be to cure. And remember," She tapped the jar. "It doesn't take much. This little bit could cure a pack of flying elephants."

Jack's eyebrows shot up, but she continued, lifting a palm-sized crystal ball to eye level. "We can communicate with this. It's two-way, but I have to activate it from my end. I'll check in frequently, and you have Sandy's mirror, too. Don't think twice about using them." Jack took both objects and placed them in his hoodie pocket with a grateful nod.

"Um. Your sweatshirt is great but this might be a little more practical and leave your hands free." She held up a simple sturdy brown cloth pouch that could be easily attached to his belt. Jack felt a jolt of excitement.

"Whoa, you think of everything. This is great, I can put stuff in here and take it with me!"

"Yeah, that's how it works alright."

"Well, sometimes I find really cool rocks or, like, yesterday I found this strange pinecone, and I know a kid who would have loved it, but I dropped it somewhere…" Tooth was looking a little too amused at his enthusiasm for the simple piece of clothing, so he quickly cleared his throat. "I mean, it's very practical. And definitely not a purse." He used the straps on the back side to attach the pouch and stashed the two items safely inside.

"Downright manly." He would have felt better if there had been less of a hint of laughter in her voice.

Then she sobered. "I'll be keeping an eye out for anything with my fairies. Be careful and let me know as soon as you find Bunny. He'll give you a hard time for worrying about him, I speak from experience on that one. Just ignore it. It's kind of adorable, actually. Ooo, don't tell him I said that."

A distracted smile flitted across his face, but the full urgency of the situation returned and with a nod, he took off fast. Just before he reached the outer mountain wall of her palace, he turned to look back for a moment. He knew Tooth was definitely still worried, despite her strength and practicality, and this frustrated him intensely.

At this distance, she really seemed like a little graceful humming bird as she hovered there, watching him go.

He stopped. Something tugged at him. A memory of looking over his shoulder one last time at someone he cared about. Not thinking he needed to say goodbye.

Jack flew back full tilt until he all but slammed into her, sending them spinning in the air in a fierce hug.

"Thank you. I'll see you soon." His tone was low and sincere.

Then with a real parting smile and a last look at her stunned face as he pulled away, the boy spirit shot out of the mountain, heading for the nearest Winter pillar. He could use it to find Bunny quickly.

Jack tried not to think about the fact that he had parted with the Pooka on an insult and a glare. Because it didn't matter. He was going to see him again in just a very little bit.

"As fast as you can, Wind."

-ROTG-

---

Oh dear...