To say Jamie had a rich life would be an understatement. The man had lived more in one year than most people had in their entire lives. In one year, he had traveled to lands man had never set foot in, seen sights one could only dream of, and Jamie had flown thanks to a certain Spirit of Winter. And this was all while he was finishing high school and starting college.
But his life was so much fuller then anyone could imagine. If he was told to sit down and tell about every magic event that happened in his life, he didn't think he could sum it up in just a few sentences. He would need to write a book. Several books. Tomes if he wanted to explain everything thoroughly. His life was amazing and he wouldn't trade any experience for the world.
Jamie had seen the world. He had seen so many secrets and hidden treasures, he knew the true beauty of this amazing little planet he lived on. And before he was seventeen, the man took it all for granted. He couldn't imagine the world outside of his hometown, barely seeing down the street let alone across the world.
Once Jack Frost had approached him that day, Jamie did not realize how much his life would change. He really only saw the boy as making a new friend. He didn't expect to go places or do so many things and meet so many people. He didn't expect to learn just how big the world really was and how bright the stars could be. He didn't ever think he'd learn magic, the first spell being "I believe, I believe, I believe." He never imagined he'd be able to live a life of a normal adult alongside one so magical as the one Jack Frost showed him as easily as he was able to.
When his sister died, he felt as if everything ended. He was left broken for months. He wanted to give up on everything. School, writing, his friends, his girlfriend, his life…. But something brought him out of it. He couldn't explain it. He remembered telling his editor that he was about to break the book deal. It was off. Then… the images in his sister's room looked to him with smiles of encouragement and endearment. They egged him on. It was the work and love his sister had put into the paintings that inspired him to keep going. If not for himself, then for her.
Sophie was what pushed him forward. He wanted to make her proud, even if she wasn't around to say it herself. She would have wanted him to continue. She would have wanted him to buck up and move forward, just never forget her.
For almost twenty years, he believed she was gone forever. But she came back. She found him and was always with him. She had been there the whole time and he had been ignorant and he felt so incredibly guilty for not being able to see her sooner. She didn't seem to care that he didn't see her for so long. She was just happy that he could at all.
He learned it really wasn't her painting that inspired him. It was Sophie herself. Sophie had been reborn as Muse, a being inspired by the ancient Greek goddesses. She gave inspiration and creativity to those that needed it. She had been providing Jamie with inspiration, good and bad.
And he had her back. He had his sister back and he could not express the joy and emotion he felt. He refused to cry with joy until she was gone and the kids were asleep. His wife, Laura, had been there. She was his rock. He wondered how he had gotten by his twenty-one years of life before he met her. She was everything he was missing and she was his everything. Even every soul on the Earth disappeared, if he had her, he would be set.
It was because of Laura he was able to deal with his best friend disappearing.
Jack Frost had left them. Even the Guardians had trouble hunting him down. When they finally did, Sophie gathered all she could from what they said and told her brother.
Sandman found Jack about six years after the incident with Pitch. He was safe and sound. It seemed he had recovered from his delusions and nightmares. In fact, he seemed just as he had never experienced them! And… as far as Jack knew, he didn't.
As it were, it seemed he had blocked out the entire year and maybe even more. According to Toothiana, Immortals took up the habit of forcing themselves to forget traumas from their lives, especially if it would effect their job. It was a defense mechanism. While some chose to remember and learn from personal horrors, some simply could not handle them. The Guardians didn't blame him, nor remind him of the event.
But not everything was forgotten. When asked why he had not gone to see Jamie, Jack went quiet. He explained that, while he didn't remember what he did, he knew he did something unforgivable to Jamie. He implied something about Jamie's children. Jack couldn't face Jamie, nor Jamie's children.
It took twenty-seven years for Jack Frost to return to Burgess. It took twenty years for the Spirit of Winter to face the man he knew he wronged.
In that time, Jamie's children had grown and had children of their own.
Tyler graduated college, doubling his major in directing and business. He produced and directed indie movies. The man had a few short films shown at short-film festivals. It wouldn't be until he was in his fifties that he became a popular direction, when he recreated his father's book series, the Guardians of Childhood, as a film series that Elliot helped animate. When Tyler was twenty seven, he married his long-time sweetheart and had his first child. A daughter. He went on to have three more children. And none of them ever stopped believing in the Guardians.
Elliot went to an art school. He created for movies, video games, and web series'. It was usually a thankless job, but the man did what he loved. When he was thirty, he had a son. He married the mother of his son when he was thirty-two. They had three children in total. They, too, had never stopped believing.
Sophie made a mistake when she was seventeen. But she wasn't dumb about it. She had a little girl and did not jump into a marriage. As it turned out, she was much more ready to be a parent then her boyfriend at the time. He ended up running off soon after the child was born. Sophie finished high school and went to cosmetology school. She was a hairdresser and make-up artist who raised her wonderful girl on her own for the most-part. Jamie and Laura helped out until not-so-little-anymore Sophie found Mr. Right. She married at twenty-four and had one more child. Unfortunately, Sophie's oldest, while gentle and kind to her brother and cousins, could not share their belief in the Guardians. It seemed her memories fogged and faded as she grew.
When Jack returned, Jamie was outside with his two youngest grandchildren, playing in the snow. They had built snow monsters and a snow castle for the Princess of Winter to live in. Jamie was the Knight of Ice. His granddaughter was a warrior princess. His grandson was the leader of the monsters.
"Pop! It's not fair! Two against one!" Jude complained.
"I'm the youngest! So Pop takes my side!" Lucy stuck her tongue out.
"Hey, guys, come on." Jamie chuckled. "We'll take turns with Pop, alright?" Suddenly, cold snow smashed against the back of his head. He began to laugh. "Hey! Jude, them are war-starting ac… tions…." Jamie turned to his grandson and stopped when he saw a hooked piece of wood over the top of his fence. No… no way, it couldn't be.
Jamie pressed his fingers to his lips and beckons the kids close. He nodded towards the hook that shifted and smirked. He had a game they could all play together.
The three of them trudged quietly over to the wooden fence. Jude was rolling snowballs and carried them in his arms. When they reached the fence, Jamie lifted Lucy and the girl squealed before throwing a snowball her cousin handed her.
There was a surprised yell. "Hey!" A white-haired, sprite-like boy jumped back as the girl continued to pelt him with the ammo she was supplied. Jamie laughed until his arms grew tired and he could no longer hold the girl.
Jack Frost leapt on top of the fence in a crouch. He opened his mouth, only to be hit in the face with more snow.
"Who do you think I am?!"
"Wait, Pop, who is he?" Jude and Lucy looked to him.
"What? You don't recognize him from Muse's drawings?" Jamie raised an eyebrow, genuinely surprised, but also amused.
The grandchildren had looked between each other, then to Jack. "That's Jack Frost?"
As a response, they were met with snowballs to the face. "Seriously, Jamie? The Guardian of Faith has done a poor job teaching his own family. Tsk tsk."
And just like that, Jamie had his best friend back. Jamie was in his sixties, but he still remembered what Jack had taught him about having fun and he shared that with every child he had come across. Jamie tried to stay healthy and strong, still taking martial-arts classes and ate healthy. He was able to keep up with his grandchildren and the children at his book signings.
Jack and Jamie sat down and talked for hours. They caught up and laughed and were just happy to see each other again. Jamie was looking at his best friend and could not stop thinking about how his oldest grandchild was about the same age Jack looked. How did the Winter Spirit not seem to care? Maybe he was just happy and relieved Jamie wasn't mad at him.
Jamie had shown Jack his scars. The boy was quiet, almost uncharacteristically so. Jamie put a hand on Jack's shoulder and assured him he was okay. That Tyler was just fine and that everyone has been waiting for him all these years. Jamie told Jack what he had done wasn't intentional, that Jamie knew Jack didn't want to hurt anyone. Jamie assured the clearly panicking boy that he wasn't mad. That he didn't blame him.
When Jack calmed down, Jamie smiled. "Jack, stay for a while. I've got something to show you."
Jamie had Jack wait with him, although it was far from forcing him to stay. The two of them had so much to catch up on, there wasn't a single dull moment. Jamie insisted Jack stayed. There was someone he needed to meet. They just needed to wait for her.
Three day passed and still no sign of his sister. Jack needed to leave. He needed to do his work as a Guardian and as the Spirit of Winter. Jamie let him go, knowing there would be time.
Then, the game of tag started. Sophie would show up after Jack left and would disperse before he arrived. Jack no longer came for daily visits, instead, he'd visit every few days. Jamie understood, even though Jack didn't need to say anything. He wanted to keep his distance. Jamie was aging and time seemed to go much faster now that Jamie had his sister and best friend with him.
Still, the two never met. Jamie tried to tell Jack Sophie would be coming. It seemed Jack had mistaken his sister for his daughter when speaking of the girl. Curses! Why did he have to name his daughter after his sister? he joked with his wife. When Jamie tried to tell Jack Sophie had returned, it seemed the man worded it incorrectly. Jack seemed to think Jamie was still hoping.
That boy was incredibly frustrating sometimes.
Sophie was excited to hear of Jack's return. She would wait and wait until she really, really needed to go. The two never crossed paths.
Unlike Jack, who seemed to understand time was growing short with Jamie, Sophie didn't understand. She continued to come and she seemed just as attached to Jamie as always. Jamie feared for the day when he would leave her for good.
When their parents died, Sophie was a wreck. She seemed to have forgotten about time and it's ways and didn't seem to think they would ever die. She cried her heart out and clung to Jamie as the two of them mourned each death when the time came. It wasn't as hard on Jamie. He had been expecting it. His father had been sick for years and clung on as long as he could. His mother's death was just as expected.
And then… when Laura was sixty-seven, they had found a tumor in her brain. They hadn't caught it quick enough and expected that she wouldn't last a year. They did what they could and Jamie prayed. He chanted the spell he learned in his youth over and over. I believe, I believe, I believe she would get better. She would live longer. She would outlast the year and live for another hundred years. Please, please, please.
It seemed his spell had worked. The treatments were taking effect. She seemed strong and happy and like she was going to make it. She live that year. And the year after that. And the year after that. It wasn't until she was seventy-two that she had succumbed to the cancer that had spread and eventually took her.
Jamie and his children grieved. How was he going to make it without Laura? She was the love of his life, his perfect match, his other half, his missing piece.
This time, it was Sophie that comforted him. Yes, she was a disaster. But she knew Jamie needed her. She did not leave his side, not once, until she knew he would be okay. Jamie had ordered Jack to leave him alone for a while. He did not want his friend to see an old man grieve. He had already witnessed Jamie's heartache once, he did not need to see it again.
Jamie was okay, after a while. As he learned to expect, when Sophie left, Jack returned. Jamie was still horribly depressed, but he was no longer crying.
A few years later, Jamie realized he was going. He was going to follow his wife and he wasn't scared. Jack seemed to realize it, too. Jamie was growing weaker. He wanted to stay around a little longer, just for his children. The deaths of their parents so close together would be devastating He knew the pain so well. So, he prayed I believe, I believe, I believe.
Although his eyesight was fading and his hearing was muffled, he continued to go on. He stood until he could not any longer. He laid comfortably in a bed and looked to his best friend one spring afternoon. Jamie took Jack's hand and looked into his blue eyes.
"Jack, I need you to promise me something." he urged the boy. Jack nodded, agreeing without knowing what was expecting. "Jack, when I'm gone, look after Sophie, okay? She's an anxious girl. She won't have her big brother around to keep her company."
Jack's smile was gentle and assuring. His eyes were sad though. "I promise, Jamie. We're going to have fun every day. Don't worry, I'll come see you, too."
Jamie's laugh turned into a heavy cough. When he quieted, he closed his eyes, still smiling. He knew Jack was humoring him. "Good, good." Jamie was silent for a few moments. "Hey, Jack. Do you think I did a good job? As the Guardian of Faith, I mean."
Jack smiled widely and nodded. "You're the best Guardian of them all, Jamie. We've had more believers then ever thanks to you. There are even some people that believe past childhood! That's never been heard of before!"
Jamie sighed contently. "Perfect."
"… Jamie?"
The old man looked to the boy, a smile tugging at his lips. "Thank you, Jack. For everything. My life would not have been at all the way it was without you. I can't… I cannot thank you enough, Jack Frost. I just wish I could do something for you in return."
"Jamie, you've done more than enough—"
"No, Jack… I haven't. You've shown be a world even I could never dream of. This world saved my sister… kept my wife alive for much longer then expected… It's shown me magic and life and just how powerful belief can be. Thank you, Jack Frost." Jamie felt tears burn the corner of his eyes. "Thank you so much."
Jack helped Jamie sit up and pulled him into an embrace. The cool arms felt good, refreshing compared to the stuffiness of the room. Jamie knew this was only because Jack had no other way to convey how he felt.
"Jack, don't be too sad when I'm gone, okay?" Jamie put a hand on the boy's head. "You won't be lonely. You've got the Guardians and the children. And once you find her, you'll have Sophie." Jamie coughed as he laid back against the bed.
Jack covered his eyes with a hand and clutched his staff with the other. His shoulders were shaking and Jamie noticed the frost on the staff spreading. He'd only seen Jack cry once and that was after his sister died. He remembered the snow that accompanied it and Jamie was sure outside, a blizzard was brewing.
The door opened. In walked Jamie's family.
Jack stood up and put a hand on the man's shoulder. "See ya later, kiddo."
"Come back soon, Jack."
That night, his family sat around his bed. Children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. For each of them, he had something to say, something to help encourage and inspire them, to keep their faith strong and he reminded them of the most powerful spell I believe, I believe, I believe.
Jamie was going in and out of sleep. His family stayed by his side. Once, he woke up, and there she was. An ethereal girl, sitting beside his bed, her hand clutching his own.
"Sophie," he smiled and brought her hand to his lips, pressing a kiss against the skin. "You've made it."
"You're going to get better, right?" Sophie smiled hopefully, scooting closer.
"Sophie, listen to me," Jamie coughed, "I've lived a good life. Long and happy. I've done so much. It's time for me to go."
Sophie's expression fell. In that instant, Jamie knew she had not learned from previous experience. She just did not want to accept that people died eventually.
"Not everyone's Immortal, Soph."
"But… maybe you'll…"
Jamie shook his head. "Sophie… don't get your hopes up, okay? I won't make it. But don't worry… you're not alone. You've got your friends, Vincent and Erin, right? You've got the Guardians. You're going to be just fine without me."
His sister let out a choked sob, clutching him tighter. "Jamie, I… I can't do this without you! I don't want to! You're my brother and best friend and I won't be able to make it without you! Who's going to remind me what year it is? Who's going to make sure I get home in time for Easter? Who's going to tell me fantastic stories and hug me when I'm sad or scared and pet my hair to make all my fears go away? I need you, Jamie!"
Jamie wiped the tears from her eyes and chuckled. "You'll get by without this old man, I promise."
"But… MiM HAS to chose you! You've done a lot for the Guardians and for the children and especially for the children! You're going to make it, Jamie… I've got a feeling."
"Sophie, calm down, okay?" He brushed her hair back. "You're so loud. You'll wake Eleanor."
Sophie sniffled and wiped her nose. A tissue was handed to her and she thanked her niece, hiccuping and cleaning herself up.
"It's a good dream, Sophie. It is. But we can't be certain. There are so many people that do so much more for children on such a larger scale and they don't make it. With you, it was a miracle. There was something remarkable about you that MiM liked." Jamie mussed her hair. "Please don't be sad, Sophie."
"But…"
Jamie sighed and smiled to her. "Immortality suites you, Sophie. You'll be just fine."
Sophie leaned forward and kissed his forehead.
Jamie hummed a bit. He was tired, so tired. "Sing me a song, guys." he requested, settling into his bed. "Any song."
He sensed his family's uncertainty. They did not know what to sing, some of them didn't know the words to some songs suggested and some of them debated what songs Jamie liked.
"Time to close your eyes. Over look the darkness and try to dream tonight." Sophie started. "Not so long ago your world was bright. So take a breath and count to ten and maybe you can dream again."
The family picked it up. They sang, out of key and off track. They didn't match up in some places, some stumbled, but Jamie didn't care. They were together, there were giggles through tears, there was a unity he loved seeing in this family of his. He got to hear them all one last time as he drifted to sleep.
Time to close your eyes. But when you awake, still dream.
A/N: I'm sorry this took so long to get out! Oh, MAN it's been too long! Wrote this about three times in three different ways. This was the final way and I really liked this one.
Also, the song in this chapter is Still Dream by Renee Fleming. It's a pretty song. And the lyrics are something Jamie would like. It's on the RotG Soundtrack and stuff.
Um… Yeah, I think there's going to be one more chapter after this one! Yay~!