A/N: Chapter 24! Also we now have, if I counted correctly, fifteen new followers to welcome to the Family! {JediKendalina, dream lighting, super-cool-flying-vampire-cows, Lee Anna Kindred, TheExile32, TheGreyEyedGirl, SerenityAngels, The dark side of the loonatics, TheFabBanana, The Defiant Child, Your Guardian Angel In The Sky, NaruhinaFan13149, Esta2000, Mystery's Abis, NobleSilverShadow.} YAY! Haha, Anyways enjoy this chapter! I hope it brings some things to light! I know it took me a while to get this out, but I've been dealing with work and also I met this really awesome guy... so my time's kinda been tied up. But if you ever ask the guy if I have been working on this, he will tell you I have been lol Now, hopefully he won't read this... seeing as stupid me introduced him to FF... (^_^") Hopefully he won't read the A/N's like I know some of you don't read lol R&R! ~MP~
Chapter 24
"Pitch was right. I make a mess of everything."
I felt my body move, the faint smell of pepper-mint and winter drifting past my senses as my eyes fluttered open. I coughed lightly, my throat screaming in protest as I attempted to swallow what moisture was left in my mouth. I heard a faint gasp and I felt a cold hand run from my forehead to my cheek and another hand wrap tightly around my shoulders and lift me up. I opened my eyes to be welcomed by the sight of a worried -and blurry- winter spirit.
"Hey, Old man."
"Hey, Angel."
I smiled weakly and licked my lips as I took a deep breath. I lifted my head to be welcomed by the sight of blood smeared ice walls. I shook my head and made a move to sit up when a sharp pain shot through the center of my stomach.
"Hey! Don't move E. You'll only hurt yourself more."
I huffed in annoyance and pressed a hand to my stomach and forced myself up. I looked into Jack's eyes and rolled mine while blowing out a puff of air to move my bangs away from my eyes.
"What... Happened?"
I inhaled deeply as I looked into Jack's eyes, my heart pounding causing my stomach to pulsate along with it.
"Pitch... He. He tried to..."
"Jack, What happened?"
He looked into my eyes, his filling with tears, before shaking his head and standing up and turning his back to me. He knew what I was referring to, when he took Sophie home. I shook my head and let out a sigh before biting my lip and pressing my hand into my stomach as I forced myself to stand and walk towards him. I breathed deeply as I raised a hand to his shoulder and forced him to turn.
"Jack... Why didn't you come back?"
He looked down, his lower lip trembling as he shoved his hands into his hoodies pocket. I shook my head and reached for his hand, only for my hand to stop it's path, when he pulled a tooth canister out of his pocket.
I stared at the canister, unblinking, as my heart thudded in my ears. I dropped my hand from my stomach and held my palms up. Why was everything so red? I shook my head and turned my back to Jack and I pulled my gloves off and let them fall to the ground. I tried to control my breathing as I reached into my pocket and pulled a familiar looking fairy out and held her in my hands.
"That explains why I found her there."
I turned towards Jack, my eyes darkened with emotion as I held baby tooth out for him to see. Jack looked from Baby Tooth to me, his mouth hanging open as he lifted his hands slightly, as if asking me permission. I smiled and held my hands out towards him, trying to ignore the stabbing pain in my stomach.
Baby Tooth hopped into Jack's hand and looked at him while smiling slightly. I bit my lip as I stepped closer to Jack and looked down at his hand.
"You alright, Baby Tooth?"
She looked up into Jacks eyes and smiled then sneezed and gave a slight shiver. Jack sighed as sank down to his knees; his face grew dark as he raised his hands and let Baby Tooth hop into my waiting hands.
"Sorry. All I can do is keep you cold."
I looked down at Baby Tooth, my eyes beseeching as I staggered in place for a moment before kneeling next to Jack. Baby Tooth nodded and hopped from my hands, onto Jack's lap and into his hoodie's pocket. I smiled at Jack who shook his head at Baby Tooth, before turning his gaze to me.
"Eva..." "Jack"
We both smiled slightly before gesturing towards the other to go first. I laughed lightly at our actions but stopped as pain radiated through my stomach. I gasped lightly as my hands flew to my stomach.
"Eva, you idiot! Moon, I can't believe I let you stand up. Stop worrying about me; let me worry about you, alright?"
I bit back a chuckle-like-gasp, as I let Jack push me to lean against a wall of the cavern. Jack pulled away, his eyebrows turned down with worry as I inhaled and exhaled sharply.
"We.. We need to get back."
Jack shook his head and looked down as he turned his hands palms up.
"Eva... They don't want me. They don't trust me... It's my fault you're in this mess, Eva."
I shook my head and grabbed one of Jack's hands with mine and squeezed lightly.
"It's no one's fault but Pitch's. It was... His choice to do this; to bring fear and hopelessness to the children. For some reason, he hates the fact that I give children choices. Jack, the Guardians need you... The Children need you..."
I pulled my hand away from his and placed my hand to his cheek to force his gaze to meet my own tearfull one.
" I need you."
He smiled as he leaned in to give me a soft kiss, his cold lips causing my warm ones to tingle as the smells of pepper-mint and winter mixed with the smells of sunflower seeds and pine.
"Jack?"
"Jack!"
Jack pulled away, his face contorting with confusion as he looked down. I blinked slightly and looked down as well when a bright gold light started to shine through his pocket. Jack gasped and fell back slightly as he dug his hand into his pocket; pulling out the tooth canister and Baby Tooth. I smiled down at her as she looked up at me with wide eyes, wanting praise for the thing she had done. I nodded towards her, my smile widening and only faltering when I started to move towards Jack. I gasped slightly and bit my lip as I leaned against the wall again, my eyes never leaving Jack as he looked down at the canister in awe.
"Go ahead, Jack. Look at them."
He looked up at me, his eyebrows furrowed with uncertainty. I sighed and motioned him to move to the spot next to me. He sighed and shuffled closer; then he leaned against the wall next to me while he looked down at the tooth canister.
"I can't..."
I rolled my eyes and glared up at his the best that I could.
"Why the hell not?"
Jack shook his head, his face growing dark again as he turned it away from my view.
"Jack, you went through all of that trouble-loosing Baby Tooth, Easter being ruined- for those memories. Why won't you look at them?"
He sighed as he turned his head to the left, still keeping his eyes averted from my own, when he mumbled slightly. I sighed and bit my lip and reached over with both of my hands and pulled his face up so I could look into his cerulean blue's.
"I'm sorry, repeat that?"
Jack sighed again, his eyes going down as he spoke softly yet audibly.
"Because, it's not right."
I stared at Jack for a long moment, my stomach wound pounding painfully as I finally let my hands fall.
"It's not right?"
I heard a raspy voice ask. Was that me? I shook my head and cleared my throat while breathing slowly, my world slowly starting to spin. Wow, I bleed very slowly.
"H-how is it not right, Jack?"
He looked up at me his eyes showing he was in pain, though not physical, I knew he was at war with himself. He shook his head and stood up abruptly; I knew I shouldn't stand up but hey I died at the age of eight-teen, I'm not wise. I forced myself to stand, one hand clutching my stomach and my other kept in contact with the wall.
"Jack. How is looking at YOUR memories, 'Not right'?"
He ran his hands through his hair, his breath coming out harshly as he became more agitated with my question's. I growled lightly and stumbled towards him, my left hand pressing into my wound as I shook my head.
"Jack, what is 'Not Right' about looking at your memories? They're your memories!"
"Don't You get it, Eva! It's not right, because it's not something you would do! You would have done what was right! You would have dropped Sophie off, then flew straight back to the Warren to protect the egg's, or help with the fight! Me? I had to take a detour all because I heard a familiar voice! I ignored Baby Tooth's hint's to get out of Burgess and back to you all. And because I didn't get back on time, everyone paid the price! You Paid the price! You would not have done what I did, I made the wrong choice!"
I bit my lip and inhaled deeply through my nose as I lowered myself back into a sitting position.
" I have a sister Jack... Two actually. One older, one younger. Charlotte and Anna Carmichael. My name is Evangeline Grace Carmichael."
"Wha-?"
I looked up at Jack, my eyes filled with pain as I fought to keep my eyes open.
"If you hadn't of taken that 'Detour', yes I would not have died... But I wouldn't have found out who I am."
I looked down at Jack's tooth canister and lifted it up to my face.
"We wouldn't be here if it wasn't for this... And quite frankly, I'm glad."
"What?"
I looked up into Jack's eyes and smiled lightly.
"Jack, what's my middle name?"
"What does that have to do with this? You just told me what your middle name is-"
"Jack. My middle name. What. Is. It?"
He sighed and rubbed face before mumbling.
"Jack, really. You must speak up."
He growled and glared at me.
"You're not my mother."
"Yes, I am not your mother. Your memories of her though..."
I lifted the canister for him to see.
"Are in here. If you had a sister, a brother, anyone. Your memories of them, are in here."
He looked at the canister then back at me before sitting in front of me and gently taking it from my slightly bloody fingers. Jack opened his mouth slightly as he looked into my eyes. I shook my head and motioned towards the canister.
"Don't say anything else, Jack. Just look at your memories."
He nodded and ran his fingers over the center blue diamond. I smiled as he relaxed slightly, his eyes grew distant. I looked down at Baby Tooth who jumped onto my legs and chirped worriedly while looking up at me sadly.
"Don't worry Baby Tooth. Everything will be fine."
I smiled at her and motioned for her to slide off of my leg and onto the snow covered floor. She shivered and looked up at me pleadingly.
"I-I'm sorry Baby Tooth..."
I gasped in shock as my head started pounding harshly, causing my hands to leave my stomach wound and clasp my head.
Jamie stood at the top of a ladder, his fingers stretching as he reached for a pink object in the gutter of his house. Reaching slightly further, Jamie lost his balance and fell into the bushes by his house, a pink and purple bouncy ball falling to the ground in front of him. He growled and pushed himself up and grabbed his Easter basket, a determined look in his eyes as he motioned for his friends to follow him.
"Let's check the park again!"
"Really?"
"For what? The Easter Bunny?"
Jamie turned around and stared at his friends, Pippa, Claude, Clyde, Cup-Cake and Monty all staring at him with dark expressions.
"Guys, I told you, I saw him! He's way bigger than I thought and he's got these cool boomerang things!"
Jamie smiled excitedly as he looked around at his friends who all shook their heads in disbelief.
"Grow up, Jamie."
"Oh, man. Seriously?"
Jamie's shoulders dropped as his friends made a semi-circle around him, their faces lowered and the shadows under their eyes growing more defined.
"What's happened to you guys?"
"It was a dream! You should be happy you still get dreams like that... instead of..."
"Nightmares."
Jamie shook his head as everyone turned around and started walking home, the only one staying was Pippa who tossed the pink and purple bouncy ball into his basket.
"Forget it, Jamie. There's just no Easter this year."
Jamie shook his head again and stood on the tips of his toes and called out to his friends.
"He really is real!"
He looked down at his empty basket and stared at the ball as it rolled around then whispered to himself.
"I know he is."
"Oh no! Eva! Eva! Please Eva, look at me Angel!"
I opened my eyes to see a distraught Jack Frost clutching me to him once again. Weird, didn't I wake up like this earlier? I shook my head and started to sit up
when I heard the cries of children echo through my mind.
"Goodnight, Mom."
"Goodnight, Jamie. Sweet dreams."
I felt Jack pry my hands away from my head and force me to look him in the eyes.
"Eva. Hold on!"
I inhaled deeply as I wrapped my arms around his neck and he brought his arm under my legs and around my shoulders to carry me bridal style. He kissed my forehead and grabbed his staff and shot up into the air, the cold winds of Antarctica flying through our hair.
"J-Jack? How did you fix your staff?"
He looked at me and kissed my forehead again before whispering into my ear.
"By your Grace, I can do anything."
I looked over Jack's shoulder and bit my lip, to fight back the giddy laughter that had bubbled up inside of me, as bright blue arc's glowed from behind Jack's shoulders and cut through the darkening sky like a light house on the shore.
A/N: And here is Chapter 24 done! We are almost at a close my readers! It's sad, I know. Also, If I don't have the right names for Jamie's friends, Let me know. I only know Cupcake, Claude for sure. That's it. I hope this chapter was good enough to review, if there are any spaces left unfilled from previous chapters~Eva finding Baby Tooth for example~ you will find out in the next two chapters. That's what I am predicting to be the end... Two Chapters... Makes Penguin sad :( ... Anyways, I hope to 'See' you all next chapter! Read and Review!
~MP~