Belief was a complex thing.

The Guardians knew enough about it to explain it, measure it, and count on it. But it mystified them. It could be reignited so quickly, and be lost just as fast. Still, they relied upon it, their lives depended on it.

The youngest of their group, Jack, had the loosest handle on the term; eight years of occasionally being seen didn't really compensate for 300 years of being tread through all the time.

And the seniors didn't tell him what would happen, because… Because it might hurt him more than anything before. They knew that he was bent, not broken, and on the mend, but this might just…

It was coming and none of them had the heart to tell him.

Jack was unfathomably happy that Jamie's birthday was in the fall, leaning toward winter. He could cause a cold snap, allowing him to visit, and no one would bat an eyelash. He had done so for the past eight years, always giving Jamie a visit in the morning or evening. While it was a happy occasion, it was sad too. Jack was watching him grow up while he himself was failing to do so; Jamie was now eighteen, older than Jack, biologically speaking, and jack was forever frozen in his adolescence. On his seventeenth, he had gotten an old Subaru Forester, and that was fun for a while, as he and Jack had raced each other down the freeway, but when the enchantment had worn off, it was merely another stepping stone toward adulthood.

To not believing in him anymore.

Jack usually chased those thoughts away, though. Jamie had believed in him so far, hadn't he? And he would be graduating high school soon. Jamie was the stubborn type who had faith in his beliefs throughout the majority of his life. And if he had forgotten about the Guardians…

"No." Jack would murmur to himself. "He will always believe."

Every day he grew less sure.

Today was the day, though. His first visit of the year.

He hovered outside Jamie's bedroom window.

"Alright, Jack." he sighed. " You got this, just… It's like all the other years, be cool, but be happy. Try not to act relieved, or you'll worry him. Casual, right? Casual."

The room was now occupied. Jamie wandered in, evidently home from school. He had a fluffy pink princess tiara on his head, which Jack felt a little bad for snorting at. He slung his bag down on the bed; judging from the impact it probably weighed the same as a baby elephant. When he turned, Sophie was in his doorway, probably giving him crap about how stupid his crown looked. He grinned playfully and wrenched it from his shaggy mess of hair, throwing it at her. She responded by catching it, then allowing it to perch atop her head, prancing out of the room like a lopsided ballerina. Jamie laughed as she exited, then, still smiling, walked to the window and opened it a fraction. A sign. Jack grinned.

He fell from his perch, zooming up to the window, pressing against the pane to allow his entrance, stepping in silently. Jamie was not paying attention to the window at the moment; he was making improv buildings on Google Sketchup. Jamie had frequently told Jack how much he had wanted to be an architect from the age of fifteen, his wall now plastered with photos of him and his family at various monuments; his crown jewel was a picture of him standing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, looking redundantly proud, as if he had built it all by himself.

Jack snuck up behind him, all silent like, preparing to scare him to death, as was traditional custom of his birthday visits.

He leaned in, over Jamie's shoulder, still unnoticed, and whispered "Jamie".

He pulled back, smile on his face, expecting Jamie to whip around, scared but laughing, glad to see Jack.

Jamie stayed turned around. Jack's smile faltered a fraction.

"Jaaaamie." He called, like a ghost from an old, bad horror movie, wiggling his fingers like a cartoon warlock. No answer. Maybe Jamie was ignoring him as payback for scaring him on this day every year. No… He wouldn't do that. Jamie knew that would be a really jerk move. Maybe he had earbuds in. Jack paced behind him a bit to get a look; he did not. The spirit felt a small seed of panic beginning to sprout.

"Jamie, would you stop that?" he chuckled nervously. "Not funny, man." Jamie continued to build his skyscraper. From the way he was acting it was like Jack simply was not there at all.

No smile graced the spirit's face now. he was, dare he say it, scared.

"Jamie," he reached out to clasp a hand on the boy's shoulder. "You could at least say h-"

His hand went right through Jamie's shoulder, turning into the bright blue mist.

Jack pulled it back instantly, clutching at it with his other hand, as if he had burned it. His breath seemed to leave him all at once.

Jamie absently scratched his neck.

No. Jack thought. No. No, not him. No way. Not Jamie. Anyone but him. His breathing quickened. He can see me. I'm sure. He can still see me, can't he? He can. He has to. He…

"Jamie." It was the greatest endeavour he had ever faced to keep his voice level. "Jamie!"

Jamie turned around, about a 60 degree angle. Jack felt his heart give a small jump with hope, but then…

Jamie's eyebrows were furrowed.

Jack stared. Was he angry? No… no, he was concentrating, confused. On his building? Jack was no architect, but it looked like that was going smoothly; it was a prototype anyway. Jamie was tapping his mouse in a rhythm, accidentally right-clicking once or twice. He was starting out his opened window.

Jack gave it a last-ditch effort with his failing voice. "Jamie-"

But then he spoke.

"Where is Jack?" Jamie murmured quietly. "He should be here by now."

AN/: Another multi-chapter? Oh noooo.

My take on Jamie not being able to see Jack anymore. You are so welcome.

Let's see if I can keep it to two parts oh god.