A/N Disclaimer: I do not own ROTG or Guardians of Childhood.

Age 8: Gifts

Jackie yawned as she woke up on the inflated mattress inside Sarah's room, while on her own bed Sarah slept soundly. On the bedside table, Nyx was carefully cleaning her feathers.

This was the first Christmas that Jackie had been able to sleep over at Sarah's house. Her mother was sleeping soundly in the guest room across the hall.

It was Early Jackie had guessed, given how dark it was outside and the fact that the alarm clock on Sarah's bedside table was flashing 6 o'clock.

Looking outside the window Jackie could see that the storm had passed. What had previously been heavy wind and falling snow so thick that you could not see two feet in front of you, was now just snowflakes gently falling to the ground.

Jackie carefully opened the window a crack so as not to let too much of the cold air in and breathed a deep satisfied breath when the below-freezing wind hit her face. Inside wasn't too bad, but nothing felt better to Jackie than the feeling of freezing wind blowing on her face.

She lifted her hand and thrust it outside, catching a small snowflake before bringing it inside.

Jackie always ran a little cooler than most other people but she still had to focus to lower her temperature to keep the snowflake from melting now that it was inside the Jessup house. With the snowflake in hand and in no danger of melting she stared at it for a good long while. She wondered if she would be able to tell the difference between one of Jack's snowflake and a naturally occurring one.

She noticed that Sarah was starting to shiver so Jackie quickly closed the window. Her window in the Bennett household was always open in the winter, but given Sarah, unlike Jackie, was not part winter sprite, Jackie decided to keep the window closed and instead sleep without a blanket. The Jessups had been kind enough to turn the heat down for the night and just double up on blankets so Jackie would feel a bit more comfortable. Still, it wasn't the same as having the window open and feeling the freezing winter air all night long.

"Hey, Jackie." Jackie turned around to see Sarah stretching and yawning before she shivered.

"Feels cold."

"Sorry," Jackie said. "I was feeling a bit warm. I opened the window."

"Oh," Sarah said. "Ok."

"It's still dark outside," Jackie said staring out at the moon. "Full moon is out."

"Grandma says that when it's the full moon that's when Manny's power is at its peak." Sarah said walking forward. "when he can use his power to make someone a guardian, to grant someone immortality and even raise someone from the dead."

Jackie turned to Sarah. "Really?"

Sarah shrugged. "That's what grandma says. Out of all of us, she's known Manny the longest."

Jackie stared up at the moon. "He's the one who turned my father from a regular human boy into Jack Frost. Momma says he saved someone's life and that convinced the Man in the Moon to make him a guardian."

"That's what I heard too," Sarah said.

Jackie stared at the moon. "Do you… think that if I were to open the window and ask Manny to relay a message to my dad… he would? He can do that right? Communicate with guardians?"

Sarah nodded. "It wouldn't hurt to try." She said.

Jackie nodded and stared up at the moon and closed her eyes. Tears falling down her cheeks.

"Hey, Mr. MiM." She said softly her voice starting to crack. "Umm if you see my dad could you… could you tell him about me?" She said softly. "Tell him that I wish he was here, and that I could meet him? I'm Jaqueline Overland Bennett, his daughter, and I've always wanted to meet him. So if it's not too much trouble… could you tell him that I miss him? Tell him everything about me, that I like to read, and my favourite movies Frozen. That I can control ice and snow just like he can. I can't Fly yet but I'm trying! And… that…. I love him. Even though he's never here, I love him." Tears fell down Jackie's tears. "Even though I've never met him. I love him and miss him so much. I just… I wish I knew more about him."

Jackie sniffed and closed the window.

"Come on," Sarah said taking her hand. "Want some chocolate milk?"

Jackie nodded.

Sarah smiled and pulled her away from the window. "Come on." She whispered gently. "While we're downstairs, we can see if Santa filled some stockings. I'll split whatever's in my stocking with you."

Jackie chuckled. "If all you got was coal… I don't want it."

Sarah shrugged. "Your loss."

Jackie chuckled as the two of them went downstairs. As they reached the bottom step Jackie caught sight of the tree and, despite knowing that Santa visited the Jessups, was vaguely surprised that the tree had several more presents under it than there had been the previous night.

Jackie bit her lip and looked away to avoid crying.

"I'm sorry," Sarah said. "I am. But y'know, the Epiphany is only 12 days away, and the Befana always gives you more treats and candies than anyone else."

It wasn't the same but Jackie could appreciate the attempt. "Yeah, she has the best candy out of anyone I know."

"Exactly," Sarah said.

"Do you think she's a guardian?" Jackie said as they entered the kitchen.

"No, except for you, Bafana caters mainly to those of Italian descent. The Guardians are more for all kids." Sarah said grabbing a chair and pulling it toward the counter.

Jackie frowned. "Why?" Spotting Sarah as she reached for two mugs in cabinets above the counter.

Sarah shrugged placing the mugs on the counter and jumped down. "Who knows? Santa has elves, Bafana may not have time to do all children in the world, so she only does it for some. Or perhaps it's because unless you live in Italy or have close Italian relatives, you're likely not to believe in her." All the while getting the milk from the fridge and the chocolate syrup.

Jackie nodded. "That makes sense." Taking the milk and pouring it into her mug.

Sarah nodded taking the milk carton and pouring her glass, while Jackie poured in as much syrup into her mug.

Sarah chuckled while she placed her mug into the microwave and set the timer. While Jackie stirred her milk.

"And what are to doing up so early?" Sarah and Jackie turned to see Mrs. Jessup in the kitchen her arms crossed in front of her, wearing a pink housecoat, and white lacy nightgown.

"I thought Jackie might want chocolate milk," Sarah said. "And it was that early when we woke up."

Mrs. Jessup raised an eyebrow. "You're not planning on taking a sneak peek at your gifts are you?"

"We would never," Sarah said in mock alarm.

Mrs. Jessup raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?"

Sarah nodded just as the microwave timer went off. She turned to get her milk out. "I mean, only the most heinous of people would ever peak at the Christmas gifts early." She said pouring some syrup into her coffee. "I'm not like that at all."

"Mmm," Jessica said amused. "Because if you wanted to take a sneak peek in your stockings… I wouldn't have minded."

Jackie snorted into her chocolate milk. Sarah frowned, "Ok… we were planning on looking inside my stockings and splitting those gifts." Sarah said.

"Mmm, you were pretty naughty this year. What if Santa just gave you coal again?"

"We can light a fire and make s'mores," Sarah said gesturing toward the living where there was a fireplace underneath the tv.

Jessica bent down and scrunched her nose at Sarah. "That is something you will have to ask your father about. If you have coal from Santa. After Miss. Bennett and Jackie leave."

"He'll say yes," Sarah said. "He likes using the old fireplace. And of course, we're gonna wait for Jackie and Miss Bennett to leave." Sarah wrapped an arm around Jackie. "I don't want her to be uncomfortable."

"Thanks," Jackie said dryly.

"I don't want you to leave," Sarah said. "But your gonna leave anyway to spend Christmas at your grandmother's have to look forward to something when you're not here."

"Looking forward to what?"

Jackie, Sarah and Jessica all started when they heard Sophie Bennett enter the kitchen followed by Nicholas and Katherine.

"Sarah wants to light up the fireplace after we leave," Jackie said. "Since we have to leave anyway, it gives her something to look forward to after we leave for grandma's."

"That so?" Nicholas asked.

"Mmmhmm!" Sarah said. "We could make some S'mores." She said with a grin.

"Maybe," Nicholas said. "If you are on your best behaviour today."

"I will," Sarah said.

"Don't worry Mr. Jessup," Jackie said. "I'll make sure she isn't doing anything naughty."

"That's very kind of you," Katherine said ruffling Jackie's hair.

"Why don't the two of you go wake up Jonathan," Jessica said. "The faster he comes down, the faster we can decide what we're going to do this morning."

"So, who here wants to open presents now, or wait until after we've had breakfast?"

"Presents!" Jackie, Sarah and Jonathan all shouted in unison.

The Grownups all laughed. "Very well, we shall open all our gifts first, and then have breakfast," Nicholas said.

"Yay!" They said before running forward and heading straight for the stockings that were hanging by the mantle.

Sarah took her stocking off the mantle and walked over to Jackie. "10 dollars that I got coal,"

Sarah said to Jackie.

Jackie chuckled. "You have done a lot of naughty things this year."

Sarah shook her head and laughed as she opened the stocking, before walking over to the fireplace and tipping the stocking into it. Several black coal rocks fell into the fireplace.

"Daddy! We can make a fire tonight!" She said.

"How much coal did you get this year?"

"My entire stocking was filled with it," Sarah said with a smile.

"You don't seem sad about it."

"I'm gonna have the record of being on the naughty list the longest."

"That is not something to strive for," Nicholas said.

"Besides, the record is 300 years," Sophie said with a knowing smile.

"Kay, I'm gonna be the human with the longest run on the naughty list." Sarah shrugged.

"And I doubt Jack was ever truly on the list anyway. Given he's a spirit."

"He was once," Jackie said softly. "Before the Moon made him a spirit."

Sarah turned and winced she'd forgotten that Jackie was a child in the room, who had never been on the list, and likely never would be. Unless something changed.

"I'm sorry," Sarah said.

Jackie shook her head. "Let's just open presents now."

Katherine took that opportunity to usher them all to sit around the tree while she played the role of Santa's elf. Handing out the presents to everyone there.

The first gift was to Sarah from Jonathan which contained a toolbox full of tools. Then a gift from Santa to Jonathan which Jonathan stared at for a moment gave a hesitant shake before putting it aside to be opened later.

"I want to open it later," Jonathan said and oddly enough he stated that with every Santa gift handed to him. On and On it went. He got crystals, and dust from the meteor that crash landed in Santoff Claussen so many years before, instruction manuals on how to make things, and a small little ice sculpture of his favourite airplane from Jackie.

Sarah got some CDs from Jonathan and learn how to speak languages DVD's from her mom From her father Sarah received a bracelet that was enchanted to show her her favourite locations. From Jackie, Sarah received an ice sculpture of a raven (not unlike Nyx that was upstairs in Sarah's bedroom) that Nicholas had kindly spelled to never melt. Sophie had gotten her an English to French dictionary.

Nicholas received books on ancient civilizations and tools for his archeology digs.

Jessica received a book on Italian and English folklore, some gardening tools, a necklace that always showed her the memory she most needed to see, and an enchanted book that always opened to the story she wanted to read.

The entire family received a storybook that was enchanted to always show the story that the reader most desire (or most needed) to read from Katherine.

Katherine got writing utensils and notebooks.

Sophie herself also got notebooks and writing utensils, and books of exotic and far off places for inspiration.

And Jackie opened three gifts. One from Sarah, one from Sophie and one from the Jessup family. From Sophie, she got an old toy model of Elsa's castle. From Sarah, she received some new children's stories, and from the family, they all pitched to give her a necklace the held the stories of the guardians from the moment they became guardian to present day. All the ones they knew. Enchanted to show her the story that she most needed to hear.

The moment they were done, Jessica turned to Jonathan. "Do you want to open all your gifts from Santa now?"

Jonathan shook his head. "No. I want to do it later. I want to eat now."

It wasn't until after dinner that Jonathan had his gifts from Santa opened.

"Jackie?" Jonathan asked after Dinner as Sarah was busy cleaning off the table and helping Jessica clean the dishes.

"Yes?" Jackie said shyly.

"Can you help me bring all these gifts upstairs?" He asked softly. "I mean if it isn't too much trouble for you."

Jackie's eyes widened. "Oh! Um… ok. Sure I'd love to."

Jonathan smiled. "Thank you."

Together they hauled the gifts upstairs. Including the several gifts that Santa got him for Christmas.

Once they reached his room Jonathan closed the door behind him. He looked at Jackie for a moment and smiled. "Do you think you could help me open Santa's gifts?" Jonathan asked.

Jackie tilted her head confused. "Why?"

"Just please?"

Jackie's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Why?"

"I got a lot." Jonathan defended. "I don't want to spend all morning unwrapping gifts. So please?"

Jackie frowned. "Are you trying to mock me? Because your the only kid in this household who got actual gifts from Santa?"

Jonathan shook his head. "No!" he said. "Have I ever given you a reason to believe I'm like that?"

Jackie shook her head instantly feeling guilty. "No… it just seems odd that you would ask this of me now."

"Just trust me," Jonathan said. "If after a few gifts it makes you uncomfortable you can leave alright?"

Jackie frowned. "Alright."

The first gift Jonathan gave her was a piece of clothing of some kind. She could almost feel the way the fabric moved underneath the wrapping paper. Ignoring the 'To Jonathan from Santa' tag she ripped the paper to see a white hoody similar to a hoody she had been admiring in a story window two weeks before.

"Do you like it?" Jonathan asked.

Jackie felt tears in her eyes. "How… why…."

Jonathan shrugged. "You haven't received a gift from Santa since you were born. I thought that should be rectified in some small way."

"This is mine?"

"Well yeah?"

"It's a little big on me," Jackie said.

Jonathan scratched his neck. "Yeah… I kind of just wrote 'white hoody' I didn't really specify size,"

Jackie looked toward all the other gifts and stared at the hoody again before putting it on.

"Anything else for me?"

Jonathan smiled. "Why don't we find out?"

"Nice hoody," Sarah said. "Where'd you get it?"

"Jonathan gave it to me," Jackie said. "Gave me this bottomless bag too."

"Ahh, and he was too shy to give them to you in person," Sarah said. "That's sweet."

Jackie pushed Sarah away. "Shut up, it's not like that!"

"Like what?" Sarah said with wide eyes. "Jonny's always been shy around friends- anywhoo, your mom's calling for you. It's time for you to head home, so you can get ready for the

Christmas party tonight at your grandmother's house"

Jackie's shoulders slumped. "Back to acting normal."

Sarah patted Jackie's shoulder. "You'll come by tomorrow." She said. "Besides we have to act normal too Mom's side of the family is coming over. So your not alone."

Jackie nodded. "That's true."

"Jackie!" Sophie called. "It's time to go Sweetheart. Say goodbye to your friends we'll see them all later.

Sarah and Jackie hugged before Jackie turned to Jonathan's room and opened the door. "Bye Jonny. Thanks for everything." She said with a smile.

"You're welcome," Jonathan said." and no problem," He continued. "I'm gladyou enjoyed them.

"So…" Sophie said as they walked home. "Did you have fun?"

Jackie smiled clutching her hoody underneath her jacket "Yeah. I did."


Sarah's kind of wrong here about MiM being able to raise someone from the dead. In this series, he can't really raise people from the dead. He can't bring back people whose souls have moved on, what he can do is reanimate people whose souls haven't left their body yet. In the story "Jane the Grim Reaper": the reason why Jack was able to be brought back was that his Reaper was late. Had he'd been reaped like he was supposed to, Jack would have stayed dead.

Anyway hope you enjoyed this. Jonathan having the idea to just write down Jackie's list as apart of his own list came to me this year. Though Jonathan decides to have Jackie open the gifts in his room for privacy. (Both he and Sarah have a penchant for hiding their good deeds.)