War of the Seasons

A/N – Next chapter is here! This one is going to get emotional. Or, that's the intent anyway XD Hope you enjoy it! :)

Chapter 1 – A Sacred Place

Tooth's POV

Tooth watched in dismay as her son took off out the window.

The last year had been hard. It was painful to see her little prince struggle and not know how to help him. They'd been so close before he'd lost his memories and now, even though they'd returned, too much had happened for things to go back to the way they were before. Sandy insisted that it was okay and that just because things were different now, it didn't make them any less family.

She knew he was right but knowing and believing were two different things. At times she'd look at Jack and see her smiling baby boy looking back at her. Other times she'd look at him and see a broken, lost young man. She wanted to pick up those shattered pieces and put them back together. She longed to be able to just hug him and take away all the pain and loneliness but couldn't and it hurt. At first those moments were few and far between but the last few days, Jack had barely spoken to anyone. She didn't know what had changed but she desperately wanted to know what was wrong.

She and North had tried to talk to Jack but he'd either laugh off the concern or shut down and tell them 'everything is fine'. The worst parts though were when she'd see the spark of longing, watch as he almost, almost told them what was on his mind, just to shake it off and deny that anything was amiss once more.

Nicholas told her that they just needed to be patient, that their son would come to them when he was ready and the best thing to do right now was remind him that they loved him and would be there for him when he was ready. Tooth knew he was probably right. She and North had both struggled with trust in their own ways in the past. North, having essentially raised himself and having had no one to rely on in his youth had found it hard to work in a team in the beginning. Tooth, having been the last of her people and having watched as they were all slaughtered before her, had been untrusting of others for a long time. They both knew what it was like to feel lost, to feel unsure what your place is and to feel unworthy or unneeding of help. They'd wanted to save their precious child from ever feeling like that. It would seem they had failed.

She tried flying after Jack's retreating form but as the blue hoodie disappeared in the blizzard, she felt the wind fiercely knock her back. She stumbled back into the room, bumping into North who quickly steadied her. "Are you alright Angel Moy?" North asked, taking her hand in his with a concerned frown.

"I-I'm fine Nick but we need to go after Jack!" Tooth cried, starting up at her husband desperately. Her Sweet Tooth was out there on his own, obviously upset. She was done sitting back and doing nothing. Her baby needed her.

North looked troubled, staring up at the window in contemplation. "Tooth, Jack's gone off on his own plenty of times before, no? He always comes back." The former bandit tried to sound convincing but the falter in his usually strong voice wasn't unnoticed by his wife.

"Never like this before. Not while this upset. You heard him too. He was on the verge of tears Nick! We've tried giving him time but we can't keep letting this go one. We need to do something!" Toothiana argued, distraught.

North nodded, shoulder's sagging in defeat. Tooth knew her husband was just as afraid as she was. Just as scared that something might happen, and they'd lose their child again. "You're right. He's been even more quiet than usual this week. Something is very wrong."

Sandy, who had been watching the exchange in thoughtful silence, flew up to the couple and pointed back to the window. The storm was easing.

Bunny hopped over, completing the group with a nod to Tooth. "I think the sheila's right. Something about this feels bigger than a temper tantrum or teenage moodiness."

North nodded. "We are in agreement then, no? Let's go get our boy back! To da sleigh!"

"Oh crikey, no! Not agai…!" Bunny protested but before he could make an escape, North grabbed the giant rabbit and begin dragging him along down the hall with Sandy following behind.

Tooth cast one more worried look to the window before following her husband and friends.

'Don't worry Sweet Tooth. Everything's going to be okay.'

…WotS…

Sandy's POV

Being unable to speak with words, Sanderson Mansnoozie was used to sitting back and observing situations rather than joining the conversation himself. He often found himself noticing things others didn't and this time was no different. Jack's odd behaviour hadn't gone unnoticed by the Sandman and like the others, he was worried for his honorary nephew.

Unlike the rest of the Guardians though, Sandy had always had a different relationship to Jack. He could recognise that while Jack was young, he was mature enough to be told what was going on rather than being shoo'ed away. He could handle the hard truths Tooth often considered too much for her son to hear and could be trusted to look after himself when things got tough. It was why Sandy had filled Jack in on why his parents didn't trust Mother Nature and why he'd often shared stories about the Guardians more dangerous adventures when Jack had been younger. He usually let Jack try new and difficult things on his own, provided they weren't too risky, and let the kid set his own boundaries.

Don't get him wrong, he understood that Tooth and North just wanted to protect their only son but there comes a time when children need to be allowed to grow and choose their own paths. Sandy had just allowed his nephew to have that freedom when he could.

When they'd lost Jack, he'd been crushed. It was heartbreaking to know the adventurous, mischievous young man was gone forever and that they'd never share stories ever again. Never play anymore pranks on Bunny (Sandy was involved in far more of those than anyone other than Jack ever knew) or fight together against Sandy's dreamsand pirates. Like the others, he'd felt the loss greatly and never quite got over it.

Learning Jack was alive again though had been like a dream come true. Sandy recognised right away that things weren't ever going to be the same but that was of little significance to him. Jack was alive and well, the rest could be delt with in time.

As the weeks went on though following Pitch's defeat and Jack spent more time with them, he'd noticed the more worrisome changes. At first, he let it go, sure Tooth and North could handle it. However, as their son rebuffed their efforts and things only got worse, Sandy did what he did best. He observed. Sure enough, in no time at all Sandy had picked up on the little details the others didn't.

He watched Jack fiddle with something around his neck anytime someone tried to ask him why he was sad. Whatever it was, it was always hidden by the hoodie. He had noticed Jack avoided spending much time in England whenever he saw the teen whilst doing his rounds. Had noticed Jack hideaway come Halloween, a holiday the trickster had always adored as a child. What it all meant? Sandy wasn't completely sure. He had his ideas but didn't like jumping to conclusions. He wanted to know more before he said anything to the others.

Turns out though, he probably should have spoken up sooner.

They'd been looking for Jack now for nearly three hours. They'd checked Burgess, even stopping to ask Jamie if he'd seen the winter spirit. When they couldn't find him, they checked the south pole but found no signs of him there either. It wasn't until the group began arguing about where to go next that Sandy had an idea.

He reached up, tapping North on the shoulder to try and get his attention.

"What? Ah, Sandy not now. Can't you see we should go back to North Pole? Jack is probably hanging out in the snow somewhere. He usually tries crafting snow sculptures when angry or upset and needing something to distract him, da?" North argued, quickly brushing off Sandy before turning back to the others.

"Are ya daft North? The storm eased up after he left. We just need to find somewhere where a big blizzard's happenin' and we'll probably find the kid there." Bunny countered in a huff.

"But there could be plenty of places where its storming right now. Maybe he went to the Tooth Palace? He usually vents to Baby Tooth when he's upset. Maybe she's seen him?" Tooth countered, wringing her hands in nervous concern.

Sandy tried again, more forcefully this time.

"Sandy, can't you see we are arguing here?" North huffed, steering the reindeer away from a cliff while Aster clung on for dear life.

Sandy huffed, dreamsand steam blowing from his ears as he seriously considered just knocking everyone out and steering the sleigh himself. Tooth finally seemed to notice his frustration though and looked to him in hope. "Wait, do you have an idea Sandy?"

Sandy nodded in relief before making the English flag out of dreamsand.

"England? Why would Jackie go there?" Bunny asked, trying to think of any reason Jack would feel drawn to the European country.

Sandy….wasn't sure himself but he trusted his intuition. Whatever this was, England played a part in this, and he had a feeling their lost boy was hiding out there.

North hummed before agreeing heartily. "Da, England might just be it. I can feel it, in my belly!"

Bunny scoffed but didn't argue. Sandy just smiled and everyone looked to Tooth.

"Okay, England it is." Tooth agreed. North threw a globe and the sleigh disappeared into the swirling portal.

…

It took another half hour of searching with no luck for Sandy to start wondering if he'd been wrong after all. He could see the others growing more discouraged when suddenly Tooth jumped up from her seat with a shriek. "There! I know that place! He must have gone there!"

Sandy looked over the edge of the sleight to see where the sister of flight was pointing. At first, he really didn't see much. The snow had really picked up around here and obscured his view. Squinting through the blizzard, he finally caught sight of what she saw.

They seemed to be flying over a large woodland area, a tall mountain face just ahead. Toothiana was pointing at an opening in the mountainside. Sandy scanned the area but saw no sign of the white-haired teen.

Bunny cautiously looked over the edge next to him, claws digging into the polished wood. "Wha….? I don't see him Tooth."

Toothiana shook her head though, wings fluttering in excitement. "No, Jack's memories! I saw this place in his memories!"

Sandy gasped in shock. Tooth hadn't said too much to anyone about what she saw in her son's memories. She didn't want to invade his privacy more than she already had and in any case, she hadn't got a good look. She was so focused on confirming it was really her son that she mostly skimmed over everything else until she saw the moment he rose from the lake.

Tooth continued before anyone could say anything else. "I couldn't make out much from the memories but I saw this place a few times. It's important to Jack, I know that much."

North nodded to his wife, steering the reindeer to the ground. "Let's check it out then."

…

Bunny's POV

After recovering from the tumultuous flight and reminding himself to take his tunnels home before North can drag him into that flying death-trap again, the group of four made their way to the cave. As they drew nearer, North commented that he could sense magic surrounding the mountain. Perhaps that's how this place remains hidden from humans?

Bunny tried to pick up any sounds from the darkness ahead of him but got nothing back except a distant rumble. Water maybe? North drew a sword just in case and Bunny grabbed one of his boomerangs. You couldn't be too careful, they knew what could hide in the shadows. "Sandy, mind giving us some light?"

Sandy nodded, making a ball of glowing dreamsand float before them. It cast a gentle hue on the cave walls as they moved forward. It took about five minutes of cautious shuffling until they finally saw an exit. Bunny could hear the rush of water again, louder this time, but still couldn't hear Jack. He could also make out the sounds of the blizzard rapidly dissipating. Far too fast to be natural. Jack surely had to be nearby right?

When they finally emerged from the tunnel, the four Guardians gasped in awe at what they saw.

They'd arrived in a beautiful underground cavern. Before them was a field of late autumn grass, dotted with various cold season flowers such as crocuses, gladiolus murielae, cosmos, goldenrod, begonias, snowdrops, winter aconites, violas, Christmas roses, honeysuckle and pansies just to name a few. Bursting from the soil were numerous trees, some bearing fruit. A few had lost their battle with the cold, the spindly branches reaching towards the weak sunlight spilling in from the numerous holes in the rocky roof. Others had stubbornly clung to life, the warm array of autumn leaves still stuck to the branches. All around, the grass was scattered with fallen leaves of many colours; reds, oranges, yellows, browns and golds. Piles of snow also took residence in places, with the occasional snowflakes drifting through the air.

A river snaked its way through the land, the occasional bits of ice being carried along with the current before the river disappeared into the depths of the cliff side. A massive waterfall cascaded down the rocks directly in front of them, the half-frozen structure a breathtaking sight. To the right of the entrance, a modestly sized tree house took residence amidst the strong branches of a mighty oak tree. Two hammocks also hung from the boughs; an old blanket half-heartedly thrown over one while the other remained bare. The treehouse looked a little worst for wear, indicating that it must have been some time since it was last used. All in all, the cavern was a breathtakingly beautiful place, a secret space stuck in time between two seasons. Never quite letting go of the fall but never truly embracing the winter either.

"Oh my, its beautiful." Tooth whispered, amethyst eyes staring in awe as she flew up higher to get an arial view.

"Velikolepnyy" North exclaimed, wonder seeping into his voice.

Bunny examined the field of flowers and found himself agreeing with the couple. Taking in a deep breath, he was hit immediately with the wonderful aroma of various flowers, grass and fruit. Aster could see himself relaxing here with a book and soaking in the peaceful atmosphere. The Warren mostly consisted of springtime flora so he didn't usually work with these flowers. He resisted the urge to examine the plant life closer. They were here to look for Jack. That could wait.

It was obvious by the house that someone lived here once upon a time, but it was clearly in desperate need of repair. Maybe they had guessed wrong? Jack might have visited once, even lived here himself, but it didn't look like anyone had been here in a long time. Sure enough, a quick scan of the cavern showed that Jack was nowhere in sight.

Sandy and Tooth didn't seem convinced though, flying higher to see if they could spot their lost member amongst the grove of trees. Aster nodded to North, wondering further in to help look. It didn't take him long to finally spot a hole in the rockface just to the left of the waterfall, almost completely hidden behind a curtain of ivy. Another tunnel?

"Oy, guys! I think I found something." He alerted the group, hopping over to the tunnel and carefully pushing the ivy to the side, on the rock he could see faint patterns of frost adorning the stone.

Bingo.

Tooth, North and Sandy followed him, everyone spotting the frost patterns in relief. Jack had to be here!

This tunnel wasn't nearly as long as the first and much to their curiosity, seemed to be lit with some kind of ethereal light coming from ahead. Pink, purple, orange, yellow and green light flickered languidly off the frost patterns making for a memorising sight.

When they finally rounded the gentle curve at the end of the tunnel, they arrived in a slightly smaller cavern, this one completely stone with no plant life or skylights. However, if they'd thought the main chamber was stunning, it had nothing on the contents of this room.

"Crikey…"

…

North's POV

Nicholas St North wasn't the Guardian of Wonder for nothing. He found joy and inspiration in the world around him, in every rainbow, in the smiles of the children on Christmas Day, in music and laughter. Some might call him easily pleased but he'd argue that he was just more open to the wonders the world could hold.

It was one of the reasons he loved sculpting with ice. To take something so seemingly dull and boring and turn it into a true work of art. He'd thought he was very good at it too after so many years of practice. Perhaps even the best in the world, not to brag or anything.

It would appear he'd been proven wrong though. Spectacularly so.

All around them, the cave was filled with ice statues of various sizes, each crafted with such amazing detail and care, one couldn't be blamed for assuming the icy figures would get up and walk away any second now. No one statue was alike, each portraying a story in one pose. He could recognise his son in quite a few. To their left, Jack perched on his staff, caught mid throw with a snowball in hand. To their right, Jack posing with the staff causally braced on his shoulder, a mischievous grin expertly captured in the frozen water.

What truly made these statues breathtakingly beautiful though was not the carved ice itself but rather what was held inside. Most of the statues were lit from the inside by flames of all colours of the rainbow. Some sculptures contained a single colour while others had been almost painted with the light, flames matching the clothing, skin tones and hair capturing the appearance of the person in striking realism. It was nothing like North had ever seen before. How had Jack done this?

While some of the statues were of Jack alone, quite a few made up scenes with his son and others or were of completely new people to the ex-bandit altogether. As they slowly made their way further in, he spotted one he thought might have been of the leprechaun, another he was pretty sure portrayed the two Valentine's spirits. North had never met them himself but had seen them now and again during his travels. The rest of the people though were completely foreign to him. Some portrayed who he assumed were other spirits and, to his bemusement, a few were animals. He could spot a mighty lion standing beside a fierce looking woman wielding a dagger, the great cat's mane lit a fiery red. He also saw a massive bird perched on the shoulder of a teen with a kind smile and wavy hair.

Other than Jack, he only recognised a few frequently recurring figures in the icy candids. Two seemed to be wolves, one with fur lit a pure white and eyes sky blue. The other, silver and white with deep blue orbs. However, while the white wolf stayed the same, its companion occasionally changed to jet black with fiery eyes. North wasn't sure if it was supposed to be the same as the two-toned wolf or another completely different animal.

By far the most prominent person captured in the art was another teen. The boy appeared to be the same age as Jack, same height and figure. His hair was a messy black with streaks of colour that seemed to change. Sometimes they were a yellowish orange, sometimes green or red. His eyes were a stunning emerald and his skin pale white. He wore a simple button up, short sleeve shirt which also changed in colour from sculpture to sculpture. His slacks were solid black accompanied by black shoes. Occasionally he had a simple black coat over the shirt. In some scenes he could be seen with a sword in hand and once he was accompanied by the jet black wolf. The boy had a cheeky smile that could rival Jack's but like North's son, there was a kindness to the teen that made North think that he was a good person at heart.

No one spoke as they slowly moved between the ice, each caught up in their own thoughts as they tried to put the pieces together each knew statue presented. In one, Jack and the other boy were seated side by side on a tree branch, overlooking what North could only assume was Burgess lake, in another they were accompanied by two girls, one of which he thought might be a younger version of the girl with the bird he saw earlier. In another he saw Jack with the white wolf, throwing a stick for the canine to catch. One of the one's across the cave showed a man and woman holding hands under an alter. A wedding? Another showed the green-eyed teen, sword raised with a grim but determined expression. North thought he even saw Mother Nature, amongst a group in the corner.

The more he saw though, the more North felt ill-ease begin to win out from the wonder. Something about this space felt sacred, a shrine to moments past that was never meant for their eyes. The emotion captured in each careful detail, the love and care that was taken to protect each piece from the hands of time, made it obvious that this place was treasured.

North was about to speak up when he heard Bunny's unusually subdued voice from towards the middle of the cavern. "Guys, you should see this."

They all met up with the Pooka in front of a statue that knocked the breath from the toymaker's lungs.

This one was different from the other's, bigger than life-size and almost impossibly more realistic. There were no dancing rays of light caught in its depths, making it feel colder and lonelier than the rest of the pieces in the place. It was the green-eyed teen, standing straight with his arms hung loosely at his sides. His face eternally captured in what could only be described as a loving smile. His usually simplistic shirt seemed to be replaced this time with a long-sleeved button-up embroidered with patterns resembling vines and leaves. The sword North saw so many times in the other works was not present in this statue. Instead, the real thing was laid reverently at the boy's feet with a fresh bouquet of red and white roses, pink orchids and purple hyacinths. An inscription in the base of the sculpture read:

Harry Hallows

Died 14 April, 1968

The sun may set on this day,

But a new dawn rises tomorrow,

Remember me as I was,

For to live in the hearts of those we love is to never die

No one spoke as they read the epitaph, the only sound to be heard the quiet sniffles from Tooth as the gravity of their discovery hit home. The cavern no longer felt welcoming. Instead, it felt suffocating, the grief and anguish that seemed to radiate from the memorial was almost too much to bear. The puzzle pieces all fell into place for North as he wrapped an arm around his shaking wife. The statues, the date, Jack's quiet and withdrawn demeanour the past few days and the memorial? Oh, Moy mal'ch'ik…..

"What are you doing here?"

The Guardians jumped, the mournful spell broken as the swung around to see the person they'd been looking for watching them from a few feet away. Jack's posture suggested calm and openness but his voice betrayed his true feelings. His words were muffled and strained in the way that could only be indicative of someone who'd been crying recently but desperately wanted to hide it. If it weren't for his voice, the red-rimmed eyes and wet cheeks would have given him away anyway.

"Oh Sweet Tooth…" The fairy queen croaked, starting to move towards her little prince but Jack stepped back.

"Did you follow me? Why? I…I didn't want you to follow me! I wanted to be alone! You're not supposed to be here! No-No one is supposed to be here…." Jack continued, ignoring his mother. He tried to sound angry but quickly lost steam, the shouting rapidly tapering off into a chocked whisper as he gave up trying to act casual. He sank down, sitting on the edge of a statue featuring the white wolf play bowing with a goofy grin. He laid a hand sadly on the canine's flank, not meeting their eyes.

North watched his child with a sinking heart. His son was in pain, but he had no idea what he could say or do to make things better. It was obvious Jack had lost someone special to him. A friend? A brother? The former bandit wasn't certain. What he did know for sure was the boy, Harry, had meant a lot to his son and now he was gone. Death was a tragedy they were all so horribly acquainted with. However, it was a heartache he'd so desperately wished to save his son from for as long as possible. Instead, his son had been living with that loss for decades and he hadn't been there to help him through it.

Suddenly what he needed to do became obvious. Looking to his wife's devastated but determined eyes, he knew she'd come to the same conclusion. They stepped forward as one and gently pulled their child into their arms. For the first time in days, Jack didn't flinch. Instead, he sank into their embrace and cried. Cried years of loneliness and grief, decades of heartbreak and guilt, centuries of confusion and despair away; all while surrounded in the safe embrace of two of the people that loved him the most.

North wasn't sure where Sandy and Bunny had gone but he didn't care. All that mattered right now was being there for his family. He was vaguely aware of himself muttering soothing words in Russian while Tooth softly whispered comforts in her native tongue. He wasn't sure if Jack completely understood or if what they were saying even made any sense at all but it didn't matter. The ex-bandit didn't know how long they sat there but eventually Jack's cries eased off and the cave was silent once more.

Jack slowly untangled himself from the hug, standing shakily as his parents followed. Bunny and Sandy cautiously approached from wherever they had gone too and finally Jack broke the silence. "I guess you have a lot of questions, huh?"

Tooth quickly shook her head. "Sweetie, no. You don't have to say anything okay? We were in the wrong. We weren't supposed to be here and we're sorry."

North and Sandy both gave their agreement but Bunny remained silent. When North turned around to see what the Easter spirit was up to, he noticed that Aster's eyes had still not left the memorial sculpture. North was curious as to what had got Bunny's attention but decided to leave it be. He could ask his friend about it later.

Jack slowly shook his head. "No, it's-it's okay. Well, it's not but I know you've all been worried and I just….Well, it's just that I've never had to tell this story before. Everyone already knew and…." He trailed off again, struggling to find the words.

The youngest Guardian sighed deeply, running a hand through his snow-white hair. "I know you've been waiting for me to tell you everything that happened after I…" North grimaced, not wanting to think about that. Tooth, who'd grabbed his hand earlier in the conversation, squeezed his hand tightly at the reminder too. "You know. I…..think its time I finally talk about it. Flo insists it helps anyway…."

"Flo?" Tooth asked.

Jack nodded, not saying anymore just yet. He turned his gaze once more on the statue. Tooth carefully placed a hand on his shoulder and asked the question they'd all wanted to know the moment they got there. "Jack? Who is Harry?"

Jack didn't answer for a good few moments and North was almost convinced his son wasn't going to answer when he finally whispered. "His name was Harry Hallows. He was the spirit of Autumn and Halloween and the best friend I ever had." He said while never taking his eyes off of the ice sculpture of the fallen autumn spirit.

Jack reached down, picking up his staff and turned to face the group. "I'll tell you everything you want to know. It's a long story though so can we sit outside?"

North nodded, perhaps getting out of here would be best for everyone.

And so that was how the group of five found themselves seated on the log benches by the river. As the snowflakes and fallen leaves danced in the wind around them, they settled in to hear the story of when autumn met winter.

A/N - Corny end line I know but I'm still proud of it :P

Okay, so one big development I want to discuss is Harry Hallows. I'm going to be honest, I always picture Harry Potter as the character. I was originally going to tag him as a completely new character but decided I'll update the tags to reflect this. I won't be going into too much detail regarding Harry's past right now so you can easily choose to read him as Harry Potter or OC. If people want me to make it more of a concise crossover though please let me know and I might delve into his past later on.

So, Jack and Harry were a couple as I am sure you all guessed. North and the Guardians, excluding maybe Sandy, haven't quite realised that yet though. North and Tooth still tend to see Jack as their little boy, even though he's 16 (or 300 and something depending on how you look at it). Part of this story is going to focus on the other's finding out more about Jack's past and learning how to still be a family while recognising that Jack has grown up.

I always loved the idea of the ice sculptures and hope I did them justice with the descriptions. I'd love to make a drawing of the scene to truly show how it looks but I have the artistic skills of a kindergartener XD

Next chapter is entirely from Jack's POV :)

Some translations/flower meanings:

Angel Moy – My Angel (term of endearment)

Moy Mal'ch'ik – My Child (term of endearment)

Velikolepnyy - Magnificent

Red Roses – Eternal Love

White Roses – Innocence and Loss

Pink Orchids – 'I Will Always Love You'

Purple Hyacinths – Sorrow and Regret