*If you haven't read Autumn's Orphan, this chapter may confuse you*
The Guardians of Childhood were real. And that was a sentence Mrs. Bennet ever thought she'd ever think or say. Sure, her parents told her stories about Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, and the Sandman when she was a little, but that's all they ever were; stories.
Never would she have imagined that one day her son and daughter would help the Guardians defeat the freaking boogeyman. Or that they'd be captured and held hostage. Or that Scarlett, a girl she'd known since the redhead was born, would become immortal and save her children. Or that she'd be a Guardian. Or that she'd date Jack Frost.
Mrs. Bennett shook her head. She really needed to quit thinking the word 'or' so much. She was just so confused. And it's not like she could talk to her husband about this. He was a firefighter and worked long hours, so she hated to bother him with any unnecessary worries if she could help it. Plus she didn't want him to think she'd completely lost it.
Which is how she felt. The only consolation she had was that her children believed her.
"Mom! Jack asked if we could go play by the lake! Can we?" Jamie asked excitedly. His mother smiled softly. She'd never seen her children as happy as they were when they hung out with their heroes.
And while she'd never officially met any of them yet (their schedules never seemed to line up and honestly Mrs. Bennett was a little scared to meet them) she trusted the immortal beings. If for no other reason than the fact that Scarlett trusted them.
"Of course you can, sweetie. Just make sure you and your sister wear a warm jacket. And tell Jack to make the ice extra thick so you don't fall in!"
Mrs. Bennett doubted very much that the embodiment of Winter would ever let his first "believers", something Jamie said his teen friend called the brown-haired boy and his friends, fall through the lake but one could never be too careful.
"Okay, Mom!" Jamie exclaimed as he grabbed his and Sophie's jackets before he pushed his little sister through the back door.
"Those kids are too much sometimes," Mrs. Bennett commented.
"They really are."
Mrs. Bennett nearly jumped out of her seat when she turned around. Her heart quit beating so hard when she saw it was only Scarlett. Although...she looked different. Her eyes, face, and even her hair had hints of gold in them now, and she wore a beautiful silver tiara. In her hand was a unique yet beautiful staff.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. Jamie let me in and I, well, I missed you," Scarlett admitted, her cheeks flushed. "I wasn't sure if you'd be able to see me though."
"I've known you since you were born. Of course I believe in you. And your new friends," Mrs. Bennett pulled out a chair next to her and watched as Scarlett sat down next to her before the older woman pulled the immortal teen into a hug. "I've missed you too, sweetheart."
"It's been so long. And I know Jamie told you about most of it, but there's so much I want to tell you about my adventure with the Guardians. About everything," Scarlett's eyes lit up as she told the entire story, including everything about her unique ancestry.
Mrs. Bennett just listened and couldn't help but smile in amusement when Scarlett tried (and failed) to imitate her friends' voices and used her hands to make large gestures. There were a few times the older woman had to interrupt with a question about the story or to get the two of them some hot chocolate (with cinnamon because Scarlett loved that).
But other than that, Mrs. Bennett kept quiet and listened. She'd never seen Scarlett so animated or so excited. The poor girl had always tried to keep a "happy" face whenever she came over to the Bennett's home, but Mrs. Bennett had always wondered if it was for her family's sake, or for Scarlett's. Now, however, the redhead was practically beaming. Especially when she talked about a certain white-haired boy.
"One day I'll have to meet this boyfriend of yours. He sounds like a keeper," Mrs. Bennett teased once Scarlett was done telling her story. The teen blushed and smiled shyly.
"Definitely. I'll try to set up a good time for you to meet him. And the other Guardians. Oh!" Scarlett exclaimed as she got an idea. "You should meet Ash and River. They're the other two Seasonal Spirits, and Ash is actually dating Bunny. She's the Spirit of Spring."
"The Spirit of Spring is dating the Easter Bunny? Interesting," Mrs. Bennett commented. It was good to hear that Scarlett was making some friends her own age. From what she'd heard from Ms. Leigh (the woman from Scarlett's orphanage), Scarlett had trouble making friends and hardly ever hung out with kids from her high school. "I'm glad to hear how good things are for you now. And...well, I haven't had the chance to thank you properly."
"Thank me?"
"For saving my children. Jamie and Sophie mean everything to me. Knowing that you were willing to go on what seems to have been a life-threatening mission makes my heart warm."
"Of course," Scarlett replied. "I have to thank you for being there my entire life. And for raising kids that helped me find my place in this crazy world."
"You deserve nothing less than a fulfilling life and I'm thrilled that you found your purpose," Mrs. Bennett patted Scarlett's hand and smiled softly.
She found herself more at ease than she had been seen she'd found out the truth about the Guardians. As long as Scarlett was around, Mrs. Bennett knew her children would remain safe. That thought lifted a weight off the older woman's shoulders that she hadn't known rested on her shoulders.
"Now...tell me more about Jack Frost. I don't suppose you have a picture do you?"
AN: I may only be able to write a one-shot once a week with the way my schedule is going. I would've updated sooner but my birthday just passed so I wanted to take a quick break from writing to celebrate. Plus I have some other stuff in the works currently. It's mostly Percy Jackson, Disney, and some Miraculous Ladybug (don't judge, please). I hope you enjoyed! Until next time...
- Kitkat Out!
