Author's Note: Is this how it's always going to be...? A Guardian of Childhood story...every six months? *Punches wall* *Cries* C'mon Moon...you need to do much better than this, ya dill!

Anyway...hello and welcome to another one-shot written by yours truly! =D I feel like Guardians of Childhood needs some more spotlight, and since I've been rereading the series recently (and had a bunch of free time to write over my hiatus ^u^), I finally decided to do just that! =D These guys, exist, ya'll! Ombric, Katherine, Nightlight, Emily Jane, Twiner, and everyone in Santoff Claussen needs some love!

...Well, everyone gets some love except for Ms. Jane and Mr. Twiner...They do not appear just yet in the time that this fanfic takes place. =') But everyone else appears, so I hope you guys enjoy this one-shot nonetheless! ^u^

Happy Birthday, Katherine

Birthdays. What remarkable things they were. At the first mention of a birthday, Nightlight had been quite curious. He didn't remember much from his past life, so he didn't know if he had ever celebrated a birthday or if he even had one himself. Nightlight couldn't remember the day of his birth or the joy that came with a party. So hearing about a birthday for what he thought was the first time deeply excited him.

As he spent more time with the Guardians of Childhood and their village friends, Nightlight soon pieced together what a birthday was and why they were taken so seriously amongst the tall ones and small ones. Birthdays marked a new year of age. They meant that someone—whether a child or adult—was growing up. Some birthdays (like when one turned sixteen), were taken more seriously than others. Nightlight thought that every birthday—even if someone was turning one—should be equally celebrated and enjoyed. And it appeared that the older one got, the bigger the party was, which Nightlight found rather interesting.

Then he got to wondering…Did the other Guardians of Childhood have birthdays? Nightlight made it his mission to find out. So, one by one, he asked each one of his friends—North, Ombric, Bunnymund, and Katherine, and he discovered the birthdates of all of them. He was surprised to discover that Katherine's birthday, the third of January, was approaching quickly. It was only three days away, and the Guardians were already preparing to throw her a celebration.

Now, Katherine was a foundling. Her parents had died in a blizzard on their way to Santoff Claussen. She had only been a toddler then, and her memory was rather fuzzy when it came to recalling the time she spent with her mother and father. She didn't know how much they loved her, and nor did she remember what they looked or sounded like. Their faces were like ripples in the water; they were clear but unclear. Their voices were distant, like a lone whisper on the wind.

It bothered Katherine that she couldn't remember her parents properly, but Ombric had taken her in and was practically a father to her. And when North stumbled across Santoff Claussen, he became like the older brother that she never had. Bunnymund was the newest addition to their group, and Katherine did share a familial fondness for him too. Then there was Nightlight, her closest friend and brother. Katherine always felt brighter whenever he was around, and Nightlight felt the same with her.

So upon discovering that her birthday was only a few days away, Nightlight wanted to help with the festivities as much as he could. Katherine, of course, was completely unaware of the party planning; it was meant to be a surprise after all. North, Ombric, Bunnymund, and Nightlight were gathered in the heart of Big Root. Many insects were hibernating since it was the middle of winter. Ombric's owls sat on their perches, content. Their wise, old eyes watched the conversation of Katherine's upcoming party take hold.

"She's with the other village children in the forest," enlightened North, crossing his arms proudly. "I sent her over to see what they were up to, and I assume that she won't be back for a while."

"You did say they were having—what was it called—a snowball fight?" Bunnymund said. His ear twitched. "Although I frankly do not know how you find throwing such a frigid substance at each other entertaining."

"With Katherine distracted, we can get along with the actual planning," Ombric announced with a flourish. "She's turning twelve this year, and since a lot has changed, I think I'd be best to hold a magnificent coming-of-age celebration."

"Katherine is a kind lass," said North. "She definitely deserves a great party."

She most certainly does, Nightlight agreed silently. Why, he had met no other small one like her before. She rode a Great Snow Goose, wrote the best stories, and was friends with everyone in the village! Katherine was the kindest of kind, the best of the best, the smartest of smarts, and the…Well, you get the idea.

"I'm sure that if we put our heads together, we can come up with a perfect party for young Katherine," said Bunnymund. "We should talk about confections. Cakes are classic for any birthday, but we all know how much Katherine loves my chocolate."

North scoffed. "You just had to bring chocolate into the conversation."

"Well of course I did!" Bunnymund said. "Chocolate is the most perfect confectionary treat. And you saw how much Katherine loved it; I could have a batch whipped up in Seventy-six clucks!"

"Regular time measurement please?" North asked with a slightly exasperated look.

Bunnymund deadpanned. "Precisely two days."

"That's perfect," said Ombric. "The party will be taking place on Katherine's birthday. If we can get the decorations and festivities planned out before then, things should run along just swell."

"We're going to have to add more to the menu than just chocolate, though," said North. "How about we have some of the yetis come over and make some of their special meals?"

Nightlight nodded vigorously. He didn't eat much, being a spirit of light and constant, unending energy. But he had had a few bites—well, perhaps more than a few—of the yetis' blueberry cakes and cheesy custards. He could confidently say that the yetis' cooking skills were out of this world. Beyond the cosmos, if he was being one-hundred percent honest.

"I can send a message out to the Lunar Lamas through one of my tunnels," said Bunnymund. "And they can use that same tunnel to bring the food over here."

"Then that covers the food topic," said North. He smiled. "Now we can move on to games and gifts."

Games and gifts. Nightlight smiled; the two things that he loved most about a party. Games were his specialty, and he was sure that Katherine would enjoy a few herself. They could play moonbeam tag if the glowing warriors weren't busy, and perhaps they could have the biggest game of hide and seek right there in the village! Nightlight knew that Petter, Sascha, the Williams, and the other children would love to participate in that. As for gifts…Nightlight scratched his head, well, he didn't have a gift idea for Katherine.

"I'm working on something special for her," North stated happily. "It's not finished yet, but it should be done by tomorrow if all goes well."

"Do you mind enlightening us?" inquired Bunnymund.

North shook his head. "It's a surprise for everyone, Rabbit Man."

Bunnymund's whiskers twitched in irritation. "I'm not a rabbit or a man. I'm a—"

"Pooka. We know," North said with a roll of his eyes. "And what are you getting for Katherine, might I ask?"

"Well, I thought that an entire supply of her favorite chocolate would be enough," said Bunnymund said. "But I realized that would be quite unhealthy for a child her age. Perhaps I'll provide her with a warrior egg of her own…I've been making some for each of the children anyway."

Ombric nodded. "I have an idea of a gift in mind…but I'll have to consult a few of my books to make it a reality." The old wizard was known for creating extravagant, so Nightlight, North, and Bunnymund were curious as to what he was going to give his adoptive daughter. "As for the games, I'm sure that Nightlight has a few ideas."

A few? More like a few hundred. Nightlight grinned, his glow brightening. His moonbeam flickered in his staff as he waved and gestured to the various games that he had in mind for Katherine's party. North laughed.

"Slow down, lad. You can use your mind, remember?" North said.

Nightlight blinked, and he settled down on his table, sharing his thoughts with the rest of the Guardians. I'm sure the moonbeams would love to play a game of moonbeam tag with us. And what about the hiding and seeking game? There are a lot of hiding places here Oh! And I heard of another small one game where you hunt for hidden treasures.

"A game of tag, hide and seek, and a treasure hunt? Sounds good to me," remarked North.

"We'll have to come up with a list of items with considerable value for the children to find," said Bunnymund. "But I don't think that'll be much of a problem."

"Then it's settled. Today we'll work on setting up the decorations and cuisine. Tomorrow we can get the games planned and the gifts prepared. Once all that's done, Katherine's party will be complete," concluded Ombric.

"One more thing," said North. He turned to Nightlight. "I know without a doubt that Katherine will catch on to us. She's a clever girl. I think that it's best if we put Nightlight in charge of distracting her for the next few days. We can't always send her off into the woods."

Nightlight gripped his staff and nodded. He knew what Katherine liked to do and the things that certainly kept her mind off of the party preparations. When he agreed to take on the task, the Guardians dispersed to their separate places. North headed down into the workshop while Ombric headed to the library. Bunnymund sank into one of his tunnels while Nightlight shot out the window and toward the forest, where the merry laughter of the children was ringing.

All he had to do was distract Katherine…But he had another predicament on his hands.

A gift. He needed to get Katherine a gift. But what the gift would be, Nightlight did not know.

…

Katherine didn't begin to grow suspicious of the Guardians until the next morning. She had woken up as usual and got dressed and ready for the day. Nightlight was waiting for her downstairs, as he had suggested that they head out for a flight that morning. The brisk, winter air mixed with the beautiful rising sun made the perfect combination for an exhilarating flight.

Of course, part of the reason he had suggested this was because he needed to keep her as far away from Big Root during the day as possible. North, Bunnymund, and Ombric were working on the decorations, and the yetis and Lunar Lamas had agreed to help with the rest of the menu. Bunnymund was currently underground Easter Island whipping up a large batch of chocolate not only for Katherine but the rest of Santoff Claussen, while North and Ombric were currently debating on whether Katherine would rather have streamers or confetti.

Nightlight tapped his foot on the ground and looked up the stairs which lead up to Katherine's bedroom. She was taking quite some time, although Nightlight knew that he only felt impatient because he didn't want Katherine to find out anything about the party. Not yet anyway.

And he still hadn't come up with a gift idea for her…Nightlight chewed his lower lip; he found it completely baffling that he didn't know what he could bequeath his beloved Katherine. She was his best friend, and best friends knew everything about each other. While Nightlight knew that there was still more to Katherine that he could learn about—and he knew that the girl perhaps had the same thought about him—he still had a basic grasp on what she liked and what she didn't like.

Katherine liked books…But she lived in a library. She liked to draw, but Nightlight didn't know where to get his hands on a pencil or sketchbook. Besides, Katherine already had both of those things. Katherine liked Great Snow Geese…but she already had Kailash. Katherine also liked to make up stories, but Nightlight didn't consider himself much of a storyteller. He hardly remembered anything about his past life…What fantastical tale could he possibly invent for Katherine?

Nightlight sighed and his glow flickered. The situation was becoming quite troubling; he shouldn't be struggling this much in figuring out what he could give Katherine and yet here he was, arguing with himself on what the best gift could be for his best friend.

"I'm ready!" Katherine called from the top of the stairs. Nightlight looked up, finding the fair-skinned Katherine bundled in her yellow, white-lined fur coat. Her hair was loose today, although Nightlight did notice that she often pulled it up into a ponytail since it was becoming so curly. Kathrine brushed the curls that were falling into her eyes aside and walked down the steps.

"Sorry it took me so long," she apologized once she reached the bottom. She held up her hands, which were covered with olive green colored mittens. "I couldn't find my gloves! They were buried in the deepest depths of my closet…Although I know I only used them yesterday!"

Nightlight smiled. Katherine's storytelling personality never left her, even if she was recounting an ordinary event. This trait of hers, however, Nightlight found rather likable. He didn't know if Katherine noticed the extra flair that she added whenever she recalled anything. He found it best that he didn't, for he thought that she'd try and change it if she were aware.

Katherine looked around, finding that the center of Big ROot was uncharacteristically empty. "Huh…where is everyone? I thought I heard Ombric and North down here."

Nightlight shrugged, but he knew that the two were in the next room with a table covered with decorations laid in front of them. If Katherine walked in there, she'd piece together the clues, and immediately conclude that he and the other Guardians were planning a surprise party.

But Katherine hadn't mentioned anything about her upcoming birthday…even though it was so close. Nightlight found this rather peculiar, but he didn't question Katherine, since he'd end up revealing the surprise party if he did.

"Oh well…I wanted to say hello. And also ask if anyone has seen anything of Pitch," said Katherine with a small huff. At the mention of Pitch, Nightlight's glow flashed brightly. Katherine noticed his reaction and quickly reassured the spectral boy.

"No, Nightlight, things are fine. I haven't seen anything relating to Pitch," said Katherine, but there was a strange look in her eyes that made Nightlight wonder if she was completely telling the truth. "We don't know where he is now or what he's doing…Maybe we really defeated him at the Earth's Core…"

She sounded as if she were trying to convince herself more than him. Nightlight stared at Katherine; the girl seemed to be lost in her thoughts for a few moments until she suddenly snapped out of her daze, her smile returning.

"Anyway, we should probably leave now if we don't want to miss the sunrise," she said. Katherine began to make her way to the door and Nightlight followed enthusiastically. "It's been a while since Kailash has been able to spread her wings…I'm sure she'll enjoy this flight too!"

Nightlight smiled, but before stepping outside, he turned around, sensing that Ombric and North were nearby. Sure enough, the two were peeking their heads out of the storage room. Ombric flashed Nightlight a smile and North gave him a thumbs-up. Nightlight grinned. Though he couldn't find a gift for Katherine now, at least he was doing a good job keeping her busy.

…

The morning flight with Katherine and Kailash had been a remarkable one; Nightlight couldn't remember the last time he had flown just for fun. Katherine seemed a little distracted as they sailed across the skies. Something was on her mind, Nightlight could feel it, but he was so lost in his thoughts of trying to get a gift for her, that he didn't stop to ask what was tickling her.

When they landed, Katherine said that she had promised the children that she'd join them for a snowman-making contest in the forest. Nightlight decided to accompany her, but Katherine first wanted to change her mittens to gloves, since she couldn't pick up snow properly with them.

Nightlight followed Katherine back inside and froze in the doorway when he noticed North and Ombric carrying what looked to be a box of decorations out of storage. The two stopped upon spotting Katherine, who looked at them with her curious gray eyes.

"North? Ombric? I haven't seen you two at all this morning," the girl remarked. She tilted her head. "What's in the box?"

"Erm…just a new bundle of potions and elixirs," North answered awkwardly. Katherine's gaze didn't waver. "Nothing interesting."

"Nothing interesting," Katherine repeated. North and Omrbic smiled awkwardly. Katherine decided to drop the topic of the box…for now. "Anyway…Nightlight and I are going to head to the forest to make snowmen with the other kids."

"Have fun then," said North. And he and Ombric quickly exited the library.

Katherine's brow furrowed. "Was it just me, or were they acting rather odd?"

Nightlight only shrugged in response.

…

The snowman-making competition was entertaining. Katherine seemed to have completely forgotten about the odd encounter with North and Ombric back in Big Root during the entire time she and the children built snowmen together. Nightlight had never constructed a snowman before, but he found that he picked up on the activity quickly enough. He had made at least five snowmen and was about to start another when the kids were called to lunch. The hours passed on and the day flew by, and Nightlight soon found that the sun was beginning to set, and Katherine still hadn't spoken a word about her upcoming birthday.

The young girl seemed down as she picked up the dishes and headed to the kitchen to wash them. North and Ombric noticed her despondent behavior as well.

"She misses her parents," said Ombric with a sigh. "Today isn't her actual birthday…just the day I found her. Every year as the day approaches, she falls into a dejected mood."

"Then this party should brighten up her spirits," North said caringly as he stood up from the table, picking up the cups and utensils. "Bunnymund said that he's finished the chocolates, and the yetis said that they had prepared a fine meal and a cake. They'll be arriving early tomorrow, so we can set up before Katherine wakes up."

Ombric nodded. "We managed to get the decorations put up…Thank goodness I still remembered that invisibility spell."

To further ensure that Katherine didn't discover her surprise party, Ombric had placed an invisibility spell on all the decorations, so that no one—not even those who knew of the upcoming celebration—could see them. They were placed far enough that no one would accidentally pull them down or knock them over, and since the party was tomorrow, they'd appear along with the morning sun.

"The games have been planned and the gifts are ready…I'm confident that Katherine will enjoy this party," said Ombric as he stood up from the table. "I'm going to make a few last-minute adjustments to my present for Katherine, and then I'll turn in for the night."

"And I'll do the same," said North, walking toward the kitchen. Before leaving, he paused and asked Nightlight, "Did you get something for Katherine too, Nightlight? If you did, you can place it downstairs along with all the other gifts."

The spectral boy nodded, although he knew that he didn't have a present for Katherine just yet. And the birthday party was tomorrow. Once Ombric and North left the room, Nightlight shot out the window and perched himself on one of the branches of Big Root, deep in thought. He wanted to get something for Katherine—he needed to. He just simply didn't know what.

It had to be special. Perfect. Something that Katherine would never expect. She had done so much for him, and Nightlight wanted to return the favor. But what could he get for Katherine that she could enjoy?

Suddenly, Nightlight's eyes widened. He didn't need to get anything. He could make something for Katherine instead! Nightlight laughed his perfect laugh, but he paused when he realized that he now needed to figure out what he'd craft for Katherine. He wasn't well trained in inventing like North and Ombric, and he didn't know how to make chocolate like Bunnymund. The only other idea that came to mind was drawing…He could draw something for her.

But why make that something just one? Nightlight smiled, deciding that he'd make not one, but several drawings for Katherine. He could tie them together and make them a book…A book recounting their past adventures and friendship. It wasn't a story of words, but the tale would still unfold. Katherine loved a good story and she loved to draw. So perhaps she'd enjoy both of those two things combined.

Nightlight's moonbeam flickered in his staff, and the glowing boy brought it up to his face with a grin. For this project, he'd need a pencil and paper. Some string and some scissors. And—perhaps the most important ingredient—stardust. A whole jar of it.

…

Today was the day. Her birthday. But it wasn't the day she was born.

Katherine slowly opened her eyes, the brisk morning air filtering through her open window. The young girl yawned and sat up in bed, her pensive grey eyes flicking around her room. The room that had belonged to her ever since she was found by Ombric all those years ago.

Katherine didn't remember what her old home looked like. The place where her parents lived before setting off for Santoff Claussen. Katherine often tried to remember what her mother and father looked like. The place they lived in before they died. But she couldn't remember. She couldn't remember a thing. And that both frustrated and deeply saddened her.

What she wouldn't give just for a photo, a memory, something that could allow her to see her forgotten past. The time when her parents were still living, so she could meet them, face to face. But no matter how mysterious or powerful magic was, Katherine knew that no spell or potion could bring them back to life. And nor could she change the time so they could be with her in the future.

Katherine sighed. Why must she always focus on the sad side of her birthday? Today was a day to be happy and joyous. A day to celebrate her turning another year older. But not one of the Guardians—not even Ombric—had mentioned anything about her birthday. Katherine thought that they had forgotten, but she didn't blame them. With Pitch's whereabouts unknown and the looming risk of him returning, the Guardians were probably more focused on looking out for the Nightmare King. He was a great danger to everyone, and far more important than a birthday, Katherine deemed.

A part of her, however, wished that they had wished her a happy birthday. Or perhaps even take the time out of their day to spend time with her. The only one who had it was Nightlight, but he didn't mention anything about her upcoming birthday.

Katherine pulled herself out of bed, deciding that she'd spend the day in the library. If the Guardians had forgotten her birthday, she might as well do something for herself. Katherine knew how to cook and bake, so she decided that she'd whip up a cup of hot chocolate and lock herself within Big Root's atheneum and read. Katherine always felt better after reading a good book, and perhaps an intriguing tale would keep her thoughts distracted from her deceased family.

Katherine slipped on her dress, buttoned up her vest, and slipped her feet into a pair of shoes before heading downstairs into the main room of Big Root. It was oddly quiet in the tree today…Katherine didn't spot anyone wandering the halls or walking through the library. Her brow furrowed in confusion; the Guardians weren't present either. And…had someone turned out the lights?

Katherine reached the bottom of the stairs and looked around. "H-Hello…?" she called warily.

Then suddenly, without warning, the room grew brighter, and thousands of streamers and confetti rained down from the ceiling. Shocked, Katherine flinched when the Guardians—Ombric, North, Bunnymund, and Nightlight appeared in front of her. The children and their parents, the yetis and the Lunar Lamas, and even Petrov, Bear, the Spirit of the Forest, and the Djinni were there. A huge banner fell and hung from the ceiling, and sparkling gifts shimmered brightly in the corner. "SURPRISE! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" everyone—except for Nightlight, of course—shouted mirthfully.

Eyes wide, Katherine stared at the entire village standing in front of her. She looked around Big Root, where decorations of every color were meticulously placed. She could smell the aroma of delicious desserts, Bunnymund's chocolate, and a mixture of the yeti's well-known cooking. Katherine looked back at everyone. "You…You remembered…"

"Remembered? Why we planned this whole thing days ago!" North bellowed. "How could we ever forget?"

"But yesterday, no one said anything," said Katherine, as all of the pieces began to click into place. They had been planning a surprise party. That explained the suspicious behavior and need for secrecy!

"It was a surprise," Bunnymund said factually. "A well-thought-out and successful one might I add. Which is something coming from me; I never liked surprises."

"We had to keep everything a secret so that nothing would be spoiled," Ombric explained. He turned to North, Bunnymund, Nightlight, and the rest of the village. "And I think we did a rather splendid job."

The entire village was in on the idea? Katherine's shocked expression broke into a grin. "You guys actually did all this for me?"

"Yup!" chirped Sascha.

The youngest of the Williams nodded. "Do you like it?"

"I love it!" Katherine cried. Everyone cheered. "And in just a few days…How did I not notice anything?"

"Good planning and a little magic," North responded, patting the girl's shoulder. He turned to the crowd. "So, shall we get this party started?"

And once again, everyone cheered.

…

Katherine couldn't remember the last time she had so much fun. The entire village was in on a game of hide and seek, and Katherine was sure that the largest version of that game had taken place right there in Santoff Claussen! She had been both a hider and seeker, but she had much more seeking. Everyone was hidden in the most peculiar of places. And the more people she found, the happier she felt. And the happier she felt, the happier everyone else in the village felt too. The yetis served lunch, and every one of their dishes was exceptional. Not long after, another game had been initiated. Katherine eventually discovered that Nightlight planned them all out himself. It had been a long time since Katherine had played capture the flag. But with Bear, Djinni, Nightlight, a few of the village children, and North on her team, she and her teammates were able to win the game.

The festivities drew on and the day went by, and Katherine's smile never left her face. Soon, the sun began to set, bringing new visitors from afar. Moonbeams performed a light show in Katherine's honor, and a short game of moonbeam tag was played before everyone moved on to the giving of gifts.

The children of Santoff Claussen had collaborated on a single gift…A collage that included a special item for every battle that the Guardians had fought. For the Battle of the Nightmare King, there was a crescent-shaped moon. And for the Earth's Core, an egg. There were various other items as well, neatly glued and tied to the large collection of trinkets. Katherine could tell that a lot of work was put into it, and she gave each of the kids a hug in return.

From Bunnymund she received a little warrior egg of her own. Katherine had been fascinated by the mechanical eggs, and she recognized that this was the same egg that had fallen during the Battle of the Earth's Core. Bunnymund also supplied her with a box of her favorite chocolates. Katherine thanked the Pooka happily.

North's gift was one that Katherine hadn't been expecting…She watched, shocked when North pulled out a brand new coat, one that he had made himself. The covering was yellow, just like her old one, but the fur was thicker and looked much more comfortable. There were patterns sewn along the collar, sleeves, and around the bottom. And the buttons were bright, sparkling silver, just like opals. North had even added a white furry hat, not sure if Katherine would ever wear it, but he decided to give it to her anyway.

Katherine loved the present; she knew that she needed a new coat ever since they had returned from the Himalayas. She couldn't believe that North had taken the time to make her one. She gave the ex-Cossack a loving hug, to which he gladly returned.

Now, Katherine knew to expect the unexpected when it came to Ombric and his presents. So when the wizard asked if they could all step outside, no one questioned him. Katherine slipped on the new coat that North had graciously given her, and obeyed when Ombric directed their gaze to the skies above.

Suddenly, there was a loud popping noise and a burst of color. Katherine gasped. Fireworks! And in such bright colors too. Everyone oohed and ahhed at the wondrous display. Ombric had even spelled them to form shapes and letters. The bursts of color arranged to form Katherine's name. The young girl smiled.

"This is the best birthday I ever had," she said out loud. Loud enough for everyone to hear. And standing by her side, Nightlight grinned. Katherine was happy, but he knew that his gift would make her even happier.

…

The spectral boy had waited until the perfect moment to take Katherine aside. The festivities were beginning to come to a close, and the parents took their children home for the night. Bunnymund had taken the yetis and Lunar Lamas back to the Lmadary using his Eggomotive train, and North and Ombric were beginning the cleanup. One would think such a task would be tedious, but North and Ombric were both trained in the art of magic, so floating brooms swept up the streamers and confetti. And the Djinni robot picked up several plates, chairs, and tables using just its two arms.

Nightlight had taken Katherine upstairs to her treehouse; he wanted to give her his present while it was still just the two of them. The now twelve-year-old girl was curious about what Nightlight had for her. He seemed rather excited about it, so Katherine felt excited too.

Once the two were settled on the edge of the treehouse—with Kailash snoring away behind them—Nightlight pulled out from his pocket the little booklet that he had made for Katherine and placed it in her delicate hands. Katherine looked at the cover, where a quick but beautiful drawing of her lay. "For my Katherine" was written on the cover.

Katherine was awed. "You made this?" she asked. Nightlight nodded, and he gestured to the book eagerly. Katherine did as he requested and began to flip through the pages. Nightlight had drawn for her before, but she could tell that he had definitely made the effort to make these drawings better than the ones from before. Katherine sifted through the pages, flipping through and finding illustrations depicting their past adventures. What looked to be stardust emphasized some of the more special pages, like the ones depicting the battles of the past, or powerful, important moments.

On the last page was a sketch of the moment Katherine and Nightlight first met. He and she were reaching out to each other. The shading was unique and special, and in the corner of the last page was written For all the memories and adventures we'll share…I'll always be there. Happy Birthday, Katherine.

For a moment, Katherine was stunned. Nightlight had drawn and constructed all this just for her. Nightlight watched, his fingers tapping his staff. He couldn't tell if Katherine liked it or not.

"Nightlight, this is…This is…amazing," Katherine said. Nightlihgt's glow brightened. "And you did this in just a few days? Wow! Not even I could make something like this in such a short time…"

Katherine looked up at her best friend and she hugged Nightlight. "Thank you…I don't even have the words to describe how much I love this gift."

Nightlight had never been hugged before. He had forgotten the feeling that came with such fondness or affection. He wrapped his free arm around Katherine and returned the embrace, feeling as if he had truly accomplished something.

And as they two stayed in the tree house to watch the Moon rise to its peak, Nightlight looked forward to the many birthdays that were yet to come. For North, Bunnymund, Ombric…

And Katherine. His Katherine especially.

Author's Note: I said this twelve months ago (dang, feels like a bagillion years OuO), so I want to make it clear again that I do not ship Katherine and Nightlight. =) Yes, I know they did kiss, but remember that that was a goodnight kiss. And our spectral boy Nightlight had no idea how to give one; he acted completely on impulse. These two share a beautiful bond, and I frankly believe that it lies more on the brother/sister spectrum than a romantic one. =)

And let's not forget that Nightlight eventually becomes Jack Frost. And since Katherine is twenty-six by the last book and Jack is forever stuck at the age of fourteen (disregarding their ability to age up and down at will), things would just be incredibly awkward. XD And Jack and Katherine are both pretty independent characters by the finale book. =)

Anyway, that's enough of my story analyzing, haha. XD I hope you guys enjoyed this one-shot and thank you so much for reading! =D

Oh, and a quick note...I made up Katherine's birthdate. It's not canon, ya'll. Just a random guess. X)

Until the next story!

~BeyondTheMoon1203