Well, I'm safe from the hurricane, and my thoughts go out to those who were more caught up in the storm than I. I hope you all like this chapter, and just so you know, if anyone would like to know what college feels like, it's as though you're constantly feeling like you're forgetting something without knowing what it is :^) Do your best, all.

Akuma, though he obviously tried, was unable to dissolve the awkward tension among the group. He did his best to cheerfully bid them all goodbye, and then he carved himself a portal and disappeared.

"I think it's time we all go home." Tenshi said. His tone was cold. "I can make a portal to wherever you're going."

"Apologies for the intrusion and disruption. It will not happen again." North said, casting a sidelong glance at Jack.

"Hm." Tenshi made no motion except to carve a portal open. "Clover, you go on home. I can send everyone else to where they need to be."

"Tenshi…" Clover looked nervously at the rest of the group. She opened her mouth to speak again, but instead shook her head. "Sorry. 'Night," she murmured before stepping through the portal. It closed behind her without a sound.

"Okay. How about everyone else?" Tenshi turned back to the remaining spirits.

"I'm good." Bunny said. There was an edge to his voice once again. "I can travel on my own terms."

With that, he leapt away from the group and down to the street below, where he opened up a rabbit hole to jump into.

"We know how to get home ourselves," Julius sniffed, standing somewhat between Jack and Tenshi. His arms were folded and he was frowning at the reaper with an unimpressed side-eye to North and Tooth. "But if you're so kind as to use your energy in place of our own, then just open one up to Senegal and I'll fly home from there."

"Sarcasm doesn't look good on you." Tenshi said dryly.

"You're right. It looks great." Julius shot back, now standing completely between the sulking Jack and still-irritated Tenshi, who scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"Oh, grow up. You know what he did was wrong!"

"And you know you don't have to be such a jerk about it, but here we are anyway!" Julius sighed and pat his hand against Jack's shoulder. It left an impression in the frost there, and his frown softened. "Forget it. I'm going home by myself."

He stepped closer to the edge of the building, brought his fingers to his lips, and blew out a short whistle. Everyone felt the late summer breeze pick up, getting stronger and stronger until Julius stepped off the roof and spun right up. He was gone in mere moments. Sandy quickly fiddled with a mass of dreamsand in his palms, letting it stretch into a cloud. He floated up into the air and sat down on it, waving goodbye to everyone. His work was never truly done, after all, and plenty of children needed good dreams now.

"Thank you for the offer, Tenshi." Tooth said quietly, feeling desperate to salvage a little bit of civility. "I can fly to my home from here. Could you please send North and Jack to the North Pole workshop?"

"Hm…" Tenshi closed his eyes for a moment. He opened them again with a determined frown, and then sliced through the air. "That should put them out by the door."

"Thank you. Well, time to go," Tooth clapped her hands together. "It was nice meeting you!"

"You were pleasant company." Tenshi didn't specify whether or not he was only talking to Toothiana.

Tooth looked through the portal and hesitantly stepped aside. North waited for Jack to go through first, watching in concerned silence while Jack stood in front of the rift. His steps into the portal were slow and deliberate. Once Jack disappeared through it, North followed after him.

The snow and icy wind greeted them. North found himself looking up at his own front door. He hurried to push it open and get out of the cold. Jack walked off as soon as he pushed past the bunch of yetis welcoming them back.

"Jack!"

The teenage spirit paused. His hoodie was still up, and he held his staff in his armpit while his hands were pushed into his pockets. North sighed.

"Come with me."

Jack slowly turned around, keeping his head down and his expression unreadable. North placed his hand on Jack's shoulder and steered him toward his office. As toys zipped around the large open workshop, North kept glancing at Jack, who still refused to look up at anything. Finally, they reached the door to North's craft room - his "office."

"Jack…" North started once he'd closed the door behind them. He sat down in his sturdy wooden desk chair. "I did not bring you here to yell at you, or scold you."

He watched as Jack looked up, a surprised expression taking over his face. When he said nothing, North continued, choosing his words as carefully as he could.

"I could see that you were trying to put action to your plans. You were trying to do a good thing overall," North gave a small smile. "And...it did not turn out as planned."

Jack shifted his weight between his feet. Finally, he looked North in the eye. His eyes were shiny and dejected.

"It happens all the time, Jack. I am an inventor. A creator. Do think I never have plans that go wrong?" North let out a chuckle. "That is the way we grow. Granted, many plans are...short-sighted. Not our best ideas." North's expression became serious once again.

"I did not care for the way your reaper 'friend' spoke to you."

"Heh, I told you he was a nag. Best reactions." The phony enthusiasm was all North needed to confirm what he'd already assumed. Jack was hurt, even more than the was letting on by sulking.

"You are not a fool, Jack. Worried for your safety or not, berating you is not the way to express that." North folded his arms. "It seems you also enjoy getting a rise out of him whenever you can."

"Well...we've always been that way. We just don't match up well." Jack took one hand from his pocket and tapped his staff against the floor. Frost began creeping into Tenshi's silhouette. "He's uptight, over-protective, irritable…I'm casual, fun-loving, and impulsive."

They were both quiet for a while. North looked over Jack once again. He wouldn't be growing any taller, of course, but when he was lost in slightly-worried thought, he looked just as young as when he was laughing with mischief.

"Certainly a compromise can be reached," North said, pressing down on his knees to stand up from his chair. "But we've had enough excitement for one day, da? How about we get some rest?"

"Yeah, okay...thanks, North." Jack offered a lopsided smile, and North grinned right back at him.

Aaah I'm so tired - but I'll see you tomorrow!