A/N:
Thank you for breaking my very long, very silent, review drought, Jester0fMadness ! It is amazing knowing that even after 5 years someone is still reading this !
There could be nothing in the world more exhilarating than this.
She wanted to close her eyes and open them wider at the same time. Clouds hurtling by her head condensed into little drops on her nose and eyelids. The wind whipped her hair around her through every nerve ending she possessed and the once sallow girl felt the most alive she has ever felt in her eighteen years of existence.
Claire swatted the small hand of a pointy person away from the hem of her shirt as it tried to pull her into the sleigh. If she fell to her death, so be it, it would be well worth the view she would get on the way down.
"Aye, into the sleigh you come." North declared, all it took was one beefy hand to scoop her back into her seat and he forced her to settle against the red lining. "Don't want you dead before I have the chance to show you off."
Claire couldn't tell if her cheeks were burning from the chill or the humiliation of being treated like a show pony.
"I thought Santa Claus would be kinder." She bit back hotly. The low hanging moon glowing softly upon her cheek almost instantly melted her fury. She didn't want to waste a second she had to herself up here in the sky.
"What did I say?" North inquired, bushy eyebrow raised high.
"It doesn't matter," the girl whispered against a snowflake clinging to her lip. The world was so beautiful. She was so glad she was still here to witness this beauty.
North smiled softly.
"Only joking, lassie," he lent a swift tug to his reins. The sleigh swerved sharply, "You will love my friends, today will be a big day for you, a day children only dream about!"
"Only dream about? They've never seen you?"
North clicked his tongue in dismay, "We are meant to bring childhood magic, not meant to be seen," he continued. "And besides, most young 'uns grow too fast to remember to believe anyway."
His baby blues turned almost fondly towards Claire's green ones. His eyes said,
Except you.
The sleigh slid gracefully and set itself down without a whisper, as though it had just traced an invisible ramp leading to the bright white ground under their feet. Claire had finally started feeling the cold in her bones so she was swaddled tightly in North's much oversized red coat as they arrived.
North threatened to vanquish her last shred of dignity as he scooped Claire up with one strong arm and refused to let her down, instead starting his march up to a very tall, very wooden door. Claire thought about fighting but she couldn't lie that she missed being cared for. She settled into the warmth of his embrace. Maybe if she pretended to be asleep he won't set her down.
North pushed the heavy doors open and stepped foot inside. His booted clacked loudly against the icy floor as an army of triangular hats danced and waltzed across the floor, scrambling up walls and picking up knick-knacks to clear North's way. Claire could not believe the sheer number of them, the soft tinkling of their bell-hats adorning the air.
She didn't want to pretend to be asleep anymore, her eyelids got heavier as she slipped into the warmest slumber of her life.
Claire was either still dreaming or there was a very large mosquito horrifyingly close to her face.
She unfurled herself from the mysterious warm bubble she was encased in, and cautiously opened one eye to be met with two enormous purple orbs. She locked eyes with the green floating creature before her, trying to choose between her fight or flight instinct.
"You can see me?"
"Uh, yes?"
The orbs then flitted away with alarming speed and she heard the highest squeal reverberate throughout the whole high-roofed room Claire was in. She almost sighed a relief when she heard North's now-familiar belly-laugh mix with the chirping.
What was going on? Where was she?
The events of the previous day came fluttering back to her as she dug her fingers into her palm unconsciously. The pain told her she really wasn't dreaming. It was all still real… It was all still real!
Claire almost bounced out of the bed she was in.
"North? North!"
"Over here, lassie!"
She followed his voice, hurriedly weaving through sharp, jingly hats, her pace slowing for a few seconds as she was met with the sight of white giants shelving wrapped gifts in the corridors. Yetis?
She finally tracked down the chatter and the green lady's squealing to a room larger than she had ever seen before. Her jaw went slack almost immediately.
At the centre of the room, was a globe so tall it may as well be as big as the Earth itself. It was aglow with clusters of yellow and white stars forming continents and countries all across the sphere.
What had her confounded was not the breathtaking sights of the twinkling ball, but the posse of characters assembled right in front of it, who were staring at her just as incredulously as she was staring at them.
North had not lied. She couldn't believe her eyes.
Her face split into a smile as she realised she did believe her eyes. That is why she could see them. They could see her. She couldn't choose from the millions of words flitting through her mind. A small cough-chuckle escaped her.
The oversized rabbit cleared his throat in turn, leaning in to whisper into North's ear.
"And you brought her here?!"
Her heart swooped to her toes.
North shot her an apologetic glance. She didn't understand. She thought North said they would be happy to see her. Why was the Easter bunny glaring daggers at her?
"She is the epitome of wonder, Bunny. When was the last time you met a…had a not a child believe in us?" Bunny rolled his eyes, "That's right, never!"
"Hello, who are you, what is your name, where are you from, its so nice to meet you!" The fluttery lady finally found a chance to speak as Bunny and North stared each other down.
"I am Toothiana, call me Tooth, what can I call you?"
Claire blinked. She spoke faster than her wings fluttered.
"Um, Claire." She answered and the twinkle in Toothiana's eyes only grew. Claire looked over her slim shoulder. A small fat, golden man waved a tiny hand at her.
"Okay," North boomed, "Time for introductions."
Claire's eyes followed the frosty train on its tracks. North hammered away in a corner. The other two had left to put children to sleep and leave little gifts in exchange for teeth, the building was almost quiet if it was not for the chatter of the elves. She almost rolled her eyes as she remembered Bunny disappearing into the snow, sour-faced.
North left the room, escorted by a frantic Yeti babbling something only plausible to North's ears. Claire watched the snow fall in the window frame.
She missed Jamie and Sophie.
Is this what homesickness is like?
She reached into her pocket and out came North's gift. Her cat uncurled in her palm and stretched, its luxurious tail sweeping her palm. She could only think about how much Sophie would love this little cat. She wanted to know how those two were doing, she had vanished without a trace, Olivia would feel betrayed.
The frost in the air swirled around her, caressing her cheek, and she huddled closer inside the large red coat. If she thought hard enough, could she call that warm bubble back to herself?
Apparently, yes.
It seemed to blossom from her chest and expand outwards, and soon she was able to discard her coat. She took a deep, warm breath, willing the chill to leave her airway, and it actually did.
Claire stretched her arm out, wanting to feel the end of the bubble again.
The very boundary touched her fingertip. She could feel where the frost ended. It moved with her hand, stretching as far as her arm went.
What is this?
Claire stood up, stepping out of the door, tracing her path back out the building. She passed North's store room where he was fervently lecturing a very sorry Yeti. Her warm bubble followed her.
She wanted to see the world outside now that she didn't have to worry about frost bite.
A/N:
Thank you if you read till the ending! This is the farthest any of the fanfictions have ever come, and I think it will be first I will finish too :)
Jack will enter the picture soon ;)