Disclaimer: not mine

Sorry for the very long wait.

One of my favourite Rise fics, To Have and To Hold by LadyPheny on Archive, has the Guardian Oath as a marriage. While I'm not doing that, I have decided that there is past North/Aster/Sandy/Tooth and they will be moving back towards that. I won't bring in Katherine and Nightlight like they did as I only really know the characters from that fic. So should Jack join them or not?

Chapter 6

Jack landed lightly on the familiar lake, not ready to see what had become of his mortal home just yet. He'd been avoiding the area and he knew it, but he had to face it eventually. This was where Jackson Overland had died, twice in this world technically, and once in his own. it was still hard to get his head around at times, that he'd died and the Man in the Moon had brought him back, two versions of him even. He couldn't help wondering…were the bones of a fourteen-year-old Jackson still resting at the bottom? He shook his head, forcing his mind off such morbid thoughts.

He walked out to the middle of the lake, closed his eyes, and began to move, skating lightly across the surface. He smiled as the wind danced around him, snow falling softly.

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She watched the figure dance on the ice before storming over. "Hey!" she yelled, but the boy didn't stop. "Hey you! Get off Jack's lake!"

The boy stopped so suddenly he almost fell over and she felt bad about that but she was still angry. No one ever skated on the lake, didn't he know that? It was Jack Frost's lake and Mommy, Uncle Jamie, and everyone else said not to play in or on it. The boy kind of looked like the pictures Uncle Jamie had drawn of Jack Frost but he was bigger. Maybe he was related to Jack? That would make his being there okay, maybe?

He was making his way towards her, looking around weirdly, but then he stopped. He didn't have shoes on! Didn't his Mom teach him to wear shoes in winter? "Are you…talking to me?" he asked, and she nodded.

"You're not allowed on Jack's lake, everyone knows that." She crossed her arms like Mom did.

"You can see me?"

"Of course I can, I'm not a baby!"

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Jack stared at the little girl, bewildered. She could see him?! How? Jack's lake…had the kids made everyone stay away after the other Jack's death? He honestly didn't know what to think of that, especially the idea that the taboo had lasted so long. Those kids had to be what, almost thirty by now? "Do you know who I am?" he asked cautiously.

"You kinda look like Uncle Jamie's drawings of Jack Frost but you're too big! Are you his big brother?"

How the heck was he meant to explain that to a kid? They hadn't really discussed that, they'd just been working to get him believed in, in the other Jack's place. "Sort of," he offered. "My name's Jack Frost too."

"Huh?" She scrunched her nose up, and he chuckled at the cute sight.

"You know my name now, what's yours?"

"Tanya," she grinned at him, reddish brown ponytail bouncing as she rocked back on her heels.

"Nice to meet you Tanya. What are you doing out here all alone?" Wasn't she too young to be doing that? He'd have never let Emma out alone so young.

"I'm six!" she declared. "I don't hafta hold anyone's hand to come here. Uncle Jamie's house is just there," she pointed to the nearest house through the trees.

Uncle Jamie had to mean Jamie Bennett…he had a younger sister. Jack considered it, surely this kid was too old to be hers?

"Tanya!" A man called and then Jack saw someone jogging towards them. He was tall and lanky, with brown hair and brown eyes.

"Uncle Jamie come see! It's Jack Frost," Tanya called before Jack could warn her.

He saw the man…Jamie, wince, but he walked closer, kneeling beside her. "Tanya…Jack Frost died a long time ago."

"But he's right here!" she stomped her foot and grabbed Jack's hand before he could back away.

Not good! Don't panic, adults couldn't see them, so long as he didn't cause anything strange to happen then he'd think she was playing…right?

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Jamie rolled his eyes but grabbed his coat and headed off after Tanya. She wasn't much like how he remembered Pippa being at that age, despite the physical similarities. He didn't blame her for getting bored and wandering off, she was the oldest of the kids by a good few years after all, which made playing with them hard. Still, it was getting too cold for her to wander around in the woods and…he'd never fully trusted them again, not after what had happened. It had been over fifteen years but he still remembered it like it was yesterday.

They probably thought he'd forgotten, written it off as a game or nightmare, but he hadn't. The others had, but he couldn't. Maybe it was because he'd been Jack's first believe, or because he'd been the Last Light, he didn't know. If Pitch had survived the battle, he'd probably fed of his nightmares for years after that. He'd never seen anything like it before or since, thankfully, and he didn't blame the others for letting go of their belief in the Guardians younger than most of the others in town. By the time they had, it had become so normal to avoid the lake that no one thought anything of his refusal to go there.

It was because of Jack, that Jamie had chosen the career he had. He was a social worker, helping every kid he could, just like a Guardian. He still drew but nowhere near like he had as a kid and he still figured aliens existed somewhere, after all, he had a genuine Yeti signature. It was his illustrations that had helped spread the story of Jack Frost, even after his death; they'd all gotten together to write down everything Jack and the Guardians had told them and the internet had done the rest. But even the belief of kids all over the world couldn't bring the teen back.

He was glad the stories kept people from the lake, if Pitch ever returned, it would be around there. The last thing he wanted was more children being in danger from that monster. Of course, Tanya had to be the exception and be fascinated by the lake, though thankfully she'd never tried to swim in it or walk on the ice in winter.

"Tanya!" he called as he spotted her beside the lake.

"Uncle Jamie come see! It's Jack Frost," she called back excitedly, and Jamie's stomach sank in dread.

He couldn't help wincing in pain even as he moved to kneel beside her, he couldn't see anything but that didn't mean they were alone "Tanya…Jack Frost died a long time ago," he reminded her.

"But he's right here!" she stomped her foot and, to his terror, grabbed something he couldn't see.

"Tanya…"

She looked at someone he couldn't see. "Okay," she let go and moved to hug Jamie, he quickly wrapped an arm around her back and stood, backing away. They'd let her go, whoever the Spirit really was had told her to come to him. "He won't hurt us Uncle Jamie."

He wished he could believe her.

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Jack watched them, torn. Should he pass a message via Tanya…try to directly communicate somehow…or just leave. He shifted his staff from hand to hand but then he tapped the ground, patterns of frost spiralling out and around them. He just didn't want Jamie to be scared, he'd been this worlds Jack's First Believer, had saved the Guardians; he shouldn't be scared of him.

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Jamie watched as frost spread around, forming intricate patterns…just like he remembered. But that wasn't possible, Bunny had said Jack was truly dead and gone. A different winter spirit? Why tell Tanya his name was Jack Frost then? He wanted to send her back to the house, but she was the only way to communicate with this 'Jack', despite still believing in spirits, he hadn't seen any since he was fifteen.

The wind spun around them and Tanya laughed as it tickled her. It pushed at him and Jamie stumbled forward, the wind had pushed him! Just like it had when he was a kid and Jack was around.

"He said he's not the Jack you knew; that it's hard to explain."

"A new winter spirit given the same name?" Jamie suggested.

"Nope," she quickly answered.

Then why did they have the same name? Okay there was a Jack Frost in front of him, he was real, just not the Jack he'd had snowball fights with. He closed his eyes, keeping a good hold on his 'niece'.

"Jamie…"

His eyes snapped open and he looked around, he'd heard…it almost sounded like Jack but not quite, the voice was deeper… older. "Jack Frost?" he whispered.

"Did…can you hear me?"

"Yes, I…I can't see you, but I heard that." How? "Tanya, your Mom wants you."

"But Uncle Jamie!"

"Go on, back to the house," he put her down, and she pouted but darted in to hug someone he couldn't see before walking away. She stopped and waved. "Bye Jack! Bye Uncle Jamie."

Jamie stared at where she'd hugged, tempted to reach out, but would his hand pass through him? He knew that hurt. "How can you be Jack Frost?" he asked, moving to sit on a log. He felt cold brush against his arm and he just knew Jack was sitting beside him.

Hearing him took concentration, but he listened as the teenaged Spirit explained. Proof of alternate dimensions! Scientists would kill to hear that. He felt sick at the description of that world' Guardians….what they'd done to Jack. It felt strange to want to thank Pitch Black but apparently that one was a lot nicer.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered when Jack fell silent. This time he did reach out and he felt something under his hand, cold, but something not quite fully solid.

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Jack jolted as a warm, human, hand touched his. How was this possible? It was obvious Jamie couldn't see him, but he was touching him! Jack shakily turned his hand over, letting them hold hands, soaking up the warmth. He didn't seem to be truly solid from how careful Jamie was being but still… "You can feel that?" he asked, just to be sure, and Jamie nodded. "This is impossible."

"Says the dimension hoping spirit," Jamie chuckled, and Jack blinked before laughing. He had a point. "Wish I could see you; I could update the pictures I did of…the other Jack."

"No," he shook his head, even though he was invisible. "He deserves to have his story known."

Now what? He hadn't expected this at all and he didn't know what to do next. He looked at the man sitting beside him, he didn't seem to expect anything of him. Which was weird. "Could you…tell me about yourself?"

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He laughed in triumph; he'd done it! Pitch had been sneaky and smart but not enough to beat them. They now had the exact spell used to send Frost away which meant they could follow him. Tooth Fairy and Sandman would be able to follow their magic to him once they were there. Soon, they'd have their toy back and could complete its training.

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Aster looked up as Jack joined him, the teen picking up a paintbrush to begin painting, helping. It wasn't long before Tooth flew in to join them, then North, and finally Sandy. He still competed with North, but it was a lot more friendly these days when they argued about whose holiday was better. It was good, to have them all together without trouble or danger to the kiddies being the reason.

He thought…maybe they were becoming as close as they had been centuries ago, could feel the occasional spike of hope coming from them when they were all together. If he was right…well, they'd have to explain that to Jack. Jack had opened up so much to them since the lingering magic had been removed, affectionate and cheeky, would he want that from them? He didn't think any of them would say no, though Tooth may hold back due to what her counterpart had done to him. He didn't think the other Jack had ever been interested in anything like that, but he'd been physically younger so maybe that was why?

With all of them working together, he was easily ready in time for Easter with more googies than normal waiting to be hidden for the kids. Ever since the failed Easter, he'd tried to get more out, even after the belief had gone back to normal levels. They all put more into their duties but they'd also gotten better at balancing things. Hearing Jack laugh freely as they worked warmed his heart.

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He watched from the shadows as the Guardians worked together to ensure a happy Easter for all…and with them was a familiar boy…not quite though. This one was older, his longer hair tied back as he danced on the wind. How was that possible? Jack Frost had died almost two decades ago. Had they made a deal with Death to bring him back? No, that wouldn't explain his aging. Father Time perhaps? No matter, he would have to deal with this Frost as well, but he would not do so in a proper battle.

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She smiled as Jack flopped down on the pillows, staff beside him but not in hand, the teen laughing as he was swarmed until Baby Tooth told them all to get back to work. "Where have you been?" she asked, listening as he launched into an explanation of how someone had tried to bury the southern part of Australia in three feet of snow and how he'd been working to stop it.

Jack hadn't made any effort to find his own home, to make a place for himself. Instead he still split his time between all of them, sometimes simply sleeping on Sandy's cloud. He had the lake and he did spend time there, but it wasn't an actual home. Not that she minded when he came to her Palace, she liked having any and all of them there.

It had gotten so easy over the last few years to differentiate him from the other Jack, they were very different people, despite starting off with the same…DNA. She would always miss the bright eyed, innocent, boy who had helped them but she cared for this Jack just as much.

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Jamie smiled as the kids all laughed and rushed towards a slight waver in the air, knowing it was Jack from the wind that was dancing around them all. He still couldn't see him, but at least over the last four years his voice had become more than a ghostly whisper. He liked listening to Jack's stories about the world, his job wasn't exactly the best paying so ever getting to see those places himself was very unlikely.

He spluttered as a snowball hit him in the face, feeling the joyful magic spread through him, making him laugh. He got up and joined the snowball fight, scooping little James up onto his shoulders, the four-year-old squealing in delight at being so high.

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Sandy smiled as he leant against Aster. He was very happy with how things were going now. things between them were becoming more like they used to be, before they had become so isolated and focused on their duties. He ran fingers through soft fur and smirked when Aster startled, hearing Tooth giggle.

His only worry was Jack and how to explain. Hopefully, he now had enough memories made in modern times to listen and accept. A colonial era human would never have accepted but Spirits were different. He knew none of them wanted to upset him, or make him feel unsafe with them.

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Finally! How Pitch had ever managed to gather the magic necessary she'd never know, then again, the spell HAD killed him. They'd had to alter it to send all of them there and then bring them plus Frost back once they had the boy. It might take some time; they would have to search the whole world. Then again, he may have chosen to remain in familiar surroundings, so they had researched where Frost had generally been spotted over the centuries and the town of Burgess was the most common answer. They would start in that area, even if the town didn't exist.

They even had Manny's blessing in leaving, after all, without Pitch, there was no one left to be a threat to the children.

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Jack walked along the power lines, lightly dusting the area with frost, it'd be Christmas soon and he was looking forward to the sleigh ride. He'd never get tired of going with North to deliver gifts or of the after party. He'd never thought he'd trust the Guardians so much, especially after realising they held the same roles, but he did, he trusted them with his life.

He still missed the Pitch he'd known, but he had friends here now, even his own Believers. And…the more he'd thought about it…the kind of magic needed to bring him to this world had to have had a very steep price. Had…had Pitch killed himself to save him? He couldn't bring himself to ask them, didn't want confirmation either way really.

This world was his home now and he had a plan for this years after party that he knew would make them all happy. He was going to ask to take the Guardian oath, to officially be one of them.

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He watched from the shadows as Jack Frost wandered the town, spreading frost and joy, just like his predecessor. There were still no stories of how this Jack Frost came to be, though his stories were beginning to split from the old. He seemed to be even more powerful than the boy had been, though less practised which was interesting, and good for him. He still hadn't regained the power lost in the last fight against a Frost but if he didn't act soon, this one would be beyond his current abilities to deal with.

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Baby Tooth landed on Jack's shoulder as he settled on the ground, out of the way of the yeti as they got the last-minute preparations done. Jack smiled and ran a finger over her feathers even as he made his way to a couch to sit and watch. He laughed as North rushed around but then it was time to leave and she made herself comfortable in his hood, happy he'd taken to wearing jumpers and jackets with hoods and big pockets since it made hitching a ride easier.

Jack sat up front beside North as the Sleigh took off, laughing happily through all the twists and Loop-the-Loops as the sleigh gathered speed.

TBC…