Chapter Two: Everything is Gone

Jack stirred as he felt the Wind ruffle his hair. He rolled onto his side and mumbled, "Leave me alone. Five more minutes…"

Jack could feel sleep returning, but before he succumbed to slumber, the Wind shoved the winter spirit out of bed. Jack fell out with a cry.

Jack rubbed his head. "You didn't have to do that. I was already awake."

The Wind pushed him as if to say, Yeah, right.

Jack shook his head but smiled. He yawned and grabbed his staff. He went to the counter and pulled out three Christmas cookies from the cookie jar North had given him. He shoved them in his mouth and stepped outside.

Jack had expected it to be warm. His snow was slowly beginning to melt meaning that Mother Nature had begun to bring spring. The warmth was bearable, but it also meant that Jack would be moving to a colder continent soon.

Jack looked up and saw that it was cloudy. He didn't think that Emily Jane would make it rain already. Jack shrugged and called on the winds to take him to Jamie's.

Jack flew through town, being careful not to spread his frost anywhere. Children were having a snowball fight by the statue, trying to use as much snow as they could. Jack smiled and conjured a small pile of snow for the kids to use. They didn't notice him, but they did notice the fresh pile of white snow.

Jack flew through the streets and eventually came to Jamie's neighborhood. He flew to his house and tapped on his bedroom window. Jamie stood up from his desk and opened the window. He didn't throw it open with vigor like he usually did when Jack came.

"Hey, kiddo! I just wanted to say that I'll be leaving for some time, but I'll be back by the—"

Jack cut himself off when Jamie shut the window and went back inside. What?

Jack looked inside and saw that Jamie was back at his desk. It was like he didn't…

Jack's chest constricted. No. It was too early. Jamie was only nine!

Jack rapped at the window. Jamie looked confused and opened it up again, looked around, and straight at Jack. Straight through Jack.

"No, no, no," Jack mumbled. "Jamie? Jamie! Can you hear me? Can you...can you see me?!"

Jamie shrugged and shut the window again. Jack's breathing quickened.

"This can't be happening…" whispered Jack. He could feel all the happiness leave him. Jamie had to believe in him. He saw him yesterday. He had to still believe in him.

Jack knocked at the window again and Jamie stood up from his desk, looking exasperated. He opened his window once again with a frown on his face.

"J-Jamie?" Jack said quietly. "It's me...Just say that you see that you can hear me. Just...say that you still believe in me. Please."

Jamie sighed and shut the window again. Jack felt his world start to spin.

No. No. No…

Jack lowered himself to the ground. Jamie couldn't have stopped believing. Jack couldn't have lost his first believer. His friend. His best friend.

Jack felt a tear slip down his face. He wiped it off. Jack Frost did not cry. He never cried.

Jack floated to Sophie's bedroom window. Surely the three-year-old still believed in him. Maybe she could get Jamie to believe again.

Jack tapped at Sophie's window. Sophie dropped her dolls and looked outside the window. She smiled. Jack felt his spirits begin to rise. Sophie still believed.

"Pretty flower!" cried Sophie. Jack blinked and watched as Sophie giggled at the sight of a flower beginning to bloom on the ground. Jack gripped his staff. Sophie didn't believe in him.

They...they don't believe in me… thought Jack.

"No…" With a hurt look on his face, Jack sped through the town of Burgess. They couldn't see him. They didn't believe in him.

"No...No…."

Jack could feel the winter inside him beginning to churn. His emotions were raging like a blizzard. Emotions of hurt, pain, and deep sadness. Blue light began to radiate from his staff and the winds began to blow around him.

"No...this...this can't be happening…" Jack whispered. He felt something break inside him when the denial finally left. He had to face the truth. Jamie and Sophie didn't believe in him anymore. He remembered how the kids who were playing with snowballs earlier didn't see him either, and he knew they were believers just the other day.

"No...no...NO!"

The winds howled furiously as Jack let out a cry of sorrow. His staff crackled when the blue energy released from it, creating a wild blizzard. Jack looked around and gasped.

"Oh no…" Mother Nature wasn't going to be happy.

The Wind carried Jack back to his lake and Jack hid inside his tree. He curled into himself and buried his head in his hands as the blizzard raged outside. He couldn't go through another 300 years of children walking through him.

After what felt like hours, the storm finally stopped. Jack still sat in the corner of his tree. He looked outside and saw how much snow the blizzard had brought. Jack sniffed and stood up. He realized it was night.

Jack looked outside. The clouds from the blizzard still lingered, so Jack couldn't see the moon. Jack frowned. It felt as if the Man in the Moon had turned away from him.

Jack sighed and ran a hand through is white hair. He didn't feel like going to the anniversary party anymore, but it was also his anniversary. It would not make sense if he didn't show up.

Jack decided to go. The other Guardians might be able to cheer him up. He called on the Wind and flew toward Santoff Claussen.

…

The lights of Santoff Claussen were bright, meaning that the party had already begun. Jack hurriedly flew toward the window only to knock his head against it. He dropped his staff and felt himself plummeting to the ground. Jack quickly caught his staff and regained his flight.

Jack rubbed his sore forehead. That window was always open for him. Why would the Guardians shut it? Maybe Bunnymund complained how cold it was, so they shut the window for the time being. Jack smirked at the thought.

Jack flew toward the window and pulled. He found that it was locked. He flew around the large building and found the back door and was satisfied to find that it was open. He walked inside and made his way to the Globe Room.

Jack paused when he came across a mirror. He stared at his reflection and put on his best feign smile. It looked convincing enough. He hoped that the Guardians wouldn't notice his true emotions. Jack sniffed as the memory of Jamie not seeing him replayed in his head. Jack straightened out and placed his staff on his shoulder. Jack was going to enjoy the party the best he could even though his worst fear had become reality.

Jack continued down the halls and took a shortcut through the Workshop. The Yetis were busy getting the feast ready in the kitchen, so only a few elves were running around the empty work spaces. Jack kept on going and eventually reached the Globe room. The Guardians weren't there.

Jack scratched the back of his head and looked around. The Guardians did say to meet at this time. Where were they? Jack jumped, startled, when a tap on his shoulder interrupted his thoughts. He sighed in relief when he found it was just Bunnymund.

"Oh my moon, Bunny! You almost scared the sugar cookies out of me!" said Jack. Bunny kept on glaring at him.

Jack leaned on his staff. "Uh...Kangaroo? Are you okay?"

Bunny stepped forward. "Wait a minute...I know you."

Jack blinked, bemused. "Huh? Bunny, you do know me. It's Jack Frost." Jack smiled jokingly. "Don't tell me you forgot. Have you been eating your blueberries?"

Bunny pointed an accusing finger at him. "What are you doin' here? I haven't seen ya since '68."

Now Jack was even more confused. "Bunny, whatever joke you're pulling here, it's not making any sense."

North, Tooth, and Sandy walked in. Jack turned to the others and cracked a smile. "Hey, guys. I think something's wrong with Bunny. He doesn't seem to remember me."

Bunny scoffed. "'Course I know ya! Ya ruined Easter fer me back in '68!"

Tooth cocked her head at Jack. "You're Jack Frost?"

"Guys, very funny. But you can drop the act now," said Jack.

The veteran Guardians looked at each other and then looked back at Jack. They didn't seem to recognize him.

Bunny faced Jack again. "Ya didn't answer my question. What are ya doin' here?"

Jack's grip tightened on his staff. The whole "pretending-not-to-remember-Jack" joke was getting irritating. "Bunny, you know why I'm here," Jack said indignantly. "The anniversary party, remember?"

Bunny turned to the other Guardians. "Did any of ya invite 'im?"

They all shook their heads. Jack's heart dropped to his stomach. What was going on?

Jack forced a laugh. "Okay, guys, very funny. Joke's over now, right? Why don't we just get this party started?"

"Sorry, but this party is for Guardians only," Tooth said. "And, well...you're not a Guardian."

Jack felt like he was just punched in the chest. He wasn't a Guardian? He had been a Guardian for a year now. He had the feeling that the Guardians were not joking.

"Not...not a Guardian? Guys, I've been the Guardian of Fun for a year now! I helped you defeat Pitch, remember?"

"Uh, no. We defeated Pitch by ourselves," said Bunny. Jack snapped his head in his direction.

"Okay, whatever joke you're playing here, it isn't funny. You were all there!" Jack cried.

North shook his head. "Jack...Frost, is it?" Jack nodded slowly. "I am sorry, but Bunny iz right. You were not there."

Sandy nodded and put up an image of them fighting Pitch. We defeated Pitch. You were not present.

Jack couldn't believe it. "What about the Man in the Moon? He chose me, remember?"

The Guardians shook their heads.

"I'm pretty sure the Man in the Moon woulda said somethin' about a new Guardian ages ago," said Bunny.

Jack faltered. "Guys...seriously. I—"

"Jack, we're going to have to ask you to leave," said North.

The temperature dropped several degrees. Jack's vision began to swim.

"Wh-What?" he stammered.

"He said ya hafta leave," said Bunny.

First, he loses his believers and now this? Jack stiffened.

"Guys…" Jack started slowly, but stopped when he felt furry arms pick him up. Jack saw the familiar door that he had been tossed out from several times before when he had tried to break into the Workshop. The yeti tossed Jack out into the snow and Jack turned around to see the Guardians shut the door, pulling in all of the light and warmth from inside with them.

Jack sat there in the cold snow as he heard sounds of celebration come from inside. He felt the tears well up again, but this time, he allowed them to fall.