Hi everyone!
This is it everyone! The final chapter (epilogue) of What If! Eee! Yes, this story has come to an end. I can't believe it! It was a short story but it was so great to write:) This is basically going to be a short chapter full of bonding fluff. So I'm going to give my spiel after the epilogue so you can get right into the story. So please sit back, relax, and enjoy the last chapter (ahem, epilogue, cough) of What If.
Epilogue – Bonding
As soon as the Guardians got to Santoff Clausen, a ceremony was held, in the center under the Man In Moon's light. The children came along as well. Elves, music, trumpets, and even yetis with flaming torches attended the celebration as the Baby Tooths' gave Jack a luau which he wore boldly. Just like before, except this time, it was going to work. Bunny, Tooth, and Sandy stood behind Jack with proud smiles on there faces (including Bunny). North was standing before Jack with an enormous book in his hands as Jack stood in the center of the moonlight.
North got out the Guardian's book and read:
"Will you, Jack Frost...vow to watch over the children of the world?" North chanted as he looked at Jack.
A smile tugged at Jack's lips. His eyes sparkled with delight as he felt the sense of, well, he had never felt it before. But he knew it was called happiness. Genuine happiness. Accompanied with proudness and relief.
North continued, "To guard them with your life, their hopes, their wishes, and their dreams? For they are all that we have, all that we are and all that we will ever be." North looked up at the spirit once more as a jolly expression came to his face.
Jack exhaled deeply and looks back at the Guardians and the kids with a slight worried expression. The girls smiled as they bounced on their toes as they clapped slightly along with Tooth. The twins along with Sandy smiled huge as they gave thumbs up. Bunny mouthed out, go on mate as Jamie gave an affirmative nod.
Jack looked up at the moon, he could have sworn he was smiling. Jack also could have sworn he saw golden tendrils of dream sand float down from the sky.Jack could almost here Sandy say. Go on, Jack. It almost made Jack cry. This was it.
"I will." Jack chanted firmly. A genuine smile broke out on his face.
North's eyes lit up with wonder as a jolly smile broke out on his face as well. "Then congratulations, Jack Frost - for you are now and forevermore... a Guardian." North closed the book and set it aside.
Jamie cheered as he leaped into Jack's arms and gave him a hug. The other kids as well joined in the group hug.
"Kay guys, it's great and all and the hug really means a lot but I would make a record for being the shortest Guardian to ever live -at a record of five seconds- cause I need to breath!" Jack said sarcastically and chuckled.
The kids let go and retreated back. It was the Guardians turn. They would get their full turn soon.
"Jack!" Tooth swooped in and hugged Jack, hoisting themselves into the air a bit. She giggled as she looked into Jack's eyes. His genuine smile with those pearly whites were beautiful but that wasn't the only thing to marvel about Jack. She scooted away shortly afterwards, not seeing the smile of satisfaction on Jack's face and the slight tinge of blue blush on his cheeks.
"Frostbite..." An Australian voice growled behind Jack and tapped the boy on his shoulder.
Jack turned around as Bunny stood in front of him with his arms folded and the famous growl plastered on his face. "Kangaroo." Jack bowed and smirked. Bunny was still Bunny... some people- or Bunny's- never change...
Jack gasped as he was unexpectedly lifted off of his feet and was embraced in a body of fur. "Come here you bloody show pony." Bunny said, but then he whispered, "I missed ya, Frostbite." Bunny whispered so low no one but Jack could here.
"I missed you too." Jack croaked softly. He felt tears form in his eyes as he quickly buried his face into Bunny's furry chest to hide his face. His shoulders shook one time and softly. He knew Bunny felt it as Jack felt a paw pat his shoulder in comfort. He would have missed Bunny to be honest.
Bunny pushed Jack out of the way and bared his teeth. "Don't do that again you bloody-!"
"Aw, you do care..." Jack teased. Everyone snickered around, causing Bunnymund to roll his eyes and storm off, but not before giving Jack a smile.
"Jack!" North cheered as he merely picked up Jack by the shoulders as the jolly man kissed the boy's cheeks. He set Jack down as Jack shook his head, dazed.
North walked off merely to check on the cookies and milk the elves were preparing. So they all wouldn't go hungry while they listened to Jack do a little explaining.
"Jack, you're alive!" Jamie shrieked as he gave Jack another hug.
Jack flinched at the touch as he did before but slowly (and awkwardly) leaned down and gave the boy a surprisingly warm hug. It felt good to hug. Jack really never experienced it before. He had heard it felt 'nice' and 'warm' as in a feeling. Jack was a little on edge about it and a little skeptical about it but now he understood what people meant. He liked it. It meant a lot to him.
"We thought you were dead!" Jamie said, his voice quaking and his eyes coated with a film of water.
"I did too." Jack chuckled lightly, but it didn't amuse everyone.
"What happened!?" The kids asked.
"Uh..." Jack stuttered. That's right, he had to tell them.
"Yes, Jack." North said, arriving with a tray of cookies and milk as the kids snagged first dibs. "You shall explain." He said as he plopped down in a seat.
Everyone took their places: the kids merely sat on the ground, North in his chair, Tooth and Sandy sharing a sofa, and Bunny leaning against a wall twirling his boomerang (being a cool dude in other words).
Jack huffed as his eyes skirted to an open window. In truth, he didn't want to stay here and chat about this. He would have to explain about Sandy, that wasn't nearly as bad as when they were to ask him why he felt so ashamed and what really happened on Easter. Jack's stomach churned as the cookie in his hands turned to crumbs. Luckily no one noticed his discomfort as they were all still getting comfy.
Maybe I could, if- Jack thought of his escape plan that were to happen in half a second but North was even faster.
"Okay, Jack. You can tell us what happened." The Russian said.
It was a little weird. The Guardians were already uncomfortable, but the kids? Jack shuddered. He couldn't do this. But he had to do this. They deserved to know. But the kids? What did they know? What did they all think? Which reminded Jack, what happened when he was gone? Jack eased a bit, maybe if they told him first he would feel better.
"Sorry, this is just an awkward situation. But can you guys tell me what happened when I was out first?" Jack emphasized the word 'out' and eagerly waited for an answer. Jack then chuckled, whatever it was, Pitch ended up badly beaten. "I mean I know you gave Pitch a run for his money but what else? Like, what did you think?" Jack said softly but eagerly. Jack was itching for an answer. He wanted to know if it was true and they cared. He knew they did and he knew what happened. But he wanted to here it from their voices.
Nobody wanted to speak of it. They all bit there lips as there eyes danced about nervously, hands twining with fingers as a nervous reaction. Jack deserved to know though. They thought.
Tooth sucked in a breath. "When you died," She began, shaking. "Well, of course we were all sad... all of us and we gave Pitch-"
"A bloody lesson for what he did." Bunny said, finishing Tooth's sentence.
"But why did Pitch throw in the game? He had the chance, but he didn't try to kill me again when I was resurrected." Jack said. Words having anything to do with his 'fake death' were spat out like serpent venom.
"I guess he felt bad, mate!" Bunny said with a cock of his head.
"Talking about Pitch, what happened after Easter, Jack?" North asked as all eyes fell upon Jack again.
Jack twisted his hands anxiously around his staff. There was no getting out of this. "Well... I flew off to Antarctica and-" Jack hoped to stall for time. "Well, I met up with Pitch you know and- oh wait, before that I- uh..." Jack stuttered through his sentence through nervousness. He took a deep breath and started again.
"I went to Antarctica. I tried to get rid of my memories... that's when Pitch came. He wanted me to join him but I said no-"
"Wai-wai-wait, Pitch wanted you to join him? And you said no!? Why?" Bunny said. To be honest, he himself would have chosen yes. Especially after what they- he did to poor Jack.
"I didn't want to be seen like that... it's called a bad first impression." Jack smirked, but still received no amusement.
Everyone slumped, they had forgotten Jack hadn't been seen for 300 years.
"Then that's when you traded your staff for Baby Tooth-" Tooth said, getting choked up.
"Yeah... but I fixed my staff and everything turned out alright!" Jack said, trying to arouse his audience but to no success. That's when he gave up and fell into despair.
"Jack... the whole story." North said, seeing Jack's despair. "Like, why did you come back to help us?"
"Well, I figured out how and why I became a guardian." Jack began, but everyone could figure that part out. "Unlike you guys, I wasn't born a guardian. I was a normal kid 300 years ago in the colonial times. I became a guardian because I saved my sister from drowning when we went ice skating on my frozen pond; by pushing her out of the way right before the ice cracked completely beneath her feet..." Jack pursed his lips. "and I fell in and drowned." Jack looked around the room full of shocked faces. "I saved her. I had a family..." Jack said lightly in awe as he looked up.
Jack's cheery face grew solemn as 10 pairs of eyes (make that 20 eyeballs) stared at him with shock and utter terror. Jack slouched and recoiled. He waited for the laughing, the criticism, any sort of attitude towards him. He shouldn't have said anything.
"I-I..." Jack began, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything." Jack bowed his head. He clenched his eyes shut and prayed that something would happen.
Jack heard somebody walk over to him. Jack tightened and waited for the worst. Jack jumped when he was pulled into a hug. Jack's eyes shot open and to his horror, tears sprung out of his eyes.
It was Bunny "It's okay, mate. We're happy for you, proud of you. I bet your family and your sister missed you so much." Bunny cooed.
"I miss her... and I don't even remember her name!" Jack choked out, unable to hold back a sob.
"So... bro, dude, you're like a... ghost?" Caleb said as his twin brother nodded along.
Jack sniffed and smiled. For some odd reason, that made him feel better. "Yeah." Jack said with a smile.
"Whoa... co-awe-w-" Caleb said, unable to get the words out.
"Wicked!" Claude finished.
"Guys!" Jamie hissed. Sometimes his friends were such amateurs. Jack was crying over here...
"It's okay, Jamie." Jack said. "It's history..." Jack got out of the Pooka's embrace.
"All of it's history, even what happened less than 24 hours ago, but you deserve to know the whole story."
Jack told his entire story. Since it was at night time when the battle took place, it was dawn by the time Jack finished. It was a long tale, since his first breath out of the lake, to now where he was sitting. But nobody minded or grew tired the least bit. His feelings, the truth, his thoughts... Jack opened his mind and hoped that nobody would think of him differently. They did, but not in a bad way. If anything, it made them bond together more. Jack especially told them all about Sandy. Tears were shed and feelings were hurt, but it was okay.
"Jack... we are so sorry. For not bothering to say hello or care or-" Tooth ranted on as she gave Jack a hug.
"I'm sorry too, Jack. For not believing in you." Jamie said as he also gave Jack a hug. Jamie had never experienced a bigger pit of guilt, especially when Jack mentioned that day when his mother said, "don't like Jack Frost nip you on the nose" and she said Jack was nobody... and Jamie believed her... and Jack was right there.
"Guys..." Jack began soothingly. "You have nothing to be sorry for. I love you all. The past is in the past and we're all a family now."
Everyone melted in warmth and kindness as they all joined into a group hug.
After a short eternity, the group hug separated.
The kids were sent home tired and ready to sleep for the day, with snowflakes
Leaving the Guardians by themselves, including Jack.
"Sandy, huh?" Bunny said, breaking the silence and looking up at the sky.
"Yeah..." Jack said as he too looked up as North and Tooth joined.
"Everything's going to change now, isn't it?" North said.
"Yes it is..." Jack said as everyone nodded. "You're my family along with Jamie and the others. The past is behind us, there's only the present and the future now to look forward to. We must forget so we can move forward. Everything's going to change for the better."
Jack smiled as the Guardians hugged once more.
Sandy looked down on the Guardians and smiled as one tear fell down his cheek. Jack brought everyone together for the better. Things were going to change. They would be happy together. Jack would never feel lonely again. Everything was right. And of course, he, the Sandman, would watch over them because he wasn't gone in Spirit.
It was the end of an era. Now, it was time for a new beginning
The End.
That's the end everyone! So, I hope you all liked this story!:) And thank you all so much for your support, you keep me going and keep my spirits high. I wish everyone well and hope you enjoyed this. I really loved writing it and am happy I got to write it for you all, I wish it wouldn't end, but like it said, "it's the end of an era and now it's time for new beginnings":) I know it was short but it was fun and amazing:) But thank you all. PLEASE leave a review and keep up your amazing support lol! Make sure to check out my other stories! So, peace! And till next time!
-SkatingDJ