Welcome back again! Almost didn't make my deadline. Word of advice: don't download AVG free if you have Windows Vista. It seriously messes with your computer. Anyway, Without further ado, Chapter 4.

Something Unexpected

It's mid afternoon on December 25th, and Bunnymund is not feeling the Christmas cheer.

North promised he'd be back by Noon, Eastern Standard time, and it's now several hours past that. Several hours that Bunnymund has had to endure a drafty room, a glitchy computer, and a legion of mischievous elves. It's enough to drive him up a wall.

Just as Bunnymund is considering sending out a search party, North's sleigh appears on the horizon. Four bloody hours late.

Rolling his eyes and muttering curses under his breath, Bunny heads downstairs.

The sleigh pulls into the underground docking area after a landing that's awfully rough, even by North's standards. When the sleigh pulls up to the workshop's underground entrance, Bunnymund makes sure he's already there, standing over his two coworkers with the sourest glare he can muster.

"Yer late," he accuses, tapping his large, rabbit-like foot impatiently.

The sleigh creaks to a stop in front of him, and Bunnymund finally gets a good look at the two. To be honest, both North and Jack look exhausted. North's cheeks are rosy from the cold and his beard is tangled by the wind, and his movements are slower than molasses. In contrast, Jack always looks windblown, but even he seems weary, stiff from crouching in one place all night.

Still, Jack always finds enough energy to banter. He smiles tiredly and grins up at Bunnymund. "Aw, you missed us? I'm touched."

Bunnymund rolls his eyes. "And where were you two?" he asks. "You shoulda been back hours ago. What were you up to—kickin back in Hawaii? Doin' a victory lap?" Knowing North, it's a possibility.

North turns off the sleigh's controls; the faint hum sputters and dies, and he sits back heavily into his seat, worn out. "We delivered presents…"

"I know, I meant after that."

"Then, we flew around the world, once," North rubs his arm absently, eyes drifting a little. "To make sure Christmases all over the world were successful."

"Okay…" it makes sense that North would want to check up on his work, at least. Bunnymund often does the same after Easter is finished. But that shouldn't have taken four full hours…

"—Then after, we stopped in Burgess."

Bunnymund scowls. "…Of course you did." He mutters, casting an irritated glance at the obvious culprit to that decision. Jack blinks back, then gives a cheeky grin.

"Oh, by the way, Sophie says hi," he says, looking as innocent as possible.

Bunnymund wonders if he ought to say something, but it's late, and it's been a long day for everyone, so he drops it. He turns his attention back to North, who is moving like he's half asleep and has lead in his veins. He's fumbling with the reigns, trying to untangle them, but unable to manage the complicated task in his exhaustion.

He watches North struggle with the reigns for a moment, giving a dry look to the sleigh's askew parking job, then sighs. Taking pity, he hops over to help. "Here, c'mon, gimme that," Bunny orders, snatching the reigns away and handing them to a nearby Yeti who's come over to assist.

North's tired fingers fumble and try to snatch the reigns back. "I can do it," he insists, fighting a yawn. "Sleigh is just… crooked, that's all. Bad landing."

"…All yer landings are bad," Bunnymund retorts, reaching over and shutting down the rest of the sleigh's systems. He tosses the keys to North's head Yeti, Phil, then looks back at North with a wry grin. "In fact, when we exchange presents tomorrow, I think I'm gonna give you a driver's license, just so I can take it away from you."

North frowns. "My driving is not that bad."

Just then, Toothiana flies in, a blur of iridescent green feathers. She's panicked, and alert. She zips over to them and hovers, much like a nervous hummingbird. "Oh my gosh, is everyone ok?" she asks as her eyes dart, worried, from North to Jack and back again. "I was in North's workshop when the sleigh came in—I could hear the crash from all the way upstairs!"

Bunnymund gives North a dry look that says I told you so.

"Bah," North says, throwing up his hands. "Fine! I will practice my driving. And fine tune sleigh. Maybe the controls are off." North is not entirely willing to admit that his bad driving is his own fault. He taps the globelike display on the dashboard, starting to tinker with it.

Bunnymund pulls him away from the controls and pulls North to his feet. "Later, ya drongo. You look beat. Time for bed."

North mutters something in protest, but lets himself be hauled to his feet. "Christmas still needs to be wrapped up," he says. "And sleep is not that important."

Bunnymund chuckles darkly. "Don't let Sandy hear you say that."

As if on cue, Sandy floats in, following Toothaina downstairs at a much less frantic pace. The stout little golden man drifts in on a golden cloud of sand, and judging by the raised eyebrow, he heard everything North said. A golden ball of dreamsand appears in his hand, and he bobs it up and down in the air, tossing it to himself as he gives North a pointed, unamused look. From the back of the sleigh, Jack chuckles, enjoying the show.

In defense, North holds up his hands. "I did not mean sleep is not important, Sandy," he insists. "…I just meant there are other things I must do first."

"Exactly!" Tooth exclaims, but before North can thank her for backing him up, she adds, "He has to eat first. Otherwise he'll wake up cranky."

"Eat? That is not what I—"

She rounds on him. "North, I saw your frantic Christmas preparations. You and Jack haven't had a solid meal in 48 hours. Don't try to tell me otherwise."

"We have had plenty. Milk and cookies…"

She raises an eyebrow. "Oh, and I'm sure that's good for you. And your teeth," she remarks dryly. "I meant some real food."

But North seems oddly obstinate, shaking his head, and slowly Bunnymund is starting to guess why. "Ya know, North," he comments, crossing his arms. "I know you. Normally, you'd be kickin' back and enjoyin' a job well done. Passin' out presents and eggnog for everyone. So why aren't ya?"

North waves him away. "There is just things that still must be done," he says. "Buffing sleigh… grooming reindeer—"

Raising an eyebrow, Bunnymund jerks a thumb behind him, towards the Yetis that are already polishing the sleigh's dashboard, untangling the reigns, and leading the reindeer away towards the stables. One is even glaring at Jack, still waiting for the young spirit to hop off his perch at the back of the sleigh so he can get at the sleigh's cargo.

It's very clear that they're all over the job, but North still reaches for excuses. "I must also—double check globe," he says, rubbing his temple. The excuse isn't enough to erase Bunnymund's dry look, so he offers another; "And scan security systems for nightmare sand—"

"I knew it." Bunnymund announces. "This is about Pitch!"

North frowns deeply, but doesn't deny it.

Bunnymund shakes his head. "North, I promise. I was watchin' your place like a hawk. Sandy kept his eyes peeled for problems, and Tooth and her fairies responded to every single Nightmare sighting while they were out collectin' teeth. Nothing went wrong, I promise. Pitch didn't even show."

"Exactly," North says.

"What?"

"Pitch did not show." North says. "He was not even near Burgess, where his lair is. We all expected him to show and—he didn't." He pauses, sighs, and rubs his forehead again. "…That somehow worries me more."

Bunnymund nearly laughs. "And what are ya worried about?" he asks. "Christmas is already over. Even if Pitch is sneaking around with some dastardly plan—and that's a big if—there's no way he can ruin things now."

Still, North hesitates. He looks ready to protest, as a good warrior should be on guard at all times. And Bunnymund has to agree; he's a little worried too. It is odd, with the increased Nightmare activity lately, that Pitch didn't even try to mess with Christmas. It would've been a serious blow after losing Easter earlier that year, so the lack of Pitch seems… worrisome.

But Bunnymund also knows a good warrior needs rest, and North, who's been delivering presents nonstop for the past 24 hours, and frantically preparing Christmas long before that, certainly deserves a break. Bunnymund shakes his head. "Ey, listen. Even if Pitch is sneakin' around, you really think we're gonna let him try anything? No. Have some faith in us, North." Bunny pats him on the back, reassuring. "We'll still be here in case anythin' happens. But you need to take your well deserved rest, got it?"

The big guy hesitates once more, but Bunnymund's promise seems to reassure him somewhat. At last, North relents, throwing up his hands with a defeated sigh. "Ach. Fine, fine. I will eat—then sleep. If you insist."

Bunny grins in victory, Tooth cheers, and Sandy gives a thumbs up; North, muttering under his breath, adds, "You have all turned into mother hens."

"Hey, the sooner we getcha back on yer feet, the sooner I can go back to my nice, warm Warren," Bunnymund says, shaking out a paw that's gone a bit numb on the floor's cold concrete. He turns his attention, ushering his friends towards the door. "Now come on, get upstairs, the lot of you."

He reaches the doorway before he feels a tug at his fur. Bunny looks down to see Sandy pointing back at the sleigh.

Jack, oddly, is still sitting there, perched on the back of the sleigh. It's almost as if he's waiting for something, lingering behind. Bunnymund frowns; for such an attention-seeking spirit, Jack is too good at fading into the background when he doesn't want to be noticed.

"Comin', Jack?" Bunnymund calls, because sometimes, Jack doesn't realize he's part of a group unless he's specifically included.

Instead, Jack jumps as if surprised, and his eyes look—oddly guilty. He remains crouched, huddling closer to the toy bag. "Uh, yeah, um—You guys go ahead… I'll catch up?"

It's obvious that Jack has no intention of letting himself be herded into the kitchen or tucked into bed. Bunnymund sighs.

Tooth takes control of the situation. "Jack," she says, zipping up to him, trying to coax him off the sleigh. "You need food and sleep too." Sandy nods in agreement.

Jack just looks innocent. "Who, me?" he asks, gathering his staff, and he goes to move off the sleigh. "Nah. I'm fit as a fiddle—"

He promptly contradicts himself as he goes to crawl off his perch. In mid-step, his body lurches, off balance. The stiffness in his limbs robs him of his usual catlike grace, and he pitches forward, headfirst. Tooth catches him around the waist before he falls.

"Sure you are," she says dryly. Jack straightens, shaking out the pins and needles in his legs.

He turns to look at them. "That doesn't count," he says.

"Come on, Jack. Food, bed." Bunny says. Tooth takes his hand and tries to drag him to the door; Sandy comes over and gets behind to push. Predictably, Jack resists.

"No really, guys, I'm fine." He insists. "I just thought I'd—" he pauses, looking around. "—help put the stuff away, that's all."

Bunnymund, about to say something sarcastic, holds his tongue. His eyes wander back to the sleigh's cargo: the big, red, deflated sack of toys. Jack's been guarding that thing all night—and he's probably become irrationally attached to it by now. Rolling his eyes, Bunnymund passes Jack and hops forward, approaching the back of the sleigh. "Alright fine, Jack. I'll get the toys and then we can go upstairs."

"Um—" Jack stammers suddenly, stepping forward. "I… I can help you with that…" he offers when he sees Bunny reach for the sack.

"Relax, Jack, I got it." He knows this is one of Jack's delaying tactics, and he isn't going to fall for it. Bunny motions to the door before reaching out to grab the bag. "Go get some food an' I'll be up in a second, after I—oof." Bunny goes to pick up the bag and nearly drops it in surprise.

"Bunny?" North asks, raising an eyebrow.

Bunny glares at the bag suspiciously. "Yeesh, North, this is heavier than a load of bricks," he grumbles. He notices Jack cringe and make a wait a second gesture, but he pays it no heed. Shaking his head, he hops around to the back of the sleigh for a better access to the sack. "What's in here, anyway?" he asks, lifting the bag's hem to look inside. "Didja guys forget to deliver a few presents, or…"

"Easter Bunny, Hop Hop!"

"—What the—!" Bunnymund jerks back suddenly, but not before a little blonde someone leaps out of the bag and latches on to his neck.

Sophie Bennett dangles from his shoulders, clinging like a monkey, and lets out a delighted squeal. She buries her face in his ruff, rubbing her cheeks in the soft fur, and giggles.

Bunnymund turns to look, bewildered, at the others. North's eyes are wide in surprise. Sandy is blinking, confused. Tooth's jaw is agape in shock. And Jack, unsurprisingly, is trying to sneak away unnoticed.

"Jack!" Bunny snaps, and the boy stands stiff as a board, his hand caught in the metaphorical cookie jar.

Everyone's eyes turn to their resident trickster. Jack just gives a nervous laugh and a shaky grin. "…Yes?" he asks, as though he doesn't know what Bunnymund is going to say.

The Pooka just scowls and points to the blonde mop hanging from his neck.

"Oh. Yeah." Jack chuckles uneasily. "Well, that's… that's Sophie for you, eh? Always… getting into places she… shouldn't… be…?"

"She must've crawled in when we visited Burgess," North mumbles to himself, scratching his beard in thought. "I was tired—not paying as much attention as I should…"

But Bunnymund is not done. He gives Jack a flat glare, then, deliberately, pokes North's bag with his boomerang.

"Ow!" a boys voice yelps. It's followed by several other voices trying to shush him.

Everyone's eyes widen.

"Jack, you didn't." North says. Without a second's hesitation, the big man steps forward and grabs the cloth's fabric, throwing open the bag.

All six of Jack's believers jump in surprise, blinking at the sudden change of light. Claude and Caleb nearly fall into the seat, Cupcake pushes Monty over for more room, Pippa squeaks in terror, and Jamie shares a panicked glance with Jack. Everyone in the room gapes at the sudden appearance of children.

Bunny takes a deep breath to speak, and Jack quickly throws his hands out to stop the Pooka from yelling. "I can explain!" he blurts in a panic.

North, Bunny, Sandy, and Tooth look at him. "…Well?" Bunny prompts, when Jack does not immediately produce an excuse.

"…Uhhhh…." Jack says, biting his lip. He looks at the Guardians, the children, and the Guardians again. After a second of silence, he raises his hand, making a slow, passing, mystic gesture.

"…These are not the droids you're looking for."

"…What?"

"Augh, okay, fine!" Jack confesses. "I only snuck them in for a little while, I swear! I was gonna take them back, soon. …ish. Maybe."

"…Maybe?"

"I just—" Jack sighs. "I just wanted them to see the workshop, that's all. We've been planning this for weeks. I knew North would be tired after delivering presents…"

"…So you snuck 'em into the sack when he wasn't looking." At least it's a solid plan. The sack holds lots of things in a small space—North probably wouldn't notice the sack's tiny change in volume at all. A simple, easy plan. Bunnymund would be lying if he said he wasn't impressed. But that doesn't give Jack a free pass.

"And what makes you think sneaking seven children into Santa's workshop is a good idea?" he asks, and Jack ducks his head. "North has reasons fer his rules, ya know. You aren't exempt. What made you think you could get away with this?" Bunnymund asks, crossing his arms.

"They can stay," North says.

"Exactly. Now take th' kids and—what?"

Bunnymund rounds his glare on North, cradling Sophie in his arms for a better hold on the squirming child. She's trying to braid his fur. "Mate, I thought ya had a rule. No kids in the Workshop."

"Well, yes," North says, an infuriating grin sliding onto his face. "But, you did say I should throw celebration for a job well done?"

"…That is not what I said." Bunnymund resents having his words used against him.

"And what is a celebration without guests?" North continues, completely ignoring Bunny's sour look. "I do not normally let children in here, but… Is special occasion, yes?"

At this, the children's faces light up. Jack looks at them, then at North. "So… they can stay?" he asks carefully.

"Of course!" North booms, jubilant despite his weariness. "The more the merrier!"

The kids gasp eagerly and cheer, climbing out of the sleigh. They rush over to North, gathering around him excitedly and tugging at his arms. "Thanks North!" exclaims Claude before giving his twin a high five.

"…Can we see the reindeer stables?" Cupcake asks hopefully, tucking her large mittens into her pocket.

"And the elves! Jack said there was elves!" Monte chimes in.

North just chuckles and bends down to their level. "Of course! And just wait till you see the Globe," he laughs.

Jack just watches the babbling children, leaning on his staff and smiling to himself. When Jamie comes up to him, he raises his eyebrows and ruffles the kid's hair affectionately. Jamie just grins and lightly elbows him back.

"Now," North says, standing, movements stiff but enthusiastic. "First, food! Who wants cookies?"

All the kids cheer and race for the door. Sophie cheers too, and though she's younger than them and doesn't quite grasp what's going on, she turns and hugs Bunny's neck, giggling in delight.

Bunnymund, about to protest, sighs and one-arm hugs her back. Reluctantly, he follows the kids and Guardians down the hallway to the elevator. No sense in cutting short the fun now. The kids are already here, after all. Getting North to bed might take an extra few hours, now, perhaps—but at least North is acting like himself, now, rather than worrying about Pitch.

Bunnymund is the last one in the elevator. He steps in and the door closes behind his tail. Jack looks at him and suppresses a smirk. "That style looks good on you, Cottontail," he comments.

"Eh?" Bunny blinks, and is suddenly aware that the fur near one side of his chin has been done up in tiny, haphazard braids. "…Oh f' the love of…"

With a sigh, he reaches up to undo Sophie's handiwork. The moment his claws touch the braids, Sophie stiffens and gives a high pitched whine. "Noooooooo," she says, voicing her displeasure.

Bunnymund stops and gives her a look, pulling his paw away from the braids. Immediately she brightens and smiles, innocent as ever.

With a more suspicious look now, Bunnymund touches the braids again, and—

"NoooOOOooo!"

He pulls away, and like flipping a lightswitch, she's happy again, humming in content. Bunny's ears go flat. "Oh. Great." He mutters.

Jack stifles a laugh, and as always, it's Tooth that swoops in to save the day. "Here, let me take her—Sophie honey! Sweetie, look at that!" she gathers the blonde girl in her arms and points over the elevator's railing as they rise above the scenery.

Sophie and the other kids turn to look as the elevator emerges from the lower levels, rising into the Workshop proper. Cold concrete gives way to a burst of color and warmth, and the narrow elevator shaft suddenly opens up, revealing a sweeping, grandiose room several stories tall—packed to the brim, of course, with every toy imaginable.

The wooden cage of the elevator continues to rise, giving a grand view of the place. The elevator carries them past the floors, too quickly to get anything but a glimpse of each individual one, but every level seems to have its own tone, ranging from orderly to chaotic, industrial to creative. Each floor has dozens of corridors, stretching outward in every direction… to where, they can only guess. It's a maze waiting to be explored.

A spiral staircase winds up the center, providing access to every level as it ascends to the top. Above it, the ceiling is a large skylight, a grid of glass that shows the North Pole's ever-starlit Winter sky. All in all, the room is nothing short of grand.

The centerpiece of all this majesty is of course the globe, turning gently on its axis, all the lights across the continents glowing with a steady, assuring light.

The children gasp in wonder and awe, captivated by the sight. Instantly they clamor to the railing to look, eyes wide and jaws hung slack. Behind them, North smiles with pride.

With the children distracted, Bunnymund discreetly edges his way over to a corner, claws gently dragging through his fur to unwind Sophie's braids. Hopefully she won't notice, he thinks with a grumble, paws tugging at another knot.

Jack slides over, slick and sly as a fox. His grin is certainly mischievous enough to mimic one. "I could redo the braids if you like," he offers. "Cornrows, French braids, anything. The whole deal. Just say the word."

Bunnymund turns an annoyed glare at Jack. "Ah keep it t' yerself, ya dag." He muttered.

Jack laughs. "Ouch, that hurt," he teases. "Someone's in a bad mood. It's okay, 'roo, I get why you're so cranky." He puts a hand over his heart, feigning sympathy. "I understand. I get to hang out with all my believers for the whole night. You must be so jealous."

"Me? Jealous? He heh heh, no." Bunny answers, cocking an ear in arrogance. "Mate, I'm not the one who can fit all his believers in one elevator."

Jack balks a bit at this, a bit put out at Bunnymund's insinuation and flustering as he tries to hide it; but suddenly, something dawns in his eyes, and the smug look finds its way back to his face.

"Actually," he says, giving Bunnymund a haughty look. "That isn't exactly true. According to North, I have a new believer."

The surprise is clear on Bunnymund's face, and he's only saved from the stunned silence by the elevator creaking to a stop, swinging open to let them off at their destination.

Everyone piles out, Tooth and Sandy turning to Jack. "Really? Jack, that's wonderful!" she exclaims. Sandy gives a thumbs up in congratulation, and the kids smile at him eagerly.

Jack turns to give a smug smile to Bunnymund, raising his eyebrows expectantly.

Bunnymund finally regains his wits, shakes his head, and says, "No, now wait a sec'nd. I'm not sure I believe ya, mate."

"What? Come on. I even have proof," Jack insists.

"Uhuh. I'll believe it when I see it." Bunnymund says, crossing his arms.

In response, North helpfully pulls out the letter from his jacket. "Here it is," North says, brandishing the proof. "Collected it while delivering presents today. Jack got a letter from a believer, and here is proof."

Bunnymund gapes at the paper for a moment, but, unwilling to concede to Jack's smug look, he quickly resumes his skepticism. "Ahah, nice try. This reeks of a prank. I don't buy it."

North, confused, frowns. "A prank?"

"Think about it. The kid knew ya were deliverin' presents today. He writes a phony letter, sneaks into a house and hides it for ya to find."

"Well, of course Jack can't do that. Jack cannot read!" North states, matter-of-fact.

"…And who, exactly, told ya that?" Bunny asks. North pauses, and Bunny says, "Jack did, I'll bet. Who's to say he didn't lie? Sure, maybe he didn't know how to read when he was human way back when, but he's been 'round for three hundred years! He's had plenty 'a time to pick it up. This is definitely one of Jack's pranks."

They pause, Jack glaring at Bunnymund while North thinks on the possibility. After a moment, though, North perks up. "No, I think I believe Jack," he says at last, nodding to himself.

"That's cause you're a right gullible idiot, mate."

"No," North says, as though he didn't catch the insult. "Jack did not write this letter. I am sure."

"Oh, and what makes you so certain?" Bunny asks.

"Well, for starters," North says, eyes scanning the address line. "…Jack's name is misspelled."

"…That would pretty much prove it," Tooth agrees. Jack and Sandy share a glance before looking back at North.

Bunny balks, hopping closer to look over North's shoulder. "Wha—lemme see that." He demands, taking a look. "And exactly how do you manage to misspell Jack Frost?"

North holds it up for better reading. "To Santa," he reads, "Concerning Jokul Frosti."

There it is, plain as day on the paper. "Well I'll be," Bunny mutters.

"Jokul." Jack repeats in a tone that seems a touch out of place. There's something in Jack's voice that makes Bunnymund turn and look.

Jack's carefree, flippant attitude is guttering a bit, like a flame at the end of its wick. In its place, an odd emotion is creeping into his eyes, like he is turning a thought over in his mind. He squints, eyes flickering up at the skylight above them, then back to North. "Um, North, who—" he begins, slowly, as though choosing his words with care. "…Who wrote that letter, exactly?"

North, of course, utterly misses the change in Jack's behavior. He claps a heavy hand on Jack's shoulder and smiles, toting the letter. "It says it is from Thor Odinson," he answers. "Would you like me to read it to you now?"

Bunnymund blinks, hard. "Thor?" he repeats.

Jack pales. "Odinson?" he asks, visibly distressed.

For a moment, there is absolute silence, with the other Guardians staring at Jack oddly, wondering what prompted that reaction. Jack just stands there stunned for a moment, eyes locked, lips parted, as if silenced in disbelief.

"…Jack?" Tooth asks, fluttering just barely closer, concerned.

Jack blinks, and immediately, he switches to defensive mode, hiding his troubled expression behind the mask of a smile. With a nervous laugh, he reaches forward and plucks the letter from North's fingers. "Ah, well, um—we don't need to read this now, right?" he says, pulling away. "I mean, we are hosting company, and I'm sure the kids aren't interested."

The kids, however, have another story. "Thor? Like—like Avengers Thor?!" Monty asks, literally bouncing in excitement.

"An Avenger wrote you a letter? Woah!" Claude pitches in.

"Do you think he signed it?" Pippa gasps. "You might have his autograph!"

"Oh Jack, you hafta read it!" Jamie insists, tugging eagerly on Jack's hoodie.

Jack's expression is one of panic. He's gone absolutely stiff, and his eyes flicker from the Guardians, to the kids, to the letter, and back again, clearly conflicted.

Bunnymund tilts his head to the side, curiosity piqued. It's quite obvious that whatever is in that letter, Jack doesn't want anyone else to know.

Which is exactly why Bunnymund has to read it.

Sneaking up behind Jack, Bunnymund plucks the letter from Jack's pale fingers, takes a step back, pops open the wax seal, looks at the address line, and clears his throat.

"Dear Santa," he reads aloud.

Jack pivots on his heel, eyes fuming. "Hey!"

Bunnymund must leap another foot back as Jack makes a snatch for the letter. He holds it out of reach and continues reading. "Salutations! I am Thor, Prince of Asgard. I have recently heard of the celebration called "Christmas", and I am enthralled by the concept. I hope—"

Jack literally lunges for Bunnymund, and the Pooka sidesteps, trying to dodge Jack while keeping a steady eye on the letter. "—I hope the preparations of the tree are to your liking…" Jack regains his footing and jumps again, and Bunnymund only saves himself by ducking behind North. "…and that you feel welcome in our Midgardian abode."

"Bunny I swear—" Jack threatens, shuffling around North to reach Bunnymund. Bunny, in response, takes off, dashing in circles around the group. Jack is hot on his heels.

"I beg pardon for my forwardness in penning this letter." Bunnymund continues, his voice brimming with amusement as he tries to recite the words in a dramatic, Shakespearean tone. "I have heard of your generosity and your skill and hoped, though you do not meddle in adult affairs, that you might—"

Jack somehow gets around the others and cuts Bunny off, lunging straight for the letter. It seems for a second like the letter is in his grasp, but suddenly—Bunny drops.

Jack stumbles and skids, and whips around to look at the spot where Bunnymund was just standing. He's opened one of his rabbit holes, the tunnel yawning in the floor, a deft escape.

"—that you might pass this message on." Bunnymund's voice sounds from behind them. Bunny is clear across the room, lounging on one of North's sitting chairs.

Jack gives a frustrated growl and dashes forward, and Bunny wastes no time in leaping up again, weaving to and fro in their game of tag. "It has come to my attention," he reads, "That the legendary Jokul Frosti participates in your Christmas ritual…"

As a desperate act, Jack freezes the floor in front of Bunny. It almost takes Bunnymund in surprise, and he slips, but regains balance and uses his momentum to slingshot around North, abruptly changing direction onto dryer ground. It's Jack who doesn't react fast enough, skidding headfirst into a wall.

Bunny, smug, pulls up the letter again. "I have great desire to contact him," he reads as Jack staggers to his feet. "We wish to hold audience with him, to request his… wise council…"

It's the words on the page that make Bunnymund slow and stop. "Did—did I read that right?" he asks aloud, squinting at the paper.

Jack makes a frantic grab for the paper, but Bunnymund just pushes him away, frowning at the text. The kids murmur too, and Sandy casts a worried glance at North, who just shrugs.

Slowly, Bunnymund starts again, dropping the overdramatic voice in favor of clarity. "We wish to hold audience with him, to request his—wise council…" With a blink, Bunnymund reads, "…and to hopefully receive… his divine… blessing?"

Jack freezes in place, petrified, and everyone blinks in bewilderment at Bunny's words.

"…That this message reaches him is of the utmost importance. Please send my request, and my tributes…" Bunnymund's voice rises in disbelief, "…to Jokul Frosti—the eternal God of Winter?! Jack, what is this?" Bunny asks turning to face the winter spirit.

"I can explain!" Jack blurts without a second thought.

Everyone stops, staring in silence for a long, long moment. Jack fumbles, mouth opening and closing, at a loss for words.

Carefully, Bunnymund peers down at the letter, frowning. "Jack, is this—some kind of joke, or something?" he asks.

Jack looks at him for a long moment. "…Yyyyyyes," he says slowly, in such a way that Bunny instantly knows he's lying.

It's the kids who break out of their stupor first. "Woah! Jack, you're a god?" Jamie asks, hanging off his arm.

Jack blinks down at his favorite believer for a moment, his face unreadable. Then, like tinder catching fire, his face lights up all at once. "Why, yes! Of course I'm a god!" he announces extravagantly, sweeping his arms wide, and all the children gasp in awe. "I hail from the old Pagan order, and was once worshipped by thousands in the days of yore…"

Bunnymund's voice is flat. "Jack, you're from a Puritan community in 1700s America."

"Bah, details." Jack waves him off. Resuming his regal pose, Jack points. "But now that you are aware of my heritage, I must resume my rightful throne as the God of Winter. And my first decree shall be—"

Jack uses his staff as a scepter, pointing up the winding staircase. "Cookies!"

The guardians collectively facepalm, and the children cheer.

"Now, off, to the kitchens, I say! Our quest for treats begins!" Jack announces, leading the way. The children follow, racing after him in a game of play and make believe.

—Leaving the Guardians behind, standing in the center of the workshop, staring in disbelief. It's an extravagant distraction Jack just pulled off, but it only serves to confirm what Bunnymund suspects: Jack knew exactly what was in that letter, which is why he was so determined to stop Bunny from reading it aloud.

Jack knows far more than he's letting on. And all Bunnymund can think as he looks down at the letter in his hands is,

"...What has Jack gotten himself into this time?"

A/N: There we go, fourth chapter complete. I think we'll be getting back to the Avengers in the next chapter. We've been missing them lately, huh? It should be fun to write. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, by the way, and that it surprised you somewhat. Don't worry, we'll be getting back to Thor's letter, and the Guardians reactions, soon enough.

I know it's a bit hard to read it Thor's message in the chapter, since Bunny's busy teasing Jack with it. So, below I have included, for your easy reading pleasure, Thor's letter, unedited and in full. Thanks for reading! Hope to see you soon.

Dear Santa,

Salutations! I am Thor, Prince of Asgard. I have recently heard of the celebration called Christmas, and I am enthralled by the concept. I hope the preparations of the tree are to your liking, and that you feel welcome in our Midgardian abode.

I beg pardon for my forwardness in penning this letter. I have heard of your generosity and your skill and hoped, though you do not meddle in adult affairs, that you might pass this message on.

It has come to my attention that the legendary Jokul Frosti participates in your Christmas ritual. I have great desire to contact him. We wish to hold audience with him, to request his wise council, and to hopefully receive his divine blessing.

That this message reaches him is of the utmost importance. Please send my request, and my tributes, to Jokul Frosti, the eternal God of Winter.

May you be blessed with a Christmas most Merry.

Regards, from the Prince of Asgard, Wielder of Mjolnir, Midgardian Avenger,

Thor Odinson.