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North gently wrapped his coat around Jack's still figure. The snow globe was glinting in front of him, mocking and jeering.
"Jack…I'm so sorry." The guardian whispered, slouching. He brushed some white strands away from the spirit's face. "I'm sorry that you had to live so long alone…and so shortly with us." Another tear slid out of North's eye and dropped onto the stone beneath him, followed by others.
"You did really well, my boy." North carried on, keeping his gaze fixed on Jack's face. "You managed to defeat Pitch and free all of us! You were so brave…you made me proud. And I'm sorry I never got to say that to you." The older guardian sniffed loudly and wiped more tears from his eyes. He didn't want to go back to the Pole yet. He didn't want to see more grief from his comrades, and he didn't want to bury Jack just yet. He still had things to say.
"Thank you for making me smile." North continued, holding the spirit closer. "You always somehow managed to do that, didn't you? I can't thank you enough for bringing us all together. All of us guardians barely spoke to each other before you came, Jack. Did you know that? You gave us a reason to stay in contact." Jack didn't answer, but stayed still and lifeless in North's arms.
"Thank you." The Cossack wrapped the coat closer on the spirit. "For everything."
Silence filled the cave as the guardian quietly grieved for the younger. The snow globe caught his eye again, but he ignored it.
He thought back to when times had been good – before the battle with Pitch. It was true what he said; Jack had somehow, amazingly, brung the guardians together.
At first it was just visits. Seeing as Jack didn't actually have a home, North had quickly made a room for the spirit, decorated with snowflakes and ice. Jack loved it, and liked to sleep there every night if he could.
Sandy had been the second one to visit. He had wanted to know how North was doing when he saw the spirit in the hallway, chasing some elves that had stolen his cookies. They talked for a while, and from that day on Sandy liked to make time to visit at the Pole.
Bunny and Tooth came soon after with the same goals that the sandman had – loosing almost all of their believers was a huge blow, and they wanted to see if the Cossack had recovered. Jack worked his usual magic, and a few days later North was surprised to see Bunny running around the Pole, got on Jack's heels with frost all over his fur.
Jack didn't even realise what he was doing, which amused North. Jack was just being himself.
But now Jack was gone. No more laughter would echo down the halls of the Pole. No more times where Jack would watch North create toys. No more annoying, lovable winter spirit.
North didn't realise how long he had been sitting beside Jack, lost in grief, until the silver rays of moonlight leaked into the cave. They briefly flicked across Jack's still face before resting on the snow globe. North had a sudden urge to throw the ornament hard against a wall, but was stopped by a faint voice.
Hopefully, the Cossack's eyes flicked down to the spirit in his arms, that hope dropped when he could tell that Jack was definitely dead, chest still and unmoving.
The voice spoke again, and this time North heard and recognised it immediately.
"Nicholas."
"Man in Moon." North muttered. The moon hadn't spoken to him in years – probably decades – and the Cossack closed his eyes, wrapping the spirit closer.
"Nicholas please don't shut me out."
"You let this happen, Moon." North whispered, feeling another tear escape from his closed eyelid. "You let this happen."
"I am sorry about Jack's death. However, I cannot change the present. I could not change what was going to happen. Jack said to me that he was willing to give his life for another's freedom…and he did."
"Please, just leave me be." North sighed. "I know that you are not to blame, Moon, but right now I would like to be alone." He apologised, keeping his eyes on Jack. The moon's rays shone on the spirit's face once more, before moving back to the snow globe.
"Only a worthy guardian would give up his life for another, and Jack had done that. He is still worthy of his guardian title."
The snow globe suddenly began to glow a bright blue; North opened his eyes and saw that it also was patterned in white frost.
"Nicholas, are you willing to trust me once more?" The Moon asked, growing louder in volume. North hugged Jack against himself and stood up carefully, still keeping is gaze on the snow globe.
"What are you planning, old friend?" The guardian asked, walking closer to the small ornament.
"Jack is still worthy of his guardian title. He had died so another could live – the greatest sacrifice. And so I am giving him back his title, Nicholas, and you must trust me. There are only a few hours until dawn."
"I have always trusted you, Moon – you know that. What is it you want me to do?" North asked, pulling the coat tighter into Jack.
"For now? Smash the snow globe and walk through the portal." The Moon ordered; North nodded, moving the spirit so he was cradled in one arm. The guardian studied the globe for a few seconds before shattering it onto the ground. He then stepped through the portal.
—
The colours stopped swirling around him, and North found himself standing beside a lake that was covered in ice. In the centre of the lake, strangely, there was a hole as if someone had fallen in.
North held Jack tighter again and began to walk forwards. The moonlight was shining on the lake, giving it an eerie glow. The setting around him was familiar, and the guardian suddenly realised where he was.
Jack had only shown him this place once when he had asked where the spirit lived. Jack, unable to think of anywhere else, brought him here. Later, North asked the yeti to create a room for the spirit so he would never have to sleep outside again.
It was Lake Burgess, and for reasons Jack didn't even know it was where the spirit spent most of his time before he met the guardians, freezing the lake and frosting the trees.
"This is where I first made Jack into a spirit, over three hundred years ago." The Moon's voice echoed in his head, "This is where Jack Frost became Jack Frost."
North walked closer to the lake, letting his boots scuff against the light later of snow on the ground.
"What do you want me to to, old friend?" The guardian asked, stopping at the lake's edge.
"Place Jack into the lake with his staff." The Moon ordered. North, having the sense not to argue, slowly walked across the ice, towards the small hole in the centre.
"This will…help him?" North asked the moon, feeling hope leap in his chest. The moon didn't answer, so the Cossack gently lay Jack down into the water.
"Good luck, Jack." He whispered before taking a few steps backwards, watching as Jack disappeared from view, under the water and ice.
"A guardian can die, Nicholas."
A sudden, bright light burst from under the ice, making North stumble backwards a few steps.
"Everyone dies eventually."
The hole in the ice sealed itself with a weak layer of frost. North watched, fascinated.
"But if a guardian gives their life for another…then they have proven their guardianship, and deserve to live and protect others once more."
The ice cracked. North held his breath.
Slowly, Jack rose out of the pond, staff held in one hand. He no longer had the armour on, but instead was wearing a new, blue hoodie that was covered in frost. His hair was now its previous length it had been and he had his brown trousers on – they also were coated in frost.
Jack opened his eyes suddenly and gasped, now floating upright. North heard the Moon chuckle in his head.
"Once a guardian, always a guardian."
Jack landed on the ice, freezing it with his feet and looked around. North felt the strongest burst of joy he had ever experienced explode through him, and before he knew it he was walking towards the spirit.
Jack turned around and saw the older guardian; immediately his face broke into a grin.
"North!"
North felt his heart burst with pure happiness and he pulled the spirit into a tight hug. Jack returned it just as tightly, muttering:
"I missed you."
…
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