It had been a few months since the end of the war and things were getting better. Jack was back in Burgess for the winter and practice got underway.

I was actually planning on getting him a Christmas present this year, as we'd met too late to exchange presents last time, so now would have to do.

However, I was having trouble. What do you get a teenager who'd lived for 300 years?

We were done practicing for the night and were just sitting in the trees. I was trying to work out how to subtly ask him what he's like for Christmas, but he was also being quiet, which had me worried.

"Are you okay? You're being really quiet." I asked him, which caused him to start in surprise.

"Huh? Oh, I'm fine."

"Just distracted?"

"Hmmm." He was staring back into space.

"Uh oh, that can only mean you're planning something. I thought you'd already frozen something in the Warren?"

A grin formed across Jack's face as he swung his legs from the branch, his staff across his lap.

"Ah, Kangaroo's face was hilarious!"

I chuckled and leaned back, looking at the half moon hanging in the sky above us.

"Are you doing anything for Christmas?" I asked.

"Dunno. North might put on a party like he did last year."

"Sounds good."

"Yeah, it was. What about you?"

"Probably the usual. Spend the day with my parents and spend the next few days visiting aunts and uncles. Although this year I do have a lot more people to get presents for."

"Seriously?"

"Well, yeah. I've only have to get stuff for my parents, now I've suddenly been given more friends than I know what to do with!"

Jack let out a chuckle. "Yeah, I know the feeling."

Another pause.

"Got anything good last year?" I asked, hoping to get ideas for his present.

"Better than the past few years. I hold the record on the naughty list."

I had to laugh. "What did you do to earn that?!"

"A few pranks, the odd intrusion on someone else's holiday..."

"I bet Bunnymund loved that."

"It's not just Bunny!" He protested, then admitted. "But it was him mainly."

"Was there any reason, or do you just enjoy messing with him?"

"Ah, Easter Kangaroo's easy to wind up."

There was another companionable pause, then Jack stood up on his part of the branch.

"I'd better go. Job to do, you know."

"I know. See you tomorrow."

With a grin Jack jumped into the air was caught by the wind, which carried him high into the sky. I watched him careen over the clouds as he whooped.

I sat there for a while longer, looking at the moon.

"Any idea what to get him?" I asked out loud, still gazing at the moon. I didn't get a response, but I wasn't expecting one.

I jumped down from the tree and collected my jacket from a lower hanging branch, putting on as I walked home. It was starting to get a little small for me, I'd had for a couple of years, but I'd thought I'd stopped growing by now. Looks like that wasn't the case.

My mind wandered as I walked back, the various noises of the woods fading into the background as I crunched through the snow.

My main concern was still on Jack's present, what on earth to get him? Clothes wouldn't work, and I doubted that he'd appreciate any kind of jewellery no matter how heartfelt. I knew that he saw Burgess as his home, but I had no idea where he actually lived, did he have a den someone? Did he have anywhere to put little knick knacks?

Since I didn't have the answer my present would have to be small, something that could be easily carried around if necessary. However not so small that it would get lost easily.

There was a blur of red in my vision and I was jolted from my thoughts. I turned my head to look to see a red and white tail disappear into the undergrowth; just a fox.

A fox huh?

An idea formed in my mind and a smile spread across my face. That was it!

It took a while for it to be ready. I kept on restarting because I wasn't happy with it.

It was an interesting project on its own, and it was helping with my own control, but I didn't really have the time to take my time with it.

Christmas Eve came and I was out by the lake again, my present stowed safely in a nearby tree. I had my hands in my pockets in my jeans and was kicking at the ice with nervous energy. I'd never done this before.

Jack came in for a landing and we got down to practicing as always, but I think we were both a little distracted tonight.

"Are you alright?" I ended up asking as Jack didn't seem to notice as I pulled off the technique perfectly. "You've been distracted since you got here."

Jack rubbed the back of his neck. "Well um."

He jumped up into a nearby tree, reached inside the trunk and pulled out a brightly wrapped package.

"I didn't get you anything for your birthday, so I thought..." He trailed off, holding the package out towards me.

I was left speechless, my mouth was moving, but nothing was coming out.

"I, um, thank you. Don't worry about my birthday, it's in summer after all." I said a little awkwardly as I took the present. It felt soft and a little squashy.

"I, um, I've got something for you as well."

Jack's eyebrows knitted together and his mouth formed an 'O'. He had been expecting this about as much as I had.

I carefully put Jack's present down and went up into the tree where I'd put mine.

"It isn't wrapped, but..."

My fingers wrapped around the ice figure and pulled it out of the hole in the trunk. It was small enough to fit into my fist.

I jumped down and went back over to Jack, picking up his present to me.

I held out my hand and uncurled my fist. Revealing the small ice figure of a fox.

"Merry Christmas."

Jack picked it up and spun it carefully in his hands, looking at it from every angle as a smile grew on his face.

"Wow, I, um. Thanks."

I poked at the ground with my foot and nervously shoved my glasses up my nose. "I wasn't really sure about what to get you, so, um..." Tonight was the night when neither of us knew what to say, clearly.

"No, it's really good. I like it." He said, carefully tucking the fox into his hoodie pocket.

"Thanks."

I looked down at the present in my hand. "Do you want me to open this now, or do you want me to wait until tomorrow?"

"You can open it now if you want."

I carefully pulled apart the sellotape holding the paper together. It wasn't the neatest wrapping I'd ever seen, but I doubted that Jack had had that much practice.

My eyebrows scrunched together as something pale blue came into view. What on earth...?

The last of the wrapping paper fell away and a small smile appeared on my face. It was a hoodie, a similar style to Jack's and pale blue.

"Soooo...?" Jack was rocking back and forth on his heels with nervous energy.

"It's great." I said, my smile widening. I stuffed the wrapping paper in my jeans back pocket and pulled the hoodie over my head. It was a little big, but given how my coat was starting to get small I imagined that I'd grow into this.

"I noticed that your coat was getting a bit small, I asked North to help me out with it. Apparently it won't rip."

"I'd rather not put that to the test." I said, shaking back the slightly too long sleeves. "Thanks. Really, thanks."

"Well, like I said, I felt bad about not getting you anything for your birthday."

"My birthday is on the summer solstice, I don't blame you for not being there. I certainly wasn't in the mood to celebrate."

"Really?"

"I never am, it's always too hot."

I put my hands in my new pocket, feeling the not too thick fabric. North had certainly known what he was doing when he made this, he knew I wouldn't need much in the way of cold protection.

"So, is North throwing a party this year?" I asked, remembering the last time we'd talked about Christmas.

"Yeah, dunno know how many's gonna be there." Jack put his hands in his own pocket.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw something golden and shining. Looking up I could see Sandman's sand streams above my head.

"Looks like that's my cue to go home."

"Yeah, enjoy tomorrow."

"You enjoy that party."

Jack grinned and took off, neither of us really up for something like a hug. This evening had been equally awkward and heart warming enough. A hug might have brought that up to unbearable levels.

I retrieved my coat and tied the arms around my waist as fat flakes of snow fell from the sky.

I grinned and held out my hand, adding a few snowflakes to the mix around me.

I formed a small ball of snow and threw high into the air, where I flared my fingers and caused it to split. My own snowflakes began falling from the sky, but didn't last that long. That still needed work.

I went to bed with a grin on my face, my new hoodie hanging on the back of my door. This was going to be a good year, I could feel it.

A bit of a fluff chapter time, I've still got a few to get through. On a side note, this one is important to the next arc, as it basically explains why Jackie suddenly has a hoodie.