A/N

Hey everyone! Sorry for the long wait but I'm back and you all just enjoy~

The Warren

How many times could a heart break before it stopped working completely?

Entering the globe room, Bunny saw the little golden lights fading out; handfuls of them every second. Looking at Tooth and North, he could see the dread overtaking them. He could feel the hopelessness engulfing them.

Glancing at Jack…well, the child had no hope in him to begin with, but he could see shame in his features. Bunny wished he could stop that pointless emotion. Jack had no reason to be ashamed.

"Hey, buck up ya sad sacks." Bunny said, moving in front of the group. He had adopted an optimistic tone. He was doing his job; bringing hope where it was most needed. "We can still turn this around! Easter is tomorrow, and I need your help! I say we pull out all the stop and get those little lights flickering again!"

Tooth and North knew what Bunny was doing. They knew he was trying to give them hope again, and they had to admit…his optimism was contagious. Bunny was always hopeful. No matter how grouchy he came off or how dire the situation, Bunny always had hope to spare.

Tooth and North could feel their own hope growing again. Easter is about hope. They, and the children, could really use that right about now.

"Jack." Bunny said, directing his attention to the meek winter spirit. The kid's eyes were averted and his hands gripped his staff in a deadly vice. "Will you help us?"

It was such a simple question, really…but Jack looked up at Bunny with so much shock and awe that one would've thought Bunny had told him the secrets of the universe. Then again, Bunny doubted Jack had ever been given the option to choose what he wanted to do. For several long moments, Jack just stared at Bunny as he seemed to contemplate the question deeply.

Finally, as the air seemed to shift, the shock faded from Jack's eyes, and he nodded slowly, agreeing to help. Bunny nodded shortly as well, and gave the kid small smile. As one, they all made their way to the lift, crowding themselves into the small space and waiting in patient silence for it reach the next floor.

Coming to one of the busier sections of the workshop, North stepped out of the elevator first and silently gestured for some of the yetis to come closer.

"Bunny is right!" North said. "As much as it pains me to say, old friend, this time Easter is more important than Christmas."

Bunny's jaw fell in shock. "Hey! Did everyone hear that?!" He said, turning to Tooth and Jack for confirmation that his ears weren't lying to him. Tooth covered her mouth in a small giggle, and Jack just looked confused; he hadn't been around to know about North and Bunny's long time banter.

"We must hurry to the Warren!" North went on as if nothing had happened. "Everyone, to the sleigh!"

"Oh no, mate." Bunny said, rounding the big man and stopping him in his tracks. "My Warren, my rules. Buckle up." And with that, Bunny raised his foot, and tapped it swiftly against the floor.

"Shostakovich!" North just managed to yell out before gravity took its toll.

Bunny traversed his tunnels expertly, hopping and sprinting where he needed to. Looking behind him, North, Tooth, and several elves and yetis were simply tumbling and sliding with joyous shouts. Jack, to Bunny's shock, was navigating the tunnels as easily as he was! He was skating on the walls, keeping his feet on the slick and mossy paths. He wasn't shouting in joy, but Bunny was pleased to see a tiny, whisper of a smile show itself on the corner of Jack's mouth.

Soon, they all tumbled out on the grassy grounds of Bunny's Warren. Bunny and Jack landed easily on their feet, while the rest ended up in a messy heap.

North sat up abruptly and giggled to himself. "Buckle up. Is very funny."

Bunny smiled, and then stepped back, gesturing to the open fields. "Welcome to the Warren." North and Tooth just seemed to smile and take a deep breath at that. Jack, however, stared openly at his surroundings with wide eyes.

Jack had never seen something so colorful and bright in his life. For so many years he had lived in the shadows, becoming accustomed to the suffocating darkness. Tooth's palace had been a lot to take in with its glistening, beautiful architecture, but it had soon turned gray and gloomy without the mini fairies collecting the teeth and nurturing the children's belief. Bunny's Warren was something entirely different. Even when he had been a free spirit centuries ago, he had never seen all the green and life that Spring had to offer. He had stayed clear of Spring, and its spirits, who had made it very plain that they did not want him around. They had never really hurt him, but they were concerned for their season, and Jack supposed he'd understood. Spring is life, unlike the deadly Winter he harbingered.

"Ya alright mate?"

Jack blinked, tightening his grip on his staff and pulling it closer to his chest. It was Bunny who had asked, and Jack didn't really know if he had a response to the question. However, he didn't have to attempt to answer as he saw Bunny's ears straighten and his nose twitch.

"Somethings up." Bunny said, moving closer to one tunnel in particular that lead to another section of the Warren. As they watched, a horde of unpainted Easter eggs came running out from the tunnel and a high pitched screaming met their ears. Instantly, they had each taken a battle stance, including the yetis, elves, and the Easter Sentinel's that turned their heads around to reveal a fearsome frown.

As the screaming got closer, they all let out their own battle cries as they began their charge, ready to face whatever threat had invaded the Spring utopia. But, they were all stunned into silence and immobility as they saw it was a...little girl?

"Sophie?" Tooth, North, and Bunny all said at the same time. They all appeared confused, but they quickly regained their composure, dropping their battle stances and smiling at the girl. She quickly lost interest in them though, and began chasing after one of the bewildered elves.

Jack looked at all of them, hoping one of them would explain, but they seemed to be lost in their own confusion and questions.

"What is she doing here?" Bunny asked, more out of shock it seemed than an actual search for an answer.

North began patting himself down. "Uhh…snow globe."

"Crikey, somebody do something!" Bunny exclaimed, urging his Easter eggs behind him and away from the hyper child.

Jack shrunk away. He had not played with children in many years as Pitch would not allow him to get too close to the mortals on the few occasion he took him out of the lair to spread winter.

…but he didn't recall it being very difficult.

"Elf, elf!" Sophie shouted gleefully, and Jack couldn't help the fond feeling growing in his chest. Children were so pure and innocent. Untainted by the darkness the world holds, and not yet subjected to the harsh realities life has in store. They were simple, and it was simple things that pleased them, and it was this simplicity that warmed Jack's heart.

"Don't worry Bunny." Tooth said, flying forward and trying to calm the situation. "I bet she's a fairy fan! It's okay little one." The last part was directed at Sophie as the little girl gasped upon seeing the Tooth Fairy.

"Pretty!" Sophie exclaimed.

Toothed cooed at the sweet remark and excitement took over her features. "Oh! You know what? I've got something for you! Here it is!" She said, displaying teeth she had kept stored somewhere in her feathers. "Look at all the pretty teeth! With the little blood and gum on them!"

The world stilled for a moment, and then…Sophie was running away, screaming and sobbing.

Tooth looked horrified and also like she didn't understand what she had done wrong.

Jack scrunched his face in disgust. Blood and gums?! It had been a long time since Jack had hung out with kids, but blood and gums where definitely not something a little girl would find as an appropriate gift. Quickly, and without even really realizing what he was doing, Jack summoned several large snowflakes, and sent them flying around Sophie's head. Immediately, as is the way of a child's short attention span, Sophie perked up and began chasing the flakes as Wind kept them just out of her reach.

Jack hummed in a way that could almost be considered a chuckle as he watched the little girl play with his snowflakes.

"Mate, that was amazing."

Jack scrunched in on himself as he realized Bunny had spoken from right next to him.

"Sorry!" Bunny said. "I didn't mean to scare ya."

Jack only nodded, accepting the apology as just. He went back to watching Sophie play, and saw Wind had let her catch one of the snowflakes. The little girl stared at the fragile ice as it melted away in the palm of her hand. She seemed to grow sad for a moment, but Wind quickly regained her attention with the snowflakes that were left and needed capturing.

A tiny smile pulled at Jack's mouth. "I…" He began, looking to Bunny to make sure it was okay for him to go on. After receiving a nod, Jack continued. "I figured I couldn't let one little kid ruin Easter."

A beat went by. Then, Bunny was laughing, and so were Tooth and North.

"I guess we are a little out of touch." Tooth said, rubbing her arm self-consciously.

"We are very busy bringing joy to children!" North exclaimed defensively. "We don't have time…for children…"

The absurdity of that comment, actually made Jack smile. Looking back over to Sophie, he could tell she was losing interest with the snowflakes.

"Bunny?"

"Yeah Jack?"

"Ummm." Jack started, fiddling with his staff and lowered his gaze. It wasn't his place to make suggestions and he shouldn't have even spoken without being asked to. But…the Guardians weren't being hostile. In fact, they were quite kind. He swallowed briefly, then continued. "You should ask her if she wants to paint some eggs."

"Alright."

And that was it. Bunny did. He…did as Jack suggested. It was simple and easy, and not at all what it was like when talking to Pitch.

After a brief exchange, Bunny took Sophie's hand as she bounced excitedly up and down, and began to lead her and the rest into the center of the Warren. Out of every nook and cranny, it seemed, undecorated eggs began to gather. Jack caught his breath at the sight of them all.

"Rimsky-Korsakov! That's a lot of eggs!"

As the eggs began to swarm all around them, Jack balanced his staff and sat perched on top of it in an attempt to stay out of the way and avoid crushing any of them.

Making their way by, the little eggs seemed to know where they needed to go. They divided themselves and Jack watched as the plants themselves came to life and began helping with the daunting tasks. Tulips began to spray paint, vines started leaving designs, and many of the eggs jumped into a river that looked dyed.

"All right, troops, it's time to push back!" Bunny began speaking, seeming to talk to the eggs more than anything else. "That means eggs everywhere! Heaps of you in every high rise, farm house, and trailer park! In tennis shoes and cereal bowls! Oh, there'll be bathtubs filled with my beautiful googies!"

Everyone seemed to have found a place. Elves were pushing eggs into the river, and one in particular seems to have fallen into it himself. Tooth was helping the ones that needed it to get through the vines. Norths seemed to mostly be trying to stay out of the way, and watching Sophie as she was carried on top of a horde of eggs. Yetis were even hand painting some of the eggs…although they looked a little too Christmassy.

"They'll be Springtime! On every continent! And I'm bringing Hope with me!

Bunny hopped through the eggs and helpers, supervising every ongoing task and correcting any mistakes, such as the bright red stack of eggs one of the yetis had painted. The poor creature didn't seem all that thrilled when he was told he had to paint them again.

"Jack!"

Jack looked over to where Tooth was waving at him, looking to try and catch his attention.

"Jack!" She shouted again. "Come over here!"

Jack did as she asked and nimbly avoided stepping on any eggs as he went.

"Here. You can help the little eggs stand back up after the vines drop them." Tooth explained, pointing to some of the eggs who seemed to be having trouble regaining their footing. Jack crouched down, and started setting them right again, and he did that for every egg that lost its balance. For a while the two worked in silence, until:

"Jack, I really wanted to thank you."

Jack shyly looked over to her, not comprehending the remark. "What do you mean?" He asked.

"You saved my fairy." Tooth said, pointing off in the distance to where the mini fairy was directing a group of eggs through the painting tulips.

"Oh." Was all he could manage. He hadn't even noticed the little fairy until now, and seeing her brought back images of all the events that had taken place at the Tooth Palace. The Nightmares capturing the thousands of fairies that still hung in Pitch's lair. She shadows swallowing the tooth canisters. The crumbling architecture. He felt awful for it all. "I'm sorry."

Tooth's eyes narrowed in confusion. "For what sweetie?"

Jack blinked and hesitated, unsure of how to explain, but he had to. He had to apologize. "For your fairies. And the teeth. They're…they're gone, and I'm sorry."

Tooth's eyes softened. "Oh sweetie, that's not your fault. Pitch did all of that."

"Yeah, but I helped." And he had. In an indirect way, at least. He hadn't done anything to stop his master.

"Maybe…but you did some good in the end." She locked eyes with him. "By saving one of my fairies and returning her…well, you gave me a little hope. And at a time when I really needed it." She smiled softly, gratefulness shining in her eyes. "The mini fairies are my family. I thought I had lost all of them…but I hadn't. Thanks to you."

Jack could only stare at her in amazement. He hadn't realized what his actions had meant to her. Then, unexpectedly, the mini fairy he had saved was hugging is cheek.

"Oh!" Jack exclaimed, offering up the palm of his hand for the fairy to sit on. "Hey little…uh…Baby Tooth?" He hesitated, but the mini fairy only nodded, pleased with the nickname. "Are you okay?" This time, the fairy nodded and chirped much more excitedly, jumping off of Jack's hand and flying around him out of pure joy.

"I think that's a yes." Tooth laughed. "With a thanks to you."

Jack blinked, dumbfounded as Baby Tooth took purchase on his shoulder. He offered her a forced, tight lipped smile. One question was still bothering him.

"Uh, Tooth?"

"Yes" She said, looking up from her task of detangling an egg from one of the vines.

"Why did Pitch want the teeth?"

Tooth looked up sadly. "It's not the teeth he wanted Jack. It's the memories inside of them." At Jack's confused look, she went on to explain. "It's why we collected the teeth, Jack. They hold the most important memories of childhood. And when someone needs to remember what's important, we help them." Her eyes looked far away, a sort of forlorn happiness that comes when one reflects on something they have lost. "We had everyone. Yours too."

Jack's head shot up at that, his eyes becoming round disk. "My…My memories?"

Tooth looked at him. "From before were Jack Frost."

She said this as if it was something so obvious, but Jack was feeling his hammering heart beat against his rib cage. Quietly, he said: "But…I wasn't anyone before I was Jack Frost."

Tooth shook her head. "Of course you were. We were all someone before we were chosen."

Jack only continued to stare, trying to absorb all of this knowledge laid out before him as if it were casual conversation. No. He hadn't…He didn't remember…

"I-I had a…family?"

Tooth narrowed her eyes, studying him closely. "You really don't remember?"

Jack shook his head, devastated at his own cluelessness, and worried that he had disappointed her in some way.

A few moments of silence passed as Jack allowed his overwhelmed mind to file away this new knowledge. He had been someone. Someone with a life, and a family.

"We'll get them, Jack." Tooth said, a determined tone to her voice. "Your memories."

Jack looked at her, expertly reading her body language and eyes. Searching for any signs of dishonesty…but there were none. She was being honest, and he could find no reason to distrust her word.

He blinked and lowered his gaze, breaking the intense eye contact, and managing to nod. He hoped it showed how truly grateful he was.

"Mates!"

Jack and Tooth looked up to see Bunny and North standing on a hill. Bunny held Sophie in his arms, and Jack could see how tired the little girl was, even from the distance he was at.

"Come on!" Bunny shouted. "We gotta round up the troops!"

With that, the pair rose, heading towards two holiday characters.

But as they walked, Jack was so distracted by the news he had learned that he didn't pay mind to the large shadows he had been avoiding. He had known Pitch would've put out an alert to as many shadows as he could about Jack's escape. The smaller shadows couldn't do anything but to spread the word, but large shadows…shadows large enough to engulf him? They could drag him back to the realm of the Nightmare King.

As Jack walked, he stepped into the shadows of some of the nearby underbrush. He hadn't even realized the shadow had gained a grip on him until he tried to step again and couldn't move. He let out a startled yelp as the shadow snatched his staff from his grip, loosened from fear.

"Jack!"

He looked up and saw that Tooth had made it halfway up the hill before noticing he was no longer at her side. Her panicked shriek alerted Bunny and North, who turned their gazes sharply to him.

Quickly, the shadow bound him from head to toe, and the last thing he saw was the fruitless attempts of the Guardian's rushing towards him as the darkness dragged him away.

A/N

Alrighty! Well, that's quite a cliff hanger if I do say so myself XD

Thank you all for your continued support and enthusiasm for this story. Updates may become a little less frequent because of school and college and all of that. Just wanted you to be aware, cause it got so busy these past couple of weeks that I realized it's going to be hard to keep the once a week schedule I had been maintaining. I'll update as frequently as possible! Promise! This story still has quite a ways to go! I hope to be able to manage at least every other week! :) But anyway, thank you for the support and love, and I will see you soon!