Here's the next chapter!

Me: What the heck Pitch?!

Pitch: What?

Me: Oh I think you know. 1) What the heck is with the dreams lately! This one had me doing through a destroyed town and finding a crashed plane! Then when I entered the plane it was fixed and I went over to the window and a shadowy creature was staring at me before it vanished and dark clouds took over my vision and everything once again turned dark. Then I was is a maze with pictures of wolves eating children! And I finally came into a room were three unknown people stood talking about killing people!

Pitch: And you think I gave you that?

Me: Yes? No? I don't know!

Pitch: *rolls eyes* and what are the other things?

Me: *huff* The other thing is that I got a lot of reviews. I love that! I really do! But dangit Pitch you were mentioned in like three of them!

Pitch: So?

Me: Well heres what was said. One person, TugLover98, asked why aren't you frozen solid?

Pitch: Should I be? I was earlier in this story but *grins* You can't kill fear.

Me: *glares* shut up. Anywho the other two people, Moira Colleen and crazylilgrace, said you had a point in the last chapter.

Pitch: Well I did. I mean that town was just...really, no one noticed the fire? And idiotic town I tell you.

Me: Well anyway Moira Colleen gave the wonderful Idea of the Guardians confronting Jack about his compromise from the last chapter!

So onto the chapter!

Watching Jack's form disappear, it finally dawned on the Guardians what their youngest had said.

"The other seasons aren't big fans of winter. But I won't allow them to mess with my season. In a compromise I let them attack me. As long as they don't mess with the season of winter in general, they are free to do as they wish with me, I can take the pain."

Has Jack really been putting himself through pain? Why?! It wasn't necessary. From the looks of things Jack could easily scare other spirits enough to remind them not to mess with winter and defend himself in a fight, so why didn't he?

They all glanced at each other before silently deciding they were going to confront Jack about this. They then left to the Pole in hopes of catching Jack before he could shake this off.

When they appeared in the Pole, North asked one of the Yetis if they had seen Jack come back. Nodding a yes, the Yeti pointed in the direction of Jack's room while grumbling his yeti sounds. North thanked him and the Guardians all headed in the direction of Jack's room before coming to stop outside the door. The hesitated for a moment before North knocked on the door.

There was no response.

Glancing at each other North knocked once more. When there wasn't an answer they figured Jack was asleep, when suddenly a quiet "come in" came from the other side of the door. They opened the door and found Jack sitting on a window sill drawing pictures on the window.

"Is there a reason I can't get any sleep around here?" Jack asked with a smile.

"Jack-" Tooth began.

"Listen I don't want to talk about it." Jack cut off. He could guess what questions they were going to ask and he didn't want to answer them, but he also knew they wouldn't give up until they had answers.

"No Jack," North said. "We have to talk about this, about what you said. Jack why would you let them hurt you when you could easily defend yourself and keep them away?"

"You think I want them fearful of me?" Jack asked eyebrows furrowing. "Well I don't. I don't enjoy fearful glances towards me. I don't take pleasure in hurting others so they fear me, I don't have a sadistic smile when I freeze them. I'm not like…" Jack trailed off before taking a deep breath and continuing. "…No I only punish them when they deserve it, and even then I'm not smiling like a crazed person. No I take it seriously because I know they deserve it."

"Yes but, Frostbite that doesn't explain why you let them beat you up." Bunny said. "I mean you could have just defended yourself instead of scaring them, so why let them hurt you?"

Jack gave a soft smile. "Because pain is better than nothing."

"What?"

"Sweet Tooth what do you mean by that?"

Jack just kept on his sad smile. "I mean exactly that. The pain was better than feeling nothing at all. It was something that reminded me during those three-hundred years that I was real and seen by some, even if it just meant pain. That's why I let them attack me. It's not really having to do with letting them get anger out on winter but more of that a reminder that I'm real."

The others went quiet at this, hearts drowning in the guilt that Jack resorted to pain once more for a reminder he was real. No matter how many years he had spent with the Guardians now, It would still be a while before the 300 years that shaped his life were forgotten.

It was Sandy who came out of his shock first and floated over to Jack and took the winter spirit's hands in his own. Looking Jack in the eyes, Sandy formed an x'ed out crumbled figure then the Guardians as a family and an x over a faded person. It obviously meant, "You don't need to hurt yourself anymore. We're here for you and will never let you feel unreal."

Tears welled in Jack's eyes before he blinked them away and hugged the elder Guardian. Jack soon felt other arms circle around him, joining the hug.

When they pulled apart, Bunny smiled. "So you going to fight back now, Snowflake?"

Jack gave a laugh with a nod, which caused the others to smile and Bunny to ruffle his hair.

Jack didn't need to be reminded he was real, his family did enough of that.

Me: Was that a good explanation? I don't know.

Pitch: Are you going to bring me into a chapter?

Me: Possibly. No spoils!

Pitch: Whatever.

Me: feel free to comment, suggest, flame, etc.

Until next time! :D