A/N: I have returned!

Not really, but yeah. Chapters are still in progress, because of busyness, but it's going well.

I just really wanted to post this today, because it's kinda a big day for this story and for me – its first "birthday"! I feel like a proud parent.

That was also when I officially joined the fandom and started making friends, yay!

So, have a celebratory, short, unbetaed, incomplete chapter.

Disclaimer: In case it's not clear, I have never owned Rise of the Guardians. Ever. And I never will . . .

First Year Anniversary

"Jack!"

Jamie jumped up and flung his window open to allow his friend in. The winter spirit slipped inside, ruffling his hair.

"Hiya Jamie!" Jack commented, pushing a hand against the window to close it so that the wind wouldn't blow inside the believer's room.

He then held up a closed hand for the obligatory fist-bump. Jamie grinned and held up his own hand, bumping knuckles.

"I didn't think you'd be back until next winter!" The boy said, walking backward to sit on his bed.

"Are you kidding?" Jack questioned with a smile as he perched on the back of a chair, "And miss hanging out with my favorite believer? No way!"

Jamie rolled his eyes a bit, but still smiled, "So, what do you want to do?"

"Dunno, it's your choice," Jack shrugged, fiddling with a string on the hem of his hoodie in an absentminded manner.

Jame fell backward to slump onto his pillow, "I don't really care. Mom already made me finish my homework and Sophie's on a play date. The twins have been gone all week for Easter vacation, Cupcake's at her dad's for the weekend, Pippa's grounded, and Monty's sick again. I've been bored all week!"

Jack nodded sympathetically, "That's rough buddy."

For some reason Jamie started cracking up, leaving Jack wondering what he'd said.

When his first believer had finished, Jack shifted his position to the floor, looking up slightly so that he could see Jamie, who rolled over onto his stomach.

"Can you tell any good stories?" The brunette asked innocently.

Jack was taken aback by the question, "What do you mean?"

"You know, stories. Like . . . cool things you've done."

The immortal shrugged, "Why?"

"'Cause it's cool! My grandparents tell the best ones about what it was like without TV and stuff! It's awesome!"

Jack chuckled, "Sure, I guess. What do you want me to talk about?"

"I dunno. Where were you born?" Jamie was getting even more excited at the possibility of new stories to hear. While he and Jack had hung out a lot in the past year, they hadn't really talked much about themselves.

The winter spirit smiled, laying his staff across his legs and popping his neck, "I was born here in Burgess, back in the early 1700s."

Jamie's eyes nearly popped out of his head, "You're that old?"

"Yeah. I don't act like it most of the time, do I? Anyways, I was born in a little log cabin by the lake. I was an only child at that point, and my dad was the village sheep herder."

"The village sheep herder?" Jamie had obviously recovered from his shock.

Jack nodded, "Yeah. Back then the entire village just kind of worked together to survive. Everyone had one job, and my dad's was to watch everyone's sheep. That's why I have this," he said, gesturing to his staff, "and my mom did a lot of sewing."

He paused for a moment, gauging Jamie's curiosity, "My sister was born when I was six. I lived a pretty normal life – for the time period I was living in anyway. My dad taught me how to herd and I acted like the village prankster that I was. Seriously, whenever someone moved in, the first person they'd warn them about was me. But after that they'd tell them that I was also the person to send their kids to when something was wrong. I guess that was just my reputation."

"Wow . . ." Jamie was wide-eyed at that point, " But – I mean – wow! That's so cool, I mean, did you really watch all those sheep? How did you survive without computers and stuff? W-what was Burgess like back then?"

"Hey, hey, slow down," Jack interjected. Man, this kid could really get worked up. "It's not that big of a deal."

Jamie took a deep breath, and started to say something, but Jack had twisted around to look out the window.

The Aurora was pulsating across the sky.

The winter spirit muttered something dark under his breath before turning back to Jamie, "Sorry kiddo, looks like I gotta head out."

"What, but . . . Aww man." Jamie trailed off, kneeling on his bed.

Jack mirrored his disappointed expression, "Look kiddo, I'll see if I can come back later, okay?"

"But I have school tomorrow . . . We only got Monday off this week."

"Next weekend then, huh?" Jack proposed.

Jamie mumbled, "Alright."

The immortal opened the window, waving back at his friend before taking off toward the Pole.

Sighing, Jamie slumped back on his bed, returning to his previous bored behavior.

Outside his room, Susan Bennett stood with a laundry basket resting on her hip, hand ready to knock on the slightly ajar door, and a confused expression on her face.