A/N new chapter! Jonathan and Jackie talk. Hope you enjoy it!

Disclaimer: I don't own.

Presents

Just as she reached her room, Jonathan was making his way out of the guest room the Yetis had put him in, and he looked annoyed.

"Hey." Jonathan said, his tone clipped, "You also upset that you were pulled from the fight?"

Jackie shook her head, "I was in the fight." She said, "Managed to freeze Sandy's sand before he could knock me out."

Jonathan's eyes widened before he cursed (Jackie looked up at the sky to pretend she hadn't heard him) "What happened?"

Jackie looked down, "A lot," she said.

Jonathan stared at Jackie for a long moment before he took her by the hand, "Tell me." He said softly, his voice desperate and scared.

Jackie hesitated for a moment, not sure how he would take what had happened, before deciding he deserved the single iota of good news.

"Come," Jackie said taking his hand.

Jonathan stared at their joined hands - blushing for reasons Jackie had resolutely decided not to investigate until after Sarah and Will were back where they belonged - before letting himself be dragged into the guest room again closing the door behind them.

"So, what happened?" Jonathan asked sitting on the bed with Jackie beside him.

For a moment she hesitated, then started talking, explaining what she experienced when the fight started. Jonathan smiled proudly when she explained that she'd frozen Sandy's sand before he could use it to knock her out. Then talked about the multitude of tiny creatures she incapacitated with her ice and ice dagger.

He frowned appropriately when she explained that they were running low on steam, but no one was getting close to Krampus. Until a black dagger cut through the air ending five creatures in a moment.

"Fearlings," Jonathan said. "I recognized those creatures from grandmother's storybooks. She used to call them fearlings."

Jackie nodded and then continued; swallowing as she revealed that Will had been captured. Jonathan's eyes widened and he cursed for five minutes. "He got his hands on Will? On one of the few people that could get Sarah to smile?" Jonathan said. "On one of the best people in Santoff?"

"Yes." Jackie said nodding, "He has a hostage. And is probably scared frightened and alone. And that isn't even the worst part."

Jonathan looked at her, "What could be worse than that?"

"He also said that with every day he'll hold another child hostage. And we have until the Epiphany… or…"

She didn't finish. She didn't have to. Jonathan looked away and closed his eyes. "Damn," Jonathan said. "Sarah can't know this. When we find her, she… she can't, she'd give herself up in a heartbeat."

"I have good news in that regard," Jackie said. "Jane did take her. To protect her from Krampus. Dad checked in on her she's fine."

Jonathan deflated in relief. "That's good to hear. A pity she's going to miss opening gifts"

Jackie rubbed her eyes and looked down. "North wanted to open presents, but I didn't feel comfortable doing that when Sarah and Will were…"

"That's dumb," Jonathan said.

Jackie looked at Jonathan wide-eyed but before she could say anything Jonathan pulled Jackie into a hug, "Bad things are going to happen, it shouldn't stop us from enjoying things, and I know Sarah and Will would say the same."

Jackie stared at him confused, but Jonathan smiled and put a hand in his pocket and pulled out a small present before handing it to Jackie.

"Are you sure?"

"If it makes you feel better, I wasn't going to give to you in front of Sarah and Will anyway," Jonathan said. "I like our tradition of us opening gifts in private."

She looked down at the small square package and smiled carefully as she started removing the wrapping paper.

She opened the box and her eyes widened at what she saw. She pulled a bracelet out of the box a small snowflake charm hanging off it.

"It's not magic," Jonathan said. "I saw you eyeing the necklace, in the jewelry store a few weeks ago."

"Thank you." Jackie breathed staring at it. She wasn't offended at the lack of magic; she knew he much preferred giving the big extravagant magical gifts on birthdays. Besides the bracelet was gorgeous, "Can you…" She bit her lip and looked down.

Jackie didn't have to finish. Jonathan gently took the bracelet from Jackie, while Jackie held out her wrist.

"I never told you," Jonathan started as he clipped the bracelet to her wrist. "I thought you looked so pretty today."

Jackie's face started to glow red even while they frosted over. "O-oh?" She said.

"But then you always look pretty," Jonathan said coughing after he said it looking away.

Jackie looked down, "Thank you." She whispered, Jonathan, put a hand around her.

"Will and Sarah will be found." Jonathan said, "We beat Pitch. We'll beat Krampus too." He promised.

"How do you have so much hope?" Jackie asked,

"Because the alternative option is to give up." Jonathan said, "And I refuse to give up on my friends, and family."

For a long moment the two just stayed in the room holding each other, they said nothing, but then, neither person really needed to.

A/N Hope you enjoyed it! Please leave review telling me what you liked or didn't like or both.