AN: Sorry, but North is probably going to be a little ooc.

My staff felt good in my hands once again. Something about that old yew wood channeled my powers, and in a way I felt it represented my outside: Gnarled and scarred, but beautiful, older than it looked, and fragile yet strong in its own way. I poured my ice core into it once again and then sent out a signal that I knew the others if they were alert couldn't miss. I made it snow above Stark Towers in the middle of summer.

Now all I have to do is wait. A delighted laugh filed the room and I looked up from the staff to see Stark smiling at the window where the flakes careened past in different shapes and designs. I had really outdone myself, even on my death floor.

Thor merely stared at the snow thoughtfully, "You called them, didn't you?"

"I tried to." My voice was much weaker now.

"Who's them?" This time it was a woman with bright red hair who asked. The Black Widow.

Thor glanced at me, so I nodded, and he continued, "I believe you have legends of them for children: Old Man North? The Tooth fairy? Sandman? The Easter Bunn-" Thor was interrupted by Banner.

"But those aren't real!" The man with a purple shirt looked flustered. My form shuddered visibly. Please, please, please, please come. That was my only thought. If they didn't come there was no chance of me surviving.

Thor continued to talk as the blonde haired man, Steve Rogers, stirred. "They are not myths. They are very real."

Banner rolled his eyes, "So who is he?"

Thor turned worried eyes to me. "Jokul Frosti goes by many names."

Stark sighed in exasperation, "What does he go by now, then?"

His response was cut off by the arrival of some much needed help. "This thing is a flying death trap!" I had never been so happy to hear the kangaroo's voice, and I hoped I never was again.

"This is nothing compared to your holes!" North's voice brought a smile to my face.

"Jack has to be somewhere around here." Came Tooth's worried voice, closer now, "Why else would it be snowing?"

"Just follow the trail of destruction," Bunnymund the disgruntled muttered," Frostbite's good with that."

The sleigh appeared outside the window now, causing the room's occupants to gasp and Thor to smile. Tooth was out of the sleigh first, wings fluttering and surrounded by small humming birds. A stunned silence came from the Avengers, but that's not what I was focusing on. Tooth appeared to have no injuries besides the small surface cuts. She was alive.

North was next, and he looked fine if not a little worn. Sandy was the cleanest by far and looked the least tired, which was rare. Bunnymund was probably the most worn, with scorch marks stretching over his fur. The sleigh landed in the room, and North came out chuckling. "Good thing they can't see us, eh? They wouldn't know what to think of my sleigh."

"Old Man North! It has been a long time!" Thor boomed, that same smile on his face that said I am friendly.

North looked surprised, but than a laugh bellowed from him. "Thor! I had heard you were on Earth!"

Thor's smile grew, "And I heard you got yourself a new Guardian."

North's face lost its happy glow and he frowned, "Yes, that is why we are here."

Bunnymund stepped forward, " 'E's a little fella. White hair, smart mouthed, has a staff that's made of some old silly wood-"

Here he was cut off by me waving said staff at him and freezing his feet solid and stuck to the ground. As one, the Guardians turned to me. Tooth let out a relieved laugh. "Jack's alive!" She zoomed closer to me.

I gave them a smile which caused Tooth to giggle and the humming birds to do miniature faints around her. That's why I only really smiled around Tooth and the children. They seemed to appreciate it the most. Than Tooth stopped and the Guardians grew still.

All eyes were on my stomach and the spike. "He got you." The horrified whisper came from Tooth, and I grimaced slightly. "Not before I froze him for the next century."

Suddenly I was surrounded by my closest friends and allies. "When were you stabbed?" North asked, eyes on the spike.

I licked my dry lips, "5 minutes, tops."

His face became more worried than it already was which I hadn't thought was possible. His hands went to his back and he pulled out one of his knives. He moved to cut my sweater off, and I snarled. He spared me a sad glance, before motioning with the knife at the spike.

"It is the only way, Jack. We must get the spike out." He was letting me choose, I realized, even though he could easily overpower me in my current state. I nodded and suddenly understood how much this man meant to me.

I had worked with the Guardians for over a year now, and they had become like family. I focused on these memories as the sound of my sweatshirt being ripped filled the air. The cool wind hit my stomach and I heard universal gasps from the beings around me.

I was well aware of the hundreds of various scars that crisscrossed my stomach and chest. Some were older than most buildings, and some were fresh cuts and bruises from various missions against Pitch and helping the mortals. It was difficult to tell after so long.

Hearing my friends and the Avengers react this way to them reminded me how odd it was that I had shrugged off so much pain as just a part of the job, part of being Winter. Gentle hands pressed around the spike and I hissed. I had had to dress and clean my own wounds before, but never had I had one as bad as this and I was glad I probably wouldn't have to stay conscious for this.

"Sandy." North's voice was soft, and it was the last thing I heard before my mind was filled with the restful dream of snow and family.