So I wanted to update this yesterday, but I kinda almost fell asleep on the couch. Wooops! However, I really should have because today my internet decided to explode, so if you are reading this I have successfully performed a technology shuffle and used my phone to get this to you lovely readers, yay!

Now, Claire and Jack don't really know each other too well yet, but Christmas is coming for real and in the story too, so there's gotta be at least a little fluff (It's like holiday law, haha)

Of Soft Breezes and Wintry Nights

Chapter Five: I'll Always Catch You

By the time Jack returned from The Warren, it was well after dark where Claire lived. Looking up at the night sky as if it offended him, he blew the hair out of his eyes in frustration.

Guess I'm just going to have to wait a bit, he thought as he looked around at the still-green grass in front of Claire's apartment. Hmm. Might as well do something to pass the time, he decided with a particularly mischievous grin. Soaring up into the air, Jack set to his wintry work, ensuring that the snow would fall steadily before he iced up a few streets.

A few hours later, the sleepy college town was covered in a beautiful blanket of white snow. Icicles hung from the tree branches and flurries scattered in the wind. Jack landed in front of Claire's apartment, proud of his work. Unfortunately, the sun hadn't even started to rise yet, and Jack's work was done.

Dammit, he thought as he began to pace, that didn't take as long as I thought… He could always go work his wintry magic elsewhere and return in the morning, but Jack was too anxious to do so. He decided to wait right in front of Claire's apartment for her to wake up. He sat down near her front door and began his vigil.

-((that morning))-

Claire crawled out of her bed the next morning and stared at her window in indecision. Did he…? She thought, taking a step towards the window, …No, she decided after a moment, turning around to head for the bathroom, I don't care if he did. I don't want to hear his silly window messages.

Claire took a shower, grabbed a quick breakfast, and dressed before heading downstairs to head for her car. Frosty bastard probably frosted every inch of my car, she thought bitterly.

She gasped as she opened her door, awestruck by the winter wonderland that had appeared overnight. She was so distracted that she failed to notice the white-haired boy that panicked and flew off to the corner of her apartment building.

"Oh Jack…" She whispered, admiring the snow. Snapping herself out of her daze, she stepped out of her apartment-

and promptly slipped on an icy patch that formed where Jack had been sitting for the greater part of the night. Her bookbag and purse flew in the air as she struggled to reach her fall—

before a very cold someone with white hair, a frosty jacket, and bright blue eyes caught her inches before she hit the pavement.

He didn't even let her speak. "I'm so sorry!" he said in a rush, eyes filled with concern, "I was really nervous so I sat there all night and I didn't realize the ice—I was so nervous I just couldn't be sitting outside your door when you walked out-you aren't hurt are you?" he asked, pausing for a split second before remembering the reason he revealed himself to her. "Listen. I am really, really sorry about yesterday, I didn't mean to peek on you I swear I didn't; I just never realized there was a window without a curtain for your apartment and I wanted to know more about you-I only saw you for like two seconds I swear, I didn't mean to—are you alright?" Jack said, finally stopping his tirade.

Claire blinked once, still being held an inch from the pavement by Jack Frost. She blinked again, and when he didn't resume speaking she finally whispered, "Jack…Frost?" she said slowly. Jack nodded, mentally preparing himself for some kind of verbal blow. Claire let out a small giggle. Said giggle grew into another giggle, and soon she was laughing. Jack stood her up, confused, and rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly as he waited for her to finish.

"Is something…wrong?" he asked once she calmed down.

She hadn't taken her eyes off him since he caught her. "Jack Frost. You, Jack Frost, the mythical legend of all things winter, are apologizing to me for causing me to fall and peeping on me in the shower? This is so surreal!" She exclaimed, reaching out to touch his cheeks. "And you're so cold!" she said, touching his shoulders and admiring his staff. "I can't believe that I can really see you; you're really here!"

He broke eye contact as he looked down, still nervous. "So am I…forgiven?" he asked tentatively.

The hands that were resting on his shoulders gave a small squeeze before pulling away. "I guess…" she said seriously, "on one condition."

"Name it," Jack said immediately.

Claire thought for a moment. "Well, two conditions actually. One, never do that again. Two….be my friend?" she said with a small smile.

"Done and done," Jack said with a grin before picking up her discarded bags. "I would love to; it'll be much easier to talk without writing everything down on a window sill."

Claire laughed as the two walked towards her car. Claire smiled knowingly as she noticed her car had not a speck of snow or frost on it. She raised an eyebrow, and Jack looked away, blushing slightly.

"I had to get back into your good graces somehow," he said. Her smile grew.

"Will you be here when I get back from school?" she asked, opening her car door.

"Definitely," he said enthusiastically.

"How will I find you?" she asked.

"Don't worry," he said as he jumped up, floating above the ground slightly, "I'll find you," he winked as she watched him fly away in awe.

He watched her drive off from the trees, grinning from ear to ear. Now, he thought, the real adventure begins.

-((that evening))-

Claire slammed the door of her car as she returned from a long day of class work. However, instead of her usual bone-weary tiredness, she was filled with excitement and exhilaration at the prospect of seeing Jack Frost again. Not just seeing Jack Frost, she reminded herself with a smile, becoming friends with him! Seeing him all the time, like a friend! How exciting.

"Friends with Jack Frost," she murmured to herself in disbelief, walking to her apartment door.

"It's not that hard to believe is it?" Claire jumped and turned around to find Jack Frost himself behind her.

"I would say this is pretty amazing, Jack Frost," she said. Jack smiled.

"You can call me Jack you know; I'm not some famous person that you aren't acquainted with," he grinned at her.

"It's like I'm meeting a famous person," she commented, opening her door. "My apartment is really warm, and it's not that cold out here; would you like to go for a walk?" Claire asked. Jack nodded. "Awesome!" Claire said, shutting the apartment door again.

"It's pretty late," she continued as the two set off down the block, "so I don't think anyone else will be outside…can anyone else see you?" Claire asked curiously.

"I doubt it," Jack said, walking along beside her. "The only people who can see me are those who believe in me, which are usually children. Even then, not many kids believe in me yet, so although that number is steadily growing, we should be safe at this time of night."

"So I'm the only person you've talked to that isn't a kid?" she asked.

Jack nodded again. "I've only talked to you, some kids, and the guardians," he replied.

"What's a guardian?" Claire asked.

"Me," Jack replied, "As well as The Easter Bunny, The Tooth Fairy, the Sandman, and Santa Claus. We protect the children around the world from those that wish to harm them," he explained.

"Wow," Claire said softly. "So you travel around the world…how did you even find me?" she asked.

"Well," Jack said sheepishly, "I can sort of…hear when people talk about me," he said; Claire raised an eyebrow. "It's a part of being a guardian. When you mention my name, I can hear it and I know where you are. So when you starting cursing me for the frost on your car," he said with a quirk of his lips, "I came to see who you were."

"So….if I ever mention your name—"

"I'll hear you, no matter where I am," Jack finished.

Claire whistled softly. "You've got some amazing powers," she said.

"They're not that special," Jack replied.

"Well, to us humans they're pretty damn special," Claire said with a laugh.

Jack chuckled. "Tell me about you; I know you go to class. What do you do there? Do you like it? Do you have a family? Friends?"

"So many questions!" Claire said, trying to remember them all. "Let's see…I want to become a Spanish teacher, so at school I take a lot of Spanish and Education classes. They're really boring, but I also go to observe a Spanish class at a high school, which is really fun!" She exclaimed with a grin. "The students are really nice to me. I had a family, but my parents and I got into a very bad car accident a few years ago…"

"I'm sorry," Jack immediately responded, wishing he hadn't asked.

"Don't worry about it," Claire said with a wave of her hand, "I still have my big brother who acts parental enough in their place. I've lost contact with most of my friends," she said sheepishly, "I've been really engrossed in my schoolwork…"

"Sounds like you could use some fun," Jack decided, "And I know all about fun."

Claire smiled. The two rounded a corner, and her apartment came into view. "Well, I do get out of class early tomorrow…"

"I'll meet you then!" Jack said as he walked her to her door.

"Sounds like…fun!" Claire said, giggling.

-((The next day after class))-

Claire stood outside her apartment door waiting for Jack. I must look like an idiot, she thought, watching the people walk by. "Hurry up Jack," she murmured.

As if on cue, said winter spirit flew down from above her apartment looking apologetic. "Sorry I'm a bit late," he said ruefully, "North wanted to talk to me."

"North?" Claire asked.

"Santa Claus," Jack supplied, "He wanted to make sure I wasn't planning any crazy blizzards for Christmas."

Claire raised an eyebrow. "Are you planning any crazy blizzards for Christmas?"

Jack grinned devilishly. "Maybe," he said, changing the subject. "So I decided that we should go sledding today."

"Sledding?" Claire exclaimed, surprised. "I haven't gone sledding in…well, I don't remember how long!"

"Exactly," Jack said, smirking, "And your apartment has the perfect sled behind it! What opportunity!"

Claire looked nervous at Jack's excitement. "I don't know…"

"Oh come on, have a sense of adventure! Grab a trash bag and let's go!"

-((one trash bag later))-

Claire looked down the small hill behind her apartment. With the way Jack had iced it over and added curves, dips, and hills, it could have been an ice chute.

Jack smiled, excitement glinting in his bright blue eyes as he stared into her green ones. "Ready?"

She tentatively sat down on her trash-bag-gone-sled. "…Are you sure this is safe?" Claire asked.

"Trust me on this one," Jack said before giving her a push down the hill.

Claire shrieked as she sped down the hill of ice, banking off of sharp turns and crazy angles before shooting off of a ramp and high into the air. Her trash bag went flying, and she flailed, panicking as she sped towards the unforgiving snow-

Jack caught her seconds before impact, setting her feet gently down onto the snow. She gripped his shoulders tightly, shaking a bit.

"Maaaaybe that hill is a little too steep," Jack allowed. Claire smacked him.

"You have this great knack for making me fall," she said, letting go of him.

Jack grinned. "I don't see what the problem is; I'll always be there to catch you," he said seriously. Claire blushed.

"…Let's go again!" she said, racing him up the hill.

-((later))-

Claire lay in the snow next to Jack, panting from exhilaration and exhaustion. She lazily made a snow angel, watching the flurries fall from the darkening sky.

"Did you have fun?" Jack asked, watching her as he lay on his side next to her.

"I did," she said, smiling up at him. The two stared at each other for a long moment before Claire blushed and looked away. "Thank you."

"No problem," he said, "I know all about fun in the wintertime. Are you free tomorrow?" he asked.

"Actually, I have to go to my brother's house tomorrow," she said, "with the holidays arriving so soon I'm going there to celebrate."

"I can just meet you there then," Jack supplied, not seeing a problem.

"I don't know, Jack," Claire replied, "my brother is really suspicious about things, and if I start sneaking off he'll ask questions," she explained.

Jack couldn't stave off his sense of disappointment. "Well, I'll definitely see you when you return," he said, standing and reaching out a hand to help her out of the snow. "Come on, you have to go inside before you catch a cold," he said as he helped her up.

Claire muttered a thank you as she allowed him to pull her to her feet. The two walked to her door in a companionable silence. They stood awkwardly in front of her door for a moment, before Claire wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into a tight hug. "I had a lot of fun with you, Jack," she said softly.

Jack smiled, wrapping his arms around her waist. "I had a lot of fun too," he replied as she pulled away. "A lot more fun than could be had on a window, anyway."

She laughed. "I'll see you after New Year," she said, opening the door to her apartment.

"See you then," Jack said as she walked inside and shut the door.

Although it was only a few short weeks away, New Year never seemed farther off. Jack flew off into the trees, unable to stave off his sense of melancholy.

Claire…he thought, staring at her closed windows. You're more of an adventure than I thought.

-((Christmas Eve))-

"Just a second, Hunter!" Claire called down to her brother as she ran up the stairs, "I just need to get something from my room!" She entered her temporary bedroom for the rest of Christmas break, intending to grab a few presents from her bag. As she reached down, her eyes caught on the window. She gasped, moving closer to it.

Merry Christmas Claire :)

Claire opened the window, looking for Jack. He was nowhere to be seen, but on the windowsill she found an intricately carved snowflake about the size of her palm. The ice sculpture glinted prisms of color when she held it up to the light. She placed it back on the windowsill before shutting the window so it would not melt.

"Merry Christmas, Jack," she said, smiling.

"Claire!" a voice echoed from downstairs.

"Coming!"

-((To Be Continued!))-

These are never as short as I think they'll be. I'm going to hypothesize that the actual plot will be showing up two chapters from now ;p

Please leave a review and make my Christmas. :)

Merry Christmas, Happy belated Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, and whatever else you may celebrate!

~freaky-hanyou