Jack flew gently through the houses. Their yards were full of streamers and decorations in various shades of pink, red, and white. For valentines day, these families really go all out. Jack had found the cluster of homes a few years ago. They enjoyed going the extra mile when it came to holidays. Huge Christmas parties were held, with a big gift exchange and secret Santa. For Easter, they always prepared a special field of grass that was perfect for hiding eggs. It had enough open space for the multiple children that joined in the fun every year. For Valentines... Jack had yet to see them do anything huge, but he had assumed they only did it for the big holidays. He had found himself in the area this year, and saw that these five or six families did gather together for Valentines.
He had watched them throughout the day. They had little games set up and crafts for children that went on all through the afternoon, but as the sun set, the festivities started to die down. Jack then realized that during the day, they had spent time with family and friends, showing their love and appreciation all of them. Now as the day was coming to a close, it was time for the couples to spend some alone time with their special ones.
Jack watched them, and started a light snowfall. He smiled when the couples found his snowflakes beautiful and didn't complain about the added chill. With the lights now dim, the snow seemed more magical as it gentle fell to the ground. Jack stayed around the houses until only one couple remained outside. They had found a nice bench where they could sit down and rest, occasionally saying a few whispered words to each other. They seemed to enjoy watching his snowflakes fall. Even though Jack didn't like this love filled season too much, what with being alone and forgotten, it didn't mean he'd ruin it for those who want to enjoy it. The man gave a shiver, and Jack watched as the woman leaned over in concern.
"Is it getting too cold? We can go inside, honey." She said, her voice soft, almost like she didn't want to disturb the falling snow.
He turned towards her with a loving smile shining in his eyes. "No, I know how much you love watching winter come down. Besides..." He shifted and pulled her into an embrace. "...the warmth of human heart can melt away all the cold of winter."
When Jack heard him say that, he felt something crumble deep inside. He looked at them in despair. Was that the answer? Was that why he was unseen by every human in the world? Was that why the Guardians and other spirits hated or ignored him? Because Jack Frost, Spirit of Winter, would never be able to be near the feeling of warmth and love? Was he destined to be alone, because his very center, winter, could never be in the same place as the touch of a human hand?
Jack began to shiver, a chill running through him that reminded him of whenever he was walked through. It tore at him, making Jack almost cry out with the frustration and pain that filled him. A sense of claustrophobia attacked him, and he suddenly felt trapped. He was surrounded by empty space. It went on forever, never ending, yet, seeming to come closer and closer, pushing down on him. Almost all the hope he had gathered through the years of reaching somebody.. that he just needed a bit of time before some one would surely notice him. It all came down. It wasn't going to happen. No matter how long he waited or how hard he tried. No one would help him... Not the guardians... not the humans.
Jack looked up, searching for the moon to try and see if maybe, just maybe it would be there to shine down on him.
The sky was dark with clouds... Not even the moon would help, even if he had just shed a bit of light in Jack's dark, lonely life... but he wasn't even granted that little bit of comfort.
Why? Why could he feel all this pain and hurt, yet not have the good emotions that everyone else seemed to be able to have. Everyone else got to feel another's touch, everyone else got to share their warmth with others, everyone else got to smile, everyone else got to laugh! He tried to do them, Jack really tired, but they were always fake, always forced. Why did he have to try so hard only to never reach his goal? Why couldn't he be accepted by the spirits and immortals that met him? Why couldn't anyone see him?! Why was he always alone?!
The wind whipped around him, feeling his anger and sadness. He jumped into it and let it lead him to his lake. He didn't want to be around town any more. He didn't want anyone around him... not now. As he flew his thoughts turned to all the times he had tried to get people to notice him. His snowball fights with all the kids...now that he thought about it, they always left him alone, thanking the cold only because it made the warmth that much warmer. No one could handle his chill for long. Frozen tears streamed down his face as he tried to fly straight. If it wasn't for the wind keeping him steady, he never would have made it home.
When he felt the comfort of the icy lake beneath him, he collapsed to the ground. He found himself sobbing as the chill of loneliness kept coming. He didn't even try to hide it. When he was around others, even if they were children who couldn't see him, he would always put on a smile for them. If he just didn't think about it too much, it would almost seem like he belonged in the group. He loved playing with the children, and even though none called out his name, or looked directly at him, he could always join in their fun, pelting any unsuspecting kid with a good snow ball to the face. When ever they left, though... he would get hit by the same loneliness that struck him now. He had never been part of their group. He had never been part of their games... and he never would. No one like winter. It was always too cold, or too harsh, never good enough for anyone. Jack tried to bring fun into it, to show every one it didn't have to be that way. In the end though, his powers always got the best of him, bringing out horrendous blizzards or making the roads to slick. He just kept making mistakes and hurting everyone around him. Jack Frost let loose a wild cry, trying to rid himself of the frustration and pain he felt, but it failed to lighten his burden. He heard it echo around him as the winds carried the sound away. He didn't know how long he stood on his lake, yelling at the moon for leaving him alone, and blaming the others spirits for ignoring him for so long. His exhaustion came and he wept silently as sleep over took him. Curled up alone on his lake, Jack Frost slept on.
Unknown to him, the winds still carried his cry, and they added their own to it. Someone... Anyone... Help him! They pleaded. Traveling in all directions, they spread forth, looking to help their friend. It was all for naught. As the night began, the inhabitants of the world set down to rest till the dawn. They all had their family and friends near, to warm and guide them. To bring them comfort from the nightmares... Nightmares? Dreams? The Sandman! The winds sailed the globe searching for the bringer of dreams, knowing that he might be able to help.
As the North Wind traveled, it thought of another one who knew their winter friend... One who could help him...
Sandy was just about to start sending out his dreams when an odd breeze hit him. It seemed to pull at him, trying to make him follow it. After a brief hesitation, Sandy followed it a bit. After awhile, he came to a small town. There, Sandy felt the presence of an unpleasant dream. It wasn't exactly a nightmare, but the owner of the dream wasn't enjoying it as they should. After the feeling came, the Sandman no longer needed the wind to guide him, for his sand was reaching out to comfort the dreamer. He followed it outside the boundaries of town, out towards a small lake. In the middle of the frozen lake was a boy, curled up, trying in vain to get a peaceful sleep.
Just as the guardian was about to get closer, he heard the sounds of an incoming figure. It loudly ran through the trees, snapping on twigs, crashing through bushes. It was a wonder the boy hadn't woken up from the noise... but Sandy supposed he had other things on his mind. When the newcomer burst through the tree line and reached the edge of the lake, Sandy was surprised to see that it wasn't a human. It was a yeti. One of North's workers if Sandy was correct. The sandman floated a bit away and hid. He wasn't sure why, he just wanted to find out why the yeti was here.
Phil ran through the woods, almost tripping over several roots and fallen branches. His breath came short as he continued to push past his limits of energy. Looking around, Phil tried to remember what Jack had told him about his lake, but now that he thought about it, Phil really only knew the general location of it, as well as maybe one or two landmarks that were right up at the edge of the water line. He let out a growl of frustration. Jack had always come to visit Phil, and play around with him, yet the yeti himself never once went to the winter spirit. He paused in his running for a moment and thought about how the boy was always trying to not leave, always making excuses to stay just a bit longer... Phil growled at himself for never thinking about Jack other then the times when he's there, or wondering when Jack will try to break in again. The winter spirit must get lonely, what, with no companions from the immortals, and Phil had overheard Jack mumbling to himself as to why all the humans walked through him. He must have no believers either...
Phil set off again with renewed strength. This time, he listened to the winds as they blew alongside him. When he broke through the line of trees, he immediately saw Jack, curled up alone on the ice. He quickly walked to the edge of the frozen lake and continued on, confident that Jack would keep it stable for him. The yeti let loose a little growl to let the teen know he was there. When the boy only stirred in his sleep, Phil decided not to wake him. Instead, he sat down next to Jack and brought him close. He brought a paw up and wiped away the frozen tears that had formed on Jack's face. Although the chill that always seemed to surround the winter spirit struck Phil, he didn't mind it much. Looking down at the boy in his arms, whose restlessness seemed to fade when Phil brought him close, the yeti decided it would be worth it if he got a cold from warming him. Jack's hand unconsciously came up and gripped the yeti's fur, it's warmth bringing a smile to Jack's face. He continued to sleep on peacefully.
Sandy watched as the yeti strode directly up to the boy. He was surprised that the big creature was confident in the stability of the ice, but then again, with the chill that Sandy could feel coming off the winter spirit on the lake, the water was most likely frozen all the way down. As he watched him comfort the boy's sleep, Sandy could feel it calm down. He let a little smile come to him as he watched the two settle down into a more deep sleep. He sent a small tendril of sand to bring them dreams as they slept. When the two of them were surrounded by a golden glow, Sandy left, feeling like he would be intruding if he stayed longer. As Sandy flew on, he thought back on the winter spirit and was glad that he had someone.
Jack's hair was tossled by the wind as he groggily woke up. His hand reached out to grab what had warmed him the night before. When it came in contact with nothing, he woke up more fully. Sitting up, he looked around.
His lake was the same as it was last night. Nothing had changed... but Jack could have sworn something had been there with him. He looked down at his hand and smiled. He could still feel a ghost of the warmth that had been with him. He stood up and started to brush away some dirt that had gotten on him. He paused when he saw it reflect in the light and give off a golden glow. It was the Sandman's dream sand. Jack's mood fell at that thought. Had it all been a dream? Could Sandy make his dreams seem so real? Was the warmth he felt even close to what it was really like? Was he missing out on so much? More questions came up, and Jack began to despair again. Feelings of the night before came back to haunt him.
The wind suddenly tossed his hair and tried to push him towards the edge of the lake. It brought Jack out of his thoughts, and he gave a sad smiled to the winds for trying to comfort him. They continued to pull at him though. Confused, Jack let them lead him to the water line. He let out a gasp at what he saw. Footprints, rather large ones, lead from the forest to the lake. Branches, tree roots, grass, snow, anything that got in the way of the one who made these prints, they were all pushed aside. Jack bent down and reached out to touch the snow near the footprints.
He let a laugh escape him, and felt tears come to his eyes. He quickly brushed them away, and looked back at his hand where he had gripped his companion. He began to tremble, and he sank to the ground. More tears came, but he just let them fall. His heart felt like it was going to burst, it hurt so much, but Jack didn't want this pain to go away. It was nothing compared to the emptiness that came before. Jack cried with joy, occasionally letting a laugh escape him as the realization came to him.
He wasn't alone.
A/N: So this was my first attempt at any angst hurtful writing. I hope I did good with it. Thanks for reading, and for all your reviews. I appreciate you all.
You got a bonus one this week because I really wanted to put this one up. I'll still have one for Thursday.
Oh, and I put Sandy in it a bit because I thought he must have noticed something whenever Jack had restless sleeps. As the sandman I feel like he should be able to feel the different kinds of sleep, not just if people are having nightmares or dreams. Though, he had to be close enough to feel it, and with Jack, Phil had come, and Sandy thought it was only a one time thing.
