Valentines and other holidays

By End Of Grace

(A/N Just to let you know this is based after the last Chapter of Family sticks and falls together. Thistle and Dust are North's and Bunny's children and are about 3years old in body (Five/six in mind) and JJ (Jack Skellington Junior) is Four (Six in mind). Kisunes are Japanese Fox spirits able to shape shift. Now, I'm from the uk, we don't celebrate Thanksgiving so I had to do a bit of reading up on this, so if I've got anything wrong I apologies now.

Chapter 12 Thanksgiving

Thomas Bradford or as he was better known as Old Man Thanksgiving finished cleaning out the last of the Turkey huts ready for when the new ones to be born. It had been a successful Thanksgiving despite the troubles with the harvests and weather. Not to mention those blasted Kisunes that kept trying to break in and make off with his turkeys. Thankfully the wards North's daughter Holly had put up had done the job and kept out other trouble makers as well. He could feel the gentle flow of belief and prayers and offerings of "Thanks" following though him easing his aching body as he put away his tools. He was grateful that people remembered the old traditions as he did not hold the new ones in high regard. Since when did a parade have anything to do with giving thanks? Or Football for that matter? But in many families across the states people made it a tradition to go and see the Macy's thanksgiving parade or to all watch the football game before eating dinner. He disliked it but he guess he had to move with the times. Heaven's know how the likes of North, Bunnymund and even Jack Skellington handled all the changes to their holidays

He wiped his brow with an handkerchief and looked over his land with great pride. All his fields had been harvested and the ground turned ready for the sowing in the spring. His barn was full of corn, potatoes and various other vegetables and the air was filled with the smell of pumpkin pie. Taking off his hat and reaching for his pipe, Old Thanksgiving sat on a stump enjoying both the view and the peace. It was only the few days after his holiday that he could take some time to relax before he needed to start up again. For now he would enjoy the peace and quite. Like most of the holiday spirits, he lived a very solitary life only socializing when North or someone else throw a party or had something important to celebrate, so that meant he rarely got visitors. Some of the other holiday leaders had come by to wish him a good Thanksgiving as well as pick up their turkey and vegetables from him and now and again his friend the Groundhog would pop by and have a moan with him. Yet in the recent years he had to admit he was looking forward to three little visitors, namely the children JJ, Dust and Thistle. The holidays were so new to them; they wanted to know everything and try everything, bother him with questions and feed the turkeys for him. As wonderful as Dust and JJ were, Thanksgiving tried to spend some alone time with Thistle, not out of favouritism but because the child was to be the keeper of Autumn and he would be working with her.

A large white portal opened for a few brief seconds and Thanksgiving had hardly any time to turn around when three small bodies slammed in to him hugging him tightly.

"Uncle Thanks!" The children cried as they looked up at him with large cheeky happy smiles. Dust was standing on his hind legs now, his light grey markings were appearing on his white coat. JJ was in long black trousers with a white t shirt with bats on it and a black baseball cap. Thistle was in her signature large witch's hat and brown dress, her wings happily fluttering behind her. Thanksgiving gave a small laugh seeing them, he had been told about the fiasco of Thistle getting stuck on the rafters on North's workshop and how it had but years on both the winter and spring spirits that were her parents. He patted the children on their heads and stood up and gave them all a hard look.

"Now is that any way to behave? You three almost had me over?"

"Sorry Uncle Thanks" said the children not sounding the least sorry as they continued to smile up at him. A deep laughter rang out as North approached wearing his signature red coat.

"Say the word my friend and I'll put them all on the naughty list"

"No! Not the naughty list" said JJ as he and the twins laughed and tried to hid behind Thanksgiving who was trying not to laugh as well.

"There is no need for that North. I'm sure there is a core or two I could find for them. Like feeding my animals"

"YEAH!" shouted the three children as they ran to the barn, having feed the animals many times and knowing where their feed was.

"Don't make mess otherwise you clean it up" shouted North after them but simple shrugged his shoulders as he turned to Thanksgiving.

"Kids huh? They love coming to see you Tom"

"Ha, more like they like to see the animals" smirked Thanksgiving as he sat back down on the stump and gestured for North to join him. "I'm surprised you've got JJ with you North, in fact I'm surprised to see you as well. Your usually really busy this time of year and the twins are usually with Bunnymund"

"I am usually very busy but Holly and Jack have helped a great deal this year so we are well on schedule. Bunny needed to do some work on his stone guardians and needed a break form the twins, so I took them. Its also anniversary for Jack and Sally, so they asked if I would mind looking after JJ for a few days while they went away"

"That's right, Jack married Sally just before Halloween, you married them. Its hard to believe Jack has come so far after all the trouble he and those brats caused!"

"Water under the bridge my friend" said North calmly although it still upset him that people still remembered the year Jack Skellington took over Christmas.

"Think Jack would ever hand the reins down to JJ when he is older?" asked Thanksgiving "That's what Bunnymund plans on doing when Dust is old enough to take over"

"That's right. Bunny has been around even longer then I have, he is thinking of retiring when Dust is old enough to take over as Easter Bunny"

"And then what? You two planning to have more kids?"

"That is plan at moment"

"Even with the Hob goblin still out there?"

North's face darkened at the thought of that disgusting creature "That will be dealt with and forgotten by the time we have more"

Thanksgiving went to comment but the ground in fount of them opened up and Dust leapt out looking worried.

"Dust! You know better then to open tunnels with out your father's supervision" said North firmly.

"Sorry Oteu, but its really important! Uncle Thanks! All your turkeys are gone!" exclaimed Dust urgently knowing how much his uncle prized them.

Thanksgiving's jaw dropped and he looked over at North who simply shrugged. How were they going to explain that Thanks had killed all the turkeys they feed and had given them out to friends and humans. Thanksgiving stood up and took Dust by the paw with a reassuring smile.

"Come with me son, I'll show you where the turkeys are"

The small white and grey pooka walked silently along with Thanksgiving and his father when they reached the fount of the turkey huts where JJ was trying to comfort an upset Thistle. Thanksgiving patted the young fairy on the head and smiled at her, before settling to his knees in fount of the three children.

"Now you children know I'm the holiday leader of Thanksgiving. One of my jobs is to give people who have worked hard all year a turkey as my way of say thanks for the hard work"

"So you give the turkeys a new home?" asked Thistle looking up at him with large watery eyes.

Thanksgiving was about to explain that the turkeys were for eating but he looked down at the three sad faces, one almost on the verge of tears and thought better of it.

"That's right. Besides I need more room for all the new turkeys I'm going to have soon"

"New turkeys?" said JJ excitedly as smiles lit up Thistle's and Dust's faces, the missing turkeys all forgotten.

"That's right. If you want to see them you better ask North"

"OTEU! CAN WE?" shouted the twins as they ran over to North gripping his red coat.

"CAN WE MR CLAWS?" shouted JJ as he joined the twins making North roar with laughter as he tried to steady himself as they pulled on his legs.

"Alright, alright! You may see the new turkeys, but you must do as Thanksgiving tells you and you must be quite!" said North as he placed his finger to his lips "Alright? Can you do that?"

The children put their fingers to their lips and nodded their heads as they ran back to Thanksgiving, Thistle and Dust took his hands and JJ held on to North's as they went to the far end hut. Inside where the few turkeys hens he had kept for breeding purposes and also for himself during the winter.

"Are they the new turkeys?" asked Thistle looking at the birds that were sleeping.

"No Thistle. The new turkeys are over here" said Thanksgiving as he walked over to a large glass box filled with strew and large warming lights inside.

"Eggs? Can we paint them?" asked Dust looking at the small eggs. North groaned as Thanksgiving shook his head.

"These are not like your father's chocolate eggs Dust, these are turkey eggs. The baby turkey grows inside the egg and hatches when he ready to be born" explained Thanksgiving as the children peered in to the glass case.

"But where do the eggs come from?" asked JJ.

"I know. You harvest them right? You planet the seeds and when the flowers are all grown you pick the eggs up" said Thistle remembering how she and her brother had gone round the Warren planting the flowers with their dad. Thanksgiving looked at North with a slight frustrated look while North looked sheepish.

"Its can't be helped Tom, their father is the Easter Bunny" said North rubbing the back of his head.

Thanksgiving sighed "That's how Easter Eggs are made Thistle. Turkey eggs are born from the hens there. They go in to their nests and lay them, and when their out feeding I pick them up and place them in here to keep the eggs warm and to help them grow"

Now the children looked confused as they looked at the birds and then back at the eggs.

"But how do the turkeys lay eggs?" asked Dust looking at the eggs and then at the birds. Thanksgiving felt an usual heat rise to his cheeks as North chuckled.

"Yes Tom, how do the Turkey's lay their eggs?" asked the winter spirit with a large smile clearly enjoying himself,

"They just do Dust" grumbled Thanksgiving before quickly changing the subject. "I know, since you can't feed the turkeys why don't we go to my home for some pumpkin pie? Then you can help me pick out some vegetables to take back"

The children cheered but were quickly shushed by the two adults as they were led to Thanksgiving small house beside the farm.

"Come on Dust! I'll race you" said JJ as he started to run towards the house.

"You can't win against a rabbit JJ" said Dust as he speeded after the skeleton on all fours.

"Wait for me..." said Thistle as she went to start running but was quickly grabbed by North and placed on his shoulders.

"No no no" said North as he held his daughter tightly as they walked "You know your not allowed to race your brother because of your heart Thistle"

"But I..."

"Thistle" North said in a warning tone that booked no arguments. The small fairy huffed and flopped sulkily on North's head, clearly not happy at not being allowed to run.

"I heard that Thistle heart was in bad condition, will it effect her when she is older?" asked Thanksgiving wondering how the child would perform her duties with such a handicap.

"Usagi believes her heart will grow stronger providing she does not over do things and have any more attacks"

Thanksgiving had heard though the grapevine about that event as the young girl had, according to the rumour, almost died. He went in to his home and got drinks and pie for everyone as North settled the children around the table.

"Uncle Thanks, We gave Thanks last night" said Thistle as she munched on her pie.

"Oh? And what did you give Thanks for?" smiled Thanksgiving as he drank his tea.

"Sunny days, colours, my daddies, Uncle Phil, my brothers and my sister" said Thistle listing off the things off on her fingers.

"I was thankful for our uncles Sandy and Pitch and Aunty Tooth. And for mud and grass and Mr Usagi" said Dust as crumbs from the pie stuck to his whiskers.

"I'm Thankful for all scary things and ghosts. My mum and dad and all my friends" said JJ, large lumps of the pie sticking to his skull, before North leant over with a napkin and wiped them off.

"All very good things to be thankful for" said Thanksgiving "Did you all have lots to eat?"

The children told him of the huge feast the yetis had cooked and how everyone gave Thanks. Pitch had to be couched in to doing it by Sandy and Holly, despite his protests. There had been deserts as well, and Aunty Tooth had insisted that they brushed their teeth afterwards and had supervised them doing it. The children had delighted in telling how North had dragged Bunny to the dance floor and treading on his feet because he had drank a bit to much, much to North's embarrassment.

"What were you thankful for Uncle Thanks?" asked Dust as he drank his milk.

Thanksgiving blinked at Dust question "What?"

"They asking what you give thanks for" clarified North who looked on curiously. Thanksgiving looked at North and then at the children, his mind in a whirl. He did give Thanks didn't he? He tried to remember when he did and what he said and the more he looked back, the more he realised he had not given thanks in a very long time.

"I haven't...I haven't done it" he said looking shocked, even North looked baffled.

"Well...do it now" said JJ as if this was clearly fine and alright to do for the "Holiday Leader of Thanksgiving"

"I..I..." said Thanksgiving as he looked around the table "I'm thankful...um..."

"For your family?" asked Thistle.

"I don't have one...but I do have friends I am thankful for"

"You have a really nice home and farm" added Dust as he and his sister slid off they chairs and came over to him as did JJ.

"Yes, I guess I'm thankful for that too and I'm thankful to all my believers and to those who celebrate my holiday"

"You forgot three important things though Uncle Thanks" smiled JJ as Thistle and Dust giggled.

"Oh and what is that?"

"US" shouted the three children as they jumped in to his lap and gave him a tight hug. Thanksgiving was shocked at first but a small genuinely happy smile appeared on his face. He was thankful to the children, he looked forward to their visits and he did find himself smiling a lot more. As he hugged the children back, he found himself looking at North with a sort of envy. He had always felt slightly envious of the man for being a guardian but now he had a husband who loved him and two children to love as well. He had a family even an extended one with his adopted children and even other guardians. Yet he was happy that North and Jack Skellington shared their kids with other spirits as the children seemed to cheer and bring the best out of the spirits that their around. They joy and wonder reminded many spirits as to why they did their job and why it was so important. Like him, it was his job to point out what people had and to be thankful for it and to share what you had with others. Over time he had been so forces on making sure others were thankful he forgot to be thankful himself. Yes, he was truly thankful for the children, for reminding him of his purpose and duty. Next year Thanksgiving will be bigger then ever, and who knows maybe he might find something else to be thankful for.

The End

Please feed my creative spirit by reviewing so I can write the next chapter of Family sticks and falls together.