"I'm... I'm sick. I'm a terrible excuse for a spirit." He winced as his hand throbbed painfully. Jamie sighed softly.

"Jack, you know that's not true. None of it. There are some things in this world we just can't do on our own." Jack whined in pain.

"I know Jamie!"

"Then stop trying to blame yourself for things that aren't your doing." He said gently as he brushed Jack's cheek gently with his other hand. Jack huffed, shivering slightly from the pain. Jamie gently coated Jack's wounded hand with his own ice to keep it from getting worse.

"Come on, let's get that hand dealt with and then get cleaned up." Jack sniffed, tears falling down his face still as he followed Jamie. Jamie led Jack back to the North Pole; this time the yetis have the dosage on the serum right so it didn't make Jack's ice magic go overboard. Once the hand is seen to North smiled gently at Jack.

"Welcome to stay for lunch once cleaned up. Feel free to use room too. Be in office if you need anything." He left with the yeti and Jamie nodded a little, politely, but he had no intention of staying in the room they'd used last time, if at all. Jamie tugged Jack gently to one of the other rooms and into a bathroom to get clean while he was looking at his newly healed hand; he followed Jamie like a lost puppy. Jamie gently tugged Jack out of the hoodie, mindful of the newly repaired hand, lest it still cause any pain. Methodically stripping Jack and himself and gently pressing him into the bath once he was certain the water was comfortable for them both; he then set to washing Jack with gentle care. Jack tried to wash Jamie in return but touching him sent fear into him so he stuck to sitting still, eyes dull and red from crying. Jamie said nothing about it, though he did notice the attempt. With a bit of a sigh he finished washing them both and dressed Jack again before dressing himself. He gently tugged Jack to the bed and settled them both on it comfortably. Jack stared at the ceiling for the longest time before falling asleep. Despite feeling tired himself, Jamie kept watch over Jack, not able to sleep himself. Jack sniffed, turning slightly; feeling uncomfortable, all he could see was the faces of the people killed every time he closed his eyes. Jamie gently ran his fingers through Jack's hair to comfort him until he settled again. He grimaced slightly. This was going to likely take years to get over. At least they wouldn't' have to worry about those two ever again... They'd live down what had been done... but it might be several years first. Jack flinched at even the gentlest of contact; Jamie kept his touch as gentle as possible, murmuring soft reassurances the entire time. Even so, Jack still flinched but he slowly lost the will to stay awake, eventually falling asleep, his head pillowed against Jamie. He dreamt something good for once as golden sand pooled around him, combating the nightmares and dark memories. Jamie smiled a little, watching the golden sand; grateful for Sandy's help. As he watched though he pondered back to what had happened. Who was that woman who had bravely stepped forward? Who had volunteered to guard the seals on the darkness that was Gale and Jakoul? She'd risked her way of life for the two of them... and yet she hadn't even left Jack with a name... Would any of the others know perhaps? Wait... shouldn't North know? But like the woman had said... did it matter? Jack whined as a Nightmare escaped. Jamie noticed the little Nightmare and froze it; making it explode in a shower of frost and dark sand. Jack slowly fell back into the peaceful dream while Jamie kept an eye out for anymore wayward Nightmares as Jack slept. Jack woke the next morning, fully rested but feeling guilty that he'd even slept.

"Feel up to eating?" Jamie was sitting on the bed with a tray that had two plates on it. He was eating one, breakfast was biscuits and gravy with pancakes, eggs, bacon and toast on the side. Jack folded in on himself.

"No, thank you."

"Alright then." Jamie set the tray aside once he was done, it was still more out of habit than the need to actually eat. He walked over to a window and shuddered before he placed his hand on the window to force himself to practice with the frost. He knew he'd never get over any of the memories of what had happened until he forced himself to. As he did, he could hear his mother's voice chiding him in the back of his mind that he'd "never get better" unless he did what he needed to do. Right now that meant getting over the nightmarish reality of what Gale had done with his power... and his body for that matter... He wasn't sure he'd be able to look at himself again in a mirror for quite some time... Jack stayed in bed most of the day. Jamie kept Jack company, but he didn't say anything. Barely speaking two words himself other than the occasional inquiry about food when one of the yetis brings in a tray for them; they're otherwise not bothered. Jack ignored the food, his stomach growling for it though; it was energy and he was weakened, he would need the strength soon. After listening to Jack's stomach complain for the umpteenth time, Jamie walked over to the tray of still warm food, picked up a plate and set it before Jack.

"Eat. It won't kill you, it's not painful and you have no reason not to. Plus it will shut your stomach up." Jack shook his head.

"I'm not hungry." Jamie gave him a look that said 'and pigs fly.'

"Either eat on your own or I'll feed you. I'm tired of hearing your stomach because you're being so stubborn. You can't change the past. Stop trying to take credit for something you did not do, I know this isn't easy. You think I want to live with this? We don't have a choice and there are others who depend on us to get better and pull ourselves together." Jack shook his head, going under the blankets. Jamie tugged the blankets off Jack's head.

"Don't make this more difficult than it already is." Jack shook his head again, hiding under the pillows. Jamie sighed and pulled the pillows away.

"Jack, stop acting like you're five. You don't have to eat it all, just enough to quiet that stomach of yours." Jack growled, climbing under the mattress. Jamie set the food on a nearby night stand and moved the mattress next.

"Come on now." Jack hissed, crawling under the bed. Jamie crawled under the bed and pulled Jack out from under it with mild irritation.

"I get it. You're upset, but this is getting ridiculous... even So-" He cut off, a shudder going through him. He didn't bother finishing the sentence. He still can't yet... He only briefly wonders if he'll ever be able to as he tugged Jack out from under the bed. Jack looked at Jamie in concern.

"J-Jamie..." Jamie sighed.

"It still hurts... It... hasn't been enough time." Jack turned his head, his stomach loud and painful, but he ignored it. Jamie sighed again.

"Life goes on Jack... we need to as well." Jack held his middle.

"Jamie, it's not that simple. I can't forget what Jakoul did; using my energy to do what he did... that counts as I did it!" Jamie sighed.

"Nothing is ever simple Jack. Don't you think I don't know that? Why else would the memory of what happened to... her hurt? He used me, Jack. Just like Jakoul used you, but that doesn't make us responsible... at least I don't think it does. Let's face it, if you consider what Jakoul did being your crimes then Gale's crimes are mine." Jack huffed.

"I won't eat, okay?" He lay on the bed on his side; a headache beginning as well as his stomach ache. Jamie sighed and gave up trying. He put the room to sorts again and left Jack alone in the room for the first time since they had arrived.

Jack felt bad for doing that, but he was insistent on not eating. He didn't deserve it. A yeti came in to clean up the tray, but said nothing to Jack. Time slowly ticked by, but Jamie didn't return to the room. Jack started to worry after a time and walked out of the room slowly. North was in his office, the door half open as he chipped at a new model airplane design; for once though he wasn't blasting his usual music. Yetis and elves scurried about at their normal tasks, but none of the other Guardians are around and there's no sign of Jamie. Jack slowly wandered about the workshop, worry for Jamie etched into him. The workshop was busy as usual, but Jamie wasn't there. Almost as if he'd vanished into thin air. Jamie was actually soaring with Tooth over Singapore at that moment. Jack sniffed, feeling like he'd driven Jamie away; he left the pole for Burgess at first, but he couldn't go there as his heart throbbed, remembering the slaughter there. Jamie hesitated in flying over Burgess an hour later. Tooth with him for support and giving gentle encouragement as he shepherded in a very light snow to the town before flying off as fast as he could with Tooth behind him. Jack, on the other hand, was too scared to though Bunny, who had found him, was trying to coax him into spreading snow. It isn't long before Tooth and Jamie catch up to Bunny who is trying to hold his temper.

"Come on mate... You can manage a light snow." Bunny said as Tooth hovered over next to Bunny; Jamie, on the other hand, landed in a nearby tree. Jack sniffed, worried that he'd upset Jamie. He floated over to him.

"Jamie." His voice was soft.

"Hmm?" He didn't look upset, just thoughtful as he met Jack's gaze while Bunny and Tooth exchanged quiet conversation. Jack sighed.

"I... I'm real sorry about earlier." Jamie shrugged a little.

"It's gonna happen. This isn't exactly like scraping your knee sort of thing to get over." Jack closed the distance, gently wrapping his arms around him.

"Jamie... I'm scared. I don't want to make snow." He sniffed.

"But if I hold in the energy and snow it would be bad for me, and you, and the world." Jamie wrapped his arms around Jack.

"I know... it is tough. I couldn't do it on my own... so I asked Tooth to go with me. The world needs our snow, no matter how much we're scared." He murmured softly. Jack leaned into Jamie.

"But they are afraid of me again."

"I know. They run from me too. Not exactly how I wanted to get my first believers." Jack sighed, hugging him.

"Will you go with me when I make snow?"

"Of course." It was the only answer he could give, wanted to give. He had gone off with Tooth originally because he didn't think Jack was up to making snow if he couldn't even get him to eat. Jack sniffed Jamie's hair.

"You smell like sand."

"Ah... well I did fly over Australia with Tooth for a while before I got the nerve to make any snow at all." Jack smiled.