"Think you can drop me off somewhere for a moment?"
Jack turned, raising his eyebrows at Jamie, smiling slightly, but his smile faded when he noticed the look on the 16- year old's face. It definitely wasn't one of pleasure. In fact, now that he thought about it, Jack realised Jamie's countenance hadn't exactly been merry since they took off. The boy looked like he was having a wild inner debate with himself. "Where?" Jack finally asked.
"At the airport."
Jack couldn't help but smile to himself. Well then, Jamie was in for a surprise if it was the airport. They started flying downwards and soon got a glimpse of forests below them. The airport had to be somewhere near.
"Um, Jack, I changed my mind. Lets just keep flying," Jamie said, just as they flew out of the clouds. Jack plummeted down to the earth, dragging Jamie along. The ride down was exhilarating, but Jamie wasn't smiling when they finally landed on solid ground. They were in one of the forests, but Jack took Jamie's hand and guided him in the direction of the airport.
"It's okay, Jamie," the winter spirit responded. "We have enough time for a short exchange of goodbyes."
"How did you know?"
"I overheard your conversation with your sister yesterday," Jack said, grinning sheepishly. "Sorry for eavesdropping."
"It doesn't matter," Jamie said. "Anyway, we should just head on to the Warren, don't you think? Where did you say it was? Australia? Are we really going to fly all the way to Australia?"
"Don't change the subject," Jack said. "Come on."
Jamie let go of the winter spirit's hand and landed, cat-like, on the ground. He stood up, looking miserable. "He said he would be leaving in the morning. It's almost mid-morning. He has already left."
"There was a blizzard. The plane won't be arriving for another, like, half-an hour, if my calculations are correct," Jack said. "So, you only have half-an hour, and you're currently wasting it."
Jamie looked up in surprise. "A blizzard? Did... did you create it?"
Jack smirked. "What do you think?"
Jamie just stood there, gaping, before Jack seized his hand and they raced through the forest. Frost swirled on the trunks of trees where Jack touched them. The winter spirit flew low, to avoid branches. They were soon out of the forests and on the road leading to the airport.
"I can't fly you any further or you'll be all over the news tomorrow," Jack said. He pointed out several taxis whizzing past. "Perhaps you could take one of those.
A cab was hailed and Jamie got in as fast as he could. "Airport," he told the driver. "And don't worry. I do have cash with me."
The cab sped off and Jamie kept an eye on the time. He could see Jack flying alongside it, but unlike how he would've usually felt, his thoughts wandered over to what would happen once he arrived at the airport. What would he say?
Before he knew it, the cab had arrived at the airport. Fifteen minutes of the half hour had passed and Jamie hurried into the building, with Jack beside him. The winter spirit pointed out where he had to go and Jamie tore through the crowds. Adults stared at him as he ran past, and several children, too, but most of them had their wide eyes focused on Jack. Well, it wasn't every day a child who believed saw Jack Frost flying through an airport.
Five minutes passed quickly. Jack quickly led him to the waiting area near some shops and Jamie literally pushed everyone away to get there as he spotted the person he had been looking for.
"Jamie."
Mr. Bennett leaped to his feet. The lady was beside him and she glared at the boy. Jamie ignored her piercing looks and ran up to his father.
"What... how..." Mr. Bennett was lost for words.
"I just came to say goodbye," Jamie said, and felt fresh tears threatening to make an appearance. He blinked them back and embraced his father. The older man need not even kneel to hug him back, like he did when Jamie was a child. For a moment, the two just stood there, with the eyes of everyone in the waiting area focused on them. Jamie closed his eyes, striving to preserve the moment for as long as he could. Tears ran down Mr. Bennett's face, and this made several emotional souls around them dab at their eyes, too. That embrace said everything.
Jack watched from the door, trying to avoid getting too close, for frost swirling on it in the middle of summer was not exactly unnoticeable. He smiled to himself.
After what seemed like only a short while to Jamie and Mr. Bennett, but had actually been about five minutes, the two of them broke apart and Jamie allowed the tears to flow freely. A disembodied female voice rang out from the speakers, announcing the arrival of the flight, but there was one more thing. Jamie turned to the lady and hesitated for a moment. What was the best gesture? Finally, he merely extended his hand towards her. Her glare turned to a look of surprise and she almost reluctantly took his hand before pulling it away instantly. But just like the embrace, the brief touch and the look in Jamie's eyes said it all.
"Goodbye, son," Mr. Bennett said, beaming. "But how did you get here?"
"Long story, dad," Jamie half-laughed through the tears. Mr. Bennett managed a small smile, feeling a little guilty that there were so many things about his own son he knew nothing about. "I wish you every happiness. Both of you." Jamie turned to the lady as well.
Mr. Bennett looked like he was about to say something, but Jamie shook his head. "You don't have to say anything, dad. I thought things over last night. Just... don't forget to visit, alright?"
"We'll write," the lady spoke, all of a sudden. "Thank you, Jamie Bennett."
Jamie stood there and watched as his father walked out of the waiting area amidst the other passengers, into a promenade and boarded the plane. At the top of the stairs, he turned momentarily and waved. Jamie saw it, out of a window, and waved back, but he was too far away and hidden from view. He stood there and kept watching as the plane took off, taking with it his father and probably, his new mother, to new places and a whole new life somewhere far away.
Jamie turned back and slowly walked away from the waiting area to where Jack was waiting. Jamie managed a weak smile. "Thanks, Jack," he said.
"Hey, no problem," Jack replied, beaming. "I've got the feeling you just want to go home."
"Yeah," Jamie responded. "Sorry, Jack."
"The Warren can wait," Jack said. "Anyway, I was thinking of taking you there during Easter, so you can actually see the eggs all preparing to make their debut!"
Jamie's eyes lit up. "That would be great!" he said, but instantly attracted stares from passers-by. "Whoops," he muttered, smirking slightly. The two of them exited the building and headed back to the road.
"Wind, take me home," Jamie said to Jack, extending his hand and smirking. Jack chuckled and took hold of Jamie before both flew up above the clouds, with Jack creating wind to help Jamie fly along.
...
Jamie walked through the house, and saw the same sights. He flinched at the sight of his mother, but smiled to himself when he saw his father and the lady. He walked on towards the door, but noticed a girl he had never seen before leaning against the wall beside the door. She smiled at him and he merely returned the smile, before she walked off and vanished into thin air. Jamie opened the door and stepped into the room, only to find out there was no room.
The bed was still there, though, and all the furniture, but it seemed like the walls of the bedroom had fallen and revealed a lush, beautiful garden with real bunnies and unicorns. As Jamie watched, a phoenix flew past and winked at him. He took his seat on the bed, beside Estella, who was watching the creatures. Sophie was awake, curled up beside Estella, her head resting on the girl's shoulder and she enjoyed the view of the garden.
"Not bad, eh?" Jamie spoke. "Though, I have to admit it, I will never accept my father's decision fully."
"Well, partially is good enough," Estella replied, smiling. "At least you've cleared your head of that. And she has learnt to accept you as well."
Jamie knew she was referring to the lady, his probable new mother. He didn't reply. They sat there in silence for a few moments, watching the unicorn graze.
"But they're so far away right now," said Jamie, after a short while. "If I'm not mistaken, they moved to a country halfway round the globe."
"Ah, but the greatest illusion in the world is the illusion of separation," Estella responded. "Time is an illusion, too, and so is death."
Jamie raised his eyebrows. "What do you mean?"
"Well, we're actually all the same. All living things," Estella began to explain. "We may seem different, what with different races and ethnics, but basically, we're humans, we're the same, and we're connected, even with other living things. And even if your father is away, he's still gonna write to you, right? And he'll always be with you."
Jamie nodded slightly. "I've heard stuff like that."
Estella laughed. "Of course! This is your subconscious, right?"
"What about time and death?"
"Well, I'm... not with you, right?" she said, uncertain how to put it. "But I'll always be here." She pointed to his chest, the same spot Jack had indicated on the day of the battle against Pitch, before the winter spirit had left with the other Guardians. "Which is why you're having this conversation with me right now."
"And the illusion of time?"
Estella turned to stare at something past Jamie and she broke into a smile. Jamie turned and saw that girl again, the one he had met outside the door. He didn't seem to get it, and a moment later, she faded and so did his surroundings. Instead of cracking and breaking into pieces, Estella and Sophie slowly became translucent, and then almost transparent, before fading. The phoenix flew up into the sky and came hurtling down towards the earth, crashing into it and bursting into a thousand jewels which showered on Jamie. The boy shielded himself with his hands but when he removed them, everything had dissolved completely.
The whole thing about separation and time and death being illusions are from Avatar: The Last Airbender, but I guess there's no harm in slipping in quotes from there, is there?
Thanks for reading! Please review.