My new charger was supposed to be in today but apparently it was out of stock and not announced on the blasted website so it looks like I'm waiting another four or five days for it to come in. Really pissed right now but I can still use my mother's computer until then. What a piss off though, I lost my temper with the lady from the Source. Not her fault but seriously if something is out of stock in should be stated before someone orders or at least a memo emailed about the issue.

Child's Play 8

Costumes - Tooth

North's brow bunched as he felt something move on his bed. He kept his eyes close even though the movement had awoken him the moment even the slightest weight descended upon his bed. Old Cossack instincts urged him to reach for the dagger he kept under his pillow - a habit he had not been able to over come in the 500 years of being a Guardian - but he fought against them. The movement was of a small being, most likely some silly elf who had an nightmare and wanted to cuddle. It didn't happen often but from time to time one of them would try to sleep with him and North would have to shoo them away to get any sleep at all. While North adored them the blasted elves had a tendency to chatter and keep him from much needed sleep. This time, however, was different.

And elf had climbed into his bed but not one he had expected. A mass of snowy white and little boy climbed under North's large arm and cuddled against his warm chest as little hands tangled in his beard.

North cracked an eye open to stare into wide cobalt eyes. "Jack?" he asked softly.

The toddler gave a wide yawn before pushing his tiny head against North's and closed his eyes. "Shh...sleepy."

Concerned North attempted to lift his head but Jack had a firm grip on his beard so he laid his head back down. "Did you have a nightmare?" he asked, ready to kill Pitch if he so much as thought of giving the child a bad dream.

"No," Jack whispered, snuggling closer. "Lonely."

"Oh." The Russian smiled sleepily at his boy and drew him closer. He pressed his forehead against Jack's and looked him in the eye. "Is your bed too big?"

The child nodded as he drifted off to sleep. Rubbing Jack's back North allowed himself to drift back to sleep as well. Unbeknownst to him the two were being watched from the shadows and dark moonlit sky.

Even after so many decades being a Guardian Pitch was unsure of his feelings towards the other Guardians. He knew one thing for certain that had Jack never become a Guardian neither would he. The boy had bridged a gape between the darkness and the light that only North and MiM had attempted centuries earlier. Jack was the glue that held them all together. The boy was strong and not afraid to admit to his fears - after a little coaxing of course. He brought out the best in everyone whether he meant to or not. Pitch sighed as he watched his grandson cuddle against the Guardian of Wonder. In this form Jack was young enough to be North grandson rather than son but the jolly Russian loved him all the same. In fact, Pitch had never seen North so happy or laugh so much. He doted on the boy almost to the point he forgot his own duties.

"Whatever your plan, Lunar, you best get on with it before North falls too far behind on his duties," he muttered to the silver orb hanging low in the sky. He turned back to the shadows, his thoughts on his own child now grown. "Besides, you wouldn't want Seraphina learning what you've done to her son." It didn't take a genius to figure out what had happened to Jack when they could not found any spell book. Jack was smart and clever but didn't always think things through. He would never have had time to hide a spell book after casting an age reversal spell. Mother Nature was no going to be happy if she learned what had happened to Jack. As to the why MiM had done this it still boggled Pitch's mind but who was he to question the antics of a man hidden on the faraway Moon?

. . .

The other Guardians eventually came to the same conclusion as Pitch regarding Jack's change and they all took it in varying degrees. Sandy and Tooth were amused, they rather enjoyed playing with little Jack. North was concerned but maintained an upbeat look toward it, as if this was a chance to get to know Jack better. Pitch was annoyed to one point but also found it rather amusing - he rather enjoyed being a father again - no he was not accepting the role of grandfather just yet no matter how much everyone teased him or Jack called him grandpa. Bunny on the other hand was furious. He paced the sitting room, grumbling about the fact that Jack was his mate and that changing the boy was utterly pointless. What was Jack supposed to learn as a toddler? What were they supposed to learn from this experience? Pitch and Bunny were already fathers, both with grown children and technically so was Jack. In fact they were all grandfathers to varying degrees. There was nothing they need to learn from Jack's change.

Sandy made a remark about patience that made the other two men glower at him. The little man raised his hands defensively and backed away. Okay, patience might not be what they needed to learn.

"Perhaps Jack wanted to remember what it was like to be small and loved," Tooth suddenly said. The comment was more to herself then the men. She and her mini selves were fussing over Jack, cooing over his little wings as he pretended to be one of them. "Is that it, Sweet Tooth? You just want to play and be loved and cuddled? I bet that's it."

Pitch rolled his eyes. Jack may be an eternal youth who simply wanted to have fun but he was not a little boy needing to be coddled by his mommy and daddy. The boy was independent, strong and fearless. He had to be for all those centuries alone and then being a Guardian and protecting the children. He had no time for...oh hell's fire. That was exactly what was going on. Pitch knew Jack's fears, knew just about everything about his past. The boy had to grow up at a young age and help his family and while he loved to play and have fun he was also very responsible and looked out for not just his sister but the other village kids in his past life. Even before becoming a Guardian the ice child tried to protect children. He was also looking out for others and not truly remembering what it was like to be carefree and child like. He didn't truly remember what it was like to be small and loved like so many of the children he watched over. His face paled slightly as he glanced to North and saw the way the white haired man smiled fondly at the child. North was the only one in their group who had never truly been a father. Even Sandy had once had a family long ago but not North but not North. He had been a young man when he became a Guardian. He never settled down, never took a wife - despite all the legends of Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus. North never had a family of his own, the Guardians were his family and Jack his adopted son. He would protect Jack - regardless if it was toddler Jack or teenage Jack - with his life. MiM had done this for North and Jack. Why?

Jack's giggle tore Pitch from his thoughts as the little boy ran to North in his colorful teal and blue hoodie, a crown of multicolored feather on his head and fairy wings on his back. "Fly me, daddy!" the child yelled.

North laughed and grasped the child's small waist and lifted him above his head. "To the Moon and back?" he asked with a chuckle.

Jack threw out his arms, pretending to fly as Sandy snapped another picture. Bunny looked away but Pitch was captivated. All this, everything that had happened to Jack was somehow meant to bring him and North closer together. It was no secret that North had been slightly jealous when Bunny and Jack had kits decades back but no one had thought it affected the Russian as much as it apparently had. North wanted to be a father and now MiM was giving him that chance. Obviously North loved every single moment of it was the problem was would he be able to let Jack go when it was time for his to return to his proper form or was MiM planning to leave the Guardian of fun like this forever...or would Jack begin to grow like a regular child until he reached his proper physical age?