Chapter 2: Born In The Arms of Imaginary Friends

"My cats! Oh, Jacob will torture them! And I'm going to... need some things. Can't I just go back to grab some stuff and Cas and Dom?" I pleaded, eyes wide.

"Is very dangerous for you to be alone, but perhaps someone should go with you. I must manage here; Christmas is so very close. Bunny?"

"Sorry, mate, I gotta get back to the Warren."

"Well, then I guess you and Jack are going."

I turned to look at the winter spirit, distrust coloring my vision.

"Oh, don't look at me like that. Its going to be fine. Now hop on."

"Hop on?"

He sighed and turned around, bending down in front of me.

"Hurry, we've got to fly fast."

"Fly? On your back?" I was not okay with that. Jack seemed like the kind of guy who would drop me for fun and then catch me inches from the ground, after I had a heart attack.

"Come on. I won't drop you."

"Oh really?"

"Would I trick you?"

"Yes." I was absolutely positive this boy had tricked many a person in his lifetime.

"Well, not this time. I promise."

Not really having a choice, I jumped on and wrapped my arms around his neck. As he stood up straight, I twisted my legs around his waist tightly. He shifted me slightly higher on his back, getting a better grip on my legs, and then stepped onto the window sill.

"Be careful, and hurry back!" North called, slipping something into Jack's hoodie pocket as Jack jumped out the window.

I buried my face into the back of his neck, sure we would fall to our deaths, but then the wind seemed to scoop me up, and then we were soaring.

I was scared at first, but soon found the experience exhilarating. True to his word, Jack kept his grip on my legs and didn't drop me.

I raised my head up as we flew over what I believed was the Atlantic Ocean, and a laugh bubbled out of my mouth. I could get used to flying like this. Jack looked up at me and I saw he was grinning as well.

We were soon flying over my hometown of Jamestown, Pennsylvania.

"That one," I said, pointing at a small two-story house. Jack landed lightly on the roof, and I crept over to where my bedroom window was.

Even though it was November, I liked my room cool so my window was open a crack. Leaning over the edge of the roof like an idiot, I reached down to try to push it up the rest of the way.

A scream tore it's way up my throat as I started to slip, but never made it's way out of my mouth because of two hands that quickly gripped my waist tightly. I looked back to see Jack leaning over me, with what looked like fear in his icy blue eyes.

"Be careful!" he hissed, and I nodded. I found the edge and slid the window up. Turning around on the roof, I held onto him and stepped onto my window sill and slipped the rest of the way in, with Jack right behind me.

Realizing I still had my backpack on, I placed it on the bed and emptied it, replacing the school supplies with books, sketchbooks, chargers, and other items I knew I would want inside. Grabbing an 'Invader Zim' rolling suitcase out of my closet, I began filling it with with clothes shoes, and various toiletries. Jack looked around my room while I did all this.

Motioning for him to follow me quietly, I tiptoed downstairs to the basement. Opening the creaky door as quietly as I could, I listened for a shift in movement from the TV room, where I knew Andrea and Chris were. I went in and came back out with the two cats and a Whole Foods tote bag full of kitty supplies.

Back in my room, I set the cats and their stuff on the bed next to the other two bags. I smiled at them; I had rescued them three years ago as kittens. Dominatrix was a solid black female, her slinky body and sneaky attitude giving me the idea for her name. Castiel was the opposite- he was solid white, and slightly fatter than Dom and much calmer. When he was a kitten, he reminded me of the angel from my favorite show, Supernatural, so much that I chose to name him after Castiel.

Realization dawned on me, and I looked around the room with dismay. "How are we going to get these two and the bags back to the North Pole while flying?" I asked.

Jack smirked. "Watch this."

He withdrew a glass sphere, whispered something into it, and then threw it against the wall. I was about to call out about the noise it would cause when it exploded and a shimmering portal opened in front of me.

"After you," Jack said, bowing regally. I chuckled, then slid the backpack onto my shoulders and grabbed the cats. Jack grabbed the other two bags, and then we stepped into the portal.

I barely managed to keep a hold of the cats as I fell through the portal, gasping at the sensation. It felt as if I had turned to jelly and was spinning around in a dryer. When we were once again in the globe room, I dropped to my knees and Jack and North laughed at my expression.

Cas and Dom leapt from my arms and shook them selves off. I could tell they were pissed off. They had not liked the portal whatsoever.

"Come. I'll show you to your room." North said. I scurried quickly after him, grabbing the cats up into my arms again. I heard Jack sigh and follow us with my other two bags.

I was drawn into an impossibly large room, filled with such wonders I could not even begin to describe them.

I jumped at the sight of huge, furry creatures who, as North explained, were yetis. Apparently, they were the ones that did all the work, not the elves, though I did ask. North just responded, "That's what we like them to think."

Finally, we reached a huge oak door that had a pretty glass mosaic of the North Star in the middle of it.

"Here we are! Your room!" He said as he threw the door open. I stepped in, and couldn't help but gasp at the room. The walls were a deep cranberry red. Mirrors with black frames of all shapes and sizes were on the wall behind the bed, which was a queen sized monstrosity that had an elegant black frame and was covered in a red and black comforter with tons black and red accent pillows. Thick black curtains were held back from the seat with black ribbons. On the wall opposite the bed was a large wooden vanity, painted black. On the same wall was a door on either side of the vanity that I assumed led to a closet and a bathroom. On the wall perpendicular to the bed was a black dresser, and a few more feet down was a large window with a window seat covered in plush black and red cushions. On the same wall the door was on was a big black desk, with a matching black chair that had a soft red pillow attached to it. In one corner was a large black cat tree.

It was perfect. North couldn't have picked a better room for me.

"Wow," I whispered, "it's amazing. Thank you so much. For everything."

North just laughed and patted me heartily on the back. "Its nothing, really!"

I walked in and set the cats down. They immediately began to explore.

"I must go make preparations. Its a very busy time for me, you know! But, I am sure Jack will be glad to help you unpack!" And before either of us could say anything, North left the room.

I looked up at him awkwardly. "Erm... thanks for helping me. But you don't have to help me unpack. I'll be cool by myself."

He gave me an odd look before setting my stuff on the bed. I did the same with my backpack.

"I think we got off on the wrong foot, Ariah. I don't dislike you. Maybe we should try again. Hello, my name is Jack Frost." he stuck out his hand.

I stared at for a second before offering him a small smile. I grabbed his hand tentatively. "Nice to meet you, Jack. My name is Ariah Carter."

"Its a pleasure to meet you too. Now, would you like some help unpacking?"

I shifted uncomfortably. I wasn't really comfortable with all the hospitality. "Er... I guess so."

"Great!" he unzipped my suitcase.

"I will unpack my clothes. You can start off with my backpack."

For a while it was silent, while I put clothes in the dresser or closet, and set up my makeup and other toiletries in the bathroom, the only words being directions to Jack on where to place things. After about half an hour, we were done.

"So... its kind of late. You'd probably like to get some rest."

I nodded mutely. It was really late, and I was exhausted. It was already near morning, and I just wanted to collapse.

He said goodnight and left quickly. I considered taking a shower, but put the idea off because I figured I would probably fall asleep half way through. After stripping to my underwear, I pulled on an extra long purple button-up pajama shirt that went halfway down my thighs, and collapsed on the bed.

Jack's POV

When I walked into Ariah's room the next morning- well, I should say afternoon- she was laying cockeyed on the bed, with most of the pillows on the floor. Her cats slept on these.

I leaned over her and said teasingly, "Get up, lazy ass. You've slept most of the day away."

She lay there for a few moments, then rolled lazily over onto her stomach, stretching as she went. God! She looked just like her stupid cats. She smiled drowsily up at me, and I couldn't help but note how beautiful she looked even when she had just woken up.

"What? Did you say something, Jackie?"

I stopped. "What did you just call me?"

"Why, nothing, Jackie."

I grabbed one of the pillows that still remained on the bed and whomped her upside the head. This woke her up, and put a dangerous fire in her eyes. She threw the blankets back and pounced at me, a snarl on her lips. I, however, was much too fast for her and flew out of her grasp. She landed on the floor, barely managing to stay on her feet.

"Get back here, Frost!"

She was right behind me now, and I didn't move from my post near the ceiling. I turned around to throw the pillow at her head and stopped, blushing, when I saw her attire.

Most of her creamy white legs were revealed below the shirt she wore, and it was sliding off in one direction, showing off one creamy shoulder and a lot of her collar bone. I remembered how her slim little waist felt in my hands when she almost fell off the roof last night. I shivered at the memory.

She noticed my hesitation, but not my staring (or chose to ignore it) and grinned up at me. "What, are you afraid?"

At this I dropped the pillow over her head, but she managed to catch it just in time in her small hands. I dropped to the ground and raised my arms in front of my face in anticipation of the pillow that smacked into them as soon as my feet touched the ground.

I bent down to grab it, and she giggled as she darted into the bathroom, closing and locking the door. I chuckled, then tossed the pillow on her bed as her cats looked at me with distaste.

"You have thirty minutes to be ready." I called as I walked out of the room.

When I got to the globe room, Bunny was standing there with North.

"What was all the ruckus, Jack?" North asked.

"Ariah abusing me with her pillow." I feigned a hurt look.

Bunny grinned rather slyly. "Oh, yeah, mate, I bet you hated that. A beautiful girl your age chasin' you around the room in her pajamas? How bloody awful!" He said, smugly sarcastic.

I felt my cheeks growing hot as I remembered the lazy smile she gave me.

"Ah, shut up, Kangaroo."

He smirked at me and I turned around and walked over to look out the window.

Ariah's POV

I looked at my face in the mirror. My cheeks were flushed, my hair was going wild and my eyes were bright- brighter than I'd ever seen. And another thing: I was actually happy. I felt the feeling fluttering around in my chest, and it was exhilarating. Giving myself a stupid grin, I hopped in the shower.

When I got out, I wrapped a thick, fluffy black towel around me and walked over to my dresser. From there, I pulled on black denim cut off shorts over slightly torn up black panty hose, a plain white t-shirt, a black leather vest (well, it was fake leather, but it still looked cool), and black combat boots.

Going back into the bathroom, I straightened my hair and drew on some black eyeliner. Glancing at the clock, I saw I'd taken forty-five minutes to get ready. Oh well, it's close enough.

Now, I assumed the time limit meant I was supposed to meet him somewhere. Or someone else. But he hadn't told me anything about that, so I had no clue where to go. I wandered around until I found the giant room with the yetis.

A bit nervously, I walked over to one and asked if he/she knew where Jack was. It pointed at a door a bit far off, and I hastily said thanks and walked off. Pushing open the door, I saw it was the globe room.

Bunny and North greeted me as Jack turned around. I gave him a small smile.

"Morning- er, afternoon, I guess. Jeez, sorry, I didn't mean to sleep so late."

"Nonsense! You were awake until late!" North exclaimed.

"You are, however, late in getting dressed. C'mon, already. Let's go!" Jack said grabbing my wrist and dragging me out of the room.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

He tossed an impish grin over his shoulder at me. "You'll see."

A/N: Well, that was a lot shorter than I thought it was. Oh well. Here's chapter two. I just started three, but I probably won't be able to work on it until tomorrow because I have a musical theatre concert (ugh) and that will likely last from 5:30 until 9:30. And I have to do homework. So that's fun.

In other news, today's my sweet sixteen, which is weird. I'm suddenly, like, an almost adult with the maturity of a twelve year old. Sweet! XD

Also, I really want to thank all you guys who favorited/followed both the story and me, and who reviewed. You guys are so amazing. You're what makes writing so worthwhile.

And I don't have time to do a lot of proofreading, since I have to go get on all my garb for musical theatre, so I'm sorry for any mistakes.