Christmas

Finally the long wait was over, it was Christmas eve and Artemis hopped out of her bed with excitement, ignoring the fact that her body was aching from exhaustion. The time leading up to this point, every time Jack left her to sleep, she would awake with a nightmare she couldn't remember of. But today Jack had promised to give her an early present, and after wards, it would be Christmas and she could give him hers. She rushed to her closet, throwing on a simple and cozy outfit, then quickly rushing out towards North's place.

Reaching towards the door and twisting the knob, she was expecting most things to be normal, but instead she saw havoc. The yetis were running everywhere frantically, trying to get something on the list checked off. Meanwhile she crept threw all of the fuss, paint was thrown against the wall as one yeti screamed at the other. She crept her way to North's office, entering it and closing the door as a piece of a toy hit the door. Pressing herself against the door she stared around and found North was in front of platform, pressing buttons on a panel that controlled the five screens in front of him. Each had about a thousand children's names, once in a while he would touch the screens to get a little more info. before heading off quickly to the next kid, there printing on the side was a very large list that stretched to Artemis and overlapped itself carelessly.

"Ah Artemis!" He said knowing she was behind him. She jumped a little but smiled in return.

"Sorry about ze mess here" He said his accent drowning "the". She just shook her head smiling and walked more towards North. She was about to ask him a question but he seemed to answer everything for her.

"Like it ya?...I'm checking my list one last time, but I'm sure i saw Jack trying to sneak in again" He replied glancing over to her with a inviting smile. Artemis nodded happily and hurriedly left the room, leaving North to do his work. Artemis quickly turned around to face one of the large yeti's. He gave a very annoyed and unamused look as he lifted his arm up, revealing Jack being held by his hood as he thrashed around. Artemis giggles lightly, bringing her hand to her mouth trying to hide it.

"Thanks Phil, i can take it from here." She said, barely managing to spit it out with the laughter. Phil dropped Jack on his bottom, Jack glared at him as Phil walked away annoyed.

"Jack, Phil will always catch you!" Artemis stated bending down to his level. He cocked up a smirk and retorted back as he stood, dragging her up with him.

"Ya well, just waiting for that day...now c'Mon i have a present for you" He said, taking her by her hands, floating lightly as he led her out of the room and back to outside of her own. She smiled brightly, all the while thinking what it could be.

"mmhh...Let me guess...A snowball in the face like last year?" She asked raising her one brow, he shook his head grinning widely. She jumped slightly in defiance at him. He chuckled at her and simply told her to cover her eyes, pouting with a smile she brought her hands to her eyes. Making sure she didn't peak through her fingers, Jack then moved behind her, lifting her carefully. Gliding her to another room, he put her down, flying in front of her.

"Okay you can open them!" He said, Artemis removed her hands in a heartbeat and flew her eyes open. Her mouth twisted upwards in a big smile as she looked froward to see all of the Guardians, even North in the middle of a giant mini village made of ice. A train ran trough and around, under a tunnel and back around. The light gave the shimmering ice a rainbow glow, it was perfect to her, she squealed lightly as North and everyone chuckled. North then glanced at a yeti and bounced about, saying his farewells and wishing everyone a Merry Christmas, especially saying goodbye to Jack and Artemis. Then leaving to jump into his sleigh at his place.

All seemed so perfect, if not for as soon as North left, a dark shadow allured the room. All of the three guardians were taken back slightly, the enormous shadow climbing over to Artemis, who unknowingly looked at everyone, only to be taken in by the shadow. Her voice shrieked and Jack was the first to jump forward, but even Jack's speed wasn't fast enough. The shadow engulfed her, and left as quickly as it came.