When Past and Present Collide 5
To save confusion I'll be calling North well…North and young North Nicholas.
The others had moved the young North to another section of the infirmary while Jack stayed next to North…his North. He couldn't think of the other man as North, it just wasn't right. They were chattering excitedly, as if this was the most natural thing in the world. It wasn't natural. North wasn't dead. He was laying right there in front of them. Just because that man resembled North in his youth didn't make him North, did it? How could the others dismiss what was right in front of them?
Jack wiped at the tears that simply wouldn't stop. Why was everyone accepting this so easily? North was dying and no one was helping him. Jack held North's hand, his thumb rubbing soothing patterns over the back of his father's hand. "I don't care what the others say, I'm not letting you go," he promised in a whisper. "I'm not letting go. You kept believing in me even when I didn't. You always took care of me and protected me. It's my turn to take care of you." He checked the heart monitor hoping to see the line beeping more often. He sighed. Nothing had changed. "Don't worry, North, I'm not going anywhere."
"Yeah, you are, mate," Bunny said suddenly as he placed his paws on Jack's shoulders. "It's very late and you need to go to bed. North wouldn't want you here worrying about him."
Jack shrugged him off. "Like you care," he grumbled, shuffling his chair closer to the gurney. "You have your new North to fond over."
The Pooka took a surprised step back. "Jack… Love, you don't understand. This is 'new' North is our North. He's just confused right now but he'll be back to normal soon."
"How is any of this normal?"
Bunny raised his paw to touch Jack's shoulder once more but stopped himself. "Jack, I promise, everything will be okay," he said softly before turning away.
"Yeah…as soon as North wakes up," Jack said with a nod, continuing his vigil. He could barely hear North's raspy breath through the respirator, his breath fogging the plastic. The large man looked so frail and weak; not at all the man admired most.
"He's waking up!" Tooth called to everyone.
Jack looked up, half excepting to see North's bright sapphire eyes looking down at him but the man had not budged. Frowning, he stood and pulled back the curtain separating them from the rest of the infirmary. Sure enough the other North was awake and struggling to sit up and Tooth and Bunny were trying to help him. Pulling the curtain close Jack choose to ignore him and his friends and went back to his seat. There was nothing in Heaven or Earth that would convince him that spirit was North.
He glanced up in surprise when Sandy floated around the curtain with a curious frown. He glanced to the monitor before settling near North's head, his small hands combing through thick greyish-white hair. A few sand symbols appeared above the small golden man's head.
Jack shook his head. "No, no change," Jack reported, thankful that at least one other Guardian wasn't going gaga for the new North. "I don't know what to do, Sandy. I thought if I sat here and talked to him he might hear me and move a bit like Jamie did but…" He closed his eyes. "I can't lose him, too."
Sandy moved closer, his small hand touching Jack's cheek and making him look up at him. A snowflake and a bed appeared but Jack shook his head, refusing to go to bed regardless of how tired he was. But the look the older Guardian gave him was parental and demanding. Jack shook his head, silently begging his friend not to put him under. He couldn't sleep, not now. What if he woke up and North was gone. Sandy caressed his cheek as more images formed above his head, promising that he would watch over North.
"But what about the children?" Jack asked softly, trying to find any excuse not to sleep but of course Sandy gestured to the Moon high above them and Jack frowned. As if he could trust MiM right now. "Yeah, well no offense but I'd rather watch ov-"
Before he could finish Sandy flew dreamsand in his eyes and the youth slumped forward into his arms. Sandy sighed softly before ever so gently pushing Jack back into the oversize chair and trying to make him as comfortable as possible. Then he checked on North's once more. His friend was still alive but barely. For whatever reason, North was still holding on to life rather than submitting to his new spirit form. Did he not realize what was happening? Was this why young North's memories were so jumbled? Sandy wasn't sure and it made him worry.
. . .
"Bunnymund?" Nicholas asked, pressing the butt of his hand against his eyes. "What hit me? Please tell me I didn't blow up the lab again."
Bunny and Tooth exchange looks of confusion before a tiny smile tug at Bunny's lips. It was so long ago he had nearly forgotten about the number of times one of North's spells blew up in his face often leaving Ombric's lab in disarray. He chuckled softly. "Nah, mate, nothing that bad," he assured.
Nicholas froze in surprise. His bright sapphire eyes narrowed as he looked Bunny over. "Beg pardon?" He shifted back a bit as Tooth invaded his personal space, her large violet eyes studying his. "You're Highness?"
She gave a surprised gasped and short backward very hummingbird like. "Oh! Oh dear! I had hoped…oh, sweetie, your memory is still not all there is it?"
The young Cossack's brows shot up into his hairline and he ran a hand over his hair, looking utterly lost and confused. "Sweetie? Memory? What are you talking about, Toothiana. Where exactly am I?"
"Santoff Claussen of course," she answered before thinking better of it. She covered her mouth with a tiny eep before looking to Bunny for support. "I mean…well…oh dear."
"This isn't Santoff Claussen," Nicholas objected as he climbed off the gurney. "You're not Bunnymund or Toothiana. Now would someone please tell me what exactly is going on here? Where am I? Who are you two?"
Phil the yeti was the one to step forward and explain everything in yetish. Nicholas sat back down, his eyes growing wider by the moment. Tooth fluttered anxiously to his left while Bunny stood to his right. The young's face grew paler and paler and he suddenly looked as if he might throw up. Leave it to Phil to put things bluntly.
"None of this makes sense," he muttered when Phil was done. "How can I be 500 years in the future? That's not even possible. Unless…oh no…I must have been messing around with Ombric's time machine. I don't even remember touching it."
"Time machine?" Tooth mouthed to Bunny.
The Pooka shook his head and motioned for her to keep silent. For now a little lie was better than the truth, at least for now.
Sandy poked his head out from around the corner and motioned for Bunny to come to him.
"I'll be right back…Nicholas," Bunny said, patting his young friend's knee. Then he hopped over to the curtained area. "What's up, Sandy?" he asked, sparing a concerned gaze to North's body. The slow beep showing that the stubborn Russian was still hanging on even if his spirit was no longer part of his body. He instinctively reached out and squeezed his best friend's hand before looking up to see Jack asleep in a big arm chair and Sandy floating next to the winter spirit. Bunny smiled fondly at the sleeping form of his mate. "Thanks, Sandy. I think this has all been a little much for my Snowflake." Gently he lifted Jack into his arms and gave the dreamweaver a smile. "Are you going to keep an eye on North for him?"
Sandy nodded with a sad smile toward their friend's body. There was a small shine of hope in his eyes and Bunny wasn't sure if it was for North to pull out of this comatose state or for him to finally pass on and his spirit and soul to become completely one. Bunny wasn't so sure what he wanted either. This was all very confusing for everyone involved. And in Jack's case, where he had never dealt with the rebirth of a spirit with the exception of himself, this must be very frightening. Considering the person being reborn just had to be a stubborn old goat like North who both wanted and feared immortality. This was sure to be a trying couple of days. Only MiM knew how this was all going to end.