This is a sequel to The Offer and Prince Of The Ice Kingdom.
Jack peeked through all the windows of Jamie's house, but he couldn't find the man anywhere. He had sought him out earlier today, wanting to speak to him in private before he came to the lake with his family later, and had overheard while they were having breakfast that Ashley would be leaving with Jade later in the morning to buy new ice skates for both herself and Jade. Jack had seen it as his chance to catch Jamie alone, but now that he was back here, he didn't see his friend. He landed on a power line and crossed his arms, frowning. That's when he spotted the light behind the dirty window of the attic.
With a victorious smile, Jack flew to the window and pushed it open. Maybe he should have knocked first. He still wasn't used to this. Deciding that knocking was for humans, he flew around a pile of dusty boxes and finally found Jamie sitting on the floor, holding a flashlight and looking at some scattered papers. peering over his shoulder, he recognized the papers as old drawings Jamie had made when he was younger. Jack remembered many of the colorful crayon ones, including the picture of his crazy sledding flight. Jamie used to show them to him whenever he visited. Pictures of the Guardians, of Jamie and Jack having fun, sometime with his friends or Sophie.
But those childish drawings hadn't been the only ones in the box Jamie had emptied on the floor. Others were ink scribbles on lined paper, maybe made at school. Pages and pages of them, some just doodles, others more elaborate. Jack had never seen those. He hadn't really realized how important the Guardians had still been to Jamie even when he was older. How much he still thought of them. Jack had thought he was just this friend who was missing half the year, but maybe he was a bit more important to Jamie than that. Maybe Jack was his tie to that secret part of his life that made him who he was. Until Jack left and told him to forget him.
"I still don't know how I could just stop believing, you know?" Jamie said without turning around. "Whenever I try to remember that summer, I can't figure out how it happened. Everything is a little fuzzy, but I remember thinking that I could never just let go. And then I did."
"You were afraid."
"I was. I remember that. I was terrified. But I—"
"I'm sorry. I didn't know how to deal with the situation, so I left, hoping it would just solve itself if I wasn't around. I abandoned you."
Jamie didn't answer at first. He looked at the pictures scattered around him, at the representations of all the fun he had with Jack, of how he missed him when he wasn't around. Jack felt his throat constrict and he stared at his feet. He should never have just left like he had. He didn't know what he was supposed to do, Pitch was right, after all, it had been better for Jamie to stop believing and move on with his life, but surely there had to be an other way. Something that didn't involve leaving his friend alone and afraid.
"That still doesn't excuse forgetting you. It only hurt when you left because I cared. Because you were important to me."
"Jamie, you didn't just stop believing on your own. As I said, you were afraid. And that caught someone's attention."
Jamie turned to face him at last, staring at him with a look between worry and hope in his eyes.
"You mean... Pitch?"
Jack nodded.
"Yeah. It must have been too great an opportunity to pass up, after you refused to stop believing all those years ago. I'm so sorry, Jamie, I should have been there."
"How can you be sure about this? You're not just making it up to make me feel better, are you?"
"No. Pitch told me, after you left yesterday."
Jamie jumped to his feet, startling Jack. He grabbed the Guardian by the shoulders and looked him over, as if searching for some injuries. Jack had forgotten that last time Jamie knew of him encountering the Boogeyman was the time when he had attacked him and Sophie after Pitch infected his staff with fear. He must be assuming that whatever meeting Jack had with Pitch yesterday had not been a very friendly one. Jamie had his worried father face on, which half bothered Jack and half comforted him. He should be the one being protective of Jamie, not the other way around. Yet he couldn't deny it felt nice to have someone care like that.
"You saw Pitch? Are you hurt? Is he still around?"
"Yes, I saw him. No, I'm not hurt. And yes, he's still around. Jamie, calm down. I'm not worried about Pitch. We're back on speaking terms."
"Just like that? After everything he did to you? And what do you mean, 'back'?"
"Life is too long to spend it hating someone. And I had been on speaking terms with Pitch for three centuries before deciding to mess with his plan because I didn't like his methods, even if we had the same goal."
"The same goal? You and Pitch?" Jamie asked incredulously.
"To be seen. To be believed in. It's all I ever wanted," Jack said softly. He knelt and picked up one of the pictures, a crayon drawing of the two of them building a snowman. "It was something special for me too, you know?"
They were both silent for a long moment as they stared at the old drawings.
"I don't want to forget again. Even if it's not always easy to live with. It matters too much."
"I know."
After another silence, Jamie shook himself and started putting the drawings back in the box.
"Right. I came up here to look for my skates. I got a little side-tracked. I should hurry up before Ash and Jade comes back. Jade has been so eager to go skating. So is Ash. She says it's been so long."
"I'm glad to hear it. I'll be waiting. And I'll make sure everyone has fun."
