Author: It's been a while, but to make it up I come baring a nice long Christmas chapter.
Happy holidays from me to you, my wonderful readers.
Disclaimer: I don't own ROTG.
Merry Christmas to all!
"Bunny!" Jackson St. North cheered running to his uncle as he came out of a tunnel in the one of the main hallways from the workshop. "Merry Christmas!"
E. Aster Bunnymund laughed easily scooping the eight-year-old up and hugging him tightly. "Heya Jackie, merry Christmas." His tone was soft and gentle. The pooka wasn't the least bit bothered by the child enthusiasm about his father's holiday, after all the kid got just as excited for Easter as for Christmas.
Jack had a bright grin on his face when Bunny put him down, it wasn't often that he had his whole family together in one place. "You're just in time! Sandy, aunt Kathy and grandpa are already here and aunt Kathy said she'd tell a story when we're all here and now you're here so come on come on! Come on! Come on!" Jack finished his rant, grabbed Bunny's hand and began dragging him to the main living room of the 'pole.
The large living room was lit by the fire from the fire-place. North sat in his large leather armchair with Toothiana sitting on the rest of it, Ombric in the other armchair(the one slightly smaller than North's) Sandy and Katherine sat on the long red couch, three yetis sitting on each side of them.
Jack ran to his aunt. "Bunny's here now." He stated the obvious once Aster finished his greetings and sat down on the floor.
"So I've noticed," The brown-haired woman nodded. "why dis you feel to share this with me, Jack?"
"Aunt Kathy..." The eight-year-old whined. "You promised..."
It was tradition and he really didn't need to remind anyone.
"Ah," Ombric said running his fingers over his long beard. "I believe young Jack wants you to share another one of your tales with us, Katherine."
"I see..." Katherine purposely stalled, a large grin on her face as she pulled out her magical book from the couch besides her. "What story would you like to hear Jack?" She didn't even need to ask.
"Peter Pan!"
It had been Jack's favorite tale ever since Sandy first told it to him a little over a year ago. As the guardian of storytelling Katherine could feel a special connection between Jack and the story of Peter Pan, she just didn't know what it meant yet.
"Don't you know that story by heart now Jack?" Ombric asked smiling warmly. "Your mother and father tell it you at least once a week."
"I know." The eight-year-old nodded, his face serious. "But aunt Kathy tells it differently."
Katherine smiled a secret smile at that.
She wasn't the guardian of Storytelling for nothing.
"Let's see..." Katherine said flipping through the pages in her book. Her Book contains every story known and even the ones that weren't written or thought out yet, but the book wasn't heavy because Katherine only had access to the stories she needed and sometimes the book decided to keep things from her. "Here it is..." She paused, giving everyone the time to get comfortable, before starting in her storytelling voice.
"Once upon a time there was a boy who decided he didn't want to grow up, so flew out of the window to a far away magical island were children ne-"
"Aunt Kathy?"
"Yes Jack?" Katherine asked looking up from her book to look at her nephew who sat on the floor, sky-blue eyes gazing up at her -just like his father those blue eyes were filled with wonder.
Little Jack had a little frown on his face. "How did Peter fly out of the window if he didn't have fairy dust yet?"
"Why with believe of course!" Ombric answered for Katherine.
"Believe?"
"Da," North nodded. "You must believe Moy mal'chik. One can do the most amazing things if he only believes."
Satisfied with this answer Jack nodded, brown hair flopping up and down as he did so, and looked back at his aunt who nodded before continuing the story.
"This boy's name was Peter Pan..."
-ROTG-
After Katherine finished telling the story it was time for their family Christmas dinner. As usually the kitchen yeti had outdone themselves. Lamb-chopes with special sauce, sweet potatoes, steamed vegetables, cranberry sauce and hazelnut salad.
Halfway through the dinner North got up. "It eez time."
"You have to go already?" Jack asked blue eyes widening in shock. "You never leave so soon..."
North sighed walking over to Jack's chair. "I know Moy mal'chik, but I have gained many more believers last year, meaning I have more children to visit this year."
Jack understood why his dad had to leave, he was used to his dad leaving on Christmas, that's why he did his best to keep his lip from wobbling. It was so rare for him to have his whole family gathered here together and he wanted it to last and his dad never left this early. "B-b-but can't you stay just a little longer? Please daddy?"
"I..." Nicholas St North wanted to stay, he wanted to put father before Christmas, to spend the holiday with his family like everyone else got to do, but if he did that than there wouldn't be a holiday.
"You're dad wants to stay and spend Christmas with us, my little Prince." Tooth said flying from her chair to Jack and lifting her son from his chair and hugging him tight. One more growspurt and she wouldn't be able to carry him so easily. "But there are millions of kids counting on him to bring them Christmas and he can't let them down. You understand that, don't you Sweet Tooth?"
Jack nodded, his head rested against Tooth's shoulder. "Okay." He quietly said. "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to be selfish..."
"Oh don't say that Sweet Tooth!" Tooth cried sounding sad. "You're the one of the least selfish people I know." She fle a little closer to North and handed their son to him so they could hug before North left.
Jack clung to North's neck till, North hugging him tightly. "Have a fun night my boy." He whispered in his son's ear.
"It'd be better with you." Jack sniffled when he had pull away.
"Have a safe flight Santa." Tooth quietly said taking Jack back from her husband. The fairy kissed her husband's cheek before pulling away. She and Jack watched North leave.
Bunny's ears were lowered just a bit. At this moment he didn't envy North one bit. "Aw don't be sad ya lil' anklebiter." He said trying to cheer Jack up. "How 'bout we try ta stay up late till yer dad comes back, we almost made it last year."
Quietly Jack nodded staring at his food.
-ROTG-
300+ years later.
Centuries passed and a lot has changed for this very special family. Jackson St. North was now Jack Frost, the white-haired spirit of Winter and he had spent 300 years and this was his first Christmas back with his family and as a guardian, so naturally it had to be big.
It wasn't only Jack and his direct family this year either. They had invited Jack's friends the fellow seasonals, Hiccup, Merida and Rapunzel also. They had also invited Chika, but the kitsune couldn't come because her grandfather was sick and she couldn't leave him alone on Christmas eve without feeling immensely guilty.
This time Katherine had started early and told four stories, more like four familiar tales.
The story of the viking boy who befriended a dangerous feared dragon, and how he changed everything.
The tale of the brave warrior princess who changed her faith, fought many battles and did it in her own way.
The tale of the lost princess who locked away in a tower, about how she found love and how she ruled her kingdom.
And finally the story of the boy who never got the chance to grow up, the boy of ice and snow and fun. How he found his way back to his loved ones and how he chased away the darkness.
Of course Katherine had to end in her own cryptic 'Katherine like' way saying "No stories ever just end, where one stops the other beginings and this story may be the beginning of another."
Then it was time for their Christmas dinner, the yeti had made more food than all the Christmases before.
They had only been enjoying their meal for a little while when North got up. "It is time."
Jack tried very hard not to look disappointed, he knew this was coming and he wasn't eight-years-old anymore, he was fourteen- heck 314!
However he was surprised when his mom also got up from her seat and flew to North's side.
"Jack?" North said standing at the door. "You coming?"
Not understanding what was being asked of him Jack just stared at his dad, a dumb look on his face.
"To give them all a white Christmas." North clarified a large grin on his face.
Oh...
But he couldn't just leave right? His friends? Bunny, Sandy, Ombric and Katherine? Jack looked around the room, an unsure look on his pale face.
Understanding what was troubling his grandson Ombric laughed. "Jack, it is my understanding that there are two days of Christmas... Or are there more?" Ever since he had taken the role as Father Time, the old wizard had gotten even more scatterbrained. "Nevermind." The old man said with a over the top wave of his hand. "Either way, rest assured Jack-boy. All of us will still be here when you and your parents return."
A Christmas with everyone he cared about together? That sounded too good to be true. Still not convinced Jack looked at his father.
North smiled a warm caring smile. "Do not worry Moy Mal'chik, I have much more believer now, I vill not as Bunny says 'collapse on return'. I am much more capable as I was 300 years ago."
Than there really wasn't anything stopping him was there?
Letting out one loud "WHOO HOO!" Jack grabbed his staff and flew out of the dinning room, beating his mom and dad to the sleigh.
-ROTG-
When they were soaring through the air -just after the came out of the loop dey loops- Jack turned to his father. "Where to first?"
"I got it all planned out." North said tapping the sleigh's GPS system. "We left early so we got time to make quick stop to visit girlfriend in Japan and deliver her Christmas present."
It took a moment for North's words to register and when they did Jack's cheeks flushed dark purple. "Daaaaad!" The eternal teenager protested. "Chika and I are just friends!"
"Yes," North nodded, he had heard this many times before, the words most often directed to Bunny and Sandy who took delight in teasing the boy about his crush. "and when vill she get promoted from best friend to girlfriend?"
That got Jack smirking. "Working on it..."
"Urgh!" Tooth groaned. "You really are your father's son." She said gently squeezing Jack's shoulder earning a playful eye roll.
North smiled watching his wife and son interact, this year truly had gotten the best gift.
They had their family back.
Laughing loudly North threw the first snowglobe and opened a portal. The sleigh flew right through it but not before North bellowed:
A Merry Christmas to all! And to all a goodnight!