Chapter 16: Winter Wonderland

A/N: SOrry it's midterms week and I get to go home woot for a week. I'm sorry I got sick with shit as well, so I have been delayed. However, I was waiting for a good creative flow of energy and LO it returned! Singing in the next chapter, it turns out Jelsa comes in the NEXT chapter so I apologize, this chapter was too important to leave out. Enjoy! Fave! Review! I think you'll all like this development. HA 3

"Jack! Let's go skating, Jack~" An excitable voice tugged at Jack's arm, as he rested on his bed, dosing in the cabin where he lived with his family. " Sophia and Charlie are out, with Ma, play with me!" A blonde, messy haired young girl said, excitedly. She looked to be about six, and her green eyes blinked eagerly. Jack pretended to sleep, but a small smile quirked on his lips. He cracked open a brown eye, suddenly tackling the girl, with a fake bear growl. She shrieked in laughter, causing Jack's ears to ring, but he laughed, and continued to tickle her to the floor.

"Alexandra, you know I am trying to hibernate!" He growled teasingly.

Alexandra giggled, "Brother, you always have too much energy for napping!" She squirmed under his tickling. He pulled back, sitting on his haunches, as she got to her feet, in her small simple brown dress, much like her sister's.

Jack grinned. "Alright, let's play hide and seek!" He cheerfully got to his feet. "We'll play in the house, it looks like it may get snowy later today," he checked out a window, observing.

Alexandra smiled hugely, showing her missing front tooth. "Will the tooth fairy be late?" She sounded worried, holding her small tooth in a "necklace" like container that Jack had made for her out of a simple small leather pouch to go around her neck.

"Why didn't you put that under your pillow yet?" Jack asked curiously.

"I want to make sure the Tooth Fairy doesn't have to work too hard in this weather," Alexandra answered shyly. Jack smiled warmly.

"I see," he pat her head, "Well…you best put it under while it's still fresh! How old is it, a day?"

" Ok!" Alexandra nodded, smiling at her brother. "Let's play hide and seek now!" She eagerly clapped her hands together. Jack nodded, stretching on his feet.

"Alright, I'll count to 10, and you hide!" He said cheerfully.

"No peeking!" She giggled. Jack smirked. He closed his eyes, and when he started his countdown, his sister squealed in delight, and dashed off, and Jack had to refrain from laughing, as he could clearly hear her small feet scrambling upstairs with about as much grace and silence as a whale walking on land.

"….And ten Mississippi!" He opened his eyes, glinting mischievously. "Ready or not, here I come!" He called, and he started up the steps, bubbling laughter in his gut. He checked his parent's bedroom, but she wasn't in there. Next, he checked their own bedroom, and he stealthed over to the wood wardrobe, where he knew his younger siblings, loved to hide, repetitively. He always pretended to look there last, because he wasn't in it to win, he was in this to make them squeal with laughter and think they were pulling the wool over his eyes. He liked to think of it as confidence building, but really, Jack just loved to hear their quiet laughter as they tried to hide from him. "Oh where, oh where could Alexandra Bennet be hiding?" he hummed good-naturedly. He heard a giggle from the wardrobe, but continued to look around the rest of the room teasingly. "I can't seem to find you," he teased.

He heard the closet open though, and smirked. They always got impatient and revealed where they were, because they felt he needed help, and he turned, a broad grin on his face, "Ah, I found you easy enough," a dark sultry voice purred victoriously. Jack's grin dropped faster than a hot potato, and his eyes widened in shock and horror. There, leaning against the wardrobe, with an unconscious Alexandra, was-

"Pitch! NO!" Jack shot up, feeling a jolt to his entire system, gasping for air, sweating, his heart pounding, eyes wide, hair sticking to his forehead, which was sheen with sweat. He quickly took in his surroundings, clutching that tooth case in his jacket pocket. He hadn't even realized he'd been clutching it. His staff however was missing. So was Jamie. His eyes widened. His present situation came rushing back to him, along with bewilderment. "…I had…more than…one sibling?" He furrowed his brow, only vaguely recalling the prescence of two other children besides Sophia in the memory of him pretending to be a moose once. This memory had been crystal clear though. His heart sank. Alexandra looked like Sophie had as a little kid. He breathed out, running a hand through his hair, eyes closed, the sunlight basking through the window, but his eyes snapped open.

Oh right. His staff and Jamie were missing. Pitch? Jack scrambled to his feet, having not realized that he'd been moved to sleep on top of his sleeping bag, and he scrambled for the closed door. Opening it, he looked around the empty hallway. Furrowing his brow, he dashed downstairs, not tripping due to his rather graceful attention to his feet movement, and he screeched to a halt, when he came across Jamie entering the house, dressed in a red parka, blue jeans, snow shoes, mittens, and talking on his cell phone. "…return that staff, it wasn't yours to take to c-" He looked up just then to see Jack, apparently flustered, at the bottom of the stairs, looking at him expectantly. "Better yet, Jack and I will come get it now," and Jamie hung up. He looked apologetically to Jack.

"My staff...?" Jack found himself capable of forming, just barely.

"Yeah, sorry about this, my sister does a … creative writing program as part of her extra-curricular activities, and they had to bring in a "unique" item that isn't common to do an exercise on…she borrowed your staff while we were both asleep," he explained.

Jack furrowed his brow. "…For…school?" He inquired. Wow, school was very foreign to Jack Frost the winter spirit.

"Yeah, and if you're wondering why I'm back early, it's 'cuz I took a break," Jamie coughed suspiciously and Jack narrowed his eyes, catching it.

"…You're…in school too, right?" He asked, stepping closer to Jamie. Jamie nodded.

"Yep, senior," he pointed to himself with a tired grin. "My sis is in middle school, but our middle school is across the street from our high school, so …"

"She's in what grade?" Jack scratched his head.

"Eighth grade," Jamie replied. "Ah come on, I'll take you to have her apologize in person," he cheerfully opened the door. Suddenly, a gasp to their right, notified them both of Mrs. Bennet's presence.

"Jamie J. Bennet!" She glared at her son, hands on her hips, in her overalls and nice collared under top with blue jeans and sneakers, " …What are you DOING out of school before it's OVER?"

Jamie gulped. "Er, I promised Jack I'd take him to my school on my lunch break," he fibbed, slinging an arm around Jack's shoulder and Jack was a little irked to learn that Jamie was slightly taller than him. [lol.] His mother however narrowed her eyes.

"Escuse us Jack, I have to have a talk with my son," but Jamie yanked Jack out of the door, and Jack was surprised to learn that Jamie had a STRONG grip.

"Of course Mother, talk later!" He hastily took off, dragging Jack down the street as Jack's mother yelled at him how he was so grounded for life. Panting, a few blocks away, near a park, Jack gazed at Jamie who straightened up finally, running a hand through similarly messy brown hair that was parted differently from Jack's own hair. "Shit," Jamie panted.

"…Why…why does it sound like you do this normally?" Jack asked, concerned, his worry for his staff pushed aside for his worry for Jamie. What had happened to Jamie in the ten years that they hadn't been in contact face to face? Jamie stuffed his hands into his parka, and kicked at the paved sidewalk, furrowing his own brow in confliction, biting his lower lip.

"…I guess I just don't care for school…" Jamie finally admitted. "…I mean, I get it's important…but it's so much work…I …I don't have time to really…well…have snowball fights, go to the mall…I mean I do, I guess, but…I don't know… " He looked to Jack, and away again, and Jack detected, jealousy? "I wish I could be you honestly, no responsibility, just…just a snow spirit, without having to stick around for anything or anyone that isn't three feet tall and in diapers," he sighed.

Jack felt his heart sink. Being a Guardian was fun, but if Jamie knew the hell he was currently going through, it made Jamie's life sound simple. Jack recalled feeling similarly, back in Arendelle when he wanted to just give up being Jack. He bit his own lower lip, but closed the distance between himself and Jamie, with a gentle knock on Jamie's head. Jamie blinked, looking to Jack.

"Being a Guardian is fun, but Jamie, I do have responsibility…" Jack said softly. "I get you want to run away…believe me, I want to also…but…my power…it's…it's given to me by the Man in the Moon… I was never born with it…" He sounded a bit resentful of this fact, but he moved from Jamie, and sat on a bench, with his head in his hands. Jamie blinked, rubbing his head, but after a second of silence, he sat next to Jack.

"Wish I got powers from the Man in the Moon," Jamie said sadly, pulling out the moonstone, which lay, about as interesting as an every day rock, as it wasn't glowing at the moment. Jack furrowed his brow.

"…The fact that the stone is choosing to stay with you…must mean something," Jack pointed out. Jamie smiled dryly.

"Maybe I'll become Superman," he mused. "Or…not…" he looked to it. "I should return it…here…" he sighed finally, holding the moonstone out to Jack. Jack nodded. He reached to grab it, but the moonstone chose that moment to burn hotly and Jack withdrew his hand quickly, wincing. Jamie's eyes widened. "You ok? I swear I didn't do anything!" He looked to the stone incredulously.

"No, it's…I think that's his way of telling me to leave the stone to you," Jack said, with a sigh, scooping up some snow in his free hand to pat into his slightly scalded hand. It cooled instantly and Jack sighed with relief. Jamie however stared at it. "What I don't get is…if I'm meant for some greater role…why won't the Man in the Moon tell me what it is?" he asked.

Jack rolled his eyes. "You just asked the million dollar question everyone is dying to know, believe me," he grumbled.

"…Ah forget it…I get to go home after you get your staff, to hear my mother yell at me about college," Jamie's face darkened. "For all this magical mojo…It changes nothing about my every day life…" He stuffed the stone back into his pocket. "…I wish I could be you, hell, I'd take your responsibility over mine any day!"

Jack held up his hands. "You won't be singing that tune if I told you I had to get married to a Queen of Arendelle," he pointed out.

"What?" Jamie blinked. "You have to get married to a Queen?" He sounded incredulous.

"That's not the worst part," Jack grimaced, "She's got a temper for someone who has ice powers too!"

Jamie's eyes glowed, and it wasn't from appallment. "IS she hot?!"

Jack blinked in confusion. "Er, excuse me?"

"You know, is she cute? What's her bust size? How old is she?" Jamie sounded amazed, not opposed and Jack gulped.

"She's…she's….alright," he gulped, not wanting to remember how beautiful and breath-taking she looked to him, "b-bust is…er…ah…a-average," not wanting to think about the fact that he did watch those jiggling jugs from time to time in his mind, "a-and she's…a-around 22?" He swallowed.

" Ah…she's only four years older, I can dig that," Jamie grinned. "What is so bad about marrying a hot chick that's a queen with ice powers like yourself?" He sounded puzzled by Jack's predicament. Jack felt stupid.

"Well….I mean…there's no love," he answered lamely. Jamie surprised him by laughing. Jack's face grew hot. "Sorry for expecting feelings to be involved," he hissed, face red.

"No, no, it's not that I'm laughing at," Jamie smirked, "It's the fact that you think love just pops in unexpectedly…well it does, but you see, you have to make an effort to know her first, Jack," he giggles, "You can't expect a love to blossom randomly," he snorts in exhasperation. "With thinking like that, it makes sense why you're still single," he quirked a brow.

Jack glared at him. "Jamie, I'm single because only KIDS can see me, so unless my love is 13 or younger, I don't exactly do the dating thing," and Jamie winced.

"Right, ouche, forgot about that," he said weakly. Jack huffed, crossing his arms.

"But how can you be ok with being paired with someone you never met, and being unable to like anyone else?" he said indignantly. Jamie scratched his head.

"I dunno, I mean, I'd like to pick for myself, but Manny must know what he's doing," Jamie said weakly. Jack stood up, throwing his hands up in the air.

"Jesus Christ, why don't YOU marry her then," he flared. Jamie's eyes narrowed and he leapt to his feet.

"Hey don't get pissy at me!" he retorted, "The fact that you're running instead of facing your problems makes you a brat, not me! Believe me, I'd rather live in Winter Wonderland than this shit-faced reality!"

The verbal slap hung in the air. The two panted at each other, as snow started to fall around them. Jack clenched his teeth. "J-just…let's forget about it, take me to my staff, Jamie," He huffed. Jamie's eyes glinted angrily.

"Why? So you can go be the elusive Jack Frost and I can go back to being average Jamie?" he snorts. "You want your staff, go down the block and make a right, you can't miss my highschool, but I'm not going!" He turned on his heel.

"What about your classes! It's apparent that school is important! Aren't you also running away from responsibility!" Jack lashed out, balling his fists to his side.

"My responsibility, is mine alone, and unlike you, I don't get magic to make it all better!" Jamie snapped. "Go find your staff, but just…just leave me alone!" He looked to the moonstone, he pulled out of his pocket. Angrily he threw it onto the sidewalk and Jack's eyes widened as it glittered there, as Jamie ran off. Jack didn't follow though, he felt too numb too. Jack bent down after Jamie ran off, and he reached towards the stone.

"Man in the Moon….Fucking explain shit already," Jack's voice shook, as he held his face in his hands, on his knees, near the glittering stone. Jack felt like just curling up in a small hole forever. He was so done with all this. A small tap on his shoulder caused him to look up and his eyes widened. A man in a white robe, with dark short, tussled dark honey-brown hair , and pale skin, and kind dark blue eyes that glittered like the cosmos knelt beside him.

"My dear Jack," the man rumbled, "I have made you wait long enough."

Jack's eyes widened. He skidded backwards, his eyes wider than saucers, as the man delt down and picked up the moonstone. "Y-You're…you're…"

The man handed him the stone. "You must go quickly, Jamie's heart is lost as well, and you, my dear boy, can help him find his path again," and the man turned away. Jack looked to the moonstone in his hand and then his eyes glinted angrily.

"You help him!" He chucked the stone at the back of Manny's head. Manny winced, rubbing the back of his head and bending down, he picked up the stone. Jack shook, the rage boiling over. "You don't appear, you don't explain, you take my powers repeatedly, and …and you expect me to just roll over and play good soldier?" He snarled. Manny looked at him quietly.

"I am sensing anger from you," he said calmly. Jack snorted.

"What an astute observation, there," he quipped.

"My dear Jack, anger will not make anything move forwards," Manny said humbly.

"You owe me one good punch," Jack said evenly, cracking his knuckles. Manny gazed at him silently and then nodded.

"Very well," he said sheepishly. "…however, can it wait?"

"Sure, if you take off the whole, me having to marry Elsa," Jack said sweetly.

"Unfortunately, I cannot do that, as she is now in your world," the man said innocently. Jack's eyes widened in horror.

"WHAT?!" He yelped.

"She is with Rudolph, however I wanted you two to better understand each other…as….equals," Manny left out the tidbit where he made Elsa human, hoping Jack would look past her exterior and truly recognize her for her qualities, not just appearance. Before Manny could continue, he blinked, as he felt something collide with the left side of his face. Falling to the ground, he wiped his lower jaw with his sleeve, as Jack towered over him.

"You can do whatever you want to me, but I can't forgive you for dragging an innocent woman into this!" Jack snarled.

Manny winced. "B-believe me when I say I have plan…." He held up his hands. His head still felt funny from being punched. He made a shield between himself and Jack so Jack couldn't punch him anymore.

"Right, your plans, have caused my life to turn upside down," Jack snapped.

"To be fair, I am only doing this to your benefit," he added weakly.

"Hmmm, let me think about what part of this makes it beneficial, oh right, the part where I get to punch you to a pulp," Jack's eyes flash dangerously. Manny sighed. He rubbed his temples.

"Jack, if you can't calm your anger, I will have no choice but to pick another guardian to take your-"

"Do it," was the sharp reply. Manny froze. He looked at Jack, seeing the boy quiver with raw anger.

"…Ah," apparently Manny had a different response he'd been hoping to elicit.

"I said this before, but I may as well say this now, I refuse to be a guardian…if it means hurting the heart of an innocent woman, just make me Jack Frost, and I'll get out of your hair!" He looked to Manny expectantly.

"Your purpose for being Jack Frost, Jack, was to become a Guardian," Manny replied calmly.

"Yeah after 300 years of waiting, of being lonely, and being unnoticed," Jack snapped.

"...I have shown myself to you Jack, because Pitch is in Elsa's world," Manny said sharply, and his tone caused Jack to halt his anger to be replaced with horror.

"…Pitch!" Jack's eyes widened.

"Jack, I am sending the other guardians to that world to extract Pitch, however, I need to stay here to monitor you and Elsa, because if anyone can help her, it is you…" Manna began to glow in a white light. Jack's eyes widened.

"Wait! What about my powers!" Jack spluttered. "What the hell…" He looked to the moonstone in his hand. "…" However the moonstone glowed and faded as well, and Jack was left with nothing. He made a snowball to throw at the back of Manny's head, as Manny had his back turned to him, force-field down, and was continuing to speak.

"Your power doesn't entirely come from me Jack, you are only as strong as you feel! Also, if you don't want to be obvious, don't make a snowball," Manny said sagely, as he disappeared in a glow of white light. Jack growled. He chucked the packed ice against a tree trunk where it splatted and dripped to the ground.

"…I have to find Jamie…" Jack said, recalling how Santa's Globe was currently not with him. It was with Pitch. Jack look towards the school. He needed his staff, right? But Jamie needed him more. He took off in the opposite direction of the school, and in the shadows, Pitch lurked, smiling to himself.

"So, Jackie doesn't have his staffie, eh? I'll have to ah…play nice and get it for him, won't I?" he hummed smirking to himself. One of the deadly sins, the panther, slunk over to him and Pitch pet it's head, purring as darkly as the core of his soul. "Fetch me that staff, at any costs," he hissed, waving his hand and the panther vanished. Pitch put his hands behind his back, gazing at the spot where Manny had been.

"So, Jackie is my link to Manny," Pitch turned away, his smile enough to make milk curdle, "…Looks like I can't simply kill him…lucky you, you've not yet outlived your usefulness…" he laughed darkly, shaking the snow globe. "Take me, to Arendelle," he hissed, and a picture of Anna, with Kristoff, talking in Anna's bed chamber appeared. Pitch disappeared in a flash of light, globe and all.