Chapter Fifty- Bouncing

Tooth went back to her palace and her duties, Jessica and Jamie went to spread their seasons with the help of Bunny, and James stayed with Sandy. That left Jack with North, who was not moving even a second before Jack woke himself up. Jack so rarely sat still this long and North wasn't about to look a gift reindeer in the mouth.

Just as he was beginning to think he was going to have to wake the boy up for fear that he'd gone comatose he curled up into North's side and yawned. He seemed pretty comfy, which put a huge grin on North's face. One little blue eye squinted open and he grinned at the elder spirit sleepily. It was a rare grin, this one held only happiness without his usual sass.

"'Mornin'." He mumbled.

"It is almost noon." He teased. Jack chuckled.

"Anytime is morning if you've been asleep." He argued while showing absolutely no signs that he was planning on moving.

"Good point." He agreed with a chuckle. There was a long pause before either of them spoke, Jack unsurprisingly being the one to break the silence as he curled up, pulling closer to North and hiding his face.

"Any chance any of that was a dream?" He asked quietly.

"Sorry." Was all he could think to say.

"Thought so." He muttered as he stretched. His hair had spiked back up to its usual volume and he didn't look sick anymore, but he didn't look any happier. He had seemed like he was ready to move but he didn't go far. He didn't even look for his staff, forget reaching for it like he usually would from force of habit.

"How about we raid kitchen for cookies and chocolate milk?" North enticed. He looked up at the man and something of a half-smile wormed its way out of him before his stomach growled, answering that question.

"Sure."

North's stomach and chest both clenched uncomfortably as they got up and wandered to the giant kitchen/dining area. He knew this would be hard on the boy, but he had no idea it would be this bad. Jack more followed North than actively did any of the raiding. This is bad, he's all quiet and helpful.

Jack, to be fair, was exhausted. He couldn't make himself perk up, and caring was out of the question. Something about him being the near-death or even discomfort of any part of his family was too much for him. Part of him understood that it wasn't his fault and that they'd fix it, but he was still a kid. No matter how long he lived he would be a kid. That part of him wasn't going to let that knot leave his stomach any time soon. They had actually made it all the way back to the living room where they sat on one of the couches with a coffee table that North had moved away from the fire.

Jack had actually sat, as in like a normal person rather than perching precariously or flopping over like a kid, which was as concerning as it was heartbreaking. He was quiet for the longest time, the silence in the room comfortable save the tension of Jack's discomfort. He thought through everything and one question just wouldn't leave him.

"How come I have to stay a kid?" Jack asked quietly. North froze.

"What do you mean?" He asked as quietly, turning to face the boy who wasn't looking. His icy blues were glued to the floor.

"I'm a spirit, so I can't…I can't ever…" He was struggling with it. His insides were getting colder than usual and his brain didn't want to spit out words. It was so easy to think but so hard to say.

"Jack, being a child is not a bad thing." North offered but Jack just shook his head. Anger spiked in his chest, how could he say that?

"It is." He said through clenched teeth.

"Alright, how?" North asked gently, not wanting to push the boy. Jack looked up and saw the soft, concerned expression of the spirit he had come to think of when the word "dad" was brought up and deflated with a sigh.

"Sorry, I just…explaining things just doesn't make them better…I don't know how to say it…" He shrugged. North pulled him back into the side-hug he'd been in earlier.

"Don't try, just talk." North offered. It was then that Jack realized how well the man knew him.

Jack spent the next few minutes fumbling around trying to explain what was wrong and North did the only thing he could think to do. He handled it like a father.

"Jack, just because you are childlike forever does not mean you cannot mature. You can, and you have. You've grown, and changed, and learned. You adapt better than any spirit I've ever seen. All this means is that you need a little help when things get difficult, like all children need. You have us now, and even if you can't say what is wrong we can find out together." He assured in the most soothing voice he could manage and the result was Jack going absolutely boneless and drifting off. His exhaustion was getting the better of him and that was good, it meant he wasn't stressed anymore.

Back at Sandy's the little golden man was just waking up himself, and did he ever look better. He was breathing right, perked up and glowing like an LED light bulb. James had chuckled when Sandy had fallen off his bed and ended up floating in the air looking confused. He couldn't help it, the situation demanded it. He was funny.

He had been asleep and rolled over too many times. James was quick, but he wasn't that quick. He felt a little bad that if Sandy hadn't floated he'd have knocked himself on the head, but not bad enough to stifle his chuckles.

"You alright there?" He asked, concerned despite appearances.

Sandy didn't seem sure. He shrugged and a question mark appeared.

"You and Jack broke the connection by being far enough apart until it can be fixed, and I brought you home." He fished.

Sandy shook his head, he knew that. Another question mark appeared and an arrow pointing in James' general direction.

"Oh, um…" He didn't want to answer the wrong question and Sandy sighed. Wait, we can sign. He rolled his eyes at his own idiocy.

'Are you alright? You used too much of my magic, are you really alright?' He signed. James made an 'aha' face.

"Oh, of course I'm fine." He insisted.

Sandy didn't look convinced.

"Come on, Sandy. I'm fine. It wore off, I'm good." James insisted, backing up a little as Sandy approached.

'James, don't try that on me.' Sandy signed.

"I'm fine, Sandy. Honest." He insisted again, backing up more. Sandy came to float at eye-level and did not break eye contact for anything, crossing his arms and tapping his foot on some imaginary surface. James held up his hands in front of him in an attempt to placate the little man.

It didn't work.

He pushed on him until he was standing by one of the plush couches in Sandy's living room and knocked him onto it where plush pillows and blankets appeared and gently engulfed him.

"Sandy, there's-okay." Sandy glared at him and effectively shut him up.

'You. Could. Have. Died.' Sandy berated. 'Ignoring these symptoms is not an option. You're still drained. Sit. Stay. I'll be back.' Sandy signed angrily. James sat wide-eyed in pure fear of the man. He would admit it freely, Sandy scared the hell out of him when he got mad.

"Okay, okay." He agreed until Sandy's expression softened.

'I know, you can't help it. It's your nature.' Sandy smiled.

"What's my nature?" He asked, genuinely confused and still a little terrified.

'You're stubborn, like a certain spirit we know.' Sandy smirked playfully. 'Please, just stay put.' He asked of him. James nodded firmly, eyes still wide and Sandy chuckled. He had scared the man more than he had intended to, but at least he wouldn't try anything now.

He made his way out onto the balcony that sat just outside his door and floated up over his island on a cloud. He sat and, with a little extra effort, sent out his dreams from there in one big burst. He didn't want to leave James alone, and he doubly didn't want to venture out in case Jack had needed to leave. It would floor the both of them if they met by chance.

When he floated back in James was where he had been settled, dutifully waiting for Sandy to return.

'Alright, I'm sorry for being so…intense. I just needed to make sure you understood, and you kind of scared me so I think we're even on that front.' Sandy offered as he came in.

"I know, I know. I honestly didn't think I was still feeling it." He offered. Sandy knew he wouldn't lie, which definitely put a bad feeling in his chest.

'I know you haven't been at a hundred since the whole debacle that made you, well, you again, but…' Sandy honestly couldn't think of where to go from that. It wasn't his fault that he didn't know what 'normal' felt like. '…if you're feeling sick at all and you've been doing something unusual, that's a red-flag.' He explained.

"Everything I do makes me feel like this though." James said as he looked over at Sandy owlishly.

'What?' Sandy's eyes must have looked like dinner plates.

"I just, I mean…"

'Relax.' Sandy felt the need to remind him to breathe.

"I um…the…my magic, what I do, it's really close to…I guess you'd call that the Pitch Black debacle, but…it's…" He let his head fall into his hands and let out a massive sigh.

Sandy put a hand on his shoulder to get his attention.

'Your own magic makes you sick?' Sandy asked. James nodded.

"All the time." He sat back up. "Using yours just made it worse."

Sandy was stunned, how did they fix this?

'What did you do before everything went south?' Sandy asked suddenly, trying to follow a mental lead.

"I…didn't get a chance to explore it. I know I was everything before, but that was without the dark magic that…sort of, well…invaded? I don't know if I can ever do that again. Not with the leftovers in my blood." He seemed to wilt a bit, realizing with Sandy how useless his life as a spirit was becoming.

'Don't worry, we'll figure this out.' Sandy assured. It was vague enough to be true.

"How?" James asked, sounding a little…He sounds like a little kid…

'I don't know, but I'm sure we can fix this somehow.' Sandy insisted.

"But…how can I be a guardian if I have no center?" He asked pathetically.

'Exactly.' Sandy signed with a smile. 'You can't. But you are a guardian, you have a center. We've just got to find it.' And with that, they had a plan, and hope.

Bunny felt that hope blossom, and without knowing why he could only assume it was a good thing. It was, but only barely. Finding out would have to be put on the back-burner for a time though, Bunny was occupied.

"That's right, kiddo! You can do it!" Bunny shouted over the coming snowstorm.

"Is it too close?" Jamie yelled back to both him, and his mom who was floating farther away from the center of the storm.

"No, the town's safe!" She assured.

"Alright, Bunny! How do I stop it?" Jamie asked him, floating down to meet him near the ground.

"Well Frostbite always told me he just imagined it disappearing and it would." He explained.

"Okay…? So, meditation?" He asked.

"Yup." Bunny nodded.

"Alright then." He took off and to everyone's surprise the storm almost instantly dissipated.

"So, I think it's safe to say you've got the hang a that." Bunny chuckled.

"Jack's probably better." Jamie shrugged.

"He's had practice, sweetie." Jessica chuckled as she was quickly pulled into Bunny's side. Bunny nuzzled the top of her head and Jamie rolled his eyes. Jessica giggled.

"Get used to it, nut. We're immortal." She teased. Bunny was content to watch this play out.

"He will, love." Bunny assured.

"I'm sure, he'll have to. I'm not holding back, he can fly now. He doesn't wanna see he can be in Greenland in an hour." Jessica bluffed.

"Mom…" Jamie drew the word out.

"Come on, let's break for home." She suggested before Jamie could protest their offensive cuteness any more. Bunny had pointed out earlier that technically he was the boy's stepdad and that had been the end of Jamie being able to play dumb.

"I'll meet ya later." Jamie offered, calling his mom's bluff.

"Alright, sweetie. You know you'd probably be more comfy at the pole." She pointed out.

"Aw, I know. I'm gonna pop in before I crash though." He grinned. "Or I'll try to."

"I know you lose track of time, hon. Don't worry about it." She assured. "Have fun!" She called as he flew off, waving once and disappearing into the clouds.

"Like ya need to tell the nutter that." Bunny teased as he opened a tunnel.

"I know." She sighed. "They're so similar…" She shook her head.

"He'll be fine, love." He assured for the millionth time before scooping her up and taking off down the tunnel.

"Woah! Do you have to do that every time?!" She asked, although she clearly wasn't opposed to it.

"I do if we wanna get anywhere quick." Bunny explained again. Yes, they had a pattern going. He didn't mind though.

"Well, at least I don't slow you down." She chuckled.

"Never." He said sweetly, snuggling her under his chin. She was so tiny! Granted she was fairly tall for a human, but she was still so little!

"Wanna pick up where we left off?" Jessica asked as they entered Bunny's (now their) burrow.

"You know it." He smirked and plopped down with her on their couch in the big squishy nest they had already formed before. Both of them were relieved to be home and forwent actually going through the effort of turning on the TV in favor of a quick nap.

Tooth, as it turned out, was the only one of all of them that was actually doing their job exclusively. She hated that they were down for the count and she had to be there in her palace, but it was her job and she did love it.

She felt her mind wandering though, to a certain boyish smile. This smile made her heart do flips for reasons that had nothing to do with how bright his teeth were-though they were perfect-and more to do with his eyes. When he smiled, his eyes lit up like stars. She couldn't get over it, hadn't been able to since she had met him. There was something about his smile that was so genuine, even when he hadn't been…himself.

She refocused though, because the idea of him was making her miss calls. She couldn't do that. She needed to be focused. The children depended on her! She couldn't be distracted like that! She couldn't…couldn't…

"I'll go make sure he's okay. After all, that's probably the reason…yeah, he's….I'm just worried, is all…" She mumbled to herself. "Tomorrow morning. He's probably with Sandy." She mused. It calmed her, thinking she would see him the next day and that helped.

I'm just worried… she lied to herself. She lied for so many reasons. So many risks she wouldn't take, so many scenarios for how this would blow up. It's a crush, it's worry, it's friendship…

But it wasn't. She knew it. She knew it as plainly as she knew her own name. She knew…

She was done for.

Okay okay I know, I'm dragging it out. There's a plan for this. I hope it's not getting too slow, and if it is please let me know because I hate when that happens. As always, thanks for reading! :) PS, title is because bouncing to characters. Because I'm silly, that's why! Y'all are awesome!