Jack stayed with Highland for the next few weeks while he recovered, trying to be seen again. He talked to him and joked as he used to, hoping that something would get through. He even jumped on him once when he was asleep, the way they used to wrestle when they were young. He made contact, and Highland woke with a start. Jack jumped up, floating above him, suddenly elated. But Highland just looked around confusedly and laid back down.
Jack was so disappointed that he froze Highland's IV. Then he mentally kicked himself. He had to get his powers under control. He still hadn't figured out how to melt things on purpose. Luckily Nurse Williams came in within five minutes and got him a new one, though both he and Highland wondered how that had happened in the warm hospital room.
Later that day, Nurse Williams talked to Highland about his leg. "We're going to measure you so we can get you a prosthetic leg." He was speaking soothingly, possibly because it was part of his training, and possibly because Highland looked extremely uncomfortable with the idea of a prosthetic leg.
"When I get home, I'm going to make myself a leg," He said, "I don't want some weird plastic thing stuck to me forever." He looked at his dad. "It'll be kinda steampunk, I think. Made of iron, or some light alloy." His dad smiled with some pain. He had always been hard on Highland, and surely he felt a mixture of pride at his handling of his situation and guilt at not protecting him.
"Remember that anything you make has to be approved by the hospital," Nurse Williams said, but he smiled a little. Highland was a genius, and Nurse Williams could tell.
But Jack, who was hovering in a corner, was still filled with shame and guilt. He felt a desperate kind of need to be seen by Highland, to apologize, and to be accepted. He realized that he still hadn't accepted himself. He was a freak, an invisible kid who could make nothing but trouble. His thoughts circled darkly, and when he realized that he had lost track of Highland's conversation, he left.
When he wasn't with Highland, Jack checked on Emma and Elsie. Emma looked as though she would never be happy again. Elsie was trying to isolate herself, as if running away would make everything better. She barely came to visit Highland. Sometimes Jack followed her, fruitlessly trying to think of new ways to get her to see him.
Emma was even more miserable. Jack hadn't realized how much she looked up to him. And of course, his best efforts went to her. He did his best to keep her comfortable, and even harder to get her to see.
One day she was walking home from school with her friend Jamie. He was her best friend, and sometimes she even smiled when she was with him. Jamie had dark hair and amazing ideas. He was a lot like Emma, enough that they could be siblings. After Jack had died, Emma had gotten closer to Jamie. Jack hoped that it was enough of a replacement.
Jamie was looking through his new book- They're Out There! Mysteries, Mythical Creatures, and Unexplained Phenomena. "It says here that they found Bigfoot hair samples and DNA, in Michigan! That's like, super close!"
"Oh, come on, Jamie." Emma said with a small smile.
"You saw the video, Emma. He's out there!"
"That's what you said about aliens." She laughed. "You'd believe in anything!"
Jack started. Believe in anything…. Something rang a bell there.
Jamie and Emma arrived at the place that Jamie's mom came to drive them home. There she was, waiting and impatient. "Come on, honey, get in the car," she said.
"Mom, it's not even that cold!"
She didn't seem to hear. Jamie's mom tended to worry a lot. "You're not wearing a hat or gloves!" She said, shoving a hat onto his head. Emma giggled. "You don't want Jack Frost nipping at your nose." Jamie's mom gestured for them to get into the car.
Jack reeled in shock. Did she just say-?
"Who's Jack Frost?" Jamie asked.
"No one honey, it's just an expression." She closed the car doors.
"Hey!" Jack shouted. "Wait, come back! How did you-?" he flew after the car, but to no avail. He was as invisible as ever.