AN: Sorry for the long wait between chapters, this one took a little bit of time to write. I hope you enjoy the next installment of Operation Bring Back Jack, this one involving Bunny. I really like the two characters and I feel that Bunny's natural instincts when Jack is hurt is to protect the winter spirit since he is after all, a child. Anyway, I don't own Rise of the Guardians. Feel free to review, PM and follow/favourite.

Jack took a deep breath, steadying his pounding heart. He felt another panic attack coming on, but he was desperately trying to tamp it down before it came down to full out hyperventilating. Nothing had even happened this time, he really just needed to get a grip. North asking him about what happened had nothing to do with this, he tried unsuccessfully to convince himself.

Walking lightly along the ground near his lake, Jack's head was down, deep in thought as he tried to shove all negative thoughts away. It was proving to be harder than it looked and he gave up, plopping down against a tree and closing his eyes, praying for the sweet embrace of sleep.

The darkness was holding him down, filling his throat with choking blackness. It felt as if his lungs were filling with sand. "Jack," a voice called, it seemed to be echoing from the shadows, and then again, louder. "Jack!"

Blue orbs snapped open as the winter spirit gasped for breath. He felt a presence hovering over him and he scooted backwards, thumping into a tree.

"Easy there, mate" Bunny said, hands outward in a placating gesture.

Jack bent over, catching his breath and hopefully hiding his expression from the Pooka.

"Nightmare?" the older Guardian questioned. Ice chip blue eyes glared at the rabbit as the winter spirit straightened up. "I didn't mean nothing by it." Bunny assured.

Jack nodded, keeping his gaze down as he waited for the Pooka to leave, however, he soon felt rabbit fur brushing against his shoulder. He looked beside him, shocked to see Bunny sitting on the ground, shoulder to shoulder.

"Um … so how have you been?" the rabbit began awkwardly. The winter spirit shrugged, then pointed to the older male.

"Me? I've been alright, painting eggs and such. I should probably get back to that. You want to join me?"

Blue eyes widened in shock, the overgrown bunny had never invited him into the Warren before. Jack looked again, making sure the offer was serious. Green eyes gazed steadily back, no hint of a jest in their depths. He hesitantly nodded, taking the offered paw that helped him up. Bunny tapped the ground twice, firmly, opening up a yawning gap in the ground and they both jumped in. Smooth earthen walls greeted them and it was a short trek to the place of eternal spring.

Little eggs swarmed around their feet, cool smooth surfaces rubbing their ankles. Mostly they were white, but a few already were decorated with intricate designs. As Jack was distracted by the beautiful eggs, he missed Bunny's face relax as he gazed down at the child with tender care, something he would never allow another to witness.

"Ready for some painting, mate?" Bunny questioned. He was met with another nod. They gathered around a tree where painting supplies had previously been abandoned, brushes and paints neatly stacked in their cases and a pile of clean eggs penned next to the artistic instruments. The Pooka plopped down, leaning his back against the tree and reaching for a brush.

Hesitantly, Jack copied, placing his staff gently on the ground as he took his own seat, far away from the other Guardian. Bunny handed him a paintbrush wordlessly and the winter spirit examined it in his infinitely curious manner. It was beautifully carved, handle lacquered over the designs and fine bristles smooth to the touch.

"Feel free to grab an egg and paint whatcha want," Bunny shrugged, selecting his own egg. "Just make sure ya rinse the brush between colours."

The winter spirit nodded for the umpteenth time, picking up an egg and a few paints. Breaking expectations, he started with a sunny yellow coat, covering the majority of the egg with the bright colour. Then, as he moved his hand to grab another area, yellow paint smudged all over his palm. Jack sighed, he really should have thought that through. He repainted the smudged area, and then blew on it, immediately chilling and drying the paint. Now he could readjust his hands and paint the tips. Unknown to the spirit, Bunny looked on in grudging respect, he thought Jack would get paint all over himself multiple times before coming up with a solution.

After rinsing the brush, the frost child pursed his lips together, considering what he could paint. Looking around the Warren, he tried to draw inspiration. There was the paint rivers, the stone golems, the flowers, Bunny himself, hmmm. He settled with the rivers, selecting a pale rose that matched perfectly with the yellow.

The quiet was soothing, listening to the gentle flow of the rivers and the soft rustling of the wind. The slight warmth was just enough to be comfortable to both the winter spirit and the warmth-loving bunny. The grass was cool and tickling Jack's bare feet. Sweet odours intermingled with one another, forming a perfect symphony of perfume that was pleasing to the palate. Jack sighed, but for the first time in a long time, it wasn't due to stress but pleasure.

Drying the egg, the winter spirit gently laid it on the grass, admiring his handiwork. "It's a beaut," Bunny commented, with just the right amount of shock and admiration. "Where'd ya learn to paint?"

I had time, Jack spelled out, Plus my frost is basically painting with ice. However, the frost child looked relieved. He had been concerned about the reaction he would get, especially from his worst critic. Maybe, just maybe they could begin to fix that.

The Pooka nodded, trying not to show how impressed he really was. He had expected … well, not this. He had thought that Jack was completely foreign to the idea of painting.

They painted for a while longer, both encapsulated in their work and the blessed silence between them. However, they were each definitely enjoying the company of another, even silent. It was always something to know that there was someone with you. Eventually, Bunny stretched, dropping yet another just completed egg onto the grass. "I don't know about you, mate, but I could use a walk around."

Jack nodded, getting to his feet and offering the rabbit a hand. Secretly, Bunny smiled, Jack initiating contact was something that hadn't happened since they found him clinging to life at his lake. The rabbit began to stretch and so did Jack, scooping up his staff along the way.

"Well, now that you've been a regular offsider, let's take a break." Bunny announced, looking around his Warren as if for inspiration.

Offsider? Jack spelled out hesitantly, cocking his head to the side slightly. If he wasn't mistaken, the rabbit may have been blushing slightly, a pink-ish tinge showing gently beneath the fur.

"It's Aussie-lingo for a helper," the Pooka admitted sheepishly. The winter spirit nodded, grinning broadly at the other Guardian's embarrassment and kind words.

Switching tacks, Jack signed, Now what?

"Hmmm," Bunny hummed, "Tag, you're it." With a slap to the winter spirit's shoulder, he raced off, figuratively kicking up dust in his wake. Jack's eyes widened minutely before he gave chase, wind aiding his flight. They rushed around, laughing and hiding, exchanging a the position of 'it' several times.

Bunny laughed loudly, encouraging a responding chuckle from the winter spirit. After a near miss on the Pooka's part, a genuine laugh rang out from Jack, startling both of them. It was the first time that his voice had risen above a hoarse chuckle in nearly a month. At least here was proof that his voice was irreparably damaged. Bunny used the opportunity to tackle him to the ground and wrestle for a moment, warrior bunny coming out on top.

"Got you!"

The winter spirit nodded, grinning broadly as he raised his hands in defeat. Bunny helped him up and they stumbled to a tree where they both sat down, regaining their breath.

"So, done anything fun in the past coupl'a days?" Bunny asked.

The frost child shrugged, displaying a tooth and then a candy cane.

"Ya were with Tooth and then North?" the rabbit half asked.

Pale locks swung up and down as the spirit nodded. He showed frost images of himself and a miniature tooth fairy collecting teeth. Then, the scene was replaced by a frost Jack and North racing trains.

"Sounds like fun, mate."

A nod, then silence.

"So does this mean that no matter how much I bug you, ya aren't going to start yelling at me," Bunny asked, green eyes twinkling. The responding glared did nothing to stop the laugh bubbling from his lips. A thoughtful look crossed the Pooka's expression as if he were already planning out the pranks he could pull.

Don't push it, Jack signed, giving his best withering look.

"No guarantees, ya gumby, unless you want to yell at me." Although he knew he was being baited, the winter spirit couldn't resist feeling a slight tinge of annoyance. Bunny poked him in the shoulder, prodding the figurative beast.

Stop.

"Can't make me."

Another poke.

Stop.

Another poke.

How old are you?

"Can't hear you," came the rabbit's sing-song voice. Jack's mood darkened, wind reacting to his emotions as it whipped through the Warren, making the grass wave. A slight chill pervaded the air as Jack's glacier blue eyes glared up at Bunny.

As the paw came in for another poke, Jack started to wave his staff, frost forming in the air before he stopped, scooting back wildly. The chill dropped from the air, as did the wind as the winter spirit curled into himself.

"Jack," came the Pooka's voice, mildly tinged with concern. He peered down at the distressed winter spirit.

Go away, the frost child signed harshly.

"Not until you explain yourself," Bunny bristled, inserting some steel into his tone. Jack closed his eyes as if expecting a blow, but none came. When he opened his eyes again, he found concerned green ones gazing at him.

I'm sorry.

"For what?"

Almost freezing you.

"But that wouldn'ta been the first time you did so and you didn't end up doing it." There was no response as the curled up winter spirit just gazed at the ground. "Why are you suddenly afraid of your powers?"

Fearful blue eyes raised themselves to look into green. All I do is kill people.

"Not true," Bunny fired back, "Ya balance the weather, ya bring fun to children and I've seen ya rescue people from blizzards."

Head down, there was no response from the winter spirit. "Have you ever gone about with the intention of killing someone?" the Pooka asked firmly. There was a slight shake of the head. "Then you aren't a killer."

Hesitantly, Jack looked up, trying to find a lie in the rabbit's eyes. There wasn't one. He slowly uncurled himself, not getting the hate he had expected. Maybe they had been wrong about him. Maybe he shouldn't believe what they said.

Then, Bunny echoed the frost child's thoughts. "I don't know what they told ya, but none of it's true. You are a good person and have a kind heart and if you ever take the mickey out of me for saying it, I'm going to paint your staff hot pink."

Jack gasped, eyes going wide before he relaxed and started to laugh. Thank you.

"I didn't do anything," Bunny said, waving a hand in front of him as he sat down beside the teen. "All I did was tell you what ya should know if you didn't have an incredibly thick skull." Both of them chuckled this time, glancing at each other in a reassessment. Maybe they could be friends after all.

The older Guardian noticed Jack nodding off and bundled the spirit into his arms, carrying him bridle style. Tapping his foot on the ground, a tunnel formed to the surface. When they were above ground, the wind whipped through Bunny's fur as it caressed her winter child. They were in a large city, dreamsand floating around and Bunny leaned in towards one, telling it to find Sandy.

A few minutes later, the golden man was floating out of the sky, question marks already forming before he saw the sleeping spirit in the Pooka's arms. "Make sure he doesn't get any nightmares," Bunny said gruffly before handing Jack off.

Sandy nodded, settling the child on his cloud before flying off into the sky once more.

"Good night little brother," Bunny whispered to the now empty air.