A/N: Hello, all! I've proofread this chapter like crazy, checking on it and reading over it (and rereading and rerereading) at least three times a day, and it always seems to grow when I finish editing! I've finally decided to update, instead of waiting for nothing and being a wimp. I still feel a bit dissatisfied with this portion, but I always feel so anxious whenever it's something original I post. And now I'm just like, I should probably post this now. It's been sitting in the Doc Manager for about two weeks.
So this whole chapter is basically me asking myself, "What happens after? What did Jack and the Guardians do after they left Burgess?" It was strange that they all seemed to forgive each other so easily, so I tried to resolve that, making Jackie feel a little bit more distrustful around them. Yes, she cares for the Guardians, but she'll only open up under a little prodding.
. . . And I wrote fluffies. 'Nuff said on that.
So there's only one chapter left to go after this one, which is the epilogue. :3 Hope you enjoy!
Thank you to everyone who's been following and favoriting this story so far — I'll give my customary shout-outs to all of you (since there's been so many!) next chapter. My friends have gotten quite concerned with each excited squeal I've let out after receiving so many notification emails in my inbox. xD
A Bit of Randomness:
Sprained ankles suck. Hobbling around with crutches and having to miss a 3-day volleyball tournament — even more so.
Disclaimer: I do not own Rise of the Guardians, the Guardians of Childhood series or anything related to it. This is just for entertainment purposes.
"Adversity draws men together and produces beauty and harmony in life's relationships, just as the cold of winter produces ice-flowers on the window-panes, which vanish with the warmth."
— Soren Kierkegaard
Chapter Nine: Tentative Steps
The Guardians, along with their newest addition and Baby Tooth, rode quietly in the sleigh to the Pole, feeling sore from the battle, but still cheerful. North, early on, had decided to not use a snowglobe, claiming, "Scenic route will be much more enjoyable."
They were now somewhere in Canada, and were rapidly nearing Greenland. Jackie had her elbow propped on the edge of the sleigh, her legs wrapped around her staff. Wind swept affectionately through her hair, and Jackie smiled and closed her eyes, content with her oldest friend's familiar embrace. She let out a happy sigh. It did feel a bit strange to be welcomed back with such open arms by the others, but Jackie was grateful. They had forgiven her for her accidental betrayal, and she had never been happier than she was now. She wasn't alone anymore, she had believers, and Bunny had finally realized who she really was.
But she had admittedly just remembered their friendship only about twelve hours ago. Jackie wondered if she had retained her memories, would she and Bunny have become friends again sooner? Or would Bunny think she was lying? She didn't know. Maybe the Man in the Moon had his reasons for erasing her memories, but that still didn't mean she wasn't annoyed by his actions. But she was glad that she was able to meet the Guardians and become a part of their family after being alone in the world for so long.
She felt a pleasant warmth in her chest when she thought of the other Guardians. North was a rough, jolly, sword-wielding beast that would do anything for his family, Tooth was an overprotective mom who cared for them all, Bunny was a big teddy bear under that tough exterior, and Sandy was the most loyal friend in the world. And they all cared for her.
Jackie had missed being loved. Sure, Jacob had cared and still cared for her, but it was hard to make time to see him, especially since he was usually long gone from the area by the time she came around to bring the first snowfall. The memories from her tooth box had provided a few feelings of warmth from her mother and her sister, though she couldn't remember much of a father. She wondered what happened to him. But she assumed that they would all come back eventually . . . the tooth box could just be a trigger for other memories to shake loose.
Jackie wanted to remember everything. She didn't want to lose her memories of her family again, and she probably wouldn't be able to bear it if she lost her experiences with the Guardians either. Hopefully, it would never happen.
Baby Tooth chirped softly and nuzzled her neck. "Hi, Baby," Jackie murmured, rubbing the fairy's head with her finger.
With a small smile, she sighed contentedly and slid further down in her seat, earning an amused smile from Sandy, who was seated next to her. Bunny and Tooth were in front of them, and North, obviously, was holding the reins.
Then Sandy's kind expression took one of concern, as he gently touched her cheek. Sand images whooshed above his head: Pitch, Nightmare, snowflake, a Band-Aid. Did Pitch and his Nightmares hurt you?
Bunny and Tooth had turned around at the sound of forming dreamsand, but then froze when they each mentally translated Sandy's message.
Jackie wasn't sure how to respond. She didn't want to lie to Sandy, but she also didn't want the other three to feel awful all over again . . . So Jackie did what she had been doing for the last three-hundred years.
She fell silent.
Bunny watched nervously as Sandy tilted his head, awaiting an answer from the winter spirit, who clearly wasn't going to talk anytime soon.
He then exchanged a look with Tooth, anxiety and guilt eating away at his insides. Bunny knew that Sandy had been out of the loop for a couple days, and really only wanted to make sure that Jackie was okay.
They flew on for five awkward minutes until Bunny spoke.
"It's my fault," he admitted to Sandy. "We were all so lost and confused after Pitch shot ya with that arrow. And when Easter was ruined soon after, with Jackie showin' up holding her tooth box . . . we all jumped to conclusions." Bunny lowered his head, his ears drooping. "It was me who hurt her."
Sandy's warm golden eyes widened, an exclamation mark immediately forming over his head. WHAT?
Jackie fidgeted with her staff as Sandy became incredulous. More sand images popped into existence: An intricate "G," a child, a fist, an "X." Guardians are never supposed to harm children! The normally calm and gentle Sandman was now a pillar of stern disapproval.
"But it was my fault, too."
Jackie had spoken so softly that her words might've been accidental. Nevertheless, the attention was turned to her.
"No, Jackie—" Tooth protested, but the Spirit of Winter continued.
"I had dropped Sophie off, like I promised," she said, Baby Tooth sitting on her shoulder and absent-mindedly playing with the winter spirit's hair, "but then I heard a voice calling to me. It was soft, but really familiar, too. It pulled me off-course, and I soon found myself in Pitch's lair. Baby Tooth was trying to get me to turn back, but I couldn't. It was almost like I wasn't even in control of myself anymore."
"It's hard to resist when your memories Call you," Tooth said softly, "especially if the want for them is near. I should've remembered that . . . and I should've known that you would never betray us." Her last words seemed to be her thinking aloud instead of in her head.
Jackie kept her blue eyes on her lap, where her hands were neatly folded. Then she continued to speak.
"When I found the other fairies, I was about to get them out, but then I heard the girl's voice again. Now I know that it was Emma ("Emma?" Tooth asked. "Her sister," Bunny responded quietly.), but all that I was thinking was, I know that voice. I need to find out who is calling me. But then Pitch started talking to me, and he handed me my memory box. What he told me hurt so much . . . and I ran away, but the shadows kept blinding me, and I somehow ended up at the Warren on a path of broken eggshells and Baby Tooth was nowhere to be found."
". . . Then how did you get her back?" Tooth coaxed softly.
Jackie let out a deep breath. Warring emotions played their way across her face as she bit her lip: confusion, realization, reluctance.
"I gave Pitch my staff," she finally blurted out, nervously twisting her fingers.
"What?!" Bunny exploded, and the sleigh wobbled as North startled.
"I gave Pitch my staff," Jackie repeated hastily, flushing at his reaction. "It was the only way to get her back."
"But Jackie—" Tooth said at the same time Bunny demanded, "When was this?"
Jackie's blue eyes darted from each Guardian, and Bunny recognized that look. It was the look of a cornered child, just wanting to run away. He could see that she definitely regretted bringing this up. Her fists were clenched tightly around the fabric of her tattered brown trousers.
But Sandy placed a calming hand on her shoulder, and Jackie seemed to ease up a little. Baby Tooth chirped and fluttered over to her mother, and Tooth began to translate. "Baby Tooth offered to show her memories of what happened, but only if Jackie wants to."
Jackie considered this for a moment, then nodded.
"Wvat about me?" North asked indignantly from the front. "I cannot see the memories."
"We'll show you later," Tooth assured him, then said to the others, "Place a hand on my shoulders."
"What?" Bunny asked, confused. "Why?"
"I'm connected to all my fairies," Tooth explained patiently, stroking Baby Tooth's head. "I can channel their memories and thoughts into my head, and in turn I'll do the same to you."
"Whoa," Jackie said, looking visibly impressed. Her posture seemed a lot lighter now, after she had told her story after what happened during Easter. It must've lifted a great weight off her chest, and she looked like she was getting closer to being as happy as she was while getting Jamie's friends to believe again.
"Mmm," Tooth agreed, taking the small fairy into her palms. "Ready, guys?"
Bunny placed his paw on Tooth's arm at the same time Jackie and Sandy did. He closed his eyes, and felt a tugging at his navel — and then he was sucked into memories.
Bunny saw everything through Baby Tooth's eyes. He felt her terror, her pain, her worry, and her anger. It was like he was the little fairy, but still aware of who he was.
It was strange, he decided.
But where he currently was was a dark place, drenched with the sickly sweet smell of Nightmares. Bunny wondered where he was, as he couldn't see a thing. But then . . . he heard the sounds of battle and raised voices.
"You don't understand anything!" a girl's voice shrieked, pain and anger clearly evident in her muffled voice.
"No?" someone else, a male, shouted back. His voice was a little bit clearer and louder than the girl's. (It's Pitch, Bunny thought distastefully.) "I don't know what it's like to be cast out?" The sound of few blasts followed, and the girl yelled, a crackling settling around them.
"To not be believed in?" Pitch continued. Then his voice grew softer, more . . . compassionate. "To long for . . . a family. All those years in the shadows," he said softly, "I thought, 'No one else knows what this feels like.' But now, I see that I was wrong. We don't have to be alone, Jacqueline. I believe in you, and I know children will too!"
The girl was Jackie.
"In me?" the winter spirit said softly, her two words so full of unwilling hope. Bunny could just imagine her staff hanging limply at her side, her guard slowly beginning to come down.
Don't fall for it, Jackie, Bunny chanted in his mind . . . or were those Baby Tooth's original thoughts?
"Yes! Look at what we can do!" Pitch cried, sounding triumphant. "What goes better together than cold and dark? We can make them believe! We'll give them a world where everything — everything is—"
Pitch was getting ahead of himself, Bunny thought grimly. The Nightmare King's straightforward plans were bound to frighten the girl.
"Pitch Black?" Jackie interrupted. Bunny could visualize those fiery blue eyes glaring right now. He felt pride well up as he knew that Jackie had seen through Pitch's ruse as well.
"And Jackie Frost, too," Pitch tried to assure her. "They'll believe in both of us."
"No," Jackie said, her tone icier. "They'll fear both of us. And that's not what I want. Now for the last time, leave me alone." As she kept speaking, her voice became fainter. Was she walking away?
"Very well. You want to be left alone? Done," Pitch responded darkly, and Bunny frowned. Pitch had backed off way too quickly. Then Bunny froze as Pitch spoke his next two words.
"But first . . ."
Bunny began to squirm as a strong fist wrapped itself around him, and he squinted as he was brought into the bright white landscape. It was cold, snowy, and icy — a perfect sanctuary for a being of winter. Were they in Antarctica? Bunny wondered, the first cold place popping into his head.
As his vision focused, he glimpsed a dash of blue against the white. Jackie was walking away. Bunny (or maybe it was Baby Tooth) began frantically saying, "Jackie, run away! Leave!" But it must've sounded like terrified twittering to the winter spirit.
Jackie froze for a split second, then whirled around. "Baby Tooth!" she shouted fearfully, her blue eyes widening.
But Pitch clenched Bunny's tiny body (no. He was Baby Tooth. E. Aster Bunnymund was not tiny) tighter as Jackie came closer. She held up her staff, glaring daggers at the Nightmare King.
"The staff, Jacqueline!" Pitch roared, looking at the weapon hungrily.
But she gripped it tighter, as if just keeping it closer would dissuade Pitch from wanting it. Bunny wondered why it was so important to her . . . she almost never let go of it, and on the rare occasions the stick was out of her hands — she refused to let anyone touch it.
"You have a bad habit of interfering," he said. "Now hand it over, and I'll let her go."
Bunny involuntarily squeaked (because it was Baby Tooth who squeaked, definitely not him) in fear, shaking his head. Don't, Jackie!
But the stupid, brave, noble girl handed over her staff without a second thought, looking resolute. Bunny saw that she had hesitated at first, but sacrificed one of the most important things in the world to her for Baby Tooth's safety.
Why had he and the Guardians think that she had betrayed them? From this scene, it was proved once again that it wasn't in Jackie's nature at all to abandon a friend.
And once again, Bunny was reminded of his idiocy.
When Pitch snatched the staff from Jackie's loose grip, Bunny was horrified to see that the beautiful frost designs that had decorated the staff instantly disappeared.
"All right," Jackie said, voice heavy with emotion. Her free hand was now demanding for Baby Tooth to be released. "Now let her go."
". . . No," Pitch said simply, and Jackie's eyes widened, hurt and disbelief shining in those blue irises. "You wanted to be left alone, so be alone!"
Bunny began to grow angry, his anger completely nullifying his fear of Pitch. Jackie had gone through so much already. She was a good person. She didn't deserve the way she had been treated this whole day. With rage, he sank his — er, Baby Tooth's pointy little beak sank into Pitch's thumb. Pitch yelped in pain, but then threw Bunny over a ravine. And when Bunny's side made contact with the cold, hard ice, pain shot through his whole body.
"No!" Bunny heard Jackie shout from way above. Then a sickening crack resounded through the cold air, Jackie's excruciating scream of agony following soon after.
Bunny glanced up in horror, wanting to make Pitch pay for the hurt that his closest friend had gone through just to save Baby Tooth. As he kept watching, he saw Jackie's thin body being slammed into a glacier, making her back arch in pain. Not even a moment after the spikes on the ice dug into her back, she plummeted hard and fast onto the floor of the ravine.
Pitch's cruel laugh was then heard, and Bunny's heart ached when he saw Jackie's staff dropped next to her — broken in two. That was what made that awful scream rip itself from her throat . . .
Jackie struggled to move herself off the wall, but then spotted Bunny's limp body lying in the snow. "Baby Tooth!" she gasped, crawling over to her friend. Jackie cradled the fairy in her hands. "Are you all right?"
The only thing that Bunny could think was how loyal and caring the winter spirit was, ignoring her own pain just to make sure that her friend was okay.
Then Jackie jumped as Bunny stirred, then sneezed. He looked at Jackie apologetically. It's not your fault I'm feeling cold.
Jackie sighed in defeat. "I'm sorry. All I can do is keep you cold." She shifted herself around to go on her knees. "Pitch was right," Jackie said bitterly. "I make a mess of everything."
Bunny had been hugging himself for warmth, but at those words — he hopped out of Jackie's hands and into her hoodie pocket. The little fairy (because he was looking through Baby Tooth's eyes) had a plan.
Jackie wasn't worthless! She was strong, brave, and possibly the most selfless person in the world. Bunny mentally took back all the times he had called her selfish. Because she wasn't that at all.
Then a thought from Baby Tooth bubbled up in his mind: Maybe looking at her memories would help . . .
The four Guardians blinked as they suddenly found themselves back in the sleigh, the lights of the Pole now in view.
Bunny stared sadly at Jackie, who was determinedly looking anywhere but at them. "Snowflake . . ." he whispered. She had been so strong, even when they had abandoned her. Bunny then thought about how much loneliness the girl had gone through to easily bounce back like that. She had suffered through so much, so that feeling pain and hurt was almost second-nature to her.
"I know what you're going to say," Jackie said, looking at her hands. "'How could I have done this?' But I needed Baby Tooth to be safe, and giving Pitch my staff seemed to be the only way. And I managed to fix it, so it's okay!" she added hastily, waving the mended stick in front of them.
Tooth was the first to envelop the newest Guardian in a warm hug, effectively cutting off Jackie's nervous ramblings.
"We know that what we did was . . . unacceptable," she said softly, "but we want to make it up to you. More than you know. We really care for you, Jackie, and as I was watching those memories — I was heartbroken, knowing that it was us who sent you away. You're family, and family sticks together. We don't want you to feel any more hurt."
Jackie raised her head as Tooth was speaking, her blue eyes suspiciously shiny. Then she hugged her back tightly, burying her head into Tooth's feathery shoulder. "Thank you . . ." she breathed. "Thank you, thank you, thank you . . ."
Bunny's gaze then flickered to Sandy, whose anger was beginning to fade. The oldest Guardian looked more sad than angry now. Maybe he had been thinking along the same lines Bunny was.
Jackie was still technically a child. Though she was about three hundred years old (young by immortal standards but old when compared to a human), she was stuck at the physical age of seventeen — an age where she was still trying to figure out her place in the world. And her mind was still growing, trying to adapt to everything life threw at her, and it was a lot. Jackie could've easily been the youngest immortal, and no one was there to guide her.
The sleigh shuddered as it landed back at the Pole, jarring its occupants. Tooth and Jackie pulled away, the latter hastily bending down to pick up her staff and surreptitiously (though Bunny noticed) swiping her face with her sleeves.
"Now that this angst-fest is over," Jackie said brightly, her face showing no evidence that there had been tears on her face at all, "isn't there supposed to be a party?"
Bunny laughed inwardly as Tooth gently rubbed Jackie's back. Leave it to the Guardian of Fun to try to cheer everyone up even though she herself was feeling down.
And that's exactly what made Jacqueline Frost so special inside. She put others before herself.
Jackie and the other Guardians assisted the yetis in cleaning up the workshop. It was a huge mess after Pitch had swept through it, according to North, and even though the yetis had been tidying for about a day, the stench of Nightmares still invaded the area.
Well, until Sandy sent out streams of dreamsand to counteract them. After that, only the clean, fresh smell of newly fallen snow remained.
After everything was straightened up, Jackie went to go find Phil to make sure he was okay. She kept wandering the workshop, freezing the occasional elf, trying to locate the elusive yeti. Jackie then found herself in the room that she wasn't supposed to have at the Pole, though she doubted that North would have any disagreements with the arrangements. And that's where Phil was.
"Hey, big guy!" she called cheerily, tapping him on the shoulder.
Phil mumbled something under his breath as he continued dusting away. Jackie smiled and placed a hand on her hip, sighing. The yeti honestly worked too much sometimes.
"You need a rest," Jackie announced, poking at his side.
Phil grumbled, ignoring her.
"We're having a party, and everyone else is too busy to prepare food . . . I guess I'll have to do it myself!" she sang, skipping to the door.
Then she prepared a mental countdown: 3 . . . 2 . . . 1 . . .
Phil appeared next to her, rolling his eyes and his feather duster nowhere to be seen.
"Thanks, Phil!"
Bunny was sitting down, absently painting another egg for Sophie, only vaguely aware of Tooth's worried cries.
"I can't find her anywhere!" she fretted, fluttering around the room.
Bunny lazily looked up. "Who?"
"Jackie!"
"Oh. Um, I saw her somewhere over there earlier," Bunny said unconcernedly. Jackie should be fine. She was just in the kitchen —
Bunny jolted upright, the egg he was painting tumbling to the rug. Jackie was in the kitchen. If she was still the same girl that he had befriended three hundred years ago, then she should never ever be allowed in such a place!
Jackie was a terrible cook . . .
"Tooth, let's go!" he commanded, sprinting away. "She's in the kitchen."
But a yeti blocked their paths, warbling something in Yetish that Bunny couldn't understand.
"Sorry, mate," Bunny said, trying to get past the yeti, "we're just trying to prevent a disaster before it can happen."
But Tooth had been nodding, an amused smile on her face. "Bunny, it's fine. She's just preparing the feast for tonight with Phil's help."
Bunny glanced to his side. "What?"
Tooth's smile grew. "Jackie's okay. I know that you remembered something from before, but Jackie's changed. She's not the same person you once knew. She probably became stronger and more independent. And I don't doubt that she picked up a few skills . . . along the way . . ."
Tooth's voice trailed off as she realized what she had just been saying.
"We're terrible people," she whispered, slowly flying back to where she and Bunny had been earlier. "We knew she existed, but never gave her a second thought. We just assumed that she was fine and had some people to care for her, but we were wrong." She turned back to stare at Bunny, anguished tears brimming in her amethyst eyes. "We were wrong, Aster. We hurt Jackie so much."
"We were," Bunny agreed sadly. The yeti who had informed them about Jackie whereabouts was long gone, and Sandy was out doing his rounds while North had begun some more preparations for Christmas. "But hopefully we can start over now that Jackie's with us." He had echoed the newest Guardian's words to Tooth.
A new start. A new beginning. New life . . . because that was what Easter was all about.
Tooth cracked a small grin, wiping away any residual tears. "Yeah."
And then they could all become a real family — even better than before! — one who loved her, and one that she trusted.
"Tonight," North rumbled, holding up his glass, "we celebrate Jacqueline Frost, our newest Guardian!"
Jackie blushed slightly under the attention, and from the enthusiastic round of applause from the yetis, elves, and the other Guardians. For a girl who was unseen for three hundred years until a few hours ago, all of the appreciative and admiring gazes made her feel a bit uncomfortable.
"Thanks," she mumbled, giving a small smile. "But you guys helped defeat Pitch, too. It wasn't just me."
"Aw, but ya saved us, mate," Bunny said, elbowing her good-naturedly. "We woulda given up and faded if you hadn't gotten Jamie Bennett ta believe in all of us again."
"Bunny's right, Jackie," Tooth chimed in. "Just accept the compliments and eat the food you and Phil made."
"Oh, all right, then," Jackie relented, giving an amused chuckle.
Sandy then raised up his glass of eggnog and gave a huge grin, a snowflake forming above his head. To Jackie!
"To Jackie!" Tooth and North cried exuberantly.
"To never giving up hope and belief!" Bunny said, lifting up his own glass.
Jackie was filled with so much joy. This was wonderful. Then she said what she wanted to say ever since she rose out of the pond that fateful night three hundred years ago:
"To family!"
The others cheered and clinked their glasses, shouting a new cry. "To family!"
"And may it never be broken again," North said, giving each of them an appraising look.
Tears began to slide down Jackie's cheeks. She laughed softly. "Never," she agreed, smiling through the tears and wiping them away on her sleeves.
And when the droplets touched her arms, they were absorbed into the blue fabric, forming into familiar frosted ferns.
Fin
A/N: Okay, just the epilogue left! I hope this chapter wasn't too weird for you all. ^o^
Oh, and has anyone figured out the relationship between all the quotes at the top of each chapter? There's one main theme connecting all of them.
See you later, lovelies! :3