The, now older, Burgess believers have a surprise for Jack when he returns in Winter, something they decided to work on themselves.
After he spent a week traipsing through the forest around the lake he finally found the perfect tree to build the tree house in and turned to let the others know he had found it. The group of Burgess believers, who were all now in their late teens, had recently found out that their favorite winter spirit had no place to call home and had agreed on building him his very own tree house close to, what they considered, his lake.
Upon reaching the groups chosen meeting place he was greeted by his friends. "Did you find a good tree to build Jack a house?" Claude wanted to know.
"I did, come with me and I'll show you." Jamie responded, a grin on his face. The others cheered as they climbed to their feet and eagerly trailed after him. Jamie proudly led them to the tree he found.
"Well, what do you think?" He gestured to the tree beside him, hoping that the others would agree with him on the tree.
"It's perfect Jamie." Pippa stated.
"He'll love it." Cupcake agreed.
"Let's start building it so we can get it finished before winter, and Jack, returns." Caleb said and the group split up to get everything they would need to build the tree house. ONce they each got what they needed they all met back up at the tree and began to build it, after the design that Sophie had drawn up for them.
~
"Where is he? Do you see him yet Jamie?" Sophie called from where she stood on the lawn. Jamie, who perched on the roof, started to shake his head but then stopped as a spot of blue came into his sight. "There he is, I see him!" He shouted and quickly limbed down the ladder to join the group.
They didn't have long to wait as Jack soon landed in front of them, a grin on his face as he saw them all waiting for him. "Hey guys, are you ready to have some fun?" Jack asked.
Jamie stepped forward, "Not yet, we have a surprise for you first."
"A surprise... for me." Jack stuttered in surprise and they all nodded, smiles on their faces.
"You have to put this on first, though." Cupcake told him as she held out a blind fold to Jack. The child Guardian shrugged as he turned around and let Jamie, who was the tallest, tie the blind fold over his eyes.
The teens, and Sophie, all grinned as they grasped Jack's arms and pulled him into the forest. As they do this Jack became curious on where they're leading him but knows better than to peek as he allowed them to pull him, eagerly, along.
"Alright, you can take off the blindfold." They all chorus not long after they stop and Jack removed the blindfold, only to gasp in surprise. "Do you like it? We built it just for you...so you have a place to call home." Sophie questioned, hope in her eyes.
Jack smiled softly at her. "I do, I love it. Thanks you guys." Jack manages to get out through grateful tears as he pulled them, one by one, into a quick hug. "How about you show me the inside." He suggested while wiping away the frozen tears.
The girls latch onto his hands and joyfully lead to the steps they built to lead to the inside before they ran up them, having let go of Jack's hands.
Jack chuckled as he followed them, the boys right behind him.
"This is the family room, where you can entertain anyone who shows up, with a small kitchen/dining area attached. If you go upstairs," Pippa pointed out each room as she talked before tugging Jack up the next set of steps, "You enter a hall where each of us have our own rooms, the girls in one and the boys in the other plus two extra rooms for whoever else want to visit."
Pippa let Jamie take over at this point, as he had admitted that he would like to be the one who did Jack's room as well as show it to him. The rest of the friends agreed as Jamie was Jack's first believer. Jamie latched onto Jack's hand and eagerly tugged him up the last set of steps.
"Close your eyes Jack." He demanded and the Spirit of Winter obliged as he was led up the steps. Jamie pulled him into the center of the room and dropped Jack's hand before he backed away, a big grin on his face. "You can open them now." He stated and Jack blinked his eyes open.
"Oh wow Jamie, this is amazing." He whispered in awe as he turned in a circle to take in the room. The top most part of the tree house was hidden among the branches of the tree with only one wall, the rest of it was open and there was no roof so Jack could come and go as he pleased without having to go through the lower levels.
On the only wall was painted a mural of the first time Jamie saw Jack followed by the battle with Pitch, the return of Sandy and when Jack took the Guardian's oath, the floor was bare except for the snow that now covered it and a pile of blankets and pillows pushed against the only wall, wrapped in a tarp.
"I painted it myself." Jamie told Jack, proudly.
"It's amazing Jamie, I love it." Jack replied as he ruffled Jamie's hair and pulled him into a hug. "I love the tree house you guys. How about you show me the other rooms on the second level." He then suggested and the children do so.