* For the record, these one-shots are almost never going to be canonically correct to a timeline. In other words, Jamie will probably remain around ten years old in almost every chapter. I'm just saying this at the expense of any time confusion.

Requested by: monkeygirl77

Bullies

Jamie sighed in disappointment, idly kicking a mound of slush.

"Don't worry," Jack lightly tapped his staff against the boy's shoulder. "I'll be back on the solstice, unless the weather calls for a cold snap." He arched a mischievous brow.

"I know," The child muttered, drumming his fingers on the park bench.

"Let me guess," Jack sat next to him. "You love hanging out with the insanely awesome Jack Frost and you just hate to see him leave." Jamie playfully rolled his eyes, cracking a grin. Jack returned the smirk, pulling him in for a hug. The pair stayed like that for a long moment.

"Be back next winter?" Jamie whispered into his shoulder.

"Hmm," Jack said, his nonchalance sounding a tad forced. "Well, I do plan to bring in a nice blizzard on the first day of winter for my best friend. Let's see if he still believes in me by next year."

Jamie pulled back. "Always." The Guardian met his chocolate eyes, the gaze of the moon above their heads strengthening the deal.

"Thank you," Jack's voice was unusually soft. He held his staff tighter while he stood. "When Easter comes, tell Bunny I said 'hi'." The child nodded. "Stay out of trouble, too."

"Who? Me?" Jamie looked as if he'd been wounded, but Jack produced a humorless chuckle.

Jamie was nearly as clumsy as his little sister. He also tended to be rather inquisitive, almost too curious for Jack's liking. Nearly being trampled by reindeer a few weeks back was a prime example.

"Promise?"

Jamie was about to make another remark before noticing the seriousness growing on his friend's features. "I promise." Jack was only reassured of his leaving when Jamie convinced him that he could make it back on his own.

With that, the wind swept Jack away through the streets of Burgess. The last, light snow of the season began to fall.

The nine-year-old yawned as he walked down the street, smiling as the moon seemed to guide him home. However, the grin quickly faded when he heard footsteps and raucous laughter behind him. Jamie groaned as two high schoolers started catching up to him.

"Hey, dude, check it out," One teenager said, adjusting his tossle cap. "It's that kid who thinks Jack Frost is real."

"Yo, kid!" Jamie tried to ignore them. "Where's ol' Jack? How come we can't see him." This was answered by even more hysterics.

While he thought they were distracted, Jamie quickly turned down an alley. The child swallowed when he met a dead-end, the same one where Pitch and his Nightmares had trapped him and the Guardians.

"There he is!" Jamie spun around to find the two teenagers striding towards him.

He inhaled bravely. "What do you want?"

"Easy, tiger," said the teen in the tossle cap as he clapped a harsh hand on Jamie's shoulder, pinning him against the bricks of the building. "We just want to meet your friend, Jack Frost. Wait a minute..."

The other teen opened his calloused hands in surprise. "He doesn't exist!"

Ignoring the mocks and jests, Jamie tried to squirm away, but to no avail. The teenager pushed him harder. "Where do you think you're go – Woah!" The tossle cap blew away as the brute fell to the ground, flat on his face. Jamie didn't even know he had been lifted until he, too, collapsed to the ground. Although, Jamie's landing was strangely gentler.

"You okay, man?" The one high schooler asked.

"Stupid ice…Where's my hat?"

Jamie stared at the intricate patterns of the frost. That sheet of ice wasn't there before. He blinked as a gust of wind suddenly poured into the alley, shoving and howling mercilessly at the bullies.

"What the heck?" One of the bullies exclaimed as the other stared at the younger boy. It looked as though the wind was avoiding Jamie, not even ruffling his hair.

"You!" The teenager pointed a rough finger in Jamie's direction. "You're doing this, aren't you?"

Both bullies struggled against the breeze's fury as they tried to run at the little boy. They didn't even manage five feet before a powerful gust lifted and threw them at their only exit. With a dull thud, they both landed atop the plastic lid of a dumpster.

"That's it," said the bully with the calloused fingers. He vaulted over the edge of the trashcan. "I'm out of here!"

With narrowed eyes, the other teenager turned his attention to Jamie, who was still sitting safely away from the chaos. Before either moved, a snowball smashed into the bully's face.

"Who…" Jamie pushed himself further against the wall as the guy's face turned beat red. "…threw that?"

"Jack Frost." Jamie offered with a knowing smirk.

Another snowball shot of the shadows and hit the teenager once again, effectively and slowly knocking him from the dumpster. Finally sick of the madness, the bully balled his fists before scrambling away to find his friend. Jamie wasn't left completely alone.

"Great work with those hooligans, Jamie," The boy looked up to see his best friend perched on the railing of a fire escape. "I'm very impressed."

Jamie finally relaxed as a set of bare feet pattered to him. "Thanks, Jack." The child grinned widely. "I owe you one."

"Don't mention it, kiddo," Jack smiled, helping the boy to his feet. "So," he raised an accusing, yet lighthearted eyebrow in his direction. "You staying out of trouble, when does that come into effect?"

* It should be noted that I was not trying to stereotype anyone who's in High School. I just wanted to include bullies who weren't adults, but weren't Jamie's age, either. Obviously, not all high schoolers act like that. Again, I was not trying to stereotype.