* I will be continuing the chapter "Too Late", but I couldn't resist posting this one first. Also, I referenced the book "They're Out There - Unexplained Phenomena" that was seen in "Rise of the Guardians". I don't own "Rise of the Guardians" and I don't own "They're Out There - Unexplained Phenomena".

For clarity, this one-shot is set a few years before the movie.

Summer Birthday

"…Happy Birthday to you!" A chorus of applause and the playful shouting of friends followed.

"Happy birthday, dude," Caleb clapped his friend over the shoulder. "Make a wish so we can go swimming already!"

The boy nodded at this as he leaned over the cake.

"Easy, dear," The mother hurried to brush her son's unruly hair away from the flames. "I know I forgot the tiki torches this year, but that doesn't mean you have to take their place."

A warm summer breeze rippled the pool water and trees, coming in for a smooth caress against Jamie's forehead.

"Come one, Jamie," Pippa jumped in excitement, ready to taste his mother's famous butter cream icing. "Blow them out!"

Jamie drew back, pressed his lips to form an 'O', and exhaled sharply, blowing out all five candles.

"What did you wish for, sweetie?"

"It won't come true if I tell." Jamie sang and grinned as if he made the cleverest comment of the century. In fact, he might've heard a ghostly laugh in the back of his mind, too.

His mom smiled warmly as she began to remove bits of wax and candles from the cake. "You know, your friends are going to burst if you don't get in that pool soon. We'll let you kids know when it's time to serve the cake." Then, she turned and walked towards a garbage bin.

Jamie's smile slipped. He knew he shouldn't feel ungrateful during his birthday, but he couldn't help but pass a disappointed gaze over the pastry.

The cake was gorgeous! Covered in brightly colored garnish, the various shades of food coloring made the deep blue of a small pond in the corner, the yellowish tint of faux beach sand around the cake's edges, and icing as green as summer grass spelled out 'Happy 5th Birthday!'.

That's just it, though. It's a summer cake meant for a summer birthday. Very fitting, yet still not right. Jamie sighed heavily before clambering off the picnic bench. He tossed his shirt aside and headed to the pool.

"Calm down everyone. The birthday boy gets the first slice. You deserve it considering I'm this close to eating it all," the mother laughed, gently patting her already-showing belly.

Jamie put on a smile and rested his elbows on the picnic table. However, he couldn't help but run an impassive finger over his new book titled "They're Out There – Unexplained Phenomena". It was a great gift, courtesy of Claude, but the one thing he really wanted, the single present he wished for every year for his birthday would never come.

His mother raised the knife over the cake, a long shadow casting over her and the rest of the party.

As a large cloud blocked out the sun another breeze came, wafting the cake's delicious aroma over the small crowd. Jamie was pleasantly surprised when it felt cooler. The trees bustled a bit more, raising goosebumps on Jamie's arms. A lot cooler, he thought. Jamie looked curiously at his friends who were all dying to have a slice of cake. Were they not cold, too?

"I love the sprinkles, Mrs. B." Pippa squeeked. The mom furrowed her brows; she hadn't used any sprinkles. "It makes it look like there's frost on the pond." The little girl pointed to the water design on the cake.

When Mrs. Bennett looked closer her hand suddenly flew to her mouth and she stepped back. Everyone immediately peered at the cake before they all joined the gawking.

A thin layer of frost was sliding over the entire cake, curling up and around until it shined like freshly fallen snow.

No one dared to say a word; they just continued to stare. Of course, Jamie was marveling too, but at something else.

Jamie could feel the drastic drop in temperature and could see the haze of his breath. His instinct to go retrieve a sweater were quickly suppressed as the wind flicked the paper plates and napkins from the table. There it was again! That comical, ghostly wisp of a chuckle that rode joyously along the breeze.

No way! He was just imagining things. The wind can't laugh.

Much to his dismay, whatever laughter he heard was immediately muted, as if it never even existed.

Jamie's excitement returned, though, as a sharp crackling resounded.

Everyone flinched out of their shock. By the time they turned to stare dumbfounded at the pool, its waters were completely frozen. Jamie's twin friends leapt off the bench at the same time to go tap the icy surface.

"It's solid as a rock!" Caleb exclaimed with as much astonishment as a six-year-old boy could muster.

Jamie stood beside them, eyes winding and tracing over the most beautiful frost patterns he had ever seen. Every now and then he would have to find a new pattern due to the snow that came and covered the lines.

Jamie stopped breathing.

…Snow!

"Oh my-" Pippa's father had to lean on a tree for support, his words drowned out by the children's cheers and laughter.

Snowflakes the size of marbles started drifting softly over the park. It only took minutes for the grass to disappear and an all out snowball war to break loose. It was kids versus adults and no one cared who was winning or losing.

Jamie took refuge near the picnic table. The largest smile ever to grace his features may as well touched his ears. Laughing exuberantly, he snuck a peek over the tabletop to get another look at the cake. Reaching forward, he drew a simple smiley face in the frost before licking icing from his fingertip. He chuckled again.

The wind abated, but the snow fell harder, more abundantly, as if responding to the boy's happiness.

"Best summer birthday ever!" Jamie decided as an unusually intricate snowflake veered and landed on the very tip of the child's nose.

* There's more meaning in this chapter than meets the eye. If anyone can tell me the almost alternate meaning, I'll...give them a cookie! Anyway, hope you liked it!