*I referenced the book series "The Saga Of Larten Crepsley". I don't own "The Saga of Larten Crepsley". I also referenced the movie "The Sorcerer's Apprentice". I don't own the movie "The Sorcerer's Apprentice".

Haust (Part 2) (Warning! Slight mention of blood in this chapter, but I promise that it's far from anything too bad.)

"No wonder the summer spirits hate me," Jack grumbled with a light snicker.

Silas waved a hand to block a tree branch from his path. "They are irritated all too easily. They have no patience." He paused. "And neither does Nicky."

"I'm sure he has patience," Jack shrugged before waving his staff to the sky. "But you're not making it easy for him," he said with a crooked grin. Light, delicate snowflakes began drifting through the woods. "If he doesn't want to go see these spirits, he doesn't have to."

"Really?" Silas speculated. "Correct me, but isn't that like saying Jamie shouldn't practice magic?" Jack sucked in a breath, hissing through his pearly teeth. The elder blinked. "You mean, you haven't taught him magic yet."

Jack rubbed his neck with the crook of his staff. "No exactly," he admitted. "We've been trying to get around to lesson one, and he's actually been trying to do magic on his own when he thinks I'm not looking."

"You're not allowing him to do magic." The man shuffled down a slope with the grace of a twenty-year-old dog. Jack didn't want to guess how old this comrade was, but there was an underlying youthful spark in Silas' eyes. North also possessed this spark. However old or aged he appeared, the spirit knew that this old man still had some fight in him.

Silas sat down on a cache of crumbling boulders. And Jack followed suit, pressing the butt of his staff against the slowly freezing ground and jumping nimbly to crouch atop the hook of the staff. The winter spirit sighed and rubbed his temples.

"Every time he uses magic," Jack began, worry and confusion clouding cerulean eyes. "He's close to passing out. Besides," Jack suddenly waved his hand at the air. "I can protect him."

"Is that so," Silas quipped, lounging back.

"We've been bonded for almost a solid two years," Jack grinned, feeling pretty proud of himself. "And there's not a scratch on the kid."

Silas' brows came together. "Refusal to teach the first year is perfectly normal, bonds are too magically weak for the first several months," Silas scratched his chin. "But two years is long enough. Word spreads quickly in our world. Many will be wishing to test the boy, and most of his opponents won't be gentle, whether Jamie looks nine years old or not."

"But North said they won't be using magic years from now."

"Clearly, he was wrong, then. Nicky's my second bond. I've more experience in this field than North does." Silas rubbed the growing bald spot on his head.

"Let's say there is no danger, that the world is a carefree and happy place," Silas continued. "Jamie will still have to develop his abilities. The magic will eventually build up inside him. And with no means or practice on releasing that pent up energy, it'll be like he's on a sugar high every minute of every day. It will drive him mad." Silas stood up and their eyes locked. "You bonded with him, but you cannot baby him. Start taking responsibility."

The wind hissed at the conversation, swirling and rushing around the dead silence. Jack's mouth pressed in a fine line. How dare he! How dare this man come into Jack's domain and tell him he wasn't doing his duties. Who was he to tell him how to take care of his kid? The winter spirit knew the effects of Jamie's magic, and it wasn't a positive viewpoint so far.

Jack spread winter everywhere he went, participated in snowball fights and sled races even when no one could hear or see him. Wherever he went - be it with Jamie, the other Guardians or with other kids - he was bringing joy and fun, as well as security. Jack waited patiently, but ready, for any danger that threatened the children of the world. The Moon chose Jack to be a Guardian. Was he not doing his job correctly?

Jack shook his head and rolled his eyes before jumping to the ground. He pointed his staff deliberately in Silas' direction.

"I can protect him." Jack repeated.

Nicky chuckled. "It's like you've never rock climbed in your entire life."

Jamie released a puff of air as he clawed desperately to the top ledge. He gathered a retort, but it immediately lost its way under his heavy breathing. Sure Jamie had gone rock climbing before. However, that was at Burgess' local recreational center.

Climbing an actual cliff was virtually the same. Except the two boys weren't using pulleys and harnesses, not to mention there weren't any thick gymnastic mats to break their falls. Also, the cliff wasn't man-made and was crumbling bit by aged bit, which meant that every solid-looking hand or foothold was just as unsteady as the previous step.

Okay, climbing a cliff and an artificial rock wall was slightly different from each other. Any other day, Jamie would've jumped at this kind of adventure, to have complete freedom to see a mountainside and just climb it. However, he imagined that Jack would be there, watching out for him and having fun along the way.

When Jamie finally scrambled onto the ledge, he plopped onto his back, closed his eyes, and let out a long breath he hadn't realized he was holding. When Nicky used the toe of his worn leather shoe to tap his friend's elbow, Jamie eventually sat up and opened his eyes.

The city of Burgess, small and dimly lit in its evening glory, could be seen in the distance. The little town, for miles upon miles, was surrounded with a thick layer of browning tree leaves capped with a thin sheet of white. Jamie smiled fondly. The weatherman said the snow was supposed to start next week.

"You're lucky," Nicky whispered clearly, sitting next to Jamie. He pointed to the town. "Every time you see Burgess, you automatically think 'home'."

Jamie was about to question that before realization hit him. As a full-blown autumn spirit, travelling with his season was a must. Settling down anywhere for too long meant that he would end up intruding on the other seasons. Even if Jack didn't mind their presence, spring and summer surely would.

"But you have Silas."

Nicky repeated that name. "He's like the father I never had, you know."

"You didn't have a father either?"

"I didn't even have a mom," Nicky chuckled humorlessly. Then his eleven-year-old voice changed, speaking as if he were just as old and wise as his mentor. "But in my pick-pocketing days, I tried to steal some loose cash. I just needed a few bucks for a slice of pizza. I stuck a hand through a trench coat and as soon as he caught my wrist, I thought for sure he was going to call the cops on me, or deal with me himself.

"Instead, Silas let go, handed me an apple, and the next thing I knew we were travelling together." Nicky shook his head, trying to get back to reality. And when he did, his eyes fell upon Jamie's sympathetic smile. "During that part of the century, orphans were treated like paper that littered the ground, always being passed by, never given a second glance.

"And Silas, an extremely powerful and dangerous, magical force of nature could've easily done away with me, but he took me in, raised me. He even gave me my last name, 'Haust'."

"Doesn't that mean 'autumn' in Icelandic?"

"You read just as much as I try to," Nicky chuckled. "I like being bonded with him, but Silas is obsessed with training me. Don't get me wrong, it's awesome learning magic, but he doesn't give me much time to play. And the only time I ever went to any kind of library was the time we had to sleep in an abandoned preschool. Sometimes I wish Silas didn't make me immortal."

Jamie blinked and scratched the shell of his ear, trying to figure out what he just heard. "He made you immortal?!"

"Yeah," Nicky shrugged as if that kind of thing happened as frequently as the wind blew. "All spirits can make their bonds immortal."

"How?!" Jamie jumped to his feet.

Nicky held up a finger and his eyes widened, deep in thought. For a moment, he was stock-still, barely registering Jamie as the child snapped his fingers in front of his unwavering gaze. Then, Nicky shook his head and said, "We should get going. Silas wants us to meet them there early." He back up and shinnied to a lower ledge.

"How do you know?" Jamie asked, looking down to his friend. However, this only made him feel dizzy. Just below Nicky's feet was a sheer, monstrous drop that led straight to the ground that was slowly being covered by the falling snow.

"Silas told me so," Nicky let a hand from the ledge to tap his forehead. "Telepathy."

Jamie groaned. How lame could you get? Jamie asked himself. Not only was he unable to correctly do magic, but he hadn't even started telepathy. And that was supposed to be just as textbook as being able to share emotions. Nevertheless, Jamie swallowed hard, turned around, and started finding the rocks and edges that would slowly let him climb back down to precious Earth.

Going down, Jamie grasped, was easier than going up. As opposed to just using the scrawny brunt of his arms and legs, gravity was now on his side, allowing relief to flood his muscles as he slowly climbed down. He smiled, wishing he had enough courage to let a hand go and pat himself on the back. One hand and foot after the other, his every thought was centered on the incentive of finally touching ground.

He placed a foot here, another foot there; he set a hand on a crevice, placed another on a rock. His left foot rested on a wide edge and the other knee managed catch onto a lower stone, letting him slip down to small patch of rocks to cling onto. Each rock was set in the cliff, planted firmly in place. The growing ice made the trip a bit difficult, but it was only a small setback. Well, Jamie thought of it as a setback at that second.

Feeling rather confident, Jamie put two hands on a set of rocks and made to perch his feet on a lower, wide crevice. He gasped sharply as his feet slipped on ice that caked the edges of the crag, forcing one foot to slide and jam into a sharp corner. With determination and a forceful yank, Jamie managed to free his foot. He found a space that wasn't invaded by ice and he shakily planted his feet there.

"Alright," Jamie cheered quietly to himself. Jack would be having a heart attack by now. For Jamie, the mere thought that he could somehow take care of himself in a situation like this fueled his resolve.

With an even stronger sense of confidence, Jamie made to move, but it wasn't his hands or feet that went. The rocks Jamie's hands were holding onto shifted, cracks appearing, growing at their bases. With a sickening vibration and crunch, the color drained from the kid's face.

Crick-cack! The main ledge Jamie was clinging to lurched and jerked downwards, showering the trembling boy with dirt and gravel.

"You okay up there, Jamie?" Nicky called and Jamie didn't have to look down to know that his friend was already at the bottom, waiting patiently.

In fact, Jamie didn't want to look down at all. No pun intended, but he was frozen to the spot.

"I think," Jamie squeaked, and he highly doubted his small voice carried all the way to his friend. "I'm stuck."

"Just ask the wind to make you fly!"

"But I-"

"That ledge isn't going to hold. Don't climb down," Nicky explained. "Just fly."

"I don't know how to fly!" Jamie hollered at the top of his lungs. As much as Jamie wished everything had gone silent from his yelling, it didn't. The cliff groaned and shook at his desperate words, and the ledge shifted again. With a terrifying pitch, the ledge wrenched and shook him until he couldn't hold on any longer.

The fall was over in seconds. As Jamie plummeted, his hands and feet flailed in front of him until he was practically skidding down the mountainside. The friction caused his palms to heat up until he couldn't feel the jagged rocks and stones that jabbed at his skin. Jamie thought he would be falling rest of his life until his back slammed against the cold, harsh ground.

At the sound of the thud, the air swiftly raced from the little boy's lungs, unable to catch his breath for many agonizing seconds. Until he realized he was alive.

He. Was. Alive! Jamie felt like a cell phone on constant vibrate as he gleefully staggered to his feet. For a nine year old who just scaled down the deadly drop of a mountain, he was on top of the world!

"Jamie," his friend gasped. "Oh, man. Are you alright?"

What're you talking about?! Jamie tried to say, but was too hopped up on adrenaline. That was awesome! He looked at Nicky, expecting a grin of relief to spread across his friend's face. His expression wasn't happy, but horrific.

Jamie followed his gaze and gasped, energy and giddiness sucking away into oblivion. Jamie vehemently shoved his hands into his pockets.

No way was Jack going to like this.

I'm dead, I'm dead. Jamie repeated the mantra as Jack carried him in the night air.

After reuniting with Silas and Jack, they exchanged their goodbyes and promptly took off into the woods. Unfortunately, Nicky wouldn't be showing up for school the next day. Though they all became fast friends, their instincts dictated each other. The autumn spirits could've stuck around, but Jack and Silas agreed that would open up a seasonal, territorial dispute. Spiritually, Burgess belonged to the winter spirit, not the autumn spirits. And the conversation was left at that.

The wind rushed soothingly against them, and Jamie rested his chin on the Guardian's shoulder with a silent pout. He wished Nicky didn't have to leave. Other than his sister, who was normally with Bunny most of the day, he finally had someone to connect to on the subject of bonding, someone who understood the process. However, Nicky and Silas had quickly fled from sight and he only hoped they would come back next year.

When Jamie opened his eyes, Jack's bare feet had landed silently on the bedroom floor. Unwrapping a single arm from Jack, Jamie quickly stuffed it back in his pocket, flinching as he accidentally fisted his fingers. Jack wasn't even looking at Jamie before his cold form suddenly stilled for a moment. He grabbed Jamie under his arms and placed him on the edge of his bed.

Jack crouched in front of the kid, concern etched in his features. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Jamie yawned. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Jack furrowed his brows and he looked into his chocolate eyes, as if he was trying to search through his charge's sole. He was about to question further when he noticed Jamie's pockets, how his hands seemed to take root into the material. Jack raised an eyebrow as he gently took hold of Jamie's wrists. The little kid looked away as if he was just caught sifting through the cookie jar before dinner, and waited.

I'm dead, I'm dead. I'm so dead that I'm going to die. I'm dead.

Jack turned the boy's hands to see his palms, and gasped. Jamie, expecting the mass of reprimands, still didn't look at him. At once, the cold touch of Jack's fingers vanished, leaving Jamie completely alone in his room with just a smooth draft from the window and bedroom door to keep him company.

He wasn't lonely for too long, however, for Jack returned. The spirit flicked on the bedroom light with his free fingers and emptied the contents from his other hand onto the bed beside the kid. Jack hastily resumed his kneeled position, once again inspecting the boy's skin.

Jamie's palms and fingertips were covered in dried blood and were completely cut to ribbons. Jamie couldn't tell whether he was imagining the tension or not, but the air felt thick and uneasy as Jack took the bottle of peroxide. The Guardian winced as his bond whimpered from the stinging of the liquid, but continued by making it as quick and painless as possible.

Though Jamie was now lstaring into Jack's eyes, he wasn't looking back. In fact, Jack remained emotionless, making Jamie's heart sink to his stomach. He knew the Guardian would be mad at him, but he didn't anticipate a total silent treatment.

He waited expectantly for the questions. Jamie could say that he fell onto a thorn bush, which wasn't a total lie. He did accidentally get himself caught in a small thicket of thorns before returning to Jack.

"I highly doubt a thorn bush did this much damage?" Jack's hardened voice shook his thoughts. Jamie flinched, but relaxed. The winter spirit's touch and eyes were as tender as always as he wrapped the gauze around the marred skin. "Should I even ask what happened?"

Jamie tried to think of a valid response, but was smothered by a wide yawn. Jack let out one of his signature laughs as he applied medical tape to keep the bandages from unwrapping. The spirit sat on the bed and gathered the child in his arms, sighing with the contenting fact that Jamie was okay. Although, he did make a mental note to check the bandages later in case of infection.

The bandages. Jack berated himself. He should've let Jamie walk through the front door of his house instead of taking the window. That way his mom would've seen his hands and fuss over the little boy herself. And as he looked down at the drowsy bundle in his arms, he felt as though he was taking away her job.

Suddenly, Jamie's head nuzzled against his blue hoodie. "We were rock climbing."

Jack chuckled nervously. "You didn't have to tell me that, you know."

Jamie shrugged. "You would've found out sooner a later."

"Not really," Jack frowned in slight disgust. "I had absolutely no idea what you and Nicky were doing today. While I talked with Silas, I kept trying to hone in on your emotions, but all I got was one big blank. I think Silas may have been blocking my link to you. He was the one who told me about the wolves that were hunting you, you know?"

Jamie nodded, recalling how Jack had said that a spirit of autumn told him of the wolves that attacked him.

"I don't know how he did it, but I couldn't feel your emotions at all."

"Why would Silas block our connection?"

Jack shook his head.

The child yawned again as a thought struck him. "When are you going to start teaching me magic?"

The Guardian huffed. "First you then Silas, then you again," he chuckled. "I will start teaching you, soon. Just be patient, okay?"

"Can you at least teach me how to fly?"

At once, Jack received a glare as he repeated his last statement. The spirit ignored this and grabbed a corner of the blankets to bring around Jamie.

"Goodnight, bro," Jamie whispered. Then, his eyes fluttered back open at the other's voice and he said, "Love you, too."

Jack stopped breathing. He didn't tell him that, he...thought it. With mouth agape, he was about to turn Jamie around, but not a minute later, Jamie fell into a deep exhausted sleep.

Snow quietly pelted against the pane of the windows. Jack sighed and rested his chin on top of the child's head. There was only one reason why Silas would want to block their connection.

Whatever had happened today, whatever put Jamie in danger, Jack couldn't feel it. Which added to Silas' point. Jack quickly gathered – well, somewhat always knew – that there would be a time where he couldn't go off their connection to gauge Jamie's safety. At some point, Jamie would have to learn how to defend himself, especially if Jack wasn't able to get there in time. He couldn't always be there to protect him. And he knew couldn't put this off any longer.