Chapter 1: Eleven Months

Eleven months.

It had been eleven months since Jack had almost permanently replaced Santa and achieved his old life-long dream of being recognized and glorified by people everywhere.

Eleven months since he had finally had his own holiday.

Eleven months since he had taken back what he thought he needed to take back, before it was all snatched away.

Eleven months since he had been thawed.

Something nobody thought could be done. Not even him. And by a little human girl, to boot!

All things considered, Jack felt great!

Well, mostly.

After being hugged to death by all the inhabitants of the North Pole, Santa delivering the gifts and baby Claus being born, a meeting had been called for the twenty-sixth of December. It was to focus on one thing and one thing only: Jack. The Council of Legendary Figures was at a loss. On the one hand, he had frozen human denizens and locked them in a closet, and then proceeded to de-Santa a Santa and take over his role. On the other hand, he had thawed. His hardened heart had softened; and though sprites were prone to hardened hearts, Jack's particular case was said to have been impossible to heal.

Or so they had thought.

The meeting had lasted a while and was fairly intense. Mother Nature was positive about the change, as was Father Time. Both of them believed that his thaw was permanent. The other Legendary Figures were a little on the fence. Santa, of course, given everything that had happened, was adamantly against it, and he made it known.

It was back and forth between Santa and Mother Nature for a while, the other figures watching with interest. This never happened. Nobody ever challenged Mother Nature this much, especially when both she and Father Time were in agreement. To see Santa being the one to do this? It didn't happen. Even Jack watched, a little bit gobsmacked, trying to keep his protests to a minimum.

"He froze my family, took over the North Pole, upstaged me, and suddenly he's wearing white and you want me to believe that it's a good change?! I don't think so! I've given him way too many chances!"

"Santa, please, you must trust me. Jack has been thawed and I can assure you it is permanent; he won't be as much trouble as he was anymore. Now, I'm not saying that he shouldn't make up for what he did—that is a must, and we will get to that—I'm just trying to tell you that—"

"We should go ahead and just accept him like that, all willy nilly? I'm sorry, I just can't get behind this!"

"Oh, give it a rest, Santa. Mother Nature is right! This wasn't supposed to be able to happen, but it did! I've never felt so coherent and-and awake in a while, and I—"

"Can it, Jack! Mother Nature, Father Time...how do we know he's not just schmoozing? We said if he stepped one toe out of line, he was done for. And I think I'm speaking for all of us when I say he stepped all ten toes out of line!"

His fellow Legends had hummed and hawed at that.

"Actually," Jack piped up, "you said if there was one icicle out of place—"

"I said the toe thing too!"

"No you didn't."

"Well, I was thinking it!"

The arguments went on for a while, and chaos ensued, as it usually does at these things. Jack's spot on the council was on the line, and he had been devastated! Despite everything, he had worked very hard in his youth to achieve a seat on the Council. And now, to see all his hard work so close to being thrown away because of one—scratch that. Many poor decisions leading up to that day? It was heartbreaking. And it seemed that Santa wouldn't let the meeting end until Jack's spot was gone.

That is, until the arrival of an unexpected guest. The doors had burst open, the slam shocking everyone into silence as Bernard, looking mildly irritated and very windswept, sized up the Council.

"Where's Frost," he had said in the silence, eyes settling on the sprite.

"Bernard! You're back earlier than we thought!"

"Funny, I was thinking the same thing. I heard about what happened," he had said, making his way over to Jack and locking eyes with the herald. To the untrained eye, it was a very "if looks could kill" kind of moment. But Jack knew exactly what the elf was doing: searching for the telltale signs of a thawed winter sprite. Evidently, he had found what he was looking for. He stepped back with a little huh, intrigued.

"So, it is true, then. You have been thawed."

"Toasty as can be," Jack had found himself saying.

"Huh. I didn't think it was possible."

"That makes two of us."

That had changed the tide for Santa. With even Bean pole's agreeing, Santa had begun to sway.

Fully agreeing with Mother Nature (much to Santa's chagrin), Bernard told them all about how he had gotten wind of what had happened while on vacation. He had been furious, heading over as soon as he could. He had been ready to burst in, angry as could be, until he ran into an old friend, he had said. Said friend knew what had happened and had offered him a lot of insight on the situation at hand, being somewhat of an authority on the subject at hand.

Ever curious, Jack had wondered who they were throughout the year. But the Elf remained tight lipped on the subject, and kept it that way for the rest of the year.

"You don't need to tell us who they were," Santa had said, huffy in only the funniest of ways. Jack would have laughed if he wasn't fighting for his Legendary Life at that moment. "That's fine. Just, just tell me one thing, please," Santa had continued, rounding the table. "This so-called "expert" of yours," he had said, air quotes and all, "Do you trust them?"

"Absolutely," Bernard had replied, no hesitation.

With Bernard's assurance, Santa had relented. Reluctantly, he accepted the thaw, and talks moved to an appropriate punishment for what Jack had done leading up to his thaw. After even more deliberation (Jack really wishing he had a drink or something, the meeting was absolutely dragging on), Jack was sentenced to community service once more. This time, though, it'd be stricter. He was to be always supervised by either Bernard or Santa, and on occasion Elle or Curtis. Mother Nature would check in twice a week, monitoring his progress and keeping an eye out for any nonsense. The MOMENT anyone suspected him of any shenanigans, that was it. He could kiss his Legendary seat goodbye.

So Jack made sure to be on his best behaviour.

He was tossed from department to department, working hard alongside the elves and, when a few months passed without incident, Santa himself. Toy making was alright, though not his forte. After that disaster, Jack really did become a Jack Frost of all trades. He was excellent in wrapping (his gifts looked so lovely post-wrapping that he convinced himself that they wouldn't be unwrapped violently by little children everywhere). He helped with repairs to the houses, shops, and other buildings of Elfsburg. Sometimes he helped in the kitchen too—he made great cocoa, and enjoyed cookie making and decorating (yet he snacked more than he did decorate). He wasn't a professional chef, but he wasn't half bad either! They loved him down in Culinary, and Hospitality. Letter time with Santa was drool, but he found that those were the best times to mend bridges with Santa, and eventually, Carol. Slowly but surely, he made his way into their good graces, and found himself really liking how things were turning out.

On top of the community service, though, Jack still had to uphold his proper wintertime duties. He had a job, after all, and he was pretty fond of it, despite contrary belief. Slowly but surely, as he helped out in Elfsburg and stayed on top of his duties (shocking even Mother Nature), he gained the trust of more than just Santa and the Missus. He got along well with all the elves; even Bernard! They were, dare he say it, cordial, even. And he found, as he regained trust and forged new bonds and all that ooey gooey sleet, that he was starting to really feel included, and appreciated.

It was all he had ever wanted.

And that, of course, is when things began to fall apart.

It began as he finally solidified relationships, making friends with Santa and his family. Carol even let him babysit little Buddy! (Though admittedly he was not fond of parts of this job. Teaching the kid how to blow raspberries and say snowball fight was great—but diaper changing and feeding? Less so). Things were going well, and he felt great, except for one tiny, little, teensy weensy problem that he began to notice.

Jack was lacking the Frost.

The more he got along with everyone, the more accepted he was, the less wintry magic he was able to use. His powers had begun to dwindle bit by bit and by now, seemed to have all but shorted out. His icy breath was barely there, his snowballs were pathetic; and any attempts to freeze things resulted in a slightly cooler temperature and that's it!

At first, he had told himself it was only temporary! Maybe a, uh, weird side effect of a thaw. They'd come back, surely! Maybe it was just Springtime Blues and he'd be dancing under a snowfall again in no time at all!

Oh, how wrong he was.

The year had gone on, and it had just gotten worse as his personal life got better. He hid it well, for the most part; winter in the Southern Hemisphere was a bit of a struggle, but he managed to coast by over there. But in the North? Well, the unthinkable began to happen.

The North Pole was starting to get warm. Slowly, the temperature rose, degree by degree, and by June, it was very noticeable. And Jack knew without a shadow of a doubt that it was only a matter of time before it happened. Something he worked all his life to never let happen, despite his feelings towards Santa and the whole Christmas shebang he had going on up North.

The Dome was starting to melt.

And Jack was ashamed.

The elves started wearing less layers, until they were walking around in breezy skirts and shorts, sundresses and shoes sans socks, sandals on their feet. The icicles he had so carefully crafted were dripping, getting smaller and smaller; even Carol and Santa eventually pulled out summer clothes that hadn't seen the light of day in quite some time! They asked him, of course. Many times. He played it off. Global warming and such. Because the truth was far, far worse. He couldn't tell them, couldn't tell anyone that the Jack Frost, master of ice and snow, Legendary figure, had no powers—that he was about as useful as a mortal.

Though he had skirted by easily before hand, now this power shortage was costing him greatly. Both the Claus's and the Council were starting to suspect him of going back to his old ways; people looked at him suspiciously again. Elves were starting to give him a wide berth. Carol had tried talking to him, but he dodged the subject. At every Council he attended, they brought it up, and he narrowly would avoid it.

He was running out of options now. He knew he needed help with his problem, but Jack was a prideful sprite. To admit to everyone that he had no powers currently and couldn't fathom why? It may very well send him to Rosehaven much earlier than he had expected. Especially since he was officially out of time. Autumn was coming to a close, and his time to shine was fast approaching. But there was no frost on the grass, or flurries breaking thorough the cold lows inching across the Northern Hemisphere.

Finally, Santa had confronted him.

"Jack, c'mon! You've been dodging our questions for months! Everyone's starting to think you're going back to your old ways, and frankly, I'm starting to believe them. You and I both know what happens if the Dome melts."

Jack was appalled. "Santa, I'd never force the Deliquesce on you! On anyone in the pole, or the world, for that matter! You've got to believe me Santa, please! As a friend…please."

"As Santa, and including your track record prior to this year, I can't rule it out. That's why I've called an emergency council meeting, right now. As a friend…I've seen you change, I know you're good, but you won't tell me why it's like Hawaii up here! Nobody wants to see Santa in shorts, not even himself. I want to help you, Jack. And if this is how you'll accept help, by force, then so be it. My office in ten minutes. Consider it an intervention. Be there, Jack. Or..."

"Be square?" he had asked, hopeful.

"No. Be there, or else."

And with one final, pleading look, Santa headed back into the Workshop, to prep for the sudden meeting he had called, leaving Jack standing on the balcony, alone. Watching the elves work, absentmindedly playing with the smallest snowball he had ever conjured. Somehow their spirit was still high as they worked; the scene was cheery. It could pick up even the lowest of magibeans. But it wasn't doing it for him.

All Jack felt was troubled. Very, very troubled. Maybe even a little sad though he would never admit that one out loud. Frustrated, annoyed. And by the looks of things...desperate.

"Jack? Council's waiting on you."

Jack sighed, the snowball bouncing up once and landing back in his hand as he turned and glanced at the newcomer.

"I'm going. They didn't need to send you to Frost-sit."

Bernard sighed. "You know they didn't send me to Frost-sit you. Santa just wants to make sure you go. They all want to help you, you know."

"I know," was all Jack could really say.

Bernard frowned, staring at the sprite. He looked like he wanted to say something, but couldn't find the right words.

Jack tilted his head with a halfhearted smirk. "Do I sense concern? From you? For little old me?"

The elf's face dropped, his frown returning. "It was there but you know what? I can't seem to find it anymore. What a shame. C'mon Frost, let's go," Bernard said, turning and heading towards the Workshop, not looking back.

"Wow," Jack said. He looked at his snowball once more, his good humour instantly disappearing. It was melting right in his hand. With a sigh, he tossed it down into the square (careful not to hit any of the munchkins) and followed Bernard's fast retreating form, each step heavier than the next as he headed towards the meeting, feeling very much like a dead man walking.

A/N-Edited as of January 19, 2017. I am way happier with this chapter now! I didn't think it need too much work, just a lot of Bernard fixes, but man oh man I went HAM on this one. And below is of course the promised summary of the original AN!

There we have it, chapter one (newly edited!) We know Jack's secret, and are beginning the very fun Flashback Sequences that spread through like the next 4 chapters I think? I had a lot of fun writing thawed Jack. We're not sure how he acts in canon, so we can take a lot of creative liberties and tbh looking at this now, once the story is 3 and being edited, I took a LOT of creative liberties and I think they worked out well!

Please do leave reviews, follows, faves, etc. I'm very talkative and honestly would love to hear your feedback! (Yes, with a story THIS OLD!)