Soooo…I'm back hehe…in my defense, shit has kinda hit the proverbial fan in my life and I became more focused on my non fanfiction stories and this one kinda fell to the wayside but I really love the idea and already have it drafted/planned so I'm committing to it! (Gee, finally am I right.) I can't promise regular updates but I will work on them when I can and I hope you bear with me. :)
Enjoy Chapter 2/6. :)
Trigger warning: Vomit (not overly gross but still better safe than sorry)
-Mixitupqueen
"Far." Jack awoke from his sleep with a jolt only to be met with a wide eyed toddler. Scrambling away from her Jack let out a gasp mixed with a shriek of surprise. Why was there a child in his room?
"Hi!" Winter chirped happily as she crawled onto the bed. Jack furrowed his brow and stared at her open mouthed for a minute. Then it all came rushing back to him. Right, Winter the kid.
"Good morning." He finally stammered at a loss of what to do. Drumming his fingers on the blanket under him Jack froze under Winter's unbreaking stare.
"Would you like anything?" Winter shook her head no at Jack's offer. Looking over at his nightstand Jack saw the time read six-thirty in the morning. Rubbing at his eyes he sniffed and wondered what to do. Maybe Ombric would be up, often the wizard would be up at the crack of dawn to watch the sun and man in moon exchange places in the sky.
"Would you like to come with me?" Jack offered extending a hand to Winter. The four year old nodded her hair swinging into her face as she jumped off the bed and grabbed Jack's hand. Now to find Ombric and get this sorted out. Running a hand through his hair Jack tried to figure out what to say to Ombric. He didn't want to go: Hey Ombric, uh this kid's dad was presumably killed by Pitch and her mother doesn't want her so how did you sleep?
"How did you sleep?" Jack asked as Winter leaned her head against his leg.
"Good." Winter said, snapping her head back over to Jack as she ran her hand along the bark-like wall. At the top of the stairs, at the top of the tree one of Ombrics main rooms resided. Knocking on the door Jack watched as it opened and the wizard stood observing them in the middle of the room.
"Hi Ombric." Jack nodded. Winter blinked and waved slowly at Ombric.
"I have a message for you Jack." Ombric suddenly stated. Jack raised an eyebrow and glanced down at Winter.
"What is it?" He muttered, stepping farther into the room. "Wait before you begin, she has something she needs to tell you." He added sweeping his hands out to Winter.
Winter however remained silent. Jack laughed nervously before kneeling down to her.
"Uhhh Winter, can you tell Ombric what you told me last night?" He whispered to the girl. Winter looked at Jack then at Ombric.
"Okay." Winter whispered looking at the ground. Slowly she explained what she had told Jack to Ombric. Her father "disappeared" due to Pitch and her mother didn't want her. Once Winter finished she looked close to tears and Ombric stroked his beard in thought.
"Interesting." the wizard remarked after a moment. "I also have some knowledge about her." Jack's eyes widened at this.
"What?"
"Yes, Man in Moon spoke to me last night through a moonbeam."
"What?" Winter echoed Jack, sitting next to him.
"The moonbeam told me Winter is meant to stay with us, her mother is not fit for her. In fact I believe he made her mother forget her." Jack's eyes widened in surprise.
"He mind wiped her mother?!" He shrieked in shock. Ombric nodded.
"Yes, he wants her to stay with us and I believe it is for this." Ombric extend a hand to Winter. "She is blessed by Manny."
"Blessed?" Jack questioned.
"Similarly to you." Ombric remarked. Subconsciously Jack tightened his grip on his staff. "I don't know why." Jack felt Winter lean into him in a half hug. Patting her on the head Jack sighed. Closing his eyes only one thought went through his head; Magic toddler. I am with a magical toddler.
"Far look." Winter then announced as Jack felt a pull on his sleeve. Looking down at Winter Jack felt his breath get taken away. The floor underneath them was covered in frost and snow was falling from the sky. Flicking his staff Jack tried to stop the miniature storm forming in the room. However it didn't stop, only lessoned.
"I did it!" Winter cheered happily. Jack turned away from watching the snow and stared at her.
"What?" Winter just giggled happily and repeated "I did it!"
0o0o0
Bunny, North, Tooth and Sandy were back. This time they were in a massive red and black sleigh, the famous one North was known for. Clambering inside Jack placed Winter on the bench as Ombric filled in the others on what he had told Jack.
"What this?" Winter asked, standing up and leaning over the railing.
"Santa's sleigh." Jack explained, leaning his head back. Winter let out a loud gasp and happily squealed in delight as she propped herself up higher trying to take in everything.
"Why do you have a stick?" Winter inquired about poking Jack's staff.
"It's a staff, helps me make snow and stuff." He explained helping her sit down properly again.
"Why do you make snow?" Winter continued.
"Uh..it's my job." Jack stammered frowning at his answer.
"Can I have it be my job too?" Winter asked as a light flurry of snow settled around her.
"Why do you ask me so many questions?" Jack shot back. Winter went quiet for a moment and Jack felt a jolt of fear at this. Come on frost, you upset the kid! That is literally the opposite of your job! Jack mentally chided himself.
"So are you adopting her!" Tooth shrieked, interrupting his thoughts.
"Go away!" Winter cried.
"Tooth, honey just leave her alone…please." Jack begged as Tooth sat on his other side. "And I have no idea.."
"Where are we going Far?" Winter asked inching to the opposite side of the sleigh from Tooth.
"I- you know ask North, ask-ask him he'll give you a better answer." Jack said sweetly, turning the girl so she was facing North.
"Okay, North where are we going?" Winter was practically vibrating with joy, which Jack figured made sense since she was a literal toddler speaking to Santa.
"Ve are going to toothy's palace."
"Why?" Jack asked, perking up as well.
"Sandy came up with the idea that perhaps ya can use her teeth to see her memories."
"When you put it that way…it sounds super creepy." Jack muttered as Sandy, on cue sat down on Winter's other side.
"Uhh, North." Bunny pipped up. "Are you sure you want to use the sleigh, cause I mean Winter's here and…" The ex-cossack paused and looked at Winter who was getting pried off the railings by Jack.
"Oh..good point bunny, uh Jack…does Vinter need something to keep her safe vhen ve fly?" North asked awkwardly as he scratched the back of his head. Safety was never really a priority for Santa's sleigh, heck the sleigh barely had passenger seats! Much less a seat fit for a young child.
"Bunny, are you using the kid as an excuse to get out of this?" Jack asked, batting his eyes innocently.
"I wanna fly!" Winter demanded loudly wriggling out of Jack's grasp.
"Sit down and you will." Jack demanded. This seemed to appease Winter who firmly placed herself down next to Jack. Smiling softly Jack tapped his staff to the sleigh and a lap belt made of ice formed across her lap.
As North clambered into the front seat Jack leaned back stretching across the bench. At the last second he waved his staff and a large version of Winter's belt formed across Bunny. Sending his friend a small smirk Jack nodded to North who gripped the reins in his hands and let out a quick "hiya!"
Jolting back Jack drew in a deep breath. Closing his eyes he listened to the rushing wind, barely covering Bunny's whimpers as they soared into the air. Opening his eyes and glancing over Jack watched as Sandy and Winter held their hands up as if on a glorious roller coaster.
Laughing boastfully North turned.
"Vinter enjoy ze, loop de loops!" he called over his shoulder as with a quick flick of his wrists he sent the sleigh spiraling in the air. Laughter emerged from Winter and Jack found himself laughing as well as they flung their arms through the air.
Several times North did this, however by the fifth time Jack found even himself feeling ill, a sensation he didn't truly recognize at first. A small tug on his sleeve Jack looked over to Winter who looked sickly pale and had a thin sweat on her forehead.
"Winter are you.." Jack quickly sprang into action before finishing his sentence. Propping her up Jack managed to force Winter's upper half off the sleigh as she gagged and became ill. An awkward silence followed as North quickly steaded out the sleigh.
Trembling Winter huddled against Jack as he lowered her back down. Clearing his throat Jack whipped Winter's mouth with his sleeve then placed her back down.
"North, can we speed this up?" He finally asked nervously, carefully watching Winter as if she might combust.
"Da lets." North agreed quickly as he withdrew a snowglobe and shook it. Whispering into it North launched it through the air and a multicolored swirling portal was summoned. Urging the reindeer forward the team of spirits were launched through the air and after a blinding light they were in the heart of Tooth's palace, hidden deep in India.
Much gracefully than Jack could ever dream of, North landed the sleigh on Tooth's balcony. Hopping out Jack pulled Winter out and steadied her on the ground.
"Okay find Tooth, see your memories…figure out what to do from there." Jack whispered to no one in particular as he herded Winter away from the seemingly numberless ledges to which she could fall off.
Luckily Tooth appeared minutes later.
"Hi everyone!" she chirped happily. "What are you guys doing here?"
"We need a favor." Jack sighed as he gave up and tucked Winter under his arm as she kicked in protest. "Do you have, this one's-" he gave a quick nod to Winter who giggled as she twisted was upside down. "Memories?"
"Hmm…" Tooth stroked her feathers in thought as she came over. Crouching next to Winter she made quick work of prying her fingers into the little girl's mouth.
Whining in alarm, Winter quickly bit down. Yelping Tooth jumped back but nodded.
"Unfortunately. I can't..she hasn't lost any teeth." Jack opened his mouth when another voice beat him.
"Crying shame…would've been a treat." A voice like velvet danced off the walls and echoed through the chamber. Inhaling sharply Jack slowly dropped Winter to the ground as she ducked behind his legs. Familiar silhouette's of the nightmare king filled the walls and Jack felt the other guardians circle closer to him and Winter.
In one moment Jack was next to the other guardians then the next he was falling through the air with Winter. In a panic Jack called for help only for a large gust of wind to catch the two falling people.
Panting Jack sighed in relief as he grabbed his staff and stood in front of Winter.
Haha…shit. Jack thought dryly as the shadows on the walls pranced around him.
"Why..who are you?" Pitch asked one of his silhouettes inching towards Winter.
"Get away from her!" Jack spat whirling around in a frenzy. There was no way he could take on Pitch alone, much less well also watching Winter.
"Is it yours?" Pitch taunted sending a small strand of black sand through the air. Waving his staff Jack sent the frozen sand crashing to the ground. Jack opened his mouth to debunk it but froze as Pitch appeared fully, standing dramatically on a rock. It was then the shadows receded and Jack saw they were laying next to the small pond at the bottom of Tooth's palace.
"What do you want.." Jack snapped leveling his staff with Pitch.
"You will see boy…you will see." At this Jack heard a loud whiny then a cry from Winter as his vision went black and he fell to the ground in a deep fitful sleep.
Hope you enjoyed chapter 2! I promise more of this story will come..at some point.
I hope you enjoyed and feel free to review/favorite/follow.
Have a great day/night!
-Mixitupqueen.