St. North would never tell Jack this but there was something magical in itself about going from bitter cold into your warm inviting home. Admittedly the workshop was was busy and bustling more so than homey, but North liked to think it kept the sparkle of magic that made kids jaws drop on the few occasions one had needed to find Santa for one reason or another over the years. North's personal workshop, however, had remained relatively unchanged from when he had first been chosen. He had made everything himself back then and he liked to remind himself of it with the love and care he had when carving the wood that made the office and firing the glass for the windows, making his own worktable. Adding a little sense of magic to things as he went,

North knew that he had to change as times changed but that didn't mean that he didn't have a preference and this year he had someone to blame. While he kept track of the whole world, a large fraction of his believers dotted the U.S. While he never had to worry about Russia and there was nothing to be done about Australia (Unless the North wind was dealing with issues elsewhere,) much of the U.S. should be expecting a lovely white christmas. The kind that makes people play outside and then barricade themselves in the warmth of their homes for the little bit of christmas magic that only loved ones can bring.

However the elves had come to complain that on a test run with the Yeti's in the sleigh, that there had been a light frost at best. The North Wind was well on course bringing a hard chill and a little bit of christmas cheer that he had stopped to pick up at the Workshop. Jack Frost should be more than nipping at noses by now, and although weather did its thing with or without help, this year his reports spoke of the lack of winter wonderland that followed in Jacks wake. Even North hadn't realized how instinctive this was until Jack fell asleep at the last (and Jack's first) guardians meeting and froze half the workshop in amazing pillars of ice and blanket of snow. Fortunately it had been after christmas and they had been discussing how well the believers were doing in the aftermath of Pitch Black so less harm was done.

Where were the deadly beautiful icicles and heaping mounds of pristine snow that made even adults pause in wonder? The christmas lights just didn't look as beautiful in a background of plain city. Even when Jack Frost had been thought of by the guardians as another nuisance mythos, nobody could ignore when Jack Frost came to town. 'Jack Frost nipping at your nose,' indeed. He even got a line in a christmas carol, Jack liked to tease it was his one claim to fame. North privately thought it was the power of the line and some left over christmas magic that kept Jack as strong as he was, even without believers, but when he mentioned this to Cupid last time they ran into each other the Mythos told him that might be his own ego talking. Cupid was always surprisingly pragmatic.

More than this, however, because it had stayed like late autumn into the winter months. Things had stayed busy, people kept doing things that they would have set aside for spring and the slower pace that winter brought was missing. Even the areas that stayed warm year round seemed to pause most of the time, but this year things kept chugging on. They always got busier in preparation for christmas but on the day of? North liked to think that everyone paused to just appreciate a sense of wonder. North might have been just a little concerned that without a good solid winter nobody would slow down and maybe eventually they would plow right through christmas like it was another day of the week.

North was never busier than the days before christmas but this- this he could not overlook. Coat and hat on and Yeti's scrambling for last minute approvals were brushed aside. Looked like his babies were getting a test run with old St. Nick himself this year. If there was one thing they had down it was the sleigh and in no time at all he was airborne. Following a stray thought North invited himself into the Warren.

"Hey hey hey hey! - What do you think you're doing mate?" Bunny was always around when there was action and North stepped out into a field as the Easter icon popped almost immediately out of a tunnel, gesturing wildly at at the sleigh. "What's that bucket of bolts doing in my field?" He roared. "Seemed like good place to park." North commented looking around, "Field of beautiful flowers is not my style but this is nice" The Russians large arms on his hips. "What are you doing here you overbearing toy tinker! Don't have something important to be dealing with right now, like- your holiday?" Bunny was incredulous, standing in a field of beautiful bluebells, paws on his own hips, looking very put out.

"And i'll have you know that I grow the colors for my eggs from these flowers! They are not a landing pad." Chortling loudly North leaned over and clapped Bunny on the shoulder. "Have a little Christmas cheer my friend! Is good to take time off, no?" Bunnies patterned brow creased in irritation. "Speaking of, What are you doing here so close to the big day anyway?" For a moment North saw a warey fear cross the Guardian's eyes and North shook his head at Bunny's thought. It was not Pitch, at least not as far as he knew, that had brought him here. "Have you been into the Middle Realm lately?"

Bunny shook his head, "Too cold for me, my thing is chasing the chills away mate, and that's not for some months yet" Bunnies accent always got thicker when he was brooding. "That's my point!" Roared North. "It's not cold, not the way it should be!"

"Frost slacking off this Annual?" Bunny's mouth tipped sideways. "Maybe yes, Maybe no. I thought perhaps you were picking fight again with boy." To his credit Bunny didn't look offended. "It's not me, but I'd like to know who gave the sprite a vacation." North nodded, they were in agreement then. Bunny took a moment to fuss over feeding his chickens before they set off, giving a simple roar of "Jack Frost" as he tossed his snow globe both Guardians dove into the portal.

They discovered that Jack must have returned to the lake where he had been chosen. It had originally been a small pond but run off from a nearby mountain had widened it into a tree heavy lake aver a century ago.. The lake was in a popular wooded area that was roped off as official hunting grounds and no one but licensed hunters and national preserve rangers came around once things turned cold. Most people favored the bigger more showy lake closer to the commercial area of the woods anyway.

The lake was small and the snow was so thick that even birds couldn't perch in trees and so it was perfectly silent. It was like someone had hit pause and captured a tiny fraction of the Middle Realm into freeze frame. Where ever they were- Pennsylvania, North insisted- it was night and only the moon observed the two Mythos as they looked around and hollered for the other Guardian. It was a stray moon beam the guided the two to the edge of the lake, and there laying beneath layers of ice, was Jack Frost. Spread eagle as if he had been floating in the water on his back, the boy was totally unmoving with his white hair fanned like a halo.

After some pointless time yelling down to the boy and attempting to crack ice that would re freeze instantly, North got an idea and some time later three figures stood by the lake and North and Bunny filled the Sandman in. Curious sand almost as shining as the moonbeams trickled to the boy and gathered over his head into the forms of palm trees and snow flurries. Jack was dreaming. Mythos cannot die so much as they vanish but still it was a relief.

"Can you wake him up?" North wanted to know. Sandy's sand told them that waking people up was not Sandys area but he would try. After some manipulation Jack's dreams turned into ringing alarm clocks and flashing lights. At first there was nothing and then a large "CRACK" filled the air and the Ice shattered in front of them and Jack came spluttering to the shore looking around wildly.

Ice clung to his clothes and even as they watched the lake danced with patterns of confused snowflakes. "What the- where is, what happened?" Stumbling to his feet Jack squinted, "Sandy, what are you doing here, you never come out this far."

"Looks like you overslept Mate." Hopping closer the Bunny shook off the snow clumped in his fur pointedly. "You have job to do and no one is out doing it!" North declared, slapping the boy on the back. Jack shrugged leaning on the staff that had never left his hand, "A quick nap and they call in the rescue party? Man this service is dulux." Jack's voice still had the roughness of sleep. Sandy projected various christmas related things and Jack laughed. "Relax buddy there are still months till Norths big day, I've heard I get to whip up a great show this Annual."

Brow furrowed North rested a hand on Jack's shoulder. "Jack what time do you think it is?" Jack paused to think about it and as he did his own brow furrowed, deep within the boy the spark that told him what he must do seemed confused. "I….don't"

"Christmas eve is two days away kiddo." Jack looked alarmed and the wind around him began to gather. "What are we waiting around for?! We have work to do." Jack had whipped into the air in a panic and with a wave, seemed to bounce off a cloud as he took off. "Well I guess that solves that." Bunny groused. "I am not so sure." North murmured, "I want to know why he was frozen in puddle for so long but-" North straightened "Jack is right, much is left to be done, we will look into this after best time of year."

North could hear Bunny hollering defences of his own time of year after North but the large man but already at the workshop before he finished. Taking the reindeer to their stables North was plunged into the happy chaos that is everything going wrong before a big event. However even as reports filed in of winter finally getting a move on and spilling out over the cities and valleys, North still felt a bit cheated out of some prep days to really bring the christmas spirit around.

To Jacks credit by the time the big night rolled around there was a festive cheer in the air. Children had been tossed outdoors and snowmen and remnants of hand built sledding ramps dotted yards and parks. Things had slowed down with even adults pausing to delight in the puff of white breath they could produce. The moon had projected especially bright and the moonbeams seemed antsy, North was a little insulted that moon beams followed him best they could during his job.

North had a hard time not getting caught up in the joy of giving to another, truly he loved this. There was a part of his job that North never brought up unless asked and it was one of the more solemn of his tasks. Not every child got presents, oh North never forgot a child, but he was the guardian of wonder and sometimes that couldn't come wrapped in a box.

It was always easier when train set or clever puzzle could fill a child with a sense of magic and joy. North gave each child what they needed most that year and sometimes, in the world where children had little or nothing, or when a child's bedtime wish was more a prayer than a wish, North could only bring a little sense of peace, maybe a sense of friendship to a household that had none. Maybe a little gift that would spark a good memory or a sense of hope like a lost toy or a nudge towards a friend. Sometimes he had to call tooth and beg a good memory to sustain a child and, in very very rare cases he carefully hand crafted a miracle.

It was frustrating when a child had forgotten how to deal with a gift like that or sometimes they had to grow up too soon. Guardians counted on children filled with wonder to grow into adults that wished to give that to their children, often children who had to become adults before their time didn't know how to pass that on and a little magic was lost to the world. North liked to believe that the naughty list was the children that needed saving the most and sometimes he had to make a tough call between a gift the child wanted versus what they needed.

When all was said and done North, as he often did after a holiday, took some time to himself. The reindeer had been taken by a antsy Yeti who were eager to commence the 'I can't believe we pulled this off again' celebration. The elves provided music, food and decorations and typically was the only time of year they were useful. North walked heavily to his office and when the door shut behind him the silence was just the sort of peaceful North really only ever got once a year.

A gift to himself.

In the quiet of his office North shed his outerwear, lit a fire, and made his way to the heavy oak rocking chair that spent most of the year stuck in a corner with things piled on top of it. North cleared it off and sank into it, His finger finding the rough shapes of the wood that had come from inexperience, this chair had been special. This chair was old, very old as old and North himself. It had been cut from the leftover wood of the very first toy he ever made for the sake of gifting something to a child. North had made it back before he had been chosen, before he had the skills to weave magic into toys and the best he had been able to do was a small carved figurine for a child he once knew.

North's spark informed him of a break out of chaos in his workshop and North hummed tiredly, perhaps this had not been one of his brighter moves but he had invited the youngest guardian to his realm. North had not known that Jack had tried to break in as often as he had over the centuries, Mythos of all kind often tried to get a peak and imaginary friends often worked with a child who wanted to see the North Pole. That was always a bit sad, often the Imaginary friend was trying to give a growing child a little more wonder and imagination that would keep the Children in need of their playmate. It was strictly against the Code of Balance to let too much of his magic slip into the world out of his sprinkling of holidays across continents.

Even with a invitation the Guardian of fun didn't seem to be able to help himself and continued to attempt grand plans to get himself into the Workshop, it was one of the few places Jack had to work around being visible for many centuries. The boy seemed continually offended that he couldn't creep in everywhere as he pleased, he was much like cold and winter in that way. North actually had a reason for summoning the boy this time and he took just one more moment to feel worn down grooves and a old smell of something he couldn't quite remember from his chair before heaving himself up and going to save his workshop from another invasion.

It was always chastened North to see Jack behave like a child, regardless of how they looked, long lived Mythos took on a ageless quality after a time and even by Mythos standard Jack was young. Stuck at the age he was, it often irritated other Mythos to deal with a Guardian that acted like a young boy. North gave Jack time to peer around the shop, his bright eyes illuminated with the glow of the workshop. It was a little gratifying to know that his workshop was still a good source of wonder in others although North wondered if Jack could feel the cosy home fireplace warmth that always filled his halls.

North beamed proudly and slapped Jack on the back when the boy picked up a leftover toy. A type of action figure that would rattle in parody of a dance when shook. Jack chuckled and North was so gratified that a 'child' was entertained with one of his toys that North said nothing when Jack didn't put the doll back and instead shook it vigorously as North steered them to his office. Bumped by the occasional dancing Yeti or wandering elf, North closed the door behind them.

North decidedly said nothing as Jack settled himself into the rocking chair, "So what's this about? I thought you wanted a white christmas was rudolph's glow not bright enough?" Jack was laughing at him, not sorry for any slights he thought had brought him here. "You are not in trouble." North laughed back, eyes crinkling.

"Then what's this about?"

"Few things but first of all this is a very special christmas job." Jack straightened in curiosity, everyone secretly wanted to save christmas. White hair ruffled in his winds excitement Jack rocked forward in the large chair, his teeth as white as snow in his smile. "I told you when you became guardian I was wiping clean slate. Well slate is clean so-" North loved this part the most

"Merry Christmas!" Jack was presented with a small parcel and showed his fickleness when the doll he'd played with was immediately abandoned. Blinking heavily Jack swept up and out of the chair to peer at Norths extended hand, looking like he might poke it with his staff. Confused smile, Jack swiped the gift after some hesitance. North had been surprised to see 'Jack Frost' scrawled across his list this year, North had not really considered him a child but for whatever reason his list had. Maybe it was the Code of Balances way of paying tribute to Jack's regained memories of childhood.

In the part that North rarely got to see anymore, the wrapping was yanked off immediately by careful hands and a bright laugh filled the workroom, a hand knitted dark green hat sat in Jack's hand. Fascinated Jack turned it over in his hands.

"Maybe is not too fancy but you are supposed to bundle up for winter, you set bad example for childr-"

"I've never gotten a present before." Jack murmured, enthralled. He glanced up at North, grinning good naturedly, "not for a holiday anyway."

North couldn't think of a single thing to say to that as the boy turned the wool over in his hands. "Thanks." The boys good nature in place, North decided to not be offended when the boy stuffed the hat into his jacket pocket. "Actually called you here for two reasons." North pressed, others should be here soon. "Others?" Jacks surprisingly deep voice deepened with suspicion. Running late in a way they could never help the other guardians filed in over the next hour, even Bunny was alittle excited to be in the North Pole on the big day, it smelled like christmas and North had Jack filch some goodies from the Yeti's celebration.

Tooth had been making an effort to get out into the field more but proved how much the cold got to her by showing up with Bunny from a tunnel. She looked flighty and was still buzzing orders to her girls as she entered the room. Sandy was just sort of there, showing up when nobody was looking. Jack sometimes still acted like he expected nobody to be able to see him and wandered in between people and poked around North's office with interest, looking pleasantly frustrated when he couldn't figure out what something was.

Always happy to have someone to talk to after long stretched of isolation each of the guardians made conversation with each other and North loudly took over the conversation with tales of his work tonight. Even Bunny couldn't pretend he wasn't interested, only Tooth turned away occasionally to murmur to the parade of her girls coming and going, many of whom stopped to giggle at Jack. Jack's attention span drew to a close about 3/4ths of the way through and he settled against the window, frost figures blooming in tandem with North's tale.

"What's all this about then?" Apparently Jack didn't think that his fellow guardians could just get together to celebrate. He was right of course as proven by the shifty looks that were traded round. Tooth had been distracted by the whispers of her fairies and she waved absently at Jack. "You were 'out of action' for months, you got somethin' you wanna tell us kid?" Bunny got straight to the point, brushing cookie crumbs off his whiskers.

To his credit Jack's face turned serious, he leaned against his staff and the windows behind him blossomed frost. "I've heard of cat-naps but that was a bit much." He murmured uneasily. "Oh Jack," Tooth buzzed with sympathy, "Can you tell us what happened?" Jack shrugged eyebrows creased, "That's just it, nothing happened. I was at my lake and it was a full moon." Jack's eyes looked through what was in front of him as he thought about it. "The moonbeams were everywhere and I thought maybe well-"

"What Jack?" Tooth encouraged, only half distracted by her fairies buzzing in and out.

"I thought maybe The Man in The Moon wanted to tell me something but the moon beams just led me to the lake and next thing I knew I was getting a wake up call months later." The room went quiet as everyone looked at each other and the noise of uncomfortable shifting seemed loud. "The Man in the Moon put you in the lake?" North was incredulous. Jack looked uncomfortable and a little bit angry, he seemed to still have issue with the man in the moon.

"I dunno I mean, why would he want to?" That was a good question. "Has anything been off lately? Maybe old Boogie face himself is trying to make a comeback!" Bunny was loud. "Tooth you are year round, anything you've noticed? Tooth, oi -Tooth!" Wings humming with their worry Tooth looked over apologetic from one of her fairies. "I haven't noticed anything except, well-"

"What?" Jack peered up at her.

"Well I can't remember ever being this busy before, not that I'm complaining!" She said hurriedly, "But kids are losing teeth left and right all over the place! More than I've ever seen and not even naturally, look at these!" Tooth held out a hand and everyone wrinkled their noses to see her bloody handful. The teeth she held out had clearly been knocked out. Some were chipped and others actually broken. "The memories get damaged if the teeth aren't whole, that's not even accounting for the teeth that got lost and were never put under a pillow!" Tooth was working herself up and her beautiful feathers flashed in distress.

"Is there a new game involving taking a bat to face?" Bunny was eyeing Jack sideways. "Wasn't because of me." Jack held up his hands "Fun can come from taking risks but it's over as soon as someone looses- well" He gestured to the teeth. North nodded wisely, It seemed that they where not to be getting the answers he had hoped for but he cautioned everyone to keep an eye out. Jack was starting to get antsy he tended to get jumpy if he was indoors for too long. The next guardians meeting was arranged and everyone dispersed, after confiscating the toy doll Jack tried to sneak out in his pocket North shooed Jack out the window. Jack tugged on his new hat and North accepted the silent apology for what it was.

"Merry Christmas North." Jack called

North looked out after him with silent thoughtfulness for some time after, the last remnants of christmas music fading with the dawn.