Ducking behind a snow bank, he watched the ground open by the side of the pond. Bunnymund hopped out, a smug grin on his face as he looked around.

"I know you're here, Jackie" His familiar Australian voice drawled, walking in the opposite direction of the very person he was attempting to locate. How he could be so calm and speak to him as if the conversation they had an hour ago never happened? Slightly annoyed, Jack kept his crouched position behind the snow bank; if he wanted to talk to him he'd have to try a little harder.

"Jack, come on. We have to talk." Light footsteps could still be heard continuing in the wrong direction. He would never find him without any clues, so why not have a little fun? Pushing himself up with his staff, he peeked over the edge, satisfied to see Bunnymund was looking in the other direction. A snowball was quickly made and rolled quietly out from behind the snow bank. It moved a few meters away before rising and hurling towards the unsuspecting bunny.

It connected with a loud thump, covering the rabbit's pelt with snow.

"Very funny, Jack!" Shaking off the snow, rather like a dog, he spun around in the direction the snowball came from and started off that way. "I can't feel my feet!" He grumbled, loud enough that the frost guardian was sure to hear him. "You've had your fun! Now come out!"

"Make me!" Jack bit out, readying another snowball.

Locating the sound quickly, he continued his search. Stepping cautiously onto the ice, he hopped across slowly, eyes focusing on his surroundings. Where the hell was the little bugger?

Taking another step forward, he heard the ice creak underneath him. Was it… no, it couldn't be. It wasn't that warm yet. Taking another, his suspicion was confirmed. The ice was indeed cracking.

"Crikey!" He shouted, crashing through the ice.

"Bunny!" Jack cried, leaping towards the giant hole in the ice. "No no not you!" Without another thought, he jumped in after him. Locating the slowly sinking flailing mass quickly, he grabbed a hold of his fur. Pulling as hard as he could, he managed to pull him up a bit. But it was no use, he was too heavy. If he was going to get anywhere, he had to get him to stop thrashing about. Yanking sharply, he caught Bunnymund's attention for a brief second. Jack tried his best to do an impromptu lesson on how to swim by waving his arms and legs, but obviously that wasn't going to work, all he received in return was a face full of bubbles and a kick. Trying again, he swam underneath him and tried pushing him towards the surface, again no result. Catching a quick breath of air, he swam down again and tried his pulling technique again. Finally Bunnymund had stopped moving enough that Jack was able to pull him towards the surface. His lungs screamed for air as he burst through the thin ice already forming over the hole.

Using the last of his remaining strength, he pulled the limp rabbit by his foot towards the shore, collapsing beside him once his job was done. After taking a moment to catch his breath, he checked to see if Bunnymund was still breathing. Nothing. Adrenaline raced through his veins as he began to panic. Grabbing his shoulders tightly, he shook the unconscious body. "Bunny! Are you ok? Please wake up!"

He checked his pulse. Nothing again. Fear clawed at the edges of his mind. Should he start CPR? Would it even work on a bunny? Well it wasn't like he was really a bunny…

Deciding not to waste anymore time, he leaned over the unconscious Bunnymund and took a deep breath. Opening the bunny's mouth wide, he shut his eyes tight and connected their mouths. Forcing air into his lungs in two short breaths, he watched his chest rise with each puff. Pausing to listen again, he groaned loudly and pounded on Bunnymund's chest with the heels of his palms.

"Breathe!" Jack instructed, putting all of his bodyweight into each hit. "I said breathe!" Catching himself slow down, he continued, knowing that when the Aussie did wake up, he'd yell at him for the bruise he'd have. That is if he woke up.

And then the self blame settled in, making it's home in Jack's broken heart. Why didn't he man up and talk to him instead of hiding and playing tricks like he always did? Maybe it was because it was what he was good at. Staying out of sight and causing trouble was what he was known for, what kept him entertained for the past 300 years. Why couldn't he just be like the other guardians? Why did he have to mess everything up?

Wiping away the tears that threatened to fall, he started over again. No, he wasn't going to give up. Bunnymund wasn't going to die yet and it sure was not going to be his fault. He repeated twice more before Bunnymund responded. His chest lurched upwards as he gasped loudly, eyes shooting open as he began to cough madly. Water dribbled out of his mouth, but he was alive, very much alive.

Relief washed over Jack and before he knew it he had his arms wrapped around Bunnymund's middle and his face buried in his cold wet fur.

"Don't ever do that again." He sobbed, not bothering to keep up the tough guy act. He was scared for his friend, and he didn't plan to lose him anytime soon.

After a momentary pause to gather his wits, Bunnymund returned the gesture. "I ain't leavin anytime soon, mate."