Jackie lay on her bed unable to sleep. Tonight was one of those nights when her mind roams and keeps her up. In the past it'd been worrying about if she would ever be seen or why the moon never talked to her, but now she was awake thinking about something else. She was thinking about Bunny. They'd had a fight the day before about Jackie freezing one of the rivers in the Warren, and he'd told her to leave and not come back. Tears began to fall silently down Jackie's cheeks as she recalled the harsh words the pooka had yelled at her. Sure the two fought often and Bunnymund had told her to leave his home, but he had never told her not to come back. Why would he say that? Had he finally had it with the young guardian? She thought they were getting closer but had they really been drifting further apart? Jackie rolled over onto her side as she cried and stayed like that until sleep finally overcame her.
The next week went by slowly for Jackie. All she could do was sit around the workshop and cry, until she couldn't anymore. She felt like she'd been abandoned by the one person she cared for most, the one she trusted. She felt broken, like a part of her had been torn away never to return.
Jackie sat in North's office where he was working. North was carving a block of ice into a new wonder when he stopped. He set his chainsaw aside and turned to Jackie. "Why are you here?"
The question had confused the young guardian. "What do you mean? You told me I could sit in here while you worked."
"No, no." The man shook his head. "Why are you here, at the Pole? Why are you not making snow day for children? What is matter, Jackie?"
Jackie smiled halfheartedly at North. "It's nothing North. I just haven't been in the snow day mood that's all."
"Something is defiantly wrong. You usually are having much energy, but not so much lately. What is matter?"
"Nothing is wrong North. Please, just leave me alone." Getting up, Jackie storms out of the room. North let out a sigh as he stroked his beard. He knew something was bothering the young winter spirit even if she wouldn't admit it.
The man stroked his beard as he thought. Then it hit him. "That's it!" A few yetis came into the room to see what the commotion was. "Perhaps Jackie will talk with Tooth or Bunny about what is bugging her." North told the yetis to prepare for company as he went to call the guardians.
Jackie sat in her room as she cried. "Why does it hurt so much?" She sniffled and wiped her eyes with her sleeve. "Bunny and I always fight. We've fought ever since we met. So why is it hurting me so much this time?"
One week ago
"Bunny I'm bored." Bunnymund sighed as he set down the egg he was painting, and calmed himself. This was the twelfth time the girl had said that and Bunny was starting to get annoyed. Jackie moved from the giant stone egg she'd been lying on and sat down beside Bunnymund. "Can I please help paint?"
Bunny turned to face the girl, her blue eyes sparkling as she looked up at him. Bunny loved how blue Jackie's eyes were. He locked eyes with her for just a moment. "No." He said as he broke the stare and returned to his painting.
"Why not?" Jackie asked trying not to sound whiney.
"Because," Bunny turned back to the girl. "You make a mess ad get more paint on you then on the egg." Jackie crossed her arms and pouted. Bunny laughed at the action and ruffled the girl's hair. "Sorry, Frostbite."
"What am I supposed to do then? I came here to help you not die of boredom." Lying on her stomach in the grass, Jackie touched a flower freezing it on contact. Feeling Bunny touch her back, she turned to find him smiling at her. He looked tired. That didn't surprise Jackie one bit. He's been busy preparing for Easter all day and night for the three days. Easter was months away, still he worked as if it was tomorrow. "Bunny, why don't you get some rest? Easter is still a long ways off, you have time. You don't need to work yourself so hard." She said as she laid her head on her arms. Bunny began to lightly rub her back, something the pooka often did now. Why he did it, Jackie didn't know. Perhaps he did it to comfort her or maybe it was just habit. Whatever the reason was, Jackie didn't care, she liked it.
After a few minutes of Bunny rubbing Jackie's back, she rolled over and sat up. "I've got to do something; I don't like sitting still it's so boring!" She exclaims hoping to her feet before running off to find something to keep her entertained.
"Jack, don't ya be freezing me googies!" Bunnymund called after he girl. He smiled when he heard her faint cry of displeasure. Returning the egg he'd been painting, Bunnymund yawned. He knew Jackie was right and that he needed to take a break but he couldn't bring himself to. He wanted to get as much of Easter perpetrations out of the way as he could. So he wouldn't have as much to do closer to the big day.
Hours went by as Jackie flew around the Warren freezing things, with the exception of the egglets. She landed on one of the giant stone eggs, Bunnymund was sitting next to it and Jackie wanted to scare him but thought it best to not. "Whatcha doing Cottontail?" The pooka's ears twitched and he looked up. He looked even more worn out then he had earlier. Jackie smiled down at him as she leaned against her staff.
Bunny's nose twitched as a frown appeared on his face. "Jack," Oh no. By the tone he used Jackie knew she about to get in trouble for something. "Please tell me you didn't go around freezing everything in my Warren."
"I didn't freeze everything." Jackie tried her best not to meet the pooka's eyes as she spoke. "Just most of it."
Standing to his feet, Bunnymund narrowed his eyes at the frost spirit. "And what exactly did you freeze, Jack?"
"Don't worry. I didn't touch any of the eggs." Jackie replied with a smile.
"What did you touch then?" Bunny's voice came out rougher then Jackie would have liked. That was a sign his nerves were almost shot.
"Just a few flowers. And a couple of trees. That's all. Nothing important."
"Jack, you can't just go around freezing things!" Aster shouted. His temper was beginning to flare and Jackie was on his last nerve now.
"Calm down Cottontail, it'll thaw soon. It's no big deal."
"No big deal? Jack I'm getting tired of you doing whatever you like without thinking of how it affects others. What else did you freeze? I know you froze more than that."
"Bunny, you said it was alright as long as I left the egglets alone. And I did." She didn't like this. Bunny needs rest. He's been fine a couple of hours ago. The pooka crossed his arms over his chest as he awaited her answer. "Okay I may or may not have frozen one of the rivers of dye." Aster's eyes grew wide at the words. "But it was an accident. I didn't mean to do it I swear."
Suddenly without warning, Bunny darted off toward the nearest river. Jackie chased after him but instantly regretted it when she caught up to him. He was standing in front of a pink river frozen solid. He was shaking, most likely from anger, and Jackie knew she was in trouble. "What in the bloody world were you thinking!?" Jackie winced at the sudden loudness of Bunny's shout.
"I said it was an accident, Bunny. I didn't mean to free-" She was cut off by Bunny.
"No. I don't want to hear it Jack. I'm tired of your excuses."
"Calm down Bunny. It will thaw. It's not going be like this forever."
"I've got eggs to paint, Jack!"
"Easter is months away you have plenty of time to-"
"No. Just shut it Jackie." That was enough to make tears form in Jackie's eyes. She held them back as best as she could knowing that he was just tired and overworked.
"Bunny, you're tired. You need some rest. I'm sure you'll feel less grumpy after you get some sleep." Jackie says placing a gentle hand on Bunny's arm. It was immediately shaken off.
"No, what I need is for you to leave me alone! Get out of my Warren! Now! Go! Leave and never come back!" The words came out harsh as the pooka gestured for the girl to leave. Jackie's heart seemed to shatter at the words.
"Y-You don't really mean that." She laughed a bit trying to reassure herself that he didn't mean the harsh words. But when she heard him growl she knew he meant it. Tears that she had been holding back began to fall silently down the teens face as she turned and retreated from the Warren.
Present
Curling up on her bed Jackie's white hair fell over her face as she cried. Why did things have to go like this? Why couldn't she have just sat still for once in her life? Maybe if she had Bunny wouldn't be mad at her right now.
There was a knock at the door followed by the slow creak of it being opened. She didn't even bother to turn around to see who it was as she felt the bed shift under the weight of someone else. She didn't need to see who it was to know. She could hear her wings fluttering softly as she'd entered the room. Tooth. "Sweetie, are you okay?" Jackie only shook her head as Tooth stroked her silvery hair. She sat up and hugged the fairy queen tightly, seeking comfort from the female.
Tooth wrapped her arms around the teen as she cried. "It's alright Jack, we'll talk when you're ready."