Hey guys! Guess who's back from the dead?

Okay, so I know you're all probably holding torches and pitchforks in my direction now, ready to hunt me down and murder me, but in my defence I actually have a good-ish excuse this time! As some of you may already know, there has been an unfortunate incident with my laptop that has caused it to break and I'm unable to upload and update my fanfics. Honestly, it's a miracle that this is even up at all. Typical, one last chapter of this fanfic and my laptop decides to break. Lame, right?

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: Before I start, there is talk about self-harm and suicide. If either of these things trigger you, then please do not read this chapter (or at least read with extreme caution)

Anyways, after a ridiculously long wait, I present the next chapter that will probably disappoint all of my readers! I apologise in advanced, I should have given this fanfic more forethought, because I suck at writing these talking scenes. Whoops.

Also I'm uploading this on my phone, so if it looks messy, that's why. Sorry.

Key:

Normal

Jack's thoughts

Disclaimer: This is the last time I'm going to say this for this fanfic. You see these characters? They aren't mine. They belong to Dreamworks and Disney

The eight guardians landed harshly on the floor of the workshop, causing all of the workers to pause and look up at them. A stern glare from North, however, sent them all scurrying back to work.

In the dazed confusion, Jack immediately darted for the nearest open window, intending to leave for a few hours until everyone forgot about this ridiculous need to talk, but a thin tendril of sand wrapped around his leg and pulled him back towards the group.

"You're not going anywhere, Frostbite." Bunny growled, grabbing the winter spirit by the arm. "You got out of this when we were in the memories, but you're not getting out of it now."

"Come on, Bunny." Jack whined, trying to squirm free. "Let me go! There's nothing to talk about, alright? So just let me go!"

"Jack, we need to talk about this."

"I don't see why."

"No, of course you don't. The rest of us, however, do."

"But-"

"No, Jack! I think we can agree that we've all spent too much time not talking to you about things. And that needs to change. No arguments."

Jack turned to the nearest Yeti in desperation. "Phil! Help me out here! Tell them that there's nothing we need to talk about."

Phil grunted something in reply, and Jack groaned in frustration. "Traitor. Bunny, can you at least let go of my arm?"

"Are you going to stay here and not run off?"

Jack sighed in irritation. "Fine, fine. I promise to stay here and listen to whatever it is you feel the need to talk about despite the fact that it is completely unnecessary."

"Jack!"

"Alright, alright! Just get on with it already! Do you even know where you want to start?"

There was a silence in the room for a second before Merida spoke up. "The scars. I – I think we should talk about the scars."

"The scars?" Jack snorted. "Do you seriously want to talk about something as petty as-"

"Jack!"

"What? I got most of them from fences and trees. Nothing to talk about there except for how clumsy I can be."

"Most of them? Jack Frost, you will take off your hoodie and shirt so that we can see and talk about the scars." Merida hesitated for a moment. "Besides, not all scars are physical, are they?"

"Fine." Jack huffed. Slowly, he tugged off his shirt and hoodie, revealing his pale skin to the rest of the guardians. Rapunzel nearly fainted.

His chest was even worse than they had seen in the memories. There were more scars, for one, scattered all over his skin, ones clearly from fences and trees, others from something more serious.

The guardians were still for a moment, just looking at him, before Merida stepped forward. She traced a finger over one that ran from his left shoulder to the right side of his waist, a jagged, ugly thing, slightly red around the edges. The other guardians could only imagine how much it must have hurt. "How did you get this one?"

"Lightning. He threw a lightning bolt at me." Jack answered. "I'd put my hoodie and shirt somewhere, waiting for the snow to clean them, and as I was flying around Lightning spotted and attacked me." He saw the look on the other guardian's faces, and quickly rushed to the storm spirit's defence. "But that was years ago. We still bump into each other now, but he leaves me alone because he knows that I'm a guardian now."

Hiccup's jaw clenched, but he remained quiet. Rapunzel stepped forward to join Merida. She hesitated for a moment before she pointed at a scar on his right shoulder. "This one?"

"Bumped into the Groundhog and he accidentally knocked me into a tree branch. He apologised but he was obviously busy as he ran straight off. The force pushed the branch right through my skin, though. It took me an hour to get free."

"How the hell did a branch manage to pierce your skin?"

"It was a sharp branch! And the Groundhog is very strong. But it was an accident."

Merida walked around his back. "These ones?"

"I got those when I was attacked by a pack of wolves. I remember that I never thought wolf claws could be so sharp." Jack chuckled.

Rapunzel joined Merida at the back and started running her fingers through his wild hair, pausing only when she felt a bump. "What about this one?"

"Probably from one of the many times I have slammed my head against a block of ice in frustration. There's one on my forehead, too."

Rapunzel moved back to Jack's front and pushed back his fringe, wincing slightly at the thin, almost silvery scar resting near his hairline. Merida, meanwhile, jabbed at a scar under his ribs. "This one?"

"That one was from an electric fence. Nothing to worry about."

"From now on I'm just going to ignore you when you say that there's nothing to worry about. In fact, I'm just going to assume that there is something to worry about."

"So trusting."

Merida ignored him, and instead pointed to a red scar covering his stomach and right side of his chest. "What about this one?"

"Burn scar. Got it when I leapt into a burning building to save a child. I couldn't do much, of course, but I did manage to fend off the flames long enough for someone to find and rescue the kid."

Bunny narrowed his eyes suddenly and leaned forward, harshly grabbing his arm. Jack glared at him. "Hey! Can't you be more gentle, Cottontail?"

"Care to explain these, then?"

Jack clenched his jaw and stared back defiantly, silent. The other guardians moved to see what had caught Bunny's interest, and Hiccup's eyes widened at the sight.

Jack's arms were covered in scars, some thin and barely visible, others long, thick and jagged. Most of them were on the underside of his arm, preventing most people from seeing them. There were one or two in plain sight, but everyone had just assumed that he'd gotten them from catching himself on a fence.

"Jack, answer the question. Where did you get these scars?"

Jack remained silent, which only frustrated Bunny even more. The rabbit shook Jack's arm harshly. "Jack!"

"These scars are a mistake and none of your business!" Jack snapped, yanking his arm away. The two spirits glared at each other before Rapunzel pushed them away. She cast Jack a look. "Jack, please tell us. We just want to help. Surely you must know that by now?"

"I do know that. I just don't want to talk about it. Besides, I think it's pretty obvious what they are."

"We know that." Merida said gently. "But we'd like you to tell us all the same. Do you really not trust us enough for that?"

"I do trust you." Jack replied quietly. "But they were a mistake, and talking about them isn't going to make them go away."

"Maybe not, but it might make you feel better."

Jack looked away for a moment, hesitating, before he sighed. "Fine. I – I put them there."

Merida bit her lip. She'd had a horrible feeling that was the case. "Why – why didn't we see them when you got your hoodie?"

"I hadn't started then. I thought I would be able to handle the isolation. But you can see how well that worked out."

Rapunzel stepped forward and gently traced the scars with her fingers. Her heart ached at the though that Jack had ever felt the need to do this to himself. "Why did you start?"

Jack was silent for a moment. "I couldn't take it." He responded quietly. "The isolation, the unbearably suffocating loneliness... I was convinced that I must have done something terrible to deserve a fate like that. And it didn't help that I had to bear the job of a winter spirit. Do you know how awful it is to have to watch people die because of you? To watch people slip away and know that there's nothing you can do because they can't see you? It's my cold that kills people, not someone else's." He let out a dry, humourless laugh. "I knew that I needed to do something to keep myself sane. How could I trust myself to lose my sanity? What if I hurt someone because of it? I couldn't risk it. I would rather hurt myself than hurt other people. I couldn't think of any other way to keep control of myself. Besides, I figured that if I really had done something horrible enough in a past life to deserve isolation, the surely I deserved to be hurt in more ways than one. And as you can see, this is the result."

Rapunzel examined the scars more carefully, her eyes scanning for fresh marks before she looked up at Jack. "When did you stop?"

Jack had to stop and think for a moment. "I – I think I stopped around three years after I became a guardian."

Tooth looked like she was going to be sick. "Jack, you... you were still doing this when you were with us? Why? Why didn't you tell us and ask for help?"

"I still wasn't sure if you were intending to kick me out or not. I mean, obviously I don't think that now, but at the time it didn't make sense that you would suddenly want to welcome me into the group after three hundred years of ignoring me. And... and I wasn't entirely sure if I wanted to stop. And even when I did want to, it was difficult. But I don't do it any more. I don't need to. Besides, like I said, starting was a mistake. I knew I shouldn't have, but... I just didn't have the strength to resist. And then obviously once I'd started, I couldn't stop."

"Do you ever get the urge to... to do this again?"

"Sometimes." Jack admitted. "But whenever I feel like I want to relapse, I go and visit Jamie, or hang out with one of you guys until it goes away. And I very rarely feel the need to start again as it is."

"Well, just remember that we're always here for you, Jack. And... you know that if you need to, you can come and talk to one of us about it."

"Yeah, after five years of being a guardian, I think I picked that message up. Despite what you think, I'm not actually a complete idiot."

"You act like one."

"Shut up, Bunny, I only act like an idiot because it's more fun than acting like the utter genius I am. Besides, hiding it means I get to surprise people with my amazing intelligence, which is always amusing."

"You'll only be a genius in your dreams, Jack Frost."

Jack laughed at that. "I don't know, most of my dreams have come true, and that came with being a guardian, so I don't see why this dream can't come true as well."

For some reason, that sobered everyone up. Merida stepped forward. "We're still not done talking, Frosty."

Jack groaned. "For Manny's sake, I have winter to spread!"

"Oh please, winter isn't going anywhere, it can wait a few more minutes."

"You've talked about my scars, what else is there to talk about?"

"Oh, I don't know, maybe the suicidal thoughts that we've seen occurring more frequently than they should in the memories?"

"I don't see why we have to talk about that."

"No, of course you don't. Like how you think slamming your head against a wall of ice until it bleeds is okay."

"Oh for the love of-"

"No arguments. Start talking."

"You know, this feels too much like an interrogation for my liking."

"Don't care."

"Well, where in Manny's name do you want me to start?"

Merida fell silent, so Hiccup spoke up for the first time since he got back. "How about telling us why you thought it would be a good idea to die?"

"I'm pretty sure the memories already covered that."

"I don't care, I would prefer to hear it from your mouth instead of your head."

"This is so not fair!"

"Dammit, Jack, you nearly killed yourself! If it weren't for that stupid song, you wouldn't be here! You'd have been lying somewhere in Antarctica!"

"And who exactly, Hiccup, would have found my body, or bothered to look for me?" Jack hissed. "I was alone! No human knew I existed, and many spirits either couldn't care less about my fate or wanted me to die! How was I supposed to know that I would eventually be accepted as a guardian? At the time, there was nothing for me! What was my reason to live? Spreading winter? I hate to break it to you, but when your only purpose in life is to do your job, which kills innocent people by the way, it doesn't exactly sound like a life worth living. So yes, excuse me if death sounded like a better option than isolation which was practically suffocating me!"

"I'm getting a strange sense of deja vu here." Rapunzel muttered to Merida. "I'm sure we've already had a similar conversation in the memories."

"Jack, you're my brother! I can't stand the thought of you and I never meeting because you killed yourself! How would you feel if you discovered these things about your little sister?"

Jack stiffened for a moment, glaring at the autumn spirit. "Don't you dare bring Pippa into this. Don't you dare."

"Alright, you two, break it up before you start a war!" Tooth snapped, pushing the two boys away. "Jack, Hiccup has a right to be worried about you, especially after seeing something like that. Hiccup, bringing up Jack's sister was completely unnecessary. Apologise to each other!"

"You're not our mother!"

"I SAID APOLOGISE!"

Jack an Hiccup gave each other a look. "Sorry." They both mumbled.

"That's better."

"I honestly don't know how Tooth didn't win the fight with Pitch the minute it started." Merida muttered to Bunny. The holiday spirit suppressed a snigger.

"You don't understand." Jack said quietly. "How would you feel if day after day you had to stand by and watch innocent people die from the cold that you brought? Would it not hurt you? Would you not want to give up your life if it meant you could save at least one? It's not fair that I have to live and watch these innocent people freeze to death. Why them? Why not me? I won't lie, it's gotten better now that I've met you guys. I don't feel the urge to... well, you know. Kill myself. But it still hurts, because no matter what I do, no matter what anyone does, winter still kills and I am still the one that brings winter. Their deaths are still my fault, and there's nothing in the world that can change that."

There was silence in the room for a moment, before Rapunzel stepped forward. "Winter would still be around, even if you weren't. Just like how spring, summer and autumn were around before me, Merida and Hiccup arrived. You have to spread winter, it's true, but maybe without you winter would be worse and kill more people. Maybe you're here to keep winter under control and make sure it's as safe as it can be. After all, who else can tame such an uncontrollable season if not the untameable himself?"

Jack paused. "I – I guess you have a point. I never thought about it like that. Maybe you're right. I remember that winter used to be much harsher when I was human. But I don't think that will help. I mean, it will still hurt whenever winter takes a life."

"Maybe so, and it's true that there's nothing we can do to chance that. But the difference is that this time, when those things happen, you have us."

A small smile graced Jack's face. "Yeah... yeah, you're right, I do. I guess I'm just so used to dealing with things on my own that I still haven't gotten the hang of asking for help yet. But you're right, I should probably come to you guys more often."

"What's this? Jack is admitting that someone else is right?"

"Shut up, Merida. Don't think I'm going to make a habit of it."

"I wouldn't expect anything else, Frosty."

"I'm still not a snowman!"

"Whatever, Frosty."

"Anything else we should talk about?"

"Yeah, I've got something we should talk about. I think we should talk about Lightning."

Jack paled slightly. "Come on, Punzie, that is completely unnecessary. You can't possibly expect anything else, I mean, if my spiritual twin got murdered-"

"It only counts as murder if it was deliberate, plus you've already accepted more than enough guilt for it and any idiot can see that you're sorry about what happened. And anyway, would you have tried to murder the person who killed your spiritual twin?"

"I can't promise I wouldn't."

"Yes you can. I know you, Jack, and I know that you would never want to kill anyone if you could help it. You're too kind."

"I'm not sure if I should take that as a compliment or an insult."

"Shut up and listen for a minute! Now, if you had known that if you threw Walter and Thunder onto the ice they would die, would you have done it?"

"How can I shut up and answer your question?"

"Jack!"

"Fine, fine! No, I wouldn't. At least not if I could help it."

"If you could have found a way to save them or get them out alive, would you?"

"Of course I would."

"Well then. There you go. It was an accident. Accidents happen, and as unfortunate as they may be, that doesn't automatically mean that anyone should hold it against someone else. Do you understand?"

"Yes mother." Jack groaned, running a hand through his hair. "Look, like I said earlier, he's left me alone since I became a guardian. And what's the point in you getting angry at him for something that happened ages ago? I've already forgiven him anyway."

"What is it with you and forgiving?"

"I just don't like holding grudges. There's no point. Why bother to be angry about something that is in the past? You can't change what happened." Jack ignored Merida's mutter about him being a hypocrite. "Anyway, can I go now? I still have winter to spread."

"But we're not done-"

"Oh, for Manny's sake! Look, if it makes you feel any better, we can talk when I get back, I promise. But I still need to do my job, and I've wasted three hours already with the memories. I kinda need to go, if that's okay with you."

"How did you even know that we were going to watch your memories, anyway?"

Jack smiled slightly. "For once in his life, Manny told me. Now I need to go!"

Merida hesitated for a moment before she sighed in defeat. "Fine. We'll compromise. You answer one last question and then we'll let you go. I need to go somewhere anyway." She smirked slightly, and the same smirk caught Rapunzel and Tooth's faces. Hiccup decided he didn't want to know what they needed to do.

Jack groaned slightly. "Fine. But make it quick."

"You've been avoiding us lately. I want to know why. And don't even think about lying to us." Merida added when she saw the look on Jack's face.

"I... I..." Jack hesitated. "Do I really have to-"

"Yes."

Jack sighed. "I... this feels too good to be true. I know that you guys aren't gonna completely abandon me or kick me out but... that doesn't mean I won't lose you. All it takes is someone that wants to get revenge on me knowing that I'm close to you and targeting you." Jack dipped his head. "I can't lose you guys. I can't be responsible for the death of any more spirits, especially not any of you. I just figured that... maybe if everyone thought I wasn't close to you guys-"

Merida snorted. "You're making it sound like we're that easy to get rid of, Frosty."

Jack glared at her weakly, and Merida sighed. "Look, I know that you're worried about us. But I promise, we aren't going anywhere. We've got the rest of eternity to prove to you that nothing is going to tear us away from you."

Jack paused and lifted his head. "You promise?"

"I promise." Merida smirked. "As if you can get rid of me that easily, Frosty. You're gonna be stuck with me for the rest of your life, whether you like it or not."

Jack chuckled, and Merida gently smacked him upside the head. "Go on then. Go attend to your precious winter."

Jack wasted no time in diving straight for the window with a cry of "Freedom!", letting the wind catch him and take him away.

"Bunny, wait here for Jack in case he comes back." Merida sighed, before glaring at him. "Don't get me wrong, I'm still furious, but I think there are more important things to talk about at the moment."

"You owe me twenty five bucks." Rapunzel whispered to Hiccup. The autumn spirit groaned and withdrew a small pile of money from his pocket while Rapunzel smirked and gladly took it from him "Now, if you'll excuse me, Merida, Tooth and I are going to make a certain Boogieman pay. Can we borrow Toothless?"

Hiccup didn't dare argue.

Meanwhile, Jack was flying with his back to the ground, arms behind his head and a smile on his face. That smile dropped, however, when a little voice spoke up. They're going to get rid of you, you know.

"What do you want?" Jack mumbled. "They're not going to get rid of me, that much has already been proved. If they were planning on kicking me out, they would have done so a long time ago."

That was before they saw your memories. How can you be so sure that they want to keep you now that they know how broken you are?

"I'm not broken." Jack muttered, huffing in annoyance. "And even if I was, it wouldn't matter. The guardians would fix me."

So trusting. I would've thought your isolation would have gotten rid of that.

"I know I can trust them."

Go on then, tell me, how do you know you can trust them?

Jack smiled. "Because they're my family, and family means no one gets left behind or forgotten."

And, for the first time since it first appeared, the little voice in his head fell silent.

Wow, this fanfic is finally over!

Also yes I couldn't resist the Lilo and Stitch reference.

I'm sorry I don't have time to list all of my reviewers like I was originally planning, but I would just like to say a big thank you to everyone who had reviewed and stuck with this fanfic from the moment it started, as well as to thank you all for staying so patient with me while i struggled to find a way to upload this chapter. It really means a lot to me, and I can't thank you all enough, especially when I honestly didn't expect to make it this far. Honestly, I'm kind of not ready to let this fanfic go.

So, for the very last time on this fanfic, please leave a review! I love you all so much. Goodbye, and enjoy your fandom life!