First Believer

The girl was only eight when he found her.

At the time, he was still depressed about not being seen. About being ignored by the very thing that brought him into life. Though he would always have the Winds for company, he sometimes let the loneliness get to him and he would walk around in a funk for days on end.

He was walking around the forest, mindlessly throwing snowballs, when she stumbled into sight, covered in dirt and grime.

It was the middle of the night and it was clear that she was lost. Her nervous expression, the tear tracks on her cheeks, and the way she shivered in the cold, all the while looking through the trees in a desperate hope.

She had no idea where she was, and so was so very scared.

The sight of the poor girl made all of Jack's depressing thoughts slip out of his mind, and he immediately tried to comfort her, laying a hand on her shoulder and not even caring that his hand slipped through like always.

"Hey it's okay. There's no need to be afraid. Everything will be alright. Don't cry, don't cry."

The girl was sobbing into her hands, her shoulders shaking with every racking cry. Jack's heart ached at the sight.

The Winds circled the poor girl, trying to give her comfort. The girl continued to cry, and would have probably cried all night if a single snowflake hadn't landed right on her nose.

Her crying ceased briefly, and she looked up, her eyes widening at the beautiful, perfectly intact snowflake that was balancing on her nose. Though it was cold enough to make the girl wear furs to keep warm, it still was the middle of spring. Winter had ended long ago, so the sight of snow was unusual.

Slowly, as if mesmerized, the girl lifted a hand towards the snowflake. She managed to touch it briefly, shivering from the cold it provided, before it melted into a small drop that trailed down her face.

Embedded by his success at stopping her crying, Jack immediately sent more snowflakes that twirled around the girl, making her laugh in childish delight.

He smiled at the sound, and what little sparks of depression and doubt that were left died at her happiness.

He wanted to make her happy. He never wanted to see her cry like that again.

The girl span around, dancing with the snowflakes that appeared around her, feverly reaching up to catch them, laughing in delight. The Wind followed her every movement, twirling with her every spin.

Jack laughed with the girl and- struck by an idea that appeared in his mind at the sight of her dance- asked the Winds to twirl around her faster.

The Winds obeyed, and spun around the girl at a feverish pace. The girl continued to dance around the snowflakes, and didn't notice how fast the Winds were spinning until she slowly started to rise off the ground.

The girl cried out, and for a brief moment Jack feared that it was too much for the poor girl, that he had gone too far in their fun.

But then the girl laughed, and all of Jack's fears were put to rest.

Emily soured high above the clouds, her arms stretched out wide, staring in amazement at the world below her.

Everything was so pretty from up here.

The night, which seemed to scary from below, opened up before her, showing her all it's splendors.

The moon shone down at her and the forest, eliminating the trees and the rivers that came to view. The river seemed to sparkle at her, twinkling as if to say hello. The trees stretched out towards her, some of them just managing to skim the edges of her boots as she flew by. The snowflake continued to spin and twirl around her, tickling her face, and making her cry out in delight at how cold they were.

She soured higher and higher, and felt as if she would touch the stars.

She never wanted it to end.

But then her village came into view, and the wind and snowflakes started to lower her to the ground.

Hours ago, she would have given anything to find her home again.

Now, all she wanted was a little more time, just a few more moments with the wind and the snowflakes that played with her in the moonlit night.

The girl's feet touched the ground, and her laughter stuttered to a stop.

Her head was lowered, her shoulders slack. Staring at the ground.

She was sad again.

Jack's head tilted to the side in confusion.

He brought her home.

Why was she so sad?

The girl looked up, and though he knew it was impossible, he felt as if she were looking directly at him, staring into his eyes.

She sniffled. "Good-bye." She raised a hand towards the snowflakes, towards him. "Will I ever play with you again?"

Jack's eyes widened. A smile broke out on his face.

She would miss him!

Someone cared!

He felt as if his heart would burst from excitement.

In another life, the girl who loved to play in the snow and dance in the wind might have been his little sister.

In another life, he might have a family to call his own.

A part of him wanted to cry, to feel depressed at what he couldn't have.

But he was Jack Frost.

Even when life handed him the short end of the stick, he always tried to make the best of things, to have fun.

He gestured with his staff, and brought a single snowflake to her face. She closed her eyes, and the snowflake touched her forehead briefly, before melting.

"We'll meet each other again."

Emily entered her home and was imediately swept up into a hug.

Her mother was crying, kissing her cheeks and hugging her so hard she felt as if she was going to pop.

Her father scolded her over his tears, before squeezing her as well.

She closed her eyes as tears ran down her face, and snuggled into their warmth.

As she slowly drifted off into sleep, tired by the events of the day, she remembered the cold.

The wind, flowing around her, lifting her into the air.

The snow, twisting and turning, dancing in the air above her.

The voice, the essence of ice and snow, breathy and cold, yet bringing new-found warmth to her insides.

And for a single instant, a glimpse of a boy, hair whiter than snow, pale, with bright shining blue eyes that looked down at her with a caring smile.

'We'll meet each other again."

The next night he came to her, opening her window, and waking her with gentle snowflakes that melted against her skin.

The smile, and look of joy on her face warmed his heart, and chased away his lonliness.

Everyday he visited, playing games and having fun.

Sometimes they played in the snow he created, making snowmen and building snow castles and forts.

Sometimes they flew, taking in the world below them, her cries of delight echoing in the moonlit night.

Sometimes they danced to a song only they could hear.

Sometimes she talked, telling him about her day, and he responded with snow, twirling around her in agreement, or dancing just out of reach when he disagreed.

She was like sister, someone he could play with, care for.

He couldn't talk with her or touch her.

But she acknowledged him, treated him like a person.

That attention, the feeling of belonging, of not being alone, of existing.

It was all he ever wanted.

The first time that she was able to touch him, was months after they met.

He was in her room, smiling as she played with the toys she recieved on her birthday. He had just finished creating a snow storm halfway across the world, and came back to the village to see his favorite human. He always loved playing with her, and tried to see her whenever he could finish up with his work.

The snowflakes danced around her, and he lifted a doll and made it dance around her.

She laughed and reached for her doll, which he held teasingly out of reach. She leaned foward, her arms stretched as far as she could go.

She fell.

Right into his lap.

For a brief, painful second, his heart stopped.

She could touch him.

He froze, looking straight down at the girl, his eyes comically wide.

The girl's eyes widened as well, and for a brief moment, they stared at each other in silence.

Then, laughing, the girl reached up to tug at his white hair. "Pretty!" She looked directly into his eyes and cocked her head, his hair still in her grasp. "Who are you?"

She could see him.

For five years, he had been alone, with only the Winds as company.

Hoping. Praying for someone to see him. To show that he wasn't alone, that he existed.

And for five years there was no one.

Only him, and the Winds.

To be seen, to be noticed after so long...

His arms jerked up and encircled the girl's waist, dropping his staff, pulling her towards him. She yelped as he crushed her to his chest, hugging her to him. He didn't realize he was crying until his tears started to drop and freeze, tinkling against the wooden floors. His shoulders shook, and a broken sob ripped from his mouth.

His first believer.

Emily.

The boy was sad and she didn't know why.

So she comforted him, patting him on the back like her mama did whenever she was sad.

He was so cold.

He reminded her of the wind and the snowflakes that played with her all these months, comforting and gentle.

Who was he?

Did he bring the snowflakes and the wind?

She had so many questions!

But he was crying, clutching her as if she would leave him at any moment.

Her mama always said there was a time for curiosity and a time for sense. Right now, the boy was sad. He needed hugs and kisses, not questions and demands.

Mama always said hugs and kisses made everything better.

So she hugged him, and when he stopped crying, and pulled back to look at her, she gave him a big wet kiss on the cheek.

"Don't cry. Things will get better. I promise!" she patted him on the cheek.

Her eyes were so earnest, so sincere. She really meant what she was saying.

He couldn't help but laugh brokenly.

"I'm fine. I was just... surprised that you could see me."

She tilted her head. "Why shouldn't I see you?"

"Because you weren't my believer." He paused and smiled. "Or at least, you weren't before."

"Believer?"

"I'm a spirit," Jack explained. "The only ones who can see me are people who believe in me, who think I'm real. No one believed in me before, so no one could see me or hear me."

Emily frowned. "That sounds so lonely."

He smiled sadly. "It was at first. But then, I found ways to occupy my time. Flying, playing in the snow." He looked at her teasingly. "Helping lost little girls find their way home..."

She gasped. "It was you this whole time!"

He laughed. "Yep."

She started bouncing up and down, excited. "So you made the snowflakes, and the wind, and carried me home, and played with me all this time, and danced with me, and...!"

"Calm down, calm down!" Jack picked her up and had the Winds twirl them around the room. She squealed in delight as he summoned a few snowflakes, that covered her hair and clothes. "Yes that was all me. Well, me and Wind of course."

"Wind?" she questioned.

The Winds twirled around her in response, lifting her dress and making her laugh again. "The Winds. They've been my friend all these years when no one could see me."

"Oh!" She nodded in understanding. "Hi, Wind!" She waved her hand at the wind around her, and it spun around her hand in response. She gasped. "It answered back!"

"Well of course it did. You talked to it didn't you?"

"Does it always talk back when you talk to it?"

"Not always Emily," he responded, twining little snowflakes in her hair. "The Winds are very busy sometmes, and can't always answer."

She looked at him, curious. "What's your name? You know mine, so it's only poliet that you tell me yours."

Jack laughed and set her done on the ground. "Of course! A gentlemen must always be poliet to a pretty lady like yourself." He bowed to her, and she giggled. "My name is Jack Frost, Spirit of Winter."

Her eyes widened. "You control winter?"

"Not always. I've only been in charge for a few years so far."

"Wow." She looked up at him in awe.

He responded by touching her nose with his staff, making her yelp at how cold it was. He laughed, as she rubbed her nose and pouted at him. Her eyes trailed to the piece of wood. She pointed. "What's that?"

"This?" He gestured to his staff and she nodded. "It's my staff. It allows me to control storms and make snow."

"Can I see it?" she said excitedly.

"Sure." He smiled and gave it too her, and watched amusingly as she waved it around.

"Aw, it won't work," she pouted.

"Of course not. I'm the Spirit of Winter. It only works for me."

"Awww," she slouched a little, but then she brightened, and gave him a questioning look. "Can you make snow without it?"

He paused, and gave the staff a questioning look. "I never tried to. I've always used it." He looked at her. "Wanna try out?"

"Okay!" He asked the Winds and they lifted them up and flew out the window, snowflakes trailing behind them. She gave a whoop as they soared in the air, and grabbed his hand. He gave her a startled look, before smiling and whooping with her, cradling her hand in a tight grip.

They landed on a clearing a few minutes later, the moonlight shining above them. Jack gave her the staff and said, "Ready?"

She smiled and gave him a thumbs up. "Ready!"

He took a deep breath decided to start with something small. A snowball.

It was slightly hard; much harder than he thought it would be. The snow usually came naturally to him; he could summon a storm or a snowball with a single thought and little effort.

But without his staff, the snow took longer to come to his call, and a lot more concentration than he was used to.

But there it was: the perfect snowball.

Before Emily could react, he threw it at her, smacking her square in the face.

It was a good thing it was winter and she was dressed so warmly.

"Jack!" she yelled, wiping the snow off her face with a scowl. He laughed and flew out of her reach, when she swung at him with his staff.

He didn't need his staff to ask the Winds to help him.

"Get back here!"

So in case no one got it, everything taking place in this chapter is before the Prologue. I'll catch up to the prologue later, but it won't be for a long time. I know some people want to know hat happens next, but first I have to explain how Jack got into that mindset in the first place. I have some great things planned for this story, so I'll update when I can. thank you so much for those who reviewed. I have never gotten so many reviews in one day before.

Please give me as much feedback as you can. I'd love to know how I can improve both myself and my writing.

Reviews are love!