Wow, I'm surprised I got this out so fast. I guess all of the positive feedback did something to my self-esteem or something. Anyway, here's the final chapter of "Dispensable".

Before I forget, I want to thank Moira Colleen for pointing out a major discrepancy in the last chapter. I had mentioned that Bunny's sister had taught him how to fight, yet she was evacuated to the burrow with the others. Moira Colleen wrote: "I'm a little dubious about the whole hide-the-females-during-battle thing, since you said at least one of Bunny's sisters was an expert with a weapon, and under the circumstances, they would have needed everyone to participate in the fight." It's a valid point that is going to be addressed in this chapter. Thanks so much for your input! I hope my explanation meets your expectations. I just hope it's not too crazy!

Also, I've decided to keep that poll up on my profile until the end of June, to make sure to give people enough time to vote. And please vote, it's really hard to make that kind of decision for me, especially since I've started writing parts for some of them: I've started Chapter 1 for Digimon, DNA/YGO, OHSHC/FiLLaC, and a few Twilight ones; Chapter 2 for TT; and I'm on Chapter 8 or 9 of RotG (that's the one I'm leaning towards the most, for obvious reasons). I've written down summaries for all of them, thank MiM for that, so I know where I'm going with each of them, I just need a little nudge in a specific direction.

Enough of my ranting, on with the finale of "Dispensable".

Disclaimer: I do not own The Rise of the Guardians. The characters and story are the property of Dreamworks Animation and William Joyce.

Memories

It was the beginning of September…and time for the monthly Guardian meeting.

And Jack was half an hour late. Again.

"Bah, where is that boy? We must get started with meeting. Is going to be very important."

"North, I'm sure Jack is on his way. He probably got a little…sidetracked is all. You know how he can be sometimes. He is the Guardian of Fun, after all," Tooth tried to placate him, though without much success. Bunnymund then decided to step in.

"An' by the way, North, how do ya know this meetin' is gonna be so 'important', or should I even bother ta ask?"

"I can feel it-"

"Yeah, yeah. In yer belly. I figured as much," he cut the Cossack off, "Ya know North, I think ya rely too much on yer gut, an' not enough on yer 'ead. Jus' sayin'," he backtracked at the glare he received from the Guardian of Wonder. Aster sighed, "Someone please wake me up when Frostbite gets here, alrigh'?" The Pooka walked over to the hearth, laid down on the couch, and nodded off into a very interesting dream.

"Go! Keep on runnin' an' don' look back!" A young E. Aster Bunnymund stared up at his father as his mother and sisters ran past him deeper into the burrow. He could hear screams and yells coming from outside that sent chills up and down his spine. He swallowed his fear, though, and his eyes narrowed in determination.

"But Da, I wanna go with ya. I can 'elp, I know I can!"

The older male put a comforting paw on his son's shoulder, "I'm sure ya'd be a big 'elp, Aster, but I need ya ta stay 'ere an' protec' the fam'ly. Can ya do tha' fer me, son?" His father's accent was thick and slurred. Aster didn't realize why until much later.

He had been scared.

Aster nodded and puffed his chest out proudly, "I will, Da." His father, Juniper, smiled and ruffled his grayish fur affectionately.

"Good boy. I'm countin' on ya, Aster."

The young Pooka gave one more affirmative nod before he raced around the corner. He had just started bounding down the hall when he realized that Goldenrod was still in the main room of the burrow. He was in charge of protecting her. He spun around on his heel and ran back, but stopped at the corner when he heard her voice rising.

"Da! I'm one of the best fighters in the tribe! I've been trainin' for years!"

He could hear his father's angry voice getting louder, "Yer wounded, Goldenrod! Ya can' fight when yer leg looks like tha'! Ya did an amazin' job fightin' off those monsters ta get back here, bu' yer too hurt ta keep goin'. Ya will only injure yerself more. 'Sides, I ain' letting' my youngest daugh'er go ou' there an' get 'erself killed! Are ya daft, girl?"

"Then let Aster go. He's an amazin' fighter, even better than me! I've been trainin' him, I know wha' he can do!"

"No, Aster stays 'ere. I ain' losin' y'all ta those demon creatures ou' there! I know the boy's a righ' good figh'er, it'll be best fer 'im ta stay 'ere an' protec' the women. Now go!"

The scene suddenly changed. Bunny was standing in the middle of the room, an adult now, blinking away the tears that threatened to fall.

"Aster."

Bunnymund turned around and saw something he'd never expected.

"Go-Goldenrod?"

A full-grown, female Pooka stood in front of him a few feet away. Her fur was a bright yellow with black markings similar to his, and a white scruff on her chest. She had the same leather arm bracers and chest strap as he did.

"Hello, brother. I've missed you."

Bunny stepped closer, "I've missed you, too," he whispered, "Wha' are ya doin' here?"

"I came to thank you," at his curious look, she smiled softly, "For not forgettin' us."

"I could never forget abou' ya, ever."

"But you did, Aster. For so many years you kept us locked away. It was like we were never there."

"Bu' I didn'…I'm so sorry, Goldie."

Goldenrod walked up to him and placed a warm paw on his bicep, squeezing it gently, "I know, an' it's okay now. It's alrigh'. Tha' boy of yours is somethin' special, ain' he?" she laughed.

Bunny smiled fondly and looked away, "Jack? Yeah, he's a good kid. A righ' larrikin, though."

"Tha' sounds a bit familiar, eh, brother? Just like you were."

"Oi!"

The blonde Pooka laughed lightly for a moment before taking Bunny's chin and tilting his head up to look her directly in the eyes, "He needs you, Aster."

"Wha'? Wha' d'ya mean? I've been there fer him, I-"

"I know you have, an' tha's wonderful. Bu' he's gonna need you badly soon. An' I mean very badly…an' very soon," she smiled sadly, "Take care of him, Aster."

"Bu' wha's so bad? Why? Wha' aren' ya tellin' me, Goldie?"

Goldenrod shook her head, "It's not my story to tell. You'll have to find tha' out from Jack. An' you will. Jus' be careful with him. You're goin' to need patience with him, brother," she let out a resigned sigh, "I have to go now, Aster."

"No…it's too soon! I jus' got ya back! I can'-"

Goldie placed a finger over his mouth, "You'll be fine, Aster. Now tha' you remember me, I'll always be here for you. Jus' come look for me."

"I love ya, sis."

"I love you, too. Goodbye for now, Aster."

Bunny woke with a jolt as a cool presence washed over him.

"Mornin', Cottontail. Have a nice nap?"

"Ah, rack off, ya dill."

"Ooh, someone's grumpy. Didn't get your Trix today, silly rabbit?" the winter sprite laughed before Bunny cuffed him on the head with his paw, "Ouch!"

"C'mon, Frostbite, I wanna get this meetin' over with," he stood up, stretched, and followed Jack back over to the oak table, shoving him gently on his back.

"Hey!" Jack chuckled, giving him a pitiful glare.

"Now that everyone is here, let us begin, yes?" Before North could utter another word, the moon's light shone down on the floor behind him, where the Guardian Stone resided.

"Uh, guys? What's that?" The four other Guardians followed the teenager's gaze.

"Manny, what is going on? Is there trouble?" The group moved to surround the beam of light. Jack shifted minutely closer to Bunny as he looked dubiously at the floor. The light brightened for a moment, then a shadow appeared. It was a shadow of Jack. All eyes turned toward the winter sprite.

"What? What about me?"

The shadow on the ground shifted, now forming a clock with its hands going backwards, before disappearing, along with the moonlight, altogether. A pregnant silence fell over the group before Toothiana started talking.

"What do you think Manny was trying to say?"

"Something to do with Jack."

"We know tha', North," Bunnymund rolled his eyes, "bu' wha' abou' him? Wha' was tha' whole clock thing abou'?" Jack was the first to notice Sandy waving his arms around, trying to get the others' attention.

"Sandy, do you have an idea?" It was a question he was going to regret.

A sand-figure of Jack, a tooth, and a tooth capsule had the winter spirit slowly backing away from the group.

"Jack?"

"My…my memories? No…you can't."

"Jack," North tried again, softer this time, "I think Sandy is right. It's been months, and we still know next to nothing about you."

"S'not like I haven't tried," he muttered, his breathing starting to escalate. Jack felt something warm touch his shoulder and looked up to find Bunny looking at him with a rare emotion in his eyes: Understanding.

"S'alrigh', Snowflake. Jus' calm down. Yer okay, there ya go," Bunny whispered as Jack's breathing began to slow and even out. 'So, this is wha' ya were warnin' me abou', eh, sis? Thanks a lo'.' Bunnymund sighed to himself and closed his eyes. When he opened them, North was striding towards him and the boy, his hands on his hips as if a scolding father.

"Jack, we just want to know you better, especially if we're going to be part of a fami-"

The winter spirit pulled himself away from Bunny and glared up at North, cutting him off, "Don't say that we're a family.We are not a family. Family does not ignore you for three-hundred years. Family does not blame you for something without hearing your side of the story. And a family does not abandon you after just bringing you into it!" Jack's voice started to shake as it grew louder, "You haven't bothered to ask me anything before!"

"But we are now!"

"Only because the Man in the Moon is telling you to!"

"Sweet Tooth, I know we haven't done the best job at being a family, but we really do want to try. Why won't you tell us about your memories?"

"Maybe I don't wanna," he whined, crossing his arms like a petulant child.

"Jack, now you are being unreasonable. Just talk to us," North moved to put a hand on his shoulder as Bunny had, but the boy jerked away from him.

"No! I don't think you deserve to know now. It's too late!" And with one last harsh glare, Jack bolted for the door. He wrenched it open with enough force to rattle the hinges, and dashed out into the blinding snow.

"North, wha' the hell was tha'?"

The Guardian of Wonder regarded Bunnymund with an incredulous look, "What? You're putting the blame on me? Jack was being foolish! He was acting like-"

"Like a teenager. They do tha', mate. Whether he's three or three-hundred, he's forever gonna be a teenager. Bu' I have ta agree with him on this one. We have been neglectin' him, he has a righ' ta be mad at us. Ya pushed him too hard."

His eyes traveled over the faces of his friends; Sandy looked ashamed, Tooth had a forlorn shadow behind her normally cheerful features, and North had guilt written all over his face.

Bunnymund steeled himself and began hopping towards the still open door.

"Bunny, where are you going? You'll freeze to death out there!" Tooth chirped worriedly.

"I'm gonna go find Jack. I think I may know how ta calm him down a bit."

Bunny slammed the door firmly behind him.

"Who do they think they are? They have no right to ask me about my past! They're only doing it because MiM told them to. They don't really care-" Jack stopped himself mid-rant.

"Wha' abou' yer memories, Jack?"

Jack plopped down into a snowdrift and rested his hands on his knees, propping his head up in his palms, 'No, Bunny cares. He asked back at the Warren. He wanted to know before he was prompted to…'

"Snowflake?" The winter sprite's head whipped around to see Bunny standing not three feet behind him, "You okay, kid?"

Jack let out a bitter laugh, "I'm just peachy. What do you think?" he snapped, then instantly regretted it when he saw Bunnymund's ears droop against his skull. He sighed, "I'm sorry, Bunny."

Bunny stepped closer and sat down next to him, the cold sending a shiver up his spine and causing his fur to bristle uncomfortably, "Nah. S'alrigh', ya have a righ' ta be angry."

"But not at you. It's not your fault."

"So, wanna tell me why ya dropped yer bundle back there?" Jack looked at him in confusion, "Wha' was tha' whole blow up in there?"

"I don't wanna talk about it."

"Jackie…"

"No, Bunny! I just got my memories back. I don't wanna deal with them again right now."

"Deal with them?"

"It's a lot to take in, okay? I can't handle it right now. Sometimes I wish Manny hadn't brought me back."

"Wha' do ya mean, 'brough' ya back'?"

"It doesn't matter." Bunny let it go, he knew Jack wouldn't answer.

"Sometimes talkin' abou' it helps ya cope," Aster smiled sadly, repeating Jack's own words back to him, "It's never too late to let your emotions out, ya know."

Jack just looked back at him despondently, "It's not that it's too late. It's just too much."

"Still, I think the rule applies here, too."

"No, it doesn't."

Bunny was almost going to drop it; he knew he was pushing his luck, just like North had. But when he saw a lone tear roll down the boy's face, it tugged at his heart in a way that was too hard to ignore. He pulled Jack to him, "Mate, I know tha'-"

"You don't know anything!" the spirit burst out, yanking himself away from the surprised Pooka and standing up, "You really wanna know? I died, Bunny! I died! I was human before! I had a family! Bunny, I had a family who loved me! I had a father who I looked up to and who I wanted to grow up to be like! I had a mother who I loved with everything I had, a mother that most children could only wish for!

"And I had a sister! I had a sister who I adored more than anything in the world! I gave my life for her!" Jack fell to his knees and covered his face in his hands. Apparently those two little pity parties he'd had since his last trip to the Warren hadn't been enough to let everything out.

"I don't regret it, I really don't! I just…it hurts to know that I left them like that…I left her like that. I just wish…I wish I had been able to stay alive. I was her big brother. I was supposed to protect her, but…how could I protect her when I wasn't there?" he took a shuddering breath, "I failed…as a brother…as a son…I failed because I wasn't there!"

Bunny pulled Jack close again, this time settling him in his lap and wrapping both arms around his thin frame. Yet again, he tried to struggle, but the oversized rabbit was too strong.

"Ya didn' fail anybody, Jackie," Bunnymund muttered into Jack's mop of white hair, his warm breath causing some of the strands to flutter, "Ya saved yer sister. She was kept alive 'cause of you. If ya hadn' risked yer life like tha', she probably wouldn' have made it. Ya did a good thing, Snowflake."

"I know…I just…"

"Ya miss them, don' ya?" Jack nodded, "It's okay ta feel tha' way. I miss my family, too. An' now, thanks ta you, I feel much better abou' it."

"But that's just it, Bunny. I don't know why I miss them! I can't grieve over losing them because I don't know how!"

Bunnymund looked at him in utter confusion, "Wha' d'ya mean ya don' know why?"

"I just…I have the memories of them, but I don't feel attached to them, not really. I don't feel that connection I know you're supposed to have when you remember the people you care about. I think, maybe, it's because they're just memories from a box…I don't have a physical connection to them anymore.

"It's like there was a lapse in my memory, and in that time, I changed. I didn't know I had those memories, so I didn't need them. And now that I have them…what do I do with them? I'm so confused," he admitted, snuggling closer to the Pooka, looking for some kind of reassurance that things were going to get better. Bunny wrapped his arms tighter around the boy.

"Snowflake…" Aster paused, mulling over his words carefully, "It's gonna be hard…and it's gonna take time fer yer emotions ta catch up with yer head. It could take years, decades, maybe centuries fer ya ta brin' all of tha' back, I ain' gonna lie. But I can promise…I swear ta ya, I'll be there from now on ta help ya every step of the way. An' I know the others will be there, too, even if they're not here righ' now ta tell ya themselves."

"Really?" Jack peeked up at him with hopeful eyes that made Bunny's heart clench. 'Poor kid, he had no one fer so long, we need ta prove ta him tha' we'll be there . We gotta show it…no' jus' say it.'

"'Course. I know we weren' there fer ya before, an' I'm sorry. So very sorry, Snowflake. An' I know I can' make up fer all the times I did ya wrong. Bu' I'm gonna bust a gut tryin'." Jack grinned.

"I'm gonna hold you to that, Cottontail."

"Sure, kid. You do tha'. Now, how abou' we head back inta tha' meetin'? I think my tail's gone numb," he whined, punctuating the complaint with a shiver.

Jack laughed, "Eh, I think they can finish the meeting without us. Besides, I'm in the mood for some more of that peppermint chocolate."

"Manny help me," Bunnymund teased, "I've created a monster."

"Aw, rack off Long Ears."

"Oi!"

They both laughed loudly as Bunny opened up a rabbit hole and they slid through the tunnel back to the Warren.

There ya go! I hope you liked it! I'm not quite sure if I kept the other Guardians in-character, though, especially North. What do you think? Reviews give me the strength to carry on! Just kidding, although…maybe…

Juniper: Protection

I don't know about you guys, but that little joke about Trix cereal made me laugh...

See you guys later! And don't forget to VOTE!

THE END!? (Hmm…if you REALLY want me to continue, I might. But I'd need some ideas to work with. So, for now, "Dispensable" is complete!)