UPDATE: FOR ANY RETURNING READERS, THIS STORY HAS HAD A FULL UPDATE FROM CHAPTER 1-7 WITH THE ADDITION OF CHAPTER 8. THE APRIL 2020 UPDATES REFLECT PLOT CHANGES AND GRAMMATICAL FIXES. STORY CONTINUITY ISSUES HAVE BEEN RESOLVED WITH UPDATED DIALOGUE. STORY REMAINS THE SAME FOR ALL CHAPTERS. THESE WERE MINOR CHANGES. THANK YOU.

UPDATED: APRIL 21, 2020

Jack looked out over his hometown Bergess. The air had begun to cool as fall began to roll in. Jack hated when school started up again because the kids weren't out to play in the morning. Not much had changed since the battle with Pitch and Jack had become a guardian. He had been studying Earth's history under North, and not many people believed in him still. It was a rare occasion. The only difference is that Jack isn't bothered by the lack of attention.

Something in him though wanted to go search for Jamie. He hadn't talked to Jamie since that night be he knew Jamie always looked for him. Every time it snowed in Bergess, he would hear Jamie or his little sister call for him. It had been a way for the two to bond. Jamie and Sophie had both grown up well-Jack made sure of it. It had been 8 years since Jack last spoke to him, but he always watched over him. Lately, however, he had been really busy. North and the others had been helping him grow his powers. He discovered he had a purpose. A reason to be Jack Frost. It wasn't just about the snow days, it was about balance of the seasons.

Jack sighed and instead of waiting in front of the elementary school or the middle school, he went to Bergess's only high school. The county was small, so it fit pretty much every student. He sat perched on the high school sign, certain that no one would be able to see him. He looked at the sun and realized he would only have about five minutes before the high schoolers got out. Was this nerves that he felt? Why all of a sudden did he feel compelled to talk to him now?

He felt like a ticking time bomb. What if Jamie didn't believe anymore? He hadn't visited Bergess nearly as often as he should have. If Jamie did see him, what would he say? How would he react? Jack hadn't been willing to wonder these questions. The other guardians knew what it was like to be believed in and then have to move on to the next kid. Jamie was the first kid to ever believe in him, and the thought of losing that was horrifying.

Teenagers came flooding out the high school's front doors. None of them paid him any mind, which is what he expected. Most stop believing once they hit their freshman year. Jack had discovered that if any kid believed in him, they stopped in early elementary school when kids start learning science and weather. Some of them began to walk home or to cafés, others walked to cars. It was tough for Jack to realize that he should be among them right now. Maybe not in this decade per say, but he was in the age group.

Jack scanned the crowd waiting to see Jamie. His heart was pounding so much that he actually had to stand up. He paced a bit back and forth as he waited and waited. It was becoming too much and he turned to leave when he heard a voice coming from behind him.

"That's not a problem Priscilla! See you later!" a girl called before bumping straight into Jack. She dropped her books and some papers went soaring, "Oh no, no, no, no!"

Jack rushed to grab one of the papers before it flew off. He placed the paper back on her books as she stood up.

"Thank you so much!" The girl said staring Jack straight in the eye, "I haven't seen you around here, are you new?"

"You can see me?" Jack asked, standing astonished. He should have realized that when she bumped into him. Everyone else walks right through him.

"Yes I can see you," the girl smiled, "I can hear you talk too."

Jack let out a hearty laugh and took a good look at the girl. She was most definitely African American with long flowing hair. She had brown eyes and a slender body. She dressed like she owned the block though. He guessed she was probably really popular.

"I love the white hair look. I always figured that Jack Frost might have hair like that. Or at least that's what my mom always described him as." The girl chuckled, "I probably sound ridiculous."

"No, no, you don't sound ridiculous at all! I am Jack Frost!" He said. The girl gasped and looked around.

"You're kidding me right? Prove it." The girl dared.

Jack simply laughed and took his staff. He aimed it at a kid who had just reached the bottom of the school stairs. He bent down and touched his staff to the ground. A shot of frost was sent across the street and the kid fell on his bum. The girl laughed and turned back to him.

"I can't believe it's really you!" She beamed and held out her hand, "I'm Summer. Trust me I am more than pleased to meet you."

"Well you seem like you had this meeting planned out," Jack smiled as he shook her hand, but it burned, "Ow."

"Whoah," Summer said holding her hand, "You have some cold hands there buddy."

"I can say the opposite about yours. They are really hot." Jack said rubbing his hand.

"Sorry I stole my teachers tea cup before I came out here," Summer giggled, "She is like eighty years old. By the time she actually notices her giant tea pot is missing, she might be dead."

Jack and Summer both laughed. Then a honk came from across the street. Jack immediately recognized the person in the driver's seat.

"Jamie," Jack mumbled under his breathe. Jamie smiled and waved at Summer but lowered it when he noticed Jack. Jamie made it clear that he saw Jack which means he still believes in him.

"Oh crud, I have to go. It was great to meet you!" Summer said backing away, almost pretending as if she had never seen him.

"Bye Summer." Jack said as he watched her leave, still clutching his hand.

Summer hopped into the passenger seat, and leaned her head back on the head rest.

"You can't tell me you didn't see Jack Frost," Jamie said as he watched Jack stare back at him.

"Uh, no. Jamie I was by myself," Summer said, even though she was fully aware that she believed in Jack Frost and that he had been indeed making conversation with her.

"He was right next to you!" Jamie said putting the key in the ignition.

"Jamie, I already told you. He isn't a guardian! I don't believe in people that aren't the fab four. Maybe your mom is right. Your obsessed with the whole Guardians thing," Summer said knowing that it hurt Jamie, knowing that if the Guardians ever heard, they would be hurt themselves.

Jamie sighed and drove her back to her foster home. Summer hopped still looking over her shoulder as if she was waiting for someone. It looked like the coast was clear. Summer was about to walk through the huge double doors to the foster home when Jamie called back to her.

"Maybe you're right Summer," Jamie stared down at his car keys, "Maybe I do need to let the Guardians go."

"It would be the right thing to do," Summer frowned, "We can't live as children forever. Don't worry Jamie, we will still always have our Guardians fan club."

Jamie gave her a weak smile. Summer sighed and hugged him. She knew what he was going through. To give up on the Guardians. She ushered him back to the car and waved to him as he left. As soon as she does she exhales, letting her breathe catch up. Seeing Jack Frost in the flesh? It was more than she could handle she grasps a wall and shakes her head.

"I can't believe she was right," Summer paces, "How is he here? I didn't know... I just can't believe he's here."

Summer takes in her surroundings, hoping Jack hadn't followed her. She shakes her head at how disappointed Jamie was about never seeing Jack again. Summer didn't doubt him for a second, but she refused to believe the lies he had told her about the day he met Jack Frost.

"Trust me Jamie," Summer smirked her eyes glowing red, "you wouldn't want to be stuck waiting for the Guardians. One day, they may not be there."

As Jamie drove, he felt a tinge of guilt that he had even thought about not believing anymore. When he did reach home, he rushed upstairs without even saying hello to his little sister. He plopped on his bead looking at an old picture he drew after him and the Guardians defeated Pitch. He would never be able to describe to anyone how magical that day was. Fighting evil with immortal beings? Getting to see Santa Claus? All of it seemed unreal but he knew that it very much was.

Suddenly a knock comes from his window. Jamie hopped up and opened the window. An icy chill swept through his room and Jamie shaved. He smiled knowing exactly what it was. Snow started to trickle from his ceiling and he is overwhelmed by the playful images the snow Frost popped his head through the window with his wide grin.

"Hey kiddo," Jack said cautiously, "Although you aren't much of a kid anymore."

"Jack?" Jamie said allowing his smile to creep a little further, "No way Jack! I thought I was never going to see you again!"

"I know it's been a second hasn't it?" Jack said letting himself into Jamie's room.

"Try years," Jamie said giving Jack a hug. Jack smiles, hugging Jamie back.

"Yeah I know. Being a Guardian is hard work you know," Jack smirked, "snow days don't just happen."

"Hah! I figured it was you who snowed everyone in for a week three years ago. Best week ever!" Jamie laughed taking a seat at the edge of his bed. Jack propped himself on Jamie's windowsill.

"Good times, good times." Jack grinned.

"How come you never came back?" Jamie suddenly said. Jack looked down at his staff, and twirled it in his fingers. He was expecting Jamie to ask the question, Jack just simply didn't know how to answer it.

"You know, well, I guess I just—" Jack looked out the window as the sun began to set. "I don't know I guess I just figured that as soon as you woke up the next morning, that everything would go back to normal and that you wouldn't be able to see me."

"Are you kidding Jack?" Jamie grinned, "There wasn't a day that went by that I have stopped believing in you, Bunny, North, Tooth, or Sandman. Honestly, it was impossible."

Jack smiled, but saw Jamie frown.

"Summer thinks that I should stop believing in you guys." Jamie said looking down at his lap.

"Wait, Summer? The Summer I just met today?" Jack said looking over at Jamie.

"Yeah, Summer." Jamie said looking up, "Wait, you met her? She told me that she didn't see anybody!"

"No she definitely saw me. She was pretty excited too." Jack laughed.

"She must just be trying to protect her precious reputation." Jamie shook his head.

"What rep?"

"Well, she's... she's Summer. Summer is popular with everybody. She came into town through the foster system unexpectedly two years ago. They expect a lot out of her. We sort of have this Guardians fan club because for some reason she actually believes in all of you guys. Plus girls are petty." Jamie explained.

"What does being a girl have to do with anything?" Jack questioned.

"No clue, honestly. Girls are just way too dramatic if you ask me." Jamie said, "They tease her if she even mentions it. What's cool about her though is that she doesn't even budge. It's like it doesn't phase her at all."

"Wait,you said she was in a foster home?" Jack raises her eyebrow, "Summer mentioned her mom earlier today."

"Oh, her mom died a long time ago. That's how she ended up in the foster system. At least that's what she told me. She doesn't like discussing that topic with anyone else."

Jack looked down at his staff again and sighed. He wished she would've had a sibling so that she wouldn't feel so alone. Of course this only made him think of his little sister. Jack brushed it off as he let Jamie talk about the eight years of his life that Jack had missed. At one point in time, his little sister came trudging into the room with a finished coloring book asking for a payment. She gasped as she saw Jack and gleefully hugged him. The three of them continued to talk until dinner time when Jack had to leave. Just because Bergess was his home, there were still other places that could use a little snow.

Jack took off in the night, but he caught sight of Summer walking along the sidewalk. He landed in front her, scaring the living daylights out of her.

"Jack! You scared me!" Summer giggled, "plus it's night time. You shouldn't do that to a girl walking alone."

"Well you aren't alone now," Jack smiled as they walked on. They walked in silence down the long side walk. It surprised him that Summer didn't have any questions about the Guardians since she seemed so interested earlier. In fact, it almost seemed as if Summer was avoiding her. Most kids were surprised, wanted to see him do the magic. Summer simply didn't. She seemed uncomfortable.

"So, I spoke to Jamie," Jack said trying to break the ice.

"What?" Summer said, trying not to sound angry, "Why did you do that?"

"Well he was the first kid to ever believe in me. That's why I was waiting by the high school. I gotta tell you, it feels nice to be believed in."

"Yes I'm sure it is," Summer said as if she knew what he was talking about, "but I wouldn't know I'm not a Guardian. Not like you are either,"

"What?" Jack said with a confused look on his face.

"Everyone knows there are only four Guardians. Sandy, Bunny, Tooth, and North. Why the heck would anyone think you're a guardian?" Summer snickers a bit. Jack felt slightly hurt for a second but then realized that he still isn't as popular as the other four were. They had been there almost since the beginning of time. Jack was still just a fraction of the time they had spent as Guardians. Something about this conversation just felt off.

"Yeah, only four." Jack frowned.

"Well shouldn't you be headed off to bring Winter to some random place on the other side of the planet?" Summer nudged him.

"Yeah I probably should," Jack said. He had just realized how stunning Summer really was. Her hair framed her face just right and she walked with such grace. He also noticed how she tried to understand what he was going through, even though she never would.

"Well then go bring joy to children," Summer smiled, "I at least know what that feels like."

Jack called on the wind and took off. He took one last look at Summer and kept flying.

Summer's smile turned into a scowl as Jack flew away. Summer crosses her arms, "Funny Wind, I didn't know there was someone else you answered to. You can't hold both of us in such a close distance. Wind, lift me up."

Summer was lifted off the ground and she flew just above the mass expanse of houses. Farther ahead, Jack dropped to the ground. Unsure of what happened he looked around with his staff aimed and ready. Seeing nothing, he called on the wind once more. Jack was lifted off the ground and this time it was Summer turn to drop. She expected this, and in return, she had a soft landing.

Summer tried again, calling on the winds force to lift her up, and again Jack fell. He looked back and shot an ice blast, missing Summer by a couple inches. He hadn't seen her, but he thought he would press his luck. Jack got up again and called on the wind one last time. Summer smiled as he took off, faster this time.

"You're way more powerful than you look. Almost powerful enough to be a Guardian. Too bad there are only four, five soon enough." Summer stood up and held a sun pendent that was wrapped around her neck. She closed her eyes and focused. A ring of fire circled beneath her. Her feet seemed to catch fire as her outfit transformed. She was wearing bare-foot sandals now but the fire didn't stop there. It burned her jeans and shirt into a wood singed dress that stopped just above her knee. The fire burned holes on the sleeves causing them to flare out. Lastly, a feather popped out from her back as too medium sized, black with red at the end feathered wings formed.

"I guess I need to move a little faster than planned, Sun." Summer smiled, still clutching her pendent, "This one might jeopardize the plan. You'd better be right about him."

Summer took to the sky looking back at the school. Glad today was Friday. She thought. She started to follow Jack wherever he was going. She kept a safe distance and at the same time keeping him in her sight. She dodged in and out of trees just to make sure he hadn't noticed her trailing him. As long as she was in her winged form, she didn't need the wind.

Eventually she started to pass by snow covered rooftops, and frozen streets. Dawn was coming and the city was beginning to wake up. Unlike Jack, Summer was actually going to have to hide to avoid being seen in plain sight. The air got chillier as she neared the ground. Still Jack soared on smiling as he rode the wind.

He stopped at a stoplight where some kids were crossing the street. He smiled as two boys walked along the sidewalk carrying snowboards. Jack watched as they made their way to a giant hill. It was completely empty and not a soul to be seen. One of the boys frowned as he stepped in slosh. The sun was beginning to melt the snow.

Jack laughed and took his staff and tapped the ground. Snow began to form right before their eyes. The slosh was no longer slosh. The two kids looked at each other and cheered, starting from the top of the hill and sliding down.

Summer smiled at how happy the kids were. She looked at Jack, mesmerized at how happy he could be with hardly anyone believing in him. He had so much confidence in what he did. Summer jumped when her wings began to sting, a ray of sunshine miraculously finding it's way directly onto her wing.

"Ouch!" She whispered, massaging her wing, "Fine Sun, I'm going okay?"

Summer sighed as she sent a sparkle of red to the bottom of the hill. The snow began steam and melt. Summer frowned a little as one of the boys fell face first into a puddle of melted snow. He was soaked from head to toe. The boys looked at each other and got up to go home. Summer looked around to see Jack examining the puddle. Summer decided to power down, putting all of her energy back into the pendent.

Jack looked Summer's way, but she hid behind a tree. Summer held her breathe as he frowned and walked off, changing the puddle back to its original pile of snow. She sighed as she turned and walked out into the street. She smiled as two little girls handed out rose petals to those who walked by. She took one graciously. Summer put the flower in her hair and walked off.

Summer spotted Jack coming in the same direction, sending gusts of cold wind to people walking with groceries. Summer hid behind a tree trying not to be seen. Summer had a wonderful idea as he passed by her. She watched as he sent a wave of cold slicing through the streets. Summer decided to counter what he did. Just as fast as he sent a gust of cold wind, she turned up the heat. She put her hands up, catching the Sun's rays. She sent the rays shining down on everything with snow on it. Within a matter of minutes, the entire town had begun to melt. It was no longer cold but was feeling a bit like summer.

Jack looked back as a kid screamed from being hit with wet snow. He squinted as he saw the town he had just covered in snow, completely melted. The townspeople were just as confused as he was. Summer laughed feeling accomplished with herself. She came out from her hiding place and joined a group of kids running around playing tag.

Jack looked around, staff in hand, yet he couldn't seem to find a target. Everything looked normal. Everything felt normal besides the fact that the air was now hot, no longer cold. Bewildered, Jack took off, heading to the next location that was in need of a snow day.

Summer watched him go as the kids dispersed from their game of tag. That was easy, Summer thought, he won't be a threat.

"Well my friend, I do believe the time has come," Summer said looking up at the sky, "The meltdown begins now."

Summer powered up letting her wings sprout. She took to the sky as the sun began to go down in the little town. However at the North Pole, the sun was just coming up. Summer rushed as fast as her little wings could carry her so she could meet the Sun for its awakening. She flew fast, creating a heat wave wherever she went.

Finally the pole was in her sight. It was time to begin. She landed and scanned the horizon. The Sun seemed to shine a little brighter. Summer touched her hand to the cold ice and let her powers run free. Her pendent began to glow as a stream of fire sprang out from her fingertips. She stood up as the fire began to spread. From the fire sprang little red and black fairies. They were copycats of Tooth's little helpers.

The fire dispersed leaving the army of fire fairies in front of her. They smiled at her, eyes glowing red.

"Well, well," Summer said marveling at her newest creation, "Who's ready to melt the polar ice caps?"