Chapter 1: A Doused Spark

Disclaimer: I don't own Rise of the Guardians, or else Jack wouldn't almost end up with the Tooth Fairy.

A/N: Just as a heads-up, I will be including a love interest for Santa in awaiting chapters. And yes, her name is pronounced like Anna from Frozen (Ah-Nah). Totally different character, though. Make sure to review, favorite and follow!

"Ice burns, and it is hard to the warm-skinned to distinguish one sensation, fire, from the other, frost." -A.S Byatt, Elementals: Stories of Fire and Ice

200 Years Ago

"Sissy, slow down!" a little girl panted, no older than four.

She wore an old-fashioned dress colored a pale olive, absent of the usual white cuffs at the end with cheeks flushed red from the cold. Her nose was also tinged crimson, breaths exhaled in misty puffs which soon dissipated within seconds.

The girl tried fixing her wild hair, which was tangling faster than anticipated. It was a strawberry-blonde color, complimenting her lovely jade eyes.

An older girl - no older than eighteen or nineteen - jogged ahead of her around town, laughing and twirling around as snowflakes descended from the sky. She nimbly dodged the trotting horses and speeding carriages in the street, avoiding the passing residents who glanced at her oddly.

Houses and shops lined the streets, with street torches in rows before them. Every building emitted warm light, smoke lazily drifting out of their chimneys.

Her hair was a light blonde, twisted back into a braid that whipped back and forth with the rest of her body. Her dress was casual: a light blue in color with elbow-length sleeves. A winter coat covered up her arms, the dark shade a stark contrast to the rest of her. Mittens protected her fingers from the biting cold while she danced in the snow.

Ice blue eyes gazed up at the cloudy heavens, sparkling from mirth and excitement.

"Maybe you should learn to run faster, Rena!" She remarked as a little(ish) boy merely stood to the side, releasing a dull sigh.

"I don't get why you're so excited about snow, Anna. It's winter; it's been snowing. And every time it does you keep rushing outside like it's some kind of magic."

Anna stopped dancing, rolling her eyes at the younger child. "Because it is magic, Leo! Something you'll never understand because you're a downer."

Leo pouted, his short blond hair blown into his face by a gust of wind. Medium-dark ice-blue eyes glanced away from the girl. "I'm not a downer; I just don't see why you keep getting excited over something that happens so frequently. And you're supposed to be the older one."

A figure stood atop a nearby roof clad in a white short tunic, brown pants, a brown cloak, with his feet left bare. His long, slender fingers gripped a shepherd's crook. Everything about him was pale, from his hair to his complexion. He watched the siblings with an amused grin on his handsome face.

The teenage boy found it interesting how people in the town of Charleston could be so entertaining. Especially Anna: she always loved it when it snowed; more than most people. Sometimes he would cause it to snow out of season and she'd be outside until nightfall, filling the wintry air with her cries of delight.

"So what if I'm older? I'm mature for the most part, it's just... snow is so exciting! I don't know why, but it's just... it's so magical, like there's something about it that's special. Haven't you ever felt it?" Anna breathed, smiling when she could see her foggy breaths.

She inhaled the cold crisp air, enjoying the scent of the outdoors. She didn't even care her nose was starting to numb.

"I have! I have!" Rena cheered, waving a hand.

Leo scoffed. "I haven't, because it's just snow. It falls from clouds."

"You don't know that for sure. What if Jack Frost makes all the snow?" the blonde girl countered.

Jack, the teenager with pure snow-white hair and pale skin, sucked in a breath. Did she really believe he existed? If she could somehow, finally, see him, then she'd spot him... on the roof... watching them...

He hurriedly hid behind the peak of the roof he was on, ensuring he was out of sight just in case. As elated he was that someone might actually be able to see him, Jack didn't want to freak the poor girl out or cause her to look like a crazy person.

Her brother made a face. "Jack Frost isn't r-"

Leo was cut-off mid-sentence when a snowball collided with his face, the packed snow splattering all over the younger boy. His cheeks and nose started to turn an even brighter cherry red.

"Isn't what, huh? How would an 11-year-old know that? Do you have proof? No, I don't think sooo. So, he could be real!" the one guilty of chucking the snowball drawled, though she seemed a bit hesitant in her claim.

He spluttered, brushing the snow off his short tunic. Droplets clung to his long lashes like liquid pearls, sparkling from minuscule rays of light.

Anna laughed maniacally, beginning to go after Rena with two snowballs. She screeched, desperately running away from the elder sister while giggling loudly.

Jack edged a smile. He really wished he wasn't immortal sometimes, so he could experience what it was like to have brothers and sisters and to grow up with them. Then again, even if he wasn't immortal anymore, he was pretty sure he didn't even have any siblings at this point. After all, 100 years had passed. They'd be dead by now anyway.

On that depressing note, he went back to watching the siblings.

"Right, like that was mature," Leo muttered, frowning deeply.

The blonde girl chased her younger sister relentlessly until she finally hit her back with one of the snowballs. Rena gasped in surprise, scooping up and making more snowballs.

"Payback!" she cried, ensuring a snowball fight between her and her older sister.

Glancing at her brother, the ice blue-eyed blonde called out, "Leo, come on! You're only eleven, live a little! You won't be able to act so carefreely in the future!"

He simply crossed his arms in defiance.

"Or are you scared?" Anna taunted, eliciting a twitch of Leo's eye.

"I am not scared. It's just pointless."

"Like I am going to believe that. You're just afraid of losing," the blonde replied, sticking her tongue out at him.

Taking a risk, Jack crept up from his hiding place, summoning the wind to carry him over a few feet away from Leo. Creating a magical snowball, he threw it smack-dab at the center of the boy's face. At first, he protested, but the magic washed over his
features, causing him to smile.

"Oh yeah? I'll show you how pointless it is!" he exclaimed, making snowballs and throwing them at Anna.

"Hey! Now it's two against one! This isn't fair!" She laughed, darting away from both her siblings.

Jack laughed as well, conjuring up more snowballs. "Well then, maybe I should even the odds!"

He joined in their snowball fight, alternating between hitting Leo, Rena, and Anna. Soon it grew dark, and Anna appeared extremely confused.

"Did the two of you hear anything during our snowball fight? Like a voice?"

The winter spirit froze (no pun intended), remaining still while gazing at the blonde in shock. Was she...? No, or she would've talked to him once she saw him... what was going on?

Rena yawned, rubbing her eyes tiredly. "No."

"Of course not, it was just us playing," Leo frowned.

Apparently, Jack's magic was already fading. Man, this kid was difficult to get a smile from!

Anna remained unconvinced but shrugged. "I... perhaps I was hearing things."

"That is most likely the case, considering it's you and you're on the borderline of being labeled as insane," the boy remarked, earning a light slap on the arm from his sister.

"How rude! Maybe I should tell Papa you were insulting his first-born!"

"He wouldn't get mad; I'm the one who will continue the family line, after all."

Anna made a horrified face. "Oh, and I fear for the future generations to come. Just thinking of your descendants commenting about everything in such a tedious manner will surely bring about the end of the world as we know it."

The blond boy scowled, stalking back to their house. Rena stood beside her big sister, holding her gloved hand.

"Can we go home now, Sissy?"

She smiled down at her sister. "Yes, we can Rena. Are you too tired to walk anymore?"

A nod was what she received, followed by a yawn.

"Okay, up we go!" Anna cheered, bending down to have Rena climb onto her back, then shooting back up to cause her to smile and giggle.

As she walked with her little sister on her back and her eyes warily trained on her little brother ahead of them, Jack trailed behind in intrigue. She could hear him, but couldn't see him? Why was getting noticed by someone so complicated?!

He jogged ahead, walking backward while staring at Anna. The winter spirit waved a hand in front of her face, but she only kept looking ahead, past him, through him.

She was pretty, that he could admit. A little plain, but still a little above average. Anna had a somewhat slender nose, light, unblemished skin, pink lips, and a heart-shaped face. Her eyes were nice too: an icy blue which reminded him of winter, but also of life. Perhaps it was the vibrancy she always seemed to exude. Her figure wasn't too bad-

"I can't seriously be thinking about how cute a girl is, especially when I'm immortal and she isn't! That's practically setting myself up for a lifetime of depression and heartbreak. Why am I even thinking of girls, anyway?" The winter spirit thought dully.

Jack frowned in frustration. He walked beside her, leaning close to her ear. "Can you hear me?"

Anna started, glancing around with wide ice-blue eyes. "W-who's there?"

"Sissy? What's wrong?" Rena queried, her big jade eyes filled with alarm and fright.

Bewildered, the white-haired teen beside her clamped a hand over his mouth. This had never happened before; not ever. She was so close to seeing him but filled with enough doubt that she could only hear him, apparently. Or at least that was what he guessed.

"No way. This has never happened before," he muttered, voice muffled by his hand.

Again Anna wearily looked around, soon becoming fearful of what she couldn't see. "Who's there? Show yourself!"

"Sissy, I'm scared," Rena whimpered, her grip around her sister's neck tightening.

Jack remained silent. He didn't mean to frighten them or cause alarm. It was just supposed to be a little test to see if she really could hear him. In hindsight perhaps he should've done it when it wasn't getting dark and they were practically walking home alone.

The blonde continued walking, though now her ice-blue eyes darted in every direction, her body tense. She craned her neck to glance at her sister.

"It's okay Rena, I guess I'm just hearing things again."

"Are you really going mad?" The strawberry-blonde asked worriedly.

Anna smiled. "No, maybe I'm just too caught up in my many thoughts. You know how I daydream. And Leo's always postulating ridiculous theories to explain me, which is stupid in itself."

Rena edged a sleepy smile. "Mm-hmm."

She rested her head against Anna's back, big jade eyes finally closing to sleep.

They finally reached the house, with Jack still following them. The door flung open to reveal a woman with pale blonde hair like Anna's and sparkling ice-blue eyes. Her face was beautiful with a slender nose, full lips, and a lovely face-shape. She waited
for Anna to enter the house before shutting the door, leaving the winter spirit to watch from a window.

The Archer family was most interesting indeed. Especially now that he knew Anna could hear him.

Peeking inside a window, he watched Mrs. Archer take the sleeping Rena off Anna's back, carrying her up the stairs to bed. A man with strawberry-blonde hair, a few shades darker than Rena's, came to sit down with Anna at the dining table. They were talking about something, then Mr. Archer laughed rather boisterously and brushed some melted snow off of Anna's lashes and cheeks.

He had bright jade eyes like Rena, if not a bit richer in hue.

Mr. Archer was a tall, somewhat burly man with a slim waistline and bulging muscles from years of building and working. He had a very prominent five o'clock shadow.

Seeing all was well, Jack summoned the wind to carry him away. There were other places that needed not only his snow and cold but also his fun and mischief.

"I'll be back soon, I promise. And I'll get you to see and hear completely," Jack promised, his voice a mere whisper.

Nonetheless, Anna turned her head a bit, as if she heard him.

Little did he know that that night would be the last time he'd see Anna Archer alive.

Anna's POV

I sat down with Papa at the dining table at his request. I did come home later than expected, so he immediately assaulted me with questions.

"Is everything alright, Anna? You're not hurt, are you? Did you get into another squabble? You came home so late tonight," concern sparkled in his jade eyes.

I nodded. "Mm-hmm, everything's fine. Time merely slipped away from me; Leo, Rena and I got into a big snowball fight."

Papa lifted his eyebrows. "Leo joined you? That's extremely rare, especially for him. Honestly, I don't know why he's so stubborn about partaking in the fun of being a child! I also don't know where he gets that high intelligence from, but it's definitely
not from me."

I frowned. "You're plenty smart, Papa. So is Mama."

He smiled at me, eyes crinkling at the ends and bringing out the lines in his face. "Thank you, my dear. You know, you're practically of marrying age."

I groaned, sitting back in my chair. It creaked under my weight. "Please don't remind me. It's horrible enough Mother continues to hound me, asking if I am interested in any of the strapping young boys in town. She even points them out when we go about perusing for necessary supplies! It's completely humiliating and uncivilized."

Papa laughed, a hearty sound with a deep tone. I always loved his laughs; they made me feel warm inside.

"My dear Anna, I was going to say I wish you weren't growing up so fast. I'm most certainly not looking forward to the day you must choose a husband," he said, reaching out to wipe away the drops of melted snow that clung to my eyelashes and cheeks.

I smiled with him. "Oh. Well, I appreciate your sentiments about it."

Then I could have sworn I heard a whisper of some sort, so I turned my head. But I saw nothing. Was someone following me? It was a scary thought, but who would bother? Charleston was a rather spacious town full of civilians; why pick me of all people to follow? It didn't make any sense, so I just let it go.

We got up from the table, heading to sit down in front of the fireplace. I gazed into its flames, marveling at their beauty. As much as I loved the snow, I also loved the sun and fire. Both brought me comfort, albeit in different ways. It was mesmerizing, staring at the fire, watching it change from bright orange to fierce red and purple at the bottom.

I let the heat from the fireplace thaw my body, sighing in relief with a blanket wrapped around me. Papa sat down on the floor next to me after a while, gazing into the depths of the flames with me. Sometimes I wished I could reach out and be enveloped in its warmth, but I knew as beautiful as fire was, it was also dangerous. The cold held similar factors.

Then my mind started wandering, thinking about how the ice turned from chilling to almost burning when it became too much, and how fire burned too. Perhaps, despite their differences, fire and ice shared some similarities after all.

"What are you thinking about now?" Papa inquired, looking at me with... amusement?

"Fire and ice."

His smile broadened. "Ooh, what about them?"

"They both burn and can be deadly, yet beautiful and magical. I know not why... my mind makes strange connections." I sighed, adjusting the blanket around me.

"Sometimes strange only means special," Papa told me as Mama came down the stairs.

"Anna, why are you still awake?"

I waved the blanket at her. "I'm thawing."

Her ice-blue eyes, eyes exactly like mine, sparkled with worry. "Oh dear, I'll make you some hot chocolate. In the meantime, change into your nightwear, okay? At least you won't be in those sopping wet clothes anymore. Darling, why didn't you do anything?"

Papa's expression turned confused and innocent. "What? Why is this suddenly my fault?"

Mama had already entered the kitchen, her head of pale blonde hair popping out to glare at him. "Because you're her father! You aren't doing a very good job of it if you let her wear her wet clothes all this time."

"Mother, it's okay, it's my fault. I just wasn't thinking," I said, trying to protect Papa at least a little.

My mother would always chastise him whenever something went wrong with one of us: a cold, a broken bone, a headache, proclaiming he should have been caring for us better; give us more attention.

Of course, he would gently defend himself by saying children would get sick, hurt and feel pain; it was how they learned to protect themselves, as they would have to one day.

Mother never saw it that way.

She only sighed, remaining in the kitchen where the scent of chocolate wafted into the living room. I stood, going into my room to change into a warm nightgown. When I returned downstairs, Mother held a mug of hot chocolate in her long, delicate fingers.

I didn't possess fingers like hers: mine were short and what I believed were stubby. I hated them.

"Drink this and go to bed. I don't want you sleep-deprived or getting sick," She warned me, handing me the hot beverage.

"Thank you, Mother." I smiled, sipping at the drink while inhaling the luscious aroma of steaming chocolate.

Six Hours Later

Something was wrong.

My eyes shot open while my fingers flew to my throat, which felt as if it were clogged shut. I coughed, swallowed, desperate to clear it, as the smell of something burning attacked my nose, causing my eyes to water. I tumbled out of bed, throwing my door open to see plumes of smoke rising from downstairs.

I wanted to scream, but there was no time. I had to wake my family. Sprinting down the hall, I flung the door open to Rena's room. She was a light sleeper, like Leo and I, so she instantly jerked awake, her strawberry-blonde hair tangled and messy.

"Sissy? What's happening?" her wide jade eyes were filled with fright.

"Fire. I don't know how, but we need to get out! Come on, you need to be brave and wake Leo up, alright? I'm going to wake up Mama and Papa."

She nodded, terrified as I dragged her out of bed. Rena threw herself against Leo's door, quickly turning the knob with her small hands.

"Good girl," I thought proudly, rushing to my parents' room.

"Mama! Papa! Fire!" I screamed, coughing afterward.

They were up immediately, groggy eyes filled with alarm. "What-"

"Get out, hurry!" I yelled, dragging them by their hands out of their bedroom.

"Leo! Rena!" Papa shouted, scooping up Leo in his arms due to his greater weight.

It was one of the few times I saw fear in my younger brother's eyes. Rena was lifted up by Mama, tears streaming down her face.

"I'll clear a path! Anna, take Leo!" Papa cried, dashing ahead of us while dodging the flaming, falling debris.

Mama and I hurried toward the door behind Papa, who indeed cleared a path. But our ceiling was crumbling above us, seconds away from giving in. I was the furthest behind and knew I didn't have enough time to reach the door. So I did the only thing I could: I tossed Leo ahead.

He stumbled a bit but kept running. "Anna, come ON!"

I attempted to run toward the door anyway, but a piece of the ceiling collapsed and a wooden beam crashed down onto my legs, pinning them. I screamed, feeling the searing heat of the fire eat away at my skin. I wasn't getting burned; I was getting consumed. The fire refused to halt or falter in speed, continuing to fester in my legs and slowly crawl upward.

"ANNA!" Papa yelled as I tried to pry the wood off.

But it wouldn't budge. I was trapped. Smoke was starting to fill my lungs, the black clouds choking me from the inside. I gagged from the charring taste and smell, resulting in my eyes watering further. My vision began to cloud, diminishing to
a hazy outline of my family.

I forced myself to smile anyway. "It's no use, I'm trapped. And the house will collapse in a matter of seconds; there's nothing you can do. I love you, all of you."

"ANNA!" I heard them scream before the rest of the ceiling crumbled on top of me.

I gazed up at the revealed sky, the full moon gleaming its soft rays down on me as flames seemed to swirl around it.

"It hurts so much! It BURNS! It hurts! But... I'm just glad you're all safe. The moon... looks so pretty tonight..."