Cold Hands, Warm Heart

A few weeks after the battle with Pitch, life had settled down. North was busy with the yetis preparing for Christmas. Tooth and her fairies had been busy restoring the Tooth Palace and had finally finished the job. Bunnymund had once again thrown himself back into his work and enjoying the eternal spring that was his home. Everyone was feeling settled, everyone was feeling at peace.

Except Jack.

He couldn't quite place what the feeling was. He knew it had something to do with his memories he had finally acquired. The nagging, unending doubt in the back of his mind was finally gone. He knew why he was here; he knew how he had become Jack Frost. He knew he was part of a much bigger picture now.

Yet he still couldn't shake the heaviness that weighed on him.

After another day of flying around, skating through various towns, having a quick chat with Jamie and playing with a few of Sandy's creations as the evening rolled in, Jack was alone on his lake.

He climbed a familiar tree and rested his back on the rough bark. He stared at the stars and the retreating figure of Sandy. He stared, not thinking but feeling, things he couldn't quite identify.

It started as the usual heaviness, then his head felt clouded, tears began to brim but he kept them at bay. The heaviness turned to a painful ache and his hands started shaking as his breaths came out in short gasps. He looked at the moon and a tidal wave of anger overcame him. Yes, he had died. But he had lived, lived so well.

From his memories he saw he had a mother that cared for him, a sister that admired and adored him. So many people playing with him, laughing with him as he played tricks, made them giggle with his antics. He had been loved and cared for by so many people in his young life. He had been responsible, care-free. A good son, big brother and friend. People had liked him and wanted to be around him.

Then he had gone through the ice and emerged as Jack Frost. Still the same person. Just paler, colder but still a heart filled with warmth and joy.

In his life he had never felt lonely and for his sacrifice, for his sister, he had been punished with three hundred years alone.

Why?

Why why why why why WHY?

It seemed worse now that he knew, he hadn't been alone, he hadn't been seen as a nuisance. He had smiled and people wanted to be around him, Now people wondered what he was up to.

Jack leapt from the tree and landed on the ice, solid as always since he had become a Winter Spirit, he began to angrily slam his fist into the ice, then the anger turned to grief and Jack howled in despair at all he didn't understand.

He was a Guardian now, he was part of the Guardians. The Guardians protected the intangible qualities in children. The protected good memories, brought hope and wonder and nights were filled with sweet dreams. Pitch had been right, there would always be darkness and fear and North had been right as well, they could fight fear and give light in the darkness but no-one could get rid of fear or the bad,dark things that happened in the world. Jack remembered the fear of losing his sister and the fear, the manic panic as he disappeared though the ice and disappeared from the people who loved him.

Jack's howling turned to sobs as he made his way back to the heaps of snow at the edge of the iced pond and curled into the ice, trying to become a part of it.

He cried silently now till he fell asleep.

He may be Jack Frost now but back then, there was no Guardian of thinly iced lakes and ponds. There would always be darkness and as Jack slept, exhausted from the grief that had consumed him that evening, the moon shone down on him.

End.

Sad right? It just struck me from his memories, he was surrounded by people who liked him. Now he is pretty much all alone and has to do so much for people to like him. Seems like he is being punished somehow despite doing a very brave thing. I have a bunch of one-shots floating in my head and will update as I am inspired.

Cheers!