`````````````````````````````````Author's Notes`````````````````````````````

Hello everyone, I know many of you have become infuriated-or some such form of unpleasant emotion-at me for taking so long to update. I would like to take a quick second to tell you all about why I have not updated. (At least for those of you who are curious?)

First, I have had to deal with a ridiculous amount of paperwork from my job, and it has taken me three months to finally get it all in order. (NOT fun).

Secondly, at the beginning of last month I found out that I had carpal tunnel, which lead to me having to cut back my amount computer time. *Sniff~tear* And being as I had to spend most of my computer time during work, that lead to no personal time.

Lastly, my boyfriend of 2 years popped the question. From that moment I have fought off friends and family members with a large pillow. All in all I have not had the time. :( I hope you understand.

Now that things have settled down I finally gotten the chance to write. Hopefully posting this updated will make up for it. I have missed you all SOOOO much. Please feel free to pm, review, or just enjoy this chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own RoTG this is just something I do for fun!

Chapter 18:

Sitting near the fire-place in all her elegant glory was Tooth; her iridescent blue, green, and yellow feathers glistened brightly from the light produced by the flames. Normally she would be zooming about the room chattering away, but now she didn't feel like chatting. In fact, she didn't even feel like fluttering.

In truth, all she wanted was to understand what she did wrong. Never before has an ally acted so aggressively towards her, and now that they had. She was trying very hard to understand why.

Surely Jamie was just under a lot of stress; he's been fighting off Pitch's nightmares for days. Not to mention he has had to deal with taking care of Jack, as well as becoming a sprite. Anyone would have snapped after experiencing such a stressful week, especially after the Guardians berated him like that.

Unfortunately, it didn't explain to her why he had lashed out like he did. If anything, she thought he would have gone off on Bunny first. After all he did basically vent his displeasure of the situation more boisterously than everyone else.

Perhaps it was because she was reaching to pick up Jack? Sure that could be it, but then that brought up another issue that was bothering her. Why on earth was Jamie's reactions over Jack so extreme?

Sure sprites protect and support the spirit their connected with, but the connection between those two was just so strong. Almost too strong, considering that they have only been connected this way for just under a week. Something just wasn't adding up.

It could be that it was because of their strong friendship that the bond between them was increasing at such an amazing rate. In truth it both amazed and frightened her, and in some form-even though she hated to admit- it made her a little jealous.

She, along with the other Guardians had over three hundred years to bond with Jack, but failed due to their hectic duties and schedule. Even now they can't get together as often as Jack would like. So Jamie-who has only known Jack for thirteen years-was closer to him then all of them.

Taking a deep breath she let out a long and pitiful sigh, as she looked into the fire a throat could be heard clearing from somewhere behind her. Taking a quick glance she took note of North leaning against the door frame.

"Toothy?" he whispered softly.

With a small smile she replied, "Yes?"

"You're. troubled." He stated rather then asked.

Looking back at the hand Jamie struck she sighed. "Why do we keep failing?" she asked abruptly.

"Failing?" North questioned. As he walked closer he noted her troubled look. "Is dat what you think?"

"What else could it be?" Putting her hand down, she stared deep into the flames in front of her. "This is the third time Jack has been in need of us, and just like the times before we judged too quickly."

North hummed as he took a seat next to her. Silence crept into the air as they say there enjoying the warmth of the fire. Letting his blue eyes drift over to the troubled fairy he gave a soft smile.

"You know, Jack once asked me a similar question." North said softly.

Whipping her head around to look at him, her eyes widened. "What? When, why?"

North chuckled, "The year after we defeated Pitch, Jack had come to 'help' out with Christmas. He had good intentions, but let us be saying things didn't go as planned. Workshop was in big mess, if it wasn't one thing it was another. One of Yeti's got too frustrated and complained that it could ruin Christmas, which was not true."

Sighing at the memory he continued, "Jack had taken what Yeti said personally, and ran off. In his mind, he must have still blamed himself for what happened on Easter."

With a slight gasp Tooth clasped her hands together tightly, "I thought we cleared that whole thing up when we reached the pole that day." She tried to reason.

"For us maybe but for Jack, I'm not so sure." North shook his head, "When I finally found him down in stables he asked me 'why do I keep making a mess of everything?' Do you know what my response was?"

Looking up with bright purple eyes that burned with a need to know, Tooth shook her head. With a warm smile that reached his eyes, North reached out a hand and cupped her face gently. "So you can learn."

"I don't-." Tooth began, but got interrupted when North's hand slips from her cheek to cover her mouth.

"If we never fail or make messes, then we would never learn anything. True, Jack can make big mess, and even get into trouble; but look how much he has grown." North explained. "Even we who are older than he can still make mistakes, which to me is good thing."

Laughter-though not as cheerful as North would have liked-slipped out of Tooth, "Why is that?"

"Because it means we're alive!" North boomed, his arms reached out as if to express his claim to the world. Tooth jolted back slightly to avoid his flailing arms, a smile ever so slowly making its way upon her face. "Even after all these years we're still learning Toothy, isn't it wonderful? It makes me feel so young I could sing with joy!"

Finally Toothiana broke down laughing; tears of humor streaked down her face despite her best efforts to wipe them away. With a pat of his belly North stood up and offered a hand up.

With shaky hands-mainly due to lack of oxygen caused by her laugh attack-she accepted the help up; once on her feet the wings she so dearly loved began to flutter softly. Happy in seeing her no longer moping, he crossed his arms across his chest and rose his head high.

"Now I be having a question of my own." North said with a knowing smirk.

"What is it?" Tooth replied.

"If we had never failed Jack, do you think we all would have been as close with him as we are today?" the big man asked.

Startled by the question, Tooth looked him up and down. "What do you mean? Of course we would still be close, he is our sweet tooth!"

"Hmmm…." North hummed. "I wonder."

With a huff Tooth fluttered up until she was at his eye level, "Alright, out with it."

"Jack is strong, but has become so out of necessity. I don't think he would have been such a threat to Pitch-nor Pitch to him- if we had been by his side all those years ago." North reasoned, with a hand running though he beard he continued. "If Jack had not made Bunny angry in '68, then his act of rekindling Jamie's belief in Easter would not have affected their relationship so much."

"Thank you North, it's hard but I think that I understand now. Though it was painful, our absence before has made our unit stronger because of it." Tooth stated.

North nodded, "It's with this reasoning Tooth, that I think our late arrival and Jamie's involvement is no accident. I'm sure that everything will become clear in time, we must simply wait and see."

Suddenly there was a loud explosion in the distance, not moments later it loud yells of frustration and laughter. It didn't take long and Phil came bursting into the room complaining about a frozen disaster.

"Or…"North sighed as he let his head drop into his hands, "We could skip the waiting and get right down to seeing."

````````````Down at the Barn``````````

Brown eyes, filled to the brim with exhaustion, stared in disbelief at the room before him. No longer were the walls a rich brown, but instead a brilliant blue. No, it wasn't paint, it was ice. Thanks to a little explosion of power, almost everything in the room sparkled with the stuff.

"Wow, this wasn't what I was going for." Jamie huffed out loud. Jack, who was now rolling on the floor laughing his butt off, finally took the moment to speak.

"You know," he pause to stifle a chuckle, "I think you overshot your mark."

Which in fact was true, there standing completely untouched by ice was a small bale of hay. "You know what; maybe I wouldn't have if you didn't throw that elf at me." Jamie retorted.

"Hey, that wasn't me! That was all the winds doing." Jack defended.

"Which you called!" Jamie shouted back.

"You have no proof." Jack mumbled, his tiny arms crossed his chest in a sort of defiant manner. "Besides, payback was coming to you for tossing me in the muck."

"You just admitted it!" Jamie shouted, his right hand pointing right into Jacks face.

"Don't point your hand into another's person's face its rude." He said whilst slapping Jamie's hand away. "Also, rule two: don't admit to a prank…unless it's a really good one."

"Oh really, and just where are all these rules written oh wise leader?" Jamie mocked with a bow.

"It's all right here." Jack pointed to his head with his index finger. "You'll learn them all eventually."

"Oh joy." Jamie stood up and shook his head, "even the Guardian of Fun has rules."

"Well I only have a few, and they are usually there for your own good. Let's just say that experience says so." Jack reasoned.

"Ok, then what reason is there to denying that you through an elf at me?" Jamie questioned skeptically.

"Oh that one is easy." Jack began, a devious smirk playing on his tiny face.

"GRAHHBEEEE?!" came the familiar garbled roar of Phil from the stable doorway.

Jack and Jamie turned to look at the stunned Yeti, after a moment of eye contact the Jack pointed at Jamie who gave an innocent wave. With wide eyes Phil planted his hands firmly on his head and shot out of the room at an impossible speed.

"And that is why I deny throwing the elf." Jack laughed loudly.

Jamie shot the guardian a disbelieving look, "Why you tricky little…"

Jack flopped over on the ground and became a laughing mess once again. Despite the trouble they were in, Jamie's progress made it impossible for him to give a hoot.

"Well Jack I think I have a new rule to add to that book of yours." Jamie said as he placed the staff he had held down.

"Oh yeah…he-he…and what is that?" Jack gasped.

With a smile made of pure mischief, Jamie walked over to the door. "Don't ever set your sprite to take the fall, when you yourself can't get away."

Jack laughter came to an abrupt halt as realization hit him full force. "You wouldn't!" Jack gasped in horror.

Throwing his head back Jamie laughed, "How's rule two looking?"

Humming from a very familiar pair of wings could be heard coming from somewhere outside the barn door. "That sounds like Tooth, I wonder what she could be looking for?" Jamie murmured.

Jack looked between the door and Jamie, "I'll revise the rule, I swear!"

With a smirk Jamie ran back over and picked up both the staff and Jack, "So, running?"

"JACK… JAMIE!?" Tooth belted from just outside the door.

Jack shook his head frantically, "There's no time she's already here."

"Then what do suggest we do?!" Jamie whispered as he backed away from the door.

Jack quickly looked around the room before a thought came to his mind. "Hang on to me and the staff tight; what ever you do don't let go!"

"What ever you're planning, make it fast!" Jamie whispered frantically.

"Wind, a little help here my friend?" Jack called out.

With his eyes widening to the size of saucers, Jamie yelped in surprise as the wind wrapped around them both and yanked them off the ground. The take off was beyond awkward and reminded Jack of his first time flying with the winds aid.

With a bit of direction-verbal guidance-Jamie was able to ride the wind out a nearby window just as Tooth threw open the barn doors. Sighing in relief the two boys-and a rather jubilant torrent of wind-took off towards an upper level of the workshop.

Jamie couldn't help the smile that blossomed across his face. In truth he had always wanted to fly on the wind like Jack did. Now that he was-though he was rather horrible at it- he couldn't help but feel ecstatic. With a whoop he let the wind drop him into a barrel roll before picking him back up and throwing him to a higher floor. "This is awesome!" he cried into the wind.

Feeling the amount of fun Jamie was having, Jack let loose his out bout of laughter. Taking this as an invitation to continue its playful tussle, the wind tossed and coddled the boys in its loving embrace. It had waited too long to pick Jack up again, and now that it safely could, there was no hesitation when Jack called out for help.

There was some worry on Jack's part, about weather or not the wind would hesitate. After all, it would be picking up someone different this time. At least he thought that way until he remembered their air time twelve years ago. Jamie was in his hands when they flew around town recruiting friends to fight against Pitch.

It was probably because of that day that there was no hesitation. Wind had an incredible memory, so it most likely remembered Jamie was the same boy from that day. Smiling brightly Jack gave the wind a thankful smile, in response it gave a gentle tussle of his hair.

It had only been twenty-four hours, but Jamie was already proving himself as an amazing winter sprite. His skill in winter magic was messy and uncoordinated, but had great potential. Even though he tiered out quickly the kid was still smart enough to understand how things work and what corrections he would need to make in the future. If Jack didn't know any better, he would have assumed that Jamie was born to be a sprite.

``````````````````````````````Author's note`````````````````````````````

That's a wrap for this chapter folks, it was fun to write even with the serious-ish atmosphere in the beginning. Unfortunately or fortunately depending on how you look at it. I'm off to work on my other stories. The poor things really need some serious TLC.

For those of you who read those here is the quick status update on them: "Jack Frost or Jokul Frosti" will be up the moment my beta gets it back to me. Another chapter for "Caging Frost" will be up soon…I'm thinking sometime this coming week-or weekend dependent on how the things roll. "Foxy Dilemma" will be a bit longer, most likely not going be updated for two-to-three weeks. Also, I was just given rights to a cross over story for RotG and Httyd called "Icy Terror" by Katyuana. The first chapter for this story should most likely be up early this week, so look out for it. Lastly this lovely story is going to have another chapter out in probably two weeks. About the same time that foxy dilemma goes up.

Well that's enough of me blathering on. I'm sure that I will get a few people telling me to stop talking about it and just do it. XD Nyuck Nyuck! Oh well, I hope all of you wonderful readers have a great day and a wonderful week! Feel Free to read, review, or PM me at any time. See Ya~! Skye out.