Secrets 10

"I can't reach!" Monty yelled from his perch on the maple tree. He had climbed as high as he could but the branch he was trying to hang the lights off of was too far away. Nonetheless he tried shimming closer, stretching out his right arm in hopes of looping the string of lights but just as he threw it his grip on the branch loosened and he let go of the lights to cling to the branch. He hugged it tightly as he gazed at the ground below. If the ground was still covered in thick snow he might now worry about falling so much but most of the snow had already melted and there was only a thin layer mixed with fresh spring grass.

"Hold up, mate," Bunny called as he bounded up the tree. He grabbed the boy with one arm, snatched up the string of lights with the paw and threw them in place on his decent. He gave a pleased grin and placed Monty safely on the ground before pounding from one tree to another with the lights until the hung all around the ponds perimeter. Pleased with himself he decided that all that was missing was some of his best googies so he began leaping into tree again and hanging brightly painted eggs off branches so that they dangled at just the perfect height and angle to reflect the colorful lights.

Jamie gave a giggle as he and the twins worked on the wiring. "Someone's having fun," he whispered to Caleb.

The other boy looked up from his dad's generator. He had "borrowed" after his and Claude's father had gone to work. So far their mother had yet to notice it was missing. Caleb glanced toward Bunny with a tiny smirk. "Yeah," he laughed.

He waited until Bunny was safely on the ground before plugging in the lights. The whole forest lit up in colorful Christmas lights. With a chuckle Caleb began hooking up his Ipod and boom box then the extra speakers. According to the twins you can never have enough speakers…except they could smuggle their surround sound from the living room and had to make do with only four and limited wiring. Thankfully Bunny was able to connect them to the rock face of the bluff and run the wires back to the generator that was situated directly underneath. While everything else was melting the pond was still as solid as ever. It was always the way Jack kept it until mid-April. As soon as the speakers were ready Caleb plugged them into the boom box and connected the Ipod. A moment later music was blaring throughout the woods.

"Crikey!" Bunny yelled, slapping his paws over his ears.

The kids did the same all except Caleb and Claude who bopped their heads and sang along.

Jamie quickly turned down the volume. "Geez, no wonder your mom gets mad. I'm pretty sure the other of town could hear that," he said as he brought the volume to a decent level.

"I'm pretty sure my mates in Australia could hear that," Bunny grumbled as he lifted his paws from his ears. He gave his head a little shake. "Oi Caleb, you better have a good selection. Remember not all of us are twelve. And unless you want North dragging his record player here I suggest something a little mellower."

Jamie and Caleb exchanged looks. "Record player?" Caleb asked.

Jamie shrugged. "I think my grandparents might have had one. Okay, do have Jack's favorite tracks loaded?"

"Yep." Caleb scrolled through the files Jamie had sent him and loaded them up. For a 300 year old ice spirit he had a vast love for modern music and had accumulated a large collection, most of which the Burgess kids had loaded onto an mp3 player that they had given him for Christmas the previous year. Each had saved up their allowances and joined in to buy him one. Jamie kept a backup copy just in case Jack's player got destroyed in one of his escapades. Caleb began with one of Jack's softer favs in hopes of making Bunny happy. When Jack got there the real fun would begin.

A turquois blur shot passed them and too Bunny followed by six mini blurs. When they reached the Easter spirit they slowed, revealing themselves to be the Tooth Fairy and a handful of mini-fey. "Bunny, I got your message. What was so important? I had to race through Europe to collect all the teeth. My fairies are finishing up for me but I really should be with them. I did promise to be out on the field more and…"

"I know, I know, Tooth, but this is for Jack. I wanted it to be a surprise and things kind of went to hell so we're doing it now," Bunny tried to explain. He had told no one but Sandy and the Burgess kids about the anniversary party he had planned for Jack because quite frankly Tooth and North couldn't keep a secret when it came to Jack. They two got so excited about everything that had to do with Jack and one of them would have either spilled the beans or over done everything to the point that Jack would have figured it out days if not weeks before the event was to take place.

"Wait, what surprise? Why am I just hearing about this now?" she demanded, her wings fluttering anxiously as she whipped back and forth in front of her friend. She glanced about at the gathered children and then the lights then back at the children. "It's getting dark, why are the children doing out here? They'll catch cold or get grounded or…"

"Easy, Tooth. They've got permission from their parents," Bunny said quickly.

"Yeah," Pippa threw in with a bright smile. "One last big skating party before the ice melts. My dad even came out to check the ice to make sure it's still thick enough for us to skate on. Besides, once Jack gets here he'll thicken it anyways. Heck, dad says this pond never fully melts until May or June anyways."

The fairy queen hesitated before nodding her consent to the children being out at such a late hour – if six-thirty could be called late. She gave a happy cry when Sandy floated down on a sand cloud. The Moon was full and bright and MiM was able to give Sandy a few hours off as his Moonbeams cared for the children in his stead. "Sandy, look what Bunny and the children have done!" she yelled to him with a happy laugh. "It's all for Jack! Wait, why is all this for Jack? I thought we celebrated his birthday on the Winter Solstice?"

Sandy gave a shrug as a question mark formed above his head, just as curious as Tooth as to why the pond was so well decorated.

Bunny pressed a paw to his forehead in frustration. North could be back any second with Jack and he had to still give the others a complete rundown on what was going on. There was no time for gifts or even a proper refreshments and snack table. All they managed were a dozen or so sodas, a case of juice boxes, two bags of cookies, three bags of potato chips and a basket full of Bunny's eggs, not including the ones hanging from the trees. But with little time to get everything together they had to make do. Sandy looked over the table and gave Bunny a questioning look and then a pouty face.

"Sorry, mate, I didn't have time to steal any eggnog from North's," Bunny apologized. "Maybe next time."

If anything that only made the little golden man pout more but he brightened when Cupcake offered him a vanilla cream soda and chocolate chip cookie. With the Sandman happy everyone began getting into the party mood, each hopeful that Jack and North would arrive soon. It wasn't long before everyone was dancing and enjoying themselves. But each kept their eyes open for either a reindeer pulling a bright red sleigh or the tell-tale vortex.

It was well over an hour past sunset when the air around the pond crackled and a large vortex opened. Everyone stopped what they were doing, be it singing or dancing or snacking, and turned toward the vortex to give a joyous shout when they saw Jack and North step through the portal.

Jack was taken aback by the colorful lights hanging from the trees surrounding his pond and the loud music that was also new to the area. He stared in surprise at the kids that ran to him to offer him hugs and congratulations and even apologies for keeping secrets from him. It was all a little too much to process for the young ice elf and he could only stand there at his friends in shock.

"Is all this for me?" he finally asked still unsure what was going on.

Bunny hopped up to him and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "Are you deft? Of course this is for you, a little early thanks to your snooping so not as good as originally planned but still all for you, you little larrikin."

"Me?" Jack repeated, only to have Bunny laugh at him and a little push toward his Believers. "Happy Anniversary, Jack."

North clapped Bunny on the back, nearly knocking the smaller being over. "Has it really been five years?" he asked, amused by the way the children gathered around Jack and pulled him further onto the ice where they all began laughing and dancing, some even singing along with the music. "Feels like yesterday when he took the oath."

"Yeah, Nick, it does," Bunny agreed.

"Oh please, considering your ages five years is nothing," Pitch grumbled from behind them.

Bunny whirled, reaching for a boomerang before North could stop him. The larger Guardian plucked it from his hand and smiled reassuringly. "Pitch is only here to celebrate with us," North assured.

Pitch and Bunny snorted at the same time and then glared at each other.

"He's not here to cause trouble, are you Pitch?"

The shade's steely gaze turned to North. "No, I'm simply here to make sure no one lies to the boy anymore. All your secrets have caused the boy such sorrow that he felt the need to run to me for comfort." He gave a sinister grin. Had North not shown up when he did he was sure that he could have made Jack his.

Bunny bristled, his fur standing on end. He went for his second boomerang only to have North again take it from him. He glared up at his friend with narrowed eyes. He turned back to Pitch with a snarl. "If I find out you kidnapped him again you and I are going to be having words and North ain't going to be there to protect you."

"Oh I'm so frightened, rabbit. Go on, hop away and play with the kiddies," Pitch retorted with a smirk. He gave Bunny a wink. "Go on, your public awaits."

The Pooka didn't move, not until Jack appeared at his side and tugged him away with bright smile. "You did all this?" he asked, pulling him onto the ice with the kids. When Bunny nodded Jack threw his arms around him and hugged him tightly. "Thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you."

Bunny gave a low chuckle and held the youth close. "You're welcome, Jackie. I'm sorry I made your friends keep it secret so long."

Jack shook his head and buried his face in the fur of Bunny's shoulder. "It's okay. I overreacted."

"Nah, Jack, it wasn't you. I didn't think," Bunny apologized as he carded his fingers through Jack's snowy white hair. He chinned the youth, reminding his friend just how much he cared for him. "I didn't take into consideration your anxiety or trust issues."

"I don't have trust issues," Jack denied, pulling away for a moment but quickly hid his face against fur when he saw the smile in Bunny's eyes. "Okay, maybe a little bit but five years is nothing compared to 300."

"I know, Jackie," the Pooka sighed. "When you hit 300 years as a Guardian we'll throw the biggest shindig the planet has ever seen. We'll make it an all year affair."

The frost child only laughed and cuddled a little closer until he was flush with the taller being. "I think you better talk to North about that one. He doesn't like anything outshining his holiday."

"For you he'd make an exception."

. . .

North held out his hand to Pitch. "Jack's staff."

The shade glared at him. "Why should I? What's to stop me from simply taking to the shadows and keeping it, or worse, break it?"

"Because, despite your high and mighty attitude you care for the boy. If you destroy it you'll destroy what little bit of trust and affection you managed to gain from him," the Russian pointed out as he folded his arms across his broad chest. "For whatever reason, Jack worries about you. He hates knowing you're alone. He is much like his mother, no?"

Pitch's eyes narrowed and with a snarl he produced Jack's staff. With a twirl he handed it to North. "You don't know nearly as much as you think you do, Cossack." He turned to leave.

"Stay," North said, reaching out to stop Pitch. The shade only gazed at him over his shoulder. "Please, Jack would like it."

"You mean you don't want him to think you chased me away? Don't fret, North. This is a Guardian affair and I've already overstayed my welcome. Besides, I have duties of my own." With that he faded to the shadows.

North shook his head. At least they couldn't say he didn't try. He turned toward the party with a beaming smile, ready to join in when he noticed the snack table and the appalling assortment of treats. He wrinkled his nose in disgust and opened a portal to Santoff Claussen and made a call for his yetis to bring proper goodies and his record player.

He smiled as he watched Jack and his fellow Guardians and his first Believers bounce to one of the fast paced pounding songs. Jack and all the kids were singing the lyrics at the top of their lungs. It sounded like caterwauling to North but they were obviously having fun waving their arms in the air and simply jumping on the spot. He would have worried about the ice if it wasn't for the fact that every time Jack's feet touched the ground he was reinforcing the ice. North joined them as the yetis began resetting the snack table and setting up his beloved record player as elves ran about chattering in excitement. It was time to make this into a real party.

fin

Okay gang, I need reviews, lots and lots of reviews. I know this isn't my best fic but please review, I need as many as possible for the contest.