Not Alone

Like electricity, lighting up his eyes, making his heart pump faster, and stretching his mouth into to such a large smile that it looked like it might just hurt his face. That is what it felt like when someone spoke to him. To him.

What most people don't even think about and take for granted, Jack Frost stands in awe, speechless, hoping that the dream would never end.

For years – three-hundred to be exact – Jack spent his time alone, with only the wind for a silent companion. You'd think he'd have gone insane, with so many questions, rants, complaints, and words building up in his brain. Oh, he asked his questions, he ranted, he complained, and he talked; but only the moon and the wind could hear him. The wind would try to comfort her lonely rider, gently pushing him to a place that would make him happier. She tried to help, but nothing but real, caring people could fix his problem. Of course the moon just ignored him, just like he always did, silently mocking him about his miserable lonely life.

So when those real, caring people suddenly popped into his life, his mind twisted into utter chaos. When someone said his name, he froze up – which is ironic—and his heart would speed up dramatically. When someone would touch him, his skin would tingle with an alien warmth. When someone would look at him – especially in his eyes—he felt he was going to explode if he didn't shout and scream, "You're looking at me! You can see me!"

But of course he never told anyone about his reactions to their attention. If he did, they might think he was a deranged, mental, weirdo, and then they might want to avoid him. That was the last thing Jack wanted: being dis-owned by the family he'd just gained. Then he might truly lose his mind.

So instead, Jack played it cool. He brushed aside the urge to do aerial acrobatics across the room; he suppressed his freakish smile to a small, content grin; he ignored that he suddenly had a warm, pleasant feeling creeping up on him; despite the fact that he was the spirit of winter, so he always felt cold. Jack shoved all that to the side, managing to keep his emotions in check.

"Jack!"

Jack snapped his head up and hit his head on the tunnel's ceiling.

"Ow! Bunny, how do you stand these low tunnels? You're even taller than I am!" Jack grumbled.

"I crawl on all fours mate, all fours." The spirit of Hope said.

"Of course." Jack muttered.

"What was that?"

"Oh, nothing." Jack rolled his eyes, but he was still smiling.

Bunny muttered something, but he couldn't hear it. Jack suddenly ducked his head, barely missing a root.

"Are we almost there? I swear I'm going to lose an eye down here or something sooner or later." Jack glared at Bunny.

"Don't be such a baby, Frost. But yes, we are here." Bunny gestured to a hole above, allowing light to filter in the tunnels.

"Thank goodness." Jack sighed. "Hey, I'm not a baby. I happen to be three-hundred years old."

"Eh, that's nothing. You may be old to a mortal, but to an immortal, you are a baby." Bunny smirked.

"Whatever, kangaroo." Jack sneered as he flew out the dirt hole.

"Uh? I swear there was light coming from up here just a second ago." Jack squinted, trying to see in the pitch-black. Jack cringed, mentally telling himself that he should say darkness next time.

"SURPRISE!"

Jack almost fell over, but was caught by someone, when the lights turned on and people burst from around the room.

"Whoa!" Jack blinked rapidly and shook his head. "What the heck was that?!"

"It's been a month since you became Guardian! This is late welcoming party!" North bellowed behind him, apparently the person who'd caught him from falling.

"Seriously?" Jack tilted his head, wondering if these guys were for real.

"Yes!" Tooth squealed, flying over to him. "We wanted to have it sooner, but we all kind of got distracted and well…"

"Wow, guys. T-thanks?" Jack said hesitantly.

"You're welcome!" Sandman signed. Jack smiled, causing a couple other mini tooth fairies to swoon. Jack chuckled and swung his staff over his shoulders.

North had the yetis bring out a meal, and they ate heartily. They asked Jack what kind of game he wanted to play. Jack smiled excitedly and explained a few games that he had always wanted to play, but never had the chance to since he hadn't had anyone to play with.

Jack sighed contentedly after dropping himself from the air onto a couch.

"Jack, we each have something for you." Tooth said. Jacks head snapped around to face her.

"What?" He asked.

"Here." Tooth handed Jack a simple, small, brown box. Jack looked at Tooth suspiciously out of the corner of his eye, then he gingerly lifted the lid off the box. Inside was Jacks little box of teeth, his memories. But there was another tooth box as well.

"You're letting me keep mine?"

"Yes."

"B-but, whose is this other box?"

"Jack, that's your sister's memories." Tooth said quietly.

Jack's eyes widened as he looked up at Tooth then back down to the memories.

"Thanks, you don't know what this means to me." Jack said with a smile.

Tooth just smiled back at him. Wait, my heart did not just skip, did it? Jack thought. Whatever.

Sandy floated over to Jack and handed him a tine glass cylinder filled with his pretty, golden dreamsand.

"Hey, neat-o! Thanks Sandy!" Jack patted the little man on the head. Sandy made a picture of Jack's hand on Sandy's head and put an X through it. Sandy shook his head with an irritated look.

"Okay, I get it. You don't want me doing that, it makes you feel shorter. Got it." Jack chuckled.

Tooth turned to Bunny. "What did you get Jack?"

Bunny gave Jack a piece of paper. Jack read what it said.

One Month of chastise Free pranks.

"Alright!" Jack laughed. Everyone else but Tooth, who just glared at Bunny, joined him in his laughter.

But their laughter was cut short when loud trumpets sounded. Jack whipped his head around and gave the stink eye to the elves who'd done it.

"Ha! My turn!" North shouted with glee. "Follow me!"

Jack slowly rose from the couch, and the rest followed him.

"Now, technically this is gift from all of us, since we all helped. Ready?" North swept his hand in front of a door. Jack raised his eyebrows and looked from the door to North.

He pushed it open, and nearly fell over once more. Jack did a double-take.

"A-are you kidding me? H-how… when?" Jack could barely speak.

"You have your own room!" Tooth shouted. "We peeked at your memories and got the design and layout of your old room and did the same here! We just changed the colors a little!"

Jack looked around, the room did look familiar. But instead of what should have been greens, browns, and blacks; there was deep blues, whites, and silvery greys. Jack couldn't believe it.

"You guys did this for me?" He asked, still dumb-founded.

North slung his large arm around Jack's shoulders. He tried to relax, but he still tensed noticeably at the contact. Jack stood speechless as Sandy and Bunny all gave him a pat on the back and a smile.

Tooth slowly came closer to Jack, tilting her head with her eyebrows creased.

"Jack, are you alright?" she asked. Jack shook his head, pulling himself of his thoughts.

"Y-yeah. I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be? I mean, this place is great! Thanks guys!" Jack smiled. But by the look on Tooth's face, she wasn't fully convinced.

X~X

Tooth looked behind her hesitantly before flying full speed towards Tooth Palace. The sun was setting, turning the sky into a lovely mixture of blush pink, baby blue, and soft orange. The clouds adorned the colorful expanse like jewels. Despite the amazing scenery, Tooth still had pressing thoughts that kept her smile at bay.

"As soon as I see that Baby Tooth is handling things well enough, I am coming right back." Tooth said to herself.

Tooth's sharp memory brought up a vivid picture of Jack's face after all the attention everyone gave him. She had also noticed that his hands had started to shake, and his breaths had begun to come in quick pants. Tooth wasn't stupid, or oblivious like her fellow Guardians; it was plain to her that something was wrong with Jack. And she wanted to know why.

X~X

Jack laughed as he zipped around his new room, spreading frost patterns on the dark blue walls. He stopped in front of the door and held his hand around his chin and tapped his lips with a finger.

"Hmmm." Jack squinted at the piece of wall above the door. He suddenly gasped. "Aha! I've got it!" Jack landed on the floor; opened the door and smiled when he saw that the door was blue on this side. He glanced down at the pattern on his hoodie. He growled when he couldn't see it right, causing him to try to look at it cross-eyed.

Jack sighed as he pulled the hoodie over his head. He held it against the wall and froze it there.

"Good, now I just have to-"Jack pinched his tongue between his teeth in concentration. He glanced from hoodie to the door and slowly, the pattern on his sweatshirt was replicated onto his door.

"Tada!" Jack shouted to no one in the empty hall. His voice echoed back to his ears, taunting him. Jack cringed, trying to push down his fears that he had officially boxed up a month ago.

"Don't freak out, Jack. It's just an echo. You're not alone. You're fine, you're a guardian, with believers, and friends, and… and I'm just fine, I going to be fine." Jack whispered to himself. He looked up and realized that it was now snowing in the hall. He rolled his eyes and willed the snow to stop; also giving the snow already on the ground a death glare, making it poof out of existence.

Jack reached his hand up to grab his hoodie off the wall when he heard a squeak. He whipped around and found Tooth standing by the door to the hall. Her feathered hand was held over her mouth, her cheeks were turning red, and her purple eyes darted everywhere around the room except to him.

"Hi Tooth. C-can I help you?" Jack gave her a confused look.

"Well… you…." Tooth gestured her other hand to the hoodie Jack held in his hand. He looked down at it, as if forgetting it was still in his hand.

"Oh." Jack bobbed his head. "Oh! Um…yeah, sorry!" Jack yanked the hoodie back on as what had happened dawned on him. He looked back up at Tooth, his face tinted a little blue from blushing.

"It-yeah, so um." Tooth cleared her throat. "I- uh wanted to talk to you about something."

"Okay. Sure, what about?" Jack said, as if nothing of what previously occurred never even happened.

"Well, I was-" Tooth's mouth suddenly gaped open.

"What?" Jack asked. Tooth pointed behind him. Jack realized she was looking at his door.

"Jack, that's amazing!" Tooth gasped.

"Y-you really think so?" Jack said, trying to keep his excitement out of his voice. I mean, sure, it was just a little fun artsy thing that he did on his door. He was used to people not realizing that it was Jack Frost that made the little pretty patterns on their windows. But this was Tooth; this was a completely different situation. Jack had to admit it; he liked Tooth. A lot.

"Yes, I think so! Wow! It… it's the pattern on your hoodie, isn't it?" Tooth glanced at Jack. He noticed her make eye contact, so he looked away; knowing that he wouldn't be able to stand looking into her eyes.

"Yeah, it is. That's cool that you noticed Tooth." Jack smiled. Tooth, because of his blinding smile, looked down and blushed.

"C-can I see what you did to the rest of your room?" She asked hesitantly.

"Sure, why not?" Jack pushed open the door and led her inside.

"Wow, you're talent is incredible!" Tooth smiled at him after turning in a circle, looking at the room.

"Thanks?" Jack placed rubbed his neck with his hand. Tooth looked at him, but her smile faded. The glow left her eyes and was replaced with a sad look. Jack frowned back.

"I'm sorry." Tooth said.

"What?" Now Jack was thoroughly confused.

"I noticed earlier today that you were kind of shaky and weren't breathing right. Jack, I know that I could never understand fully what you've been through, it must have been awful, but I do know what your problem is." Tooth said quietly. Jacks face fell.

"Oh, yeah, that." He said flatly. He walked to the window and looked outside, avoiding her gaze. "Well, now that you figured it out, now what?" Jack expected Tooth to say something like, "You're such a baby, grow up." Or for her to even just walk right on out the door. But she didn't, she stayed hovering in the same place as before. Jack gritted his teeth, knowing that if he didn't he would say something he would regret or something stupid.

Jack gasped when, suddenly, a pair of arms wrapped around him. He breathed hard as he looked down at Tooth hugging him. He was shocked into stillness, until she looked up at him with those beautiful purple eyes. Jack slowly and hesitantly brought his arms down around her. Tooth hugged him for a few seconds longer before releasing him. She smiled at him, and he could see the kindness in Tooth's eyes.

"Y-you care?" Jack felt confused.

"Of course I care! We all care, I'm just the one who noticed that you need care." She continued to smile.

"So, you don't think I'm weird? Or stupid?" Jack felt hope building inside him.

"Seriously? Of course not! I think you're great!" Tooth smiled wider.

A tear slipped from Jack's eye and slid down his cheek. And for the first time, Jack actually hugged someone. He stepped forward and pulled the fairy into his arms, raising her off the ground a little. Tooth put her arms around his shoulders and squeezed. Jack began laughing as a few more tears left his eyes. He pulled back a little and rested his fore-head against hers. He smiled at her.

"Jack, I also wanted to say-"

Tooth was interrupted when she saw his face hovering even closer to hers. He leaned forward, and a strange sensation swept through the two as Jack's cold lips pressed against her forehead. He pulled away, searching Tooth's face for any anger or irritation. Tooth just smiled at him, reassuring him that what he did was fine.

"Thanks" Jack said. And he pulled her into another hug. Another warm feeling passed through him, but this time he decided, that it was good feeling.