Merry Christmas everyone! I won't keep you waiting, here is the last chapter of The Freight Hopper of the Polar Express!

A single bell came loose from the reindeer and bounced once, twice, three times, then rolled to the boy's slipper clad feet. He bent down and gently picked it up, shaking it over and over directly by his ear. Tears came to his eyes.. Silence! A few more desperate shakes, but still nothing, I could tell from his face. I felt like crying myself.

"Okay, okay! I believe! I believe!" Blue robe said, to the bell, to himself, to everyone who was listening. He shook the bell…And his face lit up!

"He hears it! He hears it!" I shouted. North must have heard it to because he turned and began walking towards the kids. Everyone quieted down, waiting to see which kid would get the first gift of Christmas.

North then walked over and looked down at the boy. "Vhat vas zat you said?"

The boy, hadn't noticed North until now and with a look of shock turned and mumbled, "I believe, I believe. I believe this is yours."

"Well, thank you." North walked amongst the kids, making a comment to each one. I stayed out of sight next to Phil-why spoil the fun of sneaking around by revealing myself-as he talked about friends, skills, and the truly important gifts we can receive. Then he said in his loudest voice "Let's have this young man right here." Blue robe gawked as North pointed at him. He was led to the sleigh as North sat in the driver's seat. The boy climbed up next to him. "Now," North said. "Vhat vould you like for Christmas?"

"Me?"

"You." The boy leaned in close, North met him halfway, and whispered into the Guardian of Wonder's ear. Once the boy finished sharing North pulled back, a bit shocked. "Yes, yes, indeed." He then stood and held aloft the bell from before. "The first gift of Christmas!" Bending to the boy's height he said: "Zis bell is a vonderful symbol of the spirit of Christmas, as am I. Hm hm. Just remember the true spirit of Christmas lies in your heart."

"You better keep that in a safe place," the conductor offered.

As the boy tucked the bell into his pocket and walked down to the others, he was congratulated over and over. North called to his team and they were off. The sleigh circled the square once, then, with a Woomph of a portal, they were gone. Silence…then roaring cheers filled every inch of the square.

The celebration, complete with a band performance, was "rocking on top of the world" to borrow a quote. And all too soon the conductor called, "All aboard!"

Phil grabbed my arm as I started towards the train. "Woduge?" he asked, motioning to the party.

"Thanks, but I want to see the kids home safe." Phil nodded and smiled. "See you soon. Oh and don't think this means I'll be going easy on the pranks." My friend/rival shook his head in both recognition and mirth.

As I settled in on the roof, I heard a clamor below. Peeking in the window, I was upset to see blue robe looking so sad.

"We'll find it," yellow shirt said.

"Yeah, let's go find it right now," the girl encouraged, getting up. Before they could leave, however, the train started to move. The kids turned sorry faces to blue robe. "I'm sorry, about the bell."

"Oh no!" I cried as the reason for blue robe's sadness became clear. "The hole in his pocket! The bell fell out." I looked back at the square. "Let's find it, Wind!"

Together with Phil, some other yetis, and some flying elves, we scoured the area for the bell and came up with nothing. "The only place left is…the sleigh." There was no way I could find North-he could have used at least ten portals by now. However, I knew the Polar Express's route, "Wind, let's catch a train."

We made it just before the Polar Express left the tracks and hit the streets. We neared yellow shirt's house and I was happy to see North had gone all out there. While the shack had once been sad and dreary, now Christmas lights and a tree shown from the window.

"I still plan to visit and add some well-deserved fun to your life, kid," I said as he ran inside to look under the tree. He came back out holding a big present. Yellow cheered, smiling at his new friends in the window, then his eyes traveled to me, and he smiled and waved to all of us.

At blue robe's house I watched as he thanked his friends and the conductor, then said his goodbyes. As with the boy before him, blue robe looked at the windows of the train, then up at the roof. I waved to him then made one final disappearing act with my snow. Out of sight, I landed on the house's roof and got ready to wait up for Santa.

North arrived and was more than a little surprised when he saw me. "Jack? Vhat are you doing here?"

"Hey, North," I said as I climbed into the sleigh and began looking around. "My friend dropped his bell," I looked on the seat causing North to have to stand. "The one you gave him. Since no one could find it at the square," I moved onto the floor and taped his boot to get him to lift it. "I figured it must be…ah ha!" I showed him the bell that I found in the front corner of the sleigh.

"You, how you know about first gift? Vere you there? And how you know vhere boy live?"

"That can wait," I said, not sure if I'd ever get around to explaining. "You have a gift to deliver."

"Da." North took the bell and expertly wrapped it in a small box amazingly fast, then went down the chimney. When he returned he had a mischievous smile on his face.

"What's that smile for?" I asked.

"I left note for him vith bell. You come back tomorrow and see for yourself." North climbed into the sleigh, then with a shake of the rains, was off.

Out of curiosity, I stuck around. I usually spend Christmas in Burgress but I wanted to see what North had been talking about. Gift after gift was unwrapped that morning, I watched it all from the living room window, till finally the boy's sister pulled out the small box.

"It's for you," she said, handing it to her brother. His face lit up when he found the bell. Then he took a card out as well. "What's it say?" the little girl pleaded.

"'A mutual friend of ours found this in my sleigh. Better fix that hole in your pocket. Mr. C,'" The boy read.

"Mr. C? You met Santa Claus?! Who is his friend? Tell me!"

The boy looked thoughtful then an idea seemed to dawn on him. He turned towards the window and saw me. My frost spread across the glass as I smiled and waved. "The freight hopper!" I saluted him and he saluted back, his sister followed his gaze and saw me too.

That's when their parents came in, each tried the bell but could hear nothing, declaring it broken. But when the kids shook it, I could tell they heard the bell ringing loud and clear. I left the window as the family prepared to leave their home and visit others. In the air, I felt a deep sense of happiness, which stuck with me all the way to Burgress, where I spread it around.

That trip on the Polar Express was the most unforgettable, but it was far from my last. That night followed right on the fine line between thrill and danger. And I got to be part of at least one kids return of belief and wonder, and of course fun! I did finally tell North I had train hopped, that one night, in fact it was the vary day we defeated Pitch that I broke the news. But even though I'm a Guardian now and I know for a fact he would give me a never-expiring ticket, I feel it wouldn't be a true trip unless I was sneaking aboard. What can I say, it's the freight hopper in me!

This was so fun to write, hope you all liked the ending. Let me know what you think. Thank you to all who reviewed, favorited, and followed!