Prologue

*~ There once was a boy who could make anyone smile. From his little sister, whom he adored, to the grouchiest curmudgeon in his village, who would deny it if ever asked. These smiles are what he prided himself in, and what he strove to achieve in his everyday life. He was careful never to take a joke to far, and made fun of himself more than others, so no one would be hurt and fun could be had. Everyday should be one to smile about, was what he thought. So he strove to make everyday fun for everyone. ~*

A~ There once was a girl who had a world all her own. When reality would bore her, she would slip away and find a looking glass, or a rabbit hole to make her escape to the place she'd created. All her friends there were wonderful and mad, and would take her on all sorts of adventures. When she shared her stories with her parents and older sister they would laugh the way grownups do, and comment on what a wild imagination she had. They never believed her. But they enjoyed hearing her stories all the same, so the girl kept telling them so they could share in the adventure. ~A

*~ One day the boy took his sister out for what should have been a fun day of ice-skating. But as fate would have it their fun was cut short with a loud crack. But the boy knew the best way to help his sister was to keep her smiling, so he got her to safety using their favorite game, making her laugh despite the danger. But then the ice shattered beneath his feet, and wiped the smile from her face. When he next awoke he found he had no memory of his past, a new name, and all the power of winter. He could no longer remember the people he cared for, nor the warmth of their smiles. ~*

A~ One day the girl got distracted from her world when her sister came to her in need of a confidant. Her sister confessed her troubles of a man pursuing her affections, though she had no care for him. The girl didn't fully know how to help her sister, but did her best to cheer her up with a game of pretend, which worked for a time. That night the girl awoke to a horror that would haunt her forever. Someone had started a fire in her house, and her parents were begging the sisters to flee. The girl escaped out a window and could only watch helplessly as everything she loved burned. Reflecting this, her beautiful world and its inhabitants became ravaged, and it was then she realized that madness was not always so wonderful. ~A

*~ The boy soon rediscovered his love for smiles and fun (though he did not recall ever losing it). However the thing that brought him joy was subdued, for upon his awakening he had found that no one in the world could see him. What was the use of spreading fun, if you couldn't join in? Despite this the boy continued to spread fun with his snowfalls, because a subdued joy was better than no joy at all. And maybe, just maybe, someday he would be seen too. ~*

A~ The girl fought, and fought, and fought again, through the ravaged world of her own creation. Reality had become unbearable, but her once beautiful safe haven could no longer provide much comfort. The only solace to be found was in the few inhabitants still loyal to her, and the dream that one day her world would be beautiful again. So she armed herself and fought back against the madness to make that dream come true. ~A

*~ The boy found that he craved companionship. This urge was discovered when he found that there were others like him out there in the world. But they were blind to his plight, and he did not know how to ask for help. So he did his best to gain their attention through tricks and mischief. In doing so he would sometimes do what he had meticulously tried not to do before, which is take a joke too far, and some feelings were hurt. And while this did catch their attention, it also cast him in a negative light in the eyes of others. They wrote him off as a hellion who was nothing but trouble, and did their best to ignore him further. Little did they know, all that the boy wanted was a friend. ~*

A~ The girl sought solitude from others. She rarely socialized, and when she did she kept all at arms length. As much as the girl longed for companionship, she knew the pain it would cause when those she loved left her behind. She also feared persecution from her peers for her troubled past and madness, knowing they could hurt her further for being so different than the rest. So she kept herself at a distance, feeling that loneliness was less sharp a pain then loss. ~A

*~ One day the boy was brought before others of his kind. They had found themselves in need of his help, and asked for his assistance in defending the children whom he loved to make smile. The boy was reluctant to agree, for even though he cared for the children, those asking for his assistance had never helped him before. Still he decided to try to help, and soon found himself gaining the friends he had longed for in all his years of solitude. However, when their enemy set a trap that made his new companions believe the worst about him, his heart nearly shattered from their betrayal. Despite his pain, he found he still cared for them, and recovered the lost memories of his past. He saved their lives and together they struck down their enemy. When all was said and done, his new friends apologized for their mistakes, and he found he could forgive them, and then his battered heart began to heal. ~*

A~ After much toil and suffering the girl found that her world was on the mend, and she gained the confidence to return to reality again. The world outside her own was harsh and unforgiving, but she was confident she could live her life there with some hard work. She was eventually put in the care of an orphanage. It was run by a doctor who seemed to have her best interests in mind. In hopes of escaping her past, she let the doctor into her precious world hoping that with his help it would heal faster, and she could be happy once again. But she soon found that the good doctor was not as good as he seemed. He tore her world apart, hoping to shape the girl into a being of his own design. And to her horror she found he had already done the same to the other children in her orphanage. The last straw broke when she discovered that it had been the doctor who set the fire that made both her worlds burn. His betrayal shattered her fragile trust, and she knew she could never forgive him. So to make sure he would never hurt another ever again, she ended him. Then the girl left the reality that had hurt her so much, and planed to never return. ~A

*~ While the boy now had the companionship he had so desired, he was perfectly open to more. It would do the boy a lot of good to have someone in his life that was able to keep him grounded. To show him when a joke had gone to far, and the times it was required to be serious. It would benefit him to have someone who knew the pains of loneliness and betrayal, to better keep him from being hurt as such again, and that for whom he could do the same. ~*

A~ Though the girl had rejected the reality that caused her pain for the world of her own creation, she was still haunted by her troubles and felt little joy. The girl had not laughed since that last game of pretend with her sister, nor had she given a true smile since the day she'd been released from her madness for the first time. Now her smiles were either faked to hide her emotions, or smirks of triumph when she overcomes a difficult foe. There is no happiness behind them, and though she loathes admitting it, she thinks it would be nice to truly smile again someday. ~A

A*~ There once was two youths who's hearts and minds were battered and bruised by the worlds they lived in, but they were never broken. What would happen should they ever meet? ~*A

*A*A*A*

A/N I know what some of you are thinking. Why am I writing something for the romance section, when I usually try to avoid it save for a few hints here or there.

I got the idea for this fic while talking to Scorpiofreak, who's writing the awesome fic Winter Wonderland (check it out if you get the chance, along with her other fics which are also super good). She's the one who got me hooked on the Ice Tea pairing so much, that it's one of the few pairings I actually care about. It's thanks to her I decided to try my hand at this fic, and it just took off from there. I really like the idea of Alice and Jack as a couple. I think they balance each other out really well, and their odd-coupley-ness amuses me to no end. However, the actual romance part isn't until much later, and there is plenty more to this story than that.

So read if this tickles your fancy. Don't if it doesn't. Either way please review, that's what makes writing this worth while.

Disclaimer: I do not own Rise of the Guardians, the Guardians of Childhood book series or the American McGee's Alice series. Rise of the Guardians is owned by William Joyce, and Dreamworks. The American McGee's Alice series is owned by American McGee, and Spicy Horse. I am just a crossover obsessed fangirl with too much time on her hands (it's summer, what do you expect), and a real love for this ship.