Moonbeams and Sunshine 16

North never thought he'd say it but he was happy to see Sandy's ship streak out into the heavens with Manny and Nightlight. It was as if with Manny's departure the tension that had filled Santoff Claussen since he had arrived left with him. He leaned his hip against the banister of the balcony and watched the tail of Sandy's ship as it disappeared. His gaze travelled just above it to the Moon shining brightly above and for once he was not happy to see it.

He was just about to turn away when he spotted Jack sitting on the roof, staring after the golden starship. He saw the mix of emotion race across the child's face; longing, anger, regret and finally resolve. Jack's lips pursed and nose flared before sighing and standing up. He took a step back in surprise when he spotted North watching him, then gave the older man a small smile before floating down to him.

"Hi," he said softly, nervously, not quite meeting North's gaze.

North smiled reassuringly. No doubt the boy was nervous because of his odd request earlier, fearful of how it might have changed their relationship. "Hi," he answered, not letting his smile falter. "Are you alright?"

He shrugged. "I will be."

But North could see that tension in his body and before Jack could pull away he was swept into reassuring embrace. It wasn't just for his benefit, North needed to know the child was alright, that what had happened with the ice elves and Manny had not caused permanent damage. "I know. I apologize for Manny. I am sorry he could not be more of a father to you."

Jack pulled away and looked up at him with those big blue eyes that anyone could get lost in. "North…" A small laugh came from him, surprising North. "I don't need him…not as a father at least. I have one and he's all I'll ever need."

"Oh." Disappointment filled his face as he thought of Jack's human father. Of course, the child had a father and with his memories back he could never forget him, not that North would ever want him to but it was nice thinking of himself as Jack's father. He blinked when Jack playfully shoved him.

"Wake up, North," he teased, giving him a cocky grin. "Did you hear anything I just said?"

"No, I'm sorry, Jack. What were you saying?"

The sprite shook his head, laughing. "You look like a kicked puppy. A really big puppy. What I was saying was that you're the only father I'll ever need."

North heart began to pound in sudden excitement. "Me?"

"Yes, you." He smiled warmly at him. "I don't remember much about my birth father, just a few stray glimpses. I don't think he was around much. But you've given me everything a father could. Even when I wasn't a Guardian and on your Naughty List you still tried to be friends with me, no matter how much of a brat I was. If that's not father material then I don't know what was. My only regret is MiM didn't make me a Guardian sooner."

Shaking his head, North pulled him back into his arms and hugged him tighter. "My regret is not realizing how important you will become to all of us all those years ago. I never should have dismissed you and left you at that accursed pond so long ago. I should have given you a home and cared for you 300 years ago rather than leave you to fend for yourself. You would have been believed in and loved. You never would have been alone."

"I wasn't all bad," Jack assured but North squeezed him just a little more. Knowing the guilt the older Guardian must have felt, Jack rested his head against that large chest and wrapped his arms as far around North as he could and hugged him back. "I love you, too, big guy…dad." North almost crushed him in a bear hug and Jack was stuck between choosing to breath or laugh.

"I love you, too, son," North murmured in his hair. He loosened his grip just a little. "But I must ask you something…where did you find the knife?"

Jack became tense but relaxed after only a moment. "I've had it a very long time…ahm…sometime during the Civil War. It belonged to a boy who was shot and tried to find help. I' not sure if it was the shot that killed him or my cold. I tried to help him but… I admired his bravery and wanted to keep something to remember him by. I was the first person to see me even if only for a few moments. He made me feel real. Well, sort off. He thought I was an angel."

"You are an angel, Jack," North assured. "I suppose the dry blood was from the war?"

Now Jack looked embarrassed as he pulled back just a little further. "Well, I did have to defend himself and my staff isn't so good close up so…" He waved his hand in a "you know" way. "I used it a few times."

"Against what?" North's brows were nearly in his hairline.

"Wolves usually, a black bear once, a couple cougars." Jack shrugged as if he didn't matter. "Usually they ran off but sometimes I had to kill them. Wish I could have produced a little fire. They would have made good eating."

For several long moments North simply stared at him, eyes wide, bewilderment all over his face and Jack feared he may have angered or disgusted the man. Then North have the belly laugh of his and slapped Jack on the back. "Indeed. It's been many years since I ate cougar but very filling and quite wild. Were you ever hurt?"

"Sometimes but I heal fast."

North nodded sagely. "Then it is time you learn to wield a blade properly. If you are up to it we can begin now."

That cocky smile returned as Jack skipped backwards. "I don't know, you sure you can handle me? You've never seen fight with a blade and I wouldn't want to tire you out."

"Oh? You think you're that good?"

"I know I am."

North grinned at the unspoken challenge. He poked Jack's nose with one large finger. "Don't get cocky."

Jack grinned, his eyes dancing with mirth. "Never do. Whoa, hey, put me down!" He burst into giggles as North threw him over his shoulder and received a swat to his bottom.

"As Bunny would say 'bloody show pony'" North teased, carrying him back inside and to the "gym". North made a note to completely convert the room into a gym as soon as possible. "Don't get so big for britches."

"It's 'too big'," Jack corrected.

"What? No, that's can't be right."

The boy only laughed and he was bounced with each long stride North took. Training with North was loads of fun. While North was fond of his swords and had a rather impressive collection Jack proved better with either short swords or daggers. And although Jack had no formal training he did have skills and managed to block more swipes than he ducked away from in their practice spares. North taught him how to hold his swords correctly and use two swords at once so that they never clashed with one another but Jack wasn't very good at it when they began go faster. It, like archery, would need a lot of practice. But with two daggers he was just fine, and much to everyone's surprise, he could throw them with deadly accuracy. Soon Guardians, Yetis and elves alike were coming to watch their practices and often would cheer Jack on.

The new gym was often used for Jack's training with Bunny, too – when they weren't at the Warren. Again, Jack showed a lot of skill. He had powerful kicks and was showed exactly where on an opponent was most effective to take someone down. He learned proper punches and sidesteps and how to use someone's weight against them, and while he couldn't throw North or any of the Yetis he did learn other ways to topple them over. In no time he learned how to pin Bunny and even Pitch and keep the down – which was extremely hard with Pitch since he would cheat and disappear into the shadows to sudden appear behind him. Nonetheless, Jack felt more empowered. Not so much as if he could take on the world but even to know he could take care of himself better and was less likely to be captured without more of a fight. Even Tooth and Sandy helped with his training. It became a family event.

Months later MiM requested the Guardians to visit him again – or more specifically, Jack to visit. After much debate and soul searching and even more debate, Jack agreed. It was just days after Christmas and North and the Yetis were in great need of a break but he wasn't overly thrilled by the request to bring Jack to the Moon was more. Plus there was the issue of an appropriate ship. Sandy's ship had been reverted back to his island and Sandy was not in a mood to change it yet again. The Lamas had no other spacecraft and were not overly happy at the destruction of the last one. So the visit was pushed back a full year and a half as North and the Yetis set to work building one. After all North had the most brilliant magical and scientific mind in the world, if anyone could design and build a working space vessel it would be him. Bunny and Pitch had a run bet on whether or not it would blow up in all their faces before it left the stratosphere. North didn't appreciate their "encouragement" but took it as a challenge and succeeded ahead of schedule with a ship far grander than what the Lamas had and much easier to pilot – another thing he set to work teaching Jack, much to Bunny's horror.

When they did arrive on the Moon, MiM kept his word to Jack. The boy was given a room much more to his liking – it included his favorite bedmate, Bunny – and the oversized room was reassigned to North and Tooth who were a little overwhelmed but made good use of it after North was certain Jack was fine and there would no need for a hasty retreat back to Earth. MiM made a point of spending as much tie as possible with Jack. It was often awkward and sometimes led to arguments but they slowly got to know one another. When things got too hectic Jack would retreat to one of the Earth based Guardians or hang out with Nightlight while MiM would seek advice from North or Pitch. They never developed a father/son relationship but they did gain a better understanding of one another and for Jack that was enough.

Even if his questions were never completely answered he did feel a little more complete. He had everything he could ever want; North, a father who doted over him and taught him everything he knew; Pitch, a grandfather more than happy to reprimand everyone and put in his two sense when needed and even when it wasn't; Tooth, a mother figure and big sister how protected him; Seraphina, who although helped give him back his life, was more of an aunt he knew was there but rarely got to see or speak to her; Sandy, his uncle who would do anything to make him smile; MiM, well he wasn't sure where he put him just yet; and Bunny, his best friend, big brother and love of his life. Who could ever want more? Even with all the weirdness and challenges he was a Guardian. He had a family, good friends and a growing list of Believers and while it might have taken 300 years to get here he knew with all his heart this was where he was meant to be.

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