Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"If ya want some eggnog better get some now mate... before Sandy drinks it all." Sandy rolls his eyes at Bunny though he's obviously not serious in his anger as he grabs another cup. Jamie laughs a little, taking a cup that's offered before trying the drink and finding that he actually likes the taste... though perhaps not as much as the Guardian of Dreams does. Jack sits by the window sill looking outside... It’s like he said... we're all pawns. Jack’s mind darkened, Jakoul taking over until he was a black eyed unfeeling demon. Jamie nearly choked on his drink, as much in surprise that he can hear the voice as that it sounded a lot like the old Jack....

"Jack?"

"What?" It was the same voice as well, that same hatred seeping into each syllable... Jakoul. He was going to ask what was wrong, like he had when he was human except that instead he dropped the cup he'd been holding and was reeling back, gasping suddenly. The force of the hate was like a physical blow. Bunny and Sandy were up in an instant. Bunny stood next to Jamie while Sandy floated nearby. North stiffened even as Tooth flew in but as soon as she saw the looks on the other's faces she knew she'd missed something and it wasn't a good something... Jack struggled with the hate inside him, it had no where else to go... which is why it was escaping though Jakoul. The problem with that, was that it had two places to go actually... one was through Jakoul... and the other... well the other was currently now curled up on the floor clutching his head in pure agony as the darkness sought to destroy the innocence it found. Jack shivered, looking at Sandy and Bunny he made one decision, to be knocked out for Jamie's sake. Sandy nodded a little when he recognizes the look in Jack's eyes, as if he's seen it before... maybe he has... It only takes him a few seconds to knock him out with his dreamsand.  Jack was down, like a light; the cold and hate receding along with Jakoul. The pain receded from Jamie, who stayed curled up, whimpering a little from the attack. What had THAT been all about? He didn't understand anything. Sandy took Jack to his room while Tooth handed Jamie his memories. The boy would understand only a bit more by the time Sandy's sand would wear off, but not much more. His own memories of his family had left him a little sad, but he was leaning up against the bed, staring off at a wall, lost in thought, when Jack finally awoke again.

Jack awoke to a pounding headache, he couldn't remember anything of yesterday except for the fact Jamie was now a spirit and a winter spirit at that. Jamie didn't notice at first that Jack was awake. He was off thinking about his memories, wondering about what had happened. Even with his memories back he wasn't sure what had caused what had happened. He knew Jack probably still was adjusting to being with people who cared about him, after all... he'd been alone for 300 years before Jamie had finally been able to see him. He wasn't sure he knew exactly what that would be like or that he wouldn't be the same if he had to deal with that himself. Jack looked around his body shaking slightly from the loss of energy. Jamie turned to him after a moment, pulled from his thoughts.

"Jack?"

"J-jamie." Jack rubbed his head. He smiled a little in relief that Jack seemed to be himself again.

"You worried everyone there for a minute."

"What do you mean?" Jack looked at Jamie confused.

"I guess you don't remember... They're worried about a possible split personality... I've only heard of such a thing... I've never known anyone who had one."

"A what?" Jack was more confused than ever now.

"Jamie, what are you talking about?" Jamie became thoughtful.

"A split personality. It happens, sometimes, when a person cannot cope with something. They're rarely aware that the other personality exists.... but sometimes one personality is kind, caring while the other is just the opposite... cruel and vicious."

Jack looked at Jamie in shock.

"J-jamie are you saying that I could have a split personality?"

"I'm saying it's most likely. All things considered... it's not surprising." Jamie said after a moment. Jack wasn't sure what to make of the thought but he felt like it wasn't true.

"I obviously don't have one then." He said in denial. Jamie shook his head.

"You may think so... but I've got the headache to prove it. I know you wouldn't hurt me on purpose, but that other side... it doesn't care."

"What other side? I don’t have another side, I’m me, I’m Jack and you’re wrong about if I have a split personality." Jack folded his arms his eyes still held that darker fire in them but were the same icy blues. Jamie sighed a little.

"Jack.... I'm concerned it's there... not because of what might happen to me... but because of what he'll do... I'm scared to think that he'll do what you've been doing the last 300 years... I don't want that to happen... I don't want you to suffer....." The last words were soft, almost too soft to be heard; his eyes glistening with unshed tears and a fear he felt deep inside. He didn't want this... this was worse than what he could have thought. He didn't want this for his friend, his brother.... Jack stood up hugging Jamie to him.

"I promise I won’t let it take over. I trust you and don’t worry, I would never hurt you." Jamie buried his head against Jack, hugging him tightly. The words all but sticking in his throat as he spoke, struggling to say what he needed to say....

"I-i know... I just... I love you Jack... I d-don't want this f-for you... You don't... d-don't deserve it." Jack’s heart squeezed at his words, he patted him and rubbed his back.

"I know, I know Jamie... you don't deserve any of it either." Jamie just held him close. How was he supposed to help his friend? He wasn't a psychologist or anything. He didn't know anything about this really other than what he'd said. He was still just a kid... there was so much he didn't know... He'd been taking a general psychology class the year before and knew sort of about this kind of thing but the textbooks had never said anything about curing such things... Jack sighed, sniffling slightly before letting go, and decided to take a seat and read.

Jamie sat next to him, off in thought now. He wanted to do.... something... He just wasn't sure what and the others weren't any better. Though the Guardians were discussing the matter in another room.

"I donno guys... I've done a lot of reading on this... Sometimes people get better... sometimes not." Tooth said. The others seemed surprised that she had even taken the time to do any reading on anything. Jack smiled as he was reading the notes Jamie wrote, since that was the last thing Jack took before the funeral. Jamie glanced over out of curiosity after a moment.

"Hey... I remember that..." He smiled a little, reading a passage over his arm:

January 6th, 2011

No sign of anything unusual today. Mom yelled at me for going to the pond. She says it's the most dangerous place in all of Burgess because of Jack. I don't believe her though. I've seen couples go there all the time. If it's so dangerous shouldn't they have the area roped off or something? I know the tale about Jack by heart now. At least the one about his past. I feel sorry for him really. Life back then was tough enough, but according to the records I found, he and I might be related. Distantly. What I found was that Emily Frost married a Joseph Bennett, who was brother to a Mark and Mary Bennett who had five children, who then had children themselves. One of which is my mom's great grandmother. It's odd, thinking I'm related to the resident "ghost."

His eyes slightly widened at that.

"W-we’re distantly related?" Jack looked at him strangely. Jamie looked a little sheepish.

"Yeah... I guess I forgot to mention that. I think I'm like your several greats nephew...." Jack chuckled.

"Well that’s really putting it in words there. I guess I’m your great great uncle." Jack felt happy Jamie was here... peace but something else didn't like that peace; it wanted to kill things, it wanted everything dead... in cold, Jack winced at the other personality’s whisperings.

"I wasn't sure what to think about it, at first I guess. I didn't think too much about it, I was really more concerned at trying to find you than whether we were related. I mean, I did look it up in the town archives out of curiosity... I wanted to know everything about you so that meant knowing who might be your descendants. I honestly wasn't expecting it to be me." Jack sighed.

"Yeah, I kind of don’t know what happened back then or why I murdered all those people. I used to be happy ‘till... well, the emptiness and not being seen or heard got to me and created, well, Jakoul." Jack closed his eyes a tear making its way down his cheek onto the floor frozen.

"Well let’s not dwell on the past, let’s write new notes." Jack smiled and explained every little thing about himself and what he could remember.

"You were just lonely. I don't blame you Jack." He said, hugging Jack before finding a pen and flipping to the final page. He didn't know what the date was, but that didn't matter; he figured he'd find out later as he left a space for it. Taking notes on everything Jack said with a smile.

“...and one time I didn't know that I didn't need to eat so I was basically stealing apples and such from fruit vendors for a century or so.” Jamie giggled a little at that. At some point he'd made a note on the side that he was a spirit himself as he took notes on how Jack didn't realize that he didn't really need to eat. He seemed rather amused by that, though he could understand how it was Jack wouldn't realize that since it would be a habit, after all.