Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It had been 12 years since Jamie met the Guardians. Ten years since Pitch Black, the boogeyman, had been defeated by Jamie, his friends, and the Guardians. Ten peaceful years. Jamie has since grown up to be 20 years old. He was in college, or at least on winter break from college. Back in his home town of Burgess he was enjoying the crisp winter air admiring his old friend, Jack Frost’s, handiwork.

Maybe he’ll convince his sister, Sophie, to participate in a snowman building contest later.

Lost in thought, he almost missed the rabbit sitting stubbornly at his feet. It had dark fur and even darker eyes, and it was staring at him. Jamie knelt down to get a closer look at the odd thing.

Don’t rabbits hibernate? Or was that foxes?

It didn't look like it was completely out of the ordinary. Other than the unseasonably dark fur that is. But it looked hurt. It hopped a step away, or limped more accurately then stopped. It watched Jamie intently as he picked it up and began looking for a veterinary office. As he made his way around town he found they were closing early due to the coming snow storm. Looks like he’s taking the poor thing home with him. No way he’s letting an injured rabbit that's obviously someone’s pet stay outside in the cold. Guess he’ll take it to a vet in the morning.
At home he bandaged up the rabbit and set it in an old cage that his childhood dog used. It was huge compared to the small rabbit but it’ll have to do. He didn't want it hopping around the house to get more hurt than it already was.

Now… How did this cage latch again?

Apparently the Rabbit’s name was Houdini ‘cause late into the night Jamie woke to the sound of creaking hinges and the sudden freezing wind whistling through his blankets.

“Jack… it's really late…” Jamie groaned and yawned.
No one replied.

“Jack?” Jamie sat up and looked around. No jack… just the rabbit in the window watching something. “Alright Houdini… if you wanted a breeze I could have turned on a fan…” just as Jamie reached for the rabbit, newly deemed ‘Houdini’, to put it back in the cage it leapt from the window. It stopped in the street and looked back at Jamie.

Is it asking me to follow it?

Jamie followed the rabbit rushing to throw on a jacket and shoes before flying out the door. Houdini seemed to take his flying out the front door as permission to hop off. Still it would stop and check behind it every few feet to see if Jamie was still following behind. And Jamie was still following now at a brisk walk instead of running so as to not pace the injured creature.

Finally the rabbit came to a stop. In the center of a frozen lake. A frozen lake that Jamie was very familiar with. Houdini sat there staring at the young man, silently asking him to step closer.

“Hey little guy… It's really cold out here. I should get you back inside. I promise I'll try to find your owner when you've been checked over by a vet in the morning,” Jamie shivered and crept onto the ice careful to check every step first. Jack had warned him enough times these past 12 years to know not to underestimate thin ice. “How about a carrot? Wait… carrots aren’t good for rabbits are they? umm… how about kale, or spinach? How does that sound?” Jamie inched ever closer as Houdini stared him down, tiny nose wriggling in the frigid wind.

The odd rabbit deemed Jamie’s slow approach to be close enough as it turns and flattens to the ice. It appears to melt into a puddle of inky blackness. It was now Jamie’s turn to stop and stare as the puddle rippled and stirred. Within a few moments something began to rise from the dark sludge.

The first bulge formed a hand and clawed into the ice. The second bulge did the same. Then as if pulling itself from water the puddle began to form a face and torso. Robes drenched in the puddle’s midnight emanated from the form’s torso. The thing’s skin began to lighten to a glittering gray. Eyes began to form and glow an eerie yellow. Black hair swooped around it’s his face.

He looked up at the young man with pain and fear and croaked out a quiet “please
help me… I'm scared.” before passing out fully formed from the now gone puddle.

“Ohh… no..”

Jack was bored… he almost always was these days. Not much happened anymore now that Pitch Black was defeated. The other guardians all had jobs that they've been doing for hundreds of years if not longer. His job was less a job and more of a slight push and pull in the balance of nature. Granted it was more of a hefty shove nowadays but that's Mother Nature’s job. Not his. His was just to make things cold for a few months a year. And he was doing great, mostly… that blizzard last January was only supposed to be a small snowstorm but none of the smaller storms from the rest of that winter had entirely stuck. Mother Nature had told him to make it big so he made it big. That was all on her. Not him.

But now with his weather duties over for the day and most set up for the next day he had nothing better to do than float around the North Pole and have some fun. As far as he knew his last prank had been taken very well. North did insist Jack practice some other basic magics. And that's what he did, magic’d the yetis’ shampoo to turn their fur green. It was Saint Patrick's Day after all. The yetis found it hilarious but North? North wasn't as amused. And now he’s not allowed near the yetis’ grooming supplies for the next 20 years.

“JACK!” bellowed North from below. “Get down here!” he called up again.

He didn't do anything this time, right?

“Coming, North…” Jack groaned. As he began to float down to the ground, perching on his crooked stick.

“If you’re bored perhaps you should do some reading. Catherine has plenty of books on the history of the Guardians. They’re in my office.” North was doing that thing parents do, the one where they ‘suggest’ that their kid should do something but really meant it as an order. To be fair if anyone of the guardians were to be a father figure to Jack it would be North. Tooth was too much of a mom friend type and Bunny was more like a sibl-

Wait… who has plenty of books on the guardians?

“Who’s Catherine?” Jack asked, interrupting whatever North was saying to the yeti known as ‘Phil.’

“Mother goose? One of the first guardians alongside me and Ombric? You know her…” North seemed confused by Jack’s question.

“No… I know a Mother Nature, work pretty close with her actually, but not a Mother Goose,” Jack replied.

“Well Catherine is one of us. She’s the Guardian of Stories, and practically my sister if Ombric had a say in it.” The older man shrugged, handing a thick, red leather and metal bound book to Phil. “Have I not introduced you to her yet? I thought I had…” North stared at the blond haired spirit in front of him.

“I guess we’ll have to fix that soon. Perhaps the annual post Christmas deliveries party?” Jack knew he wanted to meet this other guardian but he also knew North had a lot on his plate with just a few weeks from his big night. “Or I could go pay a visit myself?” he suggested to the pondering North.

“No no… she’ll dice you up in a minute if you try. That is, if you can make it past her guards. No… i’ll introduce you. It should only take a few minutes. Then I can get back to preparations without you making another reason to be at the top of the naughty list.” North began to walk off motioning for the eternally-young boy to follow.

Then Jack felt a buzz of magic from his right hand. About 7 years ago Jack gave Jamie a ring enchanted with a spell called ‘far speech’. Jack had a matching one and instructed Jamie to only use it when there's an emergency. And now it was buzzing like a bumble bee in a greenhouse.

North stopped to see why Jack was no longer following him. Jack was staring at the ring growing paler than he already was.

“Jack… JACK. go.” North ordered shortly. He knew the importance of this ring, he helped the mischievous boy enchant it and its pair. “Go. we can meet and greet later.”

And with that Jack was off to save Jamie.

Within a few minutes Jack was in Pennsylvania and in seconds was in Burgess, and even faster at Jamie’s door. The door opened to a very worried looking Jamie before Jack could even raise his hand to knock.

“You're here, good… get in…” Jamie pulled Jack in and shut the door.

“Jamie… What's going on? What happened?” Jack asked as he followed the young man through the house to his living room. Was there something wrong with him? With his little sister? Is his friend okay?

“Just promise you won't freak out…” Jamie said hand on the door knob to the living room. Blocking the powerful spirit’s path.

“What is it, why would i nee-”

“JUST…promise,”

“Okay… I promise not to freak out…"Jack said. Jamie gave him that look. “I promise on the snowflakes of every winter I've made and will ever make,” Jack sighed.

“Thank you,” Jamie nodded and slowly opened the door. Careful to still block Jack’s physical advance into the room.

Jack peered over his shoulder only to regret the attempt as black robes and hair came into view. Without a moment of hesitation Jack put himself between his friend and the King of Nightmares.

“Jack… JACK WAIT!” Jamie wormed back in front of Jack with arms raised in front of himself.

“He’s hurt. He won't be a threat to you. He’s been asleep for hours.”

“Jamie, he tried to kill you. I'm not gonna just let him get the drop on us.” Jack fumed at the threat that dared to return to the living plane and get near Jamie. His. Jamie. He inched into the room, eyes and stick trained on the man, ready to jump into action if he did anything.

“I know. I know… bu-” Jamie began

“Who are you young man?” The voice was familiar, the tone wasn't. Pitch had woken. Pitch had them at surprise. Why wasn't he doing anything?

“That’s what I was trying to tell you… I don't think he can remember anything from before.” Jamie moved between the spirits. “Please sit. Listen…”

Jack sat on the footrest in the middle of the room between Jamie and Pitch. “Fine. but if he tries anything…” Jack didn't need to finish that sentence, Jamie knew what he meant.

“Pitch… what do you remember?” Jamie prompted.

“My daughter… I remember hearing her voice… calling me from behind the prison doors.” Pitch sniffled. “I remember flinging the door open. And then waking up to this young man here,” Pitch gestured to Jamie, “he dragged me to his home. I'm sorry if I am threatening to you. I promise I don't mean to be. I only want to know where I am and how I got here… like this.” Pitch looked down at himself in confusion.

Did his hair fall around his face like that before?

“You remember… nothing? Nothing of the nightmares… or the guardians?” Jack asked. It couldn’t be true… right?

“Nightmares? I fought fearlings and dream pirates, caught them all and guarded their prison alone. And… guardians?” Pitch looked at Jack with a look on his face like a confused puppy before continuing “my name is Kozmotis Pitchiner, Lord High General of the Galaxies. I defended the golden age constellations from the fearlings.” Pitch seemed to take great pride in this name and title as he sat just a bit straighter than before.

“Maybe I should read up on the history of the guardians…” Jack puzzled over his inevitable history homework. “Maybe I could bring the books here and read them out loud!” Jack lit up, literally, for a small moment before standing. Jamie had gotten used to Jack’s occasional lightbulb moments when he was excited. Pitch… was not. He looked very alarmed at the blond one’s sudden golden glow appearing and disappearing.

“That sounds like a great plan, Jack!” Jamie saw his opportunity to learn more about his odd friends.

“That could be helpful… yes.” Pitch agreed.

And with that Jack was off to get some books.

Chapter Text

Today’s the day Katherine finally gets to meet the new guardian! North sent her a message last night. She was excited to finally get to know them. She was so excited, she couldn't sleep so off she went looking for any scrap of information on this new ally, but to her chagrin she couldn’t find a thing.

Odd…

Usually there was something on new entities but there was absolutely nothing. She couldn’t even find a name for this entity. Now the sun was up and the main Ganderly library was a mess. North and the new guardian would be here soon.

I need to clean up a bit.

As Katherine began to clean a shiver of cold wind rustled through the halls of Ganderly. She could sense the Raconturk guards tense at some unseen threat. North must be here already, that made no sense though… the Guards knew her friends and their preferred mode of transport well, why would they tense at north or his sleigh?

The cold wind became a swirling chill in the air that swept through her books. Snowflakes and golden leaves fly in the wind around her. Her hair and skirts dance in the cold gales. Suddenly Katherine felt a presence behind her. Cold as the winds of winter and solid as ice. It was only a moment between this feeling and the small dagger she kept in her belt being pressed to the throat of this icy intruder.

Eyes that glow blue as glaciers stare back in shock behind stark white locks, seeming to defy gravity. A small shimmer of brilliant gold swirls deep in those eyes.

Those eyes…

Katherine knew those eyes… she knows this face… It's different from before but they are so familiar.

“Please don’t shank me…” the impossibly pale face spoke.

That voice too…

“Katherine! He’s a friend!” North calls to her. “He isn't here to hurt you! He’s our newest guardian,” North placed a firm hand on the boy’s shoulder and leaned down to his ear. “I told you not to fly ahead…” the Boy nods in frightened agreement.

Katherine lets her hand fall and places the dagger back in her belt.

“Sorry for the scare… I’m Jack Frost!” the boy- Jack Frost?- extends a hand to her. “It's nice to meet you!”

“Jack Frost huh? I’m Katherine of Ganderly.” She shakes his hand, eyes still locked on to his. “I usually have information on all spirits and entities on Earth and the Moon… how come I’ve never heard of you?” she questioned him, hand still firmly grasping his.

“I- I don’t know… I truly don’t know much about myself, I guess that's why.” Jack shrugged, taking his hand from hers. “North apparently forgot to introduce us these last 12 years, he figured we could hit two birds with one stone here.” he slouched, one hand in his hoodie pocket and the other around a tall wooden stick.

Why does that stick feel like North’s magic?

“I was hoping you had a book on the history of the Guardians that I could borrow?” he looked up through his bangs with a glimmer of that gold shining again.

“Uh… yeah… I have a few books like that around here. Our history is kinda long so it's broken up a little. But I can get you started. North… Do you think he should start with the golden age history or your history?” Katherine motioned for North to follow her.

“Perhaps save the golden age for after Bunny’s history?” He replied, stepping aside with her.

“I know him…” Katherine mutters to her adopted brother.

“You do? From where? He said he’s never met you before,” North puzzled.

“I know him from… before…” Katherine glanced over to Jack who had somehow made instant friends with her Himalayan snow goose, Kailash. “His eyes… they sparkle with gold…” Katherine stared at the spirit and the goose, apparently Kailash liked getting scritches from Jack’s stick.

“Gold? But his eyes are blue,” North stroked his white beard with a puzzled and knowing look.

“It’s him North… he’s Nightlight. I know it.” Katherine hissed out. North paused, staring at her and at Jack.

“I know.” North sighed. “I mean- I’ve suspected it since he arrived in the North Pole when he was chosen, but I never had confirmation.” He looked relieved to finally share this information.

“You do?” Katherine stared in shock.

“I always remember my creations, and besides Twiner is a very abnormal stick,” he nodded.

They were both staring now. Jack apparently noticed this and stopped playing with the enormous goose to look back, head cocked to the side.

“The stick has a name?” Katherine turned to find the book Nightl- Jack needed.

“It talks too…” North whispered in her ear. “And can shapeshift.” he nodded like a talking, shape shifting stick in the hands of an amnesiac star turned winter spirit was a completely normal set of circumstances.

“Why on Earth would you make that?” Katherine couldn't help but stare at her apparently insane brother. “You know what… don't answer that.” Katherine grabbed the books for Jack and walked away. “Jack, I have the books on North’s and Santoff Claussen’s history. You can start here.” she handed the books to Jack “I’ll lend you the history of the golden age and Bunny when you've read and returned these. I’ll even quiz you on them if you’d like.” Was that flirting? She hoped that wasn’t flirting.

“Oh, thanks! I’ll take good care of them, I promise. Jamie will love this," Jack's smile was brilliant and surprisingly warm.

“Jamie?” Katherine asked.

“Oh, he’s the first kid to believe in me. We’ve been friends ever since! He’s 20 now and still believes in all of us.” Jack’s smile grows wider as he explains. “Maybe I'll bring him over to introduce the two of you when we’ve finished these books!”

“Huh… that would be nice. I’d love to meet him,” Katherine couldn’t help but return the smile.

“Jack, why don’t you go on ahead? Me and Katherine need to chat.” North shooed him off.

Jack nodded and off he flew leaving a frosty thank you behind him on the floor. He flew to Jamie’s house to start the first of many study sessions with his best friend and his enemy. Katherine seemed lost in thought, nice though. Her giant goose was very friendly too.

I'd love to get to know Katherine better.

Jack made it back to Jamie’s house and knocked on the door. Jamie answered with caution.

“It’s me Jamie…” Jack rolled his eyes.

“Oh… hehe…come in.” Jamie opened the door. “I thought you were one of the others.”

“Nah… the others are busy. And North is having a visit with Katherine.” Jack shrugged as they walked to the living room.

“Katherine? Who’s that?” Jamie asked.

“The Guardian of Stories and apparently North’s sister.” Jack started. “Well adopted sister.” he clarified. “Ya ready to study?” he asks, holding up the books.

“You have multiple books…” Kozmotis looked puzzled.

“yeah, this one,” Jack held up a red bound book with gold accents, “is about Nicholas St North aka Santa Claus. And this one,” he held up the other one, bound in brown leather with green leaf like gems, “is about the town Santoff Claussen.” Jack smiled.

“Maybe we should start with the one about North?” Jamie takes a seat across the room.

“Yeah… start with the familiar.” Jack took a seat on the footrest and set down the other book. “Ok North, what are your secrets…”

North grew up in the Russian wilds completely alone, he was taken in by and became a Russian Cossack called the ‘Price of Thieves’ that was until he had a moon-sent dream about treasures greater than all the treasures in Russia and flew to the town of Santoff Claussen on a beam of light created by a spectral boy.

Spectral boy?

North saved the children of the town from their great guardian bear that was being controlled by the nightmare king: Pitch Black.

“Wait… why would I do that…” Kozmotis interrupted in indignation.

“Well… you were kinda evil. Hell, you tried to kill Jamie.” Jack shifted.

“Oh… I am deeply sorry my boy…” Kozmotis apologized with sorrow in his voice.

“Never thought I would hear those words out of your mouth…” Jack shrugged and returned to the book.

North saved the kids but was injured in the process. The leader of the town: Ombric, and his adopted daughter: Katherine nursed the wildman back to health. He began to learn Ombric’s magic and built the Mechanical Djinni out of metal and magic.

“North built a functional android in the 1700s?!?!!” It was now Jamie’s turn to interrupt.

“Huh… yeah. It still helps out around the Pole. Sometimes, North needs to use the Djinni as a sleigh. It shapeshifts. not as weird as it sounds, I promise.” Jack was sure he mentioned that at some point…

The book goes on to detail the journey to the Himalayas to find a ‘moon relic’ only to discover that Pitch had overshadowed the Djinni. A great fight ensued and Katherine was cornered in a cave with a jinxed North and Ombric. The mysterious Spectral Boy came to the aid of the girl again and warned the Lunar Lamas who lived on the mountain. Together they fought off Pitch Black. The Lunar Lamas finally told them the name of the Boy: Nightlight.

Nightlight… Why have the guardians never mentioned him?

“Jack you okay?” Jamie looked worried.

“Hm… yeah… lets keep going.” Jack shook himself and kept reading.

Ombric, Katherine, and North met the man in the moon: Tzar Lunar. And he names them and Nightlight his guardians. Protectors of children and fighters of darkness and fear. The book goes on to detail several of North’s exploits as the Prince of Thieves and comes to an end.

“Tzar Lunar…” Kozmotis puzzled over the name. “Do they mean Prince Lunar? What happened to his parents?” He seemed troubled by this.

“It's getting late, who's up for tacos?” Jamie stretches and walks to the kitchen.

“Sounds good.” Jack said not quite listening. He too was puzzled by a specific character. “Pi-Kozmotis?” Jack asked.

“Yes, Jack?”

“Have you ever heard of a Nightlight?” Jack stared at the cover of the book, scared to look the ex-king of nightmares in the eye.

“Why yes… Nightlights are stars summoned to protect a royal child of the golden age. They are incredibly powerful beings of pure light, created to be protectors.” Kozmotis began. “They are only summoned when the child is believed to be in great danger. As far as I know there's only been 7 Nighlights. The seventh was summoned to protect Prince Lunar. It was the height of the fearling war, the infant Lunanoff Prince would have been very valuable.” Kozmotis finished.

Chapter Text

“Why did you call us here? We are all pretty busy..” Bunnymund asked the unusually quiet North.

“What’s going on?” Toothiana places a gentle hand on North’s shoulder.

“Mim?” Sandy signs with dreamsand hands.

“No… not Mim. Nightlight,” North says in a near whisper. “We found Nightlight.”

“Okay, so what's the problem? Is he dead or something?” Bunny asks half jokingly. North sighs and shrugs as he turns to face the people he’d call his family. “Oh stars… he is dead isn’t he…”

“Sort of…” Katherine speaks up, “but also not really… it's clear he doesn’t remember who or what he is… for now.”

Bunny and Sandy visibly relax.

“We have to ask something of you all… we are going to tell you who he is BUT you must promise not to tell him a thing. He must remember on his own. Got it?” North was stern and clear in his wording, he practiced these words in his head for the better part of 4 hours now. His practice paid off as each of them nodded in agreement. In turn Katherine nodded for him to begin. “N-Nightlight is… Jack.” he was whispering again. But they seemed to hear him as Bunny stood straight and Tooth gasped. Sandy clearly had some suspicions himself as he responded like North had given him the answer to a particularly hard riddle.

“That little icicle is the first Guardian?! No wonder you want him to figure it out on his own, mate, He’ll be pissed.” Bunny was annoyed, that was fairly expected. Him and Jack didn't really get along.

“That explains why he kinda glows when he gets excited or mad!” Tooth was overjoyed.

“wait… what do you mean he glows?” Bunny asked Tooth.

“You never noticed?” Tooth giggled. They began to bicker amongst themselves.

“Guys!” Katherine yelled. They all stopped and returned their attention to Katherine and North. “From now on we need to be careful with this info. Jack must learn it himself. He’s already curious about all our history and reading my books. I'm sure it won't be long before he starts putting pieces together. He might already be putting them together or at least Jamie might. From what I heard he’s quite smart.”

“We need to gather up all the information we have and remember on Nightlights. For our sake and eventually Jack’s when he starts to remember.” North sets each of the Guardians to a corner with a journal and pen to record everything they know. “Katherine will send Mr Qwerty to each of you in an hour to record and condense everything you’ve written.” North takes up his own journal and pen to begin writing.

A couple of hours pass in as close to silence as the North Pole can get when so close to delivery night. In the corner of North’s eye a beam of light pours into the room onto a specific section of the floor.

A new guardian?

“Everyone! Gather up!” North calls as each of them put aside their journals and circles around the giant crystal to see who will join their ranks. “Mim has chosen a new guardian! I wonder who it will be?” his eyes twinkle at the use of his center.

The blue and silver light shimmers and bends, building a picture of the person from the ground up.

“Groundhog, Groundhog, Groundhog,” Bunny crosses his paws as Tooth buzzes with excitement.

The moonlight slowly reveals the face of the new ally only for silence to follow. Dark spiked hair, sharp features, yellow eyes, and black robes take shape on the crystal light.

“Pitch?” North whispers in shock, confusion, and anger. “Pitch?! He’s back?! How? Why?” North grabs his saber and lists several Russian composers in quick succession. The others can't help but stare in confusion at the crystal as it lowers back into the floor.

“Wh- where?” Tooth asks, quivering.

The Mim responds by sending a moonbeam to highlight a specific place on North’s globe. (who is still cursing in Russian Composers by the way.)

“Jamie…” Bunny and Tooth gasp.

“Jamie?” North stops his cursing and turns. “Jack!” North rushes off to the sleigh hearing the others quickly follow behind him.

Jack was eating tacos and skimming through the history of Santoff Claussen, which turned out to be very dry. Mostly Ombrics records of births, deaths, and important events. The others seem to agree with his unspoken boredom as Jamie yawns through his taco. Kozmotis looks like he is reliving some particularly boring strategy meetings and very much doesn’t want to be reliving those meetings.

Jack takes a bite of his taco and continues on.

This moment of bored silence is interrupted by a loud smashing in of Jamie’s front door and lots of yelling.

“Jack! Jamie!” calls out North.

“Tooth and Sandy, take the second floor.” orders North. They follow his orders with a nod.

“Jack…” Jamie whispers nodding to Kozmotis. Jack nods back and takes positions behind the living room door. Jamie tries to hide Kozmotis behind the couch when North and a much larger than normal Bunny with significantly more limbs rushes into the suddenly crowded room.

“Jamie!” Bunny rushes to separate the boy and Kozmotis instead he punts him into the wall on accident. Jamie is knocked out against the wall and Kozmotis cowers behind the armchair.

“JAMIE!” Jack screams in anger and the room gets impossibly bright all at once and the guardians shield themselves as Jack explodes with brilliant light.

“Jamie…” Jack whimpers as his vision goes black and he hits the floor.

“Jack!” Kozmotis calls rising from his hiding spot. His hand hurts like it's been burned. Before he could take a step toward either boy, North slaps a restraint spell around him. He falls to his knees as two others, one a tall feathered woman with wings and the other made of golden sand, enter the room. “Mansnoozie?” is all he could get out before he too passes out, gold sand swirling around his head.

It's been at least a few hours since the fight, his head is still pounding and his hand hurts even worse than before.

At Least they bandaged the burns…

Kozmotis was locked in a clear box in the center of “the Pole” as North called it. Speaking of which, North is sitting against a desk, arms crossed,angry, watching him.

Is that his Tzar’s blade on North’s hip?

“How?” North asks, the first thing he’s said this entire time. “How are you back…” North clarifies through gritted teeth. He is somehow even scarier than when he was in the fight.

“I- I dont… I dont know… I just woke up in that boy's, Jamie’s, house.” Kozmotis shrugged. “I apparently emerged from a dark puddle in a lake…” North fumed, clearly not appreciating the attempt to de-escalate the tension. “Sorry…”

North huffed and turned to the book he was holding.

Kozmotis watched him. Red coat covered in geometric embroidery and trimmed in black wool. Tall, nearly as tall as the pooka. Long hair tied in a loose braid down his back and small braids in his beard. And his eyes… blue and warm and crystal like. They seem like pools of azure water in tropical paradise. An-

Why do north’s eyes glimmer like that? OHGODS he’s looking at me.

Kozmotis quickly looks away as North notices the gazing. He could feel heat rise on his cheeks.

Pitch was staring at him… or was it gazing? When North finally looked up at the imprisoned man he looked away with red spreading on his cheeks.

Was he blushing?

Now that he wasn't completely full of rage he could actually take in his enemy. His skin was still gray and robes were still flowing and black. His hair was spikey and black but…

Did his hair always fall around his face like that?

Flushing, North turns back to the journal entry on Twiner. Twiner was in a sort of hibernation, possibly for the last 300 years. Waking him will take a bit more effort than asking politely. He knew he left a waking incantation with the information he recorded about Twiner. Ah… there it is…

“To sleep and back, from sun and night, wake you warrior in shining light.” North bellows with belief in every word. And judging by what sounded like Jamie screaming, it worked.

Chapter Text

Jamie’s screaming…

JAMIE’S SCREAMING!

Jack wakes up with a start to Jamie’s screams only to see an odd wooden face in front of his own. Even more startled by the odd face than Jamie’s scream, he leapt up to stand in the corner of his bed.

Where was his stick?

Jack’s stick was gone. A weird wooden person was staring at him. Jamie was on the other side of the room looking quite startled. And his stick was still gone.

“Hello!” the wood spoke. The wood spoke. “I am Twinetender, but you can call me Twiner!” The wood person bounced about like a rubber ball.

“Where’s my stick, Jamie?” Jack asked, eyes trained on the wooden person.

“That is your stick, jack…” Jamie pointed to them.

“Hwat…” Jack snapped out of his fighting stance and stared at the thing Twiner.

“Yyyup! I am the stick you’ve carried for over 300 years, I was there when you saved your siblings, and I will remain at your side till the day I am no longer needed.” Twiner spun and gave a deep bow to Jack.

“Wait… siblings? I thought you only had a sister?” Jamie inched toward Jack’s bed.

“I don't… only fle- Ana. only Ana…” Jack shook his head.

“Oh but you DID have a brother, he was on the lake that day too. Jacklovich was his name I think.” Twiner pondered.

“maybe you just don't remember?” Jamie suggested. “I’m sure if you asked North-”

“North…” Jack interrupted his friend as he remembered what had happened the previous day.

North rushed in. North got Jamie hurt. North.

The room got cold. Far colder than it normally got, Jack felt an icy chill set into his bones with only one thought in his head: make North Cold.

“J-Jack… please stop… it's getting very cold in here.” Jamie shivered with a white mist leaving his mouth. Twiner too looked cold as he stepped between Jamie and the winter spirit. Jack moved to the door and left.

Make North cold.

Jack headed right for North as the much larger room dropped several degrees in temperature. North shivered, nose still in a book.

“NORTH!” Jack yelled, ice in his voice.

“Jack! You should be in bed… what’s wrong?” North asked not fully turning to see the angry winter spirit.

“You let Jamie get hurt,” Jack growled, the temperature dropping even further. North finally turned to him as Jack grabbed North's red coat. His eyes glowing with cold light. “Why couldn’t you stop and listen?!” Jack’s eyes shifted to gold, only flecks of blue left in them.

Make North cold.

“Jack… you need to calm down…” North spoke with a slow calm. “I didn't intend for Jamie to get hurt, neither did bunny…” North attempted to remove Jack’s hands from his coat. They were even colder with winter magic overflowing through them. His coat was being covered in frost.

Jack didn't want to hear North’s non-apology, he wanted him to understand how scared he was.

Make North cold.

Jack began to glow again, but this time it wasn't a quick flash. This was a slow rise in strength and brightness. It felt like the glow came from a very deep and forgotten corner of his center. Snow and small orbs of golden light swirled around the room completely surrounding him, North and Kozmotis’s cage. Jack kept getting brighter and brighter. It burned now like a fire in his chest. He had to stop. It was hurting him now.

With a scream that could be heard over the storm Jack pulled this burning golden light back into his center. It hurts even more now. His head… his chest, they felt like a fire in space. No flames to lick his vision but all the heat to make him hurt.

“Jack!”

Was that Jamie or North? Maybe Kozmotis? He didn't care, it hurt so much. He was so tired. His hands were numb and his head was so heavy.

Everything hurts.

Before he could utter another word Jack collapsed into North’s arms. Why did his magic… feel… so…dim…

Owww…

Jack still felt that fire burning him as he woke, it was just quieter now.

“Don’t. Don’t sit up yet Jack… you're still pretty weak from your little tantrum earlier.” North spoke in a very soft voice. But Jack winced at even that. “You did something incredible, painfully cold… yes,” North looked down at his hands that were now wrapped in bandages. Did he do that? “but incredible nonetheless…” North gave a deep chuckle to himself. “You got bright. Very bright. Then, I guess, you overwhelmed yourself and tried to stop it. But… you tried to stop it by pulling it back into yourself. It dimmed you Jack. dangerously so.” North paused waiting for any sign that Jack was listening.

“Dimmed?” Jack wheezed painfully before coughing. North gave him a few pats on the back and laid him back down.

“It could have killed you Jack. Please be careful. You are very important to us,” North sighed. “Perhaps you should remain in bed for now. Read some books, Katherine left Bunny’s history on your night stand.” North stood and began to walk through the door before stopping. “I… I’m sorry, Jack. for getting Jamie hurt.” North turned back and left, closing the door behind him.

Jack slept for a little while till Jamie came to pay a visit.

“Hey Jack…”

“Hey Jamie… you okay?” Jack’s voice felt like sandpaper.

“Yeah, I'm okay… Figured you could use some company…” Jamie sat at the foot of the bed. “Maybe I could read you that book?” Jamie pointed to the night stand. Jack nodded.

Over the next few hours Jamie read the story of how Bunny came to earth and became a guardian. But Jack wasn’t entirely listening after a while. That Nightlight character was back.

The book described Nightlight’s brilliant plan to keep Ombric’s entire library from Pitch: Mr Qwerty was going to eat them all. (he was still a bookworm back then and it seemed like this is why he was now a book butterfly today.) Pitch locked Nightlight, the kids, and a cocooned Mr Qwerty in lead cages. Nightlight’s brightness was being eaten by the metal and he was getting very dangerously dim.

This was the point where Jack stopped listening entirely. It wasn't on purpose, he was just remembering something. Something very old and very important.

A dream… on the moon… 6 stars… a cabin in the woods… a family… his family…

Jack sat up in shock, his breathing came far too quickly.

“Jack? Are you okay? You look scared…” Jamie stopped reading and moved closer to him.

“You look like Ana…” it was the only understandable sentence he could get out. “You look exactly like my little sister…”

“Jack… what are you talking about?” Jamie put his hands on his shoulders. “Jack?” Jamie shook him.

Jack shook his head and tried to slow his breathing. “N-nothing… I think we need to take a break for tonight.” Jack’s voice shook far more than he wanted it to.

“Okay…” Jamie sighed, clearly he had gotten to a particularly exciting part and didn't want to stop yet. “I’ll let you rest. Good night, Jack.” Jamie dogeared the page and left him alone.

Jack tried to get some sleep for a few hours at least, but he just couldn't keep his eyes closed or his mind still for long enough to fall asleep. He needed answers and he knew Kozmotis could help. Slowly Jack sat up and tried to stand. Which resulted with him falling back to his bed. Which woke the stick…

Twiner was up and at his side before Jack could even catch his breath.

“Please… let me help you.” Twiner offered Jack his hands and Jack took them. Within a moment Twiner was back to looking like the familiar stick again as Jack attempted to stand again. With Twiner to stabilize him Jack managed to stay on his feet. Slowly he made his way out of his room, down the hall, down the stairs (the elevator would be too loud.), and across the large room to Kozmotis’s cage.

He was awake.

I guess he couldn't sleep either.

“Kozmotis… Can we talk for a bit?” Jack whispered as he pulled up a chair. This conversation would take far longer than Jack could currently stand.

“Of course dear boy.” Kozmotis sat up. “What do you wish to speak about?”

“Nightlight. Did… did you ever see him?” Jack hoped his suspicion was right.

“Yes… yes I did. I was there when pri-Tzar Lunar’s parents summoned him. Why?” He looked very melancholy.

“Do… Do I…look… like him?” Jack asked. “To you, I mean…” he added in a rush.

Kozmotis gaffed and nodded like he was expecting this question. “Yes. yes you do share a remarkable resemblance to the golden boy. Even sound like him. I only heard his voice once but it is uncanny.” Kozmotis told him exactly what he needed to know.

“Thank yo-”

“That isn't all the information I have dear boy…” Kozmotis interrupted. “The others are keeping something from you. I don't know how I know it but I can almost feel that they are scared of you getting this information.” Kozmotis looked at his hands.

“Oh… that's the fearlings. You are the boogeyman. you can sense others' fear. Although I really don't know how you never realized just how deathly afraid of bodies of water I have become since I died in a lake 300 years ago.” Jack tried to explain with the dark humor Jamie taught him.

“Huh… that is… odd. I guess that could be useful…” Kozmotis seemed to accept this explanation.

“Thank you for answering my question Kozmotis. It means a lot.” Jack stood slowly once again using Twiner to remain stable. “I’m gonna go chat with North… good night”

“Good night, Jack. be careful.” he called back as Jack walked or limped away.

Jack arrived at the door to North’s office after a very slow and very painful climb up the stairs. He would have flown but he was still far too weak to use his powers. He could hear North and Katherine talking inside. He knocked, not wanting to be entirely rude.

“Come in…” North called, probably expecting Sandy or Bunny.

“We need to talk, North.” Jack said as he pushed open the door and entered.

“Jack… shouldn’t you be resting?” Katherine said, guiding Jack to a chair.

“I couldn't sleep. I remembered something while Jamie was reading that book about Bunny.” Jack spoke as he let Katherine guide him. “A dream. An old one.”

“What do you mean by that, Jack?” North said, crossing his arms and glancing at Katherine.

“A dream about the moon. About 6 stars… and a cabin in the woods…with a family inside… my family…” Jack paused in between to give them time to think. He knew that they knew he just had to get them to say it. “And that book… It described Nightlight dimming, exactly how you described me dimming, North…” Jack looked directly at North. “What’s going on… I know you’re hiding something from me.”

They both stood there in silence. Staring at him. Clearly he hit a tender subject as Katherine began to shake. North took her hand and tried to speak.

“Jack…” he began.

“We know who you were before you were Jack Frost.” Katherine blurted out and covered her mouth with wide eyes.

“Katherine…” North sighed and tried to place a hand on her back. She shook her head and ran out of the room. “Katherine! Oh Shostakovich, Twiner… tell him. Tell him everything.” North rushes from the room after Katherine.

“Twiner… tell me what?” Jack turned to his stick which now slowly shifted back into the humanoid form. Hid nose-high behind the armrest of the chair. It was almost cute.

“North made me… for Nightlight…” Twiner seemed determined not to tell Jack directly. Slowly poking his head up further over the armrest. “To keep him company after his moondream saved the Guardians from Pitch’s attack during the battle of Bright Night.” Twiner quieted to a whisper, now standing beside the chair.

“Moon…dream…?” Jack began to think about everything that he knew. 6 stars no…7 stars. Kozmotis said Mim’s Nightlight was the 7th. The cabin in the woods… in a dream he somehow knew he had far before he lived there. The dimming… the… dimming…

It hit Jack like a rock. It was correct, he just knew it was. Like knowing his favorite drink was frozen hot chocolate, or his favorite color was blue. He felt a piece of him click into place like the last of a jigsaw puzzle. It was glowing and golden and old, far older than the 300-ish years he thought he had lived before. This piece was millenia old, multiple in fact.

He was Nightlight.

Chapter Text

Katherine ran. She nearly revealed the secret and she ran. She wasn’t watching where she was going but she knew she was getting wherever that was quickly.

Until she wasn’t. Perhaps the glass cage wasn’t a very good idea.

“Are you alright, my dear? You look dreadful.” Pitch sounded so kind. Far kinder than she ever heard from him before. “Perhaps you should sit down, tell me what happened.” he motioned to a chair sat much closer to the cage than before. She took the seat and it felt cold.

“Jack was here before wasn’t he?” she was sniffling, but she didn't care. She wanted to talk to someone, anyone… and to not think about it.

“Yes…he wanted to know what I knew about Nightlight.” Pitch nodded. “I told him that he looks an awful lot like the star boy and even sounds like him too, I guess he went to you and north to talk?” Pitch watched her with a fatherly warmth.

“Yeah…I guess he knows now… or will know pretty soon.” Katherine wiped her nose with her sleeve. She didn't know why she was crying but it felt good to get it out.

“Can I ask you something?” Pitch stared at his hands.

“Sure… what do you want to know?” she asked, watching him curiously.

“Do you know of a woman called Emily-Jane Pitchner? I know my daughter lived after the attack on my home but I don't know where she went. I was hoping she too ended up h-here…” Pitch’s voice shook. He just wants his daughter…

“Yeah… I know her. She’s a guardian. She’s called Mother Nature now.” Katherine answered his question. He stared at her with amazement and relief pouring out of him. “But… she hasn’t been well lately. Humanity hasn’t exactly been kind to her or the planet since the industrial revolution but you’d have to ask Jack about that. He works with her directly.” She tried to be gentle about this bit of information.

“She’s sick? Will she be okay?!” Pitch, or Kozmotis?, looked desperately scared.

“Well… I don't know. Like I said, ask Jack, he knows her better than the rest of us. I think she’s getting worse but I can only go off her weather patterns. They've been getting wilder and bigger. I think she’s desperate to keep the planet alive. Like an injured animal attacking anything that gets too close.” Katherine watched Pitch closely as she gave him this information.

His eyes filled with water and he began to cry into his hands, collapsing to the floor in sorrow. It hurt her soul to see him like this. He really is just a father scared for the daughter he lost so long ago.

North should have stayed with Jack to at least give a little explanation but his sister also needed him. So he left, he closed the door behind him to give Jack a bit of privacy. As he turned toward the large central room his eyes caught on Pitch’s cage. Katherine was sitting in front of it and Pitch was on the ground… crying…?

Without thinking North ran to Katherine to stop Pitch from trying anything to turn her dark. He almost regretted the sheer amount of stairs the workshop had. As he reached the cage pitch was still weeping sputtering:

“Emily… my Emily… my little girl… please be okay…”

Pitch’s cries sounded so real…

“Oh, North! Can you call Emily? It might do both of them some good to see each other.” Katherine said while trying to gently calm the Nightmare King.

“I can't…” North whispered while attempting to assess the situation.

“Even locked up criminals get family visitations. Now, go. Call. her.” Katherine glared into North’s eyes daring him to disobey.

“Katherine… I actually can’t. I have no direct path of communication with her. I’d usually send Jack or a Yeti to pass messages.” North sputtered backing away.

“Then tell Jack to get her!” Katherine pointed to North’s office, and with a timing that the greatest of comedians couldn’t pull off, the door erupted with brilliant light.

Looks like Jack knows now… I'll deal with that later…

“Oh… oh dear. Well… I guess he’s busy…” Katherine blinked as the light dissipated. “Then you gotta calm him in the meantime.” she motioned for North to help her.

“Okay. okay…” He said as he kneeled in front of the glass cage, took a deep breath, and reached into his core. He felt it glow in his chest as he reached for Pitch’s panicked mind. He feels around in the darkness of the man’s head to find some small spark of wonder. But something is wrong… Pitch’s mind is empty, or nearly… There were bits of his life as Kozmotis Pitchiner, but nothing of his existence as Pitch Black. The fearling were still there but they seemed almost tame.

“North?” Katherine whispered.

“He isn’t Pitch anymore…” North huffed and sighed. “He doesn’t have any memories from after he became the king of nightmares…”

Pitch’s cries became wheezes as his sadness became panic. He curled in on himself and shook.

“Pitch…” Katherine said with undisguised concern. “North do something!”

“Gubaidulina!” North exclaimed as he dove for the key to the door of the cage. He fumbled as he opened the door. “Pitch. Pitch… it's okay… you’re okay! You’re safe, nothing will hurt you, nothing will hurt your daughter.” North cooed as he took the shaking man in his arms. “Just breathe… 5 in. 5 out.” he shushed and stroked his dark hair that was in desperate need of a wash. “Breathe with me.” He continued to guide the man through breathing exercises. And soon Pitch had stopped shaking. “You’re safe…” Pitch’s body softened into North’s as he fell into sleep. “Katherine… Please go get a blanket.” North whispered.

His arms were soft and warm. He felt safe. So completely safe in this man’s arms. His head hurt and his mind felt like a stew of shifting colors all too bright to look at directly. He felt all alone. He was scared.

Some soft darkness swirls around him, at first he is afraid it would consume him, but it too felt safe… like the man.

The kind woman must have given me a blanket… I should thank her.

He tries but he ends up in his mind and it’s painfully bright colors. He tries to get his bearings by piecing together his memories, or what's left of them anyway. As he floats between these shards of his mind he notices a small orb of glowing red follow him.

As he continued to search his mind the orb stayed close behind. It seemed interested in the memory of him holding his newborn daughter. He couldn’t stop himself from watching it a few times. It was warm. Then he floated to a memory of her first steps, her first words, her first schooner. He missed her so much. Then the next batch of memories were about his wife. These were stained with sorrow, always hovering between the memory and her death. The nightmares showed him her death to torment him in the prison.

The prison…

He feels the colors swirling again, then they get brighter. He doesn't want to feel this again.

Please…

The memory won't leave his eyes.

HELP!

That red orb came back. Maybe it would scare off the bad memory, maybe it would stay. Instead it circled him for a moment and pressed into his heart.

He woke up. It was just a bad dream.

The room was quiet and calm. A warm morning light pours in through the windows and from the fire crackling in the fireplace at the other end of the room. The bed is soft, and the quilt is intricate and beautiful. It felt full of hand-made love. Perhaps the nice lady, Katherine, made it. In a distant room, music is playing. Outside the window was the sound of blades slashing through snow and ice.

Slowly Kozmotis got out of bed. He stretched his long body and felt truly rested for the first time in what he could only guess as a long time. He walked to the window and found the safe man, North, slashing at a large hunk of ice.

That looks like fun, maybe I should join him.

Chapter Text

Kozmotis watched North from the doorway as the large man dashed, sliced, and stabbed with a sword that seemed to give off a golden light and shift its shape to best fit North’s hand. After watching him swing and slash for a few minutes, Kozmotis decided to join in. without thinking, he reached toward his hip and grabbed a blade.

He waited for an opening. North slowed, Now. He dashed forward and sliced at the ice, perfectly mimicking North’s last move. North catches on to his game and takes a ready stance. He dashes; slice, slice, stab. North backs off to watch as Kozmotis too, readies and dashes. He mimics North’s move perfectly. Now Kozmotis takes the first step and moves first. He leaps around the ice and slashes at its backside and stabs into its side.

North gives a laugh and takes the challenge. He stops for a single moment to glance at his practice partner, who gives him a nod to the ice. North dashes forward and left, leaps and slashes down at the hunk of ice, takes a leaping step to the side and stabs into the same spot Kozmotis had landed his stabbing blow.

Kozmotis raises his sword to North with a friendly and challenging smirk. North returns the gesture and they begin to circle each other.

Dash, slice, leap back.

Their blades meet again and again. They circle faster as the powdery snow kicks up around them. They duck and dodge eachothers blows as they spin and leap around. The men are near silent as they continue to pick up speed. Their bladed dance picks up a small blizzard as they continue to swing, and slash, and duck, and dodge. They are invisible to the outside world, but North’s laughter is heard all the same. Kozmotis laughs as he leaps and swings catching North’s blade with his own. The dance speeds up as their laughter and flying swords create music in the snowy air.

Unbeknownst to the men, their friends had gathered to watch the jovial display. Tooth and bunny look as if they wished to join the battle with smiles and blades at the ready. Jack leaned against His stick as it grew an arm to keep the blond boy standing on his unstable feet. Katherine glaces up at the storm as she attempts to draw the invisible duel for her books. All could agree that the tension surrounding their newest Guardian was shattered in those few minutes.

Eventually the swordsmen began to slow as their laughter only grew. They fell into the snow backs against each other holding their heads to stop the spinning.

As he laughs Kozmotis looks at the sword in his lap. It was entirely made of black crystals. The blade was curved. Its grip was partially encased in an intricate cup-like hilt. Its pommel had a very faint orange glow like the flair of light in a camera.

The others begin to head back inside and he feels North stand and begin to walk away. He couldn't look away from his dark blade. It filled him with a sickening dread.

North began to head back inside. It was cold and he wanted some hot chocolate. He noticed his dueling partner wasn’t behind him.

“Pit-Kozmotis… why don't we head inside for a warm drink?” it felt odd to call him by that name but he felt it fit him better than his old one and its bad memories. He still isn't following him, although he has stood up. “Kozmotis?” North approached him and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. “What is wrong, my friend?”

Kozmotis is startled at the word friend. “You carry the Tzar’s blade. I do not know the blade I carry, only that it was not at my hip before the duel.” Kozmotis looks up to meet his eyes.

“Ah, that…” North paused to sort his words carefully. “…is a sword made of nightmare sand. Your magic made it when you desired to join in.” North knew he had to be gentle, Jack had done something similar with a massive axe head on the end of his stick. Freaked him out for days. “It’s like the shadows and fearlings, they follow your command. You are their king.”

Kozmotis looks at his blade once again and drops it with a start. It shatters to black dust and is absorbed into his clothes. North couldn’t stop the quiet laugh. He knew for certain that Pitch was dead and Kozmotis was back, and that his swordplay was quite handsome.

“Come on. Let's get inside, get some hot chocolate and get back to work.” North clapped an arm around Kozmotis’s shoulder and led him inside. He had less than a month until delivery day, and there was still plenty to do.

Chapter Text

Jack knew who he was now. Well… he knew, he just couldn’t remember most of it. Katherine knew though. He has to talk to her.

Jack’s search through the Pole was slow and still painful. He could hover up the stairs but that was about it. He finally found her on a balcony overlooking the central room with the globe. Jack limps forward to see what she’s watching. North and Kozmotis are joking and laughing with one another, and it looked like North was attempting to flirt. Not well, but he is trying.

“Those two are so gonna fall for each other…” Jack coos as he goes to stand next to Katherine.

“OH! Jack… you startled me!” Katherine jumped a little.

“I wanted to talk to you about something…” Jack began.

“Really? What do you wanna know?” she tilted her head to the side with a smile.

“The battle of bright night,” Jack began, “I can't remember much of who I was as Nightlight. I was hoping you could tell me what happened. I need your help Katherine.” he couldn't help staring into her eyes. He may have been the star but her eyes were true starlight. He realized he was leaning closer to her and quickly whipped back to the balcony, cheeks ablaze with a reddish purple blush.

“I'll tell you as long as you tell me what happened afterwards.” her voice shook. He nods.

Katherine sits down leaning against the rails and Jack joins her. She opens her journal and begins to draw as she tells him a very important story.

Nightlight saved her from Pitch’s nightmares with a kiss. The pair fell asleep in the rocket that once stood in the center of the North Pole. Pitch snuck aboard and sent it to the moon, hoping to attack Mim in his home.

Katherine’s drawings began to move as she spoke. Jack decided to try something. He hovered his hand above the page and pulled the image from the ink. It moved just as it did on the page but now made of ice as it floated and spun taking on 3 dimensions. Katherine stopped and stared in awe at the ice hologram, its light reflected in her eyes.

I should make her something special for Christmas.

As Katherine continued the story she kept glancing between the ice and its maker. She told him the rest of the tale. The beauty of Mim’s home. The slow dimming of Nightlight as his armor lost its golden gems. Pitch’s attack with an enormous spider. His plan to use Nightlight to power all of the relics to destroy the single speck of goodness in his heart, likely destroying the moon and Earth in his wake. Nightlight dreaming for the first time and bringing the Nightlights of old to their aid. And last his disappearance afterwards.

Jack’s brow was furrowed in deep thought as he listened. With a shaky breath he continued the story with Twiner’s help.

He started with the moondream, with what his brothers told him to do. He spoke about Shadowbent and the werewolves, of meeting Twiner, and following the path in his dream. Twiner tells them both of the moment Jack met the people that would become his family. The father: Victor, the mother: Irina, and the children: Ana and Jacklovich. Both boy and stick told of the games they would play. Jack went quiet for a moment before he began to softly sing the lullaby his mother sang to them all. He could barely finish before tears began to streak down his face.

“They all were dead long before I even got the chance to remember them. I miss them.” Jack shuddered as Katherine hugged him to her shoulder as she stroked his impossibly white hair. After a few minutes he had collected himself and continued into the truly heartbreaking part of his tale.

They were playing pirates in a snow fort they had built on the frozen lake by their home. His hand began to ache. Pitch’s nightmares were near. Ana falling onto the ice as something rammed underneath the fort. The ice cracking under her as she tried to scramble for solid ground. A dark behemoth swimming under the ice. The Lermontoff Serpent breaking the ice under her. Jack panicking and throwing her to the side as the terrible beast taking Jack in its jaws. Jack slaying the beast from the inside and…

Jack began to shake and sweat. She could guess what happened next but Jack was insistent on finishing the story himself.

Jack wasn't able to reach the surface. As he sank he knew Pitch would go after anyone he loved and destroy them. He knew he had to disappear, make Pitch think he was well and truly gone. He made himself not feel, not see, not dream, and most of all… not remember anything.

Jack was panicking, clearly he didn't know this part until just this moment. The Ice hologram showed his sinking form falling into the page and shattering. His eyes filled with tears again.

“I did this to myself…” Jack whispered as his head fell onto Katherine’s shoulder.

“Jack? Jack… JACK!” Katherine shook him.

“What’s wrong Katherine?” Bunny hopped over sensing Katherine’s distress. “Is Jack okay?!” Bunny took him from her shoulder.

“We were talking about his past and he panicked.” Katherine stood and followed Bunny to Jack's room. “He caused his own amnesia to protect his family…” she sat as the full weight of it occurred to her. She was one of the people he was protecting…

“Bunny, what's going on?! You just ran off,” a young man with messy brown hair and spring-like eyes ran into the room.

“Jack passed out again.” Bunny sighed.

“This is getting really bad… we need to figure out why it's happening.” the young man sat on the end of Jack’s bed.

“Well Jamie, if you have any ideas that would help.” Bunny shakes his head as twiner leans against the bed table.

“You must be Jamie… I'm Katherine, it's nice to finally meet you.” she nodded to him.

“Oh yeah, nice to meet you too.” the newly dubbed Jamie nodded back.

Bunny huffed and left the room.

A few hours later Jamie was asleep and Katherine couldn’t keep her eyes shut. Gazing out of the window Katherine calls to Mim in her mind.

Why is this happening? How do we help Jack?

A small moonbeam landed on her journal. The same moonbeam that was in Nightlight’s diamond dagger 300 long years ago. It beckoned her to open her journal.

The moonbeam began to dance across the page, writing and drawing in beautifully elegant curves:

From the light he has hid. A star in shadow centuries long. Ill to memories, lost to time. Find the piece he left behind.

Katherine puzzled over this for the rest of the night.

“Find the piece he left behind? What does that mean?” Katherine finally voiced as light began to break.

“Maybe the lake?” Twiner hovered over her shoulder staring at the page.

“The lake… THE LAKE!” Katherine leapt to her feet, nearly knocking Twiner to the floor. “Sorry… OH! You know where it is, don't you!”

“Yes… but I don't think it would be the best idea to go without jack.” Twiner glazed at his boy with concern.

“But if we go and get it we can give it back to him and help him get better!” Katherine was practically vibrating.

“Yes, maybe, but we should wait. He may need m-” twiner couldn’t finish his sentence before Katherine grabbed him and ran out the door calling for Kailash as she went.

“It’ll be fine! We’ll be gone and back before he wakes.” Katherine climbs atop her beloved goose and commands her to fly.

Twiner reluctantly guided Kailash toward the lake Jack was so frightened by. They arrived before the sun had finished rising.

“This is it? It’s rather small…” Katherine was confused.

“Yes it is small but it goes fairly deep. We should be quick. What are we looking for?” Twiner glanced around worried.

“A small spark of light. It should be very close." Katherine and Twiner began to search the area. They looked in the trees and rocks surrounding the lake. Each nest and burrow searched. After eliminating the surrounding area they looked to the lake itself. “Jack did force himself to forget everything in its waters… maybe it's there?” They looked deep under the ice. Much to their surprise there was a small light glowing at the bottom of the lake.

“Stay here, I’ll get it.” Twiner began to drill into the ice, eventually breaking through. In he dove as he began to swim for the light. A few minutes later twiner squeezed back out of the icy water and into the sun holding the glow with a gentle hand.

“You got it! Thank you Twiner.” Katherine took the light from his wooden hand as carefully as he could and hugged the stick. Together they walked back to Kailash.

As they reached land a creaking groan echoed around them. They only had a moment to think before the ice erupted from the lake. A blob of shadows with glowing sickly green eyes stared at them in rage. They took its prisoner and it wanted it back.

Danger.

Jack stirred.

Wake up.

He batted away the thought like a bug.

The lake.

This drove his eyes open and his heart racing. He didn't even reach for the currently missing Twiner before flying out the door and out of the Pole. North was barely a red blur as he passed with speeds far greater than the wind had ever carried him before. Within just a minute he was at that lake.

“Get away from My Katherine!” Jack’s voice was filled with rage as Twiner rushed to his hand. Together they fought off the strange beast with the speed and agility of a fiery bullet. The beast couldn’t even get the chance to attack as Jack and Twiner beat the beast back into the ice.

“Jack…” Katherine tried to place a hand on his shoulder. He walked away and leapt into the sky. Katherine followed on Kailash.

Chapter Text

They had been flying for a few minutes at this point and Jack was still silent. Was he angry, scared, sad, or just thinking? She couldn’t tell. During the fight she had put the piece in her bag. She didn't know how to tell him why she went to that lake. Or why she took twiner with her.

“Jack… I’m sorry… I should have waited…” Katherine tried to explain or apologize anything really. This kind of silence was unbearable.

Jack sighed, shook his head and sat behind her. He makes no noise but she feels his shudder and cry.

“Jack… are you okay?” Katherine askes gently.

He doesn't say a word as he wraps his arms around her waist from behind and openly weeps into her shoulder. She doesn’t say another word as she holds his hand.

“Scared… my Katherine… please…” was all she could understand of his words. He was scared for her… He fought through his weakness in desperation to save her… Her Jack…

Katherine began to hum the song Nightlight would sing when he thought no one else was around or she was asleep. It seemed to work as Jack’s crying got slower and he began to soften. She knew he was asleep before she finished the chorus.

When they reached the Pole, Katherine guided Kailash to a quiet corner and pulled Jack to the floor by her side. Jack turned to hug her as he slept and Katherine returned it. There the pair slept in each others arms warmed by the massive Himalayan goose at their backs.

Chapter Text

Kozmotis and North were in the shed. He had asked North to explain the sleigh to him. Partially to learn more about the magic man. And maybe to just spend time with him. And maybe it's because he liked how North’s eyes lit up when he was explaining something but who's asking, certainly not him, what are you talking about.

“This here is the booster activator. Very useful when behind on deliveries.” North was entirely absorbed in his explanation even if Kozmotis didn't quite understand some of it. “Oh, this button here activates the emergency parachutes. And this will create a bubble of atmosphere around the sleigh allowing for the occasional trip to the moon.” North’s eyes turn on him with a twinkle of mischief.

“That’s incredible! How long is the travel time?” the tech in North’s sleigh would be the best of golden age ships by far. Even modern organizations like NASA would be drooling at the vehicle.

“Just about a day and a half! Although if I can finish the booster and steering upgrades that time could be reduced to only 22 hours!” North was practically vibrating with excitement.

“A day and a half!? That… that's unheard of! Even golden age ships would take at least 2 days to make that journey!” What can he say? Kozmotis had a soft spot for fast ships. “And to be so close to reducing it further? Truly incredible my friend!” he could help but be drawn into North’s own excitement, it was intoxicating.

“The mechanics are all well and good but without the pulling power it's all mute. Would you like to meet my reindeer?” North stood and wiped his hands on a rag. He offered his arm to Kozmotis, eyes sparkling. Gods, his eyes are incredible.

“I would love to meet them.” he nodded as he hooked his own arm into North’s. Together they turned towards the stables.

“Many years ago, 1823 I think, Katherine gifted me a poem by one Clement Moore. It was called ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas’ I fell in love with it. Still one of my favorites.” North leaned in like he was sharing a secret. “I may or may not have named the members of my herd after the reindeer in the poem.” he unhooked his arm from Kozmotis and stepped toward the door and pushed it open.

“My goodness… they're enormous.” he couldn't help but feel small beside the animals. They were distinctly larger than normal reindeer and their antlers looked sparkly.

“Yes well, my girls have been bred and enchanted to be able to both fly and pull larger loads. Their antlers were originally painted with dreamsand to be a bit more visible in the sky but they sorta evolved to have shiny antlers.” North explained as he began to feed the nearest one a carrot.

“Your girls?”

“Yes, male reindeer shed their antlers in winter. Female reindeer keep theirs. If you think these ladies are big you should see the size of the boys!” North gave a mighty laugh.

“I can imagine.”

“This is dasher, that one with the diamond marking on her nose is dancer, prancer is the one strutting around, vixen is the spotted grey one, comet is the big one in the corner; careful she likes to charge. The reddish one with the heart shaped markings is cupid, the really dark one is donner and her sister blitzen is the yellow one next to her.” North pointed to each as he introduced them.

“Isn't there another?” Kozmotis asked, vaguely remembering a certain song.

“Oh yes! The smallest of them all, Rudolph. He is usually the smallest boy of the season and fed a small amount of dreamsand to make his nose glow.” North guided him to a stall and opened the door. Sleeping in the corner was a comparatively tiny reindeer, brown with freckled spots like snow across his back and a bright red glow around his nose. “He usually sleeps a lot leading up to delivery night.”

“Incredible…” Kozmotis couldn’t find any words to describe his feelings. Just wonder, pure blissful wonder.

The tiny reindeer seemed to sense his visitors and stirred, stretched and stood. The beast moved to Kozmotis and nuzzled his hand. North sat in the hay and motioned for Kozmotis to join him. Rudolph followed and laid his head on Kozmotis’s lap. He was the size of a particularly large great dane, but still felt tiny in his lap. He could only stare in wonder as he pet the reindeer’s head.

“Truly incredible…” Kozmotis whispered. North was staring at him, or maybe rudolph. North’s hand slipped onto his own and their fingers tangled together. North’s eyes were on him, and they were sparkling. His head tilted to the side a bit.

“Kozmotis…” North sighed. He leaned toward the man an almost unnoticeable amount.

“North?” Kozmotis felt his own heart leap into his throat as he too leaned in.

The men moved slowly together as they stared into the others eyes. The rest of the world seemed to fall away as North’s other hand rested on Kozmotis’s cheek. His hand met North’s and stayed there. Time slowed and lights blurred.

Rudolph jumped up and began licking the men, breaking them out of their trance.

“Rudolph! Down boy!” North laughed as he pushed the reindeer away, the other hand still locked in Kozmotis’s.

“I guess we should get back upstairs…” Kozmotis sighed, disappointed that the moment was cut short. He watched as North wiped the slobber off of him.

“Yes… I guess we should.” North sounded just as disappointed as he felt. His cheeks blazing red.

Katherine’s present was almost ready. Jack just had to add the final touch: an ice hologram of himself and Kathrine dancing as the music played. She seemed so enamored by the trick from a couple of weeks ago. One problem, Jack doesn’t know how to pull off the trick he had in mind, But North might.

“Hey North? Can I get some help with something?” Jack nudged the door to North’s office open only to see North blushing like mad with his nose deep into a book and a particularly dark shadow fading away in the corner.

Lucky dog. About time…

“Yes Jack? What do you need help with?” North clears his throat as puts his book to the side.

“Well… I'm making this music box for Katherine and it's almost done, I just need help with the dancing figures on top. I want them to appear when the music starts and disappear when it stops. Oh… and spin.” he carefully sets the box and ice figure on the desk in front of North and takes a seat, twiner closing the door and joining them at the desk.

“Ah…that's actually a really simple spell combination! You'll need a magic memoria charm to keep the figure’s shape and behavior consistent, a dispel and conjure spells, and a small movement charm.” North grabbed a few books from the shelf. “You don't mind it bobbing up and down a bit do you?” he asked over his shoulder.

“Bobbing is fine, great even!” Jack couldn’t keep the excitement out of his voice.

“Good good. Counteracting that would have added like 3 more spells to the mix and I don't think you're quite ready for that kind of multitasking.” North chuckled as he added another book to the pile on the desk and began rifling through a chest in a corner. “Now… let's see the inner workings.” he rejoined Jack at the desk and opened the lid.

“It's not very complex but I think I made it well enough.” Jack shrugged. Mechanics and tinkering wasn’t exactly his strong suit but the internet was a useful enough guide.

North stared into the box analyzing the gears, springs, and other parts. “It is quite well made. Well done Jack!” Jack beamed.

The two worked together hovering over the box as they made the finishing touches and adding small bits to really polish it off. By sundown the music box looked, and sounded, beautiful.

“Katherine will love this, thank you North!” Jack quickly hugged the man and left with the box hugged to his chest protectively.

“Your welcome, Jack!” North called out as he closed the door making sure to lock it this time.

“Well… that was close. think he noticed?” Kozmotis reformed in the corner with ruffled hair and a mighty blush on his sharp cheeks.

“If he did, he didn't say anything.” North took the man’s hands in his own.

“Good. shall we continue where we left off?” the nightmare king smiled slyly as North pulled him closer.

“I think we shall.”

Chapter Text

It was 10 days till the big night and North was busy. He had to clean the sleigh, ready the reindeer, mend the toy sacks, get the balloons air ready, fill the balloons with presents, wrap presents, mark cards, and so so much more.

He was tired. Bone deep tired. But he’d been doing this for over 300 years. He had a system and it worked. Now to work that system.

One thing that wasn't part of his system was Kozmotis. he was running around doing tasks. Scrubbing that one stubborn spot on the sleigh, feeding the reindeer, fixing the wear and tear on their harnesses, and so on. He even attempted to wrap presents, but it turns out he is quite bad at it. Embarrassingly so. North thought Kozmotis’s poor wrapping was kinda cute. He really did. His fearlings, however turned out to be an army of planners and do-er and set upon their given mission like it was life and death. They were far better wrappers than their king.

Even with all the help North still had a lot on his plate and had not slept in several days. There was just too much to do. Which led to his falling asleep at his desk while attempting to double check his list.

North was a workaholic, that much was obvious. But North needed the sleep more than anything right now and Sandy was more than willing to help out a friend.

A couple of hours after North disappeared into his office Kozmotis prepared a special cup of hot choco for north. As he snuck into the office he heard light snoring and saw North asleep on top of the scroll that kept track of the naughty and nice kids. He set the cup on the side of the desk and began to move the scroll.

“Koz? What are you doing here?” North’s sleep rasped voice slurs out.

Gods why was that so sexy?

“Hm.. oh i just came to check on you. I brought you some hot choco.” he moved the mug closer to the already sleepy man.

“Oh… thank you. Thank you Koz, for everything. You've done so much to help out around here it means so much to-”

Koz kissed the man and began to move for the door. “It’s okay. I enjoy helping you.” Koz paused at the door to look at the beautiful disaster of a man and left, closing the door behind him. He could feel his cheeks burn red. And knew North was suffering the same heat.

North felt his cheeks turn red at Kozmotis’s kiss and tried to continue to check his list as he sipped from the mug. Before long he began to feel drowsy and set the list to the side.

North woke to the morning sun shining through the icy walls of his office and a thermos sitting beside him on the desk. On it was a note:

“Enchanted to stay warm and full. Also an extra hit of caffeine. Hope it helps… -Koz”

North tucked the note into his coat with a smile and takes a sip.

That's got some kick in it. Thank you Koz.

Kozmotis watched from the table he was working at as North left his office with the thermos, the list, and a soft smile. He turns back to the task the yetis sat him down at: filling out the To and Froms.

Jack zipped by in a blur as he checked on each of the delivery balloons, asking about weather, and balloon positions and altitude. He seemed to have gotten quite the energy boost when he remembered his true past. Although Kozmotis can feel something nagging at the back of Jack’s mind.

I’ll check on him after the holiday craze dies down.

2 days pass in a busy haze as the preparations come to a crescendo. He's even nearly gotten the hang of this whole wrapping presents thing. Everything is going smooth enough.

Until Jack doesn't return from setting up balloons. He was supposed to return immediately. Even as another day passes, he still doesn't return.

“Something isn’t right… Jack should be back by now.” Katherine whispered to Jamie and Kozmotis.

“I agree, but we cannot just up and leave to find him. We have no way of knowing where he may have gone.” Kozmotis crowed in concern.

“We need to find him.” Jamie’s voice gave away his worry. “This isn’t like him.” his hands fiddled with the hem of his shirt.

“But how? He can fly as fast as light, he could be literally anywhere by now. Even the moon.” Katherine sighed in frustration.

“We need to talk to North. He might have a way of tracking him down.” Jamie said with a furrowed brow.

“He’s busy enough with the holiday preparations. He doesn't need the added stress of a missing teammate.” Kozmotis couldn’t help glancing at the door to North’s office.

If Jack is gone for much longer we may need to include North in the search.

“I still have his missing piece. It might be able to lead us to him.” Katherine held the strap of her bag tighter.

“That might work… but we’ll need to get permission to leave with so much to do here.” Kozmotis scratched his chin. “North is quite sleep-deprived, I might be able to tell him quickly without him even batting an eye. But he’ll catch on to our plan within the hour.”

“That might be enough time to find Jack,” Katherine pondered for a moment, “Go tell North, we’ll meet you at the front gates.” She nodded and hooked her arm into Jamie's and pulled him away.

“Will do.” he turned sharply and made for the office.

North was indeed in his office, grumbling over another list of some kind. He was sipping from the enchanted thermos. His eyes drooped slightly.

Great, he’s almost asleep.

“North…” Kozmotis whispered.

“Hmn?” the overworked man growled, or groaned Kozmotis couldn’t tell.

“Jack’s been gone a lot longer than we expected. Me, Jamie, and Katherine are going to try to find him. We have a way of tracking him. We’ll be back soon.” Kozmotis quickly and backed out of the room hoping his message would not be fully understood until much later.

“Good good Koz. be safe.” North mumbled and tiredly waved him out. He didn’t even look up from his work.

He made his way to the front gates making sure to set more shadows to the tasks Jamie Katherine, and he were supposed to be doing. The others were already waiting by the gate, glancing around nervously. They lit up when he rounded the corner and gave them a thumbs up.

“We’re good. Let's get going before he really thinks about it…” Kozmotis ushered the other 2 out of the gate and called for Kailash to join them.

“You sure North won’t notice our disappearance?” Jamie paused as he climbed up Kailash’s back.

“I'm sure. He is so tired he probably didn’t even notice Jack has been gone for two days. Let’s just get going before he gets the chance to notice our disappearance.” he pushed Jamie up onto the enormous bird and mounted his own horse made of flowing black sand.

“Good idea. off we go, Kailash!” Katherine urged her great snow goose into the air. Kozmotis followed silently behind her as they sped across the icy landscape toward their missing friend.

The boys followed Katherine and her goose across the sky. The Piece guides them toward its owner in a soft, glowing silence. Together they flew for what seemed like hours.

“We have to be getting close by now…” Katherine squinted into the sunset.

“I hope so.” Kozmotis leaned closer to his nightmare’s neck.

“Weird… we’re flying over my hometown.” Jamie called over the wind as he pointed down at the small Pennsylvania town. Just as the words left Jamie’s mouth the Shard changed its direction. It now pointed to the woods on the outskirts of the town.

“Well… that's convenient,” Katherine began, “It’s pointing to the same lake I found the shard in. Jamie… is Jack from here?” she turned to the young man behind her.

“I don't know. Every time I ask him he just spaces out and forgets the question.” Jamie shrugged as Kailash swooped down to the lake.

In the middle of the lake sat Jack. he was shaking like a leaf with eyes like saucers. The ice beneath him was cracking and moaning under his weight. Twiner was laying helpless on the other side of the lake with a foot trapped beneath a large rock.

“Why isn't he using his magic? He could just fly away.” Jamie stared at his trembling friend.

“He’s suffering a panic attack. He can’t think of anything other than his own racing heart and lack of air in his lungs. He needs help.” Kozmotis could feel the overwhelming fear rolling off of the boy like the massive waves of a tsunami, tasted like salt and bile, it clung to his throat.

“How? We can't get onto the ice, it's too unstable.” Katherine began to run for twiner.

“We can’t, but Kozmotis… you can. You’re the Nightmare King.” Jamie took the Shard from Katherine’s hand and placed it in his hand. “Calm his fear. Make him whole.” Jamie stared into his eyes so full of determination and his own fear.

No… bravery.

“Okay. Calm him. I can do that.” as Kozmotis took a small step above the lake a pillar of shadows materialized beneath his foot. He took another step, the pillar became a platform. A bigger step. And another. The platform grew into a bridge across the unstable ice. With a step and a thought, Jack was surrounded by the shadowy claw, ready to grab him if he slipped under.

“Jack. hear me. You must breathe.” Kozmotis took the boy’s icy hand on his own. “You will not fall in. you will not drown. You will not be taken from us again.” he turned Jack’s hand over palm to the sky. “In your hand lay the forgotten piece of your soul. I return it in good faith and friendship.” he curled each finger over the Shard slowly one by one. “You will be whole. You will be okay. You need to be brave for us all.”

Those last words seemed to call to Jack deep within his mind. His eyes began to clear and tears lessened. His hand closed around the Shard as he looked down at it in curiosity.

“This is me?” the boy croaked out.

“Yes. that is a part of you.” Kozmotis opened his arms to the still trembling boy. Jack looked from the piece, to the shadows, to his friends, and finally to Kozmotis. Tears filled his brilliant blue eyes yet again as he dove into the man’s arms.

“I'm scared.” was all he could say.

“And that’s okay. You have every right to be scared. Fear is a natural thing to be feeling right now. But you must also be brave too.” Kozmotis brushed his snow white hair and hummed. “And I should know… I'm the king of these things.” he chuckled to himself not quite believing the words.

Not really the time for jokes but if it works for that pink pony it’ll work for him.

“I guess you are…” Jack pulled himself into him even more.

“Alright. Let's get off this ice, aye?” Kozmotis begins to move to his shadow bridge pulling the winter spirit with him. As they begin to stand an enormous shadow passes under them.

“What is that!?” Jamie yelled.

“The Leirmont Serpent!” Katherine called as she yanked Twiner from the rock. “Kozmotis! it’ll listen to you!” she yelled as the two ran back to jamie.

Jack was once again trembling full force at the sight of the serpent's shadow.

“Please not again. Please. Please…"Jack whimpered, frozen in place.

“Come on!” Katherine pulled Jack back onto the shadow bridge to shore.

“Not again. Run little Flee… please don't look back…" Jack muttered in between shuttered gasps.

Kozmotis turned back to the shadow under the ice. Was it getting bigger? In an instant that lasted for far too long, the ice shattered upward giving way for the scaly beast to break through. It stared down at him with its awful eyes. Teeth glistening in the twilight.

“Kozmotis!” Jamie called.

It was going to lunge. He had to do something. What did Katherine say? It’ll listen to him… why? He’s not its master. But he is something more powerful than a master.

“STOP!” Kozmotis commanded. It continued its menace as it turned to the others on the shore. “No… NO! I am the KING, you will OBEY ME! I command you to STOP!” He once again commanded the beast and his voice echoed across the trees. The serpent turned to him, its king. It gazed into his eyes and curled up on itself as the ice finally broke under its weight. Now he was alone hovering over the center of the not so frozen lake. His mind was filling up with memories and not many of them were good.

He couldn’t help but fall to his knees, head clutched in his claw-like hands. “Help…”