Katherine and the Truth About Jack

Chapter 20: The Chance to Fight

The Guardians were all gathered in the Globe room staring at the slowly turning earth. North was yelling at the Yeti's while Sandy was making desperate signs at Tooth. The place was an absolute buzz of activity. Elves ran around carrying books and plates and generally only adding to the panic.

Katherine though was paying more attention to everything else. Immense wooden beams she remembered being carved ages ago stretched to a vaulted ceiling and open windows. Her breath caught in her throat, noting the vibrant red that was stained into the hardwood. She remembered the months she and the others had spent trying to help dye it. Then fireplace, warm and inviting with a small chair sitting next to it. Her chair, from where she would read her stories to visiting children. She stumbled trying to make the step and felt Jack grab her arm.

"Woah, are you okay their Kat?"

She nodded and looked at her feet, where a silver symbol pointing to the different directions of the earth was. Each of the Guardians she had grown up with were carved into the points, but she didn't see Jack, and she didn't see herself.

"They're going to replace it eventually," Jack said, noticing her look.

It was then that they noticed the silence that had fallen over the place. They both looked up and saw that assemblage of Yeti's, Elves and Guardians were all looking at them. Before either of them could say a word, Katherine was surrounded by the Guardians.

Her eyes widened in bewilderment as she felt the horde enveloped her. She yelped, wincing in pain as North lifted her from the ground in a bear hug. "You're okay!"

Jack shouted for North to put her down while Tooth laughingly wrapped her tiny arms around her as well and Sandy smiled from the side. Katherine gasped more in surprise than because of his firm grip on her. She was even more baffled when she heard his gentle sobs in her ear. "Nicholas?"

He choked back her sobs, "I'm okay," He put her down gently, smiling at her with red eyes. His large hand pressed against her cheek. He had a fatherly sort of touch that made her smile.

"Y-you're not mad?" She stammered.

He shook his head, and Tooth placed a hand on her shoulder. "We could never be mad at you," Toothiana said, smiling.

Sandy nodded in agreement.

"Aye," Bunny put an arm over her shoulder, "We missed you, love."

Her eyes burned, and she felt again, Jack's hand in hers.

"But we can celebrate later." Aster nodded to North, "Care to explain what's going on?"

Nicholas's face turned grim, "It's Burgess, it's going out."

There faces paled and they were all lead to the globe that sat in the middle of the room. In the familiar section known as Burgess, flickered with small lights. As they watched many fluttered and went out.

Jack let go stepping closer to the globe. "Jamie," he whispered.

"It was small at first, and I didn't want to overthink it, but it became sporadic while you were--" Norths voice caught.

"We have no clue what is going on." Tooth said, placing a hand on Nicholas's shoulder in support.

"I do." Katherine put a hand to her head, and all the Guardians turned to her. "This is all my fault. I should have told you about this!"

All of them look confused, except for Jack who sighed sadly at her. She looked up, setting her jaw again, "But I think I know how we can stop it too."

***

Burgess had gotten worse. Walking out of school that day, none of the kids talked to each other. It wasn't that none of them were trying, it was that their trying wasn't working. Even the teachers seemed more miserable than usual, each hardly saying a word. The kids that generally misbehaved didn't even try making spitballs. The animals all looked exhausted. Even the trees, with their bare grey branches, appeared to droop in the depressing air.