Come Home, Jack

Chapter 2

Jack knew his home as only the one who built it could, and he had built it with magic. That was how he knew the whereabouts of his unwanted visitors within his walls. As he waited Jack wondered what they would think of his great hall. It was long, Jack had not seen any longer in his three hundred years of traveling the world. Stretching down the middle of the room was a carved path leading from the entryway to the dais upon which his throne sat and lining the path, giving it a wide berth, were bare trees crafted of ice, reaching high but not nearly closing in on the ceiling.

His thoughts cleared as he heard footsteps nearing his location. When the four entered the room he was not disappointed, the room did seem to awe them, though it lasted only a moment before all of their eyes turned towards him.

"Found 'im," the rabbit, the one Jack knew to be called Bunnymund, muttered, even though he knew no one would respond.

Looking between each of their faces, Jack knew this would not be pleasant.

Nicholas St. North stepped forward, a large smile spread across his face, as he prepared to break the silence that had fallen between them after Bunny spoke. "Jack Frost, we come to you-"

"Go home," Jack interrupted him, his tone dead serious.

Apparently North was not so easily deterred, though his grin faltered some for a moment, before he made it as strong as it had been before. "We come to you bearing good news."

Perhaps they expected the man's joy to be infectious, perhaps they thought Jack would be happy and fun despite everything they knew of him, or perhaps they were just fools full of unheeded hope, but when Jack did not even twitch at the news, they all stopped, looking between each other confused.

All of them except one, that is. Sanderson Mansnoozie, the Sandman, watched Jack with calm eyes. When Bunny began to speak again, telling the others that he knew this had been a bad idea, Sandy took hold of his wrist gently, shaking his head.

That got the attention of both North and Toothiana. Toothiana, who up to this point had only held off from inspecting Jack's teeth due to the look on his face, knew that Sandy had the right of it. North, however, looked intently at Sandy as images swirled above his head.

As always North interpreted everything Sandy was insinuating. "Intruders?" he barked in disbelief. "We do not intrude on Jack, we come to tell him he is to be guardian!"

Sandy shook his head and looked as though he wanted to groan, before glancing at Jack worriedly.

"A... a guardian?" Jack sputtered, shock written across his face before quickly fading to anger. "I want you all to leave. Now."

"This is good news, Jack," Toothiana told him, looking both taken aback and heartbroken at the same time as he shut down.

Her look had no more effect than North's joy on the boy as he stared at them, his look scathing.

"I don't want your good news."

"Everyone can use good news," she encouraged, stepping closer to him only to see his eyes narrow.

"Not me."

"Of course, forget it mates, he won't come with us," Bunny snapped, glaring at Jack.

"What he said," the white haired boy muttered, before allowing the wind to take him to the ground. He grabbed his staff and looked at them all for a moment, before turning to walk out of the room through a door behind the throne.

"Jack, wait!" Toothiana called after him, moving to follow before a hand rested on her arm. Sandy was there, keeping her from chasing after Jack with a sad look and another shake of his head.

"That did not go well," North sighed, looking towards the back of the room where Jack had gone.

"Oh, you think?" Bunny asked sarcastically.

"Your tone is not needed, friend." North turned towards Bunny, giving him a look that only slightly made the Pooka feel the need to apologize.

"Did you expect something different?"

"I did," Tooth said. "I wanted him to be happy, to join us."

"You wanted to look at his teeth."

"Peace, Bunny," North attempted to soothe his companions. "I believe none of us expected such a reaction."

Before anything else could be said, Sandy nudged North and nodded his head towards the door they had come through.

"Sandy is right, this is not the place to talk. We must make new plan."

That seemed to be all of the encouragement they needed to retreat, though they knew they could not give up so easily.