ICE COLD HEART: CHAPTER 1

ICE COLD HEART

All I felt was cold. But the pain was gone. And when I awoke the cold was still there, but to a less extreme. This cold, this icy numb feeling never went away. But I didn't mind. Sure every once in a while I would beg to be warm but it didn't matter. I was never answered. My name is Jack Frost. How do I know? The moon told me so. But he failed to mention that I would one day join forces with the Guardians. Yeah, you know those people you read about in fairy tales? Their real, we have Santa Clause, though I prefer North, the Easter Bunny, Bunnymund, Tooth Fairy, Tooth, and the Sandman, Sandy. All of them are real and all of them want to protect the children of the world.

And I'm one of them. But it wasn't always that way. For the past three-hundred years all I've known is loneliness. Guardians were believed by many children, they could be seen. I was a myth to everyone, no one knew who I was and so I was invisible to them. I watched the years go by, societies growing into something bigger and more powerful. And each year I'd bring the snow to towns. I felt like no one cared about me, that no one wanted me around, that I was destined to be alone forever. Then my family finally found me.

The Guardians are my family, but even now that I know that. I still feel the cold numbness inside of me, even if it's lifted a little. I just wish I had known that the cold would be the one to destroy me...

| NORTH POLE

Snow fell gently onto the ground near North's work shop all seemed calm and quiet. No one would have guessed that there was a party going on inside the workshop. Jack smiled as he took the brightly colored ball from Bunnymund's paws. He took a deep breath in, then out before rolling the ball as hard as he could without making it bounce. The elves on the other side of the room that were frozen solid all fell to the ground as the ball smashed into them. Jack smirked as he heard the claps behind him. He turned around to the happy faces of the other guardians.

"Nice strike, Jack!" Tooth called. Sandy put two fingers in his mouth and blew as if whistling but no sound came out, this made Jack smile and laugh. Sandy put two thumbs up.

"Not bad, Frostbite!" Bunnymund called from his place where he was sitting against the wall.

North just smiled and clapped. "See North! I told you this would be fun! Elf bowling! Who knew?" said the joyous Winter Spirit.

"I have to admit, it never crossed my mind to do this." North said, still smiling.

Jack laughed, the laugh filling everyone, even Bunnymund, with joy. It was good to see their newest member laughing and smiling. After defeating Pitch they had decided to have a party, which some how made Jack want to do elf bowling.

Jack walked over to the table where Tooth and Sandy were sitting. A plate of cookies was sitting in the middle surrounded by five cups. He grabbed a cookie taking a bite out of it. Through out his life he had always loved the sweet taste of cookies. How they tasted so different form everything else. He took another bite, moving his free hand up to move his white bangs out of his eyes. "Who's next?" Bunnymund asked, trying to break the silence.

North looked out the window that was a few feet away, the sun was setting, disappearing over the horizon. "I believe it is about time we stop. Tooth and Sandy need to be getting to their jobs." Both Guardians looked out at the setting sun.

"Oh," was all Tooth could muster before flying towards the door. "I'll see you guys later!" she said, she was about to leave when she came back, giving Jack a hug. "Don't get into trouble please." she said teasingly to the white-haired boy. He smirked.

"No promises." Tooth smiled anyway before leaving. Sandy also said his goodbyes before leaving.

North turned to Jack who was walking over to grab his staff that he had probed up against one of the walls. "Jack, where are you going?" he asked worriedly.

"Home," Jack said plainly.

"Where is home?"

"Well, technically, I have no home, you know like yours, Bunny's, Sandy's, or Tooth's I mean. I mostly go where I want. But I guess my home is the lake in Burgess." Jack explained.

"You can stay here if you want," offered North, hoping the stubborn boy would take the offer. Bunnymund also secretly wanted Jack to stay at the North Pole, it was safer here. He may have a grudge against the boy but that didn't mean he wanted him to get hurt or anything.

"Nah, I'm good, the lake may not be a home for you guys, but it's a home to me. And if it makes you feel any better, North. I'll come and visit tomorrow okay?"

North sighed. "Okay, Jack. I don't like it, but okay. Just be careful and stay out of trouble."

Jack snorted, "You're talking to me as if this is my first time spending the night by myself. If you haven't noticed, I've been doing this for three-hundred years!"

North and Bunnymund flinched a little at this. They'd left the young spirit by himself for so long and hadn't cared. No looking at him, how he seemed so much younger compared to the other Guardians how vulnerable they had left him. He had no one while they had each other. All of this time they hadn't even known that they were slowly driving the boy into depression. And now they knew and felt horrible about it.

"Just don't worry, like I said, I'll be back tomorrow." he smiled, walking over the window and jumping out, nearly giving North a heart attack until he saw Jack flying away. He just hoped the boy would be okay.

| BURGESS

Jack listened from a top of a house at the sounds of nature. He looked at the sun as it disappeared completely. The dark night was now here as stars began to work their way into the sky. Adults started to hurriedly get into their houses to avoid the cold snow that Jack had decided to cast upon them. A group of children were walking home together all of them talking. Jack listened in for a second, wondering if anything interesting was going on.

"I heard a story about the lake in the woods, apparently it's been frozen for over three-hundred years!" one of the kids told his friends excitedly. Jack couldn't see them but he could tell that the boy's face was lit up like a Christmas tree as he talked. And he wasn't lying about the lake, it had been frozen for that long, it was actually Jack's doing. After all, he never wanted anyone to fall through again, so he made sure the lake was always frozen solid. You could drive across that sucker and it still wouldn't crack.

"I heard that Jack Frost is the one who does that!" another boy joined in. Jack smirked a little, suddenly even more interested in the conversation.

"What are you talking about? Jack Frost is an urban legend! Just like the Easter Bunny and the Sandman." Jack frowned at this, his eye brows furrowing together. He'd never actually heard a non believer say something like that out loud.

"They are too real! All of them! You just can't see them because you don't believe!" Someone else objected.

"Whatever!" the non believer growled frustratingly, "I'm not getting mixed up in your weird fantasy worlds!"

With that Jack heard the boy's feet stomp away, a few seconds later a door to a house opened and slammed shut. "I can't believe he doesn't believe!" one of the boy's said, the voice sounded very familiar. Jack thought for a second, before realizing who that voice was.

"Jamie?" he called to no one in general.

"Did someone just call my name?"

"I heard it," called another voice.

"Me too!" yet another called.

Jack looked off the roof. "Oh don't worry you're not going crazy." Jack called. Three boys were on the ground, Jamie included. All three looked up and gasped with happiness.

"JACK!" Jamie called happily, "Your back! I thought you were with the other Guardians!"

"I was, but you know Sandy and Tooth, they got jobs to do after all."

"Oh if only we could see Steve's face now! I should go get him to prove that your real." One of the other boys said excitedly. He started to run only to have his hood be caught by Jack's staff.

"Whoa there tiger, not so fast. You guys should know that he wouldn't be able to see me even if you brought him here."

"Why not," the boy asked as he tilted his head in confusion.

"Because you all have something special that he doesn't. You have hope, and belief. Without those two things you can't see me, or any of the Guardians for that matter."

"Really?" asked the other boy curiously.

"Yeah, I mean, without Jamie believing in me none of you probably would. It takes one to make a difference." Jack told them.

"Thanks Jack," Jamie and his friends said.

"Now you guys better get home before your parents worry."

"You'll be back soon, right Jack?"

"Of course," the kids started to walk away but Jack quickly snagged Jamie back, "if you ever need me, just go to that frozen lake, and call, I'll come running every time." He promised Jamie.

"You mean it?" Jamie asked.

"Of course, just try not to over use that okay?" he said teasingly.

"I'll remember Jack!" Jamie said before running to catch up with his friends.

Jack smiled, if felt good to finally be seen. He laughed and let the winds take him into the forest. He stood on the lake he had risen from so long ago. He smiled and walked over to a tree that was close; he climbed up into it and placed his hood up, keeping his staff in his arms as he fell into a deep sleep.