Love As Cold As Ice (Jack Frost Fanfiction)

Chapter Fifteen: Beaten Hopeless

Sunlight shone on our heads as we popped onto the surface of the Earth, panting as we looked around, hands on our knees to catch our breath. Outside, the kids were murmuring, disappointed that they couldn't find eggs, slinking home with their baskets empty. Some were even dropped on the ground, a further sign of disbelief in Easter and the Easter Bunny.

"He didn't come." One kid murmured sadly, walking right through me. I clutched at my chest. It wasn't a painful thing to deal with, but it ignited something hollow inside me, like an ache I couldn't shake. Jack shook his head, saddened by what happened because of us. I straightened and looked over at Jack, my eyes mournful. We could deny it all we wanted, but there was nothing stopping anyone from saying that this was our fault.

"Are you okay?" Jack asked me. Despite what had happened, despite the anger and betrayal that might be brooding inside the non-present Guardians at the moment, he still wanted to know how I felt. I squeezed his hand with mine when he laid it on my shoulder.

"I'm fine." I whispered. "This is all our fault."

"No." Jack shook his head, "Not your fault at all, Kia. It's all-"

"Jack!" Jack and I whipped around to find North, propped up by his swords, as he hobbled towards us, just like an... Old man. I thought faintly in the back of my head. Losing Easter... it won't just affect Bunny or one Guardian. It will affect everyone that has chosen to protect the children. All the Guardians are doomed because of Jack and me, I realized to my horror.

"Where were you guys?" Toothiana asked, "The children..." She trailed off, looking at Bunny, who was leaning over a depressed kid, trying his best to show him a blue colored egg. He was too far away for me to hear what he was saying, but his desperate expression broke my heart.

"We..." Jack couldn't bring himself to say it. He leaned on his staff, his expression filled with regret as he looked down at the ground. I took his hand.

"Look at me. We did this together. This is my fault, too. Don't take all the blame on yourself. I could have stopped him, but I didn't." I whispered and Jack shook his head fiercely.

"This will never, never be your fault." He insisted.

"There's no such thing as the Easter Bunny..." One of the kids sighed sadly, dropping his basket on the ground. I wanted to grab the kid's shoulder and shove his basket back in his hand, but I couldn't. I stayed by Jack's side, my hand still limply held onto his, as we watched one of the kids pass through Bunny. I gasped; they didn't believe in him anymore.

"They don't see me..." Bunny whispered brokenly, "They don't see me..."

"Bunny!" Tooth leapt forward to comfort her friend as Jack's eyes widened in fear. My heartbeat increased. This is your fault. A voice growled inside me, threatening to tear through me from the inside out, You are your father's daughter.

"W... What even happened?" I asked North, who was still standing next to us with a grim expression, his swordpoint stabbed into the ground.

"The Nightmares attacked the tunnels. They smashed every egg, crushed every basket." North growled as he started to pace, looking worried and terribly angry. "Nothing made it to the surface."

"Jack! Kiara!" Suddenly, Tooth was at North's side, making her face me as well. "Where were you two? We needed you-" She cut herself off when she realized the capsule in Jack's hand, like some cursed treasure. "Where did you get those?" She gasps.

"I-I was... It's..." Jack couldn't say anything, only looking away in guilt.

"It's not his fault!" I protested, "It's on both of us..." I couldn't speak either. I could only watch the betrayal swirling in the Guardians' eyes.