The meeting room was silent as everyone digested what Tooth and Jack had told them, putting it all together.
"Okay, so General Winter's definitely up ta somethin'," Bunny finally said. "Yer sure this Olwen saw Krampus with 'im?"
"Olwen's really shy," Jack said defensively. "She doesn't like saying something unless she's really sure of it. So if she says she saw someone that looked like Krampus with General Winter, I believe her. She never said it was Krampus, he just matches Krampus' description."
"...fair enough," Bunny said after a second. "So, when were ya gonna tell us 'bout yer little sisters there Jackie?"
"Uh...after I was sure you weren't going to get rid of me?" Jack said, mostly to his staff. "It hadn't come up yet."
There was a collective wince around the table, and Jack took a deep breath. "Okay, okay, so I hadn't told you guys everything yet," he said, trying to play it off. "You haven't told me everything yet, so we're even. I'll tell you about the girls later. For now, come on North, quit holding out on us! What's the big surprise?"
"Already had one surprise," North scolded, mostly playful. "Jack has little sisters! Is very big surprise!"
"We couldn't really hang out that much," Jack mumbled. "I have things I need to do, and they're still pretty new, as spirits. Newer than me. 's not like we spent a lot of time together. Every time we tried somebody'd come and break it up."
"Well, as soon as people learn you're a Guardian now, they won't dare," Tooth said firmly. "It may take awhile, but the reputation should help. You could make a place for them, if you wanted."
She paused, after saying that. Jack...did he have a home? He'd never mentioned it, never shown it to them...but Jack looked thoughtful at the idea rather than pained. He nodded, once, smiling slightly to himself before glancing at Tooth from under his bangs.
"That...might be nice," he said hesitantly. "Can we talk about it later? Homes, that is." Tooth nodded, relieved. "North, the surprise?"
"Ah, so impatient!" North teased, eyes sparkling. "Was surprise to me, too," he added. "But message came in today, over moonbeams, but not from Manny. After all these hundreds of years, Katherine and Nightlight are finally healed enough to come home! Are on way already!"
Around Jack, the Guardians exploded with questions – where they really healed, when where they getting here, where would they live, Santoff Claussen had been gone for so long – while Jack curled up around his staff.
The Guardians, mostly North who loved to tell Jack stories of times before he had come, had spoken of Nightlight and Katherine before, though usually their stories trailed off near the end and they looked so pained Jack hadn't wanted to ask. He'd assumed something terrible had happened, and had hoped they weren't dead.
Well, it seemed they weren't. But what did their coming back mean for him, Jack? Katherine, Guardian of Imagination, Mother Goose with her Himalayan Snow Goose Kailash, big enough to ride just like the paintings though still a young woman rather than the grandmother they pictured on the books. Katherine with her stories and her kindness and quiet strength and her powers over stories...how could Jack's stories compete with that? Nightlight, the first Guardians, Guardian of Bravery...the stories made him and Jack sound so similar. Would they even need Jack around anymore when they had fun, mischief-loving Nightlight? Nightlight, who they'd shared much more time and so many more adventures with?
