Snowfallen-(Jelsa)

Chapter 4: Midnight Memories

Jack prowled through the town, searching for any sign of the Bogeyman. Hands tensely gripping his staff, he strained his senses for anything out of place. Every shadow acquired a sinister quality, and Jack was aware that at any moment Pitch could make an appearance. It was tiring and nerve-wracking work. Finally, after several hours passed, he had to admit defeat; Jack had searched the whole town, and there was nothing indicating Pitch's presence. Jack flipped up his hood and felt his jaw clench as he considered the futility of his hunt.

That was a waste of time. I have no idea where Pitch is. He could be on the other side of the world for all I know!

"Why did the portal bring me here? What am I supposed to be doing?!" Jack asked aloud, expecting no answers from the summer wind. A recollection passed through his mind, and suddenly his frustration narrowed on a target. "You said that only I could come and fix whatever Pitch messed up, but how am I supposed to do that if I don't even know what he did?!" With each question, Jack's volume had increased until he was yelling uselessly into the night.

Jack stared at the moon, challenging it to provide answers. When none came, he slammed his staff into the ground before taking off toward the bay. He skimmed over the small waves, his toes and staff tracing frosty patterns that quickly dissolved. As his pace slowed to a lazy drift, Jack saw his reflection in the calm water. Not wanting to face his ineptitude for the task laid before him, Jack flipped over to view the sky. His breath caught in his throat.

Incredibly brilliant stars blanketed the velvet blackness of night. The last time Jack had seen the sky alive with so many vibrant lights was decades ago, before light pollution began dimming the stars. He floated above the water for long moments, appreciating the beauty of the heavens and the memories they evoked.

"Jack, we should be in bed right now," protested Emma, although she made no effort to pull her hand from his.

He smiled down at his well-behaved sister. "Come on, it's only for a few minutes." Jack looked at the grassy knoll that was their destination. "I promise it will be fun," he added.

Emma remained silent, though she continued to allow herself to be led along. When Jack stopped at the small hill, she released a puff of air before asking, "What did you want to show me?"

Jack sat down and patted the ground next to him. "If you want to see it, you have to lie down."

"Jack!" Emma exclaimed, stomping her foot.

Ignoring the outburst, Jack stretched out on the grass and crossed his ankles. When she realized that no response would be forthcoming, Emma sighed and flopped back on the turf next to her brother. Jack could tell the exact moment Emma's attention shifted to the sky above her. His little sister's breathed utterance of "Wow..." brought a smile to Jack's face. He had known that Emma would love the spectacle of the night sky filled with luminous stars.

Breaking the silence, Jack said, "If you connect the stars, they can make pictures."

"Really?"

"See those three bright stars in a line over there?" he asked, pointing to the lights in question.

"Yes..."

"That's the belt of a mighty hunter called Orion," he explained.

After a few moments, Emma said, "I don't see him. Are you tricking me?"

Jack hid a grin at his sister's wariness. While most of the time her fears were well-founded, his antics around Emma never went beyond brotherly teasing.

"No," Jack replied. "I'm not playing a trick. Those three stars making an arrow are his head and shoulders. That curved line is his bow, and—"

"Those ones are his legs!" Emma excitedly interrupted. "I see him! But if he's a hunter, what is he hunting?"

Jack proceeded to spin the tale of Orion and Artemis, the Greek goddess of the hunt. When other constellations were mentioned in the telling, Jack pointed them out too. After the story was done, Emma asked if he could show her more pictures in the stars.

Jack chuckled at her enthusiasm before standing up and replying, "Not tonight. We've stayed up much later than I thought we would." He extended a hand and helped his sister to her feet before adding, "Not to mention we should have been in bed over an hour ago."

Emma gasped in horror at the seemingly enormous infraction that they had committed. She began frantically pulling at Jack's hand. "Come on! Hurry up! We have to get back!"

Jack stumbled a few steps forward at his sister's insistent tugging before freeing his hand. "Whoa, slow down. It won't matter if we are a few more minutes late, and I don't want you breaking an ankle in the dark. Besides, it ruins the fun if we go racing off. Let's just walk back at a nice, slow pace, okay?"

"Alright..." Emma agreed, the frown on her brow lessening.

While they were walking the short distance back to the house, a flash of light caught Jack's attention.

"Look! A falling star!" he said, pointing.

Emma sighed in amazement as the streak made its way across the sky.

"Falling stars are lucky," he explained. "Make a wish."

His little sister turned around and looked Jack in the eye before saying, "I wish that you will be my big brother forever and ever." Emma seized his waist in a hug before fervently whispering, "Thank you."

Jack returned the embrace for a long, precious moment. Finally the little imp within surfaced, and he began to tickle Emma's exposed sides. His younger sister squealed and tried to pull away, but the torturous teasing continued. Finally Jack gave in and let her go.

That was the first of many nights of stargazing, storytelling, and fun. Jack grinned as he recalled the numerous times when his sister would fall asleep lying on the ground, forcing him to carry her back to the house. Their mother would smile and relieve him of his precious load, putting Emma to bed.

"Thank you," Jack whispered, looking at the moon. Somehow, he knew that it had played a part in evoking the sweet remembrances, helping to relieve his frustrations and remind him why he chose to become a Guardian.

Jack raised himself up to a standing position, letting his hood fall down onto his shoulders. As he did so, he caught a flicker of light in his peripheral vision. Turning toward it, Jack realized it was a reflection of the castle with every window aglow.

I wonder what they're celebrating... That was a crazy herd of people heading there earlier.

Curiosity aroused, Jack flew toward the isolated castle. As he drew nearer, he could hear music and laughter ringing through the air. Finding an open window, Jack slipped inside. Following his ears, as well as his nose, he made his way through numerous corridors to the ballroom. It seemed like hundreds of people were occupying the room. The bright colours of elegant evening wear snagged Jack's attention, and he paused to watch the swirling patterns of the dancers gliding across the floor.

Suddenly they all stopped, turning as one to face the front of the room as two women stepped onto the raised dais. Jack chuckled as the red-haired woman stumbled, watching her awkwardly climb the steps before shifting his gaze to the woman beside her. Her pale blond hair seemed familiar, and Jack found himself drifting closer, trying to get a better look.