Cupid's Rising

Lilac Meets The Guardians

I touched down to Earth, catching Lilac as she jumped off the roof. We ran towards the sleigh, Jack and Jamie behind us.

The sleigh stopped just outside Jamie's house. Tooth was holding North up. The reindeer had flown away already by the time I got there.

"North! Are you okay?" Tooth gasped in concern.

"Is official. My powers are kaput." North sighed.

"Look!" Tooth cheered. She pointed our way. "Cupid! Jack!" Tooth cheered.

Jack flew to my side. Lilac continued to hide behind me.

"Guys-!" Tooth tried to fly out of the sleigh. She fell to the floor.

Jack rushed to her aid. I stayed in front of Lilac. "You okay?" He asked her.

Tooth smiled reassuringly. She stood on her two feet, albeit slouching.

"What are you two doing here?" North asked, climbing down off the sleigh. He used his sword for a standing cane.

"Same as you." Jack answered. He looked back, pointing towards the running Jamie.

Lilac peaked her head from around me.

"The last lights!" He blinked in confusion at Lilac. "That is who she is, yes?"

"Yeah. She is." I warned, putting a protective hand over her shoulder. "Lilac Stardust."

She beamed happily. "Hi Santa! I'm really excited to meet you, cause I knew you were real cause Mom and me made cookies every year and you always ate our cookies! Mom made them special for you and but we missed this year I'm sorry oh my I'm freaking out."

"Should I introduce you to the Tooth Fairy?" I offered, grinning like a cat.

Lilac squeaked. "She's beautiful!" She ran up to the fairy. "Your wings are so pretty. I would love to paint them in watercolor."

'How did she make that sound unthreatening? However if I had said that Morgue would hit me over the head?'

"Wow! It is you! I mean it is you! I knew it wasn't a dream." Jamie cheered, as he finally approached us. He turned to smoke at Jack.

"Jack!" North realized in glee. "They see you!"

Lilac blushed. She hid against my side.

"Cupid! Oh this is good!" North cheered loudly. Good thing parents don't believe, or we'd be caught.

"Wait, but, where's Bunny?"

"Did he-" My joke about dying fell flat at Lilac's hopeful face. "-go home?"

North looked away sadly. "Losing Easter took its toll on all of us. Bunny most of all."

A small, tiny, infinitesimal sized rabbit hopped out.

There was a grin on my face. I turned my head so none of them would see.

"Oh...no..."

"A bunny!" Lilac cheered, rushing over to give Bunny a hug. The rabbit went along with it. Jack and I watched, struggling to hold back laughter. "He's so cute!"

Jamie chuckled. "That's the Easter Bunny?"

"The what?" Lilac blinked.

"Now somebody sees me!" Bunnymund spoke. Lilac squeaked, dropping him onto the sleigh wing. He waved a paw in her direction. "I mean, where were you about an hour ago, sheila?"

"I'm so sorry!" Lilac gasped, covering her red cheeks with her hands. She meant to holding him, not to the believing thing. "Auntie Killjoy why didn't you say anything?!