The ending to "The Loss" and "Dealing"
Jack sat against the window watching Aster gazed at the pictures over the mantle. It was the first time in months that he had looked at anything that himself of the winter spirit other than the snowflake pendant he wore around his neck. He watched as Aster began to tear up. It wasn't the first time he had seen Aster so close to shedding tears for him since his passing. It was hard to watch knowing he was the cause and knowing there was no way for him to comfort him. Hell he wouldn't be here now if he hadn't had the fore sight to prepare his snowflake for this. He didn't how ever explain to Aster what was so important about it which he was kicking himself for now. Sure he had asked about it from time to time but never had he actually told Aster of its power.
It had been just after they had heard what Pitch had done to one of the summer spirits. So how Jack had known Pitch would eventually target him. He knew if that were to happen he wouldn't survive at least without any help. So he went to Manny and to his surprise Manny had helped him. Together Manny helped to seal a portion of Jack's being into the snowflake. He explained to Jack that so long as it remained intact then he would have the power to rive him. He had went a little more in depth about how it all work, but the bottom line was that Aster now held the power to bring Jack back from this unseen prison and he didn't even know it. For which Jack couldn't be anger with his Bunny for after all he had never been given the chance to explain about the pendant and how to use it.
For now how every Jack was tethered to it like a leash. He could never go anywhere the pendant wasn't which by extension meant he couldn't go any where unless Aster did. This little fact drove Jack up a wall for the first month after he 'died' because the only thing Aster did was stay in bed. Sometimes he would go and get some thing to eat or drink, but for the most part he stay in bed. It hurt Jack to watch his Aster so broken but what choice did he have. Jack was trapped in a plain in between the spirit world Aster and the other Guardians live and the afterlife. After the first month much too Jack's relief Aster finally started to work toward his Easter preparations. He had been afraid that Aster would simple ignore his duties as the Easter Bunny in hopes that he could join him.
It was halfway through the second month that Aster finally left the Warren. It was only for the usually Guardian meeting that was meant to keep everyone informed as to how thing were going with the others work. Like Aster the other three seem to be only going through the motions of their work. They all look tired and wore down. The meeting didn't last any longer than it had to before they departed to fulfill their respective roles. Once again it was back to the Warren for another month of solitude before Easter.
The third month passed in a similar fashion to second with Aster burring himself in work to forget the pain in his heart. Then Easter was there at last and as he did every year Aster delivered the eggs, but again all Jack saw was Aster going through the motion not feeling the joy he should be feeling. When all the eggs were delivered Aster returned to the Warren with the still unseen, unfelt spirit of winter in tow. The seen that unfolded when they returned was more than enough to break Jack's heart a dozen times over. For the first time since he had pasted Aster broke down and cried. It took Jack a moment to realize why. It was because for the first time in 130 year he wasn't there to greet him. Jack had always been there waiting for Aster when he had came after a long night of delivering eggs. They would then proceed to spend the next week in the others company for the simple fact that neither of them had any work that required their immediate attention. Another thing that reminded Aster of Jack's absents.
The months followed in a similar fashion to the first only this time Aster didn't spend so much of it in their room. It in fact became another place Aster avoided if at all possible. When he wasn't moping Aster busied himself with his usually in between season work. Every so often he would leave the Warren to attend the Guardian meetings aside form that he stayed in his Warren.
