A Second Chance - A Jackunzel short

s i x

On that day, Jack decided it was a good idea to accompany North at the toy shop. He offered to help him with his service. North gleefully agreed.

They went downtown to a sketchy neighborhood. They entered an old, run down building that had a plaque on the top that read Santa's Workshop.

"You can sweep the floors." North mumbles as he fishes his keys from his pocket. He flipped through his keys and opened the door. They step in the shop that was made out of wood.

The floors, shelves, counter and even the products were all wood. Jack picked up an old puppet. "So this is what you do?"

"I carve wood every day for fifty years." North plants a hand on Jack's shoulder as they marvel at the intricate curlicues that were engraved on the doll. Jack ran a thumb through it, smiling at the piece of work that North poured his heart and soul out to. He wondered why the place wasn't a gold mine.

"Tooth is out for the day, so you can man the cashier while I carve on the backroom."

"Who's Tooth?"

"You used to date her." North chuckles. "You'd come in everyday just to see her."

"Did we break up?" Jack asked.

"Unfortunately, yes. You kind of switched her for Elsa."

"Did Elsa and I break up?" Jack asked, not really knowing who Elsa was.

"I'm not really sure. Probably? She was five years older than you. Pretty sure she's in Pitch's class."

Jack's eyebrows rose. "Wow." He mumbled. He really did go around back then.

North retreated in the backroom and Jack sat on the stool and waited for people to come in.

Eventually, someone did.

It was Tooth.

"North! I forgot my—" Tooth stopped midsentence as she laid eyes on the brunet boy behind the counter.

Tooth was a short brunette girl with streaks of yellow, pink in green in her hair. She was fond of her feather earrings that dangled from her earlobes and she usually wore bright colors.

Jack stared at her. "Hi, would to like to buy anything?"

"Jack." Tooth greeted. "I haven't seen you here in a while."

"I've been busy having amnesia and all." Jack leaned towards the counter as the girl approached him.

"I heard you had an accident." Tooth bit her lip. "I'm really sorry."

"It's okay."

"North told me that you don't really know what happened." Tooth said.

"Yeah, no one really told me."

Tooth tapped her chin until she constructed an idea. "I want to show you something." Tooth smiled as she went around the counter and picked up a few thick books.

"What's that?"

"The school yearbooks. You want to see? Maybe it'll jog your memory." Tooth flipped open the book and the first page was a collage.

"You're all over this thing." Tooth mumbled as she pointed at Jack's victorious portrait. He was in his helmet and all. Red streaks of paint on his cheeks to represent St Nicolas' colors.

She flipped through some pages. There he was, with Hans, in his cherry red Ferrari with a bunch of other jocks and cheerleaders.

Another picture where he was prom king with a girl that Jack didn't recognize.

"Anna Arendelle." She pointed at the prom queen under his arm. "She's the sister of Elsa."

Jack winced. He dated sisters?

"Yeah." Tooth chuckled. She flipped a few pages and it was more pictures of him and his hockey tournaments. He was MVP in each game. The pictures has Jack grinning widely at the screen with the trophy in hand. His chest pushed out with pride.

"Wow." Jack whispered as she stared at the countless photos of him in hockey tournaments.

"Yeah, you were quite the player." Tooth tucks a green chunk of hair behind her ear.

Jack sighed. "Tooth, I'm really sorry about what happened. I didn't know I could be so cruel."

Tooth smiled. "It's okay, you're...different now. I can see that."

"Thanks, Tooth."

Tooth closed the yearbook. "Alright, I got this, I gotta bounce. I'll see you around school." Tooth hugs the yearbook to her chest. "Don't forget to tell North to take his antacids."

After a while, Jack opened the door to the backroom and he saw North with his glasses, he held a small knife and was engraving a smile on the doll's face.

"Ah, Jack." North pushes his magnifying glass away and turned off his lamp. "Is there anything you need?"

"Tooth came by, she asked me to remind you to take your antacids."

"Right!" North jumps up and walks to the mini fridge. He picks up a bunch of tablets and he gulped it down with water.

"Having some trouble lately?"

"Just bellyaches. I'm fine, though."

"You should go get that checked." Jack suggested.

North was afraid of the doctor. He's been experience excruciating stomach pains that he knew where serious. He was afraid that a doctor would tell him that it's a life threatening sickness that he couldn't afford to cure.

"Pah," he shook his head, "no need! I'll be fine, Jack. Got my herbal tea and home remedies."

"But it could be serious." Jack said. "We'll bring you to the hospital, just as a check-up. If you really think that it's nothing then you have nothing to worry about, grandpa."

North had fear stirring in his stomach but he nodded. "Sure, whatever you say, Jack."