Rise Of The Guardians - The Life Of A Spirit

Family: Part 4

'We're here to help you,' Tooth explained, releasing her grip on Bunny's paw and moving forward tentatively.

'Help me?' Jack replied, 'Thanks but no thanks. Just leave me alone.'

'No,' Bunny said, also stepping forward, 'Not this time. Never again.'

'We are not going to push you away, Jack,' North said reassuringly.

'Why not? I deserve it.'

'That is not true!' North protested, 'We know what you have been through and you do not deserve to be alone. You do not deserve to suffer like you have.'

'And yet, I did anyway.'

North's heart broke even more than it already was.

'I am sorry for how we treated you in the past,' he said, 'We were wrong to do that. We should have listened to you, we should have welcomed you. We are the ones to blame. Do not blame yourself.'

'I am the one to blame,' he replied, 'Wherever I go, I bring pain. Just leave me here. At least here I can't hurt anyone.

Sandy moved forward and sat down next to him, placing a comforting hand on his leg and Jack finally looked up, sorrow filling his icy blue eyes.

'We aren't going anywhere,' Bunny said, also sitting down.

North and Tooth quickly followed suit, sitting silently and preparing to stay here as long as Jack needed them to.

Eventually, he sighed and ask, 'Why do you all care so much? It's not like I've been around very long.'

'It doesn't matter how long you've been around,' Tooth replied, 'You're part of our family and we're not giving up on you.'

Jack sighed again and slowly uncurled himself until he was sitting cross-legged.

'I'm sorry you all had to come all this way.'

'Don't apologise, mate,' Bunny reassured him, 'We'd do it all again in a heartbeat if we had to.'

'No, I'm sorry that you had to see all that,' Jack persisted, 'Those memories, those fears... they should be mine to bear, not yours.'

'You don't have to bear them alone,' North replied, 'No one ever said that you did. I find that things are easier to deal with when you have others around to help.'

'I'm sorry,' Jack said again, 'I know I shouldn't feel like this...'

'You have every right to feel like this!' North exclaimed, 'You have been through so much, and you have been so strong, stronger than any of us could have been.'

'But I'm the Guardian of Fun...'

'That doesn't mean you have to be happy all the time,' Tooth explained gently, 'It's okay to be sad every once in a while.'

'And when you do,' Bunny added, 'We'll be here to help you through it.'

Jack sighed and, for the first time, gave the faintest ghost of a smile.

'Thanks, guys.'

And like the sun appearing over the horizon, the darkness around them started to lighten, growing brighter and brighter until they could see where they were. They were once again sitting in the snow, but now it sparkled like billions of stars, a fresh, cool breeze chasing away any last residual traces of fear.

Jack sighed and rose to his feet, the rest of the Guardians doing the same and waiting for him to make the first move.

'That's better,' he muttered, looking around curiously. His gaze lingered on something in the distance, and North turned to see, far on the horizon, a faint shadow was still present.