Like A Dream

Across the field thickly coated with ice and frost and snow, began the small forest on the edge of the small town. It was a lovely park both in the summer and winter times. This was the nearest near Ebony's house and the exact same place where she had met the unforgettable winter spirit.

On the highest branch of a tree, situated on the edge of that field, sat the named winter spirit. His back was pressed against the trunk, his legs dangling on either side of the branch and the staff across his lap. With head tilted upwards, his eyes glistened just like the late night sky but with sad tears. 

In all his years, in those three centuries and on those specially lonely days, he had never shed a single tear. It would've made sense to him crying over his eternal loneliness than to cry over one girl. He wanted everything to make sense, for him to know how it all came down to this. 

Because the problem was, it wasn't just a girl, it was Ebony Marie Plummer. The girl who followed his lead, answering to those whispers he emitted and finding him, believing without even being told to. She hadn't followed the trend the world had set; she had faith within herself and in him.

Earlier on, before all this craziness, he would've dismissed the first wandering idea about him being in love with her. He would've given the excuse that he was blinded by the fact that she still fully believed in him and only thought that he loved her. 

But now...now it was completely different.

It was no question. They both felt the same towards each other, maybe Jack loved her more than he thought. His heart constricted each time he reminded himself that Ebony was the very first girl he'd fallen for. When he was still human, he didn't have time to think about love or feelings or mutual emotions or even the idea of romance. 

His human memories were blurred with confusion though. He wasn't entirely certain if he was right; he could've simply been guessing his past. But somewhere in him, he knew that Ebony was his first everything. First kiss, first love, first girl to ever step over the friendship line. He didn't think he was smitten with anyone other than her. 

Another tear escaped his eye, running down a cheek. He realized that she would forever be cemented in a crevice of his mind and heart and he couldn't do anything about it. He didn't care that he wasn't her first although it would've been amazing if he was. 

And now he didn't even have the chance to dwell in happiness over it. Before they could even talk about their relationship and where it was heading or even celebrate this unexpected situation, he left abruptly. 

But maybe it was for the best. He had said goodbye before anything more serious came sweeping by, before they both fell deeper into this. If he had let any more moments pass by until he decided to leave, he knew that heavier complications would arise and that the pain would stab at him. 

It was possible for him to stay longer, until winter ended. But that would mean sadder goodbyes and stinging tears. The biting weather of this winter was icy enough for the both of them. Honestly, this was probably the first time he actually felt cold.

If there was a possible way to erase the memory of her face right before he flew off, he would've gladly accepted anyone's offer. Even the dark expression of Pitch crossed his mind as one of those people. He shivered at the thought of childhood's worst enemy. 

Jack could've possibly softened the blow by withholding cold glares. He had a theory that if he acted somewhat cold instead of desperate that it would've been easier for her. If he had said the goodbye with his true emotions, then it would've given her the idea that he cared a lot and that would lead to hope of return. False hope. And he didn't want to give pressure like that to her. 

But he could return - he could see her and visit her. Without her knowledge, of course. His mind began to reel around again and he felt newfound courage. Jack knew that he shouldn't have even thought of this but now that it was in mind, the chance was too tempting to avoid. 

He jumped up from his seating position and stood lithely on the branch. As he stepped into open air, the wind literally tugged him towards the direction of Ebony's house which wasn't too far from where he was. Or was it secretly her luring him in without any of them knowing?

As he practically floated to the destined place, his mind whirred with the all the different possibilities. She could be awake right this second and he wouldn't have wondered why. Secretly he wished for her to not be asleep and for the both of them to accidentally see each other. 

He knew this would lead to nothing but misery in the end but what else did he want in the world? Other than placing smiles on children's faces, he wanted and desired to be with Ebony. If he had to spend a lifetime in the piths of hell to be able to have Ebony and to still be a guardian, he would've signed up for the position right away. 

Jack wasn't sure if he should open the window. He knew that the cool air would slither in and probably wake the young girl up. But he needed to see her, he needed to see Ebony before he left this place. Because he didn't think he could stay without faltering and end up groveling on Ebony's doorstep. 

He slowly stepped inside. She wasn't even under the blanket. Half of her body was dangling from the edge of the bed, face squished to the side and eyebrows scrunched together as if having a bad dream. And she was still wearing the clothes as if too tired to care about anything. He swallowed as guilt washed over him again. 

Pulling himself together, he grabbed the thick blanket moving it aside before slowly rolling Ebony onto her side so she wasn't in danger of falling to the floor. He then draped the blanket back over her body and hadn't realized that she had been shivering until she was stopped once covered.

Jack slowly bent down and hesitantly pressed his lips against her forehead. "I'll miss you," he said, knowing that this was one important sentence he didn't mention when saying farewell. He slightly wished she had heard him then.



A sneeze rang through the classroom yet again. This time nobody even bothered to turn their heads at the sudden sound and her best friend whispered a small bless you before turning away. She couldn't blame them, she had been sneezing since this period began. 

For some reason Ebony had gained a frustrating cold overnight. When she finally found the strength to get up from the bed, her gaze hooked on the slightly open window. She had quickly investigated and closed it securely, certain that she had locked it before she dropped dead that night. 

She paused from writing to cover her face before another sneeze was issued out. The lesson was disrupted by a student by the door and the teacher excused himself out of the room. The class sighed in relief before settling in to their two minutes of free time. 

Cara nudged the girl to her right. "You look so sick," she said. "Your cheeks are so pale, hon."

She groaned before letting her head fall onto the desk. "Thanks for being so supportive," she grumbled with annoyance. Ebony's eyelids fell into place and she allowed herself a few seconds of peace and quiet from the rest of the world. 

Her friend laughed but was interrupted by the slam of the class door. Immediately, Ebony raised her head, blinking the signs of tiredness away and the chatter simultaneously faded as the teacher stood in front of his students again. 

Mr Hughes sent the class one of those you-better-be-behaving looks before rotating around to face away. He began writing on the board again, continuing on from were he left off. It seemed as if he wasn't anywhere near finished causing a chorus of groans to fill the room. 

"Ebony," she whispered catching the attention of her friend. It seemed as if she hadn't heard her or she was simply ignoring the whispers. "Ebo-"

"What?" she hissed, not taking the time to turn her head and gaze at her. Ebony tried to listen to the girl next to her and at the same time quickly race through the notes on the board in hopes of catching up with the teacher. She didn't have the time - or patience - to slow down and think because thinking led to things she didn't want to think about.

The teacher stopped writing and walked to the left side of the room. He stopped in front of the cupboard that held everything necessary and was searching through the exercise books. Cara too this at a time to ask her friend an important thing. 

"Babe," she sang unaware of the irritation bubbling within Ebony. 

Said girl finally paused and looked at the determined friend of hers. She sent Cara a glare that anybody could figure out. Instead of radiating anger, she sneezed and sniffed again. "Bless you again," she said with a small laugh. "Dear lord, Jack Frost really did nip at your nose yeah?"

Ignoring the strike of pain that shot through her heart at that comment, she chuckled meekly. She hoped it was enough to satisfy her friend that it was plain sickness, before she went to face her exercise book again, pretending to resume copying the work on the board. Cara seemed to have bought the acting when her voice was no longer heard. 

Although she wished that the girl had continued to chatter away. She had a tendency to talk too much and it was a great value for Ebony as she never talked much about anything, really. This time all she wanted was to listen to what her lunatic friend had to say and chuckle at the nonsense spurting from her lips. Anything that could distract her from the ache the previous comment had incited.

With a sniff, Ebony had begun to furiously catch up with the teacher. He had managed to find more information - things that apparently weren't already on the three pages of written words - and added them on. She didn't understand why he couldn't have prepared this writing material before class like all the other teachers. 

Just as she was about to start dotting down the questions Mr Hughes set up, a small droplet collided with her page. She stared at it unable to approach the fact that she had shed a couple of tears. She angrily dropped the black pen in her hand and replaced it with her chin, angling her head to the side and staring out the window. 

It probably wasn't such a great idea to gaze out at the winter wonderland seeing as the reason for all this misery was the boy who made it all happen. The one who brought laughter and smiles to children's faces in the wintertime. Maybe that was why he made her cry last night instead of smile; she wasn't a child anymore. She hadn't been for twelve years. 

Ebony didn't have the ability to wrap her mind around the events that took place yesterday. It had happened all so fast and before all the drama that occurred, Jack seemed perfectly content and didn't seem off at all. Maybe seem was the key word in all of this. He could put up a horrible facade and people would still believe him. 

And she didn't understand why there was so much anger. As if he blamed their separation on her. He never gave her the proper explanation why he had to resort to this severe situation as a problem solver. She thought back to his expression last night and could bet all the money had and didn't have, that she'd never encountered that side of him before. She didn't think that side of him even existed.

But his harsh aura was the last thing on her mind in that minute. All she could think was the need to cherish his face in their last few moments seeing each other. That might not be what wad in his mind but that was what had felt important then. It was a goodbye, a hard goodbye.

And what was even worse, she'd probably never know why it was goodbye. 

"Ebony?" She was ripped our of her painful lapse by the teacher's exclaims. Her hazel eyes glided from the ironically picturesque scene through the classroom window to the front of the room. Mr Hughes was staring at her. 

"Are you okay?" he asked. 

"Yep." All eyes were on her when she realized she'd been crying the whole time. She avoided anybody's gazes as she wiped at her eyes, faking restlessness and attempting not to sniff. "I tear up when I'm sick," she stated dumbly. It was true though.

The teacher sent her a look of uncertainty but she, hopefully, reassured him with a weak smile. Everyone else lost interest and turned back around minding their own business again. Ebony sighed, glaring at the tear stains on her page, wondering how she even let it get this far.