Miles To Go Before I Sleep

The Way The Cold Burns Part 2

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Jack forced his eyes open. He'd allowed his exhaustion to take control but now he needed to fix things before they got worse. The freezing snow and the added chill of the wind had helped cool him down, but there was still a long way to go before he would be 'better'.

It was much easier this time to get to his feet, but his limbs still shook with exertion, sweat beading on his brow. He staggered away from the workshop. If he was going to try and make a storm, he didn't want it to be anywhere near North's home – especially since he would have next to no control over it.

And then it hit him. How was he going to make a storm without his staff? He would have slapped himself if he had the energy. Well, he'd shown he was still strong without it against Pitch in that whole staff-stealing incident, so he'd just have to make do.

When he felt he honestly couldn't walk another step he looked back over his shoulder towards the workshop. He was disappointed to find he hadn't really gone all that far. Maybe it would just be a small storm… That was probably wishful thinking.

Jack closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. He focused on the wind wrapping around him, trying to communicate to it what he wanted it to do. But it didn't understand – continuing to do what it had been, wrapping around him protectively and trying to cool his raging fever. Furrowing his brow in growing frustration, Jack threw his arms out wide, pulled back his head and screamed.

He cried out all his frustration, channelling his emotions into the snow around him, willing it to whirl up – to create the blizzard he so desperately required. He tried to focus on the heat resonating in his core; to channel it out through his arms. The wind started to rile up, spinning around him, lifting the snow off the ground and forcing the clouds to gather above him. It was working!

Something grabbed him and he faltered. With panicked eyes, Jack turned to see Bunny shouting at him, but the words were lost, swept away by the wind. The Pooka was dragging him, trying to take him back towards the workshop.

"No!" he gasped, his breathing laboured as if he'd just run a marathon.

"Jack, you're gonna make yerself worse!" Bunny fought the wind, trying to get a better grip on the winter spirit.

"…Storm! Have to… make storm… Need to… let it… go."

"You can make all the storms you want once you're better!"

"No…!" Why didn't she understand? Why couldn't she see that the storm would make him better? His core was too hot; he needed to release the heat.

But he was weak, barely able to keep himself upright let alone fight against Bunny. All the energy he'd recovered in the snow-bank and the adrenalin left him, his body sagging in the female Pooka's arms. The wind attempted to rescue its beloved winter spirit, but it was all in vain.

"No," he whispered brokenly. The wind and snow fell to nothingness as his world went black.

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Bunny was barely able to catch Jack as he slumped lifelessly in the Pooka's arms. Alarmed, the Guardian of Hope quickly pressed a digit against the kid's neck, relieved to find a pulse beating beneath the surface.