I really don't like this new thing of waking up to a pounding headache. My eyes adjust to the barely 2 meters wide crevasse that I lay in. I spot a small blurry object a couple feet of me and crawl towards it. "Baby Tooth!" I realise quickly and shake my head to rid the nausea.
It does not work.
I sway and have to pause for a second before going to pick up the small fairy. She is shivering but thankfully snuggles into the cup of hands to get warm. "I hope your okay," I whisper and she nods before hopping into my jumper pocket. Then it hits me.
Jack.
I swirl and see him folded roughly against the wall. "Hey hey hey," I hush, gently moving his shoulder.
He opens his eyes slowly and seems to have the same aching that I do. He smiles at me and looks around the clearing, "you alright?" He asks, putting a hand to my cheek. I can't help flinching as the cold touch sends a shiver through my body.
"Sorry," I mumble, hating to see him so disheartened.
"Wait where's Baby Tooth?" He panics, and she slowly pop her head out from my pocket, before quickly tucking back in. Jack dispiritedly sits down and lays against the wall. Not knowing what else to do, I sit down next to him, leaning my head on his shoulder.
The blanket of silence around us is full of heavy regret. What have we done.
"(Y/n)?"
I look to my friend in question although it sounded too far away to be coming from him. "What the," he remarks, looking down at my pocket.
And it's glowing.
"Oh my god," I stumble confused and reach into it only to pull out the golden metal canister Pitch gave us. Tooth crawls out with it and into Jack's own pocket.
"Jack" a young girl drawls. Soon enough, his pocket is glowing too.
We sit down across from each other. The two of us holding our gifts. Baby Tooth glances at each of us in turn before gentle patting Jack's object. I look to him and he looks at me. "Together?" I suggest and he nods at that. I place my index finger in the blue diamond on the flat surface.
Then the world fades away.
I see a younger version of myself. With.... A sister?
We're running through a backyard towards a river. "Stay safe, my loves!" A female voice calls out.
I'm helping an elderly man carry bags across the street, he thanks me with a warm smile.
"Aww, honey," rings through the air as I present a handmade beaded bracelet to my father alongside freshly picked flowers.
I'm laying on my back in a meadow with the girl who looks just like me. "I love you," I say and she turns to me.
"I love you more."
"Impossible," I gasp and I go to tickle her stomach. We both erupt into a fit of laughter.
Now I'm running through thick snow at a new house, I run straight into..... Jack!? I hug him tight, "thank you for inviting me over," I mumble into his shoulder and he kisses the top of my head.
Then it's Summer and Jack is there again. He is talking to me as we sit on dry rocks on the edge of the river.
Seasons change and the leaves turn red and orange while some trees are barren.
But there Jack and I are, sitting on the river's edge.
Winter time enters and we are adorned with beanies for the snow and a blanket for warmth.
But yet we are still sitting and talking.
I can tell by the flowers and blossoms on trees that Spring has arrived. Young Jack and I sit on the same rocks and watch two younger girls skip across stones over the deep water. "Layla," I call out, "stay on the shore, the water is fast today."
"Okay, mom," the child groans and her friend chuckles.
"You too, Mary," Jack yells and it seems very brotherly.
"I love you, (Y/n)," she tells me as an apology.
"I love you more," I grin. I still watch the girls with caution as they make their way over the stones.
Until Layla missteps.
Her foot slips.
And she plunges into the river.
"LAYLA!" I scream and frantically get off the rock to run after her. Mary begins crying and Jack doesn't stop long to soothe her before coming after me.
But I don't hesitate.
I dive into the deep river flow.
"Layla swim sideways!!" I order as she shrieks and splashes. Then I grab her before crashing into a fallen branch connected to the edge.
She cries, not loosening her hold on me as I try to push her across to the brim.
"(Y/n) grab my hand!" Jack urges as he bends as far as he can reach. His weight on the wood causes it to creak.
"Take her!" I demand as the branch begins to break but the child doesn't budge.
"Please," she begs. "I'm scared."
"Hey hey, I love you so much," I remind her, "it's gonna be okay," the rough current continuously tests my strength.
She smiles half heartedly, eyes glistening with tears as Jack pulls her up. He turns quickly back to me and his sister grabs hold of the back of his shirt. This time when he leans down on the branch....
It snaps.
"Jack!" I shout as I go under.
"No don't go in!!" a little girls voice cries and all I hear are the echoing screams of my name.
The water is cold as I thrash and tumble beneath it's surface. I go over a bend and into a deeper waters.
In the sky, there is the moon.
Watching down.
I open my eyes gasping for air only to find Jack shaking me - also equally gasping. "Did you see that!?!?" He shouts, slightly shoving his canister in my face.
I catch my shaky breath, "I- I saw.... Something," I manage to get out. "What did you see?"
"It was me!!!" He yells, pulling me to my feet and placing his arms on my shoulders. "I had a family!! I had a sister!!" I stare at him, remembering the image of his sister. "I saved her," he tells me, looking down suddenly. "And then there was you?" He says it like he's asking me. "You (Y/n)...." His voice trails off as he looks up at me, "I think I saw you die."
"Well," I say, "I definitely saw myself die," the idea of it makes me laugh, confused and awkward, although dying is very much not funny.
"You were there though," Jack makes clear, "in the beginning of the- the memory thing."
I examine him slowly, "I also saved my sister..." the silence between us is loud enough to know what we are both thinking.
We knew each other before this.
Jack ponders my words before looking up to the sky through the tops of the glacier. "That's why he chose us," he says, glaring at the moon. "We are Guardians," he spells out, looking back at me.
"We have to get out of here," I announce and reach down to find Baby Tooth back in my pocket.
"I doubt you can carry me across the fricking Atlantic," Jack leaves me and rushes over to his broken staff.
"Pacific," I correct. The little fairy and I watch as he grabs both pieces and frantically tries to join them together. He groans as it fails for a second time. "Jack," I soothe but then I see soft blue illuminate from the broken edges.
With that.
We leave.
~~~~~~~~~~