Jack's POV

"JACK!!! WATCH OUT!!!"

I jolted up, gasping for breath. My entire body covered in sweat as I regained myself. Wherever I was...

This was not Santa's Workshop. This didn't even look like Earth. Where are the Guardians? More importantly...

Where's Jamie?

I slowly got up from the ground as I examined my surroundings. It was like Paradise. Green plant life, large tropical trees, high crystal clear waterfalls and white sand hugging along the water. But then I look farther towards the East and the atmosphere became more and more barren and cool like each area was the next season. The perfect paradise...

Suddenly I felt a sharp pain explode on my left shoulder. So strong, it brought me to my knees. I gritted my teeth in agony as the pain slowly began to spread.

"Easy there, Tiger," said a soft masculine voice.

When he placed his hand on me, the pain went as fast as it came. I breathed a sigh of relief as I righted myself again. Before me stood a tall, lithe man with pure white hair and peach colored skin. He held himself strongly with an aura of authority but also calmness. He was clothed in a crisp, white suit that somehow drew immediate attention to his one grey and one dark blue eyes.

"Thank you," I replied. "But where am I?"

He smiled softly. "You are in my fortress."

"Where is that, exactly?" I asked in confusion.

He slowly bent down to meet my face as he whispered, "Everywhere."

And he was gone.

I looked at all immediate directions with no man in sight. He somehow disappeared within this...room? Castle? Dimension? Wherever this fortress existed.

"Over here, Jack!" He called out.

But when I looked, he was nowhere in sight. I looked up at the ceiling but it was just the sky. A large expansion that fitted with the room.

I moved forward towards Fall when I heard, "Warm!"

Then I ran through the seasons. So weird, I can feel the temperature change but it didn't affect me. I comfortably went through Fall without succumbing to the slightly warmer temperature.

As I reached Winter, the man quickly fell into step with me. Just when that happened, the entire room rumbled and shook like an earthquake is near. But it didn't phase the mysterious deity. He just looked around as the snow crumbled everywhere and the ice in the ocean cracked.

"You must have been disturbed," he mused to himself.

"Well of course! It feels like an earthquake!!" I exclaimed.

"Not you," he snapped. "Your body."

All my blood ran cold. "My-my body?"

"Yes," he sighed. "This is only your soul."

I can't believe it... Am I dead? Was this heaven? If it were, where's all the angels? The other dead humans? Was this only for the Guardians? Am I the first?

What will happen to Jaime?

With every question that flooded my thoughts, I fell down to the soft snow hill behind me. The man kneeled in front of me as concern washed over him.

"Am I dead?" I finally whispered.

He waited a minute before replying, "Nearly."

Agony far worse than before took me into its grips as the pain of leaving Jaime set in. I hope the others will keep him safe against Pitch.

"But that's why you're here."

My head shot up to meet the man's gaze. "Who are you?"

He smiled softly once again before placing a hand on my heart. "Let's just say, I'm an old friend."

"-ack!"

I slowly opened my eyes and took a deep breath before wincing at the pain that rocked my shoulder.

"Oh my god, Jack! Jack, can you hear me?" Said the melodic voice.

"Tooth?" I murmured.

As my vision cleared, I saw Tooth's tear streaked face smile down at me. "Welcome to the world of the living, Jack."

"It's good to be back, Tooth," I croaked.

She rushed to the doors and called for the others. Santa was the first to burst through the doors but Bunny beat him using one of his holes to reach me first.

"Hey, how's it going, snowflake?" He teasingly joked.

"Well I think I got shot in the shoulder and I'm in a world of pain but other than that, I'm feeling pretty good," I joked back in a still weak voice.

"Shoo shoo!" Tooth announced as she pushed Bunny out of the way to give me a few sips of water.

I felt a little tap on my cheek as Baby Tooth fluttered to me and squeezed it in one of her hugs. With my stronger arm, I reached over and rubbed her back.

"How's my little trooper?" I asked her.

She replied with a thumbs up and a wide smile. I love this little fairy. She's like a little sister in a way.

Ting! Ting!

I look to see Sandy sputter into the room, totally enlightened. He ran towards the bed and grabbed my hand, still possessing a smile that can rival the Cheshire Cat's.

"I missed you too, Sandy," I sighed.

He hid his face as he wiped away tears. Santa pushed his way towards my bed as his rosy cheeks bunched up in an equally happy grin.

"Jack! Why you give us scare?! It been too long!" His deep accented voice rumbled.

"What happened?" I finally asked.

"Pitch stabbed you," Tooth spoke solemnly. "It looked like it was only to maim and not to kill."

My hand reached to my bandaged, bare shoulder. It looked freshly bandaged and was sterile white.

"Kringle and I got rid of the army outside after a while when we rushed in. He had the knife mid stab, all covered in blood. You had already passed out from shock and immediate blood loss," Bunny explained.

"The girls and I couldn't hold him off. That's when Sandy lead Pitch away..." Tooth sobbed.

I looked towards Sandy and he shrug his shoulders as if it was nothing. He patted my hand and turned back to the others.

"He fought hard," Santa voiced. "Pitch had no chance."

I turned to Sandman. "When I get better I owe you a hug, big guy!"

He nodded before leaving the room with a trail of gold sand following.

"How long was I under?" I urged.

They all looked amongst each other before Tooth said, "6 months."

6 months? I was in that palace for 6 months? It only felt like 20 minutes.

"I went somewhere while I was out," I mused.

"What are you bickering about?" Bunny inquired.

"I went to a palace or place of some sort. There was a man who was very puzzling but didn't reveal who he was except that he was an old friend?" I questioned.

"Do you think that was God??" Tooth gasped.

I shook my head. "The place was empty except us. We were the only living things there. Well he said it was only my soul not my body."

"Ah it's just a bunch of bologna," Bunny brushed off.

"No maybe Jack tell truth. Maybe he man in moon!" Santa exclaimed.

"I doubt that, Santy. The bloke in the moon doesn't all of the sudden become God," Bunny shot down.

As they fought back and forth, I asked the big question.

"Where's Jamie?"

Tooth looked down. "He's home. He hasn't been very well these past few days. It's been hard for him to watch you struggle to find your way home. We'll send for him tomorrow, it's getting late."

I nodded sadly before settling into the sheets as Tooth escorted the two men out the room. With the hope of seeing my love the next day, I fell into a peaceful sleep.

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Okay so there goes our finale part uno!

I decided to make this a two part finale after how much I put into this part so I was like let's split it up and possibly do two long chapters before the epilogue!

I know what I need to include in the second part and I know how I'm going to start the epilogue. So everything is all set and revving to go.

Peacekies, broskies ✌