WINTER'S HEART

Jack pounded through the front doors, there were people talking in the castle's main lot. No one seemed to notice him, but the sudden burst of the doors had caught their attention. He heard people coming towards him—he had to go. As he ran through the crowd, ducking between people and trying to keep out of there way, he took off the white suit and threw it to the side, still the long sleeved shirt underneath. His old clothes were inside? Who cares?!

Jack kept from touching anyone, he was going to weave his way out of Arendelle where his face would never be seen again, but a man halted him, "Young man, what's the problem?" Didn't his face say it enough?! He couldn't get him to move nor could he weasel past him. Jack had nowhere to go.

"Jack!"

No…

Elsa had rushed to the front doors with her parents and the castle guards behind her, "Elsa, get away, he's dangerous!" He tried to heave her back inside, but she disregarded his warnings.

"Wait! You don't have to-"

Jack's eyes were opened so wide they could scream—a blood curdling shriek, "No, no, no!" He shouted, "You need to stay away from me! You all need to stay AWAY!" He opened his palm and ice blasted before him. It impaled Elsa just above her chest and was swallowed into her body. She cried out in heavy shock and pain, like her heart was in her throat.

The Queen shouted her name as Elsa held her heart in agony and fell to her knees, gagging and breathing. Jack's eyes teared up, but it this pain was too deep for tears, this fear was too much to scream. But his mouth was open, he was sure he was screaming, but he remained silent. Erlend saw his daughter in agony and he looked back up at the monster.

"WHAT IN HELL ARE YOU?!"

Jack didn't know himself… He didn't want to know either. He looked at Elsa suddenly recover and look him in the eyes one final time. He saw one tear that fell from her right eye due to the shocking pain. He'd done this…

Jack shook his head, silently telling her goodbye, and he ran.

"Wait, Jack!" She tried to return to her feet, "No!" Agnes refused to let her leave and grabbed her shoulders. People rushed out of the way as Jack Frost raced out of the gates, having a long, painful journey back to the mountains ahead of him. Everyone was in a frenzy, talking of the 'monster' who tried to kill the Princess. Elsa didn't cry, but she looked at the path he'd fled in with a heavy heart. She looked at the high mountains where it there was always snow.

"We need to get you inside!" Agnes tried to push her into the castle, but she fought again it.

"No mother, I'm fine-" They were interrupted when sough came tumbling in through the kingdom. It was so unnatural that it had to be some sort of side effect of the man's powers. But then they heard a maniacal laughter from a much deeper voice. Erlend demanded that the women get inside safe and brought the guards out with him. He watched as a tidal wave of what looked like black sand prepared to engulf Arendelle.

So Jack Frost wasn't the only freak around there. The guards took their swords and prepared to fight it. Only Erlend saw the tall, dark man on a horse riding the sands, he smiled eerily at the kingdom and unleashed his wrath. Ghouls and other creatures made by the black magic taunted and tormented the people of the kingdom. Their weapons had no effect, it would slice them in two, and they'd stitch themselves back up.

People panicked and tried to defend themselves; some rushed back into their houses but were blocked off by the Night Mares. Erlend took one of his guard's swords and tried to fight, too stubborn to believe there was no use. Agnes and Gerda rushed Elsa upstairs.

"Run her a hot bath, she's ice cold! She could freeze!"

"I'm fine!" Gerda went to help undo her hair but Elsa smacked her arm away, "Gerda, I'm fine!" She hissed.

"I never want you socializing with a stranger again! You're never leaving this castle until it's safe."

"Mother, no! He's not a monster!" Gerda tried to calm her down and dragged her arm in the direction of her room, "Didn't you see how afraid he was?"

"He tried to kill you!" Agnes couldn't stand the headstrong trait Elsa had inherited from her father. No matter who it was from, it was sickening.

"Mother, he—Uggghhhh!" She groaned, trying not to scream as she pulled on her hair, the ribbon keeping the bun together coming loose. Reasoning with fearful parents was absolutely frustrating. And now Gerda wasn't even defending her. Elsa couldn't help but act childish in that moment. The elderly maid then escorted her to her room. The Princess immediately was at her window, watching the mayhem below.

"Elsa, I-"

"Whatever's happening down there is not his fault!" Gerda couldn't stand to see her little Princess in danger; what Elsa didn't understand was her parents couldn't either, "He's probably up on those mountains where it's cold." She turned back to the woman, moving around so frantically and quickly that her ribbon finally fell lose and her hair fell into a long, wavy side braid, cascading over her shoulder. She fixed her wisps' of bangs and pushed them out of her face, now looking more wild than ever.

"Elsa… I don't want to see you get hurt." The look of disbelief on the Princess's face was like bounding and gagging her over a fire.

"No, Gerda." She was about to go into full on begging mode, but the elderly woman, with regret, stepped out and apologized. She closed Elsa's door and quickly locked it. The blonde couldn't believe the sudden changes of everything. Looking around, Elsa took an umbrella out from a large vase and tried to use the handle to bolt the door open. That didn't work; she'd only chipped the wood. Elsa found a hair barrette and tried to pick the lock—she had no knowledge of such and only bent the hairpin.

Not caring of the danger of darkness down below, Elsa had one last idea. She rushed to her window and tried to give it a good push to open the heavy doors. As she grunted, surprised by the strength of the glass French windows, she heard crackling and quickly snatched her hands away. On the window, she watched as frost just crawled up and imprinted itself on to the glass. Could Jack still be around? No… She pressed her hand on the frost and realized it was on the inside—it came right off on her palm and fingers! What's stranger is that, her hand wasn't numb from the cold.

Her heart skipped a beat, looking at her hand print on the window one more time, she hesitantly went to touch the wooden banister underneath the window and—ice formed from her finger tips and a sheet of it bloomed over the wood. As Elsa slowly processed what Jack's icy strike had done, she opened her mouth wide to scream.

A scream down below overpowered anyone else's as a woman saw a strange figure with a weapon made of solid, dark material came closer. Pitch's policy was not to kill anyone, but to embed fear so that he could remain immortal. He was currently a shadow, watching as the King boldly defended the woman and finally sliced the creature enough that it retreated. Pitch Black chuckled and Erlend looked around, ready to protect his people.

"How bold of you, your highness." Erlend had his sword, ready to fight, "I'm afraid that won't be necessary." He gently pushed the blade aside and conjured up his own weapon, "You can't kill fear."

"No… But you can overpower it!" He went to fight him, but Pitch himself vanished as another creature of darkness took his place in battle. He'd teleported himself high up on the hills where he could see the fight. From next to him, a Night Mare brought Jack's regular clothes draped over its back. It gently snorted and pointed its head up towards the mountain trail. Feeling a glint of sadness and a twinge of regret even, he looked up the monstrous trail that Jack had fled all by himself.

The aurora borealis presented colorful lights chasing each other across the sky over the sparkling ice castle. Inside the top room, the aura was a deep red with Jack's rising heart-break. Eyes tightly shut, he mourned grievously on the ground, leaning into his staff to keep him from falling off of his knees. The ice around him had changed and grew into sharp spikes. He had the tips of his nails in his mouth—it was currently the only thing that was keeping him from weeping. Jack felt his throat swell up just when Pitch arrived with his old clothes, standing at the door. This was his fault… Pitch got what he wanted; to live. Now he wanted his little brother-figure to be happy again. Now he had a chance to make him happy again—just as when they met they were in a similar situation, if not the exact same.

On the way up on his Night Mare, Pitch found himself witnessing the maze of icicles he'd made on the way up. Sharp ice daggers stuck out from everywhere, clearly showing Jack was in a perilous state of mind, "Jack?" The young man opened his eyes, still red and teary, he barely moved, only to show Pitch he acknowledged him, "This wasn't your fault." He half-admitted, "No one can understand the beauty of your magic." Jack looked with his eyes around the room again, not the same as it was before, "I was afraid this would happen. You'd get hurt and nearly hurt others."

Jack had a feeling Pitch was there the entire time, but couldn't intervene, not in that situation, "Did you see the way she looked at me?" Elsa's horrified face still flashed in his mind, the shocked cry that escaped her throat was now able to make his stomach turn more than Sophie's cry had. It was sickening. Pitch could feel his sin tearing at his heart; though it had stopped beating, it could still break. He approached him and placed the clothes next to him.

"Here. Put these on and it never happened." He tried to convince him that they could start over. Pitch would even disintegrate the royal suit himself. What felt like centuries later when Jack finally had the strength and motivation, he redressed himself, the room he used the staff to reshape the room back to the way it was. Before going back down stairs to see Pitch, now his only remaining comrade again, he caught a glimpse of his reflection on the walls. For a minute, he thought he saw himself with brown eyes, fair skin, and brown hair. But it wasn't to be—he was still Jack Frost… He was pretty sure he was always Jack Frost; a monster to be. As he slumped down the stairs, it hit him that he'd never see Elsa's face again… What had his ice done to her? He felt sick just thinking about it. The Lord of Darkness was waiting for him at the bottom floor.

"Jack, I want you to know that whatever happens, I'm on your side." There was no response, "You don't have to live in fear anymore." He went to him and held his face, "We can embrace what we are together." Jack raised a brow, suddenly changing his attitude.

"What do you mean?"

Pitch gestured to the throne, "Look at what we can do." He raised his arms, praising Jack's castle, "Look at what you alone can do!" Jack winced, slowly getting more and more confused, "What goes better together than cold and dark? The bitter icy darkness?!" Jack couldn't process what he was saying.

"What are you talking about?"

"We can live out our lives as what we are if we wreak fear in every corner!" He smiled. Jack shook his head, denying everything he had to offer, "Think about it, no one can hurt you anymore!" That was Pitch's one hope.

"So I have to hurt people?" He glared at him angrily, though sure it was a misunderstanding they'd forget later, "No, Pitch… You said it yourself, 'Don't be the monster you fear you are.'" He went to walk back upstairs, but Pitch stopped him.

"Well now you are."

Jack stopped and felt a twinge of realization.

"Think about it. I'll be waiting outside." As said, the shadow slipped out the doors and waited by the edge where he could see Arendelle, now calm and empty—people cowering in fear in their homes. Elsa stood in front of the full body mirror, having finally realized what was happening was true, she wove her braid with snowflake incrustations, trying to practice. Her wisps of bangs were now slicked back on her head. It was strange how naturally it seemed to come to her. In her head, something flexed and using the magic was already second hand.

She had to plan her escape, but Elsa wanted to wear something less constraining… Why not have a little fun before the adventure? Going with her instincts, Elsa disintegrated the dress with her ice magic and conjured up a new dress—an off the shoulder dress with a crystalline bodice and long gown and a right, knee-high slit. How convenient, she thought. As Elsa finished on the blue-powdered sleeves, she made a snow-flake patterned trail cape of gossamer frost. All as a test to make sure she knew what she was doing—she finished the new look with ice heels.

Elsa shook her head, she felt ready. Knowing it was still too risky going out the door, she was able to shove the windows open. She looked down at the horrifying drop. The blonde knew what she had to do! She quickly took the duvet out of the sheet and wrapped it around the leg of her bed. She pushed the bed closer to the window—she didn't want to risk anyone knowing what Jack had accidentally done, so Elsa was being old fashioned in her escape. She draped the sheet down the balcony, the length of them would lessen the fall; she hoped.

Oh God, what was she doing? Finally gaining her nerve, she began to climb over the balcony, practically clawing onto the sheets. She hoped no one would see her—heaven forbid anyone walked into her room! As she made it down, she began to dangle. Elsa took a breath and looked behind her at the mountains. Jack had to be there! She had to make sure he was alright! She was suddenly dropped downward as the sheet began to tear. Damn it! She was still too far up, she had to keep pulling it down somehow. Elsa gently pulled, getting closer to a safer height. But it tore once again. Panting and realizing she had nothing more to lose at this point, she quickly used one hand to create a mound of fluffy snow to land in.

When the sheet finally tore, Elsa still gasped, only to land in the pillow-like mass. Oddly enough, she still didn't feel anything cold. Tossing what was left of the blanket aside, she rushed out the gates and up the mountain trail.

…

Jack finally opened the castle doors and walked down the staircase. He saw Pitch, as he said, looking at the stars, watching the aurora cascade across the sky. He held onto his staff for comfort, getting closer only made him more worried. The snow was so deep that his footsteps went without a sound—sneaking up on someone would be a cinch. But not for Pitch Black, "Well? Did you make up your mind?" He had no doubts Jack would be on his side, then he'd be able to rebuild the young man, they'd make a world that was entirely dark and cold.

"I thought about it…" Jack fiddled with his staff, completely aware of what he wanted, "And I don't want anyone else to fear me." Pitch turned his head, completely aghast, "Too many people are already afraid and look where I am now. Imagine if the entire world feared me, they'd kill me!"

"It's because if they fear you enough, then they won't come after you!"

"No one will accept what I can do, you said-"

"What I said is Jack, that you are a monster. Embrace it! Even your pretty little Princess is afraid!"

Jack felt hurt at first… But then it hit him. His eyes narrowed full of… Full of resentment, "Wait…" Pitch had been caught, there was nothing he could do about it but face it like a man, "You wanted them to fear me!"

"I was dying, Jack!" He tried to explain, but Jack stepped away and held out his staff—oh god, the betrayal, "I needed fear!"

"So you chose ME?" He growled.

"If I vanished, you would've had no one!" Pitch tried to step closer to Jack, but the young man held his staff out as a weapon, appalling the dark lord. He couldn't believe he had to nerve to stand up to him like so. While it filled him with pride, he couldn't leave Jack alone with people possibly coming after him.

"Get back, Pitch!"

Elsa was almost up the mountain—she was surrounded by whipping gusts of snow and leaving a trail of footprints behind. Jack had to be there somewhere! She continued up higher. Meanwhile, Jack wouldn't let Pitch get close—every time he tried to take a step closer, Jack would thrust the rod forward. After at least three more times of seeing Jack's aggression, Pitch knew he'd need to take it to the next level.

"Alright, you want to play rough?!" He prepared a powerful blast of black magic and hurled it forward. Jack dodged it and shot blasts of ice towards him, quickly redirected by Pitch's magic sand. Elsa finally reached the peak of the mountain, but the first thing she saw was a cloud of snow. She quickly hid around the rocky corner and waited for everything to clear. Much to her delight, she saw Jack! But as she was about to call out his name, she saw a paler, more frightening man behind him, "Do you see what you are doing?" Jack heard, "You're turning against your own friend!"

"If you're my friend, then you'll leave me out of this 'fear' crap!" Elsa had no idea what was happening, all she knew was that Jack could be in danger!

"Fine… You want to be left out of it? Done." He nodded. Jack loosened his posture and nodded. Satisfied, he prepared to lock himself in the castle for good. Pitch knew if he stayed there alone, the men would search for him and take him alive… Alive… If he could make them think he was gone, he wouldn't have to worry about anyone coming after Jack. Waiting for the right moment, he pounced Jack and grabbed the staff. The magic Jack had imbued in it made it a part of him.

Knocked to the ground, he looked up and saw the staff in Pitch's hands, "I'm sorry Jack, but this is for your own good!" He snapped it in two—Jack screamed, feeling something tear in his abdomen. Elsa gasped, frightened, fearing she'd get caught; she whirled back around the corner once again. Pitch watched as Jack slowly lost consciousness. He'd only remain so until he repaired the staff. This was only so maybe someone could find him and think he was dead. In Pitch's mind, he hoped to keep him safe, "Forgive me, Jack." He grimaced and dropped the two halves of wood next to him, leaving him in the snow.

Elsa watched Pitch Black vanish into the cold, young night. Once she was sure he was gone, she rushed over to Jack and flipped him onto his back, "Jack?" She laid his head in her lap and tapped his cheek, "Jack? Can you hear me?!" She looked at the staff, broken in two and covered with frost. He was knocked out cold when it was broken; maybe fixing it would save him! She grabbed the two halves and pitted them together—nothing happened. She held them together tightly, hoping it would repair itself. Elsa would soon realize she'd have to do it herself and in no time, she used her newly given ice powers to mold the two pieces back together. Sighing with relief, she heard coughing from below her.

"Jack?" She rushed to him and held his cheek, waiting for him to respond. His blue eyes fluttered open, and as he adjusted his vision, he saw a beautiful snow queen before him, who looked strikingly similar to…

"Elsa?" Jack moaned, still regaining consciousness. He'd never seen her hair so loose and wild, a dress sparkling with icy beauty. Had she truly come looking for him? Or was this some dream his mind wanted to trick him with.

"I'm so glad you're okay." She dropped the staff and held his face, wanting to embrace him. But he panicked and backed away, suddenly reinvigorated.

"No, no, no! Elsa, don't touch me! I hurt you!" He held his hand out, refraining from letting her touch him.

"But Jack, you didn't… I'm fine." They stood up, he observed her new look—the dress was entirely made of ice and frost, her braid was kept together with snowflakes… Had… Had she made it?

"Aren't you freezing?"

Elsa played with her braid and bit her lip, "There's something you need to see…" Standing back, she created a flurry of snow from her hands, exactly as Jack could. Upon letting it drop to the ground, it refined the ice below them, leaving a puddle of sheer crystals. Jack panicked and backed away.

"Oh no…" He began to breathe rapidly, "Elsa, I-"

"Jack! You didn't do anything wrong!" She got closer, and for once, he allowed her too, "You can't hurt me." She reached for his hand, waiting for his approval. Jack didn't want to… All his life he'd worried about touching someone, freezing them or just in general giving them some sort of pain. Yet there was Elsa's hand, patiently waiting to touch his… She wasn't afraid; she wasn't calling him a monster. Finally, the hesitant teenager put his hand in hers… Gently, she placed his hand on her cheek—surprised by how warm he felt. Jack at last loosened his posture and he… He let it go. Jack took a deep breath and engulfed her in his arms.

Tightly clinging on, he buried his face into her neck. For the first time in three years, he wasn't afraid to hold someone like that. Elsa smiled, though startled by his sudden burst of affection, and gently returned the hug. After a moment of holding each other in the quiet snow, Elsa looked up and finally saw what the earlier dust had covered, "Jack! Is that where you live?" She let go and widened her eyes. He looked up at the castle.

"Yeah… I've lived here for three years."

"It's beautiful." She saw the staircase and glided her hand across the banister—it was so smooth and slippery. Jack was humbled by his work and smiled.

"Thank you. When you're up here all alone, you don't have to worry about hurting anybody." He joined Elsa next to the staircase. That's when she had a moment of realization.

"Oh." She stepped away, "I see now." The Princess sighed. Jack was still entranced by her new appearance, even her makeup had changed. Her eye shadow had become a darker, glittery purple and her lips were a dark pink. Maybe it was the cold? Who cares? Wait a minute, she was saying something. He raised a brow in acknowledgement, "That's why you never let me get near you." She played with her hands, feeling like an idiot for not realizing something was wrong, "And why you wouldn't dance with me…" It then hit Elsa how protective and caring Jack was being, "You were trying to protect me!"

"It's all my fault."

"Jack, everyone's fine!" She reassured, albeit not being too positive on what had happened immediately after the incident, "You never have to worry again." Her gentle voice soothed him, but he was still full of doubt after Pitch's words. She approached him and held his shoulder, "Jack, would you teach me to do what you do?"

Souls_&_Swords: I recommend you guys listen to Aurora Borealis by Steven Price and Moves Like an Ape, Looks Like A Man from the Tarzan soundtrack =) Both are very wonderful and suit the chapter. Aurora Borealis suits during Jack's mourning and the second track (skip to about fifty seconds in) suits Elsa and Jack's moment :) Okay, I'll move on now. Haha

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