''dad, tell us about mom''
Jack stared at his two young children, his eyes blinking rapidly as to absorb the sudden and unexpected question.
He had been sitting on the couch, a laptop on his lap and his eyes adjusting to the pictures that reflected on the screen.
It was about ten at night, and he had finally tucked his children in after a long day of memories and paperwork in the office; he was surprised he had found time for himself after having to deal with so much in one day.
Or maybe it was the day itself that made everything harder; after all, it had once been the day he had dreaded more than anything in the world because it was the day that his beloved Elsa had died.
So young, and without a warning she went.
A tall boy stood there with his superhero pajamas, Elsa's own icy blue eyes staring at Jack in curiosity. His dark brown hair, inherited by jack before he had dyed it, was a mess and his bare feet touched the wooden floor without wincing back from how cold it was.
Hand in hand with him, was a little girl that was an exact replica of Elsa, except she had inherited Jack's eyes.
Her platinum blond hair was placed in a side French braid (the way her mother would always place it because the little girl insisted on looking like her momma, so Jack felt the responsibility to continue doing so) and her joyful eyes stared back at his as she happily jumped up and down. Her princess nightgown hung loosely on her small figure, and he couldn't help but chuckle at how adorable she was.
Jack soon turned to his eldest son, Jamie, who had now shifted onto the couch, sitting next to him and carrying his little sister to sit next to him.
The boy was only ten years old and he already cared as deeply about his sister as Jack did about his own, Emma.
''Why do you want to know all of a sudden?'' Jack closed his laptop and set it down on the coffee table in front of him.
He was now completely facing them, and he felt his stomach turn.
Jamie shrugged. ''We don't talk about her as much as we used to. I miss talking about her''
Sophie climbed from her brother into her father's arms, her little arms wrapping around his neck. ''I miss momma too'' she sighed.
That felt like a stab to the heart as he pulled his little one in, and Jack felt his eyes began to illuminate with sudden memories.
He hadn't spoken about Elsa for so long because it all burned.
He didn't regret meeting her, or marrying her or forming a family with her, No.
It burned because it reminded him of what he had lost.
Of how little time he truly got to spend with her, life throwing him a cruel reminder.
He missed her too much and he knew that if he continued to bring his mind to think about everything they had gone through, he would never leave that state and would get stuck in time.
And he knew life had to go on; not for him, but for the two kids that completed the shattered pieces of what was left of his heart.
But he should've known that Jamie and Sophie would want to know more about their mother, after all, Sophie was only able to spend a year with her and Jamie only eight.
They were young, and they were missing what many took for granted; the least Jack could do was remind them of the beautiful and amazing woman Elsa Rayne Frost was.
Even if it brought all the pain back.
''well, what do you want to know?'' he cleared his throat.
Jamie thought for a second. ''how did you two meet?''
And of course, he had to start where it all began.
Back in that loud party in Corona University, just two years before their engagement. He had gone as a way to ''live his life'', and Elsa had gone to forget her heartbreak at the moment.
Jack couldn't imagine how different his life would've and could've been had Flynn and Rapunzel not introduced them that late Friday night.
All the things that he would've missed out on.
''dad?'' he heard Jamie's soft voice ask, snapping him back into reality.
The thirty five year old man ran his fingers through his snow white hair, and sent him a lose smile.
''right, sorry. Now let's see
I had just turned twenty one and I was happy that I was finally able to drink and go to a bunch of parties and stuff. Your uncle Flynn had told me about this party two twins, Arthur and Jodie, were throwing and said we had to go because it was one of the best parties of the year….
''Come on, Frost, it'll be fun. We get to meet some girls, get drunk, wake up the next morning in somebody' front yard''
Flynn smirked as Jack laughed at the idea.
They were on their way to returning to their dorm room after having played basketball with a group of friends, Flynn becoming one of his best mates because of it, and they were discussing what to do that Friday night.
Jack was very well known throughout the university, both for his good looks and mischievous personality, and many would think he would have his entire weekend planned.
But they would be disappointed, seeing as Jack had absolutely nothing to do except go to the gym and catch up on some movies.
That is, until Flynn spoke to him about the party, the party that supposedly nobody would miss.
''so what do you say, aye?'' Flynn nudged his arm, as they both entered the room.
Jack plastered himself into his mattress as he sighed in defeat. After all, how bad could some partying possibly be?
''Fine, yeah, we'll go'' he mumbled, causing his best friend's lips to spread into a grin.
And they did; Jack wearing a white t-shirt under a button up one and Flynn gloating his leather jacket.
He hoped he would find someone to spend the night with; he knew Flynn would eventually ditch him, anyway-
''wait, so Uncle Flynn was the one who made you go to that party?'' Jamie asked, his full attention on him.
Jack chuckled. ''yeah, he was quite the party guy until he had a baby a year later'' he smirked, referring to Flynn's thirteen year old daughter, Katrina.
Jamie beamed. ''wow! So he was the one who brought you and momma together''
He ruffled his son's already messy hair and planted a kiss on Sophie's forehead. ''I'm getting to that''
-they arrived pretty late, almost two hours later and by then, there were a huge amount of people throughout the dorm hall.
Music blasted loudly and it all seemed like one chaotic scene.
Jack glimpsed around, his eyes hoping to find someone familiar, but instead he got hungered looks from girls he had never seen before.
''Are Hiccup or Astrid or Merida coming?'' he asked, Flynn, who had grabbed a cup of beer and was now gulping it down.
The dark haired guy cringed his nose. ''Come on, Hiccup? He would never come to a party like this, and I don't know about the other two. They're probably off pulling pranks on guys or whatever-''
Jack nodded, waiting for Flynn to continue, but instead he followed his gaze and found him staring at two girls in the near corner of the room.
One with long, and golden hair that stopped midway on her back. Her green eyes were fixed on the girl in front of her, her mouth opened as she let out a high pitch giggle. A red cup was held tightly in her hand, and a violet dress seem to hug her every curve.
Jack knew Flynn had found the girl for the week, and he shook his head intensively as Flynn turned to him ready to speak.
''whatever it is, Flynn, don't count me in'' he warmed, taking a sip of the beer in his red cup.
''Jack, please, I have to go talk to her. She's gorgeous.'' he pleaded. ''I just need you to talk to the girl in front of her for a little bit while I warm up to blondie over there''
Jack hadn't even noticed the girl with platinum blond hair in a messy braid and blue jeans a few feet away.
Her back was turned to him, so she couldn't see her face, but Jack could almost swear that she would end up looking nothing like her friend.
''No. I don't wanna be stuck with a girl I don't even know. She's probably boring by the look of it'' he said referring to her black tank top and black converse.
Flynn growled. ''I will do your laundry for a month, just do it for me, man''
Sighing, Jack spoke up. ''Laundry and English essay, and you got it''
Flynn reluctantly agreed, and he soon found himself being dragged to the girls.
As Jack walked closer, he realized that the blond girl was now staring directly at them; a glint of mischief in her eyes as she examined Flynn with her emerald eyes.
She whispered something to the girl in front of her, her friend taking a long drink of her red cup.
''Get ready, act cool'' Flynn whispered to him, as he suddenly put on his womanizing smile.
''Ladies, hello there. Mind if we join?''
It was then that he finally saw her, the girl with the platinum blonde hair and icy blue eyes. She was so breath taking; the bags beneath her eyes and the slight frown on her lips couldn't take the beauty away from her.-
''Momma!'' Sophie screeched out, mesmerizing the description of her mother.
Jack nodded his head. ''yes, Soph. it was momma''
Jack had to pull his gaze away, as he felt her shift uncomfortably under his burning eyes.
''Gosh, you're beautiful'' he whispered to himself, but Elsa's eyes then connected with his, as if she had heard his words.
Jack only scratched the back of his neck, awkwardly.
''And you are?'' the blonde girl asked, placing her available hand on her hip.
He had forgotten she was there.
''Flynn, Flynn Rider'' his best friend wiggled his eyebrows to her, making the blonde girl giggle.
Flynn turned in triumph to Jack.
''and this right here, is my best friend, Jack Frost. He's single by the way'' He winked at the blue eyes.
Both Jack and her cheeks turned a light shade of red as the other girl grinned.
''I'm Rapunzel, but call me Punzie.'' She turned to the girl next to her, her blue eyes still staring at Jack. ''this is my cousin and my best friend, Elsa''
Elsa.
A unique name for a girl so different.
''Well nice to meet you, Punzie and Elsa.'' Flynn took his hands out of his leather jacket and began flexing, casually. ''Say, Punzie, why don't the two of us go get some snacks. A pretty girl like you must be starving right now.''
Rapunzel blushed, and Jack rolled his eyes clearly annoyed.
She looked like a nice girl and he would just end up breaking her like the rest, but what mostly annoyed him was how blind he was around Elsa.
Sure, Rapunzel was stunning but Elsa was even more pleasant to look at.
Her full, pink lips and rosy cheeks and long eyelashes; that girl could easily be a model if she wanted to.
But at the same time, he found himself being grateful that Flynn hadn't noticed, because he truly just wanted Elsa to himself.
''I don't know'' Rapunzel tucked a strand of her hair, behind her ear. ''I don't want to leave Elsa alone, I mean we just-''
''don't worry about me, Zel'' Elsa's gentle and angelic voice assured.
Jack had to remind himself that angels didn't exist, or else he would've confused them with her.
''I'll be fine. I'll stay here with Jack'' Her eyes turned to him, Jack's mouth becoming dry. ''Unless you'd rather go…''
''No!'' he practically screamed, realizing how loudly he had shouted. He shook his head violently. ''I-I'll stay. Don't worry''
Flynn sent him a grateful smile, as he draped his arm around Rapunzel's shoulder.
She pushed it off, much to his surprise. ''oh, okay. Well if you need anything, don't hesitate to come find me''
She sent her cousin a small smile before disappearing into the crowd with Flynn.
''So,'' Jack spoke after a couple of seconds. ''what brings you here?''
It was a stupid question, but he was surprised to even form words out of his mouth.
Elsa took another long drink from her cup, looking down at her feet. ''My fiancée dumped me a few days ago and Punzie thought I'd be a good idea for me to leave the house''
Jack almost choked on his spit. ''Fiancée?''
''Fiancée?'' Jamie and Sophie yelled out, bewailed.
Jack laughed and nodded his head. ''yup, your mother was engaged at 21''
Jamie' eyes widen. ''she must've been really pretty then''
''gorgeous, actually''
''to who?'' asked little Sophie, yawning into Jack's shirt.
He hugged her tightly. ''Some guy named Hans Isles, but it was an arranged marriage and Hans ended up finding some richer girl. We actually bumped into him when your mom was about seven months pregnant with you, Jamie, and his face when he saw how happy your mother looked was priceless. Apparently, he lost all his money a year before that and was now working in the cash register in a store''
Jamie cringed his nose as he leaned on his father's arm. ''I can't imagine someone like that being our dad. I bet he wouldn't pay attention to us like you do''
Jack smiled down at his son. ''Probably not, so next time you whine about wanting a new toy, just remember that''
''Yeah, arranged marriage'' Elsa sighed. ''I really thought he cared for me but the minute he found a girl with more money, he dumped me without even thinking''
She shook her head, letting out a drunken laugh. ''I'm sorry, I don't want to bother you with my lame life. Why are you here?''
Jack ran his fingers through his hair, a nervous habit of his. ''No, you're not bothering at all. In fact, let it all out. It will help. And eh, Flynn told me to come''
Elsa took another drink from her cup, practically drinking the whole thing. ''well we have awesome friends, huh?''
''the best'' Jack teased.
Elsa let out a sincere laugh, which brought music to his ears.
The smile quickly faded from her face, as she walked closer to him.
Jack felt his heart accelerate. ''you're not bad, Jack''
He shrugged his shoulders. ''I try''
''well, thank you. You've made me forget about Hans already''
Jack placed a strand of her platinum hair lingering on her face, and placed on behind her ear. ''my pleasure''
And that's how it all really began.
''So you and momma met in a party?'' Jamie's eyebrow rose.
Jack stood from the couch, carrying a sleeping Sophie in his arms. ''yup, but don't go around doing the same thinking you'll meet your girl there''
''no promises, dad'' Jamie smirked, Jack's exact smirk.
Jack smiled, messing up his boy's hair once again. ''hm, we'll see about that. Now, come on, it's time for bed''
A scowl appeared on Jamie's face as he grumpily got up from the couch. ''come on, dad, tell me another story. I wanna hear more about momma''
''tomorrow, kiddo'' Jack walked into Sophie's room, setting his daughter's head gently on a pillow and covering her body with one of Elsa's woven blankets.
''momma,'' the little girl mumbled in her sleep.
Jack kissed her in the forehead and then went to tuck in Jamie in bed.
He didn't regret anything that had happened in his life, and as he took a seat on the couch and pulled the laptop open again, he remembered why.
She was gone, yes, but she had left so much of her behind.
Two children who resembled her so much, a home in which he would raise their kids, a man who had once been incomplete now completed.
He pulled the picture up, the last picture ever taken of her on the computer screen and there she was as if she had never left.
Her hair tied up in a lose bun, her eyes glittering with joy and her mouth wide in amusement as she stared down at Jamie and Sophie, who swung back and forth on the swings in the park.
She had been so alive in that picture, only six days before she was hit by that stupid car.
Only six days before Jack had received a phone call from work saying that his precious wife had immediately been killed after being thrown by the car and the stupid person talking on the phone inside of it.
Only six days before he had broken down after finding out that Elsa had shield their Sophie from the impact, that was originally going to hit her, and that their daughter had only received a few bruises.
She was gone, so very gone, but Jack refused to remain silent about her any longer.
She really was the best thing that had ever happened to him.
So every day before the kids went to bed, Jack would tell them a story about their mother and for years he did just that.
The kids grew up knowing so much about Elsa; it was as if she was still there with them.
Jack never truly let go.
