The Past is in the Past
Inside a small barn, not too far from the cabin house they lived in, Jack was sitting near a small candle with his little sister, Emma, playing hand shadows. Emma looked at Jack's hands and tried to do the same thing: a dog, but it failed. "How do you do that? It looks easy for you to do. And Jack, will we go ice skating tomorrow?" He looked at her. "Because you promised me…"
"It's a secret," Jack said. She didn't believe him and raised an eyebrow. "I will...as I promised. You have to believe in me." A few moments later, Jack began to stomp around with antlers on his head and told her a ghost story. After doing their fun little "games", Emma fell asleep in Jack's lap, mumbling her prayer that she prays before bed. He smiled, remembering the rule: Pray before bed. He gently put a hand on her head and carried her back to the house; his mother watched with a warm smile as he gently puts her in bed. She shook furiously from the cold, Jack immediately covered her and she stopped shaking. He kissed her forehead and left the room. After taking a shower and changing, Jack headed downstairs to his mother, Emily and sat down.
"I don't understand," Emily said, arms crossed. He raised an eyebrow, confused. She chuckled.
"Understand what, Mama?" Jack asked smiling at her as he poured himself a glass of warm milk.
"How you help your sister, put her to bed, but yet still manage to get on Santa's Naughty list," Emily explained. "I mean your sister loves you, but not everything you do, like tricking her."
Jack finished his milk, wiped his mouth with a towel, and laughed. "I don't know, you should ask him." He yawned and stretched his muscles. "Gonna head to bed early, Mama." He leaned over and kissed her cheek as she raised an eyebrow and smiled warmly. "I promised Emma that we'd go ice skating tomorrow." He heads upstairs, prays, and gently slips next to Emma, who, once feeling his presence, hugged him tightly. "Good night, little sis. Sweet dreams. I love you."
The night sky was filled with the Nothern Lights and like Anna described it: The sky's awake! Elsa looked at her sister, her brown eyes and hair shining in the moonlight. Anna fell asleep on her shoulder, who mumbled a prayer. The rule of the castle: Pray before bed. Elsa saw Gerda pass by and asked her for help to take Anna to bed. After dressing into her nightgown, and praying, Elsa slips into bed next to Anna and kisses her forehead. Even Olaf prayed before sleeping between the two sisters. They felt his presence and hugged him tightly and he smiled.
Silence filled the castle and the small village of Burgess as both sets of families slept. Dreamsand hovered over each individual. Smiles of joy filled their faces. Emily, Emma, and Jack had dreams of them playing in the snow; Anna, Elsa, and Olaf had dreams of playing in the ice palace with Marshmallow and the Snowgies. The bright Northern Lights filled the night sky. Sillouhettes of the Guardians, reindeer and the sleigh were able to be seen with cheerful voices. "Merry Christmas! Don't forget to floss! Happy Easter!" The voices said happily. Sandy smiled.
The next day, Olaf began to jump up and down on the two sisters excitedly. "OOF! Olaf! Haha!"
"Olaf, what are you doing?" Elsa asked, chuckling. They see their luggage packed up. "What?"
"Vacation time?" Anna asked, rubbing her eyes as she stretched and yawned. "Wait…what?"
"Can we go to the village of Burgess?" Olaf asked with much earnestness as a child. "Please?"
They look at each other and nod. He hugs them tightly, laughing. "You're welcome, Olaf."
After getting dressed and telling the servants of their return, they leave; a few hours later…
The next day, the Overlands woke up to a light knock on the door. Jackson and Emma woke up and headed downstairs; once they saw who was at the door, they bowed and curtsied. "Hi…"
"Pleasure to see you again, Jackson," Elsa said, as he kisses her hand in respect. She smiled.
"Hi!" Anna said. Again, Jack took her hand and kissed it in respect. She blushed. "Thank you…"
Olaf and Emma looked at them, then at each other in confusion. "Again? See you again?"
Jack, Anna, and Elsa laughed. "We're a family friend…before you and Olaf were here."
"Jackson, Emma, dears," came their mother's voice from the kitchen. "Who's at the door?"
"Queen Elsa, her sister, and their friend!" Jack and Emma called back. "Wanna see them?"
"Of course," Emily said. She went to the door and curtsied at their sight. "Your majesty."
Anna helped her up. "No need for that," Anna said. "We're a family friend, remember?"
"I remember, it's just been so long," Emily said. "You've grown so much. Both of you."
They looked down at the ground, smiling. "Thank you so much," They both say in unison.
"Come in," Jack said, helping them with their luggage. Suddenly, Olaf's arms pop off.
"Um…" Emma said. Then Olaf put his arms back together again. "Woah! That's so cool!"
"Hi, I'm Olaf and I like warm hugs!" Olaf said, hugging Emma tightly. She smiled warmly.
"I'm Emma," Emma said. After Jack and his mother, Emily introduced each other, they went inside and Jack and Emma went upstairs to go and change; they come back downstairs again.
"What are you doing here, anyway?" Jack asked. The two girls looked at Olaf. "Oh…haha!"
"What?" Olaf asked. "I'm bored at the castle." Jack went to Emma and down to her height.
"Can we postpone our ice skating trip until tomorrow?" Jack asked. She looked at Elsa with a warm, understanding smile and nodded. "You understand, right?" She hugged him tightly. "Good." He went to Elsa and held out his arm, which she took. They headed out to the village.
"Now, I get to know you better!" Emma said. And all three of them sat down around the dinner table, prayed, and ate their food. After dinner, they headed to the fireplace and began to chat.
Elsa nudged Jack's shoulder on their way to the village square. Clearly, she had feelings for him. Suddenly, they see a group of young boys and girls running to them. "Do the magic! Please?" Elsa laughed and with a wave of her hand, created a winter wonderland. Suddenly, a snowball hit the back of her head and she turned to see Jack sticking his tongue at her and laughing. "Uh oh!"
"Oh, it's on, Overland!" Elsa said. With a wave of her hand, she created a humongous snowball and threw it at him. She was throwing snowballs faster than he could make them. "Give up yet?"
"YES! YES! I DO!" Jack said, putting his hands up in surrender. "Don't mess with a woman who has ice powers…" She laughed and helped him up. She pulled him by his cloak and kissed him. His eyes went wide but then closed as he pulled her closer to him, and held her head. She pulled away and both of them blushed. "I really do love you, Elsa." He smiled. "Do you love –" but before he could say another word, Elsa pulled him into another kiss and the kids cheered.
After a few hours, they headed back to the house. "WOAH!" was Anna and Olaf's first thought.
"What happened?" Emma asked. She looked at Jack. "You kissed the Queen, didn't you?"
"Actually…no," Jack said with a smile. They all looked at him with mouths wide open. "What?"
"NO?!" They asked in unison, then they turned to Elsa who blushed uncontrollably. "Elsa?!"
"I couldn't help myself…I love him," Elsa said. She looked up at the sky. "Mama and Papa would want me to…" Anna, knowing what Elsa spoke about, went to her and hugged her tightly. Tears threatened to escape and she allowed them to. "I miss them so much, Anna…so much…"
Anna held her sister tighter than before. "I know, Elsa. I know." The others came to them too.
Jack, not wanting to see Elsa sad, brought out a pair of antlers and stomped around. "Jack!"
"I just want to make you smile!" Jack said. He set the antlers down on the glass table and took Elsa's hands and twirled her around. Once she realized what was happening, she pulled away.
"I…don't dance," Elsa said, looking down. "I can't…I've never learned. I just don't know why."
"Well…I can teach you!" Jack said earnestly. Elsa's eyes looked at him with confusion and joy.
"Really?" Elsa asked. He nodded and gently held her hands. "T-Thank you…so much…"
"Mama and Papa would be proud of you, Elsa," Anna said, smiling warmly. "They truly would."
As she danced across the floor, Elsa nodded, smiling. "Yes, they would, Anna. Yes, they would."
As nighttime approached, Emma and Olaf yawned and fell asleep on each other; Elsa and Anna also fell asleep on each other, and the only two who remained awake were Jack, and his mother, Emily. "I'm proud of you, Jackson, my boy," Emily whispered. Jack looked at her and cocked his head in confusion. "You're being a true gentleman, but not only that, you've shown me and your father, who is now in Heaven, how much you've grown. We have always been proud of you, Jackson, and always will be." Jack smiled with great pride as his mother kissed his forehead. He falls asleep and she covered all of them with blankets. She smiles and falls asleep.
Later that night, Pitch Black entered the room and turned each of their dreams into nightmares. He watched as they writhed in fear and moan, but then, Anna catches his eyes. She wasn't moving like the others, or at least, not as much as the others. His face scrunched in anger. He went over to her and with a twirl of his wrist, smoke surrounded them and they disappeared. A letter had been already written and was placed, on its own, near Elsa's head. The letter read…
Dear Queen Elsa,
I have taken Anna captive and, if you ever want to see her alive again, come and meet me in the woods of Burgess at dawn. There, I will decide to either release her, or, under your request, let you take her place, but you must choose wisely, or your sister will suffer the worst.
P and B
Anna moaned in pain as she woke up, rubbing her head in pain. "Ugh…where am I? Elsa?"
"Elsa's not here at the moment," said the voice. "I am." Anna's eyed furrowed in anger.
"Pitch…" Anna said through gritted teeth. He smiled cruelly. "What do you want from me?"
"You?" Pitch sneered. "You're…just…bait." She looked at him and struggled. "For…Elsa."
Her eyes went wide with fear. "Why…?" She asked. Suddenly, Nightmare Horses appear.
"Your sister should be here any minute…" Pitch said. He slithered Nightmare Sand around her.
The next day, Olaf woke up to see that Jack and Emma had already left for their ice skating trip, but there was something that stood next to Elsa's head that made him become nervous and as he looked around, he realized that Anna was missing. He began to panic. He jumps on Elsa and Emily. "GUYS! WAKE UP! IT'S AN EMERGENCY!" Olaf cried. "ANNA'S MISSING!"
"Wait…what?" Both women said in unison. Then they see Olaf hold a letter in hand and read it.
Dear Queen Elsa,
I have taken Anna captive and, if you ever want to see her alive again, come and meet me in the woods of Burgess at dawn. There, I will decide to either release her, or, under your request, let you take her place, but you must choose wisely, or your sister will suffer the worst.
P and B
After reading the letter a few more times, Elsa turned to Emily in confusion. "Who's P and B?"
"Pitch Black…the Boogeyman," Emily said. Elsa's eyes went crazily wide with fear. Pure fear.
"I have to save her!" Elsa said. She turned to Olaf. "You stay here with Mrs. Overland. Got it?"
"Yes Elsa," Olaf said. She bent down to his height and hugged him, then she hugged Emily.
"Please be careful," Emily said. Elsa turned to the woman and held her hands with a smile.
"I will. I promise. You have to believe in me," Elsa said. Then she ran off to the woods. "I will."
Dark winter trees and snow surround the two siblings. "It's okay. It's okay. Don't look down, just look at me." Jack said calm and serious. He reaches down and removes the second of his skates, leaving him barefoot on the surface of the lake. Emma stands in her skates, rooted to the spot. A spider's web of cracks emanates from where she stands. She looks at him, then at the cracked ice.
"Jack, I'm scared!" Emma cried. CRACCKKK! The ice below her splinters more. She wobbles as it starts to separate. He looks at the ice, then at her; he puts his hands out to calm her down.
"I know, I know...but you're gonna be alright," Jack said, slowly and calmly talking to soothe her. "You're not gonna fall in. We're gonna have a little fun instead!" He stared at her still.
"No, we're not!" Emma cried. She knew that at this point that "Fun" was NOT an option!
"Would I trick you?" Jack asked. Would I trick you? Emma thought to herself. Yes, just today!
"Yes! You always play tricks!" She cried, fighting back her tears from fear of falling in the ice.
"Well, alright…Well, not…not this time." Jack said with a chuckle. Suddenly, his demeanour became serious. I promise…I promise…you're gonna be...you're gonna be fine…" Jack fixes his gaze on her...holds it...there's nothing but the two of them. "You have to believe in me." Emma pauses a moment, then smiles through her fear. And just like that, Jack's demeanor changes. A light is switched on inside him and the last thing that could be happening is actually happening. "You wanna play a game? We're gonna play Hopscotch like we play every day!" He stands up straighter on the ice and begins to be more casual and playful. Emma looks more reassured. "It's as easy as...one...whoaaaa..." And Jack shows Emma the first leap, but mugs for her, almost losing his balance then catching himself. She laughs. "Two..." He jumps again. "Three!" He turns toward her with his arms spread out. "Alright..." He reaches down to pick up his staff that was lying on the ice. The staff that was given to him on Christmas day, before their father, James, died of cancer the next day. He extends it towards her. "Now it's your turn." Emma looks down as she is trying to gather her courage. Jack never breaks his gaze with her. "One..." He began to whisper to himself as he waited patiently for her to come closer to him. She hops, wobbles, but catches her balance. "That's it, that's it...two..." She's almost there, Jack's staff just beyond her reach. "Three!" She grabs hold of Jack's staff and in one massive effort, he slings her with all his might to safety. But the movement propels him into the cracked ice. He looks up to see his sister safe, he smiles and then plunges into the dark cold water. "WHOA!" She reaches her hand out to him. She cries out his name as she tries running to him. As he continues to struggle to return to the surface, his vision begins to blur due to the impact of hitting the ice. He could hear his sister call for him, but suddenly, the world around him goes silent. Up back at the surface, Emma falls to her knees, complete devastation overtaking her. Why did I tell him to go ice skating with me? What would mother think? What will she say? All of these thoughts spun in her head as she stood up, her legs wobbling underneath her. She takes her own skates with her, but leaves Jack's skates just parallel to both his staff and the hole of ice. She heads back home to see a distraught mother and Olaf. Her mothers asked about Jack, and after explaining, she went to her room with Olaf following her. Her mother understood. She closes the door and locks it. Olaf sits next to her as she cries on him. Her mother hears her cry was so unbearable to listen to.
Anna's screams filled the air as the Nightmares mercilessly attacked her. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore. She fell to her knees and curled up into a ball; Pitch goes up to her and pulls her hair. "LET HER GO! NOW!" A voice boomed. E-Elsa…y-you…m-made…i-it…Anna thought. Pitch pulled Anna to her feet, and to Elsa's horror, she saw her sister cut, beaten up, and bruised. She turns to Pitch. "WHAT…DID…YOU…TO…MY…SISTER?! YOU MONSTER! TELL! ME!" Pitch grabs Anna's throat and tortures her with Nightmares. "NO! STOP IT! LEAVE HER ALONE!" She gets her powers ready and, when the time was right, she hit him in the heart. He laughs cruelly. "JUST TAKE ME INSTEAD AND LET HER GO!" Anna disappears back to the Overland's cabin home. He puts a chain around her and, in a cloud; they disappear to his lair…...
The silhouette of a body appears as it drifts into a ray of light refracted through water, which turns into...a moon – seen in the reflection on a sheet of ice. The moonlight intensifies almost magically, and the ice above begins to spider-web and crack. It's night time of the frozen pond. There are snow-covered trees in every direction. The ice in the lake continues to crack until finally, a hole splinters open. A young man floats out of the water, bathed in the intense moonlight. This is Jack Frost - thin, pale, barefoot, his tousled hair frosted white. He is the same boy who saved his sister just hours earlier. Jack floats back down onto the ice as the hole closes up underneath him. Jack looks around, confused, and then turns toward the moonlight as it dims a bit. Jack carefully treads across the ice until he hits something with his feet. He looks down, and at his feet is a wooden staff. Curious, he picks it up. Almost immediately the staff begins to glow a cold blue in his hands. Odd…Jack almost drops it as the base of the staff comes in contact with the ground. Frost shoots out and spreads across the ice. Jack is visibly confused. He touches a few trees with his staff sending frost up their trunks. Then he swings the staff again, more confident, as he begins to run across the frozen lake. Another swing and a gust of wind swirl him high up into the air. Jack floats for a moment only to fall back down to earth and into the trees. Jack grabs hold of a tree branch and pulls himself up to see a small town off in the distance. He now enters the Burgess settlement in the town center and sees a collection of simple timber houses with thatched roofs. Jack comes in for a landing, and it's a rocky one. He stands up, still elated, and brushes himself off. As Jack makes his way into town, settlers are warming their hands (especially Emma) by the campfire. Jack doesn't recognize anyone. He says hello to people. The settlers walk past Jack, not noticing him. Jack crouches down as Emma runs toward him. "Oh, ah, excuse me, can you tell me where I am?" Emma explained everything and went to her mother who saw her son and hugged. Suddenly, the moon shines brightly in the house and they see Anna. He remembers her. "Anna, what's wrong? Where's Elsa?" Anna fell to her knees, breathing heavily. He looked up at the moon and realized. "Pitch took her and she took your place; Anna nodded as she sat on the couch and drank a cup of water. The moon shone over Jack and he was lifted off his feet. Jack knew what he had to do. He hugged his friends and family and they flew off to Pitch's lair. Emma, Emily, Anna, and Olaf held each other tightly. Please bring her back…please be safe…please come back soon. They shut their eyes tightly and prayed. Lord, please bring them both back…please don't let anything happen to them. Please…we know Your will is for Jackson to be a guardian…the protector of this family. After they prayed, they went into the living room and began to try and cheer each other up by thinking of other things besides of Jack and Elsa being in trouble. Or even of what Pitch was even doing to Elsa right at this moment. Anna looked at Olaf who drank hot cocoa which, when in trying to drinking it like any other normal human being, failed, causing it to go right through him and on to the carpet. He laughed and apologized. Emily laughed and cleaned it up with a towel. Soon enough, they all fell asleep, each of them having good dreams of spending with their friends…family, and close ones.
He stared at her, his cold, stone eyes piercing her soul. She tried to back away from him, but his Nightmare Sand slithered around her arms, binding them behind her back, and lifting her off her feet, in order for her to face eye level with him…with this…MONSTER! He gently brushed her brown hair. She squirmed, trying to get away from him, but his grip tightened on her, making her cry out in pain. He smiled in cruel delight. "My…my…my," Pitch's voice came in as a whisper and his hot breath hit her neck, bringing cold shivers down her spine. She hated the tingling sensation that she was feeling, but she remembered that she was doing this for someone special…her sister. She remembered Olaf's word: Love is putting someone else's needs before yours. I'm doing this for you, Anna, Elsa thought. I'm doing this for you because I love you. She glared at Pitch again and he spoke. "Your hair will no longer be brown once I'm done with you."
Jack hears Elsa calling out for him. He stops, confused. Where is that voice coming from? He looks out across the village, toward the woods, and the sound of the echoed voice. Jack, carried by the wind, flies across town toward the sound of the eerie voice. Jack takes a moment to orient himself and lands, settling on a rotating vent; as the momentum slowly spins him around, the voice calls out to him again. Jack turns, looks to the woods and takes off. Jack lands in the middle of a thickly wooded area. It's spooky. Jack scans the forest when again he hears... "AAAAHHHH! JACK! HELP ME! PLEASE!" It was Elsa screaming for him in pain. Pitch was slowly trying to torture her, or, in Jack's mind, trying to kill her. He gives into a chase. He sprints through the thickets and enters a clearing only to find the decrepit remains of a rotting frame from a child's bed. Very creepy. What would that be doing in the woods, and how long has it been here? Jack takes his staff, and breaks through the damaged frame, revealing a hole leading deep underground. What to do? Jack jumps down the hole…he continues along a long dark tunnel. Eventually, the labyrinth opens up to reveal a huge underground cavern. Jack can't believe his eyes. Dozens of huge bird cages hanging from the ceiling, Jack jumps up onto one of the cages, then quickly leaps and holds onto the side of another one, trying to find Elsa…
Back at the Overlands, peace, and silence filled the air the Guardians were doing their duties.
"Does Jackson know who he's messing with?" Tooth asked as she put the last of the memories in the boxes. The other Guardians nodded as they slowly and silently headed back to the sleigh. This was the last house they needed to be in; they didn't go anywhere, because, one, they finished their duties, and two; they worry of when Elsa and Jack will return…if they return.
He finally found Elsa and Pitch who held a knife to her throat. They disappear outside in the woods where Anna, Olaf, Emma, Emily, and the Guardians stood. He throws Elsa to the ground. Jack whips around and shoots a burst of frost at Pitch, but it's quickly deflected by the Nightmare sand. Jack continues to attack, lashing out with his staff. Pitch blocks the attacks of ice and frost…his control over the Nightmare sand has gained considerable strength. Pitch strikes back, putting Jack on the defense. Jack jumps in the air. Their show of force escalates until they're shrouded in a blanket of snow, ice, and wind. As the wind and snow settle, Jack looks around stern and alert. He turns around to find Pitch. His body begins to heave heavily from the intense fight, but after thinking of what would happen to him if he joined Pitch, he turns and walks away. Pitch looks confused and hurt. This is not the response he was expecting. Then...his eyes flame with anger. He made himself vulnerable, and Jack rejected him. No more negotiating now. Suddenly, Jack and the others hear a familiar cry of agony. Pitch points to Elsa. Jack charges forward. There's terror in Elsa's eyes as Pitch wraps a hand around her throat. She cries out in pain as Pitch clenches her tight with his arm. The staff, Jack. The expression said it all. Jack settles and the winds and snow subsides. He looks down at Elsa, who looks back up with fear in her eyes. Elsa's eyes go crazy with fear; her expression says it all: Don't give it to him! It's a trick! She struggles to get loose, but Pitch only tightens his grip. She can hardly breathe. Jack has no choice. He...hands over...the staff. Pitch twirls the staff. Jack raised a hand up and glared at him. "Alright, now let her go," Jack said, his voice, cold. He wants Elsa right here…right now. Elsa squirms until she's finally able to bite Pitch's hand with her teeth. Pitch shrieks and throws Elsa to the ground. The others look on with fear, ready to run to them. Jack, enraged, can't believe what he's seeing. Pitch lifts the staff and breaks it over his knee, cracking it in two. Light explodes from the staff and terror comes into Jack's eyes, clutching his chest as if in pain. Suddenly, Pitch sends a burst of Nightmare sand, ready to blast him, but…Elsa jumps in front of it, taking the blow for herself. Jack and the others watch in complete horror. She falls to the ground, unconscious. Jack looks down at the two halves of his staff, and picks them up quickly. He needed to kill Pitch and heal Elsa. He tries to fit them back together, but nothing happens. He tries again, this time using every ounce of strength left in him. The Guardians and the others watch, their eyes widening as a spark of blue light shoots off the staff. Jack continues to push, until the icy blue light spreads and melds the two ends of the staff back together; he smiles. He whips around and shoots a burst of frost at Pitch, freezing him solid. He touched the frozen body and Pitch disappears forever. He and the others run to Elsa. Jack slides to his knees and puts Elsa's head on his lap. They all watched in sadness as Jack cried over Elsa's dead body. He kissed her forehead and whispered… "I love you, Elsa…" Suddenly, Elsa's body is lifted off the ground and her hair and eyes are turned white and blue. She looks at him and smiles, kissing him on the lips. He laughs, smiles, and twirled around. The others came around them and celebrated.
The End
ALWAYS PRAY BEFORE BED – Family Golden Rule
"For I know the plans I have for you," Declares the LORD. "Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future." Jeremiah 19:11
"Love is putting someone else's needs before yours." Olaf – Frozen
"Some people are worth melting for." Olaf – Frozen
"Ohana means family and family means no one gets left behind or forgotten." Stich and Nani – Lilo and Stitch
"Always let your conscience be your guide." Jiminy Cricket – Pinocchio
"When I'm with you I don't feel so alone."
— Hercules
"For it is plain, as anyone can see. We're simply meant to be."
— Jack and Sally – The Nightmare Before Christmas