This is the story of how Jack Frost fell in love with a dancer and how he watched her go. Will Jack lose his love before it ever really has a chance? Or will he break all the rules to save her life? JackxOC AU or post SC3
Frost My Heart
When it snows at night
My worlds in black and white
And all the grey is saved for another day
When rain might make trouble stay
Or sun shows true color no one wants to see
From these awful truths I flee
Running from a fight
Fleeing from the coming light
But in my dreams we'll meet again
And our story won't have to end
If you'll chill my dull reality
Keep forever cool my serenity
Today I won't have to fall apart
If you'll just Frost my Heart…
In light of the beautiful and slightly unexpected Christmas… *uh "Frostmas" snow I discovered Christmas morning and begged for Christmas Eve, I thought it was only appropriate for me to just give in already and write a one-shot starter for a Jack fic.
When I say 'one-shot starter' I mean that this can stand alone but there's a story behind it all and if anyone wants to hear it just let me know and I'll continue. But I don't want to write a longer story that no ones going to read as much as I adore Mr. Frost.
Thanks all and please enjoy
Oh yes, I don't own Jack… haha don't we all wish though?
Xxx
Jack sat with his scissors, snipping away at the soft ice. Crafting from scratch millions of elegant snowflakes. Jack was, by birth and certainly by trade, a troublemaker, a flirt and a bit of a deviant. However he wasn't frozen solid and though it could certainly seem he was a man of ice and snow the nymph did indeed have a heart. And because he had one of those and because it beat in rhythm with his soul he cut these snowflakes, these very special snowflakes.
He put a great deal of time into his work, Jack did, but every year he made one perfect snow. Yes the others were beautiful and slippery and we can sled and skate yay yay yay! …But those weren't perfect.
And now, here sits Jack Frost, snipping the perfect snowfall… for one more perfect smile… one more time.
He sighed and for a moment paused, running his light finger over the scissor blade, tracing the glittering silver, pressing his finger against it. Curiosity overwhelming him as usual. He pressed harder and harder on the razor tip of the scissor and winced a bit but nothing more. No rip, no tear, no pain really.
Immortality eh?
Jack examined his skin, screwed up his mouth and in an instant jammed the scissors into his hand.
"OH SILVER B- Hey that doesn't hurt… well what gives?" Jack noticed the lack of pain and recomposed himself. "Oh, silly silly Frost you can't use these scissors… some experiment…" he sat them in his lap by the snowflakes-in-progress.
"Concepts the same though…no pain no… nothing."
He imagined her dancing through the snow, her figure graceful, then her slim legs giving out. She was in pain. He couldn't feel a thing.
"I'll live forever…." He murmured, his deep eyes following the lines of his undamaged hand. This usually excited him, immortality, it brightened his spirits, but not today.
Not while he made Holly's snowflakes.
Holly Holly Holly. Holly won't live forever. Which was why, as he reminded himself, and taking up the scissors again for their appropriate use… he was making those millions of perfect snowflakes. Because as long as it was up to him she was going to have a perfect Christmas every year.
He had been reminded of her delicate mortality only this afternoon as he watched her laying there, his strong girl, thin and glassy on the white sheets in her sudden weakness. The brevity of human existence wasn't something that crossed his mind everyday, not even every year. He never really realized how fragile they were until he watched her slip and crumple. That's why you don't interact with them… that's why you don't know their names… Mother Nature was right… he'd never really admit it though.
In his mind he saw her. Standing in the snow, her red coat dragging the ground, the flakes on her eyelashes, her face blushed in the chill. She was gliding though the snow in the park, the dusk surrounding her image. He remembered she yelled and tripped fully, tumbling to the ground as a large yellow dog raced past her.
Jack Frost had loved a thousand women in his time, French girls, Swedish girls, Irish girls, Americans, and even the occasional Australian babe… but none of them were Holly. They were beautiful, exotic, models, actresses… but they didn't fill the space… they were one night, one week then kaput. Holly Bellamy was a different case, he was almost scared of her; she made him feel… all gushy inside. Ticklish.
He chuckled to himself at the memory. She had rolled over, after the big dog had knocked the wind out of her , leapt up and ran after her pooch whose entire body wiggled in excitement for a game of chase. They ran over the bridge, around the pines and she had screamed and sworn loudly as she laughed and threw messy snowballs in the general direction of her four-legged friend. Until, the graceful human girl had taken a tumble into the fluffy powder.
"Horrid horrid dog!" She had screamed and her pup yipped playfully.
But then she rolled over and laid still, content to remain there in the icy embrace of the accumulation. Jack had been watching her spectacle, the tripping and the dog chasing, from various hiding spots and now she laid only feet from him as he held his breath behind a near fir tree. Of course he could disappear in a flash, but he seemed rooted. And he had peered around the tree to see her flat on the ground, licking the snow from her lips, her eyes closed, his ice cold heart fluttered for a moment. He wanted to leave his hiding place and go to lie beside her there. Lace his fingers with hers and fall asleep.
"Ah Jack." She whispered as she got to her feet.
His blood ran colder than usual.
She danced with an invisible partner in the thinner snow under the fir tree, twirling and swaying to a private tune. Her feet were graceful, years of practice could be seen in her toes as they danced up onto point for a moment before dipping back down. He wished he could hold her, and take that place the invisible man she held was occupying.
He had lost his heart to her watching her dance, and it was difficult for him to continue sliding around the base of the fir tree to stay out of sight. Not because she was moving too quickly… but he just wanted to sit still and watch her sway.
"You've outdone yourself again, I think…" she continued as Jack trembled "…This is the most beautiful the world can be. Don't you agree? All quiet and pure."
She stopped spinning. and was talking presumably to him.
Jack was stunned, his jaw dropped and he picked it back up. What… was he supposed to talk to her…? She hadn't seen him had she?
He needed a quick fix… he could always. THUMP. Jack had in a moment clapped a hand over his own mouth and smacked a heavy branch on the fir tree he was hiding under and she was dancing beneath. A huge clump of snow fell from the branches and landed in a heap on Holly.
"GHAAaa!" She managed to yell before being covered in snow.
Jack on the other hand couldn't contain himself and burst into laughter doubling over on the other side the tree.
"Jack!" Holly called from under the snow as his laughter washed over the landscape. "Jack Frost!" She yelled and brushed her long dark hair from her face.
He laughed lightly, his hand on the trunk of the fir to steady himself "Ah, humans…"
"Hey…" She was looking his way…
Right. With a snap of his fingers the winter spirit disappeared in a sparkle and a gush. He rolled onto his back as he rushed though the winter air as the wind itself. "Mmm." He folded his arms contentedly behind his head. "She almost caught me this time, that was too close." But he grinned like a cat anyhow.
He had watched her play in the snow since she was only child- and he had dumped snow on her pretty little head then too. Cute kid, pretty girl, beautiful young woman… maybe she could be his elf…
Back in his chair, with his scissors Jack Frost frowned and finished another perfect flake. If only it was that simple. Holly had grown and in a few years she was about to go to college, she was getting scholarships and letters, writing papers and reading textbooks… and still dancing. Jack smiled as he recalled a tiny Holly dancing in the ballet studio as the snow fell outside, Holly dancing under the tree in her red coat. And his tired grin fell as he recalled… the day she fell. It had been a sweet December, her first year in college. The first snowfall…
A fast poppy tune had been playing in the studio that evening, blaring over the speakers, a woman's over enhanced voiced cut in and out as the base quickened. Holly was drenched in sweat, her eyes trained on her instructor, a harsh looking woman with silvering hair pulled into a tight bun and half moon spectacles on her long nose.
The music cut out.
"Stop stop. You're starting over. I need heart. Where's the passion girls? Huh?" She looked over them as if she didn't see the glittering sweat and heaving breaths, the shaking limbs. "From the top. One more time. Get it right, dance like you're escaping something- free your body. Here we go. Make it count. And two three four…"
The music cut on. From the top the electric tune buzzed. Holly looked up into the rafters though the skylight. It was snowing… it was only the 11th of December…
Jack had been slacking that afternoon and he had stopped by New York University in the evening as he tried to do as often as possible and sat in the rafters of the theater eating take away noodles as he watched Holly and the other dancers workout. Their faces were carved in stone, lips pulled back gasping for breath as they began… again.
It was almost cruel. Then again that's just how it was… if you wanted to be anybody. He supported that, wanting something- and he supported her. He'd always support Holly. His lips parted in an adoring grin. That's why he was there. Where were her friends anyhow? He tossed his hands up, nearly spilling his noodles. Worthless humans, couldn't count on them for a thing. Oh well. That's why she had him… sort of.
Holly focused even though she felt a familiar chill on her spine. She smiled. Her feet followed the opening steps mindlessly as the music snapped and clapped and her toes tapped. The song sped up and her body became involved, arms, shoulders stomach twisting and folding. She hated this song.
They hit the chorus, the dancer threw themselves into the thundering of their steps. Not even thinking but knowing where to move.
Jack leaned on the railing watching their bodies' snap and sway. He loved dance. Actually he loved to perform or watch at least. He snuck into Broadway shows as often as he had time to. The last thing he had seen was Wicked… he had actually seen that twice and loved it both times. But tonight he was in the mood for dance… And he had loved to watch Holly dance since she was little. Maybe he'd go see what was playing in the city after this… Mmm he slurped a noodle and though of the graceful dancers bodies on the big stage.
Then it happened.
As the woman's voice in the pop tune vibrated with the beat, the simple words moved with Holly as she went down.
Tonight we're goin' har har ha ha ha hard
Just like the world is ou ou our our our ours
We're tearin' it apart part pa pa pa part
You know we're superstars…We are who we are!
She stumbled, her body quivering with the words.
Jack froze the metal on the catwalk above in his grip.
Holly contorted her feet and pushed back up for only a moment dancing though the chorus, following the rhythm that had been beaten into her toes.
We're dancing like we're dumb dumb du du du dumb
Our bodies go numb numb nu nu nu numb
We'll be forever younggggg
She moved lifelessly dancing dumb, her body numb, and she collapsed to the floor, her feet finally failing her.
Around her the other dancers continued to move. She cursed her weakness as she crumpled. She couldn't fall. This was for finals this was for the rest of her life…
"Holly!" Jack had yelled from above but, thankfully, his voice had been drowned in the base. The winter wind howled in agony outside.
"Ms. Bellamy!" Her instructor snapped. "Get up or get out."
She quivered and pulled her hands under her, trying to push against the floor, trying to get back up.
"Ms. Bellamy?" Her instructors voice was softer. The music had stopped. The dancers had stopped. Jack was frozen solid above. Holly spit and coughed. It was red. "Someone call an ambulance!"
Jack nearly lost control above, he was a deep blue and his eyes were flashing dangerously. A storm was brewing- a blizzard in the making "How could that woman drive them to that extent? How could she work them like that?" Outside the situation was getting ugly. Dark clouds had gathered, lightning flashed in the skies and thunder rolled.
Back in his room he had left his chair and was pacing the floor now, the memory had motivated him to action of some sort and he snipped into the snowflake aggressively. Chiseling its little edges. He calmed for the next flake, though he couldn't stop his minds eye from picturing the paramedics as they lifted her onto a stretcher, as they put the oxygen to her mouth and nose. He had stood there, helpless to save her…
They had driven her to the hospital that night and put her in a small white-walled room all alone. He could only watch from a slim perch on the windows ledge as they had hooked her up to a million machines, and drawn some blood. Then they turned out the lights and the Doctor said something about some test results in the morning. She protested, said she had an exam at nine. He tried to reassure her, told her to rest and then turned off the lights.
"I wouldn't even think about it Frost." A deep and soft voice hissed.
"Think about w-" he called me Frost… The nymph's tone changed fully as he turned on the intruder. "How rude to sneak up on someone like that, this is none of your business" he stumbled for a moment, his usual whit evading him in his frustration, watching Holly… "Take a hike." Was the first thing that came to mind.
"Oh Jack" the figure laughed. "Ooh no you haven't"
"Excuse me?" His narrowed icy eyes took in the sight of the Reaper, one of Grim's many minions. "You know what, no not 'excuse me' thanks very much, why don't you run along and… change out of that terrible dress, 'washed out grey' isn't exactly your color not to be rude or anything."
The reaper only chuckled a bit. "Charming as usual Frost. I'm here to warn you Frost. Not one icicle in that room, not a chill, nothing, zip, zilch."
Feinting surprise Jack raised an icy eyebrow. "Mio? Heh, no, no, I have no interest in going in there, why would Jack Frost want to go sit in some dreary hospital room?" he smirked a bit, meeting the Reapers black gaze. "Nope..."
"Don't play coy with me Frost." The Reaper drawled. Laying a deathly thin finger on the glass, giving it a tap tap tap. "No interference."
"Or what? You can take my powers? Hmm No. What are you going to do? Force me to go shopping with you wherever you got that terrible tattered robe?" Jack scoffed at the Reaper.
"We play by different rules than your silly council Frost. Touch her and it's one thousand years of total darkness. Mother Nature won't save you, in fact I'm sure she'll think you've had it coming. I wouldn't be bold today if I was you." The Reaper hissed, adopting a more menacing tone before sliding through the window and into the little room.
'Do something!' his mind yelled. 'Save her…' but he didn't move, frozen in place as the Reaper leaned down and kissed the sleeping girls forehead. Frost's fist clenched against the glass. Coward.
The Reaper vanished and Holly had lived though the night; Jack had waited on the window, pacing the ledge and looking out over the snowy landscape he spent the night creating until the doctor came in with the results in the early morning. He watched Holly cry when the Doctor read them, covering her fair face with her hands and sobbing. The nurse had looked uncomfortable, she was young and clearly very new. She patted Holly on the back a little.
That was when Jack had gone. He couldn't stand it anymore, no more crying, no more hospital. He couldn't do it anymore. And now here he was, all locked away in his home clipping a million perfect snowflakes as if that would fix something. Jack wasn't distraught often, he didn't know what to do with himself, but one thing was certain, he wasn't strong enough to just stand there and watch his girl cry. His girl. 'Listen to yourself Jack… she's not your girl. She'll never be your girl.'
"Who am I kidding?" He muttered to no one in particular, because no one was there. He was lonesome as usual. Lonesome because he had nearly screwed up Christmas for oh the zillionth time and for the gabillionth time frozen too many things that didn't need freezing… like that rainforest… and St. Bart's in May… causing most of the other 'Legendaries' to completely resent him. Looking back on it freezing the beaches at St. Bart's hadn't been the smoothest plan he'd ever had.
"You're kidding yourself you daft nymph." He replied… to himself… "You don't have the guts to go after her. You coward."
He was going to lose Holly Bellamy. He had heard what the Doctor said… he said Leukemia. Leukemia. Not too many humans lived for very long being sick like that. Not if they were diagnosed so late and so… so suddenly. It was all so sudden. One minute she was light on her toes, the next she was laid hard to the ground.
"I'm no coward." He muttered.
Jack didn't really understand it. He didn't usually bother with human illness, just wasn't something he was game for or that concerned him… he loved their politics, their music, the cultures… but, never had he bothered with their deaths.
"You're full of cold air Frost." He snapped at himself. "You put on a fantastic show but at the end of the day you're out to save your own skin."
Was this his answer then? Cutting a million perfect snowflakes was the great Jack Frosts answer to loss? He looked at the flakes, at the scissors. Apparently it was. So this was grieving… odd.
"Who's grieving? She's not dead. She's sick and she needs you." Jack stopped cutting, and lent an ear to that bold side of his personality.
"I'm walking out on her… she's not even mine and I'm walking out on her. Actually, I just did. I just walked out on her because I was-" He had to sit. He didn't usually listen to this side of himself that offered 'constructive criticism.' Jack was usually more than happy to silence the 'conscience.' It was usually just a picky notorious do-gooder that tried to ruin his schemes, but, tonight it seemed as if it was trying to help him concoct one. Interesting twist… funny what good intentions can come up with.
"I'm listening" he murmured to himself.
Alright well... didn't go exactly where I thought it would, haha, they're always longer than I expect. I actually think there will be another chapter just to finish this up, but please do let me know if you like it and would like to see it go further than one more chapter!
Thanks thanks! =)