Okay, my obsession with Jack and Rapunzel isn't even funny more. Btw, Happy New Year and have a wonderful 2014! :D Listen to:
Colorblind - Natalie Walker
Stuttered shook and uptight, Pull me out from inside...
The harsh wind tugged at Rapunzel's coat as she waited outside her porch. She rubbed her hands together to generate some heat and stared at the frozen black road in front of her.
Where is he? Rapunzel thought for the hundredth time as she checked her cell phone once again.
5 o'clock. Wear your warmest clothing and wait for me. –Jack.
She read and reread the message again, a sigh of agitation leaving her lips. It was so like Jack to always show up late. Rapunzel was just about to retreat back into the warmth of her house when she heard the unmistakable sound of Jack's Volvo coming down the street.
She schooled her face into a mask of annoyance as he drove up her driveway. Rapunzel walked briskly to the silver car.
Thankfully, Jack had threw open the door for her and she got in with a grateful sigh.
"What took-"
"Sorry Punz, I had a little argument with my parents," his brown eyes were sincere but the frown on his face gave away the true sadness he felt.
Rapunzel was suddenly sympathetic. Jack had a hard relationship with his parents who always set high goals and expectations for both of their children. Speaking of which…
"Where's Emma?" Rapunzel inquired, nervous about the state of his 12 year old sister.
"She went out for a walk to calm down and told me it was best if I left her for awhile," Jack said with a grim expression as he reversed the car.
"Um, you know, whatever surprise you're planning, it'll be alright if we postpone it," Rapunzel said cautiously. "If you want to sort this out with your parents," she added hastily after seeing his eyes widened.
"It's alright, I'll talk to them later," he said and forced a smile. "Besides, what type of girlfriend are you who wouldn't be mad at her boyfriend for standing her up?" he said in a teasing tone, the light returning to his expression.
Rapunzel could see that he was still brooding over the argument but she let it go as she returned his teasing smile.
"You're lucky you have such a calm, patient and wonderful girlfriend in the first place," she said with a cheekily.
Jack rolled his eyes but took her hand in his glove clad ones.
"Ding, ding! The woman is right yet again."
~~O~~O~~
The drive to wherever Jack was taking them was long and winded. She had to bite her lip several times from blurting out if Jack was planning to kidnap her but she restrained herself.
The urge to ask where they were going won as she said, "Are you sure you're not planning to kidnap me?"
Instead of rolling his eyes, Jack gave her a mock evil smile instead. "Caught up on my plans already, girlie?
Rapunzel faked a surprised gasp. "I think I might've solved the mystery of a century," she feigned a shocked expression.
Jack laughed and took her hand in his, his unusually cold fingers fitting with her warm ones. They passed a narrow strip of road that was flanked by tall, sentinel pine trees. She observed the surroundings, trying to recall if she ever passed this road.
They stopped when the road turned to a narrow track. Jack switched off the engine and got out. She followed his lead and shuddered when the icy air breezed ruffled her hair.
"We'll continue by foot from here," her boyfriend announced.
Rapunzel looked at the trail doubtfully. "Is there a cabin around here?"
Jack gave her a cryptic smile. "We'll see when we get there."
"Jack," she whined. "You know I hate surprises, especially if I find a sacrificial bonfire in the middle of these woods," she complained.
He chuckled. "Dramatic much, blondie?" he teased as he led them down a rocky trail. She huffed and had no choice but to follow him. To his credit, Jack gave her his scarf to wrap around her neck when he noticed her shivering.
Crystallized dew hung from the branches of bare trees and the cold air burned her lungs when she inhaled but nonetheless, she admired the beauty that was a winter forest around her. Jack took her hand in his again, admiring the scenery together with her. The snow muffled their footsteps and the branches caught her clothes but Rapunzel didn't mind. She was content as she was.
The trees thinned out and she could see sunlight glinting prettily of the ground. Upon closer inspection, she saw that the ground was actually a frozen lake, serenely shining under the winter rays.
She gasped and looked at Jack. She was surprised when he pushed some ice skates into her hands. She stood there and glanced down at her skates.
"B-But, I don't know how to skate," she stammered.
Her boyfriend gave her a reassuring smile. "It's okay, I'll teach you," he said.
Rapunzel donned her ice skates and wobbled. Jack helped steer her to the surface of the lake. She held on to him tightly, afraid that she might fall down. His grip was certain on her shoulders as he push her lightly onto the lake. Rapunzel flailed for a second before her hand clasped around his.
"J-Jack, I don't think I can do-"
"Relax, Punz," he said in a calm voice. "Just trust me, you'll love this."
She gulped but trusted his words, letting him ease her upright. She held onto his hand as she took her first tentative step. Rapunzel slipped and would've gone crashing if not for Jack's hold on her waist.
"Find your balance-your equilibrium," he instructed.
It's just like riding a bike, like riding the easiest bike, she mentally assured herself. The next few tries were agonizing but Rapunzel managed to find her footing. Soon, she was confident enough to let go of Jack's hand. He took it as a signal and let go of her waist. She glided across the ice, a huge beam on her face.
"Jack," she exclaimed happily. "I can skate!" she gleefully circuited the small circle she made in the ice gingerly.
His answering grin was relieved. "Finally, I thought I had to spend another day teaching you how to stand on your two feet," she cheekily stuck out her tongue at him.
"Is that how you repay back someone who got bruises trying to right you up?" Jack asked, faking an expression of indignation. "Just you wait till I get there, blondie-" he quickly strapped another pair of skates to his feet and joined her on the lake.
Nearing her, he gave a grin. "Let's see if you can run from me now," he lunged and she squealed, escaping his grip.
It was a lucky miss as she glided away from him. Jack gave an evil smirk. She thought that she was fast, but he was faster. Jack had been skating ever since he could walk. He glided effortlessly towards her and caged her in with his arms. She shrieked and yielded when he started tickling her.
"Alright, alright, uncle, uncle!" her laughter echoed across the lake.
Jack smiled, nuzzling his face in her neck. He could smell her familiar rose and peonies scent mingled with her flush excitement. Rapunzel froze and her breath caught. She turned and with an almost shy expression, kissed him softly. Jack sighed. Her chapped lips were pliant against his and her favorite, old sweater scratched his bare hands but he didn't mind. He lived for moments like these, when her embrace was all the space in the world he needed and her body against his was all he could concentrate on.
Too soon they broke apart and Rapunzel's face was flushed red. He gave her an adoring gaze. "Thank you for trusting me," he said. Jack knew that she was the only one who could ever do.
Her smile was brilliant and this time, it was him who initiated the kiss. The spent the next hour skating, and occasionally, a snowball would fly towards each other, hitting the other square in the chest or on the arms. Rapunzel's cheeks hurt from smiling too much. It was always like this when Jack was around. He just made her feel insanely, overly happy.
They were resting on the bank when she spotted a faraway tree, with strange icicle formations that looked like frozen flowers. It was magnetizing, pulling her towards it that she didn't notice Jack's urgent grip on her sleeve.
"Punz, what are you doing, this part of the lake is soft and too dange-"
"I just wanted to see those flowers," she replied and pointed to the tree.
Jack followed her gaze. "It's alright, there are more trees like that with icicles in the forest if you would just slowly get away from-"
A spine chilling crack stopped his next words.
Rapunzel gave him a wide eyed stare. "Wh-What is it, Jack?"
He cautiously took a step back, his hand never leaving hers.
"Punz, I want you to take a small step to me," he said in a strained voice. She gingerly took a step forward and the cracking sound increased in volume. Her eyes were wide with fear.
"J-Jack, what's h-h-happeni-"
"Don't look down!" he urged. "C'mon, one step in the front, nice and easy - that's right - now one more," he took a hold of two of her hands in his as he slowly guided them back to firmer ice.
"J-Jack, I'm s-s-sorry and I-I'm scared," she stuttered.
"Don't have to be scared, I'm right here," he said in a soothing voice.
"Alright, Punz, at the count of 3, I want you to push yourself forward, one…two…three!"
Rapunzel did as she was told, propelling herself forward with all her might. Jack's hand on hers helped steady her and the force of her lunge turned his body back to the cracks. The horrible cracking sound was nowhere to be heard and she allowed herself a relieved smile. Jack's expression mirrored hers. He placed one foot down-
-And disappeared under the ice with a loud splash.
"Jaaacckkk!" she screamed, falling onto her knees by the gap where his body had gone through. She placed her hands under the water but it was painfully cold, even with her woolen gloves on. Her eyes stung with tears as she fumbled with frozen hands for her phone.
Pressing the emergency number, her call went through in a few seconds.
"911, how may I help?" a polite female voice asked.
"M-My boyfriend, h-he-" she couldn't get the words out.
"Alright, miss, take a deep breath and speak calmly," the voice at the end instructed.
She did as she was told. "My boyfriend, he fell through a f-frozen l-lake and I can't get him out-"
"Which lake, miss?" she could hear furious typing in the background.
"I-I don't know," she stuttered.
"Could you perchance tell us which state you are in now?"
"Pennsylvania," Rapunzel blurted. "We're in B-Burgess."
"Thank you, miss, in the meantime, try to stay calm, an ambulance is on its way," the voice told her.
She hung up and the only sound she could hear was her ragged breathing. She tried to place her hands in the water back again, but the scalding cold water didn't allow her.
Unbidden, she started sobbing. If the water could hurt my hands, how must Jack be feeling? No! You can't think of things like that.
"J-J-J-Jack, I'm so s-s-sorry."
An ambulance arrived five minutes later and somebody hauled Rapunzel up to her feet.
"Get her a flask of hot tea and a blanket," a distant male voice with a strange accent commanded.
A steaming cup of tea was pushed into her hands and she accepted it numbly.
She could see a group of men with pick-axes striking the surface of the lake. One man slipped underwater. Everyone seemed to move in slow motion and her heart stopped when she saw a hand popping out from the blue below.
"I see him!" someone shouted and a few people went to help haul the bod- Jack up.
It could've been minutes that he was submerged in the icy cold water but the person that emerged didn't even remotely look like Jack. His hair was stuck to his face in icy tendrils. His skin was a sickly blue and his lips…her breath caught in her throat and fresh tears sprung in her eyes. Jack's lips were completely purple.
Somebody was performing CPR on Jack and she waited. And waited. And waited.
A gurgle sounded and he spewed out the water in his lungs, his teeth chattering.
The man who had resurrected him was a tan and bulking man in his late twenties. He had a shock of dark night hair and a panicked look on his face.
"Get him to the hospital now, his pulse is fading!" the man gestured wildly. "And get him warm! He's contracted hypothermia."
The word fell like a heavy coin under a turbulent ocean that was her mind.
The other paramedics gingerly took Jack's body and laid it on a stretcher and wasted no time in removing his sodden clothes. They piled layers and layers of woolen blankets on him and brought him to the ambulance.
The man who performed the CPR for Jack walked up to her with an assuring smile. "No worries, miss, he just contracted a little hypothermia and should be at the hospital soon enough."
"Th-Thank you," she breathed, her green eyes paralyzed with fear.
He frowned and wrapped another blanket around her shoulders.
"The name's Aster," he said amiably and she realized that he was the commanding one with the strange accent - Australian, perhaps. "If you need anything, just holler, kay?"
She nodded mutely. Aster left her and she watched as the ambulance disappeared from sight. A tap on her shoulder called her back to reality.
"Excuse me, miss, but do you any relatives of the patient?" a grey haired, kind looking woman asked in an apologetic tone. "We need to notify the hospital and his guardians or parents."
With leaden limbs, she took her phone and punched in Mrs. Overland's number. She handed the phone to the paramedic and sunk to the ground, her pulse ringing in her ears. How could she have forgotten his mother? Sarah Overland was bound to dissolve in tears by now.
My fault, my fault, my fault, her subconscious moaned.
The paramedic gently handed her back the phone and left her there. Perhaps she thought that Rapunzel needed some privacy.
Tears burned her eyes and her heart was roiling like a storm. In contrast, her mind was surprisingly blank.
Sunlight glinted of the trees and her eyes were drawn to the frozen icicles in the shape of flowers, adorning the naked branches of a pine tree that had caught her attention a few minutes ago.
All I wanted was to get a closer look at those flowers, she thought numbly.
The icicle flowers glittered innocently; obliviously unaware of the pandemonium they had just created.