Disclaimer: "I do not own any of these characters. Pixar and Dreamworks do."

Kiome-Yasha: "Well, since this chapter was already written, I'll just post it now :3. Please continue to leave reviews of what you think of the story so far! The chapters are short for now so I can update faster, but I'm sure the chapters will get longer in due time :). We're going to be stuck on Little Merida/Jack Frost arc, but it will be getting bigger and bigger as the plot moves forward. Along with more characters, and love complications ;D."

Chapter 2 Shelter

Jack held the girl tightly to him, sheltering her the best he could from the blizzard they were under. He toned it down to the best of his ability, sensing the force of Mother Nature at work. Merida whimpered from the cold gust that prickled her cheeks, wincing from the pain. If they continued like this, she would surely die from the cold. Jack secured her under his cloak, hoping to guard her from the hail of ice. Blood was still smeared on her face and clothes-it was an awful thing to see on a girl. If they managed to find some sort of shelter he could clean her up-to his luck-he found one. It was a small cottage, but it was enough for two people to live in-especially one so small.

"Hold on," he told her, shaking her slightly so she wouldn't fall asleep into her death.

He quickly dashed towards the shed, praying it had the items they needed for her to survive. The door swung open rapidly from the burst of wind, almost throwing him off balance. He closed the door, catching a breath that wouldn't come. Spotting a bed nearby, he placed Merida down and covered her with all the blankets he could find. It was dark and cold, so he needed to act fast if wanted to keep her alive. He swiftly grabbed all the lanterns that were kept around the cottage, lighting each of them carefully for some light. He searched the area and was relieved to find a fireplace as well.

"Yes, this will help a lot," he announced with a smile.

He hurried and added some wood into the fireplace, doing his best to conjure the flames. His cold hands made it difficult at first, but somehow he managed. He smiled at his success, watching the fire burn brilliantly from the crackling wood. Not long, he heard a sneeze.

He turned to his newest companion and walked over to check on her. Her face was flushed, and snot dripped from her nose-indicating she had a cold.

"What's your name?" he finally got to ask.

She sniffled, her eyes void of any emotion. "Merida."

He smiled, doing his best to keep strong. "Merida, huh? That's a nice name."

"My Mommy named me," she said.

"Did she?"

She nodded, tucking herself even deeper amongst the folds of blankets. "But she's..."

Jack patted her head, already seeing the tears that wanted to fall. "Hey, don't worry. I'm here. You're going to be just fine."

Even though he said that, he wasn't sure how he could even help her. There was still doubt inside his heart that he even did anything at all. If only he could have been there sooner.

"Thank you," she said, catching him off guard.

He picked up his hand and tried to wipe away the bit of blood that still clung to her face.

"Yoo're...cold," she told him between stutters.

He sighed. "Yeah, I get that a lot."

"Ah dornt mind though," she said, shifting slightly with comfort, "Ah can handle it."

"Oh, could you?" he asked, chuckling lightly at her fierceness.

A bit of light came back to her eyes. "Aye, mah parents raised me to be brave."

She bit her lip, resisting the urge to cry. Just talking about them brought back the horror, and she sobbed once again without hesitation. Jack wanted to embrace her to him, to calm the ache that was surely consuming her-but if he did-she would only be cold. Merida though took initiative and hugged him anyway, seeking the warmth that had vanished from his body years ago.

"Don't leave me," she pleaded, her words becoming muffled by his chest.

He held her close to him, frowning from her tone-not even caring if she left snot on him. "I won't." He then whispered softly, "You truly are a brave girl, Merida."

She continued to weep, holding nothing back.

After awhile in letting her calm down, Jack pulled her away to speak, "We should give you a warm bath. Wash off all that blood on your face and hair while we're at it."

She seemed skeptical at first, but nodded in agreement. "Okay."

Jack got up and luckily found a small bucket nearby that would fit her size. He picked up a large pot and added some water inside it from his frost. Being sure not to drop it, he carried over to the fireplace and hung it over for it to get warm.

"Shouldn't take too long," he told her.

Merida nodded and searched for any extra clothes she could find in the storage area. She came over to Jack and pulled out a pair that was a bit too big for her size.

"It's aw Ah could fin' fur me," she said.

He smiled and took it from her hands. "It'll have to do."

He folded it gently on top of one of the chairs, picking out a small towel that hung nearby. Smoke began to rise from the pot, signaling that the water was warm enough to bathe in. He took it out and carefully poured it inside the wooden bucket.

"There," he said, gently wetting a cloth while rolling up his sleeves, "You can get undress now, Merida."

She pouted a little at him, blushing slightly at his presence. She's never been naked in front of a man before, and she wasn't going to start now-even if he was a winter spirit.

Jack realized how awkward that request must have been for her, snatching the towel he had before ripping it in half.

"Here, you can cover yourself with half of this while I wash you," he said.

She grabbed the cotton like fabric and agreed to his plan. Jack turned around and gave her the privacy she needed to undress. Merida tossed her ruined clothes to the side and folded the towel around her small body. She tucked the hem so it wouldn't fall, hoping she wasn't exposing too much.

"Finished," she announced.

He turned and smiled at how small she truly was. The ripped towel practically covered her feet-he had to pick her up in order for her not to trip. He placed her inside the bucket, hoping it was warm enough for her.

"Is the water good?" he asked.

She nodded. "It's warm."

"I'm glad." He retrieved the cloth and dumped it inside the water, wincing at the temperature.

Merida observed him the entire time, watching every sign of emotion he gave while cleaning her. He passed the cloth over her face, to her neck, and eventually to her shoulders. She shivered from the little contacts he made, a strange sensation coming over her. Goosebumps spread across her skin, blushing heavily at the gentleness he presented-like a parent caring for a child. He scooped some water from a smaller bucket and prepared to dump it over her head.

"Close your eyes," he instructed.

She did as she was told, flinching from the hot water that followed. Just then, all she could see was red. Blood was scattered everywhere, along with limbs of her loved ones. Tears broke out from her eyes like a waterfall, mixing in with the water that dripped down her face. She tried so hard to endure the pain, but it was just too much for her small mind to handle. Her body shook, longing to forget. Jack frowned at her broken state, and just held her into his arms. It didn't matter if she was wet, or that he was cold, all that mattered was the arms she was in.

He didn't say a word, and it was all the shelter she needed.

End Chapter

Kiome-Yasha: "Once again, hope for more feedback :3."