Before Elsa knew it, ten long years seemed to pass by. But then again, the reason they passed so quickly was because nothing new or significant had happened at all during those years. Every day was always the same; Elsa locked up in her room conflicted as she tried to control her powers, her parents trying to suppress them while Pitch tried to embrace them. On top of all of that, there was Anna, who for the first few years would try to coax Elsa out of her room, only to give up when there was no response. Finally there was Jack who was neutral to Elsa's power dilemma and who only wanted to act as a companion and provide her with emotional support.
Elsa was eighteen when another life-changing catastrophe took place. Her parents were going out of town for two weeks. As they were heading out the palace, Elsa met them at the bottom of the staircase and curtsied. "Do you have to go?" she asked nervously.
"You'll be fine Elsa," her father responded.
But as it turned out, while they were on the boat a storm hit, the waves swallowing the boat as it sank to the bottom of the sea. Elsa was so emotionally broken that she didn't even show up to their funeral, even when Anna begged for her to come out. She just sat in her room, leaning against the door, and cried, her powers causing the room to be covered in ice and floating snow.
Elsa didn't know how much time had passed, but it simultaneously felt like only moments and a lifetime. She wasn't actually asleep, but her eyes were closed and she shut herself out to everything around her. It wasn't until she felt a familiar hand gently touch her shoulder that she woke up startled. She looked up to see that Jack was sitting right beside her. "I know about what happened to your parents. I'm sorry."
Elsa threw her arms around his shoulders, sobbing into his chest. "Thank you," she said in barely above a whisper. He wrapped his arms around her and let her cry it out.
"So what are you going to do now?" he asked once she had calmed down. "Are you going to tell anyone about your powers, or are you going to continue staying in here, or…?"
"Nothing is changing. I can't let anyone know about my powers. Look at me, look around, I'm dangerous."
"You're not dangerous. We both know that what happened that night was just an accident.
"Regardless, my parents are right. I have to keep my powers suppressed."
"You have to keep them controlled, but not suppressed. If you keep it all bottled up like this, then something bad will happen and then things really will get dangerous. But I believe in you. I know that it doesn't matter what I think; you do what makes you the most comfortable, and if it means hiding them, then so be it."
"Of course what you think matters. You matter more to me than anyone. You're the only real friend I've ever had, who's stood by me through everything. You're the only one who understands me and shares my power. You're the only one who I felt has ever truly loved me, and in return, you're the only one that I have ever truly loved."
Jack's heart felt like it was starting to leap out of his chest. He couldn't help but feel nervous at what was happening. "Elsa, what are you saying exactly?"
"I'm saying that you're the only boy I've ever known, the only one I've ever loved, and after spending a lifetime together, I feel like we could be more than just friends. You're the only thing that's been consistent in my life, my only source of true happiness, and the only one who has ever loved me for me and not just treated me as some girl with powers."
"Elsa, listen to me. You're just shaken up about your parents' deaths, you're not thinking straight. Besides you don't want me, I'm invisible remember?"
"I've spent so long locked up away from everyone that I might as well be invisible too."
"But I don't age. Look at me, I haven't aged a day since we first met! How could that work between us?" He knew how much Elsa was dealing with, and he knew that dropping the bombshell of why they could never be together would just mess with her even more.
"We could find someway around that. But come on, we're perfect for each other. Jack, I truly believe that what we have is true love." Their heads were practically pressed together. Acting on impulse, Elsa leaned in closer to kiss Jack, but he immediately pushed her away.
"Elsa, I know you think that, but trust me, we're not and we can't."
Elsa started to tear back up. "But Jack, I love you."
"I love you too, but…"
"Then why can't we…?"
"We just can't, okay?" he shouted as he stood up. Elsa looked up at him, stunned. This was the first time in the fifteen years that they knew each other that he ever raised his voice at her. He looked down at her as she trembled in fear and confusion. "I'm sorry Elsa, I have to go," he said heading towards the window.
"Jack, please wait," she said as she reached towards him, still on the ground.
"I'm sorry," he repeated as he grabbed his staff and flew out the window.
"Jack, come back! Please!" she cried. But it was too late, he was gone. Elsa breathed heavily, doing her best to hold back tears. She couldn't believe it. Within twenty-four hours, she had lost literally everyone that she had ever loved, only with Jack it was out of her own foolishness and desperateness for love and companionship.
At first she felt a tremendous amount of grief, before it switched over to anger. With an angry growl, she let out a huge ice blast from her hand, covering the open window in a huge block of ice. As she breathed heavily, she could hear a slow clap coming from behind her. "Bravo Elsa. That's the most amount of ice I've ever seen come from you."
Elsa didn't bother to turn around. "Go away Pitch."
"Although I must say," he continued, ignoring her request, "that I can't help but feel a little disheartened. After all these years, do you not consider me a friend?"
Elsa turned around to face him. "But how did you hear that?"
"You forget Elsa, I know everything. Every move, every conversation, I am here lurking in the shadows during it all. Though I must say, if that Jack boy was really your friend, he wouldn't have stormed off like that, leaving you alone in your time of need without so much as an answer. I would never do that to you Elsa. You know that I will always be here for you."
Elsa let out a sigh of defeat, for she knew that he was right. "I know."
Pitch opened up his arms for a hug. "Come here," he called gently. After all of these years, she still couldn't help but feel afraid of him, there was always something about him that made her feel really uncomfortable. But at the same time, there was something about him that she could never bring herself to say no to. And as much as she hated to admit it, he was always there for her, the better friend between him and Jack. She slowly walked up to him, pressing against him as he wrapped his arms around her in a tight embrace. "I promise," he whispered into her ear, "that I will never, ever leave you."
