Love Can Change the Weather

Chapter 7

In the days following Christmas, the first day of the New Year to be exact, Jack spent his nights trying to get the attention of the Man in the Moon. Jack spent hours trying to talk to him, but the Man in the Moon refused to answer. The night after Christmas, Jack continued to do the same. Jumping from rooftop to rooftop in Cara's neighborhood, Jack stared up at the half moon contemplatively.

"It's me again," said Jack, staring up at the sky. Pausing from his walk, he gave the moon his full attention. "Cara believes, and has believed for a few days now, so I guess my assignment is over. There's just one small problem." Jack rubbed the back of his neck and took a deep breath. "I don't know why you chose Cara to believe, and I don't know why you chose me to make her believe, but here's the thing…" Jack let out a sigh before finally speaking. "Cara's more than an assignment to me. She's really smart, she's kind, she's got a great laugh, and she's really pretty. I don't think I've felt this way about anyone. Maybe about Tooth, but this is different. So if you're not going to answer me, then I'm going to assume that it's okay for me to talk to her still."

Silence.

Contemplating the moon a minute longer, Jack took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Carefully he walked across the rooftops back to Cara's house. Allowing the wind to carry him, he jumped from the room and floated momentarily in front of Ellie's window, smiling gently when he noticed she was asleep, clutching a new doll she had gotten for Christmas.

Gently floating down from her window, Jack flew over to Cara's downstairs bedroom. He paused when he noticed she sat by the window in a big armchair reading a book. Beside her was a mug of hot chocolate and a couple cookies. Jack chuckled to himself while he watched Cara remain so absorbed in whatever story she was reading that she failed to notice him at her window. Using his staff he gently tapped on the glass, cringing a bit as she jumped in her seat.

"Jack!"

"Sorry," he said with a sheepish look. "Can I come in?"

"Sure let me get the window open."

"No, you don't have to."

Cara stared at Jack as he simply passed through her window as though it were as thin as air. Cara raised an eyebrow at Jack. "I don't know if I should be impressed by that or creeped out knowing you've been able to get into the house."

"It comes with the job," Jack said with a shrug. Rubbing the back of his head he then grinned at Cara, mischief bright in his eyes. "Happy New Year, by the way."

"So I'll add that to your list of things you can do," said Cara with a laugh. Counting on her fingers, she listed everything she knew Jack could do. "Create snow and frost, fly, manipulate wind, save lives, and walk through walls. Am I missing anything?"

At this, Jack laughed feeling an odd mixture of pride and embarrassment. "I don't know about the save lives part, I didn't even know I could do that."

"Well you can," Cara firmly said. "I think that might be my favorite thing you can do." Reaching out for a cookie on the arm of her chair, Cara broke it in half and nibbled on it thoughtfully before handing the other half to Jack who greatly accepted.

"Ruth's cookies are my favorite," said Jack around a mouthful of chocolate chunks. "You know, I think they might be better than the ones North's elves make."

"North?"

"Santa Claus."

"Oh, right," Cara said, remembering that Jack had told her "Santa's" real name was North. "So to what do I owe this visit? Did you just come in to wish me a happy New Year? Happy New Year to you too, by the way," Cara responded, realizing she never wished him a good year in return.

"Just stopping by to visit," said Jack, looking at his bare feet. He wished he had a cooler excuse than that.

"Oh, well, okay," said Cara, looking down at her carpet, willing her cheeks not to turn red. She had officially known Jack for a little over a week now and had seen him every day. Most of the time, Jack joined her as she took Ellie out to play in the snow, and after Ellie went to bed, Jack and Cara would spend time together talking mostly about Jack's world that Cara never believed in.

"Hey, do you wanna see what it's like to fly?"

"What?" Cara looked up at Jack and noticed his face was bright with excitement. Looking over Jack's shoulder, Cara noticed that it was snowing.

"But it's snowing," she said lamely. "You might be able to handle it, but I can't."

"I can take care of that," said Jack waving his hand. "I'm Jack Frost, remember?" Jack quirked an eyebrow at Cara's hesitancy; he could see in her eyes that she wanted to go but she was holding herself back.

"Come on, Cara, live a little."

Cara looked at Jack and his encouraging smile. "I am living."

"Yeah you're heart's beating, but that's nothing without any fun. Come on, Cara, trust me." Jack leaned against his staff, staring intently at Cara, silently daring her to take a break from her routines. For a girl who read so much about adventures and life changing situations, she seems so reluctant to do any of it for herself.

"Alright," said Cara after a moment's pause. "Let me grab a jacket."

Jack waited as Cara pulled on a warm jacket over her hoodie and a pair of warm looking boots. "Since I can't move through walls we'll have to go through the front door," said Cara, pushing her hair that had gotten caught when putting on her jacket.

Jack quietly followed Cara as they made their way from her room to the front door. Luckily the family she nannyed for occupied the upstairs portion of the house, leaving her to her own devices. Once outside, Cara smiled at Jack. It was late, people were still coming home from their New Year's parties, but her neighborhood was quiet with sleep. True to his word, Jack waved his staff and the snow ceased to fall.

"You ready," asked Jack.

"Yep," said Cara, pulling her hood over her head. She looked at Jack and frowned momentarily before pointing at herself and at Jack. "So, um, how is this going to work?"

"I'll carry you." Slowly, and with the awkward movements characteristic of a boy around a girl he likes, Jack stepped closer to Cara and put his arm around her waist, drawing her close to his side. Cara carefully locked her arm around Jack's middle as well, feeling him take in a sudden breath under her touch. Cara was grateful she chose her warmest jacket to not only fight off the cold weather around her but to keep her warm against Jack's constantly cold skin.

"Are you ready?"

"Are you sure this is safe, you're sure you'll be able to hold on to me?"

"Of course," said Jack, grinning down at Cara. "You'll be fine."

Before Cara could protest again, Jack had called to the wind and soon they were rising from the ground, and high over the rooftops of the neighborhood.

"Jack!" Cara wrapped both arms around the Guardian and buried her head in his shoulder, refusing to look down, fearful of the strange sensation of her feet no longer on the ground. Images of losing grip and falling to the ground filled Cara's mind which only made her hug Jack tighter.

"Cara," Jack said, his breath shallow as he attempted to laugh because of her tight grip, "I won't let you fall. Look, people still have Christmas lights up."

Peeking from Jack's shoulder, Cara took a tentative glance to the ground below. Sure enough, several homes did have their Christmas lights out. While staring at the blend of bright, blinking colors Cara loosened her grip on Jack, growing accustomed to the weightless feeling of being suspended in the air.

"It's so beautiful," said Cara, contemplating snow-capped houses, buildings, and trees. Smiling at Jack, Cara winked at him, "I guess snow isn't so bad after all."

Jack grinned in response. Noticing that Cara had grown comfortable to their trip, Jack decided to try something new. "Hold on tight," he said. Feeling Cara tighten her grip Jack launched into an easy route of spirals and turns, taking Cara upside down and sideways with him.

Resuming normal flight, Jack eventually took Cara to a tall water tower just outside the city. Here there was a clear view of the moon and stars.

Once safely on something solid, Cara pulled down her hood and ran a hand through her hair, getting out the knots that had formed because of the wind. For a moment she was silent before she laughed. "Wow, that was so fun!" Laughing again, Cara kicked snow off the side of the water tower and took a seat, her feet dangling over the edge, forgetting her fear of heights, reminding her of the experience Jack shared with her.

"Wow," she said again, shaking her head. "Was that just real? Did we really just fly?"

"It's pretty neat, isn't it," said Jack has he sat beside her and leaned back, supporting his weight on his hands.

He watched as Cara nodded, looking up at the sky, her cheeks flushed with cold and her brown eyes bright with the awe and joy of a child.

"That's not a bad way to bring in the New Year," said Cara, turning to Jack. "So, did you make any resolutions?"

"More snow," Jack said instantly, earning a laugh from Cara. He made the same resolution every year, and somewhere in the world, he made sure it happened. "What about you?"

Cara bumped Jack's shoulder before drawing her knees to her chest to fight off the cold weather. "I don't usually make resolutions," said Cara, "I don't like making promises I can't keep. But I think this year, I'll try again, and I have you to thank for that. I want to have more fun. Just have fun and enjoy things. I know it sounds vague and silly, but I want to do it."

"It's not silly," said Jack. He looked intently at Cara who stared at her knees. "Everyone needs to have a little fun in their lives. And there's no one that knows fun better than I do. Today we're flying, by next week you can help me bust into North's workshop again."

"Bust in?"

"The yetis are vicious though. It's rough getting past them."

"I don't know if I would consider that "fun"…"

"Maybe we'll build up to that one a little longer."

A burst of laughter escaped from Cara, warming Jack from the inside out. "I don't know if I'm ready to go on the permanent Naughty List."

"It's not so bad," said Jack. "I've been on it for a long time."

"I bet you have," said Cara grinning at Jack's mock appalled look. Falling into a comfortable silence, Cara played with a small handful of snow, sprinkling it over the edge of the water tower. She repeated this action, imagining Jack create snow out of thin air.

"Do you spend most nights causing mischief and making snow?"

"For the most part," answered Jack, patting snow into snowball shape before breaking it and doing it again. "I travel around most nights, but lately I've spent my nights talking to the Man in the moon."

"Man in the moon?" Cara looked at the moon, squinting carefully. She vaguely remembered that myth from when she was a kid. She supposed if she looked the right way, she could see it. "Does he talk back to you? Is he a Guardian like you?"

"Not really," Jack informed her. "He doesn't talk very much. As for if he's a Guardian," Jack frowned in thought as he tried to answer her question, "yes and no. We answer to him."

"I see," said Cara. "You're quite the interesting person, Jack Frost."

"Yeah?"

"Yep. I'm sorry it took so long for me to believe in you," said Cara with a shy laugh. Brushing the snow off her hands she put them in her pocket, shivering lightly from the cold.

Noticing her shiver, Jack decided it was probably time to take Cara home even if he didn't want to. He wanted to stay out with her until the sun rose and then some time after that. Instead, he stood, brushed the snow off his pants and held out a hand for her to take. "I'll take you back," he said.

Allowing Jack to help her stand up, Cara sighed as their fun had come to an end. This time, Jack easily wrapped an arm around her waist and she pressed close to him as they took off, leaving the water tower behind.

"Sorry I don't really give off heat," said Jack.

"Don't worry," said Cara, resting her head on his shoulder. "This is perfect."

Author's Note: Happy New Year!