Two chapters at once again! Don't get too spoiled, I won't always be able to do this. Continuing the fluff here, and maybe something else toward the end. You'll have to read and see. I still don't own Frozen or Rise of the Guardians. Thanks again for all the reviews, I really appreciate it.
Chapter 7
"It's lovely, Jack." I say, trying to cover up my surprise and turn the situation away from becoming awkward. I conjure up a vase of ice to put the rose in and place it on the windowsill of Jack's newly completed house. My head is spinning with speculations on the meaning of the rose.
I think Jack feels as awkward as I do, because he quickly tries to change the subject. "So I guess it's my turn to teach you something that I know, right?" I nod, grateful for something else to think about. "Watch this!" He smirks. He leaps up into the air, soaring to the top of the little waterfall. As soon as his feet touch the surface of the water, it freezes to support him. He crouches down on the ice and taps his staff to the cascade of the waterfall. A wave of frost washes over the falls, freezing it into a curtain of beautiful icicles. Jack then flips over and lands on the lake, freezing it as well. "Come on!" He shouts, beckoning me over.
I cross my arms, unimpressed, and walk slowly toward his outstretched hand. "Freezing a lake isn't all that impressive Jack. I know how to do that." I sigh.
"I know you do," he says, "I'm teaching you how to have fun again!" He grabs my hand and pulls me out onto the frozen surface. I try to protest, but he takes off running around on the ice and I struggle to keep my balance as he drags me along. "Don't flail around so much!" Jack laughs, stopping for a minute so I don't fall down. I let my muscles relax and look into Jack's deep blue eyes. Feeling his strong hand holding mine, I knew that he would never let me fall. I smile at him to tell him I'm ready, and he takes off running again. I laugh as we slide and slip across the ice. "Look." Jack says, nodding behind us. In his other hand, he's trailing his staff on the surface of the lake, leaving a spiraling trail of lacy frost in our wake.
"It's beautiful." I say, as we slide to a stop near the lake's center. Jack and I are both slightly out of breath, but we can't help but smile anyway. "That was fun. Thank you Jack."
"I'm making up for those years that I couldn't help you have fun." Jack responds, looking saddened by the memory.
"Shhh," I whisper, reaching up to stroke Jack's cheek comfortingly. "Let's not let the past spoil this moment right now."
"You're right." He sighs, his smile beginning to creep back. He wraps his arms around me and hugs me gently. I hug him back, my heart racing and an explosion of butterflies fluttering in my stomach. What is this feeling? His body pressed against mine, his arms wrapped around me and feeling the softness of his hoodie send a shiver through me, not cold, but warm. I close my eyes and lean my head on his shoulder. Could this be what love feels like? Around us, it begins to snow. Suddenly, Jack's feet slip on the ice and we both fall over. I end up landing on top of him, knocking the breath out of him before I roll to lay beside him. His expression is so surprised and silly, I can't keep a straight face, and we both start giggling uncontrollably. Eventually, we fade back to silence, watching the snowflakes spiral through the evening air. I wave my hand to trace out flurries of snowflakes and dance them around in the sky.
The trains of snow remind me of the frost trails Jack made on the lake. Inspired, I send my flurries over the tops of the willow trees surrounding the lake. The little snowflakes alight on the branches and spread a coating of ice over the bare wood. At the end of each drooping branch, the ice flows and collects into tiny frozen raindrops that sparkle in the light of the setting sun. The whole forest shines and glitters beautifully. "Wow Elsa, that's amazing!" Jack breaths. He waves his staff and a winter breeze whispers through the grove. The icy willows clink together in the wind, creating a soft music like wind chimes. I snuggle into Jack's hoodie and rest my head on his chest. I can feel the rise and fall of his breathing under my head and he wraps his arm around my shoulder. Together we watch the stars begin to peek out in the sky and listen to the twinkle of ice in the trees.
Soon, the sky is dark and alive with stars. I'm finding it harder and harder to keep my eyes open as I listen to the hypnotic clinking of the willows. The wind begins to die down and eventually stills. I realize Jack has fallen asleep next to me. I sit up and shift myself so Jack's head is resting on my lap. He looks so peaceful when he's sleeping. I stroke his disheveled white hair and listen to the steady rise and fall of his breathing. I feel so bad that I'm going to have to wake him, but I really should be getting back to my ice castle. "Jack," I whisper, gently shaking him awake. He groans and blinks his eyes open. "I should probably be heading back now." Jack lifts his head out of my lap and sits up, stretching the weariness from his muscles.
"Sure thing Snowflake." He yawns. He rubs the remnants of sleep from his eyes and picks up his staff before standing up. He helps me to my feet and wraps his arms around my waist again. The flight back to my ice palace was more of a gentle glide than the fast, energetic trip here and was free of heart-racing stunts. Soon enough, we land on the balcony of my ice palace and it's time to say goodnight. My hand lingers in Jack's, not wanting this day to end. "I'll be back tomorrow. Don't worry." Jack reassures me, sliding his hand out of my grip. "Goodnight Elsa."
"Goodnight Jack"
That night, the nightmares returned. Pitch's echoing laugh floats into my mind, "Did you really think you could get rid of me forever? I told you I would be back." Black sand swirls around me, stinging my skin. I try to block out his rasping voice and shout at him to go away, but no sound comes out of my mouth. Images of frightened people and the duke shouting "monster!" seep into my head, and I hear Anna's voice crying "All you know is how to shut people out!"
"Well, you let me in." I remember Jack saying. His kind, soothing voice quiets the shouts of fear and hatred. I focus on picturing his soft, handsome face with his deep blue eyes looking at me encouragingly. His smile blocks out the thought of Pitch's cruel laugh, and I'm not afraid anymore.
"No! I'm not a monster!" I shout, finally able to find my voice. Suddenly, I feel Pitch's cold, grimy hands wrap around my throat. I can't breathe! I kick and struggle, but his grip is too strong. "Jack!" I croak, reaching up to try and wrench myself free. I try to use my powers to freeze Pitch, but I only end up reliving the moment I hit my sister with my powers when we were young. I watch in horror as she tumbles to the snowy floor over and over again. "Elsa what have you done?" my father says. I try to plead that it was an accident, but Pitch's sharp fingernails are digging into my throat.
"You can't help but hurt others. It's what you were born doing. You make a mess wherever you go, and you can't stop." Pitch growls in my ear. I gasp for air, struggling to free myself from Pitch's grip. "You will never be accepted, not really." Pitch continues.
'Jack accepts me. My powers don't bother him.' I think in response, clawing desperately at the hands on my neck. "Jack!" I gasp again.
"You're guardian can't save you." Pitch snarls, "He's no match for my power. I would hope you're not too attached to him." I feel my feet leave the floor and red spots begin to dance in my vision. Pitch's breath is hot and clammy in my ear, "I don't like having guardians around. Either you get rid of him soon, or I will."
The pressure around my neck suddenly ceases and I drop to the floor, gasping for air. As I cough and gulp in breaths, I look up to see Jack sprawled on the ground not far from me. "Jack!" I choke, rushing over to him. His eyes are closed and I can tell that he's not breathing. His hoodie is torn and soaked in blood. "What did you do?" I shout up at Pitch. My eyes are clouded with tears.
"More to the point little queen, what did you do?" Pitch cackles from behind me. Then I notice, in the largest hole in Jack's hoodie, a pointed shard of ice is embedded deep into Jack's chest.
"No! No! It can't be!" I cry, feeling desperately at the wound. My fingers feel the cool, familiar touch of ice, smeared with the frightening warm ooze of blood. I quickly realize that all of Jack's gashes and injuries contain razor-sharp slivers of ice that could only have gotten there one way. "I did this" I moan incredulously. Tears flood my eyes again, and I try to claw the ice out, but suddenly I'm falling. Darkness closes in all around me and Pitch's sinister laugh echoes from everywhere at once. Black sand billows around me, whipping through my hair and clothes. I squeeze my eyes shut against the blinding sand, and I press my hands to my ears, trying to block out the dreadful sound as tears stream down my face.
"Wake up Elsa!"
Pitch is back! I want to comment SOO badly about what just happened, but I don't want to give anything away. How about you guys tell me what you think instead? I hope I can get chapter 8 posted soon.
