Douglas staggered down the mountain, his hair beginning to frost and his chest oh so cold; it hurt him to breathe.
He could see Carolyn and Herc running towards him. "Douglas?! What happened?!" Herc questioned.
"H-heart…" Douglas stuttered.
"Douglas?" Carolyn touched his hand, but immediately retracted it, "Douglas, you're cold as ice."
He looked her directly in the eyes and whispered, "I… I'm scared…" Carolyn could see it all in his eyes; fear, loss, betrayal, abandonment. It terrified her.
"It'll be alright Douglas," Carolyn soothed.
"What happened?!" A voice from behind the group demanded.
"Mr Birling?" Carolyn gasped, "What are you doing here?"
"Completing a prophecy," he smiled wickedly.
"D-don't h-hurt Martin," Douglas shivered.
"Douglas, Martin's fate is already written. The monster must die, it's the way of every story," Mr Birling was grinning.
"H-he's n-not a m-monster," Douglas objected as his hands began to freeze, "I-it was a-an a-accident."
"Oh poor, naive Douglas. It's not like anyone could ever love you…" Birling smirked. "Where are you, Glacies? Show yourself!"
"I'm here," answered a meek little voice blowing in on the wind.
"Show yourself!" Birling yelled, drawing a sword from his scabbard. Douglas, Carolyn and Herc gasped.
Snow gathered and swirled; and suddenly Martin was there. "I am not armed sir," he held out his hands.
"You are. You hold your weapons on the ends of your arms," Birling quipped, "So I must brandish my weapon." Douglas, Carolyn and Herc thought they were being taken back to the middle ages.
"You say my arms are armed, I accept this not. I therefore concede to the fate of my legend." Martin kneeled, head bowed. "I wish to hurt no more, and save those I have."
"You know your legend," Birling announced.
"I do," Martin answered, "You must break the frozen heart to break the curse."
"Indeed." Birling raised the sword above his head.
"No!" Douglas yelled, running towards them with much difficulty.
As Mr Birling's sword sliced through the air, Douglas came between them, freezing into hard, cold ice. As the sword struck, it shattered.
Mr Birling staggered back, shocked. Douglas had saved Martin.
The white-haired boy raised his head, "Douglas!" he cried, staggering to face his friend. "No! No, no, no, no, no!" Martin threw his arms around Douglas. "I'm sorry! I love you; please come back to me!"
"Martin… he's gone," Herc told him sadly.
"No! No he isn't. Come on Douglas, you're brilliant," Martin kissed Douglas' frozen lips, "Amazing," another kiss, "You can come back." Martin nuzzled into Douglas' hard, cold shoulder. He cried.
He heard Carolyn and Herc gasp and noticed how the man beneath him was… warming… and softening… and moving. "Martin…" Came a frail voice. It was frail but it was Douglas!
He lifted his head, Douglas was smiling at him. "Douglas!" Martin caught his co-pilot's lips in a passionate kiss. Douglas laughed against his lips.
They reluctantly pulled away, "Maybe I should get you to freeze me more, if that's how it ends," Douglas joked.
Martin all-but rugby tackled him into an embrace, nuzzling his shoulder again. "Please don't joke about that," the younger man whispered as Douglas returned the embrace.
"No!" Came a sudden indignant cry, "I was meant to kill him! It's in the prophecy!"
Douglas released Martin from the hug and walked over to Mr Birling. "Consider this prophecy re-written," He snarled, punching Mr Birling; sending him into unconsciousness.
"We shouldn't leave him there…" Herc sighed.
"No, we shouldn't," Douglas stated before walking away, Martin's arm linked with his own; the younger man's head lent on his shoulder. Carolyn and Herc followed. "Come along Martin, you have a town and a steward to unfreeze."
Martin nodded.
…
As they walked to the hospital, Martin focussed on his feelings of love and happiness, unfreezing the land as he went and banishing the clouds. His eyes were back to its indescribable colour and his hair was slowly returning to its vivid ginger as well, only a little paler still.
The hospital came into sight and Martin broke into a run. He needed to set things right.
…
Arthur sat by the window, singing sadly to himself.
Oh the sky will be blue
And you guys will be there too
When I finally do what frozen things do in
Summer…
Martin ran into the room. Arthur startled. "Skip!"
"I'm really sorry, Arthur. I really didn't mean to freeze your hand. You brilliant and wonderful, I sometimes don't know what we'd do without you!" Martin smiled as he held Arthur's frozen hand.
Arthur giggled. "It tingles, Skip!"
The ice melted away as Carolyn entered the room, running to Arthur and enveloping him in a hug.
"Mum! Look, my hands better!" Arthur laughed as Martin's hair was back to its natural shade.
"Thank God…" Carolyn whispered into his hair.
Martin looked towards the door as Herc and Douglas walked through. "Here we are," Douglas smiled as he tossed the silk gloves to Martin, "Only if you want, though. I'm not forcing you…"
"I can hardly fly GERTI with a frozen yoke, can I?" Martin smiled as he reapplied his safety blanket, so to speak. Douglas kissed him on the nose in return.
"Wait! Skip… Douglas…?" Arthur questioned.
"Indeed," Douglas smiled.
A beat went by before, "BRILLIANT!"
"Isn't it just?" Douglas smiled, wrapping warm arms around his co-pilot.
