When he gently pushed against the doorbell, he could hear it throughout the house; vibrating and echoing through the air like a chorus of church bells. The porch light was soft and gentle, casting the wooden deck and stairs of the grandeur home in an easy hue, a rather perfect partner to the ever increasing twilighted sky. Glancing up for just a moment, he could see the rain of the northern lights – a flare of watercolors spattered in renewed vigor across the evening and over the Sitka Sound. He smiled very slowly, pushing his hands into the pockets of his jacket. The air smelled of salt and ocean; fall and frost.

The low rumbling of the waiting cab behind him was almost like white noise; a quiet but simmering reminder of what exactly he was. He tried to push it away – the realization that he wasn't just a nice college kid picking up a beautiful young woman he had met on campus. No…no…there was so much more to this. How many mortals could say they had attracted the attention of a god? Much less one known for winters, winds and mischiefs. Jack refused to dwell on it. He wouldn't ignore her. He couldn't ignore her. There was something in Elsa Snow that pulsed outwards – loud, strong, unwavering and addicting…right in tandem with his own very being.

His heart gave a rather uncommon lurch and a not quite painful flutter against the confines of his chest. He was confused, the feeling foreign and odd until it was met with a sudden realization. He was nervous. He blinked at the strangeness of it.

There was an abrupt burst of light, bright and yellow gold, as the hallway within the house flooded on. Jack Frost turned slowly as the front door opened, the turning of the knob clattering out in the still night air. He reeled back on the balls of his feet, smile frozen in place as a young woman emerged from the doorway. But not the one he had been expecting.

"Vega," he breathed out in question. Dumbfounded and confused, Jack stared at her for a moment. Dressed in a loose steel grey t-shirt, showing the edges of the multiple astrological tattoos that covered her entire left arm and dark, form hugging jeans she smiled mischievously as she leaned against the door frame. The auroras in the sky showered a little heavier at her amusement.

"Well, well Jack," she said lowly. "Fancy seeing you here."

Jack ran a hand through his already disheveled hair. A lean, slow smirk was spreading across his face and he lifted up the lines of his chin. She was here? Fine. Two could play that game.

"Coincidences never cease with you," Jack grinned. He settled back on his heels; tilting his head, but Vega didn't miss the way his eyes darted over her shoulder and deeper into the house. Back and forth they moved…searching for something. Vega watched him with inner wonderment, perplexed at just who this anxious boy was.

"I could say the same," she whispered at him and suddenly her brows furrowed and the set of her mouth turned into a small frown. "I don't know what you're playing at Frost. You've never shown any kind of…"

Vega huffed and put a hand across the slender edge of the door; the other clasped against her hip. There was the padding of footsteps across a high landing, the swish of gathered cloth near feet further from the house and suddenly Jack's heart roared to life within the bars of his lungs.

"We need to talk," Vega hissed in a voice so low no mortal could hear. "But later. For now…I guess I'm resigned to wish you a fun time. Heaven knows – she deserves it."

Jack smiled. While he didn't flash the rows of his gleaming teeth; this one reached to the corners of his eyes and brought a small, brisk gust of minute snowflakes. It twirled Vega's dark hair before fading with a spritely wink. "Thanks," he said without any false sincerity.

She gave him another raised eyebrow and a wiry turn of mouth before turning over her shoulder to call down the still empty hall-way. "Elsa," she shouted with good humor. "There's some strange man here to see you! He claims to have made prior plans with you – but, I don't know how trustworthy that might be…"

"I was blindsided," carried the voice from within the home. Jack heard it vibrate closer. "He caught me distracted; I was up to my head in reading Homer."

"Explains so much," Vega teased and stepped back to allow Elsa entrance into the muted light of the front entry. "He does appear to have cleaned up mildly for you, regardless."

"I don't believe it," she laughed and moving with much more confidence than the shy smile on her face portrayed; met Jack at the open door.

He had seen many beautiful and deific things in the ages that had been transversed over the earth. It was natural, mundane and yet ethereal. The fall of his first winters in a turn of seasons; the glistening caps of untouched mountain ranges so colossal that they pieced both sky and cloud. The wild places of this world that held a gloriousness of pristine and feral splendor, simply for being what they were – unmoved and ancient. Even the workings of moon rises and billions of star clusters, ageless and enchanted. He wasn't naive either. Jack had known the brush of Sloan's skin under his; he also knew the allure of his fellow deities…the curve of Adalind's figure; the brightness of Tatiana's smile. The loveliness of all that was Vega. That would be nothing now. From this moment – he felt that he would forever compare the dull glories of this mortal and divine world to the young woman waiting for him in the doorway. It would never be the same.

She was in a long, floor length blue dress; sheer beneath the knee and pooling at her feet. A cropped, fitted black jacket tucked to her shoulders and elongated, thin silver necklaces fell from around her neck. Her hair was a tousled mass of loose curls; white blond and silver lit, framing the flushed cheeks of her quiet face. The fan of her dark lashes cast long, enticing shadows on the paleness of her skin and the spread of her smile was one that sent his head spinning; light-headed and filled with fog.

There was a long, stretched moment where Jack was vaguely aware that he was fueled by her. Like a man dying of hunger – offered pieces of delicate white ambrosia. It was creating the greatest of addictions.

"You look…you look," Jack swallowed and for a moment he couldn't get the word out. He watched as Elsa's graceful fingers fiddled slightly with the clutch in her hands. Vega raised another eyebrow at his lack of articulation. They couldn't possibly mistake his swollen and temporarily mute throat for disapproval? His tongue felt as heavy as lead.

"You look beautiful." The words were meaningless when compared to what she was.

A genuine, soft smile spread across Elsa's face. Her lashes fluttered as they darted downwards and slowly back up to meet his own. Her cheekbones flushed with a brush of color; looking just like the rose-tipped fingers of the twilight rimmed sky behind him. He decided at once that he prized that streak of growing hues across her pale skin. The way her eyes shimmered from under her gaze; bright, serene and yet…daringly pulled right to him. Would he drown from this? Was it possible? From eyes that reminded him of the churning chilled waters rolling in the artic – fresh and deep and limitless. Jack found he didn't care. Lifetimes on this earth and his heart was roaring in his chest as if this was some primal catalyst. Adam meeting Eve – for the very first time.

"Thank you Jack," she said. "You don't look half bad yourself. I suppose Vega wasn't lying when she mentioned you might have cleaned up a bit…"

She smiled at him again and Jack had to resist the growing urge to draw her to him. Gods… was this what it was like? Where a creature of frosts and bitter colds felt like he was being burned alive? He would add that to the list. Jack would drown, be burned and buried…if only for her.

Instead he fisted his long fingers into the pockets of his jeans and tilted his head back towards the waiting cab; low lit in the dark light and rumbling at the end of the driveway.

"Well," he grinned widely at her. "Shall we? I promised you – fun. You've accepted my challenge…to make you smile; make you laugh and I'm anxious to give myself a head start."

"Cheater," Elsa teased, but as Jack made his way down the steps she seemed to teeter on the edge of something. Curious, he turned back seeing a glimpse of hesitancy pass over her face. Her knuckles strained against the fabric on her purse and the bow of her lower lip was taken into her mouth; worried and uncertain. A rattle vibrated through his chest and Jack was about to open his mouth – searching for something to possibly say when Elsa suddenly turned and wrapped her arms around Vega. Her shoulders were in a tense set, the move so raw and bare, but Vega gave her a tight squeeze in return.

"Thank you," Elsa whispered softly, trying to keep her entire mending heart from spilling from her mouth. "For everything."

"Anytime," Vega replied kindly, releasing Elsa and giving her a small smile as she descended the shallow steps; Jack Frost in tow.

"Have a good time," she carried lightly. Jack glanced back over his shoulder, but paused when he saw the dipping frown, the set of her brow and the look of silent trepidation that crossed her face. He met her eyes, that gaze that was so unmistakably hers and felt the hard push right back – the slam and inimitable warning that was Vega's power. He blinked and for that swift space; these brief seconds of stolen time, he saw a young woman...concern for a friend and for all the things he knew nothing about. It felt dark and troubling. A slow simmer just below the surface of where they stood. This rolling thing of hidden schemes that he knew weren't hers.

But then it was gone and she gave him a small wave, a smirk gracing her mouth.

"Later," he whispered at her and resolving in his promise turned back to Elsa.

Vega watched as the taxi cab drove off; the sputtering of the engine still heard long after the low lights of the car were gone. She stepped a little further out onto the porch; turning her chin upwards and watching the splay of her northern lights within the Alaskan sky. A sigh broke from her lips and she tried to shake the tightness within her chest. She hadn't stopped them…not that she could have, even if she wanted to. But that didn't make it any less complicated.

The sudden rumbling of a vibrating phone in her back pocket broke the silence and brought her thoughts to a waiting halt. She glanced quickly at the number and squared her lean shoulders before answering.

"This is Claire."

The scratch and low grumble of the male voice on the other end came in serious reply and Vega felt herself frowning. "Yes, Detective Anderson," she continued, looping a finger into the belt hooks of her jeans. "I've been expecting your call…"


"A cab?" Elsa whispered at him with a smirking teasing voice. "You strike me more as the 'flying fast' type…"

"Oh, I do like to fly," Jack grinned back, his teeth flashing white in the faded dim. "Just not cars. I don't own one – prefer to move by my own power…"

Elsa watched in unnerving fascination the move of Jack's head in the dark. His ivory hair looked luminous in the passerby lights from out the window; streaked with pale colors and shadows, she briefly wondered if it felt as soft as it looked. Elsa blushed furiously at the thought, but strangely…refused to put it down. She couldn't help herself and with wonderment, blood pounding in her ears – found she didn't care.

When the doorbell had rung through the house earlier; setting off a barrage of thundering butterflies in her stomach, Elsa had felt her throat run dry – her mind running in a panicked and shrieking blank. Vega must have noticed the look across her face because she had gently dropped the silver necklaces from her hands into Elsa's outstretched fingers.

"I'll get it," She had said and standing from the bed where she had been sitting, disappeared from the room. The soft pads of her bare feet drawing fainter and fainter.

Elsa had heard the door open, the quick muttered mumbles of witty dialogue and then the shouts of Vega that – yes…he was finally here.

It seemed as if her Aunt and Uncle's entrance hall would never end. She could see half of Vega leaning against the open door; the spread of soft and warm porch light spilling into the hallway…and the movement of his shadow across the floor. There was a vague register that she was speaking…her mouth seemed to be moving anyways. Some reference to Homer and deities and meetings in secluded libraries.

But this brought on a flush of memories; curve of his lips in a smile, the brightness of his eyes and the movements of a long, beautiful body that was at the same both carefree and elegant. The lightness that was his voice and his words, washed through her and suddenly – Elsa couldn't get to the door fast enough.

Now she watched him again from under the sweep of her lashes; breathing out almost trembling as he gave directions to the driver. She could admire him through this dusky film cover…try and understand this unnatural pull that seemed to bleed right from him; straight into the crevices of her skin.

He was wearing a woolen brown peacoat, the edges of the collar turned casually upwards to frame the curve of his neck. Underneath Elsa could see the clean lines of a dark blue blazer and the starkness of his white and navy striped shirt. The folds of his long legs stretched out against the seat, lean and lithe in dark jeans. She also noticed, her body immediately humming to the sensation - that their knees brushed together. The briefest and lightest of touches awaking her like a shock.

His hair messily danced in all directions; tousled, rumpled and so very Jack. Her fingers suddenly inches and felt shot with cold. Face burning so fierce Elsa was suspicious that he could feel the heat blistering from her cheeks, but…oh she wanted to run her fingers through it. To draw the lines of his structured jaw and grab the lapels of that jacket…and good lord, what was wrong with her? Blinking rapidly she saw he was speaking again. For a moment she didn't understand, everything seemingly entirely too muddled, head dizzy but staring with a quick suck of air – he was talking to her!

"What?" she asked completely embarrassed and hoping he couldn't read her thoughts right within her face.

"I said we're here, ready?"

Elsa glanced out the window and felt her eyes widened slightly as the great expanse of their destination stretched before her. She felt a smile, one fueled by the warmth and complete spontaneous of this whole thing. She turned to stare at him, pushing a loose curl behind her ear and quipping a single eyebrow.

"Miniature golf?" She asked incredulously. Sliding out of the cab she turned to stare at the hundreds of colored bulbs, the strobes of catchy, alluring arcade games just waiting for a bombardment of adolescents visible from the expansive and monstrous front windows. The evening air was absolutely filled with a hodgepodge of different sounds; from ringing bells, electronic pulsation and every form of the human voice; high-pitched shouts, thrilled squeals and boisterous delighted laughs. It was cold and exhilarating and Elsa felt strangely – alive.

"I promised you fun didn't I?" Jack said as he quickly handed the cab driver a fold of bills.

Elsa smiled. "Yes; you did."

"And you're smiling already…another victory."

And then she laughed, a sound that wasn't forced, strained or pushed. Rather it was brought on with joy and carefree sincerity. Simply for who he was.

"I do have to warn you," Jack began giving her a long sideways glance as they entered the building, the smell of fall overtaken by that of popcorn and sugared pretzels. "I'm pretty good at this. I have a handicap and everything."

"Do you even know what that means?" Elsa snorted. They lingered near the front counter and she ran her fingers over the array of different lengthed clubs. "But how proud will you be beating someone whose never played before? Take that into consideration."

Jack turned and fixed her with an incredulous look. "You can't be serious…really? Never – as in, at all?" He placed a hand over his chest, feigning injury. The look on his face was filled with so much dramatic surprise that Elsa had to turn away, trying to compose herself. His lightheartedness was infectious.

"I'm afraid I am," she said with a grim sigh, though the effect was promptly spoiled by the small smile trying to escape through her parted lips. "Utter travesty I'm sure. But never-the-less, it will spoil your victory. I can take comfort in that."

"Oh no…it's completely different now," Jack began as they made their way back outside. The miniature golf course was lit up like a casino; flashy, dazzling, and gaudy in color. Elsa saw various slopes and obstacles…multiple mountains laden with Styrofoam snow, a few castles brightly painted purple, pink or vivid green and even a small waterfall that gushed into a wading pond that held at least a hundred golf balls all pooling near the bottom. "What kind of guy would I be if I beat you that way? I'm sure you would hold it over me for future dates…"

Jack's pale cheeks blushed heavily, but he continued on. "No – I am nothing if not a gentleman. Therefore, I will teach you. That way, after you learn from the master…it will be a fair fight next time."

And then he took her hand; his long fingers interweaving into her own. Elsa felt her face immediately flush, her heart pounding riotously against the wall of her chest and there was a rushing over her ears. Everything suddenly felt all too real – as if she was just waking up; spinning and wild and…right.

His skin was strangely cool against her own, but smooth and reminded her of frosts and snows and beautiful mornings where the smell of ice filled the air. She wondered if he could feel it – how her world was violently surging within her; so unstable but this shift inside her – this unknown and strange growth…she wouldn't lose it.

So she tightened her hand and when he smiled down at her the flush of heat trailed from her face and pooled down into her stomach. Incredibly delicious and warm, she let Jack lead her over to the starting hole and without relinquishing her growing addiction to his touch…let him teach her all the fun that was to be had in a few rounds of miniature golf.


Author's Note:

Well hey there! Let's all just pretend that this chapter isn't almost two weeks late and I got it out on time…Yea! Haha! Yes, yes I know I promised this last Saturday, but it just wasn't ready yet and with Halloween coming up I've been super busy planning stuff with school. Regardless, I want to give a HUGE thank you to all my readers and especially my reviewers! Dear lord, you guys are the light in my inspiration. I can't sincerely thank everyone enough! I hope that ya'll enjoy this little chapter, the FIRST part to Jack and Elsa's date :) That's right…there will be a part II to this lovely evening of theirs, because I just adore them together and…well…they need some time. Especially before things turn really dark…*looks away*

So let's get down to some reviewer questions…

'guest' – Oh yes, I LOVE Game of Thrones! I didn't catch the 'Winter is Coming' reference until you pointed it out, but now it's all I can see! Lol! I swear if George Martin doesn't give me my dang happy ending where at least ONE character I like is alive at the end…*sigh* I digress…

Graduation Owl – I am not familiar with the Chinese myth, the Cowherd and the Princess, but now I simply have to go check it out! Vega isn't based on anyone in particular – though with her physical appearance I always picture a young woman like Kim Tae-yeon (a South Korean actress) and Claire Marshal (Youtube personality). As revealed in this chapter Vega's entire right arm is tattooed, which was directly inspired by Ms. Marshal. I am so thankful that she is being received well…her part in this story is rather large, and I love her character so I'm really happy and relieved that she's liked by others as well :)

I want to give a very special, from the bottom of my heart thank you to BEASBeth and Zulka! Seriously, it was ya'lls words of encouragement that brought me back to writing this story after my long hiatus and your kindness has been so unbelievable! Your reviews make my entire day!

Again, thank you to everything who is reading this story, my heart is so full! Well off to finish writing Part II…time for some more character reveals!

Trick or Treat! Reviews and Candy please!

- Aulani