Author's note: Hi guys! Sorry if I kept you waiting... here's the next chapter. As always, enjoy reading! :)

Disclaimer: I do not own anything except the story line and plot of this story.

CHAPTER NINE: Jack
Moment of Truth

Jack and Elsa were happily watching the sun set on the snow-covered mountaintop, laughing as they recalled the events of their day. "I still can't believe how you managed to beat me," Jack said, pouting, "and in heels, too."

"Cheaters never prosper, Jack," Elsa countered in her matter-of-factly tone.

"I did not cheat!"

"You took off with a head-start!"

"It's not my fault you're just too slow!"

It became a thing between them, fake-arguing to the point where they were practically in a heated debate. He found it cute and adorable, the way Elsa did everything just to have the last word (and he let her—sometimes). "Either way, today just made it to the top of the list of the best days I've ever had," Jack said, casting Elsa a glance with a genuine smile on his lips. She grinned back, melting his heart that he sighed and fell back on the snow spread-eagled, closing his eyes. "What are you doing?" Elsa asked, her laughs like chimes filling the early evening air.

"Snow angel!" he yelled, opening and closing his arms and legs, burrowing an outline of an angel in the powdery snow. Elsa joined him after he finished his angel, lying down beside him, their arms brushing against each other. They watched the stars pop up from behind the clouds to wink at them one by one. The moon was high and bright—it was so close to them that it was almost funny to Jack. He could simply reach out and slap the moon's face.

"What else is on your 'list'?" Elsa asked.

"Oh, there's a lot..."

Jack told her stories of the times he tried to break in the North Pole, waving his arms in gestures as he did. Their shoulders brushed as he gestured, their laughter filling the air as the northern lights danced in the heavens. "It's just so gigantic and of course I had to try to sneak in, but the Yetis wouldn't let me. I think it's because I hold the record of North's naughty list," he boasted, casting a sideways glance at Elsa with a wink. She was trying to stifle her chuckles, covering her mouth with her hand. "Wait, North as in Nicholas St. North?" she asked once she got a hold of herself. "Santa Claus is real?"

"Of course he's real!" Jack exclaimed. "He's one of the Big Four. They're called the Guardians of Childhood. North is one of them, so is the Sandman, the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny. They protect the children of the world…"

And he told her more about his world, how beings like them can only be seen if they were believed in, like she did in him. He could tell she was amazed—he could see that childish glint in her eyes as she listened to him, and as he spoke Jack didn't see a queen, but the child who used to look out her window every night during the winter to catch a glimpse of the Winter Spirit from her book.

"Elsa?" he asked, looking at her. Her eyes were focused on the starry sky, her fair hair swept over her shoulder. Her face was still red from all the laughing earlier. She looked at him, turning on her side. "Yes?"

The intensity of her gaze made him forget what he was about to say for a minute, derailing his train of thought. All he could focus on was the northern lights, which were reflected on her eyes. He cleared his throat and quickly regained his words. "I'm sorry I didn't make it to your coronation."

"It's fine," she whispered, looking away, lying on her back once more. She was avoiding his gaze, fiddling with her nails the way she always did when she did something wrong. "Elsa," Jack said, concern in his voice, "what happened? What's wrong?"

Elsa met his eyes before looking away again, inhaling sharply and saying, "Anna got engaged to a guy she just met, so naturally I freaked out. Then they started talking about inviting his family over, keeping the gates open, but I cut her off and walked away. I told her it just can't happen, but she held me back and took my glove. Then she kept saying things and I—I snapped. My powers were doing all sorts of things that I couldn't control. Then I ran to the lake and you came."

Jack felt sad for her. He knew that she did everything in her power to keep herself in check, and yet all her efforts went to waste in the most horrible way. He wished he could have been there, he could have helped, but what could he have done? And still, the bigger question remained. "You didn't see them?" he asked.

"See who?"

"The shadow monsters."

"What are you talking about?"

Jack described to her what he'd seen from the courtyard, the shadow monsters that followed her and tried to trick her. He told her that she was their target, and that they came only for her. Elsa's face went paler than normal, the color draining from her face. "I think I felt them," she whispered, remembering that night. "I'm not sure, but I felt a different fear, the most terrifying kind. It made me lose my control and I—I couldn't think straight. I guess I couldn't see them because I only ever believed in one monster—me."

Jack frowned. Elsa was staring back up at the stars, her eyes losing their spark. "You are not a monster, Elsa," he said. "You'll get the hang of your powers. I know it. I believe in you." He slowly curled his fingers around her hand, and soon their fingers were interlocked, fitting perfectly like two puzzle pieces. Elsa looked at their hands, then into his eyes. Jack smiled, reaching to touch the tip of her nose with his free hand, whispering, "I'm sorry I didn't get to see you dance."

"Don't worry," she said, "I didn't."

"I've waited all year to—wait, what?"

"Enough about me," she said, dismissing him. "What about you?"

"What about me?"

"Jack, in the three years we've been together, I've never heard you say anything about your past. I want to get to know you," she said, "I want to know who you are."

"You know who I am. I already told you earlier, the Man in the Moon put me here and he gave me my powers. He told me my name was Jack Frost and that's all I ever knew."

"Then why do I feel like you're hiding something from me? Tell me the truth, be honest with me."

Jack hesitated. His free palm felt colder than usual. She wasn't ready to know the truth, nor was he ready to tell her—he could never tell her. He sat bolt upright, placing his elbows on his knees, rocking back and forth slightly. He let her hand go in the process, immediately regretting it as the cold came rushing back to his fingertips. He run his fingers angrily through his hair, his breathing shallow, locking his fingers at the base of his neck. "I can't," he said, refusing to look at her.

"Why not?" Elsa asked, sitting up as well.

"Because if you knew, you'd never look at me the same way ever again," Jack plead, desperation seeping into his tone. "And I can't have that, Elsa. Yes, it's selfish, but it's something I'm not willing to risk. I don't want to lose you."

He looked into her eyes, and saw the hurt in them. He frowned and hung his head, letting his bangs fall into his eyes. Then she did something he never expected. She wrapped her around his torso, hugging him tightly from behind, her head buried in the crook of his neck. "Whatever happened in the past, is in the past," she said, reaching to cup his cheek and forcing him to meet her gaze. "And knowing you, whatever happened wasn't your fault, Jack. You are the kindest, bravest and most wonderful person I know. So whatever you did, I'll accept it.

"There's a reason why I didn't dance last night," she said, "even though I promised I would. Even when dignitaries from other kingdoms presented their sons for me to dance with. It took me a while to realize why I didn't want to."

Jack stopped breathing. Elsa's hand now rested on his chest, her face just inches away from his. Her eyes were brave and sincere, staring intently at his own. "It's because of you, Jack," she continued. "It was because the only person I wanted to dance with, talk with, and be with was you. You were there for me when no one else was. You taught me not to be afraid of what I am and see the beauty in the powers."

"What are you saying, Elsa?" Jack whispered. He held her hand on his chest in place, and their foreheads were touching. "Because I'm starting to get really confused here."

She laughed slightly, a faint blush filling her cheeks. "I'm trying to say how I really feel about you and you're ruining my moment," she said. "What I'm trying to say here is that I love you, Jack Frost—no matter how annoying and childish you are."

He didn't know what happened next. All he knew was that his lips were glued to hers, that her fingers were combing through his hair and his hand cupping her face. He could almost see fireworks behind his closed eyes, he felt as if his soul left his body. Jack felt hot—it wasn't supposed to be possible, and yet here he was. He felt the heat radiate as it rushed to Elsa's face, her lashes tickling the tops of his cheeks. His hand was on the small of her back, pushing her closer to him, pressing their bodies tightly against each other. She gasped into his mouth when his teeth grazed her lower lip. It was a brief moment, before their lips met each other again, hungrier this time. He was about to lay her down on the snow when he felt their bodies slip off the mountaintop. "Ahh!" Elsa yelped. They had unknowingly turned the mountaintop to ice, and when Jack leaned forward he sent them sliding down the mountain. Elsa was spinning out of control, laughing loudly, her foot catching on Jack's staff. He reached for it, standing up on the ice trail that they made, commanding it to curve in the end. He took off in flight, hearing Elsa gasp when she was tossed into the air after him, her cape billowing behind her. Jack flew back down quickly, catching her in his arms. "That was," he began, breathing hard, "Well, that was unexpected."

"I'm sorry," she said, blushing furiously. He chuckled and kissed her forehead. She laced her arms around his neck as he flew up to the balcony. By the time he landed, he felt Elsa's forehead rest on the side of his neck and realized that she was probably tired from the day. Jack carried her through the doors and across the chamber to one of the many rooms that Elsa had built. She had given him a tour of her palace after their staircase race, so he knew where the bedroom was—sort of, as Elsa's palace was a huge, frozen labyrinth. She was yawning while he walked, her fingers idly playing with the tips of his hair, sending sparks of electricity down his spine. When Jack finally found the bedroom, he laid her down on the soft crystalline mattress. He noticed that Elsa didn't have a blanket, and remembered that they still had her magenta cape in the snowflake-shaped chamber. Jack turned and was just about to get it for her when she reached for his hand, grabbing his wrist. "Where are you going?" she asked sleepily, her eyelids half-open.

"I'll just get your other cape because you don't have a blanket—"

"Stay," she said, "The cold never bothered us anyway."

Jack smiled, obliging, slipping his arm under her head as she turned on her side. He draped his arm on her waist, pulling her closer to him until his chest was flat on her back. He brushed her hair behind her ear, lightly kissing her temple and down the side of her face. Her face was still flushed pink, a small smile playing on her lips, her eyes closed. "Good night, snowflake," he whispered in her ear, tickling her. She didn't reply, her breathing telling him that she was already asleep.

Jack hugged her tighter than he ever did that night, lips pressed against her bare shoulder, unable to sleep. Oh God, what have I done? he thought. He would never be able to tell her now, the dark secret he had kept from her all these years. But she wanted him to be true, to be honest. He hoped, prayed, that she would hold on to her word when she said that she'd accept him as he was despite what he'd done. He hoped that her love for him would prevail, because he'd already decided—that tomorrow, he would finally tell her the truth.