"You? Kozmotis is you!?" Jack snarled at Pitch while moving in front of Elsa. He grabbed her wrist, making sure she stayed behind her. He didn't know what Pitch wanted from Elsa and he was sure as hell didn't want to find out.

"Why Elsa, you didn't tell him of our fateful encounter? That saddens me," Pitch made a show of hurt which, of course, Jack didn't buy at all.

"Jack, what's wrong? You said you didn't know Kozmotis." Elsa was confused at Jack's sudden aggression and at his protectiveness over her. At the party, Jack had said he knew no spirit named Kozmotis but apparently he did know him, but why did he sound surprised?

"Please tell me this is not the man you speak of," Jack was irritated, not at Elsa but at himself for letting Pitch get to her first. "He's Pitch Black, the Boogeyman, the one who gave you all your nightmares."

"No, he couldn't be. He helped me," denied Elsa. She didn't want to believe she let someone whom she heard had caused so much damage – even worse than what she had done – helped her.

"Well, the cat is out of the bag." Elsa's eyes widened in horror at what Pitch just said. "You really should be careful on how you put your trust in, Your Majesty," Pitch sneered.

While Elsa was trying to recuperate from her shock, Jack searched for his staff. He was sure he brought it with him when he followed Elsa from the portal. Damn it, where is it!?, Jack cursed.

"You never really helped me, do you? You're using me to feed you with the fear of the people I've hurt!" Elsa just how foolish she had been. He had been manipulating her, making her think he was on her side. He even manipulated her feelings for Jack. He showed the vision on the mirror on purpose so she would distrust Jack and preventing her from achieving mastery over her power.

"There's one smart queen," Pitch mocked.

Jack finally found his staff. He remembered he had set it down with Elsa's pile of gift. Unfortunately, it was closer to Pitch than he was. Pitch must've noticed Jack's line of sight because he looked down and picked it up. Jack berated himself for being so careless. "You shouldn't let such precious thing just lying about, Jack. Remember the last time you were without it? I almost killed you."

"Almost," Jack stressed on the word. He then hurled an ice blast at Pitch and it hit him square in the stomach, throwing him back. The staff was sent flying off his hand and Jack grabbed it from the air. "Guess, I've gotten stronger. Now, let's send you back to your pit." Jack leapt toward Pitch, his staff was poised, ready to send a full blast of ice wave at him.

Despite the situation, Pitch chuckled, "I wouldn't do that if I were you." Pitch opened his palm and on it, a miniature of Elsa made of black sand appeared. Jack stopped abruptly and lowered his staff. He didn't know whether Pitch was bluffing or that figurine really could do something terrible, but he didn't want to take any chances.

Suddenly, there was a scream. It didn't come from Pitch or Jack. It was Elsa. She was crouching down. Her hands were on her temples. Her eyes were shut tightly and her face was contorted with pain. "No… No!" Elsa screamed.

Jack ran toward her and held her shoulders but it was as if she was immune to the touch. "What did you do!?" Jack hissed at Pitch. As he spoke, a blizzard began swirling from Elsa and it was getting stronger by the second.

Pitch stood up relaxedly, his face was smug. "Doing what I do best: giving people nightmare."

Jack didn't need him to say anything else to comprehend the situation. Somehow, that figurine made Pitch obtained control over Elsa's nightmare, no matter if she believed in the Boogeyman or not, and now, clearly he was using it. "Stop it!" Jack demanded.

"Ask nicely and maybe I'll reconsider."

"Please…" Jack almost spat the word. It tasted foul in his mouth.

Jack didn't think that Pitch would even do what he asked, but Elsa stopped writhing in agony. She finally managed to open her eyes but her breathing was still labored. The blizzard too had stopped buffeting them. Jack held her close and she leaned on him, but Jack was infuriated. Pitch had control over her and he wasn't able to do anything other than pleading for mercy.

The door to the balcony was suddenly thrown open and Olaf emerged. "What's going on? I heard Elsa screamed."

"Olaf, get back inside!" Jack and Elsa commanded almost together.

Olaf noticed there was a third person in there and saw Pitch. "I suggest you listen to them, snowman," said Pitch, looking down at Olaf.

"If you're hurting them, you're going to have to go through me!" Olaf challenged him.

"With pleasure," Pitch started toward him but before he could, Jack pushed Olaf back inside with his wind and shut the door likewise. "Ah, and here I thought I will get a good sport."

"Why are you here? What do you want?" Jack asked the Boogeyman, in part hoping to divert his attention from Olaf.

"Do you remember during Easter I offered you to join me? Ice and darkness, a perfect combination for the new dark age, but you foolishly refused," Pitch smirked. "Do you think you were my only candidate? I asked you first because you're more stable than she was, but for ten years I have been keeping Elsa as my reserve. Alas, it doesn't matter. The time for my plan to come to fruition is nigh and I've come to pick her up."

"If you think I'm going to willingly help you then you are very well mistaken!" It was admirable how Elsa still manage to put up a fight, despite how shaken she was.

"Oh did you forget? You owed me, Elsa. You said that you're willing to lend me a hand should I need it. This figurine on my hand is the proof of that. Want it or not, you will help me or I'll make you, and I can make you help me."

Elsa gasped and brought her hand to her mouth. "That black sand… it was from when we shook hand."

"You're quick to catch on." Pitch's smirk widened.

"I'm going to stop you, no matter what it takes," Jack swore.

"You can't stop me Jack, not if you want to spare Elsa the horror of her fears. I have you both in my clutches and there's nothing you can do about it." Pitch's triumphant smile was like salt to the wound. It didn't help that he couldn't think of any solution at all. "Although, there's one thing you can do." He approached the couple, making Jack reflexively placed his body between him and Elsa. Pitch scoffed and pointed at Elsa. "You can take her essence and save the world."

Jack knew exactly why Pitch would suggest doing that. Not because Pitch was giving him a chance to save the world, rather he was trying to break him. This was one of his mind games. If Jack let Pitch used Elsa, Elsa would fall into despair. She would be a monster that she feared to be and the world would perish. If Jack took her power, all will be well, except for him. He would lose Elsa and every future that they could have had together. It was a small sacrifice to make to save the world, but not a sacrifice Jack willing to make.

Jack turned to Elsa and look through her eyes. Even without saying anything, Jack could tell from the look on her face that she wanted him to take her power, to do what the right thing. That was exactly why he couldn't do it. She didn't deserve it. She didn't want to be the harbinger of doom, yet there seemed to be no escape from that fate.

"Jack, please…" Elsa begged him.

"I'm waiting, Jack," Pitch taunted. He knew exactly that Jack was racking his brain for answer and took pleasure at his impotence.

"Jack, just take it. Don't let me be a monster under his command." Elsa continued to plead.

"I do have one last solution for you; consider it a Christmas gift from me." Pitch said to Jack. "This figurine made me able to control her due to her oath to help me. If she does me a favor, I will no longer have my hold over her. I was going to use the 'favor' to make her set the world in ice, however there's another 'favor' that you might be interested in. I can make Elsa take your power instead."

"What will you accomplish from taking my power?"

"That doesn't concern you. What you should be concerned about is that she won't be the monster she afraid she will be, she will have her life, and she will be free from me. What's it going to be, Jack?"

"Take mine." Jack didn't even give it a second thought. If Pitch was willing to give him that way out, he would gladly take it. He guessed that by taking his power, Pitch would be able to replicate his power but that consequence at least didn't involve Elsa. If there was just some way he could warn the guardians…

"Excellent choice." Pitch raised the figurine of Elsa.

As he did, Elsa began to feel her body was no longer hers to control. Her hand moved by itself toward Jack's stomach. "Jack, don't," she managed to utter the two words before she completely lose control over everything other than her mind.

"It's okay," Jack said. He was looking at her with eyes so gentle, so resigned and so full of gladness, glad that Elsa wouldn't have to lose anything. Elsa had done many terrible things toward him. She had accused him, pushed him away, disappointed him, troubled him and now she was about to take his power, his life away, yet Jack still looked at her that way, despite everything she had done. Tears welled in her eyes and as the first drop fell from her eye, Jack cupped her cheeks and kissed her lips. It wasn't a loving kiss like the one they had shared before. It was a goodbye kiss. He knew he was going to lose his life and he gladly gave it, if it meant Elsa's in return. "I love you," he whispered. It was probably the last time he would be able to say that.

Jack's stomach glowed when Elsa's hand hovered over it and as she pulled her hand away, he cried out in pain. On her hand, a small ice shard started to form and when it was fully out of Jack's body, he collapsed to the floor. Elsa felt she finally regained control over her body but she couldn't move, not after the horrible thing she just done. She fell on her knees, tears streaming from her eyes uncontrollably. Pitch approached her and took the ice shard from her hand.

"Thank you, Elsa, now his power is mine," Pitch studied the shard elatedly. "Oh, don't worry, Jack. In your honor, I'll make sure Burgess will be the first to fall under the curse."

Elsa didn't pay any heed to what Pitch said. She was deaf to the world. There was only one thing she in her line of vision, the motionless figure of Jack, the man who loved her until the end, even if his end was caused by her. Once again, she had loved and lost. She had lost Anna, the sister she loved so dearly and now she lost Jack too, the man who showed her even one such as her could be loved.

Elsa didn't budge when Pitch left. She didn't care that her power was once again went out of control and it was storming all around her. She didn't notice that Olaf had been fighting the storm and went to her side. She was impervious when Olaf shook her shoulder, begging for Elsa to take hold of her power. Her mind was blank. It was as if she was unconscious yet she could see all those things happening. All she could feel were her tears streaming down from her eyes, unstoppable like a broken dam.

"Elsa…" There was a voice, fainter than a whisper but Elsa was sure it was Jack's.

Elsa snapped out of her stillness, the storm surrounding her stopped as she did. She picked up Jack's head and rested it on her lap. "Jack?" She stroked his hair and dared hope, but Jack was still inert. Was the voice her delusion?

"Warn… guardians…"

It wasn't her imagination after all! She saw it! Jack's lips moved slightly. Jack was still alive! Elsa shook his shoulders, hoping to rouse him. "Jack! Jack! Wake up! Please, come back to me." However, those three words were all he could muster before he faded again into oblivion. Elsa wiped the tears away from her cheeks. She vowed to do as his wish, but how? The North Pole was miles away and she couldn't fly! If only she had one of those snow globes.

"Elsa," Olaf tapped her shoulder. She was surprised at his presence. She didn't notice he was there at all. "Here," he gave her the snow globe she had been thinking about, "Santa gave it to me so I can visit the North Pole again, but you can have it."

Elsa hugged the snowman. Just how much must she owed him? He had helped her at every turn. What would she do without him? "Thank you, Olaf." Elsa took it and opened a portal to the North Pole. Then, she picked Jack up and slung his arm over her shoulders, Olaf tried to help by holding Jack's arm on his other side. She was surprised at how she was able to support him with ease. He felt so limbless. Was it too late for him after all? Elsa steeled herself from the thought and the three of them went inside the portal…

…and arrived at North's office. North was there and so were the other guardians who had said they had something to do. They were surprised at Elsa's sudden return, more so at the state Jack was in.

"Elsa? What happened?" asked North.

"Pitch, he was there at my place. He took Jack's power!"

North and Bunny helped Elsa took Jack off her hands and set him down on the couch. Tooth and Sandy approached and checked his condition. "But how?" Bunny asked.

"It was my fault, Pitch made me do it," Elsa told them briefly about how she met Pitch and how he had tricked her into making a deal with him thus binding her to her promise. "Pitch was about to use me to create another ice age, but he offered Jack a deal to make me take his power instead. Jack he…"

"That bloody bastard, not only Easter now he wants to ruin Christmas too? Oh, he's gonna get it from me this time." Bunny punched his own palm with his fist.

"Tooth," North called the fairy, "You're the one who did the research about his power. I'm guessing if Pitch took Jack's essence, he can use his power?"

"Yes," she answered, "and we have to move quickly. Once Jack's essence is out of his body, we only have 24 hours before he fades away."

"Will his essence disappears with him if Jack does fade away?" North asked.

"No, all the more reason why we have to get it back," said Tooth.

"But why does he choose to strike now?" asked Bunny.

"If I follow his train of thoughts, it's because it's the perfect time to strike," answered Tooth. "It's almost the end of the year and people are less vigilant, thinking whatever troubles could wait next year. They're under the false pretense of security, and so are we. Were Jack not with Elsa, the ice age would probably start without us knowing anything."

"Elsa," North turned to her. Elsa was sitting beside Jack while holding his hand, watching him intensely, hoping he would return to life. "Do you have any idea where Pitch could've gone to?"

"He said he was going to Burgess," said Elsa without even turning to North.

"Right, Elsa you stay here and watch over him. We'll go and retrieve his essence back. Pitch should've known better than to mess with the Guardians, again."

"No," Elsa stood up. At the moment, she was still wearing the clothes she wore to the party. With her power she changed it back to her usual attire and her hair was again braided. "I'm coming with you. Jack have saved me countless of times. This time, it's my turn to save him."

"I'll watch over him," added Olaf. "You guys go."

Seeing the determination in her eyes, North nodded. "We'll need all the help we can get. Last time, it was Jack who helped us stopped Pitch. You're his other half. With you, I'm sure we'll succeed."

Elsa didn't care about stopping Pitch. All she wanted was Jack's life back.

Dum.. dum.. dum... Behold! The prologue to the climax of the story. With this chapter out, I'm counting two more until the end.

I've published rather early this week because 1. it's a short chapter, 2. i'm going to be super busy during the first few days after new year so.. voila!

Thus far, i must say this is my favorite chapter. Just love how Jack without even thinking about it, sacrifice his life for her 3

Replying time:

firepokemonfox: i hope i drew more 'wow' from you with this chapter XD

IceCrystal: sorry the Jelsa was so short. Let's hate Pitch together for ruining the moment! How about instead of a sequel, i'll do a one shot about Jelsa in alternative universe? Thank you for your compliments, it means a lot to me. Readers such as you are why I keep writing.

NightShadeLily: he did, and he did it in the most awesome possible way. To u too, how about a one shot about Jelsa in alternative universe? Thank you for loving the story. You and every fellow readers of his fic are the life of this fic.

WickedMagic: he did, literally too T_T

OTPIchiRuki3: Thank you for reading. I hope you like this chapter too

Wade98: right? right? who doesn't love Olaf!

Anyway, New Year is almost upon us so I wish you a very merry happy new year. hope you have a great year ahead of you.

Thank you for reading. Please stick with me until the end, just two more chapters left XD