I don't own the DP or Frozen characters. I only own this story and half credit goes to Toa Naruto.
A HEADS UP SO PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE READING THE STORY: I want to thank those who took the time to review this story and for everyone who is enjoying it. I will admit, I didn't think this story would get so popular. However, I want to give you all a heads up. The next chapter might not come for a long time. Reason why is because my interest in Delsa has...decreased. My inspiration for it isn't all that great and I haven't really been in the mood for Delsa. Now don't worry, I will try what I can to finish up this story. Because I do want to see it finished. But the chapters will be slower to come by. So I suggest you guys all be patient. Not to mention I will be working a lot at my job. So that will demand most of my attention as well. Just a heads up. Now enjoy this next chapter. It will be fluffy so there's that.
"AAAnnnddd, time!" shouted Frostbite, signaling the end of the match.
Both Danny and Elsa gave a sigh of relief as they eased out of their fighting stances, and tried to get their breathing back to normal as they allowed their ice weapons (Danny wielding a ninjato blade, while Elsa held a claymore sword) to disintegrate. It had been a long and arduous battle that pushed the duo to their limits, and made them use every skill that they'd learned. Yet despite their best efforts, neither one of them could get an edge over their opponent, resulting in a stalemate between the two cyrokinetics. At first the pair were worried that the Far Frozen leader would've deemed the spar's conclusion unsatisfactory, but hearing the large ghost's exuberant laughter and his people's roaring applause quickly put that notion to rest.
"That match was phenomenal; one for the archives! You both fought admirably, and I couldn't have imagined a more glorious way to complete your training than an all-out spar. I'd say that this calls for celebration!"
"That...That sounds great, Frostbite. Thank you." said a winded Danny.
After such an intense workout, he was definitely feeling hungry, and the thought of a large feast sounded very appealing. It had been a week after Halloween, and the two teens were finishing their final day of training. While the both of them were pleased with their accomplishments, Elsa was still somewhat melancholy about the significance of her last day. Now that her training was complete, this would most likely be the last time that she'd ever be with the Far Frozen. The very idea of never being able to see the benevolent tribe of warrior ghosts again made her heart heavy. It was through the efforts of Frostbite and his people that she managed to remedy a problem that had been a source of constant frustration throughout her entire life, and it just didn't seem right that she was going to have to leave them for good.
"Elsa? Are you okay?"
Breaking out of her thoughts, Elsa noticed that she and Danny were alone in the training field, the Far Frozen having already left to prepare for the celebration. "Sorry, Danny," she sighed, "I'm just…well...I know this is going to sound silly, but... a part of me wishes that today wasn't the end of our training."
Danny immediately became unsettled. "Why? Are you still having trouble with your control? Because if you are, then we can arrange-"
"No, it's not that." The ghost boy, who had been on his way to ask Frostbite about additional lessons, stopped in his tracks and turned to face the platinum blonde once more. "My control has improved just fine, and I haven't been distressed about accidentally freezing something in a long while."
Danny looked at her in a baffled manner. "Then what's wrong?"
"It's just that I've come to really like Frostbite and the Far Frozen, Danny. They taught me so much, and were willing help me despite the fact that I'm human. It just pains me to think that I'll never be able to see them again." She sheepishly averted her gaze momentarily, before looking back into his glowing eyes. "Sorry, I'm just babbling now, aren't I?"
Danny just chuckled. "Is that what's bothering you? Elsa, just because we're finished training with them doesn't mean that we have to leave this realm and never look back. We can still come back and visit if you want. In fact, I'm sure that Frostbite and the others would like that.
Elsa's gloomy disposition quickly brightened. "You mean it?"
"Yeah, I'm sure that we can work something out." grinned Danny. "So please don't frown. You look a lot prettier when you smile." It was only seconds after he'd finished speaking that Danny belatedly realized he'd accidentally said one of his inner thoughts out loud, which instantly made him feel even more foolish than usual. Just when he'd thought that he was making some leeway in telling Elsa how he really felt about her, his typical Fenton Luck had once again thrown a wrench in his plans.
Elsa, on the other hand, was caught off guard by his compliment, and felt her cheeks begin to burn. "T-thanks. I think you look cute when you smile, too." she blurted out, making her gasp and slap her hand across her mouth out of reflex, despite the fact that the action couldn't possibly take back what had already been said. Now, it was Danny's to feel hot and bothered as a blush of his own appeared. He turned away so that Elsa wouldn't see his face, but that did nothing to lessen the burning sensation in his cheeks.
Like all the other times before, an awkward silence fell upon the area, the tension between the two teens building up until it became unbearable. Elsa desperately tried to think of any possible way to move past their uncomfortable situation; anything to take their minds off of what they'd said to each other. Suddenly, a mischievous look slowly formed on her face as one idea crossed her mind. She didn't know why she thought of that particular idea, but she figured that there was no harm in taking advantage of her current situation. Silently positioning herself so that she had a clear shot, she quickly crafted a snowball with her powers and flung it at her friend. The small ball pelted Danny in the back of the head, making him shout out in surprise from the unexpected attack, as well as the sudden cold sensation that assaulted him. Whirling back around, the ghost boy could only gawk at Elsa, who was smiling innocently at him.
"Did...did you just hit me with a snowball?" he asked, still coming to grips with what had just happened.
If anything, Elsa's smile seemed to stretch wider. "Maybe I did, maybe I didn't. Just what are you going to do about it?" she challenged.
A devilish smirk spread across Danny's face, which also unintendedly made Elsa's feel as if her stomach did a double flip. "Me? Well, that's easy." Using his own ice powers, Danny swiftly formed a snowball twice the size of the one she threw at him. "Imma retaliate."
Even though she knew there was a high probability that Danny would react to her "attack" in such a way, the girl still didn't like the notion of having snow thrown at her; the stuff was always hard to pick out of her hair.
"Don't you do it." she warned, taking a step back.
"Imma do it." was the retort she received as her friend stepped forward.
"Don't you d-EEK!" The ghost boy had snapped into action so rapidly, that she didn't have the chance to dodge. The sphere slammed into her chest, bursting apart and sending "snowy shrapnel" flying everywhere.
"I warned you." teased Danny in a singsong voice.
Wiping the snow off of her jacket and her face, she smirked dangerously at the white haired teen. "I hope that you realize that this means war." she said, forming a large snowball in both of her hands.
"Bring. It. On!" responded Danny with a smirk of his own, arming himself with twin snowballs as well.
Within seconds, a full-scale snowball war began. Danny and Elsa were laughing up a storm as they tried to pummel each other with their ammo. But as the battle dragged on, Danny soon found himself being overwhelmed by his adversary. Getting a sudden flash of inspiration, he took to the sky and created a massive spread of snowballs all around him. Surprised by her opponent's abrupt change in tactics, Elsa found herself gaping at the large collection of snowballs levitating in the air. Danny's smirk was the only warning that she got before the large icy barrage rained down from the sky, instantly covering her and a good portion of the area in a new layer of snow in seconds.
"Ha! You may have more experience in this type of warfare, but that doesn't help much against someone who has air supremacy on his side!" crowed Danny, waiting for Elsa to appear out of the snow, specifically somewhere near the newly formed large mound had formed. But when he didn't see her immediately emerge, he began to get concerned.
"Elsa?" He floated down and landed on top of the mound so that he could get a better view of the area, completely unaware that someone was slowly sneaking up towards where he was standing. "Elsa, are you okay?" he called, not noticing the top layer of snow behind him partially splitting open to reveal a pair of eyes staring at his back. When Danny still got no reply, he started to panic. "Elsa?! Oh jeez, what have I done?! Elsa!"
"RRAAWWRR!"
Turning to where he heard the playful roar, Danny was just in time to see Elsa leap from her snowy cover and pounce on him. Caught completely flatfooted by the sneak attack, Danny lost his balance and fell down the hill, taking Elsa with him. The two rolled down the gradient until they landed at the bottom, with Danny laying on his back and Elsa on top of his chest. The two of them stared at each other, surprised at the unanticipated turn of events, before they burst out laughing yet again. It was only when they finally calmed down that the duo suddenly became aware of just how close they were to each other.
The first thing that Danny immediately noticed was that Elsa's hair was out of its tight bun again, having been knocked loose from the fall. It always amazed him how a change so simple made her look all the more beautiful. He knew that he had the most opportune time to finally tell Elsa how he truly felt literally laying in front of him (they were so close that he could kiss her), but he just didn't know how to do so without sounding like a complete idiot. And just like all the other times he thought about telling her the truth, the same "what if" scenarios emerged and weakened his resolve: What if she didn't like him more than a friend; what if she just flat out laughed at him? Despite Frostbite's encouraging words, he was still rather unsure on whether or not he should take that leap of faith. Yet regardless of his indecision, he couldn't deny that he really enjoyed being with her. There were times where it felt as if he were going to explode the longer he kept his feelings contained.
What the young man didn't know, however, was that he wasn't the only one who wanted to finally confess their feelings. With each passing day, Elsa found herself becoming more and more attracted to Danny. It had gotten to the point that she could no longer deny that she did have romantic feelings for him. Both Frostbite and Valerie's words continued to ring within her mind, and now that she was so close to his handsome face, the urge to finally tell him grew more intense with each passing second; she could practically feel her heart beating against her rib cage. The blonde had come to really appreciate Danny, who had always been there for her whenever she needed help. Not to mention that if it hadn't been for him, she would have never been able to make such progress with her powers.
"Danny," she sighed softly, gaining the teen's attention, "thank you."
The boy looked perplexed. "What for?"
"For all of this." she answered, gesturing to their snow-covered surroundings.
Danny chuckled. "You don't need to thank me, Elsa, it was no problem at-"
"No, you don't understand." she cut in with a shake of her head, as she cradled his cheek in her palm. "When I first moved to America, I had doubts that I could ever fit, mainly because I would've probably been too busy being stressed about keeping my powers in check. But then I met you, and everything changed in the most amazing ways imaginable. You went out of your way to help me learn how better control my powers, and that's something that I'll always be grateful of. So, thank you, Danny. Thank you so very much for giving me a second chance at living a fulfilling life." Without another thought, she leaned in with her eyes closed, and kissed him full on the lips.
Danny's eyes nearly shot of his skull in astonishment. The girl that he had a crush on was actually kissing him; and it wasn't one of those simple pecks on the cheek, it was actual genuine kiss! Before he could relish in the sudden development, however, he felt Elsa's lips abruptly leave his. Blinking out of his daze, he saw that the girl looked thoroughly embarrassed.
"Oh my God, Danny, I am so sorry! I-I don't know what came over me!" she exclaimed nervously.
Even though she'd been wanting to kiss him for a while, she was mortified that she had done so without his consent, especially since she still didn't know if he liked her that way. She was about to apologize again, when Danny suddenly leaned up and sealed her lips with his own. Elsa felt as if her heart skipped a beat as she comprehended the ramifications of what was happening. The boy she had just kissed was kissing her back, which possibly meant that he wasn't put off by her previous boldness. This time, it was Danny who silently broke the lip contact, much to her minor disappointment.
"Don't be." was all that he said, but his warm gentle smile was enough to convey his feelings to her.
Her embarrassment long forgotten, Elsa found herself smiling back at the boy. As their eyes gazed deeply into each other's eyes, with glacial blue meeting neon green, something clicked within the two teens. Like an airplane being switched on to auto-pilot, Danny and Elsa both slowly leaned in towards one another, their eyes gradually closing as they shortened the distance between their faces. The boy's arms encircled around Elsa's waist and upper back, while her hands grasped onto Danny's shoulders, pulling them even closer. Their lips were inches away from meeting when...
"Great One, Lady Elsa, the feast is ready!"
...Frostbite inadvertently brought them back to reality. Noticing just what they were about to do, Elsa practically leapt off of Danny, allowing him to scramble onto his feet. The duo quickly fixed their ruffled appearances as best they could, their faces still bright red with embarrassment as the Far Frozen leader made his way towards their position.
"Aren't you two coming?" he asked, until he noticed the teenagers' flustered faces. The ghost shot a knowing smile at his students, which only made their discomfort worse. "Did something happen while my back was turned?"
"N-Nope! Nope, n-nothing happened at all! Come on, Elsa, let's grab a seat before all the good food's gone!" Danny said rather quickly and walked briskly past Frostbite, followed closely by Elsa after she grabbed her hair band. The large ghost decided not push the matter with either teenager, figuring that they had experienced enough embarrassment for one day.
During the grand celebratory feast, Danny and Elsa tried to focus on their food, and the cheerful atmosphere among the Far Frozen, but they just couldn't stop thinking about the kisses they'd shared not too long ago. Every now and then, they'd chance small glances at one another, only for them to quickly look away in embarrassment when they were caught staring. A short while had passed until Frostbite stood up to make an announcement, gaining everybody's attention.
"My people, it is with great joy that I announce the conclusion of the training for Danny Phantom and Lady Elsa. They have both worked hard, risen to face every one of our challenges, and mastered their cyrokinetic abilities in record time." Frostbite then turned to Elsa, who was sitting on his right. "If you would please stand, Lady Elsa."
The ghost waited patiently as the young girl complied with his request before he began speaking again. "My fair lady, I would like to thank you for coming to us for help in regards to your powers. You've taken to your training exceptionally well, and grasped everything that we've taught you at a remarkable pace. You were quite the prodigious student, and we hope that you will be able to put your newfound control to good use."
Feeling extremely self-conscious about having everyone's eyes focus on her, including Danny's, Elsa still managed to rise above her nervousness and speak loud and clearly. "It was an honor and a privilege to learn from the Far Frozen, Chief Frostbite. I can't even began to express my gratitude for everything that all of you have done for me. I only hope that I may be able to visit all of you again sometime in the future." said Elsa fondly, her gaze drifting from Frostbite to the rest of the Far Frozen.
Frostbite smiled. "You will always be welcome in the Realm of the Far Frozen, milady. Furthermore, to commemorate the completion of your training, it is my great honor that I grant you title befitting of your splendor. From this day forth, you shall forever be known as The Great Lady!" The other Far Frozen people cheered in agreement to their leader's proclamation, while Elsa couldn't stop her blush from appearing; she'd never been had a title as grandiose like that before. Glancing over to Danny, who was sitting to her right, he simply gave her a devilish smirk, as if to say "Now you know how I feel". Luckily for her, she didn't have to endure being in the spotlight for much longer, as the Far Frozen quickly focused back on the feast. By the time the celebration was over, the duo exchanged heartfelt words of thanks and goodbyes with Frostbite and the Far Frozen, whom wished them the best of luck in their future endeavors and assured them that they would always be willing to help if they ever needed their assistance.
Once Danny (who was back in his human form) and Elsa were cruising through the Ghost Zone, they soon found themselves trapped in another unbearable silent atmosphere. Now that they were alone, the two teens didn't know what to say to each other. The memories of those kisses weighed heavily in their minds, and without the possibility of Frostbite interrupting them, the two were at a loss of how to move past their unbearable situation. Danny tried to focus on driving the Speeder home, while simultaneously trying to think of a way to break the ice, but nothing came to him. What was he supposed to say; that the kiss was great? That he liked kissing her? No, that would be stupid and sound too straightforward, not to mention that Elsa would think that he was weird. For the umpteenth time, he cursed his misfortune; it was just his luck that he constantly found himself thrust into such cumbersome situations.
On her side of the cockpit, Elsa was distractedly playing with the strands at the end of her braid. She didn't feel like immediately putting it back up since she was too busy thinking over the moment she and Danny shared back on the Far Frozen's home, and wondered if it had any deeper meaning to it. Taking a brief quick glance towards the boy piloting the craft, she wished that she could read his thoughts and learn what he was thinking once and for all. Did he kiss her because he liked her, or was it because he felt bad for her and didn't want her to feel bad for kissing him first? She hated being clueless about the entire matter, and knew that she'd only get a straight answer if she took the chance. Like Valerie had said before, if it turned out that he didn't like her back, then at least she would know and be able put those feelings to rest. She had to act now, because she couldn't continue beating around the bush with her feelings anymore. Steeling her nerves, Elsa cleared her throat to get her friend's attention.
"Danny?"
Hearing his name being called out so suddenly caused him to jump, having been too caught up in his own thoughts. Quickly getting over his surprise, he glanced over to his passenger. "Yeah, Elsa?"
"Could you please stop the Speeder for a moment?" The way that she'd asked made him frown in worry. She sounded so serious that he immediately stopped the vehicle and turned his full attention to her.
"What's wrong? Did you forget something?" he asked, becoming concerned that there was something wrong. Was Elsa was going to tell him that they should stop being friends because things between them became too weird? The very idea made his heart grow cold, and he sincerely hoped that wasn't the case.
Danny didn't have time to dwell on that possibility, however, when he noticed Elsa slowly crawl towards him. He was even more surprised when she straddled his lap and delicately placed her hands on his chest, putting them in a rather suggestive position.
"W-What are you doing?" he managed to stutter, his face flushing bright red. As much as he really liked her, he wasn't sure if he was ready to go that far.
"It's okay. I just want to try something." murmured Elsa.
She could see the extremely flustered expression on his face, and had to admit that her heart was beating faster just from being in such close proximity to him. Looking down at him, the blonde couldn't help but be taken in by his boyish looks, raven locks, and those sky blue eyes that she always liked gazing into. Knowing that she had to act before she lost her nerve, the girl moved her hands up to cup his cheeks and leaned down to kiss him once more, only this time with a lot more passion. Just feeling his lips pressed against hers felt so right, and it was a sensation that she wanted experience many more times in the future. But to her dismay, he wasn't kissing her back; he was just sitting still and unresponsive, making her think that she'd made a mistake. Feeling disheartened, Elsa was about to pull back when she felt Danny's arms encircle around her back and pull her closer to him, deepening the kiss as he began to reciprocate her passionate feelings with his own.
When Elsa had kissed him a second time, Danny felt as if his heart literally stopped in shock. His mind kept on crashing and rebooting like an outdated computer, trying to process what was happening to him. The girl certainly surprised him, as he had originally thought that her first kiss had just been in the heat of the moment or was just her way of thanking him; he didn't expect that she'd ever do it again. Throughout his time in high school, he never thought a girl would ever willingly kiss him. To the majority of the student body he was a loser, a geek, and a wallflower that everyone ignored. And yet, here was this amazing girl, the same girl he'd fallen for, voluntarily kissing him. The concept seemed almost too surreal for him to accept as reality. He had been so convinced that he was way out of Elsa's league, but those negative notions were quickly pushed to the deepest depths of his mind.
In the past, the only girl that he'd ever truly kissed was Sam, but the experience didn't evoke the warm tender emotions that he was currently feeling with Elsa. Sure, he'd received a few pecks on his cheek from Valerie and Paulina that usually left him a bit flustered, but that was back when he'd never been kissed by any girl before (aside from his mom and sister). And while he initially liked the kisses he shared with Sam during those "fake-out make-outs", he honestly thought that they just seemed wrong and slightly off-putting. Kissing Elsa, on the other hand, felt right, as if he was experiencing his true first kiss.
Suddenly realizing that his lack of a reaction was most likely giving Elsa the wrong impression, Danny promptly pulled her closer so that he could kiss her back. He felt her body suddenly tense from his ministrations, and worried that he'd missed his chance, but those disconcerting thoughts were brushed aside as he felt the girl relax in his embrace and really get into their kiss. Her hands gently moved from his cheeks to encircle behind his back, pulling his head closer to hers. Neither teen cared how much time they'd spent in each other's arms, nor that they were still in the Ghost Zone. The only thing that mattered to them was the moment they were currently experiencing. Elsa was the first to break the lip lock once the urgency for fresh air became too much to ignore, her eyes partially opened and her cheeks fully flushed, giving her a demure yet alluring expression. Danny's cheeks were blushed as well, and the dreamy look on his face had her giggling.
"What? What's so funny?" he asked, her laughter snapping him out of his trance.
"Nothing. It's just that...well, I've never kissed anyone like that before." she admitted with a small smile.
"Really? Well, I guess that makes two of us." Danny wasn't exactly lying; he'd never felt near as amazing from when he first kissed Sam.
Elsa's blush deepened. "Look, Danny, the reason I...did this...is because I wanted to know if...what happened at Frostbite's realm...was real. There's been something I've been wanting to tell you." she said quietly. The raven haired boy had a feeling of where she was going to say next, but simply allowed her to continue for her sake. "I really like you, Danny. I've never felt like this towards anyone before. For the first fourteen years of my life, I've never really interacted with anyone besides my family or our servants, and practically only saw the world from an observer's point of view. Even when I was finally given the chance to go to a public high school, I didn't think that I would ever end up liking someone else, but these past couple of months we've had together have been the best I've ever had.
"You were the very first real friend I've ever made, and have always been there for me whenever I needed help. Not to mention that you actually know what it's like to live with something no normal human could ever have, and once you found out about my own secret abilities, you never treated me any differently. I never thought that I would ever meet someone like that. And if it weren't for you, I would've never gained full control over my powers. I really do like you, Danny, and I only hope that you feel the same about me. But if you don't, well, then I understand."
Hearing her heartfelt words made Danny want to leap for joy. He honestly didn't think that he had really done that much for her, and was surprised to hear her say otherwise. The fact that she actually admitted that she liked him made his smile and his blush all the more brighter. Since Elsa had laid everything on the table, he knew that now was the time for him to finally admit his own feelings.
"I do feel the same way, Elsa." he began, making her gasp in shock. "I've felt this way about you for a while now. It's just that I've only had these types of feelings a few times before, and they've always led to disappointment and grief. I guess that's the main reason why I didn't tell you sooner; for some unexplainable reason, I was afraid that you'd just laugh at me."
Elsa frowned in confusion. "Why would you ever think that I'd do such a thing?" She watched as Danny broke eye contact with her to look towards the side, and noticed how quickly his sunny disposition darkened. Yet it was his explanation that really saddened her.
"Because...I just feel like I'm not good enough for you. I mean, my past experiences with romance clearly shows that I'm not boyfriend material. Paulina has made it obvious that she doesn't want anything to do with me, but somehow she's become infatuated with my ghost half. Valerie and I were close to being a couple, but she ended things before they got serious because she wasn't ready to be in a relationship with somebody. And as for Sam and me…well, our attempt at having a relationship blew up like the Challenger space shuttle, and we barely managed to still be friends. Not to mention all the other girls at school do everything they can to avoid someone like me; a nobody that's considering to be a loser by practically everybody.
"That's why I was worried when I realized that I'd started liking you. You're a nice, strong-willed, smart, and beautiful girl, Elsa, especially when you're not hiding behind those fake glasses and you have your hair out of that restrictive bun style." The blonde couldn't help but smile from his compliments, yet she found herself frowning when Danny continued his self-degradation spiel. "As for me? Compared to you, I'm like your complete polar opposite. I'm just a stupid and plain-looking dork. The only common ground that I can see us sharing is that we both have similar powers, even though I got mine from some freak accident. And if that's the reason you started liking me, then you could do with someone a lot bet-"
"Danny, stop talking and please just listen to me." Elsa said gently yet firmly, making the teen glance back up at her. "I don't like you just because we both have cyrokinesis. While it's true that our ice powers are what helped us become closer, I started liking you long before I even knew you were Danny Phantom."
Danny was shocked. "Really?"
Elsa sighed and nodded slowly, her smile never leaving her face. "Yes, really. I didn't fall for you just because you were secretly a superhero. Ever since I met you, Danny, you've been nothing but kind and compassionate to me. After meeting so many bullies on my first day at Casper High, I was worried that I'd never be able to make any friends. But after you came to my rescue when those two jocks cornered me, I realized there were still good people in that school. And you really do need to give yourself more credit, because you're anything but stupid, Danny; you just need to be pushed in the right direction when it comes to certain subjects. You're actually quite the quick learner, and so long as you stay motivated, you can pass any class just fine."
She then smiled playfully as her fingertips gently grazed over his cheek. "And you are handsome, despite everyone saying that nonsense about your sister inheriting all of your parents' good looks. In fact, there have been a couple of times where I passed by a few girls that mentioned how cute they think you are as I'm walking to my classes."
Danny's blush darkened at that particular revelation. "Seriously?"
Elsa giggled. "Yes, of course, silly. No offense, but you can be a bit clueless at times." Her tone became sincere once more. "Look, my point is that you do have several good qualities, Danny, and I ended up liking you because of them. You're a noble person who tries to stay true to what you believe in, despite all of the hardships that you encounter. That's what I admire about you the most, so please don't ever say that you're not good enough for me or that you're just some nobody. I like you for you, Danny, and I'm more than willing to give us a chance, but only if you are, too."
Danny just couldn't believe his good fortune. He'd initially believed that no girl would ever say such sincere words to him, and yet here was Elsa, the girl that he'd fallen for, was actually admitting that she liked him. Leaning up close until their noses were grazing, Danny smiled warmly at the girl that stole his heart.
"Trust me, I am more than willing." was all that he whispered, before he kissed her once more. Elsa immediately concentrated on matching the passion Danny conveyed in the lip-lock, her free hand running through his spiky hair, discovering that they were soft to the touch. After what seemed like hours, the duo broke apart to catch their breaths, but they still continued to affectionately gaze into each other's eyes.
"So, where do we go from here?" asked Danny, as he gently rested his forehead against hers. At a brief glance through the Specter Speeder's windshield, he idly noticed that they were still about halfway home.
"Well, for starters, I say that we should take things slow for a while." said Elsa, as she carefully eased herself off of Danny. She enjoyed his warmth, and wanted their moment to last forever, but she knew that there was no avoiding the real world and all of its challenges for long. "And as much as it pains me to say it, I think that we should also keep our new relationship a secret for the time being. I know that this is something that you don't want to keep from our friends, but-"
"Actually, I think that you have the right idea on both accounts." Danny interjected. Having been on the receiving end of Sam's ire several times in the past, he knew that there was a good chance that she'd react poorly if they told her their good news. "I'm perfectly happy with taking things one day at a time. Why rush a good thing, right?"
Elsa leaned in to chastely peck him on the lips, before flashing him a brilliant smile. "Thank you for understanding."
Danny returned her smile as he shifted the Speeder back into gear. Yet unlike their other rides home in the past, there wasn't an overbearingly uncomfortable atmosphere within the cockpit. Now that they had no reason to keep their emotions suppressed, the two teens felt more at ease about being in each other's company. Every now and then, they would smile at each other, knowing that they were at the start of something new. For the first time in what seemed like forever, the two teens felt as if things were finally looking up for them. In no time at all, the new couple arrived back in the Fenton Works lab. Just as Elsa had managed to put her hair back in its usual style, she was pleasantly surprised to see Danny waiting outside the vehicle, holding his hand out to help her out, making her think of a man from the nineteenth century helping a lady out of a stagecoach. Touched by his courteous gesture, she happily accepted his hand as she carefully stepped out of the Speeder.
"Such a gentleman." she laughed, making her beau grin.
"Anything for you, my fair lady. But in all seriousness, we should probably go be-" Danny suddenly became silent when he heard the sound of rushing feet from upstairs heading towards the lab. "Oh no."
Elsa was about to ask what was wrong, when the door to the basement stairwell slammed open, before both Jack and Maddie rushed into the lab, the former holding an unidentifiable scanning device and the latter wielding a large ecto gun.
"Ghost! We've got it this-oh, wait, never mind. It's just Danny and," Jack stopped halfway through his sentence to stare suspiciously at Elsa, as if he was the first time seeing her, "...a girl?"
"Jack, that's Elsa Smith. She's Amalie Smith's eldest daughter, remember?" asked Maddie with a sigh. It didn't take long for her husband's face light up like a bulb after he finally recognized her.
"Oh, yeah, that's right! How could I've forgotten?" The big man's joyous attitude then swiftly changed to a reprimanding one once he took stock of the situation. "Hey, wait a minute! Danny, what are you and your little friend doing here alone in our lab?"
"Yes, Danny, haven't we told you several times before not bring anyone down here without our permission?" Maddie added sternly.
The teen shifted his eyes toward the bottom of the stairs, and saw Jazz standing there, sheepishly shrugging as if to silently say that she tried to stop their parents. Turning his attention back to the two adults, he saw that they were still waiting for his answer. Knowing that there was no way of getting out of the punishment his parents were most likely going to give him, he steeled himself for their upcoming admonishment. But before he could even utter a word, Elsa beat him to it.
"It's my fault, Mr. and Mrs. Fenton." Everyone glanced over at her in surprise, to which Elsa sighed and shifted her gaze towards her feet. "I'm sorry, it's just that when I heard that you two were ghost hunters, I begged Danny for days to show me your lab. Back in Arendelle, the only legends we have about supernatural beings were just about mountain trolls. I've always been fascinated by ghosts, and when Danny told me that you two had a lab dedicated to studying them, I asked him if I could see it. Even though he told me that the lab was off limits to guests, I just couldn't let the matter drop. So please don't be mad at Danny, he only brought me down here because I kept pestering him about it."
Danny was impressed at how quickly Elsa was able to think of a reasonable excuse, and make it sound so convincing. Looking back his parents, he nearly laughed at the thunderstruck expressions on their faces.
"Is this true, Danny?" asked Maddie, who'd managed to get over her surprise faster than her husband.
The young man quickly responded, trying to sound as sheepish as he could. "Um, yeah, it is. Elsa really wanted to see the lab, and since you and Dad seemed so busy lately, I figured that I could give her a quick tour myself and not have to bother you guys. I'm...sorry?"
The two adults exchanged quick glances before their stern demeanors softened. "Oh, alright, we'll let it slide just this once." sighed Maddie as she rustled Danny's hair. "But the next time one of your friends wants to see our lab, please just let us know ahead of time. Your father and I would be more than happy to show your friends our latest research about ghosts."
Danny smiled in relief. "I'll be sure to remember that next time, Mom."
"Thank you, Mrs. Fenton." replied Elsa, bowing her head slightly in gratitude.
"Well, if you want to learn more about ghosts, you've certainly come to the right place! I could rant and rave about ghosts for days! So, what would like to learn first, Elsa?" boomed Jack. The platinum blonde winced at her predicament. Even though she managed to get Danny out of trouble, she'd also unintentionally dug her own grave in the sense that she now had to endure hearing Jack Fenton's endless stories about ghosts. Luckily, Danny came to her rescue.
"Sorry, Dad, but the lectures are going to have to wait. Elsa's curfew is at an earlier time than usual today, so she has to leave now or else she'll be late." He then glanced at the girl in question. "You told on the way to my house that your mom wanted you home earlier today for some sort of family event, remember?" Elsa was a momentarily confused as to what he was talking about, since her mother didn't mention any changes to her curfew before she left for school, but she quickly deduced what Danny was trying to do.
"Oh! That's right! My mother did ask me to get home as soon as possible today. Thank you so much for reminding me." Elsa then gave Jack an apologetic smile. "I'm so sorry, Mr. Fenton, but I completely lost track of time. Perhaps we could do this some other time?"
"Aww…" sighed Jack, as he visibly deflated in disappointment, nearly making Elsa laugh. His wife, on the other hand, acted a tad more maturely.
"Of course, hon. We can give you a tour the next time you're free. Just tell Danny or either one of us, and we'll work something out. Anyways, you'd best be off before your mother starts to worry; it'll be dark soon."
"Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Fenton." she said with a bright smile as she headed up the steps.
"Wait up, Elsa, I'll walk you home." Danny offered, and quickly followed after her.
"Come straight back afterwards, Danny! Dinner will be ready really soon!" Maddie shouted after her son.
"Will do!" he called back, even as the two teens were hastily making their way out of the house. Once they were a good distance away from Fenton Works, the duo burst out laughing at how easily they were able to keep their trips to the Ghost Zone a secret from the two experienced ghost hunters.
"Thanks for the save back there, Elsa." Danny managed to say once he'd calmed down from his laughing fit.
"It was no problem at all. And thank you for getting me out of having to listen to your dad's babbling about ghosts." Elsa replied with a smile.
"Hey, I was just returning the favor." The two continued to walk in silence, simply enjoying their time alone together. By the time they arrived at the Smith estate, the sun was beginning to set.
"Well, I suppose this where we part ways. This day has certainly been...interesting, to say the least." said Elsa, her gaze focused on the early evening sky. Danny followed her gaze, noticing how magnificent the sky looked.
"You got that right, but at least a lot of good things came out of it." he murmured. He turned to ask Elsa something when he suddenly became distracted by an amazing sight. He didn't know how, but the sun's orange radiance seemed to make the girl's alabaster skin glow, making her look even more beautiful than before; he just couldn't stop himself from staring. Elsa eventually turned back to say goodbye to Danny, when she noticed the dazed dreamy smile was back on his face. Gaining a demure idea, she chastely pecked him on his lips, immediately snapping him out of his trance. The awestruck expression on his face made her giggle; sometimes his reactions were just too cute.
"I should probably head inside, so I guess this is goodbye, at least for now." Elsa began her trek down the sizable driveway leading to her house, and had only made it pass the gate when she felt something gently grasp her hand. Puzzled, she turned to see what was stopping her, only to be startled when Danny walked in close to kiss her softly on the lips. Elsa's mind was once again blown away by the ghost boy's boldness, but she quickly got over her hesitancy to eagerly return his affections. When they separated, both of them were sporting a healthy blush.
"Good night, Elsa. I can't wait to see you again, tomorrow." said Danny, his smooth and comforting voice making a delightful warmth spread throughout the blonde's body. "I should probably head home before my parents freak, but I'll text you before I turn in for the night, if you want."
Her lips still tingling from their kiss, Elsa smiled tenderly at the boy who'd brought so much happiness to her life. "I'd like that very much. Good night, Danny."
With one last smile, Danny began his journey back towards Fenton Works, all of his thoughts centered on Elsa, and their new relationship. For once in his life, he truly felt happy and optimistic of what the future had in store for him. The goofy yet dreamy smile that was stretched across his face never faded, even as he stepped through his home's front door. He was so caught up in the euphoria of the day's events, that he didn't notice Jazz waiting for him on the living room couch.
"So, what happened?" Danny jumped at the sudden question, and glanced to where his older sister was. Judging by the playful smirk she had, the younger teen knew that he had to be mindful of what he said in front of the redhead.
"Nothing." he managed to say in a calm manner.
Jazz rolled her eyes. "Yeah, right. You have that goofy grin on your face, which means something good definitely happened between you and Elsa. So, come on, don't leave me in the dark. Did you finally tell her that you like her?"
"Come on, Jazz. Don't start this now." groaned Danny, his cheeks flushing brilliantly.
"You're turning red! So you did tell her! Well, what did she say?" Jazz asked excitedly.
"Jazz, keep it down! I don't want Mom and Dad to hear you!" Danny whispered through gritted teeth.
Jazz became perplexed. "Why not?"
Danny just sighed; he just couldn't understand how his sister was always able to read him like an open book. "Because at the time being, Elsa and I want to take things slow, and keep our relationship a secret. Besides, if Mom and Dad found out, they'll end up spreading the news all around Amity Park. So could you please not tell our parents?"
Jazz sighed at having her fun being taken away. "Oh, alright, but I still want all of the details about what happened." Her brother just groaned in resignation, but before he could speak another word, their mother called from the dining room to tell them that dinner was ready.
After watching Danny disappear over the horizon as he walked home, Elsa made her way towards her own house feeling as if she was walking on air. She idly wondered if this rapturous feeling was what all girls felt when they kissed a boy for the first time, because if it was, then she figured that she could really get used to such a sensation. She sighed dreamily as she stepped inside the mansion and closed the door behind her, garnering the attention of the family maid.
"My, my, Miss Elsa, you seem rather content. I take it that today was a good day for you?" Lena asked, walking out of the kitchen to see who had just entered.
"Oh, yes, today was a very good day." Elsa replied jubilantly. Noticing the stained apron Lena was wearing and the small flour spots on her hands, it was easy for the eldest princess to figure out that the older woman had been in the middle of cooking.
Lena smiled. "I'm very happy to hear that. I'm afraid you're the only one home at the moment, aside from Mr. Finn and me. Your mother is out with Mrs. Manson, and your sister playing with some friends from school, but they should arrive back by the time I've finished preparing dinner."
"Thank you, Lena." Elsa watched the family maid return to the kitchen before she began climbing the main stairs. With some time to herself, she had every intention to just laying on her bed and reliving what was one of the best days of her life. Just as she was at the top of the stairs, she suddenly heard a loud pained scream. Snapping out of her elation, she glanced towards the ground floor, and saw Finn rushing to where Lena was last seen. Fearing the worst, Elsa raced back down the stairs to see what the matter was. Once she made it into the kitchen, she gasped when she saw the family butler consoling a silently crying Lena, who was pressing a dish towel to her heavily bleeding hand. On the counter was a kitchen knife with its edge covered with a small bit of blood, making it obvious as to what had injured the woman.
"Oh dear, this cut is quite deep, Miss Lena. We need to get you to the hospital." said Finn after he carefully examined the wound. He then turned his attention to the platinum blonde. "I apologize, Miss Elsa, but-"
"No, no, I'll be fine on my own, Finn. Take the car, and get Lena to a doctor. I'll call my mother to let her know what happened." said Elsa. Without another word, Finn hastily led Lena towards the garage. Whipping out her cell phone, she immediately dialed her mother's number, hearing the faint sound of a car rushing down the driveway from outside.
"Hello, Elsa." came the reply on the other line.
"Mom, Lena's severely injured herself. Finn's just left with the car to take her to the hospital." Elsa said brusquely.
There was a pause before Amalie spoke again, sounding immensely concerned. "Oh dear. Thank you for telling me, I'll meet them at the hospital to see if Lena is alright. Just stay put, and I'll let you know when we'll be coming home."
"I will. Bye." Hanging up, Elsa looked around the kitchen and recognized the dishes that Lena had been in the middle of cooking. Just seeing the food all laid out on the counter was enough to make her stomach growl. Despite the feast she and Danny had with the Far Frozen not too long ago, she was still a little hungry. Then, an idea popped into her mind, one that she knew would really surprise everyone when they returned home. With a bright smile, she quickly set to work.
It was a couple of hours before Amalie came home with Lena, Finn, and Anna. The queen had picked up her daughter from her friend's house once Lena had been discharged from the hospital. The girl became extremely distraught the moment she saw the maid's bandaged hand, but the older woman assured Anna that she was alright. While the cut had been quite large, it wasn't serious enough to require immediate surgery. The family maid did require a few stitches, however, which meant that she needed to take some time off in order for her injury to fully heal. Finn, Anna, and even Amalie assured the woman that they'd help do her jobs while she recovered, much to Lena's gratitude. Once the group of four entered the mansion, the aroma of a hot full-course meal wafted in their nostrils.
"Lena, did you leave anything cooking?" queried the queen.
"No, Your Grace." answered the woman. "I made sure that I turned off all of the appliances before Mr. Finn drove me to the hospital.
"Well, whatever it is, it smells delicious!" piped up Anna as she and the adults ventured towards the dining room, only to stop in the tracks when they saw several plates of food sitting on the table, fully prepared and ready to eat.
"But, how did...who…?" Amalie was at loss for words, the sight before her not making any sense at all.
"Welcome home, everyone!" the group turned to see Elsa enter the dining room via the kitchen, and place a steaming bowl of scalloped potatoes on the table. Her hair was damp and in its usual bun, and she was wearing a new outfit, indicating that she'd just recently showered. "Sorry I wasn't there to greet you all at the door, but I had to get the potatoes out before they got burned. Are you alright, Lena?"
Lena simply nodded, but before she could say anything else, Amalie spoke up first. "Elsa, how did you do all this?" she asked, gesturing to all of the food on the table.
Following her mother's hand, Elsa smiled bashfully. "Oh, it wasn't that hard, Mother. I've watched Lena work in the kitchen several times in the past, so I had pretty good understanding of what to do. I mean, I know can't really measure up to Lena's cooking, but I figured that it'd be a nice change of pace if someone else made dinner. After all, now-"
"But what about your powers? I thought that you still had to be careful around liquids in case you accidentally froze them on contact?"
Elsa's smile grew bigger. "That's true, I did have a problem with liquids, but not anymore. I'm pleased to say that I've finally improved my control to the point that I don't have to worry about being around liquids anymore, especially water."
"Really?! That's great, sis! Does this mean we can have more snow days now?" Anna asked in excitement.
Before Elsa could reply, Amalie held up her hand to halt the conversation. "Now hold on for a second. While I am pleased to hear that you have better control over your ice powers, Elsa, I still need to see physical proof to support your claims. Would you mind giving us a little demonstration?"
By now, Elsa was practically beaming. "I thought that you'd never ask."
Leading everyone to the main hall, the blonde stood in the very center of the floor. Taking a deep calming breath, she cleared her mind of any distractions, and recalled all of Frostbite's lessons before she began. She started her little show by creating a small snow storm inside the mansion, allowing the snowflakes to drift down to the ground before quickly manipulating them towards her and making them thaw. Next, Elsa started crafting figures. She started off with simple snowmen at first, then moved on to ice sculptures of people she knew (herself, her family, and her friends), and finally complex replicas of certain landmarks, such as the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty. Of course, Elsa had refrained from showcasing her combat and weapons training, as she just wanted to show her family that she was in complete control of her icy abilities. To further drive home that point, she had Anna make a few water balloons and toss them at her. Before the balloons could even make contact with her skin, Elsa quickly froze them and easily caught them in her hands. Holding the frozen balloons before her audience, she willed the frost covering the rubber exterior to melt, and even tossed them up into the air a couple of times to show that the water sealed inside had indeed melted. Lastly, she walked towards a window, opened it, and tossed the balloons outside where they burst apart in a watery explosion.
"Wow! That was so cool, Elsa!" Anna cheered happily, while Lena and Finn simply applauded for her performance. Amalie, however, was stunned speechless by what she'd witnessed. She just couldn't believe how drastically her daughter's control had improved. Even though she was ecstatic with Elsa's progress, the queen still felt a bit overwhelmed by how quickly things had changed for the better. The sculptures that her daughter had created were so refined and flawless, and she hadn't shown any hint of trepidation or stress while using her powers, unlike the other times in the past. If the queen had known that studying abroad would've helped the blonde to such a degree, she'd would've suggested the idea to her husband ages ago.
"That…That was astounding, Elsa." said the queen once she'd managed to speak again, a proud smile adorning her visage.
The young princess grinned broadly. "Thank you, Mother."
"I have to say, I'm thoroughly impressed with what I saw. Just how did you manage to better your control so quickly?" Amalie asked.
"Well…let's just say that I found a different way that really works." explained Elsa, subconsciously glancing over at the ice figure of Danny as she recalled all the time they spent training together, before focusing back on her mother. "Actually, I was also hoping that I could ask you something. That is, if you don't mind."
"Go on..." The queen became curious as to what Elsa wanted to ask her, especially when she saw her daughter adopt a more meek and unsure demeanor.
"Well...I was wondering if there was any chance that I could have my curfew lifted, or at least have one at a much later time? I would really like to be able to spend more time with Danny…and my other friends without having to worry about coming home on time." Elsa felt like kicking herself for almost revealing her relationship to everyone, and only hoped that no one caught her slip of the tongue. "Now that I've shown you that I can fully control my powers, I was hoping that you could possibly ease off on the stringent time limit that I have until I have to return home to train with my powers. I'd still do the practice drills to make sure my control doesn't get worse, but I would like to be able to do them at my own discretion so that I won't have to continuously decline my friends' offers to hang out with them."
Amalie stared at Elsa, before glancing over at Anna, Lena, and Finn, all of whom were giving her looks that silently implored her to say yes. The queen sighed tiredly as her old fears began to rear their ugly heads, specifically the ones about Elsa being thrust into a situation that could cause her to lose control of her cyrokinesis. But in spite of her concerns, Elsa had shown that she was no longer having problems with keeping her powers in check, and it wouldn't be fair if she was kept from having fun with her friends to do extensive training exercises that she no longer needed to do.
Focusing back on her first born daughter, the queen smiled warmly. "Oh, very well, Elsa." she said. "Since you've proven that you can control your powers without any difficulty, I see no reason to keep having you come home so early anymore. Just promise that you'll call me ahead of time if you're going to be out late, alright?"
Elsa momentarily stared at her mother, surprised that she'd said yes, before glee quickly overtook her. She so overjoyed that she nearly squealed with delight, but she did rush over and engulf her mother in a massive hug instead, making the woman gasp in surprise. The woman hadn't been hugged by her eldest daughter in such a long time; not since that accident seven years ago. Speedily getting over her surprise, Amalie eagerly hugged Elsa back, feeling as if the bonds within her family were finally healing.
Once they broke apart, and Elsa had thawed her sculptures, the entire group congregated back to the dining room to enjoy the dinner that had been laid out on the table before it went cold. As they ate, Anna excitedly brought up the prospect of her and Elsa picking up where they left off from their snowball fights, before they had to discontinue them after their accident; the strawberry blonde was really eager to even the score with her sister. The elder princess liked the proposal, but was unsure if their mother would be willing to allow it. Seeing an opportunity for the sisters to bond present itself, Amalie agreed to the idea, so long as the girls remembered to be careful not break anything and to clean up the "battlefield" once they were finished.
By the time it was around 11 PM, and everyone else had already gone to bed, Amalie was in her room thinking about what had just occurred within her family. It had been a long day, but there was one last thing she had to do before allowing the sandman to bring her dreams. Starting up her personal laptop, she opened up an online video chat window. After perusing through her list of contacts, she was glad to see that person she wanted to speak to was currently online. After making sure that the connection was secure, Amalie clicked on his name and sent him a message to initiate a video call. A few seconds later, her husband's face appeared on her screen. Her expression brightened once she saw her beloved again, as it seemed like it had been ages since she'd last seen him. She was also thankful that he was an earlier riser. Even though she'd been in America for a little under three months, the queen still had trouble remembering that Arendelle was six hours ahead of Amity Park.
Upon seeing his wife, the king's face brightened like the rising sun. "Idun, my dear, it's so good to hear from you! Or should I be calling you Amalie since you're still in the States?"
Idun giggled at her husband's joke. "Hello to you too, Agdar, or Erlend. How's life back in Arendelle?"
Agdar sighed. "Rather dull, to be honest. The palace just isn't the same without you and the girls. But enough about me, how are all of you faring in America?"
"I'm doing just fine. No one has been able to see through my alias so far, and I've been able to fit in with the locals without any difficulty. Anna is doing very well, too. Her grades are around the middle average of her class, but she has made friends quite quickly. She really loves it here." replied Idun, wanting to save Elsa for last.
"I'm glad to hear that, love. I had a feeling that Anna would have an easy time adapting to life in a different country. But what about Elsa, how is she doing?" Agdar's face took on an anxious expression, as he always became worried whenever his eldest daughter was concerned.
"Actually, Elsa is doing well, too; quite well to be precise."
"Oh?" This piqued the king's curiosity.
"Well, you know how Elsa's had problems with liquids in the past, correct?" At Agdar's nod, she continued, no longer able to hold back the pride in her voice. "Well, today I believe that she's finally overcome that problem, and now has complete control of her powers!"
Agdar gaped at his wife in disbelief, the shock of Idun's statement leaving him at a loss for words. "Are...Are you quite certain of this?" he asked after he'd found his voice.
"Positive, dear. I know it sounds surprising, but I can guarantee you that it's the truth. Earlier this evening, Lena cut her hand while she was in the middle of cooking dinner and had to be rushed to the hospital. She's fine, by the way, but she'll need to take it easy for a while." Idun quickly mentioned, noticing the alarmed look on her husband's face. "Anyways, when we arrived back, Elsa surprised us all by having dinner cooked and ready for us. She then gave us a demonstration of her powers, and she performed without any difficulties or incidents! She even hugged me, Agdar, and she hasn't done that in years! It's as if the old Elsa is coming back, and our family is becoming closer again!" she said happily.
Agdar stayed silent as he came to grips with what Idun had told him. "That's…That's wonderful news! No, that's spectacular! I knew that she could do it." he said brightly. The man had always been worried about Elsa's dicey control of her powers causing untold amounts of problems for her in the future, especially when it came time for her to succeed him, but it looked like that things were finally looking up for her. Agdar had been waiting for news like this for ages, and now that he was actually hearing it, he felt as if he was dreaming.
"As did I, dear, and I think I know what the driving force behind her rapid improvement was the most likely." Idun added playfully, a coy grin on her face.
Hearing the teasing tone in his wife's voice, Agdar looked at her questioningly. "What do you mean?"
Idun recalled the ice figure of the Fentons' son that Elsa had made during her little show, and how it was slightly more detailed than the rest. On top of that, when she'd asked her daughter how she gotten so much better with using her powers, she remembered seeing the girl discretely look at that particular sculpture. Lastly, when Elsa had made her request to have her curfew lifted, she had hastily mentioned wanting to spend more time with her friends as a forethought, mere moments after specifically mentioning Danny's name. All of the evidence pointed to one logical conclusion.
"Now this purely speculation on my part," she said, "but I believe that it has something to do with a boy." The look on her husband's face was priceless.