Ahh, we're on chapter 10 already? Wow! Thanks to everyone who read/reviewed the previous chapter! I'm pretty excited for this one :)

Enjoy!

'Elsa of Arendelle, pregnant!'

'The Queen of Arendelle is expecting.'

'A royal baby is on the way!'

'Queen Elsa of Arendelle is adding a new member into the royal family.'

Those were only a few of the hundreds of headlines that were seen and heard, the moment Elsa decided to break the news to the public. Once the news got around to people, they were amazed; completely in awe. And considering the fact that Elsa and Jack aren't like most people, this was an extremely huge deal.

It has only been a month since Elsa and Jack decided to finally announce the news of the baby. First, they told Sven and Olaf; Olaf could not have been any more excited for his creator. Then they announced it to everyone who worked within the castle, and then the news expanded from there.

From DunBroch to Corona, all anyone could talk about was the Queen's pregnancy. Although people consider it to be traditional for a Queen to be married before having a child, most people overlooked that part. Elsa, however, always blushed whenever the topic of marriage was brought up. She and Jack didn't exactly seem like the marrying type, but then again, they didn't seem like the parenting type either, but look at where they are now.

It was also quite a surprise to the town of Arendelle; they all would have expected their quirky and energetic Princess to become a mother first, not their quiet and reserved Queen.

Though Elsa tried her best to stay out of the limelight, she was still very appreciative towards the overwhelming support everyone has given her and Jack. Jack was not use to this type of attention at all. To him, it was quite interesting.

That afternoon, Jack, Elsa, Anna and Kristoff were in the dining room. After a bit of careful counting, Elsa realized that she was approximately three months pregnant, though her body barely showed any evidence of that.

Elsa stared at her soup. Ever since she became pregnant, she has been rejecting to eat certain foods, food that were usually her favorite. She thought back to when her mother was pregnant with Anna; Elsa had wondered why her mother had refused different types of food, but now, she understands. The sight and smell of vegetable soup was just revolting.

"You better eat up, Elsa," Anna said from across the table. "That baby won't feed itself."

But Elsa frowned. It was a good thing she hasn't been experiencing morning sickness just yet, but she had to remind herself that she has about six more long months to go. Her fatigue and exhaustion had not yet ceased, and having many sleepless nights in a row didn't help either.

She shook her head as she pushed the bowl of soup away from her. "Do you mind if I excuse myself? I'm not feeling very hungry."

Anna looked at her sister. "But you haven't eaten anything all day," she said.

"I'm just feeling a bit tired, Anna. I promise, I'll come downstairs to eat once I'm feeling better," Elsa said, before getting up from the table.

Jack looked at her. "Want me to go with you?"

Elsa smiled but shook her head. "No, it's fine. I'll just be upstairs."

The blonde gave them all one more smile before leaving the dining hall to ascend upstairs into her bedroom. Being a Queen and being pregnant at the same time was not the greatest thing in the world; she still had many meetings to attend, many papers to read through. She can't even remember the last time she had a decent amount of sleep. Taking a nap now sounded like a good idea.

Once she arrived at her bedroom, she instantly got into her bed. The feeling of the cold sheets was so relaxing, especially with all the pain she has been feeling in her body lately. She had to admit, she was a bit hungry. Like Anna said, she hasn't eaten all day. But Elsa figured that being pregnant would get in the way of her appetite. She closed her eyes as she snuggled into her silk sheets and laid there hoping that her sleepiness would take over.

Ten minutes passed, then twenty.

She was still awake.

Her eyes flew opened as she sighed deeply to herself. All she wanted was just a few moments of rest, something to take her mind off of everything else going on in her life. With the news of her being pregnant, with everyone's eyes on her and Jack, Elsa wished that she was able to relax for just one second. But on top of her pregnancy, there were her Queenly duties she had to take care of. And carrying an unborn child in your body certainly did not make things any easier.

Despite the positivity she has been receiving towards the pregnancy, there was this sense of fear lingering in the back of her head. Elsa has already opened up to Jack about the concern she carries about their baby having the same ice powers as them; her main concern was protecting the ones around them from any harm, and she knew that it was going to be tricky with a baby who will quite possibly possess hers and Jack's powers.

Elsa knew that she may be worrying too much. How much damage can a baby even do? But the memory of almost killing Anna with her own ice powers still haunts Elsa's brain everyday.

But ever since Jack talked to her regarding that situation, Elsa felt a whole lot better. The only thing that was holding her back was the fear she felt towards the baby's powers. But after Jack explained to her that they will get through this together, and that he will do whatever it takes to raise their baby, the heavy burden was finally lifted off of Elsa's shoulder.

But there was something else that was on her mind, something that had been controlling her thoughts ever since she found out about the baby.

Elsa would never admit this to Jack, but she was worried.

It has been years since her parents have died and as much as she hated to admit it, she sometimes forgets what it's like having a parent figure in her life. Ever since her parents passed away, it only left her and Anna; Elsa instantly took over the roles of her mother and father because she knew that all she and Anna had were each other. And throughout the years, Elsa felt like she was never the perfect sister, that she was never good enough.

It pains her to think back to the time when she isolated herself from the world, from her own sister, because of her fears. And though that is all in the past now, Elsa felt like she had missed out on so much, that she was not the ideal big sister she once was due to her mistakes, that she wasn't good enough.

And that's what scared her - that she wasn't going to be a mother that was good enough.

Jack has had plenty of experience with young children and Elsa envied him for that. He is always telling her stories about the children he has seen around the world, and how they laughed and cheered when he made it snow. She wishes she knew what it was like to be around children. She wishes she knew how it felt to see them laugh and play and smile, but she doesn't.

She has spent so many years locked away from any form of human contact, that it all seemed foreign to her. And Elsa was scared, terrified that she was going to do something wrong, that she was going to screw up and make mistakes, much like she has done before when she and Anna were younger.

And Elsa feared that she wasn't going to be the ideal parent she has envisioned. There was just so much leftover guilt lingering in her veins from all the years she has spent behind closed doors and away from humanity. She didn't want to go through that feeling again, especially with her very own child.

She wanted her baby to have everything, to have the parental love that every child deserves. Ever since her parents died, it left an empty hole in her heart, and Elsa wanted to fill it up again with the love and care she will give to her baby.

She was scared. What if her fears get the best of her again? What is something goes wrong? And worst of all, what if her fears cause her to seclude herself away from her own child, much like she did with her own sister and parents?

That thought scorched Elsa's mind; it sent chills of agony down her spine. Letting her past repeat itself was the last thing she wanted, but she knew she was going to have to do her absolute best to try and overcome it.

Elsa had to remind herself everyday that her life is different now. Yes, she may still be Queen; she may still be taking care of an entire Kingdom, but there was something more important that she had to take care of now - not herself, not Arendelle, not even her own sister.

But her baby.

Back downstairs in the dining hall, the servants had just finished clearing off the dining table, leaving Jack, Anna and Kristoff there to talk.

"Do you think Elsa is alright? She seems so worn out," said Anna.

"Well, she is pretty tired. She was awake almost the entire night." said Jack.

Anna smiled. She was so thankful for Jack, in more ways than one. Ever since he came into Elsa's life, Anna could really see a change in her sister, something that she has never seen before. Anna and Elsa have always been close as sisters, even with that dark point where Elsa started to isolate herself from everybody. But now with Jack around, Elsa has really blossomed into something more.

Of course, Elsa is still very calm, poised and assertive; she always has been. And though Jack is the complete opposite, Anna could see how well they fit together.

But the most important thing, the thing that Anna appreciated the most, was the way Jack feels about Elsa. He loves her in a way that was so breathtakingly beautiful, it was hard to explain. It was a type of love that everyone would envy, a type of love that everyone wished they had for themselves.

Anna could see how much Elsa has changed because of Jack; before Jack came along, Anna had worried that her sister would never find someone to love, someone who would never accept her for who she is, but she was glad that she was proven wrong. She is so happy that Elsa has found someone that knows her, that understands what she has been through, someone who is so much like her. And it was amazing how they both possess the same type of powers, as if they were made for one another.

"You know, I still can't believe it. I still can't believe that Elsa's pregnant," said Kristoff.

Jack laughed apprehensively. "Me neither. I didn't even know it was possible for a Guardian to, well, make a baby."

"Then you and Elsa must have done some pretty interesting things in order for a pregnancy to happen between you two," joked Kristoff.

Jack couldn't help but laugh. Though it still comes off as a shock to him that he, the carefree, fun-loving Jack Frost, is going to be a father, he couldn't deny the fact that he is excited. Despite the things going on with Pitch, the feeling of adrenaline he gets whenever he thinks about the baby was such a bizarre but wonderful feeling.

"The baby is going to be so, so, so beautiful. It's going to be the most adorable child ever!" Anna sighed in adoration. "Ooh, I'm so excited!"

Anna has always loved kids, and knowing that she was going to be an aunt soon was such an incredible feeling. Kristoff felt the same way about the baby too; he has spent all those years living with the trolls and taking care of all the younger trolls, that he found that it was such a refreshing feeling to know that he was going to have a human niece or nephew to take care of soon.

"Do the other Guardians know about the baby?" asked Kristoff.

Jack nodded. "Yeah, they do."

Anna gasped. "What did they say? I bet they were super excited about it!"

The white haired Guardian laughed and said, "Well, they were shocked, let me tell you that. Like I said, no one knew it was possible. It was completely unexpected, but they're all happy for me and Elsa."

"Well, at least you and Elsa don't have to worry about babysitters. Kristoff and I are so excited to look after the baby while you and Elsa do your Guardian and Queen duties," said Anna.

"Just as long as you guys are able to handle a baby that will probably make snowballs and snowflakes in it's crib," Jack joked.

Anna laughed. "I'm sure we can handle it."

Jack laughed, wishing that their lives would be that simple once the baby is born. He had to remind himself everyday of the demonic plot that Pitch is planning, and though Jack and the Guardians vowed to protect everyone from harm, Jack still feared for the safety of his family. He wished he had the guts to tell Anna and Kristoff about Pitch, but it just didn't seem right to tell them before telling Elsa.

Anna, on the other hand, had something to ask Jack. This was something she had wanted to ask him for about a month already. She knew that she should ask both Jack and Elsa, but Anna knew that her sister would refuse. And who better to ask than Jack himself? This is his baby too, after all.

"Anyway, Jack, I've been thinking..." Anna started.

Jack looked at the princess. "Yeah?"

Anna sighed and smiled. "Well, since almost everyone knows about the pregnancy, and everyone is dying to talk to you and Elsa, would you maybe consider...letting me throw a baby shower?"

The Guardian looked at her for a moment. "A baby shower?"

"Yeah! You know, a big party for you and Elsa to celebrate the baby! I mean, obviously it's going to be much bigger and way more spectacular, considering that this is yours and Elsa's baby, but we can invite all of Arendelle, and invite some family friends across sea. Oh, and the other Guardians can come too, of course!" Anna exclaimed cheerfully.

Unlike Elsa, Anna was a bit more outgoing, and she absolutely loved events like these. And the thought of throwing a baby shower for her own sister was exciting enough to send her through the roof.

"I don't know, Anna," said Jack. "Your sister isn't exactly fond of big events, especially ones where all the attention is on her."

Anna frowned. He does have a point. Although Elsa has no reason to hide her powers anymore, big and special occasions weren't her thing. Even Arendelle's annual Winter Festivals made her nervous sometimes.

"Please, Jack?" Anna asked.

He sighed. "Well, what did Elsa say about it?"

"Well...I didn't really talk to her about it because I know she's going to say no," Anna said.

Jack didn't know what to do. He hated being in this position. He couldn't possibly say no to Anna; he can clearly see how excited she is. And Jack himself didn't mind if Anna wanted to throw a baby shower; he knows how much this would mean to her. But he knew that Elsa's input would matter most.

Jack sighed again and said, "I'll see. I have to talk to Elsa about it first."

Anna gleamed. "Oh, thank you, Jack. This is so exciting."

The Guardian just nodded in return before gazing down to see the untouched bowl of soup that Elsa refused to eat. "Anyway, I think I should go upstairs and give Elsa some food."

"Good idea. She hasn't eaten all day and I'm starting to get worried," said Anna.

Jack nodded again. He got up from his seat before reaching towards the bowl of vegetable soup, but once his fingers got a mere grasp on the ceramic bowl, the soup instantly turned to ice. Jack pulled back and laughed nervously. "I think you should bring the bowl of soup upstairs. I'll only make it cold."

"Sorry, I sometimes forget that you and Elsa have magical ice powers," Anna laughed. "I'll just ask the chef to make her a new one."

Jack nodded. "Alright. I'll just go upstairs and check on her then."

He said goodbye to Anna and Kristoff before he left the dining hall to fly upstairs to Elsa's bedroom.

Inside the room, Elsa had her eyes shut as she laid awake in her bed. But she groaned quietly when she heard a couple of knocks coming from her bedroom door. Even the lightest of sounds gave her a headache. She didn't even get a chance to fall asleep yet. A few seconds later, she heard the door open and against her fatigue, she turned towards it, only to see Jack standing there.

"Can I come in?" he asked.

She nodded before slowly sitting up in her bed. Despite how tired she was, she was glad Jack was here. She found that she slept much easier when he was with her. She watched as he entered the room before leaning his staff against the wall. He came over to sit on the edge of the bed.

He frowned when he looked at her. It was clear that Elsa was exhausted. Her usually sparkling blue eyes were now droopy and heavy with dark shades under them. Her usually perfect hair was now unkempt and messy. Jack still found her beautiful, stunning as she ever was, but it was hard for him to see her so drained of energy.

"Hey," he said softly. "How are you feeling?"

Elsa sighed. "A bit tired, but I've been worse," she said.

Jack forced a laugh. "The pregnancy treating you hard?"

She gave a gentle shrug. "A little bit."

He leaned in and gave her a light kiss on the lips. "I'm sorry. I wish I could do something to make things easier for you."

"It's okay," she whispered. "I'm sure I'll get use to it. Anyway, I'm sorry for leaving the dining hall all of a sudden. I was just so tired."

"It's fine. Anna said you didn't eat. Aren't you hungry?" he asked her.

"Just a little bit, but I'm fine for now," she answered. "I didn't get any sleep either."

"I thought you were tired?"

"I know," she sighed. "I guess I can't stop thinking about this whole pregnancy."

Though Elsa now has a much more positive attitude towards her pregnancy, there was still that fear that lingered inside her body. Although she no longer felt bitter and upset over the baby, she still worried over how she was going to do as a new mother, and how she was going to handle everything else at the same time with an infant to take care of.

Jack smiled before sitting closer to her. "Everything will be just fine, remember?"

"I know. I just wish that things would speed up," Elsa said quietly.

But Jack frowned. He wished that time would slow down, or even come to a pause. Because he knew that with each second that ticked by, was just another second closer to the moment Pitch Black will return for his and Elsa's baby.

Although Jack swore on his life that he will never let anything near Elsa and the baby, the dark reality of not knowing how to stop Pitch, haunts him. And even though Jack and the rest of the Guardians have promised to protect all of Arendelle, there were no guarantees.

Jack didn't want to think about this, but he just didn't know how he will be able to stop Pitch.

"So, what do you think?" Elsa asked suddenly.

Jack turned to her. "What do I think of what?"

Elsa smiled, giving a bit of life to her tired face and said, "What do you think our baby will be?"

That question instantly threw him off guard. Jack didn't know what to say. This was the first time Elsa had brought up the baby in an unrelated conversation, and the first time he heard her talk about the baby without fear having to do with it.

"I don't know," he answered truthfully. "I haven't really thought of it."

"Hmm," Elsa sighed to herself.

"How about you?" he asked. "What do you think?"

Elsa thought back to her nightmares she had a couple months ago. She thought back to the child she envisioned in those dark dreams. It had Jack's eyes, an image that she will never get out of her head. The gender was not clear at all, but to her, it didn't matter. Whether it was a baby boy, or a baby girl, she knows that she and Jack will love it unconditionally.

"I don't know either," she said. "The feeling still hasn't sunk in yet."

He laughed lightly. "Yeah, I know how you feel."

"I guess it will finally seem real when I actually give birth," she said, frowning at the words. Labour was the part she was not looking forward to.

"Oh, speaking of that," Jack started. "Downstairs, Anna, Kristoff and I were talking, and your sister sort of asked me something."

Elsa raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"She wanted to know if she could maybe throw a baby shower for you? You know, a party to celebrate you being pregnant."

"A what?" Elsa exclaimed, before shaking her head. "No, Jack! Absolutely not!"

Jack sighed and slightly rolled his eyes. He figured she would say that. "Okay, look, we all-"

"Jack, you know how I feel about big events," Elsa sighed. "Especially events with lots of people."

"I know. I told Anna the same thing, but hey, it isn't all bad. This could be fun. This is all about you, remember?" Jack said.

But Elsa shook her head. Even though the citizens of Arendelle are all aware of the Queen's powers, Elsa didn't want to risk it. Sure, she was better at concealing her powers than before, but there will always be that sense of fear that will live on in her body. Fear will always be her enemy.

But then again, this is a very special celebration. Undoubtedly more special than her own coronation, more special than Anna and Kristoff's wedding. Not only was she - the Queen - pregnant, but she was pregnant with the prince or princess of Arendelle.

"I don't know, Jack," she sighed.

"Hey," he said gently, reaching over to take both of her hands in his. He cupped them tightly and said, "You'll be fine, I promise. You're stronger than this, I know you are."

Elsa looked down at their hands, to her hands, which were concealed by Jack's. "I just...I just don't know if I'm ready," she said quietly.

He sighed deeply before giving her an assuring smile. "I'm not forcing you to go along with this if you don't want to, because I know you're afraid. I know that you only want to keep people safe. But I hate seeing you look so sad. You've been confined in this castle for so long, that I think it would be a good thing if you went out and had a little fun."

Jack was right. Ever since the news of her pregnancy had broke out, Elsa stayed within her castle gates the entire time. She wanted to stay away from the public eye, despite all the excitement over it. The rest of Arendelle were yet to catch a glimpse of their Queen since the news of the baby, and they were all certainly looking forward to seeing Elsa again.

Elsa sighed deeply before looking up to meet Jack's eyes. "If I agree to this, will you promise to stay by my side the entire time?"

Jack nodded as his gaze fell to Elsa's stomach, before looking back up at her. "I promise."

Back at the North Pole, while Sandy, Tooth and Bunny were back in their own locations, North was happily humming an old holiday tune while inspecting a new batch of dolls with rainbow coloured hair, until something in the corner of his eye caught his attention.

He put the doll down and turned to the large opened window, towards the moon, which was floating high in the dark midnight sky.

"Ah, Manny, my old friend," North said to the moon. "How is everything going?"

The bright light of the moon shone through the window, giving a faint white glow around it's shape. Unlike the other Guardians, North and the Man in the Moon had a unique connection. North was the only Guardian that the Moon spoke directly to; North is the only Guardian who can hear the Moon's exact words.

North suddenly frowned as the gentle, wispy words of the Moon entered his head. His large eyebrows furrowed in worry as he stared at the ground.

"Really," stated North, before looking up.

The Moon spoke.

"What is your plan, Manny?" asked North.

The Moon glowed as it began to talk to North, sending a chilly breeze through the room; the scent of gingerbread was now replaced by the scent of the dim outside air.

North's eyes widened when he heard what the Moon had to say. "What? No! Isn't there any other way?"

The Moon answered, letting it's light eclipse the carpet of the Workshop. North's heart sank, a feeling his old, jolly self has never felt before.

"That is terrible news," said North. He paused again to listen to what the Moon had to say before sighing deeply. "But...but how will that happen?"

The Moon spoke again, before a tiny vial of clear liquid appeared right in front of North's face. The North Pole suddenly seemed colder than usual.

"Manny, I can't," sighed North, shaking his head as he stared at the vial. "The boy loves her too much."

The Moon answered as it's rays of moonlight penetrated through the room, casting a sense of misery to the aphotic atmosphere.

"Yes, I do understand that it is best for both of them, but...but I cannot do this to Jack," North said.

The Moon replied.

"Elsa means so much to him. I...I cannot do this, Manny. There has to be another way," North pleaded.

But the Moon continued to reason with North, and as much as it pained him to do so, North finally grabbed the vial of liquid. He looked at it for a short second and sighed; How can a small glass bottle hold something so...cruel? But North nodded before tucking it away in his pocket.

"I know that Jack will be devastated, Manny. But...you are right. It is for his own good," sighed North.

The Moon spoke to North one last time, it's frail and wispy words were disappearing one by one.

The old Guardian closed his eyes and nodded his head. "Yes. I promise I will do it."

The Moon gave off one final glow, before dimming itself back in the night sky.

North sighed deeply. His big, loving, joyful heart was shattered, absolutely destroyed. Never in his many centuries of living did he ever have to do something like this, to be responsible for something so painfully horrifying. Oh, how it killed him to go along with this. How it pained him to be the one doing this. Jack was like his son; he was his fellow Guardian. And North knows how much Elsa means to Jack.

Manny's words were haunting, but they were also true. It was for the best.

North reached into his pocket and pulled the small vial back out. He opened his palm and read the disheartening calligraphed Latin word that was neatly printed on the paper-thin label.

'Mortem'.

Death.

'What in the world was going on between North and the Moon', you might ask? Well, whatever it is, doesn't sound too good...

Thanks for reading, and PLEASE review! Reviews are always greatly appreciated!