Author's Note: Abbi: I hope everything clears up. And that today is better than yesterday was. I'm also thrilled you like the chapter! I have an extra long one today. Guest: I'm glad this was 'chido.' Lol, never heard that term before.
I hope you guys enjoy this one. Please tell me what you think. You already know how much I love reviews ;)

She sighed as she rummaged through the fridge. Where were they? She shoved a yellow container of mustard aside and even looked under the lettuce. Elsa shut the fridge. As she walked by the counter, the color of dark blue caught her eye. She nearly smiled in triumph as she worked the plastic contained open, popping a round berry into her mouth. Once she had polished off the blueberries, she began working on the tart blackberries. The ones that looked like they were swollen, their individual berries nearly bursting, were the sweetest. There was an increasing abundance of fruit in the kitchen.

"Like them?"

Elsa glanced at him and shyly glanced downwards. She popped another into her mouth.

He chuckled. "I'll take that as a yes." He snatched a glass from the cabinet and filled it with water before guzzling it. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "So, I've been thinking…" Elsa rolled her eyes, but waited patiently for whatever he had to say. He fidgeted for a while, the awkward silent dragging. "I think we should… spend some time together." He glanced up at her.

Elsa took a moment to search his impossibly blue eyes. Why would he want to spend time with her? Elsa realized he was waiting for her to say something. "Okay," she replied. It wasn't like she had an option anyway, if she wanted to stay in his good graces.

"Great." Both were silent for a long moment. Jack cleared his throat. "Uh, suggestions?"

Elsa shrugged.

Jack sighed and spent a moment thinking. "We could… see a movie?"

"Sure."

"Or go to the mall again?"

"Alright."

Jack huffed and crossed his arms. "Since when were you so agreeable?"

Since I was provided for by someone else! Oaf-head, Elsa added mentally for good measure.

Jack smirked. "Say it."

"What?"

"Whatever's on your mind."

Elsa snorted. Like she'd tell him that.

"Please, Elsa?"

"Going to the mall or movies sounds wonderful."

Jack rolled his eyes and coughed not so discreetly. "Liar."

This time, Elsa rolled her eyes. What was his problem? "Why?"

"You've been a little too… benign lately."

"Benign?"

"Yeah. The last time you actually said what you thought was when you got upset at me because I didn't wake you for work."

Elsa frowned. "That was weeks ago."

"Exactly."

Elsa exhaled slowly and drummed her fingers on the countertop.

"So? What do you feel like doing?"

"Whatever," she replied nonchalantly.

"Elsa Arendelle Fr—"

"A picnic! Happy?"

"Very." He offered one of his dazzling smiles to demonstrate. "Well take lots of fruit," he mused. Elsa frowned. Had Jack noticed her affinity for fruit? "And… sandwiches. And chocolate," he added quickly. "What kind of sandwiches do you like?" Elsa opened her mouth to reply, but Jack cut her off, "And you have to be picky and opinionated."

Elsa crossed her arms. "Peanut butter and jelly."

He smiled triumphantly. "Peanut butter and jelly it is!"

He seemed way too happy about this picnic. "I'm going to change."

Jack nodded. He seemed rather absorbed in his sandwich making. Elsa parted the hanger in the closet. A turquoise sundress caught her attention. Elsa fingered the soft material. It wasn't practical. Elsa snatched the dress off of its hanger anyway. She had a sudden impulse to wear it. It'd been a while since she'd worn a dress. The soft material of the dress clung to her curls, falling just above her knees. Elsa was acutely aware of how pale she was. She began to tug the dress off, slipping her arms through her sleeves, when Jack walked into the bathroom. She quickly tugged the sleeved back up. She glanced shyly at Jack, whose eyes scrutinized the dress.

He swallowed, finally speaking, "Wow." He slowly approached her and splayed a palm on her bare back. Elsa nearly jumped, but held herself steady. She hadn't noticed how much of her back was exposed. A hole, void a fabric, ran from just under her shoulder blades to the base of her spine. Jack's fingers traced her spine, wandering up and down. Elsa stifled a gasp as she was enveloped by warmth, goose bumps shimmering across her skin. "It looks… really nice," he murmured appreciatively. He tucked a stray tendril behind her ear, his hand briefly touching her neck. Elsa held rigidly still, though she was trembling inside. Jack swallowed. "I'm—uh—done. With the… food… stuff." He began stammering and blushing. He ducked his head shyly and hurried out of the bathroom. Elsa frowned, observing herself. How could a piece of fabric make him act like that? Elsa hesitantly braided her hair before she exited the bathroom. Jack was in the kitchen. His eyes skimmed over her again. And again. Elsa fidgeted in her dress and wondered what had possessed her to keep it on. Jack led her outside and heaved a cooler into the trunk before opening the door for her. Elsa waited, fiddling with her dress, as Jack drove. The road finally ended in a square of asphalt. Jack parked and helped Elsa out before taking the color out of the trunk.

"We need to walk a bit to get there."

"Okay."

Jack led her to a sidewalk. To her left was a trash can and a sign that read, 'NO LITTERING.' There was a big red 'x' over a black hand, reaching for a crumpled white piece of paper. To the right was a wooden sign, welcoming them to Chisolm Creek Park. After a few minutes, Elsa was hot. The sun beamed down on the sidewalk. She could feel its rays hitting her. Jack stepped off of the sidewalk, weaving his way through trees. Elsa followed, her curiosity piqued. He finally stopped at the edge of a clearing, underneath two trees, their branches overlapping and weaving themselves into each other. He rubbed the back of his neck shyly.

"Sorry. I would have found something more… picturesque, but—"

"It's beautiful." The grass below was thick, though short. Elsa practically had to wade through the lush, emerald carpet. Jack unfolded a large red blanket and let it float down to the grass, taking a moment to straighten the wrinkles. Jack signaled for her to sit down. Once she was sitting, Jack handed her a sandwich, encased in a plastic bag. Elsa took a bite from the sandwich once she had unwrapped it, savoring the creamy peanut blend with the cool, sweet jelly. She'd never take sandwiches—or any food—for granted again. When Elsa finished her sandwich, Jack offered her fruit, which she politely declined, much to his surprise. She stretched her legs in front of her so her toes touched a yellow beam of light. The tree foliage made interesting patterns on the ground. Elsa traced the shadows with a single finger. Both of them remained silent. Elsa reveled in the tranquility and vibrancy surrounding her. She could heard nothing but the soft shush of the wind stirring the leaves and the occasional chirp or trill from a bird. To Elsa, it sounded beautiful. She closed her eyes, relaxing against the picnic blanket. Her eyes suddenly fluttered open when she sensed Jack's gaze. She turned to look at him. He was staring at her intensely. She felt another brief flicker of warmth, not caused by the gentle sunlight. Her breath hitched when she gazed into his luminescent azure eyes, instantly losing herself. Ever so gently, he reached out and softly caressed her cheek, as if she was something delicate and priceless. Elsa loved it when he did that. She leaned into his touch before she could stop herself. Her heart began fluttering inside of her chest and she quickly withdrew. As she turned away, she took in a shuddering breath. It was the shock one received when they stepped out of the warmth of a house and was hit by a frigid blast of air. Elsa shyly glance back at him. He offered her a slightly sad, albeit understanding, smile. Elsa looked away. Why did he have to be so understanding? It'd be so much easier for her to ignore him if he were some egotistical jerk. Instead, he had to be kind and patient and selfless. Or at least, he appeared that way. Elsa leaned back on the blanket, staring at the canopy of trees above them, shielding her from the golden beams of sunlight. She closed her eyes and found herself relaxing in the warmth, wishing it could reach her heart. Inside, she felt cold and icy. Jack—ever persistent—tucked his arm behind her head and pulled her close to him. Elsa inhaled deeply, vainly trying to calm her—once again—racing heart. His other hand brushed her neck as he played with a silky strand of her hair. Despite herself, Elsa practically melted into him, relaxing. Jack's warm hand splayed on her care back, holding her close. Her head was safely tucked underneath his. Jack pulled up the edges of the blanket, cocooning them inside. Elsa, feeling safe and warm, felt herself drifting.

Her eyes fluttered open. She hadn't slept that well since before the… Elsa yawned and began to stretch when she found something holding her. Jack's arms were wrapped around her and—to Elsa's embarrassment—hers were wrapped around him. She cautiously untangled her arms and tried to wriggle free, but Jack's hold on her was firm. He opened his eyes and flashed her a smile.

"Awake already?"

Elsa nodded. Jack leaned closer and she swallowed nervously. He gently brushed his lips to her forehead. Elsa ducked, hoping her eyes wouldn't give away her emotions. His grip on her loosened and she wasted no time distancing herself from him. Elsa saw the sun was a good deal lower, the sky dimming. One second seemed to last an eternity. Time itself seemed to freeze. Gradually, it got darker until the sky burst with color as the sun dipped into the horizon. Elsa saw a faint flicker, a beacon of yellow in the dark. She saw another one, closer. Elsa sat up, staring at the display of fireflies in rapt silence. One fluttered closer and crawled on the blanket. Its light pulsed steadily until it flitted away. A few faint stars were scarcely visible in the twilight.

"Elsa?"

"Hmm?" she replied, her attention still fixed on the fireflies.

"What happened… at the lab?"

"At the…" her voice faltered and she stiffened as what he said finally dawned on her. She clenched her jaw. He had revealed parts of himself to her. Surely she could return the favor. Images flashed through her mind: palpable darkness, glaring light, glistening needles, swarms of scientists. Elsa could practically feel the cold metal underneath her fingertips, the hospital gown scratching her irritably, the prick of an IV inserted into her wrist, the smell of chemical cleaners filling her lungs.

"Elsa?"

"No."

"Elsa…" he coaxed, "I'm not being nosy. I just wanted to help—"

"No," she snapped, her voice frosty.

"Elsa, just give me a—"

"I said NO!" she yelled. Elsa moved to get up, but Jack pulled her back down. "Get off!" she hissed.

"Elsa, please. Give me a chance."

"Let me go!" She struggled vainly. Jack wrapped his arms around her, pinning her to the ground.

"No, I'm not letting you go. I'll never let you go," he replied softly.

Her arms were restrained, so she couldn't punch him. Elsa began to kick, but he was too far. He wasn't even exerting any effort! All he had to do was lie on top of her. Elsa furiously thrashed for a while longer. She finally stopped, her chest heaving. "Let. Me. Go."

"Tell me."

Both were silent. The only sound Elsa could hear was the pounding of her heart and her heavy pants. "No, you'll have to kill me before I tell you anything!" After her sudden exclamation, she burst into tears.

Jack's expression softened as he held her with one arm while the other brushed away her tears. "El—"

"Just get off of me!" she managed, through her tears.

Jack reluctantly released her, giving her room. Elsa was on her feet in an instant. She turned on her heel and sprinted to the parking lot, her feet slapping the sidewalk. Her chest was still heaving and tears were still pouring down her cheeks when she sank to the still hot asphalt beside the car. A tear dripped off of her cheek and splattered to the ground. Elsa inhaled and exhaled shakily as she hugged her knees, desperately trying to get her emotions under control. It broke her heart that Jack had ulterior motives. That he wasn't content to just be with her. She couldn't blame him. After all, who would want to live with a monster?