(Reuploaded 07-29-14: Replaced with Kaika Hana's beta'd version. :3. She's an awesome gal. Check out her profile and fanfics on other fandoms! ^u^)

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters that are not mine. The only characters I own are Snowflake and the duke and the duchess... and Radcliffe, yeah, he belongs to me too... I am not genius enough to have thought about Arendelle, or the Guardians of Childhood or Snegurochka... Just... ugh. Why?!

WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS FROM GUARDIANS OF CHILDHOOD BOOKS BY WILLIAM JOYCE. ALTHOUGH I DID NOT STICK TO THE BOOK CANON (because I am sticking with the movie-verse), BUT THEY'RE STILL SPOILERS ANYWAY.

Chapter 10: Mama's Game Over (Part One)

For once, Elsa felt extremely fascinated by a winter magic that wasn't her own.

She watched as the blue and white sparks of light protruded from her daughter, enveloping the ballroom in a paradox of warmth and chill that sent goosebumps running through her arms. The frost-animals that skittered about the air sent snowflakes flying all over the place with all their prancing and flying, and it coated the castle with an indescribable joy; almost as if the atmosphere had been blissfully manipulated by some spiritual intervention; that all negative feelings of doubt, hostility, and mockery were gone...

They were all replaced by joy and fun.

Elsa just stared. She stared at her daughter, the crowds watching the child as she chased the magical beings, and the snowfall that descended upon them making her all fuzzy and warm inside. She listened to the music that began to flood the room as the little girl ran and clapped around the room and smiled.

Suddenly, she knew so clearly why she felt so overprotective of the child she had only had for a day. She wanted Snowflake all to herself... because she was beyond magical.

With her, Elsa knew, that she finally understood the beauty in her ice magic. Snowflake was... was every bit of the beauty in the gift she once claimed to be her curse. Of course, she loved Olaf and Marshmallow like they were her children too... but Snowflake was just too different, aside from the fact that she looked more human than the other two.

She was the image of the joy and childish innocence Elsa longed for all her life. She was carefree and adorable and she naturally and easily won the hearts of those around in spite of her being... different. All her actions had always been motivated by love, and though she got upset easily, she would ease Elsa's fears of her getting out of control with fantastical displays of power such as this.

In that moment, as she gazed upon the little girl who graced the crowds with her devious smile, Elsa knew; she loved her. She loved her little smile so much that it hurt.

And the queen vowed to protect her joy with every power she had and every force she could muster. She would not experience the same pain of being hid... of being locked away. No, Snowflake will not experience that same isolation she dreaded for thirteen years of life.

But somehow, she dreaded the thought of letting her be free.

In the queen's train of thought, a lone snowflake fell and kissed her nose. The feeling sent a childish giggle bubbling out of her lips as a cute expression came to mind.

Jack Frost nipped at her nose.

And the joy died as soon as she thought about it... Because right then, Elsa couldn't believe what she saw.

It was only but a few fleeting seconds... a mere glimpse, in fact. But her eyes were keen enough to catch sight of him.

Who in heaven's name was that boy? And moreover, how could she have seen him suddenly pop out of nowhere? It was as quick as a breeze that passes by in a winter morn, catching the wanderer off guard with a frost bite. As the winter magic died inside the room from the heat of the merry banquet, the same cold crept speedily through her limbs while the flakes disappeared from her line of vision. That was what Elsa felt upon seeing that lad afloat two feet above the floor, dashing towards a promise of escape with a shepherd's staff in hand. She saw him as soon as the crowds by the big swinging doors thinned, materializing where Snowflake had introduced her invisible Papa to them all... She saw him in that one slight moment... pale as the moon... cold as ice.

A lad with stark white hair, and frost-covered clothes.

Jack Frost.

"Oh..." Elsa slumped against her throne, quite ungracefully in fact. The servants beside her rushed quickly in alarm, fanning her with a clean napkin and a feathered fan with panic visible in their eyes.

"My queen! My queen! Are you alright?!" the servants fretted.

"Don't feel... don't feel... don't feel..." she chanted quietly. Elsa paled like she had seen a ghost... like a nightmare had suddenly presented itself to her in one agonizing show. She massaged her temples, bracing herself against the arm rest which only heightened the servants' worries even more.

"Elsa!" Anna called out. She pressed through the celebrating guests, with Kristoff, Rapunzel, and Eugene trailing behind her. "Elsa, are you okay?"

She found it quite peculiar how most of the guests had not noticed her sister's fainting spell. She guessed that it was the after effect of Jack's magic that suspended their state of euphoria, but she decided not to dwell on the thought too much. The guests nearby had also began to crowd her, but then they sighed in relief as Elsa straightened herself up, though still looking a bit shaken.

"I... I'm fine..." she said breathlessly. "I just... I just feel..." Elsa bit her lip. She did not want to admit it... She did not want to give Anna that satisfaction of how right she was. Elsa did not want to believe in what she saw.

Why was that so? Because the reality of Jack Frost meant her days with Snowflake were numbered. Because it meant that Snowflake was not hers to keep... not hers to love...

If only she knew how wrong she was...

"I just feel relieved," Elsa lied, fighting tears that threatened to fall. "I'm glad they accepted her... I'm glad..."

Anna sighed in relief as she saw the color in the queen's face flush back to normal. "Golly... for a second there I thought you were like gonna die on me or something!"

Elsa smiled as she stood on shaky legs, resisting the urge to peek through the crowds and find the young man. She let out a breath, calming her heart as she thawed the ice she had unconsciously cast on her throne. Her servants stepped back to allow her some air before they dismissed themselves and proceeded to usher their guests. The day was indeed packed with so many unexpected events, leaving the entire staff of Arendelle servants mentally and emotionally restless, and they could not even blame Elsa in her current state, for they understood, even if only a tiny bit, what she was going through.

In the light of the moment, Elsa did not miss Eugene's disbelieving face as he eyed the throne like something was wrong with it. Grinning playfully, she produced a whoopie cushion hidden from one side of the seat and held it up for the man to see. The look on his face was priceless. Elsa chuckled softly to herself, earning confused looks from the ice man and the two princesses.

"W-when did you-"

"Whoopie cushions?" Elsa grinned. "You think you can embarrass me with whoopie cushions?"

Eugene groaned. "That would have been so epic!"

Elsa allowed herself to laugh, relieving the tension from her shoulders. There was no room to be worrying about what or who she saw now. She decided that it was all in her head... just all in her head.

Oh for heaven's sake she was no fool!

She really did see Jack Frost.

She just wouldn't admit it.

"I am the Snow Queen," Elsa murmured to herself as her laughter died. "I embody winter..."

"Say what?" Eugene asked her. "Now you're making fun of me under your breath?"

Rapunzel shoved him in the ribs.

"Ow!" he squeaked, nursing his right mid-section.

"You do not talk to a queen like that, Eugene!" Rapunzel berated him. "And pranking her with whoopie cushions?!"

"Yeah, definitely not one of your brightest prank-ideas," Anna stifled a laugh.

Rapunzel glared at the princess, making her squeak nervously in fear of her mood swings.

"You never changed, Flynn—ah, I mean, Eugene," Kristoff grinned as he patted the man's back. Eugene almost spilled his guts out at the impact of his rather brute strength. "I'm proud you even dared to prank Anna's sister."

Eugene only groaned again in frustration as Elsa stared him down smugly. But he also took note of the slightly unspoken distress at the corner of the queen's eye... and, if anything, the ex-thief, with his perceptive eyes and his talent for reading the abnormal, definitely knew something was bothering Elsa.

He caught her eyes scanning the crowds again, and he curiously followed gaze. He saw Lady Helena staring back at the queen with a knowing smile and a nod. First at the queen, then to the snow child beside her who was blabbering incoherently, and towards somewhere else. It only piqued Eugene's curiosity even more when the duchess turned to the open doors again... until he caught sight of a head of white crash-landing in the distance. And the crowds then shielded his view.

"Anna," he said firmly, tugging at the sleeve of her dress. He cocked his head to the crowds, sending a silent message to her... that something, or someone was not where they supposed he would be.

Anna's eyes widened in realization.

"Punzie... Kristoff..." Anna murmured. "We've got a situation."

When the four retreated to a corner leaving the queen to herself at the throne, Elsa became genuinely curious why they suddenly left her behind.

"Where are you—"

But then they suddenly disappeared into the throngs of people clad in party suits and dresses.

"... going?"

... ...

"Drat!"

Jack eyed the pieces of his wooden staff warily, a few feet farther away from him. He groaned, pressing his cheek against the floor in frustration. For a few seconds he just lay there like a dead man, taking deep breaths while silently berating himself for ever coming to Arendelle in the first place. How the heck could he have tripped... while flying in the air? That just doesn't happen, at all. He cursed every wind of the four corners of the earth. He cursed his forever frozen teen hormones. He cursed his foolish, boyish pride. He cursed at being such a total softie...

Why did he think Elsa saw him that time? Why was he suddenly so hopeful that time? Why was he so stupid to think the only other person with ice powers could already see him? Why did that one moment suddenly bring excited jitters in the pit of his stomach? It could only have been in his head, couldn't it? Why did it even matter?

He's supposed to be in a hurry... but instead, he let a momentary glance at the queen distract him from his all important duties. He had only met Elsa for a day... well, not officially. He didn't know her enough to actually fall for her. Yes... he found her attractive-no-beautiful, but that shouldn't count as something worth getting all worked up about, right?

Oh for the love of... yes, he had a crush on the Snow Queen. But it's just that. A crush. He was a guy after all. What guy wouldn't crush on a girl as beautiful as her?

Now, now... Jack groaned angrily. Why was he even thinking about Elsa at a time like that? He had to get up and stop acting like a dork pressed against the floor. But instead, he stayed there, confused and angry and frustrated as hell about why the world was such a cruel place.

He even ignored Baby Tooth pulling him by the collar of his suit because of how depressed he felt.

"Pshhh..." he murmured against the floor. "Now what?" he asked himself. "Way to go and break your only ticket out, Frost."

"Why are you lying on the floor?"

Jack jerked his head up and found himself staring at the wide eyes of a talking snowman. He eyed the thing from head to toe, a bit creeped out at how he just stared at him like that without blinking. Baby Tooth perched on his shoulder and stared back as well, perhaps curious about a snow entity that wasn't made of Jack's hands.

"I'm guessing Elsa made you?" Jack told the snowman as he pushed himself up off the floor.

"Yeah, why?" the snowman asked him.

"Could you please get those broken sticks for me?" Jack asked him while he patted off the snowdust from his sleeves.

"Yeah, why?" the snowman asked him again.

"Okay... and can you please show me the exit to this place?" the winter spirit asked him.

"Yeah, why?"

"Do you often answer questions with a 'yeah, why'?." Jack asked him with a grin as he observed the snowman gathering the pieces of his staff then handing them to him.

"Yeah, why?" the snowman answered him.

Jack answered him with a raised brow and an impatient smile.

"The doors at the center of the ballroom, you should've taken that." the snowman replied. Upon seeing the winter spirit groan in frustration, he added, "But you can also take the big door from across that hall. It heads towards the smaller west gate of the castle."

"Thanks." Jack smiled as he fixed his staff together with his magic. "What's your name little guy?"

"I'm Olaf." the snowman greeted him as he gestured to all of himself with his stick arms. "And I like warm hugs."

"I take it that Elsa made you?"

"Yeah, why?"

Jack chuckled, slowly lifting off from the floor. Olaf gasped as he clapped and pointed at the spirit who kicked off his knee-high boots, hitting two armors on display to the floor with a loud thunk. He wriggled his toes, feeling the relief of being barefoot and made a two fingered salute to the gaping snowman.

"Tell her that Jack Frost sends his regards."

And the Winter Spirit flew away towards the promise of freedom.

... ...

Helena knew she saw the winter spirit. Why it didn't come off as a surprise? It didn't matter. It took her a few seconds to believe it herself after she decided she would. And then she saw him...

He was just a boy. There was an air of mischief around him, she guessed, reminding her a bit of Elsa in her days before her seclusion from the world. She could judge it by the way he smirked conceitedly at the crowd he had bedazzled with his powers, and how he made that one last glance back at the ballroom before crash-landing to the floor.

Helena remained composed despite her shocked state. So, this was the other one responsible for this little girl's existence. She didn't find it hard to believe in Elsa for she was a fan of her powers... But upon knowing about this Jack Frost? Now it made her more intrigued...

Helena loved the winter. All good things in her life happened on a winter. She met Walter on a snowday. She had her first kiss on a December. She married on a January.

And her daughter was born on a winter. A day before her birthday.

She turned to the girl beside her who began towards a dining table with some other princesses. Helena was curious, for she was sure she had encountered the girl moments before... Only, she couldn't pinpoint when exactly...

"Love? Is something the matter?'

Helena graced her husband a genuine smile. She shook her head, linking her arm around the Falconer as he guided her to their table.

"I'm just happy with the sudden turn of events." she murmured. "Thank you Walter... For bringing us here."

"And I'm happy that I get to see you smile again." Falconer replied. He turned his head to the side, relishing the view of merry laughter and cheer as the guests began to their seats for lunch. His gaze was far, imagining a scene of a little girl with coppery hair like his, running around the dancefloor the way Snowflake did... The girl reminded him of his beloved daughter so much that having a first glance of the child made him unintentionally hostile towards Elsa.

"I wish she lived long enough to see this." Falconer murmured. Helena only agreed quietly, lightly squeezing her husband's arm.

"She would have been fascinated with the snow child." Falconer continued.

"Yes." Helena spoke.

Falconer grinned. "She reminds me a little of her."

"I know." she replied.

Though people believed she took the news of Agatha's parting much worse than he did, Helena knew better who was hurting the most. In spite of Walter's intimidating facade, commanding a reverent confidence coveted by all men, he was the one who was truly hurting. Agatha had always been her father's little girl, and Walter had always been there when she wasn't. He had buried his pain so deep, refusing to weep and forcing himself to move on, all for the sake of making her and the rest of Strabald strong.

He would not relish in the relief of tearful release. For not only did his manly pride allow it... he locked these feelings away for the sake of everyone he cared about. He would stand, no matter how painful, no matter how much he missed his precious little girl.

"You don't have to pretend anymore Walter. It's okay to be scared sometimes." Helena whispered softly moments before they took their seats. The man paused, raising questioning brows at her.

She shook her head and smiled warmly at him.

A few clinking sounds against a crystal glass announced that it was time for lunch. And before they said grace, Helena decided that she'd have some small talk with the young queen about being a mother... and hoped that sooner than later, she could have a talk with that Winter Spirit about his intentions with her favorite Snow Queen.

But for now, she chewed on her food thoroughly, relishing every bite as she gazed at the snow child from across their table with confusion and longing in her eyes.

... ...

"I think the lad's smitten."

North gazed at the horizon that hid everything headed south with a sure smirk on his face. Bunnymund rolled his eyes, leaning against the desk inside the man's office.

"I still don't see why we have to do this, mate." the rabbit quipped. "I thought you point blankly warned us about being seen by adults, and here you are encouraging Frost to go flirt with his not-wife."

North chuckled. "I would have stopped the lad if there was no child involved. But, seeing there is little girl in picture, human or not, we have to make the woman see him."

The jolly man began pacing around his workshop, watching as twelve sets of bracelets were rolled out of a machine made purely of ice. The elves fought with each other as they clumsily collected the silver cuffs and placed them inside a briefcase filled with glowing moon rocks, grinning up at the rotund man as if they had accomplished the most important mission in the world.

"I think it's not a very good idea, mate." Bunnynund disagreed with him. "Setting him up with a human? I mean he's only met her for a day. And we haven't seen the little ankle biter yet to fully assess she needs a complete family."

North glared at the Easter Bunny with his most intimidating look. "Every child needs complete family, Bunny. You know how kids are when they grow up in broken homes. At least we grant the child satisfaction of having her Mama see her father."

Bunnymund sighed, twirling his boomerang in his hand. "I understand what you mean, North. But let's not forget, this woman has the same powers as Jack. What if things go out of hand once she sees someone suddenly announcing he's the father? I could only imagine," Bunnymund visibly shuddered. "It'll be bloody hell. She'd think Jack was crazy. And I'm pretty sure she believes she made the child on her own."

"That, or she could fall in love with the lad." North shrugged. "That would be the lesser evil."

"Well, I thought the issue here was for the girl to see Jack... not for them to go all googly eyes with each other." Bunnymund muttered. "The last time a guardian fell in love with a human, he lost his immortality and left us forever."

Bunnymund paused as he stared at the jolly man who grew silent. The Easter Bunny knew the true reason why the man was suddenly so keen on setting Jack up with a human. Yes, the man hated knowing about children without a complete family, but it was definitely more than that...

"It's happening all over again, isn't it?" Bunny murmured.

"Yes," North agreed.

"But it's different too, North." Bunnymund said quickly. "Jack Frost is different from him. It all happened to him in reverse."

North looked at his Pooka friend with a smile as his thought traveled back to their earlier years, when the guardians fought The Boogey Man alongside other guardians, two of them whom he held very closely to his heart.

He remembered his best friend, a little orphan girl caught between childhood and maturity, with auburn hair and very open gray eyes. She was the only human ever appointed as guardian... and why she did not become immortal like the others, he still was yet to understand.

And then there was this other guardian... the one with stark white hair, mischievous green eyes, and a devious grin. He was every bit the guardian North admired... every bit the guardian he saw in Jack Frost.

Nothing had been more fulfilling for the jolly old man than to see the two falling in love.

But as a result of their love, their time as guardians became as limited as a mortal's sands of time. Regardless, North only saw wonder and light in their romance, believing in his heart that their love was not vain. Until death they were, and always would be, guardians brave and true.

"Ah, but love is such beautiful thing to not be nurtured." North murmured as he grinned at the memory. "Lad's been alone for more than three hundred years. At least we could give him what he was missing."

"No mate, you're making him choose." Bunnymund accused, without meaning to. "Don't make him choose."

North sighed as he picked up one of the silver bracelets and eyed it in wonder.

"I have to make Jack Frost choose." he said. "And I know that whatever he chooses, he will make the right decision."

"I didn't say he'd make the wrong choice, North." Bunny replied. "I'm just saying... what if he chooses one child... his child... over a billion others? What if he decides to-"

"Leave?" North asked, then laughed his jolly laughter. "Jack swore an oath. He is every bit as faithful as old Nightlight and Katherine... He wouldn't desert the guardians, no..."

Bunnymund let out a breath and looked at the white bearded man apologetically. "I know... I just wished ol' Manny let them live a little bit longer..."

They were silent for a moment, content with listening to the ten times busier yettis working outside the office as it was nearing the Christmas season. They heard the familiar brutish grunts as they carried large crates filled with toys, and the jingling of bells indicating the presence of elves. Usually the bustle of activity brought excited warmth to whoever set foot in the workshop at the thought of constructed toys nearing its final finish. But Bunnymund could only stare at the man dubbed as Santa Claus, who for the first time in a long time, looked as old as his years.

North broke the silence.

"Jack... deserves a bit more happiness, don't you think?" he asked. "I'm not saying he's unhappy... But among us, he was only one to experience death... He was just a child... He was just too young."

Bunnymund looked at him and understood. For a while now, the guardians noticed how North pulled of this fatherly affection towards Jack. The man was of course, Father Christmas, and like Jack, he knew what it was like to be human once too. He always thought that Jack's death had robbed him of the experiences he should have had as a boy ripening into a man... even though he knew that it was for the purpose of becoming a guardian. Bunnymund knew, he just knew... Because North believed Jack experienced isolation just as worst as their old friend...

"But if he'd fall in love the way Nightlight did..." Bunnymund whispered. "He'd..."

North glanced back at the Pooka and smiled a knowing smile. "We are not sure of that... but there is possibility."

"He'd turn back into a mortal." Bunnymund finished. He got lost in thought before violently shaking his rabbit head from side to side. "Well, there is a one to eight hundred chances for that, mate." He sighed. "I'd be more worried for the human that would fall for him. Trust me North. Should Jack fall for a human or a human fall for him, the relationship just won't work. They'd only end up hurting."

"It worked for Nightlight and Katherine." North grinned. "Besides, it's better to have loved and lost... than to never have loved at all."

North closed the briefcase filled with silver bracelets and moon rocks and left his office, Bunnymund trailing behind him. Soon he was at the center of the workshop, gazing fondly at The Globe in all its glory, watching as the lights flickered like bright stars as it turned. Hus eyes were fixed at a particular area in Norway though, at a quaint little kingdom called Arendelle, where he knew the winter spirit would be. He placed his large tatooed arm across the console, gripping the large dial as a prominent jolly smirk sketched across his face.

A familar hum of fairy wings fluttered beside North, followed by a snoring shubby sandmam hovering on his other side.

"Ooh, Jack will be so surprised with the surprise anniversary you're gonna give him!" the Tooth Fairy chatted excitedly. "I'm sure his surely-cute daughter would be happy about this!"

Bunnymund rolled his eyes and grunted. He still thought the plan was bogus... and sad... and maybe a tad bit too cheezy.

"Well then," North said with raised brows. "Time to give our guardian of fun a little false alarm."

And North turned the dial and launched aurora borealis.

... ...

A grin plastered against Snowflake's pretty face as she stared broodingly at the hot stew in front of her. With each breath she blew, the soup would only turn instantly cold... But, no matter. She liked eating cold stuff anyway.

She just couldn't control her grin. It was as if something really wonderful was about to happen in her favor. She could only giggle to herself as she happily sipped her soup through her spoon, humming contentedly while the other kids just stared at her like she had caught a flu.

"Why are you all giggly all of a sudden?" a merchant's son suddenly asked her.

Snowflake smiled. A perfect imitation of her father's own grin. It made the boy blush ten shades of red.

"I think Papa's close to winning the game."

... ...

A/N: Whoopie! XD

I hope I didn't disappoint you guys with this chapter. Now, this Mama's Game Over Arc should be composed of three or four parts at most, I think. Writing this is gonna be fun fun fun... You wanna know why? Because its Jelsa fluff ahead! (Ahoy!) Hahahaha... Oh my...

I hope I'm not being too slow with the development. But I don't want it too rushed either. Every time I reread my previous chapters, it feels so rushed for me, amd believe me, I considered rewriting the whole thing (but I don't have the time or convenience to do it) and your reviews kinda tell me otherwise... *laughs* *sighs* please tell me what you guys think.

thanks for the R&R everyone. and please click that button right over there, see? The one you see when you scroll down? You know you want to... *grins* Come on, tell me your theories. I'd be happy to read them (and grin in satisfaction when you get the theories all wrong-I mean-take the effort to support me in spite of my not-so-good writong style TT_TT)

Oh and for those who reviewed about Snowflake?

...

Teehee... Teeheeheehhe...