Hello there! Thanks for all the feedback from the previous chapter, it really means a lot. Anyway, I'm pretty excited for this chapter. We finally get to learn what happened between North and the Man in the Moon, and what that small vial means. It may or may not be what you think...

Enjoy!


Jack continued to follow North into the empty hallway. The music behind them gradually became more distant until it was just a soft murmur in the background. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion, wondering why North, the happiest, most spirited person ever, was acting so suspicious, so frightened, so not like himself. And why did he ask Tooth to keep an eye out for Elsa while they talked?

Judging by the way Tooth, Bunny and Sandy avoided eye contact when North pulled him aside, Jack knew that his fellow Guardians knew something he didn't, something they were all keeping away from him.

The young Guardian gulped as a feeling of worry hit him right in the chest. Whatever North was about to tell him, whatever the other Guardians were keeping from him, Jack had a bad feeling about it.

Once North decided that they were far enough into the castle, he stopped walking and turned around to face Jack. It was a good thing that his large hands were stuffed inside of his pockets, because they were trembling.

"North," said Jack. "What's going on?"

North sighed and shut his eyes. He thought back to his and the Moon's conversation that one night. The words absolutely pained him, but he knew - they all knew - that it was for Jack and Elsa's own good, for their own sake, for their own lives.

"Sit down, Jack," the old Guardian sighed.

Keeping a confused look on North, Jack sat in the nearest chair. If he still had a live, beating heart, it would probably be racing.

"There is something I need to tell you," said North, unable to look at Jack.

The bad feeling in Jack's chest just grew stronger. He already had so much to deal with; with Pitch's return, with Elsa, with their unborn child. What more could there possibly be?

North took a deep sigh before finally having the strength to turn to Jack. "A few weeks ago, I talked to Manny - the Man in the Moon."

The Man in the Moon. Yes, of course Jack is familiar with him. He is here because of the Moon, isn't he? He's the reason why all of them are who they are now, the reason to where they are now.

"I-I do not know how to explain this to you, Jack, but...but there is something that needs to happen," said North.

"North, I don't understand," Jack said in a low voice. "What's going on? What did the Moon tell you?"

The concern he was feeling just seemed to increase even more, sending a jolt of panic through his veins. All he wanted to do was to go back into the hall to make sure Elsa is alright, to make sure that there was nothing out there that could harm her.

North closed his eyes. In his many centuries of being a Guardian, this was the very first time where he felt conflicted, where he felt hurt, where he felt terrified. Not only did his heart break for Jack, but it broke for Elsa. He hated how the Moon gave him this task, him of all Guardians. How he hated how he was the one to bring this terrible news to Jack.

"Now Jack, before I tell you, I need you to listen," North pleaded. This was not getting any easier for him.

Jack sat back. He didn't know what to do. He was anxious, he was worried. He has never seen North like this - shaken and frantic - and the fact that North, out of everyone else, was speaking to him alone, worried him even more. If it was Bunny or even Tooth, it would have made more sense. But North? What could possibly be happening right now?

North sat opposite of Jack before staring at him dead in the eyes. He waited a few seconds, wondering how he was going to start, but finally took a deep breath and said, "As you know, Jack, we are immortal. You are immortal."

The moment that first sentence left North's mouth, Jack felt his heart drop. He instantly knew where this was headed, and it made him sick.

He sighed. "I know," said Jack.

"But...but Elsa is not," North whispered, looking down to the shadowed carpet. He wouldn't dare to look up to see Jack's reaction.

Jack, too, looked down to the ground. It was as if the air around them started to thin, as if the shadows grew darker, as if the hallway started to stretch into a never-ending abyss.

"I know," Jack said again. His voice was suddenly hoarse.

"And eventually...she will die," said the old Guardian, his accent was getting deeper.

Jack closed his eyes. Time seemed like it had stopped, as if the hand on the clock froze in place. He didn't know how to respond to that; it almost seemed like he had forgotten how to breathe. If Jack had to be brutally honest with himself, this topic wasn't new to him, but it was something he has tried to avoid, a topic that his mind and heart didn't dare to touch, the moment he fell in love with the blonde girl who called herself the Queen of Arendelle.

Of course, Jack knew that the biggest difference between them was that he was immortal and she was not. He could not die, but she can. He can live forever, but she cannot. Jack knew that as each second that passed by, was just another second closer to Elsa's last breath.

And of course, Elsa knew that too. She knew that the man she loved the most had something she didn't; she knew that Jack will live forever, while she ages each and every day; just another day closer before the Queen of Arendelle will be buried six feet underground next to her parents.

Jack and Elsa both knew. They are both fully aware of the circumstances they have gotten themselves into by being with each other.

A mortal, with an immortal.

The living, with the dead.

But the thing was, neither Jack nor Elsa ever spoke about it - ever.

How can they? They love each other too much to be even thinking about death, because with Elsa's mortality, each minute is counted, each day is eliminated from her time left. Surely, Elsa is still young, but it won't stay like that forever.

North looked over at Jack, who kept his eyes on the floor. Jack's shadow stretched against the dimness of the room. This is what North feared, he knew that Jack would be hurt, that bringing Elsa into this would devastate him. But he promised the Moon that he would do it.

Jack suddenly looked up at North. Those words were like a slap in a face; he could still feel the sting upon his mind.

"Why are you telling me this?" he whispered.

But instead of giving him an answer, North reached into his pocket and pulled out the small vial of clear liquid. With a deep sigh, he passed it over into Jack's palm. Jack looked down at it and instantly noticed the front label, inscribed with perfect calligraphy.

"Mortem..." Jack whispered under his breath as he read the label.

His mind jogged a bit, before realizing what the Latin word translated to.

"No," he gasped before looking up at North. "No!"

"Jack, please listen to me-"

"Death?" Jack yelled. His breathing suddenly became short and heavy.

"Jack, if you could listen for-"

"North, what is this?" exclaimed Jack, shoving the vial right in his face.

It killed North to see Jack like this; hurt and in disbelief. He didn't deserve this. Jack nor Elsa deserve to know the truth that was yet to be brought upon them, but North knew that he needed to explain. Jack needed to understand why this was happening.

"Let me explain, please, " said North.

Jack's mind was racing. His breathing was fast. He was angry, upset, alarmed, distraught - almost every negative emotion in the world. He looked back down at the vial, but he just couldn't understand. Jack returned his gaze up at North, who was looking at him through anxious eyes. He sat back and nodded.

"That vial is for Elsa," North whispered.

"Why?" Jack breathed out hopelessly.

"Because..." North took a deep sigh. "The Moon thinks that there is a chance that she can become immortal too."

Jack froze as his eyes widened. Silence fell upon the two Guardians; in fact, the hallway got too quiet, it was almost eerie. With the absence of noise, you would have never expected a royal party to be going on right at this very second.

"Wait," said Jack. "What?"

"Let me explain to you what happened that night when the Moon and I spoke," said North. "But promise me, Jack, that you have to listen to every word I say."

Though stunned and speechless, Jack nodded his head.

"As you know, the Moon takes care of us Guardians. He looks after us; you, me, Tooth, Sandy and Bunny. But what you do not know, what I did not know until the Moon spoke to me, is that he looks after the people who are attached to us. And in your case, he is talking about Elsa," said North.

"Then how come-"

"Jack," North said, looking at him.

The white haired Guardian sighed before closing his mouth.

North continued. "Us Guardians are frozen in time; we do not age, we do not die. Yes, we can disappear if children do not believe, but death is impossible for us."

Jack sighed, and nodded. That part, he knew.

"But Elsa is a human, therefore she does not have the ability to live as long as we do," said North. "But the Moon thinks he knows how to change that."

Jack looked up. "Wait, so are you telling me that the Moon can change Elsa into an immortal?"

North merely nodded.

The young Guardian froze in shock. Elsa, an immortal? An immortal like him? Losing Elsa was the thing that terrified him the most, the thing he never wanted to think about, but there was a solution all along? This means he no longer has to fear the day of Elsa's death, right?; immortality will linger in their veins forever.

"North, this is great!" Jack exclaimed. "Why didn't you tell me this sooner?"

But North said nothing. It pained him to see how excited Jack was, because he himself knew that there was more to the Moon's plan. Much, much more.

"The process is not simple, Jack," North said, pity swimming in his voice.

Jack looked down at the vial and read the label in his head again. He held the small bottle in his palm and closed his eyes before nodding his head. The label read 'mortem', which meant 'death'. He now understood. It all made sense to him now - perfect, yet dreadful sense.

"Elsa needs to die first, doesn't she?" Jack whispered.

North looked at him for the longest time. He instantly saw pain in Jack's blue eyes, something that he feared to see. Jack was clever for figuring it out so quickly, but North wished that he didn't have to see the excruciating expression on his fellow Guardian's face.

North nodded. "Yes, she does."

Jack shook his head to himself. Why does every dangerous thing happen to him? To the ones he loves? He just couldn't understand what the Moon's plan was, what he was trying to do, why Elsa had to be pulled into the situations going on in his universe. Wasn't Pitch's return enough? Elsa doesn't deserve this at all.

North continued. "Elsa will have to die. But she will reincarnate into an immortal being."

This whole thing was cruel, it was sickening that someone he cared so much about has to go through something like this, that she was in the middle of something as disheartening as this. The last person he ever wanted to see get hurt was Elsa, but in the moment he was in now, he just didn't know what to do.

But Jack finally opened his eyes and looked back up. The tiny vial in his palm suddenly felt a hundred times heavier.

"I know it hurts, Jack. Believe me, I am the last person who wants to bring this upon you," said North. "But if you want to save her, if you want to keep her from dying, then this is the only way."

"I...I don't understand," whispered Jack, his voice low and raspy.

North held out his large hand, in which Jack handed him back the vial of liquid. "This vial, Jack, holds every element of immortality, it holds the key to everlasting life. The liquid that you see in this vial runs in the veins of only certain kinds of beings on this planet. Do you understand who I'm talking about?"

Jack nodded his head. "Us," he sighed.

"Yes. You see, this liquid runs in your veins, in my veins, in Sandy's, Tooth's, Bunny's...even in Pitch. Because we are immortal, Jack. That is why we are Guardians; that is why we live the life we have now," explained North.

Jack sighed deeply. "And if Elsa takes the vial..."

"Yes," North sighed. "She will be an immortal too."

Jack's eyebrows furrowed in frustration, trying to soak in everything that had just happened. Elsa, the vial, immortality? It all seemed too easy, it all seemed too simple...

"Let me guess," Jack said. "There's a catch."

Unsurprisingly, North nodded his head.

"Unfortunately, yes. There will be consequences," answered the old Guardian.

"North..." Jack sighed and shook his head to himself. "I-I can't. I can't do this to her."

The pain in Jack's voice was so raw, it sent a knife of sadness through North. "I know, Jack. I know that this must be so hard, but the Moon thinks that it is the right thing to do. We - Bunny, Tooth, Sandy and myself - all think that it is the right thing to do."

"That's because you guys don't understand," said Jack, closing his eyes. "You don't know what it's like to love someone you know you will lose in a few years."

"But that is what I am trying to say, Jack. That vial is the only way to stop Elsa from aging, to stop her from dying," said North.

"But how?" asked Jack, looking back at him. "How does it work? What does the Moon even want me to do?"

North looked down at the small bottle and exhaled deeply. "You need to give this vial to Elsa; you need to let her drink it."

"Drink it? Why?" he asked.

"I wish I knew why, Jack, but I am only telling you what the Moon told me. All I know is that Elsa needs is to consume it. But, you have to do it at the right time." answered North.

"The right time?" Jack asked in disbelief. How much more can he even take in?

"You need to give her the vial, the moment she goes into labour," North responded quietly. "If you want to save her, then you must do it correctly."

Jack looked down, allowing a few moments of silence to pass before he spoke up. "And what happens if I don't do it at the right time?"

"Then you will not only put Elsa in danger, but your child," said North.

Jack's head was ready to burst. How much more could he possibly take in? Not only does he have to worry about Pitch, but he now has to worry about this vial? This was so unfair for Elsa and the baby, and Jack hated how he was the one responsible for putting them in this danger, for exposing them into the cruel reality of his world.

"This vial..." Jack began, afraid to continue. "Will it harm Elsa? Will it harm the baby?"

North sighed ever so deeply. "If you do it correctly, then no. They will not be harmed."

Jack knew that he should feel a little better, knowing that Elsa and their child will be unharmed by the Moon's vial, but blackness took over his mind once again, reminding himself that when Pitch returns, no one will be safe.

"North, earlier you said that there will be consequences," Jack said. "What do you mean?"

The old Guardian breathed out of his nose before looking up to look directly at Jack. "Before I tell you, you must know that what I'm about to tell you is the most crucial thing."

Jack looked at him, feeling another alarming wave of apprehension go through his body. There was just so much to take in, to understand, to accept. Could things get any worse?

"You must not tell a single mortal soul about this," said North.

Jack raised an eyebrow. "What?"

North looked at him straight in the eyes. "No living person, no creature with human blood running in it's veins must know about this, or else the entire plan of Elsa's immortality will not work. Promise me, Jack. Promise me that you will not tell a single human. If you want to save Elsa, then you must not tell anyone."

"Anyone at all?" he asked slowly.

"Absolutely no one. Not her sister, nor the citizens. You especially cannot tell Elsa," said North.

Jack's mind began to flood with overbearing scenarios. His chest began to drown in emotions one could not bear to handle.

"But if no one is allowed to know...then everyone will believe in Elsa's death," Jack whispered.

North sighed and nodded. "Yes, that is the consequence. But no one is allowed to know that Elsa will be reborn as an immortal. No one at all." He emphasizing the words. This was the most important part.

Jack's thoughts automatically went to Anna and Kristoff. He was not allowed to tell them, and the thought of seeing their faces once they realize that Elsa has died, pained him. It absolutely killed him. And the people of Arendelle...even if Elsa's death is only temporary, they wouldn't know. How will they cope with the sudden news?

"I understand that this is not easy. I know that it will be devastating to see the reaction of everyone, but you must understand that it is not permanent. Elsa will come back to life, but you just need to cope with the amount of time while she is dead," North said quietly.

"But they will find out, right? Anna and Kristoff and everyone else?" Jack asked.

North nodded his head. "Yes, after Elsa is reborn into an immortal being, then everyone will know. It's just that you, Jack, will have to keep this a secret until that moment comes."

"How about the baby? What will happen to it?" Jack asked. He was preparing himself for the worst.

"The child will be fine. It will have been born by the time Elsa has died," said North.

He sighed to himself, quite relieved to hear that. But his mind continued to wander back to Anna and Kristoff. They are his family; they are the aunt and uncle of his unborn child. And just the fact of not being able to tell them about this whole plan behind Elsa's death just made him want to go insane.

Jack knows that they will be heartbroken, stuck in grief, but in order to save Elsa, he just had to go along with the plan.

"Who else knows about this?" asked Jack.

"Just us Guardians. We are the only ones who know, and we are the only ones who are allowed to know," North answered.

Jack sighed deeply. This all felt surreal.

"Do you understand, Jack? The Moon is only doing this to help you, to help your family," said North.

The young Guardian closed his eyes once more as this entire situation burned in his mind. Every single detail ripped his brain into pieces.

Elsa is able to become immortal, but in order to do that, she has to die by taking the vial of liquid at the right time. Her death is only temporary, but no one but him and the other Guardians are allowed to know. People will have to deal with the grief that their Queen is gone. But Elsa will be reborn with everlasting life.

Jack exhaled through his nose and shook his head. He couldn't take this anymore. He will not put Elsa in any more danger.

"I can't do this, North," said Jack.

"Jack, this is the only way for-"

"I know," Jack fired. "I know, okay? You don't understand how much I want to do this, how much I want her to be immortal with me for the rest of my life. But...this whole thing seems so selfish. I just can't let myself do this to her, out of my own greed."

"But this isn't out of greed, Jack. You are doing this to save you both. If Elsa continues to stay as a human, then she will eventually die," said North. "But this is the only way to prevent that, to prevent her death, to keep her alive as long as you are."

"But I can't hurt her. I won't let her go through something, something dangerous, because of me," said Jack.

North sighed. He felt bad for the boy. He knows how important Elsa is to him, and Jack's words and actions are just proving that even more. But it was situations like these where Jack had to learn how to put up risks, where he had to make sacrifices for the people he loves.

"I know it seems dangerous, it is. But this is for your own good, for your child's own good. That child that Elsa is carrying needs both of it's parents. And if Elsa continues to be mortal, then in a few decades, that child will only have you," North explained.

Those words hit Jack like a train, like waking up in the middle of the night from a terrible dream, clutching and grasping everything around you as you try and take in what had just happened. Those words made his chest cringe. Words have never affected him the way they did now. North was right, though it seemed selfish, it was for the best...

There were just so many risks and uncertainty. It was just so hard to accept.

North carefully handed back the vial into Jack's hand. Jack looked down at it as every possible emotion swam in his body. This vial that he was holding in his very hand, held the key to Elsa's life and death.

"Jack, it kills me to be the one who had to bring this upon you, but you just had to know. The Moon is only doing this out of his best intentions, to protect not only you, but Elsa and your child," North explained quietly.

As much as it hurts to accept what was going on, Jack nodded his head. He understood, he understood what he had to do, but he wasn't sure if he was ready. He wasn't sure if he will ever be ready.

"You don't have much time left to decide, Jack. This will only work as long as Elsa is still carrying that child inside of her," North said.

"I know," Jack whispered, clutching the vial tighter in his hands.

North sighed as he stood up. He gave Jack a gentle pat on the back and said, "It's only for the best."

Jack nodded his head, before slipping the vial inside of his pocket.

Words cannot even begin to explain how hurt North is; this was the last thing he ever wanted to do, to bring bad news to his friends. But because he cares deeply for his fellow Guardians, this needed to happen.

Five long minutes have passed and not a word was said between North and Jack. His frustrated thoughts didn't seem to cease, but Jack finally looked up to look at the man sitting across from him.

"Thanks for telling me, North," Jack said in a low voice. Out of all the Guardians, North was the last one he'd expect to tell him something like this.

But North just nodded in return. He, too, was overwhelmed; it surprised him how he found the strength to tell Jack, but his heart was still stinging.

"Here, walk with me. Let's return back to the great hall," North said.

North and Jack soon returned back to the party. After being in a dark and empty hallway for so long, the loud orchestra and the brightly coloured room was a sudden slap in the face. The two of them returned to Bunny and Sandy, who both looked at North. North nodded in return; they all understood.

Sandy looked up at Jack as a golden question mark appeared over this head.

Jack sighed. "Yeah, I'm fine, Sandy. It's just a lot to take in."

There really was a lot to take in, too much, in fact. Not only does he have to deal with Pitch's whole ordeal of taking his and Elsa's child, to create a world of darkness and to get Jack to disappear forever, but he now has to deal with the Moon's plan to save Elsa's life.

"We're sorry, Jack. We all wish that there was something we could do," said Bunny. For the first time, he actually felt horrible for him.

The Guardians have all vowed to Jack that they will do everything it takes to protect Elsa and the baby from Pitch. But now it seems as though Jack wanted to protect Elsa from himself.

He sighed deeply. "Where's Elsa?"

"Over there, with Tooth," replied Bunny, motioning his head to the side.

Jack turned around to look at Elsa, who was on the other side of the great hall with Tooth, both casually talking, bringing up the topic of the baby once in a while. He watched as she laughed at something Tooth said, before nodding and responding back. The way her blues eyes sparkled as she laughed, the way her hair would flow as she moved, the sound of her sweet, angelic voice saying his name. Jack felt his heart clench; how he wished he could do anything to shield her from everything.

North looked down at Jack and sighed. "You love her, yes?" he asked.

Jack sighed deeply and nodded his head. "Yes."

"And we can see that, Jack. In the hundreds of years that I've known you, I can see - we can all see - how much Elsa means to you. And as much as you are afraid for her own sake, she will be protected. We will not let Pitch near her, and we will not let you lose her," North assured.

Jack continued to watch her. It was amazing, the love and care that one immortal soul can feel for a mortal one; as if they were made for another, as if they were meant to be together. The fact that they both obtain similar powers is overlooked, because the amount of infatuation that Jack and Elsa both feel, is strong enough to melt the snow in their bodies.

"You just have to make the right decision," North finished in a low and quiet voice.

Jack reached into his pocket until the tiny vial touched his fingers.

He didn't know what to do.

Maybe North is right. This wasn't out of selfishness at all. But just the thought of it made him sick, it made him despise himself on a whole new level.

He loves her. He loves her so much, it almost seemed like a crime for loving someone so much.

But because he loves her, he has to do this.

He has to let her die.


Ugh, my heart. It's an emotional mess :(

Hope you liked the chapter. I would love to read what you guys thought about it, so please review! The more reviews, the faster I'll update. They are always appreciated :)

See you next chapter!