Hey everyone,

Thank you for the reviews! 29! I can't believe it! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Seriously, thank you! All of you!

So next few chapters are going to be quite emotional, so prepare yourselves!
Hope you enjoy and would love to hear any feedback guys!

-birdywings

13

The Guardian & The Snowflake

Jack

"Do you want to build a snowman?"

Even from across the pond and in the dusky night, I can still see Elsa's figure grow tense at those seven words and I immediately regret them as soon as they pass my lips.
My heart aches as I watch her draw her hands to her chest, her lips pressed as she turns away, avoiding my gaze.
I skate over and take her hands in mine, trying to get her to meet my eyes as I cradle her hands as if I hold glass.

"Elsa, I'm sorry. What can I do?" I ask her repeatedly.

But she only waves me off as she tugs at her hands, trying to free them from my grasp. "Nothing, it's fine, really. I just want to go back." She tells me, obviously upset.

"Elsa, look at me," I beg her. "What is wrong?"

She meets my eyes this time, her lip quivering as the tears pool in her eyes but she blinks them away as she tells me a little more firmly, "Nothing. Please Jack, I just want to go back."

Her words cut through me like a knife and when she tugs at her hands, I let her go this time, too stunned to even speak.
She takes a few steps away from me and my heart feels like it's breaking as I study the pained expression in her features, the breath-taking smile and gleam in her eyes no longer there.

I heave a sigh, my shoulders sagging.
No. I won't allow her to forbid herself from having any fun.
I shake my head, standing taller as I stride over to her and say sternly, "No."

Her head slowly rotates in my direction, revealing to me her sad blue eyes, like the sky on a rainy day.
"What?" She barely whispers.

"We're not going back, not yet. We still have one more stop to make before we sink back into reality."

"Jack, I-"

"No." I interject, reaching for her soft and delicate hands. She allows me to take them.

"No." I say again, but softer this time.

"But we should head back." She counters.

My hand weaves around her waist and rests on her lower-back as I draw her into me, her breath on my skin while my other hand emerges from the inches of space between us and cradles her cool cheek in my palm.
Her eyelids flutter slightly as I feel her body relax against mine.

I draw her face toward mine and rest my forehead against hers, pressing until it hurts as I tell her, "Oh, we'll be going back alright. But we'll be taking a detour."

Her eyes are so close to mine, the blue in them bright and vibrant as if they hold the sky within them. I can feel the smile forming in her lips and she has to bite her lip to contain it.
"Okay." She whispers against my skin.

And she does not utter another word of protest as I wrap my arm fully around her hip and will the wind to lift us into the air, towards the Man in The Moon, who I swear is smiling down upon us.

Jack

I fly us up to a mountain covered in a fresh blanket of snow as it overlooks the forest down below, the world lighter with the fresh sheet of snow over it.
I settle us down on the ground and motion for her to sit next to me at the edge. Her hands twist and tangle themselves with each other at her chest and I can tell she is nervous, but as I take her hand and pull her down with me to the ground, our legs dangling over the cliff, her tension seems to subside somewhat.

"So what-" She begins in a trembling tone but I press a finger to my lips, which are formed in a impossible-to-suppress grin, silencing her.

She obeys and we sit there on the edge of this snow-covered cliff, our feet dangling over the village below, the rooftops sprinkled in a layer of soft snow, the village practically at my fingertips but at the same time, so far away. Its lanterns shining in the night like the stars above.
I take a deep breath, absorbing the fresh and crisp air as I press my hands into the snow at my sides, trying to keep them from shaking.

Come on Sandserson. Please make it a good performance tonight.

And then, out of thin air, streams of golden dust weave through the air, intertwining with one another as they enter the little huts below through the windows, bringing dreams to all the children in the village.
I glance at Elsa and find her staring up at the dreams in awe, her mouth agape as the golden light reflects in her eyes, giving them a twinkle in the darkness.
I reach for her hand and heave a sigh of relief, my entire body deflating and relaxing with it when she doesn't pull away.

We sit there, just marvelling at the magnificence of the countless golden streams of dust carrying dreams within them.
I reach a hand out and poke at a stream that flows in front of us and a gasp escapes Elsa's lips as the stream bursts into a golden bird, its wings extended as it gives a hopeful chirp before flying off, soaring through the open air and into a window.

I watch it disappear through the glass when I feel Elsa's hand enclose around mine. I glance back at her as she continues to watch the dreams weave their way through the village below, a smile forming on her soft lips.
I feel a smile form in my features as I squeeze her hand in return, my palm swallowing her hand as the two become muddled as one.

Jack

The wind whistles in our ears as it whips at our faces, causing Elsa's hair to fall loose from her braid and flow into my face as we soar over the town in the direction of the castle.
I inhale deeply, breathing in her scent. I could never get enough of her.

I slow down as we approach the balcony connected to her chambers and take her by the hand as leap from the railing and onto the floor, her cheeks flushed from the cool breeze.
I smile at her and she averts her eyes to her feet, blushing as she tucks a loose strand of her platinum-blonde hair behind her ear.

"Well princess, it has been a pleasure to accompany you this evening." I say as I balance on the railing and bow before her, trying to appear calm in attempts to soother her nerves.

Even though my eyes face the floor, I can just picture her hands fidgeting at her chest as she bites at her lip.
"Jack?" She whispers.

I glance up at her. "Yes?"

She doesn't say anything for a moment and so we just stand there, watching each other, the shadows concealing most of our faces but I can just imagine the nervous appearance in her endless blue eyes.

"Just-... Thank you." She finally says.

I smile at her and nod before turning to fly off.

"Wait." She whispers.

I whirl around and look at her expectantly.
She doesn't say anything more and I become conscious of the rising tension in her as I leap from the railing, landing before her as I clasp her hands in mine and rest my forehead against hers.

"Jack." She whispers, her breath colliding with my skin, sending a cold, electric shock to course through my veins.

"Elsa." I whisper in return as my hand reaches up the narrow space between us and comes to cradle her cheek in my palm as I lift her gaze to meet mine.
She stares up at me, her eyes catching the light from the moon and reflecting the glow in her endless blue eyes.
My hands slide around her waist, drawing her into me.

"Elsa." I whisper again, relishing the taste of her name rolling off my tongue.

I reach up and wrap my hand around the nape of her neck before drawing her lips to mine and when they touch; all our surroundings suddenly evaporate leaving only her body pressed up against mine and this one kiss, a kiss so electrifying and intense that it's like kissing for not only the first, but last time as well. A kiss so rare and fragile that it leaves you breathless.

I feel Elsa's hands snake their way up and around my neck, pulling me further into the kiss.
I smile against her lips as they move together while my arms draw her closer, our foreheads pressing against each other to the point it hurts. But I'm barely conscious of it as the kiss seems to dull everything around me, making this moment all seem like a dream.

It lasts forever, and it is forever that I want to remain here, holding her in my arms, feeling her body against mine and her lips move against mine with our gasps for air being the only thing to fill the silence.
But unfortunately, my need for air overcomes me and I have to part from her to once again learn how to breathe.

My heart races as I pant for air, feeling Elsa's body tremble against mine as she too tries to recall how to breathe.
Her body sinks against mine, her head resting against my chest as she listens to the drumming of my heart beating in my chest, the sound echoing throughout the walls of my body.
I draw her in and plant a kiss on her forehead before resting my chin in her hair.

"Will you be my snowflake Elsa and fall for me?" I whisper into her hair.

I break into a smile, and even though I cannot see her face, I know that she wears a smile on her lips too as she replies with, "Only if you'll be my guardian Jack and catch me."