Disclaimer: I do not own The Infernal Devices, Frozen, or Rise of the Guardians.
Jack glanced around the Sanctuary, thinking it was not much different from when he had been in here before. Things had been a bit brighter then, when he met Cupcake. Not just the room, but the mood as well. Things weren't looking good, with all of those things wandering around the Institute, just looking for a way to get to Jack. He sat down, next to the fountain and watched the others shiver slightly. "It's so cold in here!" Pippa complained, making Jack shrug. He didn't really get bothered by the cold so he hadn't noticed it when he entered
"Someone should be back soon to help. Elsa or Tooth will be able to get us out of this." Caleb said, trying to sound hopeful. It was probably one of the nicest comments he had made to Jack, but he knew that they were all dealing with this right now. Caleb would go back to normal later, right now they were dealing with this mess.
"Yeah, and then Santa Claus is going to bring us all christmas. Face it, Caleb, we're screwed right now." Pippa commented, sitting down next to Jack with a sigh. He was surprised at her blunt comment, but he gave her a half-smile for it.
Caleb glanced up, narrowing his eyes at Jack for a moment, warning him that the small peace between them was over. "This is all your fault, warlock." he said with menace, watching Pippa's eyes narrow at him.
"Caleb! How can you say that, Jack's our friend?" she asked, immediately jumping to defend him. Jack looked down, keeping his head hidden as they waited for him to respond as well. He agreed with Caleb, something that he doubted Pippa would understand.
"I'm sorry. I've messed everything up." he whispered, his staff held tightly against his chest as he curled up against the edge of the fountain. He wanted to be alone, to get away from all of their voices, but he knew it would never happen, not in this situation.
"Jack, you didn't do anything wrong. Please don't blame yourself." Pippa said, watching him carefully. He kept his head lowered, the hood covering his hair and hiding his face.
"Don't even bother, Pippa. At least he has enough sense to know when he is wrong." Caleb commented, glaring at Jack. He was feeling lost right now, alone and isolated in this room. There was no one who understood him, no one who truly knew who he was. Aster had been that person for so long, but now he was gone. Perhaps Elsa would be next, but he had only met her recently. She had only seen his happier side, never this dark and brooding version of him. Only Aster had been able to pull him out of these moods and now, no one was left other than himself to do the job.
"Jackson! Pippa! It's Elsa!" a voice called out, from the other side of the door. Jack hesitated, recognizing the voice but knowing something was wrong. Elsa rarely called him Jackson, so it was odd for her to use that name now.
"I told you they'd be here! Elsa, I'm in here too!" Caleb yelled, raising his voice to be heard.
The voice sounded anxious now, something that only raised Jack's suspicions even more. Elsa never betrayed her emotions, not with such ease. "Please tell me you're alright! We raced here from Highgate and discovered the door wide open. How in the Angel's name did Pitch get in?" she questioned.
Caleb was getting up, moving towards the door to open it. "Not a clue, but he's here and we've got a big problem." he replied, reaching out for the handle.
"Caleb, don't!" Jack shouted, getting up and moving to stop him. Caleb ignored him, pulling the door wide open and revealing a familiar face behind it. Pitch Black was there, along with a young girl with burning yellow eyes.
Elsa was glad that she had been glamoured, able to ride through the streets unseen. No one turned to look at the women riding down Farringdon Road as if the devil were chasing her. Her hair was tied tightly into her bun, thankfully, keeping it from whipping around in the wind. If she had been visible, she would not be able to avoid the onslaught of onlookers, not only from her riding the horse but also from her attire. Few people understood how restricting dresses could be, especially when fighting.
Elsa arrived at the Institute in about twenty minutes, much sooner than she would have arrived in the carriage. She felt a deep sense of horror at what lay in front of her. The doors of the Institute were wide open, something that was strictly forbidden by Law. Something had to have gone terribly wrong. She got off the horse, not even bothering to find a way to secure the horse. She took off running towards the steps, thinking only of protecting her friends inside.
Caleb backed away as soon as he saw who was at the door. Pitch entered, walking swiftly and silently with his Nightmares, most in horse form and the one that appeared as a girl, with Bunny following close behind. Aster glared at Caleb, showing that he knew exactly who had knocked him out. "Bloody ankle-biter!" he yelled, stepping closer only to be stopped by Pitch.
"Aster, could you please fetch that hidden treasure for me." he requested, not even looking behind him to see Bunny's reaction.
He stopped his confrontation, backing away with a nod towards his master. "Of course, mate. Make sure you get this one good." he commented, running off outside of the room.
Pitch glanced at the remaining individuals, shaking his head and sighing. "Well, I suppose we are getting closer to what I've been waiting for. Would you two mind leaving me alone with Jack for a moment?" he asked, his voice filled with false friendliness.
"No! We are not leaving without him." Pippa declared, but Caleb had already started leaving.
She gasped at his actions, moving forward to stop him but Jack shook his head at her. "Let him go. This is his choice to make." Jack told her, but that didn't stop her from continuing to glare at the door that was now closed.
"If you insist on making things messy, then so be it." he commented, turning towards one of his Nightmares. With a wave of his hand, one of them transformed. Now a young man, he waited for instructions for his master. "Grab the servant and kill her." he commanded, making Jack step forward to fight,
He hesitated, knowing just how easy it would be to hit Pippa with his blast. "Excellent choice, father. I do suppose I would have liked to watch the boy suffer as well." the female nightmare commented, smiling as Pippa was grabbed and lifted off of the ground. It had its arms wrapped around her throat, blocking off any of her screams and her ability to breath.
Jack didn't miss the girl's comment, glancing at her with hatred. She had dark black hair, matching the color of Pitch's, and she was dressed in a black dress too, one that flared out wide at her hips. Her burning yellow eyes were the only sign of what she was, just another Nightmare to be destroyed. There was something different about her, though, almost as if there was an intelligence in her face. Glancing back towards Pippa, Jack knew he didn't have time to deal with her, though. "Let her go!" he yelled, trying to figure out how to stop him.
"I suppose we should offer him that deal, Father." the girl commented, glancing at her hand as if she were bored.
"Indeed. Agree to remain here with me, without fighting, and I shall let her go." Pitch told Jack. He nodded, letting his staff drop to his side and showing his willingness to cooperate. Pitch smiled, giving out commands towards his creations before speaking with Jack. "Take her out of this room and do not harm her. Leave Jack Frost alone with Midnight and me."
Elsa felt a familiar emotion within her, one that reminded her of being a child. She knew something horrific was happening here, and a feeling of dread was rising within her much like it had years ago. She had only been twelve the first time she felt this, holding that box in her father's study. She never imagined that she would feel this here, in one of the only places she felt completely safe. Her gaze wandered around the room, before first resting on the body of Agatha.
She had been the cook at the Institute, one of the servants that was rarely seen outside of the kitchen. Her dress was soaked with blood and her eyes were already blank and glassy, staring up at the ceiling above her. Elsa knelt down and closed her eyes, wishing she could do more for her fallen friend. Even if Elsa hadn't spoken much with her, she felt the pain of her loss. It was still a life after all, regardless of how well she knew Agatha.
Elsa glanced around more, trying to figure out some clue as to what had happened. It was obvious that the Nightmares were here. She could see piles of black sand littering the floor, a sign that someone had put up a fight against them. Glancing around further, she could see spots with ice frozen to them, making her worry increase. Jack had been fighting them, but where was he now? She walked around to the stairs, one of the many paths to take from this room. Jack didn't know this place well, but he should know where the Sanctuary was. It was probably the safest place in the Institute, the place that he could lock himself within and stay safe. With a grim look of determination, Elsa began to walk up the stairs in search for Jack. She would find him, regardless of how long it took.
"I truly am sorry that this isn't a pleasant experience for you, Jack." Pitch commented, stepping forward with a gleam in his eyes. "After all, I had hoped to introduce you to your bride today, a day that should be a happy one for any young man." he added, gesturing towards Midnight. Jack ignored her, his focus entirely on Pitch right now.
"You're a monster, if you think that this is going to get me to marry that thing you call a daughter." Jack told him, watching as he began to laugh softly.
"Ah, Jack! I knew you would be this way, but never did I expect to have so much fun this day. Perhaps I am a monster, but I will not back down from my position." he replied, stepping closer to Jack.
Jack wanted to bring his staff up to fight, but he knew he could not, especially not after what he had promised. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Frost. I do hope I can be of service to you." Midnight said, giving Jack a small curtsey and making him narrow his eyes at her. She had sounded so cruel before, but now she was being polite. She was almost as cunning as Pitch, making him realize that this was the finished product of the Nightmares.
"This…she has demon energies." Jack whispered, backing away.
Midnight giggled, nodding at him. "Of course, silly! That's what makes me Father's favorite, and you're bride. I'm special, because I am the closest thing to alive that one of us can get. I've fed on so much fear, gaining so much strength. Soon, I shall even be able to-" she began, only to be cut off by a harsh look from Pitch.
"That's enough, for now. You are indeed a clever boy, for one so young. Before we go any further, there is something I would like you to do." he announced, stepping forward with a pocket watch in his hand.
Jack frowned, wondering what he could possibly want now. As he studied it closer, Jack began to realize what it was. He had been trained to transform into others, perfecting that trick while almost completely ignoring his other powers. This was what it had all been for, to transform into whoever had once owned this watch. "Take it, Jack." Pitch commanded, watching as he reached out to grab it from his hands.
"Why? Why am I doing this for you?" Jack asked, holding it in his hands and frowning as he saw the initials L-M on the back, along with a decorative star. It was a clue, but he didn't quite know what they stood for yet.
"I wish to meet that man again, why else? You will do this for me, Jack, I know you will. I know your power, of how well you were trained. I know that you are one of a kind, that no one else can mimic your power. I made you, Jack, therefore you owe me this." Pitch announced, watching him with his golden eyes.
Jack was stepping back, not wanting to believe his words. "No…you can't be my father…" he whispered, shaking his head before Pitch laughed at his comment.
"Such a foolish boy, I am the reason you exist, but that does not mean I fathered you." he responded, glancing at Jack with amusement in his eyes. Jack knew it would eventually turn into annoyance, but for now he had to buy himself some time. Glancing down, Jack saw a back-up plan, if things got to be too bad. The knife Bunny had from before had slid all the way over here and it was resting by his foot. He crouched down, keeping his eyes on Pitch and giving him one of his usual grins. It was hard to pull off, when he was feeling so upset over everything, but Pitch seemed to buy it.
"Well, as great as that is, I'm still not quite feeling motivated yet." Jack told him, tilting his head to the side as he discreetly grabbed the knife with his open hand.
"You will do as I say, and you will do it now or face the wrath of my army. I am telling you to Change!" Pitch shouted, glaring at Jack.
"No, I will not. You will give me answers, and then I will consider helping you. After all, it is only fair. I want to know who I am, what I am. It is a simple enough question, I think." Jack told him, but Pitch had clearly reached his limit on patience.
"You are a fool, Jack, a fool that will suffer as a result. Your friend will suffer for your refusal" he announced, turning around to walk outside. Jack knew he needed to do something, quickly. Glancing down at the dagger, he frowned and decided that he knew exactly what to do. Midnight would surely keep Pitch safe from any attack Jack tried, so he only had one option left.
"I suggest that you stop right there, Pitch." Jack called out, watching him turn around with an eyebrow raised. Jack slowly turned the dagger around, pointing it at his own chest while Pitch's eyes widened. Jack knew he had him now, he just had to explain his plan and Pitch would leave. "I may not be able to kill you, but I can kill your plans. Take one more step towards that door and I will put this knife through my heart."
Anna was lucky that she had managed to repair the harness after Elsa destroyed it to free the horse. She had tried to rush back, but even so it took her quite some time to join the others. Elsa's horse was untethered by the stairs of the Institute, clearly exhausted, but well. At least she was here already, but she was more concerned about the sight in front of her. The doors were wide open, the sight of something that shouldn't ever be there.
Glancing down at the cage in the carriage, she sighed and decided to leave it behind. "I'll be back Babytooth, I promise." she said, deciding that the name actually fit her quite well. The animal seemed to nod at her, making Anna wonder if it understood her words as she ran off. "Elsa! Oh Elsa, where are you?" she called out, walking towards the entrance. She needed to get inside, to help her save Jack. He was her friend, one that had risked his life to protect her. Even though she had been dazed, she could still remember how he stood over her with his staff, ready to face down the creatures that threatened them so many days ago. It had warmed her heart to know he cared about her, but now was not the time to focus on that.
"Anna!" A voice called out, making her grin and move towards the voice. Someone was standing in the hall, surrounded by people with strange yellow eyes. They almost reminded her of the people that had attacked on the bridge, with the same silent movements and terrifying presence. Next to them, Caleb and Pippa were being watched, still alive, but clearly captives right now. "You have to leave, before-" Pippa began, but Anna already saw who was coming. Aster, standing beside one of the Nightmares, which was carrying the Pyxis.
"I heard that only a Shadowhunter can touch it, but apparently sand isn't exactly alive, now is it?" he commented, grinning at Anna. "Nice to see you again, sheila. Best be off now, don't want to keep the Magister waiting." he told her, but Anna was not letting him leave so easily.
"Oh no you don't! How could you do this to Jack? He worked so hard to get you back and you just turn around and do this to him? It isn't nice and you have to apologize to him." she huffed, glaring at him with her hands on her hips.
"Anna, this isn't really the time-" Caleb began, but Bunny was staring her down now. He was much taller than her, even taller than Jack, and his presence was quite intimidating.
"That thing is none of my concern, sheila. You will regret those words, though. Kill her." he commanded, turning towards one of the Nightmares before walking off. Anna would have stopped him, but she was now too busy fighting off the creature in front of her. She was already tired from her fight with Mrs. Dark, but she knew she had to fight through this and stop this one too.
Anna quickly pulled out her blade, slashing it towards the creature. It nimbly dodged, rushing around the edge before returning to attack. It attempted to bight her with its horse-like jaw, making Anna shriek and jump back. "Looks like she needs my help. Why can't anyone do things on their own?" Caleb commented, elbowing the human-like form of the Nightmare holding him to be freed. He stumbled out of its grip, almost tumbling into Anna.
"Careful. Here, this might help." she said, handing him a blade. He nodded in response, holding it ready to face the creature he had just broken free of.
Anna sliced towards her enemy, this time striking it down and watching it vanish into a cloud of black sand. She turned to help Caleb, only to watch with wide eyes as North came in and destroyed it, freeing both Caleb and Pippa from their grasp. Anna looked around, trying to find Bunny only to discover that he had left a long time ago. "Come on! Why'd you let him get away?" she asked, glaring at Caleb.
"Don't go blaming me, you were the one that ran in here without a plan!" Caleb argued, backing away from Anna's angry face.
"I shouldn't need a plan in the first place, this is-" she was saying, only to be cut off by Tooth.
"Stop it! What is going on in here?" she asked, her eyes gazing around the Institute.
"Aster has been lying to us, working for Pitch the entire time." Caleb told them, watching horror sink in on both her face and North's.
"Oh no…" she whispered, sitting down for a moment and wrapping her arms around herself.
Nicholas touched her shoulder, trying to convey his sympathy even though he felt just as lost. "Where is Jack?" he asked, glancing towards the three that might know.
"He's in the Sanctuary." Pippa said quietly, sitting on the ground and crying softly.
"Well, then that's where Elsa is too." Anna declared, knowing that her friend would want to be the hero of the day. She only hoped Elsa got there soon enough.
"Stop! You know that you can't come back from this, right?" Midnight asked, frowning slightly.
Pitch was narrowing his eyes at both of them, a frown on his face. "He isn't afraid, not in the slightest." he commented, grinning slightly as he stepped closer.
Jack pressed the tip to his chest a bit harder, hard enough to draw blood which bled through the front of his hoodie. "Stay back." he warned, watching Pitch simply observe him for a moment.
"Indeed, you are quite clever. I suspected as much, but never did I imagine to be playing this game with someone such as yourself." he commented, shaking his head. "You want answers? Very well, I suppose I can tell you a little bit. If you so badly wish to know about your family, I might even be able to summon the thing that fathered you, though he does get annoyed with too many interruptions." he declared, grinning wildly at Jack.
He understood enough of the hint, though. Jack's father was a demon, making him a warlock. It didn't make sense, though, not if Pitch had somehow been involved in giving him this power. "You are lying. I can't be a warlock, I have no mark." he insisted, watching Pitch only shake his head.
"That is a mystery indeed." he replied cryptically, walking around the room in as he kept his gaze on Jack.
"One I suggest you start explaining." Jack added, making him sigh.
"You are getting rather boring, Frost. Perhaps your mother had no idea what she was either." he suggested, making Jack narrow his eyes at the man. He hated word games like this, games that Pitch seemed to love right now. "You know, I had planned on marrying you myself when you were born. Plans had been made for years before I was even alive, plans which I saw to their completion. Luckily, they had created a backup plan in the event that you were not…compatible with me. Midnight here is the perfect substitute, so loyal to anyone she serves." he continued, making Jack's eyes widen. This was much more than he expected and he did not know if he wanted to hear more.
"Leave us alone." Jack whispered, his body shaking. He was not going to take this anymore.
"Oh? You think it will be that easy to get rid of me. I can sense your fear, Jack Frost, and I can tell that you aren't afraid. You won't go through with it, not really." Pitch said, stepping closer to Jack. He watched Pitch move, picturing Elsa just one more time in his mind. By her side, he could see a smiling Anna with Tooth and North standing behind them. All of them together, just one big family. With a smile on his face, he countered Pitch's statement with ease.
"Yes, I will." he promised, watching horror spread into Pitch's expression. It was too late, though. Jack spun around, facing the fountain as he collapsed into the water, blood spilling down from his chest.
Elsa had managed to avoid finding any of the Nightmares as she walked through the Institute, finally arriving at the door to the Sanctuary. She was determined to save Jack, to get inside and keep him safe. She finished the Open rune on the door with ease, drawing a blade from her belt. "Jerahmeel." she whispered, bringing her seraph blade to life. It blazed up in her hand as she began to open the door, ready to fight any number of those creatures within.
Elsa froze at what she saw inside. Jack Frost was collapsed by the fountain, the water stained just as red as the front of his strange shirt. An even wider pool of blood was spreading underneath him. In one hand, his staff lay loosely in his grip and in his other was a knife. His icy blue eyes were closed and Pitch was by his side. Elsa had seen enough to know what had happened. Pitch stood up as she walked in, still stained with the blood of Jack. By his side, Elsa noticed a strange girl for the first time, but she ignored her for now.
"You killed him." she whispered, her voice filled with an unfamiliar rage. She had gotten so used to hiding her feelings, to keeping everything in check, that the sound of emotion in her voice was foreign to her. In her mind, she was seeing her past, images of finding a strange fog covering the library. Walking inside and discovering what lay within, screams surrounding her as the fog faded away. Walking down the road to London, her mind repeating the one fact she knew to be true. She had destroyed everything, lost everything from her old life.
"I did not touch him. He did this to himself." Pitch said, sorrow in his voice. The girl by his side was touching his arm, her eyes gazing up at the man that was seeming to ignore her.
"You're lying." she said, her voice quiet and calm for just one more moment. She had reigned in her emotions for just a moment, using memories of her past but it would not last for long. She would destroy this man, then she would release her rage and pain on the world around her. "When I drive one of these into human flesh, it burns as it cuts through you. You will die in agony, burning from the inside out." she told him, stepping forward with her weapon.
"Really? You think you are upset? This was years, so many years, of work all destroyed in one blow." he said, glancing towards Jack once more.
Elsa was done listening to him. "Perhaps you will be glad to know that your pain will not last much longer." she informed him, lunging forward and thrusting her blade towards him. The girl stepped closer to him, just as her blade touched the edge of Pitch's cloak. He vanished from sight, as did the girl that had been here. If she hadn't known any better, she would have guessed that he was a warlock that just performed magic.
Regardless, none of it mattered anymore. She saw Jack on the ground, and she had to be by his side. Tears were falling from her cheeks, the first tears she had shed in years. She let herself feel for once, sobbing as she grabbed Jack and pulled him closer, feeling her power begin to release itself beyond her control. Ice spread from her feet, covering the walls, windows, and doors. It didn't stop, not until the entire room was filled with ice and snow, no color other than white to be seen.
"Jackson." she whispered, pain clearly audible in her voice. She no longer had to worry about hiding, not when he was gone. At least it had been a better death than the alternative. Elsa picked his body up, pressing her head into his neck and breathing in his sent, wanting to stay as close to him as possible. She wanted to imagine that this was nothing but a dream, that he was still here and alive. Nothing could be done to bring him back, though.
"Elsa?" she heard, making her body freeze and pull back slightly. She wasn't quite able to pull away completely, needing to confirm that it was true first. As she did so, she found herself looking into a familiar pair of icy blue eyes. He was alive, but he was badly injured. She needed to get him help now, but she had frozen over the room and trapped them inside. She sobbed harder, realizing that she had condemned him to death when he could have been saved. "Pitch…is he gone?" he asked, his voice sounding weak.
Elsa nodded weakly, wanting to give him some comfort before he passed on. "Yes, we're all safe, Jack. I…" she said, not certain what to tell him. She no longer knew how to express herself to anyone, not after years of hiding her true self.
"You…are you crying?" Jack asked, his voice soft as his hand reached up to stroke her cheek. She felt it gently brush against her face, creating a trail of warmth on her skin.
"I'm sorry, I wish… I just don't know…" she said, sobbing too much to get much out.
Jack frowned at her, clearly not understanding what was wrong. "Look, whatever it is, it's going to be okay. Pitch is gone and we're all here to fight back another day. We can have another race if you'd like, try and cheer yourself up." Jack offered, making her blink in surprise. How could he be so cheerful with a wound like that?
"But, you're injured…"she whispered, watching him glance down at his shirt and blink in realization.
"Oh, right. Is that why you're upset?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at her. When Elsa didn't answer, he gave her a smile and shook his head. "It isn't my blood, Elsa. I tricked him, using my ability." Jack said, sitting up but staying by her side.
"Then why are you bleeding?" she asked, touching his chest where the stain was. She could feel his heart pounding underneath her hand, reassuring her that he was indeed alive, but she needed more. She needed to hear his voice, to know that he was going to recover from this before she could calm down.
"Right, I never really talked about that. One time, I Changed into a person who had died of a gunshot wound. It was the first person that I actually was asked about their death, so it was quite a bit of a shock to realize that I got to live through it with them. Blood poured down my chest then and when I Changed into her just now, it did the same. Didn't quite expect to make all this ice, but it worked anyway. " he explained, giving her a small smile after glancing around the room. "Part of me didn't want it to work. I've felt so upset lately, blaming myself for all of this mess. I really don't know if I should have actually gone through with it or not, but I thought of you and I knew that I wasn't ready to die yet." he added, his smile fading slightly as he gazed into her face.
Her walls were gone already, shattered completely by what she had thought was his dead body. Even now, he got past any attempt she had made at building them back up. She had never seen any suffering in him, not since he arrived. She had to make sure he knew that he was not responsible for this, not in any way. She wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her head into his chest. "It's not your fault, Jack, it never was. Don't go blaming yourself for what you are, it never ends well." she told him, feeling his arms wrap around her after a moment.
"Thank you, Els. I think I needed to hear that." he whispered, his head pressing into her hair. She smiled happily, comfortable right here in his arms for a moment. She opened her mouth, about to tell him the one thing that would have destroyed it all. She felt a jolt of terror within her, one that reminded her of what was wrong with what she was doing. Jack must have seen the change, because he pulled back for a moment and frowned slightly at her. "Elsa, what is it?" he asked, but she couldn't say anything in response. Her mind was back in the past once more, one phrase echoing within her mind. I have lost everything.