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Elsa sipped at her cup of warm tea and turned back to her book. She loved curling up in a corner with a good book and tea. She heard the front door creak open and assumed it was Mrs. Bennett, back from work. Elsa glanced up from her book, nearly spilling the hot tea over herself.

"Jack?" She stood up, setting the book and tea down on the coffee table. Her gaze roamed downwards. "Jamie? What are you doing back? I thought you were at Dylan's house." Elsa sniffed; a pungent, smoky scent wafted through the air. She wrinkled her nose. "What's that smell?"

Jack's eyes met with hers. His hand was firmly clasped over Jamie's shoulder. "We need to talk."

Elsa frowned in confusion. "About what?"

Jack sighed and bit his lip hesitantly, not making eye contact with her anymore.

Elsa's eyes narrowed. "Wh-what?" she asked apprehensively.

Jack swallowed. "I was on my way over here and I found Jamie at the park."

"Jamie, you shouldn't be at the park alone!" Elsa scolded.

Jamie snorted. "You can't tell me what to do."

"Is that it?" she prompted.

"I wish," Jack grumbled. "I found him smoking with some older boys."

Elsa's eyes widened. "Jamie?! You… what were you doing there? You were supposed to be at Dylan's!"

Jamie rolled his eyes. "There is no Dylan."

Elsa froze, confusion evident in her expression. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I made him up."

"Aren't you a bit old for imaginary friends?"

"Well, it's not like anyone cares."

"Yes they do, Jamie. I care."

"No you don't, or else you would know that there's no Dylan."

"Jamie, I do care."

"No, you don't! You just do what you needed to do to live here! That's all. You just pretend to care because you need somewhere to live!" He stomped upstairs.

Elsa flinched when a door from upstairs slammed close. Elsa stood rooted to the spot, trembling. She finally crumpled to the floor, burying her face into her hands.

"Elsa, I'm sorry," Jack murmured.

Elsa shook her head, her face still buried in her hands. She wanted to tell him it was alright. She inhaled deeply, trying to get a grip on her emotions. Elsa looked up, meeting his gaze.

"What was he smoking?"

"Crack."

Elsa frowned in confusion.

"Street slang for cocaine."

Elsa paled. "How did he…"

Jack rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't know."

"He's so young."

"I know."

Elsa bit back a sob, her eyes filling with tears. She hugged herself tightly.

"I'm sorry, Elsa," Jack apologized again, kneeling beside her.

Elsa sniffed. "It's o-okay."

Jack hesitantly stroked her hair. Elsa inhaled and exhaled, trying to bar her emotions. A few silent tears slipped out of her eyes.

Jack hated that he'd made Elsa cry. He brushed a tear from her pale cheek. Elsa hid her face in her hands. He hadn't wanted to tell her about Jamie, but she had to know.

"Oh, Jack," she sobbed.

His heart twisted painfully. "It's okay," he murmured. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pressed her head against his chest.

"I'm a monster," she whispered.

Jack stiffened. "No, you're not."

"How could I have let this happen to Jamie?"

"It's not something you could've prevented?"

"No? Jack, he needs love and attention. Both of his parents work and Jamie's left to his own devices." Elsa hastily wiped her wet cheeks with the back of her hand. "I could've helped…"

Jack sighed. "You can't change the past, Elsa. Only the future."

Elsa slowly leaned into Jack and he began thinking about his future and what it would entail.

Mr. Bennett came home before his wife did. Jack had taken it upon himself to explain what had happened, sparing Elsa of the burden. Mr. Bennett's expression slowly morphed from shock into frustration and, finally, into sorrow. Mr. Bennett grumbled something about having a talk with Jamie and went upstairs. Jack was still kind of mad at the kid for what he'd said about Elsa, but decided to let it pass. Mrs. Bennett came home and her husband pulled her aside for a long talk. Elsa was still curled up on the couch. It looked like she wanted to be left alone. She wouldn't make eye contact with anyone. Jack wished her could help her through this. He felt so helpless. Jack trudged up the stairs, creaking the door open to Jamie's room. Jamie was at his desk, furiously scribbling something.

"Hey," Jack murmured.

"Go away."

Jack was surprised Jamie and Elsa weren't related by blood. "What'cha drawing?" Jack leaned over Jamie's shoulder. It looked like a very angry winged lizard.

"It's a magma dragon. They live underneath the earth's crust. They use volcanoes when they need to surface."

"Oh really?" Jack quirked an eyebrow.

"Yep. And they spew molten lava instead of fire." Jamie turned to him, his amber eyes bright. "You wanna see my acid dragon?" he asked, with such innocent enthusiasm that Jack wondered if Jamie realized the gravity of the situation.

Jack shrugged. "Sure."

Jamie rolled back his desk chair and reached underneath his desk before pulling out a piece of paper. This dragon was a vivid lime green with rows a jagged spikes on its back and a curling tail.

"Does this one spew… vomit?"

Jamie laughed and shook his head, as if Jack were the dumbest simpleton he'd ever seen. "No! It spews acid. Hence the name acid dragon."

"Wow, hence is a pretty big word for such a small kid." Jack mussed Jamie's hair.

Jamie scowled at him. "I'm not a kid! I'm only six years away from legally being an adult. And I know big words because I read. A lot."

Jack laughed. "Only six years, huh?"

"Yep, and in exactly… 28 days is my birthday."

"Are you going to have a birthday party?"

"Yep. It's going to be medieval themed. Mom can buy sparkling grape juice and we'll drink it in wine glasses—I mean goblets."

Jack smiled. "Sounds like you've gotten it all worked out."

"Yup!"

Jack surveyed Jamie's room. The avocado-colored walls were cluttered with maps and posters of dragons and dinosaurs. Books, robots, nerf darts, and Legos were scattered across the wooden floor. Jack casually picked up a skate board.

"You've got some cool stuff in here."

Jamie smiled. "Yeah, this is usually where I hang out." His voice saddened.

"What's the matter?" Jack asked.

Jamie stood up and casually looked through his telescope, feigning nonchalance. "Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Nope, nothing." Jamie sighed and sank onto his bed. "It's just that—"

"What?"

"Nah, it's stupid."

Jack jumped onto Jamie's bed, bouncing Jamie high into the air and eliciting a giggle from him. "Come on, bro, we're cool. You can say whatever's on your mind."

"It's just that… no one cares about me anymore!"

"Oh?"

"Yeah, whenever I want to do something, everyone's just too busy for me!" He flopped onto his bed dejectedly, staring at the ceiling.

"Well, what do you want to do?"

Jamie sat up and smiled. "I've always wanted to have a pillow fight."

Jack smirked. "A pillow fight, huh?"

He bobbed his head eagerly and began talking about how he wasn't allowed to go to sleepovers and how Elsa and Anna were too boring to participate in pillow fights. Jack picked up a pillow, deciding actions spoke louder than words. He hit Jamie on the head. Jamie abruptly stopped talking, scowling at Jack.

"You'll pay for that, you miscreant! Foul beast!"

Jamie picked up a pillow and began hitting Jack. Jack laughed and hit him back, knocking him down in one blow. Jamie was back on his feet in an instant. Sometime during their pillow fight, Jamie exchanged his pillow for a foam nerf sword. Jamie plunged the sword into Jack's stomach.

"I have slayed the mighty ice dragon!"

"Oh no!" Jack rolled onto the floor. "I'm dying! Ahh!" He put the back of his hand to his forehead for dramatic flair.

"Huzzah! I am victorious!" Jamie yelled. He opened his arms wide, nerf sword still in hand. He accidentally knocked over his lamp. "Oops."

Jack began to stumble upwards and stuck out his hands in front of him. "The mighty ice dragon has come back to life as a… zombie ice dragon!"

"No fair! Dragons don't turn into zombies!" Jamie grabbed a nerf gun and held it in front of him. "Now, stay back! I'm warning you."

"You can't kill the living dead!" Jack moaned.

"Fine!" Jamie started whacking Jack with the nerf sword.

"Ow! Hey, no fair! Cheater!"

"You," Jamie grunted as he swung the nerf sword, "cheated… first!"

Jack scrambled across the room. A silver cylinder caught his eyes. Jack snagged it. A lightsaber! With a flick of his wrist he 'activated' it. Jack blocked Jamie's next strike. "Ha ha!"

"Have at thee, villain!"

Jack blocked another strike. Jamie's door squeaked open.

"Jamie, we need to talk to you." Mrs. Bennett entered the room.

Jamie's shoulders slumped. "But I was in the middle of this epic sword battle with Jack!"

"You'll have to continue it later."

Jamie frowned and Jack could see he was about to say something sarcastic.

"You'd better listen to your mom, Jamie."

Jamie huffed. "Fine."

Mrs. Bennett mouthed a 'thank you' Jack's way. Jack smiled and nodded. Mrs. Bennett and Jamie walked downstairs.

"That was really nice of you, Jack."

Jack looked up. Elsa was leaning against the door. He shrugged and flashed her a smile. "It's what I do."

Jack sat on Jamie's bed. Elsa walked into the room and sat next to him.

"You're really good with Jamie."

Jack smiled. "He's a sweet kid. I think he's a bit misguided… but he is nice."

Jack put his arm around her shoulders and was pleasantly surprised when she leaned against him. Jack stayed with her a few more minutes before standing up.

"Sorry, Elsa, but I really need to go."

Elsa stood up with him. "Will you come back?"

Jack smiled. "Of course, Jamie and I have to finish that sword fight."

Elsa raised an eyebrow. "And is Jamie the only one you want to see?"

Jack winked. "Maybe…"

He ran down the stairs, Elsa close behind him. He stopped abruptly at the front door and turned to face her. His hand went around the back of her neck and he pulled her to him, planting a chaste kiss on her cheek, just so she knew Jamie wasn't actually the only one he wanted to see. He turned to leave, but Elsa snagged his collar, holding him in place. She softly placed a kiss on his cheek. Jack smiled at her, feeling a blush warm his cheeks. He cleared his throat.

"I'll see you later."

Elsa smiled. "See you later."