Chapter Rated: T
The morning after the storm washed away yesterday's news, emotions, and stories. Arendelle was expecting the sun to come back after the heavy downpours and wild roaring thunderstorms, but, an endless widespread of overcast clouds stretched over the mountain range of the city. In the Frost estate, the driveway wasn't packed like it was yesterday. The property was back to being only a household of four.
Jack let out a grunt when he rolled out of bed, beginning his morning stretch and exercise. A couple of arm and leg stretches, one set of push up and crunches was what the doctor, aka his sister, ordered him to do. Sophia recommended him to keep up with his morning runs while his schedule was slow in the morning.
She definitely wanted him to be around for a long time. Jack still chuckled here and there whenever he remembered his promise to her - that he will be still around to walk her down the aisle during her wedding. As much he hoped that day would one day come true, he wasn't ready to let go of her when that time comes. He's still making up for all the years he missed during their time of separation. As long they managed things around their busy schedules, they'll manage to be alright and be there for each other for a long time.
After warming up his body for another busy routine at work, he reached for his phone to check any messages, emails, or voicemail that was left overnight. His inbox was filled with nothing but emails from work which he'll look over whenever he's at work. However, he received a voicemail from his uncle Pitch. With his eyebrows raised, he pressed the play button to hear his uncle's message. Beyond the sudden white noise in the background he heard his uncle's husky voice:
Hello nephew, I'm calling you to see if you're able to meet up later on today. I know you might have a busy schedule this week. But do call me whenever you have the time. I would like to apologize to you for making you storm out all of a sudden yesterday. I agree that we must do something about this family matter together and privately. Again, call me whenever you have the time, please. Alright, talk to you soon.
Jack closed his phone, settling it back down on his nightstand. A train of thoughts arrived on time in his reckless mind to begin his day of endless thinking.
Should I call him back or not, Jack wondered.
Then a list of advice from friends came to mind. They wanted him to finally find closure over his family's burden. His old friends, his second family actually, don't want to see him chained up to his family's dark past until his very last breath - they believed Jack deserved so much more than inheriting pain and struggle.
He reached for his phone and checked his schedule before calling Pitch. After his morning meeting with the finance department, he was free from any meetings before later on this week. From the look of things he was flexible to have a personal meeting with him. The numbers on his phone's clock, stating he has no longer than two hours to get ready for work before running late again. As if it was any big deal for him and the company.
As soon as Jack arrived at work, he asked Emily and Geo to call in his team to meet with him in the conference room to start his finance meeting. He was patiently waiting at the very front of the room when the two grand double doors gradually opened. At this meeting, he planned on talking to the head of the finance department along with his mentors and colleagues; Tooth, Sandy, and Fergus. Zazu followed the three as they navigated their way to where Jack was sitting. They gather around the nearby seats like knights coming together around the king's round table as they wait for the young CEO to speak.
"Good morning everyone I called you all in today to not only discuss about the company's mid-month performance, but, would like to bring up an old case that has been neglected to be brought up in recent meetings." Jack opened up with standing from his seat.
The four adults all exchanged each other with puzzled looks before focusing their attention back at Jack.
"And what would this case be Mr. Frost?" Zazu asked politely.
"Do you all remember the hidden spending my uncle Kozmotis has made during his term as CEO?" Jack asked them. The four nodded. "I believe my uncle was being controlled by someone outside this company, causing him to do inside trading behind our backs. Does the name Frollo ring any bell?"
The four's eyes widen, looking among each other with their lips held shut tight. From the expression on their faces, Jack knew the four were hiding something regarding about the Frollos and how their dark connection with his company hit a very long rivalry between each other.
"Mr. Frost, how is the Frollos a connection to your uncle's secretive actions of using company funding and resources? Surely this should have been brought up by the board." Zazu looked a bit puzzled at the moment.
"Jackson, what evidence do you have to prove your case? This is high accusations to either prove your uncle to be innocent or guilty over this extortion." Tooth advised him.
"I recently found documents in my father's laptop that held records in my family's history with the Frollos. Does anyone know the story of how my great-grandfather nearly filled this company for bankruptcy?" Jack pushed a manila folder in the center of where the four was seated.
"This shouldn't be known besides the heads of the company. Don't tell me the arrest of Claude Frollo is the cause to this illegal money exchanging is it?" Fergus stood up from his seat. "We all knew he was a madman for what he has done, but, what does his own family have to do with Kozmotis?"
Sandy was the only one acting quietly in the room. As more than usual, he would bring up a joke or sarcastic remark to either make Jack chuckle or make Tooth roll her eyes, instead the short top businessman kept his mouth shut until he had the courage to bring Pitch's past into the light.
"Kozmotis was once married to a Frollo." Sandy has spoken. Everyone except Jack was shocked over the news. Sandy reached for the folder, ignoring everyone astounded looks, and began to browser through the printed documents. "These are just journal entries, Jack."
"Yes, they are, but, some of them held records regarding to Claude Frollo case and my parents' accident. Either my uncle was working for the Frollos or they were using him to get hold of the company's capital and resources." Jack explained from the list of findings he has dug up.
"These are still very high allegations to put your uncle under the board's spotlight again. What are you trying to do to him? To get him arrested for his crimes? What do you want want the company to do?" Tooth asked him.
Jack took a moment to look at their puzzled looks. "It seems like you all think my uncle is guilty for all of the things has been doing since my father's death." He assumed with their lack of support whenever he mentioned about his uncle.
"Jack it does add up to how your uncle was a selfish man to begin with. Why do you think he's innocent of what he has to your family?" Tooth said kindly.
"For years I thought he was a sinister man who was hungry for power, but, instead he wants love and a sense of closure in his life. He's completely a warm, kind-hearted father and husband." Jack explained.
"Father?" Fergus sounded surprised. "The man has a little runt running around in this world?"
"Fergus!" Tooth punched him in the arm. "Give the man some respect. I didn't know he had his own family. Of course, I knew he was married, but, to bring a child into this world. That's something else." She looked at Jack with sadden eyes, even though she didn't know the child, she felt empathy and worried about the child's well-being.
"My cousin, E.J. is fine. Quite rounded to say the least. She's visiting him and my family this week if you want to know." Jack acknowledged.
"E.J.? You actually met her?" Tooth asked him.
Jack nodded. "Not only did she came back home to reunite with her father and finally meet her family, she wants to help me with my case because she also wants answers about her mother's death and her father's secretive past."
Everyone grew silent after his remark. He swiftly shifted the subject back to Pitch using company revenue to pay off his family's debt with the Frollos. "Zazu is there anyway you have the right to see the receivers of who actually received any sent in money from us. I know they only show the company name but what group or individual receives them? The Frollos hasn't been in the public eye since my parents' accident. Is there any way you can gather up that information?"
Zazu placed his hand over his chin while he began to think. In a moment, Jack received a nodded. "I'll see what I can do Mr. Frost I'll keep you in the loop whenever I find the answer."
Jack nodded with a smile. "Thank you. Now shall we briefly discuss about this company's performance this month?"
No one shook their heads. From there Jack took back the manila folder he placed on the table and reached in for the right folder that stored away the right files and spreadsheets for their meeting. After a long two hours of speaking finance and new marketing strategies the meeting went flawlessly without any arguments and debates. A simple gathering that pleased Jack.
"Please, if there's anything else you all want to discuss with me don't hesitate to leave a message." Jack informed them.
His team and head of the finance department nodded their heads while leaving the conference room. Jack sat back down on his seat and stared outside of the room's high scale glass window. The sun never came out from behind the thick clouds the storm has brought over night. None of them decided to move or budge, the sky was just an empty gray painted canvas on a melancholy morning.
After his morning meeting, Jack never knew he suddenly built up the strength and bravery to give him the determination to finally have a serious talk with his uncle. He hurried down the main lobby and exited out of the building before another wave of heavy rain began pouring down. On the steps, he saw Elsa climbing up the flight of stairs, getting a quick gaze from her.
"Jack! I mean, Mr. Frost." Elsa had a small streak of red across her face when she accidentally called her boss by his first name. It wasn't boss-to-employee protocol. But, Jack didn't mind at all.
"Hey, what's up?" Jack casually replied back. He simply didn't cast aside their relationship even whenever they were at work.
"Um, going to work you dork, what about you? Don't you have files to look at?" Elsa rolled her eyes, having one hand against her hips.
Jack laughed. "Don't worry, I'll have those done by tonight. But I thought you were called in tomorrow to work."
"How do you know that I was supposed to work tomorrow?"
"Um, I'm your boss. Plus, I have two lovely secretaries that provided me that information." Jack showed off his classic lopsided grin.
Once again Elsa rolled her eyes. "I'm just here to pick up some work to do at home."
Jack nodded. "So how is Anna doing? Hope she's alright after what happened yesterday."
Elsa met his concerned sapphire eyes. "She alright. I tried to wake her up this morning. But she wanted to sleep in today." She smiled. Jack returned a smile while placing his hand on her shoulder. "Jack, if I'm thinking what you're thinking. Save it for another time. We're at work."
Jack rolled his eyes while letting out a chuckle. "Fine. But you know I was just giving you a pat on the shoulder for doing a good job."
"For what?" Elsa tilted her head to the side.
"For never letting me down. Well, for all of us. I don't know where I would be today without you." He grinned.
Elsa blushed. "Thank you. But, I feel the same way if you weren't here anymore. I can't imagine a world without you." She looked away for a moment. "Sorry how corny that sounds, but, it's true."
Jack chuckled. "I think corny-love moment is the best part of having a good relationship. It definitely puts a smile on my face."
Elsa looked up to see him smiling down at her, a genuine glow on his face that reminded her that everything is going to be alright for the both of them regardless of what happened in the past. The 'now' is what's important for them to focus on if they're willing to keep their relationship intact.
"Where are you heading right now?" Elsa asked.
"I decided to finally sit down with my uncle this time. Like this is it. If he doesn't answer my questions or doing anything about my parents' case, then I have to take matters into my own hands. I don't want him to live in a life of sorrow and regrets. He needs to simply just live for once. Spend more time with his family. Like what I'm suppose to be doing. That's something I needed all along." Jack expressed with great determination in his voice.
Elsa smiled. "About time."
Jack quirked an eyebrow. "'About time.' I just spilled out a very touching speech and that's all you gotta say?"
Elsa laughed. "Calm down, drama queen. I'm really happy you're finally finding closure for you. Now go on, I'll talk to you later. Okay?"
Jack smiled and quickly sneaked in a kiss on Elsa's cheek before anyone can notice. "Okay." He saw the red line across Elsa's face, causing him to grin happily before dashing off to his next meeting.
The blonde turned around to see him hurrying off with a simple smile across her face. "Stay safe." She whispered softly.
Jack parked his car by a nearby small cafe in the market distinct of the city. He casually walked inside a small cafe where his uncle was sitting down by a booth that had a window view of the busy street outside.
"Hi uncle," Jack politely greeted him while the man was taking a sip of his cup of tea.
The grown man looked up to see Jack staring down at him with his firm sapphire eyes and his white-silver hair shimmering delicately underneath the fluorescent lights. Jack's overall appearance just brought a deep aching pain inside Pitch's heart, his mind released some memories of his little brother.
"Nevø (nephew) please sit down. Do you want anything? My treat." Pitch smiled with a delightful spring in his heel. Despite Jack's unsatisfied outburst from yesterday, the man was calm, patience, and filled with a glimmer of hope and happiness underneath the mask of regret he wore on his face.
"No, I'm fine, thank you." Jack straightened out his suit before sitting down across the table.
"Oh c'mon, my boy, let your old onkel (uncle) treat you out for a nice cup of tea and some pastries. Eh?" Pitch offered again, trying to smile.
Jack sighed. "Alright. I'll just have a cup of tea."
"You sure you don't want any krumkakes? This cafe is famous for them." Jack shook his head. Pitch raised an eyebrow and then shrug his shoulders. "Very well, then."
Pitch politely called out the waitress that was serving him a moment ago to ask her kindly for a cup of tea and two plates of krumkakes. The waitress was happy to serve the man and quickly requested his order. While they waited for their orders, Pitch tried his best to keep the conversation calm and collective while they discussed privately over a serious matter.
"I thought over what you said yesterday." Pitch opened up. Jack shifted his attention away from the busy street and gave his uncle his undivided attention. "And I do believe I won't be doing my duty as a brother, an uncle, and especially a father if I kept secrets from those I've cared about in a long time."
Jack raised an eyebrow. You cared about me for a long time. He reflected in his head. Then why were you such a sinister quiet man when I was growing up.
"I know you might think of me not a family man. But, when it came to family, it was the hardest part in my life to maintain and keep. I bet you found me as a mean evil man when you were young, am I right?" Pitch asked Jack with a melancholy tone that slipped out his mouth.
Jack kept his head held up to show no weakness and fear, but, the old man's words changed the way the young thought of him - a coward with soft and genuine words transformed into a brave hero because all of his honesty was pure and true.
"Yeah, I used to assume you were just an evil, greedy man that lived a corrupted life that only wanted power. But that was the past. I just want to know why you kept this dark secret away from me." Jack said strongly.
Before Pitch was about to reply, their waitress came by to drop off their order. She gently placed a cup of tea in front of Jack and then laid out a plate of krumkake for each of the men. Lastly, she asked the two if they needed anything else. The two politely said no. The young waitress nodded with a smile and turned around to go help another customer.
"Only your father knew about the mess I've gotten myself into since I started dating my late wife." Pitch continued. "You see, after introducing Lady to the family, my father soon learned about her family's name and ordered me to never see her again."
Jack saw Pitch's topaz eyes lose the glimmer of happiness. They faded into a dull saturated shade of golden-brown as the man looked down at his cup of tea. "It's because she was Frollo right?"
"Yes, but, not blood related like me. Even though we lived and grew up in top elite families, we were just orphans."
"Kinda like me and sister." Jack added.
"Kinda. Except you two carried the family name in your blood. You two are blood-born Frosts. Well, I've been just a nobody living in this world." Pitch said bitterly. "Despite our families dark past and rivalry, I still loved her because of how we easily connected regardless of who we were." He saw Jack staring into space for a brief moment, knowing who the young man was thinking about. "The same way you feel about that young blonde friend of your's."
Jack blushed, noticing Pitch smiling back him. "She's definitely someone I can't live without. Same goes for my family and friends. Those are the ones to hold onto until the end." The young man stated proudly.
Pitch nodded, agreeing to Jack wise remark, causing him to show off a shy little smile across his face before taking another sip of his tea.
"So where is E.J. shouldn't she know about what happened to her mother and why you sent her away over these years?" Jack asked.
The man gently placed his cup back onto its plate before talking. "I already explained everything to her last night."
"How did she take it?"
"Remarkably, she took it like a champ. I know I pulled a string in her heart and I saw the tears forming at the corner of her eyes." Pitch paused for a moment to reflect on an image of how the way E.J. was about to cry, never changed through his own eyes. When the young woman cried, it reminded him of the days when she was just a small child. "She a very tough one. She was the type who tried her best to hide away her tears whenever she gets too emotional." He smiled remembering those moments whenever E.J. held her folded arms across her chest and pouted at him.
"Kinda like me when I was little." Jack reminded himself. "I wasn't really raised to never cry, but, I ended up teaching myself to hide away my emotions."
"Including love?" Pitch asked softly.
Jack was staring down at his tea. The small pool inside the cup was dark brown with a slight shine around surface that touch along the edges of the white ceramic cup. "Yeah, I was stupid at the time and didn't realize I was hurting those closer to me than myself."
"I was like that too when I was young and naive."
The young man looked up, staring back at his uncle to find him staring out of the window. "So what happened when my grandfather told you not to be with Lady? Of course you got married and had a child, but, how did you two do it?"
"Simple. Forget about everything and just go for it. Even though it was too dangerous for us to, we ended up keeping our relationship strong. Especially with the help of your parents, of course. They weren't troubled by my relationship with Lady. They were mainly worried about what would happen if were weren't together at all." Pitch explained. "I am for one would go mad if I couldn't be with her at all."
"What happened after? Grandfather knew about the relationship. He knew he had a granddaughter. From what I read from my father's journal, he barely did anything for you and your family." Jack sounded a bit broken and sadden over the man he used to look up to was a selfish man who was concerned about his family's status.
Pitch noticed his nephew's sadden expression that painted across his face. The old man was special for the boy and now he found out about the dark side of the man he thought would call his father forever, but, that wasn't the case for both men. Jack used to love his grandfather, now he slowly wanted to distance himself from the man.
Jack's uncle removed the Frost last name in his title and took back his biological father's last name after the old man's wishes and wanting to keep his new family safe from harm.
"So you took your real father's name after my grandfather's death. That means E.J. and wife was never titled as a member of the Frost family?"
The man with the slick raven black hair nodded. "It was my way to protect them. But, that didn't go so well for me and my wife."
"Did the Frollos knew about your marriage?"
Pitch paused for a moment to think. He was studying the thick clouds forming underneath the city buildings on a dreary afternoon. "No, everything was a secret for both families at first until the news broke out." Jack saw the man staring at a couple walking together with their hands held tightly against one another. "After our marriage, E.J. came a year after and that's when her family found out. I was scared for her life and my daughter if they planned on doing something to them. The Frollos would already know me even without having Frost as my last name."
"Don't tell me your real father had something with the Frollos, right?" Jack asked him with his eyebrows raised.
Pitch stared down at his cup, realizing how it's nothing but empty space inside. Jack saw him looking down at him, concerned, seldom eyes with a hint of kindness. "Do you want more tea?" He asked kindly.
"No, I am alright." Pitch replied back.
"You sure? Your face doesn't say so." Jack smiled. "Here, let me." The young man called for their waitress to come by their table whenever she ready. She quickly dashed by to ask if they needed anything and Jack kindly ask for another cup of tea for his uncle. The waitress smiled and hurried into the kitchen to whip up their order.
"You certainly didn't have to do that." Pitch acknowledged.
"Yeah, but, I wanted to. Plus, you offered me free pastries. I can't never refuse free food." Jack protested with a soft chuckle. "Don't worry I'll pay for the meal. My treat, uncle."
Pitch's eyes opened wide. Jack's level generosity was unbelievable for him to handle. Despite the bitterness between them, every benevolent and admiral actions illuminated from his nephew was definitely nostalgic for him to see once again. Jack was seriously a split image of his late brother.
The grown man snapped back to reality when the waitress came back with his second helping of another warm cup of tea. The two men thanked for the young lady's service once again before leaving them be. Pitch took a moment to blow on the edge of the cup, cooling it off to his liking. Jack patiently watched him settle down his tea before answering his question.
"You seem to talk hardly talk about him or even my grandfather." Jack noticed.
"Sadly, I didn't grow up to well-rounded ones for sure. But, that didn't stop me from pursuing my own goals to become a better father for my daughter. I wasn't trying to repeat what they have done to me onto her. She doesn't deserve a life of fear and secrecy, no more." Pitch confessed from the bottom of his heart.
From the words of a troublesome man, Jack listened carefully and passionately to all his uncle had to say. The list of explanations went on and on to how growing up in a lonely life dragged him into dark places that took him years to get out. But, from the help of those who gave their time and energy for him to climb out of a deep black hole, he managed to try his best to repay them in return. However, the monsters from Pitch's past managed to track him down and destroy his world with the snap of their finger.
"The Frollos killed your father and wife." Jack tried to control his composer, shocked to learn about his uncle's dreadful past.
"They weren't the most loving people in this world. Heartless beings." Pitch hissed underneath his breath, gazing down at his hands. "But, my foolish actions fueled their hungry for power and revenge in order to get what they want." He closed his eyes tightly as his hands form into rock solid fists until the his knuckles turned white.
"Don't say that. I know all you've been doing was to protect those you've cared about." Jack rescued him.
Pitch opened his eyes and took a deep breathe. "How can I explain to my daughter that it was my wrong decisions that got her mother killed? How can I even explain to you about how my mistakes were the cause of your parents' death?"
Pitch's cold honesty words struck Jack's heart with a great amount of pain that he had used up all his strength to hold back the tears. He looked down at his teacup to avoid any eye contact from the man whom he blamed all the years of struggle and suffering. An orphan in the great big chaotic world.
"It's not your fault." He said bitterly. The taste was sour to the point it nearly caused him to panic or even gag to confess that his uncle's actions were all an accident in the end.
"No, it is. If I had the courage to leave the Frollos and stayed away from their corrupted chess game my family would still be around. Your life wouldn't be filled with regrets." Pitch explained with words to hopefully enlighten Jack.
Jack continued to stare down at his cup, the cold saturated brown was clear to see his own reflection. "You may be right about my life not being surrounded with struggle and regrets. But, this journey that I had to endure for all these years taught be the beauty of how distance built a stronger bond with those closed to me. Since death is viewed as something negative and disheartening, it showed me to treat my life with respect as for others. There is a reason for everything, uncle. Like it or not, those struggles taught us to become better people."
Pitch saw the fire in Jack's eyes, those sapphire eyes were filled with courage and determination that he's never going to give up on those he loved. Regardless of how they treated him, he still loved them and he hoped they would return the same level of affection.
"We need to fix our mistakes in order to move on in our lives. Don't forget about the past, just forgive our sins." Jack acknowledged powerfully.
