A few weeks later, Elsie was sleeping in her bed beside the window. She was staying home from school on this particularly chilly winter's' day because she had a cold. Jack watched from outside the window as she stirred in her sleep, wondering if his plan would work. He sat on the ledge just outside her window, looking over the fresh blanket of snow covering Elsie's backyard. It was sparkling like diamonds under the sun, even though it was overcast. Everything was perfect.

He turned back to the just-open window in time to see her stretch and yawn. She shivered a bit as she walked to her closet and pulled out a light blue long-sleeved sweater. She was heading back to bed to snuggle under her covers.

"Hey," Jack said.

Elsie's head turned. "Jack?" She rubbed her eye sleepily. "What are you doing here?"

Jack beamed at her. "Just checking up on you. How've you been?"

"I-" she stopped. She closed her eyes and shook her head. "J-Jack? Is that you?"

Jack opened the window and jumped inside. "Last I checked," he said, smiling. The plan was working!

Jack had gotten the idea from thinking about when Highland saw him in the cave. When his mind was vulnerable. So he had asked Sandy to send Elsie a particular dream on that day, to see if he could push her in the right direction.

And it had worked.

"But… are you real?" Elsie asked, taking a step towards him.

He leaned toward her. "I'm as real as you want me to be."

She reached up, touching his face gently. He caught her hand and held it to his cheek firmly.

"You're so cold…" Elsie said, breathless.

Jack chuckled. "Kinda happens when you're the spirit of winter,"

"But- how-?"

"Never mind how. All that matters is what's happening right now." Jack said. He stepped towards the open window, still holding her hand. "Come on, I want to show you something."

He stepped onto her windowsill and held out his other hand. "You ready?"

"For what?" She asked, taking it. Despite the strangeness of the situation, she trusted him completely. She wasn't sure if this was even real, but right now, she didn't care.

"You'll see," The window was fairly large, but Jack still had to duck his head to get out onto the ledge.

"Jack, what are you-?"

"Just trust me," he said, gently pulling her through the window. He picked her up bridal-style in his arms, his staff slung over his back with a rope. Then, without warning, he leaped into the sky.

When Elsie awoke in her bed, she jolted up. The window was open slightly. She shivered and moved to close it. As she did, she saw a small patch of frost on the outside of the window. It was shaped like a heart.

She stepped back. Jack… had it all been a dream? It had felt so real- the rushing of the cold wind, the thrill of flying, Jack's kiss….

No. It couldn't have been real. She must be imagining things. But all the same, that little heart of frost on her window…. She shook her head, dismissing the crazy fever dream, and shut the window.