Chapter 37

Disclaimer: I do not own Frozen or Rise of the Guardians, or any of the other shows mentioned in this story. Disney and DreamWorks own it.

After he watched from a vision that North successfully got Elsa out of her cage into the air, Thanatos decided to free Jack of his spell. He watched as the young king wracked himself with guilt and almost laughed. But he knew what he was doing was wrong. He used their lives as means to distract from the real decision he needed to make.

From across the room, Thanatos watched as Pitch gained control over Tooth, surprising her when she was weak with the thought of victory on her mind. There was so much he could do, but so much he wasn't supposed to do. The balance of powers would not be happy with him. Goodness no, he knew he would catch hell for what he was about to do. So it made him ponder was she worth it?

Instinctively, he inched forward. That answered that question. She was worth it. The girl was almost always worth it. Sighing, he quickly shuffled through what he would be allowed to do. If he just out and killed Pitch himself, he'd never see the light of earth again. However, if he just switched the tables momentarily, it was still up to the vampires and human to decide how this ended.

Thanatos was lucky enough to know Tooth. She'd beat it out. He had a gut feeling.

He walked forward as Pitch's hands wrapped around his Torture dagger. "Pitch, brother, let me," Thanatos said, smiling kindly. Pitch craned his head and narrowed his eyes, looking directly at Thanatos' hands. He was so right to do so despite it being a futile move. Nothing could have stopped this.

He supposed that was why nature had boundaries on him. If there was no stopping something powerful, then there needed to be boundaries. The leash was tight on him for sure, but he couldn't complain, not truly.

He flicked his wrist and Pitch's whole body turned to cement. Tooth gasped, feeling the effect and looked in shock to Thanatos. He could read her like a book. He knew what she was thinking: 'You said you wouldn't intervene in pointless rivalries!' 'I had him!' 'Does this mean I have to thank you?' 'Okay, maybe I did need the help. Thanks.' 'What about the restrictions?.

Tooth spun the two around. Now she had Pitch in a chokehold from behind, yelling at Anna to drive the dagger through his heart. Anna's eyes were wide with fear, but anger was hidden behind. Have no hesitation, little Anna. "Anna! Anna, do it!" Tooth sounded so desperate. It was only then that Thanatos was able to see why her voice was so strained. The dagger that caused immense, immeasurable pain, had impaled her thigh in the switch. She was cringing, and Thanatos knew she could only stand for so much longer.

But Anna hesitated for all the right reasons. Despite her hatred of vampires, she had somehow seen the human side remaining in Tooth. The girl saw her almost as a human, and she couldn't kill a human. But if she stabbed Pitch, she had a good chance of stabbing Tooth, too. She didn't want to kill her. She wasn't the kindest person, but killing was wrong in general. If she didn't hate Pitch so much for hurting her sister, she wouldn't be doing this. But she needed this cruel man gone. She needed her parents back in reign. She needed the world set right. She needed the world set free of horrible, murderous, putrid bloodsucking vampires.

But Tooth was only half of one.

Thanatos and Tooth saw this problem long before Anna did. His eyes made contact with Tooth's and Thanatos could see the fear behind her strong walls. He made a calming gesture, as if to lower the volume, but the noise wasn't her fear this time. She had tears in her eyes, something Tooth rarely had. Her was surprised at the fear. Now that she had so much to live for, she didn't want this. Thanatos' heart was being tugged toward helping her, but he couldn't. They wouldn't have allowed it. Karma was karma, he suddenly saw. She had this coming with or without his help. It didn't skip anyone, he decided. So she blinked hard and tore her gaze away from the mysterious, handsome man and back to Anna. All she could do was pray Anna wasn't strong.

"Anna – kill him!"

"You don't want to do this!" Pitch choked out. He and Anna shared the same terrified look. Anna never would have expected him to be so scared of death. She suddenly felt guilty for killing him. He didn't want to die – not like Jack had in those last few seconds. And she couldn't live with herself if she killed Tooth, too!

"I can't h-hold on much l-longer," Tooth screamed, high and loud. Anna quickly looked at her body and gasped. She looked at Thanatos, who nodded his head firm and clear. He knew what he was doing. He hated that Tooth didn't, but it was her own form of payment. Thinking oneself about to die is a scary occurrence, one he wished on nobody. She had to go through this, however. "Anna!"

Anna screamed loudly and ran forward, plunging the stake deep into Pitch heart at a flat, nonexistent angle. Thanatos grinned. Pitch gasped aloud first, and then Tooth did, too. Their eyes rolled into the back of their heads as they screamed in pain. Then, they dropped to the floor. But instead of caking over like Jack's body had, they simply became stiff as stone with a glossy feature on their skins. Thanatos nodded. It was all going as he planned. He just didn't know what his punishments would be. And that was okay. He started this, and he ended this.

"It is done."

. . .

Jack and North made it back to the castle by dawn. Elsa still hadn't woken up, and it worried Jack more than it should have. He watched every step North took, making sure Elsa wasn't jostled. When he got back to the castle, there were people flooding outside by the hundreds. And every one of them froze when he saw Elsa in North's arms with Jack walking beside. They gasped and murmured, all so shocked to see him. Some even bowed and a few fainted. Others spat and cursed at him, claiming evil forces were at works. Jack didn't argue with that.

In the throne room, Anna was sitting by the entryway into the dinning hall. Her knees were against her chest and sobs were echoing off the walls. Meanwhile, Thanatos was pacing in front of two dark heaps impatiently. Jack was frustrated he couldn't see what the heaps were so he stepped up the pace. Anna seemed to be mumbling words, and as he got closer, he could distinguish them.

"Three pa-people…dead…" Anna trembled, eyes clenching shut.

"Oh my God!" Thanatos shouted, hands running through his hair. "Shut. Up!"

Her head snapped up, eyes growing dead and cold. She was about to retaliate, but then her gaze found Jack. She screamed bloody murder, crushing her body into the wall as far away from Jack as she could get.

Now, he should have felt anger towards Anna, but he had been around too long to hate the ones who tried to kill him, whether or not they were successful. Pitch was an exception only because he did other things worse than killing somebody. Anna was just a confused, scared girl. He could see the qualities she shared with Elsa. Her heart shaped head, tall yet thin frame, and large, beautiful eyes were all to similar to the ones his love owned. And his heart broke.

"Anna, it's okay. You killed the vampire side of me – not the human part," Jack inched forward slowly, getting on his hands and knees. She watched him through her hands, tears flowing smoothly.

"I-I killed y-you," she stuttered, crumpling in on herself. "God's come to punish me…I'm being haunted! "

"It is okay, smaller snowflake, I see Jack Frost, too. Thanks to Thanatos." North brought attention to himself and Elsa. Anna skipped over him and looked to Thanatos.

He sighed and rolled his eyes in full annoyance. "Tooth and I forgot to tell you that Jack woke up human this morning. Surprise, you didn't kill…anyone."

Anna looked from him to Jack. Jack moved in front of the crouched girl. She hesitantly reached her hand out and jumped when she felt a human pulse against his firm, solid neck. "God help us all…" she muttered, horror struck.

"It's going to be okay, Anna," Jack whispered softly. He took her shaking hands and put them down. Then, he wrapped the small girl in his arms. He cradled her, rocking back and forth softly. He looked at Thanatos and North as they debated what to do with Elsa. Then he saw the heaps not too car away from him. He bit his tongue and focused on comforting Anna. It took her a while, but eventually she calmed down.

She took two deep breaths and squirmed out of his grasp, gasping. "If you came back to life…" She turned suddenly to Thanatos. "Can I turn Elsa human?"

He frowned, beginning to say one thing and then switching. "It's all in my journal that Jack was supposed to read. Did you read it?"

Jack shook his head, climbing to his feet. He took in the surroundings again as Thanatos mumbled silent curses at Jack. The two heaps on the floor still hadn't moved. Jack shuffled closer and froze. He saw with his own eyes Pitch's unconscious body lying back to chest with Tooth, a stake of wood piercing his heart deeply.

"What happened?" His eyes grew wide. It was hard to believe that they really took down Pitch…without him.

"Anna and Tooth took Pitch down," Thanatos sighed, "and at a high cost of Tooth's sacrifice." Jack frowned, inspecting the two.

"But I came back to life," Jack protested. He never loved Tooth, but they had known each other for a long, long time. He only wished death upon her once when she caused him to kill Elsa, but even then he took it back shortly after. Now she was gone, and it was to save his life. He felt more gratitude than he ever expected feeling towards her.

Thanatos grew angry, hands clenching at his side. "It was all in the journal! Unless you have come to terms with the death, you won't become human!"

"Makes no sense." North growled in denial. He kneeled by Tooth's side, holding her hand. He grimaced and looked up at Thanatos, blame written on his face.

"You don't give power to those who want it; you give it to those who don't but deserve it." Thanatos mumbled. His eyes snapped open with a harsh tint to the edges. "If a person is ready to leave, you let them stay. If a person is scared of death, that is all they can expect, that is all they get. Following me yet?"

Jack stumbled back, flabbergasted. It was true he welcomed death by instinct. He never expected that would save his life, though. "There's nothing we can do?" North asked gruffly. Thanatos sighed, mumbling something screwing himself over. Then he turned away from North and stared directly at Anna.

"North, do you want to become a human again?" Thanatos asked, pain lacing through his expression. Jack watched the new conversation distantly. Something didn't seem right. Thanatos shouldn't have been so stressed out. It seemed like he was feeling some physical pain.

"Yes," he said.

Still staring at the girl, he demanded, "You are one of the last ones in the human bloodline of Moon. You are the only one who can change him back. That goes for Shira and Bunnymund. Jack, go with the girl. Talk everyone through the process and make sure they are ready to die if something goes wrong."

"Wrong?" Anna squeaked.

"It won't go wrong! Just do it," Thanatos growled. He looked at North. "You have the hardest part because you know what you need to do. The magic world doesn't give you points for faking a true emotion." He looked North up and down as he slowly stood to full height.

"Little boy, death was ready for me since I became vampire." North grunted. He looked to Anna. "Am I first?"

Jack looked to Thanatos again. He had an odd tingling feeling shoot down his spine. Something about Thanatos didn't seem in character. He knew he and Tooth had, for some reason, grown close. North had explained their secret meetings. Yet, this grieving didn't mean his rash rage. Thanatos was a man of plans. He never showed such raw anger. He always played it cool, even when he was losing it. Hell, when they first met him he was smart enough to feign weakness in alcohol. He wasn't a spiteful, demanding man! He was a suave, persuasive man.

But Jack kept his mouth shut. Despite how serious these next few hours would be, he trusted the basic facts only because he said they were in the journal. He didn't care if Jack looked at it to check. So whatever he was keeping from them was new and most likely hard to find the dirt on.

After all, Thanatos had near total control over his life now that he was human again. Whatever he did, Jack could do little to stop it.

"Second," Thanatos ran his hands through his hair again. "Elsa will be last. She needs to wake up, first. Hurry!"

"Why must we hurry?" Jack finally asked, curious as to what was time consuming. Thanatos' beady eyes narrowed on his figure. He was quick to answer, quick to cover up. Jack had to give him credit.

"We must hurry because Bunnymund was hit with the Torture knife. Do you want him to suffer longer, Jack?"

Jack swallowed hard and nodded. "No, of course not."

The three made their way down to the dungeons. Bunnymund was easily found moaning in a locked cell. On their way, they passed Elsa and Anna's parents. They were fast asleep, shivering and hungry. Jack made a mental note to let Elsa decide what to do with them. Personally, he was disgusted with their comments and felt a few months of prison would have done them well.

"Fucking shit!" Bunnymund howled at the sight of them. Jack grimaced, remembering the pain full and fresh like it happened yesterday. It basically did. Bunnymund seemed paler and weaker than he did. Jack figured having Elsa dote on him really helped. "Jack, my boy, how did you do this? I'd rather pass a damn kidney stoooone." He finished with a long moan.

"Bunny, you need to listen carefully to what we say, okay?" Anna said, edging as close as she dared. He nodded briskly. Anna looked at Jack. "Grab Shira. I can't do this twice."

He hated to tell her that she'd have to do it again for Elsa. Of course, he'd probably be manic over the need to explain it himself. Being away from her while she was unconscious was driving him crazy already. Swiftly Anna began instructing them exactly what to do once Shira was brought in. She and Bunnymund shared a short but deep reunion, which Jack felt jealous of.

"You are trying to convince me to ask for death?" Bunny cackled dryly. "That's all I've been praying for over the last couple of hours."

Anna nodded briskly crisp and resolute. Jack knew she hated doing this. He was surprised she'd agreed so quickly, however, she did despise the vampire race. "You're sure we'll become human?" Shira asked, voice strong and anxious. Jack nodded. "Just in case…" She kneeled by Bunnymund's beside. He groaned as her weight was shifted minutely onto his shoulder. Her lips pressed onto his, lingering for a few perfect seconds.

"Shira?" Bunnymund whispered. She looked ready to drop anything at his beck and call just then. Her eyes locked onto his. Coughing, he choked out his first words that Elsa would have found pride in. "When you left me, I gave you a leash as long as the world itself." He paused, waiting for her to remember. Her eyes flickered with light and she nodded, hanging on to find the point. "I finally understand why. You shouldn't have any leash, Shir. You de-deserve absolute control over your life."

"Bunny…" Shira murmured, tears falling down her cheeks. Bunnymund clenched his eyes shut as another wave of pain hit him. The stress lines were visible on his face. "Do it. Do it now."

"Ready?" Anna asked quietly. Jack and North mirrored her feeling of intruding. They definitely didn't need to see that scene of weakness for either friend.

"Yes," he breathed deeply, as if letting the weight of the world off his shoulders. Anna stood, raised the stake above her head with both hands, shut her eyes, and plunged the wooden object straight down into his chest.

Bunny's eyes shot open as he gasped.

. . .

They went around like that. From the looks of it, they were all successful. Bunnymund, North, and Shira all crusted and cracked like the rotten dead, just as Jack did. Thanatos helped carry all the bodies upstairs, lying them out in a line. Tooth and Pitch's bodies were laid separately. Then came the time Elsa awakened.

"Jack, we just feel like she won't focus with your presence," Anna protested. Thanatos seemed nervous, constantly checking the sun for the time. Jack was adamant that he'd be there to help Elsa, just like he had been for the other three successful attempts. It only made sense to him.

"If anything, she'll try to bite your head off for killing me," Jack pointed out. Anna opened her mouth and closed it, at a loss for words. Thanatos sighed heavily.

"I'll keep her safe. Anna's right, Jack. She will focus on your life rather than her death. We need her to be ready for death. Understand?" Thanatos hissed. Jack began to protest. "It was my understanding she was ready for it not more than a day ago, Jack Frost, and it was your doing!"

"Your presence will rock her world – for the better, of course, but for the moment she needs less than better." Anna gulped, looking between Jack and Elsa's frozen body. Jack looked between his love and the two firm opponents. He imagined being there when she woke and her utter joy, her need to continue on with her life. And he knew they were right, no matter how much he wanted to deny it.

"Fine," he said between clenched teeth. He turned to Thanatos and pointed an accusing finger at him. "But if you touch her…"

He rolled his eyes. "Just leave, Frost."

With one last longing look towards his bride, he left the room and closed the doors.

...

2 Days Later

Elsa was the last to wake up. It was totally surreal and very familiar. She relished in it all. The dull smells, the rumbling of her hungry stomach, the less than perfect eyesight, the cold, and mostly the nonexistent need to drink blood all was welcomed.

They told her she'd return as a human. She just didn't believe them. After seeing her sister, she basically turned into a statue. How was she supposed to act in front of her best friend and lover's killer? She nodded when it was needed, and Thanatos got the important parts across to her. However, seeing Shira, Tooth, North, and Bunnymund laid out before her, most likely dead forever, she didn't need much convincing to wish for death. After Jack's death, she had pulled herself out of the depths thanks to her friends who had become her family. If every reason she had for living suddenly died, what more was there to live for?

Yet when she woke as a full-blooded human, she knew what they said held true. Her family had survived as well, except for the sacrifice of Tooth. Her eyes still flooded with tears at the thought. She knew few people willing to sacrifice herself for Elsa, and she never expected one of them to be Tooth. Needless to say, she felt guilty for the death.

Elsa blinked and looked around. Soft voices were muttering in hushed whispers from all around her, but she couldn't make it out. She slowly pushed herself up and recognized the table she was on. It was in the dining hall.

Sitting up, she heard the voices halt. The room was bright with candles lit everywhere. The window overlooked the brightening sun coming over the many mountains in the distance. On the opposite side of the room stood everyone else. They were grouped in close together and she couldn't see more than the front line of North, Shira, and Thanatos.

"Guys?" she coughed, feeling her throat dry. For the first time in almost a month, she wanted water and only water. She almost smiled.

"Elsa!" Shira ran forward and slung her arms around Elsa's tiny frame. "Elsa, we're human! Can you believe it?"

Elsa grinned widely, slinging her legs over the table and laughing with glee. She never imagined this was possible. Now it seemed she didn't have to mourn Jack for the rest of her life. It would make things –

"Wait…" Elsa looked around the room, searching for that one person. She was too small to see, though. "If we all became human, then did Ja – did he?"

Shira's smile didn't drop completely, giving Elsa a stab of painful hope. She turned a full circle, searching, but they were all grouped together. "That's our cue, guys," Shira sighed, smiling ruefully. Thanatos looked ready to blow a gasket, a site Elsa wasn't used to. "Half an hour, for goodness sake's, she thought he died!"

Elsa's head spun.

"No more than half an hour," Thanatos threatened. He led the others straight out the door, shutting them tight. Elsa followed them just to delay time until she summed up the courage to turn back around to the spot they previously stood. She knew there wasn't a chance…

Her hands were shaking. She balled her fists and clenched her eyes shut, looking at her feet. "If I look up," she gulped, "and you aren't there-,"

"I'm right here, Elsa," came the voice she'd almost forgotten.

"Jack," she breathed straight from her lungs. Her eyes flew open and her head snapped to attention. And there he stood, watching her from a far, same as before, good as new. Her heart pounded loudly in her chest, so much so it hurt. Her lungs gasped for air and the tears sprung instantly down her face. Her hands flew to her mouth and she fell off the table onto her knees on the floor. Her body couldn't handle the elation and utter relief she felt.

Jack ran forward and kneeled in front of Elsa. His hands grasped hers, and she let out sobs of joy and sadness mixed into one. "Jack – you…you're real, you're here, you're alive."

"I told you I'd never leave," Jack insisted. She looked into his eyes and nearly fainted. He was crying, too, but a smile was on his lips. Her head was spinning faster than before, and her body felt like crumpling in on itself. Instantly, she tackled Jack, arms flying around his neck.

Her lips pressed into his like her life depended on it. Jack weaved his hands around her waist, holding her so tight it hurt. "Y-you were gone." Elsa cried harder. Now that he was here, it was like she was mourning his death all over again. "A-and I w-wanted to die, too. You idiot!"

Jack lifted Elsa in his arms, standing up. She continued to cry into his body while he mumbled words of safety and caressed her hair. "I love you, Elsa," Jack whispered, kissing her head. She fumbled around until she stood on her own two feet, wobbly and uneasy. Jack took this chance to wrap her in another hug, tighter this time. He swore he'd never let go again if he could.

"I hate you, Jack," Elsa sniffed. He held her chin in one hand, wiping away her falling tears. "D-don't leave me again. Got it?" Jack gazed into her soul, comforting her just by his bright blue eyes. He nodded, willing to agree to anything she said.

"Never," he promised, closing his eyes as he rested his forehead onto hers. Their breaths mixed and they stayed like that for as long as everyone was willing. His mind was racing with relief. There were so many possibilities, so many more options now that Elsa and he could grow old together. "We can have a family, Elsa."

She sighed shakily with a slight laugh of joy. "We can have kids!" she exclaimed, eyes popping wide open. Jack grinned right back at her.

"After so much, we can finally find a home," he sighed, searching her eyes for reciprocation. Elsa smiled wide. She pressed her lips to his over and over, trying her hardest to express her utter joy. She was exhausted, and so was Jack, and she had no doubt they would never fully wake from their memories. But they made it through.

Suddenly, the doors burst open. A wide-eyed, breathless Shira and Bunnymund appeared hand in hand, talking a mile a minute. "Thanatos can save Tooth!"

Elsa and Jack's heads snapped back towards them. "He can do what?!"

A/N: Yay, yay, yay! Elsa and Jack have reunited! That was my favorite part of this chapter! Happy holidays, everyone! I hope it was great! So here's the deal, the next chapter is the last chapter. There's no way I could possibly expand it, you know because I tend to overwrite. Man, I knew this story would be long, but not this long. I am so happy about all the reviews throughout the story. Can I please get a good goodbye review? Please, from your heart?

If you are interested, my next story is already in the works. It is a Clace (from the mortal instruments) story, but it is so much more. If you all get me eight reviews, I will give you the sneak peek preview. It should be up by the end of January, though I suspect sooner. I'll try to finish this one quickly!