Hello! I'm pretty excited for this chapter because we finally get to see some action, now that Pitch is back in the story *evil grin*
Also, I have something important to say that I will put at the end of this chapter, so I hope you guys can take the time and read it later! But in the mean time, thanks for being patient with my slooow updating, and here is chapter 37!
Jack woke up the next morning to the feeling of something touching his face. He was becoming better at the whole 'sleeping' thing, after years and years of staying awake. As a Guardian, he never needed to sleep, but ever since he, Elsa and Oliver started staying at the North Pole, he found himself falling asleep almost every single night.
He groaned a bit, his voice muffled by the pillow when he felt something touch his nose before touching the side of his face. He kept his eyes closed, but his body was starting to slowly wake up. He tried to ignore whatever was touching him, because he wanted to go back to sleep, but was fully woken up by the sounds of light laughter.
"Doesn't Daddy look silly?"
Jack opened one eye when he heard Elsa's voice, slightly squinting at the rays of sunlight that entered through the window, and was startled to find himself face-to-face with his son's big blue eyes and round cheeks. Oliver smiled a little when he saw that his father had woken up before reaching over to pat Jack's cheeks again.
Elsa laughed. "Oliver, you woke up Daddy!"
Jack chuckled tiredly and stretched before reaching over to scoop Oliver up in his arms, and letting his baby lay on top of his chest. Oliver gurgled and cooed, which made Elsa laugh as she scooted in closer to Jack, laying down on her side beside him.
"Why'd you wake me up, buddy?" Jack smiled, gently ruffling his baby's hair.
Elsa laughed again. "Sorry, Jack. He just wanted to play."
"That's alright," Jack smiled, as he helped his son sit upright. "You know that Daddy would do anything for you, right kiddo?"
Elsa smiled, feeling her chest explode at the sight in front of her. It was clear that Oliver had a special father-son bond with Jack, and it was truly the most amazing thing that Elsa has ever seen. She always knew that Jack was wonderful when it came to children, but seeing him with their own child made her frozen heart melt all over again.
Jack turned to Elsa and smiled. "What are you two doing up so early?"
Elsa's smile faltered a little. She shrugged and said, "I didn't fall asleep last night, and Oliver woke up about an hour ago, so that kept me busy."
"Why didn't you fall asleep?" Jack asked, although he didn't need to ask. He knew why.
She looked down for a moment. "I've been...thinking about a lot of things lately."
Jack sighed and nodded his head, understanding her completely. No matter how normal their day seemed, they are both aware of the situations going on. Jack has been suffering through this for months, and it only became worse now that Elsa is involved. Not only was Elsa worried about Oliver, but she was worried about Anna and Kristoff.
She has been at the North Pole for a few days now, and she was worried about her sister and her kingdom, and how Anna and Kristoff were managing Arendelle without her. But not only that, but she was scared to death for their safety. After finding out about Pitch Black, Elsa knew that she and Oliver weren't the only ones in danger, but Anna, Kristoff and the rest of her kingdom as well.
Jack reached over and placed a kiss on her forehead. "I know that this must be hard for you, Elsa. It's hard for me too. Extremely hard. But we're trying our best. If there was a way to keep you and Oliver safe in Arendelle, then I would bring both of you back home. But it's not safe, especially now. And North, Bunny, Sandy and Tooth are doing their best to keep Anna, Kristoff and everyone else safe too."
"I know," she whispered. "But sometimes...I get so scared, more than I can ever explain, Jack. I wish there was a way to tell Anna without scaring her and pulling her deeper into this situation, but I can't. And that is what scares me the most, that I'm not able to protect everyone at the same time."
Jack sighed and rubbed the side of her arm. Elsa has such a huge heart, that her fears don't allow her to see that sometimes. And Jack understands her concerns, because he feels them too, but he knew that Elsa was feeling much worse, especially since this involved her younger sister.
Oliver reached to touch Jack's face again and laughed his sweet, tiny laughs that always made his parents' immortal hearts sing. Both Jack and Elsa turned to look at Oliver, and for the first time, neither of them felt a smile on their face, only because they felt horrible that their baby is in the center of this situation, and Oliver wasn't even aware of it.
"My poor baby," Elsa sighed, reaching out to caress Oliver's round cheek. "You've been through so much. But you've continued to be our happy little boy, right? You make Daddy and I so happy."
Oliver cooed and smiled as he turned to Elsa. This baby is definitely Jack and Elsa's little miracle. When Oliver died in the womb, he miraculously came back to life through his parents' love. And despite not having both Jack and Elsa in his life for the first two months after his birth, Oliver completed them. Oliver is their heart and soul and everything in between.
And they loved their baby boy so, so much.
And that's why it hurts.
"I...I'm sorry, Elsa," Jack said abruptly.
She looked at him. "For what?"
Jack shook his head. "For...everything. For everything that has happened ever since your pregnancy. I've put you through things I would have never imagined putting you through. When you were sick while pregnant, I-I couldn't do anything to stop it. And when our child died inside of you...the fact that you had to suffer and tell me that the baby had died, I just...I will never forgive myself for making you do that."
She sighed. "Jack..."
"I had to watch you and our son die right in front of me," Jack shook his head again and looked down. "Watching you cry when you found out that the baby was gone, hearing Anna scream when she realized you were dead...those are things that I can never get out of my head."
Elsa continued to look at him, not knowing what to say.
"When I saw Oliver for the first time, I felt so alive. I felt...human again when I saw our son for the first time because that's when I knew that I now have two people to live for, that the Moon turned me into a Guardian not only for children around the world, but for you and Oliver," Jack said.
"Then why are you saying sorry?" Elsa asked him quietly.
"Because," he sighed. "Because I feel like I failed to protect you both."
Elsa shook her head. "You didn't fail at anything, Jack."
"But-"
"Look, I know you're concerned about everything going on with Pitch Black, but I don't want you to think that it's your fault, Jack. You've done everything to keep me and Oliver safe. Oliver and I are alive again because of you."
Jack sighed to himself. His guilt and self hatred was still burning inside him, but it did feel nice to hear Elsa say those things.
Elsa smiled through the somber atmosphere. "Please don't say that you failed, Jack. You are the best father any baby could ever have. You're a Guardian and the father to the Prince of Arendelle, and you are doing the most amazing job at protecting him. If Oliver knew how to talk, I bet he would tell you the same thing."
Jack chuckled before turning to his son. "I love you, kiddo. More than you know."
Oliver giggled and cooed when Jack placed a light kiss upon one of his cheeks, but their family time was interrupted when a series of loud knocks came from the door. Both Jack and Elsa sat up in bed and stared at each other for a few seconds, before Jack handed Oliver back into Elsa's arms. The Guardian got out of bed and flew to the door, only to see Bunny standing at the other side.
"Bunny, what-"
"You two need to go to the Globe Room, quick," Bunny said, his eyes darting past Jack's shoulder to look at Elsa and Oliver. He gave Jack an urgent look, before disappearing down the hallway.
Jack closed the door and turned around. He and Elsa looked at one another for half a second; judging by the tone in Bunny's voice, something was going on. Jack quickly changed out of his sleeping attire, while Elsa did the same, changing her nightgown into one of her ice dresses, before she and Jack made their way to the North Pole's Globe Room with Oliver in her arms. Once they arrived, they were instantly shocked when they saw who was standing among the rest of the Guardians.
"Kristoff?" Elsa gasped when she saw her brother-in-law.
Kristoff, who was being comforted by Tooth and Sandy, turned around when he heard Elsa. Elsa gasped to herself when she saw the look on Kristoff's face - he looked as pale as could be, as if he had seen a ghost.
"Kristoff, what are you doing here?" Elsa asked. "I thought you were in Arendelle. Wait, then who's watching over my kingdom? Where's Anna?"
He stared right at Elsa, and his breath shook when he heard Anna's name. Elsa saw the look of horror upon Kristoff's face, and she felt her body quiver in fear. The entire room grew silent.
"Kristoff," Elsa began. "Wh-Where's my sister?"
Tooth looked at Kristoff and frowned in sadness when she realized that he couldn't speak. She placed a small hand on Kristoff's shoulder before turning to look at Elsa's frightened face. "When I went to Arendelle this morning to collect teeth, I decided to stop by the castle to visit Anna and Kristoff, just to see how they were doing. But when I got there...Anna was nowhere to be found and Kristoff was panicking. So I took him here, to the Pole."
"What do you mean that Anna was nowhere to be found?" Elsa's voice shook.
Jack reached over to take Oliver into his arms before he could start crying. He knew that Oliver didn't like it when his parents sound scared or angry, and it always reduced the baby to tears.
"Elsa, I-I woke up this morning and Anna wasn't beside me," Kristoff finally spoke, his voice was also trembling. "I-I figured that she must have woken up early to do some work, or have some breakfast or anything. So I tried to look for her in every single room in the castle. I even checked your office five times. But she wasn't there."
Elsa began to shake. No, she can't allow herself to go back to this, to the thoughts of losing her sister. She already knows that feeling too well, and she never wanted to feel it ever again. But as Kristoff's voice replayed in her head, she felt like she had lost Anna again, that she had failed as an older sister again.
"And when I went back to our bedroom, I saw that the window was open," Kristoff said.
Elsa gulped. Tears were starting to weld up in her eyes, and she could feel her powers begin to spark in her cold palms.
"And on the window sill, I found this," Kristoff said, holding out his palm and revealing a small, but visible pile of black sand.
Each Guardian felt their bodies drown in horror when they saw what was in Kristoff's hand, because they all knew where this sand came from. North turned to Jack, who's eyes were wide and scared. Jack knew something like this was going to happen, but he never expected it to happen so soon. And he certainly did not expect this to happen to Anna, of all people.
"N-No..." Jack whispered.
Elsa turned to him. "Jack? Wh-What is that?"
"That's sand," Jack gulped. "Pitch's sand."
Elsa felt her entire body grow cold, colder than usual. Without even realizing, she began to sob when she heard the name. "P-Pitch Black? He...he has my sister? He has Anna?"
Jack looked at her, worried that her emotions will set her powers off again, thus making her blame herself, which was the last thing that Jack wanted. "Elsa, calm d-"
"No, Jack! Don't tell me to calm down!" she exclaimed, turning to him. All eyes were on her, but her eyes were set on Jack. "Pitch Black has Anna. He was in Arendelle, Jack! He has my sister!"
Jack felt Oliver begin to squirm in his arms, so he held him tighter. He turned to his fellow Guardians, but kept his gaze on North. The eldest Guardian sighed when he saw the look on Jack's face, and although no words were said between them, North understood.
"Pitch is using Anna to get what he needs," North said, his voice was stern and serious. "He is using her to find out about Oliver."
Jack closed his eyes. "He knows about Oliver..."
Since Oliver was born a few months early, they all thought that it would give them time to come up with a plan to hide both Elsa and Oliver before Pitch returns. They all thought that they had time to spare, but now, especially since Oliver has started to develop this powers, Pitch is becoming more powerful because that is exactly what he wants. He wants to take the baby as his own to create a world filled with darkness and ice.
"This is Pitch's way of trying to lure me towards him. I have to go to his lair, North," Jack said.
Bunny's eyes widened. "To his lair? Do you understand how dangerous that place is?"
"Bunny is right. It is not safe for you to go alone, Jack," said North.
Tooth nodded and said, "At least take us with you, Jack. It's better if we're all-"
"No," Jack fired, cutting her off. "Pitch wants me, and I'm not letting anyone risk themselves for me. He already has Anna, and I am not letting anybody else get hurt. I have to do this myself."
"But Jack, Pitch wants you to be vulnerable. That's what he's expecting. That's why you have to take us with you, so we can do this together," Tooth said.
Jack sighed. "I know, Tooth. But...I will never forgive myself if something happens to any of you. Anna is in trouble because of me, because Pitch is doing everything he can to manipulate me into giving him what he wants. And I'm not letting that happen. I have to go to his lair by myself."
"J-Jack, no..." Elsa's trembling voice whispered.
He turned to her and felt his chest clench at the sight of her tears. "I have to go find Anna. This is Pitch's idea to get to me, to you and especially our son. He's out to ruin our family, Elsa. He's out to take Oliver from us, and I need to stop this. I need to go before he can hurt Anna."
"T-Take me with you," she said through her strained voice.
Jack's eyes widened. "What? No, Elsa!"
"Jack, my sister is in danger. I need to make sure she's safe," Elsa cried.
"Absolutely not," Jack said, shocked that she even brought it up. "I am not letting Pitch anywhere near you. You and Oliver need to stay here, under everyone's supervision."
"But Anna-" she trembled.
"I won't let anything touch her, I swear of my life, Elsa. I'm going to find Anna and get her out of there," Jack promised. "Pitch wants me, and I won't let anything happen to your sister."
Oliver began to cry, so Tooth flew over to Jack and took the baby out of his arms and into hers, quietly soothing the young Prince away where he couldn't hear the frightened voices of his parents.
"Elsa, listen to me, please. This is what Pitch wants, to get you and Oliver near him. He's using Anna to get to us, but you have got to trust me, please," Jack begged.
"I don't want you to get hurt," she sobbed.
He walked over to her and held her close to his chest, not caring if they were being watched by Kristoff and the other Guardians. He pulled back to look at her and said, "You have to stay here. You'll be safe. Yours and Oliver's safety is the only thing I care about right now. Please, Elsa."
Elsa closed her eyes. "I don't want you to go alone, Jack. It scares me, knowing that you're going to find Pitch on your own. Please let me go with you."
"She's right, Jack. You cannot go alone. It's far too dangerous for you to face Pitch by yourself," said North.
Jack sighed to himself. He knows. He knows that going to find Pitch was dangerous and that something could happen to him, but Jack knew that going by himself was the right thing, and he told himself that if there was someone out there who deserved to get hurt, it would be him.
"I can't risk anybody getting hurt," Jack said. "This is my problem and I have to deal with it. Pitch is after my son, and it's my responsibility to stop him from ever getting near Oliver."
"Then let me go with you, Jack," Elsa said again. "We can do this together, we can stop him tog-"
"No, Elsa!" Jack fired. "You need-"
"I can't lose you too, Jack!" she finally cried out.
Elsa's words echoed throughout the North Pole, and for a moment, everything turned silent. All eyes were on Jack and Elsa, however, Jack and Elsa could only focus on each other. Tears failed to stop running down Elsa's cheeks, and her chest felt like it was about to explode; there were just so many painful emotions running through her body. All familiar emotions that she has felt before, only worse.
"Losing you is my biggest fear, Jack. You know that," Elsa continued through tears. "I've already lost so many people in my life; my mother and father, losing Oliver, and even losing myself. You can't do this to me, Jack."
Jack brought his hand up and brushed it across her cheek, feeling the raw pain in his chest as he did so. "You won't lose anyone, especially me and our son. Do you remember what I said to you when we first began our relationship?"
She nodded. "You said that you won't let anything come between us, not even death."
Jack nodded and sighed. "And I'm not breaking that promise. Ever."
Elsa looked past Jack's shoulder for a moment to look at Oliver, who was in Tooth's arms on the other side of the room. She felt her immortal heart break, hating how her baby was being pulled into the middle of this, and how she couldn't find a way to protect everyone that she loves, especially Jack and Oliver.
"You and Oliver are the last people I would ever want to be around Pitch, and bringing you would only strengthen him more. This is what he wants, Elsa. But you have to listen to me, please. Tooth, Bunny, Sandy and North will keep you and Oliver safe. Kristoff too," Jack said quietly.
Elsa closed her eyes, defeated and not knowing what to do.
"You have to let me do this, Elsa," he pleaded in a whisper.
Elsa's bottom lip trembled as she opened her eyes back up to look at him. "Just...just be safe and don't get hurt. Please, Jack. Promise me that you won't get hurt."
Jack nodded. "I promise. I'll come back. Once I find Anna, I'm getting us out of there as soon as possible."
"Jack, let one of us go with you, please," North said one final time, trying his best to convince the young Guardian.
But Jack shook his head. "I can't, North. You all know why. I've put everyone through enough already. I have to deal with Pitch myself."
Once Jack said that, everyone fell quiet. No matter how much they wanted to help, they knew that Jack would never let them. Because he cares too much. And because he cares too much, he is risking his own life - his own immortality.
When Oliver quieted down, Tooth handed him back into Elsa's arms. Elsa closed her eyes as she held her baby close to her chest, holding him securely as if Oliver was going to disappear. Tears began to fall again when she felt Jack embrace her, with Oliver right between them.
"Don't worry about me, Elsa. Please," Jack breathed gently. "Our main priorities are keeping you and Oliver safe, and for me to find Anna."
"I know," her voice shattered. "But...please, Jack. Please come back as soon as you can. With Anna. I need you both. I can't deal with any more losses in my life, Jack. I can't do it anymore."
Jack nodded, but didn't say anything. With a shaky breath, he looked up to meet the eyes of his fellow Guardians and said, "Keep them safe while I'm gone. Kristoff too. Don't let them out of your sights, please."
Sandy, Bunny and Tooth nodded in sincerity while North said, "We promise, Jack. Absolutely."
Jack looked down at Elsa's tear filled eyes once more. He leaned in to give her a light kiss on her lips, before moving down to press a kiss to the top of Oliver's head.
"I love you, Elsa. I love you and Oliver more than you will ever know," Jack began. "But you have to trust me on this. Everything will be okay."
She nodded behind her tears and whispered, "Just come back soon, Jack. Please. I need you and Anna to be safe."
Jack nodded, his eyes never leaving hers. He gave her one last kiss before letting go of her, unable to look at his son; one look at Oliver will send his body into the deepest guilt. And Jack had to stay strong, not only for Elsa and Oliver, but for everyone.
He looked at North, Sandy, Bunny and Tooth before giving them one last nod. And with one final grip of his wooden staff, Jack flew up into the air and out of the Workshop to make his way to Pitch's lair.
But when Jack flew out of the Workshop, he swore he heard Oliver's cries.
It was cold and dark, and it made the voices in your head scream and plead for you to wake up from this nightmare. And that's when Jack knew that he had arrived.
He has been here before, in Pitch's lair. Many dark memories of being a new Guardian were made in this shadowed asylum. Jack looked around, remembering all the broken feelings he had felt, when Pitch messed with his fears, and almost losing the Guardians' trust in him.
Jack closed his eyes for a few seconds, trying to push away the fears, and telling himself that he is here to find Anna, and that he wasn't going to leave until he finds her.
The lair was quiet, quieter than anything Jack has ever heard in his existence. He handed both feet on the ground and felt his toes dig into small dunes of black sand. He looked around, turning his head in every direction to find Anna, or even Pitch.
He flew upwards and started circling the premise, trying his best to keep the eerie tranquility as it is. Everything was quiet and dark. Not a single grain of sand moved.
However, a few minutes later, Jack spotted something against the black sand and black walls of the lair. Without letting out a single breath, he flew down to get a better look. He stopped mid-flight when he saw that it was a girl with brown hair, curled up on the cold, sand-covered floor, shivering and shaking as she wrapped her arms around her petite body, which was only covered by her nightgown.
"Anna," Jack breathed, instantly diving down to where she laid. Once both feet touched the ground, he wasted no time before running towards her. Jack fell on his knees beside her, but before he could speak up, he noticed that she was mumbling through sobs.
"H-Hans...Hans, you killed my sister...you killed El..."
"Anna, wake up," Jack said, gently shaking her arms in hopes that she would wake up before her nightmares could wake the fear in Pitch's lair.
"Elsa is d-dead...because of you..."
Jack felt his breath get knocked out of him for a second when he heard that. Even though he knows that Anna was sleep talking, Jack thought for a moment that Anna was speaking to him.
"Anna, please. You have to wake up," Jack said. "We have to get you out of here."
Jack placed a cold hand upon Anna's bare arm, which made the Princess jolt awake.
And instantly, there were tears in her eyes.
And she began to scream.
"Mama, Papa!" Anna screamed, cowering in the corner. "Breathe, please! Breathe!"
"Anna!" Jack exclaimed, reaching out towards her. "Anna, it's me!"
"N-No! Leave me alone!" Anna screamed, finally looking up. Her chest was heaving hard and she couldn't see. She couldn't even breathe. She brought her hands up to her face and began to sob. Her chest was aching.
It happened again. Her worst nightmares. Her worst memories, playing inside of her head so vividly and lucidly. Hans killing Elsa, seeing her sister dead on the ice, seeing her mother and father's dead bodies in the floating water...she has seen these countless of times already. Again, and again and again.
"Anna, w-wake up, please. It's me, Jack," he whispered, reaching a hand out towards her.
It took ten seconds for her to bring herself back to reality, and out of the black depth of her minds, but once Jack's blue hoodie come into vision, she let out a shaky gasp before crawling out of the corner and flinging her arms around his neck.
"J-Jack..." she sobbed.
Jack held onto Anna tightly. She was freezing cold; she felt colder than Elsa. And Anna was covered in black sand from head to toe. He pulled back to look at the Princess. He reached over to wipe the sand off of her cheeks before looking her directly in the eyes.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
Anna's lips trembled as she shook her head. "N-No, Jack. I-I'm cold and I'm scared. I-I don't know where I am, I don't know what's happening, and I've been seeing the same nightmares over and over again," she sputtered between breathless sobs.
"Nightmares..." Jack whispered to himself.
"They felt so real, Jack," Anna cried. "I-I don't know what's happening. I just want to wake up."
If Jack wasn't so focused on keeping Anna safe, he would have probably searched for Pitch and murdered him with his own hands by now.
"You're safe now, I promise," Jack whispered. "They're just nightmares, and they won't hurt you."
"Wh-Where am I, Jack? How did you find me?" Anna cried.
"I'll explain that to you later," Jack said. "But now, we need to get you out of here. We need-"
But Anna gasped. "N-No, Jack. I can't!"
Jack looked at her. "What do you mean you can't? Anna, we have to leave this place now."
"I can't leave," Anna sobbed. "Because then he'll hurt you!"
Jack's eyes widened. "Who will hurt me?"
Anna's cries turned breathy and she began to tremble. She looked into Jack's blue eyes before whispering the name.
"Pitch Black."
Jack looked at her, frozen, for a few seconds. "Anna...what did he do to you?"
Anna sat back, but kept a hold on Jack's arm. She swallowed her cries and said, "He tried asking me about Elsa, and the baby. He tried asking me where you were hiding them."
"What did you tell him?" Jack felt his body crumble, as if something had punched a hole through it.
"Nothing," Anna said. "I didn't tell him a single thing. That's why he kidnapped me, Jack. Because he's trying to get to you and Elsa."
"I know," Jack breathed out.
"A-And he said that if I try to escape, he'll come for you and Elsa," Anna sobbed. "Wh-Who is he, Jack? Who is Pitch Black?"
"Someone that's trying to hurt our entire family," Jack fired harshly. "Anna, I promise I'll explain this to you later, but I need to get you out of here before we run out of time."
"But if I leave, he'll hurt you," she sobbed.
"Doesn't matter," Jack said. "All I need is to get you out of here before Pitch finds out."
But Anna didn't answer. She began to tremble as she let go of Jack's arms. She buried her face in her hands as she tried to suppress her cries. Jack looked at her for a moment, before hearing a noise come from behind him. And when he turned around, that's when he understood why Anna was crying again.
Out of thin air, from the darkness of the lair, he stood there, watching them.
"Pitch," Jack hissed under his breath, when he saw the dark figure emerge from the shadows.
An evil glint reflected off of Pitch's face before chuckling. "Hello, Jack. Come to see the show, yes?"
At first, Jack didn't understand what he meant, until Pitch waved a hand to let a swirl of black sand fly into the air and towards Anna. Anna began to scream and cry, begging for her mother, father and Elsa.
Jack grabbed his staff and threw shards of ice towards Pitch, but he was quick to dissolve into thin air. Jack ran towards Anna and held the crying Princess against his chest, apologizing to her over and over again.
"Stay awake, Anna. Please. Don't fall asleep. He feeds on your nightmares," Jack pleaded.
"M-Make it stop, Jack," Anna cried breathlessly. "Make the nightmares stop."
Pitch's chuckles came from behind them. "I told you I was stronger, Jack. You underestimated me."
And with that, he threw another gust of nightmares towards Anna. The Princess grabbed onto Jack and screamed into his chest, tears streaming down her sand-covered face. Jack held onto her while using his staff to strike Pitch with ice.
"J-Jack..." Anna wailed. "I saw it again. Elsa. Dead."
"Pitch," Jack said breathlessly. "Stop this, please."
Pitch chuckled as his yellow eyes stood out against the shadows. "Come on, Frost. This is fun. You are the Guardian of Fun, aren't you?" he hissed.
Jack closed his eyes, feeling Anna tremble under his embrace.
"Weak," Pitch grinned. "Always knew you were."
"I'll give you anything," Jack said between clenched teeth. "Just please, don't hurt my family."
"Family?" Pitch laughed. "You have no family."
Even though Jack knows that Pitch is wrong, those words still pierced his chest.
"I'll give you anything. Just stay away from them," Jack struggled to get the words out. He could feel Anna getting weaker in his grasp, and his wooden staff was trembling in his hands.
Pitch laughed darkly before floating towards Jack and Anna before he was right in Jack's ear. "Tell me where the baby is," he whispered.
"I'd rather die," Jack fired, acidity peeling off his tongue as he spoke.
"Don't worry. That will come," Pitch smiled, showing off his knife-like teeth.
Jack looked up, breathing hard as he did. His blue eyes connected with the gleaming yellow ones of Pitch. "I'll do anything. Just...just please, leave them alone."
Pitch smiled and exhaled deeply.
Finally.
This is what he has been waiting for.
"Then surrender, Jack," Pitch hissed, smiling when he felt the jolt of fear come from Jack's body.
"Wh-What?"
"If you want your pathetic Queen and child to be left alone, then surrender yourself to me," Pitch said.
Jack's eyes widened. He couldn't believe what he had just heard.
Pitch continued, his voice growing darker with each word. "Surrender yourself to me, and Elsa and the child will remain unharmed."
Jack stared at him, only to see Pitch's evil glint smirk at him.
"But you must vow to never see or speak to them again," Pitch said.
"No," Jack fired breathlessly. "You can't do that!"
Pitch grinned. "Is that so? Very well."
He raised his shadowed hand and pointed it towards Anna, who immediately began to cry quietly, frightened and scared to be hit with nightmares again. Pitch turned to Jack and smiled, as if testing him.
Jack put himself in front of Anna, shielding her from Pitch's hand.
"Surrender, Jack," Pitch said. "Leave Elsa, the child and the Guardians for good, and I will leave them alone too."
Jack couldn't breathe. His mind and body was ready to collapse. Pitch's words rang in his ears and it absolutely sickened him. He didn't want to make this choice, but he knew what he had to do. He promised to protect Elsa and Oliver, Anna and Kristoff and the rest of the Guardians. His family.
He had to do this.
Even if it means never seeing them again for as long as he lives, at least they will be safe and away from the danger that Jack brought upon each of them.
And that is the most important thing to Jack, that his family will be safe and away from Pitch.
"You have five seconds to give me an answer, Frost," Pitch said, raising his hand higher. A ball of black sand was floating in his palm, ready to strike Anna once more.
Five...
"J-Jack, no, don't do it," Anna cried weakly.
Four...
"I have to make sure everyone is safe, Anna," Jack whispered.
Three...
"...especially Elsa and Oliver," Jack closed his eyes.
Two...
"Jack, no. Don't let him do this to you," Anna begged.
One...
Jack finally looked up into Pitch's face. His breaths trembled, and he felt his entire soul drown in hatred and guilt because he broke every promise that he ever told Elsa. And even though this will ensure that Pitch will never harm Elsa and Oliver again, it kills him to know what he has done.
But he has to do this.
Because he loves them.
And he would do anything for them, even risking his own life and giving himself up.
With a shaky breath, Jack finally whispered out the two words that Pitch Black longer to hear, the words that his demonized soul has been waiting for all these years.
"I...I surrender."
I absolutely loved writing this chapter because it allowed me to expand on Jack and Anna's sibling-type relationship with each other because they care about their family so much. And as much as it killed me that I had to torture Anna in this chapter, it was fun writing Pitch's character again.
And now that Jack has surrendered to Pitch, how will this affect Elsa, Oliver and the Guardians?
Okay, now for the important thing I have to say. I already mentioned this a few chapters ago, but as some as you may now, I received an internship with Disney, and I will soon be studying and working at Disney World. I will be there for a few months so updating this story will take much longer than usual.
But I will try my very best to write and update while I'm doing my internship, but it probably will take a lot longer, since I will be very busy everyday. I WILL finish this story, but as of now, it might take a long while. I hope you all understand!
Hope you all liked the chapter, and PLEASE REVIEW! They are always appreciated :)