Austrian: Yes, we all know what a hero would do... Though, you never know what the villain is up to. Hoffentlich wirst du dieses Kapitel mögen.

An entire chapter (nearly) from Katherine's POV? Oh yes. Do I regret this? No, I definitely don't.

Chapter 18: Every Time You Leave

There was one simple word to sum up their situation: Unexpected.

"Jack! Don't hurt him!"

Of course, simultaneously, everyone including Pitch turned their attention on Elsa, who has just made such an unexpected, odd exclamation.

More surprisingly, after glancing at his girlfriend for a brief amount of time, Jack retreated, his staff's crook edge wasn't pressed against Pitch's jaw, not anymore. He didn't hesitate to follow Elsa's order, not even for the slightest bit. Sure, it was crystal clear that Jack trusted Elsa but he also certainly hated Pitch's guts. Therefore, Katherine found his decision a bit unusual.

She admitted herself that she had underestimated the trust that Jack reserved for Elsa. His love was greater than his hate. She, on the contrary, the love and hate she had felt formed a whole with each other, they blended and became unbreakable.

That's why, after Bunny lifted Pitch to his feet with an angry grunt, after Sandy stuck his wrists together and put the golden sand handcuffs on him, Katherine moved swiftly and without thinking, she simply trusted her instincts.

She was not astonished by her impulsive act, however, her friends were surely startled... She harshly yanked Pitch and then, in a flash, she pulled out the diamond blade from the hidden pocket of her armor. Less than a second, the sharp point of the dagger was brushing his sickly pale throat.

"Kath-"

"Elsa." she shushed her with an impolite manner, she knew she would apologize to her because of the way she treated her, but certainly, not now.

The tone of her voice caused everyone to lapse into the silence, no one dared to say anything. Even the Fearlings' hideous, high-pitched screams and the Nightmare Horses' neigh quietened.

Her lips twisted in pleasure due to the sudden power she has just gained. The King of Nighmares' fate was in her hands.

Katherine was given a lot of names by a lot of people. She has been called fortune teller, psychic, witch. She was a noble, a princess... However, none of those titles satisfied her. She was Katherine, just Katherine, she was a woman whose heart was buried in deep agony because the man she loved had been murdered such a long time ago.

That's exactly why, her diamond dagger was still pressed against her biggest enemy, the pointy edge wasn't piercing the skin, however, with a tiny, effortless push, he would perish in her hands.

"Give me a single reason not to kill you."

As expected, she met Pitch's typical, cunning and nauseous sneer, his gray teeth were making her want to vomit. "Your Highness," he bent down to bow, his movement was quite exaggerated. "I am afraid I do not know what I had done to personally hurt you."

"You ruined my life." she declared, her voice was steady and frigid. She was not going to lose control, her temper and her dignity. "You took who I valued most."

"And may I ask, your Highness, who that might be?"

Her lips trembled, she could feel her eyes becoming watery. She closed her eyes as her face fell down... She had to get herself together, she couldn't afford being weak. "You were a hero, you were the general that saved Northern Island. But despite the false belief, you were never dead, not really. When you found out that your daughter deceased, you blamed North for not being able to protect her. Twenty-five years ago... You, Kozmotis Pitchiner, Pitch Black or whatever you call yourself, you bloodied your hands by murdering a newborn baby for the sake of getting revenge."

"Nightlight." he stated dryly.

"Yes," Katherine raised her head and locked her eyes into his golden ones, tears were streaming down her face and there was no way she could prevent that. "The Dark Lord didn't kill him, you did. You killed him without batting an eye. Give me a single reason not to do the same. I don't have the chance to see the man I am in love with in real life, I don't have the chance to live happily ever after with him because of you."

Pitch did not respond.

She was startled by the delicate, cold hand that touched her arm, she blinked, then turned her head towards the right, she was still clenching the diamond blade.

"Katherine. Don't hurt him."

Instead of replying, her tears began to fall down more quickly, at least she wasn't sobbing like a baby.

"I can give you reasons, plenty of them. If you kill him, you prove that you don't trust me. Katherine, you are the most compassionate person I've ever met, what would Kailash think of you if you murdered a defenceless man?"

"Elsa... What would you do if he killed Jack? What would you do if the man you love was taken from you?" she asked, her voice sounded weak and hoarse.

Elsa's blue eyes saddened, her gaze was so sorrowful and intense that it gave Katherine goosebumps. The platinum blonde whirled her head and stared at Jack, who was standing right next to her. He too, had a grim expression on his face. "Pitch would have been dead much longer ago. I would kill him, without hesitation. However, you are not me, Pitch is still alive, this is evidence that you can't murder him without blinking an eye."

That's exactly when she finally realized. All her friends, North, Bunny, Sandy, Emma, Jamie and Honeymaren were waiting and silently witnessing what was going on. No one intervened because Elsa required them not to harm Pitch.

A faint smile spread over her face. It had been a few months since they had met. A lot had happened in these few months. They put their heads together and developed a war strategy, they fought side by side. Katherine befriended with this woman, who repeatedly risked her life for them. She shared her thoughts, her fears, her secrets with her. This young woman... Elsa was a friend that she genuinely respected and valued. Of course, just like the others, Katherine counted on her.

"I trust you." she declared her thoughts aloud and with that, she shoved the diamond dagger that was tickling Pitch's throat back into her sheath.

"Are you always this much overdramatic?"

"Shut up, Pitch." Jack growled, Katherine could swear that she saw his blue eyes literally flickering with an angry passion.

"So what now?" Pitch inquired nonchalantly as he ignored Jack. He raised his wrists to draw attention to them. "My wrists are itching because of the handcuffs."

"I am gonna itch you myself if don't shut your God damn mouth." Bunny threatened him while he was scowling.

"Now Pitch, you order your minions to stop attacking, then you turn the Fearlings back into humans. Most importantly, I want you to tell me where the Nightmare Man is." Elsa commanded with a queenly manner, she was dead serious.

She didn't have to finish her sentence because Bunny acted faster than her. Everyone jolted when he hurled his boomerang with his left arm. Katherine promptly twirled her gaze towards the direction that the boomerang was going, unfortunately, the Nightmare Man vanished before it could hit him.

"Stay on guard!" Jack instructed them with a stiff tone whereas his grip on his staff was tightening.

"I have my eye on Pitch." North informed them, he was firmly clenching the black-haired man from his wrists.

Katherine pulled out her diamond dagger once again, this time, she was not going to pause.

Elsa and Jack were blasting ice at the enemy, Bunny was flipping his boomerang through the air, Tooth was battering the hideous creature that floated in the air with her swords. Emma, Jamie and Honeymaren were assisting the Fearlings that Pitch was reluctantly turning into human beings.

Katherine felt Sandy's gaze on her, or rather, the little man was staring at the dagger in her hand. "I see Nightlight in my dreams, Sandy, he is alive in them. He visits me whenever I need him... I've known him for my whole life." the young woman explained to him, she knew very well that he would understand her.

Sandy's lips curled up, it was a mixture of contentment and sadness. Gently, Katherine felt her body raised aloft, Sandy was carrying her in the air thanks to a magical cloud that he had created. He didn't need to tell her his plan, she knew what to do.

Sandy threw the cloud towards the Nightmare Man swiftly and with his all strength. Katherine fixed her feet on the cloud and raised her arm, then she aimed at the fiend.

She did not, however, calculate the mysterious creature's brutal, vicious and sudden attack. Before she could comprehend, she was tossed by a fierce power, thankfully she landed safely on Sandy's arms.

They were putting their best against him, but the Nightmare Man was blocking nearly every single attack, there was no sign that he received a fatal wound. Furthermore, he didn't have one single injury, he wasn't even bleeding.

They were going to lose... Katherine glanced at the dagger that was laying on her lap with a blank expression on her face. She whirled her gaze back to the battle, she detected the only person who was available, at least more than the others.

"When the right time comes, you will have a chance to end the war with this blade. Use it wisely."

"Jack!" she shrieked precipitately and without giving him a moment to respond, she hurled the dagger at him.

Jack instantly extended his arm and grabbed the diamond blade by its handle. Without hesitation, he threw the blade, he didn't even wait for a moment to let himself aim properly.

Jackson Overland, the Prince of Northern Island, he was the one who inflicted the fatal wound.

When the dagger pierced the Nightmare Man's skin and struck him from his heart, Katherine did not have the time to observe or discern the situation.

She has already passed out.

Her gray eyes snapped open, she gasped to fill her lungs with air. Everything was white. Whiteness ruled this world, it was the only thing that she could see.

Instead of observing the nothingness and waiting for him, the young woman got up and moved hastily, she was running around like a lunatic. She didn't know where to go, but her instincts instructed her not to stop.

"My Katherine."

Eventually, her feet slowed down, she decelerated completely when she faced the young man, whose fluffy hair was as white as a freshly fallen snow. His pale green eyes were staring at her gray eyes softly, lovingly. He had a wonderful smile on his young face, she truly cherished that genuine smile.

"Nightlight." she breathed out with so much emotion, immediately after, she fell into his arms. Ultimately, she beamed in happiness as he snuggled closer to her, his arms were holding her, giving her the warm sensation that made her feel safe.

"I am so proud of you." he murmured after he kissed her fully on lips. She squeezed his slender hand to express that she had heard him.

"Now what, Nightlight? We finally beat them, we won... And yet, I feel like this is only the beginning." she mumbled, her head was buried on his neck.

"Every end has a new beginning." he informed her with his shy, yet friendly voice. "That's why, you have to remember. The story is not over."

Those straightforward words, which were carefully chosen, caused her to freeze. She was paralyzed, her legs weakened, thankfully, he was clasping her gently in his arms. Her eyes were wide open as the memories flooded into her mind, her jaw also loosened because she had an urge to scream... nonetheless, nothing came out of her mouth.

"Guardian!" she shouted while she was blinking rapidly, her entire body was shuddering violently. "I am a guardian! I am the Guardian of... Storytelling." she proclaimed, her jaw was still loose, she clearly still wasn't over her shock.

Her breath hitched, her tremor was getting more and more noticeable. "Nightlight! You took an oath to protect Tsar Lunar..."

"As known as the Man in the Moon." he continued calmly for her when her voice trailed off.

"Pitch killed you." she blurted out, she shut her eyes down as she let her agony take her, she could feel the wetness on her cheeks. "I don't want to go back."

"We have talked about this." he replied with a collected manner, his lips were tingling her hair as he spoke. "I am always next to you. Do you stop believing the moon when the sun comes up?"

"No," she stopped and took a moment because she was bawling her eyes out. With the help of him, caressing her skin softly, her sobs cooled off a little. "But it is extremely hard. I never get to be with the moon, it is always so far away from me. Every time you leave... Everything gets more and more unbearable."

"My Katherine." he whispered, he held up her chin, his thumb was softly stroking it. Before she could analyze his green eyes, he pressed their lips against each other, they both knew this would the last kiss that they'd share in a very, very long time. "Sweet dreams."

She pulled away, her crook, weak smile remained on her face whereas she was fading away in front of her lover. "Goodnight, Nightlight."

Nightlight, bright light,

Sweet dreams I bestow.

Sleep tight, all night.

Forever I will glow.

She got up from the pile of soft golden sand as soon as she gained her consciousness, she did not spend a single second to get the picture, she has already known what was going on.

Seeing her friends huddled in a circle, the memory of a few days earlier in the war, Jack's condition came across to her mind and because of this, she felt a heavy sense of déjà vu. Her hand moved to her head as she moaned in pain, nevertheless, she did not halt walking.

None of her friends offered her an explanation, everyone's attention was still on the old man, who was heavily injured.

Nonetheless, she knew, Pitch made the most of an opportunity by benefiting from their absence. He stabbed North from his stomach with his black poniard, ironically the very same poniard that he defended Elsa from the Nightmare Man. Then, he ran as fast as he could and jumped into the portal without thinking twice.

Katherine did not need an explanation because she already knew. After all, she was the Guardian of Storytelling.

"North won't die." she declared with a steady, apathetic tone, she was sure of herself. Regardless, her eyes were averting the old man because if they didn't, she knew she wouldn't sound confident. She had to be strong and cold-blooded right now.

"What do you mean?" Jack spat out angrily whereas he was glaring at her, the iciness of his blue eyes caused the her to flinch.

"I know the wound seems bad." she retorted without staring at North, "But North can't die... He is not capable of dying, even if he wants to."

"He is not breathing, Katherine!" Tooth cried out with a shaky voice.

"How is Sandy alive then? You were all certain that he was dead. Tooth, you broke an ankle, Bunny broke his arm, Jack, your shoulder needs to be stitched, it is ripped apart. And yet, here you are, still fighting as if you are completely uninjured." she reasoned and ignored Tooth's comment, in fact, she didn't wait for them to respond as she gestured the shinning white circular portal.

She knew, she should have fixated her gaze on the particular person whereas she was speaking. She tried, but in the end, she couldn't. She couldn't look Elsa in the eye while she was stating the truth. "The portal won't last for long. We need to go. Now."

Then, she pointed at Jack, Sandy, Tooth, Bunny, Jamie and Emma with her index finger one by one, but not North, she still couldn't bear to see his body, which was laying in a pool of blood. "You seven... You need to remember."

There was no need for her to repeat those words, seven of them touched their forehead as all memories came flooding back, they groaned in pain and shuddered just like she did earlier.

When the devastating pain that had been lodged in their brains finally passed over within a few seconds, a brief but extremely uncomfortable silence ensued. Seven of them, including Katherine, they had to go... But there were three people they had to leave behind, Honeymaren, Emma and... Elsa.

"Jackson!" Elsa cried out, her voice was filled with apprehension. She clutched her lover from his arm whereas she was trying to read his solid, emotionless expression. "What's going on?"

Jack did not reply, his blue eyes were completely hollow.

"W-We must go through the portal." Tooth managed to stutter out, she seemed like she did her best not to break into tears.

Bunny, who seemed to be the least shaken among them, he proceeded talking without letting Elsa ask further questions. "Elsa," he mumbled calmly, his green eyes were closed. "I won't beat around the bush. This white portal opens to our time, 2019. It's gonna close very soon, so me, Toothie, North, Sandy, Katherine, Jamie and... Jack... We have to leave as soon as possible."

Elsa shook her head violently, her grip on Jack tightened, the young 'prince' still wasn't replying, he stood frozen. "I don't understand!"

"Crikey!" Bunny cussed under his breath and slammed his foot on the ground furiously. "Look sheila, we ain't got much time. Just say goodbye to your Jack, will you?" he sounded as if he was chiding her, however, they all knew Aster better than that. He was hiding behind the tough guy act.

The more he talked, the more his accent became more and more conspicuous. But right now, it was the last detail that struck Elsa's eye, she didn't comment on the accent that she obviously never heard before.

The young woman knitted her eyebrows in bewilderment when Jack broke the contact and went towards Honeymaren, he gave her a big, brotherly hug. He then, slowly approached Emma.

Elsa did not know what they had spoken because she was too busy embracing Tooth, Aster, Sandy and Jamie. She did however, hear Emma's loud and miserable sobs that gave shivers down her spine.

"I am sorry." Katherine blurted out, instinctively, Elsa clasped her friend tighter than before.

"Don't be." she retorted as she strived not to mull over, it would end up hurting her more.

"Thank you so much, Elsa."

"For what?"

Katherine shifted and broke the hug, she beamed in a beautiful, sincere way, tears were streaming down her face. "For simply being yourself."

"Elsa."

She raised her head, the frown on her face deepened as she looked at the young man, her lover. She felt... Numb. She didn't feel anything. Unless like the others, she didn't wail, not a single teardrop formed in her eye. She was in shock, she knew that. Nonetheless, even though she has already established that fact, her body was still refusing to move.

She felt the man she was in love with, wrapping his arms around her body, he was clinging to her as if his life depended on it. His hands were stroking all over her body while his lips were wandering on her hair. Even though she couldn't see his face, she knew Jack was crying quietly in anguish.

"Elsa... My name is Jackson Overland Frost... I just want you to know who I really am before I leave."

"Jack... Frost? Like the myth?" she inquired with a low, hushed tone, she wasn't aware of the wetness on her cheeks.

But Jack was, he brushed her tears away, then planted a kiss on her nose. "Yes, Jack Frost. Will you promise me, Elsa? Will you vow that you will always believe in me?"

She nudged her head to look at him in the eye, his blue eyes were covered with tears, they were so tender, so fascinating, so vulnerable... "I believe in you, Jack Frost."

"I love you. I love you so much, Elsa of Arendelle." he confessed, then their lips found each other, they shared a long passionate, desperate kiss that felt too short for Elsa.

Leave... He was going to leave her. Jack left her before, he left her when he was in a coma for four days, he left her at the siege of Pitch's castle. But he never abandoned her, they had to be separate because of the circumstances. In the end, he always came back to her.

Still, every time he left, it hurt, it hurt so much that she did not how to deal with such great sorrow.

"I love you too, Jackson Overland Frost."

Every time he left, she died a little from inside...

"Goodbye."

The war of the North... It was over.

I like this chapter. It was a bit too Katherine centric but either way, I think this was a good one. Please leave (haha, get it) a review, love you all!