PS: I don't own Disney's Frozen. If I did, well, at least everyone who worked on the films would have to at least do one fanart of the Frozen characters that they love and it would not be negotiable. Seriously, it would be required to do so. :)
Chapter 28: To heal one another
Back in the apartment…
Alex's POV
It's quite an emotional roller coaster when I tell Elsa what I didn't want her to tell her when she first appeared in my life, which is the story of how I lost my little brother Erick 3 years ago to a tragedy. She sits by my side on the sofa in my living room, the other spirits Bruni, Gale, and even Nokk in the living room as well while I recall my past loss. Elsa doesn't say anything, but I notice tears slowly dripping down her eyes as she listens, my own eyes as well spilling tears while I continue the story.
But I don't mind it.
I tell her how it was the day of Erick's birthday and how I wanted to take him to a movie that he wanted to see, the movie being Spiderman Homecoming of course, and how I planned everything to be perfect for him as he was born a bit different from most normal people. Not only that, I recall how we had gone to a little antique comic game shop and bought a little gift for him, how Erick had been perfectly happy upon receiving it from me before we had arrived at the theaters.
The memory causes me to chuckle as I wipe away my tears with some tissues, Elsa does the same while listening attentively as I go into the dark part of my past. The movie had ended with the two of us enjoying the film, well actually Erick loving it while I was glad that he had enjoyed the movie. The day, however, had taken the liberty to come with unforetold precipitation, the clouds darkening with light showers. Despite the rain falling on us, I didn't want to ruin Erick's birthday so quickly, and it was then I suggested that we should head to a restaurant that was just around minutes away.
That would be something I would regret later on in my life, wishing I had instead taken Erick home.
The 5th spirit and the rest of the other spirits listen as I proceed to tell how some gang members had decided to follow us, ambushing me and my younger brother as they wanted to rob me of my money. I tell how one of them had pushed my brother to the ground and kicked him all over his frail body, how I had gotten angry and headbutted the two that were restraining me and ran to defend my brother, beating the man up before one of the criminals had punched me from behind to disorient me. How one of them had pulled out a gun, a modern killing tool, with intent to kill me for fighting back when Erick had came out of nowhere, jumping in front of me to receive the bullets meant for me.
I couldn't recall what happened afterward, as my head was throbbing in pain and it seemed that I passed out, but I recall how I woke up on the cold cement of the back alley we were in, how the gang members around us were knocked out, how I looked around for Erick until I saw him a few feet away from me, making me run to him and cry for him to stay with me while the cold heartless rain fell around us. How Erick simply gave me the gift I gave him, told me in his last words to never give up, and how he left this world and me forever, leaving me his lifeless limp cold body to hold on to as I wept for him until the ambulance and police arrived.
By then, it had been too late for him.
It's until Elsa places her hand on my shoulder that I look at her, seeing tears stream down her face as I guess she's now learning more about the pains in my life, probably thinking about her own parents or something that I don't know about. But I look away in shame because I'm feeling like an idiot now and I feel so stupid for telling her about my younger brother that I lost many years ago, which could simply end up making her more worried over me now. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have told you this Elsa. It's my fault in the end."
"No," she replies, shaking her head, "You don't have to apologize. It's not your fault for what happened to Erick that day. You didn't know what was going to happen that day when you woke up feeling happy for him with what you had planned for him. You didn't know what the future would hold for him and you that day, and no one else did. You shouldn't blame yourself for the choice you made to entertain Erick by not taking him home when it was going to rain. You did what you thought was the best for him."
"But if I hadn't…"
"Listen to me, Alex. You didn't expect the terrible thing to happen that day. But it did, and you're here now. Your brother told you to never give up, and from what I saw, you didn't. You kept on fighting until now, and think about what would've happened if you didn't. Maybe if the terrible thing didn't happen to you, maybe you would have never taken the opportunity to come study here after your brother's death. Maybe you wouldn't have gone through the painful experience of the grief and possible guilt you must have felt. Maybe you would have never met me in real life."
Though I don't want to face it, her words impact me in my emotions. It's true that after the funeral for Erick, I wasn't able to think clearly around my family, who I held harsh feelings for after, and decided to move away to Oregon after the offer the college had made for me to live here with the financial aid offer I received. It was merely 2 years ago I moved here, but if I hadn't moved here, I wouldn't be in this moment trying to help Elsa get back to her own world. Perhaps something terrible would have happened instead, and it was a dark thought that I didn't want to think about.
Instead, I wipe away my tears with some tissues and sigh sadly, looking at Elsa with a sad smile. "Perhaps you're right. Maybe I've been looking at the negative things when I should look at the positive things instead that happened to me afterward. I suppose it was simply guilt I felt for being responsible for what happened that day. I just… didn't want to accept the fact that it wasn't my fault for what happened to Erick. I wanted to blame and punish myself for what happened to my younger brother. After all, I felt like it was my fault for what happened and I wanted to punish myself for not doing enough to save him that day."
The 5th spirit doesn't say anything for a moment, looking away for a moment before looking back at me, offering me a sad smile as she speaks. "I get it. You're not the only one who went through this. I blamed myself for my parents' death after I learned what their trip was really about, but you know how I was able to overcome my guilt and pain?"
I know who it was, but I don't say anything in respect so I say no, making her continue despite her raising an eyebrow towards me. "It was Anna. She helped me realize that it wasn't my fault for what happened that day that we lost them to the storm. My mother and father chose to help me by wanting to learn about the origins of my powers, but they didn't choose what would happen that day. Maybe it was the course of nature or destiny or something else, but a storm happened and claimed their lives. I wanted to blame myself for their deaths, but Anna told me it wasn't my fault because I was a gift to them from Atohallan, and that I wasn't responsible for the choices they made to help me. Even though I didn't expect it, I learned a lesson that day from my younger sister, one that helped me even until now."
What the 5th spirit just told me helps me realize a lesson as well, but I keep silent, simply thinking over her words and how they can help me overcome my guilt. However, I can't think clearly yet as I'm still in slight pain, my hand clutching my chest as I groan in slight discomfort. Elsa tries to check if I'm fine but I wave it off, trying to get up from the sofa only to fall back in my attempt.
"Alex, stop," Elsa tells me, reaching forward with her hand to check my forehead that feels cool to the touch, "You're still not strong enough yet. You still have a slight fever that's almost as hot as Bruni and you're obviously still in pain. The curse that you were struck with was strong enough that it can leave you weakened even after you are cured of it. It's going to take some days for you to recover your strength."
Even though she's right, I try to get up despite her objections, only to notice Elsa giving me a glare that sends shivers down my spine as she tells me to stay. With an unhappy sigh I give in to her plea, lying down on the sofa while Elsa rubs her forehead in a stressful manner, a frown on her lips. "Seriously, Alex, you're so hardheaded. Can't you just lie down and recover your strength? Is it really that hard to do this for me?"
I offer a smirk in return. "Whatever you say, your majesty."
The 5th spirit simply sighs and mutters something about me that I'm pretty sure that she called me a "hard headed fool" as she heads out the room, the other spirits following behind her while I stay behind to check myself on the sofa, examining my arms and moving my fingers to make sure that I can use them without a problem. To further examine myself would require removing my shirt to examine my chest and muscles, but the thought of Elsa walking in and finding me shirtless is one thought that I won't put her through at all.
But, like she said, I'm a hard headed fool as I force myself to get up from the sofa, walking towards the kitchen with a slight limp as I clutch my abdomen tightly that's has some pain flaring in me, seeing the 5th spirit gathering some bottles of medicine and other stuff that she can find with Bruni and Gale helping her. Seeing them distracted, I try to sneak to my bedroom, only to let out a groan of pain out loud. Elsa notices me and instantly heads towards me, clearly angered but also worried. "Alex, can't you just stay put? You're not strong enough yet to walk, let alone head out in this condition."
"Seriously, Elsa, I'm fine," I try to calm her, but I'm guessing she's not listening to me. "I can take care of myself. Just let me head to my room..."
"No you can't! Head back to the living room now!"
"I'm alright now…"
"No you're not! Everyone here can see that you're still suffering in pain. You told me that you wanted to protect me from everything evil that wanted to harm me and Bruni and Gale and Nokk, but right now you can't. How do you expect to protect me when you can barely protect yourself?"
My hand starts clutching into a fist. "Elsa…"
"Alex, listen to me! I'm not going to stand by and watch yourself try to hurt and punish yourself for something that took place years ago! It wasn't your fault for what happened to Erick!"
"Stop please… I'm begging you..."
"I get what you're feeling! Please don't think you're alone in this! I know what it's like…"
"JUST STOP PLEASE!"
It's an unexpected reaction that even surprises me as well. Elsa stops and steps away from me, the 5th spirit looking surprised and fearful at me as I'm just now angered from her worrying over me. But the look of fear in her eyes and the other spirits getting in a defensive position brings me back in reality, making me sigh and lay limp against the wall behind me, glancing back at her while feeling ashamed of myself for what I just did to her.
"I'm really sorry. Just let me get to my room. That's all I'm asking. Please."
She opens her mouth to say something, but I guess she notices that I'm slightly on the verge of tears, looking back at her fellow spirits as if she wanted their opinion. I suppose they decide to let me head to my room out of pity as they lower their defense position, which makes her sigh and look back at me with a sad smile. "Alright, I'll help you get back to your room. Will you be okay with that?"
I nod, and she slowly helps me limp back to my room, the 5th spirit being by my side as I limp to my room and push the door open while the other spirits follow behind, not entering as she helps me get to my bed. After helping me reach my bed, she steps away as I sit down on it, Elsa sitting by my side as she observes me, causing me to glance back at her with slight confusion as I notice her giving a smile at me. "What?"
She quickly looks away, despite me noticing some slight tears slowly dripping down her face. "It's nothing. I'm… just glad that you're safe and well again. After what happened to you, I thought I would lose you and that me and the rest of the Enchanted Forest spirits wouldn't be able to get home again. Because, no matter what, you're the only friend I have in this modern world that I can depend on to help me get back home."
Her words make me feel more terrible now. "Elsa, I'm so sorry for letting my anger get to me…"
"It's fine," she replies, placing a hand on my shoulder while giving me a sad smile, "I… I shouldn't have prevented you from going to your room. It's just… well… I was really worried about you when you came home inflicted by the curse, and it's really hard to deal with the fact that someone you care about could go through pain again despite them saying that they're fine. Not only that, but it reminded me of how I reacted during my own coronation years ago."
"When Anna asked you what you were afraid of?"
"Yeah, that part. I let my emotions get to me when I should've just responded to her instead. In the end, sometimes our emotions get the best of us no matter how hard we try to restrain it. It's something I learned from what I had to go through when I was still back in Arendelle."
A moment of silence passes between us when I see Elsa notice something on my desk, standing up and walking to a photo stand that I have there, moving aside my laptop to grab it along with something else. She then comes back to sit by me, looking at the photo before glancing in my direction sadly. "Is this…"
I nod with a sad smile, gesturing to the photo and the artifact she holds in her hand. "Yeah. That's my younger brother Erick and the thing I got for him before… the tragedy happened."
She looks at the photo again before setting aside behind us as she now looks at the artifact in her hand, a smile on her lips as she observes it carefully. "It's beautiful. I can see why Erick wanted you to buy it for him. It's like an old artifact that would seem to be enchanted if possible."
I glance at the artifact, which looks like it can be placed on a staff to make an enchanted lance artifact if possible as Elsa said it looked to be enchanted, and give a slight chuckle. "Yeah, it sure does. Erick was always into old looking things that seemed to be mystical relics. I'm surprised that you're into these types of stuff, but since we've been living together for around a few months now, I'm still wondering what else you have in store."
Elsa lets out a giggle and hands me the relic to me, placing her hands on her laps as she gives me a smile. "Well, you're quite the arrogant one sometimes, but I'm getting used to it now."
I offer a smile in return, extending my hand to her. "So, you forgive me right?"
She accepts my handshake. "Of course, Alex."
"We're still friends?"
"Yep! Just try no to lose your temper next time, okay?"
I nod, which causes her to lean in and hug me, making me hug Elsa in return. It's a nice warm feeling that makes me happy for real that I haven't felt in a long time, like a boulder had been lifted off my soul. But our hug is interrupted by Bruni and Gale, the two spirits happy to see us reconcile with one another as well as Nokk, who neighs in a happy tone. As the two of us then proceed to separate from our hug, Elsa proceeds to call the rest of the spirits over to our side as she begins to tell me what happened while I had been unconscious.
It's surprising to learn from her there was someone that was born in the Frozen universe living in the real world universe, but depending on what I had to face in my life, it's not really surprising anymore. But, as she continues her tale about the stuff while being in a brightful mood, I can't help but feel like a hole inside of my soul has been patched up, finally healed after living years of silent guilt that I didn't want to face to be strong in front of those that I cared about.
But now, with Elsa and the other spirits around, perhaps things might get better than before. And it's something I'm looking forward to.
A/N: Chapter concluded! Out of everything I can think of, I apologize for the more than a week delay. I recently bought a new art sketch book and literally spent days doing fanarts of Elsa in her fifth spirit form. Yeah, that's exactly what I did, but also I'm writing other fanfic shorts for Frozen on Elsa and HoneyMaren, 5ds on Yusei and Akiza, and I'm analyzing whether I should post them for people to read. Lately, people have been writing Elsa and HoneyMaren shorts and other stuff, and I'm trying to determine what stories that I'm writing should be posted on for specific days.
Anyways, if you're still following this story, don't forget to leave a review and expect for some fluffy moments of friendship to happen in the next chapter. It may drop next week since this week I'm dealing with online stuff for college and perhaps some author's block as well. Without further ado, thanks for dropping by, leave a like and review, and until next time folks! :)