A/N Hello, hello my fabulous reader! How are you? I hope you all are fantastic. So, this is another chapter of this story. But before that, reviews. Nikolai, I'm glad you liked the previous chapter, and I hope I don't let you down with this one. Thank you and you take care too. fyakka, I try to make each chapter neither too long nor too short so that you don't get bored. So, I had to stop when it was past 4K words. And, I am the one who thank you, and to all of you who took the time to read this story. I had thought about this story years ago and it wasn't until one of my friends gave me the courage that I finally published it. I need your support because laziness and motivation are my biggest enemies. So for those of you who read this, don't hesitate or be shy to leave a comment or review. It means a lot to me.

"Jack, can you hold me for a moment?"

Jack snapped his head at Elsa's question. When he turned his gaze from the television screen to Elsa next to him, he was met with a pleading look. He frowned.

"Are you still cold?" Asked Jack, a bit worried.

No. I'm warm enough. I just want to know what it feels like to be in your arms when I involve my feelings. "A little." Elsa pursed her lips and then smiled slightly.

Jack chuckled but then stretched out his left arm. "Come here."

Elsa did as she was told, shuffling into Jack's arms without hesitation. Jack pulled her closer to his body and his left hand reflexively rubbed Elsa's upper arm.

"You know, you should pay more attention to your clothes when you go out at night. At least you wear sweaters and sweatpants or long pajama pants." Jack said advicedly, his eyes had returned to the television screen but his hands kept moving trying to provide extra warmth for Elsa.

"I know." I just wanted to see you so badly. I didn't care about my attire. Elsa leaned her head against Jack's chest, listening to the steady, soothing sound of his heartbeat. Her bent legs rested on his lap.

Jack smiled fondly when he saw Elsa who was now curled up in his arms like a baby. "Comfortable?"

Very. "I'm good." Elsa took a deep breath trying to enjoy this moment. She smelled the ocean from Jack's body. Not sharp but there, thin but sustained, and she liked it. She never cared before.

"You smell like the ocean." She muttered. Her voice was muffled because her lips were half buried in Jack's sweater. She was not interested on the television screen any more.

"Yeah, that's what it says on my cologne bottle. Ocean breeze. Do you like it?" Jack grinned, looking down at Elsa.

I love it. "Well, I don't hate it." Came a reply from Elsa. Still unmoving from her position. Again, Jack just smiled. He then put both of his hands together on Elsa's upper arm so that she was really safe and warm in his arms.

"Come on, let's see the movie. They will soon reach the wormhole, they have arrived in Saturn." Jack pulled Elsa closer, even though it was no longer possible, and turned his gaze back to the television screen.

Elsa tilted her head and also looked at the television screen. Her eyes were on it, but her mind wandered far away from what she was staring at. She just stared blankly at the television screen as her brain worked trying to understand her heart.

All this time she had never really missed Jack. She almost never missed him because he was always by her side. Literally. From college until now. She had friends off course, but no one like Jack. And then one question came up.

What will happen if one day Jack is no longer by my side?

Elsa closed her eyes tightly. She didn't want to think about it. She couldn't think about it.

Oh, Jack. All this time you were like the salt. I'm not really aware of your existence, but your absence will hit me really hard. And I'm sorry.

"Stay with me all the time, please." Elsa muttered in a barely audible voice.

"Hm?" Jack frowned and looked down at Elsa. He thought he heard something but couldn't really make out the words.

Elsa opened her eyes wide and tried to think of an answer. "Cooper is really handsome."

Jack smirked and then he shifted his body a little so that he could be more comfortable leaning on the back of the couch to make Elsa more comfortable. He smiled when he heard Elsa sigh contentedly and he truly enjoyed this kind of moment, a moment he would never exchange for anything.

As for Elsa, there was a difference in the sense of comfort between the hug she had this afternoon with Iduna and currently with Jack. With Iduna, she felt that sense of comfort she had ever felt before, even though she didn't remember it, but then it was cut off and she just felt it again yesterday. While with Jack, she felt a comfortable complement. She felt whole when she was in his arms. And she liked it. What does it mean?

She felt tired. Her eyes grew heavier. Jack's soothing heartbeat in her ears sounded like a lullaby that made her finally give up and close her eyes. The scent of the ocean from Jack's body relaxed her mind, and soon enough she fell into a deep, peaceful and dreamless slumber.

It was nine in the morning and Jamie was getting ready to go to college. He came out of the house and when he reached the driveway, he caught Alex was looking blankly at something while sipping his cigarette. He smirked and tiptoed closer to him from behind.

"Alex!" Jamie patted Alex on the shoulder, startling him. "What were you thinking? You must be imagining things, right?" He was trying to sound cheerful but Alex's nervous demeanour made him curious.

Alex took another sip and threw away the cigarette butt. "It's not that, Master Jamie. It's just that, I'm still haunted by the events that night. I still remember the woman's face when we dropped her off by the side of the road." Said Alex sounded nervous as hell.

Jamie's face changed at once. There was a mixture of emotions drawn on his face. Nervousness, fear, guilty, and a little faith that his father would fix the problem. He approached Alex and pointed his index finger at Alex nose.

"Don't ever say that again, Alex. She is died. Let my father take care of it. Do you understand?" Jamie waited until finally Alex nodded his head and then got into the car. Alex followed and got into the driver's seat with the mind still couldn't escape from the event of that night.

Iduna stared at a photo in her hand and her fingers slowly traced Elsa's smiling face. She smiled sadly remembering yesterday's incident. She didn't think at all that Elsa thought she dumped her in the orphanage and didn't want her. She wished she could say it wasn't what she meant. But if she thought further, she would prefer it that way. She didn't mind, if she had to endure such assumptions, if in the end her daughter could have a better life. She deserved it.

This is a photo of me from when I was just starting up the law firm with Jack. You may have it as a thank you because you have given your photo to me. You can see this photo when you miss your daughter. Because I also saw your photo when I was missing my mother. Although I don't know what she look like.

Iduna smiled remembering her daughter's words. Her thoughts drifted away until suddenly interrupted by the sound of metal clashing, making her distracted from her daughter's photo.

"Get in!" The loud voice of a police officer filled the prison cell. And shortly after that, emerged from behind the wall a creepy-looking woman with large round eyes and a pointed nose. Her hair was jet black and curly, almost touching her waist. Her tall slender body and the look in her eyes made her look like a psychopath who was hard to guess what was on her mind.

Iduna swallowed hard when the woman locked her eyes with hers. That woman waited for the police officer who was locking the door to leave before she finally walked over to her.

"What's your name, bitch?" She asked. She looked down at Iduna sharply who was still sitting frozen because she did not expect to get a cellmate.

"I-iduna, Iduna Singleir." Iduna replied stuttering. She grew even more nervous when the woman crouched down in front of her and brought her face closer.

"The name's Gothel. Why are you here?" She asked again. Her voice was low but Iduna could feel the horror behind that voice. Her voice sent a shiver down Iduna's spine.

"I-i'm accused of killing someone." Iduna really wanted to escape from the wall behind her and the woman in front of her.

"Accused?" She asked another question and when Iduna nodded she let out a deafening laugh. Iduna had to cover her ears and hold her breath because the breath that came out of the woman's mouth made her want to vomit.

"You better actually killed someone. Like me. Oh no, wait a minute, it looks like I've killed two people. Because you see? Confess or not, you're still in here." She laughed again and this time Iduna had to close her eyes and lowered her head to avoid anything unpleasant that came from the woman in front of her.

"Now, move! I want to sit there!" She slammed her hand on the wall right next to Iduna's head, making her jump in shock. Iduna nodded quickly and immediately stepped away from there.

Elsa's eyes fluttered open when she heard the phone ringing faintly. Her eyelids were still heavy but the constant ringing of the phone made her feel the need to wake up. As her consciousness gathered, she began to hear another sound next to her. A soft snoring sound.

She looked up and found Jack still fast asleep. His head looked up because the back of the couch wasn't high enough to hold his head, leaving his lips parted as he snored. And Elsa felt her cheeks warm as she realized that her own hand curl around Jack's midsection.

She pulled her hand and straightened her back. She stretched her muscles for a few moments before finally picking up her cell phone on the coffee table. Her eyes widened when she looked at the time on the cellphone screen, it's already half past ten in the morning, too late for her to wake up.

And she cringed at the number of missed calls and messages on the screen. She jumped in shock when this time Jack's cell phone rang. She looked at Jack's cellphone and saw Lucy's name on the screen. She sighed softly when she saw that Jack didn't seem to want to get up yet.

"Jack, wake up." Elsa poked Jack's chest with her index finger and of course it had no effect. There was no way a poke from the tiny little index finger could wake him from his sleep.

Elsa thought and came to a conclusion how to wake Jack from his sleep. She brought her hand up over Jack's face and winced a little. "I'm sorry." She then pinched Jack's nose with her index finger and thumb, waiting for the snoring to stop and finally Jack woke up running out of air.

"Elsa! What were you doing? Were you trying to kill me?" Jack cried squeezing his nose while Elsa was already giggling amused seeing Jack's facial expression.

"I'm sorry, Jack. I tried to wake you from the dead. We're late. See?" Elsa held out Jack's cell phone and she still wasn't done with giggling. "You should see your face. Oh my God." She couldn't take it anymore, she finally laughed.

Jack glanced at Elsa and felt relieved because it seemed like Elsa was no longer sad. He smirked and unlocked the screen of his cell phone. He was just about to see the messages when his cell phone rang again.

"It's Lucy." And Jack nodded when Elsa signaled him to pick up the phone call. "Good morning, Lucy. Yeah, I'm sorry. I'm with Elsa. She's a little unwell today and I had to take her to the hospital this morning. Yeah, we're going to the office after this. Okay. Bye, thank you, Lucy." Jack had not had time to disconnect the phone call when suddenly a palm landed on his chest.

"You lied. Why did you have to lie that we went to the hospital? You know, old people said that what you say might happen if you lie." Said Elsa, starting to remove the blanket from herself.

Jack rubbed his chest which hurt a little from Elsa's hit and smiled mischievously. "Then what should I say? Should I say that we just woke up because we watched a movie until dawn?"

Elsa eyed Jack for a while and then sighed softly. She also wondered what their employees would think if they knew what they were really doing to the point of being late without a word. She then got up and folded the blanket. "Okay. Now you stand up and go take a shower. I'll make you breakfast and after that you have to take me home to get ready."

"As your wish, Milady." Jack stood up and stretched his back for a moment. He glanced at Elsa who had just put the blanket in the right place in the drawer. He took this opportunity and took a step forward, pinching Elsa's nose. "You look cute when you just woke up." And then he sprinted towards the stairs.

"Jack!"

Elsa and Jack were discussing something about their work on the couch in Elsa's room when Elsa's office phone rang. She looked up from the paper she was reading and rose to her feet to grab the phone on her desk.

"A moment, Jack."

"Sure." Jack looked up and his eyes followed Elsa's movement.

"Hello."

"Hello, Elsa. It's me, Gerda."

"Oh, Gerda! How have you been?"

"I'm alright."

Elsa frowned, felt something was off with Gerda's voice. She felt uneasiness through Gerda's words. "Gerda? What happened? Are you sure you're alright?" She put down the paper she had been holding and focused on the phone connection with Gerda.

"It's nothing, Elsa. I'm just worried about you. Why do I always think about you, huh? Elsa, are you still working on that Iduna Singleir case?"

The frown on Elsa's face deepened. She wondered why Gerda suddenly asked that. She knew that Gerda was always worried about her well-being, but not like this. Gerda said it directly which meant Gerda also felt strange why she was so worried about her.

"Yes. I'm still working on that case. And now that case has become my main case. What about it, Gerda?"

"Shouldn't you just drop the case, Elsa?"

"What? Why are you suddenly talking like that, Gerda? Is there something wrong?"

"Nothing, Elsa. I'm just worried about your safety. I think you'd better pass this case over to another lawyer, Elsa."

Elsa let out a long breath. Her hand moved to scratch her forehead. She was confused but also suspicious of what really happened to Gerda so that she asked her to drop the case.

"I can't do that, Gerda. I have to solve this case. And I believe that I will win. Gerda, you're weird, you know that? Why are you suddenly talking like this?"

"It's okay, Elsa. Just take care of yourself, alright?" And the telephone line was cut.

Elsa stared at the receiver, furrowed her brows as if the receiver was inviting her to speak in a language she did not understand. Jack realized this and got up from his seat, walked towards her.

"Is something wrong?" Asked Jack, he sat on the edge of the table and stared at Elsa who still looked confused.

Elsa's brows were still furrowed and she just shook her head slightly. She pursed her lips as she thought.

"I don't know, Jack. It was weird, you know. Gerda, she asked me to drop Iduna's case. She's got nothing to do with this case, right? Why did she suddenly ask about that? And she said she was worried about my safety. I feel something isn't right, Jack." Elsa seemed really bothered by her conversation with Gerda earlier.

"When was the last time you met her?" Jack asked, trying to calm Elsa down.

"A week or two? Or maybe less? I don't know." Elsa answered uncertainly. The events that had occurred lately made her no longer remember the time line.

"We called each other several times, from there I told her that I was handling this case. But at that time she was fine with it. Not like this."

"Maybe you should see her again. Maybe with her seeing you're okay, she'll be less worried." Said Jack, smiling. He didn't like it when Elsa was uneasy like this. He continued to observe Elsa who was thinking about his suggestion.

"Will you accompany me to the orphanage?" Said Elsa finally. She looked Jack right in the eyes and they looked each other for a moment. The two of them then looked away when they felt their gazes getting more intense.

Jack cleared his throat and stood up. "Sure."

Meanwhile in the orphanage, Gerda was pacing around inside her room. She had never been so worried about Elsa's safety like this before. When Elsa told her that she was going to work on the case of Iduna, her own biological mother, she was very surprised. But she tried to cover it up and thought it would pass like all the other cases Elsa had ever handled.

But when she found out that Iduna was accused of murder and she read in the newspaper that there was a name of one of the most influential and powerful family in the city was involved in the case, she became worried. Even so, she was trying to believe that Elsa would solve this case and everything would end up fine.

Everything changed a few days ago, when several people dressed all in black and one of them with a very intimidating appearance came to the orphanage and asked if Elsa was really raised in that orphanage. At that time, she was unwilling to provide more information than she could. She only confirmed that Elsa had lived there and after that she asked them to leave. She was relieved that they complied with her request to leave even though she could sense something amiss in the man's eyes when he was about to leave. There was no guarantee they wouldn't come back another time

She had to do something, it was the right time for Elsa to find out about her biological mother. That she was still alive. She didn't want anything bad to happen to her. Because if those people came back and asked for more information from her, she wanted Elsa to know it already. She didn't want this information to be used against Elsa in a bad way.

"I'm sorry, Iduna."

"Olaf!" Elsa was running along the hospital hallway screaming for someone when she saw the back of the person she felt she knew.

Olaf, one of Gerda's employees at the orphanage was walking down the hospital hallway still in his carrot-patterned pajamas and turned around when he heard his name being called by someone. His eyes widened with joy to see Elsa walking quickly towards him, but the joy was only for a moment. Sadness came back over him as he remembered why he was here.

"Elsa!" Olaf did not need to approach Elsa because Elsa was already in front of him. He looked up at Elsa because his height was only just above Elsa's chin, he could see the tear marks on Elsa's cheeks and the anxiety radiating clearly on her face and her teary eyes.

"How is she? How is Gerda?" Elsa asked, out of breath as she ran after Kai dropped her off at the hospital Lobby and looked for the elevator. Once she reached the 27th floor where the ICU ward was located, she had to walk down the hallway and find out where she could ask about Gerda's condition. And there she found Olaf, a stubby man in his thirties, looking very worried.

"I don't know yet, Elsa. Doctors just transferred Gerda to the ICU after they were done from the Accident and Emergency ward. No one has been out of the ICU yet." Olaf said explaining, he was guiding Elsa to the ICU door.

Olaf's explanation made Elsa shed tears again. Just this afternoon Gerda warned her to take care of herself. And now it was Gerda who was rushed to the hospital due to car accident. Having a bad experience with car accident made Elsa think something bad was going to happen. And that really put her on the edge.

"She was just about to go to your house, Elsa." Olaf added. This time managed to make Elsa snapped her head at him.

"My house? Why did she want to come to my house?" Elsa squeezed the sweater over her chest and looked at Olaf in confusion.

"I don't know for sure. But before leaving, Gerda looked very worried. And she mentioned your mother several times. She didn't say it clearly and when I asked, she didn't answer it and rushed to your house." Olaf said, looking very worried and sad about what had happened.

Elsa gasped and the grip on her sweater tightened. "She said something about my mother?" She asked incredulously.

"Yeah. But she didn't say anything more." Olaf stopped walking because they had reached the ICU's door. Not far from there, there was a glass window so that visitors could see the patient from outside the room.

And Elsa brought her hands to her mouth to hold back tears when she saw Gerda lying unconscious in the room. Several machines and tubes connected to her body with an oxygen mask covering her mouth and nose.

What are you trying to tell me, Gerda? Why did this have to happen to you?

"Elsa, how's Gerda?"

Elsa's attention was distracted when she heard a familiar voice. She turned around and found Jack was standing behind her. Only with a T-shirt, jeans and sneakers.

"Jack." Elsa wiped her tears abruptly and looked back at Gerda through the glass window. "I don't know, Jack. I haven't heard anything from the doctor."

When Elsa had just finished talking, the ICU door suddenly opened and from inside, came out a woman, or a girl with strawberry blonde hair tied in a ponytail, with a light blue scrub and white coat, carrying a clipboard in her arms.

"How's Gerda?" Elsa asked immediately, she didn't care about her messy face and flushed with tears.

The girl stared at Elsa for a while before finally opening her mouth. "I'm sorry. And you are?"

"I'm her daughter, Elsa. How is she?" Elsa was getting impatient.

"Okay. So, I'm not Mrs. Larson's doctor, I'm just a surgical resident under dr. Hunt's supervision. She has more rigths to give you an explanation regarding your mother's condition. She's coming out in a minute, or do you want me to call her for you?"

"You don't need to call me, Arendelle." Another woman came out from behind the door. She was dressed in navy blue scrub and white coat with long, wavy brown hair. Her face was serious and seemed like she was not a people person.

"I'm Megan Hunt and I'm Mrs. Larson's doctor. So, at the time of the accident, Mrs. Larson suffered a very hard impact on her temporal bone, on the left side to be precise." She pressed the part behind her left ear. "The good news is that there is no internal bleeding or skull fracture. Only bruising on the part of the tissue that was impacted. But the accident left her with an open wound on her head, and it made her unconscious for some time. We try our best to keep her stable, but I still can't tell when she will wake up. Pray the best for her." Dr. Hunt gave Elsa one last smile before finally leaving Elsa, followed by her surgical resident.

As if endless, Elsa's tears continued to flow. The news from the doctor didn't make her any more relieved. With Gerda's unconscious state, and what was so important that Gerda was about to tell her so that she was in a hurry and ended up having an accident.

"Oh, Gerda." Elsa covered her face with her hands and sank into Jack's arms. She was crying hard because in her mind there was only the worst possibility. And she would never know what Gerda was trying to say to her if Gerda didn't survive.