Later, that night.

Elsa's entire body was relaxed; her breathing was steady and her eyes were closed. She felt a tug on the sheets and stirred. It was when she heard a small grunt of pain from Jack that she opened her eyes.

She turned her head to see he was breathing hard. He was still turned away from her, so she couldn't see his face—but she wouldn't have to. His entire body shuddered as he gasped, followed by a scared whimper. She froze, uncertain of what to do. It was never good, nor always safe, to jerk someone from the throes of a nightmare. Jack grew more distressed, and Elsa was left without a choice. She, with tentative hands, shook his shoulder.

"Jack. Jack!" She touched his head, "Wake up!"

Her touch made his entire body twitch and his eyes shot open. Panicked, he turned over to see who was shaking him, then looked relieved to see it was only Elsa. He was gasping for air.

"Hey, hey... It's okay." She stroked his arm.

Jack realized it then, "I forgot to take my medicine." He lied back down. "That's all." He chased all memory of the nightmare away; he was too tired to fear another one. Meanwhile, Elsa felt responsible; her bringing up the drugs had to have triggered it. Forgetting his medicine couldn't be the only cause.

"Do you want—"

"No."

She didn't even finish! She was just going to ask if he wanted water. He must've assumed she was going to ask him to talk about it; that was the question he was accustomed to. She lied back on her side, hand still stroking his arm, "I love you."

He reached around and took her hand. It brought her comfort. "I love you too." He brought her hand over his shoulder and kissed her knuckles. "Go back to sleep." It was more of a plea than a demand. "I'm all right." His heartbeat returned to normal speed and he closed his eyes again... but Elsa held onto his hand until she was certain he was asleep.

...

Elsa didn't bother Jack that morning. She let him sleep in as she cooked for herself at the stove. Fresh coffee sat in the pot and a clean mug was left next to it for him once he joined her. She had not slept well the night before either, she'd wanted to know if he really was as fine as he claimed to be. How coldly he'd brushed off her questions and refused her comfort, it just wasn't what she'd expected, nor was it what she was used to coming from a family like hers.

She heard the bathroom door open and shut, then another few minutes rolled by before it opened again and he appeared from around the corner. "Hey, beautiful."

"Good morning." She grinned back. "There's coffee in the pot."

"Nice, thank you."

"Um, how'd you sleep?"

"Fine." He answered, knowing she must've meant after he'd woken them both up.

"...I owe you an apology."

"Hm? Why?"

"For getting you worked up last night. I didn't realize how much bringing up old stuff affected you."

Jack tensed. "You didn't do anything. I didn't take my prazosin. In fact, let me take my Zoloft before I forget." Before he did, he walked over and kissed her cheek, "You didn't do anything wrong, really." He gave her back a rub before going into her room where he'd left his jacket and pill bottles.

Elsa couldn't shake the guilt. She followed him into her room. "I was thinking we could go see a movie today. Or rent one to watch here, whichever."

Jack shrugged, "Sounds good. Just let me shower and change my clothes first."

"Okay." She managed a smile.

...

They went to go see V for Vendetta. It looked to be right up Jack's alley, and Elsa pretended she was eager to see it to make sure he didn't think she was just trying to please him. She expected to be hiding her face in his shoulder the entire time, but once again, it defied her expectations and she was as rapt as he was in the story.

"The truth is that there is something terribly wrong with this country, isn't there? If you look about, you witness cruelty, injustice, and despotism. But what do you do about it? What can you do? You are but a single individual. How can you possibly make any difference? Individuals have no power in this modern world. That is what you've been taught because that is what they need you to believe. But it is not true. This is why they are afraid and the reason that I am here; to remind you that it is individuals who always hold the power. The real power. Individuals like me. And individuals like you."

Jack, eyes locked on the screen, leaned over and whispered, "I love his voice."

"I think you should start talking with an accent." Elsa giggled back. They hushed once more so they could experience the rest with their full attention, though they laughed at some of the over-the-top slow-motion scenes. It was a pleasant evening and they both left the theater satisfied with their choice.

"I can't believe it's already Wednesday. This week's going by too quickly." Elsa bemoaned.

"We'll have to make the next few days special then."

"They've already been special." She took his hand. "Much better than staying inside waiting for one of these jobs to get back to me."

"You think Anna's doing okay?"

"Anna's fine. She's been sending me pictures and texts. You know, it's weird. Since she's left, it feels like I'm finally my own person."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean before, it was always my parents or my sister that I tried to model myself after, then other times it was my roommates that made me feel I had to act a certain way... But not with you. I feel comfortable with you."

Jack smirked, "Well, I'm glad I could be of assistance."

"Do you ever get that? You feel like you have to be a different person in crowds?"

"Eh... Not really," he mused, "you've seen I just kind of shut down and sink into the walls at parties. But other than that, I don't have much to hide." Elsa gave him a look and Jack looked exasperated. "You get what I mean."

"So, you wanna pick up a pizza and head back?"

Jack recognized where they were passing by and got an idea. "Actually, I have a better idea."

"What?" The next thing she knew, she was being pulled by the hand into a nightclub. Elsa didn't protest, but she clung to Jack's side as she awkwardly shuffled towards the dance floor with him, bumping past people.

"Jack, what are we doing here?" She finally asked.

"We're gonna dance!"

Elsa waved her hands, "I don't dance."

"Everyone dances!"

"Not me. Jack, can we just—"

"We gotta get you out of your comfort zone. Now just follow my lead." He started to shimmy to the music, but Elsa just laughed and shrugged, having no idea how she was supposed to react.

Ooh, baby, do you know what that's worth?
Ooh, heaven is a place on earth
They say in heaven, love comes first
We'll make heaven a place on earth
Ooh, heaven is a place on earth

When the night falls down
I wait for you and you come around
And the world's alive with the sound
Of kids on the street outside

When you walk into the room
You pull me close and we start to move
And we're spinning with the stars above
And you lift me up in a wave of love

Elsa started to parrot Jack, and though she felt stiff and out of place, Jack giddily encouraged her. Elsa felt like everyone was staring, but they were all in their own worlds. It took a bit of time and persuasion, but soon Elsa was as free-spirited as Jack was and wound up having a great time. If only Anna could have seen this side of her, so relaxed and jubilant. She still couldn't tell why this white-haired creature managed to have an effect on her, but at least it was for the better.

...

Jack could smell the shampoo in Elsa's damp hair as she snuggled close to him in her bed. She was getting so used to his company at night that she knew she would miss him once break was over and when she would go home for the summer. She wanted to make the most of the next three or four days. He brushed his fingers through her fine locks, which had just been combed. The softness of her hair cast a spell of its own on him.

"Maybe before break's over you can show me Allentown." Elsa suggested.

Jack had his eyes closed, still absent-mindedly playing with her hair. "Mm... Allentown's not that interesting. I'd rather take you to Philly."

"How far is that?"

"About the same distance, depends on traffic." He snorted, "I'll show you the stairs where Rocky was filmed. No one will let you forget they filmed Rocky there."

"Oh yeah." She smirked back. Her eyelashes batted against his skin as she closed her eyes. "I think we could go anywhere and it'd be wonderful."

"You make just lying in bed fun." He was falling asleep, hardly able to keep the conversation going.

Elsa couldn't shake the burning need for answers away once again. "Jack, remember how you asked me if someone ever broke my heart?"

He didn't even blink. His hand was hardly moving through her hair now. "Mhm."

"I want to ask you... has anyone hurt yours?"

Jack opened his eyes, locking with hers. He closed them again, "My father."

Elsa didn't need to press further—she knew why. "I'm sorry."

"Well, he's dead now. So I guess he paid for it."

"How bad was he?" She moved closer to him. She felt his heartbeat through the fabric of his shirt. "If that's okay..."

Jack's voice was monotonous and hoarse, "He... A lot of what he did was emotional. He'd put my mother down, take out his anger on me to keep her under his thumb. Then when he started drinking, it'd get physical."

"Hitting?"

"Hitting, getting pushed into a wall... one time he pinned me down when I was trying to get him off of my mom. It was never anything that got us seriously hurt."

Elsa took his arm, "You're a good son. You were young, but you still tried to protect her."

"I wasn't a good son." He rasped. "I think I hurt her more than he ever did."

"I highly doubt that." Jack was done talking about this. He started to roll away from her. "No!" He turned back, befuddled. "I don't want you closing yourself off again... I want us to be honest."

"I've been honest, that's my limit for the night." He got comfortable facing away from her.

"It still has to hurt if you won't talk about it."

"I don't hurt, I'm just— You don't need to know all of that information. It doesn't change anything."

Elsa sat up, "Yes it does, because it tells me more about you, how maybe I can help you." Jack sighed, trying to abate his annoyance. "I know you don't want help, but if something ever happens, I'd like to know what might've caused—"

Jack sat up and looked at her. "Are you saying you expect something to happen to me?"

"No!"

"So that's it, you want to learn all about my druggie past so you can get the full story and know all about my messed up life. That's your passion, isn't it? Spilling all the details?"

Elsa was struck right in the core. "I would never tell anyone what's said between the two of us." Jack swung the blanket off of him and reached for his jacket on the floor. "I can't believe you would even say that!"

He pulled his 3 Year chip out of the pocket, studied it, gripped it tightly in his fist. It had been so hard, but here he was. Four years now. She could never know how difficult it was just to make it for six months. Not with the perfect little family she came from. "It doesn't matter what I tell you, because you would never understand."

"Maybe I would. You need to give me a chance!"

"It's not even any of your business!"

"Once we've slept together, it should be my business!" She cried, a fire bubbling in her chest as she clutched the blankets hard in her fists. "Jack... I've never felt so at home with anyone before you." Jack didn't look at her, but his glare softened. "I... Everything we've done, it's how I've been opening up to you... The things I was so scared to say just come right out with you. I want you to know me better. I just wish you'd do the same for me." She quieted her voice, "I don't just want to see the you that you let me see. I want to see the good and the bad. I don't want us to go back to pretending to be people we're not."

Jack was too haunted to say anything back. It didn't feel like they were in the same room anymore.

"Jack?" His phone started buzzing on the nightstand and both were knocked out of their states. Jack picked it up and read the ID. "Who is it?"

"My mom." He sighed and flipped it open. "Hello?"

Elsa couldn't hear what was being said on the other side, but Jack didn't say anything either... a full minute of silence went by and she finally asked, "What is it?"

Jack lowered the phone so his mother couldn't hear him, "...My grandfather passed away... five minutes ago."