Ooh, look at that! An update only a week later! That's what I meant to have been doing but... you know... depression.

Anyways, I think I've outdone myself on this chapter, personally. It's surprisingly angsty. I didn't really think I could write angst. And maybe it sounds really stupid. Who knows?

Enjoy the chapter!

~Isabelle

The night is young, the skies are clear,

And if you want to go walking, dear,

It's delightful, it's delicious, it's de-lovely

~It's De-Lovely, Anything Goes

Chapter Eleven: It's De-Lovely

Elsa knew that she shouldn't be doing this. Sneaking out of one's house was a teenage rebellion, not the move of a twenty-year old who hadn't lived in the house for over a decade. Could it even be considered sneaking out when she was a fully-grown adult, capable of making her own decisions?

Possibly.

Yes, considering that she had a psychotic stalker and her bodyguard would be furious if he knew that she had left her home without letting someone know, let alone going out at one in the morning.

But there were too many things on her mind, and Elsa needed room to breathe. Her bedroom—which used to be a safe haven for her seven-year old self—mocked her; it was evident that it was still decorated for a child, filled with childhood toys and cartoon-patterned sheets. Had her parents never thought to update her bedroom? Or did they leave it like that on purpose, a shrine for their lost daughter? Though, she supposed, a part of her had died when she left for Arendelle Academy all those years ago.

Elsa sighed and shook her head, wrapping her arms around herself. It was no use dwelling on the past. What was done was done, and there was no changing it. What she could change, however, was her future. Her mind strayed to the letters that she had found in her father's study earlier that night.

Seven in total. She hadn't known how many letters had been sent to her, but now she did. Seven letters, all made-up of cut-out bits of magazine and unsigned. None of them made sense. Elsa wasn't even sure that she would consider them to be threatening, though they were disturbing. Unfortunately, she hadn't managed to get a good look at them. Jack had been trying to get her attention, and then there were footsteps outside of the door, and Elsa was struggling to set the papers back on the desk in a way that suggested that no one had looked through them. She had left the study then, Jack still trailing after her, to see Anna storming out of the house with Hans at her heels.

Elsa sighed again as she reached the old park at the end of her neighborhood. There was a new one now, more central to the gated community, so this one had fallen into a state of disrepair. The see-saws were made of wood and rotting, the metal parts barely able to hold them together due to rust. The grand playcastle had seen better days—the various slides looked to be covered in some sort of overgrowth, the bridge had lost quite a few of its panels, and one of the swings at the end of it had a broken chain. It dangled sadly in the wind; Elsa shivered. And the merry-go-round, what baby Anna had considered to be the best piece of playground equipment, was tilted off its axis, groaning any time the wind managed to move it the tiniest bit. Everything was covered in a fine layer of dust and leaves.

Slowly, Elsa moved to the beloved merry-go-round of her childhood and sat down on it, ignoring its protest at her added weight. She rested her chin in her hands and struggled to find the bit of good that her move home had brought. She had essentially forced Marshall and Elinor's families to move away from everything they had ever known; Anna hated her and had possibly moved out of the house; her parents had never been more stressed or upset; and the stalker situation had only gotten worse. What was the point in uprooting everyone's lives? Why did this terrible aura seem to follow her wherever she went?

Elsa bit her lip so hard she tasted blood. She laid back on the merry-go-round, uncaring of the bits of Earth that was undoubtedly gluing itself to her hair. She had left her house to feel better, but she had only managed to make herself feel worse. It seemed so simple in the movies. The struggling main character would go out for a run or to an abandoned field, and suddenly they would have some epiphany and all of their problems would be solved. Elsa knew that her life was no movie, but couldn't something be simple for her for once?

She thought about Anna. Was there anything that Elsa could say to repair her relationship with her sister now? Had she ruined it forever, with one simple comment? Or was it Anna that had ruined her own relationships? Elsa knew that she was not the only one her sister was shutting out. Rapunzel had said that she hadn't heard from Anna all week, and Elsa had seen first hand how hurt Jack had been when Anna ditched him. It seemed like Anna was burning her bridges, content to live all by herself on Hans Island. But what would happen if her relationship with Hans went south? Jack had picked up the pieces that Elsa had unknowingly left behind—

Elsa's heart stopped. Jack Frost. Perhaps he was the answer. Before she could talk herself out of it, Elsa pulled her cellphone out of her pocket, dialed the number, and held the ringing device up to her ear. He picked up on the second ring.

Sleep had not come easily to Jack that night. Between the way Anna was acting towards him—aloof and secretive—and the cold shoulder Elsa had given him—just when he thought they had been making progress—his thoughts were racing. Pair with that the glimpse of the papers that he had seen in Elsa's hands, ones that looked an awful lot like ransom letters from a television show, and his mind would not shut up. So when Elsa called him, apologizing for waking him despite the fact that she hadn't and asking if he had a minute to talk, he hadn't hesitated to offer to do it in person.

"Are you sure?" Elsa asked, her voice uncertain. "It's nearly two in the morning."

"I can't sleep," he admitted. The line was silent for a moment. Then:

"Neither can I. That's why I went for a walk, which is what prompted my call."

Jack paused. "I'm sorry. Did you just say that you went for a walk? At one in the morning? While you have a stalker on the loose."

"Well, when you say it like that…"

"Okay, I'm coming to get you. Where are you at?"

Which is how Jack found himself driving around a little aimlessly at two in the morning with figure-skating prodigy Elsa Winters in his passenger seat. She was dressed in an overlarge sweater and leggings, and her hair was in a messy ponytail with bits of dirt and a small twig sticking out of it. Still, Jack couldn't help but think that it was one of the most beautiful sights he'd ever seen.

Elsa sighed. "I shouldn't have called you."

Jack glanced over at her. Had he said that last thought out loud? Had he creeped her out?

"It was rude and presumptuous of me," she continued, and Jack let out a soft sigh of relief. He wasn't in love with her or anything, but Elsa didn't seem the type to enjoy being complimented. Perhaps on her skating. He laughed.

"I'm glad you called. Really. For one, I was pretty much going crazy at home thinking about Anna…."

"I know the feeling." Elsa gave a sad sigh. "And the other?"

"I would've felt pretty guilty when the news dropped the report about finding your dead body in an abandoned playground," he teased. Elsa scoffed and tossed her head, looking out the side window. Jack couldn't help his laughter. He had to pull off to the side of the road due to the tears in his eyes.

"What is so funny?" Elsa demanded, looking at him like a crazy person.

"I don't know. Sometimes, things just hit you and seem funnier than they are." His laughter started to slow down then, thankfully. He was especially grateful for it when he caught the edges of her lips twitching, as if she was fighting a smile. She pursed them as she gave Jack a glare.

"It wasn't that funny," she said. Jack shrugged and wiped at his eyes. Satisfied that his brief moment of mirth was over, he pulled back onto the road and continued driving.

"It kind of was."

"It really wasn't."

"A little bit. Admit it. It was a little funny."

"... Perhaps a small bit. Though Marshall would not find it humorous."

Jack shivered. "And that's why we're not going to tell Marshall, right?"

Elsa did laugh then. "You think that I'm going to survive a late night solo trip to an abandoned playground only to be killed by my bodyguard once he finds out?"

"Fair enough," Jack agreed, smirking. Elsa settled back into her seat, her body facing slightly towards him. She seemed more relaxed than usual. Jack wondered if it was lack of sleep. "So what did you call me for?"

"Hmm?"

"You called me. At one-thirty in the morning. Most people only do that if they have a reason for it."

"Oh, right." Elsa blushed a little, looking down at her lap. Her fingers played with each other, weaving in and out of a grip. "I shouldn't have, really. It was… impromptu."

"Oh, yeah? And what prompted this prompted this impromptu phone call?" Jack raised his eyebrows. He could feel her gaze on his face but kept his own fixed on the road. He suspected that the moment he turned to her, she would turn away.

"I was… thinking about Anna. Everything that happened tonight. Last night? Oh, it doesn't matter. I'm just worried about her. I didn't realize how much damage our separation had caused. I guess I thought that since she was so young, Anna wouldn't really miss me. Or, she'd miss me, but she would grow and forget how we were as children. I mean, she was only five when I left, which isn't old enough to remember a lot of things. I thought that she would make new, healthy relationships, which she has, I know that." Elsa gestured to Jack before clasping her hands together once again. "Your friendship is a prime example of that. I just… didn't think that my absence would hurt her as much as it did. And I was thinking that she was lucky that she had you because I know that you've been a great friend to her. A far better friend than she deserves with the way she's been acting lately, don't try to deny it." Elsa held up a finger at him as Jack turned to dispute her. She met his gaze head on, unflinching.

"She's in a new relationship. Things like that require time and space," Jack said.

"Not at the expense of close friendships. And it's not just you she's been ignoring, you know that," Elsa said.

"So you called me to talk about Anna? That couldn't have waited until morning?" Jack asked sarcastically. He stopped at a red light and waited for it to turn green. Incidentally, this caused him to miss the fearsome blush that colored Elsa's cheeks.

"Oh, um, well… partly." She paused as the light changed, and Jack accelerated once more. "I am worried about Anna. I think that she's getting a little too wrapped up in her relationship with Hans, and I think something bad is going to come from it. But that's not why I called you when I called you." Elsa fell quiet. Jack looked over at her, surprised to see the anguished expression on her face. He pulled into a McDonald's parking lot, one that was open 24 hours and seemed to be somewhat busy for being so early in the morning. He said nothing as he shut the car off and waited for Elsa to break the silence.

"I know you don't know me. You said as much yourself several hours ago." Jack watched as she tightened her grip on her hands, the skin turning milk white. "But I have had to be so perfect for so long, and lately it's just become… unbearable." Elsa's voice broke. She struggled to swallow, turning her head away from him. "I feel like a fraud. And a, a monster." Her shoulders shuddered, and Jack sat forward, hand hovering over her back.

"Elsa, you're not a monster. Why would you think that?"

She whipped around to face him, tears swimming in her blue eyes. "I have caused everyone I love so much pain. You have no idea how much pain I bring with me. I feel… cursed. Like I'm meant to be alone. It's the only way I won't hurt anyone."

"You're not making any sense," Jack said. Tentatively, he set a hand on Elsa's shoulder. When she didn't move away or shrug it off, he let it settle, a comforting weight to keep her in the present.

"Anna. My mother and father. Marshall. Elinor. God, even you. I ruined everything when I came here, and nothing has gotten better. In fact, things have only gotten worse. And I was thinking about all of that and sitting on that stupid merry-go-round that Anna used to love, and I just thought… I thought of you. And I thought that you might make me feel better," Elsa said. She closed her eyes as if the sight of him pained her and turned away. His hand fell off her shoulder. "God, it was selfish and stupid. I should… I should go." Her hand reached for the door handle, but Jack hit the car lock. She could easily pull it up, but it got the message across.

"Elsa," Jack said softly. "I'm honored that you wanted to call me. I want to help, truly."

Elsa scoffed. "You don't have to help me because you pity me."

"I don't pity you. Maybe I haven't made this clear enough, but I want to be your friend. Not because of Anna, not because I feel sorry for you. Because I think we would be great friends," Jack told her. Slowly, Elsa turned back to face him. He could see the tear streaks on her face; it made his heart ache, in a different way than it did when he saw Anna upset.

"I'm not very good at making friends," Elsa said quietly.

"Well, lucky for you, I'm great at it." Jack grinned. "So, as friends, how can I help you feel better?" Elsa blushed a little and looked out the windshield.

"I suppose you already have." She looked better, too. Her breaths were coming much more even, and her shoulders were relaxed. In a minute, she wouldn't even look like she had had a small breakdown. "And what about you?"

"What about me?" Jack asked.

"I've kept you up for nearly an hour. Surely there's something I can do, as a friend, to thank you?"

"Well, first of all, you don't have to pay me back. Friends help each other out. But I will admit that that McDonald's is looking pretty appealing. What do you say to some breakfast?"

"McDonald's has breakfast?" Elsa asked. He stared at her in disbelief, their profiles awash in the yellow glow of the golden arches.

"Excuse me?" Jack asked.

"I'm not really allowed to eat at fast food places, so I don't pay much attention to them," Elsa said. She looked alarmed at the expression on his face.

"Okay, Miss Winters. I'll give you that. But right now, your scary coach isn't here, and I am going to introduce you to the wonder that is the Sausage Egg McGriddle."

It was sometime after four o'clock when Jack finally dropped Elsa off.

"A six? That's all you give the McGriddle? Really?" Jack demanded. Elsa laughed. She had done that a surprising amount in the past hour she had spent with Jack after her momentary lapse of sanity in his car. He was funny, which she knew, but when she let her guard down and actually allowed herself to enjoy his presence, she found herself having the best time.

"I'm being generous," Elsa said, shaking her head. "When you've had freshly baked chocolate croissants, all other breakfast foods are pretty much ruined."

"What, next you're going to tell me that Fazoli's is garbage compared to real Italian cuisine?" Jack said sarcastically.

"As is Pizza Hut," Elsa agreed. He let out a scandalized noise and placed a hand to his chest. She giggled as she opened her car door, placing a foot outside. Before she left however, she turned back to the driver. Elsa's smile softened. "Thank you, Jack. For everything."

Jack smiled too. "What are friends for?"

"Indeed." And before she realized what she was doing, she leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on his cheek. Elsa stepped out into the dawn, shutting the door as quietly as possible before heading up her driveway. Her face burned with the realization of what she'd done. Her lips tingled from the feel of his cool skin. And the smile couldn't leave her face.

Click.

The figure looked down at the camera in their hand, smiling. They looked at the last picture they had taken—of Snow Queen kissing that kid, Frost, on the cheek, his face stupid with surprise—and sighed contentedly. Then, they began looking through all of the pictures of that night: Snow Queen and Frost at a dirty booth in McDonald's, laughing; Snow Queen crying in Frost's car; the car stopped at a stoplight, Snow Queen looking longingly at Frost.

And the pictures from earlier. Snow Queen getting into the car. Laying down on the merry-go-round. Walking through the playground. Looking on her phone. Looking right at the camera.

But she had never known they were there. She never did.

Thank you so much for reading! Please review, follow, favorite, etc. I really, really appreciate all of your support! Please feel free to tell me what you think! I'm all for constructive criticism, but I really don't appreciate the guests who are leaving weird, random comments and insulting me and my writing choices. There is a difference between being constructive and being mean, and I think we're all on this website just to have some fun!

I hope you enjoyed the chapter! I'd like to have another one up soon, but my last semester of college starts on Monday, so we'll see how this goes. (And can you believe that it's been almost a year since I started this story? I certainly planned to be farther, but I hope to fix that this year.) Thank you!

~Isabelle