"Pitch?!" Jack yelled, his eyes scanning the cemetery, "Where?"
"I don't know! I just told you; it's his flower! He's not here now but he was-"
"Are you sure?"
"That he was here?"
"That he's gone?"
"No. But we can't stay here anyway. We- we need to do something!"
Jack stepped closer to her and lifted his left hand to her cheek, using his thumb to wipe away some of her tears. "You need to calm down. Then we need to get to North. He'll know what to do. We can handle him, Sky."
"I- He's my father, Jack! I don't-"
"You also said he's a monster. That's the part we need to focus on. That's the part we need to defend the Earth- the children from. We might need your help so you have to tell me you're okay with this and you're ready to face him!" He leaned in and pressed his lips to hers for a moment, "I need to know you're going to choose the right side."
"Don't hurt him-"
"He's going to hurt us! And then he's going to hurt everything- everyone we all tried to protect! He's going to hurt you, Skyla. No matter what you hope for; he's going to hurt you in some way. I'm sorry."
She stepped away from him, wiping the last of her tears away, "No you're not."
"I am. I love you, Sky. And I don't want to hurt him because he's your father but I do need to stop him from starting a new Dark Ages. You felt the same way, didn't you? You had to stop him, you had to make compromises and do what you had to to keep him locked away. You would have even given me up to do it."
"I-I don't want to give you up. I'm sorry that I argued with you and that I fought with you and-"
"You were stressed. Freaking out. Desperate. Don't explain yourself now, just help me do what I have to do or at the very least understand why I have to do it. For real, Sky. No doubts. No hesitation. We need to confront him."
She stared at the flower Pitch had left on her mother's grave. She let herself slip out of reality for a moment then her eyes narrowed and she announced, "I'll fight him if he forces me to. I'm with you, Jack. And I'm with the Guardians. I want to get back to my human life as soon as possible so let's get this over with."
"You still don't know how to fly so I guess you need a ride?"
"You'll teach me eventually. Just get me out of here."
He nodded and turned around to let Skyla climb on his back. "Ready?"
"As I'll ever be, yes. Erm, if I act differently around him- Just know that it's because I sort of still try to be... Polite or respectful, umm. Kind of?"
Jack laughed, "You? Polite and respectful?"
She lightly kicked his stomach, "Go! Mush! Giddy up!" The spirit just laughed and took off from the ground. Shortly after Skyla whispered in his ear, "I love you. And I really hope this means you've decided to stay with me after all of this"
He grinned, "I love you, Skyla. I'm sorry about everything I said to you. Everything we've been through up until this point and everything that might happen after. No more secrets. From either of us. Actually..."
They started lowering to the ground and Skyla held onto him tighter, "What's going on?"
"I want to give you something." He landed in a field that's lit up by moonlight. There are white flowers all around that glow from the light. Skyla climbs off his back and waits for him to turn around, impatiently tapping her foot. When he does turn, he's holding the red ring box in his hand.
Skyla stepped back, "Do we really have time for this?" She glances around nervously. It was a surprise but she was more focused on the possibility that Pitch was out there and waiting for a chance to strike.
"I'm prepared to make time. For you." He got down on one knee and put his staff on the ground beside him. He held out the box, flipping it open to reveal the ring. Silver, with grey and blue colored jewels around it. Simple, but beautiful. Skyla gasped and stared between it and Jack. He smiled and told her, I love you, Skyla Grace Black. Will you marry me?"
She stammered and smiled then nodded, "Y-yes! Yes, I'll marry you, Jack!"
He grinned and stood, holding her waist to pick her up and spin her around, "Yes! You actually said yes!"
He put her down and she wiped a tear away from her eye, "You doubted it? Jackson Overland Frost, I thought you believed in our love?"
"I do! And I always will! But I always leave account for your unpredictability." He knelt down to grab the ring box again then stood up, taking her left hand. "I promise to always love and protect you. To cherish you like I should have this entire time. And to be more patient. And about a million other things!" His eyes sparkled and he leaned in to quickly kiss her before putting the ring on her finger. "I promise that I will always be yours. No matter what happens. We will always be together. H-how many words could I say? It would never be enough. I'm so happy, Sky-"
"Jack. I'm happy, too. But we shouldn't be focusing on words right now. I love you, Jack. And I am so ready for us to have a life together. For real this time."
"You're right. Let's get going, Sky. I'll show you how much I love you later." He winked and Skyla laughed, pushing on his shoulder to make him turn around. She grabbed his staff and gave it to him before climbing on his back. "And, Sky, if you need something to focus on just think about me. In bed. Possibly with whipped cream-"
"Mush!"
"I am not a sled dog!" He pouted, but took off anyway. After a while he told her, "Stop staring at the ring! You need to watch your grip!"
"I love it though! And I don't care if Brandon helped you pick it out, it came from you! I'm engaged to you!" She laughed, "I'm engaged to Jack Frost! A-and you asked me even after you found out about why I am how I am! I love you, Jack! So much! I love you!"
He just laughed, "I love you, Skyla. And I love that you're so excited about this. But, really, I'm nervous that you're going to fall so-"
"Alright. Alright, I'll just stare at it later." She re-hooked her hands together over his chest and looked sideways at the moving landscape, "So is it alright if I show it off? I want everyone to know that my boyfriend-now-fiancée is kinda actually super romantic and sweet and- well- you!"
"You can show it off to whoever you want to when we land. But you better think of others ways to compliment me! I'm thinking something more, you know, me. Like fun-loving! Exciting!"
"Loud! Clever! Prankster!"
"Yes, yes, and yes! More like that, Sky. It's really important that you get my description right!"
Skyla laughed along with him. It was almost easy to forget that they were on their way to warn the Guardians about her father- about Pitch Black. That she might have to fight against him and that even though he was out and she could finally spend sometime with him; they were going to send him back. "I-if Pitch doesn't try anything like world domination is it possible that he can stay on the surface?"
"I don't know. That's one of the things we'll ask North about. Either way it doesn't change anything. You're still marrying me, we're living in Burgess, and we're getting on with our life. That's the plan, right?"
"Yes. That is still the plan. To live our life. You doing your Winter thing and me doing my-"
"Storm thing?"
"Human thing." She kissed his cheek and rested her head on his shoulder, "Someone should write about us."
"Yeah, but someone good. Not some fangirl with a laptop and half-baked ideas. especially not someone who focuses on the bad and not the good-"
"Hey, to be fair, there's been a lot of bad. And good stuff gets boring and doesn't progress the plot at all!"
"What if the writer really sucks though" he whined.
"Who cares about the writing? As long as our story is told, right? The great Jack Frost and his fiancée Skyla!"
"Angel of the Skies! She has a beautiful voice and a complicated back story! She is the greatest character- Now if only she had a great writer."
"Whoever writes about us is great. And, damn, they must be patient. I hope people like our story, Jack. Even if it's not told well."
"Someone will like it, Sky. There's always someone who does."
She kissed his cheek again, "I know I'll never read it. Going through this once has been enough. Okay, maybe I'll read some of it. The nice parts. Like our first kiss..."
"And may there never be a last kiss" Jack grinned, "May there never be a last anything between us."
"What about the arguments? The fights?"
"Some of those are fun." He focused on what's in front of them again. They'd left fields and country living behind and made it into more modern places. Jack had to fly up higher to avoid the tall buildings. It got colder the higher they went and Skyla shivered. "Maybe you should have brought your coat."
"There are several things I should have grabbed from the apartment. Too late to go back now though. And unless you want to steal a coat for me..."
"I'm not a thief, Sky."
"I wouldn't call you that. I would call you a provider."
"That's very manipulative, Sky." He turned his head and she took the hint and touched her lips to his.
She looked back first and her eyes went wide, "Jack! Look out!"
His head snapped forwards and he soared upwards, narrowly avoiding the Nightmare Horses that had appeared in front of them. He kept going, both higher and farther, trying to get away from the city. The Nightmares chased after them but didn't seem to be too concerned with catching up, "Sky, what do we do?"
"U-umm. I don't know! They can't touch me, remember? So I think we'll be okay. Just keep going and they'll have to get out of our way?"
"Are you sure?"
"Pitch made it one of his number one laws before I was even born, Jack. I don't see why he would change it now."
"I can think of a few reasons. I'll try it, but I'm not at all excited to fly straight towards a wall of Nightmares."
"Do you think I like it?"
"Can't you do something? Shoot lightning bolts at them or-"
"Create a tornado? Or something else dangerous to the people below? I have no idea how to control these powers yet, I'm sorry!"
Jack cursed, "It's fine. We didn't have that option a week ago so not having it now isn't a big deal. But I would like to think of a different way to get past them, Sky." The Mares were all over them. An entire army of them. Jack had to level out as they appeared above but they were also below and to all sides. Like a threatening escort. "Is it just me or are we in a giant black shadow?"
"Maybe you've gone blind" Skyla joked then kissed his cheek. She couldn't exactly lift her palms up but she did what she could and unhooked them, ignoring Jack's complaints. Planting them flat against his chest, she closed her eyes and concentrated, taking inventory of the possibilities. She tried thinning the clouds above but no moonlight came in through the mass of shadow. She wanted to try to call the wind but was afraid it would mess with Jack's flying. She wanted to try lightning or maybe thunder to shake them off but the fact she'd mentioned still remained. She didn't have total control over them and they could easily get out of hand and hurt someone. "Do you think you can get somewhere a bit empty? So I can try something to get us out of this mess?"
"I'll try! I don't know if they'll let me out of this formation but there's a forest nearby and a lake- Hey, guess what?"
Skyla smiled, relieved that he still had his humor at a time like that, "What?"
"We're in Canada, eh."
"Do you make that joke every time you come over here?"
"Yes?"
She rolled her eyes, "Glad I don't travel with you that often. Where's this lake?"
"Up ahead! And guess what else!"
"What?"
"It's Okanagan lake! Maybe we can stop and meet the Ogopogo!"
"The- What?! That thing doesn't really exist, does it?"
"Yes, and he doesn't like me!"
"I wonder why" She said sarcastically. She tried to look out at the landscape but couldn't see anything past the Nightmares. "Jeez, these things are really annoying."
"I guess you didn't grow up with these things?"
"No way. They stayed the hell away from me like they should be doing now."
"Mm. I agree!" Jack slowed to a stop and the Nightmares hovered around, shifting restlessly. "Okay, Sky. We're above a bunch of trees. No cabins or anything. Do what you can and try not to hit me."
"I'll try my best." Her palms still flat against his chest, she called lighting, thunder, and wind to their aid. It started up and the Mares stilled around them. Multiple strikes of lightning hit rows of them down and Jack cheered. The thunder made them disoriented and the wind threw them farther off-balance; their forms becoming less solid. But then more lighting was coming and the thunder became too much. "Jack! I can't control it, I have to stop!"
"Alright, Sky! You've done enough, you've nearly halved them!"
She looked around and didn't think so but she could see patches of the world through the shadows. There was forest below and for miles around them, high mountains, lakes. She could see lights from cities and highways in the distance. And above and still all around was her storms. They were really getting out of control. She tried to calm it down. "Jack, let's go. It's calming down but I think we should keep moving."
"It doesn't seem to be calming down! What about the wind, Sky?! I don't know if I can fly through it!"
"Just go!" She snapped. Jack huffed but started making distance again. The storm dulled slightly but the wind wasn't letting up.
He yelled at her over the thunder, "Skyla!"
"I'm trying!" She pressed harder against Jack's chest, trying to ground herself somewhat.
He wasn't flying very straight and nearly crashed into a bunch of Mares. "Skyla! Now! Or we're not going to make it through this!"
"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry, Jack! I'm trying!" A pain shot through her head and she knew she was concentrating too hard but held tighter and concentrated harder.
A flash of lightning rushed past Jack and he rolled to the side, again barely avoiding a head on collision with a Nightmare. "Skyla I don't think I've ever been more serious on my life! I can't fly like this!"
"I'm sorry! I'm trying but it's not working! Jack, why won't it work?!" She cried out, hoping with all her heart he had an answer.
"Just do something! If it won't stop then change it to something else!" She didn't want to chance creating a tornado so bit back the pain in her head and kept trying to ease the wind away. Jack rolled again and ended up ten feet lower. He cursed and tried to get up higher again, "If you don't stop this right now I'm taking your mp3 away! And I'm not giving it back until our wedding day!"
"Jack! Stop yelling at me!" She was crying from the pressure in both her skull and the situation. She sobbed as he rolled again then got blown back by the wind.
He cursed again then pushed forwards. "I'm yelling at you because you're going to get yourself killed! Get your head screwed on straight and focus! Concentrate harder!"
"If I do that, I swear my head is going to explode!" She yelled over the wind and the neighing and the stubborn thunder, desperately trying to make him understand. "Jack, I'm so sorry that I can't control this but you're not helping and my head hurts and please just help me I can't do this anymore!" She looked down and saw the lake Jack had mentioned. He cursed again as a cross current hit him and Skyla closed her eyes again, feeling as they were thrown back and Jack's arms flailed out behind him as his back arched trying to keep some stability. Then there was just wind rushing past her.
"Skyla!" Jack screamed at the top of his lungs and she opened her eyes, looking up at him. But he way too far above her. She'd lost her grip on him and was falling. The Nightmares around her stayed far away; the order not to touch her far greater than any Pitch may have given about protecting her. But they stayed above and around her, creating something like a tunnel between her and the Winter Spirit. With the wind, the lightning, the thunder, it was a true storm. And she was in the eye of the hurricane.
"Jack!" The scream ripped from her throat and she watched as he tried to fight against the winds and the Mares that were keeping them apart. She told herself to fly, she told herself to survive. She told herself not to let Jack down. But she was frightened and in pain and all she wanted was to be in his arms again. To be back in Burgess with him tight against her, promising they'll always be together and nothing bad would happen. Her entire life flashed before her eyes and she regretted every wasted moment and every fight she'd had with the people she loved. She regretted the secrets, the lies. She regretted not having more time. She'd failed. She'd failed to have a normal, mortal life. And she'd failed her friends, her family. She'd failed Jack. "Jack! Save me! Please!" Was her final cry as she fell towards the waters and everything went black. The last thing she saw was Jack's hand, far from hers, trying to do exactly what she'd begged of him.
NOTES:
THANK YOU FOR READING!
LOVE Y'ALL
*HEARTS*
P.S
(Sequel has burned in a fire. I couldn't save it. I'm sorry.)
