Chapter 10: Storms
Elle didn't hesitate. She took her own advice and booked it into the Workshop, ushering elves out of the way. Several snowballs went flying, smashing into the globe of the naughty and nice center. The elves shut it down and ran off of the platform, following their fellow elves out of the main space of the Workshop.
"I told you to leave me ALONE!" Jacqueline shouted. She was staring up at the balcony. She stretched out her palms, a ray of frost shooting out and coating the railing. Elves scattered, rushing to get out of the main Workshop, into side rooms and backrooms. Bernard pushed through them, rushing out onto the floor. He looked at Jacqueline, who was once again looking around, frantic. He glanced at the trail of frost on the railing, and back to the Workshop floor, locking eyes with Elle.
"Elle!" he shouted, making his way over to her. "What's going on?"
"It's Jacqueline! Something's wrong with her. She's…" Elle didn't want to say it out loud.
"Another meltdown?"
Elle nodded, pulling Bernard down as more ice flew over their heads. "STAY PUT!" Jacqueline yelled, running forwards a few steps. She stopped yet again, head whipping back and forth.
"Jacqueline!" Elle shouted. "We can talk about what's upsetting you! It's okay!"
Yes, let's chat about what's upsetting you! I'd love to hear it, the voice replied, with a dark chuckle and equally as dark undercurrent.
"I don't want to talk to you!" Jacqueline replied.
Bernard was shocked. "That was a little rude Jacqueline, don't you think? Elle's just trying to help you!"
"Wait, you didn't hear that?" Elle asked.
"Hear what?" Bernard replied. "Lookout!"
Jacqueline had lifted her arms up, flicking her wrists. Bernard didn't have time to think. He knew what was coming. He grabbed Elle and poofed, the pair reappearing on the other side of the stuffed animal carrier they had stood beside. Icicles whizzed right past where they used to be, landing right in the gears of the conveyor. There was a loud clang; the gears grinding, sparks flying, the bears swaying back and forth as the conveyor jerked to a stop entirely.
You missed, Elle heard, yet another dark chuckle accompanying it.
"Did you hear that?!"
"The sound of the vertical conveyor system shorting out?"
"No! Bernard, there's a voice," Elle said, grabbing his arm and dragging him behind an overturned workbench, squatting as icicles whizzed past them and impaled another one of the vertical conveyors.
"She's destroying the toy lines!"
"I noticed!" Elle said, as something shorted above them, sparks flying.
"What happened last time? How can we stop this?"
"I don't know. It just stopped! All we did was talk to her, trying our best to get through to her. Both Jack and I had a hard time reaching her via mental connections."
"So that's probably a bust this time around, yeah?"
Elle concentrated. "Yeah, definitely not an option. But what's different this time is that there's a second voice I'm hearing, and I think Jacqueline's hearing it, too. I know for sure she's replying to it," Elle said. "And it's not hers."
Bernard knew what Elle meant when she said that. It wasn't Jacqueline. He looked at Elle. Sparks flew in the background as the rest of the transport systems were impaled. It's not her.
"I believe you, Elle," Bernard said. He glanced out from behind the workbench. "Whatever's going on, I have a feeling Jacqueline's fighting it with everything she's got." He crawled back behind the bench. "We just gotta keep her talking. I'll give it a shot," Bernard said, determined.
"Just don't get shot," Elle replied.
"I'll try not to."
And with that, Bernard stood up and marched around the bench. "Jacqueline!"
The sprite turned around, looking at Bernard. Or rather, through him, he noted. It was like she was in another place entirely, and definitely not here.
"Stop it, Jacqueline! This isn't you! You're destroying the Workshop! I know you'd never do that," he said, concerned.
Oh yes, yes. Destroy the place! It took him from you. It was all because of this place. It's mere existence should infuriate you!
"Stop it! Go AWAY!"
"There it was again!" Elle shouted, sliding out from behind the workbench and grabbing a fire extinguisher that sailed towards her in midair. "The voice!" She pulled the pin and began to put out a small fire that had started in one of the control panels. "She's not talking to you, but she must be able to hear us!"
It was true, Bernard realized. Every time one of them talked to her, she'd pause to respond. Great! So all Bernard had to do was keep his friend talking. The more she talked, the less damage she caused…and maybe it would distract this second voice long enough that Bernard would be able to hear it, too.
"Jacqueline, we're friends. You know me! I don't want to have to put my foot down here!"
Yes Jacqueline, we're friends! I wouldn't steer you wrong, the voice spoke, the dark chuckle accompanying it. It was infuriating that Elle could hear it loud and clear, but couldn't figure out where it was coming from!
"You are NOT my friend!" Jacqueline yelled. She raised her palms, moving forwards to push Bernard, who stood at least two meters away from her. So when push came to shove, the shove wasn't a shove, but a huge squall of snow that beelined for Bernard. It threw him across the floor and right into Elle, who pulled the fire extinguisher away from where his head was moments later just in time.
"You okay, B?"
"Yeah, M'fine. Something is definitely up with her."
"I'll say," Elle said, placing the fire extinguisher down. "Excuse me Jacqueline, but I take personal offence to that! B's one of your oldest friends!"
The voice didn't reply. At least, not audibly to Elle.
But Jacqueline must have heard something, because she grew furious, glaring at the base of the stairs.
"If you won't stay put then I'll make you stay put!" Jacqueline yelled. She took a deep breath in, her face turning blue.
"Maybe we should get down again?" Bernard suggested.
"Yep! Yep, yep, yep!" Elle replied, grabbing Bernard's arm. The pair dove behind the workbench, Bernard grabbing Elle and holding her tightly, both of them curling up as Jacqueline exhaled. They could feel a chill creeping over their backs as the frost passed over them. Another loud, mechanical clang rang out somewhere behind them. The two elves looked up and waited for the excess frost to dissipate. The moment it did, Elle gasped; Bernard's jaw dropped.
The entirety of the stuffed animal conveyor system was now frozen and had stopped. The stuffed animals had a coat of frost on them, clinging to the fibers and making the usually happy bears and ducks look a little spooky. Some of the toys were worse off than others, the ice on them so thick it looked like they could sink the Titanic.
Bernard's heart dropped. "This is definitely bad. The last one didn't last nearly as long as this one, did it?"
Elle shook her head. "And it wasn't as aggressive as this one, either."
"How are you still moving?!" they heard Jacqueline shout. Elle listened. There was no reply. Just a dark chuckle. Maybe whatever the voice was, was getting weakened as Jacqueline fought? And was running out of power?
"There's gotta be something we can do to help her, or stop her," Elle said.
"Or both," Bernard replied. "You okay?"
Elle nodded. She looked around, frantic as if the works in progress scattered about the workshop floor might give her an idea. Jacqueline looked like she was powering up some kind of big, final smash. She was gathering all of the excess frost around her, and neither of the head elves could fathom what exactly that was going to do to her, the unknown force she was fighting, to themselves, or the Workshop. Elle had to think fast.
"What if we just tackled her to the ground?!"
"We might get minor frostbite," Bernard said, reasonably. He didn't sound opposed, though.
"You have any other ideas?" Elle asked, hopeful.
"Hang on, I don't think we'll need to tackle her," Bernard said, grabbing Elle's shoulders and turning her towards the sprite. "Look!"
Jacqueline had stopped moving. The frost had stopped gathering, and sat hovering in front of her. Her eyes were closed, and she was breathing heavily. Her face looked wet.
"Jacqueline!" Came a shout from the balcony.
Yo-ho, over here, the voice spoke, one last time.
Jacqueline looked up at the stairs.
"Oh no," Elle said, putting two and two together. "Jack! Santa! Look out!"
Jacqueline grunted, and the frost became a tight ball of ice and was launched forwards. It went flying, hurtling towards the stairs.
Jack stopped on the landing, throwing out his arms to stop Santa. The ice was fast, but Jack was faster. The ball seemed to head towards them slowly, as his mind raced. He had to protect Santa. He couldn't let his friend get hurt! And there was no way in hell he was gonna let a nasty little ball of ice stop him from getting to his sister. She needed him.
Instinct kicked in, and Jack's hand shot out.
The ball of ice stopped in front of the pair of Legends on the landing. Jack glared at it. "Shoo," he said, waving his hand in a slicing motion.
And the ball of ice dissipated into frost, fast melting in the air.
Jack paid no mind to this, though Santa certainly did. The sprite rushed down the stairs, eyes focused on his sister. She had dropped to her knees, and was holding her head. She opened her eyes, briefly looking relieved before she fell onto her hands and passed out, dropping onto the floor just as Jack skidded to a halt beside her, dropping to his knees.
"Is she out again?" Santa asked, carefully making his way over to Jack's side. He nodded, gently lifting her and rolling her over.
"Jacqueline!" Elle shouted. She raced over, Bernard beside her. They both looked like they had been outside in a storm for far too long. Frost sat on their clothes, snow resting on Elle's shoulders and Bernard's beret. They both looked fairly disheveled, as well, and Elle had speckles of a frothy minty substance all over her pants.
"She doesn't seem injured," Santa said, turning towards the pair as they slid across the main floor towards him. He had meant to reassure them face to face. But when he saw the Workshop…well, his jaw dropped.
"Silver bells," he said, as he gazed across the main floor. The whole lower level looked like the lawn on a crisp November morning. The floor sparkled with the lightest layer of frost, which would have been nice were it not for the chaos accompanying it. All of the stuffed animals in transit were frozen. Some solid, others a light coat. Sparks erupted from the various control boxes, icicles all over the conveyor, the small fire Elle had just put out reigniting once more.
"Someone put out that fire! Where are the fire elves?"
"I got it!" An elf who had been hiding close to the fire when it reignited said, grabbing the discarded extinguisher and spraying the flames.
"She's not waking up," Jack said, concerned.
"It took time last time, didn't it?" Santa asked.
"It was almost exactly five seconds," Elle said. Bernard was frowning at his pocket watch, Elle staring at it over his shoulder.
"How long has it been?"
Bernard put the watch away. "It's nearly been a minute. We'll get Hismus to look at her, okay Jack? Could someone call for Hismus please?"
"On it," Elle said. She shot off a quick text and moments later, Paging Doctor Hismus! Hismus, to the main floor of the Workshop please! Rang throughout the entire Workshop.
Jack shifted so that Jacqueline was leaning against his torso now. She was still out and Jack was growing more and more concerned.
"Why isn't she waking up?"
"We don't know. The only person who would know is…well, unconscious," Bernard said.
"Where's Hismus? What's taking him so long, isn't the Elfirmary just around the corner?"
"It's just upstairs. He's coming as fast as he can, Jack."
"Oh come on Santa, their legs may be short but—"
"Did somebody call a Doctor?" Hismus joked, laughing and ignoring the few groans the scattered elves gave him.
"It's about time!" Jack began, as Hismus finally broke through the crowd.
"Ah yes, I see. Another one of those nasty panic attacks?"
"I'm sorry, we didn't diagnose it, did we now?" Jack said.
"Well if you two had opted to let us do some of the procedures—"
"She didn't feel comfortable with them!" Jack snapped. "And I can hardly blame her, you've read the list too," he added.
"I don't think it was a panic attack," Bernard said. "She was fighting something off."
Elle nodded. "And there was a voice I could hear, and I couldn't figure out where it came from…but Jacqueline heard it too. I think it was talking to her."
"She looked right through us," Bernard said, voice cracking. "Like she wasn't here at all. Or we weren't there with her. It was kinda spooky."
"What, like she was possessed?" Santa asked.
"Hey! My sister is not possessed!" Jack defended.
Bernard pulled out his pocket watch again after being nudged copiously by Elle. It had been a full two minutes.
"She's taking longer than she did before to wake up," Elle said. Bernard nodded, frowning.
"Let me check her vitals," Hismus began. "Everything seems normal. Her heart rate is a little faster than average. Temperature seems as cold as should be…"
"Then why isn't she waking up?"
"Minor concussion, perhaps?"
"I caught her before she had the chance to hit her head on anything!"
"Okay Jack, you need to calm down. Freaking out isn't going to help her wake up," Bernard began.
"Calm down?!"
Bernard exhaled, pinching the bridge of his nose. Elle grabbed his watch from him, staring at the clock. Three minutes and a bit, it had been.
"Let me take her blood pressure," Hismus started, trying to understand how Jacqueline's sleeve worked.
"What about this mess?" Santa began. "What will we do about this!?"
"We've seen worse," Bernard said. "We'll take care of it."
"Where do we even start?!"
"Turning up the heat should melt most of everything," Elle said, chewing her lip, eyes fixed on the watch.
"Electrical will get the conveyors running in no time," Bernard added.
"See? Easy," Elle said, still focusing on the watch. Four minutes. "This is getting concerning. Last time it was a matter of seconds and now…it's been minutes, still."
"I can't quite get the sphygmomanometer around her arm here…"
"Can we stop with the blood pressure for a moment here please?" Jack nearly shouted. "Maybe we should move her somewhere else, hmm? Is this floor even sanitary? How many workplace hazards are there around here? Do you even get inspected up here?"
"Okay, I'm gonna stop you right there," Bernard said, slightly miffed. "Everything here is up to code, first off. Secondly, of all the places in the world, do you really think Santa's Workshop at the North Pole is going to have workplace hazards laying around? The answer is no, in case you were wondering."
"Okay, everyone just calm down," Santa said, very not calm. "We need to get organized. Maybe Jack is right, we should move Jacqueline—"
The sprite gasped very suddenly, shooting up and blinking a couple of times. Her hand fluttered to her forehead. She grimaced, opening and closing her jaw. "Why on Earth do my ears need to be popped?!" she croaked, looking around at everyone. "Wait a sec. I'm on the ground."
"Five minutes," Elle said, finally tearing her eyes away from the clock. "That was exactly five minutes."
"Five minutes—I'm on the floor. Oh. Oh no. It happened again, didn't it?"
She was met with silence. Finally, Santa broke it. "Yeah. It did."
"You don't remember, do you," Elle said.
Jacqueline shook her head. "We were goofing off, then we were heading to the Workshop, then…" she held her head, squinting. "Then…it…it gets foggy. And then…nothing…and then I woke up on the floor, yet again," Jacqueline said. She sat up properly, taking in the scene in front of her. Her face fell. "I really did a number, didn't I?"
"I'd say so," Bernard said. "It was definitely more intense this time around. You almost stopped the whole floor. Almost."
"And we've already started getting things back in working order and have a game plan so don't you start trying to fix it," Elle warned.
"At least let me remove the icicles for you—"
"Oh no you don't!" Jack said, wrapping his arms around hers and trapping her in a bear hug.
"Hey!"
"No showing off this time, we're going straight to the Elfirmiry!"
"But Jack, I've put them behind by about at least a day! I need to do something."
"Yes, you do. And that something is sit down and get a proper look over and make sure you are okay," Jack said, dragging her to the stairs. He tightened his hold when she started to squirm. "And don't even think about doing anything behind my back!"
Jacqueline, who had already managed to stick out an arm and begin loosening the icicles as she was dragged away feigned innocence. "Me? Do something like that? I would never."
"Sure you wouldn't," Jack said, managing to get her up to the landing.
Bernard, Santa, and Elle watched them go, the icicles all falling out of place and onto the floor with a delicate clatter as the pair turned the corner. It was silent for the briefest of moments, before Santa finally spoke up.
"So was I the only one who noticed the stunt Jack pulled on the stairs before Jacqueline passed out?"
Bernard and Elle shared a look.
Jacqueline fussed the entire way there. Thankfully, Jack didn't have to drag her all the way, but boy did she ever walk painfully slow and try to slyly use her magic, seemingly hoping Jack wouldn't notice (but he did, of course. He knew winter magic well enough to know when someone was sneakily using it, let alone his own Legate). She went so far as to slam dunk snowballs directly onto his head in the hopes he'd stop steering her, but Jack was relentless. They made it to the Elfirmiry, Jacqueline pouty and pale, Jack drenched and covered in snow.
Jacqueline let them perform a few tests. None of the scary sounding ones, or super invasive ones, of course. But she knew something was up, so she didn't argue too much. Just a little bit!
She was poked and prodded and asked the same questions over and over again, until Jack could answer with her. After all of that, Bernard and Elle came by while she waited with Jack for the official okay to leave from Hismus. Jacqueline apologized profusely when they gave her a few details about what had happened. She hadn't meant to throw them into snowdrifts or even make snowdrifts in the first place! And they were both very dear friends, she reassured. The pair let her know that they weren't too behind. With their combined skillset and the help of everyone on the floor, everything was nearly functional again, if a bit slippery.
Mid-conversation, Jacqueline had finally gotten the all-clear, with the same instructions as last time. Pain killers. Rest. Treat the headache like a headache, until they could figure more out about them.
So the group left, the siblings bidding the elves goodbye as they headed towards Santa's office, and Jack made sure Jacqueline went right to her room for some rest. While they weren't sure as of yet what had caused the incidents, Hismus had assured them he would get to the bottom of it if he could. His current running theory was some form of manifestation of stress, considering how vulnerable sprites were to emotions. And considering the sudden move up north, and then seeing her brother so suddenly after so many years? That could be it.
Jacqueline wasn't convinced.
The long and short of it was that nobody had an answer for Jacqueline. Nobody knew what was going on, and the one person who could tell them exactly what was up couldn't even remember it!
Is that what it had been like for Jack?
"Nope," Jack replied out loud, drawing out the word.
"What?"
"You're thinking too loud. That wasn't at all how it was for me."
A pause as they rounded the corner. "How was it then? When you were all 'frozen and evil', and those were your words exactly, by the way, so don't call me out."
"Well for all intents and purposes, prior to the "Thaw" as you have so eloquently named it, I considered myself evil. And proud of it, too. I thought I made a great villain!"
"I dunno, based on what's bled over, it seems like you were winging it," Jacqueline countered with a shrug and a grin.
"Nice to see you're feeling better."
"I'm always ready to make fun of you."
Jack smiled. "You know, Jacqueline, sometimes the most successful plans are made by winging it."
"I'll keep that in mind."
They rounded another corner. "I had a reason for everything I did," Jack continued. "I didn't do everything I did unwillingly. I intended to do everything for a specific purpose I had in mind, yes, even if I was winging it. But with you, sister dear, it seems like you didn't mean to do any of that! You would never fling the lovebirds across the room like that. You'd never freeze an entire workspace, lash out at your loved ones, or anything like that. So no," Jack said, as they neared her door. "You're not becoming forcibly evil or anything silly like that," he finished, tapping her forehead.
She scrunched her face, rubbing her forehead. "How would you know that?"
"Because," Jack said, searching for words. "I did become that. Like I just explained. Keep up, would you?" he teased.
"Then what's happening to me?" Jacqueline finally said, exasperated. "Why can't I remember?!"
"I don't know," Jack said, honestly. "But what I do know is that I'll help you figure it out. We'll do it together! Just take care of that headache first, okay? We'll try to figure it out after you're feeling better."
Jacqueline smiled, a small, tired smile. Jack was thrown off when suddenly her arms were around him in a tight hug, hiding her face in his shirt. He stood shocked, with his arms open.
"What if it happens again?" Jacqueline asked, slightly muffled.
"I'll be there to keep you safe," Jack said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Thank you, Jack," she said, still hugging.
"You're welcome," he replied, finally wrapping his arms around her and squeezing tight.
Finally letting go, and wiping her eyes, Jacqueline slid into her room, leaving Jack alone in the hallway. He smiled fondly. He wasn't alone anymore, and nor was she. They would figure it out together. And no matter what happened, Jack would be there to protect her.
Making a decision, Jack headed towards Santa's office, paying no mind to the chill he briefly felt on his neck.
Jacqueline slid into her room, closing the door gently and immediately hiding under the pile of blankets that covered her bed.
She had come to the Pole to help Jack, to fix the Dome and stop the Deliquesce, saving the Pole in the process from potential destruction. Instead, she had put the whole entire Workshop behind (no matter how many times Elle and Bernard said they would get on top again in no time), begun forgetting long periods of time and apparently going nutty when she forgot those periods of time! She squished a pillow, frustrated.
Jacqueline spent the rest of the day thinking, ignoring all mental prodding and ignoring the knocks at her door that followed. What was the link?
The meltdowns had only begun once she arrived at the Pole. Most likely, she figured, they would continue while she stayed at the Pole. The obvious solution then for the time being was to go home to Crystal Springs. If they didn't happen there, then she knew it was something here causing the attacks. And if they did happen at home…well.
But then, what about Jack? And the Dome? If she was home, she couldn't help him. Unless…
That was when the idea hit Jacqueline. A wonderful, probably risky idea. Were they ready for this? Was it really time for forgiveness all around? She had been ready—after a messy reunion, of course. Would it be just as messy for them or…not as messy? Being older and wiser and having had more of an understanding about what happened when it happened would most likely make her parent's reunion with Jack not as stormy as hers had been.
It wouldn't hurt to try, Jacqueline decided.
Throwing off all of the blankets (except for the polyester one, which she wore as a cloak), the sprite made her way to the couch and coffee table, where the letter from home had sat for almost a whole day, unanswered.
Grabbing the letter and hunting down paper and a pen, Jacqueline sat on the floor in front of the coffee table, legs curled up underneath her, and began her reply.
"She's not doing this intentionally!" Bernard said, angry. "It's just not her!"
"You know I don't like to agree with the head honcho over here, but he's right. My sister is not doing this on purpose, Santa. She's a lot of things, but she's not me!"
"But we can't dismiss the fact that those attacks she's having are very similar to when you were frozen, Jack."
"Not in the slightest!" Jack said, equal parts offended and angry. "I had full control the entire time I was frozen! I had a reason for doing everything, however skewed that reasoning was! And sure I was winging it on occasion—"
"You were?"
"The best plans are done on the fly, Santa! But that's not my point! My point is, I know what frozen is, and…I know what Jacqueline would be like frozen. And what's happening to her right now? That's not what freezing over is like in the slightest."
"Okay, fine. You're all right. But we can't just let this slip by! This has happened twice in the past two days, guys. I know you're all friends with Jacqueline, but—"
"But what Santa, hmm?" Elle pipped up. "What do you suggest we do? What do you, who has only just met Jacqueline, suggest us three who have known her for longer and know her far better than you do, suggest we do, hmm?"
Jack and Bernard looked at each other, both with equally sarcastically surprised smirks.
Santa looked lost for a moment, a weird croaking sound in his throat, before it finally became words. "I dunno, okay?! I don't know." He sighed. "Let's go over everything again. Jack. What did Hismus say?"
"No obvious signs of anything wrong. They performed some tests, but we haven't gotten results as of yet. But the basics suggested that she was perfectly fine, by winter sprite standards. It's all very strange and nobody quite knows what's going on, especially not Jacqueline. Which is really beginning to bother her quite a bit," Jack said, rather nonchalantly given the conversation the two of them had had earlier. Keep it cool, he reminded himself. You invented chill!
"Me and her both," Santa said. "Have we considered…and I hate even suggesting this—"
"Then don't." Elle said.
"What if one of you has to be frozen?" He blurted out.
The reaction of the three occupants was immediate and nearly made Santa recoil. Elle looked ready to yell; Bernard stiffened, his face growing angry. Jack had his mouth opened in an angry o, about to speak before Santa continued.
"Like maybe there's a weird hitch to the Legate Law that might make that a thing?" He suggested, weakly.
"By magibean standards the Legate Law is fairly new. Even the Legends and Legates themselves don't know much about it, aside from the basics. But it's like Jack said, Santa. Those attacks of hers were nothing like what he used to do! So I gotta know, sir, what exactly are you implying?"
"Because it sounds like something we've already debunked with confidence," Elle added, arms crossed.
"Well, the Legate Law is about balance, yeah?"
"Yeah, and?" Jack asked, visibly holding back.
"I think you're a bit on thin ice here already, Santa," Elle added.
"What I'm trying to say," Santa said, growing frustrated, "Is what if Jacqueline is being forced to freeze? To keep balance? What if one needs to be frozen and the other thawed?"
Jack's hands smacked the top of Santa's desk. "Absolutely not!" he yelled, taking a deep breath in before continuing. "Jacqueline is not freezing herself over. And she's not accidentally doing so either! And while I'll admit that that's a thing, it would never manifest like that! Whatever is happening to Jacqueline, it's not a case of a hardened heart, okay? I will not stand here and listen to you suggest that I may have doomed my sister to freeze! Just…" Jack paused for a moment, exhaling and speaking quieter now. "Trust me, Santa. I…I know what she's like frozen."
Jack's outburst seemed to have defused everyone's anger. Elle looked surprised at Jack's admittance. Bernard looked puzzled, as though what Jack said was familiar…but he couldn't figure out why.
"Sorry," Jack said, noting the silence. "I didn't mean to…"
"It's alright," Santa said, softly. "I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions."
"I'll say," said Elle.
"Hey now," Santa said, a little hurt by her angry outburst (as deserved as it had been, Scott thought later that evening).
"It's fine," Jack said. "I'm gonna go for a walk, and try to chill out." He turned to leave, but stopped at the door. "She's not evil, Santa." Jack said, a little loudly. And with that, he rushed out.
The moment he left, all three occupants shared a look of shock.
Elle broke the silence. "Um?"
"Did everyone else see his hair?" Santa asked.
"Oh good, it wasn't just me," Bernard replied.
Jacqueline held a thick envelope in her hand, heading down the hall. She was trying her very best to stay motivated and not change her mind about the decision she had made. She was approaching Santa's office when she heard Jack near the door. Ducking into a side hall, she hid and listened as he left.
"She's not evil, Santa!" Jack said, really loud, rushing out of the room. Jacqueline peaked out from behind the wall, watching him stomp off in the opposite direction. She blinked and rubbed her eyes briefly, noticing the back of Jack's head.
Still looking in the direction he had left, Jacqueline walked into Santa's office, briefly knocking on the door.
"Hi. Sorry, not interrupting, am I?"
"No, not really. We were just talking about you…come on in," Santa said, sounding as confused as Jacqueline felt.
"Cool, so, did you guys notice the back of Jack's head as well?" Jacqueline asked, to three instant unanimous yeses. "When did that happen?"
"We were going to ask you," Bernard said.
"I kinda assumed that you had somehow made progress, Miss I-don't-know-what-I'm-doing."
Jacqueline snorted. "Thanks, Elle."
"That's really odd," Santa said. "First the incident on the stairs, now this?"
"Sorry, the what now?" Jacqueline asked.
"Oh yeah!" Elle said. "It was during your um, thing, pal. Is it okay if I-?"
"Yeah, it's fine. Maybe it'll jog something in the old brain box," Jacqueline said with a shrug.
"Well, towards the tail end of your…"
"Storm?" Bernard suggested.
"Yeah, your storm," Elle continued. "You sent a huge ice ball towards Jack and Santa on the stairs. And it was going really fast! And then Jack put up his hand, and the thing stopped, and poof! Dissipated. Which was surprising, since the Workshop was chilly enough that I thought it would've taken longer for it to melt in the air."
"He stopped an ice ball?" Jacqueline asked, equal parts surprised and horrified.
"Yeah," Santa said. "He told it to shoo, and it did. Saved me from a nasty shave," he said, chuckling.
Bernard rolled his eyes. "What's that you got there, Jacquie?"
"Huh? Oh! Right. This. Yeah, it's the reason I came down here. I'm glad I managed to catch all of you in the same place, actually. I've made a decision, on behalf of the three of you." she paused, fidgeting. "I know you don't know what to do about me right now. Honestly, I don't know what to do about me, either. I've been doing some thinking, about how to proceed. If I left the Pole, Jack wouldn't have someone to help him through this freezer burn, and the Dome would suffer without me here. If I stay here, I could keep doing all of that…but another meltdown could happen. And it could be worse this time."
She stopped, folding her hands in front of her dress and frowning at the floor. Santa, Elle and Bernard were quiet, waiting for her to finish before they objected or agreed.
"I've decided that tomorrow, I'm going to refreeze the Dome again. Then, as soon as I get the go ahead, I'm going home."
She held up her hand, stopping the protesting that had briefly begun. "I talked to a few of the medics and nurses in the Elfirmary earlier, and Hismus as well. They all said that some time off, or a change of scenery at least might be helpful. And I figured hey, if it worked way back then, maybe it will work nowadays." She shrugged.
"But what about the melting? And Jack?" Santa asked.
"It's only for a bit. All of the medical elves tell me it's probably the best thing to do."
"Okay, but here's the other thing," Bernard said. "Jack."
Jacqueline paused, knowing the reaction she'd get from B-Man already. "I'm taking him with me," she said, very fast.
"That sounds like a terrible idea!" Bernard said. "Do you really think it's best to bring him back home to your family after everything that happened? The Day of Darkness? Him leaving? What he did to your whole family because of that day?"
"I thought a lot about it B-Man, and in all honesty I think it's another now or never scenario. They've had time to cool off and I think it would be best now If I just went for it and, y'know, brought him home."
"But what if it doesn't end well? Look, I know you probably know best. I'm your friend, and I want what's best, too. Especially for you. And I know he's changed. I've watched that all year. But I was also there the day after. I saw what he did and saw how it effected you all your life and your family. So it's just still a very concerning prospect, all things considered."
"I think it's a great idea," Elle said, with a knowing smile.
"What?"
"You heard me, B. I think it's a great idea!"
"Seriously?"
"Yes. I know everyone found it hard to believe but Jack did want to make amends with his family. It's one of the reasons he did what he did with the pocket watch. I think it's time he went home, and fixed things. He's got Jacqueline here and they've already made up. If anything, that will make things easier for Winter and Blaise. That's why I fully support your decision, Jacquie. I'll even personally see to it that I mail that letter for you."
"Thanks Elle," Jacqueline said, handing her the envelope.
"And what does Jack think of all this?" Santa finally asked, breaking his silence.
"Well…"
"You haven't even told him yet, have you?" Bernard realized.
"No," she said, drawing out the word. "But I'm going to! Soon! I'm just going to make sure I have the go ahead, first. Bernard, don't worry, okay? I think it will be good for him. You know what they say about Crystal Springs."
"It heals," Bernard said. "I know. Then I guess it's okay with me. Santa? You get the final say."
"Are you sure this is right, Jacquie? May I call you Jacquie?"
"Absolutely. Jacqueline is a bit of a mouthful," she said, smiling. "I am sure this is right, Santa. Jack and I will head home for a few days, and try to figure out what's up with his core. We'll keep tabs on the Dome, as well. Anything happens to it, Jack will know because he'll feel it. We'll come back as soon as something happens to the Dome, as soon as Jack's back in shape, or as soon as I know I won't fly off the handle while here again. Whichever comes first."
"Do you think this will work?"
"I hope it'll work. And sometimes all you really need is hope."
"Then you have my permission," Santa said, smiling. "Get better, get Jack better, and then get the Dome better. If this is what it takes then I say go for it."
"Thank you, Santa," Jacqueline said, looking relieved.
"You're welcome. Now go get yourself some food. I'll make sure when an answer comes, it gets straight to you, okay?"
"Okay."
"Jacqueline," Bernard said, grabbing her shoulder as she left. "Are you sure you know what you're doing?"
"Honestly? I have no clue! But I know that this is the right thing to do, right now."
"Okay. Just…take it easy, alright?"
"I will." And with a reassuring smile, she left the room.
"I better get this sent out right away," Elle said. "I could use a walk. Wanna come with me, B?"
"With you?" Always," he said, grabbing her hand. "We'll see you later Santa."
Santa nodded, deep in thought, as the two elves took their leave.
They walked in a companionable silence through the Workshop and out into the square, starting towards the Post Office.
"So—"
"I know, I know. I was harsh on Santa," Elle said. "I'll apologise later, if it makes you feel better."
Bernard snorted. "No need. I have a feeling he'll be apologising later. I'd hold off, if I were you. And besides," he said, as they waited for the polar bear to let them cross. "It wasn't uncalled for."
"Right? I couldn't believe what he was saying and I just—" she paused, looking thoughtful. 'It wasn't fair of Santa to say those things, without Jacqueline around to defend herself. She's had to deal with so many people automatically equating her as the same as her brother. Even me,' Elle admitted mentally, and then it all made sense to Bernard.
'I see now. So when you saw Santa doing what you once did…' he left the thought unfinished.
'It was unfair of me to judge, and just as unfair for Santa to, too. I couldn't let that happen again to her! So I kinda. You know. Got really angry.'
"It happens," Bernard said out loud, as they made their way down the main street.
'And I wasn't sure if Jack would say anything, because that's still a really new thing—Jack being around and getting along with Jacqueline and looking out for her and such. And before you say—or think—anything, I know you would have jumped to her defense too.' Elle smirked. "I guess I'm just faster than you," she teased.
Bernard laughed. "And a little more unpolished," he teased back.
"Hey!" Elle said, laughing. "Someone's gotta be!"
They had arrived at the Post Office. Elle looked absolutely cheery as they requested express delivery, watching the letter fly off. They headed out, still holding hands, enjoying their stroll.
"You really think this will work?" Bernard said. 'And I mean all around. You really think the Frosts are gonna forgive Jack?'
"I know so," Elle said. "It's part of the reason why he did what he did with watchverse. He wants to make up, but has had a time and a half with it, evidently. But hey, third time's the charm! It went mostly okay with Jacqueline. I think Winter and Blaise will be a lot more reasonable. They've had a really long time to process, after all."
"He really wants his family back, huh?"
Elle nodded. "And that's how I know it's going to be okay. Because both Jack and his parents are ready for this. And, since Jacqueline's come about, we've seen improvement in Jack," she added.
"His hair and the ice ball incident."
"Right! So ease up a little, B," Elle said. "Your worry is contagious."
"Heh. Sorry. It's just…I saw the aftermath of the Day, and I'm still miffed about it. I can only imagine how Blaise and Winter feel. Are feeling, still."
"Trust me, B," Elle said, stopping him and grabbing his other hand, squeezing them both tight. "They're ready for this."
"And Jacqueline…I think she really needs this."
Elle nodded. "The whole family does."
A/N: Edited May 16th, 2020. It's pronounced "sfig-moh-muh-nom-i-ter" for those wondering! And yes, it is the proper term for the blood pressure machine, including the small awful squeeze your arm until you DIE one. Second time rewriting this one! Had a LOT of fun drawing out the Bernelle! And adding more to the freezer burn mystery. His HAIR? The stunt with the FROST BALL! What's the HAPS?! Well, you'll see soon enough! :)
I originally rewrote this like. In 2017 when I started mini-editing (and then rewriting) but was unhappy with the way Jacquie's attacks were portrayed? And I got to Chapter 23 in 2019 and was like hmm. This is not. Working. So I had to rewrite them! I'm INCREDIBLY pleased with how it's turned out this time around! I'd love to hear your thoughts! Do leave a review, and if you've already reviewed, throw a guest review up! You can do tons of those! :)
