"Happy birthday, Jack!" Pippa spoke cheerfully, hugging Jack. Their mother joined in the embrace.

"Haha, thanks Pip!" he squeezed his little sister's cheek. She swiped his hands away, red with embarrassment.

"Stop that, I'm a big girl, you know!" She crossed her arms.

"Not in my eyes." Her mom wrapped her arms around Pippa's waist.

"Mom! Let go, I still need to get Jack his present!"

"Alright, sweety." Her mom let go of her daughter. The little girl went out back to grab his gift.

"So, mom, what did she get me?" Jack smiled mischievously. She chuckled.

"I'm not saying anything. What I will say is that I think it's a pretty amazing gift. Also, happy birthday." She kissed him on the cheek and proceeded to make their meal.

"Jack, come out here! Come out here!" Pippa yelled from the back of the house. Jack smirked at his mom. She smirked back, nudging him to go outside. He sighed and left the house. "Jack, hurry up!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming… whoa…" the brunette man was gobsmacked. He saw his little sister standing together with her friends. In her hand was something very familiar to him.

"Happy birthday!" they all shouted in unison. His sister started walking over to Jack. He picked up his gift. It was the branch he used to save her.

"It's been almost three years since the time you saved me. I thought that it would be a great gift to give you so me and some friends went swimming in the lake to get it. We thought we'd never find it. Jimmy said it was gone forever." Pippa stuck her tongue out at Jimmy. The little boy pouted and crossed his arms. "But, we found it! It's amazing, look! It looks exactly the same as the day we went skating." His sister smiled brightly. Jack was moved. He knelt down to his sister. He put the staff-like branch at his side and hugged her.

"Thanks sis! This is incredible." He let out a slight laugh. He was very happy with the present. She hugged him back.

"Thank you too." She giggled. "Now then, your other gift!" Her brother put her down and she ran over to her friends.

"I get two gifts? Is it Christmas?" Jack smirked, holding the staff by his side as he stood up.

"Yep! We weren't sure you would like this one, so we also had a second gift." She paused for a second. "You get one… free… punish free… prank!" They all cheered. "We warned the neighbors that we'd let you prank at least one of them and let you off the hook." Pippa explained. Jack laughed at the comment.

"It's not really a prank if they know it'll happen." he chuckled, lifting one eyebrow up.

"Yes, but it's also makes the anticipation worse, right? Everyone's a little scared now of what you might try, seeing as you have a one-prank-pass." His sister smiled devilishly. Jack looked at his sister in disbelief. She was a little prankster herself. This made his smile even larger.

"You're quite the evil one, aren't you?" he laughed. His sister blushed at the comment.

"Okay, you go have fun planning. We're gonna hang around in the forest for a bit. Try not making it too crazy." She winked. He pat her on the head, tossing his staff in the air and catching it. She scurried off with the group of kids. Jack on the other hand had to plan. The anticipation for a prank meant that it had to be a big one. He started hopping down the village to the other side of the forest. Everyone was telling him happy birthday as he walked down the road. He could hear the fright in their voices. This made him grin wildly.

As he went further and further into the forest, he looked down at the snow. He thought back to the day he saved his sister from the frozen lake. He still had an unsettling feeling since that eventful day. The feeling never really went away. As he looked up into the sky trying to think of some ideas, he saw an enormous figure fly overhead. The gust of wind from the large object made him stumble back. What could it be? He started running after it. He'd never seen anything like it and he wanted to know what it was.

Running further and further into the forest, Jack found himself on the road. In the distance he could see someone. He started running towards them but remaining out of sight. The closer he got, the more he could tell what it was. It was a girl. She was a fairly petite looking individual. She was dressed in a yellow fur coat and had black boots and auburn hair. He was taken aback. She looked stunning and innocent and… lost. Jack started walking up to the girl to see if she was alright.

"Uh, hey there. Are you lost? Do you need some directions or something?" he asked the frail girl. She looked him up and down for a bit. She had a sudden look of surprise.

"Jack? Jack, it's you!" She exhaled, embracing him in a hug.

Okay, confused, much. He wasn't sure why this strange girl went and hugged him out of nowhere, not that he was complaining.

"Um… why are you hugging me?" he asked with a puzzled look.

"Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, it's just… it's been so long." She explained. Jack looked even more confused. Did he know her? She did look familiar but, at the same time, didn't. Her face looked disheartened. "You know me, right? I mean, we only met once but…" she paused.

"I'm sorry but I don't think we've ever met."

"Oh, right... Wait, that's right! Jack, you have to wake up!" She cried out, holding his shoulders.

"What are you talking about?" The boy was now a bit freaked out. Was this girl crazy? He put his staff to her chest and slowly pushed her away. "I think you've got the wrong guy." Suddenly, the ground started shaking. He heard something charging their way. Something large and fast was running directly behind the girl. Out of nowhere, a large goose emerged from the forest and flapped its wings furiously. It wrapped its wings around the frail girl and started squawking at Jack.

"Whoa, whoa, Kailash! Settle down, it's alright. I'm fine, see?" The girl in yellow spread her arms open for the large goose. The goose looked down at her, opening its wings and returning it to its side. It nestled down behind her and continued to glare at Jack.

"You… you just… talked to that giant… thing." Jack stumbled back. He held his staff at the ready.

"I'm sorry, Jack. Don't mind her, she means well. Her name is Kailash, by the way. I don't think you two have formally met."

"I haven't even formally met you let alone big bird here." Jack took a few more steps back.

"Ah, I don't think I did say my name back then. I'm Katherine." The girl smiled. Her name rang a bell in his head. Why did he know that name? Why did she look so familiar? He put his hand to his head trying to recall his memories.

"Why do I know you? How do you know me? What's going on?" His head started to ache. He felt like there was something buried inside that he couldn't get out. He couldn't get his thoughts straight.

"Jack, you have to wake up. You have to be Jack Frost." she said quietly.

Jack Frost… Jack Frost… Who is that? Who is he? Jack's mind was suddenly surging with thoughts. His legs started wobbling. He stumbled against a tree.

"Jack, I know this is a lot to take in but you need to wake up. You've got to be a Guardian again."

Guardian… Gears were turning in his head. He knew what that was. He knew what that meant. His mind was flooding with 300 years of memories. It was too much to for the young man to handle. In a pained state, he ran away from Katherine.

"Jack, wait!" She cried out. Jack already disappeared in the forest. He was running at full speed over roots, rocks, and trees. He stumbled over a few times but felt no pain. There was no way he could focus on the pain. He couldn't focus on where he was running. All he knew was he had to get away. From what, exactly, he wasn't sure. His foot got caught on a tree root and he started rolling down a hill. Where he found himself, not even he could believe it.

"He… so that's why…" Jack mumbled to himself. He looked over the frozen lake, taking a few steps forward. He finally realized why his life felt just a bit off. It was because he was meant to die that day. He saved his little sister but he was supposed to drown in the lake. Jack kept walking over the ice until he was almost in the center where the ice once cracked.

"Jack?" a voice called out. Jack turned around to see his sister. "Jack, what are you doing? I saw you running really fast. Are you okay?" Pippa looked distressed. She wasn't sure what was going on. Jack smiled but his face was filled with sorrow.

"Hey, Pip." Jack spoke quietly. His heart felt like it was going to shatter just looking at her.

"Jack, what's going on?" she squinted at her brother. She was scared, very scared. She never liked coming here after the incident. Now she was afraid that the incident might be happening again. Jack looked at her lovingly. He put the staff down and walked over to the frightened child. He hugged her with all his might. "Jack, wha—"

"Don't worry, sis. It's alright. I'm happy right now…" his eyes started to water.

"What are you talking about, Jack?" She started crying.

"Don't worry about it. It's okay. I'm gonna be going away, now. I'm just happy I got to say goodbye this time…" He held his sister even tighter.

"Jack, is this the prank? It's not very funny you know." She tried to giggle, tears still falling from her eyes. She was clutching onto her brother with all she had. Jack lifted her in the air and set her back down on the ice and kissed her forehead.

"Pip, I have to go now…" He picked up his staff and started walking closer to the center of the lake.

"Jack!"

"Stop right there!" he shouted at her. She froze in place. "Pip, it's alright. I'm fine." Jack looked back to his sister and smiled. Tears were running down his face as he looked to Pippa.

"Jack, please stop it…" she sobbed.

"Pippa, I love you and I will always miss you. You and mom and everyone in the village, I'll miss all of them." He smiled at his sister one last time. He lifted his staff into the air. "Goodbye, Pip…"

"Jack, wait!" Pippa cried out. It was too late. Jack slammed the staff into the ice, completely shattering the frozen lake beneath him. As he drifted deeper and deeper into the water, he saw his little sister at the edge of the shattered ice. Her screams were muffled by the sound of the water and bubbles rising up. He could just barely make out her face and see the tears in her eyes. He looked past her. He finally noticed why his life felt off. For the past three years of his life, the moon wasn't shining. The light of the moon suddenly vanished, until now. As he watched the moon shine brighter the deeper he went, he looked at his sister. She was only a blur. However, he could perfectly see what her lips were saying.

Jack

Where are you?

Elsa's room was covered in a layer of snow. Her anxiety was rising by the minute. She was to be announced as the new queen of Arendelle in a few days. Every moment she thought about having to stand before everyone made her dread the upcoming event. There were two things in her life that gave her true comfort, the beautiful pendant her father had given her and the ice crystal flower.

She gently touched the petals of the delicate sculpture. For the past three years, she thought it was all an illusion. She wanted to believe it was by her doing that the flower formed. However, she could never perfect the formation of it. She could never truly control her 'curse'. She wasn't capable of creating ice sculptures let alone something as delicate as a petal. However, it didn't stop her from wanting to believe it. She wanted to believe she had the ability to control her powers so perfectly.

*Knock, knock*

"Yes?" Elsa called out.

"Your majesty, I have your gown prepared for the day of your coronation." The maid spoke from the other side of the door. Elsa called forth a breeze to blow the snow to the corners of the room. She opened the door and greeted the maid. The maid bowed her head and gave Elsa her gown.

"Thank you." Elsa smiled, taking the gown off her hands. The maid bowed again and started walking down the hall. Elsa proceeded to walk over to a mannequin by her closet. She called forth a breeze to close the door behind her as she dressed the mannequin with her coronation dress.

It was a stunning turquoise dress with long black sleeves. There was an intricate and abstract floral design over the chest and an embroidered pattern lining the lower half of her gown. It was truly fit for a queen. If only she wished to be one.

*Knock, knock, knock*

Elsa was reluctant to answer this time. She knew who it was. It was the person she wanted to see most but also the person she feared hurting the most. All her life she wanted so much to be with her sister. However, the dangers of her powers felt like a wall keeping her from ever being with Anna.

"Elsa… I know you won't answer and that's okay… I just want to say that you will be a wonderful queen anyways… and… and if you ever need me, I will always be here… So… please… forget all of your fears." Anna spoke softly. Elsa didn't want to look at the door. She didn't want to even see the shadow of her sister. Her heart only ached at the sight of watching her sister walk away.

It's for the best. She thought this to herself every waking moment of her life. She took off her magenta cape and wrapped it around the neck of the mannequin. She took the pendant around the collar and held it in her hand. She looked to her father as the shining example of royalty and her mother was her symbol of grace. Clutching the pendant, she sought to her parents for strength.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

Elsa rapidly looked around her room. The voice sounded close but only a whisper. Holding the pendant closer to her chest, she started summoning a frosted veil around herself. She was scared, very scared. The voice was familiar. It was the voice of her nightmares.

"The princess will soon be queen…" the voice said distantly. Shadows started spreading around her and were slowly engulfing her room. Elsa called forth a wave of ice, repelling the shadows to the farthest depths of her room.

"Leave me!" she shouted. She put one hand out towards the edges of darkness. Her demons have always hidden themselves in the darkest shadows but she had become better at warding them off. Her nightmares were still in hers to control. She had little to fear.

"You seem confident, your majesty. Can you keep that façade up before your entire kingdom and its allies?" the voice spoke softly behind her. She quickly turned around and fired a blast of ice. It engulfed her mattress and the curtains draped over it. She turned her back to the farthest corners of the walls.

"I am not afraid! Like my father before me, I will stand as Arendelle's strength!" She yelled, confidently.

"Oh please. How can you be its strength when you are its fear?" The voice chuckled. She stepped back against the wall, ready for anything.

This is only a dream. It's not real. You can overcome this! Her mind and her courage grew stronger as she chanted these words. Holding the blue gem in her hands, she called forth the strength of her father. She was stronger than this nightmare; she was stronger than her fears.

"Dear, dear Elsa… You can stand as confident as you want but your fears aren't simple imaginations. All your life, you've been controlled by your fears and you still are now. Put up the veil of bravery all you like but you are fear. Fear is all you know. Your fears are very real and you should be very, very afraid." Laughter filled the air and faded into the walls. The darkness followed suit. She had conquered her demons, letting out a sigh of relief. She sat at her bedside, ready to wake up.

*Knock, knock*

Elsa glared at her door, perplexed. Her dreams almost never knocked. Suddenly, the door knocked again. She clutched the pendant tighter, holding it close. Her confidence was fading.

"Your majesty, are you alright? I heard strange noises from the room." The maid called out from the other side of her door. Elsa was becoming more anxious. She got up from her bed and walked over to the door. She opened it to see a worried look on the maids face. "Princess Elsa, are you alright?"

"Um, yes, I'm quite alright. Thank you."

"That's good to hear, your majesty. If you need anything, please let me know." The maid bowed and walked away. Elsa closed the door behind her and fell to the ground. She dropped the pendant to her side. Her eyes were watering, her lips were quivering. Her mind was blank, she couldn't focus. Her thoughts were filled with doubt. She couldn't figure out if this was her nightmares or if it was all real. She closed her eyes and bit her lips. She was shaking on the ground, her strength and bravery had completely abandoned her. She was more scared than ever that this wasn't her nightmares, this wasn't in her control. Frost began spreading across her room, an ominous shadow followed

No, no, no, no. Elsa started swiping her hands at the shadows building around her. She started panicking, breathing heavily. Wake up, wake up, wake up!

"I tried to tell you, didn't I? You are fear. You will never be able to escape what you are, my queen." A smile formed in the darkness on the other side of her room. Elsa shot another ice blast in its direction. The smile and the darkness faded away but the voice was burned in her mind. The demonic laugh filled her thoughts. With her knees to her chest, she kept her eyes shut and covered her ears. She was trying to emerge from this horrible dream. Tears were running down her face. Suddenly, a flash caught her attention. She looked up to find the source. A light reflected off the flower at her bedside.

"Jack…" she whispered. She slowly walked over to the flower, taking it into her hand. She sat at her bedside and held the delicate object. Her anxiety was settling and she was calming down. She closed her eyes, laying the flower on her lap. The light of the moon expelled all the shadows around her. The flower no longer felt like a symbol of her control. It felt like a bright light in her darkness.