This chapter, unlike the last, is not based upon my life. I just wanted to write in some Elsa and introduce Jack to the story. I'm a huge Jelsa shipper. I hope you enjoy it.

I don't own Frozen, Guardians, or any of the bands mentioned in this chapter.

Elsa

If there was one class I enjoyed, it was gender studies. It was fabulous, scrutinizing commercials for positive versus negative portrayals of women and men alike. It was my last class of the day. A good way to end classes before a break. Going out of the class I ignored the sentiments of the other students offering me well-wishes for the break. I had so far succeeded in brushing off anyone who showed even the slightest interest in me. I didn't want to get involved. I knew what they called me behind my back. "Ice Queen," because I was so cold to all of them. They couldn't know how close to the truth that was.

My powers are something I keep to myself. The reason I wear gloves every day, everywhere, even in the summer. I tell people I have a germ problem. Better to be the OCD freak people whisper about when I pass them in the halls than be the circus freak, locked up for her spellcraft that could hurt other people. So I pushed everyone away. Made everyone somewhat frightened of me. Nobody approached me.

Well, almost no one. There was one annoyingly persistent young man who absolutely refused to give up, no matter how many insults I flung at him.

Jack Frost was certainly not unattractive. He had hair so blonde it was white and people often accused him of being albino, but not so. He had incredible blue eyes, the color of sky shining through a thin layer of frost. He had high cheekbones and a winning smile, and was thin and lanky. He was never seen without his dark blue sweatshirt, which only made his eyes more vivid in comparison.

"Hey, Elsa!"

Great. He always did this, every day without fail. I'd be getting out of class and he'd find me. It was like he memorized my schedule.

I sighed heavily and turned around. "Hello, Jack," I said coolly, not bothering to stop. He always caught up with me eventually. Sure enough, I heard his hurried footsteps and within a few moments he was beside me.

"How was your class?" he asked, grinning as he matched my stride.

"It was fine. As usual," I replied. It was the same response I'd been giving him for the last three and a half years.

"Nothing interesting?" he asked, smoothly stooping down mid-step to pick a long stick up off the ground. He twirled it a few times and looked at me raising a playful eyebrow. I'd seen this act countless times over the past few years. He was always looking to impress me. I didn't allow myself to be impressed.

"Nothing to report," I said.

I was actually a little flattered by his persistence, but he couldn't be allowed to know anything about me other than the minimum. Name, major, my hometown. The fact that I had a little sister at the school. That was all I ever gave up because that was common knowledge. Sometimes I almost caught myself thinking of him as my friend. I shut those feelings down as soon as I realized they were there.

Conceal. Don't feel. Don't let it show. Don't let them know.

My own personal mantra, one I'd lived by for the past thirteen years. My father had taught the poem to me when I was eight and it still held true. If no one gets close to me, no one will find out about me. No one will hurt me.

Jack pulled a rather intricate stunt with the stick – which, considering its length might more accurately have been described as a staff – and got ahead of me enough so that he could walk backwards. This was a trick he'd pulled a few times before. I think he liked walking backwards ahead of me better than walking beside me, because he could maintain eye contact that way. "So, any big plans for the break?"

"Not particularly," I replied. Always nonchalant. "What about you?" I much preferred listening to him talk about himself than I did hear him ask questions about myself I wouldn't answer.

"I don't know. Hanging out," he said, shrugging as he twirled the staff from one hand to the next. "I just like to go with it. You're going home for break, right? To Arandelle?"

"I am," I nodded. "I'm driving with Anna and her roommate."

"Cool," Jack grinned. "Got the music picked out, then? Arandelle's a few hours away. You've got to have some traveling songs to rock out to."

"Anna has CD's. I don't particularly have a preference when it comes to music."

"Seriously? I had you pegged as a Lumineers fangirl. Maybe Young the Giant. Oh, wait, I know – Evanescence."

I had heard of all those bands. Anna had songs from all of them, and artists like them. In truth, I did have a music preference – I liked Celtic songs, and piano solos. The occasional showtune. But I always let Anna choose the music when we travelled. It was the least I could do for her after what I'd done.

It was my fault, what had happened thirteen years ago. Anna and I had been playing in our family's summer house, snuck down to the parlor in the middle of the night so I could conjure up the snow and ice. I'd always been able to summon the aspects of winter. I had been so proud of it. It had been my proud secret at school. I was good at controlling it. And I was always more than happy when I got home to entertain Anna with it.

She'd only been five, and I'd just turned eight. I'd lost control. I'd hit her with my magic. It got her between the eyes and I still remember how she'd fallen onto my conjured snow, her body limp. I remembered how cold she was as I tried pulling her into my lap and crying out in anguish for my parents. I remembered watching in horror as a strip of Anna's hair went white.

My father had taken us into the forest. I'd heard the legends of the creatures of stone, but I never believed them until the boulders came to life before my very eyes. Trolls were the kind of things that existed only in myths, you know? One of those things that you read in books. Never in my wildest dreams had I thought they existed.

But then, I had ice magic. Why should a clan of stone trolls be much of a surprise?

Their leader had removed Anna's memory of my powers, and in doing so saved her life. And after that I wasn't allowed to show Anna my magic anymore. She wasn't allowed to know. And every time I saw her after that incident the white strip in her red hair reminded me of the way I'd hurt her.

And I never stopped hurting her. It was too painful for me to see her anymore, so I'd shut her out completely. My outlook on life changed. My powers were no longer a wonderful secret. They were terrible and the secret burdened me like a weight constantly on my shoulders. I was terrified of them. What if I hurt someone else?

My parents pulled me out of school so I could be homeschooled instead. Anna kept going to school, though. I thought maybe she would make friends and not need me anymore, but she never hit it off with anyone. She was always lonely. And at home, I was the main source of attention. Our parents were constantly with me, trying to work through my powers and the dangers they posed. And that's how we grew up. Completely separate.

And Anna was always alone.

So the least I could do was let her listen to the music she wanted.

"You let your sister choose the music every time?" Jack asked, looking incredulous. "Damn. You're a better person than I am, let me tell you. I'd never let my little sister choose all the music in the car. A couple songs, yeah, if I'm in a good mood, but I can only handle so much Katy Perry, you know?"

I smiled, a reserved, lips-only smile. "Anna doesn't like Katy Perry."

"Good girl," Jack nodded, that familiar grin dancing across his lips again.

I stopped at the bend in the sidewalk. I lived in a different dorm than Jack. He would have to keep going straight to get to his, while I would have to turn. "This is my stop," I said, indicating the path.

"I don't suppose today you'll let me walk you to your room?" Jack asked flirtatiously. It was a request he made an average of twice a week, and my answer was always the same.

"No, not today," I said, turning. "Goodbye, Jack."

"See you, Elsa," he said. I was amazed at how happy he always sounded. "Try to have a good break, would you? You never have any fun."

"I have fun enough," I mumbled, letting that be the end of the conversation as I set off down the path to my dorm.

I've lived in the same dorm room since my sophomore year. It's a small single, one of several on the second floor of the building that has offices for the math department on the main floor. The guys have a handful of single rooms in the basement.

I like the privacy. Even as a freshman I didn't have a roommate. I paid the extra sixty bucks for my own room. I never went to school functions. I barely left my room except to eat and go to class. As a matter of fact, that's pretty much all I've ever left my dorm room for even since moving into my current one. The cafeteria is big enough that I can usually remain fairly anonymous, hiding behind one of the trees they keep littered about next to the windows. I always eat lunch when I know I won't be disturbed. Jack and Anna both had classes when I went for food, so I didn't have to worry about their company. Dinner was trickier, but I had gotten fairly adept at navigating around Anna. Jack was usually my dining companion in the evenings, and much of our meals were spent in total silence.

He had to know there were plenty of girls interested in him. Ones that could return his affection. Why did he persist in hanging around me? I knew I wasn't exactly pleasant.

I ascended the stairs to my floor and let myself into my room. I had finalized all my packing this morning. I was in and out of my room, snatching up my single suitcase and keeping my bag, which held my laptop slung over my shoulder. I took my car keys off their designated hook next to the door, switched off the lights, and left.

My car was a short walk away, somewhere in the middle of the parking lot just past the dorm where Jack lives. As I made the trek I heard someone yelling my name from above my head. I looked up to find Jack half-hanging out a window. "Seriously, remember what I said!" he called. "Have a good time this week!"

I shook my head, somewhat amused. "I can't make any promises!" I shouted back up to him, and he let out an exaggerated groan before flashing me that dazzling grin of his and waving before he shut the window.

I tried not to think too much about him as I located my car and loaded my stuff into the back. There was more than enough room for Anna and Eilonwy's luggage. I shut the back door and climbed into the driver's seat, shooting Anna a brief text telling her I'd be at her dorm in less than five minutes and to wait for me outside the door so we could get out of town as quickly as possible. I hated to drive in the dark.

I stuck my key in the ignition and the engine purred to life. It had been three months since I'd been home. And more than likely a majority of my time there would be spent inside my bedroom, waiting to return here.

Short but sweet. I like it. If you enjoyed it I would beg you to review. They keep me going. So far I've had one, and if you would be so kind as to send me your thoughts, send me your thoughts not only on Jack and Elsa, but on Hans and Anna as well.

And don't worry; Kristoff is coming. Maybe not right away, but he's coming.

Thanks for reading!

Cantica, out!