Note: There is some very explicit content below, so if that kind of stuff makes you uncomfortable, when you see that things are escalating, just skip that part. Have a fantastic day!
Chapter 20: The Diamond Cave
"What's the difference between the transformation you made at New Year's and the one you subjected our prisoner to?" asked the King to Pitch. Hans was at his father's side, silent. He wanted to shout at his father to be more careful- the King was an arrogant man, and Pitch wouldn't hesitate to make him regret his insolence.
"That was an illusion," explained Pitch, "Created by my sand. It was temporary. What I can do now… I truly become the person I'm turning into. I have access to their memories, thoughts, fears…"
Hans had gone to visit Rapunzel three times after Pitch had told him what he'd done; what he'd seen had confirmed what the servants reported back to Pitch. She stayed in her bed, staring at the ceiling. The sight of her foster Mother, combined to whatever Pitch had told her under her form, had extinguished a fire in the princess.
That wasn't exactly something that he wanted to witness.
"And how is that going to help us in this- this war that you've convinced us to go on?" snapped the King, and Hans stiffened.
"That I convinced you to go on? You were searching for allies to take on the Ice Queen long before I appeared in your chambers, your Majesty."
Pitch spit out the title like an insult. Before his Father could retort, Hans laid a hand on his father's arms. A warning.
"The possibilities are endless," Pitch carried on, though Hans knew he had noticed the gesture, "I can turn into someone the Ice Queen and the Spirit of Winter trusts. I can learn of their plans. I can manipulate them into coming right into our arms."
Hans shivered at the thought of Pitch appearing as Kristoff in front of Anna. If he had the memories and thoughts of the person he turned into- he could make her do anything.
"So what is the plan?" asked Broderick, the eldest prince, and Hans threw him an uneasy look. Now that his family was back, Hans was constantly on edge (not that he'd been relaxed alone with Pitch).
"We lure them where we want them to come… with a little help from our prisoner."
…
Rapunzel sat in front of her desk, doodling on the sheets of her paper. The sound of the scratch of the quill on parchment soothed her.
Suddenly, she heard footsteps coming her way. Instantly, the quill stilled over her parchment, and she lifted her head, listening intently. The footsteps stopped outside her door.
Rapunzel lurched from her chair and onto the bed, staring at the ceiling in a similar fashion that she'd done every time came into her chambers. It was the most efficient way to make everyone believe that the appearance of Mother Gothel had extinguished the flame of rebellion that screamed for her to escape.
She knew it was an illusion- she had seen Mother Gothel disappear into smoke before her very eyes- but seeing her dead mother had brought terror that she hadn't known she would feel.
The door creaked open, and Rapunzel had to resist looking up to see who it was. The only thing she could do was pray that it wasn't Pitch.
"Rapunzel?"
She squeezed her eyes shut, before opening them again. She heard the door click shut, and saw a shadow walk towards the bed, pulling the desk chair to her side.
"I brought you hot chocolate."
She still determinedly ignored Prince Hans.
"Look, I didn't know he was going to do that."
Hans had visited her a few times in the past two weeks since Gothel- or Pitch- had appeared to her. She couldn't find an explanation for his attempts to get through to her.
"Rapunzel?"
"Don't call me that," she snapped, and cursed herself immediately for opening her mouth. She sat up, abandoning her broken pretence. He looked stunned, his eyes wide. Her lips curved into a cold smile.
"You tried to murder both my cousins and take control of their kingdom. You've allied yourself with the cruellest man I have ever met, and I'm including my mother in that. You've raised a child army- yes, I know about that. You've kidnapped me, terrorized me by using my traumas- I can't believe I had a conversation about Shakespeare with you." She paused, taking in a breath. Hans looked hurt, but she couldn't care less. "Don't call me Rapunzel. It's Princess to you."
Her gaze dropped to the steaming mug of hot chocolate he held in his hands. Though the temperature was warm, she seized it, and drank it in one go, feeling the hot liquid burning her tongue and throat. She thrust it back into Hans's hands.
"Get out. And you can tell Pitch I'm wide-awake and not giving up. You're a scumbag after all."
Hans looked stunned, and he stood up so suddenly that for a second, she thought he was going to hit her. For all her bravado, she must have flinched because Hans looked at her sadly.
"Do you really think I would hit you?"
"You tried to murder my cousins. Sorry for the thought of you being above violence not coming to my mind."
"I deserved that," he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. She stood from the bed, so that the bed now stood between them. Rapunzel glared at the red-head prince.
"I'm sorry."
His words had been so quiet that for a second, Rapunzel thought she'd imagined them. But he was looking at her with a desperate gleam in her eyes, and she gaped at him. Part of her wanted to spit back out his words, but- something was holding her back.
"Why are you doing this?" she asked instead, her voice surprisingly soft. Hans' eyes gleamed unnaturally and if she hadn't known better, she'd have thought those were tears reflecting the light.
"Have you heard of Queen Anastasia?" he asked hoarsely, sitting back down. She stayed standing, not letting her guard down. Slowly, she shook her head.
"I didn't have history lessons growing up," she justified herself. Hans waved his hand absent-mindedly, as if that wasn't an important detail.
"She was my mother," he said quietly, and Rapunzel found herself sitting on the edge of the bed, opposite from him. "She was the mother of all of my brothers."
"Impressive," said Rapunzel, "Thirteen children."
"She didn't have much of a choice," sighed Hans, rubbing his eyes tiredly. "My brother, Gregory- I trust you know him? (Rapunzel nodded)- he told me that Father visited her chambers only to sire heirs. He wanted as many male heirs as possible."
"And she only had boys," said Rapunzel, lifting her eyebrows. Hans gasped out a laugh, shaking his head. The sound sent chills down her back; there was no real amusement there, but tremendous sorrow and anger.
"Her first child was a daughter," explained Hans. "My mother named her Luna, like the moon."
"What happened to her?" Rapunzel whispered, dreading the answer.
"My mother held her daughter for one night. When the sun rose, my Father came. He took the new-born girl and he- he-" he seemed incapable of finishing his sentence, his gaze fleeing hers as she covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes wide with horror.
"He did it in front of my mother," he murmured, "And the servants told us that after that, she was never the same. And each time she was pregnant, she would cry and cry and pray for the child to be male, because she didn't think she would be able to bear it if another one of her children was murdered, for the only sin of being born a girl."
"Hans," she breathed, not knowing what to say. She walked towards him without even realizing she was doing it, and touched hesitantly his shoulder. His head was bowed, and Rapunzel knew he was trying to hide tears.
"Gregory has few memories of my mother, but he told me that she would have done anything to protect them. She did her best to cure the corruption our Father was teaching them. My brothers- they were the only reason she hadn't ended her life."
"She sounds amazing," said Rapunzel quietly.
"I wouldn't know," said Hans, lifting his head. "I never met her. She gave her life when she brought me in this world."
This didn't change anything to what Hans had done in the past- but Rapunzel found it, in that moment, to forgive him. Not for what he had done to Anna and Elsa- that was up to them. But all her resentment lifted, as she watched the fallen prince.
"My childhood was a dark one. My brothers didn't love much in this world, but every single one of them cherished my mother. They blamed me for her death; three of them pretended I was invisible, and the others- except for Gregory, I had no-one."
"What happened?" she asked quietly.
"I so wanted to be one of them," whispered Hans, "I was foolish. I went to Arendelle, with this brilliant and cruel plan- all so I would truly become their brother."
She said nothing, waiting.
"When I came back, even though I'd failed- I'd gained a little of respect. But I lost the respect of the only brother that really mattered."
"Gregory," she said, quietly. Hans nodded.
"He was never as corrupt as the others. And when he met Eleanor; she taught him so much; he was always good, but she changed him so deeply. Made him realize how horrible all of them were. When I came back, and told all of them what had happened… he told me- he told me I was just like them."
Hans shuddered, and this time Rapunzel saw tears cascading down his cheeks. She wiped one away with her finger before taking him in her arms. She held the Prince as he cried.
"I'm so sorry," he sobbed, "For all that I've done."
"You can still redeem yourself," whispered Rapunzel. "Help me, come with me- Gregory is in Arendelle, he'll forgive you, I know he will-"
"I can't. I started this war, I can't back out now-"
"It's never too late to choose to do the right thing, Hans. And despite all that you did- I know there is good in you, deep down. Help me."
Hans didn't answer immediately, and the silence stretched on for so long that she thought he wouldn't answer.
She sighed, and lifted her hand from his shoulder, turning away from him.
She felt him seize her wrist, and she turned back, surprised. His green eyes were imploring as he met her gaze.
"How?"
…
It had been two weeks since they'd received Rapunzel's message. Two weeks since Elsa had held in her trembling hands the proof that her cousin was still alive.
Elsa had sent her guards across the countryside, and they'd all returned with the same news: whole villages destroyed, and not a survivor amongst them. She spent most of her days locked in the Council Room with Eugene and the Council, preparing for war, choosing a strategy.
When it all became too much, Elsa went to hide in Lucinda's room. She played with the little girl, answering her questions. The servants told her that sometimes Lucinda woke in the middle of the night screaming for her mother, and her heart broke every time.
Anna was getting better with every day that passed; a flush had returned to her cheeks, a happy gleam in her eyes too; the pockets under her eyes were disappearing, and she seemed healthier. Kristoff seldom left her bedside.
Jack was gone during the daytime. Though it tore at her heart, she understood. He had to be with the other Guardians, watching out for the children in the war that was coming. She couldn't expect him to want to be locked up in her castle all the time.
Though he kissed her goodbye every morning, and kissed her again when he flew in from the window, she missed him all day, and thought that evening couldn't come fast enough.
With each guard that came back, giving her more news about bloodshed and horror, Elsa came every day closer to a decision that she didn't want to make.
…
Jack felt the sun rays caressing his face. He opened his eyes, blinking as the light blinded him.
Elsa was still asleep, her hair messy on the pillow, her head resting on his chest. At some point during the night, he'd taken his sweatshirt off, and Elsa was now snuggled against his bare torso. He stroked idly her shoulder with his thumb, looking up at the ceiling. He would have to leave Elsa again, go back to North, Bunny, Tooth, and Sandy, flying across Arendelle and the Southern Isles, doing their best to protect and reassure terrorized children. They encountered more and more Nightmares every day. They were swarming the land, leaving despair and terror in their wake.
And everyday, they became more difficult to defeat.
He felt Elsa shift against him, and he held her tighter. In the past weeks, he sometimes felt like the only thing he was sure of, the only thing tethering him to reality and goodness. She made him want to be the best version of himself.
"Are you awake?" he heard her mumble sleepily, and his lips curved into a soft smile.
"Hey, beautiful," he murmured in her hair, and she looked up, her blue eyes meeting his own. She rested her chin on his face as she stroked his chest with a finger absent-mindedly.
"Do you have to go?" she asked.
"You know I don't want to," he said, looking down at her. She nodded, her hair falling in front of her face. He brushed her hair back behind her ear, and she bit her lip, as if she was refraining from saying something. She seemed to decide against it, and instead raised herself from bed, walking towards her wardrobe and fishing out a blue dress. He closed his eyes before she had the chance to ask him to do so, and heard her breathy chuckle.
When she told him he could, he opened his eyes, and raised from the bed, picking up his sweatshirt on the way and throwing it over himself.
"I liked you better without it," Elsa teased, smiling. He grinned, and walked towards her, pulling her to him. He kissed her, and he felt her melt into him, opening herself up to him.
She broke away from him, and escaped his arms, walking towards the door. She looked back at him.
"You'll come back tonight, right?"
She asked the same question every morning, almost as if she doubted his desire to come back.
She turned her back to him, but before she could close the door completely, he grabbed his staff, and flew across the room at the speed of light. She jumped, startled.
"Let's go somewhere," he said breathlessly, grabbing her hand.
"Jack-" she said, already shaking her head.
"Come on Elsa. Just for today. Just the two of us."
"But-"
"The War's not going anywhere," whispered Jack, watching her urgently. She studied him for a second, before sighing, and he knew he'd won. He grinned, and pulled her by the hand back into the room, the door clicking shut again.
"So, your Majesty, where do you want to go?" he said flirtatiously.
"The forest we were last time," she said, "There's a place I want to show you."
He bent down, pecking her on the mouth.
Next second, they were out, and Elsa was screaming, holding on to him for dear life. He laughed as he felt the cold winter air of the end of January blowing in his hair. He soared towards the forest.
…
The forest ground was frozen, but Jack couldn't feel the cold against his bare feet. He let Elsa drag him forwards, clutching his hand.
"Where are we going?" he laughed.
"Anna showed me this place after we were reunited," she said, walking fast. "You're going to love it."
More and more curious (after all, what could be so great in a snow-covered and freezing forest), he followed her without another word. Finally, they reached the entrance of a cave.
"What is this?" he asked, smiling.
"You'll see."
Snow had started to fall, and snowflakes were in her hair, melting and catching the light. She pulled him in the cave. The entrance was quite small, so that he had to crawl. When he stood again to his full height, he gaped as he took in the sight.
The cave was sculpted in a perfectly circular space, and was illuminated by looked like thousands of- diamonds. Diamonds that hung from the ceiling, reaching towards the floor, reflecting the light and turning it blue, so that the whole cave was bathed in a dark blue light. And underneath all of that was a pool, and Jack could see the water steam. Though the freezing outside world was a few inches away, the temperature was warm here. He was under the impression that he had stepped through one of North's portals. The cave was quiet, filled with only the sound of lapping water. He turned back to Elsa, who was watching him expectantly.
"This place is beautiful," he told her, and her anxious face was illuminated by a wide smile. She came closer to him, and kissed him. The blue light shimmered on her hair, and he held her as close to him as he could.
But then, he felt a tear that wasn't his. He broke away and sure enough, Elsa was crying.
"Why are you crying?" he said, alarmed.
"I'm sorry- it's stupid," she said, wiping the tear away and giving him a wobbly smile.
"Tell me," he whispered, grabbing her hand. Their fingers laced together, as they sat down. Jack crossed his legs, and Elsa leaned on him.
"I'm just scared," she said, no longer crying. She was fleeing his gaze, instead looking down at their joined hands. "It's just- it's becoming more real. This is the first year of my reign, and I'm already going to war and for what?"
"The freedom of your people," Jack said, frowning.
"No, I'm going for myself. Pitch doesn't want my people, he wants me. If I give myself over to him willingly-"
"Stop talking."
Jack's voice had been so firm that her eyes flicked up to meet his, surprised.
"Don't ever say that again," he said hoarsely, grabbing her elbows. "You've sacrificed enough for your kingdom and those you love."
"But-"
"Do you know what I would go through if you did that?" he said gruffly, the volume of his voice raising. "Did you stop to think, in your self-sacrificing spree, what that would do to me?"
Elsa looked as if she was about to say something, and he shook his head.
"No, let me finish. Do you know what would be selfish? You giving up on me."
"I'm not giving up on you," she whispered, "I would never give up on you."
"Then don't sacrifice yourself. If you give yourself over to Pitch, the whole world will end- you know that right?"
She closed her eyes, and nodded. He cupped her face in his hands and drew her in, kissing her again.
The kiss became more passionate, as Elsa's hands streaked across his hair. They raised to their knees, body to body. The kiss was interrupted for a second when Jack felt her warm hands lift the sweatshirt from his skin, so that he could feel every tingle of warmth of the cave on his naked chest. Their chests pressed together as their lips crashed together.
Unexplainably, she drew away, frowning at his sweatshirt, laying on the floor. Jack followed her gaze, and felt himself stiffen.
She wasn't looking at the sweatshirt. She was looking at a piece of paper that had fallen from his front pocket.
The letter he'd found in the library, all that time ago.
…
Elsa frowned, picking up the yellowing parchment. She'd felt the shift in Jack, and bit her lip, wondering what it was.
She unfolded the parchment and stiffened.
Her father had been dead for years, yet here was his writing, on an aged scroll. She lifted her gaze to meet Jack's- he looked speechless. She turned back to the letter, and started to read.
Counsellor Archimedes,
I am glad to know that nothing politically important has happened in the kingdom since I've been gone. I am very sad to learn that princess Elsa lost control of her powers again. You said you have punished her accordingly; you know that whilst I think that teaching Elsa to control her powers is vitally important for her future as well as Arendelle's, I hope that you have not used the force of violence on the princess. That will only heighten her fear, and it will end badly. I will personally ask Elsa if you have disobeyed my orders on this account- know that if you did, the repercussions will be terrible for yourself, and your career.
King Agnarr of Arendelle.
"Why do you have this?" she asked, her voice shaking.
"Elsa-" he reached towards her, but she stood up and took a step back from him, crushing the letter in her trembling hands. Jack closed his eyes, before standing up too, though he didn't try to come closer to her.
"I found it in the library," he said, "Before Katie was murdered."
"You've had it since then?" she asked accusingly. "You said nothing to me about it- and when we danced, in the ice castle, you'd read it?!"
"Elsa, I didn't know what you'd gone through. I didn't-"
"Don't tell me you didn't pretend," she snapped.
"I didn't!" he protested, taking a step forwards. She was trembling with rage and shame. "I didn't know anything about- about the room-"
He stopped talking.
"Elsa," he breathed, taking a step closer to her. "I know how this is going to sound but I- I found it by accident, and I read it, and I was horrified. And then, Katie died, and this whole thing started, and I forgot about it. This doesn't change anything."
"Pitch said I was a pity-case," she murmured. "That you were here because you felt bad."
"Since when do you believe Pitch over me?" he asked furiously, taking another step towards her. She didn't back away, and he looked relieved that she didn't.
"I should have told you about this the minute I found it," he whispered.
"Yes, you should have," she said, looking up at him.
"I got scared. I didn't want the trust you'd started to have in me to disappear."
She shook her head, and was about to take another step back when he grabbed her wrist. The blue light danced over his naked chest, and she met his blue gaze, imploring her.
"I'm sorry," he breathed.
And with those two words, all of her anger and fear fell away. Her shoulders slumped, and she let the letter fall to the ground.
Then, they were locked in a desperate embrace, their lips sealed together, Jack's arms around her and lifting her feet an inch off the ground; Elsa's hands in his hair, and behind his neck. They sunk to the ground, so that she was underneath him, and his kisses sank down to her neck.
"Tell me when you want us to stop," he whispered roughly, in a voice that she didn't recognize.
"I don't," she said. He interrupted his kisses, his eyes locking with hers.
"Are you sure?" he asked. She looked up at him. She knew he wouldn't pressure her into anything she wouldn't want to. Hell, they'd been sleeping in the same bed for three weeks, and he'd never pushed it. But now, she knew she wanted to do it- do it with him. She'd never been surer of anything in her life than at that moment in the glistening blue cave, Jack looking down at her, strands of white hair falling over his heartbreakingly blue eyes.
"Yes," she exhaled.
It was as if that word was a releasing; Jack bent forward again, and imprisoned her mouth in his. They broke the kiss, and Elsa stood up, brushing her hair to the side, turning her back to him. Jack approached, and Elsa could feel the trembling of his hands as he unzipped the back of her dress.
The blue dress slipped to the floor, leaving her with white heels and her underclothes. She faced him, and Jack took a step back, his eyes devouring her. Her toes curled in her shoes.
"You're so beautiful," he breathed, his eyes coming back up to meet hers. She bit her lip.
"You're not bad yourself, Winter Spirit," she teased. Amusement flashed in his eyes, and he strode to her. He pulled her to him, slowly bringing his lips to hers. The kiss was soft and slow at first; they laid back down on the floor again, and the kiss accelerated, his tongue flicking inside her mouth. He left her mouth and kissed her neck. She twisted, sick of her neck getting so much attention.
"Greedy," he murmured, his lips hovering over the arch of her breast, still covered by the silk bra. She felt his hand brush downwards, stroking her stomach and abdomen- slowly, so torturously slowly making its way towards the silk band of her underwear, and the ache slowly building there. She felt as if her whole body was basking in a glorious tingling.
"Jack," she moaned, and his lips crashed into hers, as if he wanted to devour the sound of his name on her lips. Her legs lifted, closing around his midriff, pressing him down on her.
She felt something hard against her, and heat flooded her. She went taut and loose, as Jack's hands resumed his stroking, getting nearer and nearer.
Her back arched when his finger slipped under the silk, and her legs locked around his midriff, grounding him against her, eliciting a soft hiss.
"You first," he murmured. "Let me- let me touch you."
It was enough of a broken plea that she let him resume his stroking, and she closed her eyes at the pleasure of it all. He gave her a satisfied smile at the wetness he found there, and his thumb teased her, brushed against that spot again, again… again.
"Please," she managed to say.
His hand squeezed her breast at the same moment his thumb pressed down exactly where she needed it to. She bucked her hips, her head raising from the ground before slumping back down again. She moaned, and maybe she said his name- she was too far gone to pay attention. He flicked his thumb, and she cried out. He kissed her again, with a furious need. She raised her hands to his hair, keeping his lips locked to hers as he slipped in a second finger.
Elsa couldn't breathe, couldn't think, her whole being narrowed down to the feeling of those two fingers inside her. She felt herself move on him, clenching tight. She heard him swear, and he captured her lips again. She bit his lower-lip, and he groaned.
"You have no idea- Elsa," he groaned, burying his face in her neck as she moved against him. Her name on his lips was her undoing; release barrelled through her, and she felt her tightness around his fingers as she trembled uncontrollably around him. She cried out again as he stroked her through the last strokes of it.
When the marvellous sensation disappeared, though not leaving her completely, she looked up at him. She felt his fingers leave her insides, resuming their slow teasing.
"I wanted to do that," he whispered, his breath tingling inside her ear, "The night after the battle, when you had that nightgown hitched around your waist. I wanted to take you right then and there."
She was looking at him with wide eyes, barely breathing. Slowly, she sat up, and pulled her bra off her.
She felt his attention narrow to her naked chest. He prowled towards her, making her lean back down again.
"And in the woods," he breathed, slowly kissing one of her breasts, his tongue flicking over her nipple, "I didn't even know I had that kind of self-control in me."
Elsa felt his hardness against her again, and heat flooded her once more. She fumbled around, pulling his pants off him. She watched his naked body, just as he was looking at her reaction.
"I know. Pretty impressive, huh?" he said, grinning. She laughed, smacking him in the chest.
"You're an idiot," she laughed, and he smiled at her. The emotion on his face made her laughter slowly fade away.
"Elsa," he said, serious once more, "You're the best thing that has ever happened to me."
She looked up at him, a smile creeping on her face.
"You too," she whispered.
When he slipped inside her, she forgot who she'd been and where she'd been; she forgot her terrible past and was left with only the feeling of him consuming her. She felt it, the bond between them. Something glowing, that linked them together the way she hadn't even known two people could be. When he kissed her again, she knew then how she felt for him. And she decided, as he made her come again, that she would never allow anyone to take him from her.
…
Elsa opened her eyes as dusk was falling in the outside world. She was laying in Jack's arms, the both of them completely naked, his thumb stroking idly her shoulder, the same way it had that very morning.
She sat up, and turned her head to look at him, her hair like a halo around her face.
"You could have woken me up, you know," she said, smiling down at Jack. He turned to the side, smiling back at her.
"What were you thinking about?" she asked softly, leaning in into him.
"You," he said, brushing her hair back against her shoulder, and kissing her neck. She bit her lip, swallowing back a smile.
"We should get back," Jack said, and she groaned, slumping back down on the ground, covering her face with her hands. He nuzzled his nose against her neck, and she opened her eyes.
"Before we get back- I have to tell you something," she announced.
"I'm listening," he said, looking down at her.
"I've decided-" she stopped talking, studying him. "Okay, first of all, you have to know that this has nothing with wanting to get you away from me."
"You're scaring me," he frowned, shifting to the side, his head on his fist as he looked down at her. She exhaled, and lifted her hand to brush away a string of white hair from his eyes.
"I've decided to send Anna to Corona," she said, looking at Jack. "She's pregnant, she can't move- leaving her in the castle when we could be under attacked at any moment is suicidal."
He nodded, not glancing away from her for a second.
"She can't go by North's sleigh- that would be dangerous for the baby. And you can't fly her there, either, because Kristoff has to go with her, and being miles up from the ground isn't exactly the best way to keep her pregnancy smooth."
Jack nodded again, though his frown made Elsa think that he knew what was coming.
"She has to go by foot," Elsa said. "And I would like you to- accompany her."
"No way," Jack said, hoisting himself upright, shaking his head. "I'm not leaving you."
"The second she's safe in Corona, you can fly back here as fast as you possibly can," she said, her tone pleading.
"If Pitch attacks while I'm not here-"
"I can defend myself."
"Come with us," he said, now begging; it broke her heart. "I'll fly the both of us back."
"I can't leave Arendelle. They need me."
"Elsa-"
"Please Jack. Kristoff is injured, Anna is pregnant. I need you to protect them."
He bowed his head, giving in.
"Promise me you won't do anything reckless," he breathed.
"I never do. You know me. Very sensible Ice Queen."
He laughed, and she smiled.
"When do you want us to leave?" he asked.
"Tomorrow," she said. His eyes widened, gaping at her.
"I can't believe I'm agreeing to this," he said, his hand going through his shock of white hair. She took his hand, and squeezed it tightly.
"I'm going to miss you," she murmured.
"I don't know if 'miss' is a big enough word," chuckled Jack, and she kissed his cheek.
Without warning, she stood up, and picked off at a run, jumping into the steaming pool. The hot water washed over her, and soon Jack was swimming towards her, pulling her naked body to his.
"I don't ever want to leave this cave," she whispered.
They made love in the water, as they worshipped each other, still not believing that amongst all this darkness, they'd found the other.