Chapter 9: As Long As You're Mine

"Ok, so here is the plan," North said and laid a map onto the table where the adults could see it.

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Ember stood helplessly as he tried to fight off Kaitlyn's spell. The experience was extremely frustrating. He couldn't control his actions at all and he would want to do one thing, but end up doing another.

Kaitlyn took his hand and they plunged into darkness again. Lights flashed around him again, but this time the horrible bile didn't rise to his throat. Ember's feet hit solid ground and he stumbled a bit before regaining his balance.

When he finally composed himself, Kaitlyn was gone and he was left standing alone on the balcony of his room. Ember quickly walked to his door and went out into the hallway. I have to tell Queen Elsa and King Jack what happened, He thought as he ran down the corridor.

Suddenly, he ran into someone and they both fell to the ground. Ember looked up to see Nicole looking very agitated.

"Watch where-" She stopped when she saw Ember, "Ember, you're back!"

Nicole hugged him tightly. He felt her shaking uncontrollably and heard her try to stop the sobs from coming out.

"We thought they had taken you." Nicole sobbed uncontrollably.

Ember opened his mouth to say, "They did," but nothing came out. His brows furrowed in confusion as he tried again. "They did," The words echoed through his mind, but weren't said aloud. "Pitch took me." He attempted to say. Those words too echoed through his mind. Can I not say anything about what happened? Ember thought worriedly.

"It's ok, I'm here now." Ember managed to say after a while.

"We got a message from Pitch." Nicole said as she retracted from the hug, wiping the tears away.

She told him of the events that had taken place while he was gone.

"Our parents are making a plan with the Guardians now. All we can do is wait and go to my birthday ball tonight." She ended.

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Nicole and Ember stood side by side as they watched people stream into the ballroom. A teenage boy, around the age of 15, walked up to them.

"Princess Nicole, would you care to dance?" The teen said as he bowed.

He gave her a flashing smile as he stood up, expectantly waiting for an answer.

"I'm sorry, but no. I don't dance." Nicole said simply.

"Of course." He replied with an edge to his voice as his eyes flicked from Nicole to Ember.

As the teen walked away, someone said behind her, "That's what Elsa said when people asked her to dance with her on coronation day. I ended up dancing with the Duke of Weaselton and that was horrible."

Nicole turned around to see Anna laughing at the memory and Kristoff beside her.

"Well," Anna said excitedly, darting her eyes between Nicole and Ember, "I'll leave you two alone!"

"Anna, don't-" Kristoff began.

"Shhhhhhh!" Anna shushed her husband before pulling him off to dance.

Nicole saw her cousins Eleonora and Henry dancing with their own fair share of suitors. People lined up to dance in hopes to catch one of their hearts since they were the oldest kids in the castle. Nora was now 18 and plenty of princes tried to steal her heart, but to no avail. She wasn't the easiest girl to relate to. Always picking black to wear that clashed with her long flowing strawberry-blonde hair.

"I'm going out to the courtyard for a bit." Nicole said, "I just need to get away from the music."

"Can I come with you?" Ember asked.

Nicole nodded as she made her way out the door with Ember trailing behind her. They both stood beside a bench and tried to make small talk. Suddenly, Nicole's cousin from Corona walked up to her with a sneer. "So this is the fourteen year old princess. You look like your seven."

She whirled around and challenged, "Shut up Simon! Just because you're older doesn't mean you can mess with me. After all I'm stronger than you."

"You wanna go then?" Simon said, raising his fists.

Nicole glared at him, "You're such an idiot."

Ember placed a hand on her shoulder. "Calm down Nicole."

"Oh, it's your puny excuse of a boyfriend." Simon mocked.

"He is not my boyfriend!" Nicole growled.

"Yeah, some other guy is. Seeing that you guys kissed last night." Ember said with an edge to his voice.

"Prince George? He kissed me! And afterwards mom kicked him out of the castle!" Nicole exclaimed.

"Enough of this, let's see how strong he is." Simon sneered and swung a fist at Ember, hitting him in the face. Ember's nose started to bleed and he wiped the blood away with his sleeve.

"He is a weakling, even with his fire powers. Too scare to use 'em eh?" Simon punched Ember in the stomach. Ember doubled over winded. In one swift movement, Simon put a hand around Ember's neck and started to choke him.

"Stop it!" Nicole screeched and tried to stop pull Simon away from Ember.

"I SAID STOP!" Nicole screamed and thrust her arm towards Simon. Simon looked at her to see that she had no pupils and her eyes were pure turquoise. His eyes widened as in slow motion he felt the icicles push him back into the wall and go through his body. Blood welled up where the icicles had protruded his skin and Ember lay collapsed on the ground; rubbing his throat.

Nicole's eyes returned to normal and her face was masked with fear. She looked down at her hands and whispered, "No…"

She looked up to see Simon's eyes glaze over and his last breath escaped his mouth. "Simon!" Nicole yelled and ran to his side, stroking his cheek and crying. "As much as I hated you, you are my cousin and I love you… Don't die." The ice melted and Simon's limp body fell into Nicole's arms.

The doors to the court yard opened and Queen Elsa rushed out to see Nicole crying over Simon and Ember holding his throat. Nicole looked up at her mother in fear and dropped Simon. She ran out of the court yard as quickly as she could. Ember looked up and said hoarsely, "I'll get her back! You check on Simon and I'll explain everything when I get back."

Queen Elsa nodded and made her way quickly over to Simon. She felt for a pulse, but there was none and she gasped. What did Nicole do? Elsa thought miserably.

The doors swung open again and Rapunzel and Eugene ran outside. "He… he's dead." Elsa told them sadly. She looked up at them with her eyes brimming with tears as well as theirs. "Nicole did something, but I don't know what. She ran off towards the fjord and Ember went after her."

The couple went over to their dead son and Rapunzel yelled, "No! He can't be dead!" She put a hand on her son's chest and sang quickly, "Flower gleam and glow, let your power shine. Make the clock reverse. Bring back what once was mine. Heal what has been hurt, change the Fates' design. Save what has been lost, bring back what once was mine; what once was mine." Rapunzel draped her arms over her son and cried into his shoulder.

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What have I done? I killed my own cousin! I'm a monster. Nicole thought as she ran towards the fjord.

"Nicole, wait!" She heard Ember scream.

Nicole looked back to see him following her. I don't want to hurt you Ember! She thought and placed a careful foot on the water. It froze over and she ran across the fjord; spreading a frozen wasteland behind her.

Ember followed quickly behind her because the ice melted at his touch. He was on a race against the clock so the melting ice doesn't send him into the water. Nicole had reached the other side of the fjord and ran towards the North Mountain. Of course, she is going to go the Queen Elsa's ice palace. He finally made it across, but lost sight of Nicole. Luckily, he knew where she was headed and sprinted off towards the ice palace.

Nicole ran up the flawless stairs and burst into the castle. Dark shadows appeared along the walls and she ran upstairs.

Nicole walked onto the balcony and looked at Arendelle. It had started to snow there and Nicole dismissed it as her parents putting on a show to distract the visitors while they figured out a solution to her horrible actions. She saw Ember running up the stairs to the palace and silently cursed herself. Why couldn't I have chosen a better place to go?

Ember ran into the ice castle and up the spiraling stairs to the second floor. Nicole appeared from the balcony with her eyes filled with fear.

"Go away Ember, I don't want to hurt you like I did with Simon!" Nicole said; her voice cracking.

Ember put on a hurt look and he shuffled towards Nicole. She started to back out onto the balcony again.

"Leave, before I hurt you!" She pleaded,

"I know you won't hurt me. Just… just let me help you." Ember said calmly, holding his hand for her to take.

He went onto the balcony and she backed up against the railing; her eyes wide with fear. Ember reached her and placed an arm on her shoulder. He leaned towards her and pressed his lips to her ear and whispered, "I won't let you go through this alone. I… I love you."

Nicole's eyes went wide and she gasped. Ember stepped back and shuffled his feet. He leaned towards her again and kissed her lightly on the lips. They sank to their knees and kissed each other passionately. Nicole broke away and smiled.

(A/N: Italics=Nicole, Bold=Ember, Italics+Bold=Both Song: As Long As You're Mine from the Broadway musical Wicked. I suggest you listen to it while reading so you can get the feel)

She wrapped her hands around his neck and pressed her forehead to his, "Kiss me too fiercely, hold me too tight. I need help believing. You're with me tonight." They kissed each other again.

"My wildest dreamings, could not forsee, lying beside you. With you wanting me." Nicole said as Ember rubbed his hand through her hair while the other wrapped around her waist.

"And just for this moment, as long as your mine. I've lost all resistance, and crossed some border line. And if it turns out, it's over too fast; I'll make every last moment last." Ember kissed her again, nibbling on her bottom lip for a few moments and she broke away gasping, "As long as you're mine."

"Maybe I'm brainless, maybe I'm wise, but you've got me seeing through different eyes. Somehow I've fallen under your spell. And somehow I'm feeling, it's up that I fell."

"Every moment, as long as you're mine; I'll wake up my body, and make up for lost time!"

"Say there's no future, for us as a pair…" Ember sang worriedly.

"Our parents are close friends… And though I may know; I don't care!" They sang carelessly.

"Just for this moment, as long as your mine; come be how you want to, and see how bright we shine!" They both raised their hands, and fire and ice mixed together to form a sparkling fire work in the air.

"Borrow the moonlight," They looked up at the Man on the Moon as he shone brightly in the night, "until it is through…"

"And I'll be here, holding you! As long as you're mine!"

Ember looked at Nicole to see her looking excited, "What is it?"

Nicole laughed and exclaimed, "It's just for the first time I feel… wicked." She threw her arms around his neck and they kissed as the moon shone ever brighter than before.