**OK, it's the *proper* return of Pitch. There's quite a few PoV's so be en guard. Apology for any OC-ness, enjoy!

I don't own Rise of The Guardians or Frozen**

DAY 4

Jack's ribs didn't hurt anymore. No while he lay with Elsa in his arms, her breath against his chest, him lightly dragging his fingers through her hair. Jack couldn't help but smile as he remembered how she'd kissed him back the night before. He'd half expected that, but he also wouldn't have been surprised if she straight up blasted him with her powers. He chuckled at what her alter reaction would've been like.

That same smile fleeted away as Jack spotted a pair of glowing golden eyes near the main doors. Not nearly terrifying enough to be Pitch's, but maybe a NightMare of his making. As quietly as he could, Jack slipped out from Elsa's grasp, pulled on his pants and grabbed his staff. He made his way out to the front doors, his staff in front of him. Jack knew Pitch was planning an attack, but he didn't think it would be this fast.

He saw the NightMare zip outside through the crack between the doors. Jack silently pulled one open and stepped outside. He was thankful it was a clear night, or else Elsa would've heard him for sure.

Jack frowned as the NightMare was nowhere to be seen. He took a few steps out into the snow, nearly reaching the top of the now-familiar ice stairs before he heard Pitch's voice.

'Hello, Jack,' Pitch said, and the doors to the palace slammed shut with Pitch Black the Nightmare King now standing in front of them. Jack spun around, suddenly struck from seeing Pitch again. HIs vindictive grin was the same as when Jack was his prisoner- seeing this similarity made Jack nervous, since they were nowhere near Pitch's lair. Simply seeing the familiar posture that Pitch held was enough to make the Winter Spirit shiver.

Jack held his staff out in front of him, trying to hide his fear from the King of Shadows.

'There's no point trying to hide it, Jack,' Pitch said menacingly. Jack gritted his teeth in frustration.

'What do you want, Pitch?' He asked, still very much on guard. From behind the doors of the ice palace, Jack heard dull pounding and Elsa call his name. Pitch's malicious grin grew.

'You stay away from her,' Jack growled, but Pitch only laughed.

'Or what, Jack? Your bark is a lot worse than your frostbite.' Pitch mocked. Even though the Nightmare King had told Jack he was only angry, he was still straining to keep some affection from his voice.

'I heard you two talking, Jack, and I think you're on the right track when you say she's meant to be a Guardian, if not, a Winter Spirit.' Pitch said. By now Elsa had stopped pounding on the door, and Jack could tell she was listening to their conversation.

'Yeah, so what?' Jack said, 'What do you care if she becomes a Guardian?'

'What do I care?' Pitch asked incredulously, 'Snow Queen here is my opportunity to get a Winter Spirit on my team, for real this time.' He said, glaring at Jack. Jack stepped forward, rearing his staff, but Pitch wasn't moving.

'Calm down, Jack, please- I'm not here to fight.' Pitch said, showing his empty hands.

'Then what do you want?' Jack asked, becoming increasingly worried about Elsa's silence.

'I already told you, Jack, a Wint-'

'She'll never work for you!' Jack interrupted.

'Work for me? No Jack, her powers are much too unpredictable. All I need to do is…' Pitch laughed for a moment as if recalling a funny memory, then looked Jack straight in the eye.

'… Torture her until you do as I say.'

That was the last straw- Jack leapt forward to blast Pitch with a frost bolt, but Pitch disappeared, his voice lingering in the air.

'Your feelings for her can't protect her Jack, in fact, they'll be the downfall of you both,'

Jack ran to the doors, pounding on them as hard as he could.

'Elsa! Elsa!' Jack was heartbroken- he was sure he could've protected Elsa, but he'd failed. Eventually, he blasted the doors with a frost bolt and they flew open, revealing Elsa cornered by a NightMare. Jack blasted it without a send thought, but it dissipated before Jack hit it.

Instead, Jack hit Elsa, who never even saw it coming.

Elsa had secretly hoped Jack would take her flying someday. Jack hoped she'd be awake for it.

Holding Elsa's unconscious body, he flew them both as fast as the wind could carry them to the human settlement Jack had spotted some days before. There was a castle with green and brown banners- that's where Elsa's sister must rule from. Jack racked his brain- What was her name again?! Ella? No, it began with an A. Anne? Anna!

Jack landed on the path that lead from the town to the front gates of the palace. People stopped and gawked at the boy who could fly, and who was holding the body of their former Queen. Jack ran up to the gates, trying to get someone's attention.

Inside the castle, a serving woman entered the Queen's office in a hurry.

'Your Majesty-'

'I'm sorry, Gerda, but I'm very busy at the moment.' Queen Anna said, sorting through a pile of scrolls.

'Anna,' Said Gerda very seriously. Anna looked up.

'Yes?' She squeaked. Gerda only called her by her first name when she was in trouble.

'It's Elsa.'

'Hey!' Jack yelled to the gates, not caring about the crowd which had now formed around him.

'We need some help! Ann-' Jack was cut off as a young woman rushed out of the gates.

'That's Majesty, to you.' She said confidently. There was hushed silence and Jack figured she must be Queen Anna, Elsa's younger sister. Anna's sovereign façade dropped as she saw Elsa's condition.

'What happened?' She gasped, waving over multiple guards to carry Elsa inside. Jack was reluctant to let her go, but he succumbed to his emotions.

'I don't know… I just…' Jack sniffed.

'You just?' Anna implored. Before Jack could admit what he'd done, Queen Anna spoke again.

'Wait, who are you?' She asked. Jack was reminded of the first time he was in North's office.

'I'm… I'm…' Jack fully noticed everyone was staring at him, 'You can all see me?' He asked, unbelieving. Only Anna didn't give him a strange look.

'Would you like to come inside and we can chat?' She asked, already walking back through the gates.

'I'm staying with Elsa.' Jack said, and rushed through after the guards.

'Calm down soldier boy, she'll be there too.' Anna muttered once he was out of earshot. She quickly waved to the crowd of Arendellians and went back inside after her sister and the frosty boy who saved her.

Jack hoped they could save Elsa. He'd never found out what happened to a human if they were directly hit with his powers. After the family doctor took a look at Elsa, he said Jack's powers definitely weren't like Elsa's. But also, Elsa wasn't an ordinary human- still, they'd just have to wait.

Jack just wanted to be alone with Elsa, but he could tell everyone was afraid of just that. Out of respect for worried family, Jack didn't protest when Anna entered Elsa's room and sat down next to Jack on the small couch in there, but it did remind him of Elsa's parents.

Jack was staring at Elsa with the strangest look in his eye- a mix of sadness, regret, guilt and something else. Anna waited for a moment for the boy to acknowledge her- she was a Queen after all. She coughed awkwardly. Still nothing.

'So who are you?'

Jack stared at Elsa for a moment longer, then shook himself out of his trance. He turned to properly look at Anna. She had strawberry blonde hair, much unlike Elsa, though it did have a white streak in it. The girls had similar eyes, but Anna's matched her age.

'Oh, right,' He mumbled, 'you can see me.'

'I'll ask about that later.' Said Anna with narrowed eyes, 'But for now, how about we start with who you are?' Jack took a deep breath- he was right to be afraid of Anna; her steely gaze met his unsure one.

'I'm Jack Frost- the Winter Spirit…?' He said nervously. Anna's expression suddenly turned to the pure happiness of a child on Christmas Eve Jack had grown so used to seeing.

'I knew it!' She cried.

'You… You did?' Jack asked, totally puzzled.

'Well, as soon as my sist- Elsa, I mean, read about you when we were kids, she couldn't stop talking about you. In fact, I think she developed a bit of a cru-'

'You guessed who I was? That doesn't explain why everyone else could see me.' Jack interrogated.

'Hello? This is Scandinavia. Winter Spirits are practically gods- everyone knows Jokul Frosti!' Anna exclaimed in the same language as Elsa's bird song.

'No wonder she ran off to be with you.' Anna said. Her tone was light, but did Jack detect a hint of jealousy in her voice?

'Woah, woah, you and your little guards were the ones who kicked her out of here in the first place.' Jack realised he hadn't denied Anna's accusation of him and Elsa being together. Regardless, Jack's comment caught Anna's attention.

'What? Jack, Elsa left by herself.'

Jack was puzzled again.

'But she said you had a huge accident, and you kicked he-'

'No, no, she probably said "incident", small difference, but that was all worked out.' Jack saw Anna brush her streaked hair behind her ear.

'So how did she end up in the ice castle?' Jack asked. Anna's brow rose.

'The North Mountain? She's been up there this whole time? I should've guessed…' Anna mumbled. Jack cleared his throat to announce his question again.

'Oh,' Anna said, 'Elsa had a run in with the Guard, and she- I mean, her powers injured a dozen soldiers.' Anna explained. Jack nodded, but said nothing- he knew there had to be something else. Anna sighed in defeat.

'She left a crummy note about how her nightmares were throwing her powers out of whack, and how she'd be back soon but needed to get away. She also left a letter of resignation, leaving Arendelle to me.' Anna said, 'So we didn't think that meant she'd be back that soon.'

Jack frowned, something wasn't adding up- if only they knew more about Elsa's powers.

'We can take a look at the physician's library, if you want.' Anna offered. Jack had spoken his thoughts again. He took one last look at Elsa before accepting Anna's offer. They walked down hallways and stairs until they came to the grand doors of the Royal Library. No sooner was Anna tugging open the doors than a servant came running down the hall toward them.

'Your Majesty,' She panted, 'the Que- I mean, Elsa's been taken!'

The world stopped. Jack didn't hear Anna call after him, but using the power of the wind and his free running skills, Jack made it back to Elsa's room to see the last traces of black sand disperse. Elsa was, of course, nowhere to be seen. Once again, Jack had failed.

**Whaddid y'all think? Elsa's gone, Jack has no idea where, but he does know who took her- Pitch. Stay tuned, and reviews appreciated!**