AUTHOR'S NOTE (original, written August 2015): Despite the fact that nothing "actually happens," the reason that this is rated T is because there are going to be some rather suggestive themes and dialogue snippets coming up (not until the next chapter, but this chapter gets a bit intense in a different way). There will be no profanity or anything graphic, but I thought it was necessary to give you a fair warning: Things are about to get a bit darker. ALSO: Don't worry—things aren't going to stay dark for that long! I promise that things will be looking up again in the next few chapters!

AUTHOR'S NOTE (added June 2017, after Drafting Hiatus): Sooo... yeah, okay, I needed Elsa to trust Jack in order to move the story forward. So, buckle up... we're taking an emotional shortcut for the next few chapters, and things are going to get DARK, before getting light again. Despite the fact that nothing "actually happens," but there's a reason this fic is rated t. PROCEED WITH CAUTION.

CONTENT WARNING: Sexual innuendo

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17: ELSA'S SACRIFICE

Knock knock.

"Elsa?"

Her heart leapt into her throat at the sound of his voice. Her stomach twisting, Elsa pulled her mother's shall even tighter around her shoulders, turning around from her dresser. Queen Anna was sitting on the edge of the bed, her eyes expectant, as flurries of snow fell softly around them in the silence of the room.

Knock knock knock.

"Elsa, please," Jack begged through the door. "I know you're in there."

Elsa looked to her sister pleadingly.

The pregnant queen sighed, holding her stomach and standing up. As she walked to the door, Elsa quickly ran into her art gallery, whisking her capelet in after her and out of his view.

She heard the door into the hallway creak open, and then heard Anna's voice.

"She's busy," Anna snapped. "What do you want?"

"I want her to hear me out."

Elsa's heart started pounding, her breaths coming sharp and shallow as she struggled to stay calm. She could hear the pain in his voice.

Jack Frost's voice.

"I want to apologize. And explain," he choked, "I—I know that what happened just now looked bad—like, really bad—"

"—Basically," Anna snapped, "You're upset you got caught."

"What? No! I was just trying to help! And I figured out what happened—why she went loopy with it," he protested. "You have to believe me!"

"No, I don't. And she doesn't, either."

"If you just let me talk to—"

"—No!"

"I'm not gonna shove a pregnant lady," Jack's voice scoffed, "Look, can't I just—ELSA, I KNOW THAT YOU CAN HEAR ME IN THERE!"

Elsa's breath caught, and she snapped her head up.

"Leave her alone!" Queen Anna's voice exclaimed. Elsa heard the door start to creak close, and a small amount of scuffle. "She doesn't want to talk to you!"

"Elsa, I would never try to hurt you!" Jack cried, "I swear! I just wanted you to be happy!"

"GO!" Anna's voice demanded, growing a little louder, "And take your creepy love necklace with you!"

"It is NOT a—"

SLAM!

Elsa squeezed her eyes shut. Leaning her head back against the wall of the art gallery, she swallowed hard, the sharp pang of humiliation stinging in her throat again. Conceal! she thought desperately, gripping the shawl, Conceal, don't feel, conceal, don't feel…

Something cold was beginning to form in her right palm. Pulled it away from the shawl and looking down, her eyes glassy, Elsa realized that she had, without meaning to, formed a tiny sculpture.

A tiny, blue shepherd's crook made of ice was resting in her hand.

"Elsa? I got rid of him—are you—" Queen Anna's voice trailed off as she walked into the art gallery, seeing her sister. "Elsa?"

Anna stood in shock as Elsa, cradling the tiny shepherd's crook to her chest, sank down against the wall of the gallery and burst into tears.

.

.

And Jack waited.

Sitting on the floor outside of Elsa's bedroom door, he felt miserable. Powerless. More so than he had in a long time. Perhaps it was the strange feeling of not having his staff with him. Perhaps it was the fact that he knew he'd never hurt Elsa, but—she didn't.

More than likely, it was being unable to lift the crushing weight of knowing how much he'd hurt his sweet new friend.

After an hour or so, King Kristoff had come in search of Anna. Seeing Jack sitting on the floor alone, his face fell as their eyes met. He had asked Jack if he'd wanted his staff back, but Jack had declined. He still hadn't really gotten a chance to apologize properly. And the redheaded queen, as she had walked past him with her husband, afforded the Guardian of Fun nothing more than a cold glare before turning away and pacing down the hall.

After a few hours, a maid had come to the door, standing directly through Jack's body, to ask if the Snow Queen would attending the mid-day meal. Elsa did not open the door. She wasn't hungry, Elsa had told the maid. But thank you.

Fighting the pit in his stomach, neither was Jack.

.

.

BONG... BONG...

Jack sat up abruptly from where he was leaned against the door, the chiming of the town square's clocktower bells reverberating through the hallway. Two o'clock. Elsa's first audience was at two thirty. Any moment now, she would be—!

Hearing the clicking of lock tumblers falling behind him, Jack scrambled to his feet, spinning around. The door slowly creaking open, his eyes bulged as Elsa stepped into the light.

His mouth falling open in shock, Jack suddenly found himself staring into the flashing eyes of a terrifyingly beautiful young woman, her piercing gaze locked into his with all the strength and ferocity of a winter storm. The sunlight catching the ice crystals in her dress as she regally drew herself up, Jack looked down to realize that Elsa's previously romantic pink sheath gown was now a dark, steely gray, richly adorned with chains of icicles. Her hair was pulled back and twisted into an elegant bun, and on top of her head, Jack realized that the Snow Queen was wearing a spiked, icy crown.

Jack stumbled back a step in shock. This was not the timid, blushing girl that he had danced with the night before. This was Elsa, Cold and Powerful, Reigning Queen of Arendelle.

She sucked in her breath.

Jack snapped back into focus, giving his head a quick shake as Elsa bit her lip, walking forward past him and yanking her capelet into the hallway. Glancing back at the door for a fraction of a second, she flicked her hand through the air, and it swung shut behind her.

SLAM.

The lock creaked as it froze, and she drew herself up again, sweeping past him without a word. Jack jumped, whipping around as she began to walk away from him down the hall.

"Elsa, I know that I'm the last person in the world you want to see right now," Jack blurted, "But please! You have to hear me out! I'm sorry!"

Her back stiffened, and she ignored him, walking faster down the hallway. Jack followed.

"The thing with the magic," he said quickly, "I've never tried putting it into a necklace before—I didn't realize—well, I'm used to dealing with kids. And—and basically, I overdosed you, if that makes any sense. I didn't mean to!"

Reaching the end of the hallway, Elsa's face began to turn slightly pink. Pressing her lips together, she drew herself up, and began to descend down a long, regal flight of stairs, her dark capelet billowing out behind her across the rich carpet.

Jack shook his head, chasing after her, walking straight through the maids and servants going up the stairs on the other side from Elsa.

"I would never have done that on purpose!" he stammered, "It's just—I know you're scared of this. Of the suitor thing. And I didn't want you to be scared! I hate seeing you looking so scared! Please! Just listen to me!"

Reaching the end of the long flight of stairs, Elsa paced quickly across the smooth, shining floor of a long hallway lined with richly uniformed men. As she swept past, they all bowed in turn, but she hardly acknowledged them, struggling to hold her head high. Finally, at the end, she threw open an enormous set of doors, sweeping into a long room with an arched ceiling lined with rich carpets, tables, and chairs. Two men closed the doors behind her, and it was then that Jack realized, looking down to the end of the room, where they were.

This was the throne room.

The door finished closing. Jack pulled in a deep breath, his voice growing a bit louder.

"Well, FINE then! Go ahead!" he gritted, "Pull up your hair, put on a crown, and pretend that you're not scared out of your mind right now." Jack ran his fingers through his hair, looking up at her with desperation. "I know I only just met you, but—I'm not an idiot. Okay? I know I hurt you, and—I'm sorry!"

She said nothing, but climbed the two stairs leading up to her throne. Then, she swept around, gracefully sitting in the enormous chair.

Jack closed his eyes, then slowly opening them and trying one last time.

"Elsa," he stammered, "You're hurt, and you're scared, and it's my. Fault. Put up as many fronts as you want. You're not fooling me."

She closed her eyes, pressing her lips together again. Jack sighed. "Okay, see? This is it. This," he choked, "Is why I gave you the stupid necklace. It kills me to see you like this!"

"Jack…"

He looked up. Sitting regally on the throne with the capelet spread around her, Queen Elsa was a picture of powerful elegance. Every inch of her body was being held with perfect, royal control.

Except for her eyes.

"Jack…" she said slowly, still avoiding his gaze. "You need to leave."

"And what's that going to solve?" he snapped. "Do you think we're just going to be able to wake up tomorrow, and act like this never happened? I need to know that you're okay, Elsa."

"Jack, I mean that you need to leave Arendelle."

His breath caught.

"But—!"

He cut himself off again, giving his head a quick shake and pulling in his breath.

"But I just—got here," Jack whimpered.

The Snow Queen said nothing, clasping her hands tightly together in her lap and looking to the floor.

"Elsa, wha—what's happened to you?" Jack shook. "Why are you shutting me out?"

She drew herself up, sitting tall in the throne and finally staring into his eyes, her own brimming with tears.

"Because I—never—should have trusted you," she choked.

Jack stumbled back a step in shock, the words cutting into him like a knife. He then watched in horror as Elsa got to her feet, struggling to control her voice.

"I just want you to know," she said quickly, "Before I do this—that yesterday was one of the greatest days of my life. And you're still every bit as amazing as I believed you'd be. If I didn't have to protect Arendelle, I'd never stop."

"Protect Arendelle? What are you—?" Jack stammered, "Wait—Elsa—"

"—I know that I've gotten distracted. In the last of couple days," she continued, "And I can't afford to be. I have responsibilities. I can't afford to have fun. I have been reinstated to protect this kingdom. And I must sacrifice everything to ensure its safety. Even if—even if it means that I can't ever see you again."

"Can't ever see me again?" Jack scoffed, sweeping his hand to the side, "Of course you're going to see me again! I mean, I'm going to be right—"

His voice trailed off as he looked up, noticing her expression. Swallowing hard, the Ice Powers Girl shook her head, her eyes brimming with tears.

Jack could practically feel his heart stop beating.

"Wait," he choked, "You—you aren't saying—"

"I'm sorry," Elsa whimpered.

Jack's eyes widened, and he gasped. "Elsa! No!"

She drew herself up, taking in a long breath, her voice shaking.

"I am Elsa, Reigning Queen of Arendelle," she shook, squeezing her eyes shut. "And there is no such thing as Jack Frost."

"ELSA!"

Jack leapt forward as Elsa stepped off the platform. Clasping her hands in front of her as she fought back tears, she walked onto the carpet as Jack's body fell through her own and crashed into the stairs.