Winter 7 - The Snow Queen

Jack watched in awe as Elsa built her ice castle and the moment she finished her song and closed the doors, Jack was still left staring. He could not believe how amazing Elsa was at that moment. She was pure amazing. Her voice still rang in his ears and it made his heart melt.

Jack finally came to his senses and he remembered what he had to do. So, taking a huge deep breath to increase his courage, he flew towards the ice castle and landed on the balcony. He was about to knock until his thoughts had stopped him.

What would I say? What should I say? God, I'm so nervous. What am I going to tell her?

Jack continued standing outside for a while before he finally had the courage to knock.

Inside, Elsa turned to the doors of her balcony in wonder after hearing the knock. Who could that be? She wondered. With a wave of her hand, the huge doors flew open and there appeared Jack, standing in awe as Elsa came into his view.

She was pure beautiful. Beautiful than ever, no, she was gorgeous. Jack could hardly believe that this was Elsa, the Elsa he grew up with, the Elsa that he played with all those years, the Elsa he made promises with. But it was her. From a fragile child to a beautiful woman.

"Jack?" Jack blinked several times as he gained self-consciousness after Elsa had called his name.

"H-Huh? Oh. Uhm, Elsa. I, uh..." he began saying but he couldn't find the words. What was he going to say? He was too mesmerized to even say anything. It was like all he wanted to do was to stare at her all day, to hold her again and to hug her.

But he can't right now. He had some explaining to do.

"What are you doing here? How did you find me?" She asked him, curiously.

"Oh. I was flying then I heard you singing." Was all Jack could say. Come on, Jack! Pull yourself together!

"Oh." Elsa said then they were both silent for a while until Elsa spoke "Did you need anything?" She asked him, thinking that Jack may have only came because he needed something and not because he had long to see her again. Yes. She had completely lost hope that he missed her.

"Uhm... a-actually I... I came here to... a-apologize." Jack said, his words were practically stuck in his throat.

"Apologize? For... what?"

"For... everything." Jack inhaled then exhaled as he entered the ice castle "I'm sorry, Elsa. I'm sorry that I left you all alone for 3 years. I really am sorry. It's just... I felt really guilty after what happened to your parents. I-"

"What do you mean by that?" Elsa cut him off.

"What?"

"What do you mean you feel guilty after what happened to my parents?"

"Well, I-"

"Don't tell me you caused the storm that sank their ship." Elsa started accusing him.

"Wait, wait. Let me explain."

"Is that why you left? Because you were the cause of their death? The cause of Anna and mine's loss?"

"Elsa, listen! You have to listen to me. I did not cause the storm that sank their ship, okay? I mean, yes, I may have made the storm stronger due to my panicking to save them but I didn't mean to. I couldn't control my powers that time due to the fear. You know that, right?" Jack explained.

Elsa looked down on her hands. Yes, she knew. She looked back at Jack, a tear falling down her cheek "So you left me for 3 years just because you think you were the cause of their death?" She asked him.

"Yeah." Jack answered.

"But you could've came back. You could've explained to me. I would understand that."

"I know. But... the fear of you getting mad at me made me reconsider that." Jack said.

"So you mean... you were afraid I would get mad at you just because of an accident? You think that I would put away the years that we spent together just because of something you didn't do on purpose? Do you realky think I'm that kind of person?" Elsa's voice shook with her words.

"No! No! I-I didn't mean it like that. I mean... I just thought that... oh God. I shouldn't have said that." Jack tried to explain what he meant. Of course Elsa wouldn't hate him for something he didn't do on purpose. She knew Jack.

"You have no idea how much I hated myself after you had left me." Elsa then said "All those years that I was alone, I didn't know what to do. I thought you hated me. I thought you grew tired of having to babysit a monster like me." She began saying.

"No. Elsa, no, I don't. Believe me, I don't. And I would never hate you." Jack told her, honestly "I'm sorry, Elsa. I really, really am. I know that I don't deserve your forgiveness but I still want you to know how sorry I am for what I'd done." He apologized.

Elsa looked away as she wiped her tears. She forgives him, of course, she never hated him anyway, and she never will.

"I still wish you would forgive me, Elsa, even if I don't deserve it. Ban me from Arendelle, sentence me to death, lock me up forever. Punish me all you want as long as it will make you forgive me, I'll take the risk." Jack suddenly said.

"Why?" Elsa then asked in curiosity "Why would you prefer to be tortured just for my forgiveness?" She asked him.

"Because... Because I... I... I lo... I li..." Jack groaned as he scratched his head. Why is it so hard to say it? It's just 3 simple words, Jack! Say it already!

"You...?"

"I... I... I..." Jack's voice shook as well as his hands. Why was he so nervous? He has never felt this nervous in his entire life.

Elsa knew Jack wouldn't have the courage to say his reason and she clearly had a hunch to what it was but she didn't want to jump to any conclusions. She didn't want to raise her hopes up to high.

"I'll give you 'til tomorrow." Elsa told him

"What?"

"You have 'til tomorrow to state your reason. Until then, you are not allowed to step inside my ice castle or talk to me, is that understood?" Elsa explained to him. Jack just nodded as a response "You may go."

Jack gave a bow before leaving "Yes, my queen." He said and then he flew out of the balcony. Elsa watched as Jack flew away from her once more.

She held her chest and she could still feel her heart pounding like crazy. She had never felt this in forever. How can Jack Frost give such an effect like this on her? She had never felt this even before he left her. But now, the mere sight of him made her heart beat like crazy.

But what was Jack's reason? Could it be that he...?

Elsa shook her head. He couldn't be. He was a spirit. There was no way he could fall for a monster or, more specifically, a mortal such as her.

Could he?

Meanwhile, down the mountain where icicles were formed like frozen waves in the ocean, Jack started shouting and yelling at himself "You idiot! Why didn't you tell her already? You were this close! This close! Yet you... ugh!" And then he shot some ice at an icicle and it broke and fell into the snow.

Jack sat at another icicle and stared at the castle that was still in view. He heaved a sigh. He had to tell Elsa tomorrow. That was probably the only chance he had left. Perhaps if he told her, she would forgive him and, if possible, she could feel the same way.

What are you saying, Jack? There's no way he could fall for you! She's a queen, Jack! You're just a spirit! A bare-footed spirit! There's no way she could fall for you!

Could she?

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The following day, Jack decided to fly back to his hometown to calm himself before flying back to Elsa. The thought of him having to confess to Elsa just wouldn't stop his heart from beating like crazy and he felt the need to calm it down just a little. So, he sat down at a tree and watched the young children playing underneath the bright sun.

Jack smiled, it made him forget about the nervousness he felt just for a little bit. But he couldn't just stay and watch the children all day, how was he going to say it? It seemed so easy but the moment he sees Elsa right in front of him, the words were just stuck in his throat.

He looked up at the blue sky and closed his eyes, feeling the cold wind on his face. But the moment he saw the darkness, the memory of Elsa standing inside her ice castle wearing her sparkling snow queen gown flashed before his eyes. One reason why he can't practically calm down. Wherever he looks or goes, all he see and thinks about was Elsa.

"I give up. I don't know what to do anymore." Jack surrendered, opening his eyes "Elsa, I love you. I really, really love-"

"I love you, okay?"

Jack was cut off after hearing the voice of a girl shouting these 3 words he wished he could say to Elsa. He looked around and saw a girl and a boy standing below the tree where he was.

"I love you. That's why! That's why the moment I saw you two at her birthday, I ran off because I couldn't afford to see you act the way you did to me with someone else!" The girl shouted, tears streaming down her face as she said these words.

"But... we're just friends... she already belongs to someone else. You know that." The boy explained, almost like ignoring the girl'a confession to him.

"Did you even hear me?" The girl asked, her voice shook "I said I love you!" She repeated her confession, the boy just stood there, looking at her.

Jack sat quietly on the branch, watching them and waiting for the boy's answer. He waited until the boy finally spoke "I love you, too." He whispered.

"I've been in love with you for years. I just... I was just scared that... you wouldn't feel the same so I tried to forget about you, that's why I left. But no matter where I was, all I could think about was you. It irritated me for a moment but I couldn't help it until I just accepted that fact. But I couldn't face you because I was scared that you might be angry of me for leaving you like that. I'm sorry." The boy explained, looking down on his feet.

Jack somehow felt a deja vu in the situation. It could be coincidental, but then again, of all the happenings and situations that he had to witness, it was this. Maybe it was a sign?

"Idiot." The girl whispered andvshevran to the boy and hugged him tight. The boy hugged her back and kissed her temple.

Jack continued to watch the two until he remembered Elsa again. He had something to finish and if he didn't do it fast, he may never get the chance again. Jack continued to think about it until he's finally made the decision. He stood up and flew off into the sky.

"Wind!" He shouted "Take me... to my snow queen!" And the wind took him to the North Mountain where Elsa's ice castle stood.

It was official, he was going to confess to her and it didn't matter if Elsa felt anything to him, just as long as he had told her his reason. Besides, he knew that even if Elsa did not feel anyhing for him, they'd still return to being friends, just like the old times and that alone was good enough for him.

To be continued...

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