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Chapter Text

“Your sister is dead because of you.”

All the strength in Elsa’s legs left her as she collapsed onto the frozen floor. First her parents, now Anna. How many more lives were her powers going to take? She had already frozen her entire nation. 

In her despair, she didn’t notice Hans’ footsteps approaching her, or Anna’s weak scream telling her to move. Not until a searing pain cut across her back and her arm supporting arm gave out beneath her, her face hitting the ice with a painful thud. Elsa felt the blood pooling around her, her ice dress soaking in the fresh liquid. Through the haze slowly filling her mind, her only thoughts were that this was the only ending she deserved, the treacherous Snow Queen that had deceived everyone and taken the lives of her family and her countrymen, dying in a pool of her own blood.

However, just as she was about to give in to the darkness that was threatening to overtake her mind at any moment, she noticed movement beneath her. Movement through the ice that she lay on. It was a boy who could be no older than her. She caught his eyes and at that moment, all Elsa wanted was to reach him. It seemed he wanted the same as well, for he reached up towards her, and she pressed her hands against the ice, trying to break through it. But he was sinking further and further away, and she was too weak. Yet, somehow, she could feel it in her bones, in her very being, that this would not be their last meeting. As her eyes slipped closed, Elsa smiled, the first true smile she had smiled since she was a child. 

The cold water numbed all feeling in his arms and legs, the moon bright as Jack sunk lower and lower into the depths of the icy water. He mentally apologised to his mother and sister, praying for them to live well despite his absence. Slowly, Jack closed his eyes, embracing the cold and the dark. Suddenly, he felt a compulsion to open them again, maybe to see the moon one last time. 

However, what greeted his eyes was not the white moon, but a girl in a sparkling blue dress. She was collapsed on the ice separating them, one arm barely supporting her weight while the other covered her eyes. Her shoulders shook with sobs. Behind her, Jack saw a man approaching, his arm raised and ready to swing the sword down onto her. Jack opened his mouth to scream a warning, but cold water rushed in instead. He could only watch in horror as the sword cut her back open and she fell, her body flushed with the ice, her blonde hair slowly dyed red with her own blood. 

Jack wanted to, needed to, reach her, but the water was heavy on his own clothes and pulling him further down. At that moment, he caught her eyes. Eyes so blue that for a moment, he forgot he was drowning. He stretched up towards her, and she splayed her hands against the ice, as if they were trying to reach each other through the frost, but they were too far apart. Yet, just before the darkness completely consumed him, he saw her smile, and he knew that somehow, they would meet again. 

.

.

.

“ Hello”

Chapter Text

When Elsa opened her eyes, she was greeted with the sunlight sparkling off the walls of her ice castle. Had everything that happened all been a dream? It would make sense, she had never seen the boy before in her entire life. In the first place, why would there even be a boy beneath the ice?

It wasn’t until Elsa had gone a full round around her castle, and even fixed the spikes that she had unintentionally created when Hans’ men stormed the place - odd, why did she remember fainting and waking up chained to the dungeons in the palace - that she realised she was floating . And that she didn’t feel cold. At all. Sure, a side effect of her powers were that she had an enhanced tolerance to the cold, but she could still feel the chill. Things were not adding up. 

She remembered Anna screaming at her to move, and the searing pain across her back as Hans’ sword cut her open. Hadn’t she frozen Anna’s heart? Wasn’t Anna supposed to be dead? In fact, wasn’t she supposed to be dead?? What was going on? Elsa had too many questions, and no answers to any of them. By this point, Elsa was certain that the scenes flashing in her head were, in fact, memories and not dreams. So what did this mean?

After a few more rounds of pacing, or rather floating, around her castle, Elsa came to the conclusion that the only ones that would likely have answers were the trolls. Steeling her resolve, she made her way down the mountain and towards the Valley of the Living Rock. However, when she reached the valley, the trolls remained as rocks, and did not uncurl themselves as they had when she had last visited as a child. For a moment, she thought she was at the wrong place, until a rock near the center shook and uncurled to reveal Grand Pabbie. Elsa sighed in relief and floated towards him, but frowned in confusion when he turned his head from side to side, as if he was avoiding looking at her. She floated directly into his line of sight when she realised that he wasn’t looking at her, but through her. He couldn’t see her! Panic started to rise in her chest when the elderly troll frowned and reached out a stubby arm, muttering a soft “Queen Elsa?” Elsa nearly hugged the troll in relief, but when she reached out her own arm to take his, she went right through his body. Her mouth dropped open and she screamed in a mixture of terror and shock, but Grand Pabbie made no move to acknowledge that he had heard her, and only frowned deeper.

“I hope this isn’t my old age getting to me...but I sense the late Queen’s magic.”

Late? Elsa thought. So she had indeed died.

“If I am right, Queen Elsa, I believe you are here. I can feel your magic, but I can neither see, nor hear you. I’m not sure what is going on, and I’m afraid that if you are here for answers, I cannot give them to you. My Queen, I am sorry.”

Elsa didn’t know if she wanted to cry or scream in frustration. Instead, she bowed to Grand Pabbie. Even if he couldn’t see her, he had sensed her presence and answered at least one of her questions. 

As if he could feel her gratitude, Grand Pabbie smiled.

“My Queen, your sister is doing well, and she has redeemed your story. The kingdom is in good hands. You should visit her.”

Anna was alive! Although she knew Grand Pabbie wouldn’t hear her, she let out a ‘thank you’, before turning away and heading towards Arendelle. 

The first thing Elsa noticed when she floated through the gates was that Arendelle was still frozen. The second thing Elsa noticed was that while Arendelle was still frozen, it was beautiful . The sun was starting to set, and the light reflected off the snow capped house. As the sun went below the horizon, the street lamps turned on, casting the entire city in an almost ethereal glow. 

Initially, Elsa feared people would see her and wonder why their dead queen was back, but she realised if Grand Pabbie couldn’t see her, it was unlikely that people would. As she floated through the city, a sense of pride swelled up in her chest as she observed vendors closing up for the day, a satisfied smile on their faces. Elsa had thought that freezing over her country had set them up for doom, but it seemed as though everyone was doing well. Children waved goodbye to their friends, and families welcomed each other home with a warm smile. Her countrymen were happy. 

Heading towards the palace, Elsa passed by the plaza where the fountain she had frozen over before she escaped was. Instead of terrifying spikes, there was an ice sculpture...of Olaf? He was much bigger than her, and was on one leg, his arms outstretched and a happy smile on his face. But what confused Elsa was the tiny ice snowflakes placed to seem as if they were swirling around him, much like actual snowflakes had when she first created him. It was as if it was a tribute to her powers. Immediately, Elsa shook the thought out of her mind. There was no way they would pay tribute to someone that had frozen the country over. Maybe dying did things to a person’s brain. It was just a coincidence. 

Approaching the palace, Elsa paused at the gates. What was she doing here? Grand Pabbie had said Anna was doing well...but what if he had been wrong? She didn’t think Arendelle could handle another emotional snowstorm. This was a bad idea. Just as she had turned around to return to the mountains and think of what her next course of action would be, she heard her sister’s voice.

“Elsa! You’re back!”

Elsa whipped around. Could Anna...see her? As Elsa froze in disbelief, another, much younger, voice rang out.

“Mommy! I’m home!”

A small child, barely reaching her hip, ran through Elsa and towards Anna, jumping into her arms. Anna planted a small kiss on the child’s head, before she stood up, holding the child’s hand and walking back into the palace. From this angle, Elsa could see that the child looked almost exactly like Anna had when they were younger. She had the same turquoise-blue and radiated youthful innocence. Her hair was braided in the same twin braids Anna always wore when she was younger. However, the child had golden blonde hair instead of Anna’s strawberry blonde. 

This is Anna’s daughter, Elsa realised with a start. Why did she name her child after Elsa? And how much time had passed since she died? Judging by the age of the child, it had to be at least 10 years. Turning her gaze towards her sister, Elsa took in Anna’s appearance. Her sister had definitely aged, her face having lost most of its baby fat and taking on a more angular, mature look. Her eyes no longer held the same brightness it had when they were kids, but still shone with kindness and love. Her hair was twisted into the royal bun, the crown nestled comfortably behind the braid. Anna was Queen. 

I wonder who her husband is. Before Elsa could stop herself, she had followed her sister and niece into the palace.

Floating behind them, Elsa took in the interior. It had remained mostly the same, yet there was a noticeable change. Despite it being nightfall, the place was still bright, the windows thrown open. The buzz of servants going about their jobs floated in the air. The place felt alive. 

The duo turned into a room, and Elsa followed behind. Inside was a fireplace, and a huge man sat behind the desk. Upon their entrance, he stood up and knelt down, the child having let go of Anna’s hand and running towards him. He picked her up in a bear hug and spun her around with ease, the child giggling in glee. Anna joined them and kissed him on the cheek.

This must be the King consort.

Elsa vaguely recognised him as the man who had followed Anna up to her ice castle. Frankly, she was just glad it wasn’t that blasted Hans. She had never had a good feeling about him, and especially not when Anna had wanted to marry him within 5 minutes of their meeting. Not to mention, he was also the one that killed her. So there was that. 

“Mommy, can you tell me the story of Queen Elsa again?”

Elsa had planned to leave upon seeing Anna’s husband, but she had to stay around for this. Grand Pabbie had said that Anna had redeemed her story, and Elsa was curious to find out what he had meant. The family nestled comfortably in front of the fireplace (and was that a reindeer that had joined them?), Elsa seating herself opposite them. It wasn’t like they could see her anyway.

Anna cleared her throat in an overly dramatic manner, and Elsa couldn’t help but let out a snort. Her sister may have aged, but it seemed her dramatic flair for things hadn’t changed.

“When we were kids, your aunt and I were super close. Nothing could pull us apart. And my sister was special. She had powers of ice and snow. At night, when everyone was sleeping, we would sneak into an empty room and she would cover the entire place in snow, and we would spend the entire night playing in it.”

As Anna recounted their childhood adventures, Elsa couldn’t help the tears that escaped her eyes. She had thought that Anna had forgotten about them, especially the magical aspects.

“But one day, an accident happened. It wasn’t her fault, but our parents refused to let me see her again. You know, I love your grandparents, but I could never forgive them for taking away the person I loved the most away from me. More than anything, I couldn’t forgive them for making her so fearful of herself. Her powers were beautiful, but they made her think it made her dangerous.

“When they died, my sister locked herself in her room. I only figured out years later that she blamed herself for their death, but she couldn’t have been more wrong. Their deaths had nothing to do with her. After that, I never saw her except for occasional glimpses I would catch when she was out of her room.

“But you know, even though she was in her room most of the time, my sister was an amazing person. Even before she was officially coronated as Queen, she was already running the country after the death of our parents. Because of her, the country didn’t fall to ruin. And because she took up the responsibility, I could play around even though I couldn’t see her. She gave up her childhood for mine. 

“But on the day of her coronation, I...pushed her too far. I was upset she wouldn’t approve of the guy I wanted to marry back then, and I lashed out at her. She was right though, he was a terrible person, but I wouldn’t find out until much later. I shouted at her, and she released her powers. I had forgotten about them, and retracted in fear, but I should have reached out. She had been alone for so long, and had been so scared of herself, and I only made her fear herself more. She ran away to the mountains after that.”

Oh Anna..it wasn’t your fault.

“Actually, it was thanks to her that I met your father. I had set off to find her, and met him along the way. The journey was truly a magical experience. We met talking trolls, a supersized snowman called Marshmallow, and Olaf - the snowman I built with my sister when we were kids. Her powers were so amazing, and she was so powerful, that Olaf had come to life. It was like a dream. Unfortunately, he melted away when she passed, but I will always remember what he told me - some things are worth melting for. 

“I truly saw the beauty of her powers when I found her. My dear snowflake, I wish you could have seen the castle she had built from scratch with just her powers. I don’t know how to get there anymore, but it was ethereal. The way the sunlight reflected off the ice. And my sister - when she emerged from behind the wall inside. I had always known she was beautiful, but when I saw her, my breath was taken away. She was glowing.

“I tried to convince her to return, but I couldn’t and pushed her too far again. I’ll tell you the details when you grow older, but your father brought me back to the castle when I was on the verge of freezing. The trolls had told us that only true love would be able to save me, and back then, I had thought that my true love had been Prince Hans, but I was so wrong. He had left me to freeze to death. 

“From the palace window, I saw my sister on the frozen fjord, and Hans approaching her with a sword in his hand. Later on, I found out that he had captured her and she had escaped, but when he told her I had died because of her - which was a lie because I am still very much alive - she had broken down. I tried to warn her, but couldn’t make it in time.

“Your father eventually saved me, but I couldn’t save my sister. If I had just been a little faster...if I hadn’t pushed her so far...maybe she would still be here today.

“My little snowflake, I named you after my late sister because I know that you will grow up to be an amazing queen just like she was. But unlike her, I don’t want you to be scared of yourself. I want you to be proud of who you are. And while I couldn’t protect my sister, I will do everything to protect you. You are worth melting for.”

By this point, Elsa had tears running down her face. She never knew her sister had loved her so much, or blamed herself for her death. All Elsa wanted to do was to reach out and wrap Anna in a hug, but her body would just go straight through. Thankfully, Anna still had her family.

Anna’s shoulders were shaking with silent sobs, and her husband was rubbing soothing circles on her back, young Elsa wiping away her mother’s tears with her sleeves, her own eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

“I’m sorry...I don’t know why I’m so emotional today. I know I probably sound crazy, but I feel like my sister is here with us. She may have left the country in an eternal winter, but it has actually brought Arendelle so much good. So many tourists are willing to come here because winter here holds a beauty like no other, and our trade is doing so well. I just wish she was here to see how her country has prospered. I can only hope she has forgiven me, and is doing well in the other life.”

Oh Anna, I am right here. And there is nothing to forgive. It was never your fault.

So this was what Grand Pabbie had meant when he said Anna had redeemed her story. Her sister had made it such that the world would not see her as an evil witch that froze her country and left it for doom, but a revered queen that had brought prosperity. 

Deciding that she had heard enough, and not wanting to intrude on her sister’s family, Elsa stood up and made her way to the door. However, just before she left, she turned around and whispered a soft ‘I love you, sis’, and created a small snowflake to float towards the family. As Elsa floated past the door, she heard Anna gasp in surprise, and knew her message had been delivered. 

That wasn’t the last visit Elsa made to Arendelle. Ironically, her death made her less fearful of her powers, and she often made her way down the mountain to simply observe her people. On special occasions like Christmas or the Spring Festival, which just so happened to coincide with her sister’s birthday, Elsa would make sure the ice was extra firm so people could skate with ease of mind, and cast a soft snowfall to make the city extra pretty. 

Elsa also learnt that she wasn’t completely invisible - she could make small snowflakes that were visible to those she intended it for. She would go around as often as possible, watching out for people who felt alone and found it difficult to believe in themselves, and would cast a mini, personal snowshow for them. While they couldn’t see her, they could see her magic, and it was enough to bring them hope and make them feel less alone. As the years passed, Elsa once again became known as the Snow Queen, this time, as a spirit that would visit those who had lost hope and bring it back to them. 

A few years after her reawakening, Elsa had heard a voice calling out to her. For a moment, she thought she had lost her mind, but could the dead even go crazy? Deciding she had nothing to lose, Elsa followed the voice, which brought her to Atohallen. There, she discovered she was the fifth spirit, and made friends with the other four, especially with the wind spirit, who she named Gale. They had comforted her when Anna passed peacefully in her sleep, well past her prime. That day, Arendelle mourned the loss of another queen, and for the first time since Elsa’s coronation, another blizzard blew through the city.

Several decades after Anna’s death, Elsa finally accepted that, all things considered, she was likely immortal. Fifth spirit aside, she had already watched the coronation of young Elsa’s (who was not that young anymore, but time had lost any meaning to Elsa) grandchildren and her niece’s own passing, and would likely watch their grandchildren, and their grandchildren’s grandchildren, grow up and pass as well. Not to mention, Elsa had already died once. She had long stopped wondering why she was brought back, and resolved to spend her time as the Snow Queen, bringing hope back to those who needed it.

Yet, she couldn’t forget the boy beneath the ice, the memory as clear as ice that made up her castle. Elsa had reasoned that if there indeed had been a boy, he would likely already have died, if not from drowning, then from old age. Even then, she couldn’t shake the feeling of her soul being tethered to another’s. She had gone to Atohallen and remained there for days, hoping to find answers, but returned with nothing. Elsa had even left Arendelle for a few years to find the boy, or even a clue about him, but search as she might, she couldn’t find anything on him. 

It wouldn’t be until several centuries later, when Elsa felt a disturbance in her own powers. Immediately, she went down to the royal palace of Arendelle, which had changed much since her own time as queen. Letting her powers guide her, Elsa ended up in what used to be her childhood bedroom. There, nestled comfortably in the arms of the current queen, lay a baby girl. Her chubby hand clutched one of the Crown Prince’s fingers, a young boy who had golden hair much like her sister’s husband. However, the baby girl had platinum blonde hair and blue eyes, not unlike Elsa’s own. Elsa had been present for the birth of all the royal children, and this was the first one that resembled her. Elsa knew for sure when the baby girl let out a bright giggle and tiny snowflakes surrounded her. The baby had Elsa’s powers.

Instinctively, Elsa knew that her powers were being transferred. She floated over to the baby princess and cast a small snowflake, blessing her as she had all the other royal children. However, unlike the rest, the princess caught her eye and let out another giggle, her other hand reaching out to attempt to grasp at Elsa, more snowflakes falling around her. Elsa smiled and cast another snowflake. She could only hope that unlike her, this princess wouldn’t fear her powers. 

With her powers slowly slipping away from her, Elsa’s magic began to fade as well. Arendelle finally began to thaw. Later, this day would come to be known as The Great Thaw, the day where the second princess in several hundred years was born with powers of ice, bringing the country into another age of prosperity. However, for now, Elsa could feel that with her losing her powers, her time was finally coming to an end. She did not know what to feel, after all, she hadn’t expected this day to come at all. 

Returning to her ice castle, which was also beginning to melt, Elsa reflected on her life, both as a mortal, and as a spirit. She had long since come to terms with her regrets, and had fully accepted and even appreciated her powers. The only regret she had left was never finding the boy she saw trapped beneath the ice. She knew he was out there somewhere, she could feel it in her very being, but search as she might, she could find no trace of him.

Gale swirled around her, blowing her unbound hair into a mess. Elsa let out a laugh. 

“I’ll miss you too. Help me tell the rest I’ll miss them as well, won’t you?”

Just as she felt the last traces of her powers leaving her, she saw a figure land on the balcony of her melting castle. Immediately, she knew it was the boy she had been looking for all this time. Mustering all the strength that remained in her body, she rushed to the balcony, just as he threw open the doors and rushed in. Apart from the snow white hair and blue eyes, he looked exactly the same as she had remembered him in her dreams. Now that she saw him up close, she could finally see how handsome he really was. He wore a blue hoodie that had details of snowflakes around the shoulders and skinny brown trousers, showing off his slim but muscular figure. He was barefoot, and held a shepherd crook in one hand. 

Never before had Elsa wanted more time. Why did he have to appear just as she was about to fade away! Couldn’t he have come earlier, when she had had years left? Elsa could feel it, there were mere seconds left before she would completely fade away. Yet somehow she knew, just as she had when she first saw him through the frost, that this would once again not be the last time she would see him. They would find each other again someday.

Just before her body faded into millions of tiny snowflakes, she smiled brightly at him.

“Hello.”

Chapter Text

“Did you see that?”

Baby Tooth chirped at Jack and shook her head as if to say no.

“It’s me! I had a family, I had a sister. I saved her!”

Chirpchirpchirp

“And that girl! The one I saw through the ice! Who was she? I...I have to find her.”

Chirpchirp

“I know it’s been several centuries Baby Tooth. But she’s out there somewhere, I can feel it.”

Chirpchirpchirp

“What do you mean we can’t go now? Oh right, Pitch. But-”

Chirp!

“You’re right. The Guardians need me. She’s waited a few hundred years, she can wait for a while more. First, the Nightmare King. We have to get out of here.”

As it turned out, she could not wait a while more. 

Jack had felt it during the battle, the beginnings of their connection weakening, but it had been swept under all the adrenaline. Now that it was over and he had said his goodbyes to Jamie, he could tell for sure. Whoever she was, she was disappearing. He needed to find her, and fast .

“North, I gotta go.”

The massive Guardian looked up from his sleigh and nodded, understanding shining in his eyes.

“Go, Jack. You know how to find us.”

Jack took off, not quite sure where to go but hoping that their bond would guide him there. He had to find her. He had to. Even if it was just for a moment, he needed to see that girl.

Come on, ice lady. Where are you?

The Guardian grunted in exasperation. This was getting him nowhere. Jack felt the frustration bubbling in his chest. At this rate, he wouldn’t get to her in time. He looked up to the moon.

Help me out here. Please.

Just then, he felt the wind he was riding on blow harder and move faster. Jack looked down in confusion before he realised the wind was bringing him somewhere. It was trying to bring him to her! A new wave of determination settling in, he flew as fast as he could in the direction the wind was guiding him to. 

After what felt like an eternity, he finally saw the tips of a castle peaking over the tops of snowy mountains. The castle was like no other. It was made completely of ice, and shimmered in the sunlight. However, Jack could see small droplets of water rolling down the sides, reflecting even more light. The castle was melting. 

Jack felt the wind guiding him to a balcony and landed there. He saw a figure pause on the other side of the massive door, and at that moment, he knew it was the girl he had been looking for all this time. They both rushed towards the door separating them, and Jack threw them open. There stood the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. Her hair was no longer in the braid he remembered her in, but it was free and blowing in the wind. She wore a white dress that shimmered in the sunlight, and her sandals were so clear it was almost as if she were barefoot.

Just like me.

But Jack could see the snowflakes floating around her, and he knew he had not imagined their weakening connection. Her powers were fading, and so was she. They had no time left. In all the years since he had died and become a spirit, he had never wanted more time, not until now. Her eyes, as blue as he remembered, bore into his and shone with longing. Jack had no doubt that his reflected the same. 

Just before she faded into millions of tiny snowflakes, she smiled brightly at him. It was the brightest smile Jack had ever seen, and definitely not what one would expect from a person - if she was even human, she probably wasn’t but Jack didn’t know what she was nor did he care, just that she was the girl he had been looking for and she was very pretty and she was disappearing fast - who was about to fade away.

“Hello.”

Snowflakes swirled around him, but Jack barely processed it. He knew they would meet again someday, and if her first and only word to him was any indication, she knew it too. But he couldn’t help the feeling of regret that was surging through him. Ever since he had woken up 300 years ago, he had felt a strange sensation in his chest, but he had just brushed it off as one of the many things he didn’t understand. And when he finally regained his memories, when he finally realised that the strange feeling was actually his soul calling out to hers, her time had run out. He hadn’t even managed to get her name.

Just then, he felt the ice beneath his feet fade as well, and he just barely managed to call the wind in time before the rest of the castle dissolved into snowflakes as well. He may be a Guardian, but his experience with Pitch had shown that he could still feel pain, and he would really much rather not be sent hurling to the ground a second time. Jack floated higher, intending to make his way back to the North pole, but his eyes caught sight of a small town in the distance. Maybe he could learn more about her there.

Welcome to Arendelle!

Jack looked up at the massive stone sign at the gates leading into the city. Arendelle. He remembered coming here several decades ago when he had been wandering around the world. It was what he called the city of ice and snow. The entire place looked like it had been frozen over, but it had also been one of the most beautiful places he had ever been to. Now however, the city looked like it was thawing. Jack realised with a start that it was most likely her powers that had kept Arendelle frozen. It would explain why he had felt like there was something calling out to him when he had visited back then, but he didn’t remember seeing her. She had probably been away. Jack cursed internally. They could have met so many years ago. The two of them really had impeccable timing, just in the wrong way.

Floating through the city, he heard the citizens’ excited chatter.

“Did you hear? The newborn princess has platinum blonde hair and blue eyes! Just like the Snow Queen Elsa did! Do you think she has the same powers?”

Platinum blonde hair and blue eyes? Powers? It sounded just like the girl. Her name must be Elsa. 

“Arendelle thrived after it froze over hundreds of years ago. What will happen now that we’re finally thawing?”

“Since the new princess has powers, I’m sure we’ll enter another golden age! Didn’t you know? Those powers are seen as a sign of prosperity and good fortune!”

“The sculpture in Olaf’s Plaza is still frozen. I don’t think the Snow Queen Elsa’s magic is gone, they’ve just been transferred to the Princess.”

By this point, Jack was sure that the girl’s name was Elsa and that she had faded away because some baby got her powers. The thought of a child excited him, and he flew excitedly towards what he was sure was the royal palace. Since he was here, he might as well do his job.

Peering in through one of the massive windows, Jack spotted a small bundle with the same blonde hair he had seen on Elsa. As he approached the cradle, the baby caught sight of him and let out a giggle, her tiny hands reaching out to him. Snowflakes swirled around them.

“So, you’re the reason I didn’t get to spend more time with Elsa huh.”

But there was no maliciousness in his voice. Instead, a huge, cheesy grin had broken out on his face. The princess was adorable. He created a small cloud above her head and let tiny snowflakes fall on her. The princess let out another giggle as a snowflake landed on her nose, more snowflakes joining the ones he created. 

“Don’t forget me okay? I’ll be back to play when you’re a little older. We can have snowball fights!”

Blue eyes peered at him as if begging him not to go, but a yawn soon took over. Yet, those same eyes continued to stare at him blearily, struggling to stay awake.

Jack couldn’t help but let out a chuckle. He liked her already.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be back before you know it. Snowy dreams, princess.”

As if she understood him, the princess’ eyes slowly closed. Before long, she was sound asleep.

Deciding he might as well explore the palace, Jack wandered out into the corridors. Passing by what seemed like an exhibition room, he jumped when he caught sight of Elsa from the corner of his eye. However, when he turned, he realised it was just a statue.

You’ve got to be kidding me. She was royalty? He figured he should’ve known from how the townspeople had been referring to her as Snow Queen, but he had thought it was just a title. He didn’t realise she had actually been a queen.

Passing by the other statues, he stopped in front of Elsa’s. She wore the same outfit he had first seen her in, a hand outstretched with a snowflake sitting atop it. Her braided hair sat over her shoulder. She was still pretty, but Jack personally thought she looked better with her hair unbound and free. He bent down to read the plaque at her feet.

Snow Queen Elsa 

1817 - 1838

Daughter to King Agnarr and Queen Iduna, and older sister to Queen Anna, Queen Elsa is the first to have been born with powers of ice and snow. She took over the throne at a young age due to King Agnarr and Queen Iduna’s early passing. Prior to her official coronation, her powers were kept a secret from the general public. Queen Elsa froze Arendelle during her coronation and for a short while, her powers were thought to be a curse. However, after her passing at the hands of Prince Hans of the Southernisle in the same year, her powers were seen as a blessing as Arendelle entered a golden age. Queen Elsa is thought to have been reincarnated as a spirit. Many have claimed that she has come to visit them when they have lost hope, and brought hope back to them. Arendelle’s beautiful snowfall is said to have been her doing. She has since been known as Snow Queen Elsa.

Jack stared in shock. 1838? A spirit? She had been around for about as long as he had! How had they not found each other for so long? Jack let out a sigh. There was no point in thinking about it now. She was gone, and who knew how long it would be until they found each other again? Hopefully when that time came around, it would be for more than a few seconds. Figuring that it was time he left, Jack headed for the window. He would be returning to Arendelle anyway. 

Jack sighed yet again as he stared into snowy nothingness. He had made his way back to the North’s Workshop and reported to the rest of the Guardians, before excusing himself to think. But as he sat on one of the snowy cliffs, he wondered if maybe he should’ve stayed inside. Currently, he was not having fun with where his mind was bringing him.

“Penny for your thoughts, my boy?”

“I’d have a fortune then, North. Or maybe be in debt, seeing how I might prefer to pay someone to get rid of them.”

“Did you find her?”

Jack whipped around to face North. 

“How did you know?”

North only smiled and made his way to sit beside Jack.

“I only figured it out when you left. She was the Snow Queen, Elsa, am I right?”

Jack nodded. 

“Did you know her?”

“You could say that. Elsa had, after all, been around for quite some time as well. I saw her once a year, when I would visit Arendelle for Christmas. We never really talked for long. She came by several decades ago, looking for someone. I didn’t realise it was you.”

“Yeah, well. Turns out I was in Arendelle at that time she was away.”

“But you eventually found her, did you not? So what’s gotten you in such a tizzy.”

Jack let out yet another sigh. If he wasn’t immortal, he would probably have already sighed his entire life force away.

“She faded into snowflakes seconds after I found her. Turns out her powers had been transferred to another princess. I...I know I’ll see her again but… but what if I’m wrong? The first time we saw each other, we had both been human, albeit on the brink of death. The second, we were both spirits. And even then, we barely saw each other for a full minute. We had years to find each other North, over 300, seeing that she had become a spirit around the same time as me, yet we only found each other when she was about to disappear. What if I never find her again? Or what if I find her and she doesn’t remember me? What if she’s reborn as a human, and she doesn’t believe in me, and can’t see me? I...I don’t think I would be able to handle that.”

Jack flopped back onto the snow. While it had felt good to let that out, Jack doubted there was anything that could be done to absolve his worries.

“When Elsa came by all those years ago, she had talked about how she felt like her soul had been tethered to another’s. Did you feel the same?”

Jake grunted in agreement. 

Contrary to what he had expected, North let out a hearty chuckle. Jack sat up and stared at him like he had just declared Christmas to be the worst holiday ever. 

“My boy, you have nothing to worry about! The two of you are soulmates!”

“...what?”

“The two of you are connected by some magical power even I can’t explain. You met for the first time as humans on the verge of dying, and then again as spirits. You’ve found each other in 2 lifetimes, what makes you think you won’t find each other in the next? You said it yourself Jack, you know you’ll see her again. There’s no need to doubt yourself.”

“North. I’m immortal. We all are. There is no next lifetime for us.”

He had expected North to say something, but the big man had been silent.

“...North?”

“What do you think immortality means, Jack?”

To say Jack had been taken aback by that question would be an understatement. He hadn’t expected it at all.

“Not dying? I don’t know. I guess I never really thought about it.”

“You’re not wrong, but not right either. Immortality means not dying, but it doesn’t quite mean living forever either. The two aren’t mutually exclusive.”

Jack only stared at North like he had grown another head.

“Take Elsa for example. She was immortal, was she not? She’s been around for centuries, just like you and me. Yet, when her time came, she still had to go. She didn’t die, but she didn’t live forever either, did she?”

“What are you trying to say?”

“As Guardians, or as spirits, we’re going to be around for a long, long time. However, that doesn’t mean we’ll be around forever. Just like mortals, our time is also capable of running out. But unlike them, we do not have a finite, or predicted lifespan. We could be around for another 100 years, or another 1000 years. Maybe we’ll really be around forever. Who knows? Probably not even Man in Moon. It’s unpredictable, really. But that is why it’s even more important for us to live everyday to the fullest. To see everything with wonder, with hope, with fun .”

“But…if we’re going to be gone one day, then who’s going to protect the children?”

North let out another hearty chuckle.

“Do you remember what you told little Jamie? You don’t stop believing in the moon just because the sun comes out. The Guardians will always be around. Maybe it won’t be you or me, but there will always be someone to protect the children. We just have to trust Manny.

“You’ll see her again one day. Maybe it’ll be as a spirit, or maybe it’ll be when you’re both reborn. The connection the two of you have is stronger than anything you can ever imagine. Have faith, Jack. When the time comes, you’ll know.”

The Guardian of Wonder ruffled Jack’s hair, making it even messier than it already was. Jack swatted his hand away, glaring playfully, a smile forming at his lips.

“Thanks, North.”

“Hey North?”

“Yes, Jack?”

“I think it’s time.”

The massive Guardian smiled woefully, pulling the winter spirit into a big hug.

“We’ll miss you Jack. Remember to believe in us.”

Jack burrowed his head into North’s chest, trying to hide his tears. The man had grown into a father figure for him.

“I will. I’ll even try my best to stay on the nice list”

North let out a belly laugh, the last Jack would hear for a while.

“Don’t worry, my boy. I’ll come see you even if you’re naughty.”

“Goodbye, North.”

North released Jack from the hug. Jack smiled up at North, tears brimming in both of their eyes, before he faded into millions of tiny snowflakes.

“Goodbye, Jack. I know you’ll find her again.”

Chapter Text

‘Oof!’

9 year old Jack looked up to see a girl faceplant into the snow in front of him. Before he could go over to help her up, a strawberry blond boy bumbled over, holding two cups of steaming hot chocolate.

“Elsa! Spirits, are you alright? That looked like a nasty fall.”

The girl, Elsa , clambered to her feet and immediately hid behind the boy. He chuckled and turned to Jack.

“Hi! I’m Allen! This is my little sister, Elsa. Sorry, she’s a little shy. Come on, Els, say hi!”

Jack tilted his head curiously, trying to peer around Allen to get a closer look at Elsa. He didn’t look that scary, did he? Sure, his snow white hair threw people off initially, but he still had lots of friends in school, and his teachers had always said he was a cheerful, albeit mischievous, little boy.

When she peered back however, Jack was greeted with the most beautiful blue eyes. Blue eyes and platinum blonde hair, that were oddly familiar. Yet, Jack was sure he had never seen her before. He would’ve remembered for sure. His snowman temporarily forgotten, Jack plucked up all the courage he had and walked up to her.

“Hi, I’m Jack!”

Allen nudged Elsa encouragingly.

“H-Hello, Jack. I’m Elsa.”

A few seconds of awkward silence passed. 

“W-would you like to build a snowman, Jack?”

Allen’s mouth dropped open in shock. He hadn’t actually expected Elsa to ask Jack if he had wanted to play, just for her to return his greeting. He was further convinced he would never be able to close it back again after he saw Jack nod enthusiastically and grab Elsa’s hand and drag her towards a half-completed snowman, and Elsa follow with no resistance. His baby sister had never, never , initiated anything with anyone , and she was especially adverse to anyone she didn’t know touching her. It had taken even their own relatives a few years before she willingly allowed them to hold her without bawling into tears. And now, not only had she asked this boy whom they had barely met for 5 minutes to play, she had even let him hold her hand! And didn’t fight back! 

Allen narrowed his eyes suspiciously, protective older brother urges surfacing. This wasn’t what they would call love at first sight, was it? This boy wasn’t trying to trick his baby sister, was he? Immediately, Allen banished this thought. They were only 9 year old kids, for spirits sake! Just because he had had his own nasty experience with love - blasted Hannah, he still couldn’t believe she would betray him like that - didn’t mean he had to be suspicious of everyone. He would still keep an eye on Jack though. Spirits be damned if he let Elsa go through the same heartbreak he did. 

But as Allen looked over to see the 2 children laughing gleefully in the snow, an expression of unbridled joy on Elsa’s face as she watched Jack attempt to stick a carrot, where had that come from? , into the snowman’s face in place of a nose, he thought just maybe, they would be fine. They were just kids, but from where he was watching, it looked as though 2 souls who had been longing for each other had finally found each other. 

Though when Jack glomped Elsa in a hug after successfully building a snowman taller than the both of them, Allen decided it was time to interrupt. He was, after all, still Elsa’s big brother. They could keep the touchy-feely things for when they were older.

“Hey Elsa, Jack! Have some hot chocolate before it becomes completely cold!”

“But Mama! I don’t want to leave!”

“I’m sorry, dear. But your father has found a new job, and we have to go with him. You wouldn’t want Papa to be alone, would you?”

“No...but what about my friends? What about Jack?”

“You can still keep in touch with them. We won’t be leaving for another week, why don’t you go and play with Jack? I’ll even extend your curfew by an hour this week.”

“Okay Mama…”

Irene watched her 14 year old daughter leave the house and let out a sigh. It broke her heart to have to see Elsa so sad, but what choice did she have? Her husband’s job had always demanded he leave home for extended periods of time, and he had finally found one that would allow him to stay in one place so that he could spend time with his family. Unfortunately, it wasn’t in their hometown. And that meant that she would have to separate Elsa from Jack. In the 5 years since the two children had met, Irene had never seen Elsa happier. They were just children, but it was as if Elsa had finally found the person she had been looking for for a long, long time.

“Don’t worry Mom, she’ll be fine. It’s the 21st century, they’ll find a way to keep in contact.”

Irene turned to see her eldest son emerge from his room.

“I know...but it still breaks my heart. It always looked like they were meant for each other, you know?”

Allen smiled, remembering the first time his sister and Jack had met.

“I know what you mean. I’m sure they’ll meet each other again. Besides, it’s not like we’re never coming back here right?”

“You’re right. I’m probably just worrying for no reason. Thank you, Al. You’re the best son I could ever ask for. What would I ever do without you?” Irene said, pulling Allen into a tight embrace.

“And you’re the best Mom.”

“Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep!”

The bright headlights of the incoming vehicle blinded Elsa, filling her vision with white. She felt the car fly, her seatbelt the only thing keeping her to her seat. The car skidded to a halt, but all Elsa could feel was sharp pain lacing through her body before everything turned black, her consciousness fading.

Man high on drugs and alcohol arrested after an accident that involved a family of 4. 

Jack stilled when he saw the familiar silver car in the picture included below the headline. The number plate had been blurred, and most of the car had been crushed inward as a result of the crash. It couldn’t be them, could it? Lots of families had silver cars.

A driver who had consumed more than 5 cups of vodka had decided to drive home despite repeated warnings from friends not to do so.

While inebriated, Pitchiner Black, 32, had driven at a high speed into the opposite lane and crashed head first into the Arendelle’s car. 

The family had been on the way home after having dinner.

All 5 were brought to the hospital, where Mr Alexander Arendelle, 54, and Mrs Irene Arendelle, 53, were proclaimed dead. Their oldest son, Allen Arendelle, 27, was heavily injured but is not in critical condition. Their daughter, Elsa Arendelle, 20, remains in critical condition, but doctors are not optimistic about her recovery.  

Black was also heavily injured, but is not in critical condition. For reckless driving involving death and serious injury, he could face…

Jack couldn’t even finish reading the article. No, no, it couldn’t be. He had just been texting Elsa that very morning, and had thought her silence in the evening was because something had come up. He hadn’t expected her to be involved in an accident! The sensation of loss yet again was overwhelming. Jack didn’t even hear his mother and sister burst into the room as grief overcame him and he let out a feral roar, his vision blurred by tears. 

Her dreams were filled with magic and ice and castles, with sisters and snowmen and spirits. And...a barefoot, white-haired man holding a shepherd's crook?

“Elsa…”  

Elsa jolted, and realised she was standing on what seemed to be a frozen fjord. She didn’t know how she got there. In the distance, a palace made of ice, the exact same one she had seen in her dreams, sparkled in the sun. She swiveled around, looking for the source of the voice. Why did it sound so familiar? Elsa was startled when a strawberry blonde girl who looked to be around her age appeared out of nowhere. She looked everything, yet nothing, like Allen. The girl wore a green dress that was obviously from another time. When she looked down, Elsa realised that she herself was in an ice blue dress, a dress she was sure she had never seen before, but felt so at home in. 

When Elsa looked up, she realised the girl, Anna, her mind provided, had crossed the distance and pulled her into a tight hug. Elsa melted into the embrace, her arms automatically coming up to return the hug.

Anna released her from the hug, and Elsa reluctantly let go. It had felt so warm. The strawberry blonde clasped Elsa’s hands tightly, and looked straight into her eyes when she spoke again. 

“Dear sister, I’m so happy to see you again! I’ve missed you so much. But you cannot stay here, you have to return.”

Return? Return where? But she was so comfortable, and Anna was here…

Suddenly a blizzard blew through, pulling her away from Anna, who somehow seemed unaffected by the sudden snow storm. Elsa reached out desperately to Anna, but the latter only looked at her with sadness and affection shining in her eyes.

“You have to go back to him, Elsa. Both of you deserve to be happy.”

Him? Who was he? Yet, even as her mind only provided her with more questions and no answers, she could feel the longing in the very depths of her soul. 

“I love you, sis. Always have, always will.”

As the blizzard completely obscured her vision with white, Elsa whispered, “love you too, sis.”

When the wall of white cleared, Elsa realised she was standing on the edge of a snowy cliff, the aurora borealis shining above her. The cliff overlooked a huge mansion with a rounded, snow capped roof, as well as several smaller houses. Orange lights shone through the windows, casting a warm glow to the otherwise cold place. Her outfit had changed as well, and she was now wearing a deep, dark blue dress with a white fur trim around her shoulders.

“Snow Queen Elsa.”

Elsa whipped around. She was no queen, much less the Snow Queen! She was just plain Elsa. But what she saw stopped the words coming out from her mouth. Was that Santa Claus?!

“It’s been a long time, dear friend. But it is not yet time for you to return as a spirit.”

What was he talking about? There was no way she was friends with Santa! Yet some part of her knew that a long time ago, they had known each other. 

“He’s waiting for you, my child. The two of you have been searching for each other for such a long time. Do not let this opportunity go.”

Was he talking about the same person Anna had been? 

At that moment, Elsa felt the wind pick up around her and the ground below her started to split. Right before she fell through the cracks, she felt herself smile at the big man.

“It’s good to see you again, North.”

Elsa recognised the place she had landed in as the interior of the ice palace she had seen in her dreams. The entire place sparkled in the sunlight, and in front of her were huge double doors that she somehow knew led to the balcony. She could almost recall the sensation of throwing them open, and letting everything got. Her outfit had changed once again, this time to one of white. When the wind blew her unbound hair into a mess, she was hit with a sense of deja vu. 

Just then, a figure landed on the balcony and rushed towards the doors, throwing them open. It was the white-haired man with the shepherd's crook, the same one that had appeared in her dreams. Now that she could see him up close, he looked exactly like someone she knew and loved dearly.

“Jack?”

Jack reached out towards her, and she immediately rushed into his arms. 

“Come back to me, Elsa.”

“Come back where, Jack? Where are we? Why is everyone telling me to return?”

A flurry of snowflakes had started to swirl around them, but Elsa barely noticed.

“We finally found each other, you have to come back.”

“Jack, what are you talking about? I’m right here.”

The flurry had started to gain speed, and Elsa could feel her body fading into them, pulling her away from Jack. No, this couldn’t be happening! She didn’t want to leave Jack.

“You have to wake up Elsa. Please. Don’t leave me again.” 

At this point, most of her body had faded into snowflakes, and she could feel herself being wretched away.

“Come back to me, Elsa.”

“Jack? Jack!” 

“...ack!”

Elsa woke up with a gasp, her eyes flying open. She was momentarily blinded by the white walls and the bright lights in the hospital room. 

She felt a pressure on her hand, and turned her head to look. What she saw made her heart swell. Beside her on a chair was Jack, his head on her bed as he slept in what had to be the most uncomfortable position ever. Her hand was clenched tightly in his much larger one, and it seemed as though he had no inclination to let go. Elsa brought her other hand to run her fingers through his fluffy white hair.

The action must have woken him up, for Jack stirred. He momentarily let go of her hand to rub his eyes, and immediately, Elsa missed the sensation of her hand in his. When he pulled his hands away from his eyes and saw Elsa conscious, his eyes widened almost comically in shock and surprise.

“Elsa? You...you’re awake?”

It was then that Elsa noticed the red rim around his eyes, and the dark, almost bruise-like bags below it. He must not have been sleeping well. Just how long had she been unconscious?

“Hello, Jack.”

Immediately, Jack glomped Elsa in a hug, the latter letting out a small oof in surprise. He held her tightly, as if she would disappear if he let go.

“The doctors said you might never wake up, and it had been weeks, and I thought you would really never wake up and I would be all alone, and I didn’t know what to do, and..and..”

His babbles had dissolved into full on sobs as he hugged her to him even tighter. 

“I thought you had left me.” 

Jack’s voice was so small that Elsa couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. She brought her arms up around him and held onto him as tightly as she could.

Don’t leave me again. Dream Jack’s voice echoed in her head.

“I won’t ever leave you, Jack. Even if I do, we will always find our way back to each other. I promise. I believe in us.”

Jack let go of Elsa so he could lean back and look at her, but never letting her out of his embrace.

“I love you, Elsa.” Tears were still streaming down his face as he said it, but Elsa could see the affection shining strongly in his eyes.

“I love you too, Jack.”

When Jack brought Elsa close to give her a sweet kiss, Elsa could feel that at last, their souls had finally found what they had been searching for. The two of them had managed to find their way back to each other through the frost, and they were never, never, letting each other go ever again. 

.

.

.

Fin.