Paper Cuts- Jelsa AU

Chapter 16- A Miracle Awaits: Part 2

Elsie-
As the conversation went on with Jack and Cordelia, I was beginning to wonder what Cordelia meant by saying, "And a miracle you shall get." What miracle? Would it help with Anna? Will it be about Hans? I had so many questions in my head but only one person could answer that. And she was right in this very room. My thoughts were brought back to reality as Jack stood up and excused himself to go to the bathroom. He quietly closed the door behind him and I turned to Cordelia who was silently checking her phone. I quietly got up and walked over to my window. The rain had stopped but the clouds were still a very dark gray.

"He's a very respectful man." Cordelia said from her seat. I continued watching the scene outside. A girl with her mother walking hurriedly to their destination, a man walking his dog and a business man returning home from a long day at work. Just a normal day for the people here in London.

"Yes he is. I like him." I said as I turned away from the window and sat down on the window seat. "I'm glad he's here." Cordelia smiled and then she pulled an envelope from her purse. She hesitated for a little bit and then handed me the envelope. I grabbed it from her hand and noticed the family crest stamp on the back.

"What's this?" I asked as I carefully read the addressee. I froze. The address was from my home in Tromsø. The writer was Anna. I looked up at Cordelia and felt tears form in my eyes. "How did you get this?"

"When you called me I was in Tromsø. I heard your sister crying and I went to see what the problem was. Your sister misses you very much Elsa. I noticed the letter on her desk and that it had your name on it, so I took it and came here." She said as she got up and made her way to the door. She paused at the door and turned to look at me, her hand on the doorknob. "This is the miracle Elsa dear. Read it and you'll see."

With that she opened the door and left. I stayed where I was, looking down at the envelope in my hand. Surely Anna wrote how much she missed me and how she wished I'd come home, but why was I afraid to open it? Slowly and carefully, I opened the envelope and pulled out a pink piece of paper with small cursive handwriting. I held the folded pieces of paper in my hand and contemplated what to do.

I heard the door open and close softly as I was holding the papers. A pair of feet came into view and I slowly looked up. Jack looked like he had seen a seen ghost. His normally pale complexion looked even paler and his eyes didn't have their normal glow. I put the papers down on the seat and stood up.

"Jack, is everything okay?" I asked as he looked at me with slight sadness in his eyes. He shook his head and stepped back slightly from me. I went closer and guided him to sit on the chair that was behind him. He sat down and stared out the window. He moved so that his elbows were resting on his thighs and sighed heavily.

"I talked to Cordelia outside as she was leaving." He said continuing to look out the window. I waited for him to continue, unsure of what to say. He ran his hand through his hair and looked at me. "Turns out my mother has been hiding things from me."

"What do you mean?" I asked. Mrs. Frost seemed cold but she didn't seem like the kind of person to hide things from people. If anything, she seemed like the kind of person you didn't want to mess with. I looked out the window and wondered about what Mrs. Frost could be hiding from Jack that is making him act like this. What could she know that he doesn't?

"I guess it's time to tell you more about me. The one thing I never told you." He said as he looked at the ground, pausing to rub his hands against his jeans. I placed my hand on his shoulder, as a sign to let him know I was here no matter what. He sighed and I could feel him shaking slightly.

"Well as you know, I'm the "Hooded Hero". But that's not all there is to it. How I got the power is the mystery. It all started when I was born. My mother told me that a good but very powerful sorcerer wanted to take me as his son. My mother refused and so he put a spell on me." He paused and I waited.

"The spell was to protect the helpless and the weak. The only way I could break the spell was to show the one I loved, my true love, who I really am. I thought it was you but that day in the ally proved me wrong. When I talked to Cordelia outside, she told me that yes, my true love is you, but that someone else could break the spell. Someone who plays a very important role in my life.

"I thought it was my mother or Kat but Cordelia told me that the person who could break the spell is my father." He said and I grabbed his hand and began to think how he could solve this. What did I know about his father? Only that he left Mrs. Frost when Jack and Kat were little. What did he have to do with this?

"What does your father have to do with this?" I asked him. He sighed and rubbed his face. He stood up, my hand still in his and walked to the window. There we stood and watched as the rain began again, his arms wrapped around my waist from behind me and his chin resting lightly on my head.

"I don't know what my father has to do with this really. I asked Cordelia that same question but she said to ask my mother." I felt him get tense. After the short time I spent with Jack, I could tell he didn't get along very well with his mother. I mean who wouldn't with someone as cold as her. I wish I could read her mind and see if she truly cared about her children or if they were just a burden she didn't want.

"I'm sorry Jack." I said as I turned around in his arms. I placed my forehead on his chest and felt him pull me closer to him. "I wish I could do something to help."

"You're doing just what I want you to do Elsie. You're here, in my arms, with me. That's all I could ever ask for from you." I looked up into his eyes and smiled. He smiled back and we leaned in, our lips touching ever so slightly. We leaned back and he smiled again, but the smile didn't completely reach his eyes.

"C'mon Snowflake, let's go get ready for tomorrow." He said as he grabbed my hand and led me to the bed. I turned back to see the seat where Anna's letter was lying. I had to read it but I was still afraid to. What could she have possibly written that had her in a depressed mood?

I'll just have to wait and see......