Once Upon a December

Chapter 11

Hey, guys! Spring break has officially begun for me, so you know what that means...More chapters! Yay! It seems like everyone was happy that I finally brought in Jack and North in (especially Jack) and I'm happy as well to have introduced him into the story. Well, hope you enjoy this chapter and happy reading!

 
Elsa rode up to the front of the theatre and placed her bike against the wall. She rushed up the steps, hoping and praying that this "Jack" was still here.

..~..

The theatre was now empty as Jack and North gathered up their things to leave.

"It's no use, Jack," North sighed sadly, "we'll never find the right girl."

"We will," Jack said, patting his friend on the back, trying his best to cheer him up. "We have to. Come on, North, she's out there. Somewhere."

"I hope you're right," North said, folding his clothes that he had worn that fateful night ten years ago. Jack never questioned him, but he could assume why he always carried it around with him. "I'm not a man who usually complains, but I'd like to go back to who I was."

"Don't worry, North," Jack smiled gently, "you'll be back to who you were. I promise."

North looked at the younger man and smiled. "Thank you, my boy."

And with another failure of a day and a thousand worries on their mind, they walked out the door.

"You know," Jack said, breaking the silence that had fallen over them, "I think it's kind of funny how we're going through all of this trouble to find the right girl."

North chuckled. "She could be right under our noses for all we know."

Just as North said that, Jack was met with a hard impact as Elsa ran up the stairs and collided with him, her forehead banging him under his nose. Jack grabbed his upper lip in pain.

"What the f-" Jack started.

"Manners, Jack," North warned.

"Sorry, that just-ouch," Jack grimaced. "That really hurt."

Elsa's eyes widened. "Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry! I-I didn't mean to!"

Jack chuckled. "That's quite a hard head you've got there, boy."

"E-Excuse me?" Elsa said. In her old hand-me-down boy's clothes and her hat pulled low, she could have easily been mistaken for a male.

She sighed. "I'm looking for Jack," she said, changing the subject. "I need traveling papers to Corona. I heard he could help me."

North and Jack exchanged a look, wary. Jack looked around and motioned to North to handle it while he started to walk ahead nonchalantly.

"And who did you hear it from, child?" North asked Elsa.

"I heard it from everyone who said I didn't hear it from them," Elsa said, remembering the day's interesting and irritating people. She suddenly scowled. "Yep, from everyone..."

North laughed heartily. "I take it you met a lot of people here who know Jack?"

"Yes," Elsa smiled up at the man. She didn't know why, but he looked familiar... "Do you know him?"

Jack kept walking ahead, followed by North. Elsa sighed a bit impatiently. She was not going to give up, not when she was so close to finding Jack. She kept pace with North even though she kept getting bumped and pulled by off track by people walking in the opposite direction.

"Providing travel papers is illegal!" North said, his voice booming. Then, quietly, he whispered to her. "I know Jack well. Perhaps I could help you. That is, provided that you have enough money to pay for this service."

"B-but...," Elsa stammered a bit sheepishly. "Well, I don't have any money..."

"Good day then to you, boy!" North said loudly again, patting her on the head and walking away.

"I have a bike!" Elsa said, her heart rate picking up speed as she realized that her one chance was getting away from her. "Perhaps I could sell it and..." she stopped, watching dejectedly as North kept walking, catching up to the other man.

Breaking away from the crowd, Elsa ran back to the front of the building where she left her bike. Yes, she could prove to the man that she could pay her due. She stopped suddenly and gasped in horror. Her bike was gone. The only thing there was the dog, Olaf.

"What are you doing here?" Elsa asked. She waved her hand. "Never mind. You can't answer me because you're a dog for crying out loud. Oh, where could have my bike have gone?"

Right then, a policeman strolled by.

"Officer!" Elsa said. "Thank goodness you're here! My bike has been stolen!"

The officer gave her a cheery smile. "Nonsense, miss! There is absolutely no crime in the beautiful kingdom of Arendelle!"

And he continued on his way. Elsa looked after him, flabbergasted. She was about to run after him but stopped. She sighed, realizing that there was no hope in pursuing the policeman. Unless she gave him a good shaking of the shoulders, she wouldn't be able to change his mind. She decided to head off to find the old man she talked to. Looking as far as she could, she saw no trace of him.

"Great," she said, "he vanished just like that. Just like my bike.

"I guess I have no choice but to find him," Elsa said, rubbing her forehead. "I was so close..."

She started down the stairs, with Olaf immediately following her.

"Sorry, boy," Elsa smiled gently at Olaf, "I have to go."

Olaf barked happily and started after her.

"No," Elsa said. "You can't come with me. I'm leaving."

Olaf barked joyfully and began following her again.

Elsa sighed. "Listen, little guy, I have no money, no food, and no bicycle. I'm the last person you should be following!

"This is what I get for naming a dog," she muttered to herself, heading off in the direction of North and Jack. Olaf, of course, follows her.

Not too long of a walking distance, Elsa spotted North and Jack turning the corner in the distance. Elsa ran, trying to catch up with them. She turned the corner, smiling triumphantly that she found them. Then, her breath caught in her throat as she stopped and gasped at what lay before her.

The royal palace of the Arendelle family.