Love Thaws: Melting

Cold

The vivid blue of the sky seemed to bleed through the translucent curtains. Elsa blinked several times, clearing the sleep from her eyes. She sat up, making the bed's wooden frame squeak quietly. Jack was back on his side, keeping a respectable distance once more. Elsa felt a strange feeling of bitter disappointment swell within her. 

She did her best to suppress the feeling and flung the covers aside, swinging her legs off the end of the bed. She padded down the hallway, her bare feet lightly slapping the floor. She rummaged through the fridge and took out the platter of pumpkin pie, topped with a tart cranberry dressing. She sliced a piece of herself and sat down. Using the edge of her fork, she cut the pie and popped the pieced into her mouth. It was cold, and creamy, and sweet, still good after being refrigerated for ten hours. 

Anna appeared into the kitchen and spotted Elsa's pie. "Yum, pie! Looks good." 

She raided the refrigerator and piled her plates with cream puffs and pumpkin pie. Anna plopped down on the seat beside Elsa and slid an enormous piece of pie into her mouth. 

She chewed thoughtfully for a moment. "It needs something..." 

Anna returned to the fridge, retrieving a tall bottle of whipped cream. Tipping the can upside down, she practically drowned her pie in the frothy cream. 

"Better." She sat down and shoveled the rest of the pie into her mouth.

Elsa's lips were slightly curled in amusement. "What about your diet?"

"What diet?" she managed in between mouthfuls.

"The one you were so adamant about."

"Oh. That diet. Well, if anytime, Thanksgiving is the time to splurge."

"Yesterday was Thanksgiving."

Anna huffed. "You just had to mention that. I'm just... extending the period where I give thanks. I'm making Thanksgiving longer."

"So you can have pie?"

"So I can have pie," Anna confirmed.

Elsa shook her head, a slight smile still on her lips, and tossed her paper plate into the trash and her fork into the sink. She nearly bumped into Jack as she was exiting the kitchen. She flushed with embarrassment.

"Oh, Elsa. I was just going to talk to you."

She looked up at him. His eyes didn't hold their usual, playful twinkle they held when Elsa blushed so brightly. She smoothed her features, trying not to wince, trying not to think about how she loved that playful twinkle in his eyes. Instead, they looked serious, determined. Even fearful. The last made her shudder. When was Jack ever afraid? 

He nodded towards their room, indicating he wanted to talk in private. Normally, he would've held her hand and led her to the room. Elsa cast Anna another glance before walking in sullen silence to their room. Jack shut the door behind them, firmly, but quietly. The sound had a sense of finality to it. Elsa seated herself on the bed, feeling apprehensive. She bit her lower lip nervously.

Jack remained standing. "We need to leave tonight."

Elsa's eyes widened. "No!"

Jack crossed his arms.

Elsa stood. "I just met Anna again, Jack! You can't expect me to just leave her!" Her frustration grew.

"Elsa, we have to go."

"Why, Jack?"

He ran his fingers through his hair, briefly looking just as frustrated as she felt. "I don't know, we just do."

Elsa huffed. "Don't I at least get some sort of an explanation?"

Jack glanced at her, looking slightly subdued, as if he shared her sorrow. "That's the best I have to offer, Elsa. I'm sorry. I trust my instincts, and my instincts are telling me to leave. This location isn't safe."

"You're just paranoid!"

He shook his head. "We have to go. Just trust me."

"Trust you?! I trusted you when I lost control of my powers. I trusted you when you told me to run and you said you'd handle it. Then I spent the next three years in a lab," Elsa retorted. "Because I trusted you." Elsa was shaking now.

Jack held himself very still. He didn't flinch, but she saw the hurt in his eyes. Suddenly, his demeanor changed. He clenched his jaw, fisted his hands. His eyes sparked with anger. 

"We are leaving tonight," he ground out. 

His voice was low and steady. Elsa almost wished he had raised his voice instead. Jack stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him so that it rattled on its hinges.

Elsa flinched as the noise echoed loudly. She felt a sense of guilt settle over her like a worn and much-too-familiar blanket. She sat back on the bed, suddenly weary, and hugged her knees tightly. 

She knew it wasn't Jack's fault. She'd lost control and built a ridiculously huge palace on the mountain, flaunting her powers. It was her fault she'd been captured. And no one else should have to bear that guilt. She rubbed her upper arms, feeling she'd ruined her relationship with Jack permanently. Elsa rested her forehead on her knees. How could she be so foolish? How could she be so cold to one of the only people who had shown her kindness?