Frost at Birth (RotG)

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

*Brandon's POV*

A week passed since Abby went to the infirmary, and she's been acting weird, not to mention the stomachaches that seem to rack her body the greater part of every day.

"Abby, you're about to cry. Why don't you let me take you back to the infirmary?"

"It wouldn't help." She gasped through her clenched teeth.

"Why not? Since we went last, you seem to be terrified whenever this happens."

Her eyes filled and she mumbled out in a hushed whisper, "Get Dad and come to my room." One of her yeti friends came over and gently picked her up like I'd done a few days ago.

She smiled, kissed his cheek, and waved lightly at me as he walked off. She was so spoiled.

I did as she asked and walked outside, ready to get Jack. Of course it had to be now that my humanity kicked in. Running inside, I didn't stop to ask but jumped into the sleigh and shook the reins. The stomping reindeer kicked into motion and I couldn't help but smile. This was awesome.

"Jack!" I shouted, pulling the sleigh to a stop outside his house. "Jack!" He ran out.

"What is it?"

"Abigail asked to see you."

"Why didn't you bring her?" He was worried and confused, his tone portrayed that.

"She's sick."

I flicked the reins again as he climbed in and they shot off. "What do you mean sick?"

"I mean she can hardly eat without throwing up and her stomach hurts her once a day, if not more, for an hour at a time. Each time it happens she looked scared--more than that, terrified."

"Doesn't North have a hospital of some kind?"

"I took her there a week ago and she refuses to go again."

"What happened?"

"I don't know. She forced me to leave. North was in there the whole time though."

He grumbled under his breath and I rolled my eyes. I knew he was talking about how he couldn't trust me to do anything, not even watch over my sister, but I had a life other than her. I didn't want to waste away by only watching her.

As soon as the Workshop came into view, Jack was out of the sleigh and flying inside. I soon followed.

"Abigail, what's wrong?" I heard him say. Walking in, I saw her wringing the sheets in her hands nervously.

"Uh, I--I...Dad, um..." Her eyes filled with tears and I sat across from Jack on the other side of her bed. Suddenly she burst into tears and hugged her legs. I guess the wave must've passed.

"What's wrong?"

"P--Pitch!" She cried. "H--he's killing me!"

At those words my body seemed to shut down. I couldn't move nor breathe it felt like. He promised. I believed him! How stupid could I be?

"How?" Jack asked, angry and confused.

"I don't know." She wiped her eyes and sniffled. "I--I just saw black sand inside me on an x-ray, it's destroying my insides slowly, but I think--I think it's speeding up."

I jumped to my feet and a curse slipped out of my mouth. "What does that mean?" She asked. I forgot she was so innocent.

"Nothing." I hissed. I was so mad I felt like hitting something.

"Ah!" She gasped again, bending over.

I ran over to her. "That's it. I'm done with this. I'm seeing exactly what's going on now."

I picked her up, feeling her flinch strongly. "Gentle." She reminded me. I'd picked her up enough times in the past week I was surprised that she still retained the ability to walk.

*Abigail's POV*

Brandon carried me down the hall and I felt how tense he was. Pitch was killing me. I didn't know how we could stop it--if we could stop it. Before we reached, I burst into tears again. Both Dad and Brandon jumped a little, we'd been silent, but quickly became alert.

"What is it?" Dad asked.

"I can't eat anything." I cried. "I'll starve to death before anything else."

Just as I said that, we walked in. The elf doctor told me I wouldn't as Brandon sat me on the bed. "Do you have a fear of needles?" It asked.

"No."

"Good." He (I decided it was a boy) took a rather large needle and stuck it in the crook of my arm. "Now you will not starve. All the nutrients you need are going into your body through this IV."

I nodded. "Thank you." I touched him and the yellow pattern spread onto his coat and vanished.

He smiled brightly. "You're welcome!" Just after he jumped down and scurried off, North came in.

"You told them." He noticed.

"Yes, and they want to see it for themselves." I said with a sigh.

The doctor came back in and set me up for the X-ray. Again, we saw the black sand demolishing everything. And I was right, it was speeding up. My heart sped. "I'm going to kill him." Brandon hissed while stomping out of the room.

"Dad--"

"This isn't going to hurt you." He said defiantly, not moving his eyes from the screen.

"It has though."

"It will not kill you!" He shouted, making me flinch. His fists balled and he stabbed the ground hard with his staff.

"Dad, come here." He finally looked at me and I saw fear in his eyes. Hugging him, I said, "You won't lose me. Pitch may think he has the upper hand now, but I am positive we can hurt him back if you just focus. Tell me everything, I may be able to help. I've escaped things for years."

He nodded with a sigh and pulled back to sit in the chair beside the bed. "Brandon probably won't like my telling you this, but you're right, it's for your own good. So just before we came here, when Brandon ran off and we went to play with Jamie?" I nodded. "He went to see Pitch. He made a deal with him that if Brandon did all Pitch's dirty work that Pitch asked of him, he wouldn't touch you. He'd ignore that you existed. But now that he was taking an interest in you but still hadn't touched you, we had to keep you out of harm's way. We figured that here would be the safest place, with all the yetis around nothing would happen without their knowing. That's what the meeting was about before, when I told you to keep your distance. We didn't want you overhearing much. All of the Guardians said that they'd protect you with their life."

A tear slipped down my cheek. I was emotional right now and they were too kind to me. "Thank you." I said to North, who was still standing in the corner.

"Is no problem." He smiled.

Dad stood up. "I'll go get Brandon, then we're staying with you." I nodded and he walked out.

"North," I said, "can I ask a favor of you?"

"Of course, Abigail."

"I need someone who won't be insanely overprotective of me. Tooth will probably take the place of Mom, then I have Dad and Brandon...I just don't want to feel smothered. Can you try to be that person please?"

He smiled. "I will, but that will not keep me from caring for you."

"Good." I said importantly before laughing.