Elsa

Fifteen

I thought I was the eye of the storm. I thought this was my storm. Isn't this my ice?

Too many people lately have been showing off ice powers. All these years I thought I was alone, and now I'm suddenly thinking, does everyone in the world have ice powers and we just all hide it?

I know that's not true before I even finish the thought. But my thoughts are swirling around me faster and less predictably than this storm and Jack's plummeting towards the ground.

He flies us straight down the eye, through a tunnel of calm to the source of the storm.

We hit the ground with a thud. Jack crouches low to keep his balance. I fall over.

The storm maker heard us. They sense us, but they don't turn around. I scramble to stand. The person is wearing all black, and a hood covers their head. As they turn to face us, my stomach twists.

I know those shoulders. That height, that tilt of the head. Even though their face is obscured, I know who it is before he pushes the hood back and his black hair contrasts the snow.

"Pierce," I say, disbelieving.

He glares at us for a second. Then with a wave of his hand, a gust of wind strikes Jack and he's thrown back- I don't know how far. He disappears from sight, far back through the storm.

"Jack!" I yell. I turn back to Pierce, ready to demand why he just did that, but before I'm even fully facing him, he pulls me into a hug. His arms wrap around me tight. For a second I tense up.

"Are you alright, Elsa?" he breathes into my hair. I let myself relax, hugging him back.

"What's going on?" I gasp. He squeezes tighter, then falls to the ground. I drop to my knees in front of him. "Pitch, why didn't you tell me you have ice powers, too?"

He glances up at me. I see darkness in his eyes. I can't tell if he's afraid, or angry.

"I don't." He flicks his wrist, and a gust of wind nearly jerks me sideways. "Look around, Elsa." I see the walls of the storm and realize this is still my fault. It's still my snow. But this hurricane, this wind... is Pierce. "Look what we could do together, Elsa."

I crease my brow. "Pierce, everyone is in danger. They'd already left for the slope-"

"Why did you leave without me?" he demands angrily.

I pause. "I-" I look at my hands. "I didn't want to hurt you."

"You hurt me by leaving," he says brokenly. He puts his hand on my cheek. "Don't ever leave me again, Elsa."

I clench my jaw.

That wasn't sweet. That wasn't romantic.

"Stop the storm, Pierce," I say quietly. His hand on my face tenses. He stands suddenly and glares down at me.

"That Jack guy talked to you, didn't he? What did he tell you?" He steps closer. "What did he tell you?" he yells.

I shrink away, but he grabs my wrists and pulls me up. "Elsa," he demands sharply.

"He didn't tell me anything," I say, struggling to free myself. I don't understand Pierce's sudden anger. I knew he was dark, I knew he was brooding, but this isn't just the fierce mysterious personality, this is something... dangerous. "All he said was that I needed to stop the storm."

"Of course he did," Pierce snorts. He drops my wrist and turns away for a second, breathing heavily. When he faces me again he's more composed. "Jack knows how strong you could be. He doesn't want you to use your powers." He grabs my hand. "I will never constrain you like that. You deserve so much more."

I want to believe him. "Pierce, please stop the storm. We have to find everyone before anything can happen to them."

"Elsa, Moon wanted the police to cart you away! Why do you want to save her?"

"My best friend is out there!" I shout.

Pierce's shoulders slump. He squeezes his eyes shut and grabs me by the shoulders. "My best friend deserted me," he said brokenly. "I took a chance. I showed them my powers." He takes a shaky breath. "He never came back." I shut my eyes. Pierce leans his forehead against mine. "I've lost everyone I love," he chokes. "I need you. You understand me."

"I know, Pierce." I cup his face in my hands. "But they're in danger-"

"We're in danger," Pierce whispers. "We have to leave."

The wind is closing in. The eye of the storm shrinks around us, and I think it's Pierce's fear, closing him in. 

"I don't want to leave Ariana," I admit, pleading with Pierce.

"Do you think she'd be safer if we stayed?" Pierce says. "Let's go." He pulls me by the arm.

"I can't-"

"Elsa," Pierce says, more sharply than I think he intended. He looks at me for a second. I open my mouth to speak, but he kisses me, cutting me off.

When he backs away, he doesn't wait for an answer. He drags me by the arm. I follow him. I close my eyes, trying to shut out the thoughts of Ariana. Pierce is right, staying would only make it more dangerous for her. For everyone here. And if we did stop the storm, the police would lock us up. It's better for everyone if we go.

I don't even know where we're running. But Pierce seems to be headed a certain direction. I follow blindly, locking my hand with his. Sometimes I get caught in the wind behind us, but Pierce pulls me forward anyway.

The wind is still fierce around us. My heart is thumping. I want it to stop. Once we're away from everyone, will it stop? Will the storm ever stop?

I hear something. I see something.

There are lights piercing through the snow ahead of us- blue and red, flashing around and around. It's the police. They've come.

They've come for me.