Thawing of a Frozen Heart

Chapter Twelve: Jack

The hairs on the back of his neck rose and his stomach twisted. "Something's wrong.." Jack whispered. No, this cannot be happening, not on top of earlier. Before Jack realized what he was feeling, his heart was racing and his breathing quickened. His grip on the wooden staff in his hand tightened until his knuckles were purple. Sandy slowly lowered to the ground until he was on his two feet. His glowing appearance seemed to dim as if a light bulb going out. "What's going on!" With one swift motion, Jack turned to Sandy almost angry. It didn't make sense. He was supposed to give her light. He was supposed to keep the nightmares at bay. He was supposed to give her peace. Sandy stepped back from Jack, who clearly needed a moment to calm down. When Jack saw this, he took a deep breath and lowered his shoulders. And in his own unique way, apologized for his snappy attitude. "Why-" His voice still frustrated. Jack cleared his throat and spoke again, this time softer. "Why is she so scared?"

By now, Sandy was at her side waving his small hands above her sleepy face. Jack wasn't too sure what to expect, he has only witnessed this being done on children. But, he assumed the same concept would be applied. For a moment, it seemed to be working. The fear lessened in the atmosphere. The tension wasn't so thick in the air anymore. A small wave of relief washed over Jack. Despite the scene from earlier, she could still be saved. There was hope. He could breathe.

Just as Jack began to let his guard down, Sandy fell off his feet almost like someone pushed him to the ground. Quickly, Jack rushed to lift him up. As he opened his mouth to ask if Sandy was okay, he felt it again. It was cold. It was almost too sudden to be real. How could something go from good to bad so fast? Honestly, he shouldn't be surprised by now. But, he still froze in his spot. Sandy was struggling to stand up when the curtains began to move viciously. The gold sand from the queen's dream rose above her sleeping figure circling in a fast motion in the center of the room. The pictures on the walls began to shake, some fell from the bookshelf. "What did you show her!" But, this couldn't be the Sandman's doing. He was just as confused as Jack. Suddenly, snow began to fall from the ceiling. "What the-" He looked at Sandy to make sure he could see the snow too. Good, it's not all in my head, he thought when Sandy created an umbrella from thin air to shield himself with. "I promise I have nothing to do with this," was all Jack could think to say. However, it seemed that the sandman already knew that. Could this be work by Pitch? Nightmares and Snowstorms. It had too much a a familiar ring to it. Even for Pitch. He liked being creative and new. He definitely wasn't the type of person to repeat the same move twice. Or was he? After all, Jack only came across Pitch that one time. Though the battle felt like it lasted for decades, Jack couldn't have learned too much about the type of person Pitch was in the amount of days that he faced him.

When a large dark nightmare stepped out from behind the headboard, Jack thought, maybe there really wasn't more to Pitch after all. He was still the same evil coward as before.

The two chased the terrible dream outside and away from the queen. Before the nightmare could escape, Sandy struck it with a whip of his golden sand causing it to vanish. No doubt the nightmare was actually close to being over.

All at once, there were too many signs flashing above Sandy's head. Jack couldn't make anything out of them. From what he gathered so far, Sandy was deeply distraught. Not that Jack could blame him, he felt it too.

The rest of the guardians appeared shortly after that scene. 

"What now?" groaned Bunny.

"The heck should I know? One moment Sandy is putting her to sleep and then, just as fast, her dream turned into a nightmare."

North sharpened up and positioned his hand at his sword when he heard the word nightmare.

"Relax, it's gone now." Unconvinced, Bunny set out to examine the perimeter.

Jack looked back to see the queen wide awake in bed.

"Sandy took care of it." He shook his head almost defeated. She looked terrible, exhausted, and terrified. He tugged at his hair frustrated.

"I can't sit here and not do anything." He attempted to whisper under his breath, but the others heard him clear enough.

He kicked up his staff, caught it in on hand, and took off.

North reached out for him but Sandy pulled him back.

At least Sandy knew him well enough to know, by the look on his face, that something was wrong.

For the rest of the night North stayed behind with Sandy to watch over Elsa.

Jack traveled up to the North Mountain, to a place he passed by before reaching the castle the first time.

He climbed the tallest tree and sat on the highest branch. There, the view reached for miles and miles. He could see everything from where he was seated. Everything appeared so small. So unimportant. Almost unreal. Distance was a funny concept. But he needed it.

He twirled his staff in one hand as he began to replay the events that brought him here.

"I don't see anyone." Her soft voice echoed in his mind. Those same words played over, again and again, for what felt like eternity.

The queen couldn't see him.

He didn't know what he was expecting. After all, she was an adult. Adults lose the sense of imagination and dreams. Their hope falters. And they no longer see the magic in the air.

He should have known better.

But, it still hurt.