My frozen heart

Chapter 12

As the door opened the laughing stopped and three faces looked up at them. For a moment there was only silence, and then Olaff cried, "Santa!" and jumped up from his seat on the couch. He ran over as fast as his snowball feet would let him and looked up at them.

"Elsa..." Anna breathed her eyes wide. Kristoff's mouth hung open as if he had just seen a ghost. Elsa and Jack walked in, followed by North and EB. "Anna, this is Father- I mean North, and this is..." she started but Anna finished.

"Santa and the Easter Bunny!" she cried jumping over the couch with child-like enthusiasm. "Oh my gosh, oh my gosh! You know Santa and the Easter Bunny!" she cried grabbing Jack by the shoulders.

She released him and her hands covered her mouth, them she held her cheeks. "Oh my goodness! Wow! Santa! Thank you so much for my gifts last year! I got everything I wanted!" she cried happily bouncing up and down.

"And the Easter Bunny oh my goodness, I always win the egg hunt! Oh my gosh!" she cried again clapping her hands together in excitement. North and EB exchanged curious looks but then smiled and laughed. They had never met an adult who loved them as much as the children did.

"Anna calm down." Elsa laughed placing a hand on her shoulder. Kristoff was finally able to close his mouth and he walked over to Anna. "I, uh....hi." he said extending a hand to North. He smiled and took Kristoff's hand pulling him in to a tight hug and clapping him on the back.

As he released him EB patted him on the shoulder. "Oi mate. Nice ta meet cha." He said but Kristoff only stared. "What are you all doing here? Oh that sounded rude, it's not that I don't want you here, cause I do. Oh, you can stay here forever if you want! I mean not forever, I know you're busy..." Anna rambled but Elsa raised a hand to silence her.

"Jack was just getting ready to explain that to us all. Please, let's have a seat." She said motioning for everyone to take a seat on the couches. One by one they made their way over. North choosing to stand as he was much larger than most of the furniture would allow.

"I am not sure how much Jack has told you, but we are guardians. It is our duty to protect the children of the world." North said standing beside the fireplace. The roaring fire cast his enormous shadow on the ground and despite the warmth of it, the feeling in the room became eerie with his serious tone.

"Five years ago, Jack first came to us. He was chosen by the Man in the Moon." North continued. Anna was about to ask a question when Elsa grabbed her hand and pulled it down. "We were all called together because a great evil had returned and the children of the world were in danger." He said crossing his arms in front of himself.

"This great evil is known as many things; you know him as the darkness, the monster under your bed, the boogey man, but we know him as Pitch Black." He said slowly. Anna looked terrified and Kristoff took her hand. "What does this evil have to do with us?" Elsa asked confused. This was the part Jack feared the most.

North let out a sigh before he continued. "Pitch lives on fear. He needs to scare people to get them to believe in him. He does this by causing nightmares. Five years ago we vanquished him, sent him running to his lair. No one was afraid of him anymore." North said starting to explain.

"However, a month ago there was an intense moment of fear that sent shock waves that we believe Pitch felt, that got his attention." North said, lingering a moment as he watched Elsa's brain reeling. Her face hid nothing as her brow furrowed in thought then suddenly realization washed over her. "A month ago...the storm..." she said her voice trailing off.

"None of this is your fault Elsa." Jack said taking her hand but she wasn't listening. "Elsa what is he saying?" Anna said confused, a bit of fear in her voice. "The storm, the winter, it was caused because I was afraid." She said almost to herself. As Jack held her hand, despite his constant coldness, he could feel it become icy. "Elsa..." he whispered to her trying to get her attention.

She suddenly released his hand and stood up. "What do we do?" she asked locking eyes with North. EB took this opportunity to contribute. "We're going to protect you. We've got other guardians who are awaiting or commands. If Pitch does come here, we'll take care of him." He said twirling his boomerang.

Elsa nodded, but was silent. "Keep the town safe. That's all that matters." She said looking in to the fire. For a moment it was quiet. "Well, it's late. I can show you two to a bedroom?" Anna said trying to cut the tension. North looked like he was going to decline, wanting to discuss the situation further but EB shook his head. "That'd be great Sheila. We'd appreciate it." He smiled and inclined his head towards the door.

As EB and North Followed Anna out Kristoff decided to take Olaff and follow so that Jack and Anna could talk. "Thanks." Jack mouthed as they left. "Night!" Called Olaff with a smile, not having completely understood what was happening.

Elsa was still staring in to the fire, she hadn't said a word for several minutes and Jack was worried. "Elsa. Are you ok?" he said touching her shoulder. "I knew this would happen." She said just above a whisper. Jack shook his head, walking between her and the fire. He took her shoulders. "This is not your fault." He said softly.

"When I was little, when I first hurt Anna, they took us to some trolls. They told me that fear would be my enemy. They were right." She said looking up in to his eyes. Her own icy blue eyes were glazed over in tears. He hated to she her like this. "If I had just been able to control my power, this would have never happened." She said, a sob in her throat.

He pulled her in to his arms, holding her tight. "I thought after the storm stopped, after I met you, the trolls prophecy was over. But I was wrong." She whispered, a tear running down her cheek. "I'm here now. We can handle this together. I know we can." He said as she looked up at him.

"I'm never going to leave you Elsa, I'm going to protect you. I've beaten Pitch before, and I'll do it again, with your help." He said with a slight smile. Elsa couldn't help but smile to at his words. "Do you really think so?" she said, a little uncertainity in her voice. He nodded, "I know so." He answered leaning in and placing a kiss on her lips.

"Come now, let's talk this all over tomorrow. North wore me out." Jack laughed and Elsa let out a small chuckle as well. He took her hand and led her out of the den and down the hall. Towards her bedchamber. "As long as we are together everything will work out." He said kissing her forehead before she opened her door and slipped inside.

As she closed the door Jack leaned against it and let out a slight sigh. As much as he believed his own words, he was worried. There was so much riding on their shoulders. He had to protect everyone, especially Elsa. He knew he could never live with out her...