Trials of the Moonlight

Drømmer

The next thing Jack knew was a sound—the rustling of insect wings. His head stirred and his eyes fluttered open... it was easier to breathe again. The burning all over his body was gone, but it still ached. He wasn't in the middle of the snow-covered mountains, but lying in a bed in a room he didn't recognize. It wasn't night, but early the next morning. And he was alone... he thought.

His vision began to focus and he heard the noise again; the baby tooth fairy was hovering before him. All it did was remind him of his failure, but she landed on Jack's hand and grabbed one of his fingers. Though he didn't have the energy to sit up, her delicate touch brought him some comfort as he tried to recall all that had happened.

"I'm giving you another chance." Toothiana was hovering at the other side of the room. Jack didn't think he'd see her ever again! When he tried to readjust his position in the small bed, he moaned just from the slightest twitch. "Don't move too much. Your body's still killing that thing inside of you." She came closer and her baby flew to her shoulder. What thing? Just what specific plan did Amelia have for him? Regardless, letting the Fearling die inside of him was a slow and painful process. "A Fearling made it into your heart, but only one. Any more might've given us some trouble." She paused while Jack took this in. "I've had a lot of time to learn healing spells. We're lucky the others found you when they did, or you would've been lost."

Jack spoke hoarsely, "Where's Elsa?"

A small smile formed on her lips, "We had to let Sandy knock her out; she wouldn't let me work without her in the room, but I can't use my magic with mortals watching. Guess she thought I might try to kill you."

He tried looking around again, but nothing made this room specifically unique enough to remember. It looked like an attic that was emptied out and abandoned. "Where am I?"

"North Pole. This was your room when you were one of us." She explained, her heart subtly filling with warmth. "By now, you'd have your own domain in this world, one where you feel most at home."

Home... Arendelle! His family!

Jack attempted to force himself upward. "I have to go!"

"No!" Tooth pushed on his shoulder; she weighed as much as a feather, but the lightest touch felt like being hit with a club and he backed down. "You can't do that."

"You don't understand," he huffed, "my mom and sister–"

"–are fine!" She sounded sincere, but it didn't bring him comfort. "We're keeping a sharp watch over them."

No, it couldn't be someone who was invisible to them guarding them. It had to be him! He'd told Sophie he'd never leave! The thought of her waking up alone and frantically looking for him broke his heart and he tried his luck again, but his own body protested with a sharp surge of pain in his chest. Tooth grew worried, for his heart rate had to stay slow and calm.

The door opened, and she thought it was Sandy, but instead, it was Elsa scrambling to see Jack. His open eyes gave her more relief than she'd ever known and she knelt beside him. "Jack," she sighed as she gently caressed his face.

"He needs to rest." Tooth said to her. Elsa nodded, hoping if she agreed to whatever she was saying she'd leave the room.

Jack could barely get his fingers to move, but he made a languid gesture for her hand and she took his. Tooth grimaced and quit the room with her remaining child. As the door closed, Elsa pressed tender kisses to his hand, forehead, and lips. She'd been so panicked that not even the Sandman could keep her asleep. "Why did you do that? Why'd you go alone?" Was this really the time to be asking? "We're supposed to do this together."