Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

His name was Jack, Jackson Overland to be precise.

He was silly, goofy, naughty, and so full of fun. So different from Elsa.

The children from the town often went iceskating at a lake close to her bedroom window, forgetting how close they were to the palace. Their laughter and squeals were so clear Elsa felt as if she was playing with them too.

She could have complained about the noise, but this was her only comfort in her frozen world. These children, although they did not know her and never would, were like little bits of sunshine, thawing her winter.

Jack however was another story. If everyone else were little bits of sunshine, Jack was the sun itself.

Everyone loved him, and how could they not? He was so full of energy and cheer, spinning and twirling and practically flying everywhere. There was never a dull moment or a frown to be seen when one was near Jack.

Actually, even from a distance, he somehow could always make Elsa smile.

Elsa longed to meet him, to talk to him. He was the epitome of everything she wanted: friends, freedom, fun.

But she couldn't, she would scold herself sternly when such thoughts came. She might hurt someone again, maybe even worse than what she'd done to Anna.

So Elsa contented herself with watching from afar, and hoping. Hoping that one day, when she could finally control her powers, she would be able to run to the lake and finally talk to him.

Days passed easier with Jack being there. Sometimes, Elsa would pretend he was there with her, telling her jokes and grinning like the imp he was.

Then, that day came.

Jack and his little sister, Emma had arrived at the lake earlier than usual. Elsa watched them do their usual routine, with Jack teasing Emma and Emma pouting at him for it. Elsa wondered what Jack had teased Emma about this time.

With her head held high, Emma slid across the ice, obviously still mad with her brother. Jack was grinning, trying to hold in his laughter by the looks of it. Suddenly, his expression changed.

He ran to his sister barefoot, abandoning his skates.

Elsa frowned. What was going on?

She couldn't quite make out what they were saying, but she thought she heard Emma say "You always play tricks!"

Jack laughed, and Elsa calmed a little.If Jack was laughing, that meant things were OK.

Elsa saw Jack shift Emma to the side with a stick. Maybe the ice had cracked there; no wonder he had seemed so panicked.

For a moment, all was right with the world; Emma was safe and Jack was smiling. The next moments seemed to slow down. The ice gave way beneath Jack's feet and before Elsa could register what had happened, he was plunged into the cold depths of the water.

Elsa felt her heart stop.

Her eyes didn't leave the lake, and she half-expected Jack to emerge, laughing and shivering. But Elsa never saw him again.

She saw Emma scramble back home to call for help. She saw the townsfolk come to the lake and drag out the body, but that wasn't Jack. It was too pale, too lifeless to be the boy Elsa had thought of as the sun. Finally, she saw Emma return to the lake one last time and leave a bunch of wildflowers at the bank, tracing the words 'Happy Birthday' in the snow.

Emma's body shook with her sobs; Elsa could hear them, each sob pricking her.

Was Elsa sad? She didn't know.

She was shocked, but that didn't mean she was grieving. From the day he fell to the day Emma returned, there had been no tears. Elsa would learn, as the years piled up, the tears would never come.

After that, Elsa's powers grew worse. They spiraled out of control, terrifying her. She would hurt someone, she would definitely hurt someone at this rate.

Elsa stared up at the grey vastness above her. The sky was not blue, or red, or purple or any of its lovely shades on the day she would take her last breath.

That was fine. Fifty years ago, the sky had been the same color when he left her world.

She had known for a while that her end was nearing. Anna and Kristoff, their children and grandchildren had grown increasingly worried by the day at her deteriorating health.

Elsa had long come to terms with her condition, but she understood how difficult it was for her family. She couldn't bear to endure their heartbreak, their grief, so she had come here.

It had been a selfish choice, a coward's choice. However, she had to come here, to the place where everything had begun, and consequently where everything had ended.

"Elsa."

She blinked. Despite how many decades had passed, she recognized that voice.

A white-haired boy hovered beside her, his blue eyes twinkling. In his hand was the stick, the one he had used to pull his sister from harm's way. Slowly, his feet settled into the snow.

"Jackson Overland," she whispered.

He held her hand, a gentle smile on his face. "It's Jack Frost now."

"Strange, you feel warm."

"As do you, my queen. Don't be afraid, I'm going to be with you this time. You don't have to watch from the sides anymore."

"How did you know?"

"Let's just say the moon knows a lot of things." He kissed her forehead. "I'm sorry I didn't come sooner. But I promise I will never leave you alone again."

"I know," Elsa said, and she knew in her heart of hearts it was true. "Is it silly to realize only after fifty years how much I love you?"

"No. It took me just as long." Elsa felt something roll down her cheek, landing in the snow beneath her; a teardrop. She covered her eyes with her other hand as more started to stream down her face. "It hurt watching you die. I know we'd never spoken or met, but it hurt."

"I know. I saw you, the you from back then. You laughed at all the jokes I made; you had an excellent sense of humor. Still do."

"Have you been spying on me, you cheeky ghost?"

"A little. After the moon showed you to me, I needed to find you. Remember those frost patterns on your books?"

"I wondered how they got there."

Jack chuckled and brushed a teardrop. "Dearest Elsa," he said, then pressed his lips to her.

When he pulled back, her body was still, but he wasn't alone. A figure stood at the centre of the lake, donning the ice dress Jack knew so well. High above, the clouds shifted, and the sun's rays lit up the world around them.

He offered her his hand. She smiled, tears still lingering in her eyes, and ran to him. She crashed into him with full force, but Jack held his ground.

Elsa wrapped her arms around him. "I love you, Jack."

"I love you too, Elsa," Jack said, hugging her closer. "This time, let's get to know each other properly."

She laughed. "Of course. What else would we do with all of eternity?"

"I have a few ideas." Before she could reply, he was kissing her. When they broke apart, Jack said, "Are you ready to enjoy eternity?"

Elsa nodded. Their hands reached for each other, refusing to ever be separated.

Together, they walked into the sunlight.

Chapter Text

Jack liked making up stories.

Once, he convinced the village children that the clouds were candy. Another time, he tricked his sister, Emma into giving her his slice of pie by making her think she would be cursed into a duck if she ate it.

But no stories compared to the girl lying on the grass in front of him.

His best clothes looked like rags compared to her fine dress and gloves, and she was prettier than any girl he'd ever seen before, with lily-white skin and pale blond hair.

She couldn't be human, much less real. Beautiful, wealthy-looking girls who looked more suited for a ball than a farm didn't just materialize in front of you. Perhaps she was a fairy of some kind, like from Mama's tales, or even an evil witch disguised so she could trap him and bring him back for her supper.

Then, the girl groaned and rolled over, her head landing on Jack's lap. The heat rushed to his face and he almost jumped back, but he didn't want to wake her.

Her head was about as heavy as Emma's and she felt just as real. He touched her forehead and was soothed by the warmth of her skin. She was so pale he had thought she would be colder.

She seemed to be around his age, though in her sleep, she looked far younger. Papa was already skeptical enough every time Jack opened his mouth, and Emma didn't trust him after the time he tricked her into bringing a bag of frogs home. Mama might listen but he doubted she would believe him, thinking he was just making things up like he always did.

Then again, the girl wasn't exactly his business. He could always gently lay her on the grass and walk away...

"Hmm." She snuggled closer to him, her head pressing against his stomach. He flushed deeper.

He knew, as sure as the sun rose in the morning, that he couldn't possibly leave this girl alone.

"Settle down, Spot."

Elsa rubbed her eyes. Spot? She immediately sat up; no one else should be here but her.

"Glad to see you're up."

Elsa backed away, squinting to make out the other person. As she did so, she realized she was not on her bed and this place was most certainly not her room. She raised her hands in defense, prepared to take off her gloves if necessary.

"Whoa there. Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you."

Something about those words made Elsa relax. The person's voice was also soothing to her ears, a little raspy yet friendly.

The person stepped out of the shadows and Elsa saw that it was a boy, her own age even. He had brown hair and matching eyes, and his lips were curved in an infectious half-grin.

Then she remembered that he was a stranger and she was in a strange place with him. She tensed. "Who are you?"

He laughed. "Wow, you sure do know how to boss people around, huh?"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"I just saved you. Doesn't that warrant some sort of thanks?"

"You, what?"

"I found you outside on the grass just lying there, and I brought you here."

She hesitated.

"Where is 'here'?" "My family's barn. It's not as impressive as the one down the road, but we have a few cows. Like Spot and Lovelace."

Elsa giggled. "Lovelace?"

"Hey, that's a good name," he said sternly, but he was smiling. "I'm Jackson by the way, Jackson Overland." He extended a hand.

"Elsa-" She was about to shake his hand, but she recoiled.

"What is it? Oh, I see. A lady like you can't touch someone like me." He looked more crestfallen than angry.

Elsa wanted to tell him the truth, but he would run away if he knew, and for some reason, she wanted him to stay. Suddenly, she found herself standing up and before she could stop herself, she hugged him, careful not to touch him with her hands.

He squeaked.

"Thank you for saving me," she said firmly, sitting down again. "No one's ever done that for me before." She used a phrase she heard her father say once. "I am in your debt."

She pulled away, her face warm. He was a bit red too, and he seemed to be avoiding her gaze.

"It was nothing," he mumbled. One of the cows, Spot maybe, mooed as if it was teasing me. "Shh!" he hissed. He turned back to Elsa. "What does you being in my debt mean anyway?"

"Um-" She put a hand to her chin, "I think it means I owe you a favor."

His eyes sparkled. "Any favor?"

"I suppose." He moved and Elsa shielded her hands. "D-don't touch my hands, if you can."

His surprise was quickly replaced with another one of his compelling smiles.

"As you wish, Lady Elsa."

"Just Elsa will do, Jackson."

"It's Jack. Everyone calls me Jack."

In her mind, something stirred in Elsa's memory, but she couldn't quite grasp what. "Alright, Jack. What were you going to do?"

His grin stretched wider. "Just make sure you keep up, Elsa."

Outside the barn, the air was somewhat chillier and the leaves on the trees were the color of fire. Jack picked up a lamp on their way out.

"For later," he told her. Then, she and Jack sneaked past a small cottage into the woods, where they raced each other to a certain oak tree. Jack had won, but only because he knew the path better than Elsa did.

After that, Elsa helped him pile the leaves on the floor into one big heap. Her hands were muddy and there was dirt in her fingernails by the time they were done, but as Jack said, there was nothing more fun in autumn than jumping in a pile of leaves.

She loved the way the leaves flew about as she twisted and turned around in the heap. The leaves made it seem as if the world was covered in reds and golds and browns.

All of a sudden, Elsa realized that all the leaves were scattered about, and she was just wriggling by herself on the forest floor. She met Jack's eyes, and they burst into laughter, as if it was the funniest thing in the world.

Jack showed her rabbit burrows and robins' nests, and holes in trees where he claimed squirrels lived. He told her about the fairy folk from his mother's stories, and occasionally, he playfully pointed something out with an expression of mock amazement, as if he had really spotted a fairy or an elf.

He picked up acorns that he and Elsa divided and shoved into their pockets. They discovered a patch of late-blooming flowers and Elsa made a wreath out of them.

He had looked somewhat uncomfortable as she placed it on his head. "Are you sure I don't look girly?"

"You look fine. Stop fussing."

But he kept on tugging at it and complaining, until Elsa told him he could take it off.

He looked appalled. "No way."

"Why not? You kept saying it was too girly and silly."

"Just no, Elsa. I'm keeping this on."

She folded her arms. "Forever?"

"Forever," he said stubbornly, sitting down.

She sighed and followed suit. They were on the bank of a lake. She leaned over to stare into its waters, wondering if there were any fish. Out of the blue, she felt a shove from behind and she screamed.

Jack laughed, gripping her elbow to stop her from falling in. "Gets them every time."

She turned, her face hot with embarrassment. Before Jack could protest, she pounced on him and mercilessly began to tickle him.

"Ah-No, Elsa, stop!" Jack squealed, tears forming at the corner of his eyes. "Elsa, stop it, I think I'm going to wet myself!"

She pulled back. "Serves you right if you did."

He grinned, then his expression softened. "You touched me."

She went white, clenching her fists.

"No, no, I don't mind," he assured her.

"Are you alright?" Her voice had dropped to a whisper.

He nodded, and cocked his head. He looked thoughtful. "Your hands are cold."

"They're always cold." She touched her glove.

"Is that why you didn't touch me? What happens if you take them off?"

She clasped her hands together. "Bad things." She recalled Anna unconscious, a lock of her hair turning white.

Jack inched closer. "Can you take them off?"

"No, you don't understand, Jack. People get hurt if I don't keep these on, if I don't control, control this. You're going to get hurt."

Silence hung in the air for several moments, before Jack lit the lamp. Elsa hadn't noticed how late it had gotten. The sky was already starting to darken.

To her shock, Jack pulled her into his arms. His breath tickled her ear, "I don't think you would hurt anyone on purpose, ever. And I'm sure you're never going to hurt me."

She pushed him away. "How do you know? We've only met today."

"I know." He pointed to his chest, over his heart. "Here. I can feel it."

Elsa stared at him and she desperately wanted to believe him. She slowly tugged back her glove. She reached out to touch his face, but decided to touch the wreath instead.

There was a sharp crackle as ice coated the flowers. Tiny pieces of frost floated onto Jack's face, but the ice didn't spread beyond that. He took off the wreath and she heard him inhale sharply.

"Beautiful," he said.

"Really?"

"Yup. See, you didn't hurt me at all."

Elsa smiled, and wiped her eyes. "You were right, Jack."

He put the wreath back on. "Can you do more?"

She felt a rush of excitement. "Just sit back and watch."

She pulled off her other glove and made a small pile of snowballs, using the first one to hit an unsuspecting Jack right in the face. He had been silent, until he thought she had made enough.

Then, he grabbed several and had chased her around the lake, both of them screaming and laughing until they collapsed together on the bank.

"Let me show you something," Elsa whispered to him. She raised her hands, and a snowflake as big as her head appeared above them.

"Beautiful."

She turned to him and saw that he wasn't looking at the snowflake. Jack quickly looked away, as Elsa silently thanked the lamp for being dim enough to hide her blush.

A loud clank from behind them caused the snowflake to vanish. Jack and Elsa scrambled to their feet. A few steps away, a man was gaping at them.

"Witch," he said, pointing to Elsa, before fleeing.

"Wait," she called out, but Jack held her back.

"He's going to get the others. You have to go."

"How? I don't even know how I came here in the first place!"

"I do." He tilted his head towards the sky and Elsa saw that the black was streaked with white lights. "Last year, I came here and wished that I would meet the person I was going to fall in love with. This year, I'll wish that you can go home."

The clearing seemed to glow and Elsa saw that the light was coming from her. She reached out for him and he took her hands, putting them to his face. Spirals of ice formed on his cheeks.

"You, your face-"

"I don't mind. The cold never bothered me anyway. This will remind me that I met you, that you were real."

Elsa felt her feet float upwards. "Hold on. What if I don't remember you when i get home? What if we never meet?"

"We will. Even if we both forget, one day I'm definitely going to find you and I'll fall in love with you all over again." He stepped closer and pressed his lips against hers.

Elsa stared at him, her mouth open.

"I'm glad I could meet you, Elsa."

Her vision blurred. "Me too. Me too, Jack!" But before the words were out of her mouth, Jack was gone and there was only darkness.

"Jack!" Elsa cried out, bolting upright.

The winter spirit turned to her from his place by her window. "Yes?"

Elsa blinked at him. "Jack?"

"Yes, Elsie, it's me." He walked over to her, wearing his usual blue sweater, his staff in hand. "What's wrong? Did you have a nightmare?"

"No, it was-" She stopped. "I don't seem to remember."

He crouched by her bedside, his chin resting on her sheets. "What is it a good dream?"

"I, I think so. I have the strangest feeling it's important, but I can't seem to remember anything."

"Did it have anything to do with me?"

"Maybe." She shook her head. "I really can't remember."

"That's OK. It'll come back to you later." He ruffled her hair. "Silly girl, falling asleep with the window open."

"I did?"

"It's my fault actually. I was supposed to come back in time for the shooting stars but looks like I was too late."

Shooting stars? Elsa shook her head again. "That's alright. I'm glad you're here with me now."

He smiled. His gaze flitted to the window. "You know, I think I may have made a wish on a night like this."

She laughed.

"What's so funny?"

"I think I agree with you."

He gave her a funny look, somewhat amused and confused at the same time. "You're acting weird today, Elsa."

"You say it like you aren't weird every day, Jack." She touched his sleeve. "I'm glad I met you, you know?"

He stood up and sat on her bed. "OK, now you're really acting weird." He touched her forehead. "You don't have a fever, but I'm going to advise against sleeping with the window open from now on."

"Yes, Jack."

He smiled and gave her a hug. "But I'm glad I met you too, my princess. Happy tenth birthday, Elsa, and I love you."

"I love you too-" She squeezed him. "Jack Frost."