To Know You ~A Jelsa Fic~

Chapter 39

Elsa

Even as a child, cold weather had never bothered her. She could play in the snow for hours and not grow cold. She could sleep in the snow, and still feel perfectly fine. Her parents had to explain to her that when Anna was born, that she was different. Anna wasn't allowed the ice rattle she'd made, nor the snow blanket she'd spent hours crafting for the newborn. They'd only allowed her to play in the snow with her after she was a toddler, and even then it was only for an hour or so, and they would take her to get her warm again. She'd tried to understand that Anna's body temperature differed from hers, but she never understood how snow could feel cold to them. How anything could feel cold to them. It was only until she'd frozen in Atohalan that she'd discovered just how dangerous being cold could be, even for someone like her. And now. Now it seemed she could feel every ounce of cold, it seemed to seep out from her, her entire body was freezing, and she couldn't stand it.

If this was what snow felt like to them, to normal people, she'd never complain of the heat again.

Her vision was blurry as she looked up, her gaze drawn to the window. Frost was dancing across the glass, seeping through the walls, crawling across the wood. There were bangs outside. She was too tired to discern exactly what made the sounds, but she knew it was Jack. She could see him again, despite her vow that she wouldn't until the time was right. She'd been stupid, to trust Pitch. She pushed herself up, wanting desperately to help, to fix her mistake. Any blood spilled today would be on her hands, and she'd found that blood reeked. It smelled of copper and death, and it lingered all around her.

"Jack?" She breathed, and her attention drew back to the window.

His silhouette passed it, and she started to step forward. Her leg buckled under her weight, and she hit the ground, her breath leaving her. She closed her eyes, starting to tremble. She was so tired. Maybe she could sleep, for just a little bit. The sound of shattering glass made her open her eyes, and Jack pulled her up off the ground.

"Didn't I tell you to stay awake? And I find you sleeping on the job?"

She would have laughed, if it weren't for the fact it would probably hurt.

"You want to meet your neice or nephew, don't you?"

"Yes."

"Then stay awake."

He set her back in the chair, attacking a monster that was trying to reach in. She wasn't sure how many were left, but she could tell it wasn't that many. Less than a hundred. Since he'd started, they were dropping like flies. He jumped back out the window, and she was left alone again. She could feel the count going down, and after an eternity, she couldn't feel them anymore. Her body immediately sagged in relief, her head falling back so hard pain shot through her skull. She was so exhausted, and it was finally over. Dark spots were dancing in her vision, coating everything her eyes touched, like nightmare sand.

That's what it was, wasn't it? The black spots you saw just before you passed out. Nightmare sand.

Jack's face flooded her vision, and he was saying something, but her ears were filled with the same sand her eyes were. Sandy was there too, and she focused on Jack. He was screaming at her. Shaking her. But she was too tired. Her eyes fluttered shut, and she sank down into the sand, finally warm again.

* * * * *

She awoke in bed, what had to be thousands of blankets laying on her. She slowly started pushing them off one by one, ignoring the sting of pain that flared with each movement. Anna rushed to her bedside, hurriedly helping her pull them off.