Back in Black (sequel to Ice Cold)

Chapter Four

By the time Jack arrived in the North Pole, the moon was shimmering high in the sky. He stopped right before the entrance to the pole. He felt a cold tear slide down his face. The wind whistled around him, and snow whipped through his hair. He slowly fell to the ground and covered his face with his hands. He couldn't go in there. Not like this. Angrily, he wiped the tear from his pale skin. Why was he crying? He had dealt with the absence of Elsa hundreds of years. So why couldn't he now? The rejection, he realised, hurt more than the absence of her. He had longed to see that face for so long, and now it couldn't see his. She had forgotten him. And that was something he would have to deal with. Another tear fell, landing in the snow below him. He looked up at the moon.

"Is this what you had planned?" he yelled up at it. "Why? Why...?" he dropped his head back down. What was the moon planning? How was she supposed to be a guardian if she couldn't see him? Then it dawned on him. She was still alive... Everybody could see her. She couldn't be a guardian if she was still alive... could she?

His mind flashed back to that day on the fjord when he watched the life drain from Elsa's eyes. He shuddered. Why did the moon bring her back alive? She seemed to belong. He thought of the clothes she had been wearing. A modern blue dress and pumps... And the man she was with. Was she going on a date? His mind raced, trying to find a reason the moon had for making her human. For making her forget him. He wiped the new fallen tears from his eyes and stood up. He needed to find answers. Taking a deep breath, he flew back into the chill night and into the Pole, where North and the others were discussing loudly. Their heads raised as he entered the room.

"Jack!" Tooth exclaimed with a smile. Then she noticed the puffiness slight redness that coloured his face. "Are you all right?"

"Where's the girl, mate?" Bunny asked.

"She's not coming."

"That's ridiculous, Jack. Manny says she's guardian, so she's guardian. Why didn't you bring her? I'd like to meet the girl who gets you to fly so fast!" North bellowed playfully, nudging Jack.

"She couldn't see me," Jack said coldly, moving away from North's gesture. He watched as their expressions changed from shocked to sympathetic to confused. A question mark appeared above Sandy's head. Jack continued, "She walked right through me. She's forgotten all about me." He sighed and looked down at the ground. "It's my fault," he muttered. "If I hadn't made it snow that night none of this would have happened..." The guardians exchanged glances but didn't press for an explanation.

"Jack, I'm sure she just forgot her memories like you did when you became a guardian. She'll be able to retrieve them," Tooth encouraged. Jack shook his head.

"No. That's the other problem. She's not like us. She's still a human. She's still alive." Sandy put up another question mark.

"Well that is... a slight set back," Noth said. "But we'll just ask man in moon!"

"What'd be the point in that?" Jack asked bitterly. "What has he ever done for me? He won't answer you anyway. He never does." Jack's mind wandered towards the last time the moon had spoken to him. The night the moon had foretold Elsa's death.

"Jack, come on. I'm sure something will work out. The moon has nominated Elsa as a guardian and so it shall be. It'll just take time. It will all work out in the end, I promise," Tooth said in attempting to cheer Jack up.

"Tooth's got a point, Jack." Bunny chipped in.

"What do you guys know? You're just a kangaroo, a bird, a russian man, and a speechless pile of dust. Why do you think you think you'll be able to work everything out?" Jack retorted crossly, then began to fly back out of the room. Bunny glared as he left.

"Jack," Tooth called out, but North put a heavy hand on her shoulder.

"Let him be alone for a little bit. Everybody, let's get in my sled. We're going to find this Elsa girl."