Rapunzel smiled to herself as she played with her hair. It had recently reverted back to its blonde color and grown much longer. After it was cut it had turned brown and never grew again. Until now. Because of him.
"Hey." He said as he stepped into the room.
"Jack!" She shouted his name and ran into his arms. He was back from Toothland. It had been the worst three days; sitting and waiting for him. She had Pascal, of course, but he was no Jack. Jack was her soulmate. It was true love. "Jack."
He smiled and kissed her blonde head. He loved how she reacted to his homecoming. This time he was taking her to the North Pole to see North, head of the Guardians.
"You ready to go?" He asked once they broke apart.
She nodded enthusiastically. "Yes sir! North Pole here we come!"
Jack smiled but quickly exchanged it for a frown. Short sleeved dress? Any human would freeze in that weather while wearing that, especially if Jack was with her. She would freeze even faster.
"What's wrong?" Rapunzel asked. He held up a finger and rushed to her closet. "What are you doing Jack?"
He pulled out a purple fur-lined shawl and wrapped it around her shoulders. "We don't want you to get cold at the North Pole, do we?"
She shook her head and grinned. "I suppose not.
He nodded and slipped matching gloves on her. "Those hands should stay warm," He adjusted her engagement ring before putting the other glove on her. "and that ring."
She could not stop beaming, not for a second. Today Jack was taking her to the Guardians so that their future marriage could be blessed. Jack new it made her nervous enough. The Guardians had never met Rapunzel before. Even though Jack knew Sandy, Tooth, Bunny, and North would never act cruel to her, his fiance still feared dislike.
"Come on," he said as he placed a pair of fluffy pink earmuffs on her. "Let's go."
***At the North Pole***
Rapunzel's teeth chattered furiously as Jack tried to shield her from the freezing winds. She appreciated his efforts, but Jack frost, the ice king, trying to protect her from freezing air? Sort of an ironically unavoidable fail.
"This way!" He called as he dragged her by the hold of her gloved—but still freezing—hand. She could barely see, and her face was numb, even though he had tucked a scarf around the lower half of her face. She had to squeeze her eyes shut to keep her eyes from drying out.
Suddenly a rush of warmth spread throughout her entire body. Her scarf was unraveled from her face to reveal her nose and mouth.Her eyes remained glued shut, and she was shaking dramnatically.
"Can someone warm up?! Please, she's still shivering!" A voice cried out. It was familiar. Too familiar. With all her strength she opened her eyes, snowflakes melting off her lashes, blurring her sight. After about twenty or so hard blinks, she found herself staring into ice blue eyes. "J-j-j-jack?"
"It's okay, don't worry."His voice was like honey on a lemon—sweet but not enough to take out the sour of the situation.
"S-s-so c-c-c-cold."
He brushed a lock of hair away from her face, trying desperately not to let his finger graze the skin on her forehead. "I know, I will have it fixed. Trust me."
She could always trust Jack. She knew that. But she was so cold. "B-b-but—"
He put a finger to his lips to calm her as unseen figures got her to lay down on a moving bed of some sort. "Shhh, I'm right here."
Her eyes began to drop, each blink getting heavier than the last. Soon she was unseeing and unconscious.
***
Rapunzel woke up to the smell of hot chocolate. Never before had it smelled so perfect. She looked over to see a white steaming mug resting on a table beside her cot. She wanted it. No, she needed it. She sat up and reached for it. When did her arm get so short? Her life would end without that freaking hot beverage!
"Rapunzel!"
She looked over, frozen in place, thinking she had been caught red handed trying to steal someone else's deliciousness. It would have been worth it. So worth it.
"Rapunzel!" Jack ran over to her. "You're awake!"
She quickly retracted her arm and stuffed it under her blanket. "What hot chocolate?! I mean, yeah! I'm awake!" Nice save Punzie.
Jack sat on the cot, quickly grabbing the white mug. Her heart sank. His? He was the the one torturing me with cocoa?! How dare he!
He placed it in her hands. "Here, North had this made for you."
"For me?" This could have been the happiest moment of her life.She hastily forced the rim of the mug to her lips and chugged, not stopping until not a single drop was left. Jack raised an eyebrow. "Thirsty?"
She placed the mug down and wiped the chocolate-stauche off of her lip. "Sorry."
"It's fine, your were ice cold." He responded as he draped her shawl back around her shoulders. "When you're feeling better we can visit North, alright?"
She nodded. "Alright."
***
Jack held Rapunzel's hand as they stood before North. He had taken an immediate liking to the blonde bombshell, and vice versa. Apparently she had never been on the naughty lice once in her life, which did not surprise Jack at all.
"So," North began, "I am the bringer of both good and bad news. Good news is your marriage is allowed by Guardian laws and regulations."
Rapunzel squealed with joy, but quickly turned wary. "And the bad news?"
North sighed and looked at Jack. "Do you want to tell her?"
No, he didn't. Not at all, but he knew he had to be the one to do it. He took his fiance by both hands and stared into her emerald green eyes. " We can't...we aren''t allowed to have children."
Her eyes widened in horror. "What?!"
He looked down, saddened. "I'm sorry. A child with my blood could mean a chance to have my powers. It's too risky."
She pushed him away. "You knew?"
"No! I mean yes. Sort of! North told me while you were out!"
She sank to the floor, ready to cry. Jack dropped with her and hugged her. "I know. It pains me too." He cupped her face in his hands. "But that doesn't mean we can't be parents. You love children, and so do I. We could always adopt."
She looked at him and suddenly her tears dissolved. At solution. Adoption. It would still be their child to love and care for, but without the risk. She hugged him tightly. "I love you."
He smiled and hugged her back, "I love you too." Those words translated into a promise.
He would never, ever, break the rules.
