They blinked once.
They blinked once again.
"What?" Merida interrupted. "What do you mean, 'gone'?"
"I meant exactly that!" Flynn burst out, seemingly panicking, "He's not anywhere around here! Not even a mile around the area!"
"What?" Rapunzel gasped, "But you would've known if he had left, right?"
Flynn clutched his forehead, using his powers and panicking simultaneously affecting his mind, "I wasn't using my powers last night. Told him that since he's working I couldn't sleep properly so he told me to switch off and rest and that he wouldn't leave until-"
He stopped, eyes blown wide as realisation struck.
Seeing his sudden reaction, Anna grasped his arm and shook him. "Until what?"
"...until he finished his work..." Flynn muttered.
"Finished his work?" Merida did a double take, "but he still has to..."
Flynn thought hard on all the tasks that Elsa had given him to do. "Clean all the broken glasses and lights, help around the rink with tasks to compensate for the money he owes us for the broken glass, plant trees to replace the ones he uprooted and most of all, fix the rink."
"And he's finished all of them..." Anna whispered.
They stood in silence for a few seconds, taking in the information they just realised.
"He could've at least told goodbye before leaving..." Rapunzel sniffed.
"Why the heck are you crying?!" Merida growled, looking pretty pissed.
Rapunzel looked up at them with tear-filled eyes. "He's stayed with us for over a month now and he ate with us all the time and- you know I love meeting new people and making friends!"
"You hit him on the head with your pan when you first saw him." Merida pointed out.
"He scared me!"
"So? You knock out all the people whom you meet just 'cause they look scary?"
"It was the middle of the night and I was sleepy!"
"Okay, calm down ladies." Flynn stepped in, grabbing Rapunzel and dragging her towards their house. "How about meeting for breakfast to continue this depressing conversation?"
"Sounds good." Merida stomped to her house.
Anna sighed, walking slowly towards her house, cursing Jack in her head while remembering Elsa's fake smile and the previous day's incidents.
I guess the misunderstanding with Elsa gave him the push to finish all the work in one day... I wonder if it would've been different if they hadn't fallen apart...
Jack would've said a proper farewell to everyone and his friendship with Elsa would've lasted...
Or they would have even...
Anna sighed again and shook her head, knowing that her unsaid assumption was nothing but the dream and hope of the fangirl inside her.
.....
Did I make a mistake by running off without telling anyone...?
Jack groaned for the hundredth time, hitting his head for continuously doubting his actions.
After planting the last tree, Jack had removed the covering over the rink and froze the rink perfectly and smoothly so he wouldn't have to use the resurfacer. Stretching in exhaustion, he had returned to his room but instead of sleeping, he had packed his bag and left, glancing back many times to check if Flynn and Elsa were tailing him. Once he was sure that he was pretty far from the rink, he had frozen a few branches of a tree and settled down amidst the cold, taking a nap before heading out to the road.
And currently, as he shot straight into the sky to figure out where the roads were, his mind kept guilt-tripping him for leaving without informing anyone. He kept remembering all the times he would sit in the supper hall and have fun with everyone after a long day of practice and work. He remembered all the stupid fights he'd have with Flynn and Kristoff over whether vanilla should be removed from the world forever. He remembered complimenting Rapunzel for her cooking skills and teasing Anna for her clumsiness with Merida.
But most of all, he remembered every single time he hung out with Elsa or just spent time with her. He remembered their normal and sarcastic conversations, how she'd blushed when he had seen her snowflake tattoo and all the times that he had literally swept her off her feet. Even at that moment, his heart skipped a beat remembering the times he almost kissed Elsa.
A lump rose in his throat when the memory of Elsa turning away in disappointment flashed in his mind. He forced himself to stop thinking about them and concentrated on finding the road.
The air got thinner and colder the higher he flew, even more than usual as the snow continued falling around him. He paused and blinked when a snowflake almost fell on his eye while another landed on his hand when he lifted his hand to rub his eyes. He watched as the snowflake melted away and he let his hand fall to his side. He sighed and rubbed his forehead before looking around for a road.
Jack noticed a thin road amidst the trees, recognising it to be the road he would take when riding to and from practice with Flynn. He expanded his search area and found a wider road much further ahead, which he guessed was probably the road Jamie had took.
I really hope he's okay...
Jack flew over to the road and flew in the direction Jamie had intended to take him. He flew for hours together and stopped only when he spotted a small shop from where the road widened. He quickly reached the shop and asked the shopkeeper to lend his phone. The shopkeeper raised an eyebrow but gave him the phone nonetheless.
He started dialing the police's number but then he paused, not sure if they would even believe him. Deciding that it would be safer to call someone he actually knew, he hovered his fingers over the numbers, pausing again.
Only then did he realize that he didn't know the phone number of any of his colleagues since he had their contacts saved in his old phone, which was left back in the bus. He cussed out loudly and tried to remember anyone's number.
The only phone numbers I can remember are mine... Mum's old number... North's...? Nah, its all mixed up... and- waaaaiiiiitt -!
Jack grinned in triumph, dialing his aunt's number, who was currently looking after Emma. He almost screamed in joy when someone answered the phone.
"Hello? Aunt May? Aunt May, it's me, Jack!" He screamed at the phone.
There was no answer and Jack waited nervously. A sudden scream echoed in the phone and Jack's heart dropped when he realised that the phone was answered by his cousin, his aunt's daughter.
"Cassie? Cassie baby, it's me, Jacky!" He tried to talk as childishly as possible.
But Cassie just screamed again and started wailing loudly. Jack groaned inwardly, scolding himself for not visiting his aunt regularly. Cassie was just two years old and he hadn't visited them for about a year. And even when he did visit, he would just talk to Emma and his aunt and he'd leave promptly. No wonder the child didn't remember him.
He tried talking on the phone again but Cassie seemed to be shaking the phone violently. Soon enough, the call ended and Jack sighed in frustration.
He called the same number again and thankfully, someone who was not Cassie answered the call.
"Hello? Is it Aunt May? It's me, Jack!" He informed, anxiously waiting for an answer.
No one replied and Jack introduced himself.
"Jack...?"
Recognising the voice, Jack's heart skipped a beat and he forgot how to breathe. "E-Emma?"
"Oh my God, it IS you!" Emma screamed in excitement and shock. The joy that filled Jack's heart on hearing her excited voice could never be described by words.
She started rambling in concern and Jack covered his mouth in an attempt to stop grinning. He heard her running around and almost laughed out loud when he heard her slip and fall.
"Are you okay?" He asked, grinning while he looked down at the ground.
"Y-yeah, I'm- I'm okay! Aunt May! Aunt Maaaay!"
Jack looked up when the shopkeeper gave him an annoyed frown and tapped his watch, reminding him that he's using the phone for too long. Jack requested him for two more minutes but the shopkeeper shook his head stubbornly.
"-the media's going crazy, by the way. Everyone's super worried- so are we! Just a sec-"
"Hey, hey! Emma! Calm down! Calm down and listen to me, okay? I don't have much time so I'm trusting you to tell Aunt May about me! Tell her that I'll be waiting at the abandoned airport! Heard that? Tell Aunt May that I'm waiting for North near the abandoned airport! Okay? I love y-!"
The shopkeeper snatched the phone from him and gave him a nasty glare before turning away. Normally, Jack would've glared back along with a few cuss words but he was too happy about talking with Emma -properly.
"Where is the airport?" He asked the shopkeeper.
"Keep going straight and turn left at the crossroads." The shopkeeper grumbled reluctantly.
After thanking him, Jack took off into the air and maintained his pace as he flew over the crossroads, following the shopkeeper's directions. All thoughts about the rink were forgotten as the joy of talking with Emma took its place.
It was way past dawn by the time he reached the airport. He looked around and saw a few old advertisement boards. After looking around a little more, Jack decided to take a nap on a platform by the side of the airport while waiting.
.....
Jack was playing with Emma in his old house where he grew up. The house looked like it had been renovated and a few furniture had been changed but nothing else was different.
They both laughed and spoke animatedly as he chased her around the room, just to get hit on the face with a pillow. Seeing the mischievous and devilish grin on his face, Emma screamed and ran upstairs with Jack following her, two pillows raised in his hands.
They ran into a room and Jack's heart skipped a beat when he saw Elsa sitting elegantly by the study table, turning around when they entered. Squealing, Emma ran to her and hid behind her for protection. Elsa just laughed and turned to Jack who was holding the pillows over his head while walking towards them like a monster.
Standing up, Elsa looked at Emma and secretly gestured towards the door before turning towards Jack with a sweet smile on her face. She sauntered towards him and leaned closer as she gently caressed his face, her fingers running lightly on his skin.
Caught in her spell, Jack temporarily forgot about Emma as he let the pillows fall down. He wrapped his arms loosely around her hips and leaned closer, going for a kiss on the lips. Little did he notice his sister slowly sneaking around them and realised the secret plan Elsa and Emma had cooked up only when Emma ran out of the door, screaming loudly about victory, while Elsa kept him distracted.
He pulled back a bit when Emma ran out while Elsa laughed. He stared at her, unamused, as Elsa stopped laughing and smirked at him. Rolling his eyes, Jack pinned her against the wall, smirking as he saw the surprise on her face.
He glanced at her lips and decided to tease her a bit before actually kissing her. He ran his nose up her neck, arms wrapped around her waist and keeping her pressed against himself. He pressed feather-light kisses along the way, barely putting any pressure when kissing right below her ear. Elsa let out a small gasp, wrapping her arms around his neck, and Jack smirked when she pulled him back to face her. He noticed the light blush across her cheeks and kissed various parts of her face, each kiss making her redder than before.
Deciding that he had teased her enough, Jack went for her deliciously soft-looking lips...
...only to get a clump of snow shoved in his face.
Blinking awake, Jack sat up and touched his face, realising that snow had fallen on his face in real life and not only in his dream. He looked up and realised that it had fallen off from the edge of the roof of the airport.
Great. Freakin. Timing.
It took him a few seconds to realise where he was or what he was doing but it took no time for him to realise what- or rather who he had dreamt about.
Tell me I did NOT just dream about Elsa living with me as my girlfriend...
He rubbed his burning face to cool it down a little. Once his face was calm enough -his blush wasn't completely gone but was gone enough for him to ignore it- he sat back and reran his dream in his head, realising that at no point did dream-Jack even think about the Tachyons Cup. He was focussed on living happily with Elsa and Emma at his side.
Girlfriend...
Jack groaned and slapped himself on his cheeks, wondering at what point did he start thinking of Elsa in that way. His heart then reminded him that it was basically impossible. He would return to his Racer life and Elsa would continue living her life at the rink, believing that he never liked her. Soon, she would grow to hate him and she would forget him eventually. And just the thought of her forgetting him hurt his heart so much that Jack had to take a few deep breaths.
Deciding to clear his mind, he got up and flew over the airport, looking around for any trace of his colleagues from Guardians Inc.
Strange... Its morning already yet there's no one from work coming in search of me. Usually, after a call clearly stating where I am, you'd expect people to come in search within at least two hours. Especially since I'm a Tachyons Cup finalist.
He lounged around the airport as his thoughts of the rink resurfaced. He kept thinking about what he would be doing if he was at the rink at the moment. He'd wake up an hour or so later, have breakfast with everyone, spend a little time with Flynn and Elsa, work all day, head to practice with Flynn or Kristoff, head back to the rink, either spend more time with Elsa or have dinner with everyone before going back to bed.
It's been just a day since I left... Why do I want to see them so badly...?
I could go if I want to... Jack contemplated, looking back at the entrance of the airport. I just have to retrace my steps and search for a clearing in the forest... So should I...?
No... I have no business with them anymore. If I go to see them and North and the others come here in search of me, they'd find nothing and it would be a lost cause.
Jack ran his hand through his hair, rubbing the nape of his neck as he remembered Elsa's smiling face as they sat atop the North Mountain. He groaned, eyes straying towards the entrance again.
It wouldn't hurt to take just one peak... Right? I could just check on them once, see Elsa one last time and fly away like I never went to see them in the first place! I could probably even leave goodbye notes in their rooms!
Seeing that as his best and last option, Jack flew towards the entrance, pausing as he floated by the gates.
Its been barely a day since I left... Should I really do this...?
He glanced back and forth between the airport, staying where he could be found and taken back to his racer life, and the wide sky which was waiting for him to fly to whom he yearned to see again.
I can come back here. I know the way...
And after convincing himself once again, Jack gripped his staff tightly before willing the winds to carry him to the rink.
.....
Ah, the crossroads are here...
Jack took a turn and continued flying, faster than before as the thought of seeing everyone again fuelled him to fly faster. He flew over the road just in case he lost his sense of direction and felt accomplishment lifting his heart when he recognised a few spots, indicating that he was on the right path. And after flying for about half a day while keeping an eye out for any cars or helicopters coming in search of him, Jack reached a certain point on the road from where he flew high enough to see a major part of the forest. He wandered for a few minutes before spotting the clearing amidst the trees.
Knowing that he couldn't just drop into the rink and risk being seen, he hid among the leaves and slowly flew from tree to tree. He knew that the rink was just a few miles away so he needed to be extra careful. Just as he jumped into another tree, he heard a loud crash behind him. Curious, Jack flew towards the noise and blinked in surprise when he saw the ever-graceful Manny sitting on the ground as he rubbed his forehead.
Did he- fall from somewhere? What is he even doing here...?
Deciding to watch rather than confront, Jack hid behind a thick branch from where he could hear and see Manny clearly.
The man was cursing himself as he rubbed his forehead, eyes searching for something on the ground. He then walked towards a bush and pulled out his phone from it.
"Hello? You still there?" He asked, trying to see his screen clearly.
"Yeah, I am." Replied a female voice.
What kind of idiot even talks on Speaker mode when no one is around? Jack thought to himself.
"So as I was saying, you think you can keep her there?" Manny asked, stretching his limbs before dusting off dirt from his white clothes.
"Manny, I've told you this before, and I'm telling it again: you're going overboard." The female voice replied.
Recognising the voice, Jack almost gasped in confusion.
What business does Toothiana have with this geezer?
"Tooth, I really don't want Elsa staying here. You know it gets hard for me whenever I even look at her." Manny sighed.
Jack blinked, unsure if he heard that right.
Say what now?