One Week Later
Elsa decided she needed a change in scenery. After coming home from work, she got a call and was surprised how easily she agreed with Rapunzel when she invited Elsa to hang with her and their friends. She has been a bit stressed lately with Aidan and work, sometimes barely having enough time to cook dinner, clean the apartment, and pick up Aidan from school, although, Jack does his best to help take him to school and pick him up.
At the end of their conversation, they settled for a local restaurant settled in the heart of town.
As Elsa steps into the restaurant, her senses pick up the atmosphere of lively chatter, small golden lights twinkling above her as she assess her surroundings and quickly spots a mop of fiery red hair. She passes through the scattered wooden tables until she reaches the booth.
Jack is already standing and places a loving kiss to her cheek. She kisses him back and settles herself across Merida, Hiccup, and Rapunzel who give them cheeky grins.
"Okay, stop staring," Jack mutters as he picks up his menu and hands it to Elsa.
"Anyway," Rapunzel says, turning at Elsa, "Since we're all here and our parents are at work, who is watching my precious nephew."
Elsa laughs, "Anna. Her classes end early and she doesn't have work today. Lucky for me."
Hiccup leans forward, his arms braced on the table. He looks like he was about to ask them something when their waitress stops by.
She silently refills their cups of water, her blue eyes rake over them as she asks, "A few more minutes?"
It was Hiccup who answers, his voice sounding breathy, "S-Sure. If you don't mind. We know how busy you are. We...um...should be ready in a few minutes. Just like you said."
She gives him a strange look, and in a flat voice, she says, "I'll be back in a few minutes," and she saunters off to her others tables, her blonde braid shining in the light.
Her name tag read Astrid.
When she leaves, the group starts to quietly laugh.
Merida spoke first.
"That's why you chose this restaurant!"
Hiccup looks at them guilty.
"Leave him alone, Merida. I thinks it's sweet our Hiccup has a crush," Rapunzel coos, rubbing his arm in comfort.
"Well, if it's any consolation, Hiccup," Elsa shrugs, "I think she likes you."
He perks up and pushes, "How?"
"It's just a feeling."
Without another word, he looks back at Astrid leaning against a wall, her eyes roaming over the restaurant, assessing if her customers need anything, Elsa notices from her peripheral vision that she locks eyes with Hiccup. He quickly looks away.
But she could have sworn she saw the ghost of a smile on Astrid's face.
***
After they all received their meals, everyone was quiet for the first minute as they all savored the deliciousness of their juicy burgers, steaming pasta, steak, and fries.
There was a ring that indicated the arrival of a text. As one, they all checked their phones until Rapunzel raises her hand, "It's mine."
She quickly types something and puts it away.
"It was Eugene," she offers as explanation.
"What did he need?"
Rapunzel takes another bite of her food, getting sauce on her chin. Elsa taps her own chin and Rapunzel quickly wipes it off with her napkin.
"He asked me if I wanted to spend the day with him tomorrow." She waves it off and then goes back to eating her burger.
Elsa smiles at her. Rapunzel and Eugene have been dating for years, ever since high school. Elsa is just waiting for the day when a ring adorns Rapunzel's hand. She has actually brought Eugene home to meet her parents and introduce him to the family in the past.
She finds Jack leaning closer to her, his breath caressing her ear.
Elsa finds herself leaning closer to him.
"How long is Anna watching Aidan?" He innocently asks, looking up her through his lashes.
"Maybe a few hours."
Inconspicuously, Jack's legs brush her's.
Jack doesn't pull away from her. "Why don't we leave early and go back to your apartment?"
Elsa's heart begins to beat a little faster at his huskiness, his feather-light touch, how close his mouth is to her ear, sending shivers down her spine and––
"Do you guys mind?" Merida exclaims, casting a irritated look at them.
Jack detaches himself from her and glares at Merida.
"If you want to do dirty talk, please do it when we're away from the dining table."
Elsa's face heats up and mumbles an apology. But despite her embarrassment, she turns to Jack and nods her head at his question, "Okay."
He gifts her one of his charming smiles and turns back to the table. "Well, Elsa and I might head out early." He places a hand on his stomach. "I have a stomach ache."
They all give both of them flat stares.
"What?" Jack scoffs, already putting his money on the table for his and Elsa's food.
"You're so gross," Rapunzel argues, as if it was obvious, "We don't need that picture while we'e trying to eat."
"I didn't say anything!"
Elsa's phone rings and she is more than happy to answer it as the table starts arguing.
Mom
She happily answers it.
"Hey, Mom. What's going on?"
There was a long stretch of silence on the phone. And then she heard sniffling.
Any heat Elsa was feeling a few seconds ago was replaced by a horribly cold sensation.
"Mom?" Elsa presses the phone tighter to her ear.
Nothing.
"MOM!?"
Everyone at the table stops fighting and looks at her.
Finally, finally, her mom answers her, but her voices wavers. "Elsa, I need you come home now."
This is unusual. Her mom always greets her before anything else. Always.
Elsa's hands begin to shake. "What's happened? Are you alright? Is dad alright?"
"We're all safe. I promise. But something has happened. There is news you need to hear. Please, come home."
Elsa jumps in her seat when Jack places a hand on her shoulder. His eyes quickly scanning her's for answers.
"Mom––" she starts to beg.
"Elsa, I need you here now." Then she begins giving her instructions. "Come alone. Don't bring Aidan. Leave him with someone. Trust me, it's for the best." Another sniffle over the phone. "Come quickly."
Tears start to prickle in the corner of her eyes. "Just tell me––"
But she hangs up.
Elsa releases a shaky breath.
It was Rapunzel who was calling her name, her eyes set hard. "What the hell was that, Elsa? Why did mom call you? What happened?"
Elsa was already standing up, Jack following her movement. "I need to go. They said to come home straight away." She casts them a long look. "Alone."
But Rapunzel ignores her and keeps her voice. "As if that's happening. Listen to me, Elsa. Are. They. Alright?"
Elsa was nodding her head frantically. "Mom said everyone is fine. She said there's news I need to hear."
"Just you?" Jack cuts in, looking confused.
A moment ago, he was whispering sweet-nothings into her ear. A moment ago, it was him and her, and this beautiful and wonderful new love between them.
But all heat and desire has left her body the second she picked up the phone.
Merida and Hiccup have the good sense to look awkwardly at each other, unsure how to approach the situation.
"I have to go." Elsa sighs, her voice wavering, as she dashes around other tables, people giving her strange looks as she darts for the door.
As she dashes away, she thought she heard Jack quickly explain to Hiccup and Merida his understanding of the situation before he follows her.
Elsa slams open the door and runs to her car. She fumbles for her keys as the wind whips at her hair viciously, annoyingly blurring her vision and making it harder to find her keys. But then hands gently pry the bag from her shaking hands and look for the keys.
"Let me drive, Elsa. You're not okay to get behind the wheel."
She didn't have the strength within her to argue.
Jack easily finds the keys and unlocks the car. Making haste, the car screeches as it pulls out from the parking lot.
***
Jack is trying his best to focus on the road ahead of him, but his thoughts are mostly filled by Elsa.
Out of the corner of his eyes, he sees her frantically looking ahead of the car, as if assessing the conditions of the road and how long it will take to get to the Coronas.
Jack heard Elsa say that the Coronas are fine. But that's not enough to keep Jack from worrying as well. The Coronas are like his second family, he would be absolutely devastated if ill befell on them.
They are Elsa's second family as well. The family she didn't have for ten years. He cannot imagine what Elsa must be feeling.
It doesn't make sense. If everyone is alright why would Mrs. Corona worry Elsa like this. It's not like her.
He hopes everything is okay.
Everything has to be okay.
***
As soon as the house was in view, Elsa hastily unbuckles her seatbelt and sprints towards the house.
No cop cars. No sirens. No ambulances. Everything appears normal. But Elsa knows better. The most dire situations can hide under deceitful illusions.
Elsa hears Jack call her name, the sound carried by the harsh winds, as she runs out of the moving car. Just as she steps into the yard, she sees another car pull up the driveway.
Rapunzel. She must have driven like a whirlwind to arrive at the same time.
But Elsa doesn't wait for her. She slams the large wooden doors open and runs into the foyer.
Elsa chokes on a sob, "Mom! Dad!"
Nearly eighteen years ago, she lost her family. Even as a young girl, she understood that her life would never be the same. She would have no mom to talk to, no sister to play with, no dad to protect her. As an eight-year old, Elsa understood that.
No child should have to come to terms that her family is dead or gone. But she did.
And Elsa doesn't think she can go through that again.
At the sounds of her voice, her parents step out of the kitchen, looking like they had just been told horrible news. But they are alive. They are very much alive.
Every step feels like a million as Elsa closes the distance and tackles them both. Her body shaking with uncontrollable sobs as realization settles. They are alright.
Mrs. Corona rubs her back and whispers, "I'm sorry to scare you, Elsa. We are alright. We're alright, darling."
It does little to ease the terror that was threatening to consume Elsa. She doesn't let go of either of them. Like a child, she clutches to them both.
But then Rapunzel storms in, quickly followed by Jack.
Rapunzel doesn't say anything either. She launches herself at her parents and Elsa.
Both parents seem surprised at their presence, considering Elsa was told to come alone. But they don't say anything. In fact, they look a bit relieved.
Mrs. Corona pulls back and when she sees the devastation that is clearly on Elsa's face, she pouts. "I'm sorry, girls," she repeats, wiping away their tears. "We really didn't mean to scare you."
It was Rapunzel who asks, "Tell us what the emergency is? You scared us horribly."
Just as both parents open their mouths, a pair of familiar bodies hesitantly step out of the kitchen.
"Jasmine? Aladdin? What are you doing here?" Rapunzel asks, her voice trying to make the question as politely-sounding as possible.
Aladdin steps forward, his dark hair absorbing whatever light infiltrating through the windows.
"We have news." The voice of a man bearing somber information.
No formalities. No greetings. As if whatever this news is was more important anything else.
Elsa turns from her spot and assesses Jasmine, who bites her lip as she looks at the people assembled.
Aladdin also looks around, realizing that Rapunzel and Jack are here. "We thought it best if you heard this alone, Elsa."
She shakes her head. "We are all family. They stay."
Rapunzel is practically her sister, and Jack is the father of her child. They stay.
Aladdin frowns and looks like he was about to object, but Jasmine stands next to him and places a light hand on his shoulder. "Darling, maybe it is best if they all hear it. They are family."
Aladdin looks into her eyes and his expression softens.
It was then that Elsa is reminded what Aladdin is capable of. He can be cunning, clever, tricky, and quick. It reminds her that he is the department's best detective for a reason.
Eventually, they all take a seat on the plush couches.
Elsa guiltily forgot about Jack's presence until he makes to sit next to her. He grasps her hand and she gladly holds it for reassurance. One glance at him and she finds him staring ahead, as if bracing himself for whatever news she might hear and how he might be able to help her.
Rapunzel seats herself next to their dad, her arm looped around his as he places a soft kiss to her golden hair.
They were all quite pushed together but none of them seemed to mind.
Jasmine and Aladdin seat themselves on the adjacent couch. Aladdin pulls up his briefcase that Elsa didn't absorb he was carrying until that moment.
Elsa turns to her right when she feels a pair of eyes watching her. Mom and dad. They look at her, and the devastation on their faces startle her.
Everything was happening so fast, Elsa didn't get the proper chance to ask why exactly are they here. What do her parents know? And why do they look so terrified for her?
Someone clears their throat.
Elsa turns back ahead. Not understanding why exactly, her heart starts to beat an irregular drum as Aladdin pulls out some papers. His gaze doesn't break as he looks at them individually and finally, his eyes settle on Elsa.
His mysterious dark eyes meet her quiet blue eyes.
And before he can mutter a word, Elsa feels her heart freeze as he says low, exhaustion heavily laced in his words. "It's about your father, Elsa. You're real father."
***
For the majority of her life, Elsa has tried her best to put everything behind her––every act of cruelty she received, every act of torture and abuse that was inflicted on her body physically, mentally, emotionally, she tried so hard to shove them in some unoccupied corner of her mind, hoping they would remain undisturbed, hoping she forget about them.
But now it's as if she underestimated how heavy her memories carry. With every second that Aladdin spoke, her memories somehow leaked and flooded every space of her mind as she was told the news she never thought she'd hear, never thought possible.
Elsa never thought she could rise above her past. But she did. With enough strength and support, she was able to pull herself up and keep her head high.
But this?
No amount of support can help her.
Her well of courage and bravery depleted long ago.
***
Elsa was unusually silent. For so long it was frightening Jack.
He gives her hand––so cold it felt like it was crafted by some forgotten and shadowed corner of the earth––a squeeze but she didn't respond.
Not a twitch, not a sound, no emotion. Her gaze fixes on the papers and documents on the table––documents that hold world-consuming information.
Mr. Corona looks alarmingly in Elsa's direction and softly murmurs her name. She doesn't even blink, she only stares at the papers, as if staring at them long enough can cause them to disappear.
As her parents try to break her put of the trance, Jack's mind goes to the news.
James Arrendale was never your father.
They said other things that Jack cannot recall. His mind was completely snatched on the one sentence. On the six words that seemed to change everything Jack knew.
How is this possible? Is this even possible? What does this mean for Elsa?
But then Elsa starts to chuckle. It wasn't the joyous sound Jack has come to love, but rather something cold and unfeeling.
Everyone stares at her, stricken by her sudden change of behavior.
"Elsa?"
Elsa doesn't stop laughing. She doubles over, as she tries to control herself.
Mrs. Corona looks at her worryingly and places her hand on Elsa's arm. "Elsa? Please, say something."
When Elsa finally straightens up, tears have already streamed down her face. Her eyes completely bloodshot. Her fits of laughter have turned to pained gasps of breath as she begins to sob.
She surprises everyone when she shoots up from her seat.
"This is a joke," she hisses, her hands forming into tight fists. "Why are you telling me this! Why would you say something like this to me?"
Aladdin and Jasmine sober up and stand up as well. "This is the truth, Elsa."
Throughout the explanation, they tried their best to soften the blow of their words. They tried their best to minimize the brunt of the damage. But it wasn't enough.
When she lets out another sob, Jack's heart clenches in pain as he watches the devastation on her face. As she tries to deny what the evidence points to. His love, his heart, who he would do anything for, is in tremendous pain and he can't do anything to help her.
"No, no, no. It can't be true! How can this be true," Elsa demands, her voice rough, and her cheeks and nose completely flushed.
Everyone else stands up and looks at her. Mrs. Corona steps in front of Elsa and whispers, "Please, listen, Elsa."
For a moment, it looked like Elsa was going to listen, to hear the explanation. But then she sidesteps Mrs. Corona and hastily grabs her belongings and sprints.
"Elsa!" Jack shouts, already running after her.
He hears commotion behind him as he trails after her. Jack sees her slam the door wide open, not looking back, and race down the yard and into the street.
Jack calls her name again but she doesn't turn around. He was surprised already at the distance she managed to put between them in just a minute.
A few remaining people walking down the quiet neighborhood look at them strangely but Jack pays them no mind.
Instead of running after her, Jack makes his way for the car, thankful that he has the keys in his pocket. From the corner of his eye, he sees everybody else storm out of the house and step onto the street, looking for Elsa, shouting her name.
Jack plants himself behind the wheel and screeches away, down the street Elsa ran off to.