Hey, guys! Hope you enjoy this chapter and happy reading!
Hiccup gasped, his eyes flying open. "What happened?" he panted.
Jack patted his friend on the back. "You were in some trouble there, Hic."
"Th- That dream," Hiccup said. "It was when my...." his voice trailed off.
"I know," Jack said gently.
Hiccup looked at him curiously. "Wait, you were in my dream too."
"I wouldn't really call it a dream though," Jack said. "It kind of seems to be too real to be placed in that category. A living nightmare has a nicer ring to it.
"Look," Jack said. "The Black Dragon is trying to put us all in an eternal nightmare. Somehow, he knows what's our deepest and darkest fears are and he uses it to his advantage. You and I were both lucky that we woke up from it."
"Maybe that's how the Black Dragon kills its enemies, by making them go insane," Hiccup said thoughtfully.
Jack nodded. "Right. And while I am really happy that you're awake and all, I have to go help the others."
"They're in an eternal nightmare too?" Hiccup said.
"Yes," Jack said, looking worriedly over his shoulder to the other members. He turned back to face Hiccup. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to leave you on your own for a while. I have to go into the girls' nightmares and bring them out of it."
"Hey, why can't I help?" Hiccup said a little bit indignantly.
"I need someone to keep tabs on the Black Dragon," Jack smiled a bit teasingly. "And I can't do that when I'm in someone's dreamworld."
Hiccup rolled his eyes. "Alright. You go. I'll watch and make sure the Black Dragon doesn't do anything else."
"Thanks, Hiccup," Jack said. He gave his friend a firm handshake and sneaked his way to the girls. Right now, the Black Dragon seemed to be unaware of his nearby presence.
First one. First one is going to be...Jack thought, looking at the girls. His eyes fell on one in particular.
Elsa.
"I hate you! I HATE YOU!"
"Please, just listen to me-"
"I DON'T CARE ABOUT YOU ANYMORE, YOU HEAR ME?"
Jack found himself in a very familiar place. Guardia. But this house didn't look like Elsa's house, the one he so often went to. Yet this house seemed to hold some meaning to it.
"Anna, I'm begging you! Hear me out!"
Elsa's desperate tone cut through Jack's mind. He was in a corner of the room Elsa and Anna were fighting in. It seemed though that Anna was doing more of the shouting and Elsa was doing more of the pleading and begging.
"You always claim that you love me and would do anything for me, but yet you never even speak to me unless you're shouting or nagging at me! And we're sisters for crying out loud!"
Of course. Jack thought. Elsa had once told me that her and Anna weren't always so close. This must be one of their fights. Or something like that....
"I can't leave this house without you pestering and nagging me with questions,'" Anna shouted. She mimicked Elsa, " ' Where are you going? What time will you be back? Are you meeting up with somebody? Is it someone I know?' "
"Anna," Elsa was no longer pleading or begging anymore. Her voice was now as hard and cold as ice. "You don't know the dangers of what the outside has."
"There you go again! Always telling me that same old thing!" Anna said. She crossed her arms over her chest. "This is why I have no friends at all, because you're always acting weird."
"That's enough!" Elsa shouted, her fist slamming down on the table. Anna's eyes grew wide for a moment.
Elsa was breathing hard. "Anna, I know you don't find my decisions reasonable, but it's for your well-being. I'm just trying to protect you."
"Protect me from what?" Anna shouted, but her voice wasn't of raw anger anymore. She sounded like she was pleading. "What are you trying to protect me from?" her voice grew more quiet. "Is this about what happened to Mother and Father?"
Jack could hear Elsa inhale a sharp breath. Her eyes grew wide with fear for a moment, but it quickly passed, as if it wasn't even there in the first place.
"This has nothing to do with Mother and Father," Elsa said, her voice hard. "This is about you not knowing the dangers of the world."
Anna threw her hands up in the air exasperatedly. "Oh for crying out- Elsa, I'm sixteen. I may not know everything, but I know enough to keep me from getting kidnapped or whatnot. Nothing's going to happen to me like what happened to Mother and Father! I'm not going to get abducted and killed!
"When are you going to be able to put some of that pride and nonsense worry aside and let me live my life?" Anna said, tears glistening in her eyes. "I can't be living here forever, for the rest of my life. I want to meet someone, to fall in love with them, to get married and start a new life.
"And I can't do that when I can barely step foot outside with you not getting angry at me," Anna said. She sighed and it broke Jack's heart to hear her so dejected, so weak. It almost seemed like she...was giving up.
"I know Mother and Father have always taught us that family is important. But Elsa, I- I- I can't do this anymore," she whispered. "If this is what families are supposed to do, to fight and scream at each other until the sun rises, then I don't want any part of it anymore."
"Anna," Elsa said, her voice also quiet if not more so. "I- I don't understand. What are you saying?"
Anna sighed. "Elsa, I'm leaving. For good."
Elsa gasped. "Anna, no! Please, listen to me. I didn't mean to-"
"I'm sorry, Elsa, but this is not the life I want," Anna said, brushing past her. She grabbed a small satchel near the door. She looked back at Elsa, her hand on the doorknob.
"Elsa, tell me one thing: What are you so afraid of?"
Elsa looked at Anna, pleading with her every being, "Anna please-"
"Just answer me," Anna said, her head bowed down.
Elsa sighed and was silent for a few moments. "I'm afraid of losing you."
Anna looked up, her eyes meeting Elsa. Jack held in his breath. Maybe, just maybe....
"I guess it's finally come true," Anna said. And with a click and a slam of the door, she was gone.
Elsa stood there, shock and grief on her face. She collapsed to the ground, sobbing and saying Anna's name over and over again, pleading for her to come back. Jack couldn't take it any longer and he rushed to Elsa's side.
"Elsa, it's me, Jack," Jack whispered, wrapping her in a comforting hug.
"J- Jack?" Elsa looked up at him. "What are you doing here?"
"That's not important right now," Jack said. "What's important right now is you."
They stayed silent for some time, with Jack rocking Elsa back and forth, and Elsa silently crying into his chest. After some time, Elsa spoke up.
"Jack, I was such a fool."
Jack looked down at her. "Elsa, you were only trying to protect-"
"I know, I know," Elsa said. "I really did try to do what was best for her. I'm just not sure anymore if that was the right thing to do for Anna.
"I made her hate me, Jack," Elsa said, new tears coming to her eyes. "I made her hate me for the rest of her life. I made her leave."
"Elsa," Jack said. His voice was still gentle, but it was also firm. "Anna doesn't hate you."
"Then explain as to why she left?" Elsa said angrily.
Jack sighed. "Maybe Anna is very upset with you, but she doesn't hate you. She was probably just acting in the moment and went with what her mind told her to. You know how Anna is sometimes."
Elsa stayed silent for a few moments before looking up at him. "Do you think she'll come back?"
Her eyes look so hopeful. Jack thought. He smiled down at her. "Yes, I believe it one-hundred-and ten-percent. But that doesn't mean that you can't look for her as well. It takes both sides to mend the bond."
Elsa nodded, thoughtful for a moment. She looked back up at him, a new determination in her eyes. "Thank you, Jack. I now know what I need to do. I need to find Anna and apologize for my selfish behavior. I realize now that I was only thinking about my fears and my needs and I was ignoring her wants and needs entirely." She stood up, straightening herself. Jack stood up as well. Elsa strode to the door, both frightened and resolute all at once. She looked back at him.
Jack gave an encouraging smile. "Go get Anna back, Elsa."
Elsa smiled that smile that Jack first fell in love with. "I will."
AN: Wow, so quick! That's because I had this already typed out. I was originally going to put this along with Hiccup's and make it one huge chapter along with the others' dreams, but I figured that that would be too long. Anyways, thanks for reading and see you in the next chapter!