Long-time, no see. I'm sorry guys, it's been a while. Here's a short chapter, I hope this will get me going.

Elsa's Pov

I followed Jack through the backstreets until we came across a metal spiral staircase, frozen and slippery. Jack nodded warningly towards the steps, a silent command to not slip. I rolled my eyes at his cold behaviour and followed him up the stairs. Soon he would learn that I was the Queen of the cold, I decided. I had after all been happy to walk around in lingerie if I hadn't been given a coat.

There was a door at the top of the building. It was a weird colour, blending in with the walls like a well-kept secret. The door was open, a tiny crack that has wisps of warmth trailing out of it. Jack pushed the door open and we stepped into the darkness.

As my eyes adjusted to the darkness I could see an array of tables; some with piles of papers and notes place neatly in the corners, an opposite to the mess of the current work scattered across certain desks. On the walls, maps, with pins and string tied up marking directions, routes. A glass board stood in the corner with purple, blue and green whiteboard pens hanging from the ceiling for anyone to take and use. On one side of the room was a stretch of marble desk on which five computers sat, some new, slim, some interestingly old and box like. The room was perfection to the team, it was obvious, and so dear to them; though the furniture and items within were old, they were in ship shape condition. It was like it was their home.

What I hadn't noticed were the three boys who turned to look at us – or rather, me – as it became apparent that I had arrived. The looks on their faces were harsh: Easter's nose was wrinkled up in disgust; Hiccup's eyebrows were raised in confusion and North seemed to shake his head as though he was disappointed, though whether it was in myself or Jack, I wasn't certain.

Jack seemed to be oblivious to this unwelcome feeling as he set down the two cups that he was holding onto the table closest to us, and then took the cups from my hands and passed one to Easter and one to North, returning to fetch a cup for Hiccup. "Guys, I brought some help," he said casually, as if talking of a new cake shop he had seen open at the bottom of the street.

Cake.

"We've been fine up until now," Easter snapped spitefully. "We really don't need any help."

Oh damn.

Of course, I didn't say anything. I got that they hated me, and it would take some effort for me to be accepted. However, Jack wasn't having any of it. Easter's comment sparked off an argument.

"She's a psychologist, Easter-"

"Hardly," I protested, "I haven't even-"

"She can look at it with a different mind. We look at it like soldiers, and criminals – Elsa can offer a new perspective."

Easter was not too impressed with Jack's argument.

"The perspective of a whore," Easter hissed. "We could just go down to the nearest brothel to get information like that. Why do we need our own one?"

"There's no need to be such an arsehole about it," I said, but Jack's eyes widened and he shook his head at me. Let me do the talking. I piped down.

"We're relying on a message from a random guy who apparently knows the whereabouts of Pitch's gang. So far, we've gotten nowhere-"

"In all fairness, we haven't been at this for more than a few days. To get hold of a witness and have a message, even if it still needs to be decrypted, we've done pretty well," Hiccup pointed out.

Jack wasn't going to back down. He sighed impatiently. "Come on guys, just give it a go, OK? Royal will try to help as much as she can, and if it's still not working in two weeks then we'll kick her out, OK?"

Woah! That was quick.

Hiccup shrugged and North's face twitched. "Whatever," Easter snapped, and returned to his work.

I bit my tongue.

Jack looked at me and grimaced. It was better than not even being given a chance, at least, and I had to stay positive. "What can I do?" I mouthed at Jack.

He made his way towards me, and put his lips close to my ear. "For now, keep out of the way. Tomorrow they'll be less tired and more likely to give you a chance. Just wait until then."

I nodded and sat down on the edge of the table and watched as Jack went to join the others in their work, and waited for something to happen.

Jack's Pov

At around 2 in the morning it became apparent that there was very heavy breathing coming from the door – no, the table nearest the door – I looked over to find that Elsa Royal had fallen asleep on the table in an extremely awkward position, her legs dangling off the edge, her body's weight on her shoulder and side of her arm – it was going to be painful tomorrow if she didn't move soon. I should have left her but something pushed me to stop, to help – ugh. Sentiment was a chemical defect found on the losing side – according to Sherlock Holmes anyhow – but I couldn't stop myself. I pushed my chair away from my desk, got up and made my way over to Elsa's table. There I scooped her up in my arms, careful not to wake her and suddenly it hit me where to take her - the Hangover Room.

I vaguely remembered the room's creation when we had settled here for a few months. One night Hiccup hadn't turned up until well into the early hours of the morning, drunk and close to tears about the break up with his boyfriend. There was no way he could work, and so instead we used the empty room next to the bathroom – we dragged in a sleeping bag and a blow-up mattress. It evolved to have a bed and duvet later, and we dubbed it the Hangover Room.

I laid her down on the mattress.

Maybe you should tuck her into bed – the weird thought flashed across my mind. No way – I wasn't her parent, or her carer or Guardian, nor boyfriend (gross) or friend. I had no emotional attachment to Elsa Royal. She worked for me. But… not in a prostituty way.

She did look extremely peaceful though now that she was on the bed and didn't look as vulnerable as how I had found her after she had almost been killed by Pitch. Safer. Though I wasn't sure about happier. But for one thing, she did look hot – not sexy hot, but boiling hot. The coat she was wearing looked like it was choking her in heat. I stepped forwards to take it off her, and then remembered the lack of clothing underneath. What is Easter or one of the other boys walked in on me taking off her main item of clothing, or worse – she woke up? Though she was a prostitute, I doubted she would have been too pleased.

Clothes, she needed clothes, I decided. I would have to deal with that tomorrow.