He would always be there; when Elsa leaves her cottage, and when she comes back. Jack would always wait for her by the small willow tree that was planted near her home. He'd always wear his toothy grin whenever she shows up, and tag alone to her daily trip to town. Elsa is not going to lie, she quite enjoyed his company even if she denies it to him. Yes she quite liked him, he is soft and gentle, something she felt that was lack of in most people she knew. Sure Hiccup and Stoick are soft and gentle to her, but not exactly in the way Jack is. Jack always speaks to her in a soothing tone, his voice reminds her of the calming whistle of the autumn breeze or the jingle of glass bells. It is something hard to describe, but yes she loved his voice.

He also tried to keep his distance with her; after the little talk she had with him. Sometimes he forgets, and would inch toward her face when he gets too excited about something they talk about, or when he subconsciously brush away that small strand of hair that fell in front of her eyes from her face… Elsa doesn't even bother to warn him about it anymore…

All in all, there is still a small problem. Even though he walks with her to the town, it is only to near the exit to the town. He never stepped out to see what is really in there. Elsa wants to bring him around, but how will she tell the others? Old friend? Everyone in the town knows that Elsa had no friends other than Hiccup and Punzel. How about long lost relative? No way, Rapunzel would see past that lie. Being a crazy bookworm she is, she read through the entire history of their family tree when they were young. And for God's sake, how will she explain him to her mother? She feels conflicted, in some ways she blames herself for restraining Jack's freedom because of this selfishness of her own.

"Jack, have you ever wondered what the town is like?" Elsa couldn't help herself from asking.

Jack softly chuckled, "if it's about me asking you the first time I've met you, you don't have to worr-"

"No," Elsa stopped walking and turned around to look at him directly. "Do you want to see what the town is like?"

There was a long uncomfortable silence. For maybe the first time, Elsa sees Jack's face falling gray. His baby blue eyes darkened into deep ocean blue, and lightly bit his lips. But he immediately brought back his usual smile.

"Not going to lie, yes I have." He looked up into the forest sky covered by the thick tree branches and leaves. "I wondered what people were like. The only friends I had were the spirits of nature, and they'd often tell me the stories of the people."

Elsa didn't know what to say, and looked down. "I'm sorry I couldn't bring you to town."

"Elsa, don't blame yourself." Jack stepped forward and tried searching for her eyes. "It really isn't your fault. I had many chances to go out into your world, but I backed out on my own."

He continued to walk, "It's just, I don't have the courage anymore. Meeting you when we were younger, was my first time. And it wasn't even intentional."

Elsa thought for a while. When they were younger, they have met. Right. She tend to forget this a lot because she still could not see Wolfie and him being the same person or thing. And that reminds her, why did he leave? Should she ask him? She had been curious about that for a while. But he what if it is something personal? That means she would just slash open an old wound. But what if it is something else? She was having a small battle with herself and she finally decided to ask.

Quietly, she murmured "Jack, why did you leave?"

Maybe he didn't hear it because he replied, "I see sunflowers, the town is up ahead. Bye, Elsa."

OOOoooOOOoooOOO

"Hello, Flynn Ryder, how you doin'?" the brunett shot Elsa an attractive grin.

Rapunzel rolled her eyes, and coughed. "Shouldn't you be working instead of flirting with my cousin, Eugene?"

Rapunzel's parents have a small library in town, and it is quite cozy. Books stacked here and there, and paintings all over the walls. Sometimes Rapunzel would help out in the library, and she would drag Elsa with her. Today, there is someone new hanging around.

"Hey, you promised me not to tell anyone that." He glared at Rapunzel.

Elsa smiled and raised an eyebrow, "Well… Hello, Eugene, I'm Elsa. I have never seen you before, are you new to the town?"

Before Flynn started, Rapunzel cut in "Yes he is, and please kill me now, he is like the second Hans."

"Ok first of all, I don't know who Hans is, and it was rude of you to cut me off." He said loudly. "But if you are saying he is just as witty and charming as I am, I'd have to say that is false. Because I am sure, even without knowing him, I know I am wittier and more charming than he is."

Rapunzel mouthed a see, do you see this and shook her head furiously.

Elsa giggled. "So what brought you to this town?"

"Friend's with Blondie's father here." He smiled. "It's a long story."

"Really?" Elsa turned to Rapunzel. "How come I have never heard of an Eugene, Punzel?"

Rapunzel sighed. "Dad used to travel outside long ago, and met a boy who saved him from the bandits. But I thought that was just made up! Never believed it till he showed up, and dad and him started having a small party right in front mom and me."

"You thought I am fake?" he chuckled, and jokingly said. "Don't blame you, some as great looking as me is pretty unbelievable."

Elsa laughed.

Rapunzel groaned and dragged Elsa aside.

"You gotta help me here, dad already left me alone with him, you can't do that to me too." Rapunzel pleaded with her eyes while Pascal is glaring suspiciously at Eugene's direction.

Usually Elsa would soften and say yes. But after that cake incident…No way.

"You have Pascal here with you," Elsa had a crooked smile on. "Oh Punzie, he's not that bad, he isn't lying when he said he is good looking."

"Then you take him," Rapunzel glared.

"No I have to run errands bye." Elsa turned around swiftly and ran out laughing. And it was satisfying to hear Rapunzel frustratingly shouting at her back. It is nice to have the last laugh for once.

OOOoooOOOoooOOO

After going to the small markets to get more baking supplies and a small visit to the blacksmiths, Elsa is still smiling over winning over Rapunzel for once over small pranks. To be fair, it isn't fair, since most of the pranks Rapunzel pulled on Elsa was the work of Pascal and her. Elsa didn't have an animal side kick to help, it isn't a fair game. So most of the time, Rapunzel had the last laugh.

But not today.

Elsa continued to walk on her path back home, but something is also quite different today. Jack would often wait for her by the sunflowers, he isn't here today. She is debating if she should wait for him to come, but she thought that would be kind of awkward… She thought, she didn't really need him to walk her home; he was just a companion, right?

"Is she waiting for him?" Far in the berry bush by the sunflowers hid a little humming bird and a hare, peering out to look at the conflicted young girl.

"Eh, I don't know," Aster was a little distracted by the berries.

"She IS waiting for him," Tooth chirped excitedly.

"Maybe she is just tired of walking," Aster chewed on another berry.

Tooth glared at him, and pecked the berry on the stem he held out of his paw. "Aster, focus…Oh look she is walking again."

"See, I told you she was just tired," Aster growled.

"Oh no she is walking."

"I heard you the first time."

"TOWARD US! Aster-"

The bush that was concealing the two was softly pulled down, Elsa peered in. The three had a staring contest, Elsa to Tooth and Aster, Aster and Tooth to Elsa. They all just froze there for a while, no one made any sound.

Elsa chuckled to herself. "Oh just little critters, I thought I was been stalked by someone."

"Technically we were stalking you." Aster suddenly spoke.

Elsa stopped and froze again, and Tooth pecked Aster really hard on the head with her beak, which he let out a loud 'ow, that hurt'.

"Oh no this cannot be real." Elsa taken aback. "First Jack, now…"

Meanwhile, Tooth and Aster is having a small spat with each other, arguing who is at fault for Elsa's new discovery. Elsa was so shocked that she didn't even bother to run, she just stood there and stared at the two, trying to figure out what was going on. Something about that humming bird seemed really familiar…

"Now Nick is going to kill us, what are we going to do?" Tooth panicked.

"Ay I couldn't help it." Aster explained. "I mean, do ye know what a hare sound like?"

"Wait, you are that pretty humming bird on that day!" Elsa pointed out.

"She's still here, you are still here?!" Aster looked at Elsa.

It was a mess.

"It is better she is still here, so we could at least explain this to her…" Tooth glared at Aster. "Hi there, I am Tooth, that is Aster over there. You are Elsa right?"

Elsa stared still in disbelief. "Well.. hello, you know my name?"

"Jack talks about you all the time." Aster blurted out.

Elsa stared intensely at the hare.

"Hey at least only Nick is going to kill me, now you have to worry about Jack getting to you first." Tooth is getting tired of glaring at Aster so much.

"You guys know Jack?" Elsa asked, then sighed. "Well, it isn't that surprising since…he could also turn into an animal… and talk."

"Well, yes." Tooth sounded reluctant, not sure if she should tell Elsa about their relationship yet. "We looked after him since he was just a little youngling."

"Even when he was just a wee baby, he was annoying." Aster added. "Got in trouble constantly."

"Wait how is this possible, you guys are his parents?!" Elsa said shockingly.

Tooth and Aster both let out a disgusted sound and talked over one another about how they are definitely not anyone's parents together ever.

"We just look after him."

"Like Pumbaa and Timon…" Elsa mumbled to herself.

"Eh something like that…" Aster had no idea whom Elsa was talking about.

"Anyways, do you guys know where Jack is?" Elsa asked.

"No idea," Tooth answered quickly.

"He wanders around a lot, but he'll eventually turn up," Aster followed Tooth's response.

"I see…"

"Don't you need to be going home soon, Elsa? The sky is dimming; forest won't be as safe as it is during the day." Tooth said in a concerned voice, but it cannot mask her intention of rushing her out of their conversation.

"You are right, I wasn't even think about the time." Elsa jolted up, and turned back to her path home. "Nice meeting you Tooth… And Aster. Have a nice day."

"Bye, Elsa, have a safe trip home!" Tooth yelled back cheerfully.

When Elsa's figure slowly turned smaller and smaller on the trail, Aster turned to Tooth, "Why didn't you tell her where Jack is?"

"Well, why do you think I'm rushing her home?" Tooth winked at Aster.

OOOoooOOOoooOOO

That encounter was a bit surreal, but Elsa didn't feel that strange about it… Maybe it was because Jack's introduction was the top on her shock factor, and nothing else could really top that. As Elsa opened the door to her cottage, she saw her mother resting by the kitchen table. Which is quite strange because especially during this time of the day, her mother would be up all busy cooking the meals for dinner.

"Oh Elsa, you are finally back." Her mother smiled. Elsa soon noticed the bandage nicely wrapped around her mother's left ankle. She rushed toward her mother, worried about what had happened to her when she was gone.

"Mama, are you alright?" Elsa dropped her basket on the table, and bent down to inspect her mother's injuries.

"Oh you don't worry about me, it's not life and death. Just a twisted ankle at worst a little bit fractured." Her mother pulled Elsa up slowly. "If it weren't the nice man over there, I will still be sitting in the dirt for god knows how long. He was so kind. He carried me back to the cottage and tended my ankle. And he even offered to make us dinner since I'm unable to do it! I feel terrible for him to do so much…" Her mother pointed to the darkly dimmed stove where the man had stood. Elsa didn't even notice he was there when she first came in!

"Mother, you know I could cook. How could you let a strange man cook our din-" She said as her eyes followed her mother's hand, and slowly looked toward the direction to the man. When she truly saw him, she stopped talking and she felt her heart had slowed down, but weirdly her blood was rushing quickly in her veins.

No, no way. It couldn't be, maybe it isn't…

The man was facing away from her, it wasn't until he turned around and gave her a familiar bright smile had she stopped breathing.

"Want to try some soup?" Jack asked warmly, with a spoon in his hand.

Elsa just stood there.

"I don't bite, you know," he said as he brought the spoon into his mouth, his smile still on his face.

"Do you two sort of know each other?" Her mother asked amusingly.

"No," Elsa said.

"Yes," Jack said at the same time.

Her mother arched an eyebrow.

"Well, I mean that… I sorta, kinda met him when I walked to the town today?" Elsa glared at him and just said whatever came into her mind.

"Oh that makes sense, he told me he was a traveller." Her mother smiled.

"He did." Elsa shot a poison look toward him…and he was still smiling.

"Yes, he said he got lost and met a bunch of bandits on the way here and lost everything." Her mother continued.

Elsa saw where this was going, and a little bit afraid to ask "and you are implying…?"

"Well, he did save me a lot of pain today and cooked our dinner. I did a little intense questioning here and there with him before you came home…" her mother replied.

"…Yes?" Elsa is holding her breath.

"He is staying with us!" Her mother clapped.

"Wait, I am?"

"Wait, he is?"

"I mean we need a little helping hand in this cottage, you and I don't need to chop the fire wood anymore!" her mother said jokingly. "Oh, you could bring him to the blacksmiths too!"

Elsa wasn't sure if that was making the situation any better.

"Oh no, it's okay, ma'am, I can take car-" Jack is starting to look a bit anxious.

"Oh no it's fine. I wouldn't let myself go even if I die if you don't stay after what you have done today." Her mother insisted.

"But mama, where is he going to stay?" Elsa added.

"Your room."

"WHAT?!"

"I'm just playing with you, the living room." Her mother laughed. "We have plenty of thick rags and clothes from your cousin's years back. We'll just make him cushioned by the wall by the table over there."

"Thank you very much, but I really was just being a Good Samaritan." Jack tried again.

"Yeah, I am pretty sure he will find somewhere else to stay, right?" Elsa eyed Jack, and he quickly nodded.

"Elsa! I didn't raise you to be so senseless and heartless like that!" Her mother said in a disbelieving tone. "He is staying no matter what, okay?"

"I…Okay." Jack gave in, and had a defeated smile on his face.

"What? But…" Her mother glared at her again; Elsa can't believe what just happened. Eventually, she gave in too. "I…I'll find the rags."

Elsa soon left to her room and Jack still standing by the stove.

This will be fun…They both thought.

OOOoooOOOoooOOO

Hi guys, I am semi back for the holidays. I'm sorry if I didn't update as frequent as I thought I could, so many of you were pretty confused about what had happened here. Don't worry, I am not dropping this fic, at least, definitely not right now. School just held me back a lot and I had a minor writer's block. But here it is, the new chapter. I hope you guys will enjoy it as much as the previous ones. Thank you for those who waited patiently, and stayed (sorry about the long wait). And those who recently read my preview and joined in. Love you guys, and merry Christmas. Happy holidays!

Pearlness4700: I'm glad you enjoyed my short preview. Here is the new update, hope you'll enjoy it too!

Happypenguin177: Thank you so much, that is very nice of you to say, I am flattered :)

Lostblueheart 16: Glad you enjoyed it!

dolphin 22: More to come :)

Trapid: Haha, I know, I'm trying to make him as adorable as possible :) Here is a new chapter, I hope you enjoy this chapter!

jackie: happy holidays :)

VK: Thank you so much, here is a new chapter!

ElsaTheSnowQueen2: Thank you so much, here is a new chapter!

Girl567: Thank you, new chapter is up :)

beatrixparilla: Thank you for understanding, school had kept me from writing too much or stayed to my plan. But here is the new chapter, I hope you enjoy it :)

: new chapter is up :)

DragonIceFury: haha, happy birthday to you (it's a bit late for me to say it now…) But here is a new chapter, up on Christmas eve :)

Guest: Sorry for the long wait, here it is the new chapter, hope you enjoy it

farah: Don't give up, more is up :) Sure go ahead, I would like to read it if you made one! I'm not sure which part you are talking about but… Elsa loves to smile…grin…a lot.

Shot: sorry, school is terrible and Icouldn't go on this site even if I wanted to I left for a long time, I apologize if you waited for so long. Here it is, new chapter!

Pikachudragon: Heck yeah they are :)

Kittydoll: Here it is, sorry for the long wait

TPATFan16: Haha I am a sucker for fairy tales too! I'm trying my best to make this as amazing as it could be, I hope you enjoy this new chapter : )

SilverSapphire34523: Thank you, here it is, the new chapter

NaomilovesJelsa: awwww, thank you! Here it is, a new chapter out on Christmas Eve, I hope you enjoy it : )

Guest 2: Here it is, enjoy! : )

Again… MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!