The castle was filled with an eerie silence as everyone retired to their rooms following the funeral. Elsa hadn't fully accepted the possibility that her parents might be dead. Kings and Queens don't just die like that, she'd assured herself. "Lost at sea" didn't automatically mean they were dead, after all, and Elsa had another three years to plan search parties before the burden of ruling Arendelle rested on her cold hands.

She didn't attend the funeral. She couldn't have even if she wanted. Years of perfecting the art of control seemed all for naught in the few seconds it took for her mind to register the news, and to make matters worse, she'd forgotten her gloves. All it took was a familiar a tingly sensation at her fingertips to warn that she needed to return to her room before she did something she'd regret.

From her window – now frosted over – she was able to spot the gathering just barely, and the sight of Anna standing there alone made her heart ache unbearably. Snow had begun to fall, and Elsa managed to muster up a small bit of control to confine that snow to her room, where it covered her bedroom floor, her vanity and the large canopy hanging over her bed in a blanket of white.

After the funeral, Elsa cleared a bit of snow from her door and sat on the floor against it to prevent her handmaiden from coming in. She clutched the crocus ice sculpture to her chest, but hesitated in saying his name to allow herself a few more seconds to grieve on her own.

"Elsa? Please..."

There was no mistaking Anna's voice on the other side of her door, and the absence of the usual cheerful tone almost made Elsa open the door right then and there to hug her sister and assure her that things would be okay. Instead, she pressed a hand over her mouth to keep from sobbing aloud.

"People are asking where you've been. I'm right here for you, Elsa…"

Elsa closed her eyes, counting in her head. It usually took almost exactly fifteen seconds for Anna to finally give up and take a hint that Elsa didn't want to come out. This went on every other day for the past several years. This time, Anna remained quiet – hopeful, maybe – and anyone else would have assumed she'd gone, but there was no mistaking the presence that still lingered just outside her door.

"Do you wanna build a snowman?" Anna asked quietly, and remained silent afterward.

A snowman, Elsa thought as she glanced around the room. The snow continued to fall as she sat there, clutching the crocus with Anna's presence lingering for a while longer before she heard soft footsteps make their way down the corridor.

"Jack Frost,.

"I was hoping you'd call," came the soft reply of her old friend.

Elsa opened her eyes and met his, staring back at her with an expression that told her she didn't have to explain what happened. At the age of eighteen, Elsa had begun to think she was getting a bit old for imaginary friends – although 'imaginary' wasn't exactly what Jack was. For three years or so, Elsa had tucked the small ice sculpture away, focusing on her studies and keeping herself occupied with history, grammar and overall preparing for the day her parents would have to pass the crown down to her. However, at the end of the day, she was lonely. She'd look forward to Anna's continuous attempts to get her to come outside and enjoy being a teenager for once. Elsa wanted desperately to call upon Jack in those years, but kept from doing so in an attempt to grow up. And now, despite all she'd done to prevent these meetings, here she was, face to face with the one constant in her life.

"You look so young." It was the first thing that came to mind. The last thing she wanted to talk about was the death of her parents.

No, not death. Disappearance, more like.

Her attempt at striking up a conversation made the snow halt, at least.

A small smile tugged at his lips as he sat in front of her. "The tables have turned, I suppose. I was starting to think you no longer believed in me."

"I was trying not to. I thought I had a lot of growing up to do, but now…" Elsa swallowed the lump in her throat and shook her head. "…Now it feels like I'm being forced to grow up much too fast."

"Funny how that works, isn't it?" He muttered. "All it takes is one split second and the next thing you know, you're no longer who you once were."

Elsa's brows knit together as she stared at him, realizing she knew so little about Jack. "Is this who you always were, Jack?"

"I don't think so." He replied softly, running his hands over his wooden staff and glancing out the window. "Being Jack Frost is all I know, but there's a part of me that knows I used to be someone else. It sounds strange, but…I'm sorry I don't have much to offer."

"You're everything I could ever hope for, Jack." She gave a faint smile. "You're my very best friend."

"And you are mine…your majesty."

"Please don't." Elsa winced. She didn't feel deserving of the title just yet and it was still much too soon.

"Forgive me…" Jack tucked a loose strand of silver hair behind his ear before clearing his throat and smiling. Is there anything you'd like to do, princess? Build a snowman, maybe?"

Elsa shook her head. "I'd just like you to sit with me, if that's all right."

"Of course. But there might be a better place to do that."

She looked at him in confusion. "What?"

Jack stood and strolled over to her window and opening it with a wave of his staff. He gripped the windowsill and held a hand out. "If you're not afraid of flying, I can show you the best view of the moon. We'll sit all night if you'd like."

Elsa sat there for a moment and pondered whether leaving the castle with an imaginary friend was the best idea, but pushed those doubts aside and stood. What did she have to lose? She made her way over to her window and took his hand. "Let's go."

"You like him, don't you?"

Ellie jumped and cursed herself for staring. Jake had come by after school as he always did, but was pulled aside by a student who seemed to have a few questions in regard to a homework assignment.

Not that she was eavesdropping.

A week had passed and their morning meetings became a regular thing. In addition to being the backroom stockperson, Chris had taken the early shift to polish his inventory-counting skills, as he'd put it. Once Ellie was settled in at work, she passed the time by finding small chores – polishing napkin holders and mopping every nook in the small shop until the after-school rush came about. The high schoolers were usually let out first, followed by the younger students, and as the line died down, she spotted Jake beaming at the door, waiting for is scoop of Rocky Road. Ellie would then argue that this scoop was on the house and he would politely refuse, adding a tip for good measure while Chris stood by and watched with a stupid grin on his face.

She tossed a rag at Chris. "Go wipe a table or something. I'm not paying you to stand around."

"Oh, you totally like him," he laughed and made his way over to a booth that needed a good wipe-down.

God, I can't stand that kid, Ellie thought as a smile tugged at her lips.

"I wonder who you might be," came a young voice, which snapped Ellie out of yet another reverie.

"Oh…hey there, Henry. What were you saying?" She asked as she grabbed a cone and scooped a hefty amount of mint chocolate chip into it. Ellie tended to be a bit stingy with her supplies for the sake of having a clean inventory count, but Henry was such a sweet kid, a little extra wouldn't hurt.

"If you were a storybook princess, who do you think you'd be?" Henry asked. "At least you look like you might be a princess."

Odd. She let out a small chuckle and handed him the cone. "Okay, kid. Just for that, I'll give you this one on the house. It'll be our little secret."

Henry took the cone and thanked her, but remained. "It's a serious question, Ellie."

Okay, maybe she'd humor him. "Oh, I don't know…I've always liked Rapunzel."

"Hmmm." Henry stared at her for a moment as if in deep thought before shaking his head. "Nah, you don't look like a Rapunzel."

"She's more of a queen, don't you think?"

Ellie sighed as Jake cut in, thankful for the interruption but also blushing at his statement.

"Okay, men, I can't give everyone free ice cream." She said quietly.

"And here I thought I'd finally let you."

Ellie rolled her eyes. "Rocky Road, right?"

"A queen," Henry muttered as he made his way over to a booth.

Jake grinned and leaned over the counter to watch her. "He's something, isn't he? Sweet kid."

Ellie smiled warmly and nodded. "That he is. A bit surprising given who raised him…" She trailed off and shook her head. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that."

"No hard feelings. I'm sure a few people share your sentiments. Myself included."

She shrugged as she rinsed off the metal scoop. In reality, Ellie had no right to have any hard feelings toward Madame Mayor. She rarely encountered her, if at all. But there was something about her that made the hairs on the back of her neck rise, and she just couldn't pinpoint what it was exactly.

"So, Miss Snow. I was wondering when you were going to let me take you out on a real date."

Ellie dropped the scoop at Jack's question. "Oh, uh…" She moved to pick it up, only to knock over a sleeve of cups in the process. This was so unlike her.

"Hey, boss, I've got it. Why don't you, uh…take a break?" Chris called from across the room. Great. If he saw it, so did everyone else in the shop.

"I'm fine!" Ellie said as she straightened and cleared her throat. "Uh, well…I work practically everyday until close, you know, so…it may be a little difficult."

Chris gravitated toward them and gave her that stupid smile of his, "Don't worry, sis, I can pull a double this once. You'll have to owe me, though."

Ellie pushed the scoop toward him. "Chris, go wash this, please."

"Got it." He grabbed the scoop and saluted Jake as he made his way toward the back room, but not before calling out. "I think tomorrow at seven should do it!"

"Would that be all right with you?"

How could she say no? The man was a damn poster child for good manners and chivalry, and as hard as she tried to find a flaw, it was damn near impossible. Why was she doing this to herself? Why not just go for it and stop being a recluse for a night?

"Okay – I mean, yes," she nodded, smiling for good measure. "Tomorrow at seven should be fine." Ellie grabbed a notepad that she kept beside the store phone and dug into her apron for a pen before quickly scribbling her address. She realized then that he didn't have her phone number – she didn't really think it necessary to give to him since they saw each other every morning. Ellie slowly wrote her number under her address and ripped the scrap of paper from the notepad before handing it to him. "Don't be late."

"I'm never late," Jake grinned, tucking the piece of paper into his shirt pocket and giving her a wink before putting a couple of bills in the tip jar and making his way out.

"I'm going to kill you, Chris," she muttered under her breath.

"No you won't." And just like that, he magically appeared at her side at the most convenient moment. "You'll thank me some—"

…

"Hmm?" Ellie had begun re-stocking cups to make up for the ones she dropped when she glanced over at Chris to see him staring at the front door with a stunned expression. She followed his gaze and understood. A pretty redhead was making her way inside with a handsome blonde guy who clearly didn't want to be there. She seemed cheerful in comparison to said guy – probably her boyfriend. Ellie thought Chris would take care of their newest customers, but he was reduced to an ogling mute, it seemed.

"Hey there, what can I get for you guys?"

"Hi!" The girl said cheerfully, holding her hand out. Ellie reluctantly took it and found herself smiling in return. "My name's Andy. I was actually coming by to see if you were hiring, perchance?"

Ellie looked back at Chris, who was suddenly very interested in cleaning a spot on the glass ice cream display. A devilish smile crossed her lips. She needed the help, and could afford it based on how well business was, but after his wingman stunt, Ellie thought she'd teach him a lesson.

"As a matter of fact, I am!" Ellie opened a drawer where she normally kept lost-and-found items and grabbed a small manila folder where she kept applications. She handed one over to Andy along with a pen. "Why don't you fill this out, and stick around for an interview when we close?"

"Great!" The redhead seemed genuinely excited as she skipped over to a booth and began filling out the application.

"Really?" Chris whispered. "REALLY?"

"Looks like you may not have to pull a double after all," Ellie winked.