A/N: All right, I know that I am horrible at updating. I worked at Old Navy over the break, and working retail around Christmas is both mentally and physically exhausting. I'm back at school now, so updates so be more regular for the three fics I currently am working on.

As always, review to let me know what you think!

~Destiny

The island was deserted and had been for centuries. The legendaries of long ago created this place as the strongest prison in history- the Bermuda Triangle. Those who found the place immediately forgot about it or disappeared. It was the only way to keep Brett away from the world.

But Mother Nature could not just leave her child alone without food or water. As a compromise, Brett wore iron chains that bound him to the island, and Mother Nature allowed the island to flourish. He was never without the sweetest fruits and vegetables. It was a paradise in Hell, and Brett was the king. The only guards he had were the chains around his wrists and his punishment was being able to sense the lives of his brothers and sisters. He could feel the hope of the winter nymphs and the joy of their deaths. Caycee was a constant pulse in his mind. He felt her strength growing and the frustration of his summer family. She was a bug that needed to be crushed, and he was the only one who could crush her.

Flames licked at the chains around his wrists. He knew that it would take a while to destroy them- he had been trying for centuries. But time and age of the bindings weakened them, and Brett knew how to exploit that. There were weak spots in the chains—he just had to find them. As he worked, Caycee's pulsing life force was just a reminder of what he had to accomplish.

Bernard wasn't speaking to his nymph. No matter how much she explained why she challenged Brett, he couldn't forgive her for knowingly putting herself in danger without thinking of the consequences. Her headstrong behavior was getting worse, and even Jack didn't know how to handle it.

The elves at the pole could feel the tension. Most avoided Caycee, for there had been many freezing accidents as her emotions got the better of her. She welcomed the silence and used the space to practice her abilities. Brett would not get the better of her. She would be stronger than him, and she would not put her best friend in danger. That had been the priority all along. Save Bernard. Santa would need him more than he needed her. Curtis just wasn't fit to run the pole. Bernard's and her family's future was what mattered most to her.

If she was completely honest, Caycee would admit that she knew she would most likely die when Brett answered her challenge. He was several hundred years older and stronger no matter what Jack said about her powers. It's not like she could control them anyway. They were unpredictable, and she couldn't tap into that white eyed power unless she was angry or frightened. That was going to be a big problem.

Jack was worried. He still loved Caycee, even more so now that she was one of the last winter nymphs. It was his job to protect her, and he knew that her isolation was not what she needed. She was a ticking time bomb, and she needed control. The question was if she would accept his help or if she would continue her newfound isolation. He would need to go about this in the exact right way.

He ended up seeking her out in the theatre that had gone unused since the fateful Christmas concert. So much for the North Pole having a glee club, he shook his head. Carol would most likely end the group after what happened to her daughter when she got around to it. No one thought about the time before Caycee's transformation even though it had only been a couple of weeks. Hell, he had originally came to the Pole with a new plan to take over, but now he couldn't even remember the specifics. A living winter nymph was huge, and he had to keep her alive.

Caycee was sitting on the stage, very much like the first time they met. Her light blue skin sparkled in the dim lighting as she turned towards him, "Are we going to sing another duet, Jack?"

"You don't seem to be in the mood, my dear." Jack smiled softly and sat next to her on the edge of the stage, "There's an elephant in the room."

"You're shrinking hairline?"

"It is not shrinking!" His hands went to his styled hair unconsciously, "Why would you say such an evil thing?"

She laughed at him, "I just wanted to see how you would react. This is a serious situation that you're in. We have to make sure that you are prepared."

"I'll be fine." Her smile dropped immediately, "You have nothing to worry about."

"You're not talking to Bernard and the elves are scared of you. I have plenty of need to worry."

She scoffed, "The elves are not scared of me. They love me."

"Until you froze half of them because a flying teddy bear hit you in the face. Caycee, your emotions are out of control. You're going to hurt somebody if you aren't careful." Jack placed a hand on her shoulder, "I can help."

"You tried helping once already." Her ice blue eyes glared at him, "It did not work too well."

"You gave up and challenged my brother." A sigh escaped his lungs, "What was going through your head, my dear?"

"Save Bernard." She shook her head, "I can't let him become another Aurora. Santa needs him in the factory to keep things running."

Jack gave her a look, "You're risking your life so Curtis won't be head elf?"

"Santa cannot lose B. He's the most efficient and hardworking head elf in history."

"As true and biased as that may be, it is not a good enough reason to antagonize my brother and tempt fate. That wasn't your smartest moment. The danger is very real."

"I'm not scared, Jack."

He laughed, "Don't bullshit me, Case. I can see right through it."

"Then what would you have me do?"

"Apologize to Bernard. He will be your driving force. You also need to work on controlling your powers and emotions, otherwise Brett will have an easy time with making me the only winter nymph again."

His words hit home. Caycee looked at him with her walls removed and fear obvious in her eyes, "Help me, Jack."

"I will make sure that you and Bernard live a long and happy life." Jack vowed in response. He took her hand and squeezed it gently, "You have my word."