hi all! i meant to upload a second chapter last week but i got really ill :( sorry! no one complained about the lack of elsanna last chapter, so i guess i did something right ;)

Elsa is subdued the next day. It's different to usual, though (and the fact that she even has a 'usual' level of subdueness is enough to have you biting your lip because that's so sad).

You wake up late, and though Elsa looks like she's going to collapse from exhaustion, she's actually up earlier than you. She's got deep circles below her eyes, so dark that even her flawless makeup can't completely remove the evidence.

For a brief moment, you wonder if she was up in the middle of the night smoking again, before you shake that thought away. It's really none of your business. Plus, she was probably really exhausted after the evening that she'd had.

Instead of forcing conversation that she probably doesn't want – and may not have mental faculties to entertain – you get on with making sure you're packed up. You're pretty glad that you decided not to pack all your toiletries, because you're definitely grateful for the shower. If nothing else, it pulls you away from the suffocating silence.

But it's kind of weird because when you come out, Elsa shoots you a smile and offers to take your bag. She holds your chair while you move from it to the car, and when you pull up at the airport, she's the one to bring it round while the driver gets the bags. She can be so abrupt sometimes, but other times, she surprises you with her thoughtfulness.

There's a bit of time before your flight, so you stop off at the first-class lounge. Elsa gets a glass of chilled mineral water and a coffee – no alcohol today, it seems. You opt for a hot chocolate because the airport is a little chilly, and also because chocolate.

When she sits down, you see her wince. Just for a moment, but it's still enough to have your mind whirring. You wonder if it has anything to do with the mark on her neck, still hiding by a scarf.

You're staring at your drink, because you can't look at her, when the announcement comes over the PA system. You're not listening at all, mostly because you can't understand it, but then Elsa murmurs a soft, "Damn," beneath her breath. Then it's translated and you understand why. Sort of?

It seems as though a flight has been delayed – and judging from Elsa's reaction, it's probably your flight.

Guess you won't be getting home as early as you'd hoped.

"Is that us?" you ask her, more to break the odd silence that sits between you than for confirmation.

Elsa sighs. She seems so small. "Yes, unfortunately. Do you mind if I go and enquire about it?"

That's a really strange way of phrasing that, you think, but you nod anyway because you don't mind. Elsa shoots you a small smile and gets up. When she's gone, you peer into her coffee, mostly because something strikes you as weird. She's barely touched it.

You're not happy. Which- it's not like you have to be happy all the time, but you're not... content, either. There's something niggling at you, and it isn't about Kristoff, and it's not about Hans.

It's something about Elsa that has you down; you know that she probably doesn't want to drag you down, and it's not that she's doing that, exactly...

You don't know how to describe it, so you try to push it from your mind instead. Elsa doesn't return for a little while, and by the time she does, you've mostly finished your chocolate.

She looks absolutely drained. "They're trying to fix something or other. Something stupid," she tells you as she sits back down. "Shouldn't take long, but our flight will most definitely be delayed."

"Oh."

Elsa nods, closing her eyes. They don't open for a moment, like she's having to build up the strength to look at anything. "I'm sorry for this. You're probably desperate to get home."

At that, you give a shrug. And you shoot her a smile. Why does she always think that you don't enjoy her company?

You're about to ask her when you realise that it really isn't the time for this sort of questioning. She's tired and seems to have had barely any sleep all week.

So instead you just look at her and say, "Hey, nah, it's fine. I get to spend even longer in a different country. That's pretty cool."

It's a fairly weak excuse, but you honestly don't mind. It's not like Elsa delayed the plane or anything – accidents happen.

But she smiles and looks down at her coffee. Maybe she'll actually finish it now.

The issue must have been more severe than you'd thought because it's three hours later that you finally get another announcement that it will be boarding soon. Of course, "soon" means in another hour, but at least you have a solid time frame now. You message Kristoff to let him know that it's delayed, which means that by the time you arrive it's going to be getting late – you're not sure of the time – so he doesn't need to bother. You'll get a train or something.

He double checks, of course, but it's surprisingly easy to convince him. He probably wanted to marathon Vikings or something. And, the airport is really far out of the way.

So Elsa goes off to find an airplane chair for you while you do that, and much like last time, she asks if it's okay for her to push you. You're happy for her to help. You duck to the loo first because you probably should do that before going on the plane. Then it's into the other chair as yours is packed up, and you hang around the boarding lounge for another ten minutes before they finally let you get on the plane.

Elsa takes out her computer, like she's going to do some work, and you probably should but you can't really be bothered.

It's ten minutes after take-off that you realise Elsa isn't doing any work, either.

She's fallen asleep.

You smile to yourself as you lean over to close the lid of her laptop. Good for her.