Sometimes life just downright stinks. Sometimes it gets hard and painful and doing anything to stop it from hurting seems hopeless and pointless and the end of the world seems like a fully apprehensible outcome for your weekend. Sometimes getting out of bed is hard… sometimes it's physically impossible for hours on end. Sometimes the sun is your enemy, and not the reason you're even alive at all. Sometimes your closest friends seem like nothing but annoyances, and loneliness doesn't seem so bad.

Sometimes loneliness is deadly.

Sometimes one can sit alone and wonder why they've been dealt the hand they now stare at somberly, wondering how anyone could expect them to come out on top. Sometimes life seems like the world's worst merry-go-round: it's repetitive and painful and the only light might be the person riding it along beside you… sometimes the only thing you can look forward to is something far off in the distance every once-round, and even though seeing it makes the ride a tad better it's bittersweet because you think you'll never be able to get off the ride and reach it.

But the thing is… life gets better. Things get better. If you hold out long enough, living is the greatest thing you will ever do.

Sometimes life is bright and easy and perfect. Sometimes, just sometimes, life can be the best thing ever. Sometimes you'll wonder how anyone could ever be sad… you'll wonder why anyone ever lets themselves be sad. Sometimes life makes you think happiness is easy. Sometimes that's a dangerous thought, other times not so much. Sometimes happiness is harmless. Sometimes hope is contagious but… in a good way. Like the way smiles are contagious, or the way sleepy little yawns are contagious when shared amongst friends or lovers.

…if you could look inside someone's mind and see their thoughts, maybe even hear them, anyone looking inside the mind of Anna Christian that morning would hear a monologue just like this. Not quite so eloquent, but the philosophy behind her dopey smile and the bright eyes that shined despite the weight of the dark shadows beneath them was at its core just as meaningful.

Why?

Because for the first time in a long while, getting out of bed had been surprisingly easy for Anna to do. She'd sung in the shower, taken the time to actually do her hair so that it fell in fiery copper waves around her bright, freckled face. She'd woken up early enough to make herself pancakes for breakfast and she made it to school early so she could get in some last minute studying for the Astronomy quiz she'd be taking later that day… a quiz she felt fairly confident about.

For the first time in what felt like weeks but was actually months Anna had spent going through unhealthy motions thrust upon her (the damage of which she even now was not fully aware of) by others, the young girl felt like just that: a young girl with responsibilities she could actually handle.

Such a sudden change can sometimes be a random streak of good luck or an unwarranted rush of dopamine… but Anna's newfound ease and peace did in fact have a cause. Several, in fact.

One such cause was the game plan her cousin Rapunzel had set for her. Admittedly, when Anna had been on the phone with her cousin and been told that she'd have to end the not-quite-a-relationship relationship she'd sparked with Elsa, Anna had panicked and immediately envisioned all the worst scenarios in her head: Elsa crying, Elsa withdrawing from Anna's touch and ignoring all Anna's attempts at comfort. Each scene to enter her head had seemed worse than the last, but as the call continued her cousin's gentle voice had grounded her.

Eventually, the logic of Rapunzel's advice had won over Anna's initial panic. Having someone actually tell her what to do for once, rather than being left to her own devices and agonizing over her choices was a pleasant relief. After Rapunzel had hung up Anna flopped back down onto her bed and, after a moment, let out a long, relaxed sigh. Anna understood that, though the conversation would be a hard one, the sooner she set her boundaries with the blonde the sooner the guilt that had been eating away at her spirit since the two had kissed could be put to rest. Albeit… temporarily.

(Sometimes confidence can be fickle and fragile, and putting a Band-Aid on things always seems like the immediate response but it isn't always the healthiest… and it's certainly not permanent.)

So though the apprehension over actually having the conversation with Elsa was still hidden just under the surface, clawing at her fragile state of ease like a vulture nipping at barely-held-together skin, her good mood was still shining through, strong as anything. And that was because of the main cause of her happiness, which had also occurred last night over the phone.

When Gerda had called her Anna had been terrified. It had been after dinner and she didn't think hospitals were allowed to call anyone that late. Regardless, when Anna heard Gerda's voice she had immediately assumed something bad had happened to Elsa. Then she thought of her brother. And then as Gerda had rambled Anna tried to shove down the shame that rose up in her throat when she realized that Elsa had been her number one concern, not Hans. And speaking of Hans, he ended up being the subject of Gerda's call.

Her brother was getting his visiting rights back.

At first, Anna had doubted she'd heard the old woman correctly. So she'd simply removed the receiver from her ear and stared at dumbly. It had felt like so long since she'd seen her brother, and yet the incident she'd witnessed in the hallway all those weeks ago seemed so fresh in her mind… like if she moved her head too fast she could still see splashes of red in the edges of her vision.

"I… I can see him again?" she'd said, voice trembling with uncertainty.

"Yes, dear. Dr. Weselton is confident that Hans is finally ready to really begin his rehabilitation process, and he feels that seeing your face again will only spur the progress on. Even I've noticed the dear boy has been much calmer lately, if somewhat morose."

"…morose?" Her brother was never… morose. It just… didn't happen. He could get irritated, of course, even angry if someone deserved it. But morose? Honestly the saddest Anna had ever seen her brother was at the end of one of his video games when the main character ended up getting betrayed and shot. His shoulders had seemed to lose all strength and he'd leaned back against the couch with a dazed sort of confusion in his eyes. "What do you mean by morose?"

It hadn't quite felt like a real word when she'd said it.

Gerda's voice had been patient but not altogether understanding, typical of a nurse who knew how she was supposed to feel but lacked the ability to conjure any true empathy for the situation she was addressing. It was not unkind of her, just… not comforting the way Anna was sure she wanted it to be.

"Well my dear, I'm not really at liberty to say. He's quite alright physically… but he just hasn't really been the same since the incident, which I'm sure you can understand." Anna had winced. "But as I said, Dr. Weselton believes this sadness to be recognition of his wrongdoing and we're confident he's on the road to true recovery. Now, I know you usually come in to visit Elsa on Wednesdays, so would you be willing to come in the day after tomorrow?"

"Thursday?"

Anna had haphazardly run through her mental schedule and said yes before her brain fully acknowledged that she would in fact be free then. It had taken some time for the idea that she would be seeing her brother in less than 48 hours to really sink in; it in fact took so long that it must have happened when she'd finally passed out in her bed. When she woke up the next morning she was on cloud nine.

And now she was at school, and it was 1 o'clock. She'd just taken her Astronomy quiz and felt sure that she'd at least gotten a B+ on it, and she had Study Hall as her last period of the day. So she could take the time to relax, maybe read a book… she might even be able to take a nap if Ms. Roz wasn't restocking the shelves today. Whenever the tubby librarian restocked the shelves the students tended to stay away and make an effort to at least pretend they were doing work: Roz was terrifying. Hopefully she'd spend the period browsing through who-knows-what on her ancient computer monitor. Anna could grab a table toward the rear of the school's library out of sight and catch a quick hour of sleep before her visit with Elsa. Though she was feeling better than she had in a long time, Anna hadn't gotten more than five hours of sleep the night before and was exhausted accordingly.

So when she got to the library and answered the glare she immediately received upon entering with an awkward, nervous smile, she did a little happy dance in her head and headed for an empty desk in the far back. Anna plopped her bag onto the scuffed-up surface of the hard table and sank into her seat with a content little sigh. Ah… nap time. I've missed you. It's been far too long, we really need to get together more often. Like, every other day more often. Or maybe once a day more often. I'm sorry, is that excessive? Anna crossed her arms across the tabletop and rested her head on top of them, and within moments she could feel the familiar sensation of blinds slowly being drawn somewhere at the back of her eyes that told her sleep was on its way. She wiggled deeper into her seat, getting as comfortable as possible. Eventually it got to a point where it felt like she was becoming one with the table. Just a few minutes, she told herself. An easy, ten-minute nap. Just enough to really enjoy being able to shut her eyes. Ten minutes and she'd be golden. Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed Anna: T-minus ten minutes, her sleep-addled brain promised itself.

And then a bag thumped down right next to her head.

"Ah!" Anna shouted, her heart having jumped so far up in her throat it could've peeked out and said hello before it dropped back down where it was biologically supposed to be.

"Take it easy!" Anna recognized that slightly-haughty but nervous voice, and when she looked up and saw Hercules standing there with a look that was a bit too concerned to be irritated she groaned. There went her chance for a nap.

"Not that I'm not overjoyed to see you Muscles McGee, but you just took my one chance at sleep and crushed it into a million tiny pieces." Anna whined, leaning so far back into the uncomfortable wooden chair that it threatened to tip over, then she flopped back forward so her forehead rested against the table. "What do you want?"

She heard him pull out the chair across from her and sit down. She was lazy (and not quite sure how to handle this boy's constant existence in her space) so she kept her head down, so she could only guess at what he was doing. At one point it sounded like he crossed his arms and leaned forward, but there was an awkward silence that stretched over the two of them. Eventually though, he spoke. "I wanted to talk. About… you. A-and your brother." Hercules' voice was quiet and shy, and when Anna picked her head up his voice matched the look on his face. His eyes did not meet hers, but his body language told her that he was completely focused on her.

Confused, Anna slowly returned to a sitting position. She blinked owlishly, before narrowing her eyes. "Why?" her tone accusatory.

"Because," Hercules answered immediately, as though he knew this question was coming. "I've given you shit about your brother for the past year without ever really… understanding that you were a person. I talked to your friend Kristoff," Hercules explained when Anna opened her mouth to interject. "He told me about your parents being gone and… made me remember all the things you used to do for the team that I never paid attention to. You were always around, but you were never anything more than this… extension of Hans, really. So… that made it easy for all of us, for me," he corrected himself as his eyes grew ashamed. "To immediately make you a target for all of the hurt we felt when Hans did what he did."

"When Hans did what he did?" Anna said, anger creeping into her tone. "You make it sound like Hans just snapped out of nowhere, like you and the entire school weren't responsible for driving him up the wall."

Hercules' nostrils flared, and Anna knew what was coming next. "So… what? Eric and Shang deserved the beating your brother gave them?"

"No! But did my brother deserve everything you did to him just because some guy intercepted a throw and your entire team couldn't catch him? Last time I checked, football wasn't a one-man job! What my brother did was wrong, but don't act like he did it out of nowhere. Maybe if Shang and Eric hadn't blamed my brother for something that wasn't his fault and made him feel worse than he was already feeling, then maybe we wouldn't all be where we are right now!"

The two teens glared at each other from across the table, two pairs of nearly identical teal eyes narrowed in accusation and anger. Hercules' hands were clenched into fists on the tabletop. Anna held the boy's gaze for a long time before she huffed and fell back into her seat, crossing her arms over her chest.

"…Hans and I don't remember our parents very well. They were great and all, but… y'know. It's hard to keep memories alive when they're a decade old." Hercules' fists unclenched, and the angry lines in his face softened as Anna let out a deep, sad sigh. "They went missing. My parents, I mean. There's no way they're alive really, so I should just say that they're de-" Anna's voice cracked, as though her voice was physically capable of wrapping itself around a certain, particular word. Hercules knew exactly which word it was.

It was a word that he'd had the very same trouble saying for about a year now.

He waited patiently for Anna to continue, eyes growing sad as he watched the frustration on her face grow deeper as she struggled to make her voice cooperate. Eventually however, she gave up and sagged into her seat. "They… Hans and I were left with our Uncle and Aunt. They were great people but had no idea how to handle two depressed single-digits. They're kind of loaded so they always made sure we had stuff to play with and keep us distracted, but whenever bedtime came around it would hit us, how lonely we were. How much we missed them," Anna said. "My cousin Rapunzel was the only one who could get me to fall asleep sometimes. Hans… nothing ever helped him. I know that there were some nights he just wouldn't sleep. Sometimes the two of us would sneak out and play hide and seek in the woods surrounding my Uncle's property. Other times, if it was a clear night, we'd go outside and try to guess which star our mother and father were living on, up in Heaven."

"How old were you guys?"

"He was eight and I was six." Anna's voice was flat, as though their young ages were completely irrelevant to the weight of the tragedy they endured. As though it were perfectly acceptable for such innocent creatures to have their lives upended. "Anyway, we were sad and hard to be around for a long time. But… one day Hans sat me down and told me that we had to be strong. We couldn't just sit around and mope. We still had each other, he'd say. If we stayed sad, then what kind of people would we grow up to be? How could we make Pa and Ma in Heaven happy if all we did was cry about being lonely?"

Anna's eyes grew distant then, like she was picturing the conversation in her head. Hercules didn't know what they looked like when they were little, having only moved to Arendelle when he was thirteen, but he didn't have to try hard to picture it along with her. Two little auburn-haired children with eyes that should have been bright with happiness but were instead bright with tears, huddled together and trying to convince themselves that they were strong enough to keep going.

"After that, we tried really hard to be the perfect little niece and nephew. We did everything our guardians asked, never caused trouble, and always tried to be happy. When we eventually went back to school, we did everything we could to make our parent's spirits proud. Hans… well Hans has always been a bit more disciplined than me, so he took it really seriously. Absolutely threw himself into football, always made sure to stay at the top of his classes, made sure there was never a hair out of place. I never had his drive… so I guess to make mom and dad proud I just decided to be a good girl. Not cause trouble, stay sweet, and support my big brother."

She was quiet for a moment, eyes still far-off, before she blinked and seemed to return to her body. She met his gaze then, and if she saw the sadness and the almost-pity in his eyes she gave no sign. "And that's pretty much it," she stated nervously. She smiled at him sheepishly, embarrassed now, and raised a hand to rub at the back of her neck. "I ramble sometimes so… sorry if that came out like a bit of a sob story."

"It's… not a sob story," Hercules said carefully. "That's really shitty. I'm sorry, Christian." Hans may have still been a violent psycho in Hercules' eyes, but Anna almost made him believe that it wasn't entirely his fault. To lose one parent was hard enough, but losing both…

Though there's one parent I certainly wouldn't mind losing, Hercules thought to himself bitterly.

"Well, thanks I guess. But, um…" Anna trailed off and the corner of Herc's mouth twitched up in a smirk when he saw suspicion in the teal eyes across from him. "Why exactly are we doing this? If you're trying to swap sob stories with me I'm sorry to tell you that I really don't have time today. I, uh… well I've got somewhere to be. And, also?"

"What?"

"I told you, it's Anna." The smile on Anna's face was not 100% genuine, but there was still sincerity behind her eyes that Hercules understood at once. She'd said to him once that she would only accept an apology that was genuine, and he was trying. He just, had to get to know her first. Had to 'understand what he did wrong,' as Anna herself had put it. After a moment he cautiously returned the smile.

"Sorry, Anna." Anna nodded to herself and pulled out her phone to check the time. Hercules watched as she did so, an idea creeping into his head. "Hey, do you want my number?"

Anna froze, eyebrow's knitting together in confusion while Hercules just grinned proudly. Her eyes darted from side to side, as though she was looking for an explanation hanging somewhere in the air. When she found none, her gaze returned to his. "Uh… not at all, really? Why?"

"Well… I really do want to understand what I did wrong. And I think I'm starting to. But… I also think that you might be able to help me understand why I did it in the first place. And if I can do that, then I can stop, and I can go back to being the person that Meg wants to be with. And, um…" Now it was his turn to be nervous. He'd known this part was going to be hard. "…because I do want to trade sob stories but…"

"But… you're afraid your teammates might see you sobbing like a big ginger baby?"

"Pretty much." Hercules affirmed.

Anna seemed to consider this for a moment, before handing her phone over. "Only on the condition that I decide where we meet up, so I can avoid getting jumped."

"Fair enough," Hercules said as he punched in his number. "I'm pretty sure that's what I deserve."

"Oh, it is."

Elsa looked down at the letter in her hands and frowned.

Come on Elsa, Anna's going to be here any minute. Either it's ready or it isn't, you don't have much time!

A sigh that sent a shudder down the length of her spine had Elsa shaking, the letter held tightly in her hands. It was a letter to Anna, one she'd spent the last week agonizing over the writing of. It was a letter she'd written what felt like a hundred times (and she surely had, for she'd been trying to write one since her very first visit with Anna), and each attempt seemed more desperate than the last. She'd ripped all the previous ones to shreds, but this one, she hoped, would be able to properly convey her feelings.

'Dearest Anna,' it began.

'First, I just wanted to thank you. Thank you for being you, for making me smile and making me happy and bringing light back into my life. I don't know what I would do without you, and I don't mean that to put pressure on you. I just want you to understand how much you mean to me. You are very important to me. I wish nothing but happiness for you and, I must admit... to be the cause of that happiness.

I can make no promises about my... voice. It's difficult for me to discuss, even on paper. It's been so long that, that... that I'm not even really sure what's wrong with me anymore. I'm just so used to living in silence that a world with sound seems terrifying. But, a world with sound is fine so long as you're there to make sound with me. I'm sorry that that's not more eloquent, but it is the truth.

There is one promise that I can make you, and that is this: I will try. I will try, for you Anna. And for my parents. Thanks to you, I've realized that my mother and father are growing old, and I'm missing it. I don't want to miss anymore of it. I don't want to waste anymore time.

I don't want to waste anymore time that we might have together.'

And in a shaky hand, she had signed her name.

Even now, she wanted to rip this one to pieces, but it was her most successful attempt at putting haphazard to thoughts to paper and she was out of time. It was nearly four, and Gerda would be coming to bring her to Anna any moment.

The lock of her door clicked.Speak of the devil, Elsa thought to herself.

"Elsa dear, are you ready for your visit?"

Elsa looked up and after a careful glance back at her letter, she nodded and stood. She folded the letter carefully.

"What's that dear, a letter? Is it for Anna?" Gerda's voice was curious, but not pushy. The gentleness in it allowed Elsa to nod with only the slightest bit of trepidation, and though she could feel the beaming smile on the elderly woman's face she dared not look up and risk betraying the anxiousness she knew swirled in her eyes. "That's wonderful, dear!"

Soon enough the two were on their way to the visitor's lounge and Elsa had safely tucked the letter away in the waistband of her leggings. A hand hovered over it, ready to catch it if it threatened to fall out of place. Every step brought her closer to Anna's smiling face, and though there was fear in her heart that the letter wasn't good enough, wasn't worded right, Elsa had faith in Anna. She was even starting to have faith in herself.

"Here we are, dear. Just between us, Anna seems to be in a very good mood today. Lucky you," Gerda said with a cheeky wink.

A good mood? Elsa thought. A smile spread across her face. That was wonderful! That was absolutely wonderful news!

Elsa stepped into the visitor's lounge and immediately her eyes alighted onto Anna's smiling face. Anna was smiling. She looked happier and brighter than she had in weeks, and Elsa couldn't have been happier. She was moving forward before the door even clicked shut behind her. Anna wasn't seated at their usual table, she was instead with that same young boy Elsa had been introduced to not too long ago. Olaf, if she remembered correctly. The pair were coloring together, and were watched over by an elderly woman who was smiling warmly down at the little boy. Her frail hands were folded neatly on top of a massive pile of scribbles, many of which had poorly-drawn pictures of snowmen on them.

Elsa moved to Anna's side, a hand resting on the back of her chair. Content to wait until Anna noticed her, she watched as Anna tried her hand at drawing. She wasn't very good, and when Elsa cocked her head to see better she found that it didn't really help at all. She was still hopelessly lost. It was only when Olaf shouted "Done!" a bit too loudly, and both artists held up their masterpieces that Elsa had to clap a hand over her mouth.

If she was reading the situation accordingly, the two had challenged each other to a portrait-drawing competition and tried to draw their opponents. Elsa wasn't sure whose was worse. Anna was no artist, and Olaf had clearly tried more to draw what he felt like drawing than to capture what he was really seeing.

"Olaf!" Anna giggled. "You gave me tattoos!"

"Freckles!" Olaf corrected, his buck teeth displayed proudly as his lopsided smile stretched wider. "Olaf win!"

"What?" Anna shouted in disbelief. "Oh come on, I got your teeth perfect! Look at those puppies," Anna said as she gestured to her drawing, which honestly looked like a cartoon smiley face under a mess of black squiggles that were supposed to be hair.

Olaf giggled in return. "My teef aren't puppies, silly! Olaf win!"

Elsa grinned affectionately and finally decided to announce her presence by tapping Anna on the shoulder, and though Anna jumped in surprise she beamed when she saw Elsa's face. "Elsa! Boy am I glad to see you. Can you please explain to this silly boy that I am the champion in this contest?" When Elsa shook her head, Anna clutched at her heart and whined in protest. "But, but... hmph. Okay fine. You win this round Olaf. I gotta go now little buddy, okay?"

"Okay!" Olaf said with a smile. "Bye, Anna!"

"Buh-bye, little guy. Have a good day, Mrs. Anderson!"

Elsa watched the little old woman give Anna a smile before she stretched out to fix Olaf's messy hair. He didn't seem to mind having her in his personal space, so Elsa guessed that she was familiar to him. She didn't have long to dwell, because Anna boldly slipped her hand into Elsa's and began to lead them to their couch. Elsa savored the feeling of Anna's hand in hers and smiled warmly at the back of the other girl's head. Anna must have felt her stare because she turned to glance at Elsa over her shoulder and smiled right back. Of all the visits Anna and Elsa had shared, Elsa could tell that this one was going to be the most important. Whether it was the light in Anna's eyes, somehow reassuringly familiar and new all at the same time, the letter waiting to be shared, or the fact that Elsa was aware of how easily she was able to meet that old woman's eyes, something in the air was charged and it was exciting.

Anna sat them down and Elsa wasn't afraid to move closer. A jolt when up her leg when their knees touched, and she grinned at the light dusting of red already anointing Anna's cheeks. "Th-that was Olaf's grandmother," Anna said shyly, her teal eyes sparkling as they stared into Elsa's. "This is the first time I've met her, but she's a real sweetie."

Elsa nodded in response and reached up to cup Anna's cheek. She stroked the skin with her thumb, enjoying the way Anna's eyes almost fluttered shut. "Um..." Anna shrugged her backpack off and unzipped it, reaching inside for something. "I'm super excited to see you again, Elsa. I've kinda had... the most bizarre week ever. But in a good way! A really good way, and there's something I wanna talk to you about but first..."

Elsa's mouth watered when Anna retrieved a chocolate bar from her bag. It dark chocolate too, her absolute favorite. "I figured since I forgot to bring you a truffle during my last visit, I should treat you this time around to something a little more substantial!"

Elsa wondered what she'd done right to make today so wonderful. She grinned and eagerly reached for the chocolate bar, ripping open the wrapper and breaking off her first piece. She popped it into her mouth and immediately broke off another piece for Anna. While the two ate Anna told Elsa about the strange encounter she'd had with Hercules, about how far she was progressing in the video game Kristoff had made her start, and about the pizza she was planning on ordering for dinner. At one point it looked like she wanted to talk about something else, excitement shining in her eyes, before she seemed to second guess herself and Elsa could almost see the thought retreating back into Anna's head.

When the chocolate was finished Elsa reached for Anna's hand and began to play with it, stroking the other girl's palm and measuring Anna's fingers against her own. Anna seemed content to watch, giggling when Elsa hit a ticklish spot. Eventually, Elsa grew bored. Anna rolled her eyes when Elsa bit her lip and made her two fingers 'walk' their way up Anna's arm, and giggled when they ducked in to briefly tickle her neck. Elsa's hand returned to it's place on Anna's cheek and this time Anna wasn't afraid to let her eyes fall shut as she nuzzled into Elsa's touch. Elsa's heart soared. She let herself savor the moment.

Someday, she told herself. Someday I'll be able to do this in a house, a home. Not a hospital. Someday, I want this girl to be mine. And I want to be hers.

I'll do anything to make that happen. I will.

She briefly considered giving her letter to Anna now, while she had the courage. Just as the thought flitted through her head though, Anna's eyes opened. There was a note of seriousness in them that immediately had Elsa's heart tightening in her chest. "Okay, this is amazing and nice and wonderful but I really have to talk to you about that thing now. Before I, y'know fall asleep again."

Elsa tried to tell herself that this wasn't going to be a bad thing, something to ruin their good day, but 'I need to talk to you' is never a strictly good thing. It usually means important things. Difficult things.

"So... I'm not really sure how to start this." Anna raised a hand and placed it over Elsa's, holding it for a moment before drawing it away from her face. She straightened up and, though she threaded her fingers through Elsa's, her face remained serious. "I want us to be together."

Elsa blinked. There was silence for a moment as she processed what Anna had just said.

She wants, that is-

...what?

In an instant she was beet red. And sweating.

"I like you, Elsa. And, and I know you like me. You... do, right? Like me?"

Elsa nodded furiously, grasping Anna's hand in both her own now, eyes wide with disbelief and shock and so much hope.

Anna could do nothing but blush and stammer under the intensity of Elsa's gaze. "R-right. So, I want to give us a chance. Whoa, 'us,' that sounds weird out loud. Not weird, weird! Just weird different, I guess. Um... wow, I had a whole speech thing and it just totally dribbled out of my brain. Jeez Christian, nice visual. Really attractive." Anna smacked a hand to her forehead, took a deep breath in, and for a moment was silent.

"Okay so, here's the hard part. I want us to be together, and that's why for now... I'm calling off the PDA. No PDA! No kissing, no getting anymore attached than we already are. No... relationship until, well... well until we're in a healthy enough place to really be in one. Does that make sense?"

Elsa could only stare. This was a lot for her to process in very little time. Neither her heart nor her head had been ready for any sort of confession except the one she held on her very person, and even that she'd nearly worried herself to death over. Any confidence she'd had over giving it to the other girl was also completely shot. There was absolutely no way she'd be able to give it to Anna now. No way at all. In fact, right now she felt very much like ripping it into tiny pieces, just like all its brethren.

Anna had done the unthinkable, done what Elsa in her wildest dreams never thought was possible. She'd just given Elsa a glimpse of a future together, the only thing Elsa wanted with all of her heart, claimed that it was a dream she too shared, and in that very same moment told her that dream was out of reach. Elsa wasn't sure if she should be overjoyed or devastated. Her head kept cycling through the giddy joy that was her response to learning that Anna returned her affections (something her own mind had practically convinced her was impossible), to the devastation of not being able to pursue that affection any further until some distant point in the future, to a desperate whine of No more kissing?

In all honesty the 'no kissing' was the only part shallow enough for her overworked brain to fully comprehend.

"...Elsa?"

Though it was hard, Elsa met Anna's gaze. Elsa's heart, already shaken, nearly broke when she saw how utterly vulnerable Anna looked. She looked to be barely breathing, waiting desperately for Elsa to make some sign that she wasn't about to shatter. Though she felt very much like doing so, Elsa knew that she had to be strong. She tried to swallow back the lump that had risen in her throat, and even though she failed she gave Anna her best attempt at a smile. Anna's eyes darted back and forth between hers, watching for any sign of a tear. Elsa was too emotionally shell-shocked to cry, but she wasn't exactly sure she could stand to be happy at the moment.

Anna wanted them to be together, but only when the two of them were 'healthy.'

Elsa understood what she meant, and she knew she had no real right to oppose the notion. In her heart she knew that she could never give Anna what she deserved from her place here in the Institute. She knew that one day, she wanted to be able to tell Anna that she loved her. She knew that she wanted to be able to say Anna's name.

Honestly what Anna was saying was what Elsa knew she wanted. She knew that. But that didn't stop the creeping fear that was tickling its way through her blood and bones.

"Is... is that okay? Elsa?"

Elsa shut her eyes when she felt the first prick of tears. Instead of nodding or shaking her head or whatever would have been acceptable, Elsa leaned forward and pressed her forehead to Anna's. Anna immediately wrapped her arms around Elsa's shoulders and pulled her closer. "Oh, Elsa... I'm sorry. I know this is hard. But, I really think this is what's best for us. I mean, I'm not gonna lie I am gonna miss those kisses. They were pretty great."

Even when she was on the verge of tears, Anna could make her smile. With Anna holding her, Elsa found the strength to nod. The tears that threatened to fall never did, and Anna allowed her to gather herself before relaxing her grip and allowing Elsa to pull back. This time it was Anna who cupped Elsa's cheek in her hand. Elsa kept her eyes closed and held Anna's hand in place.

I... Anna, I...

I'm not sure I can do this.

What if she was doomed to stay in that hospital forever? What if she never found her voice? What if the two of them were doomed to fail? All the what ifs swirled around in her head, faster and faster, louder and louder.

But then both of Anna's hands were cradling her face, and Elsa opened her eyes. Anna was grinning at her. Confidence and faith were clear in her eyes.

"You can do this," Anna whispered. "I know you can."

Elsa couldn't help herself. Nothing in the world could have stopped her from surging forward and crushing her lips to Anna's. Anna let out a muffled gasp but immediately returned the kiss, eyes falling shut. Elsa clutched at Anna's shirt, holding her close. The kiss was warm and fierce, filled with the promise of a relationship and all the frustration of that same relationship put on hold. Elsa never wanted it to end. But all good things must come to an end, and so eventually the two separated. Their foreheads remained touching though, neither girl willing to pull back just yet.

"Wow..." Anna whispered. Elsa held her breath. "That was not fair."

And just like that, everything was suddenly okay. Anna was still Anna, their feelings were known, and now Elsa knew what she had to do.

So when Gerda came to fetch her, it wasn't hard for her to let Anna go. No more than it usually was. The fierce blush that lit up freckled cheeks when Elsa blew a kiss was just a reminder that their future was real. Anna believed in her, and so Elsa would believe in herself. She had a chance. They had a chance.

"Well, someone certainly had a good visit." Gerda said with a smile. Elsa was so busy replaying the kiss in her head that she didn't even realize she was nodding in response. Gerda noticed it though, and she was ecstatic. Elsa had been making wonderful progress. And she could tell that Anna and Elsa had made great strides in their relationship. She was incredibly happy for them.

Alas, for that happiness was not to last.

As Elsa and Gerda ascended the stairs and turned to move up the next floor, thundering footsteps began to echo all around them. Gerda looked up, confusion in her eyes. "What in the world?"

Elsa heard the concern in the other woman's voice and glanced her way as the footsteps, frantic and pounding, grew louder and louder. Gerda reached out and pulled Elsa closer, a hand reaching for the walkie all orderlies carried on them. Panic rose in Elsa as Gerda barked some sort of warning into the device, her voice shaky.

"You!"

A chill went down Elsa's spine. She knew that voice. She looked up and into the poisonous eyes of Anna's older brother, Hans. He was wild-eyed and terrifying, his hair a mess as he descended the stairs, eyes boring deep into hers.

"You filthy, dirty, fucked up freak!" Hans seethed, touching down onto the floor that connected the stairwells and advancing on her. "I knew there was something wrong with you, and now I'm going to fucking-"

"Hans!" Gerda shouted, stepping forward and forcing Elsa behind her. "How did you- who let you out? Why are you here!? I demand that you go back to your room at once or-"

Hans reached out and grabbed Gerda by the collar of her shirt, jerking her towards him and practically snarling into her face. "Shut up, you stupid bitch," he hissed before he threw her against the wall. She struck the brick with a crack and sank to the floor, where she remained. She did not get up. Elsa's eyes widened and she took a step back, horror in her eyes. Hans was unfazed, his malicious green gaze returning to Elsa. He continued to move towards her, teeth bared. "I have business with the Ice Queen."

Elsa was terrified. There was murder in Hans' eyes, and she was alone. Gerda may have called for help, but she could very well be dead before it arrived. For a moment her eyes darted back towards the direction she'd come from and she considered making a break for it back down the stairs, but Hans stepped in front of her. There was a smoothness to his movements that betrayed the unrestrained fury in his eyes, like the sloping shoulders of a panther as it waits for the opportunity to rip a small animal to shreds, or the slick movements of a snake as it cuts through the grass, moving towards it's dinner.

"I know you've been visiting my sister, freak. Did you really think I wouldn't find out?" He lingered at the edge of the stairs, daring her to run. He was grinning manically now, now that he had his prey where he wanted it he was going to play with it. Torture it. "And I know how you feel about her." When Elsa's eyes widened Hans laughed. "Oh yes, I've always known. I always saw the way you'd stare at her, watch her with those prying eyes of yours. And I know my sister's been humoring you, because she's too good to break anyone's heart. Even a pathetic, needy little one like yours."

Now Hans grew serious, and the sick smile faded. "And I would have been content to let you wallow in your lonely, miserable little world, because I know that I will always be Anna's number one priority. Always."

No, that's not true. Anna cares about me, she... she-

"I know what you're thinking in that twisted little head. Anna really cares about you, hmm? She has to. She just has to. Because," Hans took a step closer. "What would you have if she didn't? Nothing. Not your parents, you can't even look them in the eye. Not anyone here, not with a nickname like 'Ice Queen.' Without Anna, you have nothing. And who am I to get in the way of your one-sided little attraction?"

Elsa was wide-eyed, heart hammering in her chest. How could he have known about her parents? None of the orderlies would have told him, that was against the hospital's policy! There was no way, no way he could have known... unless...

Hans' eyes were dark now, dark and threatening and full of promise to hurt. "But Anna is my sister. And as her older brother, it's my job to protect her. Protect her from harm, protect her from the world... protect her from sick little perverts like you."

Hans was holding something in his hand, a crumpled piece of paper. Paper that looked very familiar. He held it up for her to see, though the disgust written on his face made it clear that he found no joy in touching whatever he was holding. When Elsa realized what it was, her horrifying suspicion was confirmed. Hans had been in her room. He'd been in her room and looked through her things. Her letters, her birthday cards... her sketchbooks.

In Hans' hand was the one drawing Elsa had never been more proud... or ashamed of. It was of Anna, in full nude, lying in Elsa's bed. Though the body was little more than a fleshed-out sketch, Anna's face was so detailed that Elsa couldn't help but blush whenever she flipped past the page in her book. She was ashamed of that drawing, for she'd drawn it after a particularly restless night's sleep spent amongst wet sheets and the ghosts of wandering hands. The dream had replayed in her head over and over until finally, she allowed herself to put pencil to paper.

That Hans had it now, and had seen the depths of her depravity, was the ultimate shame. Elsa couldn't help but look away, and Hans took that opportunity to advance. He grabbed her by the upper arm, his grip promising black bruises.

"Before I found this disgusting thing, I would have just threatened to kill you if you ever came near my sister again. But we're past that point now." Hans released her and Elsa immediately cradled her arm, the pain still shooting needles into her skin.

He took the paper in both hands... and ripped it in half. Elsa's mouth opened in a silent scream, and when Hans did it again she covered her mouth and tears began to gather in the corner of her eyes. When he dropped the pieces she immediately lunged forward to grab them despite the danger. He sneered down at her. She cradled the pieces to her chest, tears falling in steady streams. This wasn't fair, this wasn't fair!

Hans reached down and grabbed Elsa by both arms this time, bringing her up to meet his eyes. "You are never going to see my sister again. I'm going to make sure it never happens. You'll never get to see her,"

no

"Hear her,"

no...

"Or touch her again."

No.

"You will never be with her so long as I exist."

NO

"I would rather die than let you anywhere near my sister again."

NO!

"So instead," Hans said, a sick grin lighting up his face while he pulled Elsa so close she could feel the malice on his breath. "I'm going to kill you before you ever get the chance."

A scream echoed throughout the stairwell. There was a crash, the sound of breaking bones, of a body hitting the floor, and then there was silence.

When they found Elsa, she was curled up in a ball in the corner of the stairwell. She was clutching shredded pieces of paper to her chest and rocking back and forth with tears streaming down her cheeks. One hand was clamped firmly over her mouth.

When they found Hans, he was in a broken heap at the bottom of the stairwell, blood pooling beneath his shattered body.

I bet you guys thought I was dead ;)

-Cel