Chapter Seven

If Anna and Elsa's life was some fairytale story, it would have ended when they'd shared that wonderful kiss at the sink. But it wasn't, and they couldn't run away together or ride off into the sunset as the words "The End" appeared on the screen in elegant, gold letters. This wasn't an end in any case- well, maybe it was to their friendship- but a beginning of something…different.

It wasn't until Monday during lunch that they actually talked about what they were now.

"So…we should probably talk about last weekend, right?", Elsa said after a lull in their conversation.

Anna shrugged, "What's there to talk about? I like you, and I think you like me, so obviously we should be together right?"

"You think I like you?" Elsa said offended.

"I was joking!" Anna laughed, "Of course I know you like me. You made that very clear to me, and my lips, and the dishes I guess."

"Hmmph." Elsa frowned and folded her hands together. She looked back down for a moment at the old metal table before looking up at her…whatever Anna was to her now. "I just don't want there to be any confusion over where we see this going, okay?"

Elsa knew for sure that she wanted to be with her and only her. But what if Anna didn't want the same thing? It was silly to think of that, seeing how strong their friendship was, but this was more than just a simple friendship. It was complicated; then again when it is ever not complicated when you're dating your best friend?

Well, dating may not be the best term since they hadn't actually gone on one yet.

Anna bit her lip and looked away, "I guess you have a point. I'm sorry, this is all new territory to me."

"Hey this is new for me too," Elsa reassured her. "I've never been in a relationship before either."

They both fell into a state of silence as they searched for what to say first, hoping the other would say someone to get the ball rolling. Elsa sat with her hands still folded, watching her thumbs as they wrestled with each other; Anna continued to stare at nothing in particular.

All around them the student body of Arendelle High sat without a care in the world. Friends remained friends and couples had already gone through the growing pains of their relationship, and here they sat in limbo, wondering where they stood.

Finally, Anna spoke. "So…where do you see this going?"

Elsa let out a nervous laugh, "You stole my question."

"Sorry, I didn't know what else to say." The redhead looked bashful, lacking a confidence she seemed to want. She really did have no idea what to do here. They were both guiding each other on this journey without a map, someone needed to point them in the right direction.

"No it's okay, you don't have to apologize. I should have asked that first anyway if I didn't want you to…" Elsa took a breath, "Anna, I really like you. I mean you already said that too, and I've already shown that, but I don't…know how else to show it. This- what we're doing- it's new and exciting, but also really, really terrifying. You're the first real friend I've ever made and I don't wanna throw away what we already have. But at the same time you're one of the first people I've ever had feelings for and I don't want to throw away what we can have. Does…does that make sense?"

Anna took a second to process those words and she nodded in agreement. She also, finally, looked Elsa in the eye. In them, she saw relief. "It makes perfect sense! I mean I never thought I'd ever fall for my best friend. And yet…here we are."

"Here we are.", Elsa echoed, her heart fluttered after hearing Anna say that she fell for her. This was still incredibly surreal.

"Well…I like you too Elsa, hopefully as much as you like me or else this is gonna be really awkward." Anna giggled, though there was a hesitation to it. "Anyway, where do I see this going? I don't know…I mean I do know but it's just…I-I mean I want to be with you for as long as you want to be with me. Does that make sense?"

Elsa was surprised, and she was also surprised at the fact that she was surprised. Anna said exactly what she was thinking. Relief came from knowing that they were both on the exact same page, and she unfolded her hands to grasp one of Anna's. "That makes perfect sense.", Elsa said with a smile.

Anna felt the soft hand on hers and saw the warm smile from her...well they'd decide on a label later. All that mattered now was that they wanted to be together, and they were together now. Her cheeks warmed up to a color rosier than her hair. She replied after a content sigh, "So, when are you gonna take me out on a date?"

Anna felt a hand on her own, but it wasn't Elsa's. It wasn't as soft, or as cool, or as…painfully and aggravatingly perfect. And she wasn't at the lunch table where everything was safe, and where everything made sense. She was at her flour-covered workstation, back at her job. Back to reality.

Rapunzel had placed her hand on top of Anna's, who had been smashing the wide end of her rolling pin straight through bread dough. The milky white glob had split in two under the weight of the wooden cylinder. Her friend looked at her with the same expression she had given her ever since- well ever since that day. It was a look that said "You haven't been yourself since you met with Elsa, and even though I'm your friend and respect your privacy I can't believe you haven't told me what's going on."

"Anna…", Rapunzel started.

"I know.", Anna interrupted. "I know…I know what you're gonna say. And I promised you I'd tell you what's going on when I'm ready, but right now I'm not." She was the furthest from being ready.

Rapunzel sighed and she released Anna's hand. "Well when are you gonna be ready? Anna the bake sale is in two hours, and if you can't hold it together then maybe you shouldn't go."

Anna shook her head, "No. You need me there, and I need to be there. This was my idea in the first place remember? It would be weird if I didn't show up."

After deducing that Elsa wouldn't help them out in any way, Anna and Rapunzel got to work on finding different solutions to their financial problem.

Rapunzel did most of the talking and brainstorming, and Anna did most of the staring into space and trying not to cry from reliving memories from the past eight years. She waited and waited for Anna to be of any help at all and it finally came with a bit of goading from the tolerant blonde. Literally the only thing Anna said in this brainstorming session was "How about a bake sale?"

Rapunzel expanded on this idea. She contacted local schools to put on a bake sale for, and a few days later they finally got a reply from a private school that would pay handsomely. But they wouldn't pay them to have a bake sale, they would literally just pay them to make an undecided amount of baked goods for the children.

They had spent the entire day baking and boxing up goods to feed a small army.

Anna worked like a woman possessed, figuring that it would keep her from dwelling on the past. But becoming a slave to the times when everything was okay had made her less susceptive to the present times where everything had to be.

Nonetheless, she was still too stubborn to admit to anyone else that something was wrong. And damn it all she was going to this bake sale…this not-bake sale.

"Okay, but you should at least take a break. We don't have to leave for another hour, and I could use some help up front with boxing," Rapunzel walked back to the front of the store.

"But I-"

"And I'm not taking no for an answer!" Rapunzel disappeared behind the door, leaving Anna in her silence.

The silence that, up until now, she was perfectly content with stirring in.

After waiting a minute to wonder if she should instead stay in this prison she'd made for herself, she decided to leave against her own wishes. Anna peeled her hands off the rolling pin, noticing the thin cracks forming in the wood, and walked through the door where all her problems were waiting for her.

Anna walked through the double doors of the theater with a giant popcorn bucket in tow as Elsa held it open.

"Aww, you're such a gentlewoman!", she exclaimed as she threw a piece of popcorn into her mouth and led them towards a couple of empty seats.

"Lady. I think the word you're looking for is lady," Elsa responded.

Anna giggled, "Nah I like gentlewoman better."

They finally did it, they were on their first official date as a couple. It took a lot longer than it probably should have since they had done pretty much what regular couples did when they were simply just best friends, so it was Elsa's idea to just start simple. And movies were simple.

After suffering through the embarrassment of their parents dropping them off at the theater, Anna found herself growing more nervous as the date went on. It was strange, ever since they made that leap she overanalyzed every little thing she did. It affected the way she walked, talked, and acted around Elsa.

"What's this movie about again?", Elsa asked as she grabbed a handful of popcorn.

Anna gasped a bit too exaggerated for her liking, "You're the one that picked out the movie! I thought you knew."

"I…", Elsa sighed and looked at her with those cute, apologetic eyes. "Okay I'm going to be honest, I was a bit nervous and kind of just picked the first movie I saw. If this movie sucks, I'm really sorry." She looked adorable when she was guilty. Was that a thought she could have?

"Hey don't worry about it, there's nothing to be nervous about," Anna said like a hypocrite. "Nothing's changed between us and nothing should. I'm sure this movie's gonna be great, and if it isn't, then we can find something else to do with our time."

Elsa threw a couple of pieces of popcorn into her mouth and raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean by something else?"

Anna just smiled and leaned back in her chair, waiting for her words to sink in.

"Oh my gosh, Anna no!"

The sly redhead laughed, being careful not to drop the popcorn in her lap. "I'm messing with you! But hey, you're not nervous anymore right?"

"I still am, but for an entirely different reason!"

From the row of seats behind them, they heard a sharp shushing noise, even though the previews hadn't even started yet. Regardless they quieted down immediately. Elsa glared and pouted at Anna, who grinned sheepishly and mouthed the word "Sorry."

A short time later, after Elsa had calmed down and Anna hid away her own nerves, the houselights dimmed and the movie began.

Oaken's Haven for Children was a private school for children of low-income families started by a humble Scandinavian millionaire named Oaken. It wasn't as if his last name was a total mystery, his full, legal name was literally just Oaken. Rapunzel had found his school online and he had replied to their message within the hour. They hadn't even met the guy yet, but the fact that he would help them out meant he was already the nicest man they knew.

His school, it seemed, was just as big as a heart. It was in the northwest part of the city, set right at the edge before the forest began, and they passed it twice along the way. Turns out the expansive, lush mansion their GPS kept taking them to actually was the place they were looking for.

The doorman at the front gate greeted them with a warm smile, tipped his hat towards them, and opened the gate without question.

"This is a school?", Anna asked wide-eyed as they drove and towards the entrance.

"Apparently.", Rapunzel replied, in the same amount of awe as she was. "I mean I looked this place up last night so I shouldn't be surprised but- man, seeing this place in person…"

Anna wrung her hands together and looked back at the trunk of the car, "You think we even have enough food for the kids?"

"Anna, how much do you think kids actually eat?"

Hedge clippings of various animals lined the cobblestone road and gardeners waved past them as they drove by. Children were playing all around the yard under the supervision of adults with matching purple polo shirts and black shorts. The path ended on a roundabout with a statue of a cherub in the center. Two people waited for them on the wide, carpeted stairs that led to the front door. One was a long-haired brunette and the other was a man with short, dirty blonde hair. They were both wearing matching sweaters.

"Is that Oaken?", Anna asked as she stared impolitely at the man who looked back at her with a smile and a welcoming nod.

Rapunzel shook her head, "If he is, then he might wanna update his picture on their website." She took the key out of the ignition and exited the car, Anna followed her out but stayed by the car as Rapunzel walked up to introduce them both.

"Hi there! We're so glad you two could make it, I hope you didn't have any trouble finding the place.", the man said as he walked down and extended his hand towards Rapunzel.

"Oh don't worry, it was no trouble at all.", Rapunzel shook the man's hand and continued. "I wasn't expecting the school to be this…big."

The man let out a hearty laugh and clapped his hands together, "Well thank you! I'm sure Oaken will be happy to hear that you find his school to your liking. My name is Hansel by the way, I don't think I told you that yet, I'm one of Oaken's assistants, and this is Gretel, my partner-in-crime."

Gretel smirked and shook her head, "You are so lame. Do you have to say that every time we meet someone?"

Hansel chuckled, "Hey if you don't like my jokes then don't let me take the lead. Anyway, we're here to welcome the both of you to Oaken's Haven for Children and help you with anything you need for today."

"Well, that's very nice of you to offer," Rapunzel said with the cheerful business voice she had mastered over the years. "My name is Rapunzel, and over by the car is my friend and my own partner-in-crime Anna. We'd love some help getting the food out of the trunk if you don't mind."

The two assistants looked at each other and spoke in sync, "We don't mind at all."

They took two trips each just to take all the food out of the trunk and into a massive dining hall that took Anna's breath away. The first things that caught her eye were two massive circular tables with enough wooden chairs to sit a classroom's worth of children. They were empty right now, but that would change pretty soon. There were other smaller tables around them as well, enough for ten people or so.

The next thing that caught her eye was how exquisitely decorated the room was. The carpeted floor was immaculate and at the center of the carpet was a large image of the same cherub as the statue at the roundabout. One wall had long vertical windows that gave a perfect view of the forestry, and on another wall was a large mural of children playing around what looked like the garden at the front of the school.

The last thing she noticed was the staff, the personnel in crisp white jackets working in tandem like ants in a colony. They took the food and placed it on long, wooden tables at the corner of the dining room, walked in and out of the kitchen carrying utensils and plates and other food that they had cooked beforehand, and took the reins from Hansel and Gretel. It was exactly the staff that Anna dreamed of.

They sat at one of the smaller circular tables talking about the school and its history, minus Anna who stayed mesmerized. She'd already accomplished her dream of owning a bakery, but she'd be a fool not to keep working till she accomplished something like this. And she was going to work for this future no matter what it took, no matter who got…in…her way…

Anna rubbed her eyes with her sleeves. "No dammit, not now…" she muttered under her breath. Working herself ragged was the only thing that stopped the tears from falling, but now that she'd finally taken a second to pause, the memories began to take advantage of her vulnerable state.

There was nothing to stop them from coming. Anna forced her legs to walk out of the center of the room and towards the door, the last thing she wanted to do was make a scene.

"Anna? Where are you going?", Rapunzel asked as she walked past her.

"Oh, I just…need to use the restroom. I'll be right back." Anna grabbed the handle, opened the door, and walked right into a wall of colorful cotton.

As she reeled back and shifted her gaze higher and higher she realized it wasn't a wall, but the chest of a large, hulking man who looked like he could kill her with one finger. His rosy cheeks, majestic blonde facial hair, and beaming eyes that could brighten anyone's day told a different story.

"I am so sorry, I did not see where I was going," the man said with a distinct, cheery accent once Anna stepped away from his stomach. "Are you alright? I hope I didn't hurt you."

She stood dumbfounded, unable to process the fact that a human with such jarring and contrasting qualities could actually exist, "I, uh…um…I…."

"Oaken, you finally made it!", Hansel said as he walked past Anna and shook the giant's hand. "I see you've already met one of our guests."

Oaken's face lit up and he smiled back down at Anna after shaking Hansel's hand. "Ooh, so you two are from the bakery? Are you by chance the one I talked to on the phone? Rapunzel, is it?"

"No actually that would be me." Rapunzel put a hand on Anna's shoulder and stood side by side with her like the reliable partner she was, keeping Anna from trying to form words to say. "It's very nice to finally talk to you in person. You're…also much bigger than I expected."

The big bear let out a full-belly laugh and patted both of their shoulders with his meaty hands, almost knocking them into each other. "I do get that a lot. I trust that my two friends have been valuable company?"

"Very! They've shown us around and gotten us settled into this…amazing dining room. They've been a great help."

Anna felt the agitation grow stronger, and she felt that if she snuck away to the corner room then no one would really notice. Small talk was more of Rapunzel's forte, Anna didn't like to do it unless she absolutely had to. And there was the added discomfort from still being on the verge of sobbing. But this wasn't a situation she could get out of so easily, and she had the wherewithal to realize that she needed to be a professional right now, so all she did was smile and nod.

It would all be over soon.

Oaken clapped his hands together and sighed with content. "I am so excited that you two are here, the children will love you and your cooking. Are you ready to receive them?"

Rapunzel looked to Anna before she spoke, even though she would say yes regardless. The blonde gave a picture-perfect smile, but her eyes were full of worry for her friend. Anna didn't trust herself enough to be fine during the event, but she had to try. Their bakery was counting on her pretending to. So, she nodded, and Rapunzel spoke for both of them.

"Yeah, we're ready."

"Oh my gosh, that movie was not okay!", Anna shuddered.

Elsa leaned on the door to keep it open- still with that guilty yet adorable look on her face. "I'm really sorry. If I knew it was a horror movie I never would have gotten tickets for it."

Anna walked through with her hands wrapped closely around her chest as she stupidly recalled the more gruesome moments in the movie. "Why would you ever do that to a human being? Who even thinks about using a pen like that?!"

"Again I'm so sorry for making you watch that; I promise I'll make it up to you." Elsa didn't know what to do other than to put her arm around Anna and make sure she didn't walk into traffic until they got outside.

"And the bear trap! The bear trap! That was…gah that was so gross, and I couldn't look away. Elsa, why couldn't I look away?!" Anna didn't even wait for an answer, she just turned into Elsa's chest and groaned.

So yeah, she was kind of exaggerating, but only by a little bit. Scary movies did actually terrify her, and she knew she'd be having nightmares for a couple of days. This time, though, she welcomed the feeling if only because it took her mind off the uncertainty still there in her and Elsa's relationship.

Yes, she'd take nightmares and recurring, gory visions if it meant distracting herself from stressing over a freaking label.

She felt Elsa's arms wrap around her in an awkward embrace, with Elsa's head sort of sitting on top of hers. Anna didn't know what to expect, but it sure wasn't this. "I screwed up badly, didn't I? This has to be the worst first date you've ever been on."

It was at this moment, as she stood in Elsa's embrace, that Anna realized how foolish she was being. This whole time, Elsa was focused on making today a perfect day for her, and now she felt guilty for not doing that. She was showing commitment, that she cared and would do anything for her. Not that that was ever in doubt, it was just seeing this made her realize exactly what they were.

She wriggled her head to meet Elsa face to face- or rather face to chin since Anna was a head shorter than her- and curled her arms around Elsa's waist.

"Hey…yeah it was." Elsa looked at her confused. "But this is also the first date I've ever been on. Period. So that means we've got nowhere to go but up! Which also means that you shouldn't beat yourself up too much over this, okay? I'm still nervous about all this too, but I've got a great best friend, and an amazing girlfriend, who's teaching me that there's nothing to be nervous about."

She felt Elsa stiffen in the embrace and then push away. Despite the shocked look on her face, she looked majestic glowing in the evening sun. "Did…did you just say girlfriend?"

Dozens of alarms went off in Anna's mind, along with a voice screaming at her and asking what the heck she was thinking. "Was-was that too soon?"

"I-I don't know. Just a little? I mean I think it was, like we-we've only gone on one date so far and…" She saw panic in Elsa's eyes and was afraid she'd start hyperventilating.

This was awful, horrible, the stupidest thing that Anna had ever done. She may have screwed up the best, and only, relationship she'd ever been in by jumping the gun and calling them something that they weren't yet. Why did she think she knew what to say and when to say it when she had no experience at all in the dating department?

"Th-then I take it back, we're not girl…girlfriends yet, I jumped the gun. I'm so sorry for even assuming that we were already there, that was really so stupid of me and- gah! Me and my big freaking mouth!" She wanted to curl up into a ball and die.

"No no no, you don't have to apologize! I was just…surprised, that's all, and a little panicky. That's- I mean that's where I want us to be eventually, I just don't want us to be there so soon."

"I knooooow!" Anna covered her face with her hands. "I didn't mean to say that, it just slipped out. I'm so sorry, Elsa, oh my gosh I think I'm gonna cry."

"Wait what? No, don't cry." Elsa's arms were around her again, she hated that she liked this so much. "Please Anna, don't cry."

"But I almost screwed this up." She mumbled into Elsa's shirt, trying to fight back the tears. "I said something super dumb on our first date. How can I be so stupid?"

"You're not stupid," Elsa reassured her, tightening her grip. "Everybody says dumb things on their first date…I-I think. At least that's what I've seen in movies and stuff. And doesn't the fact that I'm still here show that you didn't screw anything up?"

"I mean your parents aren't here yet…"

"I meant besides that!" Elsa pulled them apart again but still kept her hands on Anna's shoulders. She didn't look as panicked anymore, there was a calmness and somehow also sternness in her expression. Like a parent trying to reassure their child they didn't break their favorite toy. "Anna Dawson, one mistake isn't gonna have me running for the hills, okay? I'm still here, I still like you a lot, and down the line I will be your girlfriend. But for now…"

Elsa took a deep breath, and then said something that- with the orange glow behind her and the muted cadence of the rest of the world acting as a romantic soundtrack- made Anna's heart flutter more than it ever had before. Six words that were so simple, so unassuming, but meant so much more than any compliment or kind word she'd ever gotten: "I'm so glad I have you."

Anna was thankful that Elsa was here to hold her up, but she also hated that Elsa was so close because there was no hiding the fact that her face had turned as red as a tomato. But the anxiousness, the dark, thundering clouds of doom and gloom, had faded away. "I'm glad I have you too.", she mumbled out.

Elsa chuckled, "What was that, Anna?" They were way too close for Elsa not to have heard her. It was clear that she just wanted to hear them again.

Anna pouted and said those same words, red cheeks and all. "I said I'm glad I have you too, you stinker."

"I don't think I heard you say that last part."

"That's because I added it."

Elsa laughed again and embraced Anna in another hug that was immediately reciprocated. She smelled like peppermint. It was in this embrace that Anna continued her streak of mumbling out words that she was too afraid to say out loud. "I kind of want to kiss you right now."

It was a little silly to say, and it was barely even a whisper, but it didn't change the fact that she definitely did want to kiss Elsa right now.

"Then why don't you?"

That made her more weak in the knees than before. She pulled away from the hug even though she didn't want to, and looked up at Elsa with eyes way too determined and fierce for a simple kiss. But Anna had only done this once before and she needed to psych herself up for it.

When she found enough courage, Anna leaned up on her toes, closed her eyes, and went for it. The electricity between them got stronger with every centimeter that she inched closer. Higher and higher, her heart was beating faster and faster, she was trying so hard not to hyperventilate. They were so close; their lips were practically millimeters away from contact. But just before skin met skin, they were interrupted by the loud, obnoxious honk of a car horn.

They didn't even have to turn to realize that it was for one of them, Elsa looked over and rolled her eyes. She sighed and dropped her hands from Anna's shoulders.

"Your parents or mine?", Anna asked, dreading either of the answers.

"Mine," Elsa replied. "So I guess…I'll text you later?"

"Not if I text you sooner." No, Anna had no idea what she meant by that. In fact, she regretted saying something that stupid as soon as she said it.

Elsa laughed, which was a good sign, and looked like she was about to walk away. But instead, she leaned forward and gave Anna a quick peck on the lips. "I didn't want to leave you hanging," she whispered before walking away. Long after she had gone, Anna was still standing there with the goofiest smile, her thumb pressed on her lips.

"What do you say to the nice lady?", a man in a purple polo said to a boy with messy blonde hair.

"Thanks, Ms. Dawson!", the boy exclaimed as he held a giant chocolate chip cookie in two small, grateful hands.

"You're welcome, enjoy and come back for more if you want," Anna replied with a warm, genuine smile. If there was one thing that always made her feel better no matter what, it was the happiness of a child eating one of her creations.

…maybe creation wasn't the best word, it made her sound like a mad scientist.

Either way, it was a feeling that never failed to make her happy, even if it only lasted for a moment in her current state.

The boy and his supervisor walked over to the round tables where the rest of the children were waiting. The smiles on their faces combined with the food stuffed in their mouths made them look like ecstatic chipmunks. Rapunzel was speaking with Hansel and Gretel about logistics, money, or something else adults spoke about. Everyone seemed to be having a good time, and Anna was trying her best to as well.

"You seem to be in a much better mood than before."

Anna turned her head slightly to look up at the giant on the other side of the table, Oaken had his fingers pressed together in the middle of his chest and he had that same effortless smile on his face. He was wrong of course, but she wasn't about to go and tell him that. She patted the crumbs off her plastic gloves, "Was it that noticeable?"

"Well I did not want to pry, but earlier you did look as if there was something troubling on your mind. Is it something that you wish to speak about?" Counselor-like wording aside, Oaken did sound trustworthy. But how could Anna tell a stranger what was going on if she hadn't even told Rapunzel?

Anna looked down and busied herself with rearranging the cookies spread out on the aluminum tray. "Thank you but I'll be okay, it's personal stuff that I wouldn't want to bother you with."

"I understand."

"And thank you again for allowing us to come here and…feed these kids.", Anna said to try and change the subject.

"Oh, it is no problem at all. I had not eaten at your bakery before your friend asked to come, but now I know that I made the right decision.", Oaken waved a half-eaten muffin to prove his point. "You are an excellent baker."

Anna blushed, "I...well I wouldn't go that far but-"

"But I would. You are always much better than you think." Oaken took a couple of cookies out of the tray and slid a white card towards Anna. "Unfortunately, I must cut this conversation short because I need to check on the children. But if you ever want to talk about anything…well please do not hesitate to call us. We would be glad to help."

Once Oaken walked off to tend to his other duties, Anna grabbed the card and flipped it over. There was a cherub inked on to the left side of the smooth surface, and written in gold calligraphy was the name of the school. Underneath the name, in smaller font, were the words "Where those that are lost can be found" along with contact information for Oaken himself. Anna placed the card in her pocket, wondering if she'd ever take his offer.

Just a couple more hours, she told herself, and then she'd be free to make a scene in the comfort of her apartment.

But fate, it seemed, wasn't going to give her that.

Somehow from the middle of the large, loud room, she heard what sounded like a girl's laughter. On one of the smaller round tables were two girls who seemed like the best of friends, holding two halves of the same cookie with carefree smiles on their faces. One of them had messy strawberry-colored hair, the other had blonde hair in a ponytail. They looked so happy, so in love with life, so bright and vivid.

And Anna finally broke.

In a flash, she was out of the dining room and into the long, carpeted hallway. She stormed past the workers who moved out of her way, past the classrooms, and past all the beautiful scenery until she came across a long couch perfect for an emotional breakdown. She slid down the wall right next to it and sat on the floor as the floodgates finally broke.

"No…dammit, no!", Anna said hoarsely.

Fate is cruel when it wants to be. Fate brought her back to Elsa, and fate was what pushed her out of her life again. And now fate was the one finally telling her that she couldn't run away from this anymore. Fate was the reason she couldn't stop crying through her apron.

And fate was the reason that Rapunzel had somehow found her and was now kneeling next to her, trying to get her to say something other than "No" over and over again.

"Anna come on, it's okay. Just…please calm down and talk to me?", Rapunzel said with that soft, gentle voice she'd heard too much in college. She pulled Anna's arms away from her face. "It's going to be okay Anna; you just need to talk to me."

"No it's not, it's not going to be okay. Nothing's going to be okay…", Anna said. It felt like she was drowning, trapped in her mind, a wrenching feeling in her heart.

"What are you talking about? Of course everything's…", through foggy eyes Anna could see Rapunzel putting the pieces together. "This is about Elsa, isn't it?"

Despite how much she wanted to deny it, Anna nodded.

Rapunzel looked above the couch and back at Anna. "Alright we're going to get you somewhere more private, and then you're finally going to tell me what happened."

A/N: Well I can scratch Oaken, Hansel, and Gretel off my list of other characters that aren't mine and created by people much more creative and original than me. What's next? Hercules?