A/N: I'm back, everyone. Thank you for your patience and support. I have some semblance of control over my life now, so I hope to have faster updates from now on. I also hope I can stick to that. As always, thank you for all of your support. I welcome any criticism and feedback, positive or negative, you have to offer. So please, if you have time and something to say, I welcome your reviews.

Again, thank you.

Some days reminded Anna why she didn't have many friends.

Today was one of those days.

Her classmates had invited her on a trip to a farm and she'd accepted, wondering why they would be interested in something quiet and natural. It didn't take long to find the answer: there would be a fair nearby. They wanted to be first in line and needed to pass the time before it opened.

I totally saw that coming.

Anna made a mental note to thank Lara when they met. Why else would anyone invite her? She was grateful to her and the group as a whole and wanted to look forward to the visit, but she also knew what the girls were like.

And true to form, they were as immature as she'd expected them to be.

A worker gave them a tour of the enclosures. They thanked him by asking silly questions and disturbing the animals. Anna admired him for answering and guiding the group away when they made too big a fuss with a stoic air, but was not surprised when the tour didn't last long. The girls left but Anna lingered, watching the guide run a large hand through his spiky brown hair and sigh, oblivious to her presence. He tugged at his overalls as he turned away.

"Wait!"

He muttered under his breath as he faced her, though he was loud enough for Anna to make out the words, "I don't have time for this."

"Um, I'm sorry, but - um - I'll - I'll make it quick!" Anna knew the man was large but seeing him up close only furthered her discomfort. "Um, I know this probably sounds silly or rude or - or whatever, but I just wanted to say sorry - for, um, you know." She pointed a thumb over her shoulder at the girls in the distance. They hadn't noticed her absence.

A pause.

"And... this is a really nice place by the way! I love it!"

She cringed. That was too much. Now he'd be sure she was pulling his leg, if he wasn't already.

But the man smiled.

"Thank you. You're not like them, are you?"

"Yeah - I mean no! No I'm not; I'm just me. I guess that can be a good thing sometimes. I mean, not all the time - I mean, if they ever apologised for anything they'd - you know - they wouldn't talk in circles like me - you know, they wouldn't ramble but erm, I guess I get a bit nervous sometimes - well, a lot of times - all the time I think actually so uh - wait, I forgot what I was going to say - oh right - yeah, so, uh, yeah. A lot of the time it's... not a good thing to be me." She blushed.

"Well, you seem a good sort. If you want to come back without that lot someday, I'd be happy to give you a tour. A proper one I mean."

"I'd like that a lot sir."

"Please, just call me Ralph. And wh - "

"Anna!"

They looked across the field. A brunette had broken off from the pack and was waving to the strawberry blonde.

"Oh, that's my name. That's Lara- I mean, that's my friend. I'm Anna and - oh, the fair! I should go - I have to go. Bye!"

She jogged backwards and tripped. Ralph stepped forward with his hand outstretched but she caught herself. With a shaky laugh she jumped up, waved at him again and ran off. He shook his head at her retreating figure, chuckling, then went back to work.

Lara tried to involve her with the group when she wasn't distracted by them but Anna kept to herself, still angry at them for how they had taken advantage of Ralph. It wasn't long before the brunette stopped trying, immersing herself in her friends. Anna didn't resent this. Although she was alone and although she won nothing at the stalls, the vibrant colours and smells ensured she went home with a smile.

And made her grumpier than she would have been at her mother's first words when she came home.

"Get dressed."

"What?"

"We're having guests for dinner. I've laid a dress out for you in your room, be quick."

"I just got home!"

"Anna!"

"What?" She blew a strand of hair out of her face and looked away, then rolled her eyes and returned them to her mother's. "Fine!"

Then, under her breath, "It's not like I have a choice."

Why did she even need to be there? It was always the same. Dress up, eat properly, speak only when spoken to but never voice opinions. Just say yes or no to questions people don't need answers to. Anna hadn't had company at the fair but at least she'd kept her freedom of speech.

Okay Anna, let's take stock:

Black and yellow blouse? Check.

Floor length blue skirt? Check.

Presentable? Apparently.

Uncomfortable? Definitely.

"Anna, stop mumbling."

Did I say that out loud? No, wait, say something. Else! Properly!

"Answer him! I mean, fine."

Her father started to raise an eyebrow but shrugged and looked forward. She looked away. They were waiting in the entrance hall for their - or rather his - guests. Why they all had to stand here when they could be sitting in the living room while one of them checked the window every so often she didn't understand and her parents hadn't given her a proper answer beyond -

"It's proper Anna! Stupid. I'd never ask anyone to stand up for me if I visited them. I mean - "

"Anna!"

"Right! Quiet. Sorry."

"They're here, Agdar."

Anna looked up in disbelief as her mother opened the door. Wait, they're on time? That's a first.

A man entered, tall and blond. He wore a black suit. Anna didn't know much about fashion but even she had to admit it looked fancy. He bowed to her mother before taking her father's hand.

"It's good to see you in a more relaxed environment, sir!"

Oh. He's one of those.

"Indeed... sir."

"And it's a pleasure to meet your family, Mr. Arendelle. Would this be your daughter?"

"Yes. Anna, say hello to our ...guest."

She curtseyed. I am positively looking forward to spending a night of utter boredom in your presence.

I hope I didn't say that out loud.

"It's a pleasure to meet you. And this is the best time for me to introduce - ah, there he is!"

A second figure, identical to him but an inch shorter, joined them after greeting Anna's mother. Someone my age? Another first!

"Mr and Miss Arendelle, meet my son."

Anna held out a hand and he took it. He smiled.

Maybe tonight won't be so bad.

"Hello, my name's Anna. What's yours?"

"Oh! Um, my name's Thomas." He gave a slight bow. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Anna."

Like father like son.

As she saw him stand with his hands crossed before him her inner voice groaned.

Of course.

That wasn't the end of the similarities between father and son; Thomas was every bit as formal as Mr. Bjorgman. That was the bad news. The good news was Anna finally had someone to talk to - really talk to - during a fancy dinner. She knew her inexperience with the blessing was making her etiquette sloppy, making her laugh too loud and eat with her mouth open and she saw her father scowl at her a few times but didn't care. When would she ever have this opportunity again? At least Thomas didn't seem to mind. Or if he did, he was too posh to show it. Or he was scared of insulting her. That was another thing about him, though Anna didn't know if it was good or bad. It was bad because "more awkward than Anna" was an unimaginably horrible thing to be, yet good because it made her feel better about herself, but that made her feel guilty which would turn it back into bad news. And there was her father frowning at her again. Not wanting to let her spirits fall she turned to Thomas, surprised to see him looking at her too.

"I'm guessing you're not good with spicy stuff?"

"Excuse me?"

"Your face..." Anna gestured to her own. "It's all red."

"Oh, um, is - is it?"

"Yeah! You want me to get you some water?"

"No!" He looked at the adults in horror. "I couldn't ask you to do that for me."

"Hey, I wouldn't mind. Why don't you come with me? And while we're at it I could give you a tour of the house!"

"It's rude to leave during a meal."

"Really?" She poked his arm and he jumped. "Really? Look. I've finished eating, you've finished eating, what's keeping us? We can talk much better in my room."

Thomas looked at his father. He was deep in conversation with Anna's, but gave the boy a slight nod. Thomas looked back at Anna. His smile widened and he nodded as well.

Thomas had a massive sweet tooth! Anna prided herself on ferreting out that secret. The poor thing never had many opportunities to indulge and not because his father wouldn't let him: he stopped himself.

"Is that supposed to make sense?"

Anna took a detour on their way to her room to borrow a box of chocolates from her mother. When they arrived, she sat Thomas on her bed and had him hold it. She made to sit beside him before springing back to her feet as though electrocuted, groaning.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, it's just this stupid skirt is really getting on my nerves. I'm gonna change." She walked around the four poster bed.

"What? N - now?"

"Well obviously." She was approaching the wardrobe. "Oh yeah, you seem nice but I'm gonna kick you out first of course." She took the last few steps and gripped the handles. "But I'll call you back in when I'm done, don't worry." She opened it. "I hope y - ah!"

Clothes crashed into her and she fell to the ground with a loud thud. Thomas swiveled around and jumped off the bed, landing beside her.

"Anna! Are you hurt?"

Anna replied as she pushed shirts off of her. Thomas noticed their colours; green, yellow, purple. "Yeah - I mean no, I'm fine. Actually. Don't worry. Ow." She rubbed her right hip. "I think I got a bruise though," Thomas pulled her to her feet, "and it's not the first this thing's given me."

He laughed. "Why don't you just keep it tidy?" He laughed harder when Anna pouted.

"Because I don't have time for that!"

"Why not?"

"Because! And I'm not some posh …American Victorian like you!"

"Really?"

"That's my line!" She poked his side. "You do realise you're still holding my hand, right?"

Thomas raised his right - and Anna's left - to check before letting go, cheeks burning red. "Um..."

"At this point you're either gonna tell me you're crazy or ask me out. Probably both if you wanna go out with me."

"Ask you - I, uh, wouldn't say it like that exactly..."

"So what? You wanna court me?" She crossed her arms and bit her lip. "You really are a posh Victorian, aren't you?"

"Hey, they weren't all formal! And um, I have to say you're really nice..."

He was looking down. Now his entire face was red. Anna couldn't help but smile.

"Well, you are too." Thomas looked up and beamed. Seeing this, Anna continued quickly. "But do you really expect us to - you know, start going out or court or whatever already? We just met."

"I know, I was going to ask if we could get to know each other a bit more first."

"Good, but..." Anna bit her lip again. "I'm not into guys."

Thomas blinked. "Wait, yet or at all?"

"I - I dunno." She looked away. "If it's any consolation, maybe I'm just a late bloomer?" She paused. "Okay, wow, that was pretty stupid. It sounded like - I swear I'm not trying to give you false hope or anything! I - " She shook her head. "I don't even know."

He held his hands up. "Hey, I won't judge."

Anna said nothing, only hugging herself tightly. He kept going.

"Can we still be friends?"

"...Sure."

Anna changed out of her dress.

They ate the chocolates in silence.

Anna awoke.

It was nighttime. She rolled around in her bed. She tried to sleep. But sleep eluded her. Her mind was abuzz. Her throat was parched. That she could handle. She tiptoed downstairs to the kitchen for water, careful not to turn on too many lights. She drank a glass but it wasn't enough. She drank a second and third before, exasperated, she filled a bottle to take with her. Sleepy, she brought her foot down on the corner of the topmost step on her way back and winced at its loud groan. She waited, counting to five in her head. Just as she thought she could continue she heard a second groan from her parents' bedroom. She cocked her head and crept towards it.

"I can't take this anymore."

Her father's voice.

"If you want him gone, you'll have him gone." Her mother was always trying to make him feel better, but wasn't this a bit dramatic?

"Would you do that for me?"

"Of course. Now get some sleep."

"Thank you." Agdar chuckled. "I've been doing this far too often these days, haven't I?"

Yes you have, Anna thought. She took the sound of her parents' kiss as a cue to leave and get some sleep of her own.

Another grueling day of school. But a half day, so at least Anna got to come home for lunch. She threw her bag on the sofa and stretched, taking a deep breath. She didn't have any homework either! She could just sit back and relax. She opened her eyes and sighed, then grabbed the remote from the coffee table before her and switched the TV on. She went to the kitchen to make herself some toast. She returned with a plate in her hand and sat down. Putting her legs up on the table, she bit into her first piece.

Burnt? Come on!

She bit into the second.

Much better!

She took another bite and licked the crumbs from her lips. She searched for the remote; maybe she'd have something better to watch than the news as she ate? She found it where she left it on the table and winced. She took a third bite as she reached for it but when her fingers curled around it she froze. Instead of changing the channel, she raised the volume as she sat back up. The newsreader had mentioned a familiar name.

"Bjorgman... found by his son... surrounded by broken glass..."

She leaned forward, meal forgotten. She winced at the description of how Bjorgman Sr. had appeared and thought of quiet, sheltered Thomas coming home from school to see his father firsthand. How must he have felt? Why had she been too afraid to ask for his number?

"How likely is it that Mr. Bjorgman did indeed attempt suicide?"

"The full details have yet to be disclosed Bernard, but there were no signs of forced entry at the Bjorgman residence. Bjorgman's son has told the police that his mental health had been in decline before the incident."

"Due to the recent scandals?"

"They weren't exactly recent, were they Bernard? But yes, they may have played a part in the event. Bjorgman was not known for any conditions before those incidents."

Scandals? He was practically a saint!

Anna's hands curled into fists as the newsreader regained the spotlight and gave a summary of the scandals he had been involved in, nails digging into her palms.

He would never do that. He would never do any of that!

Wait.

The dates.

All the police investigations had taken place around the time her father stopped waking up at night.

All the scandals had taken place after the Bjorgmans had come for dinner.

After the night of her mother's promise.

She knew what her parents were capable of.

Bile rose in her throat. She turned the TV off. She wanted to put the remote down but her hand jerked, sending it skidding across the table. Her grip was steadier when she placed her plate on the glass surface. She walked to her room. She locked the door and sat on her bed.

She was silent.

Knock knock knock-knock knock.

There he is.

Knock knock knock-knock knock.

"Go away."

"Why?"

The nerve!

"Don't play dumb with me." She was losing control of her voice. She fought to keep it level. Her throat shuddered in protest. "You drove a man insane! That's low, even for you."

"You can't know that."

"Really? I've heard you at night. You're sick!" She thought back to that nighttime conversation. "If you want him gone, you'll have him gone." How had she not realised it sooner? How had she not joined the dots? How could she have let it happen? "You can't handle bei - he didn't even beat you in anything! He was just making money, but you couldn't have that, could you?"

"And that makes me responsible for him trying to kill himself?"

"You and your precious wife!" How could he be so nonchalant? "So what was it? Jealousy? You were jealous that someone else knew how to make money so you - you... have you done that to anyone else?" She took a deep breath. "Maybe you slipped up this time! That's why the news picked it up!"

"Anna..."

"What?" Anna pivoted on the bed and slammed her feet onto the floor. She was compensating for her earlier silence now. She could feel it. Emotions scalding her from the inside. "Anna what exactly? Sorry I can't handle other people being happy? Sorry I only know how to fight dirty? I'm not like you or her, alright? Keep trying all you want, I'll never sink to your level!"

"So what are you going to do now? Go to the police? I'm not going to lock you in there."

Anna scoffed. "And what good would that do? I bet you've already got an excuse for me trying to get my parents arrested. And even if you haven't, you've already covered your tracks, haven't you? Goodnight." She fell back on the bed. She could already imagine the conversations.

I'm extremely sorry for the inconvenience Mr. and Mrs. Arendelle...

I'm sorry you have such a troublesome daughter Mr. Arendelle...

Your boyfriend will still be around Anna...

That would just show how little they know about me. She almost missed her father's reply.

"Goodnight? You haven't eaten, you haven't done your homework - don't you have an assessment due? And it's still afternoon!"

"Go away dad." What little strength she had left she lost choking down a sob. She wouldn't cry. Not in front of him or her mother.

"Okay, bye."

Resolve.

"Anna, I just want to see you. Please come out..."

"Stay away from me!"

That was how Ralph had coped with her "friends" that day. He had honoured his offer to show them around. It must have been so difficult to not yell at them, but that would have let them win. If he could do that, so could she.

She could resist too. But she wanted a normal life. She wanted to love her mother and father.

"Anna, it's a sunny day. Do you want to go cycling again? For old times' sake?"

She missed cycling. She missed spending time with her parents. Her father could be quite funny if he wanted to be. She thought of Ralph again.

"If you want to come back without that lot someday, I'd be happy to give you a tour."

Anna imagined what it would be like to take her father to the farm. They'd probably laugh about it for weeks.

Anna!

"Go. Away."

"There's an art gallery opening in the city this weekend. Once in a lifetime thing apparently. Interested?"

He knew her too well. Art! She loved art. Her father knew everything about it. She thought it was too much work, that art should just be admired and described with whatever words it brought to mind. It was one of the things they'd agreed to disagree on. She'd heard about the exhibit at school. No one was going and what would she gain from going by herself? Some knowledge was always helpful to understand why an artist did what they did and that was something she loved. Art was a way of expressing yourself without words, in a universal language of colours and shapes. She could imagine her father explaining a picture to her.

"You see, the name Mona Lisa is incorrect. It should be - "

And she would surprise him by finishing the sentence.

" - Monna Lisa, meaning My Lady Lisa."

She'd always wanted to do that. If only she could figure magic tricks out too...

Anna no! No! No!

"No!"

Her father must have thought she was shouting at him because he left. She shuddered.

Control it.

Knock knock knock.

"Anna? Please, your mother misses you. I miss you."

I miss you too. Wait, no stop -

"What are you going to do, stay in there forever? Look, let me take you somewhere nice. Anywhere at all. Please?"

Anywhere?

The farm. Seeing her father struggle with the smell. Just being with her father.

No.

She wanted her family back.

No.

She didn't remember standing up.

What are you doing?

A foot stepped out. Then the other. She was walking.

Anna, please no. You're better than this!

She hated her parents. She hated what they'd done.

But she wanted them back.

Anna, stop. Stop! Turn back!

Her hand hovered over the lock.

All she had to do was slide it back.

She could slide it back and she could be part of a family again.

A twisted family, but her family.

Anna, don't! Resolve! Think about Ralph! Think about Thomas!

I won't forget Thomas.

She heard the lock move.

Ralph... I look forward to seeing him again.

The door creaked. It always creaked when it opened. She saw a sliver of the outside world, and in that sliver...

I look forward to introducing him to my dad.

She looked at his face and saw it flooded with relief. No one could fake that.

I hate you.

"I know someplace we could go."

Her voice was dull.

But I still love you.