It had been a just a kiss.
A simple, sweet, soft kiss on her lips that had made her head spin, that had made everything change.
It was what made Anna realize that the man standing in the church, with his pristine, perfect, know-it-all domineer, did not love her the way she thought he did; made her realize that she did not, in fact, love him at all.
It was the kiss that had made her pace in her room, tears falling down her face as she realized her true feelings, what her heart had been screaming at her from the beginning, had been trying to get her to see from the start.
It was the kiss that made her spill everything to a worried Elsa as she found her crying on the floor of her room, explaining everything she could between sobs and hiccups.
It was the kiss that had Elsa actually smiling, smiling, as she told her where her heart truly lied, where it had been the entire time and how blind she had been to not really see it. (Elsa called it blind by love)
It was the kiss that had gotten Elsa to distract the bridal party as Anna, dress and all, snuck out the church, smiling at her sister in thanks as she managed to escape out the back door.
It was the kiss that had her running down the street to the familiar shop on the corner, ignoring all the stares and glares of people as she passed them (she would later laugh at the fact that she looked like a scene straight out of Enchanted except a little bit of a less poofy dress and not so big hair).
It was the kiss that had her barreling into the store to a wide and surprised Sven, and a few confused customers.
He simply stared at her, and Anna stared right back, out of breath and unable to get out the words.
"Sven, dear, there are some cups in the back that—Anna?" Bulda questioned, coming out from the back kitchen, nearly dropping the box on the floor. "Anna, honey, what are you-?"
"Kristoff." She managed to gasp, noticing a hint of something sparkle in the old woman's eyes. "Where?"
Sven, still gaping at her, motioned to the back of the building. Not wasting a second, she darted back out the door and ran around the back of the building.
She felt her skirt snag on something in the ally way, but kept going, not even cringing at the sound of the large rip.
He had to know, had to hear what her heart had been telling her since the day they met, what she had denied for so long, had been fighting from the very beginning.
Anna rounded the corner, looking desperately for the familiar, run down, beat up truck with its rusting red paint. She stopped at the mouth of the ally way, waiting for her eyes to spot the truck.
But they never did. As she continued to scan the parking lot, looking over and over, hoping so much that it was there; just hiding or parked farther away than its' usual spot. The more she looked, the more she felt her heart plummet, hammering hard against her chest.
He wasn't there.
He was gone.
He was gone and there was nothing she could do.
She had waited too long, had realized it too late, and now she would never get her chance to tell him.
Something wet hit her arm, and she looked up to see the grey skies above her.
Oh, right, it was supposed to rain.
"You would get married on a rainy day." He had joked when she had checked the weather only days before. "It fits you really, being all unpredictable and what not."
Anna smiled slightly at the memory, blinking as she felt the rain begin to fall and the beginning of tears forming.
"What do you mean you aren't staying?" Anna had exclaimed in her room, Kristoff looking at the floor, brows furrowed. He had knocked on her door, had made her smile to hear his voice but when he had walked through, work clothes on and no suit, her smile had fallen.
"That's—that's just it Anna." Kristoff had stammered. "I'm not staying."
"Why? Why not?"
"Because I can't."
"Can't or won't?"
"Can't I just, I can't Anna." He had then run his fingers through his hair.
"Why can't you?"
"Anna."
"WHY?"
"Because I can't watch you marry him."
The room had fallen deathly silent then.
"Why can't you?" She had whispered, looking at him into his sad eyes.
"I just…I can't do it Anna. Not with…"
She had looked at him curiously then, "Not with what."
"Not with how I feel about you Anna."
The air in her lungs had escaped her in a rush, "What?"
"Anna," He stepped closer. "The truth is, I…I love you. I have loved you for so long; have kept it to myself from the beginning. I couldn't…I could never get the courage to tell you. Then…then you found Hans and I just…I just couldn't tell you after that, not with how happy you were…how happy you are. It would be selfish to do it. But seeing the invites, seeing you like this," He had motioned down her gown, "I realized…I realized I can't take it Anna. I just can't. I want you happy, that's all I had wanted from the beginning and…and he makes you happy and that's what matters. But I can't watch you marry him Anna. It would…it would kill me."
Anna had stood gaping at him, hands rising to fists against her chest to try and slow her heart. "Kristoff." She whispered.
Before she could say more, he had cupped her face and kissed her. She had gasped in surprise, her mind whirling with so many mixed emotions. He pulled back, looking at her surprised face.
"I'm sorry." He murmured, and then he furrowed his brow, "Actually no, no I am not. You may never love me the way I love you but at least…at least I was able to experience that before…"
"Before?"
He had taken a deep breath then, "I'm leaving Anna. I-I found a job a few cities over, in the mountains. It makes more money and it'll help with supporting Ma."
"You're—you're leaving?"
He had nodded then, stepping back towards the door as Anna stood frozen in place in the middle of the room.
"I can't stay here Anna. I can't do it."
"But—But you're my best friend."
He had chuckled then, smirking down at the floor. "And I'll always will be Anna." He looked back at her then. "See you later feisty pants." With that and a click of the door, he was gone.
She had been so dumb, so incredibly stupid to not see it before.
Now here she was, standing in the rain, alone, empty, the true love of her life gone, heading towards the mountains.
She sat on the loading dock, tears flowing freely now as she looked down at her now soaked gown.
It had taken him kissing her, taken him telling her that he was leaving, for her to truly realize what had been right in front of her all along. She watched the rain fall, watched it slowly ruin her dress and she didn't even care.
Why care? Why bother worrying over it?
The man at the church, the one it was meant for, the one who would no doubt be fuming once he realized what had happened, would not want one single thing to do with her once it was said and done; and she couldn't careless.
All she cared about was the large, bulky blonde; that made cookies with her at 2 am because she wanted to, watched the cheesiest movies possible just to laugh along with her, who made sure to keep his fridge stocked with chocolate ice cream, who had been there from the very start. Her best friend, her true love.
A sob escaped her as she buried her face into her hands.
It didn't matter now. He was gone, gone off to some stupid mountain for some new stupid job because she was so stupid to not see what had been right in front of her.
Maybe she deserved this. Maybe she deserved to be alone after being so blind to him. Had showed him all the details of the wedding, had gushed to him over Hans, and he had just sat there and listened while she had broken his heart with every word.
Another sob shook her, the palms of her hands pressing hard against her eyes.
A soft rumbling caught her ears and she moved her hands just enough to see a light shining on her. Looking up, she watched as headlights came towards her, the engine roaring as it came to a stop. The sound of a door opening sounded through the pitter-patter of the rain,
"Anna?"
Her heart nearly stopped when she heard his voice, began pounding within her chest as she watched him slam the door and run up to the platform she stood and turned towards him as he came towards her.
"Anna? What the hell are you doing?" He's looking at her confused, the rain slowly soaking his blonde hair. "First Elsa calls me, talking about you left your wedding and I didn't believe her but then Ma calls me all in a frenzy saying your over here, in your wedding dress looking for me? So now that I am completely convinced that neither of them are going insane, would you tell me why exactly you are here, in the rain, in your wedding dress, like a crazy person and not at your wedding?"
"I love you."
Kristoff blinked at her, "Wh—what?"
She smiled, "I-I love you Kristoff. I always have, I just…never realized till the whole thing at the church. Well, actually, I pretty much knew all along but I've been pushing them away because, I mean, Hans was supposed to be my true love right? I mean, I had practically told everyone that and screamed it to the heavens but he's not you. He doesn't give me butterflies like you do or makes me cookies when I'm sad. He doesn't even like Star Wars, like hello, he isn't human. He isn't you and I realized that I love you because you care about me more than anyone and just want me to be happy even if means you're not happy and it took you leaving for me to realize it and I'm an idiot and stupid and so sorry for doing that and making you listen to me ramble on and on about him and taking so long to come to my senses but I—"
Warm lips met hers and this time, this time she didn't gasp in surprise. No, this time she cupped his face, gently pulling him closer to her. She closed her eyes, feeling the warmth spread to her toes, her head spinning.
He pulled back, forehead resting against hers, and she looked into his eyes. He smiled, and she couldn't help but giggle under his loving gaze.
"I should have kissed you a long time ago." He whispered.
She bit her lip, "Let's just consider it payback for my hard headedness and denial and call it even?"
He chuckled, "Deal."
Anna kissed him again, smiling against his lips until,
"You're never going to let the 'took you long enough' thing go though are you?"
"Oh, no, never."
"Great…"