A/N: This is my very first AHS fic... the idea came to me in a dream and refused to leave until I wrote it!
It's set during the events of Freak Show and will explore how things would go if Elsa's daughter turned up.
The title is borrowed from the name of a song by Heather Peace, who is brilliant, so you should definitely give her a listen! ;)
I obviously don't own any of the AHS characters, I'm just playing with them for a while!
Oh, also, this fic will contain a f/f relationship, so if that's not your thing, you have been warned!
Anyway, I hope you enjoy it... leave a review and let me know!
"She's asking for Elsa." Jimmy muttered to his mother, glancing over to where the feral looking young woman was sitting on one of the benches in the dining tent. Her eyes were darting around warily at the freaks that were watching her curiously. "She won't say what she wants or who she is, apart from asking me to tell Elsa that Greta's here."
"Have you told Elsa?" Ethel asked, ripping her gaze away from the girl and fixing it on her son.
He shook his head. "No, I came to get you first, Ma."
"I'll go and tell Elsa she's here." His mother volunteered, squeezing his forearm reassuringly. "What exactly did she say?"
"Just… 'I want to see Elsa Mars, tell her it's Greta' and then she refused to say anything else." Jimmy said, shrugging. "I think maybe she has a German accent, but I'm not sure. She looks like she ain't eaten in weeks, but she won't touch anything."
"Poor kid looks like she needs a bath, a good meal and a decent night's sleep." Ethel agreed, casting an appraising eye over the girl. "I'll go and see Elsa now; see if we can't shed some light on this situation."
As Ethel hurried from the tent in search of her friend, Jimmy walked over to sit opposite the stranger. She stared at him suspiciously, her eyes lingering on his deformed hands for a moment, before returning to his face. They sat in silence for a couple of moments, both trying to understand the other without speaking.
"Well, what is it?" The confident voice of the freak show owner preceded her into the dining tent.
Jimmy watched the newcomer closely as his boss came into view. Her hands twitched on the surface of the wooden table and she quickly moved them into her lap and out of sight. The girl's eyes widened a little and she drew her lip between her teeth, biting it nervously. Jimmy narrowed his eyes in confusion; for someone who had been so adamant they needed to see Elsa, she now appeared nervous of her presence.
Elsa looked around the tent before her gaze settled on the stranger. She tilted her head and ran her eyes over her appraisingly, before striding forwards in an almost predatory manner. "Is this the girl who wanted to see me?" She asked, glancing to Jimmy for confirmation. When he nodded slowly she smiled toothily and advanced even further. "So, my darling, what is your act? I see no obvious deformity?"
"My name is Greta…"
"Greta?" Elsa's smile faltered slightly and she seemed to clutch the edges of her gown more tightly.
"I was born on October 31st 1932 in Berlin."
There was a pause before the show owner spoke again. "Should that mean something to me?"
"I was hoping it would." The girl agreed. When Elsa simply stared at her, she sighed and stood. "I guess I was wrong."
She was halfway across the tent when Elsa spoke again. "Where are your shoes?"
Everyone turned to look at her in confusion. They had all noticed that the girl had no shoes on when they'd found her in the big tent simply staring up at the sign over the stage, emblazoned with the name of the show; FräuleinElsa's Cabinet of Curiosities. She hadn't registered their presence at first and it had taken Eve tapping her on the shoulder before she had jumped and whirled around.
"I do not have any." She replied simply. "They fell apart last week."
"Won't you stay for a bite to eat?" Ethel asked hurriedly. She glanced towards Elsa quickly and saw that her friend's eyes were still trained on the girl. "And maybe a bath and a sleep?"
The girl frowned. "I do not need charity. I am fine."
"You got somewhere to go, then?" Jimmy asked, looking unconvinced.
"Maybe. Do not worry about it."
Turning, she walked out of the tent and headed towards the road that led out of the camp. They watched her leave, leaning against the poles that held the tent up, wondering what had brought the girl to see Elsa and what there was between them. Elsa said nothing, simply watching the girl and smoking her cigarette slowly.
Realising that she was in no hurry to follow the young woman, Jimmy sighed and jogged after her instead. He caught up with her as she was walking through the entrance. Exhaling deeply as he fell into step beside her, the younger woman shot him a quick sideways glance.
"What do you want?" She asked in a tired voice.
"To know why you came here?" He replied. "We're freaks! This is a freak show. You don't belong here. Most of the folks that come have got something to offer the troupe. You came to see Elsa and then… nothing."
"I came to see Elsa." The girl agreed with a shrug. "Now I am leaving."
"But why? Who are you?"
"My name is Greta."
"Greta what?" Jimmy demanded, throwing his hands up in the air and looking frustrated. "Why is everything such a big mystery?"
She laughed softly, her eyes roving over the larger-than-life-sized portraits of the acts in the show. "Elsa is very beautiful, is she not?"
"Yeah, I guess so." Jimmy agreed distractedly, shrugging. "Are you going to answer my questions?"
"What is she like?" Greta answered his question with one of her own. "Elsa? What is she like?"
The young man shook his head exasperatedly. "She's alright… she's a boss. Sometimes she's a bitch. Sometimes she's a hardass. But she would do anything for the bunch of freaks that make up her family."
"Good."
Greta smiled enigmatically and turned, heading further away from the camp and leaving Jimmy staring after her in total bewilderment. He shot a look over his shoulder and realised that half of the troupe were watching them. Eve unfolded her arms and made shooing movements in the direction that the girl was ambling. Ethel nodded encouragingly beside her.
"Hey. Hey!" Jimmy started jogging again, catching Greta up easily. "Why did you come?"
"I wanted to see Elsa."
"But why?"
Greta looked at him carefully, apparently analysing him. "Why do you think? Have a guess."
"You… know Elsa somehow?" He guessed. "She owes you money or you owe her money?"
She laughed, a soft melodic sound that was oddly familiar to the young man. "Do I look as though I am in a position to offer anyone money?" Seeing his expression, she sighed. "But I do know Elsa… sort of… or, I should do…"
When he still didn't seem to be putting two and two together, she moved past him, heading back towards the big tent. Looking up at the large illustration of the woman they were discussing.
"What are you–?"
"Is there a resemblance?" Greta asked thoughtfully, turning back to look at him after a moment's contemplation. When he still didn't seem to make the connection, she smiled. "She is my mother."
Jimmy's mouth dropped open and he looked quickly in the direction of the dining tent where the crowd were still gathered, watching them closely. Reaching out, he wrapped one of his hands around Greta's wrist and pulled her closer to him, fixing her with a serious expression.
"What are you talking about? How can Elsa be your mother?"
"You know how it works, right?" She asked, the ghost of a smirk twisting her lips. "Where babies come from?"
"Of… of course I know!" Jimmy shook his head and frowned. "But… how can… how is…"
"You want to hear the whole story?" Greta asked, tilting her head to one side as she looked at him. Then she glanced towards the crowd. It had started to disperse, but Elsa had wandered out to join them. "Maybe… maybe it is not my place."
Jimmy followed her gaze. "It's your story isn't it?"
"It started off as hers." She reasoned. "There might be a reason why she does not want everyone to know. I do not even really know why…"
"So tell me the parts you do know." He offered gently. "I can help… we can help."
"I do not need help. I was curious… I just wanted to see her. Now I have seen her, I can go."
"And that's enough for you?" Jimmy demanded. "That can't be enough."
Greta laughed. "You do not know anything about me. I have never known her; I just wanted to see how she matched up to the woman I had in my head."
"And?"
"I am not sure." She replied thoughtfully. "She is as beautiful as I had imagined… perhaps even more so. But she was less friendly. In my head I assumed that she would recognise me…"
"I'm sure she did, she just–"
"Why would she?" Greta asked with a shallow laugh. "I was a day old the last time she saw me, now I am twenty." She looked at him carefully. "What is your name?"
"Jimmy." He said, holding up his hands to show her his deformity. "Otherwise known as the amazing Lobster Boy."
She shrugged. "I think I will just call you Jimmy."
"Tell me the story."
Greta shook her head. "Not yet. But I will take up the offer for some food… I have not eaten for three days."
Nodding and silently vowing to get the girl's story later, Jimmy led the way back to the dining tent. He brushed off the questioning looks from the others and motioned for Greta to sit down and help herself to anything she wanted. He held up a bottle of hooch and she nodded, holding out her hand for the cup after tearing a hunk of bread and stuffing it in her mouth.
The freaks watched her, almost impressed, as she ate and drank her way through more than they would have imagined someone as skinny as her was capable of consuming. Any attempt they made to catch Jimmy's eye to ask for an explanation was quickly avoided. Instead he left the tent and made his way quickly over to Elsa's tent, calling her name as he went inside.
"What do you want?" She demanded, rounding on him with blazing eyes.
"I want to know why that girl thinks she's your daughter." He replied bluntly. "It can't be true, can it?"
Elsa pulled her gown around her more tightly and moved away. "It is true." She admitted quietly. "At least, if she is who she says so is, it is true."
"What the hell, Elsa?" Jimmy shouted. "You have a daughter?"
"Had, Jimmy." She corrected him quickly. "I gave birth to a baby twenty years ago. My beloved monsters are my children, not some girl who turns up from nowhere after two decades claiming to be my daughter."
"Have you seen her? She's in the food tent at the moment stuffing her face because she hasn't eaten for three days. She needs a family, Elsa. She needs our help."
"We do not know anything about the girl! She could be anybody. She comes in here, into our midst, announcing that she is my daughter? You would just let her join our family? She could be planning anything!"
Jimmy laughed. "Elsa? The kid probably weighs less than a hundred pounds. What do you really think she's going to do? Besides, she was ready to walk away and leave. She wouldn't tell me her story because you might not want everyone to know."
"Well I do not!" Elsa spat.
"She thinks you're beautiful." Jimmy told her with a shrug, smiling when he realised that he'd caught the woman's attention by appealing to her ego and vanity. He wasn't sure why, but there was something about Greta that he instinctively trusted and he was determined to try and help her. "She said that she thought you'd be beautiful, but that you were even more beautiful than she imagined."
"She said that?"
He nodded. "Yeah, she did."
There was a long pause, while Jimmy waited for her to make her own decision about what was going to happen next, knowing that she needed to think she'd made it on her own. "Very well… we shall see what she has to say."
With a grin, the young man waited for Elsa to sweep out of her tent before following. He nodded at his mother as they entered the dining tent, but Ethel simply sent him a bemused look in return. He moved to stand beside her as Elsa took a seat on the bench opposite Greta and fixed her with a look that set everyone's nerves on edge.
"So… you think that you are my daughter?" She asked finally.
Around the tent, the freaks gasped and exchanged looks at the announcement. Jimmy shook his head at their reaction, wondering how they hadn't seen the likeness between the two blondes before. Now he knew to look for it, it seemed obvious to him. Perhaps with a bath, a good night's sleep and some clothes that actually fitted she would look a little more presentable.
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why do you think you are my daughter?" Elsa elaborated, her steely gaze still boring into the younger woman's eyes.
"A German Officer told me so when I was a child."
The show runner laughed sardonically. "Oh, so it must be the truth."
"Tell us the whole story, Greta." Jimmy encouraged her.
Greta looked at Elsa for permission and, when she merely shrugged disinterestedly, the young woman took a deep breath. "As I told you before, I was born on Halloween 1932 and left on the doorstep of a Berlin orphanage with nothing more than my name. When war broke out, government officials came round all the orphanages to assess all the dependants. I was one of the lucky ones because I had blonde hair and blue eyes and looked like a true Aryan. Others were not so lucky."
"I'd never have guessed she was a blonde…" The left head of the conjoined twins muttered under her breath.
"Hush now, Dot…" The bearded lady chided her. "Let the poor girl speak."
Raising a hand to her dirty and matted hair self-consciously, Greta's eyes found Jimmy's. He smiled and nodded reassuringly again. Swallowing thickly, she continued with her story.
"They placed me with an Aryan family who had no children and renamed me, Eva Schäfer. It was good for a while; I knew how to play my part. But then things changed and… it was tough." She shrugged, her eyes glazing over for a moment. "I met an American… he was good to me; taught me to speak English and, just before the war ended, he helped me run away.
"We managed to get out of Germany and travel to New York. He had a wife and children in Maine, but they moved to New York for a fresh start. There were no questions about me, because no one knew them. I changed my name to Sally Harper… having a German name was not a good thing after the War. They passed off my reluctance to speak as being shy, rather than not knowing enough English.
"But… good things never last. I left New York when I was fourteen and I went to Philadelphia, working my way South in search of Elsa. I spoke to different circus troupes for information and they told me about FräuleinElsa's Cabinet of Curiosities. I have spent the last six years following your trail."
"But how did you find out about Elsa?" The woman Greta now recognised as Dot asked, folding her arms and fixing the young woman with a cynical stare. Her sister blinked curiously at her.
"When I was living in Berlin a German officer came round to speak to my… father." She screwed up her face slightly, trying to reconcile herself to the term. "Anyway… he said that I reminded him of someone. The Schäfers explained who I was and where I had come from and he said that he had known of an Elsa März who used to…" She trailed off, meeting Elsa's eyes almost embarrassedly. "Anyway… from then on I had your name fixed in my head. When I met Joe, the American, I asked him to see if he could track you down. He found out you had left Germany and come to America."
"There is only one thing wrong with that story." Elsa announced after a moment of silence. "My child was not called Greta."
The young woman smiled and rummaged in the pocket of her ragged jacket. She pulled out a scrap of paper and smoothed it out carefully on the table in front of her. Greta looked at it for a moment, before sliding it across the surface towards Elsa.
Taking a drag of her cigarette, Elsa lowered her gaze to read the words written in very familiar handwriting. Before she could stop herself, a tiny smile lifted the corner of her lips. Leaning back she nodded slowly, her cigarette dangling from her fingers as she appraised the younger woman thoroughly.
"Gretel is the name of an unwanted baby dumped at an orphanage." Greta told her bluntly.
"And Greta is the name of a hardened street rat." Elsa agreed.
The pair stared at each other for a moment, apparently coming to some kind of silent agreement. Then Elsa nodded and stood. She looked away from the young woman and addressed her performers instead.
"Someone fill her a bath and find her some clean clothes. She is stinking out the camp."