Disclaimer: All I own is the concept. The rest belongs to Disney.

Author's Note: In my mind there's no such thing as too many Elsa/Mercer fics or fans. So here now is a oneshot just for them. Hope you enjoy it.

It was late and Elsa was sitting alone within the island fortress. Her master had transformed back into the human she'd known him for years to be, now resting at home in his large bed.

For several nights now Elsa had been feeling more alone than she could remember having been for a long time. She couldn't understand who or what she had become.

She remembered wanting to help her employer in his research, now she felt discarded. Rejected. Useless. Forgotten.

Her outer shell as she thought of it slightly resembled the woman she once was, but so much had changed. She could hardly even recognize herself now. What made it worse was knowing she was alone there. The White Ranger clone was destroyed, Zeltrax was gone, not that she'd truly enjoyed the company of the cyborg anyway. But right now even he would have been better to talk to than these dark walls and monitors.

No one was there to tell her who she was. If she was even worthy to have a title of any form. Aside from that of a fool for all she'd allowed herself to be. Having been blinded by her lust for her employer caused her to trust him, now even he seemed too far gone to help even himself.

She herself had been a renowned scientist and explorer. She was thankful her fellow teammates from that time couldn't see her now. They would only laugh, or worse, remind her of how they'd told her she would end up this way.

They had said Anton was a lunatic for his research, but Elsa had stood by him. She had been the only one and he had always been grateful to her for that. Even if his alter ego was less than kind to her. Still she loved the man behind the monster.

Though given all that had gone on in the previous months, Elsa couldn't help but wonder how Anton saw her now. Was she the face of his future? Or was she a mistake he wished he could forget? Could she ever make him see that all this was not his fault? Or would she lose him as she had lost all of the others whom she had once cared deeply for?

The day of the final battle between their side and that of the Dino Rangers' was nearing, she knew. They all knew. She couldn't know if she would survive. Though in that moment she couldn't be sure if she deserved to. Or if anyone would care if she did. It was not the monster she cared for. It was Anton, the scientist who had fought so hard to improve the world. Not the creature who sought to destroy it and recreate it as he felt it should be.

How could anyone care for a woman whom no one truly knew? What would it matter if she died or simply vanished? Would it make a difference to anyone?

But it was then a deep voice jarred her from her troubling thoughts. "I would care," the man stated.

Hearing his footsteps come up from behind her, she turned to face him. "I wasn't expecting you until morning. Is everything all right?"

"I feel I should be asking you that, Elsa," Anton replied as his eyes searched her dark orbs. He wished he could console her, but then he had never been the best at consoling anyone.

In addition to that, in order to truly comfort her he would have to admit to her how he truly felt for her. She had been the only one who had been by his side at every turn, never fearful of him or his experiments. Though at the same time the last thing he wanted to do was take advantage of her weakened state.

Turning from him, not wanting him to see a forming tear, she replied, "I'm fine, Dr. Mercer. I simply thought you were him for a moment."

What Elsa could not know just then was Anton had been there nearly the whole time, as Mesogog, but as he and Anton shared the same mind and Mesogog had been reading her thoughts, he had heard nearly every word. She also couldn't know that she had not turned quickly enough from him for him to not see her sadness.

At the risk of pushing her too far, from behind her he place his hands tenderly at her slender shoulders as he spoke, "I know who you are and I do care for you, Elsa." He took a deep breath before continuing. "I always have."

She turned back slowly to face him before asking, "Why did you wait until now for this?"

"Because it wasn't until now that I knew you wouldn't call me a fool for how I feel for you. You're the one person I could never handle rejection from."

For the first time in a long time Elsa had undeniable proof that she had a heart and it was racing within her chest. Still she managed to tell him, "I've never rejected you, Anton. Not when you asked me to be part of your team all those years ago, or when you asked me to help you with your experiments. Why would I begin now?"

Anton often had an answer for everything, but for this he was speechless. She was right. Not once over the years had she ever denied a request of his, no matter how dangerous or seemingly pointless.

They knew their regrets for things from the past could never truly fade, but they knew only they could understand them. Understanding just what they were and where they came from. Only to each other did Elsa and Anton not have to hide their otherwise secret truths.

Still though Elsa knew she felt lost, remembering all the things she had not known in so long. She still couldn't understand why she felt the way she did. Though the clues were there. There was a man to blame, the monster the man she loved had created. Though in truth she could not blame him. That was another aspect of all this that had her lost in confusion.

But as she looked into his eyes she knew there was no need to speak. The truth of how they both felt was there. Despair, longing, need, want, love, desire, passion.

"What if I'm not as strong as I think I am?" he asked as he looked to Elsa.

"For what it's worth, I think you're stronger," she answered honestly. "If you weren't you would have given up long ago. Giving into his darkness, refusing to save Trent or yourself."

A soft smile slowly spread across his handsome face. He couldn't be sure how right she was, but he did like what she had said. Especially as part of him was able to believe it.

Still they were standing just inches from one another, longing to touch, to feel. Their eyes continued to dance slowly over the other's attractive features, both trying to see if the other was ready for what would surely come next.

It was only seconds more before both lost their internal struggle to stay apart. Anton's lips met those of his black-clad companion, their bodies soon following as her arms laced around his shoulders and his coiled around her slim waist.

How this was the first true kiss they were sharing neither could know. Though honestly it was a wonder they knew anything more than the wonderful feel of this moment while their kiss steadily deepened.

Neither could know what would happen during the final battle or just when Mesogog would emerge again. They couldn't even know if Trent would appear in search of his father whom should have been at home in bed just then. But what they did know was while this may have begun as a stressful and painful night, it surely would not end as such and this was far from being their final kiss.