It doesn't matter if you're dead, undead or somewhere in between. Because it's you humans, that haunt us. And you won't let us go.

- Being Human


Hans was waiting for things to go wrong. It had been bad enough with just Elsa and Kristoff knowing about him, with Anna in the mix, he couldn't imagine his secret staying kept for long. People would come with pitchforks and fire to kill the monster. He had never expected to live this long, anyway. He had never wanted to, until now.

Now that he had the ice castle, good clothes, good food, there was a flicker of hope he was doing his best not to feed. He knew the hope didn't really come from more comfortable living. He knew the hope was pointless. It was a light, though, something to give him peace in an existence of darkness.

He had taken care not to touch Elsa since the kiss. He told himself that it had been a trick of his memory to think she had responded to his touch. It had only been fractured pieces of him, anyway. So close to a change, he hadn't been himself. He would never be bold enough for such a thing. It was enough that she didn't hate him. That much was incredible alone. He had committed so many terrible acts against her, her family, her kingdom. He had earned her ire, yet she didn't give it. The difference between her and his family was astounding at times. They had hated him for merely existing. Elsa forgave him, for merely existing. He already had what he didn't deserve. That didn't stop him from wanting more, desiring the unattainable.

Hans took to wandering listlessly about the castle while he was alone. He had already discovered all of it. There were books, but those were of little interest to him. He had never been an avid reader. It was hard to sit still that long and focus on printed words. He didn't know if that was him or the effect of the wolf inside of him. In any case, worry now had him even more agitated than usual, even once the period of time around the full moon faded.

On high alert for danger, Hans could hear someone coming before they ever reached the castle. It couldn't be Elsa, she always traveled via wind and this was a horse, no, two horses. Not enough for an angry mob, at least. He took to pacing, working his way to the upper balcony so he could see them from a greater distance.

He saw Elsa first. Her horse was struggling through the snow, but it was built for the weather. Then came Anna. Unintentionally, Hans gripped the open rail. He had not spoken to Anna since the coronation night, assuming he didn't count their brief exchange during his last change. He had been more wolf than human then, anyway. He abruptly turned and went back inside, mind running faster. He didn't know what he would say to her. What he could say to her to make up for his actions. Elsa had forgiven him for reasons he couldn't yet understand, but could Anna?

He searched through his now distant memories of Anna. She was lively and childlike and, from what he remembered, lonely. According to Elsa, her and Anna had repaired their friendship since the coronation. Anna was what she talked about, most of the time. Be it confusion or frustration, or joy. Sometimes he thought it was a way of avoiding talking about herself. He had never told her as much.

That didn't help him think of anything to say to Anna. It didn't prepare him to see her again, be reminded once more of the terrible things he had done. The idea danced through his head to leave. Slip out the back and watch from the woods until they left, but he quickly dismissed it. The least he could do was face what he had done. Guilt gnawed at his stomach as he forced his feet to carry him back to the ground level of the castle, waiting in an impatient, jerky pace. He didn't have to wait long.

Elsa blew the doors open and Hans did his best to avoid looking at the entrance. The chill of the winter blew in with her, now with hopeful notes of spring in the air. He hadn't realized that much time had passed already. The passing of time had always fallen along a monthly scale for him, but since coming to stay in the ice castle, the turn hadn't been as dreaded as it had been at home. If anything, he was beginning to feel more at ease with the wolf inside of him, as if it were possible.

"Hans," Elsa sounded as unsure as he felt. "Anna and I cam to visit. I brought food and more books." She offered, and he forced himself to face them.

"I brought a game." Anna said. She looked older. Not so lonely. Hans tried a smile, with a bad feeling that he failed. He clasped his hands together in front of himself.

"I believe I owe you an apology." He told her, stiffly. Anna shook her head quickly and unceremoniously. A tuft of red hair fell between her eyes, but she didn't seem to notice.

"Elsa explained everything to me. I know a little bit about curses." She said, smiling wryly. Hans smiled back, brief but true. Some of the tension in his shoulders eased. This family, they forgave too easily. It was a soothing relief after the damage of his own family.

"Curse or no curse. I'm still sorry." He bowed shallowly, empty manners. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Elsa with her eyes shut in what appeared to be relief. "What game did you bring?" He asked, hoping to shift the subject away from the past. Elsa shut the doors behind them, pulling in a small cart of food, while Anna skipped closer and set her box down on the table Elsa had created a few visits earlier.

"I used to play this with my mother," she began.


Honestly guys, I'm not even going to try to explain this one. The chapter or the two year disappearance. I guess the truth is that shit happens and life happens and hey, maybe I'll be back for a while. Maybe I'll disappear again and never come back. Let's keep our fingers crossed!

Side note - everyone reading this should thank the reviewers. The only reason I came back to this story is because of the wonderful people who reviewed it and asked me to keep going. Without you guys, I absolutely would have ditched this. Stay awesome.