Heelllloooooooooooooooooooooo
So I know everyone's dying to find out how Jack and Elsa's date went, but first we're gonna' take a lovely little trip into the annoying (and confusing world) of Hans and Anna. And just to let everyone know, Hans' little weird mental (XD) thing probably won't be cleared up until faaaaaaaaaaar later.
So, sorry.
I'm a terrible person I know!
Anyway, so Hans does get a little O_O here and there but hey, all part of the plan!
Reviewings and reviews and reviewed and...you get the jist:
Topazx - Thank you! At least someone agrees with me! All my friends are like "No it doesn't!" and I'm like "Pfft girlfriend, in my jelsa shipping world...everything is a date for Jack and Elsa." XD
OoPoPcAnDy - Indeed she does. At least, I hope so...Maybe Astrid and Merida have planned something...along with Hiccup as well...maybe - ah who am I kidding? In my world, anything can happen!
ElvisRules41 - Haaaaaaaa, I got it alright! And the best part is that I can never resist ruining it for my friends or giving a massive clue away to them and they still don't get it. And I'm like "How in the world do they not get this!" (obviously forgetting my previous ponderings at the confusing and yet revealing clues that I never figured out until the end XD)
Enjjjjjooooooooooyyyyyyyyyyyy!
Hans stirred the pot of soup on the stove and backed up slightly to study Anna, who was seated on the couch in the living room playing a game on her laptop. She'd dispensed with the heavy-handed makeup she'd worn when she'd shown up that first night in he shelter and looked the way she should, fresh young, unsullied. He intended to keep her that way too. She had great potential. It was just as he'd told her earlier, the trick was to catch people in time. Before they reached the point of no return. If you did that, you could save them.
That's why he'd failed with the others.
And with Cindy.
His hand spasmed, and he tightened his grip on the spoon. He'd tried so hard to help her turn her life around. He'd begged. Pleaded. Done his best to please her. But in the end, he'd failed her. She'd gone over the edge. Just as the others had after her.
"Hans?"
The soft, tentative voice pulled him back to the present.
Setting the spoon aside, he looked up. Anna stood in the doorway, watching him warily. She must still be spooked from his reaction this morning when she'd startled him. That had to be remedied. He didn't want her to be afraid of him. He wanted just the opposite. But first, he needed her to feel safe. Otherwise, with Rapunzel gone, she might suggest going back to the homeless shelter.
Smiling, he leaned back against the counter and tied for a relaxed, unintimidating posture.
"Sorry. I was lost in thought. Did you ask a question?"
"I wanted to know if I could help with dinner."
"I appreciate the offer, but the soup's about ready and the bread is in the oven. You could set the table though."
"Okay." She crossed the room toward the utensil drawer.
"Wait!" The word came out too harsh, and he softened his tone.
"Did you wash your hands?" Her gaze darted from her own hands to his and back again.
"An hour ago. I'll do it again though."
"Great. No sense spreading germs around the flu season."
He watched as she scrubbed her hands. Not long enough for his standards, but she'd learn. As she went about her task, he picked up the spoon and gave the hearty vegetable soup another stir. Some people might call his concern about cleanliness a fetish or an obsession, but they were wrong. It was just a sensible hygiene. And volunteering in the shelter these past two winters had made him more conscious than ever of the importance of staying clean.
Mouth compressed, he swallowed past his revulsion. Some of the street people who showed up there were disgusting. That's why he'd only agreed to take registration duty, which left him free to walk a wide berth around the dirtiest guests and seek out those who caught his eye. Nevertheless, it had been an unpleasant task.
But if everything worked out as he hoped, he wouldn't have to go back to that place again. It would have served him its purpose by leading him to Anna. She could be his path to redemption.
He changed positions slightly so he could watch her. She was folding the napkins and setting the utensils out, her long strawberry-blonde hair swinging around her face. The colour and length would have to change too. Hair like that was one of the things that had led to Cindy's downfall.
Anna leaned over to straighten a knife, and her waist skimming top seperated from her low-rise jeans in the back, revealing an expanse of skin. His lips curled in distaste. The clothes would have to change as well. But there would be time for those kinds of cosmetic improvements later. First, he had to convince her to stay another night or two. Just to make certain she was the one.
Ladling the soup into bowls beside the stove, he gestured toward the oven with his free hand.
"Why don't you get the bread out too? There's a cutting board in the cabinet to the right of the sink and knives at the end of the counter. You can put the bread in that." He gestured to a small wicker basket beside the knife rack.
She withdrew the board and set it on the counter, then moved to the oven, opened the door, and gave an appreciative sniff.
"Wow. That smells great. And it looks homemade."
"It is, but don't be too impressed, I have a bread machine, so there's no skill involved. All you have to do is follow the directions. I usually bake several loaves at once and pull them out of the freezer as I need them."
"The only homemade bread I ever had, fresh out of the oven, was at Elsa's. She made them at Christmas. It was amazing."
Hans frowned.
Was there a slight wistful tone in Anna's voice? Every other time she'd spoken about her sister, he'd gotten the impression neither had liked their living arrangements. That despite their blood tie, they'd been little more than strangers with no real feelings for each other.
Or had he misread her?
He hoped not.
He needed a girl no one loved. A girl who wouldn't be missed, who was in a downward spiral and in need of saving.
Sliding into his chair, he gestured to her bowl.
"Dig in."
After casting a doubtful look at the thick soup, she dipped her spoon in and took a tentative taste. Her expression cleared at once.
"Mmm. This is really good. I guess it was worth all those hours you spent chopping in the kitchen today. Is this an old family recipe? Like a dish your mother used to make or something?" His lips twisted at that ludicrous image.
He'd been lucky if she'd opened a can of soup, let alone made it from scratch.
"No. She wasn't much of a cook."
"Mine wasn't either." She helped herself to a piece of whole wheat bread.
"How about your sister? Does she like to cook?" Anna slathered the bread with butter, negating the whole-grain health benefits. He tried not to cringe.
"She knows how, but she makes a lot of stuff I don't like. Lots of times I just stick a frozen pizza in the oven. Then I get a lecture about eating healthier. It's one more thing we disagree about. No wonder we argue all the time." She rolled her eyes and dug back into the soup.
"Are you sure she won't miss you though?" Hans swiped a sparing dab of butter across his own bread, noting a brief flicker of emotion in her eyes at her question. Doubt perhaps? She masked it too quickly to be certain.
"She'll feel guilty. Like she failed at being a guardian. But I've always planned to leave the minute I turned eighteen, and she knew that. I'm sure she'll be glad to have her quiet life back in a few months sooner than expected. I doubt she'll waste a whole lot of time or effort looking for me." That was what he'd hoped to hear.
"So you still intend to head for Kent?" He kept the question casual and conversational.
"I guess." This time there was no mistaking the ripple of uncertainty that swept over her features.
"I don't have anywhere else to go. But I might think about it for another day or two. It's not like the buses are running yet anyway."
She'd given the ideal opening.
"Did you decide if you wanted to stay here tonight? Or would you rather I take you back to the shelter?" Twin creases appeared on her brow as she played with her soup.
"It's a lot nicer here."
"And there's a lock on the bedroom door, remember. Plus, I'll be at work tomorrow. That will give you a chance to think about your options."
"Yeah. That's true. I guess I'll stay. Thanks." The knot in his stomach unwound.
"Great. Now tell me about your vacation to Hawaii. I've never been there." He only half listened as she enthused about her holiday, thinking instead about his later plans in the evening…and tomorrow night. Everything was ready. And unless Anna said or did something to change his mind in the next twenty- four hours, she would be the chosen one.
AAAAAANNNNNNNNAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! GET AWAY FROM THE PYSCHO BEFORE HE KILLS YOU LIKE IN A FREAKY MYSTERY HORROR MOVIE! WHEN YOU DIE IT WON'T BE MY FAULT BECAUSE-
It actually will be my fault...huh. I just realised Anna wouldn't be able to hear me anyway, because she's not real O_O.
NOOOOOOO! SHE IS REAL! SHE JUST-
Sorry guys, I'm...just gonna...stop now.
Yeah, kinda' just wanna' reach in there and plonk Anna right where she belongs. Which is with ELSA YOU LITTLE-
Gaah! Shut up Jelsa Brain!
Next on How To Save Your Sister:
An omen?
Could be.
"I thought I saw you pull up."
...If something, or someone, intrigues me, I investigate."
She looked back at him in surprise, and he locked gazes with her.
"The short answer is yes..."
Reeeeeevvvvvvvvvvvviiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwwwwww! I nnnneeeeeeeddddddd reeeeeeeevvvviiiiiiiieeeeeeewwwwwwwwssssssss pppppplllllleeeeeeaaaaaasssssssseeeeee!
Thanks for reading!
Ren xxx
