The one-room cabin was small, but cozy, and Anna immediately felt at home as soon as she stepped inside. To the left stood a bed just barely wide enough and long enough for Kristoff's stature, covered in layers of animal pelts, with a ratty woven throw on top. Against the far wall was a stone fireplace, with a carved rocking chair and wooden stool placed before it. In the corner sat a rounded, oblong bathtub made from treated wood beside a small table, and next to that was a cast iron stove for cooking indoors. The entire room had a woodsy aroma of pine and smoke, with an underlying stench of masculine odor. It was a wonderful scent, and Anna found herself breathing in large swaths of air through her nose to savor it, her belly growing warmer with each inhale.

Anna could've sworn she had been here before; it felt much too homey to be a coincidence. Was this the cabin from her memory? She tried to remember. Tried to make the connection. How many cabins could she have ever possibly visited in her life, anyway?

Kristoff moved straight for the fireplace upon entering, setting to work with logs and flint, taking a few minutes to get a roaring fire started. The intensity of it drowned the room in heat and light.

"We'll stay here for the night. It's too late to head back now," Kristoff explained, waving for Anna to come over by the fire. Unsteady on her feet, she walked to him. After slipping off her boots and setting them beside the fireplace to dry, she allowed Kristoff to take her hat, cape, and gloves.

Was this the man who had saved her from certain death?

She watched in wonderment as he moved to the corner of the room and removed his own coat and shoes, tossing them aside. His shirt came next, slipping it effortlessly over his head to reveal his bare torso beneath. A bowl of water sat on the table near the tub and he lifted the dipper to his lips, drinking eagerly, allowing rivulets of water to leak from his mouth, cascading over his cheeks and chin, and ultimately down his chest, making their way to the top of his trousers. Anna's breath caught in her throat and her stomach fluttered.

The auburn-haired princess wondered briefly if it was proper for a common man to nonchalantly disrobe in front of royalty, but she decided that she didn't care. His body was beautiful to look at; he was perfectly bulky– muscular, but not too muscular. He still looked almost soft, like her body could mold into his if she pressed herself against him just right. It made her want to paint him, to capture his golden skin and hair and eyes in her brush and get it down in oils.

"New" Anna was surprised by the urge.

When he turned back to where she stood, Anna looked away quickly, hoping he didn't notice her staring.

"You can sit," he offered, gesturing toward a chair with his hand. Anna did as she was told.

"Are you hungry?"

Before the princess could respond, her stomach growled, breaking through the silence of the room, as if to answer on her behalf.

–

"This is… terrible." Anna couldn't even lie. Her face scrunched from the sour taste of the stew Kristoff had prepared for their evening meal. She was curled up in a blanket in the rocking chair, sitting cozily with her feet tucked beneath her as she warmed herself before the fire. The travelling pair had beaten the blizzard by only an hour, and the wind outside the tiny cabin howled and whistled with the intensity of the storm.

"There's a reason I'm not Arendelle's Official Royal Chef," Kristoff snorted, gobbling up his own bowl of stew. He spoke with his mouth full. "When you're forced to raise yourself you learn to eat for sustenance– not for fun."

This was how he lived. Isolated up here in the mountains, in this ramshackle little hut, away from human contact. Away from people. Away from her. With no one else in the world to take care of him but himself. It made Anna's heart ache for the Ice Master.

Feeling brave, but mostly devastatingly hungry, Anna took large spoonfuls and began shoveling the stew into her mouth, speaking between bites.

"So... you really don't know what happened to your family, huh?"

Kristoff swallowed his own spoonful. "I really don't."

"Didn't you ever try to find out?"

Kristoff shrugged from where he sat shirtless on the stool across from Anna. "Not really. I asked around a bit when I was a teenager, but it was like trying to find a needle in a haystack. I just accepted it as hopeless and moved on with my life."

"How old?"

"What?"

"How old were you when you… lost them?"

Kristoff thought for a moment. "Six, or seven, maybe?"

"You've just lived alone all the way up here in the mountains since then?"

I wasn't always alone, Kristoff thought, remembering the last time she had shared his bed. But he said nothing about it.

"Sometimes it's better to be alone," he said instead. "Well, I'm not really alone, anyway. I have the Trolls. And Sven."

Anna's face fell and her shoulders slumped. "But what about people?"

"Reindeers are better than people."

"Don't you miss them?"

"Miss who? People?"

"No," Anna's eyes turned sad. "Your parents."

Kristoff shrugged, but his amber eyes glistened.

"I think I miss my parents," Anna spoke into her bowl as she brought another spoonful up to her lips. "But I don't remember them. All I know is that they perished in a shipwreck a few years ago. On their way to my cousin's wedding in another kingdom."

Kristoff knew all too well what had happened to the former monarchs. His eyes trailed down to the bowl in his lap. He suddenly didn't feel very hungry.

"You know… maybe losing your memories isn't such a bad thing," he said softly.

Anna choked on a piece of rabbit meat and coughed, pumping a fist to her chest to help dislodge the blockage.

"Excuse me?" she squeaked.

Kristoff set down his bowl and rested his elbows on his knees, interlocking his fingers in the space between them. "You don't remember any of the bad stuff that's ever happened to you. You don't remember all of the times you've been hurt, or the people who've hurt you. The people who've abandoned you, or died, or disappeared without a trace, or walked out of your life… you get to start over... start fresh."

She noticed for the first time how tired he looked; his usually warm brown eyes were sunken and sad as he gazed into the fireplace. It was her fault, really; he was only exhausted thanks to her antics involving leaving the palace, as well as having to escort her on this trip– both times against his will.

He always seemed so tense and restless around her, yet she always felt so comfortable and calm around him. The pleasure he had given her the previous night had been exquisite, unlike anything she had ever known– as far as she knew– and she had been just as eager to reciprocate, but he had stopped them before they went any further.

Now was her chance to find out what they meant to each other; to find out why Anna felt the way she did, and why he affected her so strongly.

This time, Anna wouldn't let him stop them.

Slowly, as though he was a frightened animal that might run at any moment, Anna rose and crossed the way to Kristoff, allowing the blanket she had draped loosely about her lithe frame to slip from her shoulders. She knelt on the rug before him and placed her hands atop his own, looking up into his face with her own freckled visage, her peachy skin glowing in the light it reflected.

"But I don't remember you," she whispered, her jewel-toned eyes shimmering; the firelight danced in her irises, just beneath her lashes. "I'd give anything to remember what you are to me."

Kristoff's heart thumped in his chest and he looked at her with wide eyes, scanning her face.

"I would, too." The brutal honesty of his own words scared him. But she couldn't remember; if she remembered, then he was sure she'd think differently.

"So, we were something?"

Kristoff sighed and put his face in his hands. He pressed his elbows harder into his knees. "It's complicated."

"It doesn't seem that complicated to me," Anna said softly, biting her lower lip, finding her courage. "You're the one making it complicated. I… I love you. I know I do."

Then: "I believe that... you love me, too."

Kristoff's heart skipped a beat. She loved him. Really, truly loved him. Even now.

If only she knew...

He did love her back. He really, truly loved her. Always had; always would. There was no one before her, and no one after her; there would never be anyone after her.

But if she knew the truth…

"Did you love me before?"

Kristoff's voice was barely audible over the sound of the crackling fire as he gazed into her eyes: "Yes."

Anna swallowed hard. "Do you still love me?"

She continued to worry her bottom lip between her teeth until it was plump and red; the sight of it enticing him. Kristoff carefully cradled her cheek in the palm of his hand, brushing her lip out of the vice of her teeth with his thumb.

"Don't do that…"

His resolve crumbling at last, Kristoff leaned forward and pressed his lips firmly to Anna's. When she whimpered softly in reaction to the unexpected contact, it was his undoing.

He brought his other hand up to her opposite cheek and held her head between his hands for leverage as he desperately smashed his open mouth over hers. His princess kissed back in fervor, bringing her own hands up– first to grip his wrists, egging him on, before she twined them behind his neck, pulling him closer to her.

Kristoff rose from his seat, helping his princess to stand along with him, never once breaking their connection. He pressed the entire length of his body flush along her front, and when she gyrated madly against him, he feared for a second that he would spend himself inside his trousers right then and there; just to know that she wanted this as badly as he did was enough to do it for him. It had been so long– for both of them, although she didn't know it.

Anna felt her nipples harden into buds beneath her clothing, stimulated by the friction of Kristoff moving against her breasts. Every point of contact with Kristoff's body sent tingles through her central nervous system, electrifying her, setting her skin aflame; she felt hotter than the fire that burned behind them. She needed more; she needed him.

When Anna broke the kiss to pant for air, Kristoff took his chance to move his lips over the pulse points along her neck and jaw, causing his princess to tremble harder with each suckle; he took a second to unfasten the neck of her blouse, revealing her cleavage, and hungrily brushed his lips across her decolletage and the top of her breasts.

To Anna, the sensation was pure bliss, and she had to grip Kristoff's shoulders to stay upright, dizzy with pleasure.

"Beautiful," he murmured into Anna's hair, his voice heady with lust as he palmed her breasts through the fabric of her bodice. Kristoff inhaled deeply behind her ear; her scent was intoxicating, like lilies and cinnamon, and he was always instantaneously inebriated by it. "You're so beautiful."

If anything, Anna thought Elsa to be the beauty of the family– with her milky skin and silver hair– but coming from Kristoff the words rang true, and Anna's heart swelled at the affirmation. She could feel how hard he was for her even through the layers between them, proving his words, and she eagerly reached down to grip him through his slacks, eliciting a groan from Kristoff's throat.

"If you keep that up…" he growled, but didn't follow up on his threat. Instead, he turned her to face away from him, unlacing her embroidered bodice and helping her out of it, followed by her periwinkle blouse and royal blue skirt. He then knelt and carefully removed her bloomers and stockings. When she shivered at the sudden exposure of skin, despite the warmth of the fire, Kristoff wrapped himself around her and pressed his bare chest to her back, embracing her, planting tender, wet kisses along the tops of her freckled shoulders.

His hands moved to cup her bare breasts, and Anna inhaled sharply. His calloused palms were hot on her skin, but surprisingly soft, and she found her nipples were incredibly sensitive to his ministrations as he pinched and twisted the buds. Her body moved of its own accord in response, pushing her bum back into Kristoff, grinding against his hardness; he had to bite his lip to keep from moaning out loud.

"Kristoff," Anna breathed. She reached behind herself to grab at him, reckless with lust. The words left her lips before she could even think of them: "I want you."

In one swift movement, Kristoff bent and scooped her up into his arms to carry her over to the other side of the room. The jostling motion caused the rest of her hair to tumble loose from her chignon.

"Have we made love before?" Anna asked. Then her face contorted. "Am I virgin?"

Kristoff shushed her with a light kiss on the lips.

"Don't worry. Let me take care of you," he whispered in her ear, and Anna nearly melted into a puddle in his arms at the words.

Kristoff laid her down on the bed, the soft furs tickling her bare backside as she sank into the old worn mattress; it seemed to be molded to the shape of her body. He crawled on top of her, still in his trousers, and kissed her full on the mouth; slowly, sensually, tasting her, and Anna couldn't help but moan deep in her throat.

He reached a hand down between them, to the top of her thighs, and began rubbing her most sensitive spot, causing Anna to hiss and arch her back at the sensation. Kristoff's fingers felt experienced and confident, as if he knew exactly where and how to touch her.

The princess wiggled about on the bed, not entirely sure of what she wanted but she knew she needed more. As if reading her thoughts, Kristoff slipped a finger inside and Anna threw her head back with a moan. He pumped his digit in and out of her, slowly at first, gradually gaining speed, and it wasn't long until he found a steady rhythm that made Anna gasp and buck her hips.

When it became almost too much for Anna to bear, Kristoff removed his finger from her and stuck it in his mouth, laving the digit clean with his tongue. The flavor of her essence was sweet and musky and coated the inside of his mouth– he swore he would never tire of it.

"God, you taste so good," Kristoff breathed, removing his finger from his mouth with a pop. His praise made Anna blush.

He moved himself down her body and crouched, aligning his face with her most private of parts.

"Kristoff, what are you–"

His hot breath ghosted over her triangle of auburn curls and she shivered in anticipation.

"Do you want this?" he asked, his voice husky.

Yes, she wanted this. Whatever this was. Badly.

Unable to find the words, Anna nodded her eagerness.

Upon Kristoff's tongue making first contact, Anna jumped. He continued to lap at her feminine flower, causing Anna to fist her hands in the sheets, her fingers searching for purchase. Her body squirmed uncontrollably, thrashing about on the mattress as her pleasure heightened, and Kristoff had to wrap his arms around her thighs to hold his princess steady, pulling her closer into his mouth and dipping his tongue inside.

Anna wept his name in between gulps of air as Kristoff trailed a broad stroke of the flat of his tongue upward, lavishing the attentions of his lips and tongue on the bundle of nerves at her center; when he slid two thick fingers into her opening, Anna keened, fisting a small hand in Kristoff's hair rather roughly. She felt as though she might break if she didn't find release soon.

"Kristoff," she begged. "Please."

Even Kristoff couldn't fight it anymore; his own arousal throbbed painfully between his legs. Reaching down, he slid his trousers down his legs and stepped out of them, allowing his erection to spring forth from a bush of thick, burnt gold hair; his member was magnificent, and the sight of it caused molten nectar to pool in Anna's womb as he climbed on top of her.

Oh, how she ached for him.

This "new" Anna– the one without memories– was essentially a virgin; any carnal knowledge she had learned in her previous life with him had been wiped clean. The thought crossed Kristoff's mind briefly that he should stop now, rather than ruin her again, but any semblance of self-restraint dissipated when she whimpered his name and wrapped her arms around his neck, drawing him closer. He kissed her as he pushed himself inside, breaking the kiss only to let out a groan, overcome by the sensation of sheathing himself in her tight, familiar warmth.

"Does it hurt?" he managed through gritted teeth, utilizing all of his remaining self-control to not pound her senseless, watching her face for any sign of discomfort.

Anna shook her head. Her freckled cheeks flushed pink with desire and her hair fanned out behind her head like a halo; she truly was his angel. "No. It feels wonderful."

Unable to hold back any longer, Kristoff pulled out and pushed back into her, angling his hips to hit the spot he knew she liked. Anna moaned loudly in response, tossing her head back to reveal her flawless white throat. It enticed him to put his mouth on the skin there, and he did so, nipping lightly with his teeth as he continued thrusting in and out of Anna with gradually increasing speed.

A vision flashed across Anna's mind, of the dream she had of the man on top of her, moving inside of her just as Kristoff was doing now. Past and present meshed in that moment, as if both were happening simultaneously; it was enough to drive Anna to the brink.

Just as she was losing herself in him, he was losing herself in her, and the sound of her angelic voice sobbing his name over and over caused Kristoff's movements to go off-kilter, his hips beginning to jerk erratically as he raced towards the edge with her.

"I love you, Anna," he whispered hotly in her ear as he thrusted, holding on to her quaking body as though his life depended on it; her smooth, unmarred flesh was pliant beneath his fingertips. "I've always loved you. Only you."

His words made her come undone, and she let out a long wail, digging her nails into the skin of his back as convulsions erupted through her womb, rippling through her body in wave after wave of euphoric pleasure. Her walls tightened around Kristoff, drawing him further into her core, and soon enough he was crying out her name as he came as well, the contractions of her inner muscles milking every last drop from him.

Both of them spent, Kristoff pulled his wilting member free and lifted his weight up and off of her, gazing down into Anna's face as he supported himself on his elbows.

Anna stared up at him lovingly with half-lidded eyes, breathing heavily. "Is it... always this good?"

"Only with you," Kristoff murmured, leaning down to kiss the edge of her swollen lips.

What does that mean? Anna wanted to ask, but was too overcome with exhaustion.

"I know you're the one who saved me, Kristoff," the princess mumbled sleepily, letting her eyes flutter closed. She drifted off to sleep within moments. Kristoff watched her face for some time, lovely even in slumber.

"No, Anna," Kristoff whispered, although she couldn't hear. He brushed his knuckles gently along her temple. "You saved me."

God help him, he was still so much in love with her, even after all of this time. He still needed her, like a drowning man needs air; like a sinner needs heavenly intervention, divine salvation from the eternal damnation of his own doings.

He needed her by his side, always. He couldn't tell her that they had once been engaged to be married; that he had left her alone at the altar on what was supposed to be their wedding day. If he told her the truth, then she would remember, and he would lose her for good. He realized now how much he needed her. He wouldn't let her go again. He would have to figure out a way to keep her this time.

–

Anna awoke sometime later, vaguely aware of an emptiness beside her where a warm body once was. She sat up in the bed, glancing around the room to see the ice man, still nude from their lovemaking, sitting on the stool in front of the fireplace, gazing into the dying embers. A contemplative expression was plastered across his boyish features, his eyebrows furrowed in thought.

"Kristoff?" Anna croaked, her voice hoarse with sleep. She held the afghan to her neck, covering her breasts. "Kristoff, come back to bed."

The man turned to lock eyes with her briefly, then cast his gaze downward, hesitating for a moment before rising from his seat and walking over to the bed. His knuckles were pale, apparently from the effort of clenching his fists; Anna noticed the red nail marks etched into the flesh of his palm.

Kristoff stared at his spot on the bed for a moment, focusing on the indentation of the mattress that had been caused by the weight of his body; he squeezed his eyes shut, but he wasn't fast enough to stop the tears from escaping.

Anna held her arms out to him, the blanket falling forgotten from her chest, and Kristoff crawled into the bed beside her. He curled up against her inviting body and sobbed, allowing himself to be held. The princess did her best to comfort him, shushing him and stroking his hair and back, cradling him against her, wishing nothing but to ease his pain; for his pain was her pain as well.

She had no idea why he was so upset, but she decided not to ask; instead, Anna just held him as he cried, and pressed a chaste, comforting kiss to Kristoff's cheek, tasting the saltiness there. Her lips lingered on the stubble of his jaw a bit longer than she intended. A tear slipped from her own eye and trailed down her cheek.

Within seconds they were locking lips passionately, frantically grabbing at each other as he rolled on top of her and slid inside her weeping desire once again. The pace was rough and needy from the get-go; there were no words this time as they let their bodies say what their voices couldn't put into words, moving together in a perfectly synchronized rhythm.

Anna orgasmed almost immediately– her body still primed from earlier– with a cry that Kristoff swallowed with his mouth on hers; he followed suit shortly after, grunting through his release, their breaths mingling in the space between them as they came down together.

A few moments later his princess was sleeping again, snoring softly into his chest.

Maybe Anna would never remember their previous life together and they could start over anew with whatever this was. Elsa would never allow it, of course, but perhaps Kristoff could play Anna's memory loss to his advantage. He could lie to her to make her need him as desperately as he needed her; enough that Elsa would concede to the arrangement, for her sister's sake.

Kristoff was surprised at himself for having such an evil, selfish idea; he could never manipulate Anna in such a way. It wouldn't be right.

Then what are you going to do? His inner voice asked him. You can't keep her.

Kristoff willed the thoughts to leave him be until the morning, and hugged his love's sleeping form a little tighter against his body.

At least for tonight, he could keep her.