OUAT AU

So, this one was given to me by Atheenasandel, where they asked for a OUAT AU in which Elsa isn't there while Anna and Kristoff are. Buttttt, in typical "me" fashion, I changed it up just a bit and made it where Elsa IS in fact there with Anna and Kristoff, and is set in her perspective. Sorry if that's a little too off-track, but I thought it flowed better for a one-shot.

So, yeah...Hope you enjoy!

Some say time is frozen here. For as long as I can remember, the clock never moved, and no one seemed to age. No one ever entered the town, and no one ever left.

But sometimes I wonder...what if it's not just a glitch in the machinery? What if it's something else?

No, what a ridiculous notion. Magic doesn't exist in the real world, and clocks aren't special. The people here simply haven't fixed it- of that I'm sure.

My boots clicked softly against the concrete, as I slowly made my way down the street, clutching a book to my chest and glancing up at the sky with a smile.

"Omph!"

That is, until I bumped into someone.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" I cried, grabbing my book off the floor and pausing to help the person I had knocked over. Another woman with strawberry blonde braids was laughing at my side, struggling to pick up the pieces scattered about from her purse, which lay a few feet away. "Oh no, here, let me help."

"No, it's fine, really! It was just an accident. I can be so clumsy sometimes, you know?" The woman shook her head, grabbing fistfulls of papers, pencils, and books and throwing them back into her bag.

Something caught my eye. "Wait, you're a teacher? These are pre-algebra books…"

"Oh, yes! I teach elementary school students." She smiled gratefully up at me- though her gaze lingered a bit longer than necessary- and I helped her to her feet. "Thank you for helping me."

"Of course," I nodded, getting up from our previously hunched position and standing before her. "It was my fault anyway, I just...I was distracted by the storm in the distance."

The auburn-haired girl squinted in the distance to find a group of clouds clustered in the corner of the town. "Oh! Speaking of which, I should probably get back before that storm actually hits."

"Yes, I'm sorry to keep you waiting."

The teacher paused mid-step and swiveled her head around to meet my curious gaze. "I um...I never got your name."

"Elizabeth."

"I'm Hannah."

How curious…

Now alone once more, I continued my journey down the street to the nearest park, sitting down upon one of the benches before opening my book with my right hand and taking a pencil in my left.

"White walls, white doors. Oh, how I hate doors.

There's ice at my feet, frost on the window panes, snow in clumps on the floor. It appears I'm trapped in a freezer of sorts, unable to reach the warmth, but desperately clawing for it.

"Elsa?""

I paused in my writing, shivers going down my spine. Where had that name come from? Shrugging it aside, I continued my story with furrowed brows and pursed lips.

"A deep sense of guilt and grief struck my heart, knowing just who was on the other side of that door.

"Please, I know you're in there…" The voice continued, a tune both somber and somehow filled with hope. "People are asking where you've been. They say have courage, and I'm trying to, I'm right out here for you, just let me in…"

There was a soft sob, and the woman on the other end continued, "We only have each other...just you and me. Oh, what are we gonna do?"

Another pause.

"Do you wanna build a s-snowman?""

A droplet fell onto my page, though its origin remained unknown to me. I closed her eyes and breathed deeply through an oddly stuffy nose, a deep pang of sadness finding its way to my heart.

"Too much writing?"

I jerked around in surprise, finding the same woman from earlier standing a few feet away, maroon coat clutched in one hand and her bag in the other. "W-What?"

"Oh, um, I saw you writing something and then, well, you started crying, so I assumed that-"

Wait. Crying?

Startled, I reached up and brushed a hand along my cheek, feeling the wet trails and gasping in surprise. "Oh, I...I didn't even realize."

"Here, I always carry around a box of tissues." After receiving an odd look from me, she sighed. "Let's just say I'm a bit of an emotional person…"

Giggling softly into my hand, I thanked her and received the tissue, dabbing at the corners of my eyes and falling into silence once more.

"So, do you write often?"

Startled by the sudden question, my eyes widened, but I nodded nonetheless. "I'm a writer."

"Well that makes sense." Hannah chuckled, noting the way I closed in on myself and the book in my lap.

"So, why did you come here? I thought you were trying to get somewhere before the storm hit?"

"Oh, well, the storm may not have hit over here, but where I was headed, it has." I realized now just how soaked her clothes and hair were and my lips parted in shock.

"Oh, wow. Where were you headed anyway, if you don't mind me asking?"

"The school." Hannah set her back down on the bench and rummaged through it to find a folded piece of paper. Grinning from ear-to-ear, she reached for the edges and pulled it apart, revealing a crude drawing of two people, one adult and one child, as well as some blocky letters.

"To Ms. Anderson, I hope you have a great weekend. Love, Olaf." I read aloud, a fond smile twisting the corners of my lips. "That's sweet."

"I was going to go and store it in my classroom before the storm started, but the school was locked and...yeah."

"Well, um, I have a spare set of clothes at my apartment, if you want to come with me?" What? What kind of question even is that? She's going to think you're a stalker or something!

"Oh, I...I wouldn't want to burden you."

"No, it's no trouble at all! Really." Stop digging your grave deeper already!

"W-well, it would be nice to not have to walk around, soaked." Hannah chuckled nervously, stuffing her hands in her pockets, though it ended up looking rather strange considering the fabric was stuck to her skin from the water.

"Come along, then. My apartment's just up the road." Ugh, you don't listen, do you? I grabbed my book, taking one last saddened look at its pages before stuffing it in a bag of my own, alongside my pencil.

As we walked, I observed the woman beside me, who now shivered from the cold of the water seeping onto her skin. She looks to be shorter than me, with a thin build and long legs. Her nose, reddened from the chill, is almost identical to my own, and she appears to have a similar facial structure as well. Hm, strange.

"S-so, you're apartment's up here?"

"Oh, um, y-yes. Just up the street, third on the left." I stuttered, cheeks burning from having been caught staring.

As they reached the doorstep to my dwelling, I pulled out a pair of keys and unlocked the door, motioning for her to enter. Hannah walked inside and instantly sighed in relief at the warmth gathering around a small fireplace, hands outstretched as she attempted to thaw out her fingers.

I left her to her devices and pilfered through my closet until I found something the girl might like. "I found a few things for you. You can change in the bathroom if you wish; it's just down the hall, first room on the right."

Hannah, through her chattering teeth, thanked me and walked down the hallway, leaving me alone in the medium-sized room. I sighed heavily, sinking into the nearest chair and rubbing my tired eyes.

"What do you think?" A cheery voice interrupted my thoughts, and I found myself turning around to face Hannah, who now wore a long-sleeved, black dress that reached her knees. Rose patterns decorated the hem, and matched well with the necklace she wore, which I had failed to notice upon seeing her twice.

"It looks great on you, maybe even better than the person it was meant for." A weak grin tugged at my lips, hands leaving my temples and falling to my lap.

"Hey, are you okay? You look tired." Hannah crossed her arms and raised a perfectly straight eyebrow, sitting across from me in another chair.

I sighed, rubbing my forehead in frustration. "I just...I don't exactly have the best sleep cycle. I've, well, had these strange dreams since I could remember, and they keep me up at night. And not to mention the fact that I've always woken up with the sun."

Hannah's turquoise eyes widened in surprise, most likely feeling sympathy for a girl she met mere hours ago. "I-I'm sorry to hear that. Have you tried anything that might help? Meditation? Essential oils? Therapy?"

I chuckled dryly at the last suggestion. "Well, I've gone to therapy before with Dr. Hopper, but it never seems to help." My eyes turned to the window, to the sight of storm clouds and mist falling softly to the ground like freshly fallen snow. A sense of deja-vu nearly threatened to overwhelm me, but I pushed it down and turned back to the woman sitting across from me.

"Well, I know that storm is going to hit soon, and you need to get some sleep, so I should probably get going…" Hannah got up from the rather comfortable chair and began walking to the door. "I've taken up too much of your time, anyway."

"Wait." I reached out with a hand before jerking it back as though I'd been burned. "I- you could stay, if you'd like. The storm will hit any minute now, and I wouldn't want you getting sick." A playful smirk broke out on my face. "Plus I still have your old outfit here. I can wash it for you, if that would help."

"Well, I wouldn't want to be a burden-"

"Nonsense!" I paused, the words getting caught in my throat. "I...I would love the company, after all…" Though I once felt confident, I now wrapped my arms around myself and bowed my head self-consciously. She probably thinks you're weird.

Eyes the color of the ocean softened, pale hands reaching for her bag and placing it on the nearby table. "I guess I have my decision, then."

We giggled like children as we huddled under a fortress of blankets.

"Doesn't this feel like some sort of sleepover?" Hannah asked between laughs.

"Hm, I'm not sure. I've never had a sleepover before."

A beat. "What? You've never had a sleepover before?"

I flashed her a weak smile. "I was a lonely child."

I watched as she scoffed, placing another pillow in our childish fort. "Well, let's change that." She motioned with a nod of her head to the steadily growing pile of pillows.

I rolled my eyes and added one to the mix. "So, what do we do now?"

"Well, we just sit and talk, I guess." Hannah shuffled closer, leaning forward until she was face to face with me. "So, what's your favorite color?"

"What?" I asked in disbelief. Okay then... "Um, blue."

"Mine is green. It kinda reminds me of grass and flowers upon a hillside."

"How beautiful." I smiled, reminding me of a dream I had not long ago of a mountain speckled with snow, coiling around rolling hills and curved into a fjord that seemed to shimmer like magic in the light of the sun.

"Wow, I...that was beautiful, Elizabeth!"

It was then that I realized I had spoken out loud.

"Oh, um, thanks."

"So, have you always been writing?" Hannah moved to make room for me to lay down on the floor with her. We both stared up at the ceiling, unknowingly mirroring a sense of deja-vu.

"Ever since I was young; it was one of the only things that helped me express my feelings." I paused, turning to face the girl beside me. "You know, this might sound crazy, but I feel almost like I've known you my whole life."

There was a pause. "I...I feel the same way, honestly. It's like we're meant to be friends."

"We're...friends?"

Hannah turned to me, startled, probably hoping she hadn't gone too far. "I'm sorry if I just assumed-"

"No, no, it's fine. I just...I've never really had a friend before." My eyes welled slightly with tears that refused to fall when I felt a hand grab my own.

"Well, then it's time you had one."

There was a hand in mine, warm and comforting. A laugh as sweet as honey itself, resonating around us.

A girl with two strawberry blonde braids, dangling over her shoulders. A smile as bright as the sun itself flashed in my direction.

"I love the open gates."

"And we are never closing them again."

I awoke with a gasp, sweat clinging to my forehead and chest heaving as I struggled to reign in my breath. Was that…? Though as I thought back to the dream, my mind seemed to have forgotten it, memories of the girl I saw, blurred.

Huh, that's...weird. I have a great memory...it's not like me to forget.

Eh, it must not have been a very important dream if I can't remember it.

I startled when I felt a shift on my shoulder and looked down to find my new friend fast asleep on me, drool dribbling down her chin and auburn hair tangled all around us. Giggling quietly to myself, I moved carefully in order to not wake her, and walked into my room, quickly putting on a simple outfit and glancing out the window at the receding storm clouds and to the clock tower in the distance.

Wait.

It moved.

It moved!

Still in shock, I quickly wrote a note telling Hannah where I would be, and left the apartment, making my way down the street and to the clock tower. I was the only one there, as it was still early in the morning, but the people that walked by on the streets also seemed to be gaping in awe.

"It's amazing, isn't it?" A voice from behind me called out, forcing me to turn and address the one it belonged to.

"Dr. Hopper! Yes, yes it is." The man in question stepped forward and it was then that I noticed his familiar dalmatian, Pongo. "Hello there." As I reached down and began scratching the dog on the head, I heard another voice from afar.

"Dr. Hopper, I thought you were supposed to be in a session with my son."

The mayor…

"Oh, well, you see, the clock moved! Isn't it just wonderful?" From my hunched position, I watched the psychiatrist lean heavily against his umbrella, and moved to stand.

"And just who are you?" The mayor slowly, cautiously eyed me up and down once, eyes narrowed. She appeared to be inspecting me, though what for, I wasn't sure.

Oh no...she saw me…

I gulped nervously, hands wringing together. "M-Madame Mayor!" I barely heard Pongo whine in protest as my hand left his ear, a small chuckle building in my throat that I was forced to swallow. "I'm Elizabeth Ardell." I held out a hand by instinct, but the woman just stared in distaste at my palm. Awkwardly, I dropped my arm and stuffed my hands in my pockets, glancing away as her gaze threatened to burn holes in my head. I vaguely heard her mumble something along the lines of, "interesting," but shrugged it off.

A wickedly sweet smile suddenly twisted her ruby lips, hands clasped at her hips. "Nice to meet you then, Elizabeth."

I'm sure she's seen me around here before, so what's with the sudden interest?

"L-Likewise." I paused, glancing at the time on the clock once more and realizing some time had passed and my new friend might wake up soon. "I should really get going though, I'm afraid. I left my friend at my apartment."

At this, the mayor raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow. "I see. Well, see you around, Miss Ardell."

I nodded in her direction, turning around and giving one last smile to the therapist and his dog before heading back where I came from. For some odd reason the smile she gave struck a chord within me, one I couldn't seem to place.

As my boots hit the concrete, I brushed a hand along my temple as a headache began to form behind my eyes. I sighed, thinking back to the odd encounter.

Yep, this place is definitely strange...