Chapter 20 - I love you too

Anna's heart was racing as she walked through the sterile halls. Blood pounded in her ears and she had to focus on keeping her breathing level. Never in her life had she done something so crazy. And she had broken into that 18+ horror movie with Elsa at the cinema. If only she could tell her younger self that it'd be ok. That in 5 years time she'd be doing even more insane things, such as breaking into one of the biggest pharmaceutical companies in the world in a reckless and quite simply crazy attempt to break out her girlfriend, who had some insane ice magic, from whatever Frankenstein experiments they were doing on her.

That was all Anna needed to hold her resolve. The thought of them hurting Elsa filled her soul with an inferno of rage. Her imagination was vivid enough to imagine the ordeal. It made her shudder.

Her mind thought back to the park with Hans again and Anna wanted to scream in frustration. How could she have been so foolish? Leaving Elsa there with that man... The man who used her, no groomed her, into giving him a way to make Elsa react. He patiently observed them, spied on them and then when the opportunity presented itself he stuck the knife in. And it wasn't just Elsa. Hans had just as brutally hurt Anna too. Despite this however she was glad she knew the truth finally. She wasn't sure if Elsa would ever have burdened her with it by choice. But to find out from Hans... She clenched her fists.

"Right, it's just through here," Kristoff beckoned her forward. He flashed his pass and the doors automatically opened. Anna stayed close to him in her stolen white lab coat. She thanked the heavens that the protective clothing was just sitting on pegs along the halls. Providing they kept their confidence, Anna was certain they looked like they belonged.

She really had been so lucky Kristoff had got the position here. It had taken them a few days to set up this plan, but Kristoff had been able to collect almost everything they had needed from just two shifts. It had taken some sweet talking with the senior employees, and more than just a few drinks at the bar the previous night but they had got what they believed to be Elsa's location and a good heads up on how the security system worked. Route planned to the finest detail, Kristoff and Anna went in for the extraction while Olaf hacked into the security cameras. Everything took exact timing.

They passed another group of workers heading home for the day. Kristoff gave them his casual 'have a nice evening' talk. Anna had no idea how he could stay so damn calm. If she had to talk she feared she'd word vomit their whole plan over the person who was addressing her.

Their footsteps echoed off the corridor walls as they traversed the labyrinth. The inside of the building was a true definition of a maze: endless corridors, no windows, everything looked the same. Anna wanted nothing more than to take Kristoff's hand and squeeze it but she forced herself to stand tall and confident. She couldn't let her nerves show.

Kristoff paused at another set of doors. "This is the tricky part," He said in a low tone and despite being lost, Anna knew this was where Kristoff's knowledge ended. Beyond these doors was restricted territory. She really hoped Olaf had made it into the system otherwise this would be a short trip. "Let me do the talking."

Anna gave him a determined nod and her friend flashed his card. Access denied. Kristoff tried again. Same result. After the third try he hit the intercom.

"Kristoff Bjorgman. Mr Weselton's intern. The Duke's asked me to come and file some reports on Subject 53."

Anna tensed as she listened.

"There is no clearance for you to access this area Mr Bjorgman."

"Do you want to explain to the Duke why I wasn't able to file these reports?" Kristoff's tone went dark. "-These important and time sensitive reports." He repeated for emphasis. "So when he is about to fire me I'll remind him that his security didn't have the correct procedures in place to deal-"

"You are clear to pass Mr Bjorgman-"

"My assistant, Miss Winters will be joining me," He interrupted the intercom authoritatively.

Anna had picked the name after finding out Elsa had been using it here and there. It was stupid really, using a name the woman you're about to break out had used. Anyone with a brain could piece it together. It was only upon reflection she realised how foolish it was. But she hoped the security wouldn't know Elsa's profile personally. And there was something romantic in sharing the identity.

There was a pause.

"You are both cleared to pass." The intercom confirmed.

"Thank you," Kristoff's tone was anything but sincere as the pair marched onwards through the double doors.

Every muscle in Anna's body was tense as she followed Kristoff.

"Sorry I couldn't help you with that door. They had a manual override up in the security office. I couldn't take control of it," Olaf's voice hummed from Anna's earpiece. She jumped and glanced around anxiously before remembering she was wearing the damn thing.

"I amended your employee profiles in the system but it won't take them long to realise something's up. I'd estimate about 15 minutes... That's if they haven't already found me snooping about in here."

Shit. Anna bit her lip.

"But I can see Elsa."

Anna paused mid-step. Confirmation that she was here sent a rush through her. "Where?"

"I'll guide you," Olaf assured her. Anna picked up her pace and Kristoff had to quite literally run to keep up with her.

Anna's heart and mind were on overdrive. Elsa was really here. She'd been thinking about her constantly since... since four years ago and now she was about to face her knowing everything. Where do we even begin talking?

They stopped at a door with a whiteboard labelled 'Subject 53' on the front. It was what she imagined a prison cell would look like.

"Give me a minute," Olaf said over the earpiece. Anna didn't think her nerves could take it.

The light flashed green. The door pinged open and both of them took the breath they had been holding.

Anna hadn't expected what she saw inside the clinically white room. As much as she prepared herself for it, she wasn't ready. Her heart broke. Memories of the park flooded back: Elsa's empty eyes. They were the exact same now. Anna couldn't comprehend what she was seeing.

"Kristoff, wait here," She could barely get the words out as she rushed forward and fell to her knees before her puzzled friend, taking her cold hands in her own. Anna held those hands tightly, tearing her eyes from Elsa's momentarily to see the track marks, awful purple blotches against the snow white skin of her arms. She gritted her teeth as she feared what else they had done to Elsa underneath that white shift.

"Elsa," She breathed. Anna had already feared this was Elsa's fate. Why hadn't she been ready to see it?

Elsa's confusion faded and she simply looked away. There was no emotion in her blank expression.

"Elsa?" Anna whispered. When Elsa didn't acknowledge her she rose to sit on the bed beside her. She needed to act before panic set in.

Think, Anna! She held Elsa's face in her hands and forced her to make eye contact.

"We need to go, Elsa," Anna pleaded.

"I can't," Elsa's reply was harsh.

"You can't?" Anna repeated in disbelief. "Why?" She demanded.

"T-minus 8 minutes!" Kristoff called into the room while keeping watch in the corridor. Anna wanted to throttle him. It wasn't like she was stalling on purpose.

"I'm a danger to the world," Elsa's voice was as empty as her eyes. "It's best for everyone that I'm here. I can't hurt anyone."

Her blood ran cold at the realisation of Elsa's mental state. Had she always been like this inside? Had Anna really been so blind to miss it? No, she couldn't let herself believe that.

"Are you serious?" Anna was shaking with raw emotion. "These people will never use your power for good! And punishing yourself for what you did to me... You aren't allowed to do that...! That isn't your choice!" Her face was wet with tears. "Don't you realise that seeing you here, like this is enough to tear me apart! Elsa... Dammit Elsa you said you loved me on that recording four years ago. I don't believe that's changed. I won't believe it," Anna's breath hitched as tears flooded her eyes. "I refuse to believe you've changed because I-" she sniffed, "...I love you too. Even after everything. It won't be easy and we need to work so much out. But we have to try..." Words weren't enough. Even staring into Elsa's eyes as she spoke it was clear they were devoid of all hope. Anna needed to say more to make her understand. To do more.

Anna pressed her lips furiously against Elsa's and kissed her with all of the passion she could muster. She didn't pull away. She refused to. If this was to be their last kiss she'd revel in it. Rife with heartache and desperation, Anna made sure it said everything and more.

She closed her eyes as her fists gripped the neckline of Elsa's shift and pulled the woman flush against her body. Her mind flashed back to the Winter Ball and her body roared with pent up heat. No other lover made her feel this right. Even if she had to drag Elsa out of here she'd do it.

They only parted at Kristoff's 5 minute countdown.

"Anna," Elsa said breathlessly as they met each other's eyes. Anna's heart fluttered at the spark of life in Elsa's soul again. They rested their foreheads against each other in silence. For the first time ever they were able to look at each other and truly understand one another. No more secrets.

"Please come home with me. Give me a chance. Give us a chance," Anna begged her as she touched Elsa's pale cheeks. Her finger trailed down to her lips.

"...Saying no to you was always the hardest thing," Elsa murmured, and Anna shivered as Elsa touched her face. Something stirred deep within her and she had to stop herself from taking the woman right here and now.

"I'm real, I'm here," Anna whispered, filled with both relief and joy.

"Anna, it's now or never!" Kristoff interrupted, having lost his cool persona. Sweat dripped from his brow. She nodded and rose to her feet, holding her hand out to Elsa. The woman took it and was pulled to her feet into Anna's arms.

"I've got you and I promise I'll never let you go," Anna breathed into her blonde hair. Their hands entwined and tightened before Anna whisked her off into the hall.

Elsa's heart was soaring. She always knew the redhead had feelings for her but she had been so sure as soon as she knew the truth Anna would resent and despise her. And now here she was talking about love and risking her life to break Elsa out of her prison. It was like a dream.

How the girl had broken into Weselton Pharmaceuticals she couldn't comprehend but her presence, and most importantly her kiss told Elsa she needed to fight. It was hard to move her feet. Her bruised and battered body resisted her every attempt but the touch of Anna's hand was like a fire that ignited her soul. It kept her going.

They pair followed a mumbling Kristoff through the labyrinth of corridors, taking sharp turns every so often, occasionally turning around and retracing steps. Elsa frowned as she caught a glimpse of an earpiece in the man's ear. Anna was wearing one too. They are being directed. Is mother involved? It was the only logical explanation. No one else would have the resources for such a breakout, of this she was certain. But if that was the case then why was Anna here? Her mother wouldn't have risked her, surely.

After a seemingly endless 10 minutes of running the group burst into an underground car park. Anna squeezed her hand; hope bright in her teal eyes. The getaway car must be down here. They'd be free. Elsa could apologise to Anna properly, accept her judgement and maybe, just maybe if there was any forgiveness the pair could find the spark they once had in the woods. Elsa allowed her mind to fly with that thought-

Bang!

Elsa snapped up at the sound of a gunshot. At least six armed men sprung out from between various cars.

"All of you stay still or I'll shoot him." Hans stepped out from behind a van, a pistol pressed to the back of Olaf's head.

"Sorry," Olaf said sincerely, his eyes on Elsa's.

Hans.

Elsa felt fear for the first time since Hans had revealed everything in the park. How had she allowed everyone she cared for to be caught up in her mess?

"Clever move using the intern pass. We almost missed you. Lucky I was keeping an eye on the security too," Hans said with that smug smile that Elsa was so used to. "I really thought you'd have listened to me, Anna. I warned you getting involved would only end badly for you."

"There was no way I was going to leave her," Anna growled.

They must have more to this. Surely mother is involved. Elsa swiftly berated herself for thinking of her parent's protection. She had run away from her family. She had no right to wish this of them ...But even so, it was the only hope she had left.

Anna and Kristoff muttered some inaudible things to each other. Curses perhaps? Or maybe they were simply lamenting their false hope.

"Let them go," Elsa demanded as she released herself from Anna's grasp and stepped away from her two saviours. She hadn't even realised she had spoken until she was standing a few feet in front of them. The buzz of adrenaline had overcome her, bringing her back to life.

"You are hardly in a position to negotiate." Hans cocked his pistol as he forced Olaf to his knees. He pressed the barrel into the boy's ruffled black locks.

Elsa's eyes darkened as she saw her friend doing all he could to hide his fear from her. It was impossible. He was visibly shaking beneath that forced cool persona.

"You're going to cooperate and your friends will live," Hans began as he circled around Olaf and pointed the gun towards the direction of Anna.

Elsa froze; her whole body tensing. Watching that gun pointing at her love, realising just how easily he could take her from her, it filled her with a fury greater than anything.

"It was obvious seeing Anna again would reawaken your spirit. You did us a favour breaking in here," He turned to Anna. "So killing you wouldn't really be sporting," Hans withdrew the gun. "But I can't allow you to leave this time."

"You could. You are just choosing not to," Anna argued, restrained by Kristoff.

A sick and twisted feeling clawed inside of Elsa's stomach. How dare he treat her friends like this? Damn... Here they are risking everything for you and you can't even fight. Elsa clenched her fists so tight her knuckles went white. There was no way they were making it out of here. Not like this.

Pull yourself together. Fight for them.

The fear grew but it didn't paralyse Elsa as it usually did. She let it empower her just as it did all those years ago when the netball team pushed Anna into the water.

The temperature of the room was already plummeting.

"You're right, I'm choosing not to," Hans said with a shrug. "Now what do you say, Elsa?" Hans advanced on her. "Will you cooperate?"

"Don't do it, Elsa," Olaf called to her as rose to his feet.

"Stay down!" A soldier commanded him, holding his gun up.

Olaf ignored him, facing Elsa boldly. "Don't ever give in. No matter what happens, you're my best friend. Don't let them win-"

"I said get down!"

Hans turned. "Back up-"

There was no time. In one slow and tragic movement the soldier held his gun steady and shot. The bullet echoed but all Elsa heard was the cry. Blood splashed against the tarmac. Olaf doubled over in pain.

Elsa saw red. It was like her whole world slowed to a stop. Every sense was suddenly vibrant. The smell of iron, the noise of each armed man: the twitch of their muscles, the... heat radiating from them? They were furiously shivering. It was then Elsa finally realised frost had formed a layer across the whole car park.

Mind racing, Elsa forcibly slowed her thoughts to consider her options. Eyes darted from each man. Even with her icy powers she wouldn't consciously be able to fight off seven sets of bullets. She wasn't convinced she'd be able to consciously fight one. She closed her eyes. She could still see them. No, perhaps feel was a better word to describe it. Those remarkable heat signatures were as strongly vibrant with and without her eyesight.

Lights. And at that thought Elsa knew exactly what to do. It was a fact that she had never truly attempted to use her power since before she could remember. Her whole life she was taught to hide and conceal it. So the feeling of actively trying to awaken the monster frightened her. She used every ounce of that fear and fury to draw on whatever beast lay within.

...And within a few seconds the lights in the car park shorted, leaving them in darkness.

Elsa took two steps back and placed hands on both Kristoff and Anna's arms.

"Elsa-"

"Can you get to the car in the dark?" She interrupted Anna.

"I'll get her there," Kristoff promised, no hesitation. Elsa squeezed his arm in thanks before glancing back at Anna, her hand lingering. She wanted to kiss her in fear it would be the last time the pair ever saw each other but she held fast to those feelings and used them like paint to a canvas as she drew on the ice.

The room grew impossibly cold as she pulled away and took silent footsteps through the thick frost in the darkness. Like a woman possessed, she flicked her wrist and shards of ice blocked off the men's route to her.

The sound of wild gunfire echoed when they finally realised what they were up against. Fear of stray bullets caused her to falter in her steps. Elsa held onto the fear and projected it back at the frantic thermal images. She almost lost her mindset when she heard the sound of flesh tear and bone break. She didn't need to look to know one of those ice shards had hit a man. She felt it like an extension of herself. Elsa shuddered, a sick feeling overcoming her but she pressed on until she was at Olaf's side. The smell of iron was strong now and she was unsure whether it was from Olaf or from the bleeding soldiers.

She cupped his face in one hand and leaned down to kiss his forehead.

"Thank you," she whispered sincerely to him as a hand traced its way down to his injury. Her fingers were slick with blood as she held it. A puncture wound to his lower abdomen. Gods, she prayed it wasn't lethal. With the flick of her wrist she sealed it with a sheet of ice.

Olaf let out a gasp of pain, and perhaps surprise?

Looping her arm under his, she supported him towards the car where Anna's unmistakable heat signature was waiting. Any ice obstructing them melted before them and reformed behind like a barrier. More shots were fired and Elsa, without conscious thought blocked any in their direction in a wall of ice.

"Elsa! You can't run from this!" Hans yelled as the men fought their way through the maze she had left behind.

Elsa did not grace him with a reply. She dragged herself and Olaf into the backseat of the car and collapsed in exhaustion. The last thing she remembered was those teal eyes gazing down at her in relief, worry and ...pride.

Tyres screeched as the lights came back up. Hans dropped his pistol. The basement car park shimmered as frozen structures protruded from everything. It was something more akin to an icy cave in the arctic. Yet Hans could see how frantically Elsa had formed each piece. It was beautiful but wild. His fingers swept across jagged lines. The raw emotion in each edge gave him a thrill unlike anything else. If she could build something with time and care... Thoughts trailed off as he envisioned the sheer power of what she was capable of. Not that he considered a carefully built structure better. The wildness of what she had done was far more beautiful than the potential for careful control.

As he admired her work the men around him tended to wounds. Some of them were pretty cut up, but none of them were dead. Beyond that he didn't care.

The vibration from his phone drew his attention away from the ice.

"Weselton," Hans said by way of greeting.

"She got away," the voice hissed over the phone. Talk about stating the obvious.

"She showed us more than she ever would have done in that cage and we have the samples," Hans said patiently. He was still in disbelief at how naive the old man was. Of course there was every chance Elsa would escape. Sure, containing her would have been an advantage but this wasn't so bad either. At least, for Hans. Weselton however would have to deal with consequences of this little clinical trial on his own.

"This wasn't in the plan. You said you'd contain it. When she gets home and tells Iduna about this she is going to-"

"You'll figure something out," Hans shrugged, uninterested.

The phone beeped to signal an incoming call. Hans pulled the mobile from his ear as Weselton prattled on and looked down at the caller ID. It was a withheld number. He tapped on one of the icicles as he considered whether to answer.

"Sorry, I've got to go, urgent call."

Hanging up on Weselton, Hans answered the new call.

"Report," the voice demanded coldly.

Hans glanced around, certain the caller already knew what had happened.

"She got away. We got a big show out of it too," he hesitated, unsure whether to continue. His anger won out. "We agreed we wouldn't kill anyone. One of your men got trigger happy."

"That doesn't concern you."

Hans held his tongue. After the lights went out one of those stray bullets could have hit me... Or Anna. Hell they could have killed Elsa. Was this some sort of test?

"Whatever. The balls in your court now. Do your worst," Hans muttered as he hung up. He slicked his red hair back and looked around at the jagged ice pieces.

"I'm looking forward to seeing what you'll do next, Elsa."

A/N: I really had no time for Hans before I started writing him. He is growing on me.