A/N: Thank you for all your reviews! They're like a wonderful pulse of happiness every time I read them :) And to those of you out there just reading, I love you guys too - thanks for sticking around! (Special thank you to Chelsie Soul of the Abbey for another shout out on the tumblr! Too cool!)

Goal Check:

1. 2000+ words (oh yeah, came in at a nice 2,576)

2. No exposition (I'm definitely leaving this one to you guys. To the guest who posted about being nitpicking regarding memories: I completely agree, it's a hard line to say for certain on. I'm following a rule for those, but I'm also constantly questioning if the rule works or not, so feel free to be nitpicky ;) )

NOTE: I will be traveling this weekend and thus my writing schedule will be on pause, the next update will be a little longer than this last one, but afterwards things should settle into something of a routine :) sorry about that.

Enjoy!


Though the young woman's hand lay warm on her arm, Elsie couldn't see Anna. Her eyes were too puffy. Blinking was a chore. She attempted a smile, not wanting Anna to worry.

"I didn't want to wake you," Anna said, "But Dad wanted you to know breakfast is almost ready."

Elsie nodded. As her eyelids strained against opening, she found herself looking at fog. A dark light swept through the window. The fog itself crept into the sinew of her bones. She shivered.

"You can sleep longer if you like," Anna continued, rubbing her arm soothingly, "We'll keep something warm for you."

Elsie shook her head, "No, no-"

That voice, it didn't sound like her voice. It sounded mushy and crackly with sleep and sorrow. Taking a deep breath she rolled over, finally making out Anna's silhouette.

Anna nudged her arm, "Shove over."

Taking her pillow, and realizing how wet it was - she must have cried in her sleep - she left Anna the bottom one as she shifted across the bed. Assuming they were going to have one of their Mumzi and Anna whisper conversations, she was surprised when Anna pulled her over. She found her face nestled in the younger woman's shoulder. Wrapped in Anna's arms, she laughed at the audacity of it all.

Anna was silent for a moment. The tree out back creaked against the wind. The fog felt more inside than out.

"I kept thinking about when you did this for me," Anna said, "When Bryan broke up with me."

Elsie smiled. That night etched itself across her memory. Anna had come to her shaking with grief. They talked it over all night and ended up with Elsie holding Anna until the girl had fallen asleep.

"The thing I never told you about that," Elsie said, "was how relieved I was."

"I thought you liked Bryan."

"Oh, I liked him. But he wasn't good enough for you. You were much too clever for him."

She knew Anna smiled at that. But then the girl tensed, saying, "I hope you think John's good enough."

Elsie pulled away, settling back on her pillow so she could meet Anna's eyes. "You don't need permission from me, dear. But from what you've told me, he sounds like the perfect gentleman."

"He is. I only hope dad thinks so too."

Elsie chose to ignore that, reasoning they had engaged in one too many arguments about it. Instead she said, "Are you nervous about New Years?"

Anna giggled, "A little."

Elsie smiled as a blush crept across Anna's cheeks.

"I know it's supposed to hurt the first time," Anna said, "but I don't think I'm worried."

"You have had some experience. That will help."

This time Anna turned bright red, "I can't believe I told you about that."

Elsie chuckled, "I'm glad you did."

Taking one of Anna's hands in her own, she added, "And I'm glad your first time will be with someone you love."

Anna squeezed her fingers, "Me too."

The knock on the door startled them both. Charlie's voice bounced through the door, "Is everything alright up here?"

"Yes." said Elsie, surprising herself with how full her voice sounded.

The door opened a crack. Charlie asked, "Are you decent? Can I come in?"

"No, I'm completely naked even with your daughter in the room," Elsie rolled her eyes, "Yes, you can come in."

As the door opened, Charlie revealed himself to be wearing his favorite trousers, blue shirt, and, Elsie suppressed a laugh, an apron that said 'I cook with Wine, Sometimes I even Add it to the Food'. He also still wore an oven mitt on his left hand.

He smiled at them, "You two look cozy."

"We are," said Anna, snuggling further under the covers.

He sat on the foot of the bed, folding his hands in his lap, the oven mitt hand resting on top. Elsie couldn't imagine him looking more domestic.

"The eggs are getting cold," he said.

Anna and Elsie shared a look.

"What?" He asked, indignant, "I will not apologize for wanting my food to be hot."

"There's a difference between scalding and hot," said Anna.

"Not in my dictionary," he deadpanned.

Elsie chuckled, "Is that what we're having? Eggs?"

"And baked beans on toast," he said, "but that's getting cold too."

"Then I guess we had better go down," Elsie said.

"Good," said Charlie, as he stood from the bed, "The table is all set. I await your arrival."

And with a flourish to his walk, he headed back down to the kitchen.

The two women shook their heads at him, synchronized in their affection for his dramatics.

Anna sighed and reluctantly slipped out of bed. Elsie followed, yawning and stretching. Her bones creaked louder than the tree out back. She padded her way to her little red suitcase, but paused as she realized Anna stood hesitating at the doorway.

Without prompting, Anna asked, "You are going to be alright, aren't you?"

She couldn't answer truthfully. Her belief that Anna needed her to be strong outweighed any honest inklings. "Of course I will."

The girl nodded, "Dad just said that Joe wants... but he didn't explain what happened - why -"

"No," Elsie shook her head, turning back to her suitcase, "I didn't say."

Anna nodded again, not having any words. They shared a sad smile before Anna too disappeared downstairs.

Elsie sighed. Her breath left her body far too quickly, leaving her feeling faint. She cringed at that, weren't sighs supposed to help ease the breath, not take it out of you? But she supposed her feeling faint had little to do with the sigh. Pushing the thought away, she couldn't think about it now. Not now, and maybe not ever.

As she rummaged through her haphazard of a suitcase, she pulled out a pair of jeans and was pleased to find her favorite jumper. She found a bra tucked inside a pair of pantyhose and decided she didn't want to know how that happened. However as she continued to forage through her clothes she found her blood rushing through her veins. Her heart sped up as realization dawned: she hadn't packed any underwear. She didn't have her knickers.

She sat back on the carpeted floor in complete shock.

How had she managed to not pack any underwear? Of course at the time of packing she had been blind to all her actions. She barely knew what she had said let alone what she had done.

It was as though life just wanted to one up her: first Joe, then Charlie and his job, and now no knickers. Life was having a good laugh, she was sure of it.

Sticking to her stubborn roots she forced herself to laugh. If that was the way it was going to be, then fine, she would just have to go commando; play the soldier, like Anna's beau.

Normally she started from the bottom up when she got dressed. This time she put her jeans on last. The rough fabric felt strange on her skin, and there was an odd looseness without the added fabric. She wondered if this was good or bad for her vagina, and decided that either way it would be best to go buy some underwear during the day. Perhaps Anna would want to come with. A good shopping spree with her favorite girl would be a welcome distraction.

Feeling half-way decent enough for breakfast, Elsie grabbed her phone and made her way out the door. She habitually checked her text messages. Opening the screen she stopped so quickly she nearly fell down the stairs.

There were twenty-one messages from Joe.

The last one, the only one she could read without opening them all, said Please.

Her body screamed to open the rest, to find out what he needed, to help him, to worry about him, to hate him - but she was paralyzed. Almost instinctively her finger found the button on the top of the phone and turned it off. That would save her from wondering. She felt a tiny piece of relief shoot through her as the screen went black.

As she made her way down the stairs she recognized that sooner or later she would have to turn her phone back on and deal with everything. Deal with everything - but not now. Right now was breakfast.

Anna and Charlie sat waiting for her, munching some fruit from a bowl on the table. The table itself was set with more than the needed cutlery. Elsie smiled at the familiarity of a Carson breakfast. The flowers stood in full bloom on the middle of the table. There were even a few candles lit on the mantle. And there, next to the candles, sat her wine bottle.

She joined the two, saying, "I never thanked you for my wine last night."

"You're very welcome," said Charlie, as he tucked into his plate, "I hope that you can forgive an old fool for forgetting your birthday."

"Oh, it's quite alright, and -" quite understandable, but she couldn't say that, not since Anna wasn't to know. Dear God, she hate this already. She smiled pleasantly, "- and you are forgiven."

"Just don't let it happen again," Anna quipped.

Charlie chuckled at his daughter, shooting her a feigned sheepish grin.

They ate in relative silence. Charlie commented that the food must be good if everyone was so quiet. Elsie and Anna agreed.

As they finished, drinking their coffee and tea respectively, Charlie said, "Before you came down, Anna and I were discussing going out for breakfast tomorrow, seeing as it will be her last day with us before heading down to London for New Years."

Elsie stalled at that. She had grown up poor, and so knew what one must do in order to tighten the belt whenever a monetary emergency arose. Charlie, though, Charlie had never been poor. And the very thought that he wanted to buy breakfast instead of make it made Elsie worry deeply about how he was going to handle his crisis.

Immediately, a solution reeled into her mind, "That's a lovely idea, let it be my treat though. I know the perfect place -"

"No, absolutely -," Charlie said.

"Don't argue with me, Charlie," She said, "I know the owner and he'll get us the best table and throw in some free booze, especially if I pay. Besides, you have both been very kind to me during this - whatever this is - and I want to return some of the kindness."

"Elsie," Charlie started, he was playing with his unused cutlery, trying to make them even. He continued, "Elsie, you were there for me during...And with everything you have helped me with, opening my home to you is the very least I can do."

"So you know exactly how I'm feeling, wanting to repay a little kindness," She countered, trying not to smirk.

He sighed and looked at Anna, who shrugged, knowing better than to get between the two of them during a spat. His gaze returned to her and he said, "What is this place called?"

"La Ronde."

Charlie pouted, "Sounds french."

"Because it is," said Anna. She cast an exasperated look towards Elsie, who bit her lip in an effort not to laugh.

Anna continued, "I've heard of it before. It's supposed to be impossible to get in. Like, a three month wait just to get a reservation."

"That's true, but like I said, I know the owner, and his mother. But I'd like to call them soon, if that is where we would all like to go," Elsie looked at Charlie.

He gave a grunt of disapproval, "Very well, if we must, we must."

"Such a wholehearted declaration." Anna said.

Elsie patted Anna's arm, "It's a victory, dear. Leave him be."

"You do know I'm right here?" Charlie said, eyebrows raised. That earned him two adoring smiles.

Anna began clearing the plates, saying, "Well, now that we know what we're doing tomorrow, what are the plans for today?"

"Oh! I'm glad you asked," Elsie said, then blushed, not wanting to explain too much of her situation in front of Charlie, "I seem to have forgotten to pack a few necessary items, and thought perhaps you and I could go shopping."

"I'd love to!" said Anna, "I've been needing a new outfit for my internship. Annnd, one of my papers was published in a journal so -."

"It was!?" Charlie said.

"Anna! That's wonderful, dear!" Elsie said. She refrained from pulling the girl in for a hug, Anna was carrying too many dishes for that.

"I'm impressed," said Charlie, "what journal?"

"The British Society Annual Business Journal," said Anna, "but what I was saying is they paid me - and if I spend the money on something I need then I can say that I'm supporting myself through my business!"

Elsie laughed, "Like when I finally paid the electric bill with money from my first documentary."

"Exactly," Anna beamed.

"That's my girl," said Charlie, "I'm proud of you, my darling."

Anna turned slightly red and headed into the kitchen piled with plates. Elsie smiled, Anna had never been one to enjoy the limelight. A fact that made her something of a black sheep given Alice - and Charlie's, she sniggered - stage history.

Elsie turned to Charlie to comment on that, only to find him with a sad smile and faraway look.

"I remember when she wrote her first story - about the bunny that scraped it's knee." Charlie said, "And now she's a published academic."

"And she's only an undergrad."

Elsie watched as Charlie's face morphed from sentimental to worry. His brow furrowed together as if he was putting two and two together.

"Are you thinking about your...situation?" she asked, hoping Anna couldn't hear them.

Charlie shook his head, saying quietly, "No, I - Well, I've run the numbers a million times by now. I'll be alright until the end of the January. And then - and then things will have to change."

"Will you look for another job?"

"First thing as soon as Anna leaves. I don't want her wondering."

Elsie shook her head, "I think you should tell her."

"Not yet."

Recognizing defeat, Elsie bit her lip to keep from arguing. Worry still graced his features and she started to wonder if his worry had less to do with his monetary problems, and more to do with her...problem.

She didn't like that. She didn't like him worrying; especially about her.

Excusing herself she headed to her room to rummage through her suitcase. She wanted to make doubly sure there wasn't anything else she was missing. Her mind buzzed with everything that had happened in the last twelve hours. As much as she tried to brush away her thoughts, a nagging tingling was taking root in her heart. She felt heavy. In spite of it all, though, she was determined to have fun shopping with Anna.


Reviews are fun too!