chapter word count: 651

noir heart: ninety-two

"You didn't have to move out, you know," Anna whines in audible disappointment from the speakers of Elsa's phone, as it rests on the brand-new counter of her brand-new apartment, "We still had the converted attic…"

Closely scrutinising a wooden knife block filled with matt-steel knives of varying sizes, Elsa smiles lightly as she turns it just an inch to the left. "My dear Anna," she says, "you have less than a month left until the baby arrives." She turns it a half-inch to the right. "Having a third adult in your home would only complicate matters."

"But-"

"Besides," she pauses to pull out the largest knife and admire the blade's impeccable shine, elegantly curved handle and razor-sharpness, turning it over and over in her hands, "A single woman like me needs her own space."

"I know, I know." Anna sighs. As much as Elsa is faintly amused by her little sister's persistence, it does become...trying...at times. "It's just - you only just came back into my life, I don't wanna lose you again."

"You won't be getting rid of me that easily," Elsa says as she slides the knife back with a wooden scrape, smiling crookedly.

"Good! 'Cause, you know, between that rat-bastard, and Mama and Papa locking you away - I still don't know why they did that."

Her smile falls, and an all-too-familiar flicker of resentment sneaks its way into her heart. 'There's something wrong with our daughter," her father had said, overheard by Elsa from the stairs, 'She's not normal.'

What is 'normal', but a self-written perception of the world around us, Elsa thinks. One person's normality is another person's heresy. In an attempt at distraction, she picks up the phone and strides with it into the living room, depositing it on the clear plastic sheet still wrapping her new sofa whilst she crouches and delves into the nearby box labelled Miscellaneous.

With a pleased hum, she retrieves a small notepad and pen, and whilst writing the name Mr St. North, she says, "It doesn't matter now, Anna. I grieved Papa's love. I moved past it. I am my own person - I am me," she trails off, her eyes falling upon a heavily creased paper bag. With a swell of pride, pleasure and victorious glee, she closes the notepad and slides a dainty hand into the bag to pull out the physical reminder of her freedom - her ring, with the chain wrapped around her fingers. Gazing fondly, she tilts her head to the right and smiles widely. "No matter what anyone says."

"True that. So, what do you plan to do with your newfound freedom?" Anna asks, attempting a light tone that comes off slightly lame.

Elsa considers the question for a moment. Several things float through her mind; her ongoing investigation, getting a job, organising and decorating her apartment - a nice light blue in the living room, perhaps. "I think I'll take each day as it comes," she says, electing for the most cryptic answer as she slides the jewellery back into the bag.

However any further thoughts to that end are jarred and cast aside, when a piercing, ache-inducing sound rips through the apartment, forcing her to duck slightly and wince from the surprise pain in her ears. Glancing up at the smoke alarm between the hallway and the living room light, she utters a few choice curses in her mind at whoever was inconsiderate enough to set off the fire alarm.

"What's that?!" Anna yells, barely audible over the deafening noise.

Rising to her feet, she bends down to pick her cell phone up from the sofa and yells, "It's nothing, Anna! Just a fire drill!" as she strides toward the door. "I'll call you later!"

Jack next. Hopefully this wasn't as boring as it comes across to me. If it is, then there's only a day to wait :P

special thanks to: lunasnoir, vrupd.1992, oninoko, mume and jpbake for the reviews - and I would suggest a read of Codependency, 'tis good.