"Dodger!" the pair of redheads had barely set foot in the warehouse before Rita pounced the battered man "You had me worried sick!" she growled angrily as her thumb grazed across his steadily blackening eye "Oh Dodge, what the hell happened to you this time?" Dodger simply grinned "You shouldn't worry so much, Rita, I can take care of myself" Behind him, Anna snorted a small laugh and he shot her a playful glare before returning his attention to Rita. "Gather everyone up at my fire" he held up the heavy grocery bags "Tonight, we eat like kings!"
It didn't take long for word of a good hot meal to spread throughout the warehouse, and soon everyone was seated together around the low barrel fire, eating the best meal any of them had had in months. "Eh, Dodger" Tito spoke from where he sat shaking on the dusty floor "Who gave you that shiner there, amigo?" A winning smirk broke across his face "What, this little thing? This is nothing. Seriously, you should have seen the other guys" the group broke into a raucous bout of laughter "No guys, I'm serious! You should have seen how Red here took them on! Odds were stacked against her, I mean these guys were twice her size! But she smacked them down like it was nothing! And look at her, barely a scratch on her!" Anna stared down into her chipped mug of soup, warmth blooming across her cheeks "It was nothing, really. Those two couldn't fight their way out of a paper bag." Dodger gripped her shoulder tightly and looked at her, brown eyes boring into teals "It was not nothin', Red. If you weren't there, I might not have ever made it back home. Thank you." Anna blushed brighter, her shoulders scrunching up to her ears "You're welcome" she whispered back.
They ate in silence for a long while. Not an awkward silence, but a rather comfortable one. Anna was struck by just how much of a family they all seemed to be. Each caring and helping the other. It was what she had always wanted. She wanted this. This place, these people. A lazy smile spread across her face as she looked to Duchess. "How's the baby?" she asked, placing her empty mug on the floor. A shadow crossed over her face as she crossed her arms protectively around her swollen belly "She hasn't kicked since this morning. I'm worried. She's all I have left of him." With that she curled in on herself, allowing Francis to pull her into his side.
"Don't worry yourself, Red" Dodger spoke in her ear "She's a little sensitive." Anna nodded slowly looked back to Dodger "What about you, are your ribs okay?" he nodded in response "I'm made of thicker stuff, I won't break that easy.", "Have you ever seen them before?" Dodger shook his head "Nah, never. Just a gang of lowlife punks looking for a fight. Cities full of 'em, but you get used to them."
"Camera and wild hair? Laugh like a pack of hyenas?" Ernie spoke up, looking across at them over the lip of his bottle, when Dodge nodded be continued "I've seen them" he pat his knee "I still haven't healed up from when I ran into them."
"What about you, my dear?" Francis asks, his voice thick with a forced Oxford accent, ever the actor, "Rita here tells us that you have been, brought up to speed on our unhappy happenstances, yet we know not a thing of yours. So tell us, what has caused a brave defender of the weak, such as yourself, to this lowly state?" Anna's fists clench tightly against her legs "I have done some things that I am not proud of. I'm no defender, far from it. The opposite really." She ground out. Rita was by her side in moments, gently rubbing her back "It's alright, Sugar. You'll find no judgement here. You're among friends now." All the while, Dodger looked on knowingly.
"Okay" her voice was small as she spoke, "All of my life I have been connected to this spirit. She has always been with me, but because of her, I have been forced to do many terrible things. I decided that enough was enough and I ran, and so here I am." The following silence lasted for only a moment before both Francis and Ernie burst out laughing. "And people think we're crazy, eh Ernie?" the little bald man chuckled. Ernie nodded and whooped "it looks like Tito isn't the only one on drugs here!" the duo continued laughing and joking until a pair and hostile glared from Dodger and Rita silenced them, but by then, Anna was already staring into the fire, absently picking away at her prepackaged sandwich of deli meat and too much mustard.
When her sandwich was all but crumbs, Anna stood and stalked around the fire. She kneeled down before him and placed a hand on either side of his injured knee. 'Elsa, help him out' the air cooled around them and for a brief moment the cold around Ernie's knee was painful and then, nothing. He bent his knee experimentally before his jaw dropped "The pains gone. Like it was never there!" Everyone had stopped eating and was now staring at Anna. 'Well' she thought 'since we've started this whole healing routine, we might as well finish it.' Slowly, she scooted over to sit on the floor before Duchess. "The spirit, her name is Elsa. She can do many wonderful things." She spoke only to Duchess as she lay her hand against her belly "relax" she breathed, more to herself then the trembling woman. She closed her eyes and smiled as a gently thump, thump beat in her ears. "I can hear her heart, Duchess, steady and strong, like a drum." She looked up to see that Duchess was crying "Elsa she's that she seems healthy, as far as she can tell, if that counts for anything." Anna let out s gasp when she was pulled up into a tight hugs. "Thank you" Duchess sobbed quietly.
Once she was finally able to disentangle herself from the pregnant woman she turned to Dodger. "You put of this tough face for them, but I've seen that mask before, it's one that I have worn, he needs that most healing, doesn't he?" her gaze was aimed to a spot just above his shoulder. "I saw the picture in your hut. Something happened to the man in that picture, am I right?" before Dodger could answer she continued "something that makes you feel alone, like you don't deserve to be truly happy" she slowly tugged off her gloves with shaking hands as she kneeled in front of him "but you are wrong."
Anna took hold of Dodgers hand in a tight grip, staring up at him. "Red, what are doing, Red?" Dodger's voice shook slightly as he tried to get his hand back, but her grip was to strong. "Just, try not to panic, okay?" she whispered as she braced herself against the couch with her free hand and closed her eyes. The hand of the specter whom Anna had been trying to ignore, was placed on her shoulder and she was once again struck by the feeling of the wind being knocked out of her. Her small frame trembled a moment and the air grew frigid as the spirit settled, drawing worried gasps from the others.
"Hey there, Little Bro, I see we haven't stepped up much" a wheezy voice chuckled from Anna. Dodgers jaw dropped "Fagin" he breathed, tears in his eyes "but, but you died." Anna founded herself nodding "but it wasn't your fault, Dodger. We tried everything we could, raised as much money as we could. But the cancer was too much. You heard what Dr. Sykes said, I didn't have a chance even if we could pay. But that's in the pasts, and look at all you have done. I might have slipped by, but you have helped so many more. I think you have forced yourself to suffer long enough, you deserve to be happy." Anna grinned and glanced at Rita "And let me tell you, Dodge, your happiness could be a beautiful thing." When Anna looked back to Dodger, her eyes were glistening with tears, "you have built yourself quite a nice little family here, you don't need to hold on to your foolish big brother anymore. It's time to let go, time to move on. "I love you, brother."
Anna's breath came rushing back to her as she wavered where she crouched, toppling over, but before she could hit the ground a pair of arms wrapped tightly around her, holding her up. "Thank you" his voice broke as he cried into her shoulder "Thank you so much, Red."
"Anna" she croaked out weakly while Dodger and Rita helped her back up onto her shaky legs "My name is Anna." Dodger smiled at this as he helped her inside his tin hut.
He helped Anna onto the mattress and kneeled next to her, he could see her eyes drooping already and knew that she had exhausted herself. "Did they deserve it?" he asked quietly. When her only response was to look at him in confusion he went on, "You said that you learned to fight in the army, and that you weren't a defender. So I assumed that you meant—", "No one deserves what I did to them" she cut him off, curling up tightly. Dodger nodded and ran his fingers through Anna's bangs. "Well, that's all behind you now, and if it counts for anything, I believe that you are a good person, Anna. You have a kind heart, and I think my brothers words count for the both of us. You deserve to be happy, and I promise that I will do everything I can to make it so. You have only been here a day and already you have helped us all so much, not let me return the favour."
A sleepy smile graced her face and she nodded "Thank you, Dodger" she mumbled before drifting off to sleep.
The following week had been like a dream for Anna. Each day, they would all go out, beg, busk and steal for their next meal, and come back to the warehouse, each with a smile and a tale. They had even built Anna her own little hut in the corner, as she still feared accidental ice. Homeless she may have been, Anna could not remember a time where she had ever been as happy as she was in that warehouse. But as Anna had had ground into her, all good thing come to an end.
A sharp cry of pain ripped Anna from her peaceful sleep, ice shooting up from her mattress. She barely had time to open her eyes before Rita ripped open her tarp door, "Anna, good your awake, hurry up. Come with me"
When she saw the rest of the gang gathered around Duchess, her mind assumed the worst, "Rita, what's going on?" It was Dodger who answered her, "Duchess is having contraction" his voice was shaky. "We should get her to a hospital" Ernie spoke from his place by her side. "No! No please no, they'll take her from me! I don't want to lose her" Duchess' voice was panicked. "Please, Duchess, we don't have to tools to deliver a baby." Francis tried being the voice of reason. After more debating and pained sobs, Rita spoke up, "That is enough. This baby is not being born in a warehouse!" she snapped, taking charge "Tito, the apartment building a few blocks over, I need you to break into it. Once you have the door open, come back her for me and Duchess. Francis, Ernie, I need you two to gather all of the blankets and bedding that you can find and take and take it to the building. Dodger, Anna, you two will gather any of the supplies we will need to deliver this baby. Understood?" she was met with nods "Then why are you all still standing around!? Let's move people! Go, go, GO!" With that, they split, everyone hurrying off to their assigned tasks.
Dodger and Anna sprinted down the street, stumbling through drift of snow as she raced to the nearest store. "I'm not gunna lie, Anna, I have no plan what so ever" Dodger admitted once they had reached the store. "Don't worry about it, just leave it to Elsa"
Elsa drifted through the door and set to work. She started with the cameras, flitting from one to the other, freezing them over as she went. Her task complete, she rushed back to the door, shattering the sliding glass with a powerful blast of ice.
Anna managed to pull Dodger away from the shower of glass just in time. She scowled up towards Elsa "I know that we are in a rush, but could you be just a little bit more careful next time?" she grumbled as she and Dodger entered the store. They ran from shelf to shelf, filling their arms with supplies. Diapers, bottles of water and various other items before legging it back into the streets.
"Eh, you two made it in?" Tito asked as he jogged up to them. Anna nodded as she shoved what she had been carrying into the boy's arms and ran back for more. "How is she holding up?" Dodger asked. Tito's reply was to walk faster "Her water broke, we need to hurry!"
Duchess was laid out on a mattress on the second floor with Rita kneeling beside her, trying to keep her calm. "Shh it's going to be okay. Look, Duchess, Anna's back." In the corner, Ernie and Francis' worrying grew louder and something in Duchess snapped, "All men out, now!" she ordered.
Anna made to leave as well but Duchess grabbed hold of her hand, "Anna, you stay. I need you" she pleaded. Anna simply stared at her "Me? What for? I don't know what to do." Rita shrugged "I'd bet that you know more than either of us. I have faith in you, Anna." With a gulp, the redhead nodded "Okay, bandages and water." She began, rattling off the other things thought they would need.
Hours passed with only the screaming of Duchess and the panicked voices of Anna and Rita before a shrill cry echoed through the building. With quivering hands, Anna swaddled the tiny babe and handed her off to Duchess. She looked up to Rita, who seemed to be fairing far better than the other two women. "Rita, could you let the guys in?" Anna chuckled "I don't think I can stand."
Once the door was open, the four men entered cautiously, crowding around the new mother. "Oh, Duchess, she beautiful" Francis breathed. "What are you going to name her?" Ernie questioned. "Anne Marie, Marie for short" Duchess replied, her eyes locking with Anna's. Anna's draw dropped "You're…. You're naming her after me?" she stammered out. Duchess smiled and nodded "of course I am. You may not have been with us long, but you have made the biggest impact in our lives. It only seems right to honour you." Words of agreement echo around as they all crowded together.
"We'll stay here for a while, least till we can move Marie" Dodger announced "choose a room, and let's get some rest."
"ANNA!" a distant cry echoed once again through the redheads dream. Fire raged around her, but unlike every other night that the dream plagued her, the fire did not vanish when she woke. Smoke filled the halls and rooms as hungry flames ate through the walls. "Fire" Anna scrambled to her feet before shouting "Fire!" she cried, hoping her voice would reach the others in their rooms. As she ripped open her door, the only thing that she could think of, was getting to the others.
She took off down the hall, racing towards the room Duchess and Marie had stayed in. She threw herself against the door, bashing it door in moments. "Come on!" she called to Duchess. They made it as far as the stairs before Anna stopped. She threw out a hand, sending an icy blast down the stairwell, momentary extinguishing the fire. "Go, Duchess!" she commanded. The new mother didn't have to be told twice, as she fled down the stairs and out the door. As she made to run back down the hall, Dodger caught her. "Anna, what do you think you're doing? You have to get out of here!" She shook her head "I'm not leaving them in there" she ground out as she pushed past him and Rita "Duchess is already outside, go make sure she's safe!" she called over her shoulder before running up to the next floor.
"Ernie!" she called "Tito, Francis!" she paused, waiting for a reply. "In here!" Francis' voice was almost unrecognizable without his phony accent. "We can't get the door open!" Anna nodded and examined the door "Stand back!" with a swing of her arm, ice lurched up from the floor, slicing through the door before it melted in the heat. Only Francis and Ernie were inside. "Where is Tito?" she demanded "I think he was on the top floor" Ernie replied, coughing from the smoke. "Of course he is" Anna bounced from foot to foot, "Alright, you two get out of here. I'll get him", she could hear their protests as she rounded the corner to climb the stairs but ignored them. This was her family now and she would be damned if she lost any of them.
Tito had made it to the hallway, but between him and freedom, was a chasm the fell down to the flaming ruin of the floor below. "Tito! Listen, I need you to trust me!" she shouted over the roar of the fire. "Jump across and I'll catch you!" she promised, but he only shoot his head "I can't! I won't make it!"
Taking a few steps back, Anna took a running leap, stumbling as she landed next to him. "See? It's not that far. You can make it." But he was too scared. He stood frozen in place, trembling like a Chihuahua. With a grunt, Anna lifted the smaller boy by the back of his shirt and belt, tossing him across the chasm. As he scrambled to his feet, more of the floor fell away behind him, leaving Anna stranded on the other side. "Anna!" he cried. She shook her head, "Don't worry about me! Just get out of here!"
Once he was gone, Anna's shoulders slumped as she looked around. "Elsa, could you find an easy way out?" she asked hopefully. A frown formed across her face as she looked down the chasm. "Well it was worth a shot" her voice shook. "You think the ice will be strong enough? Well if you say so." She took a deep breath and jumped down. Ice wrapped around her, rapidly forming and melting as she crashed through the weakened third floor and into the second.
Pain shot up her legs when she forced herself to stand. She could barely she through the smoke, and any attempt to summon ice to defend herself was met with nothing. Blindly she stumbled through the maze of flames and embers, fire searing through her coat and burning her skin. She didn't know how, but she managed to make it down the stared and felt hope blooming in her chest. She was almost free, she was sure of it.
The crack of wood above her came as a warning to late, as a burning beam of wood crashed down on top of her, bashing into her head and pinning her down. As her mind grew foggy, she was sure that she could hear someone calling her in the distance.
When Tito came stumbling out alone, Dodger rushed to him, grabbing his shoulders tightly "Were is Anna?" he demanded, shaking the boy. "I-I don't know. She m-must still be inside." He stammered out. Before he could think better of it, Dodge started hurrying towards the inferno, "ANNA!" he cried.
"Dodger!" Rita grabbed his forearm "Don't go back in there! We can't lose you to!"
He pulled his arm free "We don't know that she is lost yet. I can't let her just die, Rita. Not after everything she has done for us." When she made no further protest, ran back through the door and in to the flames.
Dodger didn't have to go in to far before he found her trapped beneath a smoldering beam of wood. It took all of his strength to push the beam off of her, but once she was free he wasted no time in scooping her up into his arms and hurrying back out before he was also trapped. Anna looked so small, and frail as he lay her out in the snow. She wasn't breathing. "HELP!" he called over and over. It wasn't long before the first responders arrived and Anna was being loaded into the back of an ambulance, whisked away to first for her life.
A comatose Anna lay near lifeless in a small hospital room. Elsa circled her constantly, keeping close watch over her host. It was all she could do, keep her safe and watch as visitors came and went. Time meant nothing to her, and the only sign that it was passing at all, was the changes in the visitors.
Duchess visited a few times, bringing Anne Marie to see her namesake, sometimes alone.
The one who frequented the quiet little room the most, was Dodger, often with Rita. If Elsa hadn't been fond of them before, then she certainly grew to be.
Dodger taped a clipping from a newspaper to the wall. "They caught them" he spoke hoarsely, smoke still sticking in his lungs "The bastards who did this. Same damn thugs from your first night with us. Never would have thought they would go that far." He sat in silence for a long while, simply holding Anna's cold hand. "I never got to thank you for saving us. So, Thank you" he leaned back and looked up "both of you."
Rita and Dodger had cleaned up nice, new clothes and shoes that fir right. "We managed to get jobs" Rita said as she tucked fresh flowers into the vase on the bedside table. "And we even got a small apartment. We're all still together, and Tito and Ernie are both clean. You'd be proud of them." Dodger chuckled "Even Francis has managed to toss his Ego aside long enough to act again."
"I finally did it" Dodge took hold of Anna's hand. He wore a nice jacket and slacks. "I proposed to Rita." He smiled sadly as he looked at his Fiancée. "I never would have had the strength without you, Anna. So, we'll wait for you. We won't have the wedding until you wake up. We want you to be there, it wouldn't be right if you weren't. So we'll wait. We'll wait as long as it takes." A weak snowfall began to fall over the couple and they laughed lightly. "Of course you're invited al well, Elsa" Rita smiled "Anna wouldn't be the same without you. You make sure to keep her safe for us."
Darkness swirled around Anna. She felt trapped as her life ticked backwards before her eyes. This had to be it. Her life was flashing before her and she was dying, she was sure of it.
The memories slowed until she found herself in a brightly lit room. A baby with bright ginger hair was crying in the arms of a doctor. "Congratulations, Idunn. It's a girl" he said as he made to leave the room. "I changed my mind" the brunette woman, Idunn, sobbed "I changed my mind! Bring back my daughter! Bring back my Anna!" she cried. Power surged through the room and equipment began going haywire. "Sedate her! Get her under control!" Idunn continued to cry for her baby until consciousness left her.
The memory faded and Anna was once again left in the darkness of her mind. Cold gripped her and tugged at her, pulling her slowly out of the darkness and into the light of the room.
When her eyes opened, the light, even dimmed was blinding. "How long?" her voice was hoarse. She felt Elsa drift away to find out as she stood slowly on trembling legs. "Three months" she breathed out when Elsa returned. She made her run her fingers through her hair, only to find her head shaved and a deep groove on the back of her head where the beam had hit her.
She looked around the room for a moment before her teal eyes fell on a dingy looking locket. Inside was a small picture of Dodger, Rita, Francis, Ernie, Tito, Duchess and Marie all crammed into the frame with bright smiles. Engraved on the other side was one word, family. Anna let out a small sob as she put it on, tucking it under her hospital gown.
"Anna Summers, Bright red hair, freckles. We know she's here." Hearing her name, Anna poked her head out the door. There were two men in suits at the nurse's station. Even from her spot she could see the CIA badges they were flashing and her heart stopped. They had found her. Panicked, Anna smashed the window in her room and escaped through it.
"Pumba, you see that?" the tiny officer in the passenger seat off the cruiser pointed ahead of them. Stumbling along the road in the rain was a woman with a shaved head and ill-fitting clothes. The fat officer, Pumba, nodded "Yeah, I see her, Tim.", "We can't just leave her out here" Tim mused "Pull over."
They stopped the car just behind the woman, both of them getting out and popping open their umbrellas. "Miss, excuse me, miss!" Tim called over the pounding of rain. Slowly, she turned to them "You need any help?" Pumba asked. When she didn't reply Tim spoke again "we were just heading back to the station, would you like a lift?" when she nodded slowly, both officer smiled, happy to be able to help a stranger.