So, kind of a short chapter, but I wanted to give you all something since the end of the semester is looming and I might not be able to update for another week. Papers, projects and exams are lurking in the shadows, so here's hoping this will tide you all over for now and here's to me passing everything with flying colors!

Again, I can't say how thankful I am for all the attention this story is getting. We're now over 200 followers and though the reviews aren't as plentiful, each one truly warms my heart. So thanks!

Chapter X

Anna woke up to the bright rays of sun breaking through the curtains above her. Groaning, she rolled over to bury her face in the fluffy pillows, pulling the comforter up over her head.

Wait… Fluffy pillows? Comforter?

Her eyes shot open so fast they became watery, and she immediately sat up in the bed.

Wait… Bed?

Anna racked her brain to bring back the last coherent memory she had to surface. The last coherent thought was the pain of a needle piercing her arm. After that, she remembered feeling really good as things began to slip in and out of focus.

She fought to think harder.

She could recount Elsa sitting by her side, beautiful smile on her face, eyes full of care and love. She remembered Elsa supporting her as they slowly made their way out of the hospital, Anna surely making a fool of herself more than could possibly be healthy. She didn't remember the car ride home at all and would have to ask Elsa about it later to make sure she didn't say anything that would be out of the ballpark even for her. She vaguely remembered arriving back at Elsa's place, said girl carefully helping her back into the apartment, past the couch Anna had called home recently, and to her bedroom.

Wait… Elsa's bedroom?

She was in Elsa's bed?

Heat rushed to her face as her stomach tied itself in a knot. She had slept in Elsa's bed last night. Sighing, Anna let herself fall back onto the plush mattress, exhaling a heavy sigh as she did so.

Damn, this bed was comfy. Anna wished Elsa luck getting her out of it. Rolling onto her side, Anna buried her face into the pillows again, a scent she could only describe as Elsa filling her nostrils and doing nothing to help her heated cheeks.

She was literally surrounded by Elsa, despite the blonde's lack of physical appearance.

Speaking of appearances, where was the blonde?

Determining the answers were not going to crawl out from under the covers, Anna pushed them back as she swung her legs over the side of the bed. Stretching, she took several minutes for her eyes to adjust to the light and take in her surroundings.

Wait… Eyes?

Anna blinked again and beamed when she realized she could finally see out of her swollen eye again. Her vision was still somewhat watery in the offending eye, but it was no longer swollen shut and she could open it all the way for the first time in several days.

Basking in the glory of seeing with both eyes again, Anna swept her precious eyes across the room. The walls were a pale blue, the soft carpet she wiggled beneath her toes snow white. All of the furniture was made of sleek black wood, including the bed's headboard. The comforter she had fought to release herself from was the same blue of the walls, the pillows a mix of black and white.

Anna tried to imagine what her bedroom would look like if she had ever been lucky enough to have one long enough to consider her own.

She chuckled at the picture that came to her head: bed covers kicked haphazardly to the floor, pillows tossed about the room, clothes and menial crap strewed about the floor. Definitely nothing like the picture of sophisticated grace of Elsa's.

Elsa. That's right; she had been attempting to look for Elsa when she got sidetracked by realizing she could see.

Anna briefly wondered if the drugs she had been doped up on yesterday were still coursing through her system. Even she wasn't usually this sidetracked.

Great, I came out of the hospital healed of physical injuries, but they gave me ADHD in the process. Go figure.

Before she could make to stand up, she yet again got sidetracked by a small slip of folded paper on the bedside table.

It was addressed to her.

Unfolding it carefully, Anna scanned her eyes across the page, etching each beautifully written word intricately into her mind's eye.

Anna,

I had to go to work this morning, but I decided to let you sleep. I get off at four and I should be home shortly after. Make yourself at home while I'm gone. There's plenty of food in the house—just try not to burn my apartment down, okay? I don't think the neighbors would be too pleased. There are also movies and video games in the cabinet beneath the TV in the living room. You are welcome to anything. Hope you're feeling much better. The doctor said everything went great. The cast on your hand can come off in two weeks and your ribs should be fully healed by then as well. I've left the bottle of Ibuprofen on the kitchen counter if you want to take any.

With love,

Elsa :)

Anna looked to the clock on the nightstand. It was now nearly noon. She still had the afternoon to herself.

In Elsa's apartment.

So, Anna chuckled internally, this is kinda awkward.

Folding the note back up, Anna finally pulled herself off the bed.

Well, that finally happened. Baby steps, Anna.

Anna's first destination was the bathroom, knowing her hair would be an untamed mess until she spent at least half an hour fighting with it. Looking in the mirror above the sink, Anna was pleasantly surprised that her hair didn't look that bad, all things considered. She had fallen asleep with her twin braids still up when she normally let her hair down. Only a few strands had fallen out of place in her sleep; something which could easily be fixed—unlike most mornings.

She made it out of the bathroom in record timing, opting to take a shower later. She grinned as she headed to the kitchen. She'd wait to take her shower when Elsa came home just so she could tease the girl again. That had been too much fun; even though Anna's last comment had perhaps been too over the top. Still, seeing the red color Elsa's normally pale cheeks almost made up for Anna's suffocating embarrassment.

The thought of showering later brought up a problem, however, and that was the fact that Anna had no change of clothes. The only outfit she had was soiled and bloodied, not to mention ripped and torn. She was currently in a loaned outfit from Elsa, but she didn't want to make a habit of stealing Elsa's clothes—no matter how much she admitted to herself she liked the idea.

That only meant one thing, Anna thought as her stomach flipped in anticipation: she'd have to make a trip back to the Royals to retrieve her belongings.

Well, shit…

XxXxX

Anna had infiltrated the Royal's "hideout" without a hitch. Boasting internally, Anna briefly thought she should become a secret agent with how good she was at sneaking around. She felt like James Bond.

Whoever he was, Anna lamely admitted to herself. She had only ever heard people talk of the man. He must be cool though with how much people talked about him.

Wait, was he the same thing as 007?

Really, brain? This is not the time to go all ADHD on me.

Anna peered around the corner of the hallway that held her room. The coast was clear; so far so good.

"Anna! What the hell are you doing?"

The redhead in question nearly jumped out of her skin at the harsh whisper. Turning around frantically, she reached for the band of her pants, prepared to pull her gun on whoever had the balls to startle her like that.

Then she remembered her gun had been left in her room.

"Hey, it's just me!" the voice continued, grabbing the hands that were ready to assault his face in a barrage of punches.

"Daniel?" Anna said, finally taking the time to take in the person before her. In this lack of lighting, it was hard to tell.

"In the flesh," the boy replied. "Sorry for the heart attack."

"You should be thankful I didn't have my gun on me, otherwise you may very well be nursing an extremely sore shoulder."

Daniel laughed. "With your aim, carrot-top, you would've hit the wall behind me," he retorted.

"Or your heart," Anna snapped back, not amused by the tease.

Daniel realized that was also very likely and he was suddenly very thankful Anna really hadn't had her gun with her.

"But seriously, what are you doing back here?"

Anna snorted and turned her back on him. "Why do you care? Gonna turn me in to the King? God knows you've already told him so much."

Daniel's face fell at her words. "Anna, I'm sorry."

"That's not gonna cut it," she snapped. "I trusted you, Daniel. You know how much I detested my past and yet you told Hans?" Chuckling, she added bitterly, "And you're supposed to have a crush on me?"

"Anna, please," Daniel pleaded, actually sounding truly guilty about the matter. "I never meant to say anything. I was drunk and…"

Anna rolled her eyes. "'Cause being drunk automatically makes it okay," she mumbled.

She heard Daniel huff. "Look, I really don't want to argue with you," he said. "I can't tell you how sorry I am, but you have a right to be mad at me. I betrayed your trust and I wasn't able to help you when Hans hurt you. How are you anyway?"

"Fine," was all she supplied. She started walking down the hallway to her room, thinking she had left the boy behind.

Upon entering, she immediately went over to the air mattress that paled in comparison to the clouds of heaven that was Elsa's bed. Tossing the pillow aside, she stuffed the gun in her pants, stuffing an extra clip into her pockets from in between the mattress and the wall.

"Where are you staying?" Daniel asked from the doorway.

"You really think I'm gonna tell you that after what you've done?" Anna questioned, amazed at this boy's stupidity…or brash sense of hope.

"It's not like I don't already know," Daniel shot back. "I know you're with that girl."

"All the more reason not to say anything more. Don't want anything else getting back to Hans, do I?"

Daniel rolled his eyes. "Anna, I'm sorry!"

"I told you that's not going to cut it, Daniel!" she shouted. "Betraying my trust is one thing, but just standing by idly as I get beaten to a pulp? You really think I'm just going to forgive you that easily?" Waving her casted hand in the air, she added, "Look what he did to me!"

"I told you to be careful!" Daniel shouted back. "I told you to keep your distance! It's not my fault your obsession got you into this mess!"

Anna just scoffed—which sounded too much like a strangled sob—as she turned back around to gather her things. Walking over to a drawer that was falling apart, Anna opened it to remove her hoodie, beanie and the rest of her clothes; "the rest of her clothes" meaning two t-shirts and another pair of skinny jeans.

"Are you really gay?"

Anna ground her teeth. "Really? Now you're gonna bring that up?"

She could literally hear Daniel shrug his shoulders. "Why not? Clearly I have no hopes in patching things up with you."

"I don't know," Anna replied, not really knowing why she even bothered revealing this to him. "I never gave it much thought." She gave him a snide look before adding, "Although after hanging out with you guys, I'm beginning to think women are more of a gentleman than you boys could ever be."

"Fair point," Daniel commented, not bothering to argue.

Grabbing a random plastic bag off the floor, Anna stuffed her clothes into it before making her way towards Daniel who still stood in the doorway.

"Excuse me," she mumbled, not looking him in the eyes.

He stepped aside without a word and she brushed past him, beginning to head down the way she came. Back to Elsa's. Back to someone who truly cared for her well-being.

"Anna…"

Had it not been for his tone of voice, Anna wouldn't have bothered turning around, but there was a hint of desperation in it, a brush of true emotion. Sighing, Anna turned to face him, knowing this boy had been her only true "friend" here.

"I know you said it's meaningless, but…I really am sorry," he mumbled. "I know I can't be forgiven, but can we at least part on somewhat good terms?"

Anna forced herself to meet his eyes, slightly surprised to see hope shining in his chocolate orbs.

"Do you really have a crush on me?"

He surprised her further when he blushed.

"Yeah," he muttered. "You were the first girl who gave me the time of day and the fact that you were fearless enough to join the Royals was nothing short of hot."

Anna couldn't stop the smirk that flashed across her face.

"Well, now your crush can fade since I'm not fearless enough to stay," she said.

"Doesn't change the fact that you're still hot."

Anna actually laughed at that and Daniel grinned, pleased to elicit such a reaction. He didn't hesitate to step forward and gather the girl in a hug.

"I'm gonna miss you, Anna," he said honestly.

"If I'm gonna miss anyone from this hellhole, guess it might as well be you," she commented with a chuckle.

Knowing that was the most forward Anna was going to be with him, Daniel's smile only widened.

"You take care of yourself, carrots."

"You too, Daniel."

As they stepped away from each other, Anna threw the plastic bag over her shoulder, preparing to walk away again.

"Is Hans around?" she asked. "I was lucky to avoid anyone coming in, but I doubt my streak of luck will last for me to get out."

"They're all in the other wing," Daniel told her. "Plus they're all high as a kite."

Anna chuckled as his words eased her anxiety.

Shooting him a last farewell, Anna quickly took off down the hallway, still not willing to take any chances on being seen. She wanted to believe Daniel wasn't sending her into a trap, but with the way things had gone lately, she didn't know what to believe anymore.

Once she was several blocks away, she slowed to catch her breath. Breathing in and out, she felt as though a weight had been lifted from her shoulders and she smiled.

I'm never going back; the past is in the past.